Temporary Chill #16

"Welcome to my humble abode, Mr...?" Valley said, a friendly grin accompanying his rise from the chair. 

I mirrored the smile, closing the distance to his desk."Micah Foster," I offered, reaching out for a handshake. 

Valley reciprocated, acknowledging with a nod. "Jean-Paul Valley, but you probably knew that already," he remarked, releasing my hand. "People rarely set foot here without some prior knowledge of yours truly." 

A chuckle followed as he gestured to a nearby couch. "Please, take a seat."

I followed his lead and settled onto the couch, taking in the modest yet functional surroundings. Valley resumed his position behind the desk, leaning back casually. 

"So... what brings you to my not-so-typical law office?" he asked, almost as if legal matters were an afterthought. Despite running a law office, he rarely ever worked as a lawyer. In fact, he used the office as a cover to run his private investigation gig, using his detective skills and computer expertise. 

He went out of his way to get a degree in law to make it a legitimate business and was more than capable than the majority of known A-listers in the field. However, everyone who knew him knew that wasn't the main attraction. 

Valley was a genius in more ways than one, and the term 'genius' had a whole different meaning in Gotham's peculiar world. However, for me, it was the lawyer part that mattered today.

"Well, Mr. Valley," I began, adopting a conspiratorial tone, "I find myself in need of some legal wizardry. Nothing too adventurous, I'm afraid..." A sly grin accompanied my words.

Valley cocked an eyebrow at my unusual request. "Legal wizardry, huh?" he pondered, a dash of confusion in his tone. Leaning back, he asked, "So, what exactly do you need?"

Smirking, I fished my phone from my pocket. "Take a gander," I urged, handing the device over. 

Valley took it, unlocked the screen, and hit play. Livewire's heroic escapades during the recent Metropolis invasion played out on the screen. Valley's confusion deepened, but he patiently watched until the end, shooting me a quizzical look.

"I'm here to recruit you as the devil's advocate, or in this case, Livewire's..." I casually stated. "You see, I made her a promise—lighter sentence, maybe even parole—if she cooperates with the Justice League instead of tangling with Superman." Valley's expression shifted from confusion to mild irritation.

"Is this some kind of joke?" he questioned, a touch of irritation in his voice. "If it is, I must insist you stop wasting my--" I cut him off before he could finish.

"I assure you, no jokes here. Check out the next video," I urged. Valley sighed but complied, swiping on the phone's screen to reveal the follow-up clip. 

It picked up seamlessly from the previous footage, transitioning to the front camera, capturing my grinning face as Livewire descended behind me, expressing her sentiments with a defiant middle finger.

Valley sighed, returning the phone to my grasp. "I see you're serious, but it might as well have been a joke," he calmly remarked. "Representing such an infamous criminal sounds like a lost cause, and lawyers don't fight losing battles..."

He shook his head, elaborating on the potential consequences. "What's more, there would be considerable backlash regardless of the outcome, and I prefer to keep a low profile..." he concluded, a subtle suggestion in his eyes that it was time for me to take a hike. 

However, I merely shrugged. "Superman himself is willing to bet on Livewire changing her ways. He promised to vouch for her to boot, so it isn't a lost cause..." I pointed out. "Knowing all that, is it really too much to ask to put some faith into Livewire?" I added, narrowing my eyes. 

Valley, however, remained steadfast. "I'm afraid it is," he said. "Keeping a low profile is crucial for me due to various circumstances, and this case screams headline news. I'm sorry, but you'll have to find someone else," he stated firmly, rejecting the job outright this time.

I sighed, feigning regret and putting on an expression of disappointment, channeling my acting skills. "And here I thought you, of all people, would sympathize with someone looking for a second chance in life," I said, shooting Valley a knowing look.

Valley's face instantly shifted to a darker shade at my words, and I could practically see the struggle in his eyes. It was like he was wrestling with the urge to jump over the desk and give me a solid punch in the face.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he growled, making it clear that he might just follow through on that urge if my response didn't sit well with him. 

Jean-Paul Valley's past as an assassin and puppet of St. Dumas's order was a sore spot, and I had just stepped all over it. Not to mention, the implied knowledge of his alter ego – secret identities were a big deal in DC comics, after all.

Unconsciously, a smirk played on my lips. "I figured you'd understand the struggle for redemption and a second chance... but maybe I misjudged," I said with a careless shrug, deepening Valley's scowl.

Without missing a beat, I accessed the in-system shop and quickly snagged a specific item. Standing up, I casually strolled toward Valley's desk, showing no signs of fear. 

"But if not out of kindness or sympathy, maybe you'd do it for this," I remarked, reaching into my jacket to pull out the recently purchased item and placing it on the desk.

The glass bottle, a whimsical container of glowing nebula-like liquid, found its place on Valley's organized desk. A display of enchantment that was all flash and no substance, but for my current theatrics, it was the perfect prop. 

Valley, visibly jolted by the sudden appearance of the potion, seemed to transition from surprise to a more composed curiosity. "What is this...?" he queried, eyes darting between my face and the mysterious elixir.

With a cheeky grin, I revealed my grand title. "I call it the Elixir of Mental Clarity," I announced, enjoying the dawning realization on Valley's face. "In layman's terms, it's the one-stop-shop for fixing that tangled mess you call a mind," I threw in, the grin broadening. 

Valley, a bit bewildered, could only manage a hesitant, "You... what?"

"How would I even know if it will work...?" he asked, now sporting a deepening frown of skepticism as he gathered his bearings. 

"Simple, my dear Valley, we test it out right here, right now," I responded casually, and the suspicion on his face instantly intensified at my words. Well, I'd be wary, too, if someone stranger suddenly pulled up a cosmic smoothie that would solve all my problems and told me to gulp it down. 

Snatching an empty glass from Valley's well-organized desk, I popped the cork off the potion bottle, letting a small amount of the vibrant liquid flow into the glass. 

Downing it with flair, I couldn't help but add, "And just to clarify, I'm not attempting any underhanded poisoning antics." A dismissive shrug punctuated my assurance as I put down the potion. 

Valley eyed the peculiar potion skeptically as if it had just challenged his favorite chess move. His hesitation lingered, suspicion etched across his face. Yet, the tantalizing prospect of banishing the mental carnival that St. Dumas had bequeathed him proved too irresistible. 

After all, it wasn't just a muscle-building program; it turned his mind into a bonafide circus.

Overcoming the brainwashing resulted in a state, where Azrael and Jean-Paul Valley were like roommates in a cramped apartment, with Azrael monopolizing all the assassin training and conditioning. 

Eventually, Valley managed to reconcile both personalities, but his mental state still resembled a traffic jam during rush hour.

So, he took the plunge. His hands trembled slightly as he raised the exquisite bottle to his lips. One gulp, two gulps, and soon the mesmerizing nebula of planets resided within him. 

The transformation unfolded like a time-lapse documentary—initial confusion, followed by surprise, culminating in an unexpected tranquility. 

Valley turned towards me, wearing an expression akin to someone who had stumbled upon the secret to perpetual bliss. However, being the pragmatic soul that I am, I had to temper his elation.

"Hold off on the thank-you speech, Mr. Valley. This potion is only a temporary solution. Especially considering I took a sip myself." I grinned, providing the reality check that his Zen moment had a ticking clock. "It's less 'eternal bliss' and more 'temporary chill.'"

...

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