AN: Yes, yes I've been hiding and being busy with life, here I am, coming out of nowhere with a "new story". Please forgive me, those fans of mine, if you're reading this, I hope to get back to everything as soon as I can, send me a PM if you want to talk :)
WARNING: This is only a trial chapter, not entirely sure if I have the time to make this into a full story (which I really want to). Takes place in the "Good Karma" storyline of Delsin Rowe in InFAMOUS: Second Son. Let me know what you think :)
Conduit: A name created by those select few who had the gift.
Bio-Terrorist: A title bestowed upon the Gifted by the military.
These people, Conduit's, began to emerge seemingly out of nowhere after the events of Cole MacGrath's rampage through New Marias, Louisiana, seven years ago. Cole MacGrath had the power of Electrokinesis, the ability to control anything that had to deal with electricity. But yet another Conduit came to be, John White a.k.a The Beast, who threatened to kill every citizen and destroy any city in his wake in order to activate an army of Conduits. Cole MacGrath and John White battled it out, leaving a wave of devastation in their wake. So many people were killed, New Marias left in shambles, but eventually, the battle came to an end. Cole MacGrath finally defeated John White after 5 days of hell, but it took his life in the process. Some thought Cole was a hero; some still thinks he is a villain who brought tragedy upon their city.
The nation believed that "Bio-Terrorism" was a plague, but after further research, it was determined that these Gifts were genetic. One after another, more Conduits surfaced; panic swelled like a virus among the people. Each of those Conduits wielded a different form of matter: blood, smoke, fire, water, steam, metal, lava, radiation, and any other form of matter.
Thus, the Department of Unified Protection (D.U.P.) was created to protect the people. The head of the Department, Brooke Augustine, contradicted the agency she had created. She was a Conduit, and the form of matter she controlled was concrete. But somehow, people weren't afraid of her. She used her power to capture the monsters at everyone's doorsteps, and it seemed to be the only way that worked. The people cherished her like she was their savior. Stationed and built in Seattle, Washington, Curdun Cay was a concrete prison that housed every known Bio-Terrorist to date. Augustine single-handedly kept control over all the Conduits inside; not one had escaped in its 3 years of standing.
Today, the first military transport of Bio-Terrorists leaves the D.U.P detention facility at Curdun Cay, headed to an army prison in upstate Washington...
It will never arrive.
Callista's hazel eyes glared out the window doused in rain. It drizzled lightly, the trickling droplets finding their own path down the window to drip off into the earth below. Her fingers fumbled together as her hands clasped behind her back; she was never the most patient person in the world. But today was very important; Ms. Augustine requested she present herself at the military prison for the arrival of the three Bio-Terrorists. Callista was the only one Augustine trusted with them. They were three of the strongest Bio-Terrorists at Curdun Cay, and Callista knew them all too well. Abigail "Fetch" Walker, Eugene Sims, and Henry "Hank" Daughtry were expected to arrive and she personally were set to see them to their bunkers.
But the military vehicle was running late. Callista checked the watched on her wrist, her teeth beginning to chew on the inside of her cheek. She hated tardiness, and couldn't help but feel uneasy for some reason. Her eyes drew back behind here, where military affiliates meandered around their offices, flipping pages of paperwork back and forth, some on the phone, and others paying visit to the Colonel's office. A disgruntled sigh escaped her lips, and right as she turned around, one of her fellow D.U.P agents hurried up to her.
"Captain Dawson, Director Augustine is waiting on the line for you. It sounds urgent."
Callista pushed the button on the earpiece comfortably stationed in the pocket of her ear, "Callista! We have a problem!"
"What is it Ms. Augustine?" Casllista became immediately focused, "Does it have to do with the transport vehicle? It's running late."
"The vehicle took a dive in Salmon Bay on the Akomish reservation near a fishery. I suspect Hank is the culprit. I'm on my way over there now. I need you and your Squadron to meet me there; Abigail and Eugene will be on the move too. You know what to do if you find them." Augustine's voice was calm and stern through her phone.
"Yes ma'am." After Callista spoke, she heard the other end of the call terminate quickly. Augustine never liked to talk on the phone for long, she got her point across. Callista tightened the gloves on her hands and marched forward, "Load up the A.P.C vehicle, we need to move quickly!"
The uniformed agents scurried out of the room and into the rain, their armored, yellow boots slamming into the mud. Callista followed after them casually, watching as her forces loaded into the vehicle, only one back door left open for their superior. She wasn't afraid to get her own boots dirty as she trudged through the mud of the military camp, gracefully making her way to the truck. Water attempted to puncture her heavy overcoat, but it only shamefully rolled off her shoulders and into the ground. Her gloved hand grabbed on to a hook on the truck as she pulled herself it, the driver of the heavily armored vehicle pushing a button. Callista stared through the windshield of the truck, hearing the door beside her shut and lock tightly.
"Salmon Bay near the fishery, the transport was taken down; the Bio-Terrorists are on the loose."
A few murmurs came from the voice boxes in their helmets, but Callista paid little mind to their chatter. She rubbed the balls of her fingers together, her eyes focused on the small window beside her. Eugene, Abigail, Hank were now all on the loose. It was going to take every fiber of her strength to take them back into custody, kicking, screaming, and fighting.
Eugene would go easy if he were cornered, that poor, meek little mouse. An antisocial gamer nerd by heart, he barely ever lifted a finger or said a word at Curdun Cay. He did not threaten authority, did not talk back to officials, nor did he ever attempt to escape. No, he just sat in a dark corner and avoided as much eye contact with anyone he could. He had no hope.
Abigail, oh, Abigail. She was a firecracker, a brick shithouse of words and strength. She was strong; both heart and mind, and did whatever she could to break her chains. A rebellious junkie from off the streets, someone who had killed her own brother because she thought he had stolen her stash. The poor girl had a guilty conscience and sometimes muttered words that no one really could understand. Callista remembered walking into her cell one day, seeing the name "Brent" burnt into a wall thousands of times.
And then there was Henry "Hank" Daughtry. He barked more than he bit, but that smoke power that he had, it was something else. He was a charmer, a sweet talking bank robber that tried to talk himself out of any situation he was in. Callista never heard any of it; she disciplined him like she would anyone else. She can't even remember how many times he asked her to hook up with him; he was a disgusting creature, not only was he just an ill-mannered criminal, he was a dirty, conniving Conduit.
Callista stared at her reflection in the dark window, her shoulder length, jet black hair glistening when a tiny ray of sunshine escaped through the clouds. Her hazel eyes, more orangish than anything, narrowed as she took in her features.
Callista Dawson was a woman of average height, ranging between 5'5" and 5'6". Black hair, hazel eyes, and a smile that could light up an entire room; though, very rarely did she ever smile, and at the thought of it, she couldn't remember the last time she ever truly did. Being around Augustine all the time definitely wasn't a festival of any like. But Callista had learned to live with it. Besides, she had been cared for by Augustine for as long as she could remember, something along the lines of seven years or so?
Callista was knocked out of her thoughts when the heavily armored truck slumped over a large bump in the road, "The fishery is up ahead, it seems." One of her officers said.
"There already? I forgot how fast these vehicles are." She replied and felt her heart began to pound faster. Adrenaline was kicking in.
"You were zoned off for quite a while, Captain." Another of her officers voiced, yet she paid no attention.
Red and blue lights bounced off the walls of the giant warehouse before them D.U.P vehicles everywhere. Callista slammed her hand down at the button beside her, the side door lifting open and her booted foot pressing down on the concrete. D.U.P agents scrambled about, all their guns pointing at the fishery that stood before them. Callista took in a deep breath, smelling the aftermath of smoke and fire. She watched flames burn in the windows and smoke trickle out of the vents and doors leading into the interior. But a familiar voice caught her ears and her eyes shot in its direction, seeing that familiar woman standing there, directing her troops.
Callista marched over to her commander's side, Augustine taking notice to Callista's sudden appearance. Her black eyes narrowed, "I was wondering when you were ever going to show up. Making me do all this work by myself may have costed you a nightly meal."
"My apologies Ms. Augustine." Callista bowed to Augustine, "The rain on the way here was quite torrential."
"Excuses, excuses with you." Augustine shook her head and looked in the direction of the fishery. A loud explosion caught Callista's attention,
"What is going on in there?" She asked and Augustine smiled,
"I've been told that Hank is in there, and a young Akomish boy went in after him. He saved that old woman over there." Augustine nodded towards the front gate. Callista stared at an older, Native woman, who shoved the D.U.P agents away from her, but they kept a firm grip on her frail arms. Her graying, black hair was pulled back behind her head and her worried, dark eyes stared at the large warehouse.
Another commotion sounded inside and a muffled voice shouted from the warehouse. Callista heard Augustine beside her, "You're welcome to join in, whenever you like, Callista." And Augustine's eyes rolled over towards her subordinate, "Unless... you want Hank to destroy everything in his wake just to get away..."
Callista took that as her Commanders consent to stop the brawl that was waging war inside that burning building. Callista pressed a tiny button on the lip of her glove, feeling a jolt of electricity roll through her arm. Blue sparks emitted from the black gloves set on her hands and she stepped forward, hearing Augustine behind her, "Try not to be too rough with him?"
Callista heard the amusement in Augustine's voice, but something caught her attention even more when a rumble tremored below her feet. The loud voices came closer and closer to the large, wide double doors, and Callista knew that they were quickly making their way towards her. Thinking fast, she extended her fingers and a vibration quaked through her hands, two large electric pulses emitting from her gloves. An electric field burst out in front of her, forming a makeshift net for the rat that was coming her way.
Just as she predicted, a ball of smoke rolled out from behind the large double doors and crashed into the electric confines.
Hank manifested into his original form, his deep brown eyes staring in horror at the sight of the D.U.P surrounding him in full force. He was still clad in his orange jumpsuit, the eges of his pants charred from the fire of the transport vehicle that crashed. Callista watched as a heavy lump of regret rolled down his throat, "Damn that kid..."
Hank tried to crawl backwards and flip around to get away, but Callista jumped forward and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, "You're not going anywhere!"
"Just let me go already!?" Hank begged, his redneck, back country voice pleading, "I promise, I ain't gonna hurt nobody no more!" Callista ripped him to his knees and he put his hands up, automatically giving in to the forces staring him in the face. He knew he had no chance, "Please, just don't touch me with them gloves of yours."
"Henry... oh, Henry." Augustine smiled and stepped up next to Callista, her dark eyes staring down at the bald redneck, "You really thought you would get away from me, huh?"
"Agh!" Hank cried out, feeling an all too familiar numbness roll up his legs. Shards of concrete burst up from the ground, encasing his feet and rolling all the way up to his thighs. His teeth gritted with another dissatisfied grunt as concrete slowly began to encase his entire body.
"Now listen here!" Hank's voice wavered as he began to plead to the two women before him, "Please, just let me go! Ain't nobody's gotta know anything about this!"
Callista watched the fear in his eyes grow hysterical as the concrete finally reached his neck, "Wait! Stop this! N-no let's talk about thi-!"
Callista looked up as soon as Hank's entire body was enclosed in concrete, her hazel eyes narrowing at yet another figure that stood before them. It was of another man who had burst through the doors of the fishery, his dark brown eyes staring in awe at Hank before him, now just a regular slab of ragged concrete. He was tall with dark brown hair covered with a red beanie hanging off the back of his head. His skin was a bit darker than the average person; but then Callista recalled that Augustine had told her a young, Akomish Native boy was in the fishery with Hank. He must've been the one who had saved the old woman the D.U.P agents we're holding steady.
"Oh Henry..." Augustine walked up to the concrete slap and smacked her hand on it, "I am so very disappointed in you."
"Well!" The Akomish man smacked his hands together, "We got him, right!? I flushed out that... mean ol' Conduit for you guys! Good job everybody, especially you, guy!"
"Bio-Terrorist!" Augustine revamped, the boy stopped and closed his eyes for a mere moment, as if being caught in a trap, "Henry Daughtry was a Bio-Terrorist. Conduit..." Augustine smiled and walked towards him, "Is a name formed by the traitors who sympathize with their cause. You're not a traitor... are you?"
The boy rubbed his arm a bit nervously as Augustine stopped and stood in front of him, her intimidating stare boring down towards him. Callista kept her hands at her side and slowly walked towards the boy as well, moving towards the back of him like a shark. He kept a close eye on both of the women, shrugging a shoulder as he crossed his arms, "I uh... try not to be?"
"You seem nervous." Augustine mused and he shook his head,
"Nah... I'm not nervous."
Augustine walked towards him again, this time, closer, "It's been my experience that there are two reasons a person should be nervous." Slowly, Augustine began to circle him like their prey, as if sizing him up, "Either they are cowards... or they have something to hide."
"You know... I also get nervous around pretty girls." He said and Augustine quickly tossed Callista an amused stare, the corner of Callista's mouth tugging up into a small, crooked smile. Augustine then focused all her attention on the boy, getting closer to him as she got down to business,
"You were in there with that Bio-Terrorist for some time... did he share anything with you?" She asked quietly, but he only shook his head and played dumb,
"Um... share-?"
"Did he say anything to you?" Callista reworded, sparing Augustine the breath to deal with the troublesome boy. "Share any of his ramblings about conspiracies...?" He slighted cocked his head over his shoulder, staring at Callista behind him,
"Ohhh uh... no..." The boy said as he smiled and took a couple steps away from the two women, "No, he didn't say anything to me."
"Good..." Augustine nodded at him with a smile, "That's good to hear..." She then turned around towards Hank but stopped, turning halfway to face him once more, "You see? We are engaged in a life and death war with these Bio-Terrorists... and it's my job, our job," She flashed Callista a quick glare, "To do whatever it takes to ensure that we win that war."
Augustine had the last word and began to walk away towards her A.C.P vehicle. Callista slowly walked out from behind the Akomish boy, his brown eyes trailing her slim figure as she strut after her boss, "That's kinda funny cause... aren't you two Bio-Terrorist's too?"
'Idiot...' Callista thought to herself and watched Augustine stop dead in her tracks. There was a dense silence among the crowd of officials, but Callista watched as shards of concrete shot up towards the noys sneakers and he jumped back.
"Woah, woah, okay..."
Augustine finally flipped back around to face him, a small smile on her unamused face, "Yes... I am." She then marched towards him again, "Sometimes you have to fight fire with fire... and it's clear now that you are not a coward, which means there is something you're not telling me."
She then whirled around and motioned her hand towards herself, the line of her D.U.P agents marching forward, their fingers hovering over the triggers of their heavily armed guns. Callista watched the boy's eyes become immediately worried, "W-woah, what're you doing? You can't do this are you crazy? I have rights!"
"And I have the legal authority to suspend those rights whenever I feel it necessary, like now for instance, now I'll ask again... what happened in there?"
"And I will tell you again..." The boy stared Augustine straight in the eyes, beginning to get sarcastic with Augustine.
Before he had a chance to finish his sentence, a shard of concrete rammed right through his calf. He cried out in pain, dropping to his free knee and grabbing at his leg in horror. Augustine looked over at Callista and nodded her head over towards her direction, Callista taking her lead and walking back behind the boy. She heard him gasp and huff as she got closer, but her hazel eyes moved to Augustine as she bent over him, "I'm told that hurts..."
'You stupid boy... just tell her what happened already.' Callista stared at him in annoyance as she watched Augustine ram another concrete shard into his other leg, this time, his thigh.
"Maybe I know what happened in there!?" A shrill voice shouted and Callista watched her agents stop the old woman dead in her track.
"No, Betty don't!" The boy pleaded and Callista knew Augustine was going to reap the opportunity that just exposed itself before them.
"Really? Still nothing!?" Augustine shook her head and stood to her feet, "Well, unless you have something you do decide to tell me, I'll go chat with that old nice lady. As you should know, concrete can be especially harsh on... brittle bones. And if she doesn't talk... I'll just move onto the next one... and the next 'till I find someone who does."
Augustine cocked her head, watching as the boy refused to look at her, "So is there something you want to tell me, or would you rather I move onto your friends here?"
The boy took in a deep breath and let it out quietly as he breathed his words, "I'm a Conduit..."
"What?" Augustine asked, clearly not hearing him.
"I said..." He finally muscled up the courage to look Augustine in the eyes, "I'm a Conduit... alright? I caught it a second ago from... from that guy."
"Oh you caught it?" Augustine frowned, her patience thinning, "That's very funny!"
The boy let out a cry as shards erupted from the ground and buried themselves all the way up both of his legs. He fell to his side, gripping at his jeans as blood began to bleed through from his extensive wounds. Callista shook her head at his stubbornness; she knew all too well he would never walk again.
"So Betty!" Augustine chimed as she walked towards the old woman, her worried eyes glaring at Augustine, "Maybe you can give me a straight answer?"
Augustine spared the old woman no mercy, a ragged shard bursting from the ground and striking her fragile leg. She fell to the ground and Callista heard her old body thump, a slight wince rolling through her body. Augustine stood over Betty, nodding her head, "Yeah... I'm told that hurts."
"Callista!" At the sound of her name being called so formally, Callista's eyes stared straight into Augustine's as she nodded at the boy groveling before her, "Knock him out and move onto Betty over here... we don't have any more time to waste."
"Yes ma'am." Callista knelt down next to the Akomish boy and stared at his face writhed in pain and misery. Slowly, she saw his deep brown eyes stare up at her.
"Why... why are you doing this?" He hissed through his teeth; Callista narrowed her eyes,
"Because I have to."
Before he could speak to her again, she slammed her hand down onto his chest. Electricity pulsed through his body, his back arching and a cackling cry ringing from his mouth. Callista watched his eyes roll into the back of his head and she immediately yanked her hand away, his body now going limp and those pretty brown eyes closing in defeat. Callista then let out a huff and stood to her feet, feeling the little electric sparks shooting off her special gloves.
"Delsin!" The old woman, Betty, shouted towards the unconscious Akomish boy. Callista figured that was his name that she had shouted; she finally knew his name.
"Quiet." Augustine demanded and Betty instantly looked to her, "The only words you are going to speak, is the explanation of what went on between Henry and that Delsin boy you are so protective over."
Betty frowned and tugged away from the D.U.P agents holding her, "I won't speak a word to you, you crazy psychopathic Conduit."
Augustine's face turned bitter and she didn't spare a second to cause that old woman even more misery. Callista watched in slow motion as the old woman lied down on the ground, wailing in pain as her entire leg bore the stakes of over a two dozen concrete shards. Augustine glared at Callista in an official manner, Callista taking no time to trek over to Augustine's side. The D.U.P chairwoman's stare was deadly, "Question everyone at the gates just south of the fishery. We're not wasting any more time in this dump."
Augustine motioned her agents towards the concrete slab that was Henry Daughtry. Bitterly, she then spit out at Callista, "Use your brutal force if necessary."
"Yes ma'am." Callista bowed her head and turned around swiftly.
One after another, Callista questioned every person she came across, some being Akomish natives, some being regular folks who had lived in the small town of Salmon Bay. But their loyalty to the tribe was far too great for Callista's questioning; not one person would open their mouth against that boy and what may have happened in the fishery. To their misfortune, Callista had no other choice when it came to their silence. Those who refused to tell her the truth, or speak to her for that matter, felt the wrath of her electrokinetic powers. The images of their fearful, pain riddled faces burned into her mind as she put them down and knocked them unconscious. But Callista felt that she was doing them justice; they could recover from the electric pulses she was sending through their bodies. She knew that the people who faced Augustine, who failed to tell her the information she wanted, would live to regret the decision. Concrete in their bones meant constant pain and misery for at least two weeks until their bodies gave out. Ultimately, they would die without the concrete being removed. Augustine held a mean grudge; if you didn't give her what she wanted, you may as well have signed your death warrant with your own blood.
As she watched the A.C.P vehicles dispatch themselves back to Seattle, Callista made her way back to the area where the incident first started. She could see people in the distance crowding around amongst themselves, knowing all too well what those people were staring at. Augustine probably didn't even go easy on them. She probably used full force. Callista could just imagine what kind of intricate designs Augustine's concrete twisted through those poor people's bodies. Even as long as she had been by Augustine's side, the way she used her powers on innocent people still bothered Callista. She didn't care what her Superior did to Bio-Terrorists, they deserved everything Augustine gave to them.
"Callista!" She heard a familiar voice call and as she was knocked from her thoughts, she saw Brooke Augustine's dark eyes stare her down, "Come, it's time we return to base; Eugene and Abigail are still on the loose. We have a long few days ahead of us."
Callista, like the loyal dog she was, followed her Commander into her personal A.C.P vehicle. Their inferior agents made sure the two women were safely in the vehicle before they returned to their own. A convoy began towards Seattle, and Augustine took quick notice to Callista's solemn demeanor. The older, brunette woman stared out the windshield before her as her agents pushed the speed of the A.C.P truck, obviously in a hurry.
"You're not happy with today's events, I see." Augustine narrowed her eyes, her hands positioned professionally on her lap, "You have so much fun with subduing the Bio-Terrorists; they rile you up so easily."
"You know how I feel about citizens in the line of fire, ma'am." Callista didn't not meet Augustine's gaze, "Those people were innocent."
"You still are so blind." Augustine said with much amusement, "Those were not innocent people. They were withholding vital information that disrupted our investigation." Augustine then turned to face Callista, "You are far too engulfed in your morals; I trained you better than this. You know very well you cannot let those feelings stand in the way of your duties. We are here to protect society, whatever it takes, whether that means hurting a few citizens that stand in our way. And if you can't remember that in the future ahead of us, I may have to liberate you myself..."
Callista let out a disgruntled, subtle sigh, closing her eyes, "Yes ma'am, I will continue to try and rid of my emotional state. I don't know what has gotten into me lately."
"Good girl."
Callista looked out the small window beside her, staring at her reflection once again. But it didn't take long before a new set of eyes stared back at her, and they were those of that Akomish boy that had felt the wrath of Augustine's concrete. Silently she wallowed in the pity of knowing he will never walk again; the only way those concrete spikes were coming out of his body was by the hands of Augustine. There was no way she would commit to doing such a deed. He dug his own grave and already had two feet in; wouldn't take long before his entire body fell. But Callista had to admit, as much stupidity as he showed, and the way he mouthed off to Augustine, he had guts standing up to her like that to try and save his friends. Unfortunately, his efforts were in vain.
She would forever remember that name, that intricate, interesting name of his.
Delsin.