Nine
The words too a while to sink in. For a moment Sven just stared dead ahead, unable to process what he was hearing, but then it happened, like a series of knives were suddenly thrust into his heart. His knees trembled and his cheeks drained of colour.
He tried to speak but his throat tightened involuntarily. He barely managed to hold the phone, his hands going numb.
"W-What?" He asked, his voice cracking from the fear.
"Eve...She's been abducted by...By Train!"
"How? How did he-"
"I'm so sorry...I should have known she would be a target. I should have offered to keep an eye on her while you were gone...I...I screwed up." The guilt in Jenos' voice was painful to listen to. He felt terrible for this, yet he couldn't really be held responsible.
"No, it's my fault." Sven sighed. "I overlooked her wellbeing while chasing a trail I didn't even have solid evidence for..." Sven glared at the door in front of him and reached for his gun. "In any case...I'm certain I know where to find her!" He hung up and took a deep breath before unlocking the door and slamming his whole body into it, forcing the old door to open.
He fell into the room and dive rolled, landing in a crouch with his pistol raised up and ready to fire. He pivoted to the left and right but found the room empty. There was nothing there...There was nothing at all, not even a trace of recent activity. An inch thick layer of dust coated the padded walls. Cobwebs gathered in the corners, forming large cotton sheets.
This room had been abandoned for many, many years.
Sven panicked. Eve could be anywhere in this facility now, hell she might not even be here at all. Maybe he was chasing a red herring. Maybe his whole hunch was just a silly guess. A terrible mistake that would cost him the dear young girl that he had grown to care for.
He bolted out into the hall and screamed. "EVE!"
Eve cried out as her head was cracked against the cold hard floor. She felt dizzy, her head was swimming. Her daze did not halt the attack as the killer relentlessly stomped on her, crushing her ribs and stomach. She made ragged wheezes as the air was beaten out of her time and time again.
"Come on! Let me hear you! Scream for me!"
Eve wanted to, desperately, but the hard boot that pressed into her stomach was making it impossible for her to make a sound bar the occasional, pained wheeze.
The killer scowled at her and produced a wicked looking knife. It shone in the non-existent light, like a sharpened moon in the artificial night.
Eve tried to squirm away but the killer was upon her at once, grabbing a handfull of hair and tilting her head back so that her neck was fully revealed. She shook her head in a frenzy of hysterical fear but even with the adrenaline rush she was powerless against him. He was so much more powerful than her.
The thin piece of steel pressed against her neck and she whimpered like a puppy in a thunderstorm. The blade ran up her neck with such precision and grace that the skin did not break. It then reached up towards her jaw. The blade traced a line up her cheek until it reached her forehead, then it was drawn back down, though rougher this time. The blade sank into her cheek and she screamed in outright agony.
The killer howled with delight and threw her face first into to the floor. She sobbed pitifully while clawing at the ground, hopelessly trying to drag herself to safety. She was so weak she didn't even move an inch before He was upon her again. Eve closed her eyes and braced herself for the pain but it never came.
The killer paused. He remained stock still for a moment but eventually Eve could hear it as well. Someone was calling her name. The voice was muffled through the thick walls but it was unmistakeable, it was Sven. The killer somehow knew it as well.
"Damn! It's that cursed police-man again. He cracked on faster than I expected. I can't afford him interrupting me. I'll end him before he causes too much of a disturbance." He glanced back at Eve with a sinister smile. "And then I'll finish playing with you, little Princess."
Eve winced at the way he said it. The word sounded so unnatural coming from him.
"Stay here." He snarled, stabbing the knife deep in her shoulder.
Eve's eyes shot wide open and she curled up in a ball as an ear-splitting scream escaped her lips. The killer yanked the blade out and licked the blood from its edge. He shuddered and moaned from the taste test and then disappeared.
Eve heard the deafening slam of the door as he exited the room. She tried to stand but the pain was so excruciating she couldn't think straight. She fell over sideways and rolled about sobbing. Even with a chance of escape she couldn't take it as her injuries were too severe.
Her mind was so distracted that she couldn't even form the thoughts to stand up and run, to find help, to get the hell out of there while she had an opening.
Unable to help herself, she tried a new tactic. She cried out for help, screaming with all the air in her lungs. Her tortured pleas brought her so much more pain from her bruised lungs but she pressed on until she was a trembling, broken wreck.
Sven heard a door slamming nearby. He thought it came from down the corridor but he discovered nothing but empty cells down the entire block. He cursed and headed upstairs, once again finding nothing.
"Damn!" He looked around anxiously. "I know I heard a door slamming! Where are you, you son of a bitch!" He punched the wall beside him and watched the old paint splinter and crack under the force.
He turned back and headed downstairs to the ground level again. He was about to turn down a new direction when he heard a horrific cry for help. A young girl screaming for someone to save her. That young girl could only be one...It had to be Eve.
"She's close!" Sven retraced his steps but once again found nothing. He cursed when he heard the scream once again. He entered the room where the sound was coming from, but there was no sign of anyone in there. He fumbled around the walls, trying to find a secret trapdoor or something, but that too ended up in failure.
Frustration took over and Sven grabbed at the sides of his head and tugged on his hair. "Fuck! Where is she? EVE? EVE?"
He waited for a reply. He could hear screams coming from the very room he was in, but that was impossible. The possibility of his mind playing tricks on him became more apparent and with it doubt began to wear him down.
He shook his head and frowned. "No! She's here! I know it! There has to be another room behind here...Or maybe it's underground?" Sven got down on his stomach and pressed his ear over the floor. He could hear Eve's screams more clearly.
"Eve! It's me Sven! I'm coming to get you, just wait where you are, ok? I'll be right back! Just hold on!"
He heard a weak sounding agreement and with that he shot off, thundering down the hall to the foyer. He traced his finger along the paths he had come across and searched for a basement level or underground passage. There was none on the map and he roared in anger.
"Grrr! Where is it? How do I get there?"
The sounds of multiple police sirens caught his attention. He turned to the windows and stared out at the four squad cars that pulled up outside. A dozen officers rushed out and began arming themselves.
Sven felt a flicker of hope. With these reinforcements he might finally be able to find Eve. They could search the entire building and in no time the trapdoor could be found. Eve would be returned to his care and they could return to the manhunt.
He made his way to the door when he suddenly heard someone gunfire and screaming. He slid up against the window and peered out at the police officers, half of whom were already down. One of them was still sitting in the front seat of his car, the windscreen smashed open and a large knife embedded deep within his forehead.
Another was lying on the boot of his car, a short sword pinning him in place. Two officers lay in a bloody heap beside his car; both of them hacked to pieces.
The remaining eight officers took up defensive positions, despite being unaware of the enemy's position.
One of them failed to notice the figure sneaking up beside him. A pale hand covered his mouth as the other hand drove a knife deep into his spine. His eyes went wide and his body spasmed as he collapsed silently.
The officers around him opened fire but the mysterious assailant somersaulted over the roof of the car and vanished again.
What the hell is this? Why are they dying?
A young cop fumbled around in his pocket, searching for more ammo but in his distracted state he failed to see the knife which soared towards him. Someone tried to warn him and he looked up momentarily, only for the blade to go through his eye and into his brain. He flopped backwards and hit the ground with a loud thud.
Bullets were fired left right and centre, regardless of the position of the enemy. They couldn't see him and so merely fired a wild barrage of bullets in the hope it would hold him off. They continued to fire while making their way to the door.
Sven opened it for them. "Come on! Get in, hurry!"
Some officers broke into a run, but the ceasefire gave the assassin a chance and he pounced from the roof of one of the cars. He moved with incredible speed, faster than a pro athlete. Before they could even raise their guns, the madman produced a katana and cleaved an unfortunate cop in two. The man beside him was beheaded and the two younger one behind him were cut down ruthlessly.
Sven stared at the massacre occurring before his very eyes. A full dozen armed officers had turned up. Within the span of a single minute ten of them were already dead, all felled by a single foe. It was impossible. It couldn't be happening. It had to be a dream!
The final two officers reached the front steps. One of them leapt inside and slammed the door shut behind him. The other rapped on the door, crying out for them to let him in. Sven reached for the handle but the other cop dragged him away. They were only a few metres away when the poor man outside was thrown through one of the windows. The glass cut him up pretty bad and he was unable to stand. He coughed violently and reached out with a lacerated hand to his comrades who stared at him in utter disbelief.
The killer entered through the broken window and thrust his sword deep into the man's head, killing him instantly. He then drew it out and cleaned the blade on his coat.
Sven froze up. Something was wrong, terribly wrong. The man standing before him was a complete stranger. This man was not Train Heartnett. It was someone else! This man had silver-white hair. His features weren't feline. He looked menacing, but for different reasons. He truly fit the part of a psychopath, but he was nothing like Train Heartnett. Whether he was worse or not however...That was still to be decided.
"Who are you?" Sven demanded lifting his gun in a feeble threat.
The man laughed mockingly and waved the sword around in a graceful display of skill. "You don't really care for my name do you, Sven?"
"H-Hey! How does he know your name?" The officer asked.
Sven didn't dare look away. "How should I know? Maybe he's psychic?"
The killer laughed again, a sickening sound. "Quite a joker aren't you Sven. But do you know what's even funnier? Your whole investigation has been a dead end from the start! You were completely oblivious to such obvious clues. You fell for each trap without a second thought. You truly failed! Even when you managed to find that girls mother you were too weak to save her! Now history will repeat itself with her daughter!"
"You bastard! Where is she?"
"The little Princess is resting right now. For now, I want to finish things with you. You have been a thorn in my side since I first saw you. Your incompetence has been amusing for a while but now I am sick of you. Your stupidity is so pitiful that I must put an end to your worthless life before Train arrives."
"Train? So he was involved?"
"My, my, you still believe that don't you, poor thing. The Black Cat does not advertise himself. He does not leave tracks. Not once did you realise that and this is why you fell right into my trap! You did exactly as I expected and now you will die out here along with that girl!"
"Who are you? Answer me!" Sven roared.
"My, you are quite the persistent one aren't you? Very well, I guess it is common courtesy to know the name of the one shall end your life. As you wish...My name, is Creed."
"Creed?" Sven tried to think if he'd ever heard the name. His mental search came up blank. There was never any mention of him, not even in the records which held all the patients names since the Chronos facility was first established. Was he ever even a patient, or was he merely using this place as a hideout for the dramatic effect?
Now was not the time though. Creed had to be stopped and Eve had to be saved.
Sven lined up a shot but Creed lunged forward. Sven rolled aside but the other officer was too slow. He was cut down mercilessly, leaving only Sven and Creed. Face to face, the killer and the cop.
Sven opened fire. He glanced off one shot that hit Creed's arms, though he was aiming for the heart. He was shaking so much he couldn't keep a straight shot and so each one went wide. Creed charged head on and tackled him to the ground. Sven tried to use his pistol as a club but his hand was wrenched about in a painful hold and he was forced to let go. The gun was then hurled across the foyer.
Creed drew back a fist and threw a heavy punch. Sven felt his mouth fill with blood. He spat it out only to be hit again and again. Creed was pummelling him, the swift, painless slaying of his comrades were abandoned for a slower, agonising method. Creed hated him the most. He had been the one trying to bring him down. He was the one who stopped him from torturing Eve's mother. He had now even interrupted his plans for Eve.
Creed was about to punch again when Sven drove his elbow into his gut. Creed halted for long enough for Sven to sit up and punch him right in the face. He leaned back but did not fall off. Sven shoved with all his might and crawled away from his foe. He searched for a weapon but found none. In his moment of distraction Creed pounced on him, strangling him. He rocked forward and tried to throw his off but Creed merely used the momentum and his incredible strength to bring Sven over the top of him, making him somersault onto his back.
Sven groaned as waves of pain rushed up through his spine. Creed was so skinny, yet he seemed to posses the strength of a pro wrestler. He must have been an assassin as well. That had to be the reason why he was obsessed with Train. That was why he seemed to be affiliated with him. They might have been comrades, though at least Train was not around. One psychopathic assassin was more than enough of a problem.
Still, he had to somehow beat him. This fight was going nowhere. He had to end it fast before he ended up the loser. He couldn't lose now, not after coming all this way. Not when Eve was just beyond his grasp. Not now that all the men who entrusted their lives to protect the people had been slain due to his mistake. He had brought them into this trap. He was the reason they were all dead. Now it was up to him to make it all right and avenge them all!
Sven sat up only to be choked again. He lashed out with a fist but Creed jumped back and caught his hand. He then dragged him over to the wall which suddenly opened up like an elevator shaft. He was thrown in and kneed in the stomach with enough force to keep him on the ground while the little elevator went down underground.
"I won't kill you yet. I have someone I want you to meet first!" Creed rasped over the hum of the machinery.
Sven closed his eyes and cursed inwardly. He couldn't move. Just breathing was causing him enough pain and discomfort. It was as if his lungs were surrounded by a thornbush and each time they expanded they were pricked by the sharpened thorns.
Sven did not resist. He couldn't. Instead, he just allowed Creed to drag him down into the bowels of hell itself...Where his fate would finally be decided...
