Chronicles of the Night

When we last left off, Night-princess braved a fire to save two civilians in spite of mixed reactions. Meanwhile Joseph and Felix have to attend a charity event held by the generous Floyd Traxon. But not all is as it seems.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Marvel comic elements present in this story, I do own my original characters and the plot.

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Complexity

"Oh damn it all… where did I put that zinc?" Felix asked himself as he frantically looked around his chemistry table.

RING

"Oh for the love of… hello?" Felix promptly stopped himself from swearing as he answered his phone. "Yes… a meeting? Yes I'll tell him about… oh crap. No I'm not talking to you. Well I am but the oh crap wasn't… okay okay…" Felix said as he accidentally knocked over a vial full of some chemical. "Oh son of a bi… yes I'm still here. Okay yes I'll let him know. Tomorrow right? Okay."

Click

Upstairs…

"Hmmm…" Joseph pressed an ear to Lisa's door. "Good, she's sleeping soundly." Joseph sighed in relief. He was wearing a baggy red T-shirt with lots of gold chains around his neck. He also had on fingerless leather gloves and loose blue jeans and black sneakers.

"Hey Joseph, I got that stuff you needed from your room." Felix said while carrying a large backpack. He was wearing his typical managerial outfit that was similar to what he was wearing last night, except the jacket and pants were light brown while the gloves were a darker brown. "And by the way, you are a neat freak." He said with a smile as he slipped on his shades.

"At least I can find my stuff." Joseph said as they walked down the hallway. "Listen, I'm still… kind of sorry about last night."

"Hey don't sweat it." Felix said. "I only got to take care of one thing, it makes no difference. There's always something there for all of us." Felix said.

Later…

"Okay, give me your attitude face." A photographer in a flashy blue long sleeve shirt and black pants told Joseph while he was standing in front of a black background.

"Joseph, the extra clothes are all laid out." Felix said. He sat at the entrance to the photography studio and smiled in amusement while Joseph posed for photos.

RING

"Gah! Oy… get a grip." Felix checked the caller ID and realized it was Joseph's home number. "Hello?" Felix answered the phone.

"Hi Felix." Lisa answered quietly.

"Hi Lisa." Felix whispered as he turned away from the Joseph. "You doing okay? What's wrong?"

"Nothing with me but… there's a bank robbery. I saw it on the news." Lisa said.

"What? Oh man…" Felix looked at Joseph with worry. "Okay, I'll take care of it." Felix whispered. "And why are you up? You really should sleep a little more." Felix said with a yawn. "After all, Joseph and I hardly get any sleep."

"Okay… I'll try." Lisa said on the other end. "Good luck."

Click

"Uh… Joseph." Felix started.

"Doh! You ruined the atmosphere!" The photographer shouted in agony.

"You're one of those scary artsy types aren't you?" Felix asked him.

"Excuse me?" The photographer asked.

"Nothing." Felix quickly said. "Um there's a… situation that needs to be taken care of." Felix said to Joseph.

"Oh well… I can just come and…" Joseph started to say.

"No no NO! you must finish the shoot. I will not take NO for an answer." The photographer said.

"Um… don't worry about it." Felix said as he walked out. "I'll be back."

"Yeah…" Joseph said as if a little hurt.

Later…

"Joseph… I swear… what are we going to do with you?" Night-claw asked as he jumped across buildings in the daylight. In contrast to the night time, in which his pupils were quite large, his pupils were now small, but not as small as a normal person's, and narrow, but not as narrow as a cat's.

"Freeze!"

"Hm?" He noticed he was now on top of the bank being robbed by the crooks. "Oh wow, I'm here already, I made great time." He said.

"We said freeze!" The police shouted.

"Hm? Hey… you talking to me?" Night-claw shouted.

"We have enough problems without those robbers! Now let us do our job!" They shouted.

"Idiots." Night-claw thought.

"Eat this cops!" While the cops were distracted, a guy with a gun came out and open fired at the police cars. The cops all ducked behind their cars and avoided the gunfire. "Ha ha ha! Oof!"

"Thank you for breaking my fall." Night-claw told the unconscious gunman he landed on top of. He turned and saw two guys aiming their guns at him. "Don't you know… I laugh at guns." Night-claw said with a smile.

"Mutant freak!" A bank robber shouted as he fired his gun.

"Sheesh…" Night-claw ducked the bullet and jumped away from the next one. "You know, just because someone is able to do this." He said as he revealed his claws and scratched one guy's arm, "or this." He said as he back-flipped right over the head of the other guy, "or just because they're incredibly handsome." Night-claw said as he kicked the guy he just flipped over in to the last guy. "It doesn't make them a…"

"Mutant! Cease and desist!" Another cop shouted.

"Oh to heck with it." Night-claw sighed. "Your welcome!" He shouted as he jumped back to the top of the roof.

Later…

"A meeting with him? Tonight? But… oh he'll be there." Felix sighed. He and Lisa were in the basement, Lisa putting her hair in a ponytail and getting ready for later tonight. Felix hung up the phone and sighed. "We'll be late joining you again tonight."

"This concert business has been… keeping you guys busy." Lisa sighed sadly as she looked in a mirror. She couldn't help but open her mouth to study her fangs; they were still as sharp, certainly sharp enough to bite through human flesh as if it were nothing. She shuddered a bit, and clamped her mouth tightly.

"Hm? Joseph I can hear you standing at the steps." Felix said. Joseph came downstairs looking a little bummed. "So, you know about the meeting?" Felix asked.

"Yeah… I do." Joseph said. "Well, I guess we better get going." He sighed as he walked upstairs.

"He's really sad." Lisa said when she was sure he was out of earshot.

"I'll just… tell him that we'll be done with the meeting soon." Felix sighed as he followed Joseph upstairs while Lisa slipped on her jacket and reached for her gloves.

Later…

"Well, I finally get to meet you guys." Felix said as he and Joseph met up with two people in a room with a square, finely polished table that had a number of seats around it. The first man was in a tuxedo, his black hair in a ponytail, shades, and a smile that would put the sun to shame. The second guy had short red hair, brown eyes, and he too was wearing a suit.

"Ah, the new manager that Joseph mysteriously hasn't fired." The man with black hair said while holding out a hand.

"…" Felix's mouth twisted to what was obviously an annoyed look.

"Sorry." The man apologized. "Anyways, I'm John Roberts, and this is…"

"Yeah who is this? I've never met him before." Joseph asked about the red haired man.

"I'm Trace." The man said while holding out a hand. "Trace Braveheart."

"Braveheart!" Felix nearly coughed and Joseph's eyes popped open in surprise. "Ah-hem. Sorry, something caught in my throat." Felix quickly said as he shook his hand and Joseph shook.

"That's okay." Trace said sadly.

"Trace used to work for a radio station and another record company, but he switched over recently." Mr. Roberts said.

"Is something wrong Mr. Braveheart?" Joseph asked, positive he already knew the answer.

"Oh, it's just… my daughter went missing over a week ago and… my wife and I we just… we just want her to come home." He said.

"I'm… sorry to hear that." Joseph said as those words seemed to tug on his and Felix's heartstrings.

"Well…" Mr. Roberts quickly changed the subject. "Trace, could you start talking to Joseph about the concert details while I take two shakes with Mr. Thomas here." Mr. Roberts asked.

"Sure thing." Trace said as Felix and Mr. Roberts entered the hallway just outside the meeting room.

"So what is it exactly Mr. Roberts?" Felix asked.

"Have you been taking care of Joseph?" He asked hastily.

"What? Of course I have." Felix said. "Wow that sounded odd." Felix whispered. "But I've been doing my absolute best to make sure he is happy."

"Well I hope you do because I'm sure you've noticed how easily offended he can be." Mr. Roberts said almost threateningly.

"Hey, yes I've noticed that. And I'm always doing my best to keep him happy and…"

"Look, there's something you should know so you realize just how important it is to keep him happy." Mr. Roberts said.

Meanwhile…

"Do you have it?" A man in a suit said. This man had five guys that were pretty large behind him, and a smaller but still decently well-built man was in front of him.

"Of course I do, I always deliver." The smaller man said.

"Good." The man in a suit responded. He held out a hand while the smaller man pulled out a package and set it in his hands. "Is this all?"

"No, but that's the proof I've got it. The keys to where it is are right here." The smaller man held out a set of keys. "Now I just need the money."

"Hmph… fine."

"Stop."

"Hm? Hey boss! It's one of them!" One of the large guys shouted while pointing at the window. Night-princess was sitting on the windowsill of the open window looking at them and the ratty wooden floored room they were in.

"Stop right now." She said softly. "That… that drug will ruin you." She said as she pointed at the packet.

"Take her down." The man said. The large men and the small men all pulled out metal robs hidden under their shirts or knives and charged for Night-princess. Night-princess rolled towards and stood up in time to knock away an arm holding a knife.

"Ha!" She gut-punched that one guy and knocked him out cold. One guy swung at her head, but missed as she ducked. She jumped while twirling through the air and delivering a spinning kick to that guy's head.

Elsewhere…

"She seems to have a degree of super-human strength and agility." A man said. In front of this man were a bunch of monitors that was viewing Night-princess' battle with the drug dealers from several different angles.

"That isn't a very helpful analysis." Came a deeper voice of a man standing behind him.

"I'm sorry Mr. Traxon."

"Well, there are still more ways to test her." Traxon said with a smile.

Back at the record company…

"What? Why didn't you guys tell me over the phone when I first got the job?" Felix asked.

"Because it didn't seem prudent. After all, we expected him to fire you sooner." Mr. Roberts said.

"Number one, thanks a lot for believing in me." Felix said sarcastically. "And two, not prudent? The guy works for you? Shouldn't you show him some respect and tell me about stuff like that?"

"Well at least you know now." Mr. Roberts said. "And hey, it's not the worst thing in the world."

"It is when you're a super-hero that feels he can't do his job." Felix thought angrily.

"Well we kept them waiting long enough, let's get in to that meeting now." Mr. Roberts said.

Meanwhile…

"Ooooooggg…"

"I'm not paid enough for this." The group of guys Night-princess just defeated said as she walked towards the last guy.

"Please just give up." She told him softly.

"Hmph… not a chance little girl. Do you think I'd be in this business with just this security?" The man asked as he clapped his hands. Immediately, a bunch of other thugs came through the small wooden door leading in to the room, most of them wielding guns, and a few wielding knives.

"I don't want to hurt any of you." Night-princess said.

"Waste her." The man in the suit said confidently.

BAM

BAM

BANG

"…" Night-princess stood still and let the gunfire bombard her while she head an arm up to protect her sunglasses. When the gunfire stopped however briefly, the bullets fell out and the bullet holes healed. She then ran for the nearest gunman.

"GAH!" The man fired off one shot, but missed as Night-princess tackled the man and punched him in the face to knock him out. Night-princess then turned around and held up a hand.

SHING

The knife one man thrust at her went straight through her hand, but she clenched her fingers on to the man's hand and ignored the bloody blade that was protruding from the back of her hand.

"AH!" The man shouted as he felt the bones in his hand crack. Night-princess then kicked him as two other guys came up and swung their knives. One scratched Night-princess on the back of the neck, and the other one missed completely as she turned around and tripped up those guys.

Meanwhile…

"Yech… that's kind of grotesque to look at." The man in front of the monitors said as the cameras showed her avoiding gunfire and taking it just as well. One camera even caught the hole in her hand healing up as she yanked out the knife.

"Hm, she's also able to resist gunfire and recover rapidly? This doesn't bode well." Traxon said somewhat troubled. He pressed his finger on a red button. "Let's see just how well she recovers."

Back at the fight scene…

"Understood sir." The man in the suit whispered in to a headphone as he made his way to the door amidst the chaos. He made it out just as Night-princess finished clearing out the room.

"…" Night-princess noticed the man leaving and she quickly walked out the door and turned left without even looking around and continued following him. She heard his footsteps head down the stairs, so she saved time by…

CRASH

"Whoa!" The man was shocked to see the ceiling above him give way while Night-princess fell through.

"Stop running. Just give up." Night-princess told him.

"You should be giving up kid." The man said with a smile. Night-princess just now noticed another man behind the suited man. And that man was holding a rocket launcher. The second he pulled the trigger, Night-princess jumped backwards and narrowly avoided the rocket itself, but she was caught in the explosion.

"AAAAAAHHHH!!!" She shouted as the blast reached out and torched her in the backside. She was thrown forward as her jacket and most of the back of her shirt was charred. The larger man picked up Night-princess and held a knife out. The man stabbed the knife right in to her throat. "Ga…"

"Heh heh heh… like that?" He asked. Night-princess' shades fell off. Her eyes were a shade of purple that was starting to turn red.

"Whoa… freaky eyes kid… but that doesn't matter." The man holding Night-princess then yanked out the knife roughly.

"Ugh… gack…"

"You're still alive?" He asked annoyingly.

"Glargle…" Night-princess' gargled as her throat only just now started to seal up. She kicked the man hard in the chest and sent him sprawling in to the man in the suit.

"AH!"

Meanwhile…

"She survived that as well?" Traxon asked.

"Ugh… I'm getting chills watching this all of a sudden." The man on the monitors shuddered.

Meanwhile…

"Is this meeting almost over?" Joseph thought to himself as everyone took his turn to talk.

"Come on come on come on…" Felix thought impatiently while his foot tapped the floor.

"Well, I think that about covers it." Mr. Roberts said.

"Thank you!" Both Joseph and Felix thought.

"This concert does have a large audience, so do your best Joseph." Trace said.

"I know you can." Felix said while giving a thumbs-up.

"You don't even like my music." Joseph whispered to Felix as they left the office.

"Yeah, but your audience does." Felix said with a smile.

"Well now we have a different audience to attend to." Joseph said. "Let me just grab my… ah damn."

"What?" Felix asked.

"I left all of my equipment at home." He winced.

"Oy… well, I have my costume with me… the tunnel is within walking distance from here, so you can just walk back and get your gear." Felix suggested.

"Yeah… I'll catch up." Joseph sighed. As Joseph left, Felix watched his back. For most people he would be harder to discern as he walked farther along the dark streets, but with his eyes, he could still his back quite clearly, and his head hanging low.

"…" Felix looked for a nearby alley to hide in as he removed his managerial clothing.

Meanwhile…

"Die!" The man in the suit fired his machine gun at Night-princess, pumping her full of lead as she walked closer to him, her eyes now quite red. The bullets, as always, fell out of her body while the bullet holes closed themselves up rapidly.

"I'm… thirsty…" She moaned as he grabbed the man and looked at him with her red eyes.

"Gah! What are you… ah… ah… aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!!!"

"Hssssssssssssssssss…" Night-princess bared her fangs as he continued to look her in the face.

Meanwhile…

"OH MY GOD!!!" The man in front of the monitors shouted. "Th-th-tho-those f-f-f-fangs…" He stammered fearfully.

"What is she doing?" Traxon asked. He watched as Night-princess was bringing her head closer and closer to the suited man's neck then suddenly.

"No!" Night-princess shouted on the other end. She shook her head violently and hurled the man away from her. His head striking the wall and knocking him out cold. She breathed heavily, then pulled out one of her vaccines and injected herself.

"How curious." Traxon said. "What's the matter with you?" He asked annoyed as he looked at his trembling staff member.

"M-m-my g-g-g-g-gr-gra-grandma used t-t-to t-tell me st-st-stories… about…"

"About…" Traxon asked, his temper fading fast.

"Vampires…" The man whispered.

"Vampires?" Traxon asked, skeptical of course.

"Y-yes. She said that… that they were powerful… immortal fiends… with red eyes and sharp fangs… They only drank the blood of their victims. Th-they recovered fr-from nearly everything." He stammered.

"…" Traxon looked at the monitors as Night-princess picked up her shades and jumped out of a window. He was skeptical of course of what his henchman was telling him. But with what he saw; just maybe it was possible. "Nearly everything?" Traxon asked, putting emphasis on 'nearly'.

"Y-yes." He said. "My grandma said that the only things that could harm a vampire was garlic, religious symbols, silver, sunlight, holy water, and wood. And to kill them they had to be… ulp… decapitated, or have silver or wood pierced through their hearts… or… or…" The man stuttered.

"That's enough." Traxon said with a confident smile. "Go home. And… expect a bonus check in your mail in the next few days. Be sure to report back here tomorrow night." He finished as he left the room with a devious smile on his face. He pulled out a cell phone and speed-dialed a number. "Hello? Yes, I need you to make an order for weaponry for me."

Later that night…

"There was not much to do tonight." Night-claw sighed as he and Night-princess, her outfit full of holes, came in to the basement from the transport car. "Joseph?" Felix asked.

"Sorry I didn't join you…" Joseph said in a distraught manner. "I realized that I forgot to actually start the recharge of my suit since yesterday and I ended up being stuck here while it was charging." Joseph groaned.

"It's okay." Night-princess said comfortingly.

"No… it's not okay. This is the second night in a row that I couldn't help you guys out." Joseph said. "I… you okay Night-princess?"

"Oh… I just had to bust a big drug deal." She said quietly. "They kept coming in waves with bigger weapons." She sighed.

"And where was this?" He asked.

"An abandoned apartment complex in… downtown I think?" She pondered. "But Joseph… are you…" She started to ask.

"Don't worry about me." Joseph said as he walked upstairs. "Night-claw, you've been quiet."

"Hm? Oh sorry… just thinking." He said. Joseph sighed and went upstairs. "Lisa…" Felix said as he pulled off the mask.

"Hm?"

"Be very careful about what you say around him from now on." Felix said.

"Why?" Lisa asked.

"The guys at the record company. They told me that Joseph… well…"

"What?"

"He's…" Felix sighed hesitantly. "He's been diagnosed with an inferiority complex."

"Hm?"

"When he first started his career. The record company man told me that Joseph was very depressed, unusually so. So he went to see a psychologist or something and… that's what the doctor came up with." Felix said.

"Oh? Well… that's bad isn't it?" Lisa asked rhetorically.

"Especially when you're leading a double-life." Felix added.

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Well, here's chapter ten folks. I'll probably update my survivor story next so until next update, leave a review.