"What a minute…" Lee said, holding up his hand, "…your mom kidnapped me, and your brother works for this company too?" He scoffed. "Should have known this was all a trick."
"Adopted mother and half brother, get it right." Carter said simply, before turning back to Terrence. "The man kills me and thinks he can just mouth off to me."
Terrence merely held up his hand, sending another attack at Carter, the Metatron yawning as it struck.
"Interesting fact, brother: Those of the House of Ellis are immune to their relatives' powers. Which means your little jolts won't fry my nerves…" Carter waved away the whammy energy. "And I can't make you feel fear."
Circling each other once more, the brothers sized each other up, knowing what was to come next. Terrence removed his watch, slipping it into his pocket, as well as the keycard that hung around his neck. Carter let his jacket slide off his shoulders, tossing it towards Sergei who caught it with one hand, the other still nervously aimed at the guards.
"Stand down." Terrence said sternly. "Be on guard, but stand down. This is between me and the boy."
"I am no boy." Carter said sternly, rolling his shoulders. "I did not spend my time on the other side resting. For a year I trained, master all forms of self defense and battle…for this moment." Carter pointed at Vally. "You stand in the way of that little girl and freedom. You stole it from her…and now, I will give it back." Carter tensed. "Die."
It was as if a stretched rubberband had been cut, the action so quick. The brothers rushed each other, fists flying. Legs spun and jabbed at torsos, faces were sent snapping back as they were strike by uppercuts, cries of frustration, pain, and victory echoed through the hallway as they did battle. With every punch that contected, 10 more were dodged. The two were moving at speeds that amazed all around them, and it had nothing to do with their powers. No, these were two warriors, trained by the greatest masters, pitied against each other in a fight for survival.
Sergei watched them in shock, floored by their skill. He knew without a doubt that these two men were at the top of their game, holding nothing back. In another place, another time, had they been united as a team instead of enemies…they would never have tasted defeat.
Tina was less concerned with watching the Metatron and his brother do battle, instead focused on the many guns that awaited them once the battle was over. The sweet smell of almonds began to fill the hall as acid dripped from her palms nervously.
Valencia Alverez watched on in awe, eyes taking in every punch, every kick, every strike her daddy made. She silently cheered him on, her hero, as he did battle against the mean man that had taken her and Madrid. The fact that this was her uncle didn't bother her; for little Vally, all she needed was her daddy and her Maddy. And when they were with her, she knew she was safe.
Somewhere else inside her, where the adult she would become dwelled, she wondered if she would be able to fight like her daddy did.
Terrence knew he would lose. He had the superior training. He had been given the best lessons and equipment to work on his craft. He had given up 10 years of his life to become a living weapon, to never again know of defeat.
But in the end, he knew he would lose.
For Carter Daniels had something to fight for.
'If I can not beat him…' Terrence thought suddenly, 'I can assure that he will not use the girl against the company.' Twisting out of a hold his younger brother had put him in, Terrence sprung forward towards the group, hand latching onto Vally's forehead. The little girl screamed in terror as he roughly shoved her head back, trying to force her brain to shut down. But just as he felt his powers rev up, Vally's eyes flashed pink, and what felt like shields dropped down, locking him out.
"Hey!" Lee shouted, yanking Terrence away from the girl. There was no way he was going to stand by and let anyone hurt a kid. Cocking his fist back, he let fly a punch.
Terrence caught Lee's hand with his own, twisting it hard.
"Pathetic." Terrene sneered.
"Yea, you are." Jessica snapped, nodding at Tina before the two of them shot off a tag-team punch. The combination of Tina's acid and Jessica's strength was enough to send Terrence flying. The bodyguard was slow to get to his feet, free hand clutching his face as the acid burned him.
At that moment, Helena and Marshal came around the corner, breathless and fearful of what they would find. It was to their shock that Terrence was down, the fugitives still standings…and Helena's son alive, back to them as he looked a little girl over. In that moment, Helena saw something only a mother could see: The face of her child on another.
She knew Valencia was her granddaughter.
"Men, arms up!" A head guard shouted.
"No!" Helena shouted, Marshal pulling her back with all his strength, his partner and friend trying to get between the men and her child…and granddaughter. "Stand down!"
Carter didn't pay attention, instead focused entirely on Valencia. "You ok sweetie?" He asked, even as his mother fought to control the company men.
Vally nodded slightly, rubbing her forehead. "He tried to hurt me…couldn't." She said, confused. "Something…stopped him?"
Carter squeezed his daughter's shoulder. "Yea…something stopped him…the House of Ellis can't destroy itself." He mumbled the last part, before locking eyes with Vally. "Turn around, babygirl…don't want you watching this."
"Watching what?" Madrid questioned, wanting to know why this strange man seemed to care for her sister so.
"My duty." He said coldly. Carter's head slowly turned back to his brother, Terrence taking a step back as he saw the pure hatred pouring from Carter's now glowing eyes. And as Carter stood, there was no doubt that this was not Carter Daniels.
Terrence now faced God's newest avatar, the Metatron.
"Every death here is on your head, brother…not mine." Metatron snarled, body going rigid as his powers flared to life, illuminating his body. Soon, he was a being of light and energy, flesh and bone hidden behind the flaring whammy energy. His voice distorted, growing deeper and echoing, as he rose on his tiptoes, body ramrod stiff. "Behold the Voice of God"
"By God…" Helena whispered, staring at Terrence. "You've killed us all."
"Shoot him!" Terrence screamed. "Shoot him!"
But it was too late.
With a primal bellow, the Metatron exploded.
&&&
(Kelly, Hank, Linda, Noah and Claire- New York City)
Kelly raised her weapon, aiming it at BeeBee "That's nice, die now." She fired off several shots, before turning to the group. "One down…" A chuckle cuased her to look back in time to see BeeBee still standing, 4 bullets rotating against her skin. "I'll be dipped."
"She's a kinetic manipulator." Bennet said sternly. "Get down!"
The group dropped just as BeeBee sent the bullets back at them, causing a microwave to explode. Hank frowned, glaring at Bennet as the older man flipped some of the metal folding tables down, forming a semi-usualful shield while the two assasins fired several rounds at them. "How'd you know that?"
Claire looked at her father. "Another one of your "friends"?"
"No." Bennet said simply. "I've dealt with someone like her before. Only he was a black midget with an afro." The others stared at him. "Question later, shot now!"
"Love too!" Hank said, leaping up and opening his own weapon on Riker. His efforts garnered the same results as Kelly's, only by differenet reasons. As the bullets got near Riker, his body stretched out of the way, wiggling slightly before returning to its natural form. "Great, the a female Juggernaut and Mr. Fantastic Redux. How do we fight that?!"
"Creatively." Bennet said, firing off several shots at BeeBee. "The girl can't move while using her power. We keep firing and she's stuck." He tossed Claire his gun. "A few shots, duck, repeated." The teen nodded. Bennet turned to Linda, while the other three focused on keeping the assassins from coming a step closer. . "You control water." She nodded. Bennet could not believe he was about to do this. It would be the second time he had taught someone to use their powers in a new, more dangerous way. His job had been to stop those with abilities, not aid them in growing more powerful…but like with Ted, this was a matter of life and death. "You have only used your powers to control rivers, streams, and water flowing from other sourced. But you can control any water…from the water particles in the air…to the water that makes up plasma." Linda's eyes widened. "It is a dangerous move…but needed. Focus on the male…and rip the blood right out of him."
"I…I can't…" Linda stammered. "I gave up that life…I swore I'd never kill again…"
Bennet didn't betray his surprise that this cultured woman had take lives before. "Listen to me…I've encountered a lot of people like these two. They are trained only to kill and capture. Best hope is they put bullets in our heads. Worst…we end up experiments. Their lives are worthless…" He gripped her shoulders. "You are doing them a favor."
Linda gulped, the usually rock solid professor chilled to the bone as she raiseda shaking hand up, focusing on Riker. Bennet gave the command for the others to focus on BeeBee while Linda did her part.
Riker gripped his stomach in pain, BeeBee unable to move towards him as she was constantly sending bullets back at the group. His rubbery skin rippled, before his chest began to expand like a balloon, forcing him to stand up straight. He cried out in agony as Linda torn the blood out of his body through his pores, leaving him twitching on the floor, covered in his own plasma.
"GO!" Bennet shouted, firing one last shot at BeeBee before darting out of the room, the others on his heels. He stopped only to grab a nearly catatonic Linda, who'd frozen up at the sight of Riker, dragging her out of the breakroom and towards their only route of escape.
&&&
The escaped prisoners blinked, at last regaining their vision. After the Metatron's explosion, everything had gone white, leaving them blind to the world. Their ears had been filled with the tormented screams of the guards, raw and agonizing cries that ripped at their hearts. Even Jessica, the most stone hearted of them, had been chilled to hear-yet-not-see the destruction the Metatron had lay bare upon those that had dared to attack Valencia.
Somehow, not seeing what was happening was worse.
Though, seeing the end result wasn't any better.
The floor could no longer be seen. It was covered with a taspestry of blood, bile, bodily waste and dead bodies. Each guard laid twisted, their faces showing the fear and horror the Metatron had inflicted upon them. Some had torn their skin to ribbons, others bashing their skulls in, still more had simply curled up and died. There had been no mercy, no quick death. This had been torturous murder…plain and simple.
Only two were left alive. Terrence, back against the wall, staring at the broken forms of his men. And the Metatron, standing in the middle of the carnage, eyes glowing silver in displeasure.
"They died because of your arrogance, brother." Metatron said coldly, staring Terrence down. "Know in your heart that I would not have unleashed this death upon them, had you kept away from the girl." He nodded, as if agreeing with an unheard voice. "Valencia Alverez is under the protection of Heaven. I, her knight on Earth. Bring harm to her or those dear to her, and I will lay siege to all you care for until you beg for death. So speak the Metatron…voice of the one true God." With that, his entire demeener changed, eyes returning to normal as he quickly stepped away from the bloodbath. "We n-n-n-need to g-g-go." He stuttered. "I've u…u…used up too much power. I need to h-h-h-heal."
The others stared at him for a moment before agreeing. "Come on." Jessica said. "Lets go."
&&&
BeeBee held Riker in her arms, running through the back alleys of New York. This was a nightmare come true, an impossible reality come to light. Riker, the man that had saved her from a life of prostitution and given her purpose…who had helped her discover her powers…lay dying from bloodloss, not a wound on him.
'I'll kill that witch!' BeeBee's thoughts screamed as she hurried, trying to find a hospital. She knew it was in vain. There was no way she could enter without leaving in shackles. Her and Riker's faces were too well known. 'Riker…I'm sorry…'
So consumed with her thoughts, BeeBee didn't notice the older man standing infront of her until she hit him head on. Stumbling back, she lost her balance, her and Riker falling to the wet asphalt. She readied herself to attack, but was startled to find the man who stood before her watching her with interest.
"Biddy Bargo…" The old man said with a slight smile. "I knew I would find you here."
"Have you come to kill me?" She asked instantly.
"No."
"Then I don't have time to talk." She snapped, struggling to get up.
The old man shook his head. "You'll want to talk to me…considering I can save Riker's life." BeeBee paused, the old man jerking his head towards a limo that stood idling behind him. "I have transport…and a medical team ready to aid you."
BeeBee was doing a fish impression. "Wh..wh…what?"
The old man chuckled. "I have made it my business to keep tabs on The Company…keep your enemies close and such. When I saw you two hired in as a Plan B, should New York fail to go nuclear…something I must say I am glad was avoided, I knew it would be the perfect time to come and…bring you to my side."
"Your side?" BeeBee asked.
The old man nodded. "Yes…The Company isn't the only group out there dealing with those with gifts…there is mine…an…alliance…of those that…shall I say…" The man removed one of his gloves, revealing that his hand was made completely out of diamonds. "…are like you."
&&&
"This is how I died last time."
Lee looked at Carter in confusion. After his blast, Carter had barely been able to walk, let alone run. Sergei and Lee had been volunteered by the girls to help him, each taking an arm and dragging him through the halls.
"Your clones didn't do it…I did. I used my powers too quickly…I had to kill myself to stop them." He smiled slightly, glad he had atleast managed toget rid of his stupid stutter. "So it wasn't all your fault."
Lee looked at him. "Your mom still kidnapped me…and you ruined my chances to be rich."
Sergei snorted. "I believe that means 'apology accepted' in Boston." Lee merely glared at him, while Carter chuckled slightly.
Ahead of them, Tina was lost in her own thoughts. 'Carter Daniels…one of the few people my father feared.' She remembered well the files her father had given her back when she worked for him, detailing many of the people The Company was after. She also remembered the ranking system they used.
Each hero was given 2 rankings. The first listed what type of power they had, a broad idea of how their power could be used. She herself would have been a Soldier class, now a Rogue Class. The most dangerous of these rankings was the A Class, or Armegedon Class. These were people whose powers could be deadly on a global scale. 4 A Class heroes were known by The Company, all independent: Ted Sprauge, Peter Petrelli, the man known as Sylar, and Carter Daniels.
The second ranking was how skilled they were with their powers. Most people, after developing their powers, would only learn about them to a small degree, never truly experimenting. Of the thousands of believed super-humans in the world, only 39 of them truly understood how to use their powers fully. These ranks were based on the greek alphabet: People just developing their powers were Alpha Level. Those that could control their powers were Betas. Next were Gammas, or those that could master the basics of their powers. After that, there were 22 ever higher levels of understanding. Tina herself was on the cusp of Gamma.
The final level were the most dangerous. Omega Level was for those that understood how to use their powers fully. In the ancient world, they were seen as gods, as they could use one power to perform a vast array of things.
Terrence was an Omega Level. So was had been Tina's father. Infact, all the senior members, all 12 of them, were Omegas. Then there were 5 that worked for The Company that had been trained to use their powers fully, like Terrence or The Haitian. The rest were rogues that had managed somehow to learn about their powers fully.
Carter Daniels, in his file, was a Gamma Level. Atleast…until the time of his death.
Tina Linderman held no doubt, after seeing him function as the Metatron…that Carter had somehow leap-frogged to Omega Level. Only one other Armageddon Omega had existed before.
Sylar.
Tina frowned, turning to glance at Vally. 'And my father felt this girl would surpass her father…'
"This is it." Jessica said, motioning towards a door. "Beyond this, sweet freedom."
Madrid grinned. "Good…I don't every want to lay eyes on this place again." As she moved towards the door, she found herself stopped by Jessica.
"There…is one thing I didn't mention…"
"ANd what is that?" Madrid asked, throwing open the door.
The group froze as they looked out at the world around them.
As far as the eye could see, there lay flat, endless snowy tundra. The sky was pitch black, even though it was mid-day, and the winds whipped around them, sending snow flakes and icy bits of hail in their faces. Lee and Sergei stared at each other in horror, Carter looking on with dread, Jessica grimaced while Madrid held Vally closer to her.
(The Fugitives- The Alaskan Wilderness, 60 miles outside of Juno)
"Cover the baby's ears." Tina said softly. Vally looked around in confusion as Madrid clamped her hands over her sister's ears, the little girl stubbornly declaring she, "wasn't a baby". Tina took a step outside, staring at the endless frozen expanse, before looking to the heavens.
"MOTHER F--"