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AllFall
I sat next to the Headsman for breakfast. Everything was normal, just the extra addition next to me. Alien was eying us but I didn't pay him any mind as we ate our usual breakfast: whatever the Baron felt like having.
Today it was again eggs, toast, pancakes and a multitude of other hearty breakfast foods.
"So..." I asked the Headsman, "how has the family been treating you so far?"
He cast a glance my way, about to sip from his coffee.
"Alright."
I smirked, keeping to himself, wise.
"Actually," he added, "this might be a newbie question but is the Baron your normal serial killer stereotype super villain?"
I laughed, not at the Headsman since I honestly wondered that when I first came. But the truth of the matter was SO hilarious just thinking that way about him is just so funny!
"To be honest," I said, discreetly pointing, "Sarah kills more people than he does."
He blinked, confused, "Wait, she has powers?!"
"We," the Baron boomed, clearing his throat as everyone grew silent, "have been in some trying times. We have had several set backs and scary moments but we have embarrassed the Dragoons overall and have secured several allies. We have: the Wo Shing Wo, AllFall, and the Headsman among our ranks. I'm not even mentioning the hired help from GraveMind and Psychotic Neurotic helping Alien work out the kinks in my plan."
"And some help they've been..." Alien mumbled silently. The Baron couldn't hear him and continued,
"So today, I have planned for us to have a little escape from all the toil for a day."
"Are we going to the Rink?!" Sarah half-screamed, again reminding me of that little girl off Despicable Me. Everyone gave her a chastising look since she practically interrupted the Baron mid-speech.
Despite this the Baron smiled, "We're going to the Islands."
All the girls gasped and Doug smirked and nodded his head like, 'Ohhh yeah!'. Me and the Headsman were indifferent since the Headsman and I didn't know what these 'Islands' were. Alien shrugged and Waya, I had forgot about him... but is he ever happy about anything except killing people? His expression was that of a mannequin: null. No, a mannequin is too humble, a killer croc has more emotion than him.
-----------------
Almost everyone was in swimming attire. The Baron and I were in spandex-like full-body suits but mine was for deep sea diving (or so they told me) and the Baron's was his nuclear insulation he never ever goes without. Waya could've cared less and was floating on the waves in full clothing, jacket and all.
I didn't know that the Baron had an island. It was an island paradise in almost all the cliché ways, leaf roofed gazebos and white sand that stuck to your wet feet. Walker was helping Sarah make a sand castle because Sarah was hell bent on destroying one. Alien sat under an umbrella from the sun, on his phone as usual, sipping a tall soda can with a tropical straw. Obsidian was watching with some satisfaction as Masterlock failed to climb a coconut tree while also casting glares at me and Walker. The Baron was next to me, absorbing the strange and beautiful scene before us. It was a second before I realized that we were both doing the same thing.
"Drinking it in?"
I looked toward him, sipping from pink straw in my coconut cup.
"Yeah."
We watched waves hit the shore. One of the bulkheads sloshed upon the sand castle and caught Walker and Sarah by surprise; they shared a look and started laughing like crazy.
"You're drinking this in because we are about to be in the thick of it..." I asked pointedly, "aren't we?"
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The Black Baron
'Exactly!' I thought. My face faltered, how the hell does she seem to know everything about me? Is part of my train of thought just that predictable? Wait... no, we're at war and haven't gone on the offensive so an undercurrent of tension was in the air among everyone.
"Well," I started, "you, Sarah, and Walker were attacked. Everyone was attacked... it made me really think. Think that now was a good moment to spend some quality time with everyone before something bad happens."
The sun was going down and I looked at my watch.
"Speaking of," I said with a smile, "it's time for you to die."
She went awfully pale and I added,
"We're going to be playing mafia by the fire later."
She sighed in relief and we continued to watch the ocean. It was grey, black and sparkled orange from the setting sun. Wind kissed our wet skin and hair and I thought aloud,
"It's so calming isn't it?"
"Yes," she replied, "yes it is."
"AoDD would have liked it here." Sadness fell over me, "He never got to see it."
I kept watching the ocean as AllFall pulled her knees into herself. When I did look at her I realized that she was clamming up.
"None of it was your fault AllFall."
"I-I know," she struggled pasting on an obviously fake smile, "I'm okay."
She didn't believe it though.
"You need to stop with the self-chastisement. You're fine."
I understood her pain though. Even today I try to justify things that I had done years ago. Several bad and horrible things... but the thing that troubled me most was what I had done to my own father. Was I hypocritical to tell her not to worry about it even though things from years ago still grieve me?
A humming sound grew louder until the 'whomp-whomp-whomp' sound of a helicopter zoomed overhead. I wasn't alarmed, it was simply the others who I had invited. AllFall looked concerned and asked,
"Who is that?"
"Salamay, and friends."
-----------------
Elizabeth
I knew something was up when Salamay came off the helicopter. She was turning about, looking for me, until our eyes met. On top of this, the revolutionary boy and his father came off the helicopter; putting the mood of the day into an awkward silence. Until Sarah opened her mouth.
"Why are THEY here?"
Walker and Obsidian shushed her.
"Mr. Allison Jr and Sr! 'Tis a pleasure to make your acquaintance once again!" Alien lied convincingly, "Appears that my anti-nanite serum is working marvelously!"
"It is," the old man said sheepishly.
The Baron snapped his fingers and everyone except those new to the Baron looked toward him. He gestured to a servant with drinks.
"Continue to make my friends comfortable; esteem my guests as you would esteem me."
"Everyone," he gestured with his hand in a broad motion, "meet and greet our associates."
Everyone introduced themselves but the air was still pretty awkward after their arrival. I walked over to MasterLock who returned to trying to get the coconuts in a tree.
"You want me to gift you?"
She sighed and flopped her wet blonde hair away from her eyes.
"You would do that?"
"No," a familiar voice cut in, "the piece of crap has better things to do."
Obsidian. While she was walking towards us I said, not even giving her a glance,
"Are you looking for trouble Obsidian?" I asked rhetorically, "Cuz I still hadn't paid you in kind for trying to kill me back in China. And why did you try to kill me?"
I added,
"Because I asked a question-"
"I heard that DeadLead offered you to join them." She interrupted, "What undercover agent couldn't fool that dote, Thread Walker?"
I turned and glared at her but she smiled despite my strong composure.
"And hadn't Viral Taze paralyzed you? Why did he let you live?"
"The birds told me that you were crying on the way home from the wedding-"
"AllFall!" MasterLock said jumping down from the tree.
"now why. Was. That?" I finished with pleasure in my voice.
Obsidian's smile was gone... SCORE! Her expression was a flat line and her face turned red but not in embarrassment. No, she was gritting her teeth so hard in restraint that her face was nearly blood red.
MasterLock grabbed my arm and tugged me toward some trees away from Obsidian urgently.
"Do you realize," MasterLock started, "that she can snap her finger and decapitate you?!"
"What?" I shrugged my shoulders, "I don't care what she thinks of me."
"Who told you about that? About her crying?"
"Pfft," I looked around incredulously, "you didn't tell Alien? I saw you two texting."
"Alien told you?" She laughed at me, "Me and Alien do a LOT more than text and he doesn't know about that. There's only three people that could know."
"You," I guessed, "Obsidian and the driver?"
"No," MasterLock muttered while looking at me in thought, "Me, Obsidian and Salamay... we rode together."
Nausea struck my stomach, so it wasn't Alien? It would make sense since I was her "pet" or "mole" as she called it. Alien has distrusted me and the others since we arrived.
"Hello? Did someone call my name?"
We turned and spotted Salamay coming towards us, a smug look on her face.
"Look," MasterLock said quietly, "whatever she tells you. Tell the Baron." Then she addressed Salamay, "Oh hi, I was just done defusing her and Obsidian."
"Ah yes," she said almost glaring at me, "attempts to kill you or the ones you love tend to blow up in people's faces."
"But yeah," I said, still nauseous from the revelation earlier, "we were just about done here."
"Good!" She said with a fake smile on her face, "We can catch up on everything! I haven't seen you in QUITE some time!"
MasterLock gave me a pointed look, tacitly reminding me of her hushed directions earlier and left us.
"How are things AllFall?"
"What do you want?" I cut to the chase, crossing my arms. "Spit it out."
"Good," she said glancing both ways, "we don't have much time anyway."
We walked through the trees and shrubs when she started.
"The Baron is about to deploy his offensive and when he does finally tell you the plan give me the details."
"Why?" I asked defiantly.
She read through the lines and said,
"Even if I didn't have the control of the bomb at my disposal I still have what you are, Angel and don't forget it."
I so badly wanted to go to the Baron and tell him that Salamay was poking her nose around in business that didn't involve her. However, I COULD just refuse to tell her. That seemed more satisfactory than having her tug my leash around.
"Fine." I said even though I was still debating with myself whether or not to tell her.
----------------
The Black Baron
Today was the funnest day that I have had in what seemed like a long time. I was holding Walker's hand as we walked towards the sandy landing spot for our helicopters. It was late... in fact it was more like early morning when we were about to leave.
Doug grabbed my shoulder. I didn't even need to look, his grip was harder than normal and he's the only one with super strength.
"Yes Doug?"
"We really need to talk. I don't know if I can take it anymore."
I met his gaze with a mix of surprise and unpreparedness. We've been needing this talk but I was hoping that he would have come to me at a better time. I took out my phone and called our pilot, told him that I was going to ride with the others and they were to take Salamay and the others to the chauffeurs that would take them to their respective homes. I had changed my plans...
I only change my plans for the absolutely most important things... in some cases.
I will keep you in the dark on what was being discussed.
Once the next chopper arrived I smiled and gestured for AllFall to go into the chopper first. It was a significantly larger chopper and I said,
"Birthday girl first."
————————
PART 3
ALLFALL
"Ring around the rosie,
A pocket full of posies,
Ashes, ashes, we all fall down!
Cows are in the meadow,
Eating buttercups,
Thunder, Lightning,
We all stand up!"
—Ring Around the Rosie
(With the second verse that pretty much everyone is unfamiliar with! Lol)