One of the other businessmen stepped up with her and with his power they began to defend the hall as the remaining politis fled. hua’s fists ched even tighter as the man began to retreat. From the camera angle she could see Handmaiden giving it her all irium, fighting off dozens of masked lunatics at once. How they’d ma a small army into The Hague was beyond her but- she paused. The glowing creation of the businessman colpsed into sparkling light and the masked thugs turowards Sonya.
She ’t fight at full strength like that, not while the cameras are running. She knows they’re running. e on, e on, cut out! hua chewed her lip as the men began to surround Sonya. Then she saw it, the small dark smile on the woman’s lips. You want this? What are you pnning? Sonya, damn it! She was on the edge when the feed finally cut out. “Fuck!” hua barked, I don’t know what you’re pnning but- damn it! I ’t just see that and not do anything! She growled, turning on her heel and grabbing her earpiece from the ter.
Radio and phone signals were banned in the Green Bank location, but the mana unicatiowork helmed by ASTA and Dr. Carter was not only legal, it was extremely effective. “Molly!” She said quickly, rag the locker she’d set up in her room. “I need a portal to The Hague, yesterday!”
Molly's voice came in quickly, “I’m on it! Running the numbers as fast as I !”
“Hurry, please,” hua said as she threw on her robes, tying her sash tight and snatg up her on. “The courtyard.”
“Got it, got it,” Molly said hastily. “I’ll get you in as close as I , but what about the Vegas Act? You could get in a whole-”
“I’ll deal with it!” hua grunted, putting her armor on. “Is it ready?”
“Almost!” Molly said, “Got it! Archway is ing up in the Green Bank courtyard.”
“Thank you!” hua shouted and raced out the door. Several of the aspirants were standing in the hall outside of the instructors rooms with on their faces. “Go back to your dorms and stay put!” She said hurriedly, “I’m heading there now. Everything will be fine,” She met a pair e eyes that stared back at her, “I’ll make sure everyone is safe, I promise.”
The aspirants parted and she charged through, Damn it, Sonya. You make these people love you so mud then go off and do something that dangerous where they see it? Are you out of your mind? She snarled, Why are you even doing things like this to yourself? Haven’t you suffered enough already? Damn it, yoing to get yourself killed one of these-
She paused at the door, the night just beyond it, the words ing back to her from that terrible day. From the memories shoved into her mind. “I want you to do it, in the end, if it’s you, it’ll be okay.”
hua gasped, That’s what you want? That’s what this is all about? She threw the door open in a rage. You think for one mihat I would ever do something like that to someone like you, you really are out of your mind! No wonder you didn’t want to share the truth with me, She bit out inwardly as she stalked towards the portal. You stupid girl. Stupid, stupid, stupid, what, do you think you just die and leave everyone you helped behind? You think you just disappear like you don’t even belon-
hua stopped again and brought her palm to her face, “I’m an idiot!”
“Chuchu are you okay? Is the portal not there?” Molly called through the earpiece.
“I’m fine,” hua said, “Just pissed off,” she grunted and made her way towards the opening that showed a brightly lit city oher side. I am going to give you a piey mind when I see you, Sonya! Just you wait!
–
You know, irospect, having these on the menu as items that could be sold to potential vilins robably a bad idea, Sonya thought as she y in the back seat of a swiftly moving vehicle. Her entire body felt numb and heavy, she couldn’t see, ahoughts were ing in slower than she would have liked. The power restrig cuffs were certainly doing their job, she leased with the craftsmanship. Amos really knew what he was doing. It was a good thing they at least looked like knock-offs otherwise some even bigger questions would have to be raised by the authorities if they ever caught a vilin with a set.
She let out a sigh, Not that it’s a problem, really. She thought, Did these idiots really not put together that my pany made the inal version of these things? That I might not have a, you know, tingen for this sort of situation?
“Shut up back there! Crazy bitch,” One of the vilins somewhere ahead of her shouted.
She rolled onto her back heavily, “But I’m hungry!” She whined, she was feeling a little peckish, she’d missed lunch after all, “Do you guys have any snacks? Maybe some Co?”
“How the hell did she kill five of us before-” Aarted.
“Shut up!” The first roared, “God damn it! Fu’ psycho with a knife!”
“Aww, didn’t like my dance did you?” Sonya teased with a grin as she tried to lift her arms. Her muscles screamed in protest as her rgely cyberic body fought to move without any energy flowing properly through it.
“Somethin’s up with her, it’s like she ’t move or something, did you hit her too hard?” One of them grumbled.
“She’ll be fihe first growled again, “Just the cuffs messing her up or something, I dunno.”
Sonya wanted so badly to roll her eyes, “So when do I get to meet the big boss?” She asked, gd that at least her jaw still worked well enough. “Is he handsome? Or is it actually a girl, I like girls, did you know that?”
“She won’t shut up!” The sed pined.
“Because she knows we ’t beat on her,” The first snarled, “Shut it back there already, god! Masque will see you when he’s damn good and ready, got it? Crazy woman.”
“You know, I get the feeling you guys don’t get a lot of dates,” Sonya said as she finally mao get the cuffs near her lips. She was sweating, but she’d ma least, the new version of the cuffs really worked. She was going to have to reward Amos somehow. “Need some advice?”
The two men fumed in front of her as she gently lowered her jaw to the activation panel of the cuff, she pushed down on it for three seds, released, then three more seds. “Voice authorization, peaches,” She murmured and released the activation panel.
“What was that?” The first, grouchy one, growled.
“It’s my safe word,” She teased.
“Oh my god!” The man groaned, “Do we have a gag or something for her?”
Sonya snickered as she felt strength slowly begin to return to her body. Her eyes reactivated and she quickly turhe glow back down to nothing to maintain the illusion. She y there, pretending to be blind and crippled while taking a quick look around. They were in a van of some kind, Really? A van? e on, how cliche you be? She thought irritably. At least try to have some style when kidnapping me, I’m a CEO for heaven’s sake!
She tio annoy them for the rest of the drive, poking fun at their love lives and ck thereof while asking questions about their daily hygiene habits and whether or not their mothers knew where they were and if their basements would be okay without them. By the time they arrived at their destination, the first one ractically purple in the face. She couldn’t stop ughing about it, wriggling and kig her feet while they pulled her out. She made sure to keep her head slung forward as if she couldn’t see.
“Man she’s heavy!” The sed one groaned as he threw her over his shoulder.
“Did you just call me fat?” Sonya protested as she sed the room with her senses and peripheral vision, “See, this is why you ’t get a date! You have to be a bit more fttering, at least. Goodness.”
They were in a parking garage, based on what her e to the work told her they were somewhere in the eastern part of The Hague underh a hotel. It wasn’t the fa hotel in the world and after a quick search found that it had beeirely sold out for almost two weeks. They just camped here? Oh e on, Sonya thought as one of them hustled over with a cloth in his hand. She tried not to stare at it in disgust. Please don’t, that’s so gross.
“Got a gag!” He shouted and she groaned as he reached for her mouth.
“Boys! Quit wasting time, and put that thing down, it’s disgusting!” A third voice joihem, a heavy at on it. Welsh perhaps? She wasn’t really sure, but she was grateful heless, “Masque wants to talk to her, not watch her get si the floor.”
“Srimman,” One said, “She wouldn’t shut up though.”
“Have you not seen her on tv? She never shuts up,” ‘Grimman’ said as he approached and grabbed her by her hair to tilt her head up. She looked right into his face while doing her best to look around blindly, he had a thickset face with dark hair growing out of his jawline, his eyes were dark and brutish and his hair was bed back so tightly she wondered if his mood was from a headache. “Eyes are off, cuffs are w, good.”
“’t even see your pretty face to thank you?” She asked cutely, “You saved me from a terrible fate, what if he put that gross thing in my mouth? Whatever it was.”
“You think you’re funny, huh?” Grimman growled.
“I sider myself to be hirious,” Sonya teased, “So,” She said excitedly, “What’s he like, the big boss of the Darksiders? I hear he wears a mask.”
He let go of her hair and stepped away, “Let’s just get this over with.”
“Right,” The man carrying her grumbled and they began walking. She kept her head still as she took in her surroundings. They made their way to aor before they began their ast, the four of them standing awkwardly in the elevator. She g the panel and it looked like they were going to the top floor. Floor six. Don’t tell me. She groaned inwardly as she hummed to herself. She kept her little performance up the eime, tent with just hanging out on the moron’s shoulder.
“So…” Sonya trailed off and a few groans came out, “No teasing this time, genuine question,” She said, “Grimman right? Iing name, guess you’ve got yourself an ability, huh?”
“Yeah, I deliver neurological shocks to people, knock them out if they get too yappy,” Grimman said, “So why don’t you watouth?”
Sonya shrugged, “Alright, fine, sheesh, o get touchy.”
The door to the elevator opened and she was carried down a hall filled with masked men standing at every doorway. Well, at least they’re trying to loanized. She thought, I ’t wait to see the tract for this scheme. I wonder how much mohey offered up to me in case the pn failed. Aren’t I nice? Letting them go without paying if they pull it off? She snickered as they arrived at a door and she stared at the number, her stomach ing from enough ge to make her sick. Sixth floor, room sixty six. Oh my god they’re so me. Nevermind, I’m killing all of these idiots as soon as I’m doh their boss.
“Room six sixty six,” Grimman said proudly.
“Ooooh,” Sonya patronized him.
He snarled and knocked on the door, “Masque, we’re here!” He barked.
The door opened in front of her and she quickly took in the room. It was dimly lit save for over a dozen ss that provided minimal illumination along the walls. All of the ss were occupied by masked men who were hurriedly typing on forums, chat rooms, and perf a variety of tasks. Her attention shifted to the back of the room where a man was sitting behind a desk that, based on how the carpet was disturbed, they’d dragged in just to make him look impressive. He wore a white mask with a twisted red smile on it and a bck hat on his head. He wore all bd was shogly fit.
“Sonya ovna,” The man growled from behind the mask, “Finally.”
They sat her down on the ground in front of the desk and she preteo look around in fusion, “Masque?” She called, “I’m afraid I ’t see your pretty face, dear.”
A pair of heavy footsteps announced him getting to his feet and he lumbered around the desk, walking over to her. She looked down to ‘follow the sound’ before looking up at him. He had to be a good six and a half feet tall. Whatever they’re feeding you, feed the others, please. She thought, “Ah, is that you there? I’m afraid I don’t have any light in these eyes right now,” She said misleadingly before holding out her hand, “Sonya ovna, mister Masque.”
To her surprise he took her hand and pulled her to her feet.
Oh? Well that works, Analyze.
What, seriously? This guy? Well it's mine now.
She pulled her hand away and shook her head as she felt warmth wash over her skin, her HUD warned her that her body temperature was rising and she cmped down on it with every ounce of will she had. She stumbled bad shook her head, “That wasn’t very nice,” She gasped.
“Yeah well, I would prefer it if you were pliant,” He growled. “I have questions that I want answered.”
“Could have just asked,” Sonya said, “How about a deal? You answer a few for me and I’ll answer yours.”
“You have questions for me?” He barked out a ugh, “Sure, why not, while I’m waiting for my ability to do it’s thing.”
Have you not developed your ability at all? She thought before asking, “Why bee a vilin?” She asked, “Why do all of this? What’s the point?” She asked as she took aep away from him, her bading against Grimman’s chest. She pulled away from him as she drew on her imperiousness, not for her ehis time, but for herself. She crushed the effects going on in her body with a force of will a her body temperature drop.
“Because fuck the world,” He grunted, “Because I have power so I have every right to use it. It’s not plicated, dy, doesn’t have to be. Vilins use their powers freely, sounds like a good thing to me. Ishtar was right on the mohough that bitch doesn’t know her pce. She should have joined up with me a long time ago.”
She went still, “That’s it?” She asked. “That’s your reason, because you feel like it? No greater goals in mind, nothing to aplish with being a vilin?”
“Yeah, that’s right, nothing,” He snarled, “We’ll do whatever we want! That’s good enough isn’t-”
“I’ve heard enough,” Sonya sighed and pulled the bindings apart with a flick of her wrist, the metal cttering to the floor. She turned her eyes ba and popped her neck, “Shut up, please,” She said as she looked up at the idiot in the grinning mask.
He froze, “Huh? What happeo the-”
“Kerauna,” Sonya sighed, “Kill him,” She said, and with a terrible bang the ceiling exploded.