Another Heart: Tricked
The cold basement was not somewhere he wanted to be.
But he'd endure it, he'd endure it for as long as he needed to.
His employer stood in front of him, the thin man radiating displeasure as light glinting off the white snake on the mans costume.
"I asked for her to be delivered in pristine condition." Coil said, a mildly annoyed tinge to his cold tone.
Francis shrugged at the villain, he had an urge to push Coil against the wall next to him and smash his head into it.
But not yet, not until he had what he wanted.
"I got her in the middle of a bank heist, surrounded by almost every heavy hitting hero in the city. I think… a few bumps and bruises are more than acceptable." He said dryly.
Tattletale looked up at him with that glint in her eyes.
Francis had grown to hate that look in the short time they'd had the girl in their possesion.
It was the look that appeared before Tattletale had reduced Marissa to tears after Genesis spat her up. Tattletale had instantly started to needle them, her fear taking on some form of psychotic mind games.
He had punched her for that. A little bit of frustration alleviated by the act.
Now with the gag they had to fit her with, she looked as frustrated as he did by being here.
Coil gave him a small nod.
"Indeed, under the circumstances, you performed admirably. Tell me, did you see Keynote?" Coil asked softly.
Next to him Marissa froze. Francis grimaced and hid his annoyance as best he could.
"Hard to miss the star of the show, she isn't exactly subtle." Francis replied, aiming for a casual tone.
He seemed to have managed it, or at least, Coil didn't care as the villain started walking around Tattletale, as if looking at her from a different angle might reveal something he hadn't seen before.
For all Francis knew of Coil's power… it just might.
Coil tsked.
"No. For all the power she throws about, she has left many obvious places to strike at her but I think I'll wait and see what dear Kaiser does first, he is promised a pound of flesh from her. And it doesn't matter who wins. Keynote tears off Kaiser's crown or Kaiser puts her in her place, I will profit from both. Isn't that right, my dear?" Coil hissed as leaned down to hiss in Tattletale's ear.
With a flourish, he removed the gag from her mouth and Francis took a step back as if Coil just turned off a guns safety.
Tattletale gasped, sucking in air. Then her baleful green eyes turned on the snake themed villain.
"You really are stupid aren't you?" Tattletale spat, vitriol and scorn dripping off her voice.
Coil looked down at her. Francis felt… like his employer was amused. Walking off to the side, Coil dragged a folding chair across the floor, the steel legs screeching noisily on the smooth concrete floor. The man in the back, Mr Pitter, watched with cold eyes that showed he would be quite happy to follow any order he might be given.
Whatever suited Coil's mood.
Coil sat down and looked at Tattletale.
"Hypocrisy isn't a charming feature, calling someone who can make your life very unpleasant 'stupid' is perhaps a stupid thing to do in and of itself." Coil chided.
Tattletale snorted, in amusement or contempt Francis couldn't say, probably both.
Francis reached out and pushed Marissa towards the stairs that lead up to the surface. Her eyes lingered on him for a moment before they were clouded with a look that could have been either hate or shame. Then Marissa vanished up the steps and shut the door behind her.
"Send Keynote against Kaiser? You're literally asking for her to get stronger." Tattletale said smugly.
Coil clasped his hands in his lap. The steel chair was a mass produced uncomfortable looking thing. But Coil managed to bring across the feeling of facing your CEO in his expensive office.
"Sometimes, when a silly little girl goes around doing your job for you then you should just let her get on with it." The snake villain said.
Tattletale's eyes narrowed.
"You want her to get rid of the villains." The blonde stated, her voice probing.
Coil shook his head and, with a snap of his fingers, beckoned Mr Pitter forward.
The dull looking man moved to stand next to Coil, pulling out a brown rolled up satchel from behind his back. Francis thought it looked like something you keep sewing materials in but when Mr Pitter opened it, there were three syringes instead of colorful threads.
Tattletale went very still as Coil slowly pulled one out. Francis wondered what was in the tool. Morphine? Something worse? Francis decided he would avoid finding that out for himself.
Tattletale narrowed her eyes as her breathing quickened.
"Is this what you were going to do to that girl, Dinah?" She asked coldly.
Coil tapped the syringe lightly, the capped point looking more menacing that any inanimate object had a right to.
"Ah yes, my lost pet. Her escape from me, twice no less, has been a source of great frustration. However, this is the nature of the business and a good businessman knows when to cut his losses and scrap a failed venture." He said casually and Tattletale's bound hands clenched tightly.
"Of course. Drugging little girls and plotting the murder of another teenage girl because she scares you absolutely shitless is a real smooth move. What's next? Skinning some puppies for a coat or will Mr Pitter be doing that for you as well? Pro-tip for you Coil, when you act like a storybook villain, you really need to stop and think about your life. Not that you're going to inject me, right? We both know that I need to be aware for my powers to work. You won't be able to wait until I come out of it to get some answers, so you can cut out that bullshit scare tactic." Tattletale said, her words glacial and angry.
Coil's posture lost its relaxed state as he tensed up.
In fact, for a second, Francis thought Coil looked like something had gone horribly wrong for him. Forcing himself to stay very still, Francis watched. If Coil turned a gun on him, then Mr Pitter would be an easy target for a switch...
Coil handed the syringe back to Mr Pitter with a harsh motion and the man looked alarmed as the cap brushed his skin.
"Power games, really? I thought you smarter than this." Coil said leaning forward and, quicker than Francis could blink, struck Tattletale hard across the face.
Blonde hair flying wildly as she toppled over, Tattletale landed with a grunt and tried to curl in on herself. Coil took a deep breath and stood up, As he spoke his voice had lost all the professionalism and politeness he had put on before.
"You're right. Of course, you are. I won't be drugging you, no, I think pain will be our little trick here. A stick instead of a carrot. You see, while drugs are effective, pain is free and more satisfying in the long run. These last five months have ruined a lot of plans I lined up. Circus, you, Keynote and many other very annoying bugs, so many people to kill and I frankly just don't have the time to waste it all on you and your pathetic little games. So… pro-tip, my dear, don't piss off the man who'd be happy to make you a cripple. I only need your tongue and eyes, the rest is verymuch optional." Coil said as he loomed over Tattletale.
Francis swallowed back bile, the act of violence wasn't surprising but watching someone get dismembered was not his idea of a good time. He just wanted to get the fuck out of this basement and get Noelle.
Nothing else mattered. Not Tattletale, not Coil's plans, not anything.
Just Noelle and going home.
Coil stood and, as if sensing Francis's mood, turned to face him but before the snake themed villain could speak, a hacking cough came from the floor.
Coil turned back to Tattetale, whose hair had fallen over her face, hiding her features. There was that noise again and Francis thought Tattletale was crying, small repetitive hiccuping noises.
When Tattletale looked up, he understood that he had been wrong.
Tattletale's bloody grin cut a chilling picture as she stared up at them, laughing.
"Fucked, you are so. Fucked." She laughed again and blood trailed from the corner of her mouth.
Coil looked down and Francis wanted to ask him if this was the result he wanted but decided that sarcasm wouldn't exactly be healthy right now, however tempting it may have been.
Tattletale's grin became positively demonic as she continued to stare at them with a dark mirth in her eyes.
"Coil… I can see your future." she said and her eyes turned dark, as if filled with deep-seated hatred.
Coil stumbled like he had been struck, as if surprised by some unseen blow.
"You're going to die. A bullet to the head. There's no escape, no running, not this time." Tattletale said savagely and strained at her bindings as if trying to get closer to Coil. Her eyes were wide as she seemed to notice something.
"Why villains? Infest the city, why does it bother you? Hate it, think you own this city, hypocrisy? No, this villain thing is a farce, why? Manipulating both sides, why? Wants to rule, wants power, legal power. Want's to be in charge… wants that promotion. Narrows everything down really… only one or two people." Tattletale whispered, her voice dropping lower and lower as she talked, almost speaking to herself.
Coil shook his head again as if some train of thought was getting lost.
Francis put one foot on the stairs in case this went bad. Fucking Thinkers, fucking bullshit mind games. Tattetale was getting to Coil and the man in black was getting angry.
"Stop it." Coil commanded.
Tattletale paused and then she looked at Coil, her nose was bleeding.
"Or what... Tommy?" She said smiling widely and Francis turned, walking up the stairs, trying to ignore the screaming behind him.
Five minutes later, Coil joined him in the empty house. Marissa had gone out into the back garden and was hugging herself.
"What you heard-" Coil began, dark menace in his voice.
Francis reached up, pulling Trickster's hat lower, shadowing his face… and hiding the direction of his gaze. Just in case.
"Doesn't matter, I get what I want and you will never see me again." Francis cut Coil off, wanting to be as far away from the man as possible.
Coil ran a finger over a spot of blood that had soaked into the body of the snake on his costume.
He reached into a bag on a kitchen table. This whole placed was probably owned by six different fake companies, and after Francis left, he had no doubt the house would suffer a mysterious case of arson that could be neatly blamed on vandals.
And Coil would simply vanish with his bloody canary into another hole. The snake-themed villain handed Francis a photo.
His heart stopped as he saw Noelle, perfect, human Noelle.
The picture was black and white but there was no mistaking her.
Her thin body was covered with a sheet but from the shape, the perfect, human shape, Francis could tell there was nothing growing there, nothing eating at her, no monster under the sheet.
"Where?" He said quickly.
Coil handed him a keycard.
"The old base, the surgery was performed there and it wasn't safe to move her so soon but the base will be compromised shortly. I'd make haste and get the girl out and never cast your shadow in my city again." Coil said and turned his back on him heading towards the upstairs bathroom.
Francis did just that. The night was still dark, his bright red costume was making sneaking about a pain but soon it would all be worth it.
His Noelle would be with him soon, nothing else mattered.
Marissa would understand if he got Noelle first and came back for her afterwards.
Luke's steps fell in line heavily next to him. Marissa had sent him to wait for Francis at the entrance to Coil's old base.
Francis tried to be annoyed with Marissa but just couldn't. She was only worried about them after all. Marissa was always a good person, she and Noelle would always…
He cut the line of thought off, instead focusing on his feet and the echoing of their footsteps.
Neither Luke or Francis had spoken, just nodded to one another and headed inside. Their steps echoing loudly in the empty hallways and there was a very heavy feeling of isolation about the place.
"They just left Noelle here on her own?" Luke muttered quietly, disturbing the eerie atmosphere.
Francis shrugged.
"Coil isn't exactly a fountain of kindness. Let's just grab her and get everyone together." Francis muttered as he headed inside the main door, swiping Coil's keycard.
In front of the giant vault like door that held Noelle before was a small operating table, on it was Noelle, her features relaxed and asleep.
"Okay, Trickster… this isn't right." Luke said, looking around the empty hall and the darkened hallways. Coil had packed up and left nothing, not even the beds that they'd been using until today.
Francis shook his head.
"Then let's not stay. I need to… I need to make sure she's alright." Francis muttered and moved to stand beside Noelle. Standing at the bedside Francis held out a hand then paused, his fingers trembling. For an instant they lowered before he snatched them back and looked up at Luke, his eyes pleading.
Luke sighed and brought out two tiny metal balls that Francis knew could punch a hole through reinforced walls.
Luke wanted to fly but all he did was make other things fly. Francis found it sad but decided that Luke got off easy compared to Noelle.
They had done this routine quite a bit, check on Noelle, kill the clone, move on.
Francis hesitated again, then audibly gulped before lowering his shaking fingers to touch Noelle's bare arm. Her body was so small, so human, and the toes sticking out from the sheet were such a wonderful sight that Francis smiled.
Nothing happened. No clone, no weird sucking sensation, nothing.
Staring at Noelle, he shook her. She didn't stir. He shook harder.
Panicking he grabbed both her shoulders and shook.
"Noelle! Wake up, Noelle!" Francis yelled, right in her face, her skin where he was holding her was turning dark with bruises. Luke moved over to the vault and stared at it.
"Trickster, the door is open." he said and Francis wanted to strangle him, Noelle wasn't waking up and he was going on about the fucking door?
Noelle's lifeless body flopped to one side when Francis tried to lift her.
Noelle toppled to the floor and like a balloon, popped with a slosh. Green viscous liquid spill across the floor, staining the white pants of Francis's costume.
"The fuck… Noelle. Noelle… Noelle?!" Francis croaked, falling to his hands and kness. Desperately he scrambled about, trying to gather up the thickening goop as if he could rebuild her. He had to, Noelle couldn't be… She couldn't be...
"Trickster!" Luke screamed and Francis looked up to see Noelle, her monstrous bulk slowly sliding out of the vault. Not rampaging, instead she was… hesitant.
"Francis? What's going on?" Noelle asked, her large mottled, mis-matched legs reaching out.
Luke hurriedly backed off to the other side of the room, his body language radiating fear.
Francis didn't move, couldn't. He stared up at her.
"You're… alive but… he didn't fix you?" Francis said feeling both relieved and betrayed.
Noelle looked down at him, her hands clasped to her chest.
"Fix me? Everyone left and I was alone." Noelle whispered and one of her leg-like appendage touched the green goo and decided it didn't like it and smashed the floor. Noelle's calm face broke, trembling as she tried to control herself.
Francis was about to swallow his heartbreak and comfort her when he heard a noise.
Turning he looked for the source. There was a beeping sound, repeating every second or so. Then another joined it and then another. Luke turned back and pointed to something above the door they had come through.
"Krouse, we need to get the fuck out-" Luke began…
Then the world exploded.
The world went white, a long ringing noise tuned inside of Francis's head. The ground below shook hard but Francis couldn't see or stand up. There was a noise like thunder and dust fell on his face.
"Krouse!" Noelle screamed, Francis tried to stand but Luke stumbled into him as the roof collapsed towards them.
"Krouse, please, I'm so sorry!" Noelle sobbed and something grabbed his foot.
Noelle.
Francis's vision cleared enough to see the room cave in and Noelle pull him and Luke into her monstrous form. Looking up, Francis saw Noelle sagging as the roof fell on her, only her monstrous strength keeping her upright.
"Krouse... This time, I'll protect you." Noelle said, her voice filled with pain and determination.
Francis screamed as the darkness overtook him. The last thing he saw was a clone of himself pull free off Noelle's body. It was instantly crushed by a piece of rubble and Francis felt the world go hazy.
"Mr Pitter, please send the last of the Noelle samples to Blasto, his work was excellent as promised." Coil said, sipping a cup of coffee as his assistant rushed off with a silver case. Coil knew that the mad scientist would appreciate the severed dog head taken from Noelle's body. Frozen as it was, it would be stable but Coil had warned Blasto that the sample would degrade fast...
Trickster and Ballistic, the ringleaders of the group. Without them, the Travelers would fall apart. Oh certainly the remaining members were powerful; Sundancer and Genesis but without a firm hand to guide them Sundancer would simply give up, Genesis would follow her and what was his name… Oliver? Oliver was no threat or leader. No, with the guding hand gone the Travelers would fail and it would only be a matter of time before they were dead or captured. Assuming they didn't quit the cape life altogether of course.
Thus, loose ends were neatly tied up. Tattletale was his only connection to the Undersiders, Trickster to the Travelers. Circus was still an errant pest but she had thrown herself in with Keynote, who now unknowingly marched directly into a war with Kaiser.
Pawns are lost so easily in war. Circus would surely flee or die, it didn't matter. As for that other annoyance… Keynote was a car crash in the making, the more she conflicted with the PRT and the more she stood firm the harder everyone would throw themselves at her and she would not be able to weather the storm.
Lung had, then Hookwolf and now Kaiser and the Empire 88. Who else would come after Keynote?
Or the better question, who else could he make Keynote dispose of for him?
Coil sipped his coffee as he gripped the gun in his hand. He'd tried putting it down, acting casually… but everytime he did…
'You're going to die. A bullet to the head. There's no escape, no running, not this time.'
The bitches words kept circling his head. Even in the other timeline he could find no rest.
'Not this time.'
Tattletale's bloody grin and mocking laughter kept him awake all night.