It had taken some convincing, but Yelena eventually got Heisenberg to agree. He didn't want to give Miranda anything she wanted, he even threatened to kill Yelena before giving her over.
"You would have killed me already," she said at his threat. "Also I doubt that I'll be suitable." she wiggled her shoulder stump
"I don't think anyone would be perfect for her," he muttered. They sat in his office and he pulled the phone off the receiver. "I don't like this," he said before punching in the number.
"Mother Miranda!" he said with feigned excitement. "I have something for you!" he listened for a minute. "Of course, right away." his face dropped. "Yes, of course."
When he finally hung up the receiver he shot her a look and handed her coat over, "We're going to the old fort, you'll get to meet my 'siblings.'"
-/-
The Old Fort was partially buried and they had to walk through a crumbling tunnel to get there. Yelena nervously chewed on her bottom lip and was beginning to regret the decision to come here. A ball of nerves formed in her stomach and she kept stealing glances at Heisenberg's back. He walked like his head was held up by a wire and every limb was loose, he carried his large hammer on his shoulder. She touched the leather pouch on her hip that held her nails.
"They'll be useless against them." he had warned. She knew she wouldn't need them, she planned to try and play into the ego of Miranda like the prodigal son returning.
They entered into a cathedral, there was no other word to describe it. Pews lay upturned and shattered. The sun came through a large opening in the back. She tried to take a deep breath but it caught in her throat at the site of the tallest woman she'd ever seen.
Dressed in a vintage white dress with a floppy black sun hat, she smoked a cigarette at the end of an old cigarette holder. She looked like something out of a 1930s Hollywood movie. Her pale face crinkled slightly at the site of them and her green eyes pierced Yelena's soul.
Yelena sat in a pew across from her and tried not to stare. Heisenberg flopped down next to her and balanced his ankle on his knee and cigar in one hand and the other rested on the back of the bench behind her. His magnetic field seemed to pulse with hers. She didn't know if she hated being so close to him, or the fact she was feeling comfort in it.
Two more figures sat nearby. A woman covered in a black veil with a decrepit doll on her lap. The doll hopped down and ran up to Yelena, to her horror. It laughed and danced from foot to foot. The second figure shuffled over. Hincjednocer with various debris sticking out of its robe. They were covered in boils and weeping sores and gave off an overwhelming smell of mildew.
On the exposed rock, the sun came through and illuminated dozens of Lycans. They snarled at her and said crouched ready to pounce.
In an explosion of black feathers, a woman appeared. She had six wings like a seraphim, a golden halo sat on her head and an ornate bird mask covered her face. Eyes blue and icey gazed at Yelena, freezing her blood. She did not need to pretend to stare in awe. A feeling of kinship and love swelled in her chest, but also the undeniable grip of terror held her in place.
The Lords stood at her arrival and bowed, some lower than others. Heisenberg pulled her to her feet and nudged her to approach Miranda.
"Mother Miranda, our visitor." he placed a hand on her back and pushed her ahead of him. Yelena dropped to her knees and lowered her head. She was absolutely terrified. He retreated to the pew and lounged on it again, puffing on his cigar. The smoke obscured his face.
"Child," Miranda said softly, but her voice rang in her ears. "Stand and let me have a look and you." she obeyed instantly as if compelled. Miranda walked around her weighing her, she stopped at her left side and gently touched her shoulder. "How did this happen."
Yelena swallowed, "An overzealous scientist wished to study me." she paused then added, "Mother." Miranda smirked and glanced at Heisenberg.
"What is your name, child?"
"Yelena."
"Is that Russian I hear in your voice?" Yelena nodded. She clenched her jaw to stop it from chattering.
This was a mistake, she thought to herself and wondered if Miranda could read her thoughts.
"You're a very long way from home." Miranda continued and made her way back to the dias she arrived on.
"Forgive me, Mother," Yelena stammered, "I feel like I've returned home." She wasn't truly lying. The feeling of nostalgia and longing was what had brought her here, to begin with.
"Are you frightened?"
"Yes," it came out as a whisper. Another truth.
The silence stretched out for an eternity. Miranda was deep in thought. Yelena looked back at Heisenberg, who stared back through the smoke that hung around him. She could feel all the Lords watching her and it made her want to shrink and disappear. Yelena stretched her magnetic field and probed at Heisenberg, his field joined with hers and he shifted in his seat.
"You mentioned a scientist?" Mother Miranda finally broke the silence. Helena snapped to attention and dropped her field. "Why did they want to study you?"
Yelena hesitated only a fraction of a second, "I can heal faster than others," she cleared her throat. Miranda looked on expecting more. "I can also act like a magnet." she opened her pouch and pulled the nails out. They orbited her, similar to her meeting with the Duke. She could feel their attention turn to Heisenberg, who threw his hands in the air.
"That's how I found her," he lied. "I kept feeling a disturbance and was able to finally narrow it down." he took a puff on his cigar. "She was hiding in the mine. The Lycans chased her towards my factory and she snuck in while I was here a week ago."
"Did you test her ability?" Lady Dimitrescu cut in.
"A little," he replied with almost a snarl. "I was curious, it isn't every day you meet someone so similar to yourself." He got up and walked to stand next to Yelena. "She's weaker, where I can manipulate larger objects, she can pull herself towards them." He pulled on her nails and then let them drop. He stepped between her and Miranda and pushed into her field throwing her backwards. She stood up as soon as she stopped sliding. He reached an arm out and pulled on her. She was dragged towards him, a hand on her chest stopping her.
Yelena glared at him and he dropped his hand. Angie giggled at the display, "Do it again!" She screeched.
"Well children," Miranda said loudly, "what are your thoughts?" Heisenberg sat back down and dropped his field.
"The thought of two Heisenbergs" Lady Dimitrescu scoffed. "She seems more respectful, though."
Moreau shuffled around her. He poked her and Yelena tried to hide her discomfort. He nodded to Miranda. "A fine specimen Mother." Angie also took a good look at her and Donna Benevito approached Miranda to whisper in her ear. They all looked at Heisenberg who shrugged.
"You're being uncharacteristically quiet," Dimitrescu said.
"I have an opinion, but I am waiting for Mother Miranda's decision before voicing it." He snarled. "Does she have the Cadou? Or did the damn Soviets do this?"
Miranda approached Yelena, "She has the Cadou." she placed her hands on Yelena's shoulders. Yelena couldn't stop herself from shivering in fear. Miranda wrapped her arms around her in an embrace. "It's a shame though. You were such a promising candidate." She stepped back and placed a hand on her shoulder, "Not perfect though. Tell me, do you have a home, why did you come here?"
"I had nowhere else to go," Yelena said in a hollow voice. "I'm not exactly a citizen of Russia, and I spent years hiding after I escaped the research base."
"Why didn't you return sooner?"
"I didn't know what would be here," Yelena admitted. "I was drawn here, a calling, but fear kept me away and I. had no memory before waking up in that lab"
"What do you want?" Miranda asked gently.
"To live."
"Well, children?" Miranda addressed the Lords. "It seems she wants to join the family. I'm sure one of you can find a use for her?" she looked Yelena in the eyes.
"Heisenberg, you found her, what do you suggest?"
He shifted on the bench again. "She already admitted to having factory and mining experience, as well as not being afraid of corpses. I can use some help around the place." He bent down and snuffed his cigar out on the stone.
"With one arm?" Dimitrescu asked.
"She doesn't need two with her ability." He said.
"You'll never be a Lord," Miranda stated "but unless there are objections?" she paused and no one voiced any. "Then welcome home, daughter."