Authors Note: Wow, it's been quite a while hasn't it? Thank everyone for waiting and hopefully note just jumping ship. Sometimes writing can be hard for me, but when the need hits. Well I hope you all know that the story is far from dead and I have every intention of finishing it. Six more chapters to go plus an epilogue. Stick around ^_^
It had been hours since the last person got out of the train car which housed the now sleeping runaway. Anna was curled up as small as she could in a seat in the back, her stolen coat and hoodie, both oversized, and pulled tightly around herself, the hood pulled low over her freckled face. It had been almost a week since her, almost literal, flight from the CIA and this looked to be her first proper sleep since. The train was warm and rocked in a comforting way that made her feel safe, and rain pattering against the windows was as soothing as a lullaby.
A chill took the air and she groan as she shifted in her seat, desperate to ignore the Entity that, if she wasn't mistaken, was currently freezing her water. "Elsa" the redheads voice was thick with sleep "please, we have been running all day. Just let me sleep." She could feel the inky tendrils of sleep slowly dragging her back down when the train shuddered to a halt. "Now what?" Anna ground out, flipping her hood up out of her eyes.
Two officers were making their way down the aisle, checking for passengers as they went. The pair of them seemed tense, their hands hovering other their pistols. Panic gripped her, scrambling to her feet and into the aisle. "Hey!" one of them called spurring Anna into a near run as their heavy footfalls echoed after her. Ice spread out from below her feet. "Not now, not now" she groaned "Keep it together Elsa. No slip ups, not now". Her heart was hammering loudly in her chest. Loud, but not loud enough to cancel out the startled cry of one of the officers who had slipped on the now rapidly spreading ice.
"Conceal it" she ground out as the sliding door of the car she had just fled froze behind her "Don't feel it." One of the officers threw himself against the door, the cracking of ice caused Anna to job and she took off down the aisle of the new car. Her rapid footsteps were sure and steady as she ran across the ice. He eyes widen as a man in a thick coat bars her way. The commotion must have reached the far cars. "Move!" she snaps, suddenly feeling bitter "Step aside, this doesn't concern you!" the man stood firm, head held high. A shattering sounded behind her and she knew she was running out of time, they had made it through her ice. "Please" she pleads and she began to take steady steps back. With no response, the redheaded fugitive was out of time. "Sorry" she whispered and she bolted forwards, tackling the man to the ground before scrambling off of him and down the hall.
"On the ground!" a deep voice echoes out from behind "Everybody on the ground!" The words had barely left his mouth when the shooting began, bullets ricocheting off of the sides of the car. "Jesus!" Anna gasped as she ducked into a washroom, slamming the lock home. "Get this door down! She aint getting past us again."
"Shit" she pressed herself against the back wall. "Shit, shit, shit!" Her breathing came in short panicked pants as her eyes darted about. No window, no chance of safely making it out the door, her only chance of freedom lay above her. An air vent hummed away above her head. Slowly, Anna raised her shaking hands, feeling the ice slowly building up before it exploded upwards, knocking the vent, and a good chunk of the ceiling off and tumbling into the night. She barely managed to pull herself up before the door burst open and she was running again.
The rain that had been pelting the train was gone, replaced instead with swirling snow, so thick Anna could barely see the edges of the train. But she didn't have to be able to see the edge, she told herself as she ran, as long as she could see the steel in front of her feet she would make it.
"Freeze!" Anna almost snorted at the man's unintended, and entirely unaware, pun. Would have laughed if it weren't for the three other officers scrambling their way out of the hole in the roof and up into the storm that was steadily picking up in intensity.
The first few bullets bounced harmlessly off of the ice wall that shot up in front of her, giving her a chance to turn and run, but the officers were nothing if not persistent. "Got her!" one cried, tackling her down. Instinct took hold, and her elbow flew back into the man's ribs with a crack, sending him tumbling over and over, until with a scream of horror he vanished off of the side of the train, swallowed by the night. Seeing the fate of their comrade gave them pause as Anna scrambled to her feet. "Stay back!" she shouted over the howling of the wind, backing towards the edge "I just want to leave, I don't want to have to hurt anyone else!"
Before they could even try to respond or retaliate, Anna flung herself from the edge of the train and down into the woods below. The only thing that stopped her from becoming a pile of shattered limbs upon the forest floor, was the hastily constructed shield of ice that surrounded her as she neared the trees. Tree branches snapped and shattered as she crashed to the forest floor, the protective ice crumbling to dust as she tumbled down the rocky hill and came to rest against the trunk of a vast sycamore. As she lay there, curled against the tree, she tried to collect herself and calm the storm that her panic had called into being. The winds died down and the falling snow slowed to a stop as the sound of the train faded into a distant memory, yet still Anna lay by the tree.
A light frost crawled over her shoulder, like a comforting hand on her back, melting and growing again in a circular pattern. Finally, Anna allowed herself a small smile as she pulled herself to her feet, gripping the bark of the tree for support "Thanks, Elsa" she whispered "I really need to start listening to you… sorry" a pained look crossed her face "That man didn't have to die. But dwelling on it won't help, I know." With a grunt, she pushed herself away from the tree and began to trudge through the snow that yet to begin its melt.
"It's quiet out here" she pulled her sweater closer around herself as she glanced about nervously "I mean, we're in the middle of a forest. Shouldn't there be owls or wolves or… anything?" she nodded to herself "So why is it so quiet?"
Blinding light filtered through trees, followed another, and then another. "Shit" Anna breathed as she took off through the tree once more. With all of the shouting and the stray shots, it was all Anna could do to keep the ice reined in. All of the panic and fear roiling in her mind were hammering away at her years of training in control. She had lost it on the train, she couldn't afford to lose it again.
The trees thinned out, giving way to a beach of pebbles and a rushing river. On a good day, she may have been able to make the crossing, that being if she were stronger. The runaway hadn't had a proper meal since her mission and already she could feel exhaustion winning over the adrenaline in her veins. Anna could hear the shouting growing steadily closer and her decision was made for her. "Don't let me down, Elsa" she closed her eyes tightly and began running towards the river. Only when she heard her boots hitting solid ice did she open her eyes. Where ever her feet touched, ice bloomed out in Elsa's signature snowflake, taming the rapids and freezing them solid.
Anna stood on the opposite shore and glared at the ice she had made. Sure, it had given her a bridge to possible freedom, but she realized her foolishness when the ice would not melt to her will. If the bridge remained, her pursuers would catch up with her with ease. She ground her teeth together as a plan fell into her mind and she made her ways back into the trees to wait.
The first officers seemed scared by the ice, and rightly so, it was late summer and by all logic the ice was impossible. But soon enough one was brave enough to step out onto it. The poor soul only made it five feet, a few other trailing behind, before the ice began to crack and shatter. Most of them managed to make it back to shore but the few unlucky enough to have made it further across were swept away by the now free water. "Regroup! Back to the van!" others took up the call and they made their way back into the trees.
Her breath came in raspy pants as she continued her trek. "Three to the river" she shook her head "But it scared them off… Maybe they'll be smart enough the leave now" she knew she was hoping against hope but what else did she have left. Once again the forest was peaceful, she almost forgot she was being hunted. She would have loved to have forgotten, but they were making it difficult for her.
The snapping of a twig caused her to spin around as two dogs snarled their way through the underbrush. "Dogs now?" she backed up slowly "Why did they have to send dogs now? How the hell did they get here so fast?" Anna pulled up a shield of ice as fast as she could but the dogs were faster, dodging around it to lunge at her. A quick burst of ice dealt with one, striking its chest and sending it yelping into the woods, but not before the second one latched itself onto her leg. She cried out as she fell to the ground, kicking wildly at the beasts head to shake it off. Failing at that, Anna allowed ice to coat her fist and arm and swung, striking the dog hard across the head. She winced in sympathy when she heard the crack of the poor things jaw as it was forced to let go, the force of the blow sending it tumbling trough the dirt.
Avoiding looking at the dog, Anna began to limp her way through the woods. The trees thinned out once more and through their branches she could see the highway. Freedom lay along that road, she knew it, but nothing could be that easy. Just down the road was a small road block of two cruisers and a motorbike. Eyeing the bike greedily, Anna moved through the trees towards the block. A two minute distraction, which was all she needed. With practiced precision, Anna allowed Elsa to channel the ice through the finger into a small needle that shot deep into the front tire of the far cruiser, causing it to pop with a loud bang. "Jesus!" one of the cops cried out in alarm "What the hell was that!?" The other two hurried over to him "Everything alright, Charlie?" "Yeah, but the damn tire blew" "How in the hell did that happen?"
As the three back water cops continued to bicker about the logistics of a self-popping tire, Anna broke from the tree line and made a mad dash for the motorcycle. Her leg throbbed painfully, but she suffered through it as she climbed atop and turned the key. "Hey!" one of them called but she was already blazing down the highway. Even through the terror of her situation, Anna couldn't help the exhilarated whoop of excitement that slipped from her lips, it had been far too long since she had the chance to ride.
But her excitement was short lived when the bridge that crossed the river into view. Several armored SWAT vans blocked her path along with a good twenty armed SWAT members, their rifles aimed in her direction. In their center stood a large man with a long pointed nose and a wolfish grin, his yellowed eyes gleamed even with the flood lights. "End of the Line!" he bellowed as Anna skidded to a stop "Hold steady." Anna took a gulping breath as she revved the engine "We don't have any other choice, Elsa, we have to go straight through." Another rev "Cover me, Els!" Tires squealed as the bike launched forward towards the centre of the blockage. Walls of ice shot up to shield the redhead from the barrage of bullets, before pressing forward to violently push all obstacles from her path, be they man of machine. She looked back long enough to see them scrambling to their feet before speeding off.
"This is Rainault, we missed her. I repeat, we missed her. She's making way to New Nottingham"
Anna rode into the small town that bordered along the forest. She had allowed a feeling of ease to settle over her as she rode along, and that would prove to be her folly as a bullet from a rooftop sniper tore through the front tire, sending the small woman crashing to the ground as the bike flipped, throwing her off. She let out a shriek of pain as her already injured leg collided with the asphalt as she tumbled. "Damn it" she gasped, clutching leg. Black spots filled her vision as she struggled to her feet, blooming back with every step she took. Another shot near her head sent her lunging for cover behind a car. "This is Officer Rainault! We have you surrounded! Come out with your hands up!" the yellow eyed man spoke through a megaphone to be heard over the sound of the helicopters that now circled above the street. "Damn it, damn it, damn it!" she chanted quietly. "There can't be just one of them. There has to be more. We can't go back Elsa. It can't end here. Get us out, Elsa."
Anna wanted to be free, and Elsa would free her. She drifted up slowly as the air began to get colder and colder.
She started with the sniper that had caused Anna to crash. Anna, her Anna, had been hurt because of this man. His hands and arms froze over, and his cries silenced by the freezing of his tongue. With careful aim, Elsa moved the man's frozen fingers to pull the trigger. She only managed to take down two before the sniper was spotted and shot down from his perch.
The next two she froze solid, passing through their hearts. She could hear the panic settling in as she moved from victim to victim. She froze over the wheels of one of the vans and sent it hurtling into a gas station, the resulting explosion sent the men scattering for cover. Her chaos gave Anna the cover that she needed to find shelter as she called Elsa back.
"I can't get the door open, Elsa. Break the lock, hurry!" Anna pleaded with her as she desperately tried to get the door open. It was an easy enough feat to shatter the doors lock. All it took was enough ice to weaken it and a strong enough hit from Anna and they were in.
Anna slammed the door closed and pressed her hands flat against it as Elsa sealed it shut. She slid to her knees as her shoulders shook with a few quiet sobs. "They're never going to give up, are they Elsa?" She ran the back of her hand across her eyes, expecting tears, but not being surprised when she found none "They will never stop… not unless we make them" she took a few calming breathes as she took. She could hear that man, Officer Rainault, ordering the remaining men into position outside.
Her eyes narrowed as she stood straight "We won't be getting back out this door, not while they are all still out there. We have to take things into our own hands, do what has to be done to ensure our freedom. It's our right, and we have been denied it for too long. Not anymore. It's time to grow up and take charge." she clenched her fist till her knuckles were white. "You know what we have to do, Elsa" Anna glanced up to where she knew Elsa was waiting. "We will walk out these doors. They came here for a fight, and it is a fight they will get. Take care of them Elsa."
Elsa once again left Anna's side, soars up, yanking their tether till it hurt, but still she continued. The helicopters were their main obstacle and she had every intention of taking them out.
She drifted into the nearest one and swirled around the pilot's hands, freezing them as she had his comrades and taking control of the helicopter. "Mayday! Mayday!" he cried into the radio but it was too late. The helicopter veered sharply to the left rotors slashing through the tail of the second one. Cries of terror filled the air as ice covered the sides as the pair crashed to the ground in a ball of fire.
As Anna pushed open the doors of the theatre she had sheltered in she knew she had changed, and as she looked upon the fiery scene before she found that she was no longer horrified with herself, and she hated it. "They made us do this, Elsa" she said, her voice flat "As long as we remember that, it will shield us from regret" even as she said it she couldn't bring herself to truly believe it.
A grunt of pain pulled her out of her thoughts and she turned to see Rainault crawling away. Anger flashed in her eyes as she limped towards him, snow swirling up behind her in the shadowy shape of a taller woman. He would carry her message back, he would be her salvation. She stormed up alongside him and grabbed a hold of his vest to hold him still as he glared up at her, almost like he was daring her to strike him. "You go back, and you tell them all, to Leave. Me. The FUCK, Alone!" she ground out slowly "Because next time" Anna looked back to the flurried woman for support before finishing her sentence "I, no, we will kill everyone."
She let go, allowing Rainault to fall roughly back to the pavement before hobbling away, swathed in a comforting frost embrace.
And for those of you who are wondering, Officer Rainault is Robert Rainault, the Sheriff of Nottingham.