A/N: And we're back with another very action-packed chapter as the end slowly approaches. I didn't go quite that far into the final final battle here but this chapter is the last of the big "reveals" and kick-starts a lot of the final battles. The next few battles should take about two more chapters I think? And then we've got a good number of chapters about that (maybe five) and then an epilogue that should be another two or so chapters to wrap up any loose ends. As much as I love this story, I'm quite happy it's coming to an end, it just feels right.
Thanks to: 21sshafrath, PrettyRecklessLaura, FaithAnne95, AlecLightwoodMagnusBane, Hermione Romanoff, dragoonfive, FantacyLover, Gold December, Bigbear1995 and Orcinus21 for either leaving a review or following/favouriting on the last chapter. As always, your support is always appreciated and thank you for sticking with this story for so long, it really means a lot :)
"But you don't know what you want
So I'll let go of control
'Cause I know just what you are
You're gonna break me in two"
Earlier…
Adara stood in the alleyway next to Oscorp, facing Peter across from her, whose face was cast in shadow, his Spiderman mask in hand.
"Ready?" He asked.
She nodded and her body shimmered from her usual appearance to that of an older woman, wearing a white lab coat. Nancy was a respected and regular scientist at Oscorp industries, she reckoned no one would pay much mind if she went down to the basement level.
"MJ, Ned, you guys ready?" Peter then checked.
Adara heard the two's affirmations over the comm in her ear. The two of them were waiting in a diner across the road from the entrance to the tower, keeping an eye on the action.
The plan was simple and, as long as O'Leary wasn't around, hopefully wouldn't go wrong. It was tenuous, but the plan they had. If Adara could go in and destroy the Engine, the immediate threat of Beck using the drones was over, and they could deal with the Faceless Man and the Green Goblin later.
If the plan worked, that was.
"You good, Adara?" Asked Peter, who could see her facial features (that weren't her own) paleing.
She nodded, "bad feeling, that's all. Nothing new."
He gave her a grim look, the feeling was mutual. Adara felt her nerves buzzing down her body, she usually went into missions like this was the utmost confidence, and they usually went off without a hitch. Or, if there was a hitch, she could handle it or overcome it. She could do that with this mission, everything would go fine.
"It'll be fine," Peter voiced her inward assurances. "You probably won't even need my help."
"After this," she said, "and once we've removed O'Leary as a threat, and Beck has been arrested. We can clear up everything with the press. You put on your suit and I'll shift into you to prove Peter Parker isn't Spiderman, and you can go on with your life."
"We don't want to risk O'Leary exposing your identity either."
"He can't," she shrugged. "Not if his ass is in jail or six feet under."
Peter swallowed, "you sure you're up to this?"
"I'm sure," she said, voice becoming firmer. "Now go, back up on the roof. Make sure no one notices you."
"I love you," he said.
"I love you too," she smiled. "I would kiss you, but I'm currently a middle-aged woman."
Without much more argument, he went and Adara walked to the front entrance of Oscorp Tower, giving MJ and Ned (who were sitting at a window seat in the diner) a brief nod. They didn't notice her, of course, as she wasn't herself, just simply another worker going in and out of Oscorp tower for a day at work.
A couple people greeted her on the way in, and asked what she was doing at work on her day off, one of them included the receptionist.
"Nancy," the woman blinked. "What are you doing in today? You usually don't come in on Wednesdays."
"Oh," she gave an apologetic frown. "I feel like such an idiot—" Adara paused as she tried to remember her name— "Linda, but I left some stuff upstairs."
"But, Nancy, you don't have your staff badge."
"I don't?" Adara pretended to be shocked as she glanced down at her coat. "Oh dear, I must be losing my mind at my old age, this is the second time this week. God, it doesn't matter I suppose… It's just… Oh dear…"
"What did you forget, Nance?" Linda looked sympathetic.
"It was my wedding ring—" Adara lifted a hand to indicate the lack of a ring. "I took it off when I was testing some sample and it just slipped my mind when I was leaving in such a hurry. But.. You know how it's the anniversary tonight, I was in such a rush to come into work and pick it up and then go home that I must've left my card at home. I can picture it on my kitchen table… I'm such an idiot."
Adara might have been playing it up a little, but she also knew that all her information about the anniversary being tonight considering the real Nancy loved to use social media. And that she was also quite close friends with Linda…
"Gosh, today?" Linda looked suddenly worried. Adara tried to hide a smirk, someone had forgotten to get their closest friend an anniversary gift. "Congratulations, by the way, I was in a hurry this morning to leave the house." She frowned and then began tapping something on her computer. "Here, I'll just print you off another one. I don't want Gary getting upset about your ring on your anniversary."
"Thank you, Linda," Adara gave the woman a genuine smile of genuine gratitude. "You're such a life saver!"
As Adara walked away with a freshly laminated and printed copy of Nancy's ID card, she couldn't help but feel her confidence growing as the first part of their mission went off without a hitch.
"See," hissed Ned over the comm, "proof that I was right."
"I was just saying," came MJ's voice. "That stealing the ID card would've been much less of a risk."
"It doesn't matter now," sighed Peter. "Everything's working so far."
"Let's no jinx it now," Adara muttered as she walked over to the private elevator.
There was already another scientist waiting as the elevator was currently in use. Adara had a brief conversation with him as he asked what she was doing here on her day off and congratulations on the wedding anniversary. The elevator door opened and Adara, in order to play her role as the woman so concerned about forgetting her wedding ring, went all the way up to the top floor. She walked into Nancy's office and fiddled through the drawers for a couple of minutes before leaving again and heading back towards the elevator.
This time, no one was standing there and she clicked the button to take her to the basement level. It asked for her ID card and she swiped it.
As the glass elevator went down through the building, Adara hoped no one else would get in and, sure enough, she got lucky. She came across no one who she knew. No Norman, no Beck, no O'Leary and no Harry. She hated that she had mentally grouped him in with the enemies when he clearly wasn't one. She just hoped he was upstairs, doing homework or something.
The elevator doors creaked open to the basement and Adara's stomach jolted in apprehension as she stepped out into the unfamiliar environment, she had never been to this floor before. There were a couple other doors to rooms that she largely didn't pay attention to, MJ had told her to go straight to the one down the end of the corridor. That was where she and Ned had seen the machine when they had snuck down here.
Swallowing, Adara walked down the middle of the grey corridor, slowly approaching the double doors at the end. Being cautious, she made sure to take a peek through the glass windows before she opened the door to enter.
She saw Harry and Norman.
But the knot that suddenly tied itself in her stomach told her that it was not Norman.
And Harry was in extreme danger, but the teenage boy was frozen to the spot, obviously having some kind of moment of realisation. Nothing was happening at the moment, and Adara risked making a bad situation much worse by bursting in there with no knowledge of what O'Leary was armed with.
She glanced up, and realised there were two levels to the basement, as she saw a balcony overlooking the room with the Engine in, where the other two were. If she could get to that balcony, she could launch a surprise attack from above.
There was no time to waste.
With a reassurance she hadn't been spotted, she sprinted back to the elevator which luckily wasn't in use and clicked the button for the upper level of the basement which was far slower than she wanted it to be.
When the doors finally opened, she stepped out and walked forward quickly, whipping off the labcoat and shifting into her usual self, the nano-chameleon suit changing too to its normal appearance as her Bluebell outfit.
She burst open the doors to the balcony just in time to see O'Leary, now also himself, point a gun right at Harry's head.
She launched herself over the railings and kicked the gun from O'Leary's hand just as the gunshot went off.
It clattered against the floor as she landed back on the floor in front of Harry, her boots thumping against the floor. She raised her arm, blocking Harry from any further attacks.
"Adara!" She heard Harry exclaim.
Her eyes did not leave O'Leary's face, which was twisted into a furious scowl. She had caught him off guard. Good.
"Adara," he growled.
She took a knife from her belt, "Go, Harry."
"Adara—" She heard him begin to protest.
But O'Leary had already moved forward with his own dagger. She dodged underneath him but he caught her with his other arm, and twisted the wrist that held the dagger, trying to disarm her. She struggled to stay upright against his strength that was attempting to force her downwards, while at the same time trying not to drop her knife or allow his dagger to cut her.
"Harry," she managed to gasp out, "for fucks sake, run!"
She then quickly slipped the arm she had been using to hold back his dagger and twisted her body to smash her elbow into his face. He let go of her and she stumbled back, switching the hand she was holding the knife in and hearing the door slam shut behind her. Harry had gone.
"Adara!" Came Peter's voice over the comm, "What's going on in there?"
She didn't want to alert O'Leary to the fact she had backup, so simply ignored his questions and straightened up.
"O'Leary," she said in greeting, her tone deadly.
She heard Peter swear over the comm, and talking come from MJ and Ned but mentally drowned them out in order to focus on her enemy.
She hadn't given herself away, but he must've figured anyway as he raised a finger to his ear.
"Norman," he said cooly, never dropping eye contact as he used his other hand to wipe his bleeding nose. "Lock down the building. The Bluebell's here, I can only assume Spiderman is too, as backup."
Adara didn't waste another second and kicked him in the chest. He stumbled back and she used the moment to bury her knife into his neck. He grabbed her just in time to stop her and she felt something sharp, the dagger, pierce her side. She moved before he cut slice deeper and ducked under his arm. He turned with her and moved forward as did she.
They're elbows locked as they struggled to push back against one another, each other's knives inches away from each other's necks. Neither dropped their glares as their blades grew dangerously close to one another until Adara was sure the tip of her knife was brushing his throat.
She was right as he suddenly threw her back, but grabbed her arm and twisted it so hard she thought he might have broken it. She let out a cry of pain as she collapsed to her knees, gripping her arm and dropping the knife. He had reeled back for a few moments, as if shocked by his own close blow with death, and then kicked her knife away.
She rolled just out of reach and clambered to her feet, grabbing another knife from her belt and staring him down as they circled each other at a distance, waiting for another to make a room. He was dishevelled, sleeves rolled up and hair hanging over his face.
"Adara, what's going on? The Building's gone into lockdown, I can't get in."
"Find Harry," she managed to breathe out the order.
Whatever Peter's response was, she didn't pay it any mind.
"We've prepared for this situation, Adara," said O'Leary. "You might have taken me by surprise but no backup is coming for you. You're on your own."
"I can deal with you on my own," she hissed.
"Really? So far you haven't done a good job at beating me."
He made a gesture down his left eye, mocking her scar. Her eyebrows furrowed in anger as she took the bait.
O'Leary expected her as she darted forward, and kicked out her legs from underneath her. She rolled onto her back and threw her knife at his face, he dodged it easily and attempted to pin her down, but she kicked her legs upwards, her boot smashing into his stomach. As he doubled over, she had time to jump to her feet and grab his dagger, pulling it from his hand.
Yet, he wasn't done yet as he kicked her again, knocking her to the ground very suddenly and very quickly as he suddenly released her from where he had been previously holding her back. The shock of the floor's impact took the air from her lungs but she made for a quick recovery, glancing over her shoulder to see he was suddenly a few feet away, unarmed and watching her.
Breathing heavily, she grabbed the dagger he had dropped and threw it at him.
O'Leary suddenly wasn't there anymore and the dagger hit the wall behind him.
She was confused for only a second, before realising when she saw O'Leary reemerge from the shadows.
"Beck," she muttered.
And then something hit her round the back of the head.
Harry pretty much burst out of the elevator, paying no mind to the confused looks those around him gave him as he shoved through the crowd to the front entrance of the building. He barely registered the confused muttering going on around him, or the fact that there was an alarm going on somewhere, he just needed to get out of the building.
Then, as he reached the doors, he froze. Locked. Blacked out.
"What's going on?" He asked the security guard.
He gave him an odd look, "the building's been placed into locked down. Didn't you hear? Someone spotted the Spiderman and the Bluebell, reporters are everywhere, expecting some kind of fight." He paused, "you alright, son?"
"I need to get out," said Harry.
"I don't think—"
"I'm Harry fucking Osborn," he said. "My Dad owns this building and if he hears that you don't let me out of this building right now, you can say 'bye-bye' to your sustainable income."
The security guard stared at him for a few seconds, wide-eyed at the scrawny teenage boy, who was shaking from adrenaline and fear. Then, his shock transformed into something that was slightly more frustrated, he was a sensible man but also one that didn't want to lose his job, even if Harry's threat actually didn't have much weight to it at all.
He opened the door with his keys and gestured for him to get out quick and Harry darted out the door before he could change his mind, muttering a quick thank you before stumbling out.
Instantly, rain and wind lashed his face, and the sudden change from the warm tower to the freezing world outside. The brewing storm had come and the rain came down hard and heavy, of Harry wasn't in such a drastic situation, he would've been grumbling about not having a coat or enough layers on. Instead, he threw up the hood of his hoodie and squinted through the blur of grey weather to try and figure out what was going on, what to do, where to go.
And then he saw a wall on the street. A wall of people, blocking off the road from cars or just people walking down the sidewalk.
Reporters, he realised with a jolt, someone must have spotted Spiderman or the Bluebell in the area and they're trying to figure out what's going on.
The lockdown of Oscorp Tower seemed to have only excited them further, as reporters were talking to cameras, gesturing to the building behind them, their anticipation clear in their body language. The rest of the crowd were just as keen, fascinated onlookers. Watching, waiting for something to happen. A spectacle, a fight, something to put on social media. Harry was thankful for the rain, it meant they probably wouldn't spot him in the haze of weather, and while he wasn't that recognisable, the press would quite like an interview with Osborn's son himself.
He turned away from the crowd and kept his head down, but kept his eyes open for a red blur anywhere on the rooftops. He knew which skyscraper Peter usually sheltered on in this area, as it was just next to Oscorp Tower.
Then, glancing to the side he spotted two people hanging outside a cafe, worridley speaking to each other and eyeing the crowds of reporters. Harry quickly dodged over to them.
"MJ," he said, "Ned."
The two looked at him, confusion morphing into disbelief.
"Harry?" Said MJ, "what are you…? I thought the building was on lockdown, how did you get out?"
"Pretty easily," he shrugged, "but Peter needs to get in there."
"What? Why? What happened in there? Adara isn't replying when we try to speak to her down the comms."
"It's all my fault," he almost wailed it, "seriously, where's Peter? I need to help him find a way into the building. It's on lockdown so I don't know how…" he glanced up at the tower, shrouded in mist, "I don't know how he'll get in or…"
MJ and Ned exchanges glancing, probably inwardly debating whether they could trust him or not. Then, Ned gave a confident nod to the girl, which seemed to be all she needed to be convinced, and she gripped Harry by the shoulders.
"He's up on that building there," she nodded to a slightly lower down apartment building down the street. "Take the fire escape up and take this–" she took out her comm and gave it to him. "I'll just use Ned's. Now, hurry, go!"
He gave them a nod of gratitude, after what he had done they were so quick to trust him. Of course they were, they were friends for a reason. He took off and ran towards the apartment building, ignoring the driving rain as he pulled himself up the fire escape and onto the building top, putting in the earpiece as he went.
"Peter?" He said as he got to the roof.
"I can see you," said the boy, "behind the vent."
Harry sought him out and sure enough he was ducked behind a protruding vent on top of the building, his red suit slick with rain and his hair damp.
Peter looked slightly hesitant, but Harry was quick.
"Peter, I'm so sorry for everything," he said, "this is all my fault– I– I'm such a screw-up. If you can ever forgive me–"
"Don't be stupid, Harry, we were never pissed. We knew why you were mad, if it were me in your situation I probably wouldn't have believed it either. Norman's your dad, these things are difficult and–"
Suddenly, Harry hugged him. It was strange, as he was fairly certain he had never hugged Peter before, and he had only hugged Adara on very rare occasions, but it just felt like the right thing to do. Peter hugged him back, damp hair soaking his cheek.
"I'm sorry," said Harry.
"I'm sorry too," sighed Peter.
"O'Leary… He tricked me," Harry said, pulling back and gripping Peter tightly by his arms. "I thought it was my dad… It wasn't. He tried to get me to help him but I refused, and then he pulled a gun on me and then Adara came out of nowhere."
"She's not replying when I try to reach her on my earpiece," Peter looked more nervous than Harry had ever seen before. "I would try and get into the building but—"
Harry interjected, "no, the tower is impossible to get into when it's on lockdown. Plus… What if the press sees you?"
"I don't care about the press, I care about Adara."
Harry looked at him and then back at the tower, the top of it was nothing more than a silhouette behind grey clouds. It seemed taller and more intimidating than Harry had ever remembered, that was his home, but it was so far away. Biting his lip, he was deep in thought for a few seconds. Surely the tower must have a weak point somewhere… And then it hit him.
"The roof," he said. "There's a door to the roof, we never use it, it's too high up to be practical and that door can only be locked manually… You can try that."
Peter nodded and stood up, pulling his mask over his face.
"Stay there," he said, "try and get through to Adara."
Harry nodded, looking serious. Peter gave him a final nod in return and began to swing to the next building over, closer to the Tower. He looked up, as if figuring out the best way to get the top of Oscorp tower, which jut out of the Queens skyline like a sore thumb. Harry watched from the other roof with bated breath, when he spotted something flying straight for the Spiderman.
"Peter!" He barely had time to manage to yell over his comm, "Look out!"
But Peter was only just about able to swivel his head in time to see the Green Goblin throw an explosive right in his direction.
Adara's ears were ringing, her head pounding. What had happened?
"Get up, you stupid girl," said a voice that sounded suspiciously like Luka. "You don't have time to lie on the floor and act like an idiot."
Lie on the floor? The voice was right, she could feel cold, hard concrete beneath her. What had happened? Her brain was acting slow, she wracked her brain to figure it out. Oscorp… Harry… O'Leary… And an illusion… Beck! She had been tricked, and knocked out. But not quite killed, not yet. She got a feel for her injuries, but other than aching joints from fighting, she felt nothing worse than a headache, and she could power on through that even if it was a concussion.
Slowly, she opened her eyes, taking a few moments to realise she was still in the basement level of the tower, but lying on the floor from where she had collapsed. In the corner of the room, she could see a gun on the floor, the one she had kicked from O'Leary's hand earlier. It stayed there, discarded.
Glancing up, she saw O'Leary and Beck, speaking to each other, O'Leary looked mildly bored but paying her no mind. Beck was ordering around scientists between trying to communicate something to the Faceless Man. If the two stay distracted, Adara could grab the gun before it was too late.
The Engine, she realised suddenly, it was gone.
O'Leary stood up straight, folding his arms and looking at Beck. He wasn't invincible, that was clear as day and obvious from the fact that his hair was now a mess, his suit torn in some place from the brutal fight. Still, he retained his ability to control a situation. In a way, he and Beck were alike, but O'Leary wasn't as unhinged, he wanted power, not revenge.
"Make for the gun," said a voice in her head that now sounded like Tony. "You might not have enough time."
Was she just hearing dead people now? Great, like she didn't have enough problems, maybe she had bit harder around the head than she originally thought.
"Osborn is already out there," said O'Leary. "He'll deal with the Spider-Boy and keep him distracted. You get the roof and get the illusion in working order, the press are out there, watching. It's time for the great and powerful Mysterio to return."
There was a mocking tone to his voice but Beck failed to pick up on it.
"Yes," he said, "it's time for the true hero to return." There was a pause, "what about her?"
Adara quickly shut her eyes again, controlling her breathing so it still seemed like she was unconscious. It was easy to pretend, considering she felt like she might slip back into unconsciousness at any moment, her head was spinning. But it was fine, she had worked through worse.
"I'll deal with her," said O'Leary, "come on…"
Their voices trailed off, and Adara reopened her eyes and sat up, seeing them leave the basement and head for the elevator.
She reached for her earpiece, but it wasn't there any more. Shit, now she had no way to reach Peter and update him. If what O'Leary said was true, he could be fighting the Green Goblin right now. The thought of it made her stomach twist with anxiety, she was fairly certain that Norman was crazed enough to kill Peter. But she trusted the boy to hold out on his own.
Hopefully.
With all the strength she could muster, she got to her feet.
Then, dizziness overwhelmed her and she felt as if she was going to be sick. She slumped back to her knees. Her head didn't hurt that bad, but she couldn't see straight, her thoughts felt muddled.
"Drugged," said a third voice in her head. Natasha? "You've been drugged."
Yeah, she thought, that would explain why I'm hearing dead people.
"Hey," came Natasha's response, "I'm only trying to help."
Okay, she was officially losing it.
She glanced at the gun and tried to get to her feet again, this time someone knocked her straight back down onto her side. She rolled onto her back in time to see O'Leary bend over her, twirling a knife in his hand.
"What did you do to me?" She hissed, but her voice slurred slightly.
"Nothing major," he shrugged, "chloroform. Enough to keep you knocked down or, at least, out of it."
"No, I need to—" she tried to sit back up, but saw O'Leary hover the knife over her stomach and froze.
"You need to what? Help your boyfriend? Save the day? That's not how this is working out, I'm afraid."
Adara was undeterred, finding it within herself to allow a laugh to bubble up in her chest, a vicious grin spreading over her face. "You know how many bad guys have lectured me about not being able to save the day? How I'm in such a hopeless situation? And you know what, I've made it this far, haven't I?"
"I'm not like those 'bad guys.'"
She laughed again, knowing how reckless she was being, "you are just like those bad guys."
His expression went cold, and suddenly he forced her to sit upwards by gripping her shoulder. His fingers would leave bruises there tomorrow, but Adara didn't care as she glared directly into his honey brown eyes, and he glared straight back into her fiery green ones, faces inches from each other. Her vision blacked out for a moment at the sudden movement, but she didn't let it show.
"Is that what I am to you? Just another bad guy?"
"That's all you'll ever be," she spat back, not even flinching when he raised the knife to her throat.
"You want to know what I am then? What I've done?"
"Go ahead then, tell me."
"The truth is, Adara Thomas, I'm the one who killed your parents."
January 27th, 2007
Drogheda, Ireland
"Get off me, you fecking bastard!" Snapped the man.
Luka had O'Leary by the collar of his shirt, pinned against the wall in a cobbled alleyway in some nowhere 'city' in Ireland. It had taken years to track him down, only to find him in exactly the place where Luka would expect the slimy prick to be, the pub. He had dragged him out here, and now held him at gunpoint.
"How is it possible?" He demanded, "how can a nobody like you end up with the abilities?"
"I know what Hydra has been doing," said O'Leary, "you keep trying it on everything. On animals, on people, but it doesn't work, it never does. It didn't work when we were experimenting with SHIELD and it doesn't work now, you fecking idiots."
Luka punched him round the face. O'Leary's head snapped to the side, and he returned the glare of the man, his nose dripping with blood now, dripping onto his uniorned, white shirt.
"Explain, O'Leary," hissed Luka, "or I'll shoot you right here and put an end to your miserable existence."
"I don't know, okay?" He said, "I worked in close proximity with the chameleon particle for such a long time that my body gradually began to accept it. I could shift slightly, but I stole more of the serum to increase my abilities. There, that's the story."
Luka looked at him in disbelief, "of all the people…"
"I know I'm hardly your favourite person, General, but I hardly care for the opinion of a Nazi. I've told you what you wanted to know, so will you just leave me alone—"
Luka scoffed and pulled him off the wall, and then shoved him to the ground, giving him a hefty kick in the side before pointing the gun at his chest.
"I thought you were just some drunken, useless bastard," said Luka, "and, you know what? You still are, but now you're a drunken, useless bastard with abilities that could prove useful to Hydra." He cocked the gun and redirected it to his legs, "I'm afraid I'll have to be taking you in. Have you ever been dissected before, O'Leary?"
"Hey, wait, what?!"
"You heard me," he said, "Hydra don't need you, but your abilities, on the other hand…" He couldn't help but smirk at the look on the man's face, "so, either you come with me peacefully or I shoot you in the leg."
"You're going to kill me anyway."
"O'Leary, be honest with yourself, you were gonna get yourself killed in a few years anyway. Now, on your feet before I decide to shoot your arm off too."
"Wait, wait!" O'Leary raised a hand in the air, scrambling to his feet and making a surrendering gesture. "If you take me in, you won't hear the information I have."
"There's no saving yourself from this," said Luka with a shake of his head. "You can't possibly know anything that—"
"I know where Adelaide is."
Silence, the two men stared at each other.
"What?"
"I know where Adelaide is."
Luka grabbed O'Leary by the collar of his shirt again and this time shoved him up against the wall so hard, that the sound his head made when it made impact with the brick made it sound as if he had just killed him. O'Leary remained conscious, slightly dazed but with some kind of malicious determination in his eyes.
"You better not be lying to me," he said.
"I'm not," said O'Leary, "I'm there safekeeper, the only one in the world who knows where Gregory and Adelaide are. And you know what?"
"What?" Luka's green eyes were alight with cold fury.
"Their daughter also happens to have the same shifting abilities that I do."
Luka let him go, stumbling back a few seconds and lowering his gun. It had been so long since he had heard her name, so long since the last mention of Gregory since the two had disappeared. He knew that Adelaide had figured him out, but she had never told anyone, and he had no desire to kill her (the same couldn't be said for Gregory though) so had only half-assed an investigation into her location under orders from Pierce, and that had turned up nothing. But now Adelaide had a daughter. A daughter with…
"Gregory's daughter?" He asked quietly.
O'Leary was cautiously propping himself upright, keeping his back to the wall. "Adelaide's daughter, yes."
The thought of Gregory and Adelaide having a daughter filled Luka with an unreasonable amount of fury. His brain conjured the image of a little girl with bright blue eyes, just like her mother, but bright blonde hair from her father, tied back in adorable little pigtails. Luka's grip on the gun tightened.
"Where?"
"Ah-ah," he shook his head. "Hold on a moment. How many people know about my abilities?"
Luka scanned him carefully, "only me."
"If I tell you this information," said O'Leary, "it stays that way. You leave me alone."
"You're a coward, O'Leary."
He shrugged, "sure I am. For now."
There was something overwhelmingly sinister about the way O'Leary said that, a glitter of something in his honey brown eyes that appeared golden in the dim sunlight that filtered past the clouds. Luka straightened a little, putting more distance between him and the other man, keeping a wary eye on him.
"Tell me where they are," he said. "And I'll declare you dead to the rest of the world."
A flicker of a smirk passed across O'Leary's face and he offered Luka a hand, "deal?"
Luka frowned and took his hand, knowing full well that O'Leary has practically written Gregory and Adelaide's death sentence.
"Deal."
A/N: Being completely honest with you Mr O'Leary, I would NOT have told Adara that unless you really want to piss her off, but each to her own. On a bonus note: I have actually written about half of a one-shot for the one-shot collection for this story 'if you don't love me now' which I am yet to update for like six months oops. I will try and update in the future but it's basically a very long one-shot detailing a lot of Luka's life and how much of an ass he is, but also I enjoy writing him because I like villains oops. Anyway, I'll stop rambling now, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, I'm going to try and get the next one up quickly, but no promises. In the meantime, have some incorrect quotes:
Peter: Are you having a depressive episode again?
Adara: Depressive episode?
Adara: I'm having a depressive series, and we're on season five.
Anddd another one
Harry: I'm the proud owner of an IQ of five and a half.
Norman: Not for long.
Harry: Please, it's all I have.
Andddd again.
Peter: So apparently the bad vibes I've been feeling are actually just severe psychological distress.
I'm very tired, I really hate A-Levels
Adara: Here's a grammar tip: "Farther" is for physical distance. "Further" is for metaphorical distance. "Father" is for emotional distance.
Ned: Who hurt you?
Adara: My father, weren't you paying attention?
Okay one more:
Steve: Any particular reason you're bleeding out on the bedroom floor?
Adara: Well, it's a little too cold to bleed outside.
