Night's Children: Cetera Desunt
Chapter Five: Avarice
The events of the night were unfolding so rapidly that all Aria could do was stare blankly as the strange man in black lifted and pointed the barrel of a handgun at her head, "You two," He growled, his teeth slightly jagged, as he gestured with his free hand, "Get in the back, near the old man."
It wasn't until she heard Chuck's voice that she even remembered he was right next to her, holding his hands up in a signal of peaceful surrender, "Hey man, we don't want no trouble."
The gunman said nothing, he only seemed to be staring at Aria behind his black sunglasses that showed her eerily calm reflection, "No trouble, no problems, no bullets, da?" He stated coldly as he backed away from the compartment to allow Aria and Chuck to vacate it and head towards the rear seats near the old man who quite frankly looked ready to shit himself.
Aria sat perfectly still, rooted to the spot. Oddly enough, it was not terror that had filled her when she saw the cold steel at her head, just a sense of tranquility and total acceptance. That alone worried her more than any panic attack or fear-induced conniption.
Warm breath in her ear interrupted her thoughts.
"Aria, it's not smart to agitate the crazy Russian with a handgun," Came Chuck, his voice strangely infected with humor.
She stared at him incredulously for a moment before turning back to face the 'crazy Russian with a handgun' who was indeed beginning to look extremely agitated. His jaw was clenched and a vein was ticking on his forehead.
Nodding, she numbly stood up and walked slowly towards the back, the sound of Chuck shifting his weight signified that he was right behind her, and sure enough she felt a warm hand give her a reassuring pat on the shoulder. She gave a half turn of her head to meet Chuck's, and he gave her a brief smile.
"Just stay calm chica, there's punks like this all the time in Maui, like to pick on tourists," He stated flatly, "We'll just give him our money, he'll leave, it's all easy." A strange mischievous glint caught his eye, "No fear, am I right?"
If she had been in a right state of mind, she would have called into doubt her new 'compartment buddy's' sanity, but as it were she could only shake her head and plop down next to the old man.
"No talking!" The man barked, brandishing his handgun in the air, appearing weirdly reminiscent to the old spaghetti western heroes, "You talk, I shut you up." He proclaimed, walking forward towards the door to the next train car. Shifting his grip on the gun, he pulled at the sliding divider and cracked it open into the adjacent cab, "Loki!" He barked, "Get the others, bring them in here!" He called to someone, most likely an accomplice, that was not viewable at Aria's position.
A muffled reply was the response, and the strange man slammed the door shut.
It wasn't until he turned to face them, that Aria noticed her hands were trembling violently, while the rest of her was as rigid as a corpse. Her eyes widened and she tried to think of rationality, a concept that had long since left her.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Chuck staring at her with concern. Knowing that speaking would only enrage their captor, he settled for placing his hand over both of hers and giving them a reassuring squeeze.
"This is how we play," The way he paused before speaking signified that the robber was not comfortable with the language he was conversing in, "I have gun, I make rules. Those who do not comply will be quickly disposed of. We are here for one reason only. No arguments, and we will be done swiftly." As if to prove his authority, he swept the barrel across his three captives. "Understand? Nod if so."
Chuck's nod was steady and confident, the old man's shaky and frazzled, but Aria couldn't force herself to make the gesture, her eyes clouding over and unfocused as she began to feel as if she were floating away.
A cold grip on her chin brought her sinking back to reality, "You understand?" The words were grated and the breath smelt of fish as the robber grabbed her, the gun now pressed to her temple.
Fear gripped her insides and she desperately conjured the energy to nod.
"Good," He sneered, "Any more attitude, and I will see it as noncompliance. Remember what happens then?"
Another nod.
"Also good."
At that exact moment, the door flew open, revealing a man who appeared to be in his thirties. His hair was dyed a vibrant, eye-soaring orange that had been slicked back and combed with grease. The black button-up dress shirt that was his apparel conflicted with that of his partner's, as did the obviously more laid back attitude as he slumped against the door frame.
But those weren't the most noticeable features of the man.
It was his eyes.
They were as orange as his hair and immediately Aria was reminded of the eyes of both the bus and train saleswomen.
"Any passengers?" Came the gunman, turning his attention away from terrorizing the poor occupants of his cab.
His accomplice shrugged lazily, "I don't see the benefit of moving them," his voice held a rather distinct cockney accent and was lilted with boredom.
"Loki." The Russian grit.
The man addressed as Loki waved his hand dismissively, "Kiriak." He responded, "You have no authority over me, learn your place."
The gunman, now identified as Kiriak, swerved on his heel, "My place is not to suffer self-indulgent fools."
The carrot top laughed, "Self-indulgent, most definitely, but a fool?" He clucked his tongue, "You underestimate me, my trigger-happy companion, one day that will get you killed." His eyes, which were blank and portrayed boredom before were now full of power and barely suppressed rage.
Kiriak sneered maliciously before turning around to face his prisoners, "Bring in the rest of the passengers, we both know the plan." He scoffed, "If it had been up to me, they would all be dead and we'd be taking the artifact off their corpses."
The idea of an artifact caught Aria's attention, and she restrained her head from snapping up quickly. So, they were searching for something. She bit her lip and immediately deducted that this was not an ordinary robbery.
Loki looked almost put out when he asked, "What? You don't want to hear about how I wonderfully executed the plan?"
"The passengers," Kiriak stated, his voice cold and leaving no room for discussion.
Apparently, his counterpart was oblivious to the sudden switch in turn, "First, Suiren took out the driver, that was the flash of the lights earlier, and she's now piloting this thing towards our destination-"
"The passengers!" He growled, the hand holding the gun shaking.
Loki heaved a sigh and swerved on his heel, "Bring them in." He stated dismissively, now that his retelling had been cut short.
Both Chuck and Aria's heads immediately jerked up towards the opening of the car, trying to gauge how many allies they had in this situation, and what exactly they were up against.
Aria's mouth dropped open when a little girl walked in. She was impossibly adorable, most likely around the age of six or so, with a frilly green dress and her dark blonde hair was done up in pigtails. She clutched a stuffed rabbit endearingly to her chest.
"Shit," She heard Chuck whisper beside her, "They're holding kids hostage."
Imagine everyone's surprise, when the little girl pulled out a pistol from behind her bunny,
"Damn," The surfer muttered to himself, "Cabbage patch is packing heat." He whispered incredulously.
"Hurry up slowpokes!" She crowed, giggling happily as she turned around towards those following her into the compartment.
They appeared to be a married couple in their mid-forties, obviously frazzled and feeling out of place as the stumbled awkwardly towards the back where Aria and the others sat. The woman took a seat next to the old man, her chestnut hair was stained with gray streaks and her plain brown eyes had fat tears rolling from them.
The man sat next to her, immediately clutching his wife's hand as he sat stoically, his chin tilted up high.
Aria shook her head, the quite frankly surreal atmosphere of the events unfolding causing her to doubt her own perceptions. She was being held, at gunpoint, by a sadistic Russian, a sly looking conman with orange eyes, and a six year old girl. Just what the hell was going on?
"Where's Damien?" Kiriak grated, eyeing the little girl with obvious disdain.
She gave him a cheeky smile, her hands crossed behind her and rocking back on her heels, "Dunno." She muttered.
"What do you mean you don't know!" He shouted, his face going red, "You were assigned that compartment with him!"
"Calm down," Loki interjected, "You're scaring our passengers."
"Who the hell cares?" Kiriak shouted, louder this time.
"Oh, I remember now!" The girl chirped joyously, "He went pee!"
Aria felt her eyes widening, this 'team' or whatever the hell they were, seemed to be arguing more than actually accomplishing anything. For some reason, that felt awfully familiar.
Kiriak began swearing in a rapid string of Russian, before turning to Loki and the girl, "Guard the passengers, I'm going to get that sack of shit," He stated roughly, turning his attention back to Aria, Chuck, and the others. He pointed the barrel once again at Aria's head, "Watch this one closely, she's trouble. I see it in her eyes." He snarled before tucking the gun in his jacket and stomping off angrily towards the front compartment of the train.
Silence filled the area as Aria tensed, her eyes drifting to her captors to her companions. Somewhere between Los Angeles and Portland, the quest for normalcy had gone horribly wrong.
"Mr. Loki, they're awfully quiet," The girl said matter-of-factly.
"Most likely, Kiriak scared the piss out of them," He muttered to his significantly shorter companion. He cleared his throat, "I believe introductions are in order. I'm Loki, save your compliments, and this midget's Rena."
Rena grinned coyly and gave a mock curtsey, the effect ruined when the gun caught the light and shined in her hand. It was then that Aria noticed the small child also had the same unnervingly lively eyes of her companion. They were forest green in color, and held a darkness and malevolence unfitting for a girl her age.
Loki smirked and turned to his charges, "Your names? And please, just names. No heart-aching and poignant back-story, no pathetic pleas for life. Those really get quite annoying after a while." He tapped his chin, "Hmm….let's start with…you!" He pointed at the old man, who was so startled that he almost fell out of his seat.
"I'm-I'm…" He stuttered, paralyzed with fright.
"Are you a mute?" Loki sneered condescendingly.
"I think he's just stupid," Rena clarified.
"Thomas!" He proclaimed, "Please don't hurt me!"
A flash of something indescribable appeared on Loki's face, "I believe I specifically asked for no pathetic pleas. Those make me irritable, when I get irritable, Rena takes it out for me."
The little girl smiled and waved, while proudly displaying her pistol.
The old man, Thomas, immediately fell silent, clutching onto his gold pocket watch like a lifeline.
"Well, you are positively boring," Loki drawled, pointing next at Chuck, "You, you look mildly entertaining."
The grimace on Chuck's face portrayed that he felt more insulted by that comment than complimented, "Collin," He lied simply.
Aria's attention was diverted when she felt pressure on her thighs, she turned her head to meet startlingly viridian eyes. Rena stood hunched over her, her hands balancing on Aria's legs, "How about you, pretty lady? What's your name?"
Knowing immediately that using her real name with these psychos was out of the question, she blurted the first name that came to her head, "Jimena."
For some reason, Chuck jerked slightly when he heard that name, but Aria disregarded it.
"I like your hair, Jimena!" She stated, winding a tiny fist through her curls, "I wish I had curly hair," She pouted, her features starting to get contorted in anger as her eyes flashed, "It isn't fair! I'm always so ugly! All other girls are so much more prettier than me!" Her fist began to tug.
"Ow," Aria muttered out of instinct.
"You aren't saying anything! Does that mean you agree? Do you think I'm ugly!" She cried in an anguished tone not suiting a six year old.
"Rena that is enough," Cut in Loki, his voice impassive, "Show some restraint for Hades' sake."
She gave a 'humph!' of frustration before turning and sitting down with a hard thud on the floor, her arms crossed over her chest and her green eyes glowering.
"Great," Loki muttered, running a hand through his hair, "Now you've got her sulking," He stated rather accusingly at Aria.
Not for the first time that night, Aria found herself wondering why freak shows were attracted to her like metal to magnets.
"Why exactly are we here?" Came the man from the married couple who had not yet spoken that night, "We offered to give you all of our money!"
Loki rose an eyebrow, "What's your name?" He asked flatly, turning his attention away from the 'sulking' Rena to the man.
"Otis." He replied, trying to look brave despite the fact that his knees were shaking rather viciously.
"Well," His eyebrow was raised and his voice had gone softer and much dangerous, "'Otis', first things first, I don't give three shits about your money."
This caused quite a reaction throughout the prisoners, if these strange people were not after their money, then what were they after?
"Money and possessions aren't my area of expertise," The orange haired man continued, oblivious to the reactions of those sitting, "I'm a man who's more interested in power." His pale fist clenched, "For me, watching those like this terrified bastard here," At this he gestured to Thomas, "Is a much more intoxicating feeling than the elation that money can bring." He smirked, "I like having control, I like being stronger than you imps here, so you'll best keep quiet before I use my power over you to silence you, and your wife, myself." He paused, "Understand?"
Otis nodded, having gone considerably pale before he slumped against said wife.
Aria exhaled slowly, she had to get the hell out of here, as quickly as possible. The way that Loki had quickly switched personas from laidback to ruthless only implied that the slightest wrong move would prove to be her undoing, and those of the other innocent passengers.
The sound of the sliding door opening, stopped everything in the train as all attention shifted towards the source of the disruption.
A boy, looking about seventeen or so, was roughly shoved into the compartment. His black hair jutted up at all sorts of crazy angles, and Aria noticed yet again, that his eyes were an unnatural pigment, an electric sort of blue that was not similar to any other's that she had seen. He was breathtakingly handsome, and dressed casually in jeans and a black jacket.
He was followed immediately by Kiriak, who was looking even more enraged than usual, which was saying something.
"Damn, Kiri, there's no need to shove," The boy muttered, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Damien!" Cried Rena, her persona also flipping like a switch as she laid eyes on the intruder, abandoning her sulky phase to wrap her tiny arms around him, "You went pee for a really long time!" She exclaimed, as if it were some sort of phenomenal and colossal achievement.
"Heh," Damien muttered awkwardly, his eyes shifting around nervously.
"He didn't go 'pee' alone," Kiriak spat, propelling another person into the room. It was a blonde, about eighteen and wearing nothing but a tube top and mini-skirt.
She pressed a hand to her forehead and muttered, "Where am I?" Her voice was groggy and fuzzy sounding.
"At gunpoint," Kiriak responded coldly, removing his gun from the jacket yet again, "Go sit with the rest of them."
Her heavily mascara-clad eyes widened and she shot up like a rocket to take a seat next to Otis.
Rena sounded incredulous, "You never go pee with me!" She protested enviously.
"It's big boy stuff," Damien responded.
"Oh," Rena whispered, awed.
"As much as I enjoy abusing power," Came Loki's cool voice, "And I do. I believe Kiriak, myself, and our leader have instructed you to keep yours at bay around young women."
Aria, who had been calmly sitting on the sidelines, for lack of nothing else to do, had her interest perked at Loki's statement. Power? What type? Something about these robbers wasn't adding up.
Damien shrugged, "It was harmless, she doesn't even remember."
"That's not the point!" Kiriak barked, his temper flaring, "We were sent here to finish up the problem, and you are letting yourself get distracted by some random blonde!"
Damien puffed up his chest, "Her name is Lilian, and I was not distracted in the least bit!"
Lilian, the blonde girl, sat up straight with alarm, "How do you know my name! I don't even know you!"
The boy smirked directly at the two older men he was working with, "See? Harmless."
"Enough of this nonsense!" Kiriak bellowed, "Have you forgotten our purpose? Have you forgotten Mammon?"
Damien's smirk fell and was replaced by grim frown, "I haven't forgotten what happened."
"Good," Kiriak stated coldly, turning to face Aria and the others, "Because I want revenge. I want blood spilt."
Aria could feel her hands beginning to tremble yet again.
Loki sighed, exasperated, "Then let's begin, shall we? No doubt we are already running behind schedule, and our mistress will not be pleased."
"Kiss ass." Muttered Damien, as he jammed his hands in his pockets.
"Looking out for myself," Corrected Loki, "If she's pissed at you buffoons, chances are she'll be angered at me as well."
"I'm bored," Came the high-pitched voice of Rena.
"Then you can collect what we're looking for," Damien snapped, obviously in a foul mood.
"Okay!" She cried happily, jumping up and picking up the stuffed rabbit she had carried in with her. She pulled the zipper at its stomach, and it became a makeshift sac, "Everyone put all jewelry into Mr. Zippo please!" She proclaimed, shoving the disemboweled stuffed bunny in everyone's faces.
As it passed, each passenger placed their valuables into the rabbit. Otis a watch and his cufflinks, his wife her earrings, Thomas the gold pocket watch, Lilian a bracelet, and Chuck the gold ring with a purple stone that was on his thumb. When the rabbit came to Aria, with Rena watching expectantly, she realized that she had no jewelry on. Digging in her pockets she procured the twenty, the last of her cash. However, when she went to place it in the rabbit, A tiny hand stopped her.
"No monies," Rena said, her voice now eerily deep and menacing, "Only jewelry."
Aria stared at her, feeling oddly intimidated, "I don't have any," She whispered, knowing that the only jewelry she ever wore was the pendant of Selene, the pendant that she had left at home.
Rena seemed to scrutinize her with her cat-like eyes before nodding and handing the rabbit to Loki, "Here you go!" She chimed brightly, the dark aura instantly dispelled.
"Uhhuh," Loki muttered, turning the rabbit over and rifling through the jewelry. After Loki had inspected a piece, he gave it to Rena, who then returned the piece to its owner. Aria watched this process in amazement, what was the point of a robbery if they weren't going to keep the loot?
"Anything?" Questioned Kiriak.
Loki shook his head, "It all looks like worthless garbag- Oh, hello." He stated, picking up the ring that Chuck had contributed to the pile, "Now this looks promising."
"Let me see!" Rena proclaimed, jumping up and down in excitement, but she was ignored.
"Well?" Damien prompted.
Aria shifted her eyes over to the owner of the ring, who looked increasingly uncomfortable, an out-of-place expression for the surfer.
"There's an inscription, in Latin," Loki spoke on, "Says 'Protect and Destroy', there's all sorts of old magic in it."
Aria's eyes widened in shock as she looked at Chuck, wondering why he would have something engraved with a Latin message. And more importantly, why this Loki was able to translate it. Her palms began to sweat heavily, the coincidences were too many, and she began to deduct that this was most certainly linked to the life she had thought she left behind.
A cruel smile appeared on Kiriak's face, "Good. Which one?"
Loki returned the facial expression, pointing at Chuck, "That one."
The shaved man's movements were far quicker than humanly possible as he disappeared in a black flash, only to reappear about an inch away from Chuck. Aria found herself unable to believe the man's speed and fear filled her for her almost-friend. The girl, Lilian, let out a startled scream, that was echoed by Otis's wife.
Kiriak's arm reached out, and his hand wrapped around Chuck's throat, lifting him off of his seat. Without hesitation, he slammed the boy against the wall of the train. Chuck's hands grasped futilely around Kiriak's, attempting to pry him off.
"What the hell's your problem?" He choked out, obviously confused with the situation.
"Let him go!" Aria found herself crying, quickly cursing her lack of restraint as she attempted to reach Chuck. She was blocked by Damien, who grabbed her by the biceps.
"Stay right here, little girl," He hissed, his blue eyes growing a shade darker, "Your little boyfriend has it coming."
"Why-?" Aria started to question, but she was cut off.
"We know who you are," Came Loki, stepping out from behind Kiriak to face the struggling Chuck.
"What?" Chuck gasped, his breathing becoming struggled.
Kiriak's sadistic smirk grew as he tightened his grip, "We are looking for a Follower of Selene." He stated.
At his words, Aria felt her knees turn to jelly and she fell limp in Damien's grip.
"And," Came Loki's oily voice, "It looks like we found him."
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Next Up: Who are these people? What do they want? And more importantly, what have they done already?