"What the fuck happened to your face?"
Kiera was technically homeless- but seeing her on the street, you would never have guessed. During the day, she broke into people's homes, playing Russian roulette on which house was occupied and which she could use. So far she'd been lucky, but the odds are she'll misjudge at some point, and be left staring at some horrified resident as she squeezed through a window. She left little to no trace that she was ever there; she took no food, just mainly used the facilities such as the bathroom, toilet, always ensuring that she placed everything back exactly where it was. She'd only chanced it 3 times but had managed to sneak in a few short, tense and anxious showers. As a security measure, Kiera made sure she never visited the same street or neighbourhood twice, always going a different direction when daytime came, so if anyone did suspect anything, there would be no waiting ambush for her.
Surprisingly, her biggest contender was bordom. It was so entirely, incredibly boring, and chances of fun were everywhere but being a wanted face, Kiera couldn't risk any of them.
During the night, she moved towards the city's centre, where the buildings turned to shops. There was the greater risk of security cameras, but a few well-aimed stones could knock them out quickly, and from there, it was a quick in and out of the shop- whether to steal food, new clothes, and then it was to a rooftop to get some rest. Normally, along the way, she would knock out more cameras than places she actually visited, so there was no obvious trail or pattern. She would zigzag past the storefronts, taking random turns by streets and just throw stones at the black unblinking eyes of the cameras. Which was what she was doing when Mera appeared.
"Oh, no seriously, it's nothing. Just stepped out of line."
Kiera looked around, conscious that they were in the open. Putting a finger to her lips, she gestured that he followed her. Doing a quick check that the alleyway was clear, Kiera pulled them both out of the orange murk of the streetlamp and into the darkness.
"Sorr, what? Your face is a mess, Mera."
Kiera could see his eyes glinting back at her from the darkness. The space smelt faintly of garbage, but Kiera would tolerate it for the sake of somewhere private to talk to him.
"I thought you couldn't get hurt." Half of Mera's face was swathed in shadow, an eerie half smile cresting his face at her words. HIs lip was split, a half circle of bruises surrounding his mouth and climbing halfway up his cheek. The side of his face was slightly swollen where a hard punch had landed by it.
"I can't get hurt from anything in the physical world. In the Abyss... all power is revoked. Ramatee holds control, you hold none." Kiera bristled at even the mere mention of his name. The image in her head of what Ramatee was terrified her. And the fact that she was his property...
The thought drew chills up her back, icy fingers that made her physically shiver.
Kiera gulped. "But.... what did you do to deserve this?" Kiera's voice was a whisper, amplified by the darkness that isolated them. At this moment, it was them, and only them, the rest of the world in its own orange bubble.
Mera's smile wobbled. A weight settled in Kiera's stomach. Her mind ran wild as she ran scenarios of all the possible words that could come out of Mera's mouth, of all the things he could've done
"Well, Igave Alana a disease. She's in a hospital." Mera's previously serious face was taken over by an impish smile. Kiera reeled back in shock.
"You- What?!" Mera mistook her recoil for delight and continued his narrative.
"Yep. She's off your tail. The police won't be-" Mera's words were cut off by a sharp slap to his face. Mera placed a hand to it with shock, staring at Kiera.
Kiera's face stormed, and she took a menacing step forwards.
"What the fuck Mera! How could you..." For the first time that Kiera could remember, Mera looked unsure of himself. Kiera's stomach dropped to her toes.
"What- what did you giver her? What disease Mera?" Mera's smile turned pained.
"Schizophrenia." Mera's voice was barely a hair above a whisper, but in Kiera's ears, it was a scream. Her eyes widened, taking a step back from Mera. The cold brickwork met her back, and she could feel every notch and crevice dig in from behind. Looking at Mera, really studying his face, Kiera could detect a trace of exhilaration there. In the slight curve at the corners of his mouth, the twinkle in his eye as Kiera looked at him with bared contempt.
" And that's... that's why you got punched." Mera nodded, a small smile on his mouth.
Kiera couldn't even look at him, she was so disgusted. As she turned to leave, she heard Mera call out after her. "Kiera, you forget there's a reason I belong in the Abyss." Kiera made a point to ignore him, nearing the edge of the alleyway. "Oh, and one more thing-" Kiera turned around, face fierce with anger. Mera pointed to the space behind her, other hand clasped neatly behind his back. "That's the third time that van has passed us." Before Kiera could ask what he meant, the shadow's consumed him and he disappeared on a wink. Turning back to the road, as if on cue, a van started rolling down the street. Kiera watched as it rolled past, cooling cruising past her. Her head followed its path, the harsh orange from the street lamps coating the unmarked van a burnt orange. Kiera watched as it disappeared down the corner at the end of the street, vanishing from view. Her hackles were raised, senses on overdrive as she continued warily down the street. Slowing her pace, she decided to test if Mera's comment was true.
Soon enough, she heard the telltale rattle of the van's engine from behind her. Keeping close to the storefronts, Kiera kept casting tentative glances over her shoulder. She was wary, but not quite frightened yet. Running it through her mind, she crossed off all the things it could mean.
It wouldn't be the police, that was for sure. Any civilian who had recognised her wouldn't even come near her. Well, maybe they're just lost?
Idly, she wondered if she would be able to take a bullet to the skull, whether she'd survive the brain trauma of a projectile traveling at 2500 feet per second. Suddenly the van sped up, cutting off Kiera's thoughts. Kiera quickened her pace, dismayed to fin that the van to sped up. Before long, she was pelting down the pavement, concentrating hard on not falling. If she'd given the benefit of the doubt before, there was no way the van wasn't coming for her. Glancing over a shoulder, Kiera quickly spun on her heel and darted back the way she came, dashing past the van. She heard a muffled 'shit' from the front seat, and suddenly the van was slammed into reverse, gaining ground on Kiera.
Well, shit.
Kiera was back to running, and heard the sound of the van's side door opening. But as she ran, she realised that this as the most excitement she'd had in two weeks. And living like she was, she wasn't sure how long she could take it. So, with a deep steadying breath, Kiera made herself trip over. her hands weren't quite enough to take the full brunt of the force, and her chin collided with the floor with a dull and painful thud. But just like that, the pain had subsided and her chin was healed. Pushing up, Kiera suddenly felt strong hands grasping the back of her arms. She cried out as she was hoisted into the air and thrown into the back of the van. Her head crashed into the wall of the van, her body splayed against the side.
"Hey!" Kiera near shouted the words, but suddenly the doorway was framed with black silhouettes who rushed inside and quickly, the door was shut, shrouding them in darkness. She was grabbed roughly bu the shoulders, a black hood forcibly tugged over her head- not that she would be able to see anything in the sheer blackness anyway. She moved her hands up to pull it off, but strong hands grasped her wrists, pulling them both by her back. Kiera heard the clicks as a pair of handcuffs were placed on her, cutting into her skin. Kiera bristled, fighting the urge the rip the guy to shreds. She was seated on the floor of the van, her legs stretched in front of her, her arms held securely by the wrists by her back. Although blind, she could feel the heaving presence of the man behind her. His heavy breathing dusted her back, and Kiera fought the compulsion to squirm. But whoever these guys were, they weren't the police or any kind of military personnel. Subtly pulling her arms apart, she figured she could break the handcuffs if she needed to- and perhaps more useful, she could burn the van to cinders if it got that far. Instead, she sat patiently on the chipboard flooring. Every time the van hit any dent in the road, she was jostled, usually into the front of the guy behind her. Stilling her breathing, and listening over both the engine's rattle and the loud breathing of her supposed captor, she could make out the more quiet tones of another person in the back of the van with them. Tallying it in her head, there were at least 3 people- discluding her- in the van. Two in the back, one driving....
this was hardly a threat to Kiera. She waited calmly as they drew ever nearer to their destination, and Kiera could not help but feel a ping of excitement.
She hadn't killed since coming here since that would be an open trail for anyone to lead. But here, in that van, Kiera thought that Newbank may be seeing quite a few deaths tonight.
Through the darkness of her hood, Kiera smiled.