Nicholas Vasil Jr
I followed the nice gents behind a series of stores into some sort of alley, where the man in charge knocked on a door. It was beginning to make me nervous because it made me feel like in some sort of movie, which I didn't appreciate. At least I was comforting myself with the fact that I was parahuman, undeniably parahuman, and if they tried something nefarious I should be able to dealt with them.
I entered a small room that looked suspiciously like every movie interrogation room ever. I was asked to sit in front of a table and a man sat on the opposite side. At least I wasn't handcuffed. To my surprise the guard pulled out a phone and laid it on the table. I waited in silence for about half a minute before a man's voice reached my ears.
"Good morning Mister Vasil. I trust I didn't inconvenience you too much by asking for a meeting did I?"
This man knew my name? What in the world?
"Not really? I find myself with a lot of free time lately."
I waited about 20 seconds for an answer.
"I see. You're looking for your brother, correct?"
I didn't tell him that yet. At least I don't think I did. I know I've been asking around, and if someone was looking out for this kind of thing, then maybe this man, whoever he was would might've heard about it, but he would have to be a thinker, or I just had terrible luck, or good luck, it remained to be seen.
"Errr, yes that's right. Who are you anyway? I don't see how what I'm doing is anyone's business. It's not like either of us is a criminal, and if anyone says otherwise I wish them good luck proving it."
In response I got only an awkward pause. After a minute I got my answer. At this point this was beginning to get annoying. What was the man doing? Consulting his powers just to talk to me? That would be pretty pathetic.
"My name is not important, but let's say I can help you find him. I'll set up a meeting with him for you. You just go to a place I specify and your brother will already be waiting for you."
I looked around the room. If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it has to be a duck, and this situation gave me a certain impression that was hard to shake off.
"That sounds just fine to me, but all of this looks a bit suspicious to me. What do you really want?"
"Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Your brother is already working for me. All I want is to help him reunite with his brother, because I care about my employees. Is that so hard to believe?"
Then why the shady act? I asked myself, but didn't voice it out loud.
"Well, I suppose not. Thank you for your help."
"No, thank you. Until next time Mister Vasil."
With that the call ended, and I was escorted to a restaurant on Boardwalk. This entire thing was more than a little strange. That man definitely knew something. I didn't know what yet, it was pretty obvious that this favor wasn't really for free. I just hoped that if I caught the eye of some psycho then at least it was almost impossible to be as bad as Heartbreaker. What am I saying? Knowing my luck that was probably some creep that keeps little girls in his basement. I sighed. Well, at least he had the decency to give me some money for food while I wait.
"Junior?"
I looked up at the person who managed to sneak up on me. To my surprise and delight it was Jean-Paul. I rose from my seat to shake his hand. That's when I noticed a cute blonde girl that was with him.
"JP! How are you doing? I haven't seen you since forever!" I said in a very excited manner, disturbing some neighbors in the process.
I have a problem with indoor voice and more than once people pointed out that I'm shouting when in reality, that was my usual volume, but right now I was happy to see Jean, so I didn't care.
"I go by Alec now." That made me raise an eyebrow. So he changed his identity? Smart. Also goddamit, he beat me to it!
"I see. Who's your friend?" I looked from my brother to his companion. I had a small hope that it wasn't his girlfriend. Wait a minute. Is he controlling her? Now I wished I could communicate only with eyebrows. Goddamit. Unfortunately I was clueless about body language so I didn't know how to ask him without revealing something that shouldn't be revealed.
And now the blonde was just looking at me in confusion, like I just said something weird. I had a feeling she was trying to figure me out. If it was what she was doing, then why did I suddenly feel like she just figured out what I was just thinking about. I saw her looking from Jean, I mean Alec, then to me and it was like a lightbulb went off in her head and I could somehow feel it. Was that my power? Or one of my powers rather? I didn't know.
"I'm Lisa. Lisa Wilbourn." She gave me a hand to shake after the most awkward staredown ever. She had a very soft palm and nicely trimmed fingernails. My mother never touched me unless it was to hit me. Wow. It's... It's the first time a woman was touching me like that. God, it felt nice.
"Nicholas Vasil Junior." I replied and shook her hand gently. I probably made an ass of myself. Stupid, stupid, stupid.
"You're not shy about who you are huh?" She said with some amusement. I just shrugged.
"If people want to blame me for the sins of my father then they're morons. Anyway, why don't we sit?"
The rest of the meeting was actually pretty awkward. Jean wasn't a people person, and I was shy in the presence of a pretty girl that was exactly my type. At least neither Lisa, nor Jean wasted time in telling me about their criminal group, the Undersiders. I was a bit suprised in the trust they were placing in me, or rather Lisa was placing in me, a total stranger.
I knew Jean wouldn't care. After 2 hours of talking about mostly things that I wanted to know as someone new to Brockton Bay I felt the meeting was drawing to a close. That was when I realized that not only did I not have a way to contact Jean, I didn't even have a place to sleep. Well, who dares wins right?
"So. Je-Alec. Do you have a couch I can crash on?" I asked.
"Sure. We have a-" Lisa was the one to answer, at least until Jean interrupted her.
"No. That's my couch." Gee thanks bro.
"I can sleep on the floor. I don't mind."