Chapter 1.1.53 — Venture 5 [Part 1 Epilogue]

Dr. Venture leaned on the table of the hub in section 004. He’d given up on work for the day, and was reviewing drone footage from Clara and Emmett’s run in with Porcelain and Lock.

There were several interesting moments, including Lock being affected by Emmett’s noise makers and disadvantaged by the smoke—if only momentarily. But Venture had watched through the entirety of that night several times, but kept coming back to what Lock said to Emmett…

The camera view was from a half destroyed drone—one of the few that Lock hadn’t completely destroyed. In the grainy footage, Emmett and Lock were small and far away. Their voices were taken from Emmett’s earpiece and combined with the video.

Since there was little visible in the footage, Venture had overlayed the text.

Lock: I’m not your enemy.

Emmett: It doesn’t feel that way.

Lock: It doesn’t matter. I’m not your enemy. But don’t cross Gnosis.

He replayed those ten seconds over and over.

Venture had only seen Lock once—the day he dropped Emmett off at his apartment after the Champion street attack. He’d been worried ever since.

And he’d been right to worry.

Not only was Emmett’s roommate a formidable Class 3 super deeply involved with Gnosis’s Mutagen-X program, he’d somehow figured out that Emmett was a super, also. It wasn’t coincidence that Lock had intercepted their mission that night. He'd followed Emmett to the warehouse district that night.

Lock: I’m not your enemy.

…I’m not your enemy…

…I’m not your enemy….

“He knows…” Venture muttered. That complicated things significantly. How long had Lock known about Emmett? How long had Emmett been living on borrowed time?

The pit in Venture’s stomach had gotten worse. Now he felt sick.

He had to tell Emmett about Lock.

Up until then, Venture had thought he was doing Emmett a favor by not telling him. Thought it would make Emmett’s life simpler if he didn’t have to worry about his roommate being a villain. But all the while, Lock already knew the truth.

But there was something else bothering him. Venture rewound the video, and TINA automatically cut the footage so it swapped to another drone. Now the camera showed the scene as Porcelain took Emmett hostage.

Porcelain: You were there the night I was poisoned.

She’d spoken loud enough that there was no doubt she was speaking to Lock, which was puzzling itself. But what Venture was focused on was Lock’s reaction.

Lock flinched.

At first, Venture thought Lock had flinched at being remembered, but as he watched the video again, that theory didn’t line up. The timing was off.

Lock flinched when Porcelain grabbed Emmett.

It wasn’t out of fear—Lock was far too strong to be afraid for himself. He flinched out of concern for Emmett.

Venture rubbed the stubble on his chin.

That was a good sign.

~

Venture reclined on the couch in the living room of section 001. The night skyline of Belport wrapped around the wall displays. His eyes were heavy, and he contemplated whether he cared enough to get up to go to bed or just fall asleep on the couch.

TINA’s voice came through the intercom. “We have a visitor.”

Venture groaned. It was the first uneventful night they’d had in several days, or it had been. He couldn’t imagine anyone he’d be happy to see.

His eyes narrowed as he looked at the screen. TINA had superimposed the front door camera feed over the skyline.

A ghost of a man stood at the door, waiting patiently to be let in.

Venture rubbed his chin in thought and apprehension. He’d been expecting a visit from the Summit of Heroes, but he hadn’t known who to expect. Would they appeal to his sense of camaraderie and send Night Devil, a fellow retired super? Would they send Lucine of Palladia, his on again, off again ex? Would they send Paragon, and threaten him?

In the end, they went with the obvious choice and sent their spymaster.

Venture had been so preoccupied that he hadn’t heard Clara come out of her room.

“Dad, is that…”

“Yes. You can go back to your room.”

Clara grumbled, but walked away. She didn’t need to be a part of this—not anymore than she already was.

Wight’s voice came through the intercom. “Open the door, Magnus. We need to talk.”

Venture cleared his throat, not realizing how dry it was. “Tina, open the door. Tell him I’m in the lounge. I trust he remembers the way.”

The camera feed changed to follow Wight as he walked through the halls of the lab. Venture watched intently until his guest appeared at the door to section 001.

The door to the living room hissed opened and the spymaster of Summit of Heroes walked in.

Wight was an unassuming man as far as supers went—a tad under six feet tall, with a medium build. Non-threatening.

Most supers kept disguises and alter egos, or went to some lengths to hide themselves when they weren’t working… Wight was always working. Always hiding. He just went about it differently.

Everything about the spymaster of the Summit was nondescript. Not just his build—with Wight’s tan complexion and facial structure, he could pass for almost any nationality. He spoke over a dozen languages. Even his usual dress—gray slacks and earthen sweater—could pass for casual or business wear.

Everything about him was carefully honed neutrality. Easily forgotten or misremembered. He was an enigma, even to those on the Summit and DSA that knew him.

Between that and his powers, he settled on the nickname Wight—an old word for ghost.

Wight walked through the kitchen and took a seat on the second couch, so he sat perpendicular to Venture.

“Wight.”

“Magnus.”

Venture leaned back on the couch, mimicking his guest, and tried to relax. It didn’t work.

The spymaster gestured around. “I like what you’ve done with the place.”

“I haven’t changed anything since you last came.”

Wight smiled. “I know. It’s one of the things I like about you, Magnus. Your whole angle as a super is being adaptable. Having a tool for any job. But you… You don’t change. I knew what I would find as soon as I walked in.”

“Why are you here?”

Wight’s smile slipped away. “Right to the point… You’re playing a dangerous game. You should have told us about the connection with Porcelain.”

Venture forced himself to breathe slowly. “I did tell you. As soon as I was sure—”

“You should have told us right away.”

“It wouldn’t have changed anything.”

“Maybe… But tell that to Paragon or Amarque.”

Venture scoffed. “Nothing will save Paragon’s opinion of me, and I don’t care what Amarque thinks. You should be scolding him, wherever he is, instead of here threatening me.”

“I’m not threatening you,” Wight said flatly. Venture didn’t believe him for a second.

“Then what is this?”

“I’m checking up on an old friend. Contrary to what you think, not all of us hold it against you. Well, I don’t, anyway.”

“That’s rich, coming from a man who lies for a living.”

A flicker of irritation passed over Wight’s face and was gone just as quickly. “I’m valued precisely for how little I lie to get the job done.”

“Lies of omission are still lies.”

Wight met his eyes. “Yes, Magnus. Yes, they are.”

Venture rubbed his temple and sighed. Goddamn lies. “I don’t want to do this.”

“How’s the kid?”

The question made Venture freeze, but he didn’t look up. “She’s doing well. Making progress. Slow progress.”

“Slow is good. I’m sure she’s following in her father’s footsteps.”

Venture bit his tongue. The implication was clear: Better his footsteps than her mother’s.

“I hear you have a new protégé.”

At that, Venture forced himself to look up. Wight was focused intently on Venture, trying to read his expression.

“I do.”

“I hear you saved his life during the Champion street attack.”

“I did.”

“How?”

Venture quickly considered his options. Wight likely already knew how Venture had saved Emmett’s life. He was really just gauging whether Venture would lie about it.

“I was able to make a prosthetic to replace his arm, but the rest of his body required Mutagen-A suffusion.”

Wight nodded. “Uh, huh. And no one at Gnosis knows about this…?”

“Correct. And I would like to keep it that way.”

“You can trust me.”

“What’s your point?” Venture asked, irritation bleeding into his voice.

Wight rolled his eyes. “You really don’t see it? A retired member of the Summit of Heroes working on the side for Gnosis. Meanwhile, you stumble on an organized crime ring flooding the street with knock-off mutagens. Meanwhile, a rogue super using suspiciously related poison is involved in an attack on Belport and the Summit.

“There is a web of causality falling down around you, Magnus, and you’re caught in the middle of it. Willfully blind to it! …Just like before.”

Venture’s hands were balled into fists. “Don’t.”

Wight turned away and stared at the night skyline on the screen. Seconds dragged on while Venture tried to control himself.

“Sorry,” Wight said. He looked like he meant it. “I’m still on your side, contrary to what you think.”

“I know. That’s why it hurts when you drag it up.”

Wight stood up and walked over to the display of Belport, keeping his back to Venture. He gestured to the display. “I never understood this. You could change the view to anywhere in the world. Why keep it here?”

“Because I’m hiding from enemies, not from my responsibilities.”

“Yeah, well, you’re doing a shit job of it.”

At that, both men laughed—short and under their breath. Then the moment was gone, forgotten as quickly and as easily as the ghost.

Wight said, “The Summit is reviewing the cropped video feed that implicates Gnosis. Of course, Gnosis denies any involvement and ultimately we have no proof.”

Venture knew it was a long-shot, but he asked anyway. “What about the traces of blood at the scene?”

Wight shrugged. “Sure. They have residual mutagens at the scene, but half the world’s soldiers and combatants are on something made by Gnosis. You don’t want to know what the figures are for civilian zones.”

Venture sighed. Gnosis was one of the untouchables. One of the pillars of the world, a horrific cross between a corporation and a group of villains. They wouldn’t be taken down that easily.

Finally, Wight turned and looked like he was about to leave. “You’re wrong.”

“About what?”

“I’m not here to threaten you, Magnus. I came here to warn you. Don’t sever the few alliances you have left. And keep your bloody kids on the rails.”

A switch flipped in Venture. He stood and looked down slightly on his former colleague. He doubted it was very intimidating, but it lent weight to his words.

“Get out.”

Wight nodded, face straight and unreadable. He walked to the door and paused.

“Be seeing you around, Magnus.”

Then Wight walked through the door, phasing through it like he really was a ghost. Even after all these years, it was still eerie to witness. All the other skills and knowledge that Wight possessed were negligible compared to his superpower. So far as Venture and the Summit knew, no door or material could keep Wight out of a location. If he wanted inside a building, there was nothing to stop him.

The one thing that kept Wight from being seen as a boogeyman was his insistence on manners with his allies.

Venture stood and watched on the monitor as the spymaster of the Summit walked the long hall and then phased through his front door. Then he disappeared into Belport.

When he was sure Wight was gone, Venture looked to the small table beside the couch. Beneath the ornamental lamp sat one of the last photos of Clara, Nanine, and him together. They’d been in New Venice on the rooftop of a little restaurant that didn’t exist anymore.

Venture grabbed the frame and hurled it across the room. It hit the reinforced wall monitor and shattered. The broken frame fell to the floor, and Venture collapsed on the couch.

What irritated him the most, even more than the veiled threats, was that his former colleague was right. Venture was playing a dangerous game. He knew it, even if he didn’t want to admit it.

Venture was working under the assumption that his old alliances were still unshakeable. Of course they weren’t—half the Summit didn’t trust him. Gnosis barely trusted him. His own daughter didn’t trust him…

He was a fool. Nanine would remind him of that. Things would never be the same, and he could never go back to the way things were.

Venture rubbed the wedding ring that was still on his finger.

He needed sleep.

~ ~ ~