Lestrade

Cassian walked in through the closet door. He took his mask and jacket from the hanger and wore it. Then he turned on the light and saw himself in the mirror dressed as Shade.

When he exited, Nia looked up from the paper she was reviewing just as Venn came strolling inside the room. 

"Great timing," she said to Venn before handing Shade some papers. "You came back after reviewing some information, I assume."

While the two were talking, Shade scanned the contents. After a moment, he set them down on the desk, approving of what he had read.

"Looks thorough…"

Venn eventually sat down on a couch nearby, flipping his pin with a smoke. "Who will be joining the meeting, sir."

"You and Vanita," Shade answered.

"Just those two?" Nia said in shock, "that's way too dangerous no matter how skilled you three are." 

Shade leaned against the edge of the desk, crossing his arms. He was calm.

"It's fine. We can handle it." He turned his gaze to Venn, who had frozen mid-pen flip. "Right?"

Venn hesitated for a brief moment as his eyes darted between Nia and Shade. "Yes, sir, we can manage!"

Nia let out a sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"You're walking into a negotiation with an organization that's half shadow and half bureaucracy," she stated. "If they're sending a representative with all that authority, you can bet they won't be coming alone. This isn't just risky—it's borderline reckless."

Shade smirked behind his mask, pushing off the desk and straightening his stance.

"Intended, not reckless," he corrected. "Venita's Epsilons will be on standby, and the meeting's in neutral territory. Libra's not foolish enough to start a fight when diplomacy is in their favor."

He could see that Nia believed that he was taking a gamble on this. Whatever the reasons for her worries, it didn't stop him from knowing that a negotiation with Libra was paramount.

He turned to Venn and ordered, "Go call Venita to prepare."

"Yes, sir," Venn turned, twirling his pen as he exited the room.

Nia watched him go before turning her attention back to Shade.

"Look, I know you're skilled and I didn't mean to call you out like that in front of Venn, but..." She bit her lips as he walked toward the door. "Everyone says that Libra likes to play the long game, and they don't like being crossed."

This made him pause for a moment without looking in her direction. His tone became dangerous.

"Neither do I…"

***

Hopping out of the car, they arrived at the back of a large building where they were supposed to be meeting. It looked more like a company building, but in actuality, it was a meeting place for high-end parties and bigger-than-world deals.

They entered the back door and saw a lift with a butler beside it. Walking up to it, Venn looked at the bowing butler and said, "Floor 11."

The butler bowed slightly, pressing a button on the wall-mounted panel. The lift doors slid open silently, revealing a spacious interior.

As the doors closed and the lift began its ascent, Venita broke the silence.

"So… They really went all out, didn't they? Everything's pretty high-end."

Shade chose not to comment, choosing to stare at the glowing number above the doors until they transitioned to 11. The elevator slowed to a halt and the doors finally slid open to reveal a furnished corridor.

At the end of the hallway were two double doors flanked by two more attendants who bowed in silent greeting.

As they approached, Shade said, "Stay sharp…"

The group agreed while maintaining their usual expressions. They all then stepped into the room.

As soon as they entered, there were two big sofas surrounding a round table. One side had shelves filled with various types of expensive drinks, while the other two walls were surrounded by glass. And then he saw him, the man sitting in front of him, High Magistrate Lestrade. 

Dressed in a tailored suit, Lestrade looked quite professional. One streak of grey hair in a bundle of black was neatly combed, and his steely eyes assessed Shade with an unflinching gaze. 

"Shade," Lestrade said with a surprisingly charming tone. "Leader of TEC, if I'm not mistaken."

Shade slightly inclined his head, stepping forward as Venita and Venn positioned themselves behind him.

"You're correct, High Magistrate Lestrade," he firmly replied, "it's not often that Libra entertains guests like this, I assume."

Lestrade smiled and said, "Libra doesn't usually deal with groups like TEC. But you've proven… persistent. That alone earns you an audience with me."

Shade took the sofa opposite Lestrade. He leaned back, resting one arm on the table while the other hung casually at his side.

"I suppose it's that level of persistence that paid," he said. "But personally, I've never begged for anything in my life, so let's cut to the chase if you don't mind."

Lestrade just chuckled, a dark, velvety tone as he said, "Very well… Shade." 

It wasn't long until tea was brought to them. Shade, of course, wasn't given any considering he would have to remove his helmet. Venn and Venita were inclined to drink, opting to instead listen to this important meeting.

"I'll keep it simple," Lestrade said after taking a sip. "You've built quite the reputation in a short time. TEC's group of rebels have seemed quite resourceful. Some might call it debauchery; I'd call it… adaptive. But I'm curious—what's the foundation of your group? Why this crusade against AU?"

"The AU thrives on control," Shade simply answered. "Suppression masquerading as unity. They force conformity under the guise of order, stripping away choice and identity. My fight isn't against order—it's against tyranny. Someone needs to remind the world that freedom comes with risk, not chains."

"And that's where TEC steps in? A symbol of your so-called freedom?" 

Now was not the time for arguing.

"Freedom doesn't need symbols," Shade responded. "It needs action, and TEC is that action."

"Action that has caught the attention of Libra, just so you're aware. We value independence, but not at the cost of stability. I'm curious—what's your endgame here? Is TEC just a means to an end, or do you plan to keep running a rebel faction forever?"

Venn and Vanita looked over at Shade, waiting for his response. Answering a question wrong like the one Lestrade had asked could very well change their onlook of things. 

Shade took his time looking over at Lestrade, making the silence uncomfortable before responding, "TEC isn't a faction. It's a foundation. A tool to dismantle AU's illusions and build something better in its place."

This made Lestrade slowly smile, eyes-widening.

"Ambitious," he said, contemplating his own words. "Though you know better than most, tearing something down is easier than building it back up. And alliances... well, they're delicate. Which brings me to Libra. You've got firepower, personnel, and, if rumors are true, technology that even we'd envy. But resources are finite, Shade. What exactly do you think TEC can offer us?"

"Information. Access. I've got eyes in places Libra wouldn't dare tread, and TEC knows how to make problems disappear quietly. You've got the bureaucracy; I've got the adaptability. Together, we close gaps."

The silver eyes of his opponent looked out the window as he said, "It's an appealing proposition. But Libra's not in the business of mercenary work, and we're not looking to fuel another war for power. What about the bigger picture? A moral alliance. Uniting people under shared principles."

"I don't quite care about principles; I care about results. Unity through ideals? It's a weakness AU exploits. My Bandits don't march to principles; they march to survival."

Lestrade's eyes snapped back as he protested, "Survival without principles becomes savagery. Is that what you're offering?"

"I'm offering the truth. The world isn't fair, and people don't unite for morals—they unite for what they need. TEC gives them what they need. If Libra can stomach that truth, then we'll work well together."

Things became tense. One could tell from Venn's look that he probably made a mistake agreeing to come here. This was, after all, one of the head honchos of Libra. And Shade was on the verge of him angry.

Lestrade, after a moment of silence, finally said, "You're pragmatic, boy… I can respect that, even if I don't entirely agree… Let's talk specifics, then. Logistics, personnel integration, and operational boundaries. If this little partnership is going to work, we'll need more than philosophy to keep it intact."

Behind his mask, Shade smirked. He knew that his words would reach this old man. Even if it meant that he had to offend. "Yes, let's talk specifics then."