Three Days Before
Tension was high as despair sunk its sickening teeth into the heart of Champions of Peace. Mistress Redhead one of the founding members was still a coma with no singes of awakening. Dark Huntress had betrayed the team to go join the ranks of the great Cajun, and Talons…previous mentor. The emerald eyed assassin was not furious by her leaving, maybe it was because she herself had done it to countless time to teams before her, all because of the same man. Several core members had left, and others were missing, it was in truth the dark ages for one of the last standing heroic teams.
Laura Chabot, young mercenary strode swiftly down the hall ways of the Champions base. There was a dead silence that caused a chill to slither up her back. Her breathing was quick and her pace quicker as she had been called by her superior for a meeting. Keeping her eyes down low she finally found herself standing before Sovereign Son’s room, the door was slightly agar and she could see a dim light resonating from within. Cautiously without knocking she entered only to find her leaders back turned toward her. “So Talon, it’s been a while” he said initiating her presence before she even told him. “What do you mean sir? We’ve interacted together almost daily?” She could hear a low chuckle from his lips as he turned his dark eyes glancing at her with his brow rose in amusement. “Yes but when last you can you recall us interacting with no one trying to kill us in a mile radius?”
Laura smiled getting her bosses joke before letting out a thoughtful sigh. “Yet I’m afraid I didn’t call you here to exchange pleasantries.” As her emerald eyes gazed over him she could see the slight anxiety with in his eyes as he walked over toward his window, the last rays of sunlight pouring through it before it elapsed behind the ocean waves. “I’ve called you here Laura to ask a favor of you.” Talon’s brow rose in curiosity as she took a single step forward her hands brushing against the smooth wall beside her. “Anything sir.” She replied whole heartedly as she brushed her midnight locks behind her ear. Slowly Sovereign Son turned with a warm smile on his lips as he let out a heavy sigh. He seemed exhausted but who could she blame him? His wife and best friend were in a coma, his stepdaughter joined the ranks of evil and on top of that he had to take care of Shadow Squad, she was shocked he seemed to in control.
“We’ve known each other for a while, and I’ve watched you. Even though I wasn’t present I heard reports of your leadership skills during the hunt for Icing death, how you took control, and got everyone one out there even though it could have cost you your life.” He paused clearing his throat as he slowly approached her, by now Talon’s eyes were wide as she was hanging off his every word. She had heard this conversation before….never directed toward her specifically but she could see where this was going and it wasn’t good. “I believe you are finally ready to take charge of Shadow Squad as my second command.” Her heart paused the moments those words left his lips, second in command? She couldn’t even protect her boyfriend let alone take charge if need be.
“Sir…are you sure? You know my past you are aware of the roles I have played are you sure you want to trust me with such a responsibility?” She said her voice just above a whisper. Once again his lips curled as he gave her that fatherly smile placing his hand on her shoulder, and staring her deep into the eye as he replied “I am sure.” Letting out an astonished breath her jade eyes dropped to the ground as she tried to contain herself, second in command!? Though her fears slowly subsided as she knew that her leader, and the man that had somehow managed to save her would be there to guide her –“Oh and one more thing. You’ll be in charge of Shadow Squad till I return.” He said slinging a bag over his shoulder as he headed toward the door.
Talon’s immobilized figure stood for a few seconds as his words hit her hard and fast. Swiftly spinning on her heal her midnight blue hair bashing against her sweat drenched forehead she blurted out “Where are you going?!” Her emerald eyes were wide with fear as she stared at her leader as he prepared to make his exit. “I have some business to take care of. Don’t worry Laura you’ll be fine and never forget I might not be here but that doesn’t mean I won’t be watching.” With that he walked through that door leaving the teen assassin speechless and out of breath. “Oh and one final thing.” Gasping in shock as she saw her leaders head pop through the door once more he outstretched his hand toward her holding a disk “Don’t screw up, You’ll need this.”
A few hours later
“So Renton have you not heard the news?” The cocky eyed tactician said to his new team mate in the secret Shadow Squad headquarters. Renton only turned to glance at the little boy with a slightly unamused expression on his face knowing the boy would continue whether he said yes or no. “Sovereign Son has left, and with Dark Huntress and Crazy Eight also not present it is obvious who the new leader is.” His pride and confidence was like a stench that lingered consistently upon the little brat. He might have been short but when it came to his boasting arrogance there was no limit. The young haughty assassin continued to wrapped up in his own personal congratulations not to notice the emerald eyed assassin as she wrapped her hands around the end of his cape pulling it, causing him to fall backward and get wrapped up in it himself even more than he already was.
Renton burst out laughing as he placed his hand over his mouth, Talon remained standing in her exact spot as surprisingly swiftly the youth was back on his feet his blade at the emerald eyed assassins neck. “As Leader of the Squad I could kill you right now!” He growled his beady eyes glaring daggers the young blue haired maiden. A wicked smile curved upon Talons lips as she stared down at the young man chuckling slightly. “That might have been so…if you were selected for the position.” Lowering his blade the young boy began laughing as he shook his head in disbelief “You don’t think for a second your leaderships skills could ever rival that of my own?” That confident smile was still wrapped around his lips as he sheathed his blade, no doubt feeling sorry for her.
“Well then, you are in for an astonishing revelation, skills or not I have been selected by Sovereign Son himself to lead this Squad” She paused leaning forward so she was eye level with him mimicking his cocky smile on her own lips “That means you do what I say.” As her words slid off her very lips so swiftly did his blade once again exit its holder, speeding right toward her neck, Laura unleashed her twin blades as the two collided. The clash of metal echoed through the empty base as the two assassins stared eye to eye. “Don’t mistake your fake supremacy over me to gain actual obedience.” Hesperus sneered through clenched teeth his brows cast down.
They stayed like that, two young mercenaries clashing in the current superiority that had been placed upon the one. “I won’t stand for this! You’re…you're lying!” He growled pushing his blade against Laura’s talons causing her to back flip to control his force. Head cast down her midnight blue hair slung over her face, concealing it. “I wouldn’t stoop to your level little brat.” Once again the proud smile slid across his lips as he leaned upon his blade. “You have no proof, for all I know you were suppose to relay a message to me granting me the ability of control, but you couldn’t handle someone else in charge over you.” Talon’s brow rose in curiosity as she remained silent “Oh please you have no proof….I know how you envied Dark Huntress, how you wanted to be in second in command and how hard it was for you to deal with her power over you, and you can’t take the same happening again."
Laura made no reply instead she glance over at Renton a moment “Start up the computers, and play this” she handed her fellow team mate a CD untitled. With that the young jade eyed mercenary charged toward her opponent blades ready fully equipped to battle. Hesperus also was prepared as he too dashed toward her yet his blade soon aimed for her legs, smiling wickedly Laura unleashed her foot claw and caused it to clash once again with the young mercenaries weapon. Both Talon and Hesperus were flung in opposite directions but their momentum remained as they landed on their feet. “I have proof.” She said brushing back her midnight blue hair as she made eye contact with Renton.
With that a holographic Sovereign Son appeared as he began to speak “Hello team, sorry for the abrupt leave but I have a few issues that need to be dealt with. Don’t worry I’ve got some people looking out for you guys and I’ll never be too far away. Be strong and work together, oh and Hesperus Talon will be in charge until my return. Good luck guys, and don’t screw it up.” With that the figure disappeared leaving the little brat silent a moment. Talon looked him over, with a proud smile, he was a brilliant fighter to say the least, Talon was exhausted by both their physical actions and batter. He was in truth a viable adversary.
Slowly approaching the young boy she shot him a smile. “You’ll be my second in command.” With that she turned and walked away not hearing the young boy’s last words as he grumbled “I can live with that….for now.” Talon was too preoccupied to pay any more attention to anything else, she was in command and that’s what mattered. Though as she prepared for their next assignment her leaders last words rung in her ears “Don’t screw it up.”
The Present
She didn’t know what happened; it wasn’t supposed to go wrong. Everything went as planned everything except this. It wasn’t long after Talon’s conversation with Hesperus that she managed to find an oil rig that had been reported for strange goings on. Those that manned it were going missing and only one man had been found, but when the police tried to talk to him he ripped off one of the officers hands with his mouth and since that point had been exhibiting animal like habits. At first Talon thought Champions would be better dealing with it, but then she reminded herself how Shadow Squad was part of Champions secret or not. So she, Hesperus and Renton went to go seek out the threat, they attempted to question the oil rigger but found no answers there except the same animal like behavior.
Eventually they set out via boat toward the rig, it was a few miles off shore and everything was going fine until an unknown fog settled in…..she recalled giving Renton orders to slow down and Hesperus to remain look out since their tech was acting up…but then everything went black. …
Laura’s body seemed to be propped up against the wall, her wrist were raw from the many times she had fought her restrains. A metal collar was placed around her neck making any unwanted movement painful. Beside her were the bodies of her team mates that she had practically given death sentences too. She couldn’t believe she let something like that slip, nothing was ever how it seemed why couldn’t she see it was a trap! Why did she have to be so blind! The cells that held them were rusty as this whole establishment had taken on a lot of water. She was astonished that neither Renton or Hesperus were ridiculing her with insults, she would have thought that the little brats mouth would have been a flame with “I told you so’s” From her observations they were probably underwater, but why were they still alive? Who was behind this? That was Laura’s question until she heard a creaky door down the hall slid open as footsteps echoed in the hall way. Glancing over to her team mates with attempting to hide her anxiety she whispered “Looks like we have company.”
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