The Reduction of Helen Magnus
Chapter One - Runaway
Helen Magnus was dying for a cup of tea. Unfortunately the paper work in front of her kept distracting her from her goal. She would think of it, think about finishing the file in front of her then have a tea. Except, the next file will take her focus, then the whole process would begin again. A knock on her door snapped her back to attention and she smiled as Will walked in, tea cup in hand.
"Will, perfect timing"
Will returned her smile, placing the tea carefully on her desk.
"I figured you were due. Oh and Big-guy gave me these for you too. Favourite cookie I believe"
The ginger bread smelled fantastic, making her stomach rumble. She sipped at the tea gratefully before nibbling on the cookie.
"So Will, what's your plan for the day?'
Will sat in the chair across from her, crossing his legs and producing a file, sliding it across the desk.
"New abnormal that we need to track."
"Specifics?"
"Names James Finker. According to our sources, this guy has incredible speed and a habit of shedding his skin"
"Is he a threat?"
"Not on a larger scale. He's a human cross breed so he blends in fine. Our concern is that he's getting mixed up with some bad crowds. He's got a super-speed metabolism, he gets wounded he's healed within 24-48 hours. My concern is his safety. This guy is a huge bonus for most gangs and illegal trading. He can't get hurt, not permanently anyway. I just want to see if we can offer some help, some shelter for him, get him on the right track."
"How old is he?"
"Not certain, 20 at most. Still enough time to change old habits"
Helen nodded and flicked through the file. They didn't have much information, no picture but they had worked with less before.
"Take the proper precautions Will. We don't know enough to assume anything"
"Yeah I know. Kate and Henry are coming with me and the Big-guy will be keeping track here"
"Good. Be careful"
Will stood and flashed her another smile.
"Always"
Helen watching him leave before turning her attention back to the file, wondering, not for the first time, if the work ever was really done.
Will hated sitting doing nothing. Kate moved impatiently beside him and Henry was humming tunelessly in the back. Will knew that Henry would never complain, he loved being out in the field. Kate on the other hand passed a comment every few minutes, impatient for action.
"I hope your source was a good one"
Kate glanced at him doubtfully.
"He is. We just need to be patient"
"Not my strong point"
"I know."
Kate gave him a small smile before directing her attention back to the old building that half stood, half crumpled on the far side of the road.
"Did you notice the name of the street?"
"Yeah Elm"
"Funny, right?"
"If you say so"
Kate rolled her eyes and kept looking through the binoculars. Henry's humming stopped suddenly and he popped through the back.
"Someone's coming. A young woman by the looks of it. And she's moving fast"
Will watched the street closely and it was only with effort that he saw the blur of movement going into the building. It was too fast to get a form or an identity.
"That's the abnormal. A woman apparently"
"Are we going to go in?"
"Yeah but keep alert. We don't know enough to take any stupid risks. Henry, I need you to stay here, keep an eye out."
"Will do. Good luck"
Will and Kate got their weapons ready. Will had made sure that they had both the stunners and standard guns. They slipped from the van and made a move for the building, Will trying to take in his surroundings and keeping an eye out for the abnormal. They moved deeper into the building with Will leading the way. They finally made it to a wider space and Will pulled Kate to stop when their abnormal finally came into view. She was fairly young as far as Will could tell. Her physicality was lost in a blur. She was eating with such a speed and ferocity that Will couldn't make out the food that was entering her mouth.
"Wow."
Kate's voice was low in his ear.
"Speed on all fronts"
"She has to eat every two hours or more because her metabolism is so fast. She needs to refuel."
The abnormal paused and looked carefully around her. She moved quickly and she suddenly had a gun in her hand. She moved again and Will found himself at the other end of the gun, the abnormal giving him a small smile. James was pretty, with wide blue eyes and dark hair that dangled from a ponytail down to her waist. Her face was hard as she glanced at Kate.
"Put your gun down"
Kate hesitated a second before placing her gun on the floor, hands up.
"Stand up, both of you"
They did as James said, the gun steadily pointed at Will's head.
"Who are you with?"
Will glanced at Kate before looking at James.
"We are from The Sanctuary"
James studied them.
"I don't believe you. Which gang are you with?"
"We're not with any gang"
"What have they told you to offer me this time? Money? Power? Well you can tell your bosses to leave me alone. I'm not interested"
Will shifted slightly, hands still up.
"James, we just want to help you, that's why we are here"
James scoffed, the sound echoing loudly off the walls.
"To help me? I don't need help. I just need your people to leave me alone. I'm sick to death of being head hunted. I'm not for sale."
Will lowered his voice.
"So you are head hunted are you? For your gifts I'm guessing. You're fast and you heal. You would be worth a lot for anyone"
James narrowed her eyes at Will.
"How do you know about me?"
"I told you we are from The Sanctuary. We just want to help"
"You need to leave me alone"
Will moved again slowly, trying to get a little closer, to gain her trust. She was scared and he could almost taste the fear coming off her.
"James, we are here to offer you safety"
"You can't do that. The only way for me to keep safe is to keep moving, to stay under the radar. It makes me unhappy that you managed to find me so quickly"
Will felt Kate move behind him and he grabbed her arm, trying to keep her still. Kate didn't like being threatened.
"Kate…"
James flicked her attention to Kate, the gun shifting from Will to her. Kate growled low in her chest.
"You need to listen to us. If you're not safe, if people are after you, we can protect you"
James frowned.
"No you can't."
"Yes we can."
James readjusted her grip on the gun.
"You need to leave."
Will shook his head.
"No. We want to help"
James pointed the gun squarely at Will's chest.
"Then you die"
Kate moved quickly, shooting James with the stunner that she had hidden down her back. James went down heavily, the gun going off, clipping Will in the shoulder. Kate stepped forward and cuffed James before turning her attention back to Will, who was nursing his bleeding shoulder. She kneeled beside him, looking at the wound, a small smile on her face.
"That went well, didn't it?"
Helen waited for the sedative to wear off, surprised that it had even lasted this long. After all with a metabolism that worked that quickly, it should have burnt off hours ago. Perhaps she had overdone the dose. Either way, James was still out for the moment. Helen sighed and made her way to the sick bay where Will's wound was being dressed. He was fidgeting under Kate's careful hands.
"It's a flesh wound Kate, I'm fine"
Kate pressed a little harder on the dressing, setting it in place.
"Yeah until you get an infection. Suck it up"
Will glanced at Helen.
"Is she ok? Has she woken up yet?"
Helen shook her head.
"She's still out. She'll be fine Will."
Will shook his head.
"It didn't need to go down like that. She should have come with us, not be taken"
Kate threw Will a dark look.
"She was going to kill us."
"She wouldn't of"
Kate threw together the bloodied cloths. Muttering under her breath.
"Thanks for saving my life Kate. You didn't have to put your ass on the line like that"
Will sighed and turned back to Kate.
"Thank you for saving my life"
"You're welcome"
Helen waited as he pulled on a clean shirt before they moved back to where James was being held. She was awake now, crouched in the further rest corner of the cell. She was panting heavily, eyes wide and panicked, always moving as she looked for an escape.
"James"
James looked at them, her eyes narrowing.
"What do you want from me?"
Helen held up her hand as Will made a move to speak. The exchanged a quick glance before Helen stepped forward.
"We don't wish to harm you"
James scoffed.
"Everybody says that just before they threaten you. Haven't you ever seen a movie?"
Helen smiled slightly.
"Not out of habit no. I occasionally catch small details as I walk through the living room but other then that, no"
James frowned at Helen, her eyes flicking to Will.
"Is she for real?"
Will nodded and James offered them both a doubtful grimace.
"Glad to see I'm not the only weirdo. But I still don't believe that you are here to help me"
Helen studied James before finally speaking.
"Do you know who I am James?"
James looked Helen up and down before shaking her head.
"No"
Helen offered James a wide smile, dimples and all.
"I'm Helen Magnus"
James eyes widened and she glanced at Will again, repeating her previous question.
"Is she for real?"
"As real as it gets. I told you we were from The Sanctuary"
James studied Helen again and Will could almost see the respect overriding the fear and doubt.
"I've heard of you. The gangs, they fear you. They pretend not to but they do."
Helen nodded slightly.
"Good to know that my reputation proceeds me"
Will could see the young girl physically start to relax, her shoulders losing the tension, her body starting to loosen.
"So you really don't want to hurt me?"
"No I don't James. I want to let you out of the cell but you need to promise me that you will give me ten minutes before you decide what you want to do. You also need to promise not to hurt my people."
James studied them both for a good two minutes before nodding slightly.
"Fine, I agree. But you need to promise me that I am not a prisoner here. I want the freedom to leave"
"Of course you have the freedom to leave James. I mean you no harm. If you have indeed heard of me then you should know that I don't hurt people unless they first hurt or threaten me or my people"
Helen pressed the button and the door slid open easily. It only took a moment for James to decide but then she moved out of the cell, in normal speed, coming to stand beside Helen. Neither of them had noticed Big-guy slip behind them silently. He grunted loudly and James almost leapt from her skin, she was behind Big-guy before Will could blink, a gun to his head. It only took Will a second to realize that the gun had come from Helen, the one that she always carried with her. Big-guy made no effort as he flipped James over his shoulder, disarming her and disabling her in the same second. He had he pinned to the ground.
"Let her go, she's fine"
Big-guy didn't hesitate, instantly releasing the young girl. James was on her feet in the same second. Her eyes wide, breathing hard.
"Who-what-"
"He's a friend. He means you no harm."
James panted heavily, her shoulders still tight as she eyed Big-guy suspiciously. Helen placed a hand on James's elbow, gently pulling her forward.
"Come along, we have much to discuss."