Chereads / Spectres of the Past: Prince of Spectres / Chapter 6 - Fox Flares & Vile Visions: part 4

Chapter 6 - Fox Flares & Vile Visions: part 4

Wade wakes up suddenly back in his seat, with Prince sitting across from him with a magazine

Wade

Where am I?!

What happened!?

David

Can you keep it down?

I'm trying to sleep here.

Wade

Ah!

What are you doing here!?

Prince

Relax, I'm put them next to us so that if they try anything again we'll be immediately able to stop them.

Wade

Did you tie them up or handcuff them?!

Prince

No, why would I have something like rope or handcuffs with me?

Wade

Well, I just figured based on the amount of random junk you have in your bag you were sure to have something like that.

Prince

Hey!

I don't have random junk!

I have useful junk.

Like look at this Magician's cape!

Isn't it cool?

Wade

Brian

What happened to your composure from our fight?

You should try to be like that all the time.

It would make you more popular

Prince

Et tu Brian?

Wait, you're back to your muscular thing!

Wade

Back to?

Brian

It's nothing.

He's an idiot.

Ignore him.

Prince

What?

No, I definitely saw it when you turned off the illusions, you were all–mph!?

Brian quickly put his hands over Prince's mouth to stop him from talking

Brian

Anyways, David told me you were feds, so we decided to abandon our plan.

Just try to follow the idiot's advice and relax, we're almost at DC anyways.

Wade

Uh, sure…

(Are these guys really attempted terrorists?)

(they aren't giving off that impression anymore…)

Brian

Ew!

Don't lick my hand you idiot!

Prince

Ugh, that was way grosser than I thought it would be…

Brian

Of course it would be!

Wade

(...like, at all. I have no sense of danger around them anymore…)

Say, David.

How did you do that scatter thing before?

David

Why?

Wade

Well, I figured since our Manifestos were similar, I could incorporate a similar strategy with Zephyr.

David

Well, it's pretty simple.

It's just like when you summon your Manifesto normally, except, when you want to scatter it, then just imagine creating a bunch of small versions of your Manifesto instead.

In your case, I think it would be for the best if you were to think of it as separate breezes instead.

Like, use the flow of the wind to circle around your opponents.

But that's just what I think.

Wade

Huh, I had never thought of using it like that, thank you!

David

Hm? Oh uh, sure, no problem…hehe…

Prince

Look at you guys becoming fast friends!

David

N-no, i-it isn't like that!

Prince

C'mon you can be honest. You guys are like kindred spirits!

Or should I say, kindled spirits–

Wade

Oh look, we're pulling into the station.

C'mon, let's turn these two over to the agents that were sent to greet us.

As Prince and Wade walk off the train with the two would be terrorists in front of them, two men in black suits are situated outside, waiting to greet them

Wade

Ah, agent Betelgeuse, agent Stein.

Pleasure to see you two again

A man with a moldy green hair, and peachfuzz speaks up to greet Wade

Agent Betelgeuse

Same to you, Wade.

Which one is Spectre's boy?

Prince

Ah, that would be me!

I'm Prince, nice to meet you!

Betelgeuse

You too.

Agent Stein

So who are the other two?

Wade

They attempted a hijacking of the train using Manifestos, so we defeated and captured them.

Stein

Hm, we'll handle them then.

Come this way, the president's expecting you two.

We've prepared your car over here.

Wade

Thank you very much.

Wade and Prince step into the car as David and Brian are handcuffed

Prince

What's with those two?

Wade

Those two are part of the president's personal guard.

Their nicknames are the knightmares, because they're like the president's knights, doing whatever he tells them to.

Prince

How many of them are there?

Wade

There's four in all.

One of the knightmares is always with the president as a bodyguard, two are usually out and the field, and one of them has been posted in Vietnam for a while now.

Prince

Huh, so even the president's personal dogs can still be drafted.

Wade

He wasn't drafted, the president sent him there, but then lost contact with him.

Prince

Oh, I'm sorry to hear that…

Wade

Don't worry about it, I don't really get along well with them.

The Knightmares tend to overextend into our territory, since they also have Manifestos.

Anyways, enough with the sad talk.

We're about to meet the president.

Prince nods his head, and the two are walking through the whitehouse, as Wade leads the way down the halls

Wade

So, tell me again, what will you do once we're in the oval office?

Prince

Speak only when spoken to…

Wade

That's right.

You're a very…out there person, and I don't think that exactly is in line with the president.

So, just keep your wits about you and calm down.

Prince

I'm pretty calm, you're the one who's gotten really nervous.

Wade

I'm not nervous!

Prince

C'mon, you're heartbeat is way too quick right now, and you're sweating buckets.

You're obviously nervous

Wade

Whatever, just be quiet.

We're here.

Standing guard at the door is a man in a white suit

Guard

Well, well, welcome back Wade

Is that the kid?

Wade

Hello Fantome, would you kindly move aside?

We have business with the president.

Fantome

Sure, sure.

Fantome knocks on the door

Fantome

He's waiting for you inside

Wade nods and steps through the door as Prince follows

Inside the oval office, they are greeted with a man in a blue three piece suit, with a white undershirt and a red tie.

The man's hair is black, with a few streaks of grey, he appears to be in his late 40s, early 50s

In the office, he is playing mini golf with a small, makeshift course out of different books and a cup

Fantome

Mr. President, what will the vice president say if he finds out you've been playing golf again?

President

What?

I can't help it, I haven't been able to get out there onto a real pitch since that whole fiasco with Cuba!

Let me take a little break

Fantome

You can take one later, for now, you have visitors.

Fantome gestures to Prince and Wade

President

Oh, welcome back Wade!

Is this James' son?

Wade

Yes, sir.

President

C'mon Wade, no need for that formal tone, I've known you since you were a toddler.

Oh, and James' son, no need to be formal with me either.

Prince

Nice–

Wade

What are you doing?

Watch your tone!

President

Oh, it's fine.

I encouraged him to be less formal with me.

Still, I expected you to take after your father a bit more…

Prince

Hehe, sorry to disappoint, sir.

President

No, no, it's no disappointment at all!

But, that's not the point!

You two will be very busy soon, so I'll cut to the chase!

The president goes and takes a seat at his desk before pulling out two pieces of paper

President

I have an important mission for you two to undertake.

Our spies in the USSR have told us about the potential of a KGB program to implant Manifestos into human subjects, artificially creating them.

These test subjects are believed to be prisoners from various work camps across the country.

Your job is to go to the Soviet Union, and free these people while destroying the laboratory where these tests are being performed.

While there, we've also heard that an agent that went dark a few years ago had been spotted in Siberia.

I'm sure you both know him very well, an agent named James Spectre.

If possible, while on your way to destroy the Soviet lab, please investigate or discover new leads that might let us bring him home.

You two won't be going alone, we have three other agents we've been in contact with waiting to meet and aid you. You'll be given directions on how to find them through various contacts.

We're giving you the information as you go to ensure you don't reveal any extra information in the even you get captured.

Worst case scenario, only one agent gets sold out, instead of all three.

Do you boys agree to take on this mission?

Prince and Wade look at eachother before looking back at the president

Prince and Wade

Yes!

The president smiles

President

Great!

In that case, I'll ask you to sign these contracts!

Prince

Why are we signing contracts?

President

Good question, these were created using a powerful Manifesto in order to ensure that neither party involved will be capable of violating the contract once signed.

But, due to the rules, it has to be a fair exchange.

So if you successfully complete your mission, then I'll do any one thing within reason for you, considering how taxing and dangerous this mission will be.

Once you've signed the contract, there's no backing out.

So, make sure you're prepared for what comes next.

Wade

Of course we'll still do it!

President

Great! Then sign–

Prince

What happens if I break the contract?

Fantome points a knife at Prince's neck

Fantome

Don't you dare interrupt the president while he's speaking.

Prince

Woah, look at the dog getting angry when its owner gets yelled at.

Calm down, I'm just asking a question

Fantome

Why you little pest!

You're just like your father!

President

That's enough, Fantome.

Fantome

But–

President

I said that's enough.

Fantome flinches back before lowering his head and stepping back

President

You really are like your father, if you break the contract, then there are some consequences having to do with the Manifesto.

I'm not entirely sure on the details myself. 

I've never really cared.

Your father was briefed on the details, you can ask him when you find him.

Prince glares at the president before signing the contract

Prince

Fine.

I don't have a reason to say no, I guess.

President

Perfect.

Welcome aboard, Prince Spectre.

The president gives a more sinister smile.