We made it to 30! Big milestone, especially seeing as we're nearing the end now. I think I was pretty quick with this one, but that's mainly because I have an ulterior motive for uploading this chapter... I started a blog! I won't be uploading any new fan fictions or anything up there that won't be on here, but I will be using it as a more casual form of uploading original content and talking a bit more about myself, so if that at all interests you, the name is 'Fiction and Fries' and I'm using Blogger so the domain is at BlogSpot
Disclaimer: I only own my OCs and the plot to this tory, everything else is Marvel's.
Chapter 30 - Takedown
The room was like many in the wing - metal walls, metal floor, metal slab for a bed, and a basic toilet in the corner. Most of the cells, however, had a slate in the door that could be opened to allow entry of food. This one took every precaution, and so two gas masks hung on the outside of the door, and the frame was lined with some material to keep any possible fumes inside. The agent posted at the door moved aside as he saw Tony Stark and Alexia Brookes approach, and they entered as soon as their masks had been applied.
The woman on the bed was looking down and smirking slightly. She barely reacted to the opening and closing of the door. She looked surprisingly normal, though Alexia supposed that she hasn't been imprisoned for as long as some of SHIELD's other criminals.
"Hello, Lacey," Lexy greeted softly through the mask.
Anthuria's grin fell suddenly, and wide eyes shot up.
"What did you just call me?" she whispered.
"Lassandra Whitman," Tony expanded, "The name you used before-"
"No," the woman interrupted sharply, auburn hair half-hiding stormy eyes, "That's… That's not my name."
Alexia sighed quietly.
"Do you remember anything before the Familia, Lacey? Don't you remember your parents? Do you even remember me?"
Anthuria stared hard for a moment. She was trying to remember anything besides missions with Red Techo and time around the Familia. She vaguely remembered a group of other children, most older than herself, with pained expressions. One stood out most. A pair of bright green eyes and a warm smile in a cold room. Behind the modern design of SHIELD's gas masks, Lacey could almost make out the same green eyes.
She had spent so many years controlling her emotions, holding in pain, forgetting old memories. But it was suddenly all flooding back, and for the first time in a while she felt tears in her eyes. She had dedicated her life to an organization that had kidnapped and experimented on her.
"Lacey, please listen to me," Alexia continued, "You don't have to return to the Familia. We can help you get away from them, and get James out as well."
"James?" Lacey mumbled.
"James Miller, aka Red Techno," Tony added helpfully.
Memories were still flooding back. Breakfasts of runny porridge next to Lexy in a small, monotonous hall, talks with masked men about injections and dreams.
"Lacey, we can't help you if you don't tell us where James is, or where Maria is? The-"
One of the most prevalent memories began to play vividly. Her room's door opened, which didn't usually happen in the night, and several faces peered in at her, including two adult strangers. Closest, however, was Lexy, happier than she had ever been.
"What's going on?" she had asked.
"Lacey, we're getting out!" her best friend had replied.
But she was wrong. Alexia would escape, but Lacey would be shot in the leg. She would be left behind, left to suffer through more rigorous experiments, harsh punishments and, most importantly, left to face her uncertain future alone as the surviving children around her lasted in the brutal conditions no longer. Until there were no names anymore, no identities. Only Anthuria and Red Techno.
"I am not helping," she decided suddenly.
Alexia's speech trailed off.
"What?"
"You left me behind," Lacey hissed, "You left me to die. You never sent anyone back to get me. I'd bet you never gave a second thought after you'd escaped."
Lexy felt a surge of pain and defensiveness rise inside her.
"There was nothing I could do," she frowned, "If I'd have helped, I would've died! And Dylan and… They made me go!"
Tony placed a reassuring hand on the woman's shoulder. Lacey glared like a child, though the hatred it showed was deadly serious, and twisted to face away from the two.
"I'm not saying anything," she repeated.
Tony sighed, and tugged gently on Lexy's arm. She turned without a word, and they left the room, removing their masks as soon as the door was closed. Lexy's eyes were misty.
"I shouldn't have left her," she whispered.
Tony pulled her into a tight embrace.
"You didn't have a choice," he reminded her quietly.
"Has she responded at all to speech after her transformation?" Helen asked, notebook resting precariously on crossed legs.
Elliot and Elise, in a pair of handcuffs, sat on a pair of chairs opposite her. The latter was still, head facing the ground and breathing heavily, but Elliot looked anxious. He was wringing his hands together and shaking one knee up and down.
"She…. She replied to me when I first found her like this…. She hasn't spoken much since, except to me," he answered, eyeing his sister carefully, "I think she listens, but she doesn't respond."
"And, aside from the physical differences, how has she changed?"
"As in, how she acts?" Elliot cleared his throat, "She is more… dependent. She has always stuck by me, only because she is prone to fits and fainting, but now she refuses to leave my side. She is also more… Savage. She used to be very proper, but now she cares little about manners or posture. She is like an animal."
Dr Cho noted down his response, eyebrow raised. She looked him in the eye.
"Has Elise been violent towards anyone since the doctor?" she asked.
"She has not attacked anyone since, but I am worried about what will happen if…"
"Thank you, Elliot. I think that's all I need. Would you mind returning to your room with Elise?"
He nodded, and gently grabbed his sister's hand, hurrying out of the room. Dr Cho finished her notes and stood up. Next was the lab, where samples of the two Javiers' DNA was being stored for testing, and then she would give her evaluation to Fury and Stark. After that, she had said she'd have a look at Bruce, and see if there was anything that could be done.
In the hallway, her phone buzzed. It was the profile of the plant Elliot had used, provided by Stark Industries. It was called Thresshush, a plant with violet petals and pointed leaves. It had several poisonous and abnormal properties, mainly through consumption of the leaves or roots. A sample of the plant was being sent to SHIELD's labs. Hopefully this would be a step towards progress.
The Familia's island was small, primarily comprised of a stout fort, large garden and private harbour. Most of the rooms of their headquarters were underground. Even most of the Familia weren't sure where exactly it stood, only the higher ups knew that, but it was somewhere among the wild waves of the Atlantic Ocean. The harbour could hold two ships at a time, but only one was moored at the moment. It was smaller than what Francis had been expecting, it would barely hold 10 people, yet there was a crowd of Familia members on the port that could fill at least three of the same boats. Some were the help, but many were fully-fledged members. It had never occurred to Ainsworth the size of the organization. As a high-ranking member, the meetings he attended usually only consisted of the Dux, Dux Prioris and five or so others.
The Dux was already on board, standing at the entrance and surveying the crowd. With him was Kurosawa and Kazimir, all three in their masks.
"Dux Sanguine!" Ainsworth called out, among a sea of other voices.
Yet the Dux turned to him, and for a moment the Englishman was sure that he would be helped to safety, that he was as special as others the Dux valued. He had made some mistakes, mainly in managing the children 16 years ago, but he was still better than the riff raff around him. Then all heads turned at once to face the ocean, as two helicopters and three military-style boats sped towards them. The Dux returned his eyes to the crowd and called up a few others, causing uproar as the crew onboard began to detach the plank. Ainsworth surged forward.
"Dux! Dux Sanguine!" he screamed, "Let me on!"
His yells fell on deaf ears, apparently, and within seconds the ship was off. Several members attempted to jump onto the boat, but none made it.
"After all I've done for you, you ungrateful brat!"
Though Francis would have happily uttered these words in the direction of the leaving ship, he and several others were silenced by the withered yet booming voice that had cried out. It was the Dux Prioris, looking older and weaker than he had been in a while. His glare didn't leave the boat's stern, even as people panicked at the nearing law enforcement, turning to hide or fight in the fort instead of waiting for death or imprisonment.
"Dux Prioris," Francis greeted, approaching him against the pull of the mob, "Are you alright?"
"I should have never given Strazio the power I did," the man mumbled, "I should have waited until Maria was old enough."
Ainsworth tugged him off of the boardwalk, onto the mix of sand and dirt that signalled the meet of beach and dry land.
"You cannot possibly blame yourself for this, Dux Prioris," he insisted, "The fall of the Familia will forever be known as Strazio Sanguine's doing."
There was a new spite in Francis' voice. He had always been slightly bitter against the Dux, but loyal and proud enough to stay beside him. Now he had been abandoned, and there was really nothing left to lose.
"I was biased and impatient. Now none of us will have the legacy I promised."
Francis had been very young when the Dux Prioris had been at the height of power, but even he could remember the bright spirit of the Familia before their failure and the new Dux's assignment.
"Let's make one last attempt, then, sir," he decided. Antonio looked up with weary eyes, "We can make it to the fort, send messages to every ally we have by any means, tell them to cause havoc in the Familia's name one last time, and then destroy any evidence of the messages we sent. The American government will have no way of stopping them and there will be international panic in our name one last time."
The old man looked at him in a mix of astonishment and pride. Finally, he smiled and nodded.
"Help me up, then, Ainsworth, we can get more help on the way up," he agreed.
The younger man helped his elder to the path, and up to the fort. A swarm of members and staff were still lingering, either praying in small groups or screaming names of friends and family. Ainsworth shrugged past them, occasionally pulling people aside to ask for their help. He gained the allegiance of a few others, and continued on.
"Director Fury?" the voice at the other end greeted.
"Was the operation successful, Agent Hill?" Fury replied.
"We have captured all known members of the Familia de Superiores, excluding Red Techno and Maria Albertelli. A few of the higher-ups tried to escape by boat, but we quickly caught up."
"Any casualties?"
"Three of ours were injured, two of theirs were killed. But, sir, it seems that after they saw us coming, they were able to destroy any evidence of their plans and the location of Albertelli and Techno. They have also destroyed all communications devices being used, so we have no way of finding their allies or any members that were not based on the island."
"Can the equipment be fixed?" Fury growled.
"We don't think so, sir, but we are bringing the wreckage back. Maybe Stark can take a look," Hill suggested.
"Maybe," Fury repeated, "Call me if there are any developments, and bring the prisoners back to America as soon as possible."
"Of course, Director."
Fury heard the agent hang up and returned his eyes to the window of his office. Now it was just for Red Techno, Maria, and the Brookes'.
So, finally the reign of the Familia is over. Onto the remaining villains of the story. If you like the chapter, please review, and follow for more if you haven't already. Hopefully I'll speed up the time it takes to write the next chapter as an attempt to procrastinate instead of revise...