Where Ever you Go

..Chapter 7 - Family Forever..

Janus took off his hat, shaking the water off of it. "Apologies if this story isn't as coherent as one might expect. It has been a while since I have had to discuss my..." he waved his hand as he tried to find the right words "origin story." That seemed to be the best word for what he was trying to convey, even if it was a bit dramatic. Then again, Janus had always had a penchant for the dramatics.

"I have always liked to test boundaries. Maybe it was the lack of boundaries growing up or maybe it was always in my nature. It was, and still is, interesting to me to see how you can use information to influence people. As well as what rules you can bend to get that information. That's probably how I ended up becoming a private investigator. I'm too nosy for my own good." Picking up his cup, Janus took a slow sip of the tea. He was lucky that Virgil had had any at all, but he did wish it had been something better than the usual store bought swill. Still, tea was tea, and it was less about the flavor and more about calming his nerves.

His fingers tapped along the cup in a quiet rhythmic pattern. 'Just tell it as if it doesn't matter.' He reminded himself.

"It took a few years to get my business off the ground, but once I started to make a name for myself... Well, there are a lot of people who will pay top dollar for someone who can not only get the information they want, but get it in a way that is just on the correct side of legal. A few were even willing to pay me extra for discretion and... turning a blind eye to the rules."

"They wanted to pay you to do illegal shit." There was a mellowness in Virgil's voice despite the sharp edges. He was rubbing his own cup and Janus understood. The two of them both knew what it was like to live in that world. There were certain things you would do if the price was right, and sometimes it wasn't even about the money, it was about justifying the thrill or the danger. They both knew that and Janus hoped it helped build a bit of rapport.

"Exactly, and though the money wasn't something I needed, I liked the idea of a challenge. I knew what I was getting myself into by saying yes, but there was a thrill to it. Something I was desperately missing from my life."

Virgil's eyebrow rose and Janus just sighed.

"I was a busy man, work was my everything, I had no friends, no family, just my job, and my job was to hurt people for the sake of other people. You start searching for thrills to feel alive." Sitting back in his chair, Janus put the cup down.

"You didn't have anyone?"

Janus shook his head, finding his shoulders tenser than he would like.

Virgil nodded silently and let Janus continue his story, though he honestly had hoped for a distraction.

"Then things got complicated." He had to take another moment to collect himself. "I got involved in something that was well over what I could handle, though I admit that begrudgingly. It wasn't my first foray into forgery work, but it was the biggest job. They wanted passports, a full set of them." He pulled at his gloves. "That's when I met Patton."

"I was working a case and was trying to get information on the group that hired him." Patton was trying to give Janus a bit of a break, he knew this next part was hard.

"Right, and he pulled me in for questioning. Now, I'm not a snitch, I didn't answer any of Patton's questions, but it didn't matter to them. There are certain groups you don't mess with. I'm sure you are aware of that. Simply the fact that I had been pulled in for questioning was too much of a risk. So, when I returned to my office, it was rigged to blow up, with me in it." Janus rubbed the scars on his arm, hidden by his sleeves. "Patton paid for my hospital bills. I figured it was because he was trying to get information out of me, and honestly, had he asked, I might have told him. I was already in the hospital barely alive, what more could they do to me. But you know how Patton is, just kind and compassionate. He blamed himself for not being more careful during my arrest."

Patton was blushing but he didn't say anything, though Virgil could tell he wanted to deny that fact.

Virgil, however, agreed. Patton hadn't wanted to give Virgil a new life because he was supplying Patton with information. No, Patton had just wanted to help. It was so like him. "So what did you do, after the hospital?"

"Straightened up, continued to do what I was doing but for more legitimate people, worked with the agency for a while until I could see the writing on the wall. Then I got a boring desk job."

"So then how come Patton owes you a favor?"

"When you were taken into custody, Patton saw a lot of me in you apparently. Someone who could have a better life but got wrapped up with the wrong people. The agency didn't want to let you go though. So I might have used some of my less than legal skills to get you out."

Patton was covering his ears, pretending not to hear this part.

"So he owes you because you helped me."

Janus nodded and Virgil sighed, looking at his barely touched tea. "Fine, What do you need from me?"

The tension in Janus' shoulder's melted as he pulled up his phone, finding a good picture of Remus, one he didn't show off to a lot of people but it was still his favorite. "Earlier today, my husband was kidnapped and Patton believes you might have connections to the group who did it."

He put the phone on the table, sliding it towards Virgil. "I will do anything to find him again."

Virgil raised his eyebrow before looking down at the photo, surprise immediately crossing his face. "August?" He asked in barely a whisper. "Who took him?"

"They said they were his brothers, Logan and Roman, I believe."

Virgil's face went as pale as a sheet and he quickly stood. "No."

"Virgil?" Patton reached out for him but Virgil pulled away and began to pace.

"If it was anyone else I'd help in a heartbeat. August was chill."

"Remus.

"What?" Virgil turned to look at Janus.

"He goes by Remus now, he wanted to leave it all behind."

For a moment Virgil stopped pacing, lost for words as he looked down at the photo again, the phone light dimming a bit. 'Remus' was licking Janus's face, and he looked happier than Virgil had seen him in years, even before he left.

"Right, Remus, Remus was chill, but I'm not going against the other two. I can't."

"Virgil please. I know you told me back then that you couldn't say things because family didn't betray family, but they betrayed Remus, and we need to help him."

Virgil pulled at the collar of his shirt, fingers harshly yanking at the material as if trying to find something else to pull at. "I... I can't Pat. Whatever is going on, this is between them."

Janus stood, pulling off one of his gloves. "It wouldn't be betraying the family if it was just me, right? Afterall, I am married to Remus." He showed off the ring and Virgil focused on it. His hand giving another tug at his shirt.

"Oh...okay, but I haven't been in touch for years."

"That's okay, any little bit helps."