Originally posted March 19, 2009
((This was the second half or Robi's origin story. I used one of Clint's characters from an early Chicago by Night chronicle in a guest role.))
A small bubble of spittle formed at the corner of his mouth. Siobhan watched it as it grew and dibble slowly down his chin.
"What yer feeling, Dr. Stein," she began, "Tis an embolism, a blood clot slowly destroying particular parts of yer brain. While ye were focusing on the weapon in mae hand," she set the handgun down on the table between them, " ye dinnae notice the greater danger ye literally stepped intae." She let her eyes trace the lines of the arcane markings on the floor. He could not move his head. His eyes starred forward, glassy.
Siobhan leaned forward across the table to match his gaze. "Ah cannae 'ave ye experimenting on animals anymore, Dr. Stein. Ye can ne'er learn about yer success. Ah must protect mae kin."
"As the clot works through yer brain, mae mukers are working through yer system with tapeworms far worse than the real parasite. Nae trace of yer research will bae left. The experiments on raccoons tae breed a more compliant Mu soldier for the spiders will cease."
"If ye could speak, maybae ye would tell mae how other could pick up the work. That's nae the troth, isn't it doctor. Ye dinnae like tae share with others. All that effort wasted." Siobhan tilted her head to watch the light fade from the man's eyes. He would live but the lights would be off in this house of genius.
She stood as his head slumped to the tabletop. She reached out with her arcane senses, ensuring no trace of her remained in this space. Let his masters find the magic circle and wonder. They would find nothing to link it back to her. She stepped outside of the room.
Adam Kane waited for her. The bald, spectacled, athletic, young Asian grinned and bowed too deeply. "My lady." Siobhan regarded him for a moment, questioning her decision to involve techno mages. For all their time as allies, her years hunted by the Technocracy still haunted her. He straightened and began gesturing in a number of subtle movements.
"Ah dinnae ken jive, Adam."
He grin broadened. "You owe us, Countess," he uttered in smooth Japanese. She nodded as he poked his head into the room. "You should kill him. Too many loose ends with him alive." Siobhan looked back into the room, pondering. "Nae iff'n ye di yer job well, ah ken."
Kane turned back to face her, smile never faltering. "We number one ICE skaters, Countess. That data has been degaussed."
"Thank ye. Ah am in yer debt."
"Yes." He bowed again, deeper than before. Siobhan turned for the exit, feeling the feathers of her wings spring from her shoulders. She looked forward to the long flight back to Paragon City and a long hot shower.
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