30 Dynamic Duo and the Deal

Devin sat for about an hour and a half before he heard a forceful knock on the door. Standing up and crossing over to the entryway of the house Devin wasn't sure what he'd find on the otherside. Opening the door, Devin saw two people on his door step. One was a rather attractive looking woman with dark hair, brown eyes, and pale skin wearing a pair of grey jeans and a black t-shirt with a leather jacket and a pair of black boots. The other person was an African American man with a bald head and goatee wearing a grey t-shirt and blue hoodie with a pair of blue jeans and Timbaland boots.

"You must be Jessica Jon-" Devin started to say before being punched in the jaw and flying back several feet. Landing on his back Devin slowly propped himself up with one arm while his other hand slowly rubbed the ache out of his jaw. Looking up found Jessica rubbing the knuckles on one hand with a look of surprise on her companions face.

"Guess I kinda deserve that." Devin admitted as he got up from the floor while cracking his neck.

"Yeah and you'll get even more than that if this turns out to be anything more than what you said." Jessica said still having not moved from the doorway.

"I can assure you that this is benefiscial for both of us. Please, come in." Devin said as he started for the kitchen before stopping once more and looking back.

"Oh and one more thing. You only get one freebie." Devin said as his eye turned red and his pupil became slitted for a fraction of a second before returning to its normal form to warn the two newcomers against further action. Seeing the eye change both Jessica and her companion stopped short with shock and worry before comtinuing to follow.

"Please have a seat. Would either of you like something to drink?" Devin asked as he turned to the two while they sat at the table. The man that Devin knew as Luke Cage shook his head as Jessica only glared. Devin meerly raised his hands in surrender before turning to the fridge and pouring a glass of juice. Soon he returned to the table and began to speak.

"Okay, so I know who Jessica is and vice versa, but we haven't met Mr. Cage, so let me introduce myself. My name is Devin Price and I have called Jessica here in order to ask her to help me with some business and to help her with a problem with her past." Devin said shocking both Jessica and Luke, before Luke surged up out of his seat.

"Who the hell are you?!" Luke demanded as he glared at the man sitting in the opposite chair slowly sipped from the glass of juice in his hand. Devin set the glass down and looked at both of his guests with a neutral face.

"Mr. Cage, I am an independant defense contractor that just so happens to know some things about a few notable individuals that happens to include the both of you as well as a few others. As I told Jessica all I want is to set up a mutually beneficial transaction between the two of us and she asked that she be able to bring a friend to guarantee her safety during this meeting and I agreed. Hence your presence." Devin explained as Luke slowly lowered back into his seat.

"So what is this job that you went so far to convince me to take?" Jessica asked with a bit of frustration lacing her voice.

"I have two charges that live here with their older sister and they have both recieved discrimination against them from both other students as well as the principal at their school. I want you to investigate the principal and see what you can find on him as I believe that he is taking bribes or other such things from some of the wealthier families that have students that attend the school." Devin said as he explained to Jessica what he wanted from her.

"Okay, but what does that have to do with what you said on the phone?" Jessica asked as she leaned forward with a glint of desperation in her eye.

"I have items that not only can clear the effects of your past from your mind, but keep it clear should your past come to visit you again." Devin said only glancing at Luke once before saying in a code that only Jessica would understand. Luke looked from one to the other in confusion but didn't say anything as Jessica's look of desperation changed to one of hope.

"Fine I'll take the case, but if your measures don't work out then you better be prepaired for when I come back here. What's the guys name?" Jessica said with a sharp glare before pulling a notebook out of her jacket. It was then that Luke actually spoke up.

"Excuse us for a minute will you?" Luke said before he dragged Jessica out of what he thought was hearing range.

"Jessica are you sure about this? Dude seems hella shady and those eyes ain't normal." Luke whispered before glancing at Devin to which Devin just waved with a small smile.

"Luke you don't understand, if he's telling the truth then this might be my best chance of getting past my past. This could help us big time once we find Kilgrave. I'll be careful okay?" Jessica said with conviction and what sounded like a plea for his understanding which surprised Devin. In the comics Luke and Jessica had eventually had a kid and married, but in the show they had this off and on relationship with nothing solid. Then the two of them returned to the table after a couple more minutes of talking about Lukes concerns.

"Everything okay?" Devin asked with a smile.

"Yeah, would it be okay for me to give you an email and you can send me the information that you have on this guy?" Jessica asked as Devin could tell she wanted to get to the real part.

"Sounds reasonable. Alright on to the part you actually came for." Devin said as he passed his hand over the table and a green bottle of liquid with metallic swirls appeared next to what looked like a headband with a crimson feather attached and the other was a chopstick-like hairpin with a small silver bell that seemed to shine even in the low lighting they were in.

"What I mentioned on the phone is a two step process. The first being that you will have to down this liquid here and then you will have to wear one of these items here." Devin said as he gestured from the bottle to the items.

"Wait, how do I know that this will actually work." Jessica asked as Cage looked at Devin like he had just said pigs can fly.

"You don't but I don't make it a habit of putting on the guise of a snakeoil salesman either." Devin said as a frown graced all three people faces. Devin had spent some of his hard earned shop credits on these but this was beginning to wear on his nerves.

"How bout this I don't have a way to demonstrate these items currently, but I have another item that I can demonstrate if that will help." Devin said as the two nodded in acceptance. Devin drew one of his daggers from his waist which had the two up and out of their seat in seconds ready for a fight. Devin only gave them an amused eyebrow raise as he slid the edge of the blade along his palm drawing a thin red line of blood before stowing the dagger again.

Devin was surpsised that he only managed such a thin line that only beaded with blood here and there as the flesh of his palm felt denser than previously. It seemed that his new spirit was changing him again. Devin then pulled out one of his healing potions and poured it on his palm and took a sip before stoppering it and stowing it in his pocket. Right before the pairs eyes the cut seemed to evaporate. It was then that they looked at the green bottle before them and nodded at each other.

"I take it that you're both convinced now?" Devin asked as he looked at both in turn.

"Yes." both uttered at the same time.

"Good, down the bottle in one go and then pick one of the items." Devin instructed as he down his juice. The health potion tasted like lavender and blueberries and was a little strong for his tastes. Devin had barely finished his juice when Jessica slammed the empty bottle onto the table with a grin. This caused Devin to chuckle at the girls antics, but when she looked at the items she got a confused look once more.

"Is there a difference between the two?" She asked as she looked at each in turn.

"Yes the one on my left is the Phoenix Plume and it dispells a large assortment of unatural mental afflictions from outside sources that includes bewitchment. The one on my right is the Magic Ego Bell and it only dispells bewitchments. Each should work against HIM." Devin said as he looked Jessica in the eye. After a second of hesitation she took the bell stating it wouldn't attract as much attention as the headband with the feather.

"Alright well with that done is there any questions left?" Devin said as he clapped his hands together and stood.

"Do you happen to know where Kilgrave is?" Luke asked as the couple stood to.

"No, if I did he would have already become a small pile of ashes already." Devin said as he had a hard look that said what would happen if the two should meet. Devin had no problem wiping that worthless monster off the planet.

"Thanks you I'll be in touch as soon as I find anything." Jessica said as she started walking towards the door with Luke following.

"Alright I will be waiting and Jessica?" Devin said causing the two to stop and look back at him leaning forward with his hands interlaced and his elbows resting on his knees as a predatory grin grew on his face.

"Happy hunting." Devin said as the two nodded then left.

'Well that was productive.' Devin thought before he spoke aloud again.

"You can come out now Izabela." Devin said as he waved his hand and stowed the headpiece in his inventory.

"Sir, are you okay? I heard a commotion, but didn't want to interrupt as it seemed everything was under control." Izabela said as she stood in the doorway with her hands folded in front of her in a floor-length, red peasant skirt and an off-the-shoulder blouse.

"Yeah, everything is fine. The kids should be here any minute." Devin said as patted her shoulder as he passed with a smile. As Izabela watched him walk upstairs a frown turned down the corneres of her mouth and creased her brow.

'He is doing so much for us, maybe too much. I will need to talk with the other two to see if we can come up with something to repay him.' Izabela thought as once she lost sight of her benefactor she moved towards the door to wait for her siblings.

***

Devin had just sent what intel he had on Lynch to Jessica and then decided to start with that project that he had planned while he was overseas. He began by ordering numerous monitors and other computer equipment. He then pulled up the system menu.

'Alice, is it still possible to add onto the already existing foundation of the house?' Devin asked as he waited for his AI's response.

'Yes though you do have to pay a small fine in the store.' Alice said as the option was opened in the store. Looking at it Devin saw that it was only 25 credits for an edit so he paid quickly and then added a room to one of the basement levels, next to the war room for a network of computers to help monitor for news of certain special individuals. Soon the ground work was done and all Devin had to do was wait for the electronics to come. Hearing the kids return from school devin headed down to see how their day was and enjoy time with everyone as he thought of all the things that would be happening soon.