Michael, "Bring him in." In a private suite at the top of the complex an unexpected guest had been called upon for information regarding Ria Lake. Adam eagerly stepped outside dragging in their unwilling victim. With a bruised cheek and black bags under his eyes an eight-year boy stood shaking in the middle of the room.
Michael, "Looks like he hasn't been very kind to you. What a shame to bruise such a handsome face, how are you doing Ethan, missing your sister yet?" Fearfully he nodded his head, he missed her so much it was killing him, to have someone by your side even before birth only to have them ripped away so abruptly was inhumane for twins.
Adam, "Lucifer really did a number on you both kid but don't worry we want Ria back too. But first we need to know how far you'll go to get her back." Ethan could see a sadistic amusement in that sentence and became even more nervous.
Ethan, "I-I'll do anything…I just want my sister back." Tears filled his eyes, Michael smirked at this weak-minded boy he would be easily manipulated. Adam also grinned happily watching the tears fall from his face.
Michael, "That's a very promising thing to hear, well then I hope you don't go back on that statement. We have a way to get Ria back, but it requires a lot of patience and hard work, are you prepared?" Ethan was chilled to his bone as those cloudy blue eyes scanned his weak little body up and down.
Ethan, "What do y-you want m-me to do?" Through sobs he managed to gasp the one question he would regret for a long time.
Adam, "We want you to become like us, we hunt superiors that's our job. Right now, Ria is in a hidden facility somewhere and to find her we need information, to do that we need superiors for information. Doesn't sound too hard does it?" Ethan winced as Adam tapped his cheek playfully, that sounded like a hidden sarcasm. Michael nodded in agreement, being too young to understand what it meant to be wrapped around someone's little finger Ethan agreed to it wholehearted. This is for Ria he thought, and he would do anything to save her. Trouble was…Ria didn't need saving.
Back at The Facility…
Leon, "Ria are you listening, you look preoccupied?" They were in the middle of a lesson about Nephilim anatomy and what made them different from an average superior, but it was true her mind was somewhere else. Lucifer had been gone for three days not even returning to rest and it had been bothering her. Not seeing what he was doing annoyed her and made her feel like a rat in a cage occasionally waiting for its owner to handle it.
Ria, "Sorry I was distracted what did you say?" Leon sighed sympathetically; she had been listless for days her mind filled with things se wouldn't admit to anyone.
Leon, "As I was saying your body holds a power core much like a battery, your abilities will use up it's juice until it's recharged with the advanced supplements. But if you use too much power it will short-circuit and cause the body to shut down. Your nose bleeds, migraines are signs that your body is running low and passing out is it's self-preservation technique." Ria sat fascinated as the pieces came together, so she'd been running low for years it seemed. Leon pulled up a chart of her organs in the lab to demonstrate where the strain was most prevalent.
Leon, "Your brain was swollen when you arrived but that had reduced dramatically since coming here, along with your pulse rate which was very high for your age. How have you felt since taking the supplements?" Ria tapped her chin in thought, truthfully a lot better.
Ria, "More energized I think, I don't sleep as often now." Leon clapped happily before reaching under the white bench and pulling out a plastic cup. Ria looked at it blankly then scrunched up her face seeing where this was going.
Leon, "Okay that's good to hear. Now were going exercise your brain a little, I want you to focus on the cup and pick it up without your hands." Ria sighed she was a little afraid to use her powers, they were on a big scale so focusing that energy on such a small object would be difficult. Still, learning control wouldn't be so bad she thought.
Ria, "Okay I'll try." Looking down intensely at it her violet eyes began glowing brightly until her whole eyes were enveloped in a shimmering purple glaze. Leon watched with his clipboard ready to record notes. Gritting her teeth, she tried to relax the tension in her mind, slowly the cup began to shake slightly, this was it all she needed to do was focus!
Leon, "Very good the object is enveloped in your telekinesis, now imagine an invisible hand picking it up." Ria nodded following his orders and pictured that very image. Gently the cup began to levitate and triumphantly Ria smiled but suddenly her control slipped, and the cup burst into a hundred pieces.
Ria, "Oops…maybe I celebrated too early." Leon pulled a piece of plastic from his hair and chuckled.
Leon, "Maybe but it was a good start and no nosebleed either, I'd say it was successful." Ria grinned back, that was true it could have been worse. After their session Luca entered to inform Leon of a new development, he'd also been missing for a few days alerting Ria that something was going on. Whispering behind the clipboard Leon's face turned white as a sheet while Luca also looked unwell. Both of their eyes landed on her almost simultaneously.
Ria, "What the hell is going on? Where is everyone?" Not knowing whether to let his lips slip Luca shrugged sadly and left.
Leon, "You should go back for today my dear I have something to attend too." Ria watched as he practically bolted out of the room, was she missing something here or did she have a disease to the point where everyone was avoiding her?
"Princess Ria would you kindly follow me please?" Ria scowled recognising this man as one of the guards the from solitary cells Sam was situated, wondering if he'd asked to speak with her, she happily followed behind while he guided her to her father's bedroom. Why on earth would she need escorting here she knew the outlay?
Ria, "Thankyou but I know my way here." Confused she attempted to walk past him when a bulky arm blocked her path gently pushing her back in.
"My apologies but I have been instructed to keep you secure in this room, please make yourself comfortable for a while." Ria frowned, that was code for your being held against your will. Whatever had everyone annoyed was clearly a threat otherwise they wouldn't be keeping her here. Not willing to argue she nodded and close the door, the last thing she wanted was eyes on the back of her while she paced. As her thoughts began flowing worries about her own abilities came forth, was she being quarantined because of her power? But Leon said her body was coping much better that wouldn't make sense. Then her attention turned to something else, her father kept a desk in his bedroom so he could attend to late night inquiries without disturbing the rest of the facility. Hoping something would help her understand she apprehensively walked over to the black oak desk and sat in his leather chair. Ria didn't like snooping around at all, it made her feel like an intrusive brat, yet her mind wouldn't settle until she knew what was going on.
Pages of facility outlays, programmes and case files of rescued children spread out covering the whole desk. Nothing really stood out to her until she moved aside the case files and stumbled upon a red folder with a snake like symbol on the cover. To her surprise this symbol rung a bell in her mind from memories of her grandfathers room, when she was younger she got curious why he kept his door closed all of the time so she entered and began wandering around until she found a red book on his bedside table with the same symbol. Ria didn't manage to open the book because her cover was blown by Ethan however it always made her wonder what such a protruding book was doing in his room.
Taking a deep breath Ria unlocked the binders and flipped it over to the front page where in big bold black letters read 'REVOLT', Its writing was almost like a warning. Guilt filled her gut as her trembling hands flipped to the next page. This was wrong and she knew that, her mother always said curiosity killed the cat. Still she shook her head and continued, the next page gave details about the West county, it's population as well as areas of war they were currently tackling. Then like blood there were three little trickles on the map of the area, written below was the word 'Michael?'. That name…where had she heard that name before?
Val, "This is insane you realize that!" Startled Ria slammed the book shut and covered it back up hearing Val's bellowing voice from far away. Whatever they were discussing seemed controversial. Curious why a usual calm Val was now screeching at the top of his lungs she peaked from the door, strangely the guard was now gone leaving her free to roam. Of course she wouldn't just let those struggling voices fade away so she followed the loud arguing until she came to a big white door past the labs and orphanage, sometimes she wondered if these walls moved, every time she wandered more doors would be found never seen before.
Luca, "I'm not going to lie, I agree with Val on this one my lord. His last psychological test set off a lot of red flags, I'm worried about the safety of our staff." Ria sat down at the door listening in, being detected wouldn't bode well for her.
Leon, "I'm not so sure this is a bad idea actually, think about it he's been locked away for a very long time and for the first time he has requested a deal in exchange for his freedom. Even if we set up security measures and implement a trial wouldn't that be better than refusing him and dealing with the consequences?" Luca and Val both shook their head disapprovingly, even a trial made their spines shiver.
Val, "This guy has killed a lot of us you understand that don't you? Now your going to let him close to the one person we need in order to turn this world around, you've really lost it!" Ria bit her lips trying to contain her laughter, his voice sounded funny when he yelled almost like a nagging wife.
Lucifer, "I know him better than all of you, I didn't spend ten years of my life trying to bring him round just to refuse him once he finally did. You may find it hard to believe but I trust him, especially around Ria." Then her smug smile faded…so this meeting was about her after all. This was taking an interesting turn.
Leon, "Why is he willing to change for the princess?" Lucifer looked down at the floor unwilling to answer, deep down he knew why Sam was so fascinated with Ria, but he was too stubborn to admit.
Lucifer, "The reason doesn't matter what does matter is that he's willing to cooperate with us." Val scoffed at him, why had he made such a rash decision based on words alone?
Val, "I'm not an idiot, you didn't appoint me your personal chancellor because you like me. You only do something stupid like this when your insecure about something, tell me or I'll fight you nail and teeth on this and I won't drop it either." Luca and Leon seemed to agree on his part this time placing Lucifer in the spotlight. He gritted his teeth seeing he was cornered; Val was the clingiest annoying person in the world if you wouldn't tell him something already, he had a petty expression in his eyes. Lucifer sighed; he didn't want to tell them this unless it became an issue.
Lucifer, "Fine! We were discussing the revolt in the west, it's basically where he grew up, so he knows the people, outlay as well as the way they think. Michael hasn't shown his face in twenty years but now all of a sudden, I hear word he's recruiting, which is too coincidental considering we just got Ria back. Plus…they have the upper hand right now." They all exchanged looks seeing a serious look in his eyes, this meant something was troubling him immensely not being a man to show his emotions.
Luca, "How could that be possible we have plenty of men and powerful fighters on our side including humans, what could he possible do with a small clan of Nephilim?" Lucifer tapped his ring on the table.
Lucifer, "Ria mentioned her brother Ethan, if he is still with Bobby then he'll be in their hideout as leverage. I'm not blind enough to dismiss how she feels about her brother, she'd do anything for him. If they put Ria in a position that risks him, I have no doubt she would surrender and it's game over…"
"Hey what are you doing here!" An angry voice from behind the door alerted them, furious someone may have been eavesdropping Lucifer stormed to the door bashing it open only to see the guard unconscious outside with no sign of anyone else until he saw a strand of white hair turn the corner. Suddenly a clenching feeling in his chest sprung him into action as he chased after her.
Ria sprinted through the halls wiping tears from her face, how could they have kept Ethan's whereabouts from her and why hadn't they gone to save him! Wasn't that part of their job, to rescue orphans! She ran back towards her fathers complex and began kicking down the door to the garden, it needed a key but not when she was pissed off it didn't focusing her energy on the lock with one quick swing she busted the lock sprinting down the tin steps. Lucifer heard the door slam open and panicked realizing that led outside, so he quickened his pace until he was sprinting through the halls alarming the medical staff.
"My Lord?!"
Lucifer, "Bring him here, and some guard you know who I mean!" His formal tone disappeared revealing his old rough accent. They shuddered and nodded. Lucifer reached the garden and jumped over the balcony below, Ria was quite far ahead running toward the tree line, but escaping wasn't what worried him…it was the electric force field unseen to others that immitted a shock that could be dangerous to her. He would have to tap into his increased speed to catch up. Lowering his body and bending his knees he exhaled a hot breath and jetted from the spot leaving the grass high in the air. Ria turned around to see him coming in fast, so she clenched her teeth and ran faster. She had to rescue Ethan!
From the garden door stood her new bodyguard admiring the flowers until he saw his master running full speed at a little dot in the distance, at first, he smirked but when he recognized that long white hair his face went pale.
Sam, "Sh*t!" He also hopped the balcony and began running as fast as his legs could carry him. Ria could feel her lungs begin to burn as the cold air she'd been deprived of invaded her body, she couldn't keep this up for much longer.
Lucifer, "Ria stop it's dangerous!" She ignored him and kept running, this was what she had been training for. Lucifer couldn't believe how fast she was alone and how much he struggled to catch her.
Sam, "Ria!" Another voice called out, but her mind was filled to the brim with freedom she also discarded it. Almost there, she could see a meadow beyond the trees, branches began crunching under her feet and leaved falling on her hair.
Lucifer, "No!" Somehow that desperate cry of her father made her pace slow slightly but it was too late. She stumbled before crashing into something that made her limbs go numb and her tongue burn like a wild flame, like lightning something struck through her like a thousand cold knives until everything went black.
Lucifer ran to her side rolling her over, her face had gone red and her body twitched still smoking from the shock. Immediately he checked to see if her heart was still beating and sighed hearing a small thud beneath her chest, then was the breathing test. Listening closely to her mouth he waited while Sam eventually caught up but…he could hear nothing.
Lucifer, "Dammit she'd not breathing!" Sam felt a sharp pain in his chest constricting his own airway, seeing her laying so helpless made his heart throb painfully.
Sam, "Move I'll do it." Lucifer wide eyed moved over while Sam kneeled over her hovering his mouth inches away from hers. He had no choice, if she didn't breathe soon the oxygen deprivation would affect her brain. Sucking in all of the oxygen he could he began performing the breath of life pumping her stomach to activate the respiratory system. Lucifer hated seeing him like this with her, but this was his job, to keep her safe. It was a painful few minutes for them both until eventually she let out a small wheezy breath.
Sam, "She's okay, get her back to the facility." Without hesitating Lucifer picked up his daughter and began running back to the lab while Sam sat in awe. That feeling he felt, it had been so long since he'd felt it…the painful burning desire to live…praying she let out just a small gasp…praying she'd be alive for him to see again. He looked at his trembling hands when he let out a small chuckle. He remembered now…this was what fear felt like…