Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Camilla looked up at the decrepit warehouse looming over her and the other officers. The cold night air chilled her, even through her jacket. I can’t believe I was assigned to this, she thought. Just that morning, she had been investigating EMBER for that pink-haired girl, only to be reassigned to investigate a string of disappearances of various mid-tiers around Newside. It was easy enough for someone with her skills to trace the pattern to this abandoned warehouse, even with the relative lack of evidence. She knew all the victims had worked at this place shortly before it was condemned. Beyond that, there was absolutely no information; all targets had disappeared without a trace. No motives, no suspects, and virtually no evidence. With a sigh, Camilla turned to her team, all dressed in combat gear. There were a dozen of them, all elite-tiers (aside from herself) and with good combat abilities such as Shield, Power Beam, and Super Strength. This group should be sufficient to take on whatever threat might be inside.

“Alright, people, listen up! We’re going to split into three teams. Each team will sweep a different part of the building, then report back to me over the radio and await further orders. Am I understood?” The assembled group answered with a resounding “Yes, sir!” Camilla turned on her heel and began walking towards the side entrance to the warehouse, which rather curiously was unlocked. Definitely not suspicious , she thought.

Entering the building, the first sensation Camilla felt was the pitch darkness, forcing her and the others to activate their flashlights to provide some semblance of sight. Then the smell hit, a nauseating and somewhat sweet scent like rotting meat. Scanning the area with her flashlight, Camilla couldn’t find the source of the offending smell. It must be from a different part of the building, she thought. Resisting the urge to vomit, Camilla called out to her team, “Spread out, and stay vigilant. I have a really bad feeling about this.” As the other groups moved over to the stairs, Camilla and her group stuck together to search the immediate area. Flashlight beams bouncing all over, they looked everywhere. Nothing but the occasional empty crate and scurrying rat. She wished that the site had power, but city administration had cut it off long after it was cleared out of anything useful. The deeper they went, the stronger that overpowering stench got, somehow becoming even more unbearable. So far, they had found nothing of note, and from the lack of sound from her radio, it seemed the others had the same luck. Clicking the side button on her radio, Camilla requested an update from the other teams. Team C responded, claiming that they had found nothing, while Team B had yet to answer. After several agonizing minutes, the walkie-talkie finally burst to life, a blast of high-pitched static assaulting everyone’s ears. Despite the heavy interference over the signal, Camilla could make out a vague human voice that seemed to be screaming in pain, then as quickly as it came, the radio went dead. Shaken, Camilla ordered the remaining squads to follow her to where Team B had originally been sent to search. As they rushed over, the smell only got worse, confirming her suspicions that the source of this stench was likely linked to whatever the hell was happening here. Even more disturbing was the lack of any news from Team C now, but Camilla prayed it was because they prioritized speed over confirming her orders.

After rounding a corner in the warehouse, Camilla and the others were hit by a wave of that disgusting smell, stronger than ever. Aiming her flashlight in front of her, Camilla stopped dead in her tracks at the horrific sight that greeted them. In front of her were the mutilated corpses of Team B, who appeared to have been torn to pieces. All over were deep gouges in the cement floor, as though some sort of animal had clawed at it. As Camilla struggled to process the gruesome sight, behind her was a chorus of screams piercing through the darkness. She realized that this was most likely Team C facing off against whatever monster was in here with them, and from the sounds of it, it was more or less the same story as Team B. We need to get out of here and bring backup . At this point, her biggest priority was her team’s safety, since she knew even with her being the strongest, she likely didn’t stand a chance against whoever was picking them off. Turning around and pointing her flashlight in the direction of the others, she was relieved to see the other five were still with her. Wait… there were only supposed to be four other officers with her. Upon closer inspection, this new member was standing with his head at an awkward angle, blood dripping from his mouth. Camilla aimed the beam of light up behind him to reveal some sort of twisted dark purple appendage with a vicious-looking claw attached to the end, holding the man by his neck. Before she and the other officers could react, two more of the grotesque arms appeared from the darkness, latching onto the limp corpse and ripping him in half, revealing a tall thin man in plain clothes. The three appendages seemed to be attached to his back and appeared to be made out of organic matter rather than aura like normal abilities. His eyes glowed a feverish shade of magenta, tinged with insanity, and spread across his face was a manic grin showing off his yellowed teeth. Camilla prepared to defend herself and the assembled officers, with the others following suit. Two created protective shields around the enemy, and the other two fired off beams of energy through the gaps. Camilla herself activated her ability, causing jagged shards of crystallized aura to erupt from the ground to stab at the man. As the crystals hit flesh and bone, the man quickly used two of his claws to deflect the energy blasts of the other two enforcers and swiped the last one at the twin shields, shattering them in one blow. As the Shieldbearers reeled back in shock, the killer crouched then lunged forward, ripping strips of flesh off his legs from Camilla’s Crystal Spikes. He used all three of his claws to reach out and strike at the Shieldbearers and Camilla, who successfully used her ability to push herself out of harm’s way. Unfortunately, the man’s other targets were stabbed through the heart, killing them instantly. “Get out of here!” Camilla shouted at the remaining two officers, who stood there in shock at what was unfolding. As quickly and skillfully as before, the man spun and slashed one enforcer in half before twisting to shred the other, the command never even sinking in as their mutilated bodies thudded against the cracked floor.

Despite her own advanced level, Camilla knew she stood no chance against this monster alone. Running away was the best option, even though it went against everything she stood for. Camilla attempted to use her crystals to make a quick barrier, a simple wall between her and that thing hunting her down. As she turned to run, Camilla heard a sound like glass breaking, and before she could take two steps, she felt one of those claws pierce her shoulder, throwing her to the ground. The wound was agonizingly cold, like a touch of death. Groaning, she rolled over onto her back and looked at her attacker. He was stiffly walking towards her, eyes locked onto hers. He was dragging two of his hideous claws on the cement floor, creating a path of small sparks in his wake. The last claw was raised like a scorpion’s tail, ready to strike her down. Like prey , Camilla realized, To him, we’re all just prey . Camilla never thought she’d die like this, at the mercy of a deranged killer and surrounded by the bodies of her comrades. Scrambling to her feet, Camilla raised a hand and launched a volley of shards at her pursuer, trying futilely to slow him down. With a throaty chuckle, the murderer took one last step and swung downward with his appendage, aiming for Camilla’s head. However, just before the killing blow could land, the darkness itself seemed to envelop her, wrapping around her. In a moment, the horrific scene inside the warehouse was replaced by a rooftop view of the surrounding city. Camilla, shocked by the sudden change in scenery, wobbled on her tired legs as the adrenaline continued to pump throughout her body. As she stumbled to the side, a strong arm held her up.

Camilla looked up to see a rather tall figure grabbing her arm. They were garbed in an old-fashioned dark blue hooded coat, their face hidden behind a metallic mask in the vague shape of a skull. A pair of gleaming yellow eyes peered from behind the eyeholes. She realized that this person must have used some sort of teleportation ability to rescue her. “Th-thank you…” she managed to say. The person cocked their head to the side but didn’t say anything, simply helped steady her then let go. They began to walk away towards the roof edge. “Wait!” Camilla called out, reaching out to them. “How did you know I was in danger? Who are you?”

They stood facing away from Camilla, unmoving. After a few moments, a voice came forth, robotic, “It’s my job to know, and as for who I am,” they turned slightly to show just one eye, “I can’t tell you even if I wanted to. Just know that I probably won’t be there to help next time. Make sure there isn’t one.” That last line somehow had an edge to it even with the voice modulator. Before she could respond, Camilla’s rescuer disappeared, swallowed by the shadows as they had with Camilla.

Chapter Text

          The Bureau's cold facade towered over Leo, grand and imposing. A wide set of stairs led up to the front doors, while the otherwise solid walls were broken up by huge pillars. For a government building, it was surprisingly nice, with marble features that glowed in the morning sun. Leo sighed and began walking up the stairs, mentally preparing himself for the conference meeting he scheduled with the region’s top agents shortly after arriving the night before. He had read the reports about the kidnapping of various high-rankers in the region, with virtually no trace. Only one target managed to escape, a high school student named Seraphina. She was the strongest in her school, but it seemed the ones behind the kidnappings used some sort of drug to disable abilities, making the job much easier. Anyone who could take down a level 8 that easily was a huge threat to security, which was why Leo was brought in to clean up the mess.

          Walking through the front doors, Leo found himself in an open lobby bustling with activity. People milled about, either talking to one another, delivering paperwork, or rushing to meetings. Leo quickly made his way over to the receptionist’s desk. The woman sitting there glanced up from her computer with a quizzical look. “ Welcome, can I help you?” She asked.

          Clearing his throat, Leo spoke up, “Hi, my name’s Lionel. I have a meeting with Regional Head Leon.” He flashed his badge, a silver starburst with a cool black gemstone set in the center. “I’m a Rook investigator here on behalf of Nexus.” He smiled at the receptionist, hoping the gesture would smooth over the fact that Nexus was ”meddling” in Bureau affairs.

          It did not. The yellow-haired woman scrunched up her face like she’d bitten a lemon, but quickly recomposed herself. With a neutral face she typed into her computer. “Ah, yes. It looks like it’ll be in conference room 120A, down the hall here and to the right.” She directed, then added a begrudging, “Sir.”

          “Thank you, ma’am.” Leo responded, following her directions and resisting the urge to roll his eyes. He checked his watch and picked up the pace. His flight had been delayed and he was seriously cutting it close here. Damn the air travel industry. Finally, Leo spotted a sign with 120A on it. He opened the door and strode in, acting like he was perfectly on time. Scanning the room, he noticed the table had several seats filled, prominent among them being Regional Head Leon. The stately older man nodded towards Leo.

          “Ah, Agent Lionel. Glad to see you have joined us.” The Head gestured at the assembled men and women, prominent members of the Bureau in the region. Leo recognized most of them from Damon’s reports. “Allow me to introduce you to agents Valerie, Farrah, and Oberon,” Leon said, gesturing at the assembled people. Leo tasted blood in his mouth. Valerie, a tall blonde woman, and Farrah, an olive-skinned woman with rather uniquely slitted eyes, were part of none other than EMBER, an elite task force created by the Bureau for reasons currently unknown. Oberon also looked familiar from the reports, though he couldn’t say for sure if he was part of that organization. A rather handsome fellow, with messy basalt hair and bright red eyes, he looked more of a killer than the women. I’d better keep an eye on him , Leo noted. The three of them gave half hearted greetings, clearly not wanting to be there.

          Nodding at the assembled agents, Leo stood at attention and got to business, “Greetings ladies and gentlemen, I am Agent Lionel. I am a Rook investigator representing the Nexus Defense Agency. It has come to our attention that there has been a string of disappearances of various high-rankers in the area recently, with only one person evading capture. It appears whoever is behind this has access to a device capable of weakening an ability as well as the means to permanently disable someone, crippling them. This is a major threat to security especially given how the girl who escaped was a level 8.0 and is now living without her ability. This happened around a month ago and yet no one here has been able to gather a scrap of useful information.” At this, the group, except for Leon who maintained his composure, became somewhat agitated, outraged at him implying that they can’t do their jobs. “Due to the lack of headway into this investigation, Nexus has assigned me to take over, effective immediately. Anything and everything related to it, whatever you have now and anything that may come in the future, will come to me until further notice. Now, any questions?”

          Clearing his throat, Oberon spoke up: “I have just one: Why would Nexus send someone so… Young? Surely there are more experienced people your agency could send?” He didn’t try too hard to hide his disdain for the situation. The other officials nodded their heads in agreement, save for Leon who simply sat back and watched, waiting for Leo’s response.

          Allowing himself a small smile, Leo dipped his head slightly. “I wasn’t sent out of lack of respect, sir, but because I’m one of the best agents equipped for this situation. I have relevant experience for this investigation, since I was behind Operation Nightshade over the past year.” Leo watched with satisfaction as the group in front of him looked with a small amount of newfound respect, recognizing the name from the public reports. “As I’m sure some of you know, Nightshade involved the dismantlement of one of the largest drug cartels in Mexico. What normally would have taken years to accomplish was expedited to just ten months thanks to my help. Given the fact our target appears to be an organization with limited resources, and tracking is one of my specializations, I believe that alone makes me more than sufficient for this. Any other questions?” He waited a few moments for a response before turning to Leon. “Sir, if there is nothing else demanding my attention here, I believe it would be best for me to speak with the survivor in person at her school.”

          Leon nodded. “Wasting no time I see. Very well, our resources are at your disposal- within reason, of course.” He stood up and held a hand out for Leo to shake. “And naturally, return to me for debriefing. We may be different agencies, but communication is key.”

          Smiling, Leo took the Regional head’s hand, shaking it firmly. “I wouldn’t have it any other way, sir.”

* * *

          Vaughn sat at his desk, studying the young man standing in front of him. Dressed sharply in a black and white suit, accented with a blue tie. His dark brown hair was neatly parted, and his skin sported a tan. His eyes were his most striking feature, a piercing blue gazing from behind his glasses. So this is the one Nexus sent to help with Seraphina’s ability loss…  

          Lionel had just finished explaining the reason for his visit, apologizing for the short notice. He must have been told how wary the headmaster was of the government getting into his business. The Nexus agent told Vaughn that he was simply here to get a better understanding of the attacks on some of the students, as he feared a terrorist organization was at play here. If he were representing the Bureau, Vaughn would have chosen to be difficult, but it seemed here that Lionel was genuinely concerned with the issues at hand. The Bureau had simply taken a report and never got back to Seraphina, and there had been talk of placing her into readjustment classes to “correct” her. Vaughn knew better than anyone how destructive those classes were, and so made things hard for the Bureau to take her in. Nexus, however, had always been focused on the general protection of the public and had little care for people’s political views. Lionel hadn’t even mentioned the recent issues with another one of Wellston’s top students, John. He was simply here to do a job and planned to stick with it. Vaughn could respect that.

          “Well, I’m certainly glad you’re here. The Bureau hasn’t made much progress on this.” Vaughn took a sip from his Earl Grey, peering over the steaming rim.

          Lionel shrugged. “Honestly, it doesn't surprise me. They likely don’t care much because she read unOrdinary, probably thinking she’s tainted or something.” He made a face. “Fortunately, Nexus doesn’t care for what a high school student’s political beliefs might be, we just want to focus on her and everyone else’s safety. Anyone who poses a threat to Seraphina is a threat to everyone else in the region.”

          “I agree,” Vaughn smiled, “it’s good to finally see something being done about it. Just give me a moment to call her in, and you can begin the interview.” Vaughn hit a button on his desk and spoke into a microphone, requesting Keene to bring Seraphina to his office. After a few minutes of awkward silence the two men heard a knock on the door. “Come in,” Vaughn called out.

          The door swung open and entered Seraphina, with her signature purple and green hair and extensions. Closing the door, she bowed politely to Vaughn. “You wanted me?” She asked, giving Lionel a quizzical eyebrow raise.

          Vaughn gestured at the visiting agent. “This is Agent Lionel, a Rook investigator from Nexus. He’s been sent here to look into the ones responsible for your ability loss, and has some questions for you.”

          Lionel took a step forward and extended a hand in greeting, giving Seraphina a friendly smile. “It is a pleasure to meet you, this’ll be quick. Trust me.” When Seraphina made no move to shake his hand he quickly lowered it and stepped back. “Alright, if you’d take a seat, I just want to make sure we cover our bases here.”

          As she sat down, Seraphina spoke up: “Why does Nexus care about this? Isn’t this the Bureau’s job?” She didn’t look upset, just resigned. Tired. “Besides, I was already questioned. Is this really necessary?”

          Lionel picked up a folder off the desk and opened it, scanning the documents. “To answer your first question, this situation very much concerns Nexus. You wer- are one of the highest-ranking individuals in the country, and yet you were brought to your knees by a shadowy group of people possessing a level of technology that should not be in the hands of civilians. This was clearly a targeted attack, and if someone can take you down, they can wreak havoc across the government and cause widespread panic.” Lionel grabbed a sheet of paper and studied its contents. “Nexus cares for the wellbeing of the population as a whole, whereas the Bureau focuses on enforcement. We step in when local authorities are ruled unfit for a situation at hand.” Seemingly satisfied with the document in hand, Lionel nodded. “And for your second question, I just wanted to make sure I’m thorough. Bureau investigators sometimes don’t ask the right questions and hyperfocus on the wrong details, typically to fit an agenda. For example, while they put down the part about teddy bear prizes containing a tracking device, you were never asked to give any details on who gave you one. Nor did they ask your classmates, who had an altercation at Kovoro Mall some time ago. So if you’d like to start with that?” Lionel looked at Seraphina expectantly, awaiting her answer.

          Seraphina closed her eyes and took a deep breath. After a brief moment to compose herself, she spoke: “He had light orange hair and yellow eyes. He also had a center part in his hair, sort of like you. His ability appeared to be, well, ability level gauging. Beyond that nothing sticks out, sorry.” Seraphina shrugged.

          Writing down notes, Lionel shook his head. “Nothing to be sorry for, even the smallest details are useful in an investigation. I’ve worked with less, trust me on that.” Flipping the page of his small notebook using a durable looking metal pen, Lionel questioned Seraphina further: “And on your way home you were followed by an invisible assailant, right?” To which she nodded. “I don’t suppose they ever revealed themselves, huh?” To which Seraphina shook her head.

          Tapping his notebook with the pen thoughtfully, Lionel appeared thoughtful. After several moments: “Thank you for your time, Seraphina. This information will prove highly useful for my investigation.” He nodded at Vaughn. “Do you have anything else to add?”

          “I believe that’s it, you are dismissed Seraphina.” Vaughn gave the student a warm smile and a nod. “We truly appreciate your time.”

          Seraphina stood up and turned towards the door, studiously expressionless. As she opened the office door she turned and asked the visiting agent: “Will you keep me updated? If that’s possible…”

          Smiling, Lionel said reassuringly, “Of course, it’d be unprofessional not to. You can trust me when I say you’re in excellent hands.” To which Seraphina silently left and closed the door.

          Sighing, Vaughn turned to Lionel. “I apologize for her brusqueness. Seraphina’s been through a lot lately, and doesn’t seem to trust any authorities.”

          “No need to apologize, her behavior’s reasonable given the circumstances. The Bureau certainly hasn’t helped things.” The agent replied. He opened the notebook again and checked one of the pages briefly. “I just have one more thing to request, then I’ll be out of your hair. The invisible suspect is another common factor, and given the school paper had info on the incident involving some of the other students, I’d like to see a list of people with stealth abilities from here, faculty and students.”

          Taking another sip of his Earl Grey, now cold, Vaughn answered, “I can provide a list of abilities among the faculty, but I’m afraid I can’t give anything on my students. You must understand the need for privacy. You’ll need a warrant if you want that.” He watched Lionel, waiting for his reaction.

          Besides a slight frown, the agent gave away nothing. Bowing, he said, “I understand, and it might not even be necessary if things go the way I think they’ll go.” Striding over to the door, he turned again. “Just one more thing: Nexus is aware of the situation regarding one of your students, John. While we may have our disagreements with the Bureau, our silence on the matter doesn’t equate approval. If things get out of hand, we will step in and control the situation.” Opening the door, Lionel finally ended with a curt “Good day” before departing. The door clicked shut.

          As he sat there in his chair, Vaughn pondered his predicament. The Bureau investigating his so-called “negligence”, Seraphina’s ability loss, attacks on other students, and now Nexus breathing down his neck. He sighed. No rest for the wicked I suppose.

* * *

          Leo stepped out of the front gates of Wellston Private High, thinking. Even though he couldn't pry much info out of Vaughn, Leo was still able to gather crucial information. He groaned and stretched, realizing he hadn’t had a proper rest in weeks. Still jet-lagged, too… He supposed waiting until tomorrow to go after the ability gauger wouldn’t hurt. After all, running around without decent sleep could get him killed. Getting into the car provided by the Regional Head, Leo set the GPS to the local HIVE, looking forward to laying down on an actual bed for once.