(a/n: i apologize for the wait. here's the chapter - let's get on with the action :) it is payback time so i'm fully within my rights to have this gif here. oh, and dedicated to OrSpace who's written a superhero story of her own! check it out. )
twenty eight
XANDRA'S PLAN SEEMED bulletproof. Of course, she'd had time to think over it again and again and time again during her time working here as Jess, but she'd managed to gather information vital in bringing down Ingrid Giek - Tetra - once and for all. Even though Tetra was Xandra's ex ...
Yikes. Thank you next?
It had turned personal for me, too. I know - or rather, theorized - that Vector must still be unaware of my true identity, but from what I've been told I know he apparently agreed with the plan to remove me from the situation. Well, Vector. That decision was strike one, two and three. You're out.
When I next saw Vector, I would deck him. A proper right hook, something that would sink through his eye socket and into his brain, where it perhaps would knock some sense into him. Yes, that seemed appropriate. For now, though, Xandra and me would be stuck planning how to take down Tetra.
"How can you be sure Python won't actually be helpful in this case?" I asked, staring Xandra down. We were still in Sawyer's office, which she'd searched for bugs before continuing our discussion.
Xandra stood up from the chair, scoffing, "I infiltrated them with a fake resume. I'm the leader of a slightly criminal enterprise, for heaven's sake."
I raised a brow, "Still. They don't exist without some kind of reason."
Xandra nodded slightly, but I could see she had an answer lined up already, "You're not entirely wrong, which is why I've gathered information on the situation from them. They've good sources, so it's not incorrect. Besides, I had to erase some of the files they had on me."
I sighed, and she raised a brow.
"What?" Xandra smiled, quick and dangerous, "- either way, we are going to use their resources when we take her down. They just can't do the last part. The finishing off." The smile dropped its joy, turning ruthless, "- that leaves us."
"You don't believe they can bring her back to the prison? That it can't keep her?" I asked, heart drumming. The finishing off echoed in my head. A hard knot formed in my throat.
"I wholeheartedly don't. I would bet my entire storage of champagne - don't make that face, it's way bigger than you realize - that she would find a way to get out again." I leaned back, nodding.
"Okay. Alright." I said, attempting to move my wrists so they wouldn't turn too stiff and die, "- it's up to us, then. Vector?" I cocked my head, a light anger simmering in me as I spoke his name.
He had betrayed me. We'd formed a partnership, yet he'd betrayed me. It infuriated me more than I'd like. I could only think of how I'd come to trust him - how he'd helped me throughout my early 'adventures' in Dynamo, yet in the end shoved me aside. Either he was a diva, eager to get the spotlight back on himself, or there was something I'd missed. I highly doubted he was in cahoots with my brother, but rather I just believed he had a misplaced belief about 'doing the right thing'.
God. This is turning my mind into mush. Since when have I spent so much energy in thinking about a stupid boy?
"Vector is not a part of our plan." Xandra said evenly, "- he's way too intertwined with Python at this point." She nodded to my cuffs, "- isn't this his doing?"
"Yeah." I grumbled, "He put in the order, and apparently my brother approved it."
"Your brother?" Xandra's eyebrows shot up, probably touching God's behind, "- he works for Python?"
"I don't know how you missed it. If you had access to all the files-" I spoke, but Xandra glared at me.
"I only browsed through the files regarding Tetra, and carefully so they wouldn't see I was snooping. Your brother. I can't believe it." She shook her head, " - he was the guy in here before?"
I nodded, and something gleamed in Xandra's eyes. She cocked her head to the side, let a smirk play along her mouth.
"He was kind of hot." I gaped, and watched as she cackled at my reaction, "Just kidding. I would never go for anyone working here. I have a penchant for female supervillains. It's a problem." She shrugged, raised her hands in a 'I can't help it' gesture.
"Back to the plan." I said, placing my cuffed hands in my lap so my wrists would stop aching, supporting the weight of the metal covering my hands. Xandra nodded, moving past the desk to a table in the corner, where a crystal decanter filled with clear liquid stood.
She poured a glass, started speaking. The details she laid out sounded alright, even if they were a bit ... extreme. I nodded, asked questions, while she responded between sips of whatever she was drinking.
"My powers, though." I said, sadness coating my tone, "- I can't ... reach them."
"It's the cuffs." Xandra said, turning around and letting her gaze sweep across the floor, "- they suppress it. Great technology. I admire it."
I stared at her.
"I'll fix it, don't worry. I swiped a remote earlier, so don't even worry about it." She reached into her back pocket, found a remote, "I had it reprogrammed, so I can access whatever cuffs it's linked to. Really great tech." She lowered her voice, almost speaking directly to the remote in fascination.
"Fix it." I said, watching Xandra as she fiddled with the remote, " - we don't know if I'm going to feel my powers return immediately after they're off."
She nodded, turning a few screws, cursing slightly, "Yeah, yeah. I'll just fixate this on your cuffs and -"
A light beep emanated from my cuffs as she pressed a button, and they loosened. Xandra swore, pressed another button - they turned heavy again, and I dropped to the floor. My knees took the strongest beating, aching at the impact on the bare flooring. This time I was the one to swear, then I directed a glare Xandra's way.
"I've got it." She clicked something, and they turned lighter again, allowing me to stand up. They were still tight, but something had changed - Xandra had fiddled with another button, and something lifted.
It was as if there had been a heavy net cast over me, choking and suppressing me. It was gone, now, and I had to gasp as the heavy pressure relented. The dreary emptiness of having my powers removed from me disappeared, and I felt them well back into me, curling inside my veins as I regained control.
"Holy shit." I said, fighting the sudden onslaught of having my powers available, " - that's .. fantastic."
Xandra was smiling, then shoved the remote back in her pocket, "I know." She drained her glass, put it back onto the table from which she'd taken it, "- now that we've got that under control, we move on to the next order of business. We've outlined it all now, so ... are you ready? To do this?"
My posture straightened up, and I lifted my chin the slightest bit. Every doubt, every inch of insecurity or negativity I'd had needed to disappear - to be vanquished by what was about to happen. I would need full control over my powers if we were to succeed.
"I'm as ready as I'll ever be." I said, and Xandra nodded. I saw the slightest hint of relief in the way some of the stiffness left her posture, a small, genuine smile slipping out. We were about to do this.
"Then let's get started."
≄
The fire alarm rung out, echoing across the floor. 'Jess' had long since gone away, leaving when Sawyer returned. He hadn't questioned her being here, nor did he cast us any suspicious glances. Jess bid him goodbye as she left, and turned to shoot me a wink. Now, he shot up from his chair, eyes narrowing. He glared at me, holding it for a solid ten seconds.
I shrugged, holding my cuffed hands up, "What did I do?"
He didn't fret on it, but instead swung his door open, only to find the office in a state of disarray. Agents were moving around quickly, carrying papers and folders presumably filled with important information. There were sprinklers in the roof, not that they'd been turned on yet, but I knew it was only a matter of time.
Three bright sounds emanated from the sprinklers, and then they started spraying. Sawyer grabbed my arm, as if I was going to try running.
Well, you are going to do that, but just not yet.
I needed to wait for the perfect timing. It arrived shortly after that thought crossed my mind, when I saw 'Jess' hurry across the floor with a few red folders grasped in her hands. Our eyes met - she gave an imperceptible nod. I reached inside, for that trace of power, the flicker which had awakened before. I tugged at it, unravelling -
The cuffs glowed red for a brief second, catching Sawyer's attention. After that, they shattered - freeing my hands. Sawyer lunged for me, but I dodged, slipping past his arms. I would no longer be manhandled, nor tackled nor controlled. We were going to solve this, without being pushed aside. Tugging at my powers again, I forced them to push Sawyer aside - a flash of red shot out, pressing him against the wall. There was a tangible fury in his eyes, and his nostrils flared as he gritted his teeth.
"I'm not going to hurt you, brother, but i can't have you standing in my way. Not anymore." I spoke steadily, eyes flaring with conviction. The floor was mostly empty, but I could see a few agents remaining. They saw what was going on, drew their guns - I had my powers lash out, knocking them aside. They would be disoriented, but mostly unharmed. I didn't wish for it to reflect poorly on my brother, or for anyone to unnecessarily suffer.
I just wanted to do my job.
"You're making a mistake, Charlie." Sawyer said, voice tense, "- you cannot do this by yourself. You'll die - and Tetra will win."
I cocked a brow, "Who said I was alone?"
And like that, understanding dawned in Sawyer's eyes. It sunk in quickly, and then that anger intensified.
"We were infiltrated?"
"Sawyer, you cannot do this. Python can't solve this on their own. Vector can't solve this on his own." I spoke softly, powers pulsing with that red light.
"And you can?" Sawyer spoke up, incredulity coating his voice, " - I can't believe it. Why are you doing this?"
"I'm Synapse now." I said, "You won't accept it, fine - in the end, I'll at least try to save this city."
He pinned me with an angry stare, "And if you don't?"
"Then I'll die trying." Forcing the words out of my mouth pained me, so I pressed it shut afterwards. When they registered, Sawyer closed his eyes, mumbled something that sounded like a prayer. He was far from religious, so it seemed I'd pushed him to his edge.
"Charlie. I just want you to be careful." His voice softened, vulnerability surfacing and replacing that vicious, vicious anger. I looked at him, waiting a beat.
"I will." I stepped back, letting my powers follow me. Sawyer rubbed his throat, staring me down. He would not be able to change my mind, so I turned my back on him. He would not try anything - of that I was certain.
I walked up to the floor-to-roof windows of the building. The long line of unbroken windows offered a spectacular view of Dynamo - the city was still thrumming with life, the electricity casting a golden sheen across the dark sky. A full moon hung heavy in the air, almost blinking down at me. A shiver rippled across my spine as I went over the plan again in my mind.
Punching through the window, I stepped out - the wind swept by me, picked up my hair and let it trickle across my face. The scent of gas and smoke hit me, spiralling up toward the sky from the streets below.
Synapse would be about to have the moment of her life.
≄
a/n: i am so SO SO SO sorry for being away. i sprained my elbow, (thank you for all of you who messaged me and asked about it) and its way better now, since the sling is off and all and I'm largely okay.
i just had a break, which i really needed after a rigorous academic schedule right before - you know when you have a bunch of major tests shoved into the same week and you just stare at your test schedule and wonder how the frick you're going to fix that? well that happened so i had to re-prioritize, and i hope you think that's okay haha :)
either way, on that break i had like 0 internet and survived solely on data to remain connected to my friends, who probably thought i was dead. i wasn't - i was actually skiing (in italy!!!!! shoutout to any italians because you rock) and it was great.
as an apology, i might just put a picture of me skiing in the next chapter. or maybe not. don't really know if i want to put a picture of myself on this profile (i still haven't told my friends I am an author online, lmao. only like, 2% of them know. have i even told my parents?)
either way, rant over.
::GOAL::
30 comments! 40 votes!
::UPDATE WHEN GOAL IS REACHED::
since i've been away, i will probably update before that because i love this story and i love you guys. you rock.
__qotc__
__what will their grand plan entail?__
__will charlie sock vector in the face?__
__when will I include a scene between charlie and vector without the mask ?? ;)__
__charlie vs. tetra ... what are we expecting?__
xo, cleo
ps. yes the gif is from tokyo ghoul. i watched it last year, and i normally don't watch a lot of anime, but it hit the spot. such a great show. any show recommendations you guys have for me? i am still watching riverdale because it's fun to see how crazy and stupid it's getting, lol.
pps. im going to be applying to college at the end of this year, which is insane. i'll be applying to the US as an international student so ... if you have any college recommendations (i probably only have a handful written down) leave them here! or if you have SAT tips .....