Ultraviolet
Chapter 9
Puppets Controlling Puppets
Mirage stood up, heels tapping against the floor as she sauntered towards Violet. The weary but stern glare of Violet was met with a nonchalant gaze from Mirage.
"So you were behind this all along," Violet said through gritted teeth.
"Unexpected? You seemed quite mad after watching your father and I together… Surely you'll want revenge," She sneered, very unlike the demure Mirage that was Violet's initial impression of her back on Nomanisan. "What was that part, about you swearing to kill me?" Behind her, hidden speakers converted her voice to the booming one Violet was familiar with. There was no doubt that Mirage was indeed behind this scheme. Pulling a minuscule microphone from her halter dress, she tossed it aside to some dark corner of the room.
A thousand questions formed up in Violet's mind; each of them seemed more important than the last. In addition, deep inside her was the accumulating rage, like a fire, and Mirage was constantly stoking it, until it goes out of control and engulfs them both.
"Why are you doing this to me?" Violet cried out, venting her growing anger on Mirage.
"Unfortunately, girl, I have no time for questions. You have one last chance. Join us, or I'll be forced to kill you."
"You've done enough to try to kill me, yet here I am," Violet muttered in a low voice. "You really shouldn't have done all that. I'm much stronger than before, after all the training you gave me. What are you going to do, call up your army? If you want to, take on me by yourself, Mirage."
"Oh, I'm more than a match for you, trust me." Bending down, she pulled out her high heels, tossing them aside.
She's really going to fight me… in that… Violet thought, glancing at the skirt she was wearing. Well, at least she took off the heels…
"You really shouldn't have put me through all that," Violet warned, unsure of what to expect from the seemingly weak Mirage. "What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger. I'm much more powerful than when I was brought here."
"So the training was effective," Mirage said almost distractedly, giving a bemused smile. "We're making you worthy to become part of our team." Noticing Violet's blank expression, Mirage continued. "The Specialists, elite Supers. You should be honoured that they want you on the team."
"And just how are you related to them?" Violet questioned, hoping that at least one of her queries was answered.
"None of your business, Violet," she replied, taking a couple of steps forward. Then, taking Violet by surprise, her heel shot up, striking Violet in the chest. The blow sent her stumbling back, causing her to lose her balance in the process and falling down on her side. A sharp pain shot up her right ankle as her entire body weight fell upon it.
Violet nursed her hurting ankle for a moment, determined to endure through the pain. She picked herself up, looking around before realising that Mirage was gone. "Where'd you go, you coward?" Violet taunted in frustration, "Invisibility is my forte, not yours."
"Well, I'm not exactly invisible," her voice echoing around Violet. "It's just that mirages can make you perceive the world… differently." As she said that, she noticed a shadow move to her right, near to the desk where Mirage was first seated. Without hesitation, she aimed a high kick straight towards where Mirage's head should be.
There was a massive crash as Violet's leg slammed full force into a swivel chair. Her momentum carried her through, sending her to the floor again. As she looked, the faint image of Mirage faded, it was merely an illusion.
Violet got up again, feeling stupid for falling to the same trick which she had been warned of. She hobbled forward for a few steps, carefully treading when using her injured ankle. She strained her ears for the slightest sound, or any indicator on Mirage's position. The still air would have made it easier for her to hear movements. Noticing another room, connected to this one by a tiny archway, Violet took cautious steps towards it.
"When I find you, Mirage…"
"You're not looking hard enough." The interruption came from behind, followed by Mirage's hands pushing Violet into a sort of lounge-like room, complete with sofa and coffee-making machine. As soon as Violet recovered, she spun around to find Mirage gone.
This lounge was smaller than the control room before; in fact it seemed rather cramped. Any one of the things around her could be Mirage in disguise. Scanning her eyes around the room, her eyes fell on a row of potted plants around the entrance, leaves swaying slightly.
In a breezeless room? Nice try, Mirage, Violet thought with a sneer. She pretended to investigate the sofa nearest to the 'plants', her back turned against the illusion. Pausing, she bent down, her eyes glancing back shiftily to estimate Mirage's position.
There was a cry of pain from behind as Violet's leg swept across at waist level; Mirage had doubled over, clutching her stomach. In an instant, Violet was over Mirage, one knee over her struggling arm. Grabbing her other flailing arm with her hands, she twisted Mirage's palm inward while exerting pressure on her elbow, a trick she had learnt in unarmed combat lessons.
"Stop it, or I'll break your arm," Violet warned, menace littered all over her threat. Gradually the struggling slowed, with an occasional attempt to shake off Violet. Violet pushed harder, relishing the soft scream issuing from Mirage's mouth, until the struggling ceased.
"What… do you want," Mirage breathed, as Violet softened her grip on Mirage.
"I could be asking you the same question. What do you want with me, asking me to join your stupid team?" Violet raised her voice slightly, temper starting to flare up.
"Your powers are… shall I say… a worthy addition to our team."
"And what do you intend to do once I've joined your little team?"
"A war… pitting supers against supers…"
"So what does Syndrome have to do with this? Is he behind everything?" Violet demanded, eager to find out the truth once and for all.
"For the last time, Syndrome has been missing since… well… when he…" Mirage's voice trailed off.
Without pressing further, Violet pulled Mirage off the floor, keeping Mirage's arm in a hammerlock. "Last two tasks before I send you to jail, Mirage. Aren't you excited?" Violet jeered with contempt, pushing her out towards the control room outside. "First, let my family go. Second, get us out of this rotting place you call a 'base'."
"Yes, Violet," Mirage replied, her voice full of servility. She walked at snails pace to the main control area, followed closely by Violet. "If you don't mind, I need both hands to operate this."
Violet released her hold on Mirage's arms, watching her every movement as she fingered her wrist to regain some blood circulation. Her fingers hovered over the touch pad, ignoring a flashing, red 'Urgent' message on her rightmost screen.
"Well, go on," Violet urged, mildly enjoying lording over Mirage.
"Actually," Mirage paused with a sigh, "I'll rather do… this!"
Violet hadn't ruled out this cheap trick. The force field was an inch from her face as Mirage's fist smashed into the barrier. Letting down the force field, Violet thrust her knee forward, forcing Mirage down to her knees while pressing Mirage's face down against the controls. On the main screen, tiny details like room temperature and soldier's rations were fast being modified as Violet held down Mirage's arms over her own head. Mirage, squirming in the uncomfortable position, tried futilely to squirm her way from Violet's grip.
With her left hand, she reached over and tapped on the touch pad Mirage had her hands over. Instead of bringing up any information on her parents, the 'Urgent' message played out on its screen. It was a security report, made hastily by a soldier reporting a breach in the prison block, before fast hands knocked him out cold, rendering the screen blank. Gazing at the screen, Violet learned that it happened about ten minutes ago, long after her brief tussle with Mirage. The message was of no significance to her, unless...
Twin doors, initially obscured by the darkness, burst open to her left. Silhouetted by the light beyond those doors were the very people Violet was trying to save. "Mom! Dash! Jack-Jack! Dad…" Violet's voice softened as she called out for her father. Reassured by their appearance, she tightened her hold on Mirage, sending a new wave of resistance through the captured woman.
"Violet, no!" Her father shouted out, rushing forward while beckoning for the family to follow. "Let her go now!"
"Well, that's what you'll want, I suppose, so that you two can continue your… your affair!" She blurted out, turning to face her parents. Her mother turned, first to her husband, then to Violet, mouth wide open in disbelieve. Etched in the back of her mind, Violet could imagine her parents gazing at the red flares in her eyes…
There was a surge of power through Violet as she cast a large force field, covering the control panel area, blocking off her parents. She continued to stare at them as the family reached the edge of the force field, calling for her to let them in. Their persistent pounding did nothing to change her actions. From the corner of her eyes, she could see Dash, standing a little way apart from their father, slowly processing what he had heard for the past minute. Meanwhile, Jack-Jack was playing with his mother's hair, oblivious to the tension permeating the entire room.
"Listen to us for now, Vi, and let Mirage go. I'm sure we can work this out…" Her mother's muffled plea sent another wave of emotion through Violet.
"Mom! Dad's been having an affair with this woman and you want me to let her go?" Her lips trembled as she felt tears roll down her cheeks.
"I'm sure we can settle our domestic matters at home," she said to placate Violet, eyeing Mr Incredible before continuing. "I can understand what…"
Violet cut her off before she could finish. "Understand what I'm going through? You'll never understand what I had to do…"
By now, tears were flowing freely down Violet's face, accompanied by an occasional sob. Reaching out with her hands, she brushed off the tears gathering in her eyes. The inert alarm in her mind was jarring in her head; something was amiss, but she couldn't care less.
Mirage pushed Violet off her, given the much-needed freedom. Scrambling to her feet, grinning like a maniac, she raised her hands defensively. "Sorry, girl, but I intend to leave this place alive." Pausing for dramatic effect, she whispered, "You're in the way."
Even as she said that, another Mirage shimmered beside herself, materialising and running up to the edge of the force field, silently imploring Mr Incredible to save her. Behind the force field, Violet could see her father mouthing, "I'm trying my best, hang on for a moment…"
Violet didn't even realise it when her heel sent Mirage reeling into controls. Her hands gripped Mirage's silvery-white hair, lifting her head clean off the table surface before smashing it down, followed closely by an elbow to the side of her head. Mirage's arms hung limp; her body slumped to the floor, as she lay motionless, dead, or merely unconscious. Violet ignored it, releasing the force field around the controls as footsteps thundered around her. The faint illusion of Mirage faded as Mr Incredible passed through it.
Violet stood, expressionless, as her family came up to her. As shocking as it was expected, Mr Incredible bent over the fallen body of Mirage, checking for any signs of life from her body. Violet was immune to that by now. Her expression, or lack of expression, remained as her mother tugged at her father's suit. Mr Incredible looked up, mouthing the words 'She's alive', before realising Violet was looking and scrambling to his feet hurriedly. Violet vaguely felt it as Elastigirl's arms stretched forward, pulling the whole family together in a family hug.
As soon as they had embraced for a fleeting moment, Violet pulled away, muttering audibly, "Get away from me."
"What's wrong, Violet? Something you want to share with us?" Her mother asked in concern.
"I thought you understood how I felt, Mom," Violet mocked, staring in the opposite direction. "Don't you know that I need to be alone for a while?"
Her mother stood, shocked, as though her daughter had slapped her. She was halfway about to dare her to say it again, before she caught herself.
"Aww, that's so unlike little, obedient Violet." The voice… she had long forgotten what it sounded like, her only companion through this journey, yet her sole enemy along the way too.
"Aren't you just, like, Mirage's voice, modified?" Violet answered, all too used to this. Meanwhile, the rest of her family looked around, searching for the source of the voice.
"On the contrary, I'm real… and alive."
Violet felt something on her leg. Glancing down, she saw Dash nudging her, fear apparent in his eyes. Fingers shaking, Dash pointed at the main screen of the control panel, holding his breath while waiting for Violet to turn.
Violet stepped towards the screen, barely making out the details in the image before her. It was evidently a very dark room, like some kind of corporate office at night. Seated was a man, exuding an evil aura Violet thought was only possible in comic books or cartoons. Behind him were four other people, which Violet reckoned were 'the Specialists' Mirage had referred to.
"So how did you like the introduction programme we prepared for you? Exciting? Can't wait to join our team?"
"Far from it. You'll have to think of something better before I join your miserable group of losers."
'Reduced to insulting us, now," the man sneered. "Trust me, Mrs Parr, she didn't use to be like this. Perhaps it was some… negative influence…"
As he stopped, the security screen on the right faded, replaced with a bird's eye view of Violet's earlier action. Violet hung her head low as everyone else, with the exception of Jack-Jack, focused on that screen.
Before long, Violet couldn't resist not looking. Lifting her head, she saw herself close up.
"You'll do what? Kill me?"
"Yes… I will…. I swear I will!"
The screen next focused on her in a different scene, before she faced the four robots.
"I will defeat you if I have to."
The video clip moved on, highlighting certain words or lines, but never showing what was happening.
"…It just saved me the time to destroy it myself…"
"Where'd you go, you coward?"
"Stop it, or I'll break your arm."
Each of the lines was accompanied with the murderous look in Violet's face when she said those words. Violet turned back to look at her parents, as though daring them to ask her if she had really said those words.
"You see, Mr and Mrs Parr, if your opinion of your daughter had changed because of this… educational video, we'll be glad to take her in, teach her some new skills…"
"You're not doing anything to my daughter!" Elastigirl burst out in fury, elongated hands reaching for the screen, attempting to pull it out of the socket.
"Just leave her alone, you son of a…" Mr Incredible shouted at the same time as his wife. Together, they seemed to have silenced the taunting voice behind the screen.
"Mom, Dad… Please… stop." The soft voice of Violet pierced the silence, instantly grabbing the attention of her parents. Elastigirl released her hold on the screen and Mr Incredible stopped his utterance of profanity in time.
"Yes, thank you, dear Violet. I can see where you get the temper, though." Chuckling, the man continued, "I guess we'll have to use that old back-up. What do you think, guys?" He had posed the question to the Specialists beside him, but none of them moved. "Alright, Incredibles. I'll set you a deal. You're free to go. My soldiers will clear a path for you, you'll have private transportation back to the mainland."
"And in return?" Violet asked, seemingly the only person who dared to speak to him normally.
"No strings attached… OK, maybe just one. Visit Mirage in jail, Violet. Alone. And Mr Incredible, trust that you can have Mirage back after her sentence… Only joking, Violet… Stop glaring at me… I can't guarantee anything though…" At the sound of her name, Mirage started to stir.
"Why get Mirage involved in this?" Mr Incredible asked, before catching Violet's eye and turning away, embarrassed.
To his surprise, Violet turned back to the screen. "Answer," she commanded.
"She was the only one who could stir up enough emotions to… unleash… your hidden potential and righteous fury. It took a whole lot to convince her, especially with the neural implant and stuff."
"Puppets… controlling… puppets," Mirage managed to mutter before she lost consciousness again.
"Yes, interesting analogy, Mirage. We gave her the chance to control you…" The voice trailed off, as though expecting Violet to continue.
"…And in turn you controlled her. Through this neural implant thing." Things were starting to sink in. It was cruel… evil… maybe even inhumane… to force Mirage through all that just to get at Violet. These guys were the ultimate masterminds behind the whole plot… Bloodhound, the kidnapping… It also explained Mirage's weird behaviour, especially whenever she referred to herself as 'we'.
"I guess we'll see you around, Vi. Any last words, 'I'll miss you' messages?" The laugh that followed stretched on for several seconds before the transmission ceased. Behind her, Violet knew that the entire family was staring at her.
"Don't… ask me anything for now," Violet requested softly, and without looking back, led the way to the newly opened exit.
The parts that happened next were pretty fuzzy in Violet's memory. All she remembered was a submarine on autopilot, their car waiting for them on the mainland, the short drive back home, her storming past the wrecked living room, up the stairs and into her room, locking herself up and dropping straight into bed, covers pulled up. All this while, the rest of the family watched solemnly, including Jack-Jack, as they saw Violet for the last time in several weeks to come.
The Incredibles may have returned safe and unharmed, but they won't consider it as a victory. In fact, they had suffered one of their biggest losses ever.
Trivia: Chapters eight, nine and ten was labelled the 'Big Three' by me, as each chapter took up more than three thousand words each, which was about half the story then, or a quarter of the main story now.
The ending was a build-up to chapter 10, or Violet's solitary confinement. In a way, it represented my personal retreat of three months, to reconsider the story. Read on to find out Violet's change after her long rest.