Guess what?I love you guys! Yeah, that wasn't creepy at all... So at the moment, the most badass group in Manhattan set out to find the first Child. I was gonna make it a surprise but the title says A LOT. Or does it? *Dun dun DUUUNNNNN!* AND, a certain someone gets a new ability. Enjoy Reading! :)
Chapter Nine: Gravity Check
"Sabrina Galloway," Elias Dylan smiled at the woman he was sitting next to. "You do know to become a Child, you must drop everything."
"That is correct."
"That is, putting your position as CEO of GENTEK to one side and embracing our life with your brothers and sisters."
"I will."
"You will destroy anyone who tries to harm your family, correct?"
"Correct."
"Now, for you to become an Evolved Child, I'm going to have to infect you with a different strain of a different virus. You're name to others will still be Sabrina Galloway, but to your siblings it will be Corruption."
"Why the name, Elias?" She asked in her soft, seductive voice as she leaned in closer. She thought he would be as stubborn as Heller and back away, but instead he came closer to her and she lightly gasped as she stared into his chestnut eyes. "You, my lovely, are to be called Corruption because you will have the ability to control the Seven Deadly Sins inside anyone and everyone. But, your powers are useless against your siblings since they are able to 'cancel out' abilities used against them. Unless, they turn out good... Now, before we begin with the procedure, I'd like you to meet Jeremy Shadow. He's my first Child, also one of my strongest. Jessica Miles suffered a strong hallucination because of him, almost breaking her state of mind."
Jeremy stepped forward, snakes out of sight, brown eyes sparking in the sun and Shadow and Galloway shared a smile. "Hello Corruption."
"Hello Shadow."
"We had a sister, Katy Storm, but unfortunately she turned her back on us. Every single one of us is on one assignment. Together, we will kill ZEUS, ANGEL, HERA, HADES, ATHENA, and RHEA. They've taken our mother and we will stop at nothing to get revenge."
"How many of us are there?"
"Oh, there are loads of us. They think Gravity, Rose and Raven are the new Children arriving today. They thought wrong."
"Who are our brothers and sisters?"
"There's the quadruplets Pyro, Geo, Hydro and Cryo, there's Luminous but we call her Lumo, Copycat, the Writer, and Spyke... There's a whole alliance and I'd like you to meet them all."
"Can I ask one more question?" Elias asked and Sabrina nodded. "Why doyou want to become a Child?"
"Well... You'd say its kinda stupid but-"
"Go ahead, we're not judgmental."
"Okay... I was working with Sergeant James Heller and one day I asked that we should leave everything behind us. But, of course, he declined and that caused me to work with Alex Mercer. For a while, we were very close until Jessica came. I ain't gonna lie, she is one photogenic but Alex was mine first. I tried killing her but her body adapted straight away and turned into armour."
"So...This is out of revenge, right?"
"Yeah, you could say that."
"Well then," Elias sighed as he stood, helping up Sabrina but still clinging onto her hand. "Looks like we've found ourselves another Evolved Child. Can I warn you that you're gonna have to go through immense pain."
"I'll be able to handle it," she smiled.
"Okay, let's go. We'll see you later, Jeremy." Jeremy waved and they disappeared with a soft 'whump'.
0o0o0
She knew she wasn't supposed to hold her breath. Somebody clever would know the Law of Physics. But her conscience told her to, and she followed its command. Her head was painfully spinning around the whole damn world at an incredible speed and her lungs were burning as if someone was forcefully pulling her deeper into a never-ending ocean. Never again, she thought. Never again.
A van had been in Katy's path and instead of dodging it, she ran straight into it. The grip on Phase loosened as the two bounced on the crumpled metal and rolled onto the concrete. "Shit," ANGEL swore, wiping the blood from her face and picking out the glass shards embedded in her hand. "Sorry, Jess," Katy spoke as she helped her up. "Go get the others; I'll look around for Gravity."
"Right. Be right back." And her figure vanished, breeze hitting her face again. It always smelled of floral perfume and crisp, fresh ironing. Her eyes narrowed as Phase looked around, trying her best to practise how to manipulate the electricity buzzing inside her. With just a thought, sparks lit up on her fingertips and she tried her best not to freak out and get over excited at the same time. She kept on pushing the energy in and out until she got used to it; by now electric balls were forming in her palms.
She was concentrating so much, she didn't realise the rest of the crew showed up. Every time she pushed energy, she felt a stronger side emerge from her. Unstoppable, indestructible, unbeatable side of her. Wait, what? She shook her head as she felt hands shake her back into reality. "Jess?"
A brow arched up as she focused on something else, "Why the fuck is there a flying car?" Everyone looked and indeed, the car was flying. And on top, was of course Gravity. He wore a mask covering the left side of his face, a buttoned jacket with no sleeves and a long-sleeved striped turtleneck. Donning black leather gloves, he wore rather baggy trousers which are tucked in his combat boots. "You," he pointed at Phase. "Killed my favourite sister. You see, when I face people I always say we can do this the easy way or the hard way. When they say the hard way, they regret instantly."
"But what is the hard way?" Katy asked, already clicking her knuckles. "The hard way... You fight me."
"That's hard?" Heller jokingly questioned. "You are one funny guy, Gravity."
"But when you're being crushed by boundless gravitational force, that would be hilarious." Time to be Static, Phase thought and electricity flickered on her skin and Gravity flinched a bit. "Yeah, five minutes ago I've managed to master this ability."
"You're inexperienced," and he flipped backwards and pushed at the air, causing the car to soar to them. They tried to dodge the vehicle but Gravity changed the strength of gravity around them, and Alex and Heller were attacked by the metal. Phase looked at the men struggling to get up but couldn't and she screamed in anger. She charged Gravity, who suddenly rose off the ground and she followed him, electrons picking her up. "You could've blocked that car, Phase. But I guess you care about yourself more than others."
"Oh, you're one son of a bitch. Katy, try it now!"
"But how?" She shouted back, dodging another flying vehicle. "Just spin around. I know you can do it." Phase poured the voltage onto her skin and a sudden targeting system flashed before her eyes. A corner of her mouth curled upwards as she wrapped a flaring car with electricity and flung it at Gravity. It hit him but he maintained his guard by crushing it and tossing it away like a failed love letter. "Is that all you got?"
Her hair started whipping frantically and she grinned, gradually turning her hand into a fist. "Nope. This is. Katy, NOW!" She saw Gravity press down at the air and three inhuman screams of torment were heard. Gasping, she spun to look at her allies only to be dragged down to earth herself. He laughed as he settled beside her, crouching and grabbing her hair. He never thought she'd still be grinning. "Why are you smiling? This is your last look at the world."
"Actually, I'd say it's my second and I'm never leaving."
"Time to die!" He lightly touched her arm and she roared as she felt it cave in. Muttering curse words, she tried to move her broken arm but it was no sign of life in that arm. Which made her mad. Her hair was tugged upwards again and if looks could kill, Gravity would've been vaporised. "Wanna say a couple words before you're crushed to death?"
"Yeah. Do you know who really deserves to kill me right now?"
"Me?"
"Jessica."
"But you are Jessica." Phase looked at Heller, Katy then Alex and she saw his mouth move, saying something. When she realised, her focus returned to Gravity and she smiled devilishly. "Nope. I'm WHITELIGHT." She grasped the free-roaming energy around her and formed it into a wall, where it rammed into the Child and sent him flying backwards. The pressurised gravity was abandoned and she stood, lightning healing her arm faster than it would on its own. She grabbed him by the collar and looked into his eyes and he saw her eyes changed colour. When she saw something she didn't like, she didn't drop him in surprise but rather threw him to a shop window. "What a bitch," she muttered and the rest rushed to her.
"What did you see?" Katy asked and Phase dropped onto her, looking at her with dark red eyes. "Sabrina..." She shook her head. "She's joining the Children."
Heller wiped his face and Alex took hold of her shoulders, cupping her face gently. "How would you know?"
"Jeremy must've mentally told the rest of them... Shit! There are more of them!"
"How many?" Heller enquired and she shrugged. "I'm not sure. There's loads of them but I can't accurately count with all these blurred thoughts." Then she smiled and brought her attention to Gravity, who suddenly had all the empty vehicles in the air with him. "Uh... Katy, I guess it's time for you to be a tornado."
"I could but can't I just do this?" And she blurred but Phase knew what she was up to. Katy leapt from floating car to floating car and when she was close enough, brought the strength and speed to her fist and punched Gravity. Force like that would've knocked the poor man's head clean off but he was Gravity and he was a Child. He felt the breeze settle on his left cheek as he was blasted out of focus, creating a deep trail in the street and feeling the ruptures of the cars splat on the concrete. Before he could even get up, he was pushed on his hands and knees and he coughed up blood before Alex squatted in front of him. "Who sent you here?"
He laughed horribly. "There's no point of me telling you. You're gonna kill me anyway."
"Don't give up so easily, Gravity. You've got at least... Half your life left so speak up before I permanently silence you." He grabbed his jacket in mid sentence and hovered a spiked Hammerfist dangerously close to his face. "I'm gonna ask you again... Who sent you here?"
"Elias did. I came as a distraction. You thought just us three were arriving today, we've got more."
"How many more?"
"I ain't sure. Roughly about 15. That may not be a lot but when the Children work together, they're unstoppable. We're unstoppable." Alex was just about to hammer in his head when Phase grabbed his shoulders and murmured something in his ear. He growled in disapproval but allowed her to talk to him anyways.
"Gravity, just hear me out. You didn't need to get yourself in this mess. You're a sweet guy and becoming a Child hid all that. I mean look at you, there's only one scar on your left cheek; you can't be hiding your imperfections. You may think I'm perfect. Well, I'm not. I've been involved in a situation and was given a scar on my arm. I don't cover it up because I'm scared someone might judge me. I cover it up because I get cold." She saw him slightly laugh at that, white teeth sparkling in her face.
"Do you want me to tell you what a scar gives the impression of? Strength, determination and rather statuesque. But it's quite sad now, how my friend Heller over here's gonna kill you. I would numb your nerves but that wouldn't be fun. But please, remember what I said to you."
"I will. And thank you, Jessica."
She did nothing but smile at him and stood up, walking away with Katy and Alex. "I feel much better after that," she confirmed and Alex nodded. "I can tell. You kept your nerve, toned your voice right to its calmest. I've never thought you'd be able to do that without hurting the guy."
She heard a struggle and a grunt followed by a scream and when she analysed it, a gasp escaped her lips. "Heller!" She informed the two and started running back, to see Heller crying out in agony on the pavement, arching his back and throwing his head backwards. His pained voice pierced her soul like ice and crouched next to him, before being lightly pushed away by God knows what. "I'm... Fine!" He managed to say before yelling again. "No, I can help you. Heller, please!"
Phase felt the air shift and she turned, feeling a rock hard fist able to temporarily stun her. Before she knew it, an arm coiled around her neck and she yelped as it tightened. She may not be human but she has a human body, causing her to react to human instincts. Panic settled at the bottom of her stomach and she couldn't cry out for help nor aid Heller, who was now having a seizure. Without warning, he threw her, making her smack her head against a sturdy pole and she moaned before hitting the ground. She reached for the former Sergeant again when the guy grabbed her throat and pinned her on the wall, and by the looks of it, she knew him pretty well after searching Static's thought again. "You're... Elias Dylan, right?"
"That's right. I don't think you wanna mess with me."
"Why not? I was actually enjoying being thrown about and getting dragged by the hair. Apparently, people just can't seem to get their hands off me!"
"Funny." He smacked her head on the wall and she hissed, charging up her hand. "I'm not here for you, I'm here for Heller."
"Yeah, no. I don't think so." She swung a punch but Elias was faster than her and instead, she hit the air and frowned. "What the fuck? Where did he go?" She heard grunting and looked at Heller, who was knocked out cold on the ground and she knelt next to him shaking him vigorously. Elias came back and hoisted her up, arms changing to claws and he rammed his arm into her stomach before she could react. White daggers pierced her mind and the scream she gave off was enough to make him drop her and hold his hands over his ears. Dropping on her side, her muscles locked painfully and thoughts became blurred with others. Craning her neck to the left, she watched Elias pick up and half carry Heller, teleporting with him without batting an eyelid. Alex, he fucking took Heller with him!
Where are you?
I can't... He infected me with a different virus. I can feel it reacting with me... She stood and managed to stumble out of the somehow-appeared alleyway and doubled over on the road, where she grunted and tightened her fists and out of force, she let go.
Tendrils, hundreds of them, shot out in all directions and searched for its prey like seeking missiles. When it found none, it stuck on to the nearest surface and Phase straightened up, at the brink of having a tantrum. She felt good after that, the feeling of destruction made her feel good about herself. Her anger, sorrow, grief and remorse went with the tendrils and now she feels... Empty. Her mind, a white noise of empty threats. She peered at the buildings, the cream and white covered with the WHITELIGHT virus. Wait a minute, virus, not anti-virus. She's not the cure, she was never the cure and right now, she only begun to realize. Alex ran up to her, trying his best to make her happy. But first, "Where's Heller?"
"Elias took him."
"Did you see him take him?"
"Yeah. They just vanished though thin air. I tried to fight back but he was too strong and he infected me with a different virus. Not BLACKLIGHT." Her legs abruptly gave way as every ounce of strength abandoned her bottom-half but she was holding onto Alex for support, as he was holding onto her hips. "Where did Katy... Go?"
"To search for samples that Elias left behind. If we get to know the virus' manner, we could find a way to end all this..." He really didn't want to say this, he didn't know the context of saying this word in a sentence, but what happened earlier on triggered that word to be functional towards him. "Babe, you okay?"
She blinked, looking in his silvery eyes, trying to read his thoughts on why he said it but got nothing. "I'm fine..." Her brow rose.
"What?"
"The 'babe' part... Did you really mean that?"
"Uh... Yeah. Kinda..." He aimed to hide his reluctant face but she didn't let that happen by tilting his head back up and sighing. "I think I know why Jessica wanted to kill you on her own."
"Why?"
Her faint smile grew. "It's because she had a crush on you. I mean, who wouldn't fall for your eyes, Alex?"
"But how would you know that?"
"I do have her thoughts... And..." Her lids became heavier with every blink, her tongue feeling like heavy lead and her body moving like jelly. She slipped from Alex's grasp, just as Katy came back with a sample. Her nerves started burning with fierce heat and her eyes kept on flashing green. "Phase," she heard him whisper in her ear. "Stay with me... Your eyes..."
"I..." For some reason, Alex knew what she was gonna say so she let her pull him closer until their noses touched. She lost total concentration when she looked in his eyes. They were a distraction, but a rather sensual distraction. "I..." She tried again but couldn't finish her sentence as he hushed her. She moaned breathlessly and he smiled and leaned in until he felt their lips collide. It was a soft, timid kiss but he knew she wanted more than this.
Times like these made her the happiest girl alive. She couldn't trust a man after what happened to her but now that she found Alex, she's who she is today. She's dead yet she's the cure for NYZ. Well, she was. Before, she wanted to save the city but never knew how, but know that she knows what BLACKWATCH are up to, she makes no progress. Alexander J. Mercer. Hold on, what does the J stand for? She's gonna have to search for that now.
Her eyes gently closed themselves and even as his lips came off hers, her unconscious form lying there. Waiting to be revived.
Waiting...
"Stay with Phase; I'm gonna go look for a chopper..."
Still waiting, Alex. Still waiting...
Okay, yes, I know I didn't let Alex and James fight as much but I can guarantee you, everyone will be fighting in the next Chapter. To sum it up, Heller consumed Gravity which caused him to fall into some painful trance. Phase confronted Elias, who seemed to have stabbed her with a different strain of his virus and takes James with him. She unlocks a new ability: The Devastator and she and Alex share a little moment. Right in front of Katy.
AND, if you realize in the beginning, Sabrina went to join the Children out of revenge. Will it turn out to be the best decision? Will they ever manage to save Heller from Elias' grasp? And will the next Child prove to be more enlightening?
P.S. I see how FanFiction has improved the website by putting how many people reviewed etc. For this, I got over 2K so thanks guys! One more thing, you Americans must really like Prototype. And as always, thanks for reviewing! :)