The Silver Streak watched as Azreal began to remove the knives and daggers he kept hidden on his person, as well as several explosives and two handguns.
"What are you doing?" The Streak asked.
Azreal chuckled. "I have no need of these weapons...or my powers...to defeat you." He rolled his neck. "That is...unless you decide to run." For a brief moment, The Streak felt as if he were beign tugged towards the ground. "Then, by all means, allow me to kill you quickly."
The Streak frowned under his mask, slowly circling the other figure. "I will not die that easily."
"They all tell me that, Streak." Azreal rushed forward, his hand grasping The Streak's throat. "And they all die the same."
The Streak, instead of grasping at Azreal's hand, latched onto the other man's throat as well, both squeezing hard until they were each required to let go. Stumbling back, The Streak panted slightly, staying on guard.
"Then allow me to break with tradition."
^&^&^&^
Claire frowned as she watched the woman called Freya or Charlie, as Tina and Madrid had stated, slowly extend her fingers, ice forming on her nails. She turned to the closed door, raising an eyebrow.
"Uh…stupid question…but fire melts ice…"
"What…think I'm too easy?" Charlie asked politely.
"Kinda, ya."
Charlie shrugged. "Then why worry? Just beat me and call it a day."
"Ok…" Claire ignited her hand. "Goodbye."
A fireball raced right towards Charlie, the texas woman merely stepping to the side and firing off a blast of icy air that froze Claire's foot to the ground.
"Want to try again?"
"No thanks." Claire said, reaching down to free her leg.
Shhhzzzzt
Claire blinked as her hand froze to her leg. Charlie calmly walked forward and punched Claire once, knocking the teen out cold.
^&^&^&^
Azreal coughed slightly, crimson blood staining the black cloth inside his hood that hid his face. He ran his tongue along his teeth, making sure he hadn't lost any.
"Nice punch." Azreal admitted, cracking his knuckles.
The Silver Streak rubbed his shoulder, sure that the bone there had to be cracked. "Ditto."
Azreal took a few breaths. "Ready for round 2?"
The Streak held out his hands. "Lets."
The two rushed each other, fists colliding with flesh as they pounded against one another, trying to take out the other as swiftly as possible. Their movements were faster than an average human, betraying the fact that both had been schooled in the ways of fighting. The Streak used standard martial arts, chops and kicks and leg swipes. Azreal, on the other hand, was mixed all the way: a jab here, a roundhouse kick there, an uppercut to the left…
Azreal slammed his shoulder to The Streak's gut, twisting around behind him and wrapping his arm around the hero's throat, holding him in place. "Stand down." He said coldly, his voice raspy. "You can't beat me, and struggling will only kill you all the more quickly." The Streak paused for a moment. "You dare come after me, judging me for my actions…you know nothing about me, Streak, or why I seek out my pray."
"Then…tell me…" The Streak managed to gasp.
"This world has been without our kind for far too long. Our parents abandoned it because of fea, because they couldn't do what needed to be done. Adam Monroe should have died many years before he did, but instead of pulling the trigger, our families cowered and hide themselves away. Now, so many of them have become the blight that they once fought…and I am cleansing the world of their sins."
"What…gives you…the right?" The Silver Streak asked.
Azreal leaned in close. "I paid for their sins once…now I make them atone…against their will or not."
"No one…is given that…power…" The Streak took off into the air, Azreal grunting as he struggled to hold on. "You keep…choking me…we both die." He reached around, offering his hand. Azreal, realizing his options, loosened his grip. "I lied." The Streak slammed his head back, sending the dark clothed man tumbling to the roof.
"Clever boy." Azreal muttered, holding out his hand and using his own power moments before he hit. The Silver Streak cried out as he was yanked to the roof as well, both bodies laying perfectly still.
^&^&^&^
Claire groaned, slowly coming back to consciousness. She paused, noticing that he hand and foot were free of the ice.
"I helped you out…I hope you don't mind." Charlie said politely from where she sat in the corner of the room. She had kicked off her shoes and socks, resting her bare feet on the floor.
"No…not at all." Claire frowned. "Did I fail the test?"
Charlie shook her head. "Not at all. The test is to see if you can get the better of me…only ends when you quit."
"So…I just have to beat you once?" Claire asked.
"Yup."
Claire grinned, throwing two fireballs at Charlie's head. As the woman calmly used her powers to freeze them, Claire rushed forward, looking to kick her.
Charlie winked as she tapped her foot…
…and Claire screamed as she skidded on the newly formed patch of ice, slamming into a wall.
Darkness overtook her.
^&^&^&^
(Los Angles)
[Ando, what is this woman saying?] Hiro asked, tapping his foot impatiently as he waited for the rental car service to hurry up and get him request processed. He pulled out his cellphone and began to play tetris.
[She says…] Ando listened carefully to the woman's English. […that they do not provide limos, or limo drivers?]
[Ask her if I can ride her then, because if she is so brainless as to deny me, Hiro Nakamura, my desire, than the only thing she is good for is breeding stock!]
[Yes sir.] Ando said. "My employer just made an insult that compared you to a whore. I apologize for him and ask that we are provided a car that might allow us to avoid you beating him."
Hope frowned. "How about the Nissan Versa?"
[Nissan Versa?] Hiro shouted. [That piece of crap?!]
"That is…distasteful to him."
Hope sighed. "Let me see if we can do anything else for him."
[She is going to see about the limo, sir.]
[Very good Ando. Did she agree to breed with me?]
[…she will think that over as well.]
^&^&^&^
"Wakey wakey." Charlie said with a smile, hovering over Claire.
The teen snarled, snapping her head forward…
…Charlie's face was suddenly covered with ice.
"Oh shi-"
everything went dark.
^&^&^&^
Mohinder frowned as he looked over the files carefully. It annoyed him that his father would not share with him what the master plan was, what they were going to do to stop the superhuman menace. He had been with his father the entire way, helping him craft the Humanity First group, convincing organizations to listen to them, working on making sure his father's…less legal methods were never found out…
But to be frozen out the way he had been…Mohinder could not stand it.
He paused, shuffle several folders aside to one marked 'Suresh, Shanti'.
"My sister?" he whispered, flipping the folder open.
What he saw made his blood run cold.
"Had to poke your nose where it didn't belong…"
Mohinder turned just in time to get a dart in his chest. He began to seize up, falling to the ground as his father looked on, lowering his weapon.
"As curious as a cat, you are…and we know what happens to bad kitties."
^&^&^&^
Charlie looked over at Claire. "I'm thinking…this time how about I just knock you right quick, I want to go get a bite to eat."
"Uh…oh…ok?" Claire mumbled.
"Thanks!" Charlie said happily, covering her fist with ice and punching out Claire. "I'm gonna get me a taco…taco's rule!"
^&^&^&^
The Silver Streak groaned as he slowly pulled himself from the mini crater he'd formed upon impact. Looking about, he noticed at once that he was alone, a blood smear the only proof Azreal had ever been there.
The hero groaned. "Petrelli, you just had to go and piss him off…" He muttered to himself.
^&^&^&^
"Oh tacos…if we lived in Canada, I'd make you my bride."
Claire groaned, rubbing her head. She glanced up to see Charlie finishing off another taco.
"Oh good, you're up." Charlie bounced on her toes. "Ready to dance?"
"No thanks…can you open the door please?"
Charlie sighed. "Giving up? Smart thing, I guess. Maybe you can come back in a few weeks, try again." She walked over to the door. "Lasted longer than most…"
Claire's fingers pointed at Charlie's chin, flames licking at the woman's throat.
"I said get the door…never said I was giving up."
Charlie smiled. "…welcome to the Amazons." She spun around, punching Claire in the gut. "I'll be your drill instructor…welcome the worst day of your life. Lesson one…DODGE!"
Claire covered her head as Charlie began to throw ice spears at her.
^&^&^&^
"This is Steve Gustavson, the manager." Hope said.
Steve nodded. "What can I do for you?"
"My employer is insisting on a limo…I understand this is not possible. He has a lot of money…if you could provide the best car, perhaps I can convince him that I can simply drive…"
Steve considered this. "I suppose…"
[Yatta!] Hiro exclaimed. [I have managed to find an English translation]
[Sir…] Ando begged.
Hiro turned to Steve. "I think that foolish now we want the limousine. In addition, this woman here is the prostitute. Have the characteristic where which rank she has been attached?"
Steve frowned. "That woman is my wife." He narrowed his eyes.
[See Ando, you are just stupid…I know how to talk to them.] Hiro turned back them. "I receive the white limousine. Is there a friend of fat quality for Ando too?"
^&^&^&^
(30 Seconds Later)
"AAAAA!" Hiro screamed as he was thrown out of the airport, his face bloodied and eyes already puffy. Ando hurried after him, Steve and Hope glaring at the two.
^&^&^&^
"The chief is getting nervous." Audrey said as she ate some Chinese food.
Gabriel, who was seated on the floor beside her, nodded as he bit into an eggroll. "I can imagine…Azreal is not helping the police maintain a good reputation."
Audrey agreed with that statement. The police had been arguing that they could manage the super human threat better than costumed heroes…having Azreal around, as well as the Amazons and the Silver Streak, was not helping their case in the slightest.
"Speaking of people not happy with Azreal…how did the Petrelli's take the news that Azreal is still loose?"
"Don't know…why do you think my phone is off?" Gabriel asked.
Audrey smiled, about to reply when there was a rapping on the kitchen back door. Frowning, she quickly got up, hurrying over and flinging the door open.
Azreal toppled to the linoleum, panting hard, clutching his shattered rips. He coughed violently, blood pouring out of his hood and staining the floor.
"Oh God…" Audrey whispered. "Gabriel!"
Gabriel rushed in, taking in the sight before kneeling down, lifting the dark killer up with ease and rushing him towards a bedroom.
"Mother…" Azreal whispered, reaching out for Audrey's hand, holding onto it like a lifeline. "Father…" He glanced at Gabriel. "Help…me…"
His world went dark.
^&^&^&^
Author's Notes: A lot revealed here. Azreal is the son of Audrey and Gabriel, The Streak is a Petrelli (but with one?), and Mohinder's father is up to something…something involving Shanti.
2 notes: Hope and Steve are the same thieves from the first season of Heroes that Hiro and Ando run into. Also, to get Hiro's bad translations, I translated his English coments to Japanese, then back to English, then edited slightly (originally Hiro asked "is there a fat of quality for Ando in your prostitute." That just seemed even too weird.)