James walked towards the warehouse owned by Otto Waltz. Slowing down, he took a deep breath and looked around. Seeing a nearby building, he climbed the fire escape on the side and slowly made his way to the roof, letting him overlook the building. James stared and couldn't help but take a deep breath, overlooking the hulding.
The warehouse district was busy at midday, but he knew the differences between normal workers and those dealing in prohibited goods. They were subtle, but obvious after years of knowing, from a lack of regulations to the care they took in handling their goods.
Despite that, James needed to be sure. Taking out a pair of binoculars he brought with him, he activated his eyes and stared. He wasn't worried about someone being sensitive to his gaze; in fact, he was hoping for it. If someone dropped what they did and moved on, feeling they were being watched, it was the surest sign of suspicion. Watching them, no one showed any agitation at his gaze, but James could see multiple auras flaring up.
One of two wouldn't be strange, with at least 1 in 50 people born with a special ability of some kind, but over twenty workers, all situated around Otto's building, was proof. 'It's not enough.' In normal circumstances, he could get the captain to move with that information alone, but he needed something more.
James lowered the binoculars and stared. If he could get Cain to show up, that would be best, but he needed to know what was inside. James tapped the railing, a sudden idea coming to mind. Although Xavier said he was on his own, he doubted that was the case, especially if he was asking for a favour.
'Maybe he knew I was going to do this already.' Taking out his phone, Xavier picked up instantly. "Detective, I thought I made myself clear."
"Cut the shit, Xavier." After so many times, Jame had learnt the subtle difference in his flat tone and knew that he was on the money with his previous thought, "Do you have people who can kick up a fuss at Otto's Warehouse?" Xavier was silent. James couldn't see him, but felt he had a grin on his face that would make him want to punch him.
"I don't." James frowned but quickly caught the double meaning in Xavier's tone.
"Then who?" There was a light chuckle on the other end of the phone.
"Have you ever heard of a man named Justice. I know it's very on the nose." James tried to rack his mind, and felt he recognised the name as another Newport vigilante. Despite that, it was only a name; he couldn't think of anything else related to it.
"Enlighten me."
"He was one of you once. I think he left the force three years ago. Anyway, he owes me a favour I've been holding onto for a while. I can call it in, but why should I?" James looked to the sky and sighed.
'Just tell me what you want.' Silently saying to himself, he looked back at the warehouse, "Xavier, what will it cost?" Putting on a fake, pleasing tone, he heard Xavier snicker, trying to hold in a real laugh.
"I'll let you know when it is time. I can't be sure Cain will come, but considering who owns the place, I think he will want to have the issue cleaned up before the police arrive." James nodded and hung up. Staring at the Warehouse, he got an idea and called the captain's burner.
"I'm sending you an address. Have someone stationed nearby. Don't let them take any other calls other than the one I call in." James shot out his request and hoped the captain would agree. He heard the rhythmic tapping of his finger on the table.
"James. I thought you said you would give me what I needed. Doing this, and I put people at risk." He heard the captain grumble, "And considering who you want me to arrest, I don't think anyone is qualified."
"Put Jeremiah near here. You know he is the only one who could." James mentioned the man considered the strongest in the NPSD. With an ability that was primarily used for combat and a military record, he was one of the few true weapons the NPSD could deploy to solve the most violent issues.
There was silence, and James understood the hesitation. As the department's best weapon, he was also someone who couldn't be moved around easily, always needed on a moment's notice, just in case something serious arose, such as a New Horizon bombing. But with Xavier helping him, even if he claimed to have no links to those he called overzealous, he was sure he could rein them in just for one day.
"How long?" James paused and closed his eyes. 'Xvaier should have seen all this. He got a direct look at these events.'
"One hour. If an hour passes and nothing happens, forget everything. I won't bother you any further and will take any punishment you wish to give me." James silently prayed that Xavier would match his time.
"One hour and that's it." The phone hung up, and James sighed. Taking out the bonciulars, he watched and waited—ten minutes, then twenty. In the distance, he saw a car park up near the warehouse and wait without anyone getting out. Thirty more minutes passed, and James felt his mouth dry.
'Come on, Xavier.' Forty minutes passed, and a new person who wasn't a worker arrived at the dock. James got a good look and activated his ability. The aura in the man's body was like a mirror, and James finally put the pieces together of who Justice was.
'Chase. No, he died?' A face could lie, but to James' eyes, a person's aura couldn't. Even if he wanted to deny what he saw, he couldn't. 'He owes Xavier a favour... what did you do, Xavier. How far have you planned all this?'
The threat Xavier posed rose in his heart to a level equal to the Gentlemen. Maybe it was all a coincidence, and Xavier had gathered all the cards he could for his push to claim the Door to Heaven, but James couldn't be sure if it wasn't.
'Had planned for this exact moment?' James's hands shook as he took a sharp breath at the line of thought his mind was going to. Xavier claimed things, but he never claimed to be omniscient. Yet if this was planned, three years in advance, then it meant everything, the vision he saw of him facing Cain in the future, losing the key. All of it was already foreseen. All of it was just a step in reaching his end goal. If he saw it all, James couldn't think of another word to call him.
James placed a hand on his heart, feeling it race. Taking a few deep breaths, he resisted the urge to smoke, knowing he had to be ready at any moment.
"No, surely not." With nothing else, James had to tell himself that to stay sane, to feel like he still had some control.