[We Are Legion]

The Legion: Ace Detectives

BlueJ: Julie, could I talk to you about something?
Jul1e: Yah! What's up?
BlueJ: I know we've put your mom through heaps but well,
BlueJ: I want to get her in on our plan.
Jul1e: Wut? Have you talked to Frank about it?
BlueJ: No, No! We have to keep Frank under the covers until we actually catch whoever was at the storage unit, I know it's risky but she might feel better about it if we told her we saved her.
Jul1e: We don't have any other plans?
BlueJ: We're out of options, it's not great, but it's all we've got.
Jul1e: Talk with me over coffee.

She didn't need to tell me which place, I remember going there with her when we were kids, not to eat. Just to talk, hopefully the owners didn't hate us still.
I'd spent a sleepless night going over evidence that I could actually bring to Frank without getting my throat ripped out, if I could sync it up with proper police evidence we might actually be able to find something out about the mystery murderer.

The door to The Fresh Beans jingled, announcing myself to the prying eyes
"Joey!", Julie gestured me to an inconspicuous booth in the corner of the room, looking better than ever,
"Smashing outfit Kostenko", I mocked, it was different but nice. The red and black checkered flannel and jeans really matching her features.
Her laugh made my day before her face grew serious,
"So what's happening with my mom this time?", she questioned,
"I was like an owl last night trying to gather as many approximations as possible to run through your mom, for example the guy who knocked her out was wearing a bandanna they sell at that mini department store, we should start there",
"Wow", Julie stared at the folder I bought with me, "It's pretty detailed for a file we don't have any info for", I enjoyed looking at her smile whenever she was impressed,
"Now we just figure out how we present this to my mom without turning her into a cow",
"Come on I'm sure it won't be that bad",

It was that bad.
The jail doors closed as the cops lecture played through my head like one of those annoying jack in the boxes,
"I know you kids mean well, but putting yourself in the line of danger and actually getting hurt means more than just what you think it means. Not only that, what you did is a criminal offense, so until Commissioner Kostenko arrives you'll be in here",
It wasn't fair. We saved her, but I guess we did put her in that danger in the first place. Dammit,
"It should be fine, this is just the holding cell, mom will be back and we can walk through this",
Julie seemed fine. Like she'd been locked up before, until she burst into tears on the floor,
"Damn it Joey, I don't know what to do, everything feels like it's been falling apart since we started this whole Legion thing",
I didn't know how to help. For as long as I'd known Julie she never did anything like this, she was always so strong, so resilient. My turn.
"Julie, you know I care about you a lot right?", I wiped the tears off her cheek,
"This whole thing's been something you wanted. If it falls apart, I know you'll be there to build it back up",
I grabbed her hand out of instinct more than anything,
"And I'll be there every step of the way. So will Susie",
I meant every word, a little bit more than she knew, but that could wait.
It shook me for a moment when she ripped off her flannel and held her arm out to me, revealing a purple and black bruise on her upper arm.
"I didn't think it was fair that Frank kicked us out, so I went back to his place yesterday",
I could feel the anger boiling inside, don't tell me it's what I'm thinking.
"He was drunk and tried to do stuff, and then he hit me with a fire poker and I ran",
Before I could be angry the officers by the cell suddenly stood to attention like the president just came in. Ashleigh Kostenko,
"You kids have something to tell me?", she asked solemnly.

We spent some time in what I could only assume was an interrogation room going over the stuff I managed to group together overnight and proving at least Julie and I's innocence over the picture of us carrying Susie. Keeping as much info about Frank that I could,
"So you and your, gang, were able to at least falter the drug deal for a little while?", Julie cringed a little at the question. The truth can really screw up a plan,
"Mom, that drug deal was fake, I called it in", her mom looked understandably angry at this,
"No wait! We think the guy who attacked you is the guy who killed Susie's mom!", the look of anger slowly turned into a quizzical frown as she browsed through the evidence I bought in one more time.
"OK, while you kids broke at least five laws with your antics, I think I might be able to cut a deal with you to get you out of any jail time", she said with a smirk.
Julie's mom was only truly motherly off work. Otherwise. She was a straight up gangster.
"I'll turn a blind eye to your minor vandalism crimes if we can use your group as an info source to catch this killer",
Working for the police wasn't going to come without it's consequences but I didn't know where else we could turn at this point,
"Deal, but, come to us when you need something done. Our leader would flip if he knew we were doing this",
I wasn't even sure if he was a good leader any more, complete lack of control and composure, abusing Julie, only time will tell how much worse he can get. But after a handshake and a signed document, I am happy to call us The Legion: Ace Detectives.