March 30, 1986
Kraken felt his adversary's jaw break under his fist. Horror trailed behind him, looking nervous. He wondered why Space had had to pair him up with the most pacifistic member in the Academy. It just didn't make a whole lot of sense to him. Then again, Space had never made a whole lot of sense either.
Finishing up the one he was working on they kept moving. He had promised Vanya that he'd bring back their daughter, and he'd be damned if he failed the only thing she'd asked of him in years. This was his girl that the bastard was messing with and whoever they were were going to wish they'd never been born once he found them.
The Kraken had once done several solo missions. That was essentially the way that he had managed to gain his reputation for a scourge of the criminal underworld. Not super-villains, but criminals with submachine guns and a nasty habit of not monolouging. For several weeks his name had spelt terror for the City's underworld. Even years afterwards he had commanded fear for the atrocities he had committed dispensing his own form of justice.
That had been years ago. Once he had become a cop things had changed. He'd still been vicious, but he'd had rules to play by and had always at least kept them in mind. Kraken had made the switch from vigilante to cop without a moment's hesitation. Now though, now he was going back. Now he was going to remind this son of a bitch who it was he'd fucked with.
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Claire heard the ringing of the communicator just as she started down the stairs. Irritably she picked it up.
"What?" she snapped.
"You tripped the alarm," Space accused on the other end.
Even when she was trying to save her friend he could still manage to make her fall in hate with him all over again.
"No I didn't!" she yelled.
"Quiet the fuck down," Kraken's voice came from the other end of the com, "These things get you in contact with everyone and right now that was too fucking loud."
"Well I didn't trip the stupid alarm," she insisted, continuing down the stairs cautiously.
"We didn't either," said Space coldly.
"Nah ah. Yah ha!" chortled Séance.
"Why can't these damn things just have one channel?" Kraken muttered.
"Look, I think Vi might've done it," she said, "I found some guards back there and…well…they were very definitely taken care of. A couple of them looked like they'd been roundhouse kicked so…anyway, like I said, I think she might've done it."
For a moment there was blessed radio silence.
"How would she have gotten out?" Horror asked, "I mean, this place is secure to the teeth. Solid metal doors, that kind of thing."
"She's strong," mused Séance, "She did throw a motorcycle at me earlier."
"She did what?!" Claire exclaimed, thinking about the decapitated man.
"Right at my be-ut-iful face."
"Is it possible she was keeping something from you?" asked Space thoughtfully.
The underlying suggestions of the phrase infuriated Claire.
"It might mean she didn't notice before," she snarled, "I'm gonna go find her, all right?"
She clicked a small side button and snapped the communicator closed before shoving it into back into it's holster. What she didn't know was that the side button just turned off the incoming sound. It was still on.
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When Vi had lunged for Jormungand she'd expected his soft-looking skin to split under her fists. To her surprise he easily sidestepped her and nearly stabbed her with the knife. Since she'd been watching it, expecting him to try something with it, she was able to dodge it. The next thoughts came in a blur as a large crate smashed into her. It knocked her to the ground and she slid, feeling a slight cut in her lip. Scrambling to her feet she saw that four other boxes were floating in the air around Jormungand.
"I told you I assimilate," he said, still tossing the knife in the air, "Found a telekinetic person three or four years back. Found out what made him tick, cut him open, took it."
An odd fanatical gleam entered his eyes. He gestured at her with the knife.
"Same way you'll go once you're captured."
"Fuck you," she snarled.
The next box that headed her way she leapt over it, going as high as she could go. The second one she dropped to the floor. When the third one came for her she intercepted it and tossed it into the fourth, destroying it. Looking up she saw that he was still smiling. It filled her with foreboding.
"You think you're so hot eh?" he asked, "Advanced physical prowess? Well have fun with this."
He stretched out his hand and flames blossomed out of it. She ducked, narrowly avoiding it. Seeing him stretch out his second hand she ducked for cover behind a column.
"Yeah," he laughed, "Don't like fire, do 'ya? Certainly didn't like Kent's contraption.
Vi ignored his goading and took a deep breath. She needed to think this through. Already she was losing ground rapidly. How many other fucking tricks did he have up his sleeves? Peering around the column her eyes widened in surprise when she saw only empty space where he'd been standing.
"Where are you?" she muttered to herself.
"Here."
Whipping around she saw him raise his hands. She leaped away, but not quick enough. One of the streams of fire hit her unprotected shoulder and the smell of burning flesh filled the air. Vi screamed in pain even as her skin repaired itself.
"Teleportation," he said happily, "It's a nice one, I have to admit. Highly useful as well. Feel like giving up now, or shall we play some more?
Vi glared at him and tried to get up. In response he teleported over to her. Casually he stepped on her hand and pressed down. The fingers broke and she muffled a scream.
"Play time then?" he asked, crouching down next to her with his foot next to her hand.
He pulled her head up by her hair and waved the knife horribly close to her face.
"The longer we carry this on the more it's going to hurt."
Brushing away both the pain and taunts she grabbed his wrist with her free hand and squeezed as hard as she could. The bones snapped and he pulled away, screaming profanities. Once eye level with him she head-butted him backwards. Jormungand slid back several feet and Vi finally found the time to get up.
"Difference between you and me is that I can take pain," she snapped, "And I heal."
"No no no. that's not so much of a distance," he said, straightening out his wrist, "You see, for me it takes a little longer than you but I did run into a woman with healing abilities when I was eighteen or so. Very difficult to kill. However, she did die when we split her down the middle."
Vi cursed, her biggest advantage gone. Knowing his bones would repair all too soon she picked up a crate and tossed it at him. He stopped it in mid-air, but he didn't see her run up and kick him in the face. Teeth broke and for a minute Vi thought she could end it right there. Then he stretched out his hand and she dropped to the floor as the flames raged over her.
Crawling quickly away on her belly Vi made it to another column. The fires died down.
"Where are you?" he laughed.
Gritting her teeth Vi went through her options. Regrettably they were few and not very good. He had something to counter nearly all of her advantages. Yes, she was fast but the fire was a rather large barrier to any surprise attacks. He was also standing in front of the door out, blocking any chance of escape. It looked like she would have to continue fighting what appeared to be a losing battle.
