(1939-07-08) Mr. V
Details for Mr. V
Summary: Callus Vengal pays a visit to Brad Moody to discuss the Army of Truth.
Date: 8 July, 1939
Location: Moody Residence, Hogsmeade
Plot: For the Greater Good
Related: Army of Truth: Q & A
Characters
BradCallus

As evening fell in the aftermath of the Army of Truth Q&A meeting, tongues were wagging all over London. Was Brad Moody sincere? Was Auror Lee truly joining the Army of Truth? The questions and answers raised more question. But the stage was set — people were talking. Naturally, Brad found himself beset for hours with questioners, admirers, and detractors. But at long last, he is able to return home for some much needed rest.

But, as they say, there is no rest for the wicked. For upon his arrival, the controversial figure finds the front door of his home ajar, and darkness awaiting beyond it.

To say that Brad Moody wasn't impressed by finding his door ajar would be an understate, he rather enjoyed his quiet little retreat in Hogsmeade away from the chaos of London and the half-witted liberal viewed wizards and witches that lined their streets. Letting out a small scoff, he pushes open the door and takes a step in, his wand coming out with a flick to bring the lights of the home alive again. His house has never been much more then a cozy cottage feeling, similar to that which he and his brother grew up in.

"I am done signing autographs today." he announces as he closes the door behind him, "If you want one you can easily send a request to my assistant at the WWN and she will make sure you get one." he continues to announce to whoever is there, as he assumes it has to be a deranged fan. His hands move up and slowly begin to remove his bow tie.

"You'll want to take this meeting personally," comes a deep, resonant voice. The source of that voice sits in Brad's armchair — a severe man of harsh lines and cold, narrowed eyes, wearing tattered black robes. His wand lays over his thighs, clutched in one hard-knuckled hand. "You've been stirring the pot, Mr. Moody. Sit down. We have things to discuss."

Brad finishes removing his bow tie and hangs it on the coat rack as he listens to the voice, before he makes his way into his living area. Noting the man is in his favorite armchair, causes Brad to press his tongue against his cheek for a moment, before he simply moves and sits in the other armchair across from him. His leg moving up and resting on his knee as he leans back in the chair. His hands move to a small glass container and he pours himself some scotch,. "Scotch?" he asks curiously to the random man in his armchair, "Well if you do not stir the pot, you find that you burn what you are cooking." he responds with a small nod, before taking a sip of his scotch. "Then let us discuss, Mr…?" he says slowly before offering him a smile, "I seem to have missed your name." he says nodding.

Callus lifts a hand to politely refuse the drink. "For now, you may call me Mr. V." He takes a deep breath, examining Brad for a moment. "You know, I see a lot of me in you. Ambitious, driven…a true believer. But what you lack is experience and perspective. You're not on the sidelines anymore, Mr. Moody. You're stepping onto the battlefield, and if you're not careful, you're going to walk yourself and others right into the line of fire."

Brad politely listens taking a small sip of his scotch, he is not offended by his guest refusing a drink of course, to each their own. "Well Mr. V, I will admit there has been a good deal of trail and error." he says slowly with a nod, "But I can assure you, every move I make is well calculated and well thought out. While to many the pawns I move on the board and the pieces I sacrifice, may appear to be chaotic, there is reason and calculations behind them." he says slowly with a nod. "But that is the advantage to these tactics, my opposition sees me as haphazard and brash. Which is exactly what I want them to think, they view me as a joke and not a threat… underestimating your opponent on the battlefield is perhaps the gravest mistake one can take." he says slowly with a small nod.

"You're a clever man, Moody. But your skill with words won't win you the day." Callus frowns, his forehead creasing deeply. "You can't afford the sacrifices you're making. More to the point, the Army of Truth cannot afford them. Your first mistake was assuming a kind of leadership without understanding who your soldiers are. You have no army, Mr. Moody. You have malcontents and a handful of rabble-rousers. Your foes might underestimate you, but I think you overestimate yourself, and in so doing, you're damaging Grindelwald's power here. Of course, that's why we're talking. I don't want you to fail. But you need help."

Brad listens and takes a small sip of his scotch, "I have been faced with a rather complicated task." he starts with a small nod, "Some of my opposition screams that the Army of Truth, is simply nothing while others scream we should be thrown into Azkaban." he says nodding, "So if I was to sit and scream for violence, as I once did, I simply put myself and the Army of Truth in a far too negative spotlight." he says nodding. "Now I am sure you are referring to today's events." he says nodding, "I care not what happens with Miss Lee, she has already served her purpose." he says with a shrug, "Now when the next phase starts, todays… Act." he says with a nod, "Will give me ground to stand on." he says slowly, "It is not my intention to damage the Truth, but without…" he starts tapping his chin, "The words I use, the acts that will happen…" he says nodding slowly, "Will simply…" he makes a gesture with his hand, "Be in vain." he says nodding, "I of course welcome, any add from a true believer, one who sees the Truth in the Great Grindelwald." he says nodding.

"Grindelwald is like you. He is a figure, and a voice. But you both speak to a much deeper truth that existed before either of you were born. A truth that was birthed with magic itself." Callus lifts his chin, displaying a hint of pride. "Your words are necessary, yes. But we need to make a more powerful statement, if nothing else, to bring back those you lost today. We are an army. Soldiers subsist not on words, but on deeds. Do what you must to play upon the public's emotions. But you cannot further split our forces. We are small here on the island. The day will come when we can join with Grindelwald's larger army. But until then, we must hold here." He points a finger at Brad. "You said 'the acts that will happen'. I assume you have thoughts about that. I can help make that happen. But I also need something from you."

Brad nods slowly, "I agree whole heatedly." he says with a small nod, "This plan has been set in motion, from a very early Broadcast." he says with a cruel grin sweeping across his face. "I instructed shops to place the Eye of Truth in their windows, to display their true colors." he says nodding, "While many look at that as simply a where to shop, it has always had a greater and deeper meaning." he explains taking a sip of his scotch, "You seem like an individual I can trust." he says nodding, "I can tell you speak of the Truth, with passion, a true hard passion that cannot be faked." he says slowly, "While the day will come when the Army of Truth will stand by the Great and Powerful Grindelwald, before then we must do our part." he says nodding.

Taking another slow sip of his scotch, "Soon students will be flocking to Diagon Alley, with lists and looks of delight in their eyes." he says coldly, "On one such day, they will enter the shops of blood-traitors and filthy mud bloods who have no place on those streets." he says tapping his finger on the chair, "And they will be greeted, by a an attack they never expected and the blood will wash across the streets of Diagon Alley, where those who have a place there will walk atop it." he says nodding, "I welcome all help and accept that help, is a two way street." he says taking another small sip of his drink.

Callus nods, unflinching at the brutality that Brad proposes. "Very well. I can provide you with the weapons you need, and the soldiers to use them. As for what I need from you, it is in regard to your Miss Lee. You seem to have some influence with her. She's involved in an investigation that is proving to be an irritant to me and mine. Do you think you have the means to dissuade her, or to extract information from her?"

Brad rubs his chin slowly tapping on it, "Miss Lee, is a curious creature." he says slowly with a cruel grin, "But she trusts me, she believes that I am… trying to seek a better world for her kind. I will do the best I can to either dissuade her or perhaps even lead her to another angle, which might be fore the best. Provide me some information on the case she is work and name a target as a scapegoat." he says finishing his scotch. "With that I am sure I can come to here and send her down the wrong path, which I am sure will not only interject me into her investigation but also gain more of her trust, while removing some of her meddlesome tinkering on your end." he says nodding.

"She is investigating a fellow Auror, by the name of Esmeralda Abbott," Callus explains. "All I need is for sufficient doubt to be cast on Lee's belief that Abbott is anything but the straight-and-narrow Auror she appears to be. Sufficient enough to convince her partner, Graham Cohen. A suitable scapegoat, if you can manage it, would be Randolph Snively. He is the M.L.E.'s personnel officer, and could have easily arranged assignments in such a way to generate suspicion. Better still, he has no friends, so people will find him easy to loathe."

Brad nods slowly, "Consider it done." he says slowly with a small wave of his hand, "I will send her an owl, create a panicked tone over what I overhead. Tell her the information, tell her that my enemies are growing stronger, but I must do what is right as I seek no violence or hate and tell her I am confiding in her simply because she is the only Auror I can truly trust." he says nodding, "The more urgency I interject into it the more convinced she will be. It will provide both of us an inside man in the Auror's office and a pawn we can manipulate." he says nodding.

Callus dips his head in a nod. "Very good." Callus rises to his feet, showing off a height nearly equal to Brad's own. "As for your plan. Name your locations. I'll see it done. When you wish to contact me, place a 'V' mark in your bedroom window, and I'll be in touch." He moves toward the door, pausing before opening it. "I trust that it goes without saying that this meeting never happened, and that you fully understand the consequences of betrayal."

Unless otherwise stated, the content of this page is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License