Chapter 18-
Alrighty! Yea, yea, I know it was definitely not early but it's very long to make up for that. Turns out I had a relatively busy day yesterday and couldn't fit in an update. So this chapter finished at 4000+ words. :D Yay!
So, small announcement, the next part of this story (Part 2) might be a separate story. Just a fair warning. If it is I will announce in this story when its posted, otherwise follow me so you can see when it's posted. I'm getting really excited but school starts in a week so updates might become less frequent with homework and everything, just a fair warning.
Anyways, on happier thoughts, let's get rid of this bad news. On the bright side, the originally two last chapters ended up so short that I combined them into one which means there's 1 CHAPTER LEFT OF PART 1!
Now that that's settled.
Shall we?
Sanctum Sanctorum
177A Bleecker Street – New York City
"Mr. Strange, you know we wouldn't come if this wasn't an emergency," Annaleise sighed, trying not to let her annoyance peek out. The Challengers—Piper, Spencer, Eleanor, Annaleise, Lana, Daedre and Victor—had gathered in the Sorcerer Supreme's Mansion for answers.
"Hmm, indeed," the Sorcerer Supreme himself, Doctor Strange, said with a sharp tone. He stroked his beard as he floated a few feet above the floor, legs crossed. "How exactly did you locate me?"
"Daniel Rand recommended you," explained Eleanor, tilting her head.
"Ah…Rand…" Doctor Strange sighed. "That man can be quite a nuisance on occasions like this."
"Look, let's cut to the chase, will you help us or not?" Victor demanded, although his tone wasn't mean or forceful, it was more 'let's get to the point'.
"What was it you needed?" inquired the magician. He raised an eyebrow but continued to hover, lightly moving up and down.
"Oh my—" Spencer rubbed his temples. "For the fiftieth time! We need a body. No soul. Just the body. Something we can use to put a soul in. A vessel." He then muttered, "We were just gonna go get some dude of the streets, but apparently 'that's not legal'." Although the statement was mainly to himself.
"A vessel?" Doctor Strange hummed. "Why do you children need a vessel? What chaos does S.H.I.E.L.D. need an empty vessel to create?" the salt and pepper haired man's forehead creased as he scowled slightly, stroking his beard vigorously as he seemingly went over a long list of possibilities.
"A friend passed away. We're not letting him die," replied Piper simply.
"When it is time for someone to pass, you should allow them to take that voyage," urged the Doctor.
"Not gonna happen. He was too young," Spencer snapped back, glaring and crossing his arms.
"And what was the young man's name?" after seeing the untrusting expressions of the teens, Doctor Strange clarified. "I will not speak it to those of bad being. Have trust in me, children."
"Drew Pond," said Annaleise quickly, biting her lip afterwards. The Challengers nodded in agreement.
Doctor Strange paused. He tilted his head, almost as if he was listening for something, and then returned his attention to the team. "You must be mistaken," he said lowly. "I have names to all souls in the Spiritual Plain. None of them took the name of Drew Pond in this realm."
The team froze in shock.
"Th—that can't be," Lana argued, "I sensed his soul earlier this morning. It was right there. I had it, I—I was getting ready to transport it."
"Wh—what? N—no that's impossible," Annaleise muttered.
Spencer growled, "If this is some kind of sick joke then I suggest you cough it up, Old Man."
"This isn't a good time for jokes," agreed Victor.
Daedre narrowed his eyes, "Your humanly custom is not humorous. The death of our comrade is not something to be associated with amusement."
"Not funny," Eleanor snapped, crossing her arms and sending a strong glare at the Doctor.
Piper stared at him in surprise, not sure how to react. But her Comm. Link beeped, forcing her out of her state of shock. She reached up and tapped the device, in its place in her ear. "Sir?" Piper asked. Annaleise practically shouted as Piper collapsed to her knees, eyes wide and teary as she bit back a sob.
"Siren?" Eleanor questioned in a worried tone.
""Ren, you okay?" Spencer asked.
Annaleise barely caught Piper's words as they slipped from her lips and dissipated into the air.
"They did it…they found them…"
~AOS~AOS~AOS~
Stefans Mansion
Private Property – Countryside, New York
Half an Hour Later
Piper's feet scrambled on the polished wood floor as she swerved around a corner and practically trampled two S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. She heard solid thumps as Spencer and Eleanor raced directly behind her. Farther back down the hall, poor Annaleise, Daedre and Lana were scampering after the trio, taken off guard by the sudden sprinting.
Piper's eyes were wide with excitement and the next corner nearly sent her flying face first to the floor. Luckily she managed to duck and roll before popping back up onto her feet and continuing down the hall, all the while earning quite a few surprised looks from a variety of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents and scientists.
Where was she? Well she was in Stefans Mansion. Stefans. As in Kris Stefans. The man she had willingly danced and spoken with. He was responsible for Spencer's silence, forcing Eleanor to grow up. He was responsible for Lachlan and Tamashi's kidnapping. He was responsible for Drew's death. And now, as she sprinted through Stefans Mansion, she didn't care. She didn't care about any of it. Because for once in her life things were looking up.
Siren turned the final corner. The last corner on the directions Coulson had given her. And there, leaning against one of the walls, was Tamashi and Lachlan. The two boys looked terrible. Gashes swarmed their shirtless chests, and Piper assumed their backs matched. Bruising had formed across Lachlan's left jawline and the right side of Tamashi's forehead was slightly black and blue. Both were paler than she thought possible, sweating profusely and getting prepared to be raised onto gurneys by S.H.I.E.L.D. doctors. Pat stood a few feet away, chatting with two girls that Piper recognized from Pat and Victor's rescue team. Victor was speaking with Coulson and his team who stood in the opposite corner.
Lachlan and Piper met eyes and the boy's gaze brightened considerably. Piper stumbled over to the two wounded heroes; sobbing pathetically and feeling a smile take over her face. She dropped to her knees and laughed a bit, wiping away a couple stray tears as she fumbled over to her friends.
Tamashi and Lachlan gave weak smirks, obviously trying their very hardest not to shout as Piper leaned over and hugged them gently one at a time. She tried not to drown the boys in her tears as she bawled on them, happy sobs hurting her chest as she did.
Spencer kneeled on Tamashi's other side while Eleanor took Lachlan's and Piper squatted in the middle of the two beaten heroes. It was hugs all around until the doctors commanded them to stop or internal bleeding might become an issue. Daedre, Annaleise and Lana came a few minutes later, crowding around and annoying the doctors and nurses just that much more.
Piper stood up as Lachlan and Tamashi were raised onto stretchers that then unfolded to full height. They were wheeled out of the room, but the Challengers stood by their sides as they walked, a small herd of teenagers following the doctors, nurses and wounded boys.
Lachlan grabbed her hand as they moved down the hall and gestured for her to come a bit closer. Piper brought her head down to his level and listened closely as he rasped out: "Where's Drew?" Piper's heart sank.
Spencer glanced at Piper from Tamashi's other side, and Tamashi perked up a bit as well, looking at Piper for an answer. Eleanor looked at her feet but didn't say anything.
"He…" she paused when someone tapped her shoulder. The Songbird turned around to see Daedre with a warning expression.
"Do not tell him," whispered Daedre into her her ear. It was loud enough for Piper to hear, but quiet enough that Lachlan and Tamashi were left wondering. "Not now. It is not respectful to burden a wounded soldier with a tragedy such as that."
Piper nodded and turned back to Lachlan and Tamashi. She smiled what she hoped was a convincing smile and said carefully, "He's recovering back at the Playground."
Lachlan relaxed at that, a weakened smile working its way onto his face. "I knew you could do it, man." He said happily, rugged voice betraying him and making the last syllable break. Piper looked at him with sad eyes, feeling painfully as her heart shattered.
~AOS~AOS~AOS~
The Playground Infirmary – The Playground – S.H.I.E.L.D. Base
Simmons glanced at Fitz before turning over to Coulson with pitiful eyes.
She, Fitz, Coulson, May, Skye, Hunter, Bobbi, Mack and Lana had gathered in a private viewing room, one of the two positioned next to Lachlan and Tamashi's hospital room. The first was being occupied by the Challengers and contained a window into the hospital room. The room Simmons was in had a one way wall, so she and the rest of Coulson's team could see in but Tamashi and Lachlan couldn't see back out.
"Alrighty," she began, flipping a page clipped onto the clipboard she held. " The boys have suffered countless injuries and while it's high possibility that they are going to survive, I suggest we keep an eye on them for at least the next month." Frowns spread across the room.
"They suffered from Hypovolemic Shock, Hypovolemia, uncountable lacerations and we've also found signs of whipping." Skye's eyes widened in terror as Simmons read down the list. "Traces of water in their otherwise parched throats is a symptom of recent drowning." Fitz stared at the floor in deep thought. "There are electrical conflagrations and their hands have only recently stopped shaking." Hunter swapped his weight back and forth from one foot to the other, looking at Bobbi with a disturbed gaze. "There's slight pyrexia probably due to fever, we removed a nail from Tamashi's foot, Tamashi's metal arm has been detached predictably by means of force, and Agent Coren reported that Lachlan died once while being rescued."
Coulson froze, snapping his gaze up to Simmons. She returned a worried look.
"Is that all?" asked Hunter sarcastically, although the question seemed to be relatively serious. He wore a distressed expression.
"They're both currently on anesthetics but they'll most likely be traumatized by the time they wake back up," finished the British biochemist.
"They gonna need therapy?" inquired Mack curiously.
"Extensive therapy, yes," nodded Lana sadly.
"Which is fine," everyone turned in a startled manor to Pat, who was leaning on the doorframe, arms crossed, located behind Hunter and Bobbi.
Bobbi gaped, "How did you—"
"Find your secret hidden room thingy?" Pat interrupted, "Well my Unicorn Senses told me to come this way so I did and bam! I found this place." Her gaze hardened. "On more serious business, as I was going to say: it's fine if they need to go through therapy. We'll be there to help them. I don't know if you noticed but we Challengers have been through Hell and back. It isn't easy to take any of us down," she paused, gesturing to Lachlan and Tamashi. "Exhibit A." She turned back, "I heard what you were talking about earlier."
"The symptoms?" Simmons asked with raised eyebrows.
"No. You wouldn't know," retorted Pat. Simmons frowned in frustration. "It was just Mr. Business Suit," she glared at Coulson, "and Madame Ninja." And then May. "Of course I was there, hiding in a place that shall remain secretive. Anyways, back to the point, I heard your little murder conversation."
"Murder?" Simmons asked, turning to Coulson.
"Sir?" Bobbi turned to Coulson for an explanation.
"May, what the bloody hell is that supposed to mean?" demanded Hunter.
"You wanted to kill them," Pat spat at the two older agents. May glared back at her but Coulson remained stern faced.
"That's not true," May retorted.
"Really? Cuz last time I checked, when someone says," Pat put on a ridiculous tone, "'we should be prepared to kill them, Phil' it means they want to get someone killed," she snapped back. Coulson glanced up at her. "Yea! I'm talkin to you Phil!" she replied, saying 'Phil' in the same ridiculous tone she had used on it the last time.
"It was a last resort. We were only preparing for the worst," May persuaded strictly.
"You don't just give up on people," Pat growled. Her eyes widened in one jerky motion and she let out a loud laugh, "That's insane! Only insane people do that!"
"Anyone else feeling a bit uncomfortable all of the sudden?" Hunter asked, looking around, his hand inching towards the gun holstered at his leg.
"Haha. Very funny," Pat retorted, snapping back into seriousness, her laughing ceasing like someone had killed it right then and there. She narrowed her eyes and scowled at Coulson and May with a gaze so murderous it could belong to a carnivorous beast. "What I'm trying to say," she hissed, "Is that you are not insane and therefore you do not have the right to kill people."
Pat's eyes darkened and stared directly in May's direction. "Because if you even try to hurt any of them, I will kill you."
Simmons swallowed hard and watched fearfully as Pat swept her gaze over the room. Her features softened as she spoke.
"Alright, well, it was a pleasure speaking with all of you. As Lach would say, 'Toodles'!" she smiled and spun around, walking away from the room.
~AOS~AOS~AOS~
Eleanor gazed sadly into the hospital room. Piper, Spencer and Annaleise had left to go get dinner. Eleanor wasn't hungry. Lana had gone to go speak with Coulson. Eleanor couldn't speak. Daedre had exited to go train for a bit. Eleanor couldn't move. Pat had disappeared with her mini team. Eleanor just wanted to be alone.
She'd done her best in the past few days. She'd been the happy-go-lucky little girl that everyone needed her to be. Now Lachlan and Tamashi were back and Eleanor didn't have anything to worry about. Not now anyways. She had found the perfect moment. Alone, where no one could worry about her or make her feel guilty. So she cried. But some instinct inside of her took over and her sobs came out silently, shaking her body and making her chest hurt. She tensed, trying to make it stop.
"It is unhealthy to hold in your tears."
Eleanor jerked with surprise. Startled, she spun around to see Daedre looking down at her with curious yellow eyes.
"S—sorry," she sputtered, wiping her eyes.
"Do not apologize," ordered Daedre, "It is weak to apologize to the enemy." He smirked a bit, referencing his previous alignment.
Eleanor gave a small smile and peered back into the hospital room.
"I remember a time back when I was on my home planet," Daedre started, gazing into the room with her.
"Fe'Tug?" asked Eleanor, keeping her gaze fixed on the room's two occupants.
"Indeed," nodded Daedre. "There is a rather large war proceeding there as we speak."
"Who are you fighting?" Eleanor inquired curiously.
"My people, the Derga, they are most…how to put it? They strive for peace, but they achieve it through war. My people are waging war against everyone."
"Everyone?" Eleanor repeated in amazement. Daedre smiled kindly and nodded. "But…isn't that hard?"
"Of course, but we are straying from the point," the alien smiled, "When I first arrived on your planet, Terra, or Earth as you call it, it was not by choice."
"Then how did you get here?" demanded Eleanor.
"Crash landing," a sad look overtook Daedre's gaze. "I was part of a task force that was being transported to Earth in order to fully scout the planet. We ran into some…issues on the way here."
"Like what?"
"A separate alien force, a hostile species known as the Chovubrizi, attacked my force and killed my men," Daedre explained, anger biting at his tone. He turned and met Eleanor's eyes. "I watched as my cousin died a few feet away from me when his ship was blown to smithereens. I heard his final screams as they echoed through my intercom. I know the pain you feel, Eleanor, and I would like to help you through it."
Daedre knelt down to one knee, looking into Eleanor's eyes directly. Eleanor bit her lip, quite literally biting back her tears.
"It is like a pain, correct?" asked Daedre.
"Mhm," Eleanor nodded, sniffling a few times, on the brink of tears.
"They say that the best way to stop pain is to apply pressure to the wound," the alien informed. "But in this case, I assume it would be best for you to let out your emotions. An adolescent like yourself is not equipped to bare such stress."
Eleanor opened her mouth for a split second, trying to shoot out a retort on the 'adolescent' comment, but as soon as she stopped biting her lip everything came pouring out at once. She bawled loudly, wrapping her arms around Daedre's neck. Daedre froze, eyes widened in surprise. He wrapped his arms around her, awkwardly patting her back.
"Er—um—there there…" he said fumblingly. "It is—erm—it is okay…"
Eleanor released after a good long period of crying. "Hey, um, Daedre?" she said shakily. Daedre gave her a questioning look, trying not to comment on how she had gotten her emotions all over his shoulder.
"It's good to have you back on our side."
~AOS~AOS~AOS~
The Playground – S.H.I.E.L.D. Base
No one dared to interrupt the woman and two men as they marched down the corridor of the S.H.I.E.L.D. base and into the hospital room that belonged to two injured heroes. Once the group entered they were met by the eyes of almost all of the female Challengers.
Lana was just exiting as the trio entered, and sent one more look before leaving the room and continuing down the hall. Skylier was leaning on a wall, her gaze hardening as the woman and two men entered the room. Marie was sitting in a chair next to Tamashi's bed, her and Knight having been organized as body guards. Annaleise was standing in between the two boys, introducing herself while Pat, who had also just recently entered, was sitting on the one table (from which Marie had stolen the chair) in the hospital room. The boys themselves looked up with worried glances that seemed slightly unfocused probably due to the medication they had been given.
"Agent Maria Hill," the woman introduced. "Explain."
Confused glances spread around the room like a wildfire.
Hill held out her hand and one of the men pulled out an electronic tablet, placing it in the higher ranking officer's outstretched hand. Hill turned her gaze to the tablet, flicking the screen and then flipping it around. She showed them a single photo.
The boys' eyes widened in horror and the girls looked at each other worriedly.
"Explain," Hill repeated strictly. However both of the injured remained silent. "Now." She growled, with more authority in that one word than an entire police force had in a year.
Lachlan's eyes darkened while Tamashi's eyes hardened.
"Explain this and prove your loyalties to S.H.I.E.L.D.!" Hill shouted angrily, jerking the photo at them. "If you do not respond, Director Coulson has given me the authority to bring you both into questioning." She threatened. The woman's voice wasn't loud but it carried well in the small room, striking fear into a good portion of the room's occupants. "I like you two, so I highly advise you to answer."
The boys looked at each other and then back at Hill. Tamashi reluctantly opened his mouth to speak.
"What the hell is your problem?!" Marie demanded, standing up suddenly, chair screeching backwards.
Hill furrowed her eyebrows. She wasn't sure if she should be proud of the girl's courage or furious at her disrespect to a higher ranking agent.
"How could you accuse them of betraying S.H.I.E.L.D.?!" Skylier growled, standing up off of the wall.
"These are my orders," Hill replied strictly.
Skylier bristled "Are you kidding me?!"
"They just spent 3 and half weeks of torture and questioning and didn't give up a single word!" Annaleise snarled.
"Why would they protect S.H.I.E.L.D. if they are—" Pat paused, looking over the picture again. "Whatever the hell is in that picture?!"
"Boys, either you respond or you're going to be put under extremely close watch by S.H.I.E.L.D." Hill informed the two boys, who's eyes were darting around the room to all of the defensive girls.
"You can't!" growled Marie, instinctively standing protectively over the Asian boy at her side.
"Agent Peters, stand down," commanded Hill, reaching ever so slowly for the I.C.E.R. at her belt.
"Make her! I dare you!" Skylier challenged, bringing up her fists defensively. Marie matched her pose in agreement, holding up her open hands, ready to use her powers at any given moment.
"Stand down," Hill glared, finding in unbelievable that these children were challenging her authority.
"We don't take orders from you," Annaleise informed with a rebellious gaze as she pulled out the katana that was still strapped to her back.
"If you continue with this behavior, it will result in the revoking of your S.H.I.E.L.D. badges," Hill threatened, pulling out her gun fully and hearing as the two men behind her did the same.
"Well then," Pat grinned insanely, unsheathing her knives. "It's a good thing none of us work for S.H.I.E.L.D."
There was a tense silence as Maria Hill swept her gaze over the room. Agent Coren was right. She wasn't an agent at all. None of them were. Marie and Skylier worked for Pat and Pat worked for Pat as well. Annaleise was an NYPD officer, not a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent. Much to her amazement, Hill realized she had no authority here.
She holstered her gun in one swift move. "I'll be holding the four of you responsible for anyone that these two injure or kill." She announced, glaring daggers at the two boys, who both looked on edge but slightly less confused.
Pat opened her mouth a bit, ready to snap out a quip, Hill assumed. But Pat obviously figured she shouldn't push her luck and instead said, "Sounds good to me."
Hill turned and exited the room.
As soon as she was gone Pat sheathed her knives and turned to the girls. "What a bitch."
~AOS~AOS~AOS~
Stefans Mansion
Private Property – Countryside, New York
15 Minutes Earlier
Coulson swept his gaze over the Stefans Mansion living room. With any luck this place could be turned into a high end functioning S.H.I.E.L.D. base. Talbot would probably catch on and have it destroyed. He furrowed his eyebrows and crossed his arms thoughtfully, trying to decide if he really had the ability to trick Talbot.
"Sir?"
Coulson pulled a device out of his pocket, tapping it once. "What is it Valentine?"
"Um," Victor said through a static-filled Comm. Link. "You're gonna want to see this."
Coulson turned and looked at May, "Get it cleaned up up here." May nodded and Coulson walked away, opening the door to the basement. He trotted down the the stairs, keeping his stern look intact as he did so. The basement was clean for the most part and consisted of a long steel corridor with doors branching off on both sides. Tamashi and Lachlan's doors was opened because S.H.I.E.L.D. agents were inspecting it thoroughly. The other doors had housed a variety of rooms: cells, labs, closets. They'd all been cleaned out or were in the process of being cleaned out. Victor and Hunter had been put in charge of that task and were currently working their way down the line.
Coulson spotted a second opened door and entered it without hesitation. Once inside he met eyes with Victor and then Hunter and finally brought his eyes to what lay ahead of them. Two metal tables were placed in the back of the room. On the tables were two figures, both male and dressed in nothing but boxers.
The first was skinny, pale and almost 6 foot, just a few inches below if Coulson had to guess. A dragon tattoo spiraled its way up the boy's arm. The boy's hair was short on the sides and curlier on the top, in a shade of dark brown. The second had an olivey complexion; he was shorter but only by an inch at most. He sported choppy black hair with bangs that skimmed his eyes and complimented his round features. Over all?
Coulson was looking at two almost exact copies of Lachlan and Tamashi.
"We took a picture and sent it to Agent Hill," Victor announced and Coulson nodded in approval.
"Get them back to the Playground," Coulson ordered rather reluctantly. We should—"
And then their eyes opened.
DUN DUN DUN! SO MANY CLIFFHANGERS AND TENSE MOMENTS LATELY! TONS OF STUFF HAPPENED! LETS REVIEW, SHALL WE?!
So, in that first scene, way back up there with Doctor Strange, it was revealed that—what's this?!—Drew is NOT in the spiritual plain! What in the world could that mean?! And then, OH MY GOSH, our lovely boys were reunited with the rest of the team! HOORAY! And Daedre and Eleanor shared an adorable-but heart jerking- little conversation about Daedre's past.
But things only lasted for a short bit when PAT ACCUSED S.H.I.E.L.D. OF WANTING TO KILL TAMASHI AND LACHLAN?! What is that all about and was the accusation even true?! (Don't know about you guys but I really do not want to mess with Pat when she's in a mood like she was in that scene) Next, a cameo appearance by Agent Maria Hill who brought a photograph of—what was it of?—and threatened the two ex-prisoners. Luckily the girls were there to save them (girl power! XD) And finally the photograph's contents were revealed to be…
What was the photo of ? Let me know what you think! :D
Till next time!
*There's only 1 MORE CHAPTER GUYS! AHHH!*
-AG
Ps. I'm gonna try to post the epilogue of Part 1 (the final chapter) later on today otherwise tomorrow for sure. :)