Chapter 11: Doctor Sleep

Paul, the Magician but not to all. To most the Magician was a psychopath who became obsessed with Mindy and Carrie and felt compelled to show them what it really took to be a hero. Paul was only a child when he first heard Magicians name on the news, he had taken over a prison and 'killed' a mercenary along with a hundred other civilians, he was also the cause of the riots that took place that day. Paul didn't know what to think but over the next couple of years, the monsters name was on the news more and more and his life was turned upside down. His father left his mother for his new partner Bill and he felt the repercussions from that.

Paul was beaten and tortured by his peers for months, it took a damaged Mindy to find him and help him up after being beaten mercilessly in the street. She trained him and showed him how to fight against the bullies but he was afraid. That's when it happened, Mindy captured Magician and the two met for the first time. Little did any of the heroes know that Magician was secretly showing Paul a knew way of fighting in which the world was his enemy.

It took him a long time but he eventually looked up to the psychopath and even when Ralph offered to make him stronger, Paul kept hold of that lesson that Magician taught him. He taught him to use the darkness in him because its not going anywhere. It took a long time but Paul was at the front door of Lady Valerie, Magicians assistant.

She was hiding in an old cinema that had shut down after one of the dozens of attacks on the city. The whole place was boarded up but Paul knew how to get in. He was injured and the serum in his body was starting to go, he was becoming mortal without another top up. He had stolen a car and drove there, nearly passing out several times.

The doors opened and Valerie walked out with several of her soldiers. She was an attractive lady with long red hair and wearing a red leather outfit. Her skin was pale and had black rings around her eyes. The soldiers looked like homeless people who were handed a gun and told to fight.

"Valerie." Paul said. He could barely stand up and she smiled at him, taking out a knife and putting it to his throat.

"So you're the new Magician...Wow." Valerie said sarcastically.

"You don't approve?" Paul asked.

"You can use his name, wield his weapons and order his men but you'll never be him." Valeria explained as she pushed the knife towards him but not breaking his skin.

"I may not be him but I am the Magician."

"And what brought you to that conclusion?" Valeria asked. Paul smiled and knocked the knife out of her hand, he then grabbed her by the throat and started to crush it. The serum may have been wearing off but he still had a little bit of strength and speed.

"Because I know how to destroy the heroes that caused his death." Paul said as he threw Valerie to the ground. The soldiers aimed their guns at Paul, ready to shoot on command. Valerie got up and reached out her hand and Paull shook it.

X

Carrie was sat on a rooftop, looking over the city. Dave walked up there and handed Carrie a cup of coffee. She took a sip and they stood in silence for a few moments before someone had to break it.

"I tried so hard to start again, to get some new heroes together and fix this city but it just isn't enough is it." Dave explained as he thought about the group of heroes he assembled but they had all been killed.

"Do you ever want to stop?" Carrie asked.

"Yeah, I tried a few times but I don't think I am. Even when I died I was still undercover, trying to take down Chris." Dave explained. He was talking about the time he became a policeman in order to find out who was in the Fraternity.

"Once this is over, once we take down the Fraternity or whoever...I'm done, I'm leaving." Carrie explained but she wasn't confident that she would make it that long.

"So what's the plan? I think we've got everything out of Stephen...You going to kill him?" Dave asked.

"I want to, he's hurt me so much and he's done so much worse to others." Carrie explained, trying to justify the thoughts in her head.

"Is there a but coming?" Dave asked.

"...I'm not Mindy." Carrie said and that summed up the entire problem, Carrie had the ability to kill but she didn't have conviction that Mindy possessed when it came to that kind of justice.

"Carrie, you should know...Sometimes killing is an option. If he gets out, he will kill people you know that." Dave explained and Carrie knew he was right, she knew what she had to do.

"When this is over, he's going to die but Dave...We need to find Sue and we need to destroy the Fraternity." Carrie explained. That was her goal, that was what was keeping her going.

"I think someone already has." Dave said as he handed Carrie his phone with several news articles about Fraternity members being killed and all of their files being released online.

X

Alex was walking through the ruins of an apartment block that had been destroyed in the riots he caused a few years ago. They were mostly abandoned despite the homeless people who lived in it. Rachel flew in and approached Alex and quickly kissed him.

"The Damned are taking out the Fraternity as we speak.. I made sure Palmer is dead, you know this is going to cause everyone to go into red alert." Rachel explained.

"That shouldn't be a problem. That'll cause the Fraternity to go running and then we can launch the final plan." Alex replied. He looked out at the city with nothing but hate in his eyes, Rachel looked at him, clearly exhausted but ready for her next mission.

"Which is?" She asked.

"Nothing good." Alex said as he turned around and looked at her in the eyes.

"And my sister?" Rachel asked.

"She'll break and then she'll burn." Alex answered which caused Rachel to smile.

"...Good."

X

Nastavnik and Kathleen were waiting in one of the bedrooms. The Damned had already swept the hotel and taken everyone out who was a member of the Fraternity, it felt like it was just them two. Edward Chow entered the room, he looked a lot different since their first encounter. He now wore a golden mask and black, kevlar like armour.

"I thought I was meant to go and see Stephen?" Nastavnik asked as he walked up to Edward Chow.

"And you will...You will go with my lieutenant here." Chow explained as the man in the red suit walked towards them.

"What exactly is your plan Chow? Because it doesn't really make any sense." Nastavnik asked. He took a step closer but the man in the red suit pointed a gun at him.

"Bring me the Dead Hunter, I will break him before I burn him." Edward Chow explained.

"And then your men tear the country apart?" Nastavnik asked.

"We will cleanse the world, destroy all the evil in it….Doctor Sleep." Edward Chow explained as he stepped to the side. Another man walked in, he was wearing a similar mask to Edward but this one was silver and looked more like a face than Chows circular mask. He wore a white three piece suit and gloves, the only part of him that was visible was his eyes.

"What?" Nastavnik asked.

"Send him to complete his mission." Edward Chow explained. Doctor Sleeps eyes started to glow, a burning white lights started to pour out and Nastavnik disappeared. Edward Chow then walked towards Kathleen who was terrified at this point.

"Now...I have something planned for you." Edward Chow explained.

X

Carrie and Dave were walking through their base, approaching Stephen as he just watched them. Carrie was shaking and Dave put his hands on her shoulders and trying to reassure her that it would be alright. Alex was sat in the base, trying to work out where exactly Sue was being held but he wasn't having much luck.

"So where exactly is the Fraternity's birthplace?" Alex asked as he stared at several maps.

"The Overlook Hotel was where the first meeting was." Stephen said.

"WELL SHE CAN'T BE THERE." Alex screamed, he had been there and she wasn't there, they both knew she wasn't there.

"...Nastavnik was there when the Fraternity was born. He proposed to the other war lords across the world to meet together, work together to achieve their goals...If you want to find Sue, she'll be in Nastavniks first temple which was built on an island off the coast of Russia." Stephen explained. He fell to the ground, groaning about the pain.

"What's up?" Carrie asked as she walked over to him.

"I told you I was dying." Stephen explained as he fell to the floor.

Carrie started to walk towards him to see if he was alright and not faking but then she saw a faint blue light in the middle of the room. She walked towards it but before she could work out what it was, there was an explosion of blue energy which threw everyone to the floor. Stephens glass cell was destroyed and a lot of the computer equipment was destroyed by the blue energy bolts flying through the base. Nobody could look at the light, it was blinding and the energy bolts were destroying everything.

"CARRIE...SAVE ME...CARRIE." Someone screamed from inside the energy. Carrie got up and walked towards it, trying to block out the burning energy which was pushing her back. She recognised the voice though, it was Danny.

"Danny?" Carrie screamed but before she could do anything there was another flash of light and she was knocked out unconscious.

Dave and Alex had been knocked out by the energy but Stephen managed to keep awake but only just. He managed to pull himself up and make his way out of the base.

X

Paul was looking around his new base. Valerie had assembled a fairly large army but needed a military leader. Paul walked around, wearing Magician's coat and holding one of his canes, he felt right. Just as he started to enjoy himself, there was a flash of blue light and Nastavnik fell to the floor, covered in cuts.

"What the fuck?" Nastavnik said to himself. Several soldiers ran up to him but before they could do anything, he pulled one to the ground and took his gun.

"Nastavnik old buddy." Paul yelled as he ran up to Nastavnik.

"I need you." Nastavnik whispered.

Ok so just to sum up. Carrie is going to go and find Sue but Stephen has now escaped and Danny has returned, what will she prioritise? Nastavnik and Paul are going to be working together? But will he be fulfilling his mission and what is Edward Chows plan? Everything will be explained next time and until Next time, have fun.