*Discontinued* Shifter

41

"You ok?" Virgil frowned as he glanced over to see Remus giving him a worried look. Klaus was going over the plan one last time as Janus looked over the map just to be on the safe side. "You look tense."

"We're about to attack innocent people in broad daylight in front of the police station, which possesses power suppressing tool and weapons, in an aggressive ploy to lure out the Pointer sisters." Remus's eyes softened as Virgil picked lightly at his lips in anxious tension not noticing how his nail color was already shifting. "To be completely honest... not only to have a problem with everything this plan is and is about... there's Rez."

"What about him?" Virgil groaned quietly as he just shrugged. 

"For starters every time the Jonus brothers show up to fight me he's never offensive about it anymore and then..." Virgil's frown grew as his mind trailed over everything. "There was that time he was on his own for a while. He just stuck with me the whole time. We even... I guess... I was his partner at one time ok? I worked with him." Remus laughed as he shook his head.

"You sure your gonna be ok with this Virgie?" Virgil tensed badly as he shot Remus this look. "You're not a villain. I don't think you have it in you to do anything really bad. To be honest... I'm pretty sure you'd jump at the chance to be a hero. Wouldn't you?"

"I'm a mercenary."

"Who's the last person you saved?" Virgil's eyes shot wide as he just blinked in surprise. Remus nodded as he sighed softly. "The fact that you even had an answer to that... I bet it wasn't Chrissy, was it?"

"Rez and I rescued this deaf girl from this group of men." Remus paled as Virgil whined softly. "I even... I was upset over it all because the only thing I was good for was fighting and transportation. Rez, he was able to communicate with her and calm her down. I couldn't. I didn't know sign. I felt... I felt useless over any actual help even though I did most of the work."

"Because the most important job a hero will have... is keeping the victims safe and calm." Virgil grimaced slightly as Remus chuckled. "That's the one thing my father told all of us. I didn't understand why but... now I do. He was giving us pointers for the future. I wasn't the 'prodigal son' but I still got some of his lessons. Virgil, your right about one thing. You aren't a villain. You aren't meant to be."

"I can't be anything else."

"Sure you can." Virgil frowned as Remus grinned at him proudly. "Just let me handle it all. Don't force yourself to hurt anyone. Don't force yourself to be something you aren't. When we get on the field... the ONLY thing you should do is protect yourself. Got it?"

"Remus..."

"I'm a villain, Virgie. That's not going to change. So let me be the villain and you get the FUCK out of here as soon as you can." Virgil's eyes shot wide in realization as Remus just nodded. "Your the victim here Virgil. And what's the most important job a hero will have?"

"Remus, no."

"Remus, yes." Remus giggled as he looked away to hide the fact that he and Virgil were scheming so his father didn't get too suspicious while talking with Janus. "You said it yourself... You and Rez already have that partnership. Get him to realize you are the victim and he'll snap in to protect you."

"Remus..."

"Raven enough." Remus quickly called out loudly making Virgil jump suddenly. Everyone else stopped and looked over as Remus giggled maniacally. "You just handle the dick brick of a royal piss ant and Connie and I'll take care of the two dunderdorks. Ok?"

"Dick brick?" Klaus hissed questioningly as Remus nodded. "Who would that be?"

"He's talking about Resonant." Virgil forced the words through his teeth realizing now he didn't have a choice but to listen to Remus's plan. "Out of the three of them, Rez is their main offensive player. If I can keep him distracted than these two can handle the rest."

"Raven here can fight them all on his own so he's perfect for the blunderbuss decoy mission." Remus added before glancing over at Janus who was highly confused. "We let him deal with Rez." Janus snapped up and nodded quickly realizing Remus was up to something. 

"Whatever." Klaus groaned as he rubbed his temple lightly. "It's like working with children. Just remember... I'm not helping you with this." Klaus smirked deviously as Virgil twitched slightly over the rising panic in him. "If you end up falling out there... you're at the mercy of the police. There will be no rescue mission. So don't fail me. Understand." Virgil withheld the whimper as his mind flooded with all these memories of his time with Mastermind. Klaus just laughed seeing how Virgil dazed out. "I'll take the silence as a confirmation." He quickly snapped making everyone jolt in surprise. "Let's go. There should be a rush about now thanks to those ridiculous food trucks. We'll have plenty of people to pose as bait."

"Roman?" Logan's voice filtered through the room as Roman hesitated to pull his mask on. "Are you prepared?"

"To fight my love? I'll be prepared." Roman's voice shook as he finally did his mask and sighed. He turned around to give Logan this sad look as he smiled. "Unfortunately... It's a dance we've done before. Is Patton ready?" Logan nodded as the two made their way down to the living room finding Patton geared up and waiting. "We got the call about 10 minutes ago. The police should have evacuated as much as they could but..."

"You focus on the civilians..." Roman quickly added as he clenched his fists. "I'm going to focus on Virgil."

"And if he's not there?" Patton added sadly with a look both he and Logan shared. "If you're father was using him to hurt you... I doubt he would ever just bring him..."

"He'll be there." Roman's eyes were set and serious as Logan sighed and took both of his partners' hands. "He wouldn't just let a powerful asset like that go. Besides he wouldn't know that I am a hero just... that I arrested him. Virgil will be there just... whatever you do... let me handle him?"

"Kiddo, how can you be so sure?" Roman smiled as they finally teleported to the scene revealing the chaos that Manic was creating. Patton and Logan both paled seeing Raven there in the midst of it all, hands in his pockets just staring at the dirt with Klaus their arm wrapped around him. Roman felt his rage burn through him like a wildfire as his power rang through the air making his racing heartbeat flood in drowning out the sounds around.

"Roman?" Logan quickly called back with concern and worry but Roman understood. They didn't know. Neither of them knew Virgil WAS Raven. 

"Remember what I said..." Roman called back as he started for the two, Klaus smirking over the hero's apparent bravery... "You focus on the civilians... I'll handle him."