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Hilda watched the footage on the national news as Drakaina ripped the engine out of a police car, the machinery bursting into flame as she threw it at a second vehicle, the makeshift bomb exploding on contact with the car. She’d never seen her aunt this angry but honestly it didn’t surprise her, her father had been very close to her, almost as close in some aspects, as he had been with her mother. Something inside Hilda burnt away in her chest, radiating anger at her father’s assassination, but this was too far, Marta was now turning her rage on innocent civilians and law enforcement, people who had nothing to do with the tragedy gripping the two remaining members of the Elise family.
Running her hands over her arms, Hilda felt a line of small wart like tumours running up from her wrists to her elbows before closing her eyes and focusing on her father’s most potent legacy. With a sickening series of pops and clicks shards of bone sprouted from her arms and covered her chest and face until she was completely covered in biological armour, her transformation causing the people standing in the hospital corridor to back away from her, fear evident on her face.
“We were chosen to be the shield between the people and those that would harm them.” Hilda whispered, as she strode out the door and looked out across Munich, the city’s skyline burning as it Drakania’s rage radiated out block by block. “This ends now even if it means I have to kill you auntie!”
**
Stansted Airport, United Kingdom
“Oh my god.” Maya whispered as she stood among the crowd of tourists looking up at the TV Screen showing the carnage being wrought in Munich. “What is that thing?”
“My nightmare.” Danika whispered as she turned to look at the departure board as more and more flights crossing European air space were listed as delayed or cancelled. “I saw that thing when I was a little girl, it was the herald of something horrible.” She added, as she fought her way out of the gawking crowd.
“Danni what do you mean ‘something horrible’?” Maya asked as Danika slumped down on a chair, her head in her hands as if she was living through some kind of personal nightmare.
“I had plastic surgery for the first time when I was thirteen.” Danika replied quietly as she ran her hand over her cheeks. “My mother had turned into a monster all because of her quest to kill that thing. Every time she failed she punished me, told me it was my fault. And it grew out of control on my thirteenth birthday. She took a soldering iron, heated it up, chained me down and then burnt the skin off my cheeks.”
“She did what?!” Maya exclaimed, her voice loud enough to cause some of the people nearby to shoot her a series of awkward looks.
“I got my revenge, you see I was arrested for the first time the day after my thirteenth birthday. It was easy, there was always a gun or a knife around, and after she’d been drinking she was an easy target. I literally buried the hatchet, right between her shoulders and then I called the police.” Danika replied quietly. “She had a certain influence over local law enforcement you see, I’d gone for help multiple times with scars or wounds inflicted on my body by her, but they always were encouraged to look the other way. I didn’t kill her, I was too weak to achieve that, but ultimately that failure made sure they took me away from her. And ultimately I won, my case was taken to a court in Odessa, and the judge and jury were appalled at what had happened to me. After that, life became a lot easier.”
“I knew you hated your mother, I never knew why until now.” Maya replied as she looked back at the screen and the savage draconic figure incinerating an armoured vehicle.
“I did, and now I can see the monster who poisoned her and I pity it and what it has become.” Danika sighed as she looked at the screen. “She was kind the only time I met her, she was how a mother should be, and she’s showing a mothers rage now. More fire will just increase her ire, she needs to know that she can grieve, that she can be understood.”
“Is this some kind of female Oedipus Complex?” Maya asked cautiously, as Danika cracked a slight smile at her comment.
“It might just be.” She added. “We need to get into the firestorm, and I think our employer may just have a way to deliver us there.”
**
Heroin Plant, El Paso, Texas
The two men dragged the beaten body into the refinery before dumping him before a chair, the woman dressed in a black dress stirring slightly, her oil stained face glowering down at him. “Styx, Stone you may leave us.” She ordered the two men, as she got off her chair and walked down to her prisoner. “Mr Liber will not be a problem I’m sure.” She added as the two thugs looked at each other before stalking away.
“I have the Blue Diesel sample you asked for.” Liber groaned, as he produced a canister filled with a blue swirling mist. “I swear, I didn’t know those guys were El Aquilla, I thought they were your hermanos Boccanegra.”
“They weren’t though, and my partner doesn’t take kindly to you trying to sell his property to a bunch of street-thugs in San Francisco. I’m also sure that your own boss, who so nobly sacrificed his freedom to make sure my prize got here, would also be upset that you tried to betray his orders.” Boccanegra stated, as she took the canister and turned it over in her hands just as another woman, this one also dressed in black complete with a veil and a chemical sprayer stabbed into her arm, walked into the room.
“You asked for me boss?” The newcomer stated.
“Yes Bruja, we have the second chemical ready for synthesis with the eiter. Mr Hotchkiss will want results soon so I suggest that you start as soon as possible.” Boccanegra stated, as she handed El Bruja the canister. “Have we heard anything from Dronekiller? I need to know if Professor Elise has been terminated like I asked, Mr Hotchkiss won’t be happy if he failed his mission.”
“There is a situation in Munich, but I am unsure if Dronekiller is involved.” El Bruja replied as she headed out the door with the sample of Blue Diesel.
“Well I’m sure we’ll get answers very soon Mr. Liber.” Boccanegra replied, as she pulled a test tube out of the arm of her chair, “this is Quick Lime, I would explain the chemistry behind it but in the end I think it’ll be better to show you,” She added as she unscrewed the top and poured the white powder onto Mr Liber’s face. Taking a step back, she smiled as his skin and eyes boiled, before turning to face her chair and the holographic figure wearing a business suit staring back at her. “Mister Hotchkiss, I was just thinking of you.” Boccanegra purred, as she cocked her head to one side.
“I hope not considering what you were doing.” Hotchkiss hissed. “Congratulations are in order though, you finally became competent enough to carry out a successful hit.” He added, his words audible despite not even being loud enough to be heard over Liber’s screaming.
“Then I assume that Dronekiller completed his mission.” Boccanegra purred.
“Yes but don’t wait for him to return he’s dead, the destruction his actions has wrought is most appreciated.” Hotchkiss replied as he glowered at Boccanegra. “The destruction the She-Drache is creating will distract any who would try and stop us. I assume you managed to recover the second chemical.”
“I have,” Boccanegra told him, “we are currently synthesising the Blue Diesel and Eiter compound you requested. I can give you an update as soon as we get the first units ready for distribution.” She added, as Liber thudded down onto the ground, smoke billowing from his mouth as the screams were replaced with coughing and spluttering.
“I am sending my associates to your location to oversee the development of the chemical and to courier the finished units to my location.” Hotchkiss announced as a sound of heavy footfalls echoed round the room. Turning round Boccanegra saw a figure in finned armour armed with a long dagger flanked by two alien creatures dressed in jumpsuits with long tentacles and gelatinous bell like structures for heads. “This is Ai Zhioc, the Decapitator, he is in charge here now.”
“Who are the others?” Boccanegra asked as the Decapitator loomed over Liber and stabbed his blade into his chest, his body expanding before his stomach and head detonated in a shower of blue gas.
“They are not your concern, they won’t be around for long, just keep your associates away from my men. They have orders to kill any and all who threaten the project” Hotchkiss hissed as the image faded away leaving the four figures standing over the dead body of Liber. Walking to the chair, the Decapitator sat down on the seat and glowered at his men with gleaming blue eyes. After what seemed like an age Boccanegra left, anger burning deep in her veins for being displaced.
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