Hero Material

Chapter 17: The Shitstorm Pt 2

Markus smirked and gave a one-shouldered shrug. "It was a possibility."

"You son of a bitch!"

"Now what would the good Captain say, Mariana?"

"I like to think he'd say the exact fucking same!"

"You're always so easy to get riled up. I do so like that about you. Did I mention how much I have missed our conversations?" He was standing just in front of her, so close she could smell the peppermint toothpaste he used. Mariana shivered as he studied her face, his eyes darkening for just a fraction of a second before he smiled pleasantly. "Back to business. Scientist?"

There was a put-upon sigh from behind Markus but the dark haired man didn't turn away from Mariana for even a second.

"I will remind you again, Agent, that my name is Dr Philips."

"Well then, Dr Philips, tell me: how exactly are these Adaptoids of yours controlled again? For the benefit of our guest here of course."

"Of course." He sighed again, sounding like an exasperated parent, but stayed focused on his monitors. "In that case, I guess I will simplify the scientific explanation that will no doubt be too much for her little mind to comprehend. Essentially, you were right little girl, I do have some form of mental control over my creations stemming from this device." He turned his head to the side and she could just see a small black dot on the side of his neck.

"It looks like a melanoma." Mariana's brain-to-mouth filter failed her often but it was at times like this when she wondered if she even had one.

The scientist, Dr Philips, finally turned to glare at her before putting his back to them all again. "Well, it's not."

She raised an eyebrow and peered over Markus' shoulder at the older man. "Are you sure? Like...have you had yourself checked? I would."

"It is a scientific device not a skin abnormality and this is irrelevant. The secondary controls are right here." He gestured to the console he stood beside.

"Huh, and here I thought you were checking your e-mails."

Markus smirked.

The doctor sighed. "She is quite a mouthy brat, isn't she?"

"That she is," Markus replied as he turned to watch the doctor's back as he worked. "Daniels." One of the other two goons that had entered with Markus approached the console and watched over Dr Philips' shoulder for a moment before nodding and taking a single step back.

Markus shot the doctor in the back of the head.

Mariana shouted in surprise and jumped at the bang of the shot being fired. Recent training with a certain dark-haired assassin however allowed her to recover quickly.

"Why the fuck did you do that?" She ignored the fact that 'Daniels' immediately took control of the station.

Markus whirled to face her, shoving the pistol back into the holster at his hip and wrapping the same hand into the hair at the back of Mariana's head as he got far too close to her. "Because," he snarled, "no one is allowed to lay a hand on you without my say so, clear?"

Mariana tried not to wince as he tugged at her hair and instead glared at him with all of the heat she could muster. He only laughed at her.

She realised too late that she had lost focus on her surroundings.

But by that point Mariana was crying out in pain as already she could feel the electricity rolling through her in waves as Markus released her and took a step back. Behind her, the Adaptoid did the same and she collapsed to a heap on the floor.