Chapter Text
PROLOGUE
"Enough talk. You had a business opportunity, yes?"
The man named Perseus coughed a few times, lowering his cigarette.
"Rapture. We know it, it's been a lucrative business opportunity on the side, all things considered."
Orion steepled his fingers as he leaned on the railing. Perseus put out his cigarette on the black metal, eyes looking out at the water.
"Continue."
"Cassiopeia and I have had an idea on how to guarantee a rapture subject. As we both know, two aberrant parents gives a much higher chance for an aberrant child."
Perseus turned to Orion.
"We had Jean for this purpose. Not that we don't love her, but we can make money by draining her of her essence for the Rapture production. I've been helping train her, and we saw her activate her essence yesterday. Yellow, just like Cassiopeia."
"You plan to subject your own child to Rapture draining." Orion finished. "For money."
Perseus nodded. "We have been taking precautions since we first had the idea a decade ago. As far as the government is concerned, she doesn't exist. The help of Dorado has meant we've been able to conceal her existence to a select few people. You may not have remembered seeing her just a few weeks ago."
Orion coughed into his hand, taken aback by the statement. Dorado's whole deal was preventing things from being remembered beyond sight, but he didn't expect himself to be the victim of this.
"Dorado?" Orion wheezed. "You've really planned this, Perseus."
Perseus nodded. "Ethics and morals are all that's stopping us, as we know you care about those to an extent. However, we wanted to offer the Trinity Pact a cut of our profits from the rapture we sell. We were originally restricting payments to those who helped us, but because you are in charge of our little group..."
He hesitated, rotating his wrist.
"...We propose a 60/40 split in favour of the Trinity Pact."
Orion stepped away from the railing, pacing around the bridge with his hands in his pockets.
"So... You want me to make a one-time betrayal of the code in that we don't harm children, you want to use your child as a resource instead of treating them like a human, and in exchange I get bribed to continue staying silent, correct?"
His eyes lit up a shade of blue as he turned back to Perseus.
"What will you do if I sanction this act?"
Perseus' eyes lit up a darker colour as he crossed his arms.
"We simply do not give you the money for not operating with us. Just because the Talons are under your banner doesn't mean we'll always operate with you."
The Talon Group were who Perseus and Cassiopeia used to be, alongside many others. They'd been hunted by the Corps, and joined with the Shepherds and the Blood Pact to form the Trinity Pact for protection. Most old members were dead, with only three left. Orion used to be a member of the Shepherds himself. Back then, he hadn't understood the use of the Talons. With Perseus in front of him, he was starting to understand.
The long game. It was always the long game. And if the Trinity Pact was cut out of the deal, it would mean a lot could be lost.
A blade slipped out of Orion's sleeve, landing in his hand as he pointed it at Perseus. The point was mere centimetres away from him.
"You will not cut the rest of us out. You have been with us longer than your Talon Group."
Perseus smiled. "Perfect. Thank you, Orion."
Orion let the sword fall back into his sleeve while the two of them deactivated their essences. Orion stepped back towards the railing, leaning on it once more. A siren wailed in the distance, prompting a chuckle from Perseus.
"You think they're after us?"
Orion shrugged. "Our people are heading North, for a big score."
"Us as in you and I."
"Unlikely."
Perseus nodded. "Reasonable answer from a reasonable man."
Orion could hear him starting to walk off, and he turned to face the man.
"I've got to get home. Cassiopeia will want to know the news."
Orion grinned. "Mind doing me a favour, Perseus?"
Perseus stopped in his tracks.
"Make sure you teach the kid something, anything for the real world."
A moment of silence between them as another set of sirens wailed in the distance. Perseus turned back to Orion, smiling.
"Just because you asked nicely."
Perseus turned away, walking away into the black between the waterside and the street. Orion looked back at the water, exhaling in the cold night. The view was spectacular, from the water's shimmering black to the glow of some buildings on the other side. It was why he liked this spot at night.
Orion was snapped from his thoughts as his phone vibrated in his pocket a few times, a voice singing to him as a call was coming through. He answered the call, returning his gaze to the water.
"Hello?"
"Grégoire, darling, it's late. When are you coming home?"
"Soon, Marcy. Can you give me ten minutes?"
"I don't have a choice, do I?"
"Afraid not, Officer Caspian."
Marceline sighed on the other end of the phone, cursing under her breath like she always did when Orion brought up her rank in the Corps.
"You better make up for it, Grégoire Lavigne."
A smirk on Orion's face as he pushed off the railing, walking back towards his car.
"I will, little bird. See you soon."
Orion hung up the call, pocketing his phone as a third siren rang out in the distance, this one different to the others.
He didn't pay much mind to it after it stopped. So long as they were not after him, it was not a worry.