And All the Sinners Saints

The following night, Vince returned to the hideout in a foul mood. He punched the wall in frustration, and then bit back a groan as his hand stung.

"Would you kindly refrain from damaging my hand?" Peter asked. "I am going to want it back in one piece…" Vince spared him a dark look before beginning to rant.

"I've searched the whole city for him! I can't find Scales anywhere. Have you had any better luck, Orwell?"

"None," the blogger admitted ruefully. "He hasn't shown up on any of the security cameras. We'll just have to keep looking for him…"

"Maybe we won't," Vince said. "What if… what if we set a trap for him?"

"Excuse me?"

"When I held that press conference yesterday, it drew him out like a moth to the flame. If I call another one, he's bound to be there! He wouldn't be able to resist taking another shot at Fleming."

Both Flemings spoke at the same time.

"You want to use yourself as bait?"

"You want to use my body as bait?"

"Well, yeah," Vince said.

"So much for only going after him as the Cape," Orwell muttered. "Are you completely insane? You'd be endangering not only yourself, but also a whole roomful of people: reporters, guards-"

"Then, we won't make it a full-blown press conference this time. Orwell, you could put the word out that Peter Fleming is going to give a private interview to one reporter to finish what he started before the bullets started flying yesterday."

"You're not going to finish what you started unless you want Chess to pay a visit to Dana and-"

"Easy, Vince!" Orwell jumped up between them before things could get ugly. Vince had started approaching her father, and she was pretty sure steam was about to come out of his ears.

"Listen, dad, Vince just meant we're going to spread a rumor that he's going to spill some beans to a reporter. He didn't mean he's actually going to give away your secret. Let's all calm down, okay?"

"Your daughter's not always going to be there to protect you," Vince warned Peter, who smiled.

"I'm counting on it. What did you have in mind?"

"Guys, cut it out! Now, Dad, you own all the media outlets in the city, besides my blog, I mean," she added at her father's look. "Which one do you think would be best for what we have in mind, the Herald?"

"No good. Even Scales would be able to figure out I'd go to a television studio in such a case…" Peter snapped his fingers. "I've got it. We'll use the local NBC station. They've got the perfect room…"

DRDRDRDRDRDRDRDRDRDR

The following day saw Scales lurking outside the studios of Palm City's NBC affiliate. (Yeah, right. More like another one of ARK's affiliates, Scales thought.) So this was where Orwell's blog said he'd be able to find that tossbag. The smuggler's right arm was in a sling. Dr. Magnarelli said it wouldn't require surgery, but he still wasn't going to be able to use the arm for awhile. Good thing he was ambidextrous…

After stowing the pistol in his holster, Scales used his left hand to pry open the back door, and slipped inside.

VFVFVFVFVFVFVFVFVFVFVF

"I just can't believe it. I told all the reporters and crew members that I needed them to evacuate the building, and everyone left, no questions asked." Vince shook his head.

"Owning half-the city does have its perks," Peter said, smirking.

"Only half?" Vince questioned.

"Well, it depends on…"

"Guys, seriously, Scales could burst in at any second. Do you think we could focus?" Jamie was at home in her role of the reporter there for the exclusive interview with Peter Fleming. Only problem was that anyone coming in the door wouldn't see Peter Fleming, but then, they weren't trying to recreate the scene from the other day.

Scales burst into the room to find Chess sitting across from a reporter.

"You nutter," Raoul said as he took in the sight of Chess' mask and contacts. "So it's true, then? You decided to tell ev'ryone who you are?"

"Well, no one believed the truth when they heard it from you. I thought I'd see whether the public would be stupid enough to disregard it after I confessed," Peter drawled. Scales paused. Was it just him or did Fleming's voice sound funny? Eh, not important.

"I'm afraid we'll never know, mate," Scales said as he aimed the gun at Chess.

"I wouldn't say never," a voice came from behind Scales. As he turned to see who it was, a familiar cape whisked the pistol out of his hand.

"You again!" Scales snarled. Vince smiled.

"Yeah, me."

"What are you doin' protectin' 'im?"

"It's a long story. I'm going to try not to make a habit out of it. But, hey, how could I miss the chance to see your reptilian face again?"

"I'm not going back to Owl Island."

"We'll see about that." Vince used the cape to throw Scales into a wall. The body slumped onto the floor.

"Is he out?" Vince asked. Peter bent down to check and Scales grabbed on and head-butted him. The billionaire hissed in pain.

"That was uncalled for," he chided, making sure to step on Scales' bad arm. Swearing under his breath, the smuggler tried to get to his feet, only to be stopped by a taser. His body twitched for a few seconds as he lost consciousness. Peter and Vince turned to look at Orwell.

"What? You guys were taking too long."

PFPFPFPFPFPFPFPFPFPFPF

That evening, after seeing to it that Scales was back in Owl Island where he belonged (wearing a nice straightjacket that, it was hoped, would deter further escape attempts), the three reconvened at Vince's hideout.

"I found the hotel Zatanna's staying in. Are you going to confront her there?" Orwell asked.

"How about we invite her to ARK Tower instead? That way we'd have the home-court advantage," Peter suggested.

"Alright; better get her there quickly, though. Looks like she's planning on checking out of her room the day after tomorrow, which either means she's found what she was looking for-"

"Or she's given up," Vince finished.

"Probably the latter, considering she was looking for me," Peter surmised. "All the more reason this doesn't sit well with me. She's decided to go back to the Justice League empty-handed, and you want me to waltz into my office and tell her that I'm Chess. Well, forget it. It's not happening."

"Currently, it's my office, jackass, and it's going to stay that way if you don't."

"Vince, there's really no need for name-calling," Orwell said. Why did she have to be the one to play peacekeeper? "Look, Dad, we're not saying you have to tell her you're Chess. But you are going to have to face her or else Vince is right, you'll be stuck like this: in the body of the man people believe to be Chess, I might add."

You've got to appreciate the irony, Peter.

"Fine." Peter crossed his arms. "Arrange the meet."

PFPFPFPFPFPFPFPFPF

A knock sounded on the door of Peter's office.

"Come in," Vince called. Zatanna walked in and closed the door behind her.

"Good to see you again, Mr. Fleming. I understand another attempt was made on your life yesterday. Are you alright?" The corner of Vince's lips twitched.

"Fortunately, the Cape was there to save the day. Just a minute!" Vince called out, as another knock sounded on the door.

"Were you expecting someone else?" Zatanna asked.

"You were," Vince replied.

"I'm sorry?"

"Zatanna, I am not the man you met at the fund-raiser a few nights ago."

"What are you talking about?"

"Do you remember granting Peter Fleming a wish?"

"Yes," she brightened. "So you noticed. How have you been enjoying it?"

"I'm sure I'd find it hilarious, if I wasn't involved. I'm not Fleming; you made me switch bodies with him." The knocking grew louder, more insistent.

"I told you to wait a minute!" Vince called out. To Zatanna, he added, "He's such an impatient bastard, you know. But then, he doesn't like being kept outside of his own office."

"If you're not Peter Fleming," Zatanna began, "then who are you?"

"First things first: I know you're with the Justice League. What's their privacy policy on secret identities? Do you have to be a member of the group in order to…?" Vince sighed as the door was flung open by 'the Cape.'

"You just couldn't wait, could you, Fleming?"

"You know me too well, Cape." Peter looked at the magician. "Well, hello, Zatanna."

"Fleming? You wished to switch bodies with the Cape?" Zatanna asked.

"No. God, no! I merely wanted certain information that apparently he was privy to. Can I take this damned costume off now?" Vince cleared his throat.

"So, about that League privacy policy?"

"You can trust me. I won't tell anyone who you are- I mean, were- I mean-"

"Good enough for me," Peter said, ripping the mask off his face and shedding the cape.

"No, that's not possible. You're Chess!" Peter crossed his arms.

"No, Faraday is the Cape. Regrettably, he was framed by our last Chief of Police, the late Marty Voyt."

Vince's hands curled into fists, but he said nothing as Fleming proceeded to drag Marty's name through the dirt. He knew the lie was coming, but he still wasn't happy about it.

"You see," Peter was saying, "Voyt wanted to help secure ARK Corporation's future in this city and, in his naïveté, he felt the best way to do that would be if ARK received credit for taking down Chess. Not knowing who Chess was, he went ahead and made Faraday out to be the villain. Vince had no choice but to fake his death and go into hiding."

"And become the Cape," Zatanna added.

"Oh, I think he had a choice about that," Peter said.

"So the real Chess is still out there?"

"I'm afraid so."

"Why haven't you warned the public that Chess is on the loose?"

"Yeah, Peter, why haven't you?" Vince asked. Peter gritted his teeth before arranging Faraday's face into a smile.

"Naturally, I was shocked when I first found out about Voyt's treachery, but it only recently came to my attention. I will, of course, be happy to issue a warning to Palm City's citizens once this mess has been sorted out."

"Right, sorry about that!" Zatanna raised her hands and chanted a few words under her breath. Then she looked at the men expectantly. "Did it work?"

"Yes, thank God!" Vince pumped his fist in the air.

"Zatanna, I understand you're set to leave Palm City tomorrow," Peter stated.

"That's correct, why?"

"Do me a favor: kindly stay out of Palm City and tell the League to, as well." Zatanna frowned at his rudeness.

"Told ya he was a bastard," Vince said. "But seriously, you can tell the other League members we don't need their help. The Cape has everything under control."

VFVFVFVFVFVFVFVFVFVFVF

"I see you got your body back," Orwell commented as Vince returned to his cave.

"Good to see you, too," Vince smiled. "Oh, is that the press conference? Turn up the volume!"

As he'd promised Zatanna, Peter Fleming was duly warning the public that Chess was still alive and that he wasn't Vince Faraday. Vince grinned and tuned out the crap Fleming was saying about Marty. (The only part of what he'd told Zatanna that he wasn't repeating verbatim was that Vince was the Cape.)

"You did it, Vince. Your name's clear. You can go home to your family. Are you still going to wear the cape?" At her last words, Vince quit his little victory dance.

"I have to," he said. "As long as your father is Chess, the Cape has to be there to stop him. But on the bright side, ARK has to lose its contract with the city now, right? There's no way citizens of Palm City are going to want to be policed by corrupt morons who went after the wrong guy and let the real villain escape."

"Oh, Vince. You still don't know my father that well, do you?"

Author's Note: Thanks to IronAmerica, this chapter's beta, for voting for the idea of setting a trap for Scales.

What did you think? Three against one too unfair? Zatanna get off too easy? The guys switched back too soon?

This is not the end. There will be a final chapter/epilogue. Hopefully it won't be too pitiful…

As usual, thanks to Orwell and IronAmerica for reviewing!