Digging Up the Past (Open)

It wasn't surprising that the offices of the JCPD were chaotic with the sounds of hurried officers hard at work. With the sudden re-resurgence of the metahumans and costumed crusaders, everything had to be back in high gear. After a period of calm, things going back to the way they were wasn't a small task.

Amongst the din of cops losing their temper and constantly on the go, one officer calmly flicked through a filing cabinet, a sticker showing "C.C.I." crudely placed along the top. After a while, he takes out a fairly thin folder and turns back to his desk. 

On the opposite side, more than likely out of place for all of this, was a costumed young man, his attire being something reminiscent of a Paladin or Knight. He stood fairly relaxed, not seeming to mind the business of the officers around him, the almost visible tension.

"Aegis Warden, was it?" The officer asked, glancing up from the folder, a hint of a groan in his voice. it was almost as if he'd been through this too many times before.

"Aye, that's me," replied the costumed individual, his sing-song Irish accent not doing too much to ease the stress around him.

"Yeah, ok, um... I'll be honest, kid, this isn't exactly as simple as you might find," the Warden turned his head to the side as the officer began, "granted, I've been around for a while, and I appreciate the work the Titans and other folks have done here, so knowing one of the newer ones are lookin' for them is good."

The Warden gave a nod, the smile from under the cowl was somewhat obvious to everyone present.

"But, well, I can tell you're new to this whole thing, and it might be a little beyond your ken."

"How so?" the question was met with a somewhat exasperated sigh.

"Well, you didn't come in through the front door, you came in through the second story window to start," the officer explained, "and just because you have powers and a costume doesn't mean you're deputised onto the force by default."

The Warden looked down a moment, as if to think, then gave a nod.

"I understand. Still, anyt'in' you'd be willin' to provide would be lovely," he said. The response, or rather the wording of the response, caused the officer to raise an eyebrow. Regardless, he presented the costumed young man with the folder.

"We don't have much, and even then, only a part of that can be given out to the public. Here's what I'm willing to show you, but you can't leave the building with it. Pull up a seat in the lobby and read it over. Anything else you'll have to find out on your own," he began, "due to the nature of it all, it's been  classified as a Cold Case until something major happens."


"That's rather generous of you, sir, much obliged," the Warden gave a slight bow of his head

"Yeah, well, just keep it quiet. This is wildly beyond protocol, but with all these heroes and villains back, it's nice to know we've got someone on our side."

............

It felt like one of those sketch shows, this costumed man sitting quietly, reading in the midst of a crowded lobby. Still, as eyes focussed on him, he could only focus on the paperwork before him.

Aegis, for the most part, seemed oblivious to the peering eyes of the curious young man nearby. From what could be seen, the file seemed to contain reports and pictures of places. Crime scenes and theories a plenty, but nothing that would give a clear idea of what might have occurred. Aegis warden shook his head, which could only display that the file wasn't terribly substantial.

This would go on for a while, the costumed young man re-reading everything at least four times before closing the file and standing from his seat. He handed the file over to the officer before giving a nod and turning to make his way out.

Passing Adam, he looked him over. He couldn't sense magic, nor did he have a working knowledge of it, but the aged tome that sat in the hands of this teen was something to capture the curiosity of the Irishman.

"Hello," he began, stopping before Adam. He attempted to stand in the least threatening manner he could, even with the costume, "That's an interestin' book ya got there. What's it about?"

The warden smiled pleasantly under his mask, head tilting to the side.

"No reason besides curiosity, fella. Strange things have been happenin' here and there, I'm just keepin' my eyes peeled, as it were," he explained. He leaned down a little, hopefully reducing whatever intimidating atmosphere he generated.

His eyes wandered over the tome again. It certainly was out of the ordinary, a juxtaposition made reality; the aged and formal design of the book, held in the hands of a teen wearing a beanie and a hoodie, two things that were very rarely seen together.

Still, it could be that looks were deceiving, and the tome before him was perhaps part of a school project or just a hobby. Either way, it didn't stop the Irish hero from asking the key question.

"Other than meself, have ye come across anythin' str-"

The appearance of the newcomer interrupted the question, though the Warden held no grudge. politely, he gave a nod.

"Hello there," he said. He decided to hold off on the new hero name, at least for the moment. It might raise too many questions.

Well, his decision to keep quiet about his moniker didn't last too long. He thought that the costume might have done its part to prevent that.

"I'm known as the Aegis Warden, nowadays. Secret identities and the like, eh?" he gave a slight chuckle as he said this, being a little nervous.

"Nice to meet the both of you," he added, after a short pause.

The Irishman looked to Adam with a curious look, but didn't have too much of an issue with explaining why he was there.

"Well, ya'know the Titans?" he began, "Well, a couple of years ago, they just disappeared. With all these heroes and villains comin' out of the wood work, they could really help out right about now."

He paused a moment, scratching the back of his head.

"That, and, ya'know, powers or not, they were people. Someone's gotta miss 'em,"

He looked to Finn and gave a nod.

"'Tis alright, fella. It was nice ta meet ya," he said. He took note of the young man's nervousness, if it was nervousness he sensed. Aegis assumed that it was probably the costume or the surroundings, but he didn't wish to bring it up at all.