Captured by Shade

All in all the attack failed. This woman was getting to the point they found no use for her. Still they had to keep her alive. Her foot came at Huntresses arm with the crossbow. She cursed as the bolt went off. Flying only a centimeter by Phils face. Though that gave little reprieve as the girl somehow pulled a tackle at her. The head colliding with hers. It blurred her vison for a second. She could barely see straight. Pain ringed in her ears. As a small trickle of blood made its way from her nostril. though it was just a minor nose bleed. Phil saw that action enraged. He ran full speed at the woman. As malice sent out what seemed like chain of darkness. This time he would make sure the bitch stayed down. "I tried to be nice. Yet this is all the thanks i get." Huntress muttered to herself. She could have not fed the girl at all. Let her suffer the pains of hunger. Now she just wanted her to suffer. Suffer the most grueling torture her mind could think up.

As Elaine felt like she finally gained the upper hand in this fight, a chain flew out to grab her. She spun out of the grasp it held over her before it could pull her down, but Phil finally caught her. He flung Elaine to the ground, while Huntress tried to regain her bearings. "You should have knocked me out when you had the chance." She said as she surveyed the rag in his hand. Even though she lie with her back against the wall with her hands bound, Elaine kept a demeanor about her that informed them that she controlled the situation.

Elaine jumped to her feet to try and dart past Phil, when a second chain wrapped around her legs. Her momentum stopped abruptly and Elaine fell to the ground. She quickly maneuvered to try and kick her legs free, but it came at no avail. Elaine laid on her back, trying her hardest to escape from the bonds. She looked around the room to notice the statures of the three captors around her. They failed to see anything good about the chase they just endured. The composure Elaine gave faded as she tried pulling the shadow tendrils away from her chest.

She now found herself in the same predicament of trying to escape bonds, but with a slightly new view of the room. It failed to present itself as a full victory of escape, but gave her a slight moral victory of letting these three know just who Elaine was, and why they stood no chance against her in a fair fight. All she hoped now was to see that day as she battled to free her hands and legs from Malice,

Huntress wiped the blood from her face with the back of her hand. Not too satisfied witht he outcome of this. she was never fully okay with the ritual to summon malice in the first place. Seemed all to unneeded. Yet they had the girl where they wanted he As more chains of shadows moved to bond Elaine. "Well you've given us an interesting chase. I give you that much. Your skill is higher than i anticipated. Its a shame you couldn't join us. Your talents are wasted by the heroes. They will only slow you down in the long run." huntress stated regaining her xomposure. Trying not to snap and plunge her blade into the womans chest. Will Phil moved. " Phil you have permisson to incapacitate her now."

Phil nodded as he approached the downed woman. "You brought this upon your self." He then pressed the rag against her mouth. Using all the strength needed to keep it clamped to her mouth. Only aiming to stop when she stopped struggling. He was so tired of this girl. All she needed to do was wait till her friends arrived. Of course with Lady Elena. A trade would be made and no one gets really hurt. Though she had to make it hard. Now he knew why he hated heroes.

Huntress took a sentry position over Phil's shoulder, gazing down on Elaine. She delivered an invitation of sorts, and a denial of heroism of connotation. If only she could work a little wiggle room she could fight Phil's hand. "Do you always have to get permission to beat helpless women? Are you tha sad and pathetic." Without mercy, Phil dove the rag against Elaine's mouth and held it there until Elaine felt her eyes grow tired and weary. Malice and Huntress blurred out of existence. A cold, bleak existence for Malice, and a meticulous, heartless existence for Huntress. She gasped at the chloroform dripped rag held over her mouth by the same crazed man that beat her.

Phil forced her head back with enough force to make her almost lose consciousness from the blow. Elaine struggled with her neck muscles to try and escape the grasp, but even if she did the chains continued to wrap around her legs. She breathed in the mind numbing gas, and felt herself go. Her eyes closed and Elaine fell quiet and still.

After a brief struggle the woman finally was taken down. Much to the relief of Huntress. Her nose ached lightly. Rubbing it gently she looked over Elaines unconcious form. With a perfect expression of contempt. Slowly she spoke. With a quiet fury in her voice. "Phil return her to the chair. I want her bound as tightly as possible. Leaving no room for escape. With a guard at all times. We don't need her pulling another stunt." he nodded kneeling to lift her up. Throwing the girl over his shoulder. Taking little time to throw her onto a chair bolted to the floor. As Huntress used high density cords to bind her arms ,and legs. She knew that the cloroform would only last for about an hour. Yet the bindings were tied with the tightest knots she could.

"Do you have any ideas to keep her from causing trouble? I don't wanna have to do this again." Phil stated placing his hands on his hips. Glaring at Elaine. Contemplating the horrible thigns he wanted to do. Though sticking pins into her eyes seemed good. Maybe drawing a dagger across her knees. Huntress even in her anger would most likely frown upon extensive torture. Malice on the other hand would probably enjoy some torture.

Malice walked around the chair. Onyx eyes scanning the woman. " I'll look over this wench. If you have no problem with it woman." Malice asked huntress with a nuetral tone. His strange multilayered voice reverberating through the warehouse. Huntress appraised the question. Considering what the answer should be.

" I have no qualms with that. Do as you see fit." She shrugged. Which caused a smile to come across his face. As he slunk into the darkest corner of the room. Pulling even more shadows to him. Till a level of comfort was achieved. Now that everthing was thought out. Huntress motioned for Phil to follow. She had a few traps to prepare before the fight that she feared would happen.

After a dreamless sleep Elaine awoke in her previous predicament. She looked around the room to see the familiar face of Malice watching guard over her. Elaine tugged on the ropes around her hands and arms. The ropes did not give any budge to her advances. Not wanting to give her full advantage of her jumping ability they tied her ankles and upper legs. "So, how many more hours do I have left. I blacked out for a little while." Elaine tried to toy with muscle memory to try and remember how she escaped the first time.

"Is blacking out and coming back kind of what happened to you? Did you use to live somewhere or something? Or, did they just make you out of something?" The dumb creature would probably just ignore Elaine, but who cared. At least she could talk to someone without the fear retribution. "Do you like your friends; the big dumb one is a jack ass, and the girl can't keep up with me, but do you know them?" Elaine remembered Malice coming into the world. How Huntress and Phil felt about needing a new member, and how it affected their loyalty to Elena probably never got discussed. They probably never sat down and properly introduced themselves in a proper manner, either. Malice gave her a cool calm. He seemed far more relaxed, even in the combat situation, even in the face of certain battle.

Malice kept look over the woman. For how long he didn't know, but eh stayed. The warrior woman demanded it. She ahd an air about her that the red haired one did. Confident and strong. While the man was arrogant. Yet Malice could tell all his talk was just a front. After a while the woman woke. Most likely dizzy. He turned to her. As she asked a question. He thought for a few moments. Wiping a few strands of silver hair from his eyes. "I dont know how long i've been. It's a......blur. Ever since I can remember i have been. Not in this meat suit. I took it later. Though i don't know what happened after that. It was the red haired ones who put me in that......hell. It smelled of rotten flesh. he seemed to struggle over some words. Mostly because eh couldn't really form them." It was a lonely feeling. I thought i was dead. Now i'm here. Free from that hell. He tries to explain it the best he could. not like the warrior woman, but good enough. "The fast one is foolish. He boast's too much. The warrior woman doesn't seem to like me. I don't know why. Could it be she blames me for the red haired one being taken." He was unconciously speaking his thoughts. A couple of shadow snakes crawling up his back. Rustling his hair slightly as they made a silent hissing noise.

Elaine's devilish head began spinning a spiderweb of ideas in the empty rafters of her thought process. "Neither of those two seem to respect you at all. If it hadn't been for you I would've escaped. They had to bark orders at you to tie me down, because the two of them couldn't contain me." Elaine relaxed in her position; no need to take unnecessary risks when opportunities present themselves. "The way that they're going about this won't bring Elena back. All it will do is bring about more heroes."

Elaine looked over the room; they hid her weapons away. She needed to find those weapons, but it required some subtlety, and a little bit of feminine wiles. "They're scared of me you know." Elaine exhibited superior fighting skills against three foes after all. "Are you scared of me? You don't look like it. You don't look like anything scares you."

The conversation took a turn for the more enlightening. Much better than the constant interrogation Huntress and Phil gave her. Phil. What a stupid name; God she hated that guy. "What were those things you tied me up with?" This guy contained some powers that Elaine previously underestimated. She devoted so much time to thinking about beating Huntress and Phil for her escape. She would not make that mistake again.

Malice turned to consider what she said. They didn't respect him? Well they should. He had massacred entire villages before. Though the question nagged. Why didn he kill? Why did he fight? " I don't fear you. I respect you. You are a powerful warrior. Its sad we aren't allies." He then addressed He turned as the shadow snakes moved slowly. Brushing against Elaines cheeks. " I can't explain this. The red haired one said it was a... control over the darkness. I can thik it and they move to my will." With a thought shadows ran along his arm. Forming shadow like claws on his fingers. Covering up the naturally black fingernails. Now I must ask. What is that strange power fo yours. I have never..seen anything like...it." He somewhat seemed like a child in a way. How he spoke with some trouble. Stopping at certain parts of his sentences.

"I've never really thought about where it comes from." Elaine thought to herself. "My family comes from an island country called the Filipines. The nation used to have a rich tie to a religion called Animism. It's been different the last few centuries though." Elaine always embodied the old ways of nations. The gunslinger cowgirl with Animistic traditions. "My grandma taught me how to enter in and out of the spirit realm. I really don't know anything else about the jumping ability."

Elaine rested her head against her shoulder. The best thing for her was patience. The chloroform lingered in her head and drew her eyes down. She did not know if the chloroform or the poison gave her the most trouble in keeping her attention, but she needed to retain her strength. She once heard someone tell her that taking a nap would keep her ready for anything that would come.

"That one woman poisoned me." Elaine held her hands, and wrapped her fingers around the ropes. "It's not a fitting way to go; not a fitting way at all."

Slowly the night descended upon New York. In an artful way. Like in a way some artist would paint it. Yet Huntress didn't have the time to admire it. Inside her gut she had the sinking suspicion that the heroes had no intentions to follow any plan she tried. Mind as well give up if that was her mentality. Yet she knew better than to do that. It was a serious thing they had to deal with. Either they were somehow defeated ,and the girl was saved. The girl was saved ,and they got away. Last of the lovely possibilities was they killed the heroes ,and let the cowgirl die. The last seeming like a most enjoyable option. Theresa took an inspective sniff of the air. It smelt of dust ,with a faint hint of oil. Though to most even the oil would be hard to smell. It was just her particular talent. Though having powerful senses was both a curse ,and a blessing. Slowly her eyes scanned over the warehouse bathed in darkness. Though through her eyes it was a light green. Looking over the many intricate traps she took the time to set up. After all if she just went out in a fight. Most likely they would lose no doubt. Then again she wasn't an idiot. Theresa knew what needed to be done. Hand drfiting over the pouch on her left thigh, as well as on the back of her left shoulder. She had enough bolts to finish this. Well she hoped she did.

While Phillip checked over the integrity of the traps. Using a small flashilight to look over them carefully. Huntress had given him explicit instructions to make sure they were intact. Didn't need well planed out traps to fail mid combat. That would most likely end with her having his head on a platter. Not a good thing as far as he was concerned. So he continued to look it over. Green eyes darting over each aspect. Making sure not one imperfection escaped him. Till he looked over everything with as much care as was capable for him. Then he jumped from his precarious position down to the dusty floor. Only about a foot from Huntress. " I looked over all the things like you said. They all seem sound to me. He shifted his weight to his left foot. Tapping the right against the dusty floor. " Though do you think its smart to leave Malice in charge of guarding the cow bitch? I mean I know hes powerful, but not exactly the brightest. He stated his concern plainly.

Huntress looked over to him. With a somewhat annoyed look on her face. Reaching over to the adjacent lightswitch. As a few dingy lights flickered on throughout the warehouse. Illuminating the bemused expression on her face. Pale pink lips stretched into a amused smile. "Your calling him dim? I'm sorry to say, but your not exactly the brightest either. I wouldn't want to see you put to shame when the time does come for a fight. Though we should continue with our preperations. You can never be too prepared. She had the cow girl moved to a remote section of the warehouse. Sedated so she didn't scream from the pain the poison most likely caused. Her eyes moved to the heavily reinforced door. That of course was not where she was. Next to it was the door to the room she layed. It looked like a pretty simple thing. Yet when the light hit it just right. One could see glimmering wires criss crossing the doorway. If anything broke them, It would cause a large cascade of crates to come down. Effectivly blocking off the door. Only one of the plans she had thought up. There were a few others in mind. Though that was if they could even get to the girl . Malice continued his vigilant watch over the girl. Doing as he was "told". Even though he wasn't too fond of being told what to do. The promise of a good fight kept him in order. "Okay everyone get prepared! We don't know what could happen! I don't want to have to deal with any unpleasent suprises! So all in all they were ready. Ready for a fight, if it were to happen.

Clayton surveyed the warehouse through his thermal binoculars from roughly a block away. There was one more person in the warehouse than there should’ve been; they were unexpected, but hopefully nothing that would throw a wrench into the rescue plans. He lowered the binoculars and used the clip on the underside to attach them to his belt. It’d taken much longer to find exactly where the kidnappers had taken Elaine than he would have liked, but at least they were there now. From what he could see, Elaine was being kept in a smaller room off to the side of the building with one guard. Unaware of the poison coursing through Elaine’s veins, Clayton assumed this would work to his advantage by making this extraction no different from a simple “smash and grab” robbery.

Clayton made his approach silently, and at a quick yet cautious pace. He was dressed deceptively casually in one of his usual black, tie-less suits. The colors were dark enough to keep him well hidden and the pockets inside were enough to keep everything he would need. He kept his eyes open for any sort of traps or surveillance equipment set up on the building and surrounding area, but there were none. Lucky, I guess…, he could feel the hair on the back of his neck stand on end, and his spine take on that odd, nearly electric feeling he was so familiar with. It was a mixture of both fear and excitement; adrenaline was already working its way through him.

Once at the warehouse he brought the walkie-talkie up from his waist, “All right, distraction, be ready in 60 seconds.” he spoke into the device, and placed it back where grabbed it from while simultaneously drawing what looked like a small caulking gun from inside his jacket. Clayton sprayed the contents of the gun into three long lines in the shape of a door about his height. The grey gel began to rapidly foam, and in roughly 60 seconds it would explode. Unfortunately, that was all the tube of gel held so Clayton popped the tube from the gun, cast it aside and returned the gun to his inside pocket. He then reached into his front pocket and withdrew what looked and felt almost like a white jawbreaker; It felt rough and heavier than it looked in his hand. Clayton hugged the wall with his back a few feet to the right of the explosive foam, unafraid of himself or Elaine being damaged by the blast because of how controlled and small of an explosion it would be. It was frustrating how long this minute seemed. He kept his gaze on his watch and tapped his foot, “I know your folks give you a hard time… but little girl just put your hand in mine… You’ll see…” he sang in a whisper, confident he wouldn’t be heard from inside the warehouse; if he was heard it wouldn’t matter in a few seconds. The gel did its job with a loud bang that sent the bricks of the building tumbling to the ground and brought a smile to Clayton’s face. "... What a good good man I'd be." Without looking into the makeshift entrance, he tossed the jawbreaker like flashbang into the room. It was sure to blind and disorient anyone in there on impact including Elaine, but at least she’d would be able to thank him later.

Huntress walked slowly along the warehouse. Fur lined boots tapping against the dust covered concrete floor in a steady rythm. Walking in a way that showed she was the one in charge of this whole operation. Even giving off an overcoming air of confidence as she walked. Taking in deep breaths as she searched for any scent that she didn't recognize. Though right now she was only able to pick out the scents of Phillip, Malice ,and the little hero girl. The soft sound of music wafting through the room from a beat up speaker. Making tis way serenly to her ears. Eyes slitted like a cat darting along in the dimly lit room as she waited for anything. Though it never seemed to come. Lowering her guard only somewhat as she slowly sung the lyrics of a song to herself."Little angel go away, come again some other day" Her fingers dragged along a rusted steel beam. Continuing on in the verse of the song slowly. "The devil has my ear today, I'll never hear a word you say. He promised that I'd find a little solace and some peace of mind" Then she was cut off by the sound of an explosion.

Most wouldn't have heard it as loud as huntress did, but she was not most people. In fact her power was what made her a very skilled assassin. Even Phil wouldn't choose to disobey her. Well at least not directly in her face. At her full speed her boots rapt against he floor. Running to where she percieved the niose to come from. A sort of excited look coming across her face. Part of Theresa didn't want this one to be powerful like the cowgirl. While another part wanted there to be a powerful hero. Adrenaline coursed through her veins, quickening her pace. Till she reached the door to the room that held the girl. Unfortunatly just in time to meet with the powerful flash. Her oversensative eyes squinting in pain, as she let out a small curse. Loud sound wracking her oversensative ears. Well they had some interesting toys. Whoever the hell they were. She would enjoy killing him slowly ,she mused over that thought somehow slipping through the wires set around the rooms entrance.

While Phil stood from his perched position look at the situation curiously. Fingertips wrapping along the edge of the rack that overlooked the warehouse that was dimly lit. Pale lips stretching into a curious smile, almost like a child of sorts."Well looks like the heroes arrived." He mused to himself humming happily as he lept down. Landing on the hard floor with a light thump. Barely throwing up a few clouds of dust as he did. Having a feeling that maybe there was some fun to be had. He hadn't had a good fight in ages. Though Theresa, and Malice most likely had this end covered. So he wa hoping there were more heroes than just at the source of the flash. Lips pouting slightly as he walked slowly along the dark warehouse. Caustious in case he was met with any interlopers.

Mostly it seemed like nothing was going to happen for him. So he would be left guarding the little woman till the time came. yet he was unprepared when the peice of wall was blown away. Briefly glimpsing the man, as he gathered the shadows to attack. In the mood to spill some blood this day. When the flash came, causing his tendrils of dark to fizzle away. Blinding him for a few moments, arms coming up to sheild his eyes."Damn humans and their toys.' He spat as his vision was now blurred ,and spotted. Though without thought he blindly charged at the intruder. Well where he remembered him to be. In a full shoulder tackle. Putting all his strength into it, while leaving Elaine mostly unguarded.

"If I untie you..." The familiar voice of the spirit Elaine named Aggro spoke "...you won't learn a lesson." Elaine weakly tugged on the ropes around her hands, muttering some kind of low toned sentence. The animal sat patiently and turned to the door. "Time to get up, princess."

The eruption of the tiny flash bang ripped through the warehouse. Elaine spat off a number of profane responses in Ilonggo, while leaning her weight over to her side. Tremors tore through the superficial layers of whatever sensations she could muster control over. Elaine tried moving her hands to garner a relative motion of what she could do. Not much. She needed to reach the ropes tying her feet together. "Well..." She spoke to the darkness. "What are you waiting for you?"

An answer failed to materialize to her. Movement eased the throbbing pain in her head. Movement felt good. Keep moving, she thought to herself. Her abs contorted to give her hands a hold on the fabric of her jeans. She only needed a tiny clutch of the fabric. Inch by inch she took herself closer to the ropes near her feet. "Why aren't you helping?" Slowly her grasp crawled towards the ropes around her feet. She breathed a cry to struggle against the silence. Her fingers tugged upon the ropes. She pulled her legs under her and sat firmly upon her feet.

Sounded like an open house out there. Everytime she allowed any reprieve from trying to escape the pain grew worse. "What do you think I shouldn't do?" Her hands pulled the tether closer to her feet and reached for the knot. "I'm in here!" She yelled out to a shrieking pain. Her hands fell off of the knot and her head fell forward. Like the crawl of a spider, her hands touched along the cold floor in bound unity. Pain brought back memories of her old migraines from seeing the spirit world too closely. Fading in and out of reality is no place for a young girl. "Help..." She muttered lowly.

Clayton took a quick look into the room through the hole he made in the wall and caught a glimpse of a white haired man rushing straight towards him in an attempt to take him down. If he peered in a second later, the man, probably this Phil he heard so much about, would have likely taken his head clean off; luckily, Clayton had more than enough time to pull himself out of the way, reach into his pocket and remove another jawbreaker-like grenade, and throw it directly at Malice. This one was different from the last; it was smoother, with a glassy feel to it, and a deep purple in color. On impact it would explode into a cloud of purple smoke. The burst of the capsule would be unlikely to damage Malice much at all, but that was not the goal; the goal was just to keep him confused and out of the way for as long as possible.

With one of the guards out of the way, Clayton was free to slip inside and get everyone’s favorite Asian cowgirl out of the warehouse. Thanks to Malice, Clayton didn’t notice the woman standing near the doorway on his first glance into the room, but there she was; the woman called Huntress standing there in her all her dazed glory. Not wanting to waste any time, Clayton drew the pistol he kept holstered on his shoulder with his right hand while he unsheathed a knife from the back of his waist with his left. The knife was to cut Elaine free and the pistol was to send a message to Huntress. He could hear Elaine muttering what sounded like a plea for help, but with the ringing in his ears from the back to back explosions he couldn’t quite make out the specifics, “One thing at a time, girl.” He responded to assure her that she’d be free soon, and then fired three shots at Huntress. One shot was aimed straight at her, and the other two on either side. If any connected they wouldn’t be lethal, but they’d hurt enough to make her think twice about trying anything.

Confident that one of the shots would connect, Clayton was practically a blur of motion as he rushed to the back of the chair Elaine was kept tied to, and frantically began sawing at the ropes with the serrated blade.