Penance

Chapter Nine: Incantation

They left the room after a few minutes, continuing their search for Bad Cop. Sirius was still wrapped in the hideous faded, floral comforter Good Cop had bundled him up in. Not that Good Cop could really blame him- the desert got cold at night, and if his theory was right, the place wasn't as restored as it looked. "So when did you learn magic?" Sirius asked.

"Recently," Good Cop answered evasively. Sirius pulled a face at him. "You guys weren't the only ones to have an adventure this summer," he chuckled. "I got to know Vitruvius pretty well, in the meantime."

"So he taught you?"

"He did."

"So in light of all the nonsense going on tonight- is it safe to assume Keelan's possessed?"

"Yes," Good Cop replied after a moment. "Sirius, you know he'd never hurt you otherwise-"

"I know. Doesn't make him any less terrifying right now, though."

"The Ringmaster's punishing us for what we did," Good Cop said softly. "Of course he'd use the most harmless of us to torment you." He paused, rubbing at his face. "And who knows what he's got in mind for Cary. He was the one who actually pulled the trigger."

"What about you? Did they do anything to you?"

"Well, I woke up handcuffed to a chair," Good Cop answered, earning a brief snicker for his blithe response. "But other than that... I'm not sure what he has in mind for me. Besides leaving me to stew in grief, thinking my brothers were dead. I'm halfway wondering if he even expected me to be able to escape, I had no guards or anything, I was entirely alone. He must have thought I'd stay put like the 'weakness' that I am."

Sirius flinched. "Alastar, I'm so sorry-"

Good Cop turned to him, expression and voice soft. "Hey, I already forgave you, didn't I? It's in the past, please stop beating yourself up over it." He put a hand on Sirius' shoulder. "I'd rather they underestimate me anyway, gives me the advantage."

"People always were good at that."

"Sir..." Good Cop warned. Sirius gave him a sheepish grin.

"Sorry. Let's go find Cary."

They wandered in silence for a few minutes, listening for any hints of either Bad Cop or Keelan. The halls appeared utterly empty, though they repeatedly saw shadows out of the corners of their eyes. Sirius jumped several times at shadows that seemed especially close. After a while, they realized the halls weren't as silent as they thought. The more they listened, the more whispers they heard. Sirius tried to ignore them at first, but the harder he tried, the more persistent they became. He hunched his shoulders at the insults and accusations being hurled at him, and he glanced up at Good Cop. The officer's gait had slowed, his posture tense as well, and he wondered if Good Cop was hearing the same things he was, all the little reminders of the terrible things he'd done over the years, how he could never pay penance for tearing apart families, or killing people, or trying to end the world. He slowed to a halt in the middle of the hall, squeezing his eyes shut and pressing his hands over his ears just to try to block them out.

A hand touched his shoulder and he screamed, jerking away, only to open his eyes and find that the hand belonged to Good Cop. He relaxed slightly, but couldn't convince his jackrabbiting heart to slow down. "Don't sneak up on me like that," he grumbled. "Gonna have to put a bell on you..."

"They've been hounding me for a while too," Good Cop said softly, pulling him close and wrapping his arms around him. "Don't listen to them, Sir. They're only lies."

"But they aren't- I really did all those things-"

"Yes, they are," Good Cop said more firmly. Sirius shuddered at the forcefulness in his voice, and even the whispers fell quiet. "You didn't start that fire that killed everyone, Sir, he did. And as much as it pains me to see you suffering, it also makes me happy- it tells me that you're still human inside, and not a monster like him, no matter how many terrible things we all did."

Sirius didn't speak after that, simply shivered in his hold. Good Cop obliged him, continuing to hold him until he calmed down again. It wasn't until that point that he realized he wasn't the only one trembling. "...Hey, are you okay?"

"These ghosts really have a way of getting under your skin, don't they?" Good Cop tried to joke, but it came out shaky.

"Alastar."

"It's nothing I haven't heard a thousand times before, Sir. I can take it."

Sirius frowned at that. "What, that you're weak, or pathetic?" Good Cop's silence told him enough. "Hey. I know what I said before, back then, but really? You're the strongest person I know. I mean. You told me no, even knowing what sort of punishment that might bring, and you stood by it. That takes a spine of steel." Alastar looked down at him, surprised. "I mean it. Now. Are you okay."

"...I think so. You?"

"Well. I could be better," Sirius answered, gesturing to his injuries and wincing as he did so. "But I'm at a point where I feel like I can function again, at least. Let's keep moving."

The whispers hushed suddenly, and Bad Cop lifted his head. He could hear the faintest of footfalls treading on carpet. "Who's there?" he snarled. He jerked back when cold hands touched his face, nearly braining himself on the pole he was tied to.

"Easy," a woman's voice soothed, as she wiped his tears away. "Please, don't be afraid; I'm trying to help."

"Who are you?" Bad Cop barked back. "What happened to my brothers? Why am I tied up if you're 'trying to help'?"

"I... I talked to Lor- President Business. He's... changed, a lot, from what I remember of him. And you... you're not the heartless monster I thought you were. Boss was wrong. This is wrong. And I want to make it right. But he has eyes everywhere, and I'm only one person... Listen. Your brothers are alive, they are here. You just can't feel them because Boss somehow separated you. Good Cop has President Business with him."

Bad Cop relaxed slightly. "What about Keelan?"

A moment of hesitance. "He needs your help. Physically, he's fine, but... Boss has a pretty strong hold on his mind. He needs you to be strong. Please don't despair, otherwise he wins." He heard a faint whisper of fabric, like she was standing. "I will try to lead Good Cop to you, but... He knows I've betrayed him, if he catches me..."

Bad Cop nodded. "For what it's worth, thank you." He was met with silence once again.