The Academy of S.I.D.E.

No. 46: The Divinity Circle

Janus stirred awake.

Everything was sore. He felt like he'd just been dashed against a wall, then thrown from a roof.

He wasn't wearing his hat---why wasn't he wearing his hat?

It was only then that he registered that he was tied to a chair. And the spacious room he was in was definitely not part of the Academy.

Come on, Jan, he thought, his mind racing. Think. What were you doing before you blacked out?

He'd been looking for something... his taser. Right. He'd forgotten his taser at the restaurant.

Or had he?

He'd been almost there when someone had grabbed him from behind and pulled him into an alley. And he'd attempted to struggle.

Then that someone tased him.

How the everloving fuck did they take my taser? Janus internally grumbled. I had that thing secured.

Well, whoever they are, they're not very smart. I can just shapeshift out of these things.

Janus attempted to make himself smaller. Nothing.

He tried again. Still nothing.

"I wouldn't waste any time trying to shift, Mr. Kapoor."

His head snapped up.

Sitting behind a mahogany desk in front of him was an elegant-looking woman in a black suit. She didn't look too familiar---early forties, medium height, green eyes, long auburn hair. She could've been anyone.

Except... Janus recognized that shade of auburn.

And her lips may have been covered in bloodred lipstick, but that smirk was all too familiar.

"Augustina Macklemore, I presume?" Janus managed.

She laughed. "Clever boy. My son was right about you."

Bastard. "Did you do something to my powers?"

"I don't know if you've noticed yet, but you're wearing a set of bracelets that nullify your powers," Augustina said, standing up. "They can't be removed by the wearer. Of course, you're also trained in combat, so we can't be too careful---hence, the chair."

"Yeah, I really don't think that tying me up was necessary," Janus told her. "That's a Remus privilege only."

She gave him a look.

He gave her a cheeky grin in return. "Just kidding. I do the tying up."

"Apparently, Augustus was right about another thing," Augustina growled. "You don't know when to watch your mouth. And all that fire didn't teach you a thing."

The grin slipped from Janus's face. "What?"

"We needed to know the full extent of your powers, so once I arranged matters so my son was the leader of your team, I told him to push you a little further on the field." She grinned. "I must say, it's a pity you restrain yourself from the horror forms. They're incredibly useful."

"You... you told him to burn me?" Janus whispered.

"I told him to use whatever means necessary to ensure that you'd listen to him, so he went with violence." She let out a little laugh. "He really does take after me, bless his little heart."

Janus scooted back as best as he could. "You're insane."

"Oh, no, I'm perfectly sound of mind," Augustina corrected, walking over. "But do you know what is insane?"