Bane

October 18, 1993

"No. I never knew what monsters you bred, what horrible monsters! You kill indiscriminately, sharing your stories as victories!"

"Suheila Sharif!" Grifford stood from behind his desk. "...that will be quite enough."

"Yes, it will." Suheila strode to Cameron, and slapped him across the face. "I loved you before I knew you, but knowing what you are, I could never love that."

Cameron caught the glint of red-black beneath her shirt. Suheila left the room in unceremonious silence, throwing the doors open as she did.

She said nothing more.

Cameron stood there quiet, keeping his composure. He turned to face Grifford.

"What a tangled web, right? Think nothing of it. I knew before you requested an audience, and the truth is, I think it beautiful that you would lie for this Mexican girl."

"Gina."

"Easy, impudent boy. Things are going well for you. Listen. I don't know any man in your position who would have the balls to do what you've done. Not just that you beat that poor girl to make your lie more believable, but that had I not known, I would have been inclined to believe it."

It was Cameron's turn to cock an eyebrow.

"Oh yes. We have our eyes, and ears, and given the state of things, we are everywhere. You would fit more appropriately behind the action, than in it. Lie to them. Befriend them. Blend in with them. Then utterly destroy them. Go and fetch your Gina, and do what you will."

Cameron broke into a smile. "Yes, your honor..."

"...and Cameron?"

"Your honor?"

"Once was endearing. Brave even. Lie to me again, and it'll be you they're fishing out of the river. If they find you at all. Go."

✟ ☧ ✟

11:30 PM

Lillian opened her eyes, gasping for air, desperately struggling as the wire dug into the flesh of her throat. She felt herself hoisted up, her feet leaving the floor. Lillian's face was dark red, mouth agape. Below her, she saw a faceless bone mask, and bright green eyes staring up at her. Lillian grasped at the wiry tether, the bloodied flesh at her throat ragged as her weight pulled the wire into her flesh. She kicked, and strained... and stopped. She was dead.

...but she could still see herself. See herself through his eyes. She saw herself reach up with his hands, dagger right in his grip, as he carved the word witch in her forehead.

He stepped away from her suspended body, and from room, to room she murdered her coven through him, slitting their throats, and watching them choke on their blood, unable to speak, unable to scream.

She saw Robert through his eyes, her young son, fast asleep. Lillian tried to stop, caged in the monster's mind, and felt the dim satisfaction at her struggle. It was like his hand held her own, the massive black gloved fingers pressed together tightly, pressed down over her son's nose, as mouth. She felt the weak suction as he struggled suddenly to breathe. His eyes opened wide, and her young Robert screamed beneath his gloved hand. She felt him through the monster, growing weak. Just before he lost consciousness she let him go through his giant hand. Her Robert trembled gasping, and as he caught his breathe, regaining his wits, he tried to scream again. The giant's hand was over his mouth again. She saw owls gathering out his window, their pale faces and black eyes unblinking as they stared in.

Robert struggled, and as he grew faint, and then still. She jerked his head sharply, feeling the bones snap.

Lillian screamed, but the giant did not.

Bane.

           Bane.

                        Bane...

✟ ☧ ✟

2:00 AM

Suheila walked along the riverbank, tears on her cheeks. Cameron betrayed her - they all betrayed her.

In the darkness it was too difficult to see, and Suheila concentrated. "Clear."

The clouds broke, and in the break in the sky she could see everything under the bright silver waning gibbous moon.

She left the banks, and wandered into the woods. The trees were beautiful, the mix of pines, oaks, and laurels casting their pale shadows on the leaf and pine needle laden woodland floor. An owl landed on the tree closest to her, first one, but two more joined.

Then four.

Suheila found a barren oak, and leaned against it, staring at the barn owls, and their black eyes. "I know you're here. Out here somewhere. You haunt these places. Why?"

Bane stepped out from behind the tree, seven owls perched overhead.

"You're the one who killed that girl, aren't you?"

Bane stared down at her, his piercing green eyes taking her in, and tilted his head. He felt something stir inside him, a painful familiarity.

"I guess you're going to kill me too, right?" Suheila stood up, and raised a hand at him.

Bane felt a weak force from the outside push into him - weak - but strong enough to push him back a step. "Witch."

"That would be me." Suheila's knees shook, but she stared up at the masked killer, his green eyes. Suheila did not want to die. She pushed her hand out again, and Bane shrugged it off.

He stood there unmoving, hands resting on the grips of his stolen pistols. Suheila took a step forward, and he stepped a step back. She took another step. He stepped back again, and felt the tree against his back.

"Magick doesn't really affect you, does it?" She was an arm's length from him. Bane tensed, tilting his head.

He pondered drawing his pistols, and wondered why he had not already. Suheila closed the distance between the two, and put a hand on his chest. "Why aren't you killing me?"

Bane stared down at her and she reached up, pushing herself to the tip of her toes, and pushed his mask back up onto the top of his head, revealing his scarred face.

"I know you."

Bane made a face.

"I know that I know you... but I don't know why. You're beautiful." She cupped his cheek, and Bane pushed his face into her hand.

Suheila took a step into Bane. "I spent my life loving someone I never knew, but it was your face I saw when I slept... except, you've so many scars. So many."

Bane sighed.

"Your eyes. That sorrow you're wearing on your face."

"...not mine."

"I know your voice. Somewhere from a long time ago, that voice said once my name... but you're not him, are you?"

Bane slowly shook his head.

"...but you know me, too. If not, I would be dead now. Will you walk with me through the woods? You can take my life if you like... but if you're not going to, these are dark woods and I'm just a girl."

Suheila turned her back to Bane, and began walking. Moments later she heard him behind her, then beside her. She glanced up at him in time to see him pull the bone mask back over his face. "Will you tell me who you are?"

"I am nobody. Nothing."