The "From The Pages Of..." Comics Universe RPG

[absonic93]

NIKI SANDERS
INDUSTRIAL SECTOR

Niki looked around as shambles of flaming wood fly from the sky, landing around her as a screen of smoke covered the area around. Within moments it had cleared enough for her to see her surroundings, panting heavily as she took it all in.

"Sanders!?" Called out a voice.

Niki seemed to vaguely recognize it, but couldn't match it. The last thing she remembered was being in the bed with the Company. Now here she was, dazed and confused with no clue where the hell she was.

Niki stood up as she avoided the burning pieces of woods scattered across the area. Not sure where she was heading, she ran away from the remains of what appeared to be a shack. Only something that appeared to be a loose foundation remained.

Her brisk, worried walk broke into an all out run as the frightened woman dashed away from the disaster she had not remembered witnessing, but apparently had.

As she looked back to gain a view of the scene, a man grabbed her, holding onto her upper arm. Niki jumped as her eyes widened, and her face became one of fear.

"Sanders! Are you alright?" The strange man asked at her. He appeared to be old of age, yet he seemed battle worn, someone who had led a long life of violence and anger.

"WHO ARE YOU!!! DID YOU DO THIS?" She shrieked as tears ran down her face. Why was all this happening to her? What did Jessica want?

"Sanders snap out of it. The mission was a trap, Sylar was never here. A bomb went off but it appears the company is getting sloppy. We're still alive."

Niki struggled as she tried to push the man away from her.

"GET THE HELL AWAY FROM ME!!!"

 

[Gallagher]

NIKI SANDERS
INDUSTRIAL SECTOR

Niki looked around as shambles of flaming wood fly from the sky, landing around her as a screen of smoke covered the area around. Within moments it had cleared enough for her to see her surroundings, panting heavily as she took it all in.

"Sanders!?" Called out a voice.

Niki seemed to vaguely recognize it, but couldn't match it. The last thing she remembered was being in the bed with the Company. Now here she was, dazed and confused with no clue where the hell she was.

Niki stood up as she avoided the burning pieces of woods scattered across the area. Not sure where she was heading, she ran away from the remains of what appeared to be a shack. Only something that appeared to be a loose foundation remained.

Her brisk, worried walk broke into an all out run as the frightened woman dashed away from the disaster she had not remembered witnessing, but apparently had.

As she looked back to gain a view of the scene, a man grabbed her, holding onto her upper arm. Niki jumped as her eyes widened, and her face became one of fear.

"Sanders! Are you alright?" The strange man asked at her. He appeared to be old of age, yet he seemed battle worn, someone who had led a long life of violence and anger.

"WHO ARE YOU!!! DID YOU DO THIS?" She shrieked as tears ran down her face. Why was all this happening to her? What did Jessica want?

"Sanders snap out of it. The mission was a trap, Sylar was never here. A bomb went off but it appears the company is getting sloppy. We're still alive."

Niki struggled as she tried to push the man away from her.

"GET THE HELL AWAY FROM ME!!!"

Revolver Ocelot

It had been a rather bad day for Ocelot and he had a feeling it was only going to get worse. He rolled his eyes, tiring of the situation imediatly, and pulled the revolver up to Niki's face. The woman stopped screaming at once.

"Now that I have your attention... You must be Niki." He said calmly tilting his head. "I've dealt mainly with your 'Sister' Jessica and I'm afraid you woke up at a rather bad time Miss Sanders. The company appears to want us dead, an interesting turn of events I have to say but not an unexpected one." He lowered the gun, hoping the young woman would stay quiet.

"Now, calm down or I'll put a bullet through your skull and save Bishop the effort."

He pulled a phone from his trenchcoat and dialed a number. He waited impatiently for the man to answer.

"Hello?"

"Jaeger, tell me you weren't in on this boy." Ocelot growled into the phone.

"Sorry sir I'm afraid I don't follow..." Frank Jaeger said, his voice the usual haunting rasp but still, to Ocelot it sounded like an honest reply.

"The Company wants me and Jessica Sanders dead. We were set up."

"What? I... I'm sure there is some misunderstanding sir."

"No misunderstandings. The trap was an obvious attempt at our lives, we were nearly blown to kingdom come. Where are you now?"

"HQ sir but as soon as you left I was drafted to FOXHOUND with no explanation, do you think this has something to do with it?"

"Sounds to me like they're trying to take away my contacts within the company, just in case I survived." Ocelot mused, running his hand over his moustache.

"Thats not all sir FOXHOUND is being re-located, to an island base in Alaska called Shadow Moses."

Ocelot heard the wail of sirens closing in on the district, gazing over at the girl's frightened face he decided now would be a good time to move.

"Alright, I'll contact you when we get someplace secure. Talk soon Frank."

"Actually they assigned me a codename. It's Fox now sir. Grey Fox..."

Ocelot smiled at the young man's enthusiasm, he was that way once.

"Very well Fox, Ocelot out. Come on Sanders, we have to move, I don't plan on explaining this to the authorities."

 

[Carnage27]

It's been three days since my encounter with the group of unknown ninja. I made sure to tell Splinter, who has been meditating nonstop.

I get up out of my bed, and almost jump out of my shell when I notice Master is standing right over me.

"I have a very bad feeling about what you told me the other night, my son. But for now it must wait. Donatello has something to show you," he points towards our common area.

I head out and see Donny sitting in front of a plethora of TV screens, with my other brothers standing behind him.

"What do we have here, Don?"

"Some more security, Leo. I have cameras set up in the tunnels leading towards home, and motion censors attached to them. No one is going to be sneaking up on us anytime soon."

"Yea, and if they try, they're gonna get their asses whooped."

"Sounds good. Get ready for patrol boys. We're gonna crack some heads tonight."

 

[Keyser Soze]

I have to admit I was interested in what Flagg was saying. Yet that strange feeling was still there, a sense of dread that I couldn't shake. Yet what he has said about the clockwork hit home. I started hearing it when I first discovered my uniqueness but I thought it was just in my head, something to focus me. Even now I can hear it ticking....

I slowly lower him back to his feet and release him from my telepathy.

"Alright Flagg, you have my attention."

Flagg brushes himself off, apparently unfazed by Sylar's actions.

"Good, I'm glad I've got your attention. That's all I ask, friend, for you to hear me out. See, you're very important to me. You're the first. Of many, I hope. And that's what I need from you."

The dark man put an arm around Sylar's shoulder. The contact of Flagg's hand on Sylar's arm sent a charge through Sylar's body, a current of energy that burned both hot and cold. It felt like the spread of some contagion, a dark, black weight on his back. But the sensation was not entirely unpleasant.

"You've amassed a whole set of remarkable gifts, Sylar. Even with all those special people out there, you could be the most special of all. But you need to stop wasting that talent on murdering your fellow superhumans. You're going after the wrong side, killing your own compatriots! Think about it..."

He leaned closer, whispering in Sylar's ear.

"These... homo-sapiens are still the majority, but they know they are weaker than us. The gifted ones. And so they hunt you, label you, try to lock you away. You want to get revenge on the people who locked you up down here, alone in the dark, and branded you a monster, don't you?"

The fury burning in his eyes told Flagg he did.

"And not just those people, but everyone who would do a thing like that," Flagg suggested, glowing eyes fixed on Sylar's, "It's a certain type of person, isn't it? To a person who has no abilities of their own, a man like you is less than human. They fear and hate you, because you are different. Because they are high up, and we're down low, and they want to keep it that way. A person like that doesn't think a person like you has a right to live."

Flagg patted him on the shoulder. His eyes were sympathetic. Looking into his eyes, Sylar could surely tell that Flagg understood him, he understood him like no one else ever had.

"You know what the Bible says about people like that?"

He spoke softly, each word being delicately placed in Sylar's ear.

"It says the exalted shall be abased and the mighty shall be brought low and the stiffnecked shall be broken. And you know what it says about people like you, Sylar? It says blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. And it says blessed are the poor in spirit, for they shall see God."

With these words, he broke away from Sylar, and walked round to stand in front of him, hands raised outward. And lo, poor, blessed Sylar saw the dark man.

"I want you to spread the word. Do exactly what you've been doing. Finding people that are special, like you. But instead of being their killer, you will be their leader. You will rally together a superhuman army, one powerful enough to overthrow our oppressors, and claim this world as our own. And when the war is over, the superhumans of the world will unite in exalting you as their savior."

The dark man spoke these words with frightening authority, darkness seeming to gather around him. But then he dropped his arms, and the grandeur was gone. Then it was just plain old, easy-going Randall Flagg, casually leaning against the wall and flashing that fiery grin.

"I still got your attention, friend?"

 

[Byrd Man]

"Shiny", Mal nodded in acceptance.

"And, yes, Jayne", the Captain said as he turned to regard the man.
"You'll be coverin' Zoe and me while we make for the transport. We get in and out real quick-like with as little fuss as possible."

"Now, if there ain't no more questions..."

"Yes", Simon interrupted as he leaned on the table top.
"What will the rest of us be doing while you're out on this...job?"

"You'll all be stayin' put on the ship. I want her ready to go second we get back. Clear?"

"Crystal, Cap'n", nodded Kaylee as she glanced over at Simon.

"Good. Consider this meetin' over then. Wash, best go get us headin' in the right direction."

36 Hours Later

I stifle a yawn as I stare out at the darkness of space. Serenity is slowly burning through the black.

"You shouldn't stare out into space like that. I've heard stories of pilots going mad from that." Shepherd Book says as he places a hand on my shoulder.

"With all due respect, Shepherd. I think I might know a thing or two about flying in space."

A few seconds of silence pass between us before he speaks.

"So, who is she?"

"Umm, I know you holy men like to converse with the man upstairs, but there isn't anyone here but the two of us...."

"I'm speaking to you, Wash. I notice a look in your eyes that I only see when a young man is in love."

"Me in love? I laugh at the thought....hahaha."

"So who is it? Kaylee?"

"No."

"Ahh, Zoe."

"Nope."

"Then it must be Jayne."

"......It's Zoe."

"Have you talked to her about this?"

"I know you have people confess to you, Shepherd. But I had no idea you make them confess....But anyway, no I haven't."

"Maybe you should. It's lonely out here in the black. You never know, she might feel the same way."

"Very wise words on love...coming from a man who's been celibate for years...."

"I wasn't always a Shepherd...oh, and we're almost at our location."

"Wait...what?"

"Your navcomputer. The BF-8765 is issuing a proximity alert. That means you're a thousand miles from the planet's gravitational pull."

".....how did you know that?"

"Like I said, Wash." Shepherd says with a slight smile as he walks off.

"I wasn't always a Shepherd."

I shake my head and hit the intercom.

"Attention, this is your pilot speaking. You can celebrate, I have piloted this heap to our location without death, maiming, or dismemberment."

 

[absonic93]

Revolver Ocelot

It had been a rather bad day for Ocelot and he had a feeling it was only going to get worse. He rolled his eyes, tiring of the situation imediatly, and pulled the revolver up to Niki's face. The woman stopped screaming at once.

"Now that I have your attention... You must be Niki." He said calmly tilting his head. "I've dealt mainly with your 'Sister' Jessica and I'm afraid you woke up at a rather bad time Miss Sanders. The company appears to want us dead, an interesting turn of events I have to say but not an unexpected one." He lowered the gun, hoping the young woman would stay quiet.

"Now, calm down or I'll put a bullet through your skull and save Bishop the effort."

He pulled a phone from his trenchcoat and dialed a number. He waited impatiently for the man to answer.

"Hello?"

"Jaeger, tell me you weren't in on this boy." Ocelot growled into the phone.

"Sorry sir I'm afraid I don't follow..." Frank Jaeger said, his voice the usual haunting rasp but still, to Ocelot it sounded like an honest reply.

"The Company wants me and Jessica Sanders dead. We were set up."

"What? I... I'm sure there is some misunderstanding sir."

"No misunderstandings. The trap was an obvious attempt at our lives, we were nearly blown to kingdom come. Where are you now?"

"HQ sir but as soon as you left I was drafted to FOXHOUND with no explanation, do you think this has something to do with it?"

"Sounds to me like they're trying to take away my contacts within the company, just in case I survived." Ocelot mused, running his hand over his moustache.

"Thats not all sir FOXHOUND is being re-located, to an island base in Alaska called Shadow Moses."

Ocelot heard the wail of sirens closing in on the district, gazing over at the girl's frightened face he decided now would be a good time to move.

"Alright, I'll contact you when we get someplace secure. Talk soon Frank."

"Actually they assigned me a codename. It's Fox now sir. Grey Fox..."

Ocelot smiled at the young man's enthusiasm, he was that way once.

"Very well Fox, Ocelot out. Come on Sanders, we have to move, I don't plan on explaining this to the authorities."

NIKI SANDERS
INDUSTRIAL SECTOR

Niki stared blankly at the old man as he hung up his phone after the hearing one of the most confusing conversations she's ever come across.

"Listen to me, I don't know who you are, but I'm not coming with you until I get some answers. What did Jessica tell you? Why is all this happening to me?"

She looked helplessly into his eyes, a lost soul with no purpose. Niki had no idea where she was, or what had become of the woman Niki Sanders. She was nobody.

 

[Venom160]

Flagg brushes himself off, apparently unfazed by Sylar's actions.

"Good, I'm glad I've got your attention. That's all I ask, friend, for you to hear me out. See, you're very important to me. You're the first. Of many, I hope. And that's what I need from you."

The dark man put an arm around Sylar's shoulder. The contact of Flagg's hand on Sylar's arm sent a charge through Sylar's body, a current of energy that burned both hot and cold. It felt like the spread of some contagion, a dark, black weight on his back. But the sensation was not entirely unpleasant.

"You've amassed a whole set of remarkable gifts, Sylar. Even with all those special people out there, you could be the most special of all. But you need to stop wasting that talent on murdering your fellow superhumans. You're going after the wrong side, killing your own compatriots! Think about it..."

He leaned closer, whispering in Sylar's ear.

"These... homo-sapiens are still the majority, but they know they are weaker than us. The gifted ones. And so they hunt you, label you, try to lock you away. You want to get revenge on the people who locked you up down here, alone in the dark, and branded you a monster, don't you?"

The fury burning in his eyes told Flagg he did.

"And not just those people, but everyone who would do a thing like that," Flagg suggested, glowing eyes fixed on Sylar's, "It's a certain type of person, isn't it? To a person who has no abilities of their own, a man like you is less than human. They fear and hate you, because you are different. Because they are high up, and we're down low, and they want to keep it that way. A person like that doesn't think a person like you has a right to live."

Flagg patted him on the shoulder. His eyes were sympathetic. Looking into his eyes, Sylar could surely tell that Flagg understood him, he understood him like no one else ever had.

"You know what the Bible says about people like that?"

He spoke softly, each word being delicately placed in Sylar's ear.

"It says the exalted shall be abased and the mighty shall be brought low and the stiffnecked shall be broken. And you know what it says about people like you, Sylar? It says blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. And it says blessed are the poor in spirit, for they shall see God."

With these words, he broke away from Sylar, and walked round to stand in front of him, hands raised outward. And lo, poor, blessed Sylar saw the dark man.

"I want you to spread the word. Do exactly what you've been doing. Finding people that are special, like you. But instead of being their killer, you will be their leader. You will rally together a superhuman army, one powerful enough to overthrow our oppressors, and claim this world as our own. And when the war is over, the superhumans of the world will unite in exalting you as their savior."

The dark man spoke these words with frightening authority, darkness seeming to gather around him. But then he dropped his arms, and the grandeur was gone. Then it was just plain old, easy-going Randall Flagg, casually leaning against the wall and flashing that fiery grin.

"I still got your attention, friend?"

I take in what Flagg says and im starting to warm up to the idea.

"I still got your attention, friend?"

An evil grin spreads across Sylar's face as he stares at the Dark Man.

"Very....."

 

[Blacklight]

​

Outside the Petrelli Mansion, Manhattan. 2003...


It was supposed to be a simple mission. Kill. Escape. But for Al Simmons, nothing was ever simple...

:"Simmons, do you have a visual of the target?": Jason Wynn's voice blared into his ear piece.

Removing his hand from the sniper rifle he had set up before him on the roof of the building adjacent to the Petrelli family's abode and pressing his index finger to the button of the piece, Simmons whispered quietly to Wynn his status.

"Yes I have a visual. I'm about to engage..."

:"Good. Get it done and get out of there.":

Simmons then continued to place his hand back around the handle of his weapon, and closed his left eye to look through the scope's lens, staring at his prey. They were all in one room. The young and ambitious Peter, the strong-willed Nathan, and Arthur, their father. War veteran. Criminal defense lawyer. Family man. They were all there, with the exception of one.

Wait, where's the mother?

"Hello, Albert..."

Al then quickly turned around to see before him Angela Petrelli, one of the tragets, and "Dallas" Petrelli's wife. Almost as if it were instinct, Simmons raised his gun and aimed it at the older woman's head, startled that she was able to sneak up on one of the top mercenaries in the U.S.

"Don't worry, Al. I'm not armed..."

"How did you know I was here?"

"Because I knew you were coming, Al. I also know that Jason sent you..."

Jason? She's knows about Wynn?

"See, here's the thing, Al. Something that Wynn didn't tell you..."

Simmons lowered his gun, lending an ear to the Petrelli matriach. His interest was piqued, and he wanted to hear what she had to say.

"What my former colleague forgot to tell you is that I can see the future."

"You can... see the future?" Al responded, thinking in the back of his mind that this woman might just be insane.

"Yes. The future. How else would I know you were coming to kill my family?"

"Lucky guess?" Simmons sneered.

"Fine. Don't believe me, but I've seen your future, Al Simmons..."

Simmons then re-raised his rifle, for he was actually unsure of whether ot not this woman he's only known for a few moments was telling the truth or not. The future? How was it possible for anyone to see the future like she claims to be able to do? Or was she lying to get him from completing the mission?

"Okay. Humor me... In my 'future', what do you see?"

"That you're destined for great things, Al Simmons. You were the one that was chosen to save mankind from armageddon. To protect Earth from becoming a battlefield for the war between light and darkness. You are the one not bound to the sides of good or evil. You will tread the line, and for that, you will be our savior..."

Al thought about the words that emerged from her lips, and honestly, he couldn't stop laughing on the inside, and asking himself if she was out of her mind or not.

Is this chick for real?

"Savior, eh? Nice try. Now if you would be so kind I've been ordered to kill you and your husband..."

"Fair enough. You have a job to do, and who am I to stop you? Do it. Pull the trigger... Kill me. Kill my husband. Kill my sons..."

"If you say so..." Al retorted, his finger adding the ever-so-slightest pressure to the trigger.

"But be warned, if you do... You'll lose Wanda forever."

The immediate moment that name entered his hears, he pulled his hand as far away from the trigger as possible.

"HOW DO YOU KNOW ABOUT WANDA!?!" Simmons shouted with a growl, the anger inside of him coming to a boil. Wanda was a touchy subject for Simmons, because she was the love of his life, and he would do anything to protect her, but hearing her name come out of a potential enemies mouth always rubbed him the wrong way, out of the fear of what said person could do to her. He looked at Mrs. Petrelli with murder in his eyes, but Angela just continued to ignore his question, and went on with her prediction.

"If you kill my family, then you will never see the love of your life again."

Simmons stood there, his arms feeling weighed down, not understanding what to do. Should he take her word at the risk of losing Wanda, or follow through and hope that she's lying?

He then continued to reload his rifle and turned around to go for the shot at Petrelli, and as he tried to pull the trigger, he hesitated. Flashes of his beloved wife entered his thoughts, and it kept him from moving. Simmons then turned back to Angela and let his weapn drop, leaving it to clack as it hit the concrete. He wasn't going to fo it. He was done.

"Fine. You win. I'm out of here..." He said as he walked towards the fire escape to head back home, and as he walked past Angela, she grabbed his shoulder, and looked at him.

"You're making the right choice, Albert. This is what's supposed to happen..."

Simmons continued to show disdain, keeping a stoic face of anger as he looked at the woman.

"You'd better be right, or so help me God. I will come after you..."

"God won't help you, Simmons. Not if everything goes according to plan..."

He then brushed her hand off his shoulder and walked away, climbing down the steps and heading for the one place where he could think, and make sense of things. His home...

 

[Green Lantern]

I follow closely behind Sarah as she crouches through the doorway. I step on a loose board, and the squeak echoes throughout the hollow house. Sarah turns around sharply and glares at me. I mouth, 'Sorry!' Sarah carefully removes the magazine from her gun and slowly inserts a new one. She gently pulls the barrel back until the faintest of clicks can be heard. We keep moving.

"Casey?" I whisper. No response.

Sarah spins around and hisses, "Quiet!" She gives me a serious case of evil-eye.

"What?" I respond in a hushed voice. "I'm just trying to find out if he's home!"

"Just be quiet, Chuck!" Sarah orders.

Ignoring her, I stand up and call out loudly, "Casey? It's just us! Chuck and Sa--" Sarah smacks me in the gut. "Oof!" I half-expect fire to come out of her eyes. She opens her mouth to say something, but we both hear the click of a gun.

Turning, we see Casey standing at the end of the hall - gun in hand. He's putting the safety back on. And, as usual, he looks as irritable as a Yankees fan at Fenway Park.

"Good morning, sunshine," I greet with a nervous laugh. I still have a hand on my stomach. "Say, weren't you supposed to open the Buy More today?"

"The hell's it matter to you? And what the **** do you think you're doing barging into my house? I could have killed you. Maybe not her, but definitely you. And despite how much I may want to do that, it'd be a mess of paperwork."

Casey shoved Chuck out of the way and poured himself a glass of coffee.

"Anyway, aside from trying to get yourself killed, I'm glad your here Braniac. We need to go to the Orange Orange."

 

[Keyser Soze]

I take in what Flagg says and im starting to warm up to the idea.

"I still got your attention, friend?"

An evil grin spreads across Sylar's face as he stares at the Dark Man.

"Very....."

"Excellent. Then I can give you a very special gift."

With a sleight of hand, Flagg produced a stone, black as pitch. But in its centre was a red flaw whose shape seemed to change with perception. From one angle it looked like a terrible, ragged eye burning out at Sylar, from another it looked like a familiar S symbol. It was almost hypnotic to look at. Flagg finger-walked it back and forth along his knuckles.

"With this stone comes great power. People will be drawn to a carrier of this stone, be more readily inclined to listen to him, even follow him. This stone will lift you up when you are weak, fuel your fire when you are strong. A stone like this turns a man into a leader of men...

As Sylar reached for the stone, however, Flagg pulled his hand away.

"Like I said, friend, this gift is very special. I can't just give this to anyone. I can only give this away to someone who I trust completely, someone I believe in, and who believes in me. This is the key to the kingdom right here, Sylar."

Back and forth, back and forth the stone went...

"I'll be glad to give it to you. All I need is your word. That we're going to stick together, you and me. No denial. No betrayal. You're with me now, at my right hand, and when you're in, you're in. The key is waiting for you. I'll give it to you if you give me your promise."

What feeble light there was in Level 5 seemed to fade and falter, and one could almost sense a cold breeze in the air, despite the fact they were standing in a concrete-walled facility five storeys below ground. And for just a moment, the dark man's gleaming eyes seemed to turn red, ragged and terrible, like the flaw in his stone. A last, desperate plea to Sylar from some unknown force, begging him to think of his soul? Probably just a trick of the light. Yeah, most likely that...

"I can fulfil your heart's desires, if you just say it, two simple words. I promise..."

 

[Catman_prb]

"Listen, Giles," Angel said, holding the cell phone to his ear with one hand, stake in the other. There was a vampire approaching him, a thin blonde stalking her way towards him, swaying her hips.

"I don't care if it's not a good time for you, this is the only call you've picked up on," he growled into the phone as the vamp advanced. He moved the cell away from his mouth quickly.

"Could you give me a second?" he asked, addressing the vampire. In response, she vamped out and leapt at him. He sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Thankyou for your patience," he muttered, parrying the attack and sending her sprawling to the floor. He kicked her in the gut and brought the phone back up to his face.

"So, is she there? Can you put her on?" he said, his brow furrowing.

Sidestep, counter attack, headbutt.

"Yes, I do understand the situation," he said "No, I'm not interested in Cordelia. Giving birth to your technical grandchild does kind of take away from the appeal,"

"Dude, your gal-pal gave birth to your grandkid? That's messed up," the vampire said from the floor. With a sigh he dropped down and staked her.

"You hush now," he hissed "No, not you. So you don't know where she is? Who does then? Xander? And where the hell is he? Right. Right, thankyou,"

His cell started ringing next to his ear.

"I'll talk later Giles, I've got a call incoming. Yes I know which button to press," he sighed.

"Angel," he said "I'll be right there,"

 

[NiteMare Shape]

He sits alone in the dark room just as he has done since he was brought back. He doesn't know where he is, or how long he's been there. And he sure as hell doesn't know how he got to where he is.

The last thing he remembers is standing in the Hellmouth, watching the destruction that he was causing with the amulet that he was given. He remembers a searing pain as the amulet began to incinerate everything in that pit, including him. Then there was nothing.

The next thing he knows he is again surrounded by a raging torrent of wind and fire, but this time he is not alone. He remembers seeing people, in fact there were a lot of people, most of them in suites. As he looked around he saw that he was in some sort of office, and it dawned on him.

For years he had heard stories about a law firm that dealt almost exclusively in the supernatural. Most of their clients being vampires and other sorts of demons. But he always thought that they were just stories, even though deep down he had a feeling that they were true. If anyone could have brought him back from the void, it would be them. But why would they bring him back, then lock him up in this dark room alone. His only contact with the outside world being when someone slides a packet of blood through an opening no bigger than a mail slot, and slamming it shut before the packet even hits the floor.

So he sits, pondering his past...and his future. Wondering what his future will bring, and if he even has a future. He begins to wonder if maybe this is a punishment for all the evil he had done through years. Maybe he wasn't brought back at all. Perhaps this is his Hell. Just as he begins on this line of thinking the door to his cell opens, filling the room with a bright light. Standing in the doorway he sees two figures, one male, and one very familiar female.

"I hope that you've been comfortable. We needed to make sure you were, how shall I say this...? Stable, when we finally came to talk to you. Why don't you come with us, we have a lot we have to talk about...Spike."

"Indeed we do. You've been a very, very naughty boy...deary."​

 

[wiegeabo]

"The hell's it matter to you? And what the **** do you think you're doing barging into my house? I could have killed you. Maybe not her, but definitely you. And despite how much I may want to do that, it'd be a mess of paperwork."

Casey shoved Chuck out of the way and poured himself a glass of coffee.

"Anyway, aside from trying to get yourself killed, I'm glad your here Braniac. We need to go to the Orange Orange."

I look at Sarah with wide eyes and grin. She just rolls hers and smiles. "Well aren't you Captain Sunshine today." Casey just gives me the glare that melts steel. "Right, sorry. Major Sunshine." Casey looks away considering it for a moment, then grunts in approval. Sarah smiles and walks past me, following Casey.

"We wouldn't have bothered you if we hadn't heard a gunshot. Care to explain that?" Sarah asks as she sits at Casey's kitchen counter.

 

[SuperFerret]

Frogmen. Dammit.

A quick and apologetic phone call to Anastacia (she understands, I just hate leaving her hanging like this), and I'm wandering the sewers of New York City.

Looking for frogmen. We shoulda checked this out years ago, back when my father died. Back when he was killed. By other frogmen.

Thought we flushed them all out with the Cavendish bullcrap that led to Rasputin, but apparently we missed some.

I ball my right hand into a fist and continue wandering randomly about the tunnels, my flashlight sweeping back and forth to reveal my path.

Damn, it smells down here.

 

[Carnage27]

Frogmen. Dammit.

A quick and apologetic phone call to Anastacia (she understands, I just hate leaving her hanging like this), and I'm wandering the sewers of New York City.

Looking for frogmen. We shoulda checked this out years ago, back when my father died. Back when he was killed. By other frogmen.

Thought we flushed them all out with the Cavendish bullcrap that led to Rasputin, but apparently we missed some.

I ball my right hand into a fist and continue wandering randomly about the tunnels, my flashlight sweeping back and forth to reveal my path.

Damn, it smells down here.

"Ummm Leo. We might have a problem," Don's voice echoes on my head as I dodge a punch thrown by a downtown drug dealer.

I grab his arm and deliver a swift kick to the man's stomach and drive him headfirst into a parked car's window.

"Why do you always interrupt me when I'm having fun Donny?" I laugh back.

"Sorry bro, but it looks like we might have a problem of someone snooping around."

"Cops? or someone else?"

"Well...it might be something else. He's big, red, and ugly. And he looks pissed."

"You're sure it's not just Raph?"

"Very funny, fearless leader. You do know this is an open channel right?"

"Relax, hothead, I was kidding. But we better check this out. Head down below. Mikey, you too. And just to be safe, Donny, it's time for you to kick some shell."

As I head down into the sewers, I hope whatever we're up against is ready for a beating.

 

[Gallagher]

NIKI SANDERS
INDUSTRIAL SECTOR

Niki stared blankly at the old man as he hung up his phone after the hearing one of the most confusing conversations she's ever come across.

"Listen to me, I don't know who you are, but I'm not coming with you until I get some answers. What did Jessica tell you? Why is all this happening to me?"

She looked helplessly into his eyes, a lost soul with no purpose. Niki had no idea where she was, or what had become of the woman Niki Sanders. She was nobody.

Revolver Ocelot

Ocelot grunted and looked down the road at the source of the sirens, the fire department and police had arrived on the scene.

"All I know is that your 'other half' agreed to work for The Company and now, for some reason, they want us dead. So you either come with me now or I leave you here to explain this mess by yourself."

 

[absonic93]

Revolver Ocelot

Ocelot grunted and looked down the road at the source of the sirens, the fire department and police had arrived on the scene.

"All I know is that your 'other half' agreed to work for The Company and now, for some reason, they want us dead. So you either come with me now or I leave you here to explain this mess by yourself."

NIKI SANDERS
INDUSTRIAL SECTOR

Niki paused for a second, unsure of her next move. She was dead to the world, something that limited her options.

"Alright. Let's go. I want some answers though, and the Company is going to give me them one way or another."

 

[Venom160]

"Excellent. Then I can give you a very special gift."

With a sleight of hand, Flagg produced a stone, black as pitch. But in its centre was a red flaw whose shape seemed to change with perception. From one angle it looked like a terrible, ragged eye burning out at Sylar, from another it looked like a familiar S symbol. It was almost hypnotic to look at. Flagg finger-walked it back and forth along his knuckles.

"With this stone comes great power. People will be drawn to a carrier of this stone, be more readily inclined to listen to him, even follow him. This stone will lift you up when you are weak, fuel your fire when you are strong. A stone like this turns a man into a leader of men...

As Sylar reached for the stone, however, Flagg pulled his hand away.

"Like I said, friend, this gift is very special. I can't just give this to anyone. I can only give this away to someone who I trust completely, someone I believe in, and who believes in me. This is the key to the kingdom right here, Sylar."

Back and forth, back and forth the stone went...

"I'll be glad to give it to you. All I need is your word. That we're going to stick together, you and me. No denial. No betrayal. You're with me now, at my right hand, and when you're in, you're in. The key is waiting for you. I'll give it to you if you give me your promise."

What feeble light there was in Level 5 seemed to fade and falter, and one could almost sense a cold breeze in the air, despite the fact they were standing in a concrete-walled facility five storeys below ground. And for just a moment, the dark man's gleaming eyes seemed to turn red, ragged and terrible, like the flaw in his stone. A last, desperate plea to Sylar from some unknown force, begging him to think of his soul? Probably just a trick of the light. Yeah, most likely that...

"I can fulfil your heart's desires, if you just say it, two simple words. I promise..."

As I stare into the crimson flaw within the stone I see it take the form of a pocket watch. The very pocket watch that I put so much time into before Dr. Suresh found me. Back when my life was insignificant.

"So....whatta ya say?"

I reluctantly look away from the stone and back to Flagg.

"I promise....."

 

[Keyser Soze]

As I stare into the crimson flaw within the stone I see it take the form of a pocket watch. The very pocket watch that I put so much time into before Dr. Suresh found me. Back when my life was insignificant.

"So....whatta ya say?"

I reluctantly look away from the stone and back to Flagg.

"I promise....."

For a moment, those two words seemed to hang in the air with a grim finality. And then they were gone.

"That's wonderful, friend. It's you and me now."

Flagg opened his hand, and from it dangled the stone on a chain necklace (it hadn't been on a chain a minute ago, had it?) which he passed over to Sylar.

"I'll be in touch. In the meantime... spread the word, friend."

Grinning that awful grin, the dark man stepped back into the shadows, and vanished into them.

 

[Venom160]

For a moment, those two words seemed to hang in the air with a grim finality. And then they were gone.

"That's wonderful, friend. It's you and me now."

Flagg opened his hand, and from it dangled the stone on a chain necklace (it hadn't been on a chain a minute ago, had it?) which he passed over to Sylar.

"I'll be in touch. In the meantime... spread the word, friend."

Grinning that awful grin, the dark man stepped back into the shadows, and vanished into them.

I stare at the shadows that Flagg had disappeared in for several minutes. The feeling of dread fades slightly but doesn't fully disappear. Looking down at the stone in my hand I replay everything Flagg had said.

"Bring them together......lead them...."

A grin spreads across my face when I feel the cold gun barrel press against the back of my neck.

"Your not doing anything besides getting back in that ****ing cell! What did you do with the Haitian!"

"I have no recollection. Maybe he went for a walk."

With a raise of an eyebrow the gun flies out of the agent's hand and is dismantled in midair.

"The same can't be said about you."

The agent lets out a gasp as he to hovers into the air and is slammed against the wall.

"HELP! SOMEBODY HELP ME!"

"No one can hear agent Bradley. Now any last words?"

"Go to hell!"

"After you."

Sylar lunges forward and presses his hands to Agent Bradley's chest. His hands start to glow as unmeasured amounts of radiation surges into to Bradley's body cooking him alive.

"AHHHHHHH!!!"

Minutes pass and Agent Bradley becomes nothing more than a pile of radioactive ash. Sylar lets out a laugh as he slips the necklace around his neck, the flawed stone resting directly over his heart. The ticking starts to fill his ears as Sylar raises his arms and start to bring Level 5 down around him.

 

[Catman_prb]

"So lil gal, what you say?" Jayne leered, leaning down over Kaylee. She raised an eyebrow.

"Please," she said archly "Just wait till we touch down at the nearest ****ehouse,"

"We're gonna be spendin' a lotta time out in the black gal, and you're the best op'tunity I got; Inara's got her eye set on the Cap'n already, Zoe can beat the crap out'a me, an moonbrain just ain't with it enough," he said in what he thought were flattering tones.

"While it does sound tempting," she said witheringly "I'm still not interested,"

"An' just 'xactly who are you interested in? That pansy doctor? I think he'd be more interested in Mal than you," he snarled. She glared at him then got back to work on the engines.

I shake my head and hit the intercom.

"Attention, this is your pilot speaking. You can celebrate, I have piloted this heap to our location without death, maiming, or dismemberment."

"Fantastic," he said, grabbing Vera from it's place on the workbench "Let's go rob us some money,"

 

[Optikal]

He’d made it.

Cold rain poured over him, washing his dirty hair into his eyes. He swiped at the strands absently, taken with the sight of the city in front of him. A twinkling line of electricity and life, shimmering against the almost constantly rainy night sky, for a moment, it brought him to a sense of awe that before now only the grandeur of nature’s own spectacle would have done. Nearly four months it had been since he’d last laid eyes on a heart of civilization, weeks and weeks spent in some of the harshest wilderness he had ever traversed, but now he was here – a jungle of it’s own, the city of Seattle.

There had been cities he’d passed, highways crossed along the way, but only now did he dare to re-enter a heart of mankind’s dealings. It had been the deal he’d made with himself when he left Alaska -- it was just himself versus the wild, and nothing but unless he survived to Seattle.

In all honesty, now that he found himself walking along the state highway that led across part of the sound towards the city center, he hadn’t expected to ever arrive. Or at least something in his heart had hoped that the forests and mountains would have swallowed him whole, but that would have been too simple, really, and his mind oftentimes had this frustrating ability to trump what his heart wished. He hoped he wouldn’t make it, but he knew he could.

And now that he was here, the question that he’d been wishing to avoid was ringing in his mind: what now?

It wasn’t as if he’d never been alone before. After all, most people who went to live in the parts of Alaska that he’d spent his time between missions were those who wished for the stark solitude of the last American frontier, but this time… Well, this time no one else actually knew where he was, and he had no surefire way of knowing where to find the people who might care to know that he was still around.

There were only three people who actually knew that he hadn’t been killed during his final mission: Colonel Campbell, with whom at this point he had no wish to have any more contact; Meryl, who was part of the reason he’d gone on this recent journey and who he was sure didn’t care much at all where he had gone off to, and deservedly so; and last, Otacon. Maybe he’d find a way to at least let Hal know that he was OK, and apologize for not being there to start the project they’d been talking about. He’d tried Codec a few weeks back and found that it was flat out not working, and he was still unsure of why.

He felt the cold stares from people in their cars as they passed him. He was sure that this wasn’t normally a foot path to get into the city, and that he must be a sad looking figure in his tattered clothes with an old oilcloth draped over his back to keep the drenching night’s rain at least out of his pack, his head and face a mass of wild overgrown hair and beard, like the mane of a mangy old lion.

Likely to them, another of the countless vagrants that came to raid the dumpsters and sleep in the alleyways of the city, certainly not a much-valoured warrior, and definitely not the man who had once single-handedly stopped the menace of the Metal Gear from ever being known to anyone beyond the highest levels of the military and government.

“I’m sure that there’s plenty of real war heroes on the streets… normal guys turned into monsters of war, then forgotten about, thrown away to let their demons eat them away in the gutters,” he thought, shooting a sharp look at a woman on her cell driving a large, gaudy SUV, whose haughty disregard of him turned to mild fear when their eyes met – the lion may be mangy, but he’s still nothing to take lightly. She tore her attention away from him and sped on faster than before, even cutting off a couple cars down the road.

“Men far better than I ever have been… Men who chose to serve their country, men, born, not made, who had lives and hopes and dreams beyond the war and the battlefield.”

He kept his pace: steady, slow, meaningful, his body at that place just on the edge of exhaustion, where in his training he could force himself to go on almost indefinitely. He had traveled thusly since he had grabbed the sparest of his gear and belongings and walked into the woods alone and didn’t look back. His intention then was chasing his own mortality, to see if fate wanted to have her way with him. But like the other woman in his life, fate had decided to reject him and send him on his way, to try and figure it out for himself. And as he walked on, he felt that perhaps he was to find a new fate here; either that, or he felt it fitting to fade away in the streets with the other forgotten refuse of war.

Once on the other side of the bridge, Solid Snake did what he was best at: he disappeared silently into the shadows of the city

 

[RGDurant]

CLOMP! CLOMP! CLOMP!

Ash's boots thudded hard on the debris riddled floor into the Gardening department and straight to the powertools section.

Leafblowers, trimmers, edgers, rakes, nothing that would do him anygood, he set his eyes on the wide variety of chainsaws of all sizes. He wished he had his chainsaw, it would a hell of alot easier with his stump locked into it's bracket. He wouldn't have much luck with any handheld tool, he was going to walk into the aisle with axes when he saw something near the ride on lawnowners, a small grin played across Ash's face as he found his answer.

Without warning, he was thrown foreward by the powerful hands grasping his belt, Ash had barely enough time to catch himself at the edges before his face was skewered on rows of sharp metal teeth. He tried to free himself, but the hand was holding him in place.

I'M TURNING YOU INTO HAMBURGER!!!!

The She-B*tch let her free hand travel to a switch on the machine and clicked it on to chew Ash into bloody chunks.

Nothing happened.


WHOMP!!!!

Ash's right boot collided hard with the deadite's ribs as he kicked back, the fiend stumbled back from the force. Ash pulled himself out, spun about, and got his hand and hook into the monster's hair. He pulled hard and she was lifted off the groung and into the exact same postion Ash was in just seconds ago.

You know, before operating dangerous equipment, always make sure it's plugged in.


Ash stomped on the She-B*tch's behind to further jam herself into the woodchipper, then went to the wall plug, and hooked the machine's cord to the building's power.

Three sound comingled together, the screaming curses of the deadite woman, the high speed whine of metal teeth cutting through rotten flesh and rancid bone, and the splat of greenish and purple entrails being shot out from the machine. All combined together to make one sickening cacophony.

Ash had little time for relief, he needed to get moving. He felt bad leaving the store in such a state, but he had to get to his house and get his stuff.

After jogging exhausted through the parking lot, Ash got into his trusty Oldsmobile Delta 88 and pulled out there.

Time for a little road trip, Gotta stop at the house first and get my things.

 

[NiteMare Shape]

Spike sits in the comfortable, overstuffed Italian leather sofa as Lindsey makes his proposal. He isn't exactly sure how long he's been listening to the lawyer, but he has come to one conclusion...This man likes to hear himself talk.

"So, as yo can see, it's a simple arrangement. You help us, we help you. It's certainly a mutually...benificial arrangement." He says, seeming extremely proud of the proposal he has just made.

"So basically, you want me to be an arrand boy. Sombody does something you don't like, me 'n Dru and the boy go out and 'take care of them'...is that right?"

"Basically...yes." He says, somewhat unsure of where the conversation is going.

"Well, in that case, you can sod off you little ponce."

"What?!" He stops in midsentance, stunned by the vampire's response. "You don't understand. You wounldn't be here if it wasn't for us. You owe us, you owe me."

"Yeah, I suppose I do. And that is why you aren't laying on the bloody floor with a snapped neck. Now if you'll excuse me, it's starting to get alittle cramped in here. I think I need so fresh air."

Spike gets up and starts for the office door, as he is about to leave Lindsey grabs him by the shoulder to stop him. Spike turns to the CEO of Wolfram & Hart, and smiles.

"Some people never learn. No means no you sodding git."

Spike grabs him and tosses him, sending the lawyer crashing into his own desk. By the time he gets to his feet the vampire is long gone. Lindsey begins to straighten out the mess that Spike had made of his office when he suddenly felt the presence of someone else in his office, standing behind him.


"I thought that went well, you?"

 

[Optikal]

A soup kitchen.

Run by a local aid group for the betterment of todays society, a beacon of goodwill shining amongst the citys overbearing mass of disgust and ignorance to the souls who slept under bridges and in shop doorways. Snake found himself huddled in the corner over a bowl of greasy brown broth. Despite its vulgar looks, the food smelled good and his stomach let off the faintest pangs, eager to be filled with the hearty warmth.

Snake brushed the surface with a chunk of semi-stale bread and popped it into his mouth, chewing idly. His eyes rested on activity across the room. From the corner he could see small pieces of bread on the serving table disappearing into thin air. It was not enough activity for any normal man to notice. But Snake was not a normal man.

He watched as a spoon disappeared, and then a cup, full of weak coffee.

Snake moved out from his corner and pulled the hood of the jacket he was wearing up. The door of the building seemed to brush itself open before sliding closed again. And Snake became certain of what he was seeing.

Snake exited the building and glanced both left and right. To the left, the street ran on in a straight line for another quarter of a mile. It was pretty much open, with most of the run-down area already being demolished a few years before. To his right, an alleyway stretched out behind the community building, offering sparse shelter, but enough for a man to stay out of the rain for a while.

Slowly and stealthily -a procedure as automatic and instinctive as breathing for the old veteran- Snake moved down into the darkness of the alleyway. Several meters in, he hunkered down and focused his senses, shutting out the rain and listening. he faint sound of bread ripping and the gentle slurp of someone sucking in slightly too-hot coffee located his target and Snake prepared himself. With painstaking patience he inched forward another foot or so before emerging around a huge bin and coming face to face with what he was looking for.

"Oh Shi-!"

The coffee flew into the air, spraying out in a fan as the man sipping it fell back. The man lurched forward, becoming invisible as he did so, but Snake was ready and grasped the man, driving him back against the wall.

"I just want to talk", Snake growled, wrestling with a struggling man that he could not see.

"I'm not going back, you'll have to kill me first!" Came the reply in a thick English accent.

"Stop struggling, I'm n- ARRGGGHHH!" Snake fell back as an unseen head butt collided with the bridge of his nose. His grasp slipped and he felt the other man slip from his grasp. Quickly snake spun and hurled himself forward, colliding with the invisible man and tackling him to the ground. He managed to get a firm grip on the man, stopping him from moving around enough to cause any immediate threat. "Listen, I'm not one of them. I'm not here to take you in!"

The invisible man stopped struggling and sagged a little. Snake kept his grip. "Who the frigging hell are you then? And how did you manage to get the jump on me?"

Snake stifled a self-congratulatory smile. "It's what I'm trained to do. I noticed you in the kitchen back there. Stealing food. I was wondering why you were hiding when it was all going for free".

"Oh, so you noticed that I was grabbing some dinner, but you thought you'd come and interrupt anyway? Typical bloody Americans. So if you're not one of them, then who the hell are you?"

Snake released his grip and the man reverted back to visibility. Snake stepped back, wiping the rain from his heavily bearded face. "They call me Snake. You've got quite a power there, is that why whoever you're talking about are after you?"

The invisible man nodded. "Oh yeah, they'd love to get a hold of me again. The Company want me gone. Dead. Expired. Finished. I know too much you see, I'm too much of a liability to be kept alive. He shook his head a little, his long matted hair flopping about his face a little as he did so. "Sorry about the nose by the way".

Snake touched two fingers to his nose and realised that a trickle of blood was pouring down his face in the small streams of rainwater. He wiped it and turned back to the other man. "The Company? Looks like we've got something in common then". Snake watched claude take a cautionary step back. "Funny thing is, I'm in pretty much the same boat. One of us. One of them. That's how it had always been, but then they decided that they wanted something different. They trained a bunch of us, we didn't have powers like your kind, but we were trained so efficiently that we may as well have done. They tried to kill me too".

The invisible man laughed and clapped his hands together. "What a likely couple we are eh? Hunted and on the run, stood here in the dark in the pissing rain regaling our lives to each other. Look, it's been grand and all, but I can't risk being found. So you forget you ever saw me right mate? And I'll forget I ever saw you. Maybe that way, we might both last a little bit longer".

Snake stepped forward as the man turned to leave. "Wait. We both have knowledge of how they work. Maybe we can put it to good use and instead of running away, we can do something about it."

"Like what? Go knocking on their front door and ask them nicely to leave us alone? You don't mess with The Company mate, no-one does."

Snake sighed and gritted his teeth, his mind running at a million miles per hour. "Alright. You've got a point. Listen, before you go, you never told me your name."

The man turned once more and regarded the former agent for a few seconds. Then his eyes cast down to the ground, his mouth chewing the words as though he hadn't tasted them in a very long time.

"The name's Rains. Claude Rains".

Without another word, Snake watched the man turn on his heel and literally disappear into the darkness of the night.