[Fiction] Leadership Change

[Cade]

Cade read the message again.

Cade,

A family emergancy has come up and I need to be gone for about a month. I leave the WCK's in your capable hands. Keep a tight reign on Vali and don't let Revenant get all "Spectre of Death" on too many people and take care of yourself. I have no advice to leave you concerning Crusader. You are on your own with him.

I will come back as soon as I'm able.

Jager.

"This is unprecedented." He'd been in charge of pulic relations and de facto second in command for awhile now. With Jager gone that put him in the hotseat. Compounding this was he was also the head of the Chicago Foundation. Jager would only be gone a month, but he knew this could be rough.

"It's best for them to hear it now. He composed a message to each of the other remaining Knights.

We have an important matter to discuss, I need each of you to meet me in the main assembly room today at Four pm. Do not be late.

He composed another for one of the wayward Knights.

Sean,

I know you're on leave, but things are going to be somewhat volatile here in Chicago. I could use you here. I know it's been rough on you and that you're finally getting a break, but I need your help keeping the Knights under control. I need you to come back, for at least the next month. Please contact me one way or another.

Cade

[Warren Verona]

Revenant stomped through the halls of The Tower like he owned the damn place, as usual. He received a few coughs and scoffs in his direction as he intentionally allowed the smoke from his cigar to carry through the ‘No Smoking’ office. He even cared enough to take a few long tokes and let the tendrils of the scented smoke to extra long around certain cubicles.

He raised his hand and let it slam into the conference room door and it gave easily under the force. Like thunder clap Revenant’s entrance was announced and frankly using a bettering ram would have been more subtle. “The fuck’s this all about?” He declared as he looked around the room irritated that he could be doing something… well… anything but this.

[Cade]

Cade was dismayed by Revenant's attitude. There was always the temptation to simply "fix" all his personality problems. It would be simple enough, but I t just imply wasn't worth it. Revenant in all his idiocy and thuggish behavior was effective, and could go where the other members could not. He cost them way too much money though. To make it worse he didn't care that he did so.

"We'll wait for the others Revenant, and you're probably not going to care or like what this is about. But at this point just be patient. I promise I'll get you back out there as soon as I can. Just try to use good judgement when you go back out."

[Warren Verona]

"Good judgement?" The Death nova scoffed as he took the cigar from his mouth. "Bitch please. I'm the epitome of good fuckin' judgement." His evil grin did nothing to change Cade's opinion of him.

He spun a chair out from under the table, ploped down and threw his steeltoed boot clad feet atop it. "Seriously cajun, what's up? The others ain't gon' be here for another couple of minutes, and well... we just don't chat anymore." Revenant grinned sarcasitcally as he mocked the cajun nova. "Ah feel like we don' be driftin' apaht."

[Cade]

Cade shrugs. It would be easier to simply tell him alone that away if he had an issue it could be resolved before the others arrived. "Jager's gone Revenant, for at least a month. He's left me in charge for the duration of his absence. We've lost alot of teammembers, and now the most powerful member has taken a leave on absence. We need to step up security and patrols and hopefully nothing happens for however long he's gone."

"Look, you're one tough bastard. You're damn strong in your own right, but Jager was always the trump card. He beat Long not once, but twice. Any team feels the loss of a player like that. What I worry about is the public's faith in us. We have to show them that even without him we are still committed to keeping the city and the citizens safe. Not only committed, but that we can do it."

[Warren Verona]

"Nothing happens while he's gone?" Revenant's expression changed to full out disgust. It was quite an insult to be carried into a room to be informed that “Mr. Wonderful” had left and you were part of the incapable group of idiots that were supposed to not fuck things up while he was gone. "Fuck him and fuck you. You think I give a rat's ass whether he's here or not? I'm not like the rest of you wastes of pud paste. I always have, and always will settle my issues on my own. Shit, with the way you’re swinging from his cock why not you two just run the show? We'll go the hell home."

Revenant shook his head. "Man, un-fuckin-believeable. I hope something does happen. Something huge. Cuz frankly I'm tired of Mister "I'm the Jagernaught, Bitch!" stealin' all the glory from the people who really have to work at this gig. It ain't like we'll get any better at our jobs if he's right there doin it for us 'just cuz he can."

[Sam 'The Crusader' Hill]

Sam "The Crusader" Hill strode into the main assembly room like a bronzed god at four o'clock on the button. His dazzling smile lit the room from beneath blue eyes so deep that more than one woman had lost herself in them... right up until he opened his mouth.

"Greetings, compatriots! What dastardly villiany are we to thwart today?"

[Cade]

Cade's temper snaps. "SHUT THE HELL UP YOU USELESS PIECE OF GUTTERTRASH! I have had enough of this "I'm the toughest SOB around" act you put on." Cade's eyes blaze. "Have you any idea what kind of crap I and Jager and the whole PR department has to go through because of your behavior? I have cleaned up mess after mess you've created because you're too much of a dumbshit to think about things first. If you weren't actually needed Revenant, I'd find a nice dark hole and put you there or better yet, I'd just send you somewhere fitting your whole "Deadman" theme you seem to like so much."

"You don't like us, fine, but you fucking will RESPECT me and the other novas who protect this City or By God Him-Fucking-Self, I will MAKE you." Cade's madder than anyone had ever seen him before. There's no doubt he'd do exactly as he said.

[Sam 'The Crusader' Hill]

For a moment, Sam stood there, silent and shell-shocked. Finally, his deep baritone wavering just a touch, "Um... is this, er, a bad time?"

[z-Sean McCline]

To add to the tension in the room, Cade's phone rang. The caller id is MCLINE, SEAN.

[Warren Verona]

Revenant stood and already the nimbus aura of black and purple energy began to take shape around him. "To hell with this." He stopped at the door where the bronze god of justice stood his confused vigil over the testosterone-glazed room.

"Move Sam, now." Was all he said with pure malice burning behind his eyes. "My badge will be on your desk cajun, since you and Jager are so fuckin' wonderful, you save the city."

[Cade]

"Fine Warren, now get the hell out of my city."

Cade turned to Sam and nodded. With Revenant's departure his whole demeanor changed. He became the same peaceful Cade he'd always been before.

He answered the phone in a voice forty decibles lower and a much more even tone. "Hello Sean, how's it going?"

[Madison 'Vali' West]

Vali was coming up to the meeting. He was worn out by a combination of the night shift and New Daddy duty when he got home. Now, there was Cade shouting and Revenant getting pissy about whatever. Fatigue clouded his judgement. He should have waited for Revenant to storm out, but Vali was just too damn tired at the moment.

He slid into the room and eyed Sam for a moment.

Like I'm going to get any real understanding from him, Vali thought. He stepped out of the doorway and leaned up against the wall. Vali brought up his foot and rested against the wall. He preferred standing on one during fireworks displays.

[Sam 'The Crusader' Hill]

The Crusader was many things. Brave. Valiant. Dumb as a bag of hammers. But he was also loyal.

"Ah, Revenant old chum? Why don't we take a walk, and, er, you know, talk things over, one superhero to another?" With a non-stop stream of what he meant as friendly banter, the Dimmest Knight followed Death from the room.

[z-Sean McCline]

"If you want me to come back on duty, then you'd better warp me back," Sean said. His familiar voice sounded unchanged to Cade's ear. "Otherwise, I'm gonna be inbound for a couple of days." The phone beeps as Sean transmits his location.

[Cade]

Cade immediately opens a Warpgate to the coordinates supplied and nods to Vali as he enters. "Glad you could make it. We'll wait awhile longer then we can get this done. I know you have places you'd rather be."

[z-Sean McCline]

The repetitive frozen waste through the hole was only broken by the tall, wide form of the red-headed Knight waiting for it. Sean stepped through the warp, dropping snow and ice. "My apologies," he said, even as his eufiber shifted from the thick fur coat and pants into the Knight's outfit. As a further sign of his isolation, his hair was longer than he let it get, well past the tips of his ears. A thick beard covered his face; Sean was knocking ice crystals out of it as he sat in a free chair, blissfully unaware of what had just occurred. Quietly, he sat back and waited patiently.

[Cade]

Cade puzzled at where Sean had been, but put the question away to be asked later. He awaited the other Knights, including the Crusader, to return and arrive.

[Madison 'Vali' West]

"Welcome back, Turbo," Vali says with as weary sneer. "You look ... frosty."

Vali looks to the door then back to Cade.

"My Spidey-sense is tingling and it tells me that Jager's not here ... in a meeting ... in your office, so he's not supposed to be here. Does that mean you are in charge now? 'Cause if you are, maybe I should go get Shirley and Death Knell and bring them back so that I can get back to bed ... sir."

[Cade]

Cade nods to Vali." That's the general gist of it. Jager's taken a leave of absence, I evidenlty just fired Revenant or he quit, I'm not sure, and at this point so long as he behaves I don't care. As for bringing Revenant bak, don't bother. He like Wakinyan is free to do what he wants to do now according to the law. His probation is up. Sam, well yeah, go ahead and get him, he's a part of the team, even though he's still nominally a member of Team Tomorrow."

Cade turns to Sean. "Welcome back. As you can see, you're coming back into a fun situation to say the least. I need someone I can trust here, someone who the people feel confident in. Are you in or out?"

He looks back to Vali. "Where do you stand on this?"

[Madison 'Vali' West]

"Chicago is my home. My family is here. I'm staying with the WCK."

It was mostly true. If Clark said they needed to run, run they would, but Vali didn't feel like disheartening Cade anymore than he already was. Besides, how long could Jager be gone. It wasn't like the guy had a life.

[z-Sean McCline]

"Where do we stand?" Sean asked quietly. "In or out? This is our job, Cade. Tell us what to do, and if we don't like it, we can give notice." The red-head shrugged gracefully, dropping another layer of snow and ice to the floor. "It is that simple. No need to complicate it with emotional appeals to select sides or stomp out like Warren no doubt did."

[Cade]

"Thank you both. We're going to step yup patrols on the docks, there's simply too illegal activity going on there.Vsli, I know you just came in off your shift, so go home to Clark and your family. Take at least twelve hours and come back here. I'll have an optimized patrol route mapped out for you. If you can tell Clark to come in for a little while later. I'm going to need her to help with some of the PR work, and the surveilance grid."

He turns to Sean. I hate to throw you to the wolves, but this will hit the media one way or the other soon enough. I am going to schedule a press conference and explain to the people what's going on and how we will be able to still protect them. I need you to be very visible out on a patrol. Follow the standard route you used before, it will put you out among the citizens. Help the ones that ask you. Even if it's getting a cat out of a tree."

He stops. "Okay, that's kinda lame but apt. We have to show them that even with less staff we can handle anything that comes our way. I'll deal with the media. You help the people, you go to your family. I'm thinking on my feet here, so if you have suggestions I'm all ears."

[z-Sean McCline]

"I think the best thing to do is to show them," Sean said. He gathered himself and stood up; by now, he was leaving behind water, not ice or snow. "I'm going to shave and get on patrol. I'll talk to you all later today." Without anymore preamble, Sean walked out of the room.

[Madison 'Vali' West]

"I'm outta here too, Cade. I'll be back in 12. I'll also bring Clark up to speed, but right now a big bed is looking like the place for me. Later."

Vali pivoted off the wall and made is out of Cade's office. Following Sean, he added,

"Its good to see you back Sean," this time not teasing, but with honesty.

[z-Sean McCline]

Sean nodded at Vali, but a smile curled his lips, barely visible through his beard. "We'll see about that," he replied cryptically. "But it is good to see you again. Give Grey my love, please."

Sean stepped out through one of the tall windows in the hallway and rose into the air, taking the fast way to his room.