Wicked Hearts

[707]

W

ICKED

H

EARTS

GROUP :: ACTION :: HORROR/COMEDY/DRAMA? :: METAHUMAN UNIVERSE :: R18+

---

PROLOGUE:THE PENITENTIARY

 

“SOMETIMES THE WORLD DOESN'T NEED ANOTHER HERO.

SOMETIMES WHAT IT NEEDS IS A MONSTER.”

- INGERAS

 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

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[31ST OCTOBER][6:00 P.M.][ZEUS PENITENTIARY][SOLITARY CONFINEMENT 00]

 

"

D

INNER TIME!"

 

CAME SWIFT AND LOUD, FOLLOWED BY THE CLATTER AND SPLATTER OF FOOD PLATE AGAINST COLD FLOOR. HARD BOOTS STOMPED OUTSIDE THICK AND HEAVY DOORS, THE GUARD GRUNTING IN ILL-CONTROLLED ANNOYANCE THAT HE HAD BEEN THE ONE TASKED TO FEED PEOPLE THAT -SHOULD HE BE GIVEN THE CHANCE- HE WOULDN'T MIND KILLING.

 

"WHY DO WE EVEN KEEP THESE GUYS ALIVE?" A QUESTION, ASKED ONE TOO MANY TIMES. AND JUST AS BEFORE, HIS PARTNER ANSWERED.

 

"BECAUSE THE GOVERNMENT WANT TO STUDY THEM. TAKE THEM APART AND BRING ALL THEIR GOODIES TO US. YOU KNOW, MAKE US STRONG LIKE THEM."

 

JUST AS BEFORE, THE ANSWER SATISFIED THE INCESSANT QUESTION EVENTHOUGH THE MIND BEHIND IT DID NOT ENTIRELY UNDERSTAND. IT WAS FINE THOUGH. UNDERSTANDING WAS NOT THEIR JOB. THEY ONLY NEEDED TO OBEY AND EXECUTE ORDERS THAT THEY WERE GIVEN AND NOTHING MORE.

 

"I HEARD FROM ONE OF THE NURSES -"

 

"THE ONE YOU'VE BEEN CHEATING YOUR WIFE WITH?" THE SARCASM WAS SWIFT BUT IT WAS DELIVERED WITH SUCH RESIGNATION THAT IT SOUNDED MORE LIKE A DISCLAIMER RATHER THAN A REBUKE.

 

"SHUT UP. ANYWAY, SHE TOLD ME THAT THEY'RE DONE WITH ALL THE TESTS, EXCEPT FOR ONE - THAT APOCALYPSE GUY." FROM SHARP TO HUSHED TONE, AS IF A SECRET WAS ABOUT TO BE LAID BARE TO ANOTHER SOUL. "AND ONCE THEY'RE DONE WITH HIM, ALL OF US GET TO LEAVE THIS GOD-FORSAKEN PLACE."

 

"WHAT THEN?"

 

"BOOM."

 

AND THEIR LAUGHTER CAME, LIKE A HILARIOUS JOKE HAD BEEN SPILLED.

 

BUT WITHIN THE LONE CAGE THEY GUARDED, AMID THE COLD BITE OF HEAVY CHAINS AND HOLOGRAPHIC RESTRAINTS -THAT PULLED, SQUEEZED AND CHOKED- DARK LASHES FLUTTERED, REVEALING A SLIVER OF BRIGHT, BRIGHT BLUE THAT ILLUMINATED AN UPTURNED CURL IN AN OTHERWISE UNCARING LIPS.

[-JOKE-]

[31st OCTOBER][6:09 P.M.][ZEUS PENITENTIARY][SOLITARY CONFINEMENT 07]

 

B

ANG, BANG.

 

A GUARD POUNDED HIS FIST AGAINST THE METAL DOOR, ALERTING THE CONSTRAINED PRISONER BEFORE A TRAY OF SLOP SLID THROUGH THE SMALL ENTRY WAY AT THE BOTTOM OF THE DOOR. "FEEDING TIME!" THE GUARD TAUNTED FULLY AWARE THAT SAID PRISONER WAS CONSTRAINED WITH A STRAITJACKET AND MUZZLE DUE TO HIS HABIT OF SELF HARM. THE PRISONER, MALIKOV, STARED AT THE PLATE OF SLOP, HIS GLOWING RED EYES WERE AVERTED TO THE PEEK HOLE OF THE DOOR WHERE THE GUARD BEGAN TO ADDRESS HIM.

 

"WELL GO ON THEN, EAT UP." MALIKOV EYED THE GUARD AND HIS STUPID GRINNING FACE, THE ONLY THING KEEPING HIM FROM CURSING AND REACHING HIS ARM THROUGH THE PEEP HOLE TO STRANGLE THE BASTARD WAS HIS RESTRAINTS. "THAT'S A SCARY FACE YOU'RE MAKING TERROR BUT IT DOESN'T FRIGHTEN ME ONE BIT. NOW GET YOUR ASS OVER HERE AND I'LL TAKE THE MUZZLE OFF, IT'D BE A PAIN TO DEAL WITH THE DOCTORS IF YOU DIED OF STARVATION DOG." THE PRISONER GOT OFF THE FLOOR AND MADE HIS WAY TOWARDS THE PEEP HOLE WHERE THE GUARD STOOD WAITING, MALIKOV TURNED AROUND AND LISTENED AS THE MUZZLE'S BUCKLES CLANKED TOGETHER AND THEN FINALLY FALL FROM HIS FACE. "NOW HAND OVER THE MUZZLE."

 

MALIKOV TURNED TO LOOK AT THE GUARD, HE GRINNED AT THE OTHER AND CHUCKLED A LITTLE TO HIMSELF. "WHAT?" THE GRINNING PRISONER CEASED HIS LAUGHTER AND HIS GRIN HAD LEFT HIS FACE, HE SPIT AT THE OTHER MAN DIRECTLY IN THE FACE.

"BITCH."

MALIKOV BEGAN TO BACK AWAY FROM THE METAL DOOR AS THE GUARD WIPED OFF HIS FACE IN ANGER, HE SAT BACK DOWN ON THE COLD FLOOR AND KICKED THE TRAY OF 'FOOD' IN FRONT OF HIM TOWARDS THE DOOR.

 

"YOU FUCKING UNGRATEFUL BITCH, YOU THINK THAT'S FUNNY? LET'S SEE WHO'S LAUGHING WHEN I KICK YOUR ASS!" BEFORE HE COULD BACK UP ANY OF HIS CLAIMS WITH ACTUAL ACTION, HE WAS APPROACHED BY ANOTHER GUARD WHEELING IN A WHEELCHAIR MEANT FOR RESTRAINING AND TRANSPORTING PROBLEMATIC PRISONERS. "MOVE OUT OF THE WAY ROSS AND STOP ACTING LIKE AN IDIOT." ANOTHER GUARD INTERRUPTED AS HE HALTED NEAR THE DOOR AND MOVED THE OTHER GUARD, ROSS, ASIDE TO OPEN THE DOOR TO ROOM 07. "WHAT THE HELL IS THIS, FREEMAN?" THE IDIOT WHO HAD BEEN MOCKING MALIKOV AND TRIED TO ROUGH HIM UP JUST MOMENTS AGO STARTED TO WHINE AT THE OTHER GUARD. "A TRANSFER. TERROR IS MOVING BACK TO HIS OLD CELL, HIS TIME IN SOLITARY IS UP BUT HE NEEDS TO KEEP THE RESTRAINTS ON, NOW HELP ME RESTRAIN HIM TO THE CHAIR. AND PUT HIS FUCKING MUZZLE BACK ON!"

 

AFTER BEING DRAGGED OUT OF CONFINEMENT, MUZZLED ONCE MORE AND PUT IN A WHEELCHAIR WITH EVEN MORE RESTRAINTS THE GUARDS ESCORTED HIM OUT OF SOLITARY CONFINEMENT AND INTO CELL BLOCK Y. MALIKOV WASN'T ABLE TO MOVE HIS HEAD, THE RESTRAINTS MADE SURE OF THAT, BUT FROM THE CORNER OF HIS EYE MALIKOV SAW SOME FAMILIAR FACES, IT HAD BEEN A FEW MONTHS SINCE HE HAD BEEN SENT TO SOLITARY FOR ENDANGERING HIMSELF AND IN RESULT BURNING THE LEFT SIDE OF HIS NECK AND BEING PUT INTO INTENSIVE CARE BEFORE SENT ON HIS WAY TO SOLITARY.

 

"HERE WE ARE." THE WHEELCHAIR CAME TO A STOP TO THE SIDE OF HIS OLD CELL, ACROSS FROM HIM WERE THE SAME PEOPLE IN CELL'S THAT WERE THERE BEFORE. HE HAD NOTICED A PARTICULAR INMATE, IT WAS THE PUSSY WHO HAD GIVEN HIMSELF INTO THE GOVERNMENT AND LET HIMSELF BE TRAPPED IN THE DAMN SATELLITE. MALIKOV WASN'T A FAN OF THE GUY KNOWN AS INVICTUS, HE THOUGHT OF HIM AS A COWARD FOR GIVING IN SO EASILY TO THE ASSHOLES WHO WERE CAGING THEM. HE EYED THE OTHER INMATE, WATCHING HIM AS HE SKETCHED ON A PIECE OF PAPER, WHERE HE GOT THE UTENSILS TO DO SO WAS BEYOND HIM. MALIKOV'S EYES AVERTED AWAY FROM INVICTUS AS A GUARD BEGAN TO UNTIE HIS RESTRAINTS WHILE ANOTHER GUARD GRABBED HIS ARM AND JERKED HIM OUT OF THE WHEEL CHAIR BEFORE PUTTING HIM INTO HIS CELL AND LOCKING IT. "WELCOME HOME TERROR, BUT NO WORRIES YOU WON'T BE HERE FOR MUCH LONGER." THE GUARD SAID AS HE WALKED AWAY SMIRKING, MALIKOV SNEERED AND THEN SAT DOWN ON HIS BED, STARING AT THE WALL IN FRONT OF HIM STILL IN HIS STRAITJACKET AND MUZZLE.

[ObscureRealization]

[31st OCTOBER][6:09 P.M.][ZEUS PENITENTIARY][CELL BLOCK Y, CELL 162]

 

IT WAS FAIRLY QUIET. THE ONLY SOUND EMITTING FROM HIS CELL WAS THE SCRITCH, SCRATCHING OF A PENCIL AGAINST PAPER. SITTING ON THE FLOOR, LEGS CROSSED AND BACK ARCHED SO HE COULD DRAW ON A FLAT SURFACE. THIS WAS ROUTINE FOR HIM NOWADAYS. SITTING IN A CELL AND SKETCHING ON THE FLOOR WAS HIS ROUTINE. HE SNICKERED AT THE THOUGHT. FROM ROBBING BANKS TO- WELL THIS. OH HOW FAR HE HAS FALLEN.

 

ROME'S CONSTANT SCRIBBLING CAME TO A HALT AS HE FELT A PAIR OF EYES PIERCE THROUGH HIM. LIFTING HIS HEAD HIS EYES MET THE BOY WHOSE HAIR WAS WHITE AS SNOW AND EYES THAT WERE LIKE STARING INTO A SMALL POOL OF BLOOD. HE MADE CONSTANT EYE CONTACT, TRYING TO REMEMBER THE OTHERS NAME. DAMMIT. ALL HE COULD RECALL WAS THAT THE OTHER WAS CONSTANTLY TRYING TO KILL? MAYBE HURT HIMSELF. TERROR. IT HIT HIM AS SOON AS THE GUARD SAID IT. HE HATED WHEN THAT SORT OF THING HAPPENED. WELL WHATEVER, IT DIDN'T MATTER. ROME PUT HIS THOUGHTS BACK TO THE SKETCH HE HAD BEEN WORKING ON BUT IT WASN'T LONG BEFORE HE HAD BEEN DISTURBED AGAIN.

 

"CAN I SEE IT?" ROME LIFTED HIS HEAD UP SO HIS EYES COULD MEET ONE OF THE GUARDS. IT WAS THE GUARD WHO HAD GIVEN HIM A PENCIL AND NOTEBOOK WITHIN HIS FIRST WEEK AT THE SATELLITE. THE GUARD WAS THE MOST TOLERABLE OUT OF EVERY OTHER GUARD AT THE SATELLITE. THE GUARD WAS YOUNG AND A FRESH FACE IN THE FIELD, SO THAT EXPLAINED WHY HE WASN'T AN ASSHOLE LIKE THE REST. ROME COULDN'T RECALL HIS NAME THOUGH. "NOT DONE." ROME REPLIED BLUNTLY AND, TURNING HIS FOCUS TO THE PAPER ON THE FLOOR, BEGAN SCRIBBLING AGAIN. "WELL CAN I LOOK AT THE DRAFT?" ROME HEAVED A SIGH, GIVING IN TO THE GUARDS REQUEST AS HE PUSHED HIMSELF UP OFF THE FLOOR AND SQUEEZED HIS HAND THROUGH THE BARS. THE GUARD TOOK THE SLIGHTLY CRUMPLED PIECE OF PAPER WITH A SMILE ON HIS FACE. ROME WATCHED THE GUARDS SMILE FADE, RESTING HIS CHEEK AGAINST THE COLD BARS, WAITING TO GET HIS PAPER BACK. THE ONCE BUOYANT GUARD HANDED THE SKETCH BACK TO HIM WITHOUT A WORD. "I TOLD YOU IT WASN'T DONE YET." ROME RETORTED AS THE GUARD WALKED AWAY WITH A GRIM AURA ABOUT HIM NOW. ROMERO PLOPPED HIMSELF BACK ONTO THE COLD FLOOR AND SMOOTHED OUT THE CREASES ON THE PAPER. HE WISHED HE HAD SOME COLOR, SO THEN HE COULD OUTLINE THE BODIES AND BLOOD IN THE SKETCH. REALLY MAKE THEM POP.

[Uzaki]

[31st October] [6:15 PM] [Zeus Penitentiary] [General Population, the Lounge]

 

General population in a penitentiary such as Zeus was an experience Alex would have avoided if he could have, but his choices had been limited from the moment he'd been forcefully subdued and taken. After ending up here, in this special 'just for you'-kind of hellhole, the options to choose from were limited. Like that first time he met the doctors and they offered him the option of “Either you behave and give us what we want, or we will make you behave and take what we want.”.

 

Alex had chosen to behave. At least just enough so that he could move around and access the limited areas they were allowed in. Like now when he was strolling through the lounge area, consisting of a big hangar-like room with groups of metal tables and benches where the general population could socialize with each other before bedtime. If they wanted to that is. The unwilling inmates weren't friendly and many kept to themselves if they could. It was better than being holed up in the maximum cell block or solitary. In here he could let his mind try to find a way out, let his eyes sweep wander in seach of weaknesses and listen to everything and anything to maybe find some worthwhile information.

 

While heading toward the end of the large room he picked at the mesh like gloves that covered his hands and lower arms. The sleeve of each glove was anchored into his skin below the elbow, a metal strip with an electric lock pressed small hooks into his arm. It was to prevent him from using the power they knew he had. It hurt. Alex found comfort in their stupidity.

 

Why would skin to skin contact be limited to hands only, he mused and forced down the feeling of glee that almost overcame over him. He stopped at the wall, leaned back against it and glanced to the side, watching one of the guards. The guard looked his way and puffed up, smirking.

 

“Well, look who it is, little Red coming to visit the big bad wolf?” the guard looked around to see if his colleagues were paying him any attention, missing the look of irritation passing over Alex's face, before taking a few steps closer. “You on your way to grandma's house, Red?”

 

“Oh, but it's so difficult to find my way, wouldn't want get lost on my way there, would I? So many scary things in the dark.” He played along, offering a small smile, and felt pleased when the guard in his turn looked flattered. This particular guard was a bit of a loose cannon, being full of himself and sexually frustrated with an inferiority complex a mile long. Alex had carefully worked his way up to this point.

 

“Maybe it's time for the big bad wolf to come around and huff and puff his way into your house then.” came the reply, greedy eyes sweeping over him before looking around again and noticing another guard approaching. “Move along, inmate.” the guard hastily added and stepped back, looking away.

“Watch it, or I might just eat you up.” Alex hissed before he moved over to a table close by and sat down, the gloves itched so he scratched lightly over the material. Maybe there was a chance he'd get some alone time with the guard, maybe a moment to steal something. There was of course no way he'd ever let that guard have his way with him, but a kiss or touch was all he needed. Be it from lust or anger, it didn't matter, and he wouldn't waste a chance if he got one. When he got one.

[Cyncii]

[

31st October

] [

6:30 PM

] [

Lake Eem,The Netherlands

]

 

The sun was setting, bestowing upon the Eemmeer a breathtaking shade of orange. Carla tried to convince himself that he should stay like this forever, laying under the shade of a gargantuan tree out by the lake. His little cabin was a nice touch, too - that, he found abandoned without a for-sale sign, a foreclosure notice, nothing. There wasn't anything inside the cabin, either, no furniture - all that was of importance was a rundown bathroom, toilet, shower and all. If Carla wanted, he could learn to fix everything up and make his mark on this cabin.. but he couldn't stay, not with that satellite looming over everyone's heads.

 

How could he possibly enter that satellite

and

free his fellow metahumans? Carla thought that he could turn himself in, hide his vectors and unleash them on the normal humans who were keeping his kind confined to a cell. But

everything

could go wrong with a plan such as that. He was no idiot. However, to Carla there was some force trying to push him into doing it. The metahuman fought back, but his retaliations were growing weaker by the day. Eventually, he could simply give in to his desires and do it.. but he couldn't, he

couldn't

. He

despised

the idea of having to be locked away, possibly be experimented on and have his vectors screwed with in the process. Carla hated having them touched - it hurt, especially right where the vectors met with his back. That incident when he was little made it all the worse.

 

Carla stretched out his arms, yawning softly as he gazed out towards the water. For fun, he thought, he allowed a single vector to slip out from his back and inch towards the shore of the lake. He had no neighbors, only the occasional pesky speedboats zooming near him, so Carla felt relatively confident that his time of relaxing wouldn't be impeded upon.

 

The tip of the tendril grazed the surface of the water, unable to go much farther than one meter from the shore due to the limitations of the vectors. Carla smirked as he slightly wiggled the vector, feeling fish brush up against it and scurry around in confusion. He wouldn't blame the poor things, considering he himself had a difficult time seeing his own vectors sometimes. Carla knew where they went, sure, but not much else. Then, he wondered - why was it that the vectors did not damage the backs of his shirts but was able to bring down trees and dice people up? He felt like his thoughts were wandering a bit too much.. first the satellite, then something so damn insignificant as his

shirt

. Whatever - he'd contemplated about stranger things.

[munechika]

[31st October] [6:45 PM] [Lake Eem,The Netherlands]

 

It must be a bitch to be a metahuman with physical mutations.

That was all Dmitri could think as he strolled through sparse woodlands, debris crunching under his feet. The trees were starting to cast deep shadows as the sun sank lower and lower into the sky, and he assumed he'd have to find some shelter soon. But all in due time.

 

It was more of a relief he could even walk like this in general. As long as he kept his head low and his hands to himself, Dmitri could pass for your average human and no one would bat an eye. If he had something crazy, like wings or horns, he assumed he'd have a much more difficult time avoiding capture in the satellite. Those poor, poor bastards. Didn't even stand a chance from the start.

 

But sympathy was lost on him. More important than the struggles of his kin was that Dmitri

hated

camping, and he refused to find a tree to curl up against for the night. He didn't want to risk his chances at a hotel tonight though, so he figured the great outdoors had to have some sorry excuse for an indoors eventually. He wasn't thinking houses or anything, but an

exceptional

tree with a nice canopy maybe. Anywhere mildly comfortable and away from prying eyes would do.

 

The Netherlands was no Germany, but it was at least similar enough that he wasn't entirely uncomfortable in the neighboring country. Dutch hadn't been easy to learn, but it hadn't been difficult and while maybe he slipped here and there, Dmitri was able to communicate with natives to get through his day by now. By far the most convenient aspect was that no one knew of an elusive "Bandage" who committed petty crimes and terrorized heroes on his off-days; that legend seemed exclusive to Germany. It made his status as a criminal

so

much easier to hide, even if it was boring as fuck keeping a low profile.

 

But where was he? Looking for somewhere to sleep, thinking a lake had to have some kind of lake house nearby (so maybe he had been looking for a house). He had no such luck so far, but almost as if fate had heard his pleas, the trees opened up to the lake in question and lo and behold, a house! A shitty old cabin Dmitri didn't really want to stay in, but it wasn't a tree and it was devastating how low his standards had fallen.

 

A quick survey of the place revealed it was just as awful inside as it looked on the outside. Who the hell lived here? Some kind of hobo he assumed, one who probably didn't know a human from a metahuman. In short, the kind of person he could take advantage of which brightened his prospective day considerably.

Now if I were a hobo, where would I spend my evening...?

 

That train of thought led him to the water, and in fact someone really was there. He wondered if he should have found it disgusting that he was apparently spot-on at assuming what a hobo would do.

 

Sauntering up to the lone figure, Dmitri ignored whatever they were doing in favor of plopping down next to them and sprawling onto his back.

"Your cabin's a fucking mess, not even any shit worth stealing. Forced me to come all the way out here to find you, you know.

Inconsiderate.

"

He was very much aware that this person might not have anything to do with the cabin, but that would make it all the more

fun

; he was rolling with it anyways. Accuse them of lying, maybe, or trying to trick him. Oh but he was smarter than that, so much smarter.

[707]

THE MEDBAY

 

[7:02 P.M][MEDBAY]

 

T

HEY CAME JUST AFTER SUPPER, WITH CRASS HANDS AND SNEERING EYES.

 

CLOTHED IN WHITE, THEY TALKED ABOUT 'THE GREATER GOOD', MURMURED PLEASANT FUTURES IN THAT SICKENINGLY SWEET VOICE OF THEIRS THAT REEKED HEAVILY OF ANTISEPTICS AND DISINFECTANTS. IT MADE HIM GAG AT THEIR PROXIMITY, BUT HE HELD IT IN -MADE IT SEEM AS IF THE LIGHT WITHIN HAD LEFT AND AN EMPTY SHELL WAS WHAT REMAINED.

 

IT WORKED, THEY WERE NONE THE WISER. AND WHEN THE CHAINS AND OTHER MANNERS OF RESTRAINTS WERE TAKEN OFF, BRILLIANT BLUE EMERGED FROM WITHIN CLOSED LASHES, BATHING THE MEDBAY IN HUES OF PERPETUALLY CLOUDLESS SKIES.

 

EVERYTHING WENT INTO STASIS, AS IF A BUBBLE OF TIME HAD ENGULFED THE ROOM, PREVENTED ANYONE FROM MOVING BESIDES THE EYES THAT MANIFESTED FEAR AND AWE.

 

PALE FINGERS LIFTED, MARRED WITH THE REMNANTS OF HEAVY CHAINS, BEFORE TAKING HOLD OF THE MASSIVE HOLOGRAPHIC COLLAR AND EFFORTLESSLY BREAKING IT APART AS IF THE GENES THAT IT WAS SUPPOSED TO SUPPRESS WAS NONEXISTENT.

 

"

D

ID YOU REALLY THINK THAT YOUR LITTLE TOYS COULD HOLD ME?

" DISDAINFUL AND CONDESCENDING WERE THE FIRST WORDS THAT CAME.

 

AND THEN THE BUBBLE BROKE AND TWELVE LIVES WENT TO PIECES, MARRING THE PRISTINE WHITE OF THE WALLS INTO CRIMSON BLOOMS.

 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

THE CENTRAL LOUNGE

 

[7:42 P.M][CENTRAL LOUNGE]

 

T

HE ALARMS CAME SWIFT AND SUDDEN, ENGULFING THE ENTIRE SPACE STATION WITHIN SECONDS THAT IT RANG. VERMILION LIGHTS SWIRLED IN A NEVER ENDING PATTERN, ILLUMINATING THE ENTIRE LOUNGE IN AN OMINOUS DISPLAY OF VIBRANCY.

 

CLICKS AND HISS FROM CELL DOORS, ALONG WITH RATTLES OF CHAINS, CAME NEXT AS PRISONER RESTRAINTS AND HOLOGRAPHIC COLLARS WENT UNDONE.

 

THEN CAME THE SCREAMS AND GUNSHOTS AS THE PRISON DESCENDED INTO CHAOS.

 

IT WAS NOT UNLIKE A MINIATURE WAR, WHERE THERE WERE BARELY ANY ALLIANCES -MOSTLY JUST EVERYONE FOR THEMSELVES. ALTHOUGH THERE WERE THE MOST STEADFAST OF HEROES, BRAVELY BARRELING INTO THE FRAY TO TRY AND STOP THE CARNAGE. MANY WENT, FEW HAD WHAT IT TOOK TO SURVIVE.

 

ONE HERO THOUGH, STOOD RESILIENT; ABLE TO TAKE WHATEVER ANYONE THREW AT HIM AND STILL CAME OUT SWINGING IN THE END.

 

ALPHA

, THEY CALLED HIM.

 

 

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AOTH, EZEIL

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R

UMORED TO BE THE MOST POWERFUL METAHUMAN, NO ONE HAS EVER REALLY SEEN HIM OUT OF HIS ARMOR. MANY SPECULATE THAT SAID ARMOR IS PART OR ONE OF HIS ABILITIES MANIFESTING ITSELF.

 

HAS BEEN A HERO, FIGHTING FOR JUSTICE AND EQUALITY, EVER SINCE HE FIRST APPEARED. SINCE THEN, MANY HAVE FOUGHT HIM -BOTH HEROES AND VILLAINS- BUT NOT ONE PREVAILED.

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THE FEEBLE RALLIED BEHIND HIM, FOLLOWED HIS BOOMING COMMANDS OR SOMETIMES HID BENEATH HIS MASSIVE BULK AND POWERFUL SWINGS.

 

EASILY AT ABOUT EIGHT FEET TALL, HE TOWERED OVER EVERYONE, SENDING BOTH METAHUMANS AND HUMANS FLYING WITH EVERY SHIFT HE MADE. SURPRISINGLY THOUGH, NO ONE DIED OF HIS ATTACKS. SOME BRUISED AND BROKEN BONES HERE AND THERE BUT THAT WAS THE WORST OF IT.

 

ALL OF IT BARELY DID MUCH TO QUELL THE CHAOS THOUGH, WITH THE FALL OF ONE PERSON ANOTHER TWO TOOK THEIR PLACE. THE FIGHT SEEMED ENDLESS. UNTIL IT WASN'T.

 

UNTIL EVERYONE STOPPED, FROZEN TO THE VERY FLOOR AND AIR THEY WERE.

 

"

WONDERFUL PARTY YOU HAVE HERE.

" A CHUCKLE CAME, SOFT AND SONOROUS AT THE SAME TIME, FLOWING IN WAVES THAT VIBRATED THE VERY MOLECULES OF THE ATMOSPHERE. AND WHEN THE CROWD PARTED, AS IF MOVED BY INVISIBLE HANDS, BRIGHT BLUE APPEARED. "

SUCH A MESS THOUGH. HERE, LET ME HELP YOU CLEAN-UP.

"

 

AND WITH A CARELESS WAVE OF HIS HAND, EVERY HUMAN EXPLODED INTO A GRUESOME RAIN OF BLOOD AND INNARDS THAT TURNED THE CENTRAL LOUNGE INTO A SANGUINE POOL.

 

"

SO, WHO WANTS TO GO ON A ROAD TRIP?

" EERIE LUMINANT EYES CLOSED, BECKONING THE RETURN OF FREEDOM TO STUNNED AND TERRIFIED METAHUMANS -MANY OF WHOM IMMEDIATELY SCATTERING JUST SO THEY COULD PUT SOME DISTANCE BETWEEN THEMSELVES AND APOCALYPSE.

 

BUT THEN, ALPHA CAME SURGING FORWARD.

 

AND THE SATELLITE SHOOK AS IT BEGAN ITS FALL BACK TO EARTH.

 

[-JOKE-]

[7:31 p.m.][ZEUS PENITENTIARY][CELL BLOCK Y ; CELL 164]

 

 

"

Y

OU'RE BACK."

 

MALIKOV'S HEAD LIFTED UP, HIS BLOOD STAINED EYES FELL UPON A FIGURE HE HAD DETESTED THE MOST. OF COURSE HE'D BE THE ONE TO GREET HIM BACK TO HIS CELL, AUGUST WAS A SMART ASS AND A JACK ASS WHO STIRRED ANGER IN MALIKOV FASTER THAN MOST. BUT MOST PEOPLE HAD NOT BETRAYED HIM LIKE THE REDHEAD HAD. "I KNOW YOU CAN'T SAY ANYTHING BACK BUT I'LL ASSUME YOU'RE SAYING 'I MISSED YOU'." JOKING ASIDE AUGUST HAD BEEN SOMEWHAT CONCERNED FOR MALIKOV, MONTHS IN SOLITARY COULD DO WONDERS TO THE MIND AND JUDGING BY MALIKOV'S CURRENT CONDITION IT ALSO CAUSED WEIGHT LOSS.

 

"YOU NEED TO STOP MALIKOV." THOSE TAINTED RED EYES SHIFTED TO LOOK AT THE OTHER MAN AS HE EXPLAINED. "CAUSING HARM TO YOURSELF DOESN'T DO YOU ANY GOOD-"

SHUT UP, I DON'T GIVE A FUCK WHAT YOU THINK.

"YOU'RE JUST CAUSING TROUBLE FOR OTHERS-"

LEAVE ME ALONE!

"I WORRY SOMETIMES FOR YOU MALIKOV." HE COULDN'T HAVE CARED LESS FOR AUGUST'S THOUGHTS OR CONCERNS, HE HAD WANTED TO MAKE THE OTHER STOP TALKING BY RIPPING HIS MOUTH OFF BUT HE COULDN'T EXACTLY DO THAT AT THE MOMENT. ALL HE WANTED FROM THE OTHER WAS FOR HIM TO LEAVE HIM BE AND -

DIE.

 

 

[table=width: 400, class: grid, align: center]

[tr]

[td]APPEARANCE:[/td]

[td]

[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td]FULL NAME:[/td]

[td]

A

UGUST KEY

[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td]CODE NAME:[/td]

[td]

V

ILICUS

[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td]BIOGRAPHY:[/td]

[td]

V

ILICUS WAS BORN IN FRANCE, HIS FATHER BEING AN AMERICAN MAN WHO FELL IN LOVE WITH A FRENCHWOMAN AT A YOUNG AGE & HIS MOTHER A MILITARY OFFICER IN FRANCE. GROWING UP AUGUST HAD NOTICED IN HIMSELF A GIFT THAT NO ONE ELSE KNEW ABOUT, HE WAS ABLE TO SEE MULTIPLE POSSIBLE FUTURE OUTCOMES & NOT ONLY THAT, HE COULD ALSO MANIPULATE SHADOWS TO MANIFEST PHYSICAL FORMS UNDER HIS CONTROL. HE FEARED TO LET ANYONE KNOW, HE HADN'T THE SLIGHTEST CLUE AS TO WHAT TO DO WITH HIMSELF. AUGUST MOVED TO RUSSIA WITH HIS FATHER AFTER HIS MOTHER HAD DIED IN COMBAT, THERE HAD BEEN A CRISIS AGAINST SOME METAHUMANS AND HER PLATOON WAS SENT TO THE COMBAT ZONE. THE PLATOON HAD TAKEN COVERAGE IN A BUILDING BUT SOON AFTER TWO METAHUMANS HAD PEIRCED THROUGH THE BUILDING IN THEIR FIGHT AND CAUSED THE BUILDING TO BECOME VERY UNSTABLE AND COLLAPSE WITHIN MINUTES. AUGUST'S MOTHER WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO HAD NOT MADE IT OUT ALIVE.

THE HERO WHO HAD BEEN SO RECKLESS HAD APOLOGIZED & HONORED HIS MOTHER WITH A MEDAL BUT SHE WAS FORGOTTEN THE SECOND THE HERO STEPPED DOWN FROM THE PODIUM. HATE MANIFESTED WITHING AUGUST, HE FELT THE HERO HAD BEEN THE MOST RESPONSIBLE FOR HIS MOTHER'S DEATH & SOMEWHERE ALONG THE WAY HE HAD FOUND PURPOSE WITH ANOTHER METAHUMAN NAMED MALIKOV & JOINED HIM TO TAKE ON THE ROLE AS A VILLAIN, TO BLAME THAT HERO FOR HIS MOTHER'S DEATH & LET ANGER CONTROL HIM. BUT HIS PARTNERSHIP WITH TERROR HAD NOT LASTED FOR HE TRADED SIDES AFTER HIS ANGER SIMMERED DOWN & SAW THAT THERE WAS NO POINT IN ACTING OUT OF RAGE. HE BECAME A HERO, TAKING A YEAR OR TWO TO ACTUALLY GAIN THE TRUST OF OTHER HEROES & CIVILIANS & TOOK THE PUNISHMENT OF HIS CRIMES HE HAD ENACTED WITH TERROR. HE TRIED TO MEND THINGS WITH MALIKOV & CONVINCE HIM TO COME ALONG WITH HIM AS WELL BUT IN THE END HE COULDN'T CHANGE THE OTHERS MIND & BECAME HIS RIVAL INSTEAD.

[/td]

[/tr]

[/table]

 

 

[7:42 p.m.][CELL BLOCK Y]

 

B

OOM.

 

AS SOON AS HIS COLLAR HIT THE FLOOR MALIKOV HAD TEARED OUT OF HIS STRAITJACKET, FINALLY BEING ABLE TO ACCESS HIS POWERS, AND TORE OFF THE MUZZLE THAT KEPT HIM FROM TELLING THE ASSHOLE IN FRONT OF HIM TO SHUT THE HELL UP FOR ONCE. WHO THE HELL DID VILICUS THINK HE WAS LECTURING HIM, TELLING HIM WHAT TO DO LIKE THE TWO OF THEM WERE GOOD FRIENDS. IT MAY HAVE BEEN THAT WAY ONCE BUT IT ENDED THE MOMENT THE OTHER DECIDED TO BETRAY HIM AND LEAVE HIM BEHIND.

"

I

'M SO FUCKING TIRED OF LISTENING TO YOUR SHIT!"

WITH BOTH HIS ARMS, ALREADY TRANSFORMED INTO RUGGED & ROUGH SKIN WITH SHARP CLAWS, HE LUNGED TOWARDS AUGUST TOPPLING THE HERO QUICKLY AS HE TRIED TO PIERCE THE MAN'S THROAT WITH HIS BARE HANDS. BUT AUGUST HAD ACTED QUICKLY. WHILE HE WASN'T ABLE TO PREDICT THE MOMENTS LEADING UP TO THE SITUATION DUE TO THE COLLAR THAT HAD SUPPRESSED HIS POWERS EVER SINCE ENTERING THE SATELLITE, HE WAS ABLE TO MANIPULATE HIS OWN SHADOW TO PRODUCE A PHYSICAL FORM, FOUR ARMS HAD REACHED OUT FROM THE SHADOW AND KEPT MALIKOV'S VICIOUS CLAWS FROM PIERCING HIS OWN JUGULAR. EVEN THE RUMBLING OF THE SATELLITE COULDN'T HAVE FAZED MALIKOV ENOUGH TO KEEP HIM FROM MOVING HIS ATTENTION ANYWHERE ELSE OTHER THAN THE TRAITOR THAT WAS STARING HIM IN THE FACE RIGHT NOW.

[Uzaki]

[7:42 P.M][CENTRAL LOUNGE]

 

The sudden blaring noise and rush of colours were startling and people had only just started to look around in confusion when the collars fell apart. For Alex it was almost as if, for a few heartbeats, the world slowed down as he was filled with the return of his powers, almost like popping your eardrums after a slow change of air pressure and realising you could hear better. Almost, but not quite.

 

“FUCK!” someone yelled in the background followed by the sound of weapons being mantled. As if someone had given an invisible cue everyone started moving. A large woman sitting across from Alex grabbed a younger man next to her and slammed his head into the metal table, only managing to create a big dent as shiny, metal scales grew out from the man's skin and shielded him. Shots were fired from somewhere to Alex right and he threw himself toward the ground to get away. Making a awkward, half-roll to the side.

 

“Shit, shit, shit...” he chanted as he crawled a short distance before standing, briefly slipping on a red, wet spot on the floor and then ducking away from inmates fighting. He wasn't a fighter, he had no awesome power to fight with, he was a thief and a sneak. Quelling his panic he tried to find a better position in the chaos when he spotted a sort-of-friend being strangled by one of the winged twins he'd seen around. Glory.

 

Glory laid draped over his friend Quaker, he had been the first to approach Alex when he first got here, squeezing the life out of him. Her eyes wild, burning with anger and golden power. Quaker's hands was trying to find a grip to rip her hands away, slipping on her strong arms, eyes rolling backwards and mouth opened in a silent scream.

 

Without thought Alex dashed forward, one, two, three steps, and threw himself at her. He landed across her wings and without pause he grabbed her bare shoulders and forcefully pulled with all he had. Maybe the long time without access to his powers had screwed up his control, or maybe it had screwed up his powers, for whatever reason the pull lasted only two seconds before Glory dropped like a stone, pale and dead. Her body sank in on itself and the wings fell listlessly to the floor.

 

Alex leaned his head back and groaned. So good, so damn good. Adrenaline and power pumped through him, filling him up and spilling over. Standing he didn't notice a bullet ripping through his left arm or the wound instantly healing and he didn't notice Quaker's lifeless eyes staring up at him from between the fiery threads of hair of the dead twin. He did, however, notice the scream of anguish coming from the winged man who fell to his knees and gathered his fallen sister into his arms.

 

 

[table=width: 500, class: grid]

[tr]

[td]Appearance:[/td]

[td][/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td]Full Name:[/td]

[td]Liam O'Meara.[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td]Code Name:[/td]

[td]Honor[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td]Biography:[/td]

[td]Liam and Anne O'Meara, the twins was born into a poor family and later orphaned when their mother was murdered on her way home from work. The two managed to stay together through foster homes and promised each other to never leave the other behind. Anne and Liam ran away from their foster home when their powers started to manifest. They lived on the streets where they started to protect the weak and poor on the streets. They guarded their flock, protected them and weeded out the bad seeds from among their midst.

 

Liam loves his sister dearly, she's the world to him, and he'll be lost without her.[/td]

[/tr]

[/table]

 

 

“No, Glory, no!” he wailed, tears falling from his eyes. Alex looked down on the scene, detached and high, meeting the burning eyes of the winged hero. Honor glared at him with hatred. “I'll kill you, I'll kill you Crave, I will rip you apart.” He promised, seething.

 

Alex smiled.

 

“It was an accident.”

 

Honor started to move, wings shifting, only to freeze in place. Everything froze, stopped, and in the corner of his eye Alex saw a strange scene take place, someone very powerful appeared and even in Alex's haze he felt apprehension and then nausea as the humans burst like balloons. Hadn't he still been riding the high of the energy he stole he would probably have thrown up from the metallic and raw smell of meat and fluids filling the room.

 

The blue light disappeared and he could move again, many moved back, but he just stood there in awe of what was transpiring. Of the power. Even Honor seemed to briefly have forgotten his grief as he sat on the floor and looked at the proceedings.

 

Then, once more, things started moving all at once as the hunkering Alpha surged forward and the whole satellite gave a loud groan before everything started falling. Shaking and tilting.

 

Alex shifted to keep his balance only to receive a strong foot in his chest that sent him flying through the air and hit the short side of a table on the side. Through the short ride through the air he heard and felt the breaking of ribs and skin only to feel it heal again, painful now as the power in him started to peter out. He held onto the table, looking back up and seeing Honor standing ready.

 

Then everything tilted to the other side and the winged hero lost his balance and tumbled sideways and away from Alex. The angry, I'll-kill-you-slowly-face was replaced with a stupid look of surprise before he disappeared into the confused and angry and scared mass of people.

 

Alex threw his head backwards and laughed loudly, like a madman, sitting in the middle of the gore, trapped in a big piece of metal falling through space.

[Cyncii]

[7:00 PM] [Lake Eem,The Netherlands]

 

It was a great time for Carla to drift away, to draw back his vectors and fall into a long, peaceful sleep. Though it was growing late and it would be more practical to lie down on that dingy-ass mattress in the cabin, the thought of resting under a tree out by a lake resonated more with the metahuman. In a way it was more comfortable, too - first Carla had the pleasant breeze brushing the bangs out of his face and cooling him down but there was also the view, the beautiful sunset with its light reflecting off the water's surface.

 

But it could never be perfect, now could it? Carla noted the faint footsteps nearing himself and he closed his eyes, hoping it was simply some squirrel or bird making noise. But no, as a form ended up plopping down beside him he knew it was no squirrel. It could still be something as annoying as a squirrel and he thought it would be the case. And it was, according to the male's words. A petty thief, something Carla despised but found himself smirking at the idea of the other's attempts at stealing to be futile. He had nothing of worth and in his mind he himself was nothing of worth, so that was fine, perfectly fine. This thief would find nothing here and would walk away with nothing, perhaps lose his hands or even leave paraplegic - his vectors could most certainly arrange that.

 

"There wasn't anything to steal when I got here, either," Carla muttered, getting up from his spot under the tree and standing a distance of several feet away from the stranger. He'd brushed the hair away from his shoulders then placed the hand on his hip as he stared out to where the lone vector still rested within the water. Slowly he pulled it out then whipped it off to the side, the small bit of water coating it coming off in the process. There, the rest of the vectors, totaling to four, sprouted out of his back and swayed in the air up to one meter around him as a way to shield him from anything this stranger had in mind for him. If that was the other man's intention, that is.

 

"You should've knocked first, though. But you had to do it when they were out," Carla spoke, referring to the barely visible tendrils circling him. "How inconsiderate." With that all out of his mouth, two out of the four vectors inched towards the stranger and hovered around his neck in a rather threatening manner. For all Carla knew, this person could've been a human out to capture him, and so to prevent it from happening he could simply take him out right there as he laid on the ground. But he didn't do anything more than threaten, not yet, as he wished to hear the other's defense.

[munechika]

[31st October] [7:05 PM] [Lake Eem,The Netherlands]

 

Dmitri listened enough to learn that the cabin wasn't originally this man's either. Pity, but he couldn't imagine anyone being proud of that sack of shit, so maybe it wasn't such a concession.

 

The rest of his attention drifted away from sounds and rested solely on the barely-there distortion of air. What was it? It moved too fluidly to be spontaneous, and there was only one other person around who could be the puppeteer. So he'd met another metahuman? He hadn't considered what meeting a human out here would entail, but that was the joys of passing wasn't it? He didn't have to give a shit unless he touched anything—and my, he'd love to touch whatever this man was wielding.

 

Only when movements all snaked towards him did Dmitri think to realize

Oh, he was talking still.

Best pretend he was listening. His hands went up immediately, and the brunet considered how he wanted this encounter to pan out as he smiled.

"Welp, you got me! A rotten scummy liar, didn't try to nab your crap or anything."

Hopefully that aligned somewhat with whatever he'd been saying before.

"Oops, sorry for calling you a hobo too!"

He took in the other's appearance. Wouldn't say he was too far off anyways.

 

Pale eyes slid to the... things pointed at him, poised to strike assumingly. He wasn't keen on dying just yet, but between preserving his life and seeing if he could disintegrate these inhuman objects, well... his curiosity overtook his self-preservation.

 

"I don't mean harm, so if you could put these away..."

His hand reached out and even if his eyes kept losing and focusing on the tendrils, they were

solid

under his fingers. He waited for it to turn to dust, to feel the intricate threads of matter unwind and collapse, and while the familiar sensation of destruction wasn't dormant, it was slow. Fascinating!

 

"Amazing,"

was what left his mouth. He could get run through this very moment and he wouldn't well care. He'd be dead faster than he could dwell on it, in other words, but also he clung to the growing excitement overtaking him.

 

There was something he wanted to (

couldn't

) destroy.

[707]

[8:30 P.M.][Global News]

 

"

A

s you now can see, right above me, the metahuman penitentiary has now just entered our atmosphere and is now headed towards central new york at more than one-hundred thousand miles per hour."

 

It was bright, much than usual, in the ever so busy streets of the human's global capital. Sirens of police cruisers, along with the constant clamor and bustle of -what must have been- the entire international media and terrified/curious citizens, made the normally noisy street a peculiar scene of ordered chaos -where many stood and gazed up in stunned panic while the rest either tried to flee or pretended to work with the police to quell the unrest.

 

Word from the government had been issued; missiles were to be launched to destroy the falling space station and although many humanitarians and empathizers had spoken up in defense of the metahumans onboard -not to mention their human wards, it was immediately quelled with the secondary statement that with such speed of descent, the government -along with the military- had no means of saving anyone within that satellite.

 

But despite that reassurance, flowers of chaos still bloomed.

 

[7:43 P.M.][Central Lounge]

 

B

oom!

 

Massive chunks of tiled concrete went flying as fists the size of a full-grown man smashed right through the lounge floor, crimson grime erupting along with it as Alpha continued on a relentless pursuit of the one enemy he seemed unable to catch.

 

Compared to the stomps, lunges and roars of the hulking hero, Apocalypse stayed constantly afloat, gliding through the pool of blood and innards as if they were the very ones that made him move eventhough the tips of his naked toes barely even touched it -if at all. There were those brave few that tried to stop him -or at the very least, try to impair his movement- but all ended in failure, every single helper brutally stopped by a wall of swirling gravity that slapped them clean across the other side of the station -or out into space for those unfortunate enough to be close to the walls when they were hit.

 

And as if the wide berth that everyone had given them wasn't enough, Apocalypse suddenly darted into the heart of the fray -like a super-amped missile that scattered everything and eveyone in it's way.

 

Only to grab an unsuspecting female hero around the throat with scarily overly-strong fingers.

 

She was thin and seemly, nothing much distinguishing other than the small tattoo that adorned her pale left wrist.

 

Ezeil

, it read.

 

"

Found you.

" The head-tilted smile came first before the ominous whisper. And like a rag doll, she was thrown through the station's wall and into the maw of space. The scream never made it past her chapped lips.

 

And when the maniacal smile turned to grace the frozen Alpha, one blue eye appeared as if to mock and scorn.

 

"

Fly.

" Like an undeniable command, Alpha flew out after her.

 

"Alert! Fifty boogies detected. Impact imminent in ninety seconds." Came the melodic voice of the penitentiariy's Virtual Intelligence.

 

The sudden hush that followed made a smile curl over Apocalypse's lips.

 

"

I'm bringing war to the world,

" He began, deceptively sweet and gentle as if he were coercing children into falling asleep. "

Should any of you survive the next minute and a half, wherever rat hole you'd be hiding during that time, just whisper my name and I will consider you for a job opportunity.

" He laughed, cruel and laced with the certainty of victory. "

Make sure to bring a few heads for your resume.

"

 

And then reality bent and Apocalypse was gone.

[Uzaki]

[Central Lounge]

 

It took only a few seconds before Honor had Alex by his throat, forcing him to stand as he lifted and pushed upward. The hysterical laugh still bubbled in his throat as he stood, finding his balance, and grasped at the winged hero's arms.

 

“Where'd you come from?” Alex croaked, as the fingers around his throat tightened and made the last word shrill, rasping over the noise of the rest of the room. Honor glared, lips tight and eyes hard but he only held his hand there with that tight squeeze. The chaos around them was background music, it was almost like a scene in a film. This is like at the end of the film were the hero finally catches the villian, he thought.

 

"Alert! Fifty boogies detected. Impact imminent in ninety seconds."

 

It was strange how fast everything died down along with Honor's fingers around Alex loosening enough for him to breathe properly. Someone was talking over the hush and deceptive calm. A promise or a threat? Alex mused, it was hard to decide if the other wanted to hurt them or help them, before mentally shrugging, perhaps it was neither, or both.

 

Then the one calling himself Apocalypse was gone, leaving behind a room of heavy breathing and groaning. People looked scared and angry. Confused and panicked.

“Oh, my, fucking god. We're gonna die!”

 

Someone yelled far to the side of where Alex stood. There was a wave of panic, someone with a telepathic ability or some empathic ability was broadcasting loud enough for everyone to feel it. Alex could feel his heart start to hammer inside his chest. A building sense of panic in the back of his head. Shit, shit, shit.

“No, we have seventy-five seconds. Anyone got any ideas?” A broad shouldered lady with white hair standing a head taller than most pushed through a group of people. Her no-nonsense tone of voice was deep and calm, demanding to be heard and obeyed. There were blood in her hair, sharply contrasting to the white.

 

“Shoot them down with our powers.”

 

“Too many.”

 

“Shielder, can you shield the satellite?”

 

“No, it's too big.”

 

A heartbeat of silence were friend and foe stared at each other.

 

“I can move us.”

 

A small boy, looking like he was maybe 15 years old, said. Dark and matted hair falling over his eyes, head turned down and voice soft but strong. The white-haired lady stepped forward.

 

“How?”

 

“I can move the satellite somewhere else, but I need more energy and even then I probably won't be able to take everything. It's too big.” he explained.

 

“I have energy.” the white-haired lady said. “Take it.”

 

“I can't, can you transfer it?”

 

“No.” she replied, looking angry.

 

Alex felt as if a chill ran up his spine and he turned his head to Honor, meeting his golden eyes. There was mixed emotions there, anger but also resignation. The fingers around his throat loosened and as soon as they left his skin he turned to the circle that had formed around the boy and lady and pushed through.

 

“I can do it.” he said and moved over, not waiting for their response. People parted way, the lady nodded and the boy bit his lower lip. Alex placed his hands hands on both of them, their skin was warm and sticky and he could feel their power bubbling beneath his hands. The boy closed his eyes and Alex looked to the large lady.

 

“Twenty seconds left.” Someone informed and there was unease and murmurs rising around them. The lady placed one of her big hands over Alex's, fingers gripping his and then she nodded again.

 

Wasting no time Alex pulled her energy into himself, feeling the high coming and pulling at a more controlled pace than before. Then he pushed, pushed outwards through his other side. The feeling was draining and cold, it was uncomfortable as the feelings mixed together. Like painful sex. Pleasurable and hurting.

 

The room started shimmering, like small threads of almost invisible strings weaving through them. It expanded and spread fast, covering the room and disappearing through beams and sheets of metal. Weaving, weaving.

 

“Ten seconds.”

 

“I need more, more energy.” the boy panted.

 

Alex looked to the white-haired lady again, she was pale and sweating and he could feel her energy ebbing out. Taking the rest would kill her. It was what made her strong and powerful, what held her together. She needed that energy to live, that massive energy that she held inside.

 

“Do it.” she said, then added loudly. “Remember that a villain namned Atom saved all your sorry asses.Now DO IT!”

 

“Three seconds.”

 

And Alex pushed and pulled with everything he got.

 

[8:37PM][Lake Eem, The Netherlands]

 

Suddenly the sky above lake Eem wobbled before a singular ear shattering tone exploded outward like that of an air-plane breaking the sound barrier and then the sound warped back in together with what looked as part of the sky imploding. Leaving behind a ringing silence. It looked like someone tied the blue sky and white clouds into a knot.

 

Then the satellite was there, hanging in the sky as if it had always been there. Most of it anyway, as three of the links were completely cut off and the jagged edges of it was smouldering and on the other side the linked arms looked like someone had taken a laser and cut through them. Only one was whole and almost undamaged. The satellite was suspended in air for a millisecond before it dropped. The sound from before exploded outward again as the satellite started falling with the same speed it'd picked up in space, straight down into the calm waters below.

 

With impact the lake separated beneath the giant body and water beat up around it a hundred meters up in the air, rising like an enormous tidal wave before dropping back down. Through the force of impact the water was sent out towards the shores of the lake.

 

[Cyncii]

[7:10 PM] [Lake Eem, The Netherlands]

 

"Mm?" Carla narrowed his eyes in mild distaste at the stranger's budding fascination with his vectors. It seemed as though the brunette wasn't paying attention to him speaking in favor of laying his eyes upon the tendrils - what he could see of them, that is. Maybe he was, Carla couldn't know for certain. It still turned him off, though.

 

Carla's eyes drifted off to the side and brought up his left hand to brush its fingertips against the opposite cheek. Out of the corner of his eyes, however, he held a hawk-like watch over the other male. "If you wanted to steal anything, you should've tried mugging my person. Not that you'd succeed, ever, but.. just a suggestion," Carla spoke to the man with a small, creeping smile. There, he proceeded to pull from a pant pocket a cellphone, fairly new but nothing too special. A few seconds passed and it returned to the pocket. "I wouldn't call myself a hobo, but.. more like a vagrant or nomad. Same thing, but more 'fancy' I suppose," he continued. It was true, honestly - he was just a hobo with money, a villain constantly on the move.

 

That smile that was on the metahuman's face slowly faded as the stranger told him to put away his vectors but then, in contradiction, curiously reached out a hand to touch one of them. He didn't care about it, really, only a minute passing before the situation became more concerning. The 'skin' of the vector slowly began to disintegrate, making the affected part of the limb less transparent and slightly grey in color. There, Carla realized that this intruder was a metahuman as well. It came as a surprise, considering he thought himself to be the only one of his kind within a hundred-mile radius. But once he knew he was not the only one in the area, he grew more cautious, seemingly more hostile than earlier.

 

Carla took several steps back, frowning as he forcefully pulled back the vector and out of the man's reach. With that, the stranger could see his second ability taking action; over a period of half a minute, the grey gradually vanished and it was as though it was never damaged in the first place. After that, Carla began to regret letting it happen - what if this man got even more curious? He should kill this guy before he himself got irreparably damaged, but he wanted to play it out a bit longer.

 

"Touch them again," Carla dared in a threatening manner, implying that this man could be the one to get hurt instead if he continued to test his patience.