"Raven, you've progressed magnificently in the past few months. I daresay even the guardians are afraid of you now," White commented amusedly. "Only the elites are willing to train with you."
"That explains why I've been struggling, then," Raven mused. "I had wondered why the average of my opponents increased several fold. But I doubt you pulled me from training because of that, even if I suspect you may be running out of guardians to throw at me."
"A sense of humour, will the wonders not cease?"
"I find that presenting a more amicable front is conducive to establishing relationships," Raven shrugged. "It is important, after all, to be able to operate in all conditions, including those where I need to work in a group."
"That discussion can wait," General White mused, neither agreeing nor disagreeing with his statement. "We captured an American, flying a U-2 over the Amur region. Alas, he's trained in occlumency and...very resistant to torture. He's been healed up, but still won't talk. I don't expect much, but give it a try. He'll be killed off soon anyways."
"What can you tell me about him, sir?"
"Captain Francis Powers. He only provided his name, rank and service number, nothing more."
"And what does intelligence have on him?"
"Only that he took off from a base in Turkey. We have nothing else," the General grumbled, gesturing for the guard to unlock the door. Nodding in understanding, Raven entered the room, wearing his black robes. The chained prisoner looked up, before frowning in confusion.
"Mister Powers?" Raven asked softly. "How are you doing?"
"Fine...if you ignore the torture, the beatings...you know," the man chuckled depreciatingly before frowning. "What are you doing here, kid?"
"Call me Raven," Raven smiled softly, dragging the interrogator's chair beside the chair Powers was chained on. He made a show of inspecting Powers wounds, tutting and muttering aloud about how his treatment was unacceptable.
"You're British?" Powers asked. Raven nodded happily.
"From Surrey. Aunt and uncle traded me to the Union for a payout." Raven shrugged at the horrified look that Powers had.
"That's...that's horrible!"
"That's life," Raven chuckled darkly. "But we're not here to talk about me, mister Powers. I'm here to try and minimise any unnecessary suffering you'll face."
"Look kid...Raven, right?" Raven nodded, and the man continued, "I can't give anything up. My country is depending on me, you know. I can't let them down, I won't be a traitor."
Raven frowned, before welling up tears in his eyes. "Please...sir...just...they'll beat me if I don't get anything for them. They threw me in the camps once...I...I can't go there, not again."
"Shit kid," Powers flinched at the pleading look Raven gave, "I'm...I'm so sorry you had to go through that, but I...I can't...I'm sorry."
"I…" Raven considered pushing the point further, before withdrawing, "I understand. They're going to come back in soon, is there anything I can get for you?"
"A cup of tea would be nice," Powers laughed bitterly. Raven hid a chuckle, instead coughing.
"I...they won't let me do that, but perhaps we can just talk? What's America like? I've never been," Raven probed with wide eyes. Hesitating, Powers seemed to deliberate whether to converse, before succumbing to the desire to continue a friendly conversation.
"It's big, Raven. There are mountain ranges with snow tops, desert canyons that stretch for miles, forests, plains and so much more, but...it's the cities that are the most beautiful, in my opinion. I'm from New York, and...well, the city never sleeps."
Raven merely looked at the man blankly, causing the man to sigh. "Right, you wouldn't get it. Well, think of it like organised chaos. The streets are always bustling with activities, street hawkers with food carts selling pretzels and hot dogs and whatnot, usurers trying to sell tickets to the latest concerts and shows...it's...busy but beautiful."
Even as Powers lost himself into reminiscing, Raven hid a smirk as he latched onto the man's unconscious projection of nostalgia. Tugging slightly, he amplified this desire, before continuing. "Can you tell me more? I've only ever heard stories...I can barely remember a time before I was taken here."
"Well...there's just so much to say. I don't know much about the Isles, per say, but they say it's just like any American State. I imagine you were probably from a middle suburban home...do they have them in the Union?"
"I...wouldn't know," Raven admitted with faux shyness, causing Powers to grimace.
"Right...right…"
Before the conversation could die, he adopted a hopeful look, turning to Powers. "Can you tell me what a family is like? My teachers...they tell me about love, about how it's this wonderful thing...but I don't understand it? What is love?"
"Shit kid...this...I…" seeing Raven's pleading look, the man slumped down, missing the gleam in his eyes. "Family, well it consists of the bond between parents and children. The parents work together to provide and protect their children, and the children in turn learn and grow."
Unconsciously, Powers' thoughts drifted to his own family, allowing Raven to slip in a subtle legilimency probe, latching on and gleaming information on Powers' home life.
"You mean like Barbara and Charles?" he asked softly, easily moving back as the man struggled against the restraints, cursing at him.
"How do you know that? You won't do anything to them!"
"Really now? The agents of the union are everywhere, Francis," Raven lectured with false sympathy, rummaging through the memories he extracted. "Did you not notice the yellow beetle passing your house every day at six thirty in the morning, eight on weekends?"
He chuckled softly at Power's horrified look. "No? How about misses Erads, down the road. A nice lady, just a bit...inquisitive, no?"
"She…"
"Was an agent of the union. We've been observing you for months, Francis. How many people are qualified enough to fly a U-2, after all?"
"You won't do anything to them!"
"Of course, the Union doesn't have to," Raven shrugged, causing the man to become visibly confused. "Haven't you noticed, how close Barbara always was to Jeremy and Chuck? I suppose they would be eager to satisfy her needs."
"No! Barbara wouldn't do that!"
"Come, Francis," Raven tutted, "you do not believe your own words. I wonder what will happen to Charles, she always saw him as a disappointment. Without you, how long do you think until he is dumped at an orphanage?"
"No! No! No!" Powers had tears streaming down his face, slumped against the chair, defeated. Raven advanced, delicately patting the man on the cheek in an affectionate manner.
"I once knew a priest called Sergei, you know? In the camps. Sergei was a moral man. Sergei was a kind man. And Sergei was ripped to pieces and eaten alive by the starving prisoners," Raven reminisced, indulging in the horrified look of Powers. "I was hiding under a bed frame, watching the other prisoners fight over the meat on his body like dogs. Then they fought over the rags and the bones. They licked the blood off the ground. In an hour, you would never know Sergei existed. So you see, Francis, sometimes, you have to think about yourself, and those that you love first. Do you think America cares for you? Do you think that they'll continue to care for Barbara and Charles? Without you being useful...well, they're just a statistic, a liability even."
"Please...what do you want?"
"Tell the men what they want to know, Francis," Raven advised. Seeing the struggle on the man's face, he added, "Think of Barbara. Think of Charles."
"I'll...I'll talk, it'll keep them safe, right?"
"Of course," Raven smiled, lying through his teeth. The Union cared no more for this man's family than their use as leverage. They could die in a ditch for all Moscow cared. But Powers didn't need to know that. Nodding happily, he knocked twice on the door, which opened to reveal two guards, one carrying a large recording machine. The two nodded in acknowledgement, one he returned, before stepping outside, to be clapped on the shoulder by General White.
"Excellent work, not even Sparrow was able to break him. I'm impressed," the general commended, leading him through several grand corridors up to the officer's level. While surprised, Raven didn't show it, still three steps back and one to the right of White. "Your English hasn't gotten rusty either."
"No, sir."
"Perfect, you'll be accompanying me on a trip to London. We're supposed to attend a trade fair."
"A...trade fair, General?" Raven couldn't help but ask.
"Indeed, I was as taken aback as you were when the general secretary decided that I was to attend. It's a round of disarmament talks, nothing special, and most of the time will be spent in the hotel."
"Would my time not be...more productive continuing my training, general?" Raven inquired tentatively. The general frowned, opening his mouth, before closing it, shaking his head.
"A fair question, I suppose. An issue, you see, is that I am travelling to the magical section of Britain, visiting their school, Hogwasp or something. I've been authorised to bring two guests, and thus you'll be one of my two guards, alongside a guardian."
"What are your motives for this, sir?" Raven questioned. White, rather than appear offended, merely chuckled.
"I'm glad there are still people as direct as you, Raven. You will be well poised to exploit any opportunities. Given your youthful appearance, not many questions will be asked."
"As you say, sir," Raven agreed slightly dubiously.
-Break-
Raven and Orobus sat opposite each other in two rather luxurious couches that usually housed party officials. General White had disappeared off to the rear of the plane in the executive suite, leaving only the two in the main cabin. He felt the airplane vibrate slightly, and the intensity of the engines increased as they roared, slowly propelling the steel body forward down the runway.
There were several bumps and a false liftoff before the plane succeeded in taking off. The landing gear's retraction shook the plane slightly, but the plane eventually began to smoothen its journey.
"Raven," the guardian across prompted, causing him to quirk an eyebrow inquisitively. The woman, instead of the standard guardian uniform, merely wore a black jumpsuit that mirrored his own. Her piercing blue eyes scrutinised him as she tugged her blonde hair loose, allowing it to fall onto her shoulder. "Have you read the briefing?"
"Of course, ma'am," he replied crisply.
"Were there any problems?" she prompted after several seconds. Raven quirked an amused eyebrow.
"You mean apart from the war in Afghanistan, the increase in alcoholism or the decline in worker productivity?" he jibed. Orobus bit on her lip to suppress a laugh, though only half succeeded. "No, your plan was well written, though I would prefer we have more intel on Hogwarts. And, if I may be so bold, we don't need to be formal with each other, we're on the same side, afterall."
"Right," she nodded cheerfully, leaning forward. "Have you ever left the Union before?"
"I was from outside, actually. Surrey, an hour southwest of central London. Don't remember much about it though. You?"
"Born in the union, though I've accompanied White several times out of the union. New York, Paris, Vienna, Budapest, Helsinki...the General travels surprisingly much. But enough on that, we both are obviously curious, let's play twenty questions."
"Fair enough, you first."
"How chivalrous," she laughed, "very well, how did you get so powerful?"
"I took a double dose of the stage one power booster. The effects were exponential," Raven explained. Orobus looked shocked, staring at him in disbelief. "It was painful, but the effects are worth it."
"Did you…"
"I asked for it...demanded it really," Raven shrugged. "The general agreed, and the rest is history."
"I see...your turn, I suppose."
"What's it like being an elite?"
"Not much different from being another guardian," she chuckled. "Everyone assumes we're treated differently, but to be honest, we're just sent on the more sensitive missions. We do get our own training area and quarters though, if that matters to you. My turn, where was your induction?"
"Kolyma," Raven answered, in a tone that brokered no leeway for follow up. She sensed this, and merely nodded, gesturing for him to ask.
"How many Elites would you need to take me down?"
"Depends," she smiled teasingly, pouting when he merely quirked an unamused eyebrow. "In a fair fight, probably six to eight if they wanted to kill you, at least a dozen if they wanted a hope of capturing you. Most likely, a trap would be set, or some other external factor to reduce the need. Why do you ask?"
"Because the general expects me to be the best, nothing less. My turn again, it seems. What was your first mission?" she frowned, before letting out a frustrated 'ah' of realisation that it was indeed his turn.
"Assassinate one of Tito's advisors. Belgrade was a dreadful place, the people are all so plain and dull, same with the food. Security was top notch though, without magic I definitely would have been caught. Anything more is classified, I'm afraid."
"Fair enough, shoot."
"I hope you don't mean literally," she laughed teasingly. He merely rolled his eyes.
"You couldn't hit me if you tried, girl scout, though I'm sure I could empty my load in you."
"Pervert," she laughed at the double entendre, while he merely smiled indulgently. "Excited to get out of the fortress?"
"To be honest, I'd rather be back in training," Raven shrugged. "Something about this mission...feels off."
"I understand," she nodded commiseratingly, surprising him. Rolling her eyes, she tutted, "You're not the only one with a sixth sense, kid. But orders are orders. Besides, we've diplomatic immunity, the worst that can happen is we're sent back to the Union in disgrace."
"And the punishment you'll face for that will likely make you wish you defected," Raven shrugged dispassionately. Orobus seemed taken off guard with how casually he mentioned this, so he supplied, "I've been crucified, burned, boiled, whipped, electrocuted...after a while White really starts getting creative."
"Wow…White only had us whipped if we stepped too far out of line," Orobus mused, looking at him with newfound respect. "How do...how did you survive that?"
"Compared to Kolyma, it was hardly anything," Raven shrugged. "The first day I was there, I saw several people being eaten alive. I was five. After that...well, you just aren't impressed by much, I suppose."
"I...see...your question?"
"What's to stop me from defecting?"
"I...w…" she sputtered, looking at him strangely."It's a reasonable question? I want to know what countermeasures there are. Surely there are agents less loyal than us, that must mean that there must be some sort of mechanism to prevent this."
"Well...how would you even escape? The fortress is designed to keep you within as much as it's meant to keep enemies out. On missions, we always go at least in pairs if not more, and there'll be other security teams ready to intervene as well. Besides, you should know best, the Union has assets across the world, it would be nigh impossible to survive."
"That seems...lax," Raven mused. Orobus merely shrugged, her hair bobbing up and down slightly. "Has anyone ever defected successfully?"
"Not as far as I'm aware, you're not sent on missions unless your loyalty is certain."
"Fair enough. I suppose it doesn't matter, we're on the same side, after all." She smiled, nodding at this. That they could agree on.
-Break-
The two silently followed General White as he descended down the red carpet stairs, Orobus three paces behind and one pace right of the general as the senior guard, while Raven was one step behind and two steps to the left of her.
Raven ignored the annoyance he felt with the incessant flashes of cameras, even if it looked like White wasn't much happier, as he quickened his pace, startling the British dignitaries as he shot straight for the waiting transport. Raven quickened his pace, stepping to the car, completing a quick visual inspection and nodded to Orobus while holding open the door, his body covering much of the view. Orobus flashed him a smile 'well done' as the general entered the car, followed by Orobus. Looking around, he shut the car door firmly before taking the front seat.
The car moved almost immediately, following the convoy. Raven focused on his surroundings, idly appreciating the flashes of neon signs, the busy streets filled with cheerful teens out for Saturday night, gathering around the cinema entrance as they discussed which film to watch, or loitering in shops checking out merchandise way out their price bracket. Most of the buildings in London were short, no more than four stories high, much like Moscow, though they generally seemed less clean and orderly. Some might say they held personality, but Raven admitted he preferred the order and structure of Moscow's carefully planned and meticulously equal buildings.
They moved onto a motorway, and the cars accelerated, speeding along. The buildings passed by in a blur, until they slowed as the entered an exit ramp, descending back down to street level. The car stopped in front of an opulent hotel entrance. Raven opened the door, stepping out and doing a visual check of the vicinity, eyeing the rooftops for any silhouettes of potential snipers. Seeing none, he opened the back door, allowing Orobus to exit as she took over duty over White.
Proceeding inside while White remained outside to converse with several dignitaries, guarded by Orobus, he stepped up to the reception, who eyed him strangely given his age. "I'm with General White, key to his room as well as his guards' please."
"Of course," the receptionist agreed after Raven cocked his pistol at the man's doubt. Snatching the two keycards, he took the elevator up to the seventh floor, where the three rooms were side by side, and entered the middle one with a swipe of his keycard. The room was luxurious if slightly traditional, with a large office desk facing the window and a fancy desk chair, a queen sized bed with the sheets draped over in a fancy pattern, and a large bathroom that contained a massive bathtub and a fancy double faucet.
However, he wasn't interested in any of that, instead reaching out with his magical senses to try and find any hint of bugs, traps or explosives. He frowned, kneeling down beside the right bed table and opened the bottom drawer. Yanking it out forcefully, he ripped out a microphone from the backside and crushed it before dropping it in the bin.
He pulled open the sheets and swiped several surfaces with a silver ring, before nodding satisfied there weren't any security vulnerabilities. Stepping outside, he waited patiently for several minutes until the General arrived followed by Orobus. Swiping the card, he opened the door, allowing the man access, and handing White the card before closing it.
"Anything of interest?"
"One bug by the bedside, nothing more. Let's go to our room." The two moved to the room next door, and he swiped the keycard, allowing them access inside. It was an exact replica of White's room, down to the twin bed.
"Nervous about sleeping with a woman?" Orobus teased, causing Raven to roll his eyes. "Not interested?"
"How many guys have you been with?" Raven retorted. "I imagine that number would be zero."
"I…" she sputtered, lost for words as he patted her on the cheek. With a growl, she pounced on him, pinning his arms on top of hers as she ripped his suit open, revealing his genitals. "Many others would give an arm and a leg to be in your position."
Raven merely stared impassively at her with an unimpressed expression while she tried to stroke him to hardness, with growing success. "Your not so little brother seems to like me."
"You're a passably attractive female and I'm a hormonal young male, such a reaction is natural. It does reflect my opinion of you," he shrugged, causing her to frown. "I will not indulge in such activities willingly, though as my commanding officer I will not stop you either."
"A part of me feels I should be offended," Orobus purred, running a nail along his cheek and drawing blood. She collected several drops worth, bringing it up to her lips and licking her fingers clean, making sure to continue to hold a seductive gaze. "Here I am, perhaps the single most desirable individual you'll ever meet, and yet you refuse to give yourself to me?"
"My life belongs to the revolution. The only pleasure I will derive is from successfully upholding its tenants and living by its ideals," Raven replied monotonously, a flash of Kolyma returning to his mind hauntingly.
"Well as your superior officer, I order you to fuck me."
-Break-
"Was laying with me not enjoyable?" Orobus frowned at his dispassionate stare. "Even after several climaxes you still look at me with such...dispassion. And don't give me that drivel on revolution. I am as loyal as any patriot, yet I still derived much pleasure from yesterday."
"Are you aware of the Sigma theory on coupling?" he roused, causing her to look up in confusion. "It suggests that the first ejaculation inside a female creates a faint resonance between the female and the male. A...bond, if you will. Do you feel anything different?"
She sighed annoyedly, rolling off him and wiping the fluids off her body. "Not really. Must you be so...ugh...dour? I just gave you my virginity, and all you can do is lecture me on some archaic theory?"
"What would you have me do? Lavish you with praise? Compliment you with platitudes? Shower you with affection?" She blushed, indicating to him that she very much expected such things. "You could order me to, and I would obey."
"But then it wouldn't be real," she yelled in frustration.
"And was it any different from your orders yesterday?" Raven shrugged. Orobus paused, shifting with slight guilt before it was quashed by a visage of anger.
"You truly find me that disgusting?"
"It was not unenjoyable." Raven sighed, rolling off the bed and walking into the bathroom, running the taps to the bathtub. He forced down a sigh when he felt her footsteps follow, Orobus clearly not finished with the conversation.
"Look...Raven...I…"
"What's done is done. I will follow your orders, as General White has instructed. You need not worry about whether this will compromise my integrity for the mission. If you wish for me to assuage your guilt, then either order me to do so, or find your own method. I tire of this." Not looking back, he entered the bathtub, and began methodically scrubbing off himself, idly hearing Orobus' footsteps walking back to the main room.
When he finished, he drained the bathtub of water, drying himself with one of the towels and walking back into the main room, ignoring Orobus' squirming while looking up at him every few moments only to quickly look away. Opening his suitcase, he retrieved a second bodysuit and entered it methodically.
"Look Raven...I truly thought...I'm sorry…" Raven bit down a sigh at the words. 'Sorry' had never fixed anything. It was such a hollow concept, one he found little sympathy for. Yet sensing an opportunity, he turned to look at her, not unkindly. "If...if there's anything I can...just let me know."
"A favour?" he asked for clarification. She nodded eagerly, and he bit down an excited smile, nodding dispassionately. "I accept, ma'am. I'll take the first shift, you look like you could use some time to prepare."
She rose to protest, before thinking about it and nodding in thanks. Grabbing his kit, he strapped his utility belt on, adorned his cloak to conceal his various weapons, and strode out, standing to attention outside the general's door.
He heard the sound of movement in the room, and waited patiently until the man emerged from the room wearing a suit and tie. He frowned at the sight of Raven, clearly a demand for an explanation.
"Orobus is feeling slightly unwell, I offered to take the first shift."
"Very well, let us head to breakfast then. For all their flaws, the capitalists do know how to host a proper banquet." Obediently, Raven followed the man as they headed towards the elevators.
-Break-
"Any trouble?" Orobus questioned as the two sat at an adjacent table to General White, who was being entertained by a bevy of officials from America, Britain and France. They laughed boisterously, pouring yet another round of drinks. Despite his distaste towards the loud blasting music of the club,
"None yet, hotel security and local law enforcement secured the building sufficiently," Raven answered. "I'm curious as to why White requested you to join."
"Not sure," Orobus shrugged daintily, grimacing as several floozies walked up to the officials. Raven frowned, feeling a tingling sense of warning he tried to place. "Take point, something's up."
"I…" seeing his serious look, she nodded, "I trust you. What's the plan?"
She chuckled at his surprised look. "I've seen your training records."
"Take White back to the hotel...shit, gas, take a sniff," he instructed. Orobusg frowned in concentrating, taking a deep breath.
"Fuck, you're right. Something's off."
"Secure White, I'll get the car round front in five."
"Got it," she nodded. Gracefully, she stood up, sauntering over to Genral White's side and whispering into his ear while Raven quickly left the club through a back entrance, heading towards the garage, only to pause when seeing several armed men patrolling the area while two mechanics tinkered underneath the cars.
"Hurry up, we don't have much time," one of the men urged, fiddling with his assault rifle nervously. Raven cursed, deciding to bide his time as he slowly snuck deeper into the garage, using the cars as cover.
"The room is soundproofed, and the general isn't going to leave with those floozies distracting him," another guard dismissed, laughing. Seeing the foot of a guard about to round the corner and catch him, he crouched, waiting just before the guard passed and grabbed him, slitting the man's throat and holding a palm over his mouth to cover the sounds of choking.
Keeping his ears peeled, he slowly slid the body underneath one of the cars, before continuing to move deeper into the garage. Grabbing two knives out of his belt, he hurled them towards two of the guards, causing them to collapse on the floor spasming and dropping their weapons.
"Shit!" another guard cursed, and Raven ran forward across the remaining distance, tackling the man and puncturing his eyes with two fingers, holding it until the man's struggles ceased. Turning, he saw the two mechanics eyeing him fearfully, with hands raised.
"Which one of the cars isn't sabotaged yet?" he asked as he stalked towards the two downed guards and yanked his blades out, drying the blood off one of their clothes. The motion had the intended effect, eliciting a whimper out of the two men.
"T-t-the one in the front."
"Keys," he ordered, and the man tossed him a chain. "Thank you."
As the two mechanics slumped in relief, he threw his two knives, striking both in the head and killing them instantly. Rolling his eyes, he quickly yanked them out, ignoring the spray of grey matter as he did so, and unlocked the garage door before entering the drivers' seat, revving the engine and speeding out to the front of the club.
And just in time, as Orobus escorted a clearly drunk and annoyed General White out, almost throwing him in the back seat. "You drive, I haven't undergone advanced training yet."
"Got it," she agreed, and he took the front seat while she entered the driver's seat and stepped on the gas pedal. "Sitrep."
"Saboteurs for cars, several armed guards with high caliber weapons. Likely a contingency in case explosion didn't-" Several blocks back, a loud explosion and a bright flash erupted, causing the general to giggle.
"Fireworks, so pretty."
"How poisoned did the general get?"
"Shit...I just thought he was drunk," Orobus admitted balefully. Raven refrained from rolling his eyes, but it was a close one. They stopped at the front of the hotel. Raven eyed the surroundings quickly, sensing no immediate threat, and gestured for Orobus to follow. She tossed the keys to the valet, opening the door for General White, only for a sniper shot to ping off the car. "Fuck!"
Raven slammed the door to General White shut, barking, "Get back in the car, rendezvous point bravo. I'll deal with our assailant."
"Got it," she agreed, leaping back into the driver's seat and stepping on the gas pedal, causing the car to zip off. Ignoring the confused valet, Raven ducked through traffic, smashing through the office building's entrance and storming up the stairs several steps at a time, double timing towards the roof of the building where the sniper shot had come from.
As he neared the top, he pulled out his blades and slowed his advance to be more cautious. He heard the sound of hasty packing faintly behind a room and snuck up to the door, before ramming it open, his blade open.
The sniper was caught completely off guard, only managing to turn, his hand reaching down for a pistol, before Raven's knife lodged itself into the man's shoulder. Quickl advancing, he rammed the blade deeper into the man's shoulder, causing the sniper to let out a cry, crumpling to the floor. Removing the man's weapons, he demanded, "Who sent you?"
"I'll never talk, Ruskie!" the man ground out. Raven sighed, yanking the blade and causing th man to scream in agony as blood oozed out of the wound.
"You'll find," Raven tied the man's hands and legs with a piece of rope from his utility belt, "that I can be very persuasive."
Using a legilimency strike, he invaded the man's mind, only to be repelled violently as the man let out a laugh. "So you are a magical! You know, the boss would likely appreciate a worker like you, kid."
Growling, Raven prickde the man's arm with his blade, beginning to slice upwards and slowly peel the skin as the man let out a whimper. "Seeing as you are magical, your body can survive far more abuse. Admittedly, I've not had the opportunity to truly test out my torture methods. Perhaps you'll help me?"
Raven smiled malevolently, a glearm in his eyes as he continued peeling the man like an orange, ignoring the curses, threats and pleas. After thirty minutes, the man was barely alive, having magic pumped into him by Raven thrice already, and made for a gruesome sight, bleeding out all over and internal organs revealed in various parts.
"Ahh! Setako!" he ground out, causing Raven to stop his motion peeling the skin off the man's left testicle. "I work for Setako, okay?"
"Where can i find this...Setako?"
"You don't find him, he finds you. Fifty big ones, for a simple job or so he said. It was a no brainer! Shit, I don't know anything more!" Raven commited a legilimency strike, ravaging through the man's mind without care for what permanent damage he would cause, confirming the truth and quickly left before the mind could implode in self-destruction under the strain it had faced trying to shield the sniper from the pain.
Sighing, Raven looked down at his blades and cursed. They were now slightly dull, and would need to be sharpened. He had left his favourite knife sharpener back in the fortress. With a sigh, he cast a flame spell, burning all the evidence of the man and his equipment until only ashes remained. Even then, he was unsatisfied, using a wind spell to propel it away, before humming, sated.
Author Note:
Welcome back for another chapter! And my first review on this story, courtesy of snowbot! Two missions packaged in for the price of one! Before y'all come at me for the U-2 incident reference, yes I know its history, no I am not sorry for twisting the events to fit this story, yes I believe more people should learn about it and the Cold War in general. To address a more delicate topic, yes Orobus' actiosn towards Raven are unacceptable by most modern societal standards. No I do not endorse such behavior. Because Orobus will likely remain a minor character, let me explain her rationale: she starts off impressed by Raven for defying the impossible in the demonstration seen in the previous chapter. Then she converses with him and finds that he is less stuck up than many other agents. The flirting, along with her inexperience and sexual repression, causes her to mistakenly believe that he wants this. It's only afterwards that she realises that wasn't the case. Orobus didn't act malevolently, but through a series of miscommnication and lack of awareness raped Raven. I include such a point in the story not out of some personal desire, and my hesitance in that section should allude to the difficulty I had typing the words, yet to match the tone of the story and remain authentic, I'm trusting you to understand why I did it. With that out of the way, as always, favourite, follow and leave a comment, even if just to say hi. Until next time, toodles!