Louise worked on putting the finishing touches on Rose's hero costume. After this, it would just be Hot Rod and she'd be done. Fiore was supposed to come by around noon today, and she wanted to have the outfit finished by then. She was sure he'd be pleased with it.
The other Legion members had all gone back to their headquarters. Fiore was the only one who still came by to help now that the job was wrapping up. Apparently Barrier Maiden had made an arrest with Achilles the other day. Good for them.
Knight Errant had made his debut as well. He hadn't done anything major yet, but there was speculation around the city about what his powers might be. Honestly, people just couldn't resist feeding the various rumor mills.
When she finished the last bit of embroidery on the sleeve, Louise sighed and checked the time as she put away her needles. Just about eleven. A bit early, but her hand was a bit cramped so she decided to take a break. She'd packed a few things for lunch, so she decided to munch on her strawberries.
The bell rang at the door and she quickly put away the food, preparing to talk to another customer.
But the person at the door made her heart almost stop.
Louise backed away, glancing carefully at her phone. She turned off the volume and set it to call Courtney.
"None of that, Louise. Put the phone down." Paris looked at her through his mask. She couldn't see his face, but he was probably glaring at her.
Louise complied, putting the phone on the table facedown.
Please pick up, Courtney, she thought.
"Why are you here, Dustin?" Louise asked, trying to keep her breathing steady. A woman poked her head in behind him.
"Dustin? Who's that?" she asked.
"I'm Paris now. Thank you, Louise, for screwing things up for me." Dustin walked toward her, and a purple misty haze started rising from his footsteps.
"What are you talking about? Paris." Louise spat out the name, hoping that Courtney was listening right now.
"You're the one who told the military on me the first time, aren't you? Because of that, I almost got arrested and had to help out that good-for-nothing Jase, who ended up backstabbing me in the end. Now I'm with Team Chaos. And I figured it was about time I give you my gratitude for your involvement."
"Hey, you never said you were using my work for something illegal!" Louise snapped.
"You were supposed to be on my side, Louise. I thought our previous friendship would have meant something to you. But I suppose not."
"What, do your high school friendships still mean something to you? Even though you haven't talked to most of us for a couple years now?"
"Of course they do! Back then..." Dustin growled and clenched his fist. "Wouldn't anyone help out someone they were friends with?"
"Not if that friend is hurting people. You have got to stop this whole nonsense. You've already racked up a jail sentence. Serve it, and turn your life around. Please."
"Nonsense? Nonsense? This is my calling, Louise!"
"Didn't you always want to be the hero?"
"That position's taken. For every hero, someone needs to be the villain."
"And why does that have to be you? Couldn't you and the hero band together, the unstoppable duo? Why do you have to be the bad guy? You know the villain's supposed to lose, right?"
"Not yet. I'm not going to lose yet." Dustin swept his arm over her counter, scattering everything over the floor.
"Dustin!"
"Shut it, Louise! If you wanted to be my friend, you shouldn't have screwed things up for me."
The mist had about half filled the shop by now. Louise kept her breathing steady, trying to use as little air as possible, but she was terrified. Every instinct told her to run, but the woman behind Dustin was blocking the only exit.
"If your friends meant anything to you," Louise muttered, trying to control the shaking in her voice, "then you should stop this now. Not for me. For James."
"James has nothing to do with this."
Louise gritted her teeth. James had everything to do with this! They really didn't know.
Didn't know that two guys who had once been best friends were now at each other's throats. And she couldn't say anything. If she did, it was just as likely that Dustin would charge in and cause more problems.
Tears started pooling in the corners of her eyes. How could she get out of this?
"Now you're going to suffer a bit Louise. Consider it payback."
The mist grew thicker and Louise held her breath, her mind going numb.
The next few seconds were a blur. The woman at the door shrieked, then Dustin let out a grunt. A thump on the floor. A hand on Louise's shoulder, leading her somewhere. It didn't matter where. She held her eyes closed and followed, tripping over the stuff Dustin had thrown carelessly across the floor.
When Louise was able to breathe again, she found Courtney staring her in the face.
"Courtney..." she muttered.
"How are you doing?" The question took away the last of what was holding her back and Louise collapsed into Courtney's shoulder, crying.
She didn't know how much time passed. At some point, military officers arrived to take Paris and the woman away. Courtney talked to them a bit, but Louise didn't pay attention to what they were saying.
Finally, Louise gathered herself enough to be able to talk.
"I thought he might kill me," she whispered. "Talking about what our friendship back then meant, when he was willing to kill. He's...messed up. I..."
"Don't worry, Louise," Courtney replied. "We've got him now. Thanks for sticking it out."
"What did you do to them?"
"Knocked 'em out. If you hit someone just right, it can knock them unconscious instantly. Of course, if you do it wrong you can just as easily kill them, so don't try it."
Louise couldn't help but laugh. "Alright. I'll stick to punching diaphragms."
"There's our Louise," Courtney replied with a laugh of her own.
"Larsen, we're heading out now. Can you bring her by the station in a bit?" Courtney glanced up at the officer and nodded.
"Thanks, Sims."
He left, and Louise watched as the officers cuffed Dustin and his lady friend before rolling them onto mats for transport.
"Do you know who that woman was?" Louise asked.
"Nope. But I doubt it's any kind of good news. It looks like the Phalanx booted him, but he's apparently been picked up by another group."
"He said he was with Team Chaos."
Courtney glowered at that.
"They're the ones who are killing people right?" Louise asked tentatively.
"Yeah. And if he's with them, I'm wondering if that's Ferry with him." Courtney gently pried Louise off her shoulder and stood. "Barron! Take extra care with the woman. She might be Ferry."
"Looks like it to me," the sergeant replied. "Thanks for your work, Larsen. We're taking special precautions with her."
"Lemme know if you need anything else. And I mean anything." Courtney glanced down at Louise. "They messed with my friend this time. I'm really getting sick of this shit."
"You and me both," an officer replied with a self-deprecating laugh. "Can't even take out one of these weirdos. What good are we if we can't manage that much?"
"Hey, that's what I'm here for," Courtney replied. "Fight fire with fire and all that. Oh, and Louise," she added, glancing down at her. "Keep this a secret for me, okay? I'm not sure Achilles and the others will approve."
Louise smiled and motioned zipping her lips shut in response.
"Louise!" She sat up at the new voice and glanced towards it. Fiore was running towards her, looking worried.
"I'm fine, Fiore!" she called back, waving. She couldn't help the smile on her face. They'd been here longer than she thought.
"Hey, Fiore," Courtney said with a wave of her own.
"Who's this?" the sergeant asked, walking up to them. Fiore looked startled, then looked away awkwardly.
"I guess you could call him my apprentice," Louise said with a grin. "He was supposed to come by around noon today to help me out with some stuff. I'm swamped with work right now."
"Good to meet you," the sergeant said, holding out his hand. Fiore tentatively shook it.
"Nice to meet you too, sir."
"You can get the details from Louise later. For now, we need to keep her for a bit. Do you want to come along?"
"Don't worry about it," Louise interrupted, standing and walking over to them. "Fiore, you can get started without me. You know what you're doing, right?" She pulled Fiore close to her and added in a whisper "I've got a surprise for you on the back counter. I think you'll like it."
She let go and gave him a wink. Fiore nodded with a smile.
"Then I'll watch the shop for you. Officers, thanks for your help." He headed into the shop once the officers decided it was clear of the poison gas.
"He's a good kid," Louise said quietly. Courtney nodded with a grin.
"Guess we'll have quite a bit of explaining to do when we get back."
"About that...I know Paris's real name," Louise said slowly. "I'm wondering if I should tell Achilles. I...I couldn't stop him. If anyone can, it'd be Achilles. But telling him might just end up hurting them both."
"Wanna talk about it?" Courtney asked.
"Maybe. I really don't know what to do. Especially after this. But..." Louise fought back the tears. "I don't want to have to give up anything. My shop, and I don't want to give up on them, but..."
"Hey, I've got you." Courtney pulled Louise in for another hug. "Let's get coffee after we're done at the station and talk it out at the shop. Maybe Fiore can help too."
Louise nodded, forcing a smile through the tears. As aloof as she used to act, it really was best to have people to rely on.
She already knew what she had to do. She just had to do it.
