Shadows & Mirrors // f.hargreeves fanfic

:::: Forty-Seven ::::

Air rushed into Nova's lungs. A harsh gasp escaped her lips. She could barely move. On one side her body was pressed into something plastic and rigid. On the other side, another body was pressed against her. Nova attempted to stretch and move her limbs but she couldn't. Her arm slammed into the other body. She kept pushing against the other person as a groan escaped her lips. Nova's hand slammed against the ceiling over and over again. It was a feeble attempt but the girl had no idea where she was.

From the sounds of an engine and the way, her body seemed to glide and bump Nova guessed she was in the trunk of some sort of car. Her mind flashed back to the weird tea that she had drank in Reginald Hargreeves's office. Anger filled her body. She should have been more on guard. She should have recognized the signs of hemlock poisoning sooner. During her time at the Commission Nova had undergone extensive training on recognizing poisons and administering them. Honestly, she was more disappointed in herself than anything else. Well, that wasn't entirely true. She was still livid that Reginald had killed her, even if she was immortal.

"W-where am I?" A sluggish voice sounded from the body pressed against Nova's side. "W-w-why can't I-i see?"

"Klaus? Klaus!" Nova exclaimed in relief.

"Novie?" He whimpered quietly as the girl felt along the carpeted inside of the trunk. She was searching for a rip in the fabric. If she could manage to peel the carpet back then maybe she could punch out one of the tail lights and alert other drivers of their presence. "What's ha-happening?"

"Oh, I think dear old Reggie killed us," Nova said sarcastically as she tore back a part of the carpet.

Suddenly the car rolled to a stop and Nova heard the sound of a car door slamming shut. The girl got into a defensive position, well, as best as she could given the situation. Nova was ready to pounce. Anger coursed through her veins. Her plan though was ruined when the lid of the trunk rose and blinding light filled the space.

"What the hell old man?" Klaus groaned when Reginald stood above them. Nova blinked her eyes rapidly as she shielded them from the sun barely able to make out the old man. "Did you kill us and lock us in the trunk of your car?"

"Let go of me!" Nova screeched when Reginald's grip tightened on her wrist as he checked for her pulse.

"I did indeed!" Reginald said proudly as he moved to check Klaus's pulse. "And you remained dead for twenty-two minutes while Nova was only out for seventeen. You were both totally vulnerable! I could have taken every one of your organs. Both of you."

"Why? Why kill us but not Manuela?" Nova asked groggily.

"The point is, if the world is truly ending, then you're running out of time to master your gifts. Manuela is too far behind. If I had known about your immortality sooner I may have been able to work around this. I hate to admit it you, young lady, are a mystery to me. I could never get Manuela to learn how to use her powers in the same way you do," Reginald began to explain, "But where you excel with your powers Manuela is the ultimate team player. She will serve my needs sufficiently. You both will. But for now, we have work to do!"

"What? What does that even mean? Reginald!" Nova screamed when the man ignored her questions and slammed the trunk closed. Darkness surrounded them once more.

::::::::

Manuela's eyes were shut tightly. She wanted to block out all of the distracting sights around her. The earplugs that she had shoved into her ears were to block out all the extra noises that filled the zen garden. Her legs were crossed as she sat on her meditation pillow. Her arms were extended outwards. Manuela imagined that there were tiny insatiable arrows shooting from her palms. Those arrows danced and zipped throughout the zen garden looking for life forces to latch onto. She allowed the arrows to puncture the life forces of all of the plants and insects.