POV Huntress
Vivaldi agreed to all of mine conditions. After we would rescue him, he promised to provide general and his company with twenty four medicine batches. He would stay for about four months under our supervision. It was time needed to produce medicine by his bio-stone. We would provide feeder for his bio-stone, but stone would be put in deep freezer. He would avoid violent acts without our permission. He agreed to easy and I knew, that he would try something behind our backs, but I would be ready for his games.
Oldman got his bio-stone. We were ready to go further with plan. Unfortunately Oldman had fixation on bringing Diana to justice. He was important part of rescue team, but we had to go without him. I asked Sith, Lynx for help. Asmo and Hail were already ready. I could count on Nameless and Coal in case of troubles, but I wanted to accomplish big things without them. I felt shadow of Nameless, who somehow created idea of Devas organization and had some unspoken authority over us. Rest of Devas were maintaining usual activities, mainly in War-Saw.
We waited till four o’clock in Saturday night. Sith and Lynx were on positions. They undercut some trees at roads around place where military forces stayed. At that moment they fell them on those roads. Vivaldi should be putting his house on fire at that moment. He needed to take his bio-stone and bring it on his back going for two kilometers in swampy terrain to the point, where we were waiting. Asmo climbed highest tree and looked through night vision ocular on area. Me and Hail were ready for taking necessary actions.
We waited. My sensory radar upgraded itself at some level of development and I could not only feel, where Devas and people with magic abilities were but also recognized who exactly were there. I didn’t feel normal people or animals clearly though.
I felt that Lynx was almost back with us. Asmo said, that he could see glow of fire behind trees. It was from burning house where Vivaldi lived. Lynx joined us. Asmo informed us, that he probably could see Vivaldi, who was making his way through wilderness. We established beforehand where Vivaldi should came by himself so we could move physically and help him. It was tactical idea, because we were afraid, that military could somehow cut us off from truck. Sith was almost back too. Asmo told us, that he could see some people, probably soldiers chasing Vivaldi. Some drones appeared in air too. We all had plasma ball ability. All except Asmo formed line and shot plasma balls that flew about twenty meters over ground over Vivaldi’s current position. We didn’t want to kill anybody just stop their advance. If some drone was shot all the better. We shot second round. Vivaldi was about eight hundred meters from us. I and Hail went to help him. Asmo descended and joined others in shooting plasma balls. Soldiers stopped chase. More drones were used though. We guarded Vivaldi in his last few hundred meters. We went into truck and rode quickly out of woods to Dark River city. We knew army would follow us with drones and probably would use police. We wanted to use underground parking and park and ride parking to lose them. Also Sith prepared special containers, one for Vivaldi and one for his bio-stone, that would block electronic bugs. Two drones were following us, when we got into underground parking. We shot to them with air guns so they didn’t follow inside. Two vans and two cars were waiting for us. Container for bio-stone was in one car in trunk. Lynx drove it. Another container was in van. When Vivaldi saw it, he cursed.
-= It’s fucking coffin for vampires. – He said.
-= Get in. – Said Sith. – It has holes for breathing. Or do you want army to catch us?
I went with Asmo, Sith with Vivaldi, Hail and Lynx alone. We split. Each vehicle rode to another parking when it was changed or at least plates were changed. We also made ourself up to look different. The point wasn’t to avoid stopping and controlling us. As long as Vivaldi and his bio-stone weren’t retrieved they couldn’t do much against rest of us. We succeed. Only me and Asmo were stopped by police. Asmo was wearing Vivaldi’s clothes, shoes included. We were waiting half an hour by road when police was checking us. In Poland usual police control at road consist of checking car and documents. During checking documents one policeman is in police car and second is watching from outside. That time two other police cars came with four additional policemen. We were searched with some make up reason, that some criminal was seen around in area. We waited patiently. We didn’t antagonize them. There was pressure in the air, but nothing bad happened. They could arrest us for twenty four hours but military didn’t have plan for this emergency. Army, military forces are somewhat rusty when they interact with civilians. Even with police forces. They didn’t imagined that kind of circumstances so they didn’t have story, why we should be arrested, to tell police. Truth was too farfetched to tell. We were free to go. And we went.
Asmo throw away Vivaldi’s clothes. We left car. Used train, then took another prepared car. We were sure we could proceed with plan.
At the same time I got messages, that Lynx met with Rook. They put container with bio-stone to another vehicle. Lynx would take care of it. Rook would meet with us. Vivaldi was safe. Hail was stopped by police but released lot faster than we. That meant that he too needed to change transportation vehicle to motorbike. We had point in Christmas Tree city (Chojnice), where we would rejoin team. It was Sunday. Only few places were opened. We met at restaurant. It was part of motel business. In Poland almost all motels have also some kind of food place in them. We were meant to rest and recover there also check fi no one was following us. Vivaldi needed to contact generals and stroke a deal or start striking a deal with them.
In the afternoon I got info from Lily about Beria spy and overall Beria’s activities. That made me angry. I warned Beria, that War-Saw was my area. He needed to be shown again, who’s the boss.
At lunch, when we all gathered I put that on table.
-= We need to do another mission. – I said to all. – Beria acted against us. We need to remind him about his place. Would you like to join us? – I asked Vivaldi directly. He wasn’t obligated.
-= Gladly. – Agreed Vivaldi.
I told them details.
POV Oldman
I got into Returned Glory city and went to work. Friend of friend in police made it easier for me to have access to weird cases. I even got some assistant from police, as I didn’t have access to some files but he could check some evidence. It was weekend so I could work half officially. I went through many cases. I needed to go into city field to check things but first I wanted to finish looking through cases. Id didn’t seem that Diana started fresh cult here. Something was brewing in the suburbs and it wasn’t smelling good.
On Sunday afternoon I had call from Lily. It was clear to me that Diana wasn’t involved directly in Returned Glory city troubles. I was asked to check data we had on Beria and his group and I did just that. They lived right where spy told us. Neighbors described band as aggressive freaks, that were destroying people around them by making problems. Beria was seen among them. They were known as radical leftists and even got more people lately. I didn’t try to infiltrate them. Beria would recognize another host. And he wasn’t Diana. I didn’t want to be distracted.
I asked my assistant about other weird cases, of which I had list, but they weren’t in area of city. He had some insights. He told me about recent case, that was done in area of Mouth city at the borders. Details were hidden from public knowledge. Some couple during jogging found very massacred body. Human couldn’t do that and no local wild animal could. Body looked as it was torn apart piece after piece with claws. Predator didn’t ate it though. It was possible that some tiger or something similar ran from illegal private collection, but police didn’t want to sow panic. Only higher ups knew and prayed that there wouldn’t be second attack. I wasn’t convinced that it could be Diana’s doing, but I didn’t want to take part in Beria pacification. Lily informed me, that probably team would came to do just that. It was obvious power play for me and I felt bad seeing it. It reminded me of power plays during dark times of my youth. I decided to check crime scene with assistant.
We went there on Monday morning. I sent message to Sith and Huntress, that I went to Mouth city to check some traces. Crime was done in green park area during night. Victim was minor thief known to police. Either he was coming back from job or went for next job as he was found in area where shouldn’t be anyone during night. No stolen things were found near place. I watched place. Did some photos. Went around, did more photos. I already saw pictures taken investigation. I wanted to find areas where grass and bushes were pressed or crushed. Obvious areas were near place where body was found and by jogging track. Some policemen had walking around in search for traces and proofs as I did. I checked all those paths one by one. Photos were helping because after use of some filter on them I could spot pressed grass much easier. Two of paths of pressed grass didn’t follow rule of circling policemen search. They were leading out of park in parallel to fence and further. I would say, that someone was stalking another. It could be big animal the same as stealthy human. I went with that clue. One path lead through meadow to city. Another took more around route. I went after that first. This track led us to forest. I lost it there. It’s lot harder to follow traces in forest usually. We started circling around last point we could identify as part of track. Circles became larger and larger. Then assistant found remains of boar that was massacred in similar manner. He insisted on calling trusted vet. He did that. He asked me to move somewhere as it was delicate matter to make everything in secret and he needed to also call some trusted policemen for that. It would be hard for him to explain my presence. I had lot of time. I went through forest. At another meadow I saw track again. It was sign of inexperienced villain. Normal people went along established paths or tracks. People that had something to hide preferred more empty roads and wilderness. Or it was nature lover or big cat. I went along. Then I lost it again. I went in direction of city. Overall it was interesting and refreshing walk.
Near the city I land on area that looked like obstacle course. It was fenced with metal net. Had sign that informed, that it was Revengers area and to keep out. I had troubles going around it. Some girls in twenties appeared out of nowhere.
-= Hello, did you loose yourself? – One of them asked.
-= Yes, yes. I was on walk and I think, that I turned in wrong direction at some point. It is lot of fenced area and grass is really high and troublesome here.
I was out of fenced area and they were out too, but on opposite side.
-= We can walk you across obstacles, if you promise that you will leave this area after.
-= Yes, yes, thank you. Let me do that. I promise.
There were four gates. One very big capable of letting vehicles in. They opened closest one to them and came to closest one to me. They seemed disturbed but harmless at the same time.
-= Can old man ask you some question? – I was talking during our short walk.
-= It depends.
-= Are you part or some military government organization or some scouts?
-= No. We have nothing in common with government. We aren’t scouts either.
-= I see.
-= What do you see?
-= I see nothing, but it sounds wise, when I say I see.
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One of them bursted with laughing.
-= Sorry. – She said. – I didn’t want to offend you.
-= You can’t offend old man easily.
We walked in silence. I was out.
-= Thank you. Long walks take some toll on me. – I said.
-= No problem. We would let you stay here but our leader put some strict rules.
-= You are very nice. I’m sure your leader have good reasons for strict rules. Say thank you from me to him too.
-= Ok. – One said with smile. – But she is her.
-= What?
-= Diana is our leader. She is a girl.
I stumbled. I gathered myself. My smile was fake and my voice didn’t have previous energy.
-= Then thank her on my behalf.
-= Sure. There is bench when you go down that street and third on left. But you should watch out as there is local shop and drunks sometimes sit there.
-= Thank you for advice. I need to go then.
I found bench. It was empty. I wrote message to assistant, that I had another case and I could be inaccessible through phone. I wrote to Sith, that I probably found Diana but I needed investigate to confirm my suspicions.
In Poland all natural personal names except two, that are ending with letter ‘a’ are woman names. Some argued, that if one counted elder, almost forgotten and not used anymore names, there was about ten of those. Pool of first names in Poland is limited.
I felt in my bones that it was Diana, which I searched for. Those girls I met didn’t fit into canvas of cultists. I knew that my bones were wiser than me. I sighed.
I could use camera to spy from distance. I started circling around area, where I suspected base of those girls were. I found it. At border of the city were big meadow with Dutch houses on it. Also people moved from there to one of the proper houses nearby. I watched them through camera lenses. Most of them were women. There seemed to be some order structure among them. There was chance for me to confirm bio-stone or host presence if it was in brick house. I could pass by and possibly feel it. I did that. When I was passing house I felt presence of strange twisted host. I also felt dread. I knew it felt me too. I went down the street for a long time. I had cold seat on me. There was some recreational area and I found bench near pond.
I was warned against fighting Diana and Devas were right. I was no match for her at least for that moment. I felt insignificant when I went through her aura. I calmed down. I needed to write some messages. Then, immediately feeling of dread was again upon me.
-= Who are you? I don’t know you. – I heard.
I turned around. There she was, Diana. Even more monstrous than her description. I felt pressure around me both physically and psychically. I felt obligated inside to answer.
-= I’m Jack. I became host lately. Kirk died.
-= Oh, poor Kirk. – Her mouth made sad face but eyes looked at me without any feeling. – You should have some brain damage then. Maybe I should forgive you.
-= I have no brain damage. – I couldn’t stop answering.
-= Surprise. Why is that?
-= Linking with bio-stone in total coldness helped. – My words seemed to be forcefully pulled out of my throat.
Two girls joined her. She put hand on shoulder of one of them and said that it was under control. That one was ready for violence.
-= So why are you here John?
-= Jack.
-= Why are you here Jack?
-= I came here to kill you.
Diana needed to tighten grip on that shoulder.
-= Is it revenge for what we did in Germany? – Agitated girl asked.
-= No. I want justice for what Diana did in War-Saw?
-= An what she did? – Agitated girl pushed.
-= Stop. – Diana said to her. Pressure on me lessen. – I made some serious mistakes in War-Saw. I misjudged who was innocent and who was guilty.
That was some drama I couldn’t fantom. Diana seemed to enjoy it.
-= So what! – Girl screamed. Second girl was listening calmly. – You paid for your sins rescuing us! More than paid!
-= They don’t know that. – Diana said.
-= Who are they? Whatever, we will protect you!
-= Looks like cavalry is coming. We have limited time. – Diana said.
-= Should I torture him? – Quiet girl talked for first time.
-= No time.
Diana moved to me. Pressure was again at highest point. She hugged me. Then I felt laceration on my stomach. It was like liquid fire was cast on injury. She backed off. I fell down and turned inside into fetal position. Tears stopped me from seeing clearly, but I heard fine.
-= Who do we have here? – Asked Diana. – Vivaldi. – Said with venom. – Sith. Other small fries.
-= We want Oldman and we will leave after. – Said Huntress. – Agree?
I wiped my eyes. Six of them came for me. Two girls stood before Diana ready to take attacks with their bodies.
-= And were are your leaders, Nameless and that other guy? Will they come here to talk?
-= We are enough against you. We have no leaders. I am voice of Devas for now.
-= Maybe that’s true. Andy, Adam, Asmo I will forgive you, if you came to my side now!
-= Don’t try your tricks on us again. – Said Hail. – I’m no longer Andy, I’m Hail. You owe for brainwashing me and wasted time.
-= Ho ho, so cocky. Watch your back. Adam?
He was silent for long moment.
-= Why there is always someone suffering when I meet you? Can you explain that to me?
-= Just stand by my side.
-= You have no side, there is only suffering by you.
-= Fine. Asmo?
Asmo shot lightning. It was intercepted by girls. They were in convulsions lying near me.
-= Don’t you dare to call my name.
-= You have win this battle, but you will lose war. I will come for you, when I grow again. – She laughed. She took girls as they were bags of flour and left laughing loudly. Crazy bitch.
They gathered me from ground.
-= How did you find me? – I asked.
-= I bugged you, I told you that. Luckily we were nearby on time. – Smiled Sith. – Now just rest. That injury won’t heal itself normally. And we need to talk with Beria before we would go back to War-Saw.
He gave me some mixtures. I didn’t know what it was, but it was helping my healing process. I felt tired as my tank was almost empty.
POV Nameless
I heard about first person, who was able to learn sensory radar ability. I was really interested. Coal also seemed to want to meet that girl. Even more after we were told that she was making troubles. We were in War-Saw in late evening. We wanted to talked first. Lily took us to Yola, as girl was named. She left us with her as Yola was reacting highly negative on her.
Yola spent last few hours closed in room for gests in theater. She probably thought about many bad things we could possibly do to her. When we went to room and stayed, sat on arm chairs she said not even one word. We tried to evaluate her with our feeling of magic. Silence took few minutes. I got bored first.
-= Hello Yola, I’m Nameless.
-= I heard about you. At least you aren’t so evil like that woman. – She said.
-= Lily?
-= Yes.
There was another few minutes of silence.
-= Coal could you say something? – I asked.
-= She looks all right. Don’t know why Lily said, that she had mental problems.
-= Hey, I’m right here. – She intercepted.
-= Right, she’s right here. – Said Coal.
-= Right. – I said.
We spent some time in silence, but shorter period.
-= You know, you sucks as interrogators. – She said.
-= Possibly. Coal, do you have some experience?
-= Nah. First time for me too.
Another minute of silence.
-= Maybe I will tell you, what you have to do and then you will interrogate me?
-= Sure, good idea.
-= No! I can feel your evil aura, so act as evil minions more!
-= We already agreed, that we will do interrogation in a way you want us. Why did you change your mind? – Asked Coal.
-= Yea, show her. – I said.
-= You should support me. – He said.
-= I’m supporting you. It’s just that she is scary. – I said.
-= I’m right here and can hear you!
-= Sorry, sorry.
-= We won’t go anywhere, if we would talk like that. – She said.
-= Ok. - I tried to be serious. – I have one question. Do you want to keep that magic ability?
-= Yes.
-= We can help you. You said, that you see us as bad guys, so anything we propose, you would reject, right?
-= Yes. Maybe. What offer do you have?
-= Well. We have another organization, that is learning magic abilities. We train them, so if we would became too bad, they could defeat us. – I couldn’t be serious for more than a moment. I got another Monty Python moment and I couldn’t handle my humor.
-= You are joking?
-= No.
-= No.
-= I must think about it. – She said.
There was silence again.
-= Can I ask you something? – Coal said.
-= Yes.
-= I too have sensory radar as my ability. – He continued. – But I can’t see that evil aura. Can I ask, what is that evil aura?
-= I don’t know, if I can tell you about it. You could try to find way to hide that evil aura then.
-= Right, we would try. – I said. – No one likes to walk around with evil aura.
-= Stop joking!
-= Sorry.
-= Ok, I think I can tell you, but only you and you can’t share that info with others. Ok?
-= I think, that you can tell us, - I had idea. – only if you promise to meet with those guys we have there learning magic. You don’t need to join them, just meet them.
-= You know that you are making it difficult to yourself? – She asked.
-= Karma must stay balanced. – I answered.
-= Ok, we have a deal.
We shook hands, all three of us.
She told us, that when she awaken her sensory radar ability she saw in her mind people with magic abilities as colorful blurs. It was less about pointing their location, more about feeling their abilities. Lightning was purple, sensory radar light grey, plasma yellow, friction light brown, wind light teal, sonic boon middle pink, freezing darker blue. She also saw some quasi color. She described it as sinister dark. She panicked at beginning a little, but thought, that it was some kind of mistake, that her ability was broken somehow. Didn’t work properly. She thought so, because those sinister dark stains were on Devas only. It could be, that she wasn’t able to measure power of Devas properly. Then she saw as Lily made that sinister darkness to surround somebody. That person calmed down and did Lily’s order. Then Yola started screaming.
I sighted, then let her continue.
Then, when she calmed a little some of her friends suggested, that she should rest in guest room as her awakening clearly overwhelmed her. When she walked she saw whirlpool of darkness and one of tentacles was linked to Lily when she was close to it. Yola lost her coolness and started screaming again. She was put in this room and stayed here. When Lily or other Devas tried to talk with her, she rejected them strongly. They were stained. Somehow we were lot less stained. That was whole story.
I thought after I heard that story. I was no longer in joking mood.
-= You can’t tell anyone, what you can feel or see through ability. – I said. – Probably most of Devas would kill you, if they knew.
-= Do you know, what is that sinister darkness? – She asked.
-= It’s probably way in which you perceive our psychic abilities. Most likely.
-= You have psychic abilities?
-= On top of magic abilities.
-= Why didn’t you tell us? – She asked. – Oh, I know, they are sinister. Right?
-= More or less.
-= What was that thing I saw then?
-= I think, that we should wait with this topic until we will meet with Cultivation Humanhood, as they call themselves. We should tell them too. It’s necessary.
-= So, what’s next?
-= We will guard you during sleep and we should ride tomorrow morning to them. If you trust us with that.
-= I think, I have no better choice.
-= Thank you. – Said Coal.
Yola nodded.
-= I think, I should talk with Lily. We will take you there anyway, but it’s better to find some excuse, so others didn’t spoil anything. Coal, can you take her to safe place meanwhile.
-= Sure. – He said.
I went to talk with Lily. My thoughts were circling around vision of sinister whirlpool. Were we seen as less sinister because we were almost out of time and needed to meet with our bio-stones or maybe we didn’t use our [Will resonance] abilities as much as others? Devas working on public relations surely helped themselves with those abilities. It made their job more smooth. I found Lily. We sat down somewhere in quiet place. Theater have lot of those places, when no one acts.
-= Do you have some results with her? – She asked.
-= Yes. We are almost sure, that she broke when there she saw too much magic. – I said. I had bored face. Or so I thought.
-= What does that mean?
-= Her ability malfunctioned when she saw you or other Devas.
-= Really? But somehow you calmed her down.
-= Perhaps she get used to. I don’t know.
-= Maybe. That doesn’t explain, why she get mad, when she was escorted to guest room.
-= Yes it does. – I made pause for better effect. – It’s secret for now, all right?
-= Right, what is it?
-= It seems, that our stones have some kind of magic abilities in making – I paused again. – And those are stronger than ours.
-= Can you confirmed it?
-= When I will talk with Dee. I will confirm it.
-= I can confirm it faster.
I sighed.
-= I need to talk with my bio-stone anyway. – I said. – What is important, is how much of those magic we can learn.
-= So, what we should do with girl? Silence her?
-= I thought about taking her and making her join misfits.
-= Oh your misfits. Shouldn’t others confirmed it?
-= Yeah, they should. – I said sounding discouraged. – They would probably want her in some golden cage under supervision. I wanted to have her in my collection of ability users.
-= Ha ha ha. So, that is your soft spot. I like shopping.
-= Now you know. I also like some Monty Python videos. Not all.
-= I can help you with that, because Noel says, that you are good boss, but you will owe me one on top of that. Ok?
-= Ok. But how will you help me?
-= Let just assume, that she was mentally unstable and you send her to countryside. I will confirm that version.
-= Ok. Thank you.
-= Problem will be if someone else would get that ability.
-= I don’t think so. Probably next person will have properly functioning ability.
-= Let us hope that. I won’t help with another case like that.
-= I have everything except sonic boom and sonic boom can’t be achieved without mixtures.
-= What a collector, already lost interest, because it would be doubling the same units he has.
-= What can I say? I am, how I am.
We talked little more. Lily really had some sinister vibe. We all were sinister as we needed to fed bio-stones, but I hoped, that we could stay humans to some extent. Proper humans, normal humans. Maybe that was because of long day or Yola story, but I felt that slowly we were being corrupted.