"When should she wake up?" asked Baccarat.

Vanya was lying unconscious on something that resembled a dentist's chair. Of course, most dentist chairs didn't have thick leather restraints on them. They probably also didn't have bloodstains and nail scratches that completely ruined the upholstery, even if it was just vinyl. Well, not the better ones anyway.

"Soon enough," Poker said as he injected something into Vanya's arm, "I'm not sure just how that's going to go though."

Baccarat cocked his head.

"Roulette's been planning this for far too long for anything to go wrong," he said.

"Oh, my sister's a genius," Poker said as he put the syringe onto a tray, "There's no mistaking that. However, there are many factors to consider here. Too many independent variables can really fuck things up."

"She certainly is clever. It seems to run in the family, doesn't it?" smirked Baccarat.

Poker smiled to himself. Yes, he was the epitome of the mad scientist, wasn't he? He even wore the white coat. Albeit, the coat had card patterns on it, but it was still a white coat. Poker believed in a certain amount of professionalism, and the white coat was essential.

Professionalism also meant keeping a pristine, snow white lab. Alright, so maybe the lab wasn't so pristine all of the time. However, if test subjects killed each other and spread blood all over the place then he couldn't help that, now could he? So every here and there were a few pinkish stains where the cleaning crew had failed to erase them completely.

If he hadn't gone into being a mad scientist then maybe he wouldn't have to worry about that sort of thing. He hadn't even thought about worrying about something like that when he was going through school. After all, crime hadn't been his first choice as a career. Poker always figured that he'd be a super-soldier formula searcher working for the government. Well, he was doing that right now, but he certainly wasn't working for the government.

Working for his family crime ring had been unexpected, but it had certainly proved lucrative. He'd never imagined this kind of profit. He'd also never imagined branching out all by themselves, but once again it had proved incredibly profitable. They probably wouldn't have branched out at all if not for…for…

Well, they couldn't dwell on the past anymore. They simply couldn't afford it. And soon, very soon, it would all be complete. Then there would be no need to look back on the sorrows of the past. There would be no more need to mourn for what they had lost. Yes…vengeance was the great comforter, wasn't it?

It was then that he noticed that Baccarat was staring at him, apparently still expecting an answer.

"It probably does," he agreed, "But it's a good thing she's so cunning, or we wouldn't be alive today. Any of us."

"Definitely not," said Baccarat, "She pulled me out of the remains of a smoldering house. Without her there then I definitely wouldn't have reached my seventh birthday."

Poker put down the syringe on a stainless steel try and removed his gloves.

"She is a life saver," he agreed.

"I'm glad you realize this," Roulette said as she strolled into the room, "Otherwise I'd have to call you ungrateful."

"Ah, speak of the devil," he said.

She smiled at him, and then looked down at Vanya.

"How much time?" she asked.

"Only a few minutes," he answered, checking his watch, "Baccarat and I can vacate the room if that's want you'd like. Or would you rather us be here for emotional support?"

"You think of everything," she smiled, "But I think I'd better do this alone. I don't want to overwhelm her after all.

He gestured to Baccarat, and the two of them left the room. Yes, they could all put the past behind them soon.

.

.

.

Vanya woke up, feeling as groggy as hell. She also felt like she'd just been hit by a semi. She groaned as she tried to figure out her bearings, and possibly what had happened in the past few hours. She'd been at the airport…check…there'd been a fight…check…Kraken…oh God.

What had happened to him? All she could remember was that noise and getting knocked out after he got knifed in the eye. Was he alright? Was he…? No, she wasn't going to even entertain the prospect he could be dead. She just had to figure out where she was and then-

"I'm sorry we had to hurt you. But we were in a bit of a hurry."

Turning her head Vanya saw the woman from the airport. Had she been kidnapped? No, that was something that happened to her superhero siblings. That shit didn't happen to her…but apparently it had. She glared angrily at the woman, trying to mask her fear.

"Too weak, for all her heart's endeavor, to set its struggling passion free from pride, and vainer ties dissever," the woman quoted.

"What was that?" Vanya asked as she struggled to keep her breath even.

"Oh…just a poem," said the woman, "Don't worry about it, I'll explain later."

Trying not to reveal the large knot of anxiety welling in her she snapped;

"And who the fuck are you supposed to be?"

To her surprise the woman looked hurt.

"I…I can only assume you said that because you don't understand what's going on here," she said softly, walking up to Vanya with a sad smile on her face, "Otherwise I know you wouldn't say something like that."

Confused and more then a little scared Vanya watched as the woman fiddled with her earrings.

"Sorry," she said, her mind working at a million miles a minute, "But I tend to get a little upset when people kidnap me."

The woman looked shocked.

"You haven't been kidnapped!"

"And what, pray tell," she choked out, "is going on if I haven't?"

Once again there was that sad smile.

"This was never a kidnapping mission. It was actually a rescue mission," she said, "You see…I'm your mother."