Volume 3
Villains
(Company Prison-The Alaskan Wilderness, 60 miles outside of Juno)
(1 Month after The Battle of Flint)
Merrick thrashed about his cot, eyes flicking all about. He was strapped down, dressed in a hospital gown, his head shaved and a barcode tattooed on his forehead.
There was no way The Company was letting him go.
The techs were busy with other things, none of them caring to watch over the mostly brain dead man. There were other people to monitor, other people to observe…Merrick Delpine wasn't a concern.
That's why none of them saw the portal open.
That's why none of them saw the four figures step through.
They were all dressed in black, head to toe. There were so slight variations, as two were women, obviously, though one woman appeared an adult, the other barely a teenager. The two men were also a bit different, the same age or close to it as the woman, one wearing guns.
The woman in black took the lead, looking at Merrick carefully. "I always wondered how you died…why we never heard from you again." Her hand shot out and stopped his head from twitching, forcing him to look at her. "You won't hurt my family again." She leaned in close. "But I want you to see my face before you die…to remember who ended your reign."
The woman ripped off the black full-head mask, swishing her long black hair, her tanned Latino skin managing to look good even under the harsh lights of the Company cell as she forced Merrick to stare at her.
"A…Alverez." Merrick whispered in horror, his first sane thought in weeks.
"Didn't you get the memo?" The woman asked, drawing a gun from her belt and pressing it to Merrick's skull. "Its Daniels now."
She fired 3 shots, reducing Merrick's brains to mush, before she pulled her mask back on. "One down…6 to go." She said coldly, walking back through the portal, the other three following after her.
&
(Philadelphia- 2 Months after The Battle of Flint)
"Its not as bad as Flint." Charlie Raegan commented, flicking a cigarette butt onto the crowd. The police chief…former police chief…of the city of Flint, never took his eyes off the building, not even as his wife spoke.
"Nothing is as bad as Flint."
Renee Raegan was not a stunning beauty, that much could be said. No, her beauty was more natural…down to Earth. She was a primal beauty, a product of a long forgotten era now trapped in this work. Ebony skin, long black hair twisted in a massive French braid, little emo glasses perked on her nose. She was a contrast to her husband, a lean but muscular man with slightly graying black hair and dark skin speckled with black freckles.
"Especially now." Renee commented, turning to watch as the construction crews worked to add a new beam to the United States Mint. "What is the official story?"
Audrey Hanson, FBI agent and the woman that always seemed to get stuck on the bizarre cases, shook her head. "All sorts of things. There was water damage, blown out ceiling and floors, an explosion…they are trying to do everything they can not to call it a terrorist attack."
Charlie nodded, shaking his head. "Things are getting pretty strange in the world, aren't they?"
"I have a serial killer ripping the brains out of people, a blast of light of New York City, the US Mint attacked, and now Flint, Michigan has been reduced to a warzone." Audrey nodded. "yeah…things are getting strange."
Renee turned to the over woman. "When we came to you last month, you said you could help us find our daughter…we are no closer to her…did you lie to us?"
Audrey sighed, running her fingers through her hair. "We will find her…"
"Don't think we haven't noticed the men following us, Ms. Hanson." Charlie said coldly. "You've been having us tailed…I'd like the truth."
Audrey frowned. "What are you…"
"Lets lay the cards on the table, shall we?" Charlie snapped. "We've been using each other. We've been telling you we knew a lot about what happened in Flint. We don't. Not a damn thing. Only what you've seen on Youtube from crackpots: The same woman, a million of them, battle the guys from 300 and stormtroopers, with a bunch of people on the Missing Persons List leading them. We only said we knew anything to get your help finding our daughter. You, in turn, are lying about ever letting us see her."
"I don't…"
"STOP!" Charlie roared. "You can't lie to me!" He grabbed her arm. "Now, the truth! Why are we being followed? Why have you wasted our time these last 2 months darting around across the country…WHY!?"
"For bait!" Audrey finally snapped. "We're using you as bait, ok? Your daughter is connected now to two terrorist acts…we were hoping she would contact you…"
"And you could kill her." Renee snarled, taking a step forward. "Bitch."
Audrey didn't look fazed. "I am doing what needs to be done, for the safety of the country. And unfortunately, you don't have a choice in the matter. You're going to keep helping us, or we are going to throw you in a cell for lying to the United States Government."
Charlie nodded, taking out another cigarette and lighting it up. "Figured as much." He said calmly, before flicking the butt right into Audrey's face, he and his wife darting for an alley.
"Don't do this." Audrey grumbled, giving chase as she pulled out her firearm. "This is Agent Hanson, perusing the Raegans…" She called over her walkie, darting into the alley. "There is no where to…"
Audrey found herself at a dead end.
"…run?"
&
Above the agent, Renee stuck out her tongue. "You ok, baby?"
Charlie looked up at his wife from where he clung to her leg. "Just peachy…"
Renee nodded, pressing her hand against the wall and slowly climbing up it with ease, despite the fact there were no handholds at all.
&
"We lost them, gentlemen." Special Agent Lorenzo Bast, liaison for the FBI, stated calmly, placing folders in front of each member of the Cabinet. "Our one link to Carter Daniels…gone."
The Secretary of Defense frowned. "How was this allowed to happen?"
"A sloppy mistake…Agent Hanson will be dealt with, sir." Lorenzo stated calmly.
"I still do not see why you are pushing so many resources in finding this Mr. Daniels." The Secretary of State commented. "I have not seen a shred of evidence to suggest this young man is nothing more than a runaway…yet you tell us he is some sort of new-breed terrorist?"
Lorenzo opened one folder and slid it over to the men and women. "I'll review the facts one final time: Carter Daniels put 3 men in the hospital in September of 2007. Several weeks later, after he had run away with Mr. Hank Delpine, Ms. Kelly Raegan and Professor Linda Frey, a clerk in Ohio stated he saw a man matching Daniels' description attack a man with, and I quote, "Silver fire.". A week later, the United States Mint is attacked…eyewitnesses place Mr. Delpine and a woman believed to be Carter Daniels' mother, Helena Daniels at the scene. 2 months later, Mr. Daniels is seen in Flint, during what the bloggers are calling The Battle of Flint…"
The Secretary of Homeland Security nodded. "Something must be done…even if Daniels is innocent, proving that will atleast allow us to focus on the true task at hand."
Lorenzo nodded. "I'd like to place additional men on the case, as well as commission another 3 million monthly on locating Mr. Daniels…" The agent frowned as an aide entered the room, hurrying to the President and whispering in his ear. "Sir?"
The President smiled in weak amusement. "Turn on the TV."
&
"…just joining us, we are live at Morbius INC, where recluse CEO Daniel Richards is about to make a major announcement about the company."
"Tiffany, what can you tell us about Morbius INC, for those viewers that haven't heard of them?" the anchor asked.
"…Morbius INC is a leading software company, with several branches in Europe and the United States, as well as a branch in Japan. Some of their most famous products are a new brand of DVD encryption software, as well as their gaming division putting out the top rated video game BOOSTER GOLD: THE GAME."
"And what of Daniel Richards, the CEO?"
"As many who follow business know, Daniel took over Morbius from his father, Thomas Richards, 30 years ago at the age of 18. At that time, Daniel disappeared from public view, running the business mostly from the shadows. No one really knew what happened to him, and there was talk that he had sold off his shares and allowed the Board of Directors run the company, but with this announcement…" Tiffany paused. "Wait…there he is now, Mr. Richards!"
Daniel Richards stepped up to the podium that sat at the long table that had been set up in front of the throng of reporters, clearing his throat as they snapped photos of the reclusive billionaire.
"Members of the press, I will make this brief. Many of you know how I came to be CEO of Morbius…but beyond that, I have allowed little of my life to be seen. The truth is…I went into hiding so that I may lead a normal life." The reporters buzzed with this news. "I married a woman I love very much, and adopted a son, who I have spent these years raising to be a strong, confident young man…someone I feel is ready to take over for me." The reporters' buzzing grew stronger. "I would like to introduce myself properly…my name is Vic Daniels…" he waved his hand, and a group of people began to enter. "And this is my family…my wife, Helena…and my son, the new CEO of Morbius…Carter Daniels."
The reporters shouted questions as Carter Daniels stepped towards the table, leading a parade of new faces. Carter, for his part, was dressed in a fine Italian suit, a gray silk shirt under the black jacket, a blue tie highlighting his eyes as he took his place at the podium.
"Please, I would like to make my own statement before I answer any questions." Carter said, taking control of the room. "You will dig up soon that a few months ago, I 'ran away' from home. I assure you…I did not. This was done to allow me reason to slip away, so that I could complete my training with my father so that I could be ready to take command of Morbius." He waved his hand to his friends, seated at his right. "These people learned of my true identity and helped me, and as such have been rewarded. I plan to pay back all government and local law agencies for the costs wasted in searching for me and my friends." Carter nodded, moving to take his seat next to a little girl wearing a pink party dress and a woman in a stunning black business suit. "We will now take questions."
"Mr. Daniels!" One reporter called out. "Who are all these people you said helped you?"
Carter nodded towards the other end of the table. "My name is Hank Delpine." Hank stated, introducing himself.
"Kelly Raegan."
"Biddy Bargo."
"Linda Frey."
"Tina Linderman."
"Marshal Wise."
"Lee Malion."
"Galatea Malion."
"Ashleigh Delpine-Malion."
&
(Santa Barbara)
"Claire…Claire get in here!"
Claire, looking up from her science book, frowned. "Mom, I'm busy here!" She rolled her eyes. "Not the best impression if I don't do my homework for the first day…"
"Claire…you need to see this." Noah Bennet said, his voice on edge.
Standing up, the cheerleader made her way to the living room, just avoiding Mr. Muggles. "What is…"
Her eyes widened as she stared at the face on screen…the same face that stared back at her each night when she looked at the picture frame she kept hidden in her closet…the face of the brother she had never gotten to know but already felt like she knew all her life.
"Carter?" She managed to get out…
…before fainting dead away.
&
"Are you watching this?" Angela Petrelli asked.
On the other end of the phone, Terrence nodded. "Oh yeah."
"Increase security around Adam…we don't want his grandson staging a jail break."
&
Charlie and Renee Raegan stared at the television screen in the electronics store, dazed.
&
Marie Delpine smirked. "Well…hello stranger." She whispered.
&
"Matt!" Molly called out. "Look…it's the people that broke in here!"
&
"Huh?" Ando said in surprise, watching in the limo with Hiro's father as Carter spoke. "Isn't that the swordsman you fought?"
Hiro's father glowered.
&
"Turn off that shat." Ricky called out to his sister, hauling the limp body of Peter Petrelli into the pub. "We got bigger things to worry about!"
&
Carter turned to the little girl next to him, smiling. "And this is…"
"HEY!" The 4 year old called out, annoyed. "I can introduce myself!" She said, her squeaky voice ruining any anger that it held.
The reporters laughed as the child climbed onto the table and grabbed one of the mics. "HELLO!" She said loudly, before Carter pulled the mic back. "Sowwy." She mumbled, before turning to the reporters, tapping her foot.
Carter made a motion for the reporters to repeat their question.
"Oh…sorry…and who might you be?" The reporters asked, already know exactly who she was…it was hard not to know the most famous runaway toddler in the world.
The girl beamed. "I am Valencia Anna-Maria Alverez-Daniels!" Vally said happily. She turned to the woman at Carters left. "And this is Maddy." She said rather plainly.
"And what about me?" Carter asked.
Vally smiled, love shining clearly in her eyes as she rocked back and forth. "And this is my daddy." She claimed.
The room burst into chaos.
"Ms. Alverez, is this true?"
"How is this possible?"
"Why the coverup?"
"Are you the real father?"
"QUIET!" Carter and Vally both shouted, staring at each other for a moment before turning to the crowd.
"Geez, they get more and more alike each day." Hank quipped softly.
Carter turned to the reporters. "To answer you questions…it doesn't matter how Madrid and I met…that part of our lives is off limits. What does matter is that Vally is correct…I am her father…and more than that, Madrid is Vally's birth mother." Carter smiled weakly, using the story he and Madrid had crafted. "What I can tell you was we did not plan this, and as such, we decided, to keep our growing relationship out of the public eye, to claim Vally was Madrid's sister. Madrid's parents knew this…they loved their granddaughter…but now, with this move…I feel it is time to share my love with the world."
"Mr. Daniels!" One reporter called out. "What would you say to shareholders concerned with this news that you have, for a lack of a better word, a baby mama?"
Madrid glared at the reporter. "I'm right here." She snapped. "And it shouldn't matter to them…but if they are such prudes, I make only one suggestion…" Madrid grabbed Carter's hand, showing the world their matching wedding bands. "…watch what you say about my husband."