Prologue – Take 3 – (oh god XD)
GUYS. GUESS WHAT?! IM BACK. I KNOW RIGHT?! SMELL THAT NEW STORY SMELL! XD
This is my third try at this story. Ooh boy. XD This time I actually have a decent, well thought out plan! Exciting, huh? So I went right ahead and decided on a whole new start, reposting the story and everything!
AND I AM SO FREAKIN EXCITED ABOUT IT.
So, before any questions are asked, you should know: nothing is new about this chapter…EXCEPT SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT. Please, please, please re-read if you've forgotten anything about the chapter and if you haven't than scroll right on down to THE LAST SCENE.
It is brand new.
Read on my friends, read on. :)
I'd like to partially dedicate this story to challengerslover because he/she is an amazing amazing person, who literally named their pen name after my story and that means a lot to me. ;) So thank you thank you thank you challengerslover, and I hope you enjoy! ;D
Disclaimer: I do not own any of these lovely characters (except my babies Tamashi and Johanna, and all the extras that tend to die XD)
Shall we?
Unknown Warehouse Facility – Monticello, New York
3 MONTHS AFTER CHILDREN OF HYDRA
"Come on!" Naia shrieked, snatching the white-haired boy's hand and yanking him around the corner right as machine gunfire erupted where he had just been standing, throwing dirt and gravel into the air.
"Hurry!" shouted a second young woman. The teen had bluish black hair falling in loose curls around her head. She wore a dirty torn up gray t-shirt and black pants that reminded them all of Prison Garbs. The garments matched Naia's outfit almost exactly. Meanwhile, all Daniel had was a bare torso and the remains of a matching pair of black pants. The girl waved them on from the end of a long alleyway, where she held open a hole in a wire fence that was lined with barbed wire.
Naia leapt through, dragging Daniel with her. "Watch it, babe! I'd like to keep my head!" he shouted it playfully, but Naia could see the wince that came with it, even in the dark. They landed roughly. Johanna tailed them. She jumped through and whipped out a Glock that she had swiped earlier. Firing two shots, she took out two of the dozen men that charged at them on the other side of the fence.
Naia scrambled to her feet, dragging Daniel up with her. She grabbed Johanna with her free hand, desperately pulling her with as well. They couldn't go back. They couldn't go back. She repeated frantically in her mind. The trio got their footing and sprinted across the grass plain, heading for one of the many thick forests. A bullet skimmed her ear and she hastily released Johanna's arm and brought her hand to it to halt the bleeding. Johanna took the rear, behind the other two, and fired away into the small group of guards that raced after the trio.
A metal collar bit into Naia's flesh—the same collar could be found on Daniel—and she let out quick pained breaths into the night air. Her body was stained with cuts and scrapes, matching the many on Daniel and Johanna. All three were thinner than usual, gaunter and slightly paled. Johanna had a limp, and Daniel was clutching his side as he ran in an attempt to staunch the bleeding that emanated from it.
None of them stopped running.
Pine branches whipped their arms and faces. Naia's eyes blurred with tears, but she choked it back and continued to sprint. Daniel stumbled, cringing and trying to cover up something that sounded a lot like a sob, though he would never admit it. Naia quickly skidded to a stop. She turned around and ran back, slinging one of his arms over her shoulders. Johanna, who had previously been at the back of the group, holstered her gun and grabbed his other arm, keeping one of her hands pressed to the large wound on his side.
The burns aren't healing well, Naia thought internally. Johanna, can you—
Right. No powers.
"Johanna!" she panted out loud as they ran. "W—which way are we headed?!"
"N—North E—East! Th—that way!" she responded, pointing off to Naia's left.
They veered left. The guards were a good distance behind them, but Naia wasn't taking any chances. A branch snapped in her eyes, another on her leg. Something whipped her face. Everything dulled out. The pain. The sound. The sight. She didn't know how long they ran blindly before someone grabbed the back of her shirt collar roughly and choked her backwards. Naia gasped in surprise, falling backwards and landing on top of Daniel roughly.
"Wh—what the hell?!" Naia gagged, her own voice was a dull ache in her head. She coughed in between her words.
Daniel was taking in large gulps of air—Naia didn't know if it was from the running, or the injuries, or her landing on top of him, or all of the above—but he raised a hand and pointed it over her shoulder. She lifted her head off of his chest and saw a cargo train whizzing by.
Slowly, everything tuned back in and the speedy rumbling of the train screeched into her ears.
That was close. She almost ran straight into it, and dragged her frien—the others in with her.
"Huh…" she sighed, still breathing rapidly. She rolled off of Daniel and slowly staggered to her feet. "Are…are you alright?" she asked, breathing between each word and then turning to Daniel and Johanna. Daniel grunted something that resembled 'Never better' and Johanna murmured a 'yea'. The used-to-be-psychic dropped to a crouch next to the used-to-be-godly-boy on the ground. She slowly helped him back onto his feet. Only when they got to their feet did she look back into the forest. She froze when she saw the tiny red dots that represented the guns the guards used.
"Why aren't they firing?" Johanna asked quietly as the three regrouped. She paused before saying "…maybe we're not important enough?"
Naia narrowed her eyes, glaring at the men in the forest. "Or we're too important to someone's plans to kill."
"Does it matter?" Daniel snapped weakly. Johanna trotted over and pressed her sleeve to the crimson red river flowing from his side. "Tch" the injured teen hissed, "Either they're aiming their sniping rifles, or they're –ugh – or they're calling for someone else to come pick us up, corner us."
"Then may I suggest we get out of here?" Johanna inquired, wiping the cold sweat from her brow.
"Hm." Naia nodded once. It only took a moment, though a slow moment, to get an idea. She eyed the train rumbling along speedily. Johanna and Daniel seemed to catch on.
"Only you would…" sighed Johanna, shaking her head and giving an 'oh God' expression. At the same time, Daniel muttered "Only her…" under his breath.
"Only me," Naia breathed with a smirk. "Right…" she caught her breath and managed to get it under control. "Let's go."
The three picked up into a light trot. It escalated into a limping jog. Soon it was a stumbling run. Then it was a staggering sprint. Their breaths picked up again, sweat returning to their foreheads. Daniel growled through gritted teeth. Johanna let out an angry snarl. Naia shouted loudly, drawing it out into a battle cry when they reached and opened the boxcar door. She veered herself to the side, throwing herself at the train and jumping all at once.
She landed on the wooden floor, exhaling sharply. Sucking all of her energy from pure adrenaline, she swiftly got to her feet and ran back to the entrance. One hand clinging to the giant door frame, she swooped her body outwards, feet remaining inside the train car but upper half of her body out. She reached out her hand and Daniel took it gratefully, appearing to be on his last leg. He jumped and Johanna helpfully shoved him as he shifted to the side. Naia yanked him in. She didn't let herself worry about how he landed, instead focusing on Johanna.
Naia stuck her hand back out and Johanna reached for it. She missed once. Swiped again, and missed. Naia ducked down some more, her knuckles white from holding onto the boxcar edge. Johanna leapt and their hands locked. The wind carried Johanna roughly into the side of the car, where she jerked violently.
Johanna had been with her for the past 3 months. She'd been through Hell all over again, but Johanna had been there. Johanna'd been there to keep her company when Daniel was getting experiment on in that facility, and she was alone. Johanna was her friend now.
Naia let out one last adrenaline-filled yell and whipped Johanna into the car. Johanna rolled a bit before ramming into the opposite wall, where there was a closed door. Naia allowed herself to fall backwards and scooted away from the open door, gasping in exhaustion.
Daniel was to her left, and Johanna was on his left. The three sat facing the open door and watching forests go by. Daniel's wound still bled and his shoulders were hunched slightly from the cold. Their rapid breaths showed as cold smoke in the air.
It was silent apart from the rattling train on its tracks, the occasional whistle and the heavy breaths coming from the teens. Naia quietly crawled over to Daniel and curled up on his right side, tearing a large piece from her already shredded shirt, folding it and pressing it to the wound. He gasped, but managed to stop himself from flinching, instead wrapping his muscular arm around her.
Johanna dragged herself over tiredly, leaning on his other side. She as well was welcomed by a muscular arm, though this time it was his left, and instead of a caring side-hug for your lover, it was a comforting brotherly hug. She was asleep almost instantly. Naia could barely hear her soft breaths, like quiet music in the silent wind.
They continued to stare out into the wilderness. Occasionally there was a tunnel that sent a loud booming echo through the car.
Eventually, when the cloth soaked through with blood, Naia dragged herself to her feet. She was basically the dead walking, although she didn't complain. It was for Daniel, she could handle it. The car they were in was empty, but Naia would bet a million that they all couldn't be.
She turned and looked to her left, spotting a human sized door, opposed to the other two giant doors leading outside.
"I'll be back," she stated in a quiet voice. Daniel gave a tired nod. She walked over, her shredded shoes creaking the wooden floor. Naia crouched down next to him and kissed him lightly on the cheek. He looked at her and gave a lazy smile. "'bout time." He whispered. "Get some sleep." She commanded faintly.
Daniel gave a last nod before closing his eyes. With that, he was out.
Naia stood up, gazing at Johanna and Daniel one last time before her eyes lay back upon his bleeding wound. That brought her back. Her eyes set in stone and she turned, marching over to the smaller door and pulled it hard. It didn't budge. She angled herself, aiming a kick. The action snapped the lock off and she braced herself before opening it.
A thick wind entered but she pushed her way through it and closed the door behind her. She now stood on a small platform attached to the car. In front of her lay another car, connected to the current one by a large metal hook. Another platform awaited her on that car.
A small leap and she was there. She rammed into that door and it popped open, revealing a large number of decently sized crates. Naia got to work opening them. Clothes. All clothes. No water. No food. But clothes would do for now. She grabbed a few choices for herself, a few for Johanna, quite a few for Daniel because she didn't know his size, and a few extras to use as bandages.
Leaping in an unbalanced manor back to her group's boxcar, she tugged the door open and entered. Johanna and Daniel awakened instantly at the sound of the door slamming shut from the wind. Naia flinched at it herself. Johanna whipped out her Glock on instinct, pointing it at Naia, while Daniel held up his fists defensively. They both softened when they realized it was her.
"Sorry," she apologized, pacing over to them.
"Don't be," Johanna acknowledged.
"A helluva lot better you than one of the scientists…" murmured Daniel.
Naia gave a small smile and jogged over, wobbling a bit from the movement of the train. She set down the pile of clothing on the floor.
"Here," she said, handing a flannel to Johanna. "Press it to the wound."
Johanna didn't show any sign of agreement, instead setting it there and pressing Daniel's hand to it. Naia furrowed her brows before realizing that Johanna was beginning to rip up two more shirts to form a more permanent bandage.
"Try to fall back asleep," Johanna suggested, gently applying more pressure to the wound. Daniel cringed before consenting and nodding off.
Once Johanna seemed positive he was asleep, she peered up at Naia with widened brown eyes.
"What?" Naia's brow creased with worry. "What is it?!" she whisper-shouted when Johanna didn't respond.
"Okay…I'm no doctor…but…" Johanna removed the makeshift bandage as gently as she good, but Daniel still tensed in his sleep. Naia tried not to recoil at what she saw. Lightened sickly looking veins spread out around the injury. The injury itself was a series of deep gashes carved out of a used-to-be minor burn injury. It was severely discolored, and his entire lower torso was pale. It was still bleeding more than Naia thought possible. Johanna quickly recovered it.
"I think it's infected," the past-maid stated.
"You think so?!" Naia gritted through her teeth, keeping her voice as quiet as possible. She ran a hand through her hair. "It's a fucking zombie bite!" she hissed.
Johanna frowned, not daring to speak and anger Naia more. She wasn't under Stefans' control anymore, but Naia had saved her life. She owed it to her.
"Okay…okay…" huffed Naia, trying to regain her composure. She took a deep breath through her nose. "Help me get him in a shirt. Better infected than infected and freezing."
Johanna admired that. Neither of them would admit to it, but Johanna knew close. Closer than most at least. Some would think she'd feel like a third wheel, but she didn't. Naia had become like a sister to her in a mere 3 months. Daniel had become a brother. It was good. They were happy. She was happy to be free of Stefans.
The girls finished and Naia stood up once again. She walked over to the boxcar door and grunted as she grabbed the handle and tugged it closed.
"Don't need anyone seeing us in here," she said, really just to herself.
"I'll take first shift."
Naia didn't argue, instead blindly walking in the now pitch black room over to Daniel and Johanna. She curled up back in her place at Daniel's side.
"Johanna?"
"Mhm?"
"I know what we have to do."
~AOS~AOS~AOS~
Caldwell Estate – Malone, New York
Kris strode up to massive black iron gates awaiting him infront of the even larger mansion behind it. Behind him, Aeron strutted with Killer at her side. They formed a triangle: Aeron on his left, Killer on his right. Two men awaited him the gate.
The first stepped forwards, holding up his hand, "Sir, we're going to have to ask you too—"
Kris rolled his eyes. "Do shut up." He stated, glaring past the man's blacked out sunglasses and into his eyes. The man complied without hesitation, his mouth snapping shut. He reached up, feeling his own lips with a 'what the hell?!' expression.
"What's the matter with you?" the second guy barked, bounding over. The first looked at him pleadingly, pulling and prodding at his own face. "What the f—?"
Kris cut him off with a look. "Watch your language." He ordered. "There are children around." He shot a hand at Killer.
"Fuck off," the girl snarled back.
"Kindly leave and never return," Kris casted upon the two men. They nodded once in unison, blank-eyed. Then they turned, walked over to the one vehicle parked outside of the gate and drove off.
"Aeron, darling, do you mind?" Kris asked politely, turning to his girlfriend.
"Of course, my love," Aeron replied, a seductive smile creeping onto her face. Kris returned the gesture.
Killer opened her mouth, sticking a finger in and making a gagging noise.
Kris smirked while Aeron scoffed. She lifted her hand and pointed it towards the gate. Creaking metal was followed by the lock on the gate flying off over Kris and Killer's heads. The gates flew open with a second wave of Aeron's hand.
They walked without trouble up the driveway and to the front doors. They were large and glass with a wooden framing.
The trio was greeted by an older woman (probably in her 50s) in a tight pencil skirt, blouse and business jacket. Behind the woman, a handmaid stood that was clasping a necklace around her neck. Both froze and turned towards the three with bewildered looks upon their faces.
"What on Earth? How did you get in here?" the older woman demanded.
"We let ourselves in," Kris said in a bored monotone.
"Let yourselves—who are you?!" the now-enraged woman growled.
"None of your concern," interrupted Aeron, taking a step forwards.
"Might I ask who lives here?" Kris cooed, looking into the woman's bright blue eyes.
The woman froze, locking gazes and practically turning into a lifeless doll. An old doll. He noted mentally.
"My husband." She stated lifelessly. "My two daughters. My two maids. My cook. My butler."
"Madame?" the maid standing behind her addressed, looking fearfully at the woman's blank eyes.
"You," Kris pointed at the woman. "What are your daughters names? Your husband's name?"
"Victoria Caldwell. Serastine Caldwell. Lennox Caldwell."
"Summon them."
The maid looked at him with a scared expression, "Mada—"
"Silence!" He barked. She silenced. Aeron snapped her gaze to him. He cleared his throat, adjusting his tie. "Silence." He repeated, calmer this time.
"Victoria! Sara! Len!" the woman called. She used a loving motherly tone, but didn't move from her stiff statue position.
"Yes dear?!" "Coming mom!" and "Be right there!" echoed through the house.
A man and two teenagers rounded a corner at the top of the staircase. The man wore an expensive looking business suit, and was currently buttoning the top-most button, while the two girls were dressed in school uniforms that had been decked out with jewelry.
"M—mom? Who's that?" the younger girl paused halfway down the steps and looked with wide eyes at Kris. Her halt caught the attention of both the father and the older sister.
"Who the hell are you?" the man demanded.
"I am Incubus. This is Aeron and Killer," Kris replied with a smirk.
The father grabbed his daughters' shoulders at the name 'Killer'.
"Vic, Sara, get behind me," he ordered.
"Oh how touching," Kris sing-songed. "Mr. Caldwell," he addressed. "Take your daughters and your wife and leave." Caldwell's eyes went blank and he grabbed both of his daughters' arms, dragging them down the stairs.
"Daddy! Stop! Ow!" the younger one exclaimed.
Kris grabbed the two before they got out the door; he looked into the younger one's eyes before turning to the other girl and glaring into her dark orbs. "Don't give your father any trouble. Everything is fine. You're not scared. You're a doll. Doll's don't speak. Dolls don't whine. Dolls look pretty. Now do it."
The two calmed instantly, tear stains forgotten. Instead they plastered small smiles on their faces and blinked up at him. The father grabbed them again and pulled them towards the door.
"Oh! And one more thing!" Kris sung, spinning on his heel and facing the family that was standing in the doorway. "If the police or anyone ever ask about us, or mention us, or want to meet us, you don't remember our names, you don't remember what we look like, and you don't remember where your house is. In fact, if that happens, you can't remember your own names. You don't know who you are. All you know is that you hate S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Challengers. Whenever you hear that name 'the Challengers' you will attack them, and keep attacking them until they are dead." He paused, finally deciding if he was finished. "That is all."
The family exited and he turned back to come face to face with Aeron and Killer.
For a split second Kris worried that he had gone off the deep end, that Aeron would betray him. But then.
"Well then." Aeron stood up a bit straighter, fixing her hair. "I'm going to go pick out my room. Faith?"
Killer nodded once and began up the stairs. As soon as her back turned, Aeron brought Kris into a kiss. It finished and Kris smirked.
"Well then." He mocked.
Aeron scoffed and turned, heading up the stairs.
Kris turned his head to see the maid quivering and staring at him with wide eyes.
"Oh please," Kris sneered. "What're you looking at?" she went into a daze. "Go find the cook, the other maid and the butler, and bring them to me. Then get back to work."
He stopped briefly.
"Then unpack the car we left out front and bring everything to me in my office."
"Yes sir."
~AOS~AOS~AOS~
Kris's New Office – Caldwell Mansion
"You actually did something. Wow. I'm impressed."
Kris rolled his eyes at Killer, ignoring her…fruitful…comment.
"Well, yes, since you were obviously struggling to come up with a list yourself."
"Whatever."
"As you were saying?" Aeron sighed.
"Ah yes," Kris clapped his hands together. "We now have the upper hand."
Aeron's eyebrows rose, "And how is that?"
Killer puckered her lips. "You do realize that we're in a stolen mansion, on the run from a team of superhumans, with no resources or artillery, correct?"
A maniacal grin found its way to the young man's face.
"Yes. I do. But we have—and have had for a while now—a man on the inside."
Ta da! We finished at 3,504 words! Not bad, if I do say so myself. Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed this little prologue!
So, there's certainly been some character development in the past few months, huh?
Kris is a bit more violent, it seems. Maybe a little frantic about losing his first controlled team? Oh, and what about DANAIA AND JOHANNA!? THERE ARE SO MANY FREAKING QUESTIONS!
What the heck happened to them?! Is Daniel gonna be okay?! What's Naia's plan?! Where does she want to go?! Where do you guys think they were? Who in the world was chasing them!? HAS THE DANAIA SHIP SAILED!?
Let me know what you thought of this prologue and all of its content. :) VIA REVIEW! (we have those again!)
By the way, sorry for the long wait.
Sincerely,
AsgardianGrizzly