"This…this is hideous." Kelly whispered, walking down one of the crib rows, stopping before one crib to lift a tiny sleepy newborn girl into her arms. The little blonde haired babe nuzzled her chest, tiny fingers gripping her shirt. "We have to get them out of here."
"I'm with you all the way." Lee said, throwing out several sketches, summoning 3 burly men. "Gently grab as many babies as you can and get the hell out of here, avoiding detection." The 3 nodded, snatching several tots before leaving the room. "I'll begin making more babysitters."
Linda shook her head in disbelief. "Who could be this cruel?"
"I could." Adriana stated, all eyes turning to where she stood in her overseeing control room, high above the massive nursery. "By why is that cruel?"
"Dear God." Ellie whispered.
Malcolm's attack on the woman had done plenty of damage, but it seemed Adriana had done plenty more to herself. The side of her face that Malcolm had torn apart during their fight was now covered with metal, making her look more like a Terminator than a human being. Bits and pieces of machinery could be seen poking out of her flesh all over, and on her left arm an automatic assault rifle had been grafted right onto to bone.
Adriana tilted her head. "I don't think we should allow any more of your little paper soldiers to come about." Pressing several buttons on her right arm, Lee fell to the ground, screaming, blood oozing from his nose. "Don't like that, do you? Well, get use to it. I modified my power dampening collars to affects whoever I chose. I started with my dear friend Malcolm…" She pressed a button and Malcolm began to have seizures, Ellie holding him tight. After a moment, Adriana released him. "But now, I think I will enjoy toying with all of you."
Linda narrowed her eyes. "Why did you do this?"
Adriana shrugged. "My employer wants to advance this world…and it appeals to my curious nature." At that moment, 10 of Adriana's robotic guards marched in. "And now…let the games begin."
^&^&^&^
The swarm of corpses had separated the team into three groups now.
Micah, West and Tina were…somewhere, Terrence had no clue. His brother had disappeared, going radio silent since informing them he would find his way back to them. That left only himself and his little sister, Sarah, to wander the tunnels alone.
"I don't like this." Sarah whispered gently.
"We'll find the others." Terrence said sternly. "We just have to remain calm."
"That's not what I am talking about." Sarah stated. "I am talking about the fact that the horde behind us stormed pressing us 10 minutes ago. Why?"
"Don't look a gift horse in the mouth."
"Unless you expect him to bite you on the ass." Sarah countered. "They wanted us to separate, and they led us down this tunnel."
Terrence shook his head. "And why would they do that, assuming even for a moment they are smart enough to do that?"
"I think they are smart enough, or at least the man controlling them is." Sarah stated. She checked her weapons over once more. "And as for why, because they are separating those that can actually hurt them from those that can't. The only person whose powers apparently work on them is Tina…they probably have already driven her to stand by herself so they can overrun her. The rest of us they will take their sweet time."
"Must you be so cynical?" Terrence complained.
Sarah shook her head. "I find it hard to believe that you are handling this so calmly. I thought you were suppose to be a military man…why aren't you preparing?"
"I have been, I just didn't want the group tailing us to realize it!" He shouted, spinning around and firing at a corpse that had been sneaking up on them. Sarah leveled her weapons and opened fire, brother and sister marching backwards to take out the now growing group of undead bodies. Terrence grit his teeth, firing every shot with rage.
"Terrence…Terrence!" The men and women called out
"You know these guys are something?" Sarah asked.
"They are…were…Company agents. A lot of them died under my command." He dropped one of his guns and pulled out a foot long bayonet attachment, screwing it onto his semi-automatic. "Lucky for me, I see them only as sorry failures!" Letting out a battle cry, he rushed into the mob, hacking the apart.
^&^&^&^
Carter lowered his sword. "My God…Marshal."
"Yes…your friend, your mother's partner, returned to you." Drago/Marshal stated.
Carter slowly approached the figure, figures reaching out. "Marshal?"
"Yes."
"Do you really think I'm that stupid." Carter's shock transformed into anger as he slide one of his Azreal daggers from his sleeve and drove it into Drago's shoulder. The body snatcher bellowed as Carter leapt away, sword drawn. "I know all about you, spirit…you are nothing more than a demon wearing the flesh of my friend. And I am going to cut you out of there."
Drago rolled his head back and forth. "Perhaps, Abaddon, perhaps." The wound Carter and inflicted healed. "But this body is much better suited for me than any other…already the Light had touched it with her dark power, unlocking gifts Marshal never knew of."
"The Light you speak of is my daughter."
"Only in this life, Abaddon…soon you will join me and killing her and all other ties to this present form."
Carter exploded in flames. "Never." He growled.
Drago's own eyes went black. "So be it." He roared, leaping at Carter, fleshing ripping away as he shifted into a great black wolf, teeth bared and snapping at Carter's throat. Carter's hands reached up, just managing to grab the wolf's muzzle and pull it apart before it ripped his head clear off. Heaving, he set the beast flying, only for Drago to shudder, growing larger and more demonic.
"Awww damn it." Carter muttered, drawing his sword once more. "Alright wolfie…time to get Van Helsing on your ass."
^&^&^&^
The fight was not going well in the prison.
Every time it appeared one of them had a chance to take down the robotic attackers, Adriana would press a button and send that person to the ground, forcing the group to form a tight circle and protect them.
And all the while, the inventor taunted them.
"Be careful, don't want to hurt m future soldiers!" She called out as Linda bumped into a cradle, nearly tipping it over.
"How the hell do we fight her?" Kelly shouted, using the severed arm of one guard to beat another guard's head in.
"You don't." Adriana stated, pressing two buttons and causing Kelly and Lee to scream. Only Ellie remained unaffected, the only one of the group to gain powers through Vally and not through birth. And she could do little to stem the tide. "You can't win…I have studied all 5 of you and know what buttons to push to make all but Malcolm's girl scream…and she will be screaming soon enough."
Malcolm raised his gun, firing it at the control station, only for the glass to remain in tact. Adriana punished him, the British man screaming in agony.
"Just give up…nothing can save you now."
SNAP
The farthest wall exploded, and from the rubble Joseph emerged.
"Hello Adriana." Joseph said, raising his hands towards her. The inventor's eyes widened, her hand going to slam the steel shutters over the windows…
BOOM
The clap ripped through the room, crumpling the control room like a tin can.
Lee panted, shaking off the affects of Adriana's attack. "Thank you…but why…"
SNAP
Lee crashed against the wall, twitching.
"I'm the only one that gets to kill all of you."
Linda stepped in front of Lee. "Alright, asshole…you've hurt my friends long enough." The ground rumbled, and a column of water erupted before her. "Lets dance."
^&^&^&^
Sarah was doing the best she could to help Terrence, but there wasn't much she could manage. He was in the middle of the group, slashing and shooting, meaning she couldn't fire any of her weapons without hitting him. So she resorted to punching and kicking, using her super strength to tear the corpses to shreds.
Grabbing one, she spun him around, only to stare in horror.
"Isaac?" She whispered.
The dead artist looked at her, the top of his head gone and brain rotting away. "Eden…why did you abandon me…" he wheezed, shambling towards her.
"Oh God…Oh God."
"God can't save you now!" Terrence shouted, throwing her a knife. "Time to get stabbing!"
Sarah caught the blade, looking at Isaac. "I'm sorry." She drove the blade into his heart.
The corpse calmly ripped it and his heart free, staring at her before he lunged, blade headed right towards her heart.
^&^&^&^
Author's Note: Now, I know there was no cute or funny stuff in this chapter…and to make up for that, I bring you a deleted scene! Cue the Muppet Babies theme, its time for a Vally and Gabe short!
^&^&^&^
Madrid glared at Gabe. "Mama, make him give it back!"
"Give what back?" Madrid asked, trying to get the radio back to Carter's station so she could find out how he was managing.
Vally held Gabe out like he was a bag of trash. "Gabe stole my special bear!"
"Vally, he's just a baby, I don't think…"
"Yes he did! He's a bad baby…baby Sylar."
"Vally!" Madrid snapped. "Don't call him that!"
"But he is! He is a bad bear stealing baby!"
Madrid shook her head. "Vally, don't blame him for you misplacing things."
Vally pouted…for three seconds. "Gabe…give the special bear back or I rip Mr. Frog's head off." She pointed to Gabe's prized stuffed frog, the baby's favorite stuffed animal.
"Vally, that isn't…"
"Speeeeeee!" Gabriel squealed in a panic, body erupting in purple flames until the special bear was ejected from his body. Vally, smiling set, Gabe down on the counter next to Madrid.
"See mama…bad baby." She took her bear and hugged it. "…ok Gabe, lets go play!" She exclaimed, the whole ordeal forgotten. She picked up her brother and toddled away, the baby cooing happily.
Madrid shook her head.
^&^&^&^
Author's Note: Two more notes…for those who have taken the time (or even care), Gabriel is developing his own…well, I will call it baby language.
So far we have three turns:
'Spweee'- When confused, questioning or generally when he is spoken to. His version of "huh?"
'Squeeee'- When exicted
'Speeeee'- When scared or startled (though any of the other words can be used for a startled sound).
Yes…I have too much time on my hands.
Also, I would like to take the time to, at long last, thank my reviewers, especially Thomas, who has reviewed every chapter but, because he does so without an account, I have been unable to reply back and thank him. So, thank you Thomas, for taking the time to share your excitement about the story. I am eternally grateful!