Your time has come Pt3
Posted on Tue Feb 4th, 2025 @ 11:28 by Doctor Astrid Hohenberg & Effigy & Cameron Johnston & Phoebe Hunter & Ji-an Yun
Chapter:
Besieged
Location: Location: Undercroft, Avalon Institute
Timeline: Late evening, Sunday, February 7th, 1993
1603 words - 3.2 OF Standard Post Measure
Previously in Your time has come
That blade had struck true. Effigy had felt the sensation of the cold steel embedding itself into her chest. The downside to lightning fast reflexes and heightened processing speed was that she knew exactly what had happened. Could contemplate its repercussions and push the blade free from its temporary sheath to allow it to clatter to the ground. Her limp body hit the cold flagstones of Avalon's undercroft. The edges of her vision blurred, as the blood stopped flowing through her body. A last gasp of air escaped her and the darkness took over. A fleeting memory of her sisters stirred before everything stopped.
It was not the first time Phoebe had killed someone in defence but this was the first time the person would die nameless as she was clueless who this person was let alone what she was there for. The history teacher looked her over but felt nothing from the woman at all no spark of recognition just the ck fusion and sadness that she had, had to kill in self defence. She winced at the way her body ached as she turned to gather her weapon and to figure out what she was going to do about the body.
And now the conclusion...
As much as it was difficult to anticipate with any kind of time for preparation, there was a definite shift in the immediate environment as Cameron approached. Inside the rabbit warren that was the undercroft, he couldn't reach top speed, so the crackle of static electricity in the air wasn't quite as profound as it could have been, but it was enough to raise the hair on the arms of those within proximity. Even more telling was the rapid displacement of the long rug that stretched the length of the corridor, a tripping hazard discussion for another day. It rippled as if grabbed by one end and shaken, with several folds bunched up behind the man's feet as he slid to a stop several metres from Phoebe and her fallen victim.
The pendulum of his gaze swung back and forth in silence for a moment.
"Are you okay?"
When the question was eventually asked, it arrived in a tone that seemed to acknowledge its own redundancy. Demonstratively, she was fine, capable and efficient and suddenly very intimidating.
The large armoured truck that had brought in Effigy, and that had doubled as her cell for the moments that she was not active in the field. Monitors on the side of the truck showed the telemetry of her vital signs. All of them were a flat line at the moment. Doctor Hohenberg sighed, the shocked G.O.U. scientist seated next to her didn't dare to look at the doctor. The doctor called up a secondary screen, it showed telemetry that was unfamiliar to the other scientist.
"What's that?"
The shush in response was harsh and curt. Doctor Hohenberg narrowed her eyes as a spike was measured. Oddly, a teddybear was shown on a security camera as part of this secondary screen. It was held in a reinforced transparent box, the location of which was unclear as it was mostly dark and slate grey all around. The matte brown fur of the teddy split near the middle of the chest, some of the fluff spilling out as it happened.
The muscle, bone and eventually skin stitching itself back together was a nauseating but familiar sensation. She had remembered the first time it had happened. The realisation that had followed almost more sickening than the actual incident. She was a freak.
Like her sister.
Chemicals flooded her senses, memories of the past faded away, and her purpose returned to her. The target was closeby, leaning over to grab the sword. Within moments she was fully back to consciousness. She'd wait for an opportune moment, but the analytics of the moment indicated that against a pre-cog 'right now' was always the most opportune moment. A swift kick into the side of the woman's torso separated her from the sword she had used moments ago to stab her.
Effigy grabbed the sword and leapt to her feet. Blood caked to her suit and face, looking menacingly, ready to strike.
“Why do you never listen?” Phoebe looked relieved as the man came back despite the fact that she had told him to not come back for her no matter what. But there was the relief and then the realisation hit her as the woman she had thought dead stirred enough to kick her and make her grip on her sword loosen and drop it from shock; this was always where she was heading. This was why she had a love/hate relationship with the man who had returned to help her and why she had not wanted to accept the sword. She watched in slow moment as the sword came towards her much lower than where she had stabbed.
There had been countless times in Cameron Johnston's life where he'd been accused of being reckless. Over-exuberance as a young child had eventually found its explanation in the manifestation of his powers, but even then, that hadn't always let him off the hook with his family. The whole look-before-you-leap cliche had been well and truly butchered by the time they'd uprooted to America and though focused study with people who understood how to help him gain control of his abilities had certainly helped, nothing had really curbed the impulse to act before consequence could be fully evaluated. His mind worked faster now under pressure, there was a lot less room for surprise, and perhaps that should have made a difference. Should have steered him towards safer options given the absolute certainty that he could predict danger even before he put himself on an intercept course to engage with it. Always one step ahead. What was the point of advantage if you squandered it?
It only counted if self-preservation held priority.
Mhairi had pegged it early, she was astute and knew the type. Turned out to be her weakness, he supposed, given the opportunity she'd had to walk away if yelling at him to take care of himself ever lost its appeal. Claire had come to realise it as a reflection of her own stubbornness, a kindred spirit in the quest for martyrdom that wasn't so much a desire as it was pragmatic acceptance of circumstance. Being able to navigate the shadows only escalated in relevance when oppression insisted on casting more and more. In the end, there was always a choice; to hide, or lead. To run away from conflict, or sprint as fast as your superhuman capabilities would allow right towards it.
Phoebe had noticed it too. The clarity had eluded her because, perhaps, his future just moved too damn fast to keep up with.
It wasn't fair, really. He'd been shot at, nearly burned to a cinder, and had survived the relentless sensibilities of a giant mutant-hunting robot. Maybe Al' would write a song about him. With any luck, it wouldn't include the phrase 'stupid fucker'. Probably too much to ask, really. Graeme would make sure it was the only lyric he remembered.
He didn't feel the impact, the instantaneous connection of sword and sinew and vital bits that really didn't belong on the end of a blade. At full throttle, his only intent to propel the attack as far away from its initial target as possible, there was just as much to be said for the wall he sent them both through.
The teddybear on the monitor seemed to crush in on itself, one of its eyes popping out. More fluff freeing itself from its brown matte fur. The scans trying to catch any kind of energy that would explain the phenomenon remained eerily quiet as the alarms blared on the vital signs monitor once more. It only took a couple of seconds before they too quieted down once more.
Effigy twisted the blade in her hand, hearing a crunch coming from the core of the man that now lay lifeless on top of her. Pushing him off she found herself back in the undercroft, a throbbing headache quickly fading away. She felt lost. Lonely. Frightened. Just like that first night her powers had manifested. She had seen what it had done to her sister, she didn't want to be like this. Where was she? She felt at the half mask covering her face, the cybernetic implants in her skull. Looked down at the man she had just killed. Why had she done that. "I'm sorry.." Then a flood of chemicals washed over her and the fear and loneliness was gone. Her purpose once more crystal clear in her mind. But the mission had been compromised. She had to extract, return to base.
Phoebe stood there in shock as her mind caught up with the realisation as the woman finally spoke and murmured an apology as if she had not just killed a man who was her friend in front of her when the stab was meant for her. She shakily pulled herself together ignoring the woman as she scuttled away. Phoebe would think about revenge later, she would never forget the woman's face.
"I am so sorry Cameron." She whispered stroking his cheek. "Why did you come back? You stupid herotic idoit." She sobbed feeling hot tears falling on her face as the realisation hit that Cameron Johnston was dead.
