A family reunion? Oh dear god. [closed to Inky and Reaper]

"Recover the body" a voice echoed on the edge of her hearing.

It was a deep growling voice that sounded accustomed to doling out death sentences on a whim. It reminded her of her father. Her nerves were shot, skin bloody with wires hung limply about her form. She couldn't remember what had happened. Just pain. Intense pain. Sheryll couldn't see anything, just blurred outlines against a shifting array of colors. She stared up at the blurs until her vision was engulfed in darkness, a low beep chiming occasionally. She was inside of something. A car? A thrumming sound began to resonate around her and a familiar 'whump' of blades spinning up filled her hearing. It was a chopper. Sheryll tried to move her hands up to her eyes, to clear them and see who her rescuers (captors?) were. All for naught however as though she lacked the strength to move, she was also restrained. Great metal things strapped her to the floor of the chopper and prevented all but the slightest of movement

Her throat burned, she began hacking and coughing, an intense pain filling her chest as blood shot up out of her mouth and fell back down, dotting her face with bright red arterial blood. The drops slowly moved to the side of her face, dripping down along already present tear lines. Sheryll tried to force speech, her normally smooth voice coming out in a gravelly croak.

"Wh-where am I..." was all she managed before another coughing fit took her, the blood shooting forth from her mouth.

No answer was given, only a small flick of what seemed to be someone's arm and the words "Sedate her". A barely audible thing against the constant background noise of the helicopter's blades whirring.

A dark shape moved upon her. Even through her muddied vision she could make out the shape of a syringe. She tried to struggle, tried to break free of the bonds that held her, but to no avail. The glinting needle delved into her neck and left her numb. The pain was fading, as was her vision. Sweet sleep arrived at last.
No such luck. Sheryll's dreams were filled with blood, death, corpses. She was back on the battlefield. Men with machetes were charging at her. Where was her daddy? She wanted to cry out, to drop to her knees and beg for mercy. Instead a smile appeared on her face, the grin was like that of the Cheshire Cat's, malevolent and filled with wicked intent. She spun and watched as the once intimidating men fell to pieces, their entrails spilling out and the large blades in their hands dropping to the ground like pieces of sheet metal. The clink of the metal hitting the ground was softened as they collided with the fleshy bits of their former owners and landed in the blood, a small splashing sound taking the place of the otherwise sharp 'clack' that would have been heard. Sheryll turned, she felt pain. There he was, her father. He had stabbed her. A blood drenched knife sticking out of her chest. Hadn't he been behind her? How had he survived when the other men had died?

Sheryll shot forward as she awoke, the pain in her chest very real, though its source was far from what she had imagined. It was a knife alright, but one attached to a long metal arm, the thing had cut her open, revealing her metallic rib cage. Another mechanical arm -this one tipped with a saw- extended forth to meet its twin, the sharp serrated edge growing more terrifying as it spun up. A soft whirring sound that seemed to take up the entirety of Sheryll's hearing.

She couldn't scream, her voice didn't seem to be working. So she struggled, thrashing about violently against her restraints. While she didn't truly have time to inspect her surroundings, had she looked she would have noticed herself to be in the middle of a large room with dark tiled walls, monitors covering one of them. Each displaying various medical tidbits about her body. Some showing her heart rate, others showing the status of the machine that was currently cutting into her ribcage. The one showing her heart rate spiked.

"Stop the operation, the subject has awakened. Corvus, give her another dose of dextrathalocine, double the dosage"

Sheryll thrashed about, the pain was unbearable. The saw didn't stop. the pinprick of the needle entering her neck was sweet bliss compared to this hell, as was the troubled sleep that followed.
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Her eyes flickered open. Where was she? She couldn't see anything. Looking down she saw that she was in a bed. She was clad in a dark colored suit with small lights along its surface. A bright light burst on. She covered her vision, the pain from the sudden switch was intense.

"A0193, get out of bed" a voice said to her. While she couldn't see its source, the voice obviously belonged to a male. For some reason the voice seemed familiar. The name he called her was unfamiliar, her name was... was... she couldn't remember. Come to think of it, she couldn't remember anything.

"A0193, get out of bed. That is an order" the voice repeated. She found herself obeying almost mechanically.

"Where am I?" she asked.

"Classified"

"Who are you?"

"Classified"

"Who am I?"

"A0193. I'm not answering any more questions. Now follow me" the man said, opening the door behind him. There was a deep irritation in his voice. He was obviously not used to someone interacting with him in such an informal manner.

A0193 strode forward and followed the man. He was a burly thing, he muscles apparent even through the dark suit he wore. He appeared to be African-american, a deep scar ran along the back side of his head and curved around onto his face. She couldn't see his face, but the scar was obviously inflicted by something flexible. A whip? She didn't know and didn't ask. The man scared her. She followed him several more yards before he stopped at a door.

"Enter" he said firmly.

A0193 looked at the man, as if she was about to protest, but quickly turned away and entered the room. She had seen his face. The scar wrapped around his entire head and appeared to go straight through his eye, as though it had been pierced by something sharp.

She closed the door behind her, the soft clack of the metal hitting the stopper seemed unnaturally loud. She looked forward. A single chair was placed in front of a desk. A man sat behind the desk in a chair of his own.

"Well are you just going to stand there staring like a deer caught in headlights, or are you going to have a seat" the man said. He was like the exact opposite of her escort. He was scrawny and Caucasian, large glasses sitting upon the bridge of his nose. His face was covered in laugh lines. Even now he had a pleasant smile set into his face.

A0193 walked forward nervously and sat down. Somehow this tiny little man seemed even more intimidating than his larger compatriot. There was no reason she could put her finger on. Everything about him screamed 'harmless' and 'prey', except his eyes. They appeared to be daring any observer to act on those notions that the rest of him exuded.

"Good morning Gossamer" he said softly.

"Who?" she replied.

"Oh right, Corvus warned me that there may have been some mental damage from the procedure. Oh well, wonders of cybernetics" he said, leaning back in chair and opening the desk. He reached in and pulled out a small chip. It was black with gold lines along it.

"Plug this into your suit, there should be a small port just under the neck" he said, though his words were soft, there was a hidden edge. This wasn't optional.

A0193 took the chip and found the port. Sighing she plugged the small device in. A flood of information assaulted her mind, most of it combat data. The usage of her wires, what the suit was, statistics on those she had fought before, all mysteriously trimmed to avoid any mention of her name or identity aside from the constantly present moniker 'Gossamer'.

A look of icy focus settled across Gossamer's features. While so much was still missing, her mind held enough to know of what she had been. A weapon.

"Who are you?" she asked, no longer in the innocent and naive tone her voice had held only moments prior, but with the harsh and unfeeling tone of a blizzard.

"I am Dr. Hargrave. While I doubt you remember, I'm the only reason you're alive right now. We found you as little more than a broken mass of flesh nearly a year ago. We've spent the past eight months rebuilding you, which wasn't easy thank you very much" he said, his tone friendly and joking.

"What do you want" she said, her voice low and dangerous.

"Why, for you to come back to work Agent Gossamer" he replied.

"Work?"

"Well, let's just call it that. Truth is you're the property of the American Government. There's another organization that you were a apart of, but the leader has been slotted for termination. He's overstepped his authority and so we're cutting him loose. That is irrelevant however. What IS relevant is your first assignment. I trust your little trip down memory lane reminded you how to fight?" he smirked, leaning forward.

"I am at full combat capacity"

"Excellent. Here's the dossier" Hargrave said as he pulled another chip from his desk.

Gossamer inserted the chip into her neck, several panels of information superimposing themselves onto her vision.

"Agent Etoile?"

"Former Agent. She's a rogue asset, and one we cannot allow to roam free. Deal with her" he said, a hard edge in his voice. His whole body seemed to have changed, not physically, but he held much more presence now.

"Understood"

"There will be a chopper waiting to take you to your assignment. Agent Salazar will escort your there" he added, turning his chair away from her. She was clearly being dismissed.

Gossamer walked out the door and saw the black man who had taken her to Hargrave's office still waiting. He didn't say a word, simply turned and motioned for her to follow him. Much like Hargrave his demeanor had changed. What was once an intimidating presence seemed to shrink in response to her, like a whipped dog remembering past beatings. He lead the way up several flights of stairs to a roof access. Gossamer passed him, a small smile flashing across her features. She knew what had scarred him. She knew why he shrank. She made her way to the chopper and sat down in the passenger area.

She was back.

"Keep her hands and feet pinned down...she's forgotten all of our rules!"

"Ohh it's been too fucking long since I've had you..."

Twisted hungry arms tore through the suffocating darkness, harsh cackles of malevolent delight pierced the frozen atmosphere as gleaming eyes burnt through the hazy light. Rough, relentless hands clasped onto soft, delicate skin as the horrid figures began to swarm the last sliver of light. A lone girl silently screamed in terror as her body was repeatedly assaulted, her dignity, virtue and innocence trampled like a flower amongst a stampede... Her desperate cries for help falling on deaf ears as her attackers divulged their sickening lust on her meek form. They would not stop, they tore at her skin and her hair forcing her to relive her greatest fears only because her terror enticed them even further, what more could they do to destroy such a delicate being?

"Look at these tears boys! She's enjoying herself!", cackled a nightmarish voice as sweaty hands traversed her cheeks.

"Maybe the little slut is hungry...I know just the thing to feed her..", another voice echoed throughout her mind, burning into her consciousness as the imagery only became more terrifying...

"Let me at her...I'M HER FAVOURITE REMEMBER!"

"Don't be fucking ridiculous...I was there since day one! Yep that's right when she was still fresh!"

"C'mon the little slut just loves whoring around!! She's ours! OURS HAHA!"

"You'll be ours forever."

...

***

"Lilia! Lilia! I'm here baby...it's just a dream..it's just a dream...", cooed a familiar voice, a warm womanly figure cradling the shuddering form of the petite ballerina as reality slowly replaced the suffocating nightmare. The young agent had woken up sobbing profusely, her whole body shook with fear as the burning remnants of her ghostly attackers touch remained, as if their merciless grip still tainted her form even after they had receded back into her mind. Cool midnight air gently caressed the girl's body as her mind slowly caught up with her surroundings, the familiar scents and sounds edging their way into her consciousness. Soft kisses lined her tear stained cheeks and athletic arms and legs shrouded her in a tight grip that refused to let her go, to allow her to return to her mental hell. The protective embrace of her mother shielded Lilia from anymore monstrous entities that dared assault her, the repetitive loving mantra whispered into her ear telling her that she was not alone...that she was safe, safe and loved. Lilia's emotions had reached an exhausting level by the time her brain registered the soft lullabies in her mother tongue and she immediately let all of her fears flood into her mother's chest...eventually returning to a more comfortable slumber as her sobs turned into sniffles. The gentle loving words of Lilia's silvery haired guardian penetrating any ghoul or nightmare that wished to return and torment the young Russian further.

"I'm here Lilia...I always will be.."

***
The golden tendrils of sunlight danced across supple porcelain skin, slowly waking the girl up from her tumultuous sleep. The birds sung their signature melodies as the morning dew dropped off the grand oak that loomed near the bedroom window, a cool breeze whistling through the lace curtains..brushing against Lilia's cheek as her sapphire eyes fluttered open. The bedroom was filled with the early morning light, a soft amber gold that bounced around the vintage bed frame, enveloping the entire atmosphere with energy and warmth. The young agent blinked away the sleep from her eyes, laying still for a moment as she listened to the soundtrack of nature, wiggling her toes alongside the ebullient chants of the birds outside. Today was supposed to be a fun day..well 'fun' was bit of a far fetched statement...Agent Reaper had offered to "take care of Lilia for a day and give her some fresh air". A noble suggestion it was...particularly from a woman as volatile as Reaper, otherwise known as Shayla.

The fierce albino had somehow heard of the recent incident back at Dominus HQ, several Theta squad members committing an act on the young girl without her consent. This had not only caused great tension between her adoptive mother and her old handler, Franklin Salters but had also severely affected the teenager in more ways than one. Her body was severely bruised and beaten from the experience, any chance where she had a mere glimpse of the recent abuse would result in almost immediately tears. They had ruined her; mind, body and soul. Skyler had attempted to resume their normal life together but the girl was now suffocating in her fears and trauma, the nightmares were constant and her behaviour had slowly receded back into the extremely fearful, submissive creature that her abusers lusted after. She was a broken spirit, a tattered flower amidst the relentless thorns of reality and it made sense that her mind wrenching fear had ruined any chance of becoming a 'normal girl'...no girl should have to experience what she did.

She was prepared for her little outing with Shayla, a bit happy that she would be able to get out of the house knowing that she would definitely be safe with the fierce woman around. Although their relationship had initially been exceedingly tumultuous and tense they had grown to be something akin to sisters...even though they were blatantly polar opposites. A day of fun and relaxation, a time to hopefully get her mind off everything that worried her; her abusers still running free, Skyler still having to act out as her nymphomaniac mistress and Eric Atman...the young man who had slowly taken her affection even though he too had suffered quite a lot.

"Everything will be okay Lilia. Reaper will take care of you as best as she can...and if she doesn't I'll deal with her myself!", Skyler said to her that morning, brushing strands of sandy hair out of the innocent blue eyes before planing a gentle kiss on her forehead. Breakfast had been quiet, a meal which should of involved lighthearted laughter and warm conversation was reduced to the clattering of cutlery against plates and nervous glances in each other's direction. Ever since that day, when Skyler found the bleeding broken remains of Lilia on the Dominus training room floor, nothing had been the same. Both of them knew about the horror her body went through, the reasons for her burning scars and fresh bruises but neither of them would even mention it...something so painful could never of been uttered in their humble little abode, not even if they tried.

"Remember that I love you okay...make sure you have fun as well!" , was Skyler's her last words before the skimpily dressed albino superhuman 'knocked' on the door. Today was going to be a good day, Lilia was going to make sure of that.

All sound was drowned out by one, a heartbeat so loud within her own ears that its pounding seemed to destroy everything else. There was only the target and that one word that drove her; kill. That was the only thing that she knew in this single minded state, a place where her mind only aimed to kill her enemies. It didn’t matter if they were good, evil or perfectly neutral; death was what she would deliver to any being unfortunate to be her target. To any normal human she would appear as a blur, a white blur that moved with a brutal grace. Fingers were tight around the wooden handle of her energy weapon, the humming blade mirroring its master’s desire for blood.

Only inches now separate her from the metahuman target, a young man with an impressive regenerative factor but Reaper knew how to deal with those. He had though running to be the best option given to him but it was possibly the most idiotic of all, next to trying to fight her of course. A blur of movement was all that anyone would have seen as the blade sliced through his torso, blood coming like a fount from his mouth. The lower half fell backwards with a sick thump, innards spilling out along with what seemed like a deluge of blood. His torso fell about a good foot away from the lower half, Reaper coming to an abrupt stop as her foot came down upon the still living head

”Heal from this.” She spat as her foot came down upon the skull, bone crunching under immense pressure and the soft tissue of the brain squishing. All it took was the destruction of the brain to effectively stop him, not that all of them were as easy to kill but she had a lucky break with this one. He may have stood a better chance if the man had stayed in the open but running into the alleyways were ultimately his downfall. Dominus higher ups never really liked it when Reaper drew attention from the general populace, especially with their logo on her newly designed armor. This was the last of her missions for now, not that she was expecting them to give her any type of break, she just had something planned for after a long days work that took precedence.

Today she had decided to herself that she would take Lilia out for something, maybe ice cream like all young adults were supposed to enjoy, or was she thinking of children? Cleaning her boot quickly with a swift kick of her foot, Reaper crossed powerful arms over her full chest. Then came the people to clean up the body, possibly try to do whatever it was that the organization did with the bodies, maybe even just dispose of then discretely. The sun was high in the sky, it looked like noon and that meant she had to be ready quickly but being quick was something that Reaper was good at.

Metallic handles clattered as she made an abrupt turn. ”I’ll leave you guy with cleaning up this little shit.” She motioned dismissively walking away from the scene of carnage, the pale warrior walking away from a battle field, a harbinger of fear. Calculations ran once through her mind, how long it would take her to reach the small abode that Skyler and Etoile called home, though it all came down to not that long at all. Giving the scene one last look Reaper took a runners stance and took off at full speed, wind whipping her hair about as she blazed through the streets and along the rooftops.

It only took her a few minutes but here she was standing in front of the door. The last time she had knocked on it was when she had come with Salt and it was more of her kicking it down, much to the ire of Skyler. She had the door replaced thanks of course but something told Reaper she might have kept a small grudge over the door. Now she would be a little more delicate when it came to dealing with revealing her arrival to the petite Russian ballerina.

Wiping a small strand of snow white hair from her blood red eyes, Reaper reared back her balled fist and lightly struck the door. The sound was loud but no damage was done to the wooden frame;luckily.

Gossamer sat in the chopper's passenger bay for what felt like hours. She hated waiting. It was toxic to her. All there was to do was contemplate on the best way to annihilate her target. Agent Etoile, Lilia Ivanov. The target had powers that essentially turned her skin into diamond. This one would be a tough nut to crack, even with her wires. She looked outside at the quickly changing scenery, oak trees and the occasional house began to give way to suburban neighborhoods as she neared the city. Closing her eyes, Gossamer began to reflect -or at least what passed for it- on what she was doing. She had been a person once hadn't she? Someone had killed her after all. If she wasn't normal once then how would that be possible?
She wondered about who had killed her and why, was it some vengeful super out for blood because she'd killed his friend.
More than that she wondered about what kind of person she'd been. No matter how many of the data files from the chip she looked through, all they showed was combat scenarios, like someone had gone through and pruned away anything not directly relevant to her task of professional murder. She recalled a scenario that seemed to be looping through her mind, a battle in a casino with a strange woman turned monster and another who used sentient plants. That was another constant in each video... collateral damage bordering on what might be caused by a natural disaster. That last bit made her chuckle, apparently she'd done a good portion of it on purpose, some sort of rebellious act against a figure who's identity she couldn't see. She sounded like a spoiled brat dating a bad boy just to piss off daddy. Gossamer's musings were broken by a strange thought. This was her. Why was she thinking about herself as an entirely different entity? Sighing, she leaned out of the chopper slightly, trying to see how much farther they were to their objective.

Still a ways out, the towering skyline of Atlanta loomed on the horizon but was still too far away to make out details.

She had to keep relatively still in her seat, the buckle she wore feeling more and more oppressive with each passing second. She had been still for too long. Nearly a year if Hargrave had told the truth. All she wanted was to move around. Even now with both sides of the helicopter open she felt like she was in a severely restrained environment. Gossamer shifted in her seat, the unpleasant texture of the military fabric could be felt even through her suit.
Just as she was on the brink of tearing the seat belt off, the pilot's voice crackled out of her headset.

"Ma'am, the boss wants to have a word with you, says it's important"

Gossamer didn't respond for a moment, feeling startled. Did he mean Hargrave? Why on earth would he contact her. She had her assignment and while she might not remember her own name, she damn well knew how to fight. She tried to mouth off to the pilot, tried to tell him she didn't care. All she could manage was to let out a gruff "Okay" before switching her headset over to a private channel.

"Gossamer? Are you there? Helloooooo" Hargrave's voice came out through the comm. His flippant attitude and jovial tone of voice put her on edge rather than relieving any tension she might have had.

"Yes, what is it?" she replied, hoping to keep her contact with the man short. Even over the radio his voice sent chills down her spine.

"Well there's uhm, hmmm, well how do I put this...." He said. She could just imagine him fiddling with his lip, as though he were trying to remember the name of some obscure film and not a vital point of information.

She clenched her fists against her knees, it was all she could do not to yell at him.

"Ah, erhm, yes well... There's a slight complication, or should I say amendment. Yes, amendment sounds much better, let's go with that" he rambled, his constant additions of 'erhm' and 'uhm' contrasted heavily with the way he'd sounded in person. Was this some sort of facade? Some way to lull you into a false sense of security around him?

"What is it?" she asked, keeping her tone as flat as possible.

"Erhm yes, it seems that the woman known as uhm... Reaper, yes, was spotted at the target's last known location. You may have to deal with her as well. Just thought I'd give you a hmm, heads up"

"Anything else you want to drop on me?"

"Not right now hmm. Have fun" he chirped out, followed quickly by his end of the line going dead. Another one of his dismissals given in a manner just short of overtly insulting.

Gossamer leaned back into her seat and stared out the side. They were just beginning to enter the Atlanta skyline. She was supposed to be dropped off on a building somewhere and tail her target until she was in a secluded enough spot for an ambush... but with the addition of the other woman. Reaper. That would be a problem. Gossamer pulled up files on the girl, though there was far less about her available than there was about Etoile. Unbuckling her seatbelt she walked to the front of the chopper and opened the door to the cockpit.

"Hey, how long can you keep this thing in the air for?" she asked, putting her hand on his shoulder.

"About another two hours if need be Ma'am. Why?"

"Change of plans, once we reach the original drop off point I want you to follow me, but keep a wide enough berth not to seem suspicious"

"Alright ma'am. Any particular reason?"

"Just in case I need a quick escape from the scene"

"Understood" he replied, turning his full attention to flying once more.

Gossamer moved back to her seat and sat down. This was getting interesting.

Surprisingly enough the albino agent, who often lacked physical restraint, had successfully entered the house without launching the front door off its hinges...a feat that impressed both Lilia and Skyler. Reaper was dressed in her typical adult-entertainer outfit and the constant scowl on her otherwise pretty visage provided quite a peculiar sight. She was a young woman who consistently showed her true self, never bothering to put up a facade or even pretend to be nice, she was an exposed being, both physically and emotionally and this rough honesty was a trait that Lilia secretly adored. There was no one else who could muster the willpower to expose the harsh realities of life to the young ballerina other than Miss Reaper and although it may of seemed highly inappropriate it was based on good intentions. The no-nonsense agent's gruff attitude was not lacking that morning and after a quick goodbye to her adoptive mother Lilia quickly followed the older agent back into the urban jungle...their mission: find some ice cream.

Whilst the young Russian barely uttered a word upon Reaper's arrival, her meek little grin was enough to ease any tension that dared to interrupt the girl's day out. Due to the language barrier between the two their communication lay not in words but in physical cues such as smiles, frowns and any form of notable body movements...Reaper's choice of attire still leaving an amused simper on Lilia's faun-like face. Unlike her 'older sister' the young Russian had opted for a more modest approach to clothing, an oversized dark grey sweater slumped over her slender upper body, covering a pretty white blouse that enhanced the youthful look. The usual combination of white skirt, stockings and flats had been traded in for dark jeans with the exception of the ballet inspired footwear that kept her petite scarred feet protected.

Reaper's pace was notably quicker than Lilia's, although she lacked in the graceful movement department which the ballerina excelled at. Their quiet adventure into town had ushered them into the busier district of the city, business men and women scrambled to and fro as they rushed past the two strangely misplaced young ladies searching for ice cream. Traffic blared all around, the distinct smell of petrol fumes and wiffs of passerby's perfume filled Lilia's senses as she tip toed her way through the busy crowd, staying as close as possible to the red eyed albino. Although the sandy haired teenager was nowhere near her abusers being in such a close range with grown men had her anxiety on alert. She could not look anyone passing her in the eye, slinking closer to Reaper's athletic form if they happened to pass a large group of men...who more often than not focused their attention on the skimpily dressed albino rather than Lilia herself.

Eventually they reached the more quiet back streets in the outskirts of the city, it was much less busy and the noise pollution had sunken into a lazy background hum. Although they had escaped the busy masses Lilia refused to let go of the older agent's arm, preferring to stay as close as possible whenever a stranger came within a 10 meter radius of them. Although this fear ridden tension was somewhat calmed down when they turned into a street lined with a whole array of colourful stores covered in fancy posters and neon lights that were in need of replacement. The girl stared in wide eyed naievety as the large English words scraped over the buildings, silhouettes of females adorned the glittery advertisements and for a moment the young Russian believed she had entered into a strange playground full of funny looking buildings and extravagent posters.

Unfortunately, for a girl who was raised in a remote Russian village, where the only things she knew where her natural surroundings and the various theatres she visited in her dancing days anything remotely related to a red light district had completely skipped her knowledge. Yes, she had unknowingly wandered into the grown man's playground, filled to the brim with various choices of lewd entertainment that his 'hard earned money' could buy. A large pink sign that read 'The Sweet House' looked innocent enough with its fluffy pink letters and use of the word 'sweet', something Lilia had learnt during her slow education of the English language. The fact that a woman named 'Candy' worked there did not entirely help with her soon-to-be embarrassing situation either.

Pointing up at the sign with a gentle smile she directed her 'babysitters' attention to the building, whispering "ice cream" before linking her arm back into Reaper's. The building should be selling ice cream, anything else and it would of been considered bad advertising, such a deceptive ploy targeting the childish fantasies of married men. Her shimmering sapphire eyes looked up with childish wonder as they made their way through the red carpeted foyer...completely unaware of what lay within the complex.

Reaper waited for only a few seconds, foot tapping against the ground as she waited for the door to be opened and allowed access into the small house. Walking through the door she let her gaze wander to Etoile and then to Skyler he guardian, a person that was supposedly taking care of her. She seemed competent enough to perform her duty and that was enough for Reaper, as long as she didn’t fuck up. She was sure that Skyler would notice her less than modest attire but it wasn’t like the albino cared what anyone thought of her, she dressed like this simply for convenience and nothing more than that. Reaper wouldn’t waste too much of Skyler’s time with hello’s, simply taking the young ballerina and leaving with little in the way of a goodbye. She wasn’t the one for conversation so no way would Reaper try to extend one beyond what she had to.

For now she would take this girl to get ice cream, a favorite treat of Reapers and something she honestly rarely got into that dietary regiment of hers. Of course Etoile was dressed far more modestly than she was but that was just how the young woman was, possibly due to the treatment that she heard about Salt giving this poor girl. Something within Reaper wanted to protect her, a feeling that was foreign to someone so used to ending people’s lives, something she wasn’t sure the meaning of. Lilia did what she usually did when they did anything together, which was her standing close to the fierce warrior, as if she were expecting her to protect her from anything that would threaten them. It was likely up to Reaper to protect them anyway. She was the young girls protector, even though she outwardly didn’t like it, it felt somewhat nice to protect instead of destroy.

Honestly Reaper was never that good with directions and she had no idea where the nearest ice cream shop was, but that did not stop her from searching and the young female didn’t seem to mind that they were basically going on a wild goose chase. Her metal coated soles resounded against the concrete, along with the sound of Lilia’s shoes making contact with the ground as well, nothing lost upon the ever observant woman. It was strange that not many people gave many wry looks at the well armed woman with strange armor, since people usually gave looks for the fact that she was an albino. Sometimes people payed too much attention to insignificant things such as skin color instead of the fact that she had a mini armory attached to her body.

Eventually she had found herself in what some would call a less savory part of the city, a place where she fit in if only due to her way of dressing, which was what some would call dressing like a stripper. Men looked at her like a wolf looking at a fresh piece of meat, probably hoping to “get some” from the albino warrior but she had no intentions of giving anything but a fist to the face if they pushed their luck. Dominus may not enjoy her hitting a civilian but Reaper just hated it when men messed with her, it just pissed her off somehow. Eventually Etoile spoke up as she pointed at an establishment; something called the Sweet Shop, which sounded like an ice cream place for sure. Ice cream was sweet and this was called The Sweet Shop, so it must be an ice cream shop or something just as good. Sadly that would not be the case and the name was just a trap to a ten year old.

”Yeah,lets get us some of that ice cream.” She said sure that Etoile could not for the most part understand what she was saying, leading her with only a small amount of her strength, Reaper walked towards the ominous building as she heard what sounded like a helicopter. It made her wonder for a second before she dismissed that idea and walked through the front doors of the strange building, to be greeted by what was inside. It was not what she expected of an ice cream parlor, not in the least and there wasn’t even a place where they served ice cream. ”What sort of ice cream parlor is this place, I don’t think it’s supposed to have fucking poles in it.” She cursed glaring at one fo the stripper poles with annoyance, mostly at the fact that this was not an ice cream parlor. It was pretty she had to admit; that with all the red carpeting and a nice stage but there was not a single bit of ice cream for the two females to enjoy. Shayla scowled as she considered that maybe this was indeed not an ice cream parlor.

"Target sighted Ma'am"

"Drop me off here then"

"All right, let me just find a spot to set us down"

"No need, right here is fine"

With a smile, Gossamer stepped towards the edge of the chopper and leaped out, flipping through the air and landing gracefully on a nearby roof. Even from her lowered vantage point she could see the look of shock on the pilot's face. Something about that brought a smile to her face. Obviously he hadn't been informed of what exactly she could do. Stepping forward, she flipped off the roof and deployed a wire, allowing it to pull her to the opposite roof. Pulling out a small pair of binoculars, she zoomed in on her targets. The woman Reaper and Etoile were exiting the building and had begun their long walk. Gossamer didn't know where they were going and quite frankly she didn't care. All she knew was that she needed to get closer. Shooting her wires into the building's roof, she stepped off the edge and allowed the wires to slow her fall. Landing softly on the ground she turned to the street, ready to encroach on her targets. However as she was about to exit the alley she had dropped into, a ragged hand grabbed her.

"Spare some change miss?" It was a bum. His beard was scraggly and he smelled heavily of alcohol. He wore several coats and was covered from head to toe in dirt. It was like some sort of Dickensian street urchin had jumped the border into reality only to slow her progress. Sneering she tore her hand away from the man.

"I'm on a mission, I don't have time for this" she said, trying to move away.

"Come on miss, just some change" he whimpered, grabbing her once more.

Gossamer had warned him. She had neither the time nor the patience for such an interruption right now.
Spinning around, she delivered a swift kick to his gut and slammed his head against the ground. Brushing herself off from his filthy hands, she left the alley, ignoring the now growing scent of blood mixed with booze. The street was full of people, not even an albino could be spotted in this thick crowd. Sighing, Gossamer put a hand to her ear and began walking in the direction she had last seen them going.

"This is Gossamer, I've lost the targets"

"Don't worry ma'am, they're not too far ahead, just take a left at 32nd street, that'll allow you to intercept them without too much trouble. To be honest ma'am, I don't think they have any idea where they're going"

Gossamer continued moving, wondering about what the pilot had said. Could they be lost? Maybe they knew they were being followed and were trying to get lost in the crowd. If it had just been her following them then they would have succeeded, but luckily it wasn't and they hadn't. Just then she realized she was still on the line with the man.

"Thank you, Gossamer out" she said as she took her hand away from her ear and broke into a light jog. She looked at road signs left and right until she spotted 32nd street. Waiting for the light to change was hellish and brought her to the brink of just leaping across. It wasn't like she couldn't. Just as she braced her legs, the walk sign lit up and the accompanying sound beeped. Sighing, she jogged across, looking up to see her chopper, she knew she was going the right way. Taking a right she saw them. The crowd had thinned out a bit. Enough that she could follow relatively close without being noticed. As she approached, she saw the girl Etoile flinching at everyone who got near and drawing close to Reaper every time a male so much as glanced in their direction. Was this girl really a rogue asset? She seemed so... so... pathetic.
How on earth could a girl who seemed likely to jump at the sight of her own shadow be a threat to anyone. Reaper on the other hand was an obvious threat. It wasn't just the fallout shelter's worth of arms she had on her or the gruff look she had on her face whenever she turned to glare at a man, but they way she walked. It was a confident stride that dared anyone to try and touch her without permission. She was definitely the more dangerous of the pair. Even if Etoile had diamond powers, this one seemed far more likely to kill someone in cold blood. As they moved closer and closer to what seemed to be their destination, Gossamer started to feel worse and worse about this. The young woman clinging to Reaper was obviously terrified of everything but the albino and Gossamer just couldn't bring herself to shoot either of them in the back. Lost in thought, she nearly crashed into someone as the pair stopped, Etoile enthusiastically pointing at something labeled 'The Sweet Shop'. It was obviously a strip joint given its rather... adult surroundings. Was Etoile suggesting Reaper get a job there?

She was lucky no one bumped into her as she stood there watching them. Finally the two moved into the building and Gossamer followed. She waited until they were well inside before coming up behind them, still a good four feet away and speaking.

"You're completely surrounded on all sides and we've got explosive charges rigged throughout the structure. I suggest you come quietly. I'd rather not hurt you" she said calmly and evenly.

Her files on Reaper had been very clear about the woman's temper and obvious blood lust. However, Etoile might be cowed by such overwhelming odds.

Then again, it was only her. Well, her and an army of imaginary soldiers ready to detonate imaginary charges.

She readied her wires.

Just in case.

Peachy lips pouted in childlike disappointment as the mysterious interior of 'the Sweet Shop' was revealed, blatantly offering a much different service than dessert of the frozen kind. Their little quest for midday dessert had taken them into a particularly peculiar building, it somewhat reminded her of the years of performing on a similar yet much larger stage and all for the exception of the strange poles Lilia deduced that this was some form of establishment for entertainment. The lighting was a soft pink intermingled with hazy yellow neon lights that decorated the ceiling, couches formed into semi-circles surrounded small wooden tables fitter with the poles, Maybe people hung their clothes on the poles.. Lilia thought to herself, only to quickly realise that there were no hooks to achieve said action. She stayed close to Reaper, who did look disappointed, but due to the lack of life within the building she allowed herself the freedom to tip toe a bit further than usual, exploring the strange little rooms titled 'Private Sweets' . Although she expected to find some wonderful treasury of edibles and actual sweets she was met with a dimly lit booth consisting of a couch and a pole. Truly strange.

She scurried back to the albino once her little search was complete, coming back empty handed with more questions than answers..what exactly was this building used for? Nudging Reaper with her petite shoulder, Lilia motioned with bright blinking eyes to exit the establishment, surely someone was going to get annoyed if they were found inside without permission. Brushing sandy brown hair out of her pretty porcelain visage the girl took her first step back in the direction of the front door...that's when she heard it. That voice. The voice of someone she believed to be dead.

The hairs on the back of her neck instantly stood up as a startling jolt went down her spine, her eyes wide open in shock as this ghostly voice penetrated the dimly lot atmosphere. Her heart stopped for a second. Was this place haunted? Her grip on Reaper's arm tightening a considerable amount as she slowly swivelled around on the balls of her feet. The roaring drumbeat of her most vital organ echoed in her hearing, providing an eerie soundtrack to what was going to be revealed next. Bright sapphire eyes immediately caught the familiar form of a woman she believed dead. A person she had relegated to the more joyous parts of her memory, never to experience again...but how? How was this possible? After all this time, an entire year to be exact and her beloved 'older sister' returned, seemingly out of the blue and right there, in front of Lilia.

"...Nevozmozhnoye..(Impossible..)" she whispered , her lips trembling at this overload of emotion and nostalgia as she took a tentative step forward. She did not understand what Sheryll had said, she did not care...but that was her voice and it beckoned her forward. She needed to feel the warmth of her sistrah (sister) and melt back into her protective hugs.

***

"Aww do you miss your big sister? Think she's gonna come home and rescue you?" Salt had sneered in her face all those months back, tearing at the roots of her hair as he yanked her shivering form up to face him.

Sniffles wracked her body, her rosy tinted cheeks stained with tears and confusion. Why hasn't Sheryll returned home? It had been two whole days without her and there had been no contact. None whatsoever. She tried calling Cilian, the only other person she knew in this big city...and yet he never picked up either, whenever she would call a strange voice would state that he was 'not available'. The girl feared for the worst, had Sheryll died on the field leaving the ballerina to fend for herself in a city she knew nothing about?

Franklin Salter's arrival seemed to have confirmed this fear, and every passing second under his merciless gaze and relentless grip sent the girl into more dread and agony.

"Oh don't worry! You have me again...you can now come back home and be the little slut you were always meant to be!" he cackled, clenching her cheeks before planting a rather offensive kiss on her quivering lips.

"Sheryll is dead. The whore got what she deserved.."

***

"Sheryll...", she whispered with genuine disbelief, her voice cracking for a moment. Lilia's tentative steps quickly tuned into a desperate advance forward, with arms outstretched like a child who had lost their mother. Tears of joy streamed down her pretty visage, as she rushed in for a hug...completely unaware of the changes her beloved 'sibling' had gone through. Lilia had abandoned all defensive measures and crashed into Sheryll's form without a care in the world. This was her. This woman really was Sheryll. The playful brunette strands that bounced with every movement, the naturally pouted lips and her naturally fit physique were some of the basic things that made this woman, otherwise known as Agent #1, who she really was.

Sobs of relief wracked her petite form as Lilia crumpled against Sheryll's form, her fears melting into her sibling's chest as her emotions took control... Completely unaware of the low humming noise that emanated from Sheryll's suit.

Lilia was in mortal peril and she didn't even know it...

Something about this strange place seemed familiar to Reaper, as if she had seen an image similar to it in some form elsewhere. The poles, which were somehow connected to a remark someone made to her once before she ripped his lower jaw off, it drew a sort of annoyance out of her even now, mostly from how the guy worded it as if it were an insult. It was a nice looking place really but it didn’t look like the type of place she would waste any of her time in, if only because it looked unremarkable. There wasn’t anything to punch or anything that would keep her attention occupied for more than a few seconds, though the poles would have made excellent melee weapons if the fancy ever struck her.

Etoile seemed just as confused as she was, which was not really a surprise since she was expecting some sort of sweet from this place, and there was nothing sweet in sight. ’I wonder if we came to the wrong place, doesn’t seem to be any ice cream in this shit hole.” Reaper muttered irate by the fact that he had somehow made a mistake but she didn’t let it show too much.

That was when she heard a familiar voice, one that sent a shiver down her spine and forced her lip to curl into a feral snarl. It was a person that she thought was gone long ago but that was apparently not the case, it was a ghost from her past that she would have rather buried. With one hand tied by the girl with a vice grip around her arm, Reaper had her free hand reach for one of the small energy pistols at her side.

”Well what do we have here?’ Reaper muttered as she turned to see Gossamer herself in the flesh, not dead like she was informed. A thousand memories came back to her, a thousand hate filled thoughts and inadequacies that all stemmed from that woman’s existence. Etoile on the other hand seemed to be somewhat surprised by her appearance, as if she were happy that this death dealer had appeared to them in the form of Agent #1.

Alone reaper would have had no change against this monster and even now she was no chance, though Etoile was that edge that she needed, an advantage that she was hoping to take great advantage of in this fight. Her diamond skin would allow her to survive those dangerous wires and her attacks would easily punch holes through that pathetic armor. This was going to be a deadly tango that she was being forced into, one she was not sure she would make it out of.

That was of course when Etoile made the most idiotic move that anyone could have made in this situation; she actually ran to the enemy. Before she could give any chance to react reaper was rushing forward with her full speed, feet blurring across the carpet as a slim white hand jerked the petite ballerina from the Angel of Death, easily jumping a good foot away from the dangerous foe.

”What the hell were you thinking?!?” She barked at Etoile. ”She isn’t here to play house with you! She’s here to kill us dammit!’ Her white teeth bared at the agent now standing in front of them. One hand was grasping onto Etoile while the other aimed one of her energy pistols at Gossamers head.”So I guess Dominus sent you here for her didn’t they?” Reaper asked with a fierce resolve within her voice, finger ready to pull the trigger within a second and the aim was faultless.

A look of shock etched itself onto Gossamer's face . Etoile had run right into her arms and was clutching to her like a baby did to its mother. That alone would have been enough to startle her but the addition of Etoile calling out 'Sheryll' seemed to jog something loose in Gossamer's memories. Was that her name? Her real name? A strange instinct overcame her and she unconsciously began to fold her arms around Etoile, only for the younger girl to be yanked away by her albino handler. Then -as if forgetting that Gossamer was there- Reaper began to yell at her partner, like she was scolding a child. Gossamer smiled.

"Actually I'd prefer you just come along quietly. I'd rather not do any permanent damage to you" She chuckled even as the blonde aimed a pistol at her face.

Her smiled quickly faded as Reaper mentioned Dominus. That word meant something to Gossamer...

Sheryll she reminded herself. Her name was Sheryll. But how had Etoile known that? Why had she run up to her and clutched to her without a care in the world. It didn't make sense.

Shaking her head, Sheryll looked back up at Reaper.

"Sorry, don't know what you're on about. To be honest I have no idea who sent me. she explained before adding "However you are correct in that I was sent for her" She said, a soft smile coming across her face.

"And you as well, as a matter of fact. If it makes you feel any better, you were just a, what did he call it? Ah yes. An amendment. You just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time" She sneered, taunting Reaper even while the soft smile remained on her face.

"I'm surprised you think a pistol will do you much good. You seem to know me, and while all I have on you is a data file, it tended to mention your temper more than it did any skill. That doesn't bode well in my book" she quipped. She would enrage the woman, make her sloppy while she kept her calm and remained precise.

"Well I'm bored of talking and you're in the way. Last chance to give up quietly" she said not truly expecting Reaper to back down. The woman's file really did have more written about her temper than it did her combat ability.

In an instant Sheryll had stepped to the side and fired four wires from the holes on her chest. It was a move she had never used before, but it seemed that both Reaper and Etoile knew her before she 'died' and so now was the time to use unexpected tactics. The wires glided through the air, the pale light of the strip club glinting off them as they moved towards Reaper's outstretched arm. They weren't aimed at her, but her pistol. Sheryll intended to take both of them alive if possible.

They knew about her past and that meant an interrogation was in order.

Lilia let out a yelp of surprise and instinctively squirmed forward as Reaper clutched onto her and pulled back out of Sheryll's light embrace. She whimpered with a mix of confusion and surprise as her albino protector scolded her, forgetting that the teenager would only be able to catch a few meagre English words when everything else made little sense. Why was Shayla angry at her? Sheryll wouldn't hurt her, or so Lilia thought and the angry words only heightened her anxiety. What on earth was going on? Why was her guardian aiming her weapon at their 'older sister'? These questions wracked her mind, threatening to burn her conscious with an overload of stress and confusion and the instance the gun was levelled at Gossamer's head did the ballerina finally react. She wasn't going to have this makeshift sisterhood get destroyed, she wasn't going to allow the two older girls she loved so dearly face off like bitter rivals. Wiggling out of Reaper's grip the young Russian let out a surprising "NO!", before pushing the arm out of the way, hoping to stop this face off.

Unbeknownst to Lilia, who was focusing on ensuring that Reaper didn't shoot, she had her back turned to the wires that zoned in on Reaper's weapon. The buzzing noise was all she could hear before a sudden pain shot through her shoulder blade, chipping her bone and scratching her muscle as the deadly threads shot past the left side of her body, tearing at the warm air and missing her cheek by a centimetre. A gasp escaped her peachy lips before she reeled back onto the floor, clutching her petite shoulder as the surprising pain tore through her fragile human form. Why would Sheryll be aiming for them? What was happening?! The teenager rolled to the side, cringing as her injured shoulder spilled blood onto the crimson carpet, which was in desperate need of a clean. Lilia's little stunt had fortunately allowed Reaper to keep her gun and the ballerina was sure that her albino protector would be able to defend herself for that moment in time.

Utter confusion and the painful threads of betrayal coursed through Lilia's mind, sending an overwhelming level of emotional grief that threatened to keep her frozen on the floor. Something had happened to her beloved older sibling during her time in limbo and the young agent let out a cry of helplessness as she witnessed Gossamer's cold demeanour, she was a mechanical demon and all emotion that had once danced across her bubbly face was now non-existent...Sheryll appeared to have become a hollow, heartless shell of her former self. The Russian knew full well that maintaining a docile position was not going to help her or her red eyed friend, it seemed that all hopes of witnessing Sheryll as she once was had faded into oblivion. This was not her sister, this was a cruel imposter twisted to become the very thing she once loathed.

Letting go of her bloodstained shoulder the girl rolled backwards and immediately stood up in one elegant motion, panic and confusion still etched on her pretty visage as her body began to shimmer. The dim light of the establishment began to bounce off the indestructible, translucent body as Lilia's power quickly resurfaced. The pain had faded into nothing and the teenager assumed a nimble stance ready for the possibility that Gossamer should attack her. Her body glimmered in the room, sending beams of light across the space as her glistening, elegant limbs rippled with a faint light blue glow. She was beauty incarnate, a being who was equally sublime as she was dangerous.

Twirling on the tips of her diamond flats Lilia let out a flurry of small diamond shards aimed at Gossamer's feet..forcing the woman to keep her distance without hurting her. Her stunning sky blue eyes desperately seeking any sliver of humanity on Sheryll's tranquil visage...it was as if she felt no remorse whatsoever and that was what truly hurt the young agent. She was being forced into a fight she never wanted to have..

Reapers lip curled into an instinctive snarl,her red eyes narrowing as her mind already came up with nearly a dozen ways that she would kill this woman standing in front of her. A rage that seemed almost uncontrollable filled her with each word that came from those damnable lips,those self assured words as if she had already won. She was facing a different reaper than back then,a person that was far different than the weak thing she was. It was time that she see why she was called Agent Reaper,time to show her what she really was. ”Not do damage to us? Please,I can smell the bullshit a mile a way Miss Collateral, you can't go anywhere without destroying everything you touch.” She had seen this personally once and heard of the escapades of the infamous number 1 agent of Dominus,she truly did destroy everything that she touched. Now it was her turn to be the one lying in a puddle of their own blood.

”An amendment am I?” She let the words roll through her mind for a second before ignoring it,not letting the grip on her weapon falter as she considered what to do,if pulling the trigger was really going to get her anywhere against those damn wires,if they really mattered against that monster. There was only one way of finding out about that thought and that was trying,which Reaper was pretty damn good at if nothing else. Etoile had her diamond form,that gave her some tactical advantage,she could take those wires way better than Reaper could but for how long was yet to be seen. While deep within her thought process the attack came in a flash but not too fast for Reaper to comprehend,eyes following the wire as it shot from the human weapon.

Body readied to react,planning to rush ahead of the wire with an inhuman speed and deliver a crushing blow when something else happened that caused her breath to catch within her throat. Reaper felt as if for a moment she were physically struck,the crimson fluid splattering against her cheek and slowly dripping down the pale flesh. Something within the albino warrior snapped,it was the sight of the blood and that sound of pain that somehow drover her further into what always consumed her; a blood rage. Something also drove this that was foreign to the human weapon,an emotion that she had never experienced before within her life and it felt painful. Gossamer had crossed a line undrawn and she would pay with her life. Etoile was forced into her diamond form,its beauty as terrifying as what it was capable but her hate filled eyes were set upon the agent who had attacked.

Without a second of warning she followed after Etoile's small but dangerous attack,while she was forced back most likely by the attack Reaper would begin an assault of her own,pulling out a small piece of metal from her hip that with a press of a button became what looked like a scythe but with a blade mad of pure energy. It was only one of her weapons but it had enough power to punch through Gossamer if it made contact and she planned to end her with as little of a struggle as possible. To anyone not skilled enough to track her movements,Reaper was just a blur as she closed the distance with little trouble,aiming to slice Gossamer vertically with a quick but powerful slash.

As one of her wires unintentionally pierced Etoile's shoulders, Sheryll felt an instinctive desire to help her, one she quickly repressed. Whoever she was to the other woman, the one she was before, was irrelevant now. She only had time to reflect on this for a second as her other opponent was already upon, a great blade of energy in her grip. Turning quickly, Sheryll moved back... but not entirely in time. The blade streaked down the front of her armor, leaving a small gash that hurt like blood hell. She flipped backwards onto the stage as the club's patrons began to scream and run for the nearest exit. Then she saw it, several diamonds embedded in the floor right where she had been standing. While she had been busy pitying the girl she had attacked. A sort of unexplainable sense of betrayal whipped through Sheryll before quickly being dismissed. She was irritated. Not at them, but at herself.

Rookie mistake, I allowed myself to forget I was facing two opponents.

Looking over at the albino, she could see it in her eyes. A blood lust that her file could not adequately describe. Her eyes held rage and what appeared to be something like satisfaction. Probably from getting a hit in on her. Sheryll decided it would be fun to mess with her head a little, see if she could draw some answers out before she got serious.

"Very well 'Reaper' I'm Miss Collateral am I? Well then let me live up to my title" she said, deploying her hand wires and beginning to spin.

She wasn't aiming for Reaper or Etoile. She had aimed for the ceiling at a diagonal curve, which would also bring down the wall behind her. Any pretense of 'covertness' or 'stealth' for this mission was over. While her files -and own nagging memory- seemed to indicate that this was the result of rebelliousness towards an unidentified person, right now she was simply feeling good. The feeling of slicing through something with no resistance whatsoever was amazing though it was quickly stopped as she felt a surge of pain. She slowed her spinning, feeling the sunlight touch her skin. She ignored it however, having split her attention between searching for her opponents and touching her wound. At first it had appeared -and felt- superficial, but upon closer inspection it was much more. The area directly afflicted had been flash cauterized while the flesh just behind it was still bleeding. Now more than ever she was glad for the fact that she'd demolished a good portion of the club. Close quarters obviously belonged to the albino. She was going to have to get at range. Leaping backwards, still clutching her side, she hit the street. Where did they go?

Now was not the time for her to lose sight of her targets, especially such a lethal pair. She had underestimated Reaper, or perhaps she had overestimated herself? Sheryll wasn't sure, but she did know that whatever the case, those two would be hiding, waiting to launch an attack on her. She quickly put her free hand up to her ear.

"This is Gossamer, I want you ready to extract me. Don't get in close, but be ready." she said, her voice just barely more than a whisper.

"Understood Ma'am"

Reaper had successfully managed to graze the mechanical exoskeleton that protected Gossemer, the glowing weapon scarring the dense alloy in a rather surprising manner. Had Dominus' most prized agent lost what had made her so terrifying? Or had the seething albino merely become much more powerful over the year since Sheryll's disappearance? Such questions bolted through Lilia's mind as she whisked her way around various obstacles, hoping to reach Shayla before Sheryll had a chance to retaliate. Leaping in front of Reaper, Lilia stood with arms outstretched, shielding the red eyed warrior from any further attack on her person. Although the teenage Russian was physically petite and rather unimposing her unique ability granted her the ultimate defence, a shield used to protect her loved ones.

However, having a slew of destructive wires aimed in her general direction was not the case as she watched with mouth open at what her elder sibling had chosen to do instead. Sheryll had often flippantly disregarded her knack for slicing and dicing anything unfortunate enough to get in her way, telling Lilia all those months back that it was just how she achieved things. The ballerina had yet to witness such a thing up until Gossamer decided to tear the strange establishment apart. Pushing Reaper backwards with all of her meek might Lilia stared in a mixture of awe and horror as the wires relentlessly cut through brick, steel and cement like a hot knife through butter and if it weren't for her quick thinking they would have surely been buried underneath the rubble that collapsed into the building's interior.

Dust billowed into the air as the sun's glare shot through like a golden flood, illuminating the recent carnage all the while bouncing off Lilia's sparkling physique. The building was nothing more than a hopeless wreckage, exposed wiring viciously let out sparks of electricity as the compounds of the building lay scattered at their feet. Although, then was not the time to marvel at the destruction and the instance there was an opening both girls bolted into the open, heading for an alleyway adjacent to the rubble. Lilia's grip on Reaper was particularly tight, not wanting her seething sibling to run off in a blood fuelled rage and face possible death. This confrontation had quickly evolved into a game of cat and mouse and the ballerina knew full well that an evasive tactic was best used to combat the sheer, overwhelming power Gossamer held now that they were out in the open.

Crouching behind a dumpster, the shimmering teenager scrambled for Shayla's attention, desperately clasping the albino's face in her small glistening hands in an attempt to calm her down. The young girl knew full well what Shayla was like during her tantrums and yet she still attempted to garner the older agency's attention, although it truly seemed hopeless. Clutching onto the red eyed woman, Lilia stared into her eyes desperately trying to seek out a rational and tranquil state of mind within her older sister. "Don't go...", she pleaded in her whispery voice, the light gentle words hoping to calm the rabid creature in front of her...

Lilia could not risk losing another sibling.

It all happened within a few moments but her attack had managed to actually damage that suit that Gossamer was always wearing,not a single wire to stop her assault. The small victory only drove her further within the blood rage,further into hungering to paint the floor with Agent Gossamer’s precious blood,to make her existence end. All she needed to do was cut off her head,that killed anything. The wild smirk grew wider as she prepared to unleash another attack upon her,using a tech that she designed just for taking down someone like Gossamer and she would be too close to dodge anything that came at her,if calculations worked out at any rate.

That was when Gossamer would prepare to unleash her signature weapons that she was so prized for. If Reaper stood still it was likely that she would be reduced to a fine pulp,just a large unsightly stain upon the floor. Still she had to keep going,the blood lust within demanded that she kill,that she do something to sate the immense appetite. Lilia seemed more worried about her than the fact that they were dealing with one of the most powerful agents of Dominus,someone who could kill both of them with impunity. Etoile actually tried to push Reaper back,though the simple move caught her off guard long enough for the girl to perform as she intended it,footing lost she she stumbled a few inches back,slowly snapping out of the blood haze.

All it took was a few moments before the entire building was reduced to nearly nothing,just a large pile of rubble as anyone inside would be crushed by the immense weight of the building collapsing in upon itself. Within the moment of clarity she saw what looked like a window of opportunity to escape the falling building,Lilia already tightly grabbing into the albino with no intention of letting her go; not that letting go would do her any good in this situation anyway. Not wasting a second she used her inhuman speed to quickly remove both of them from the doomed building,though she was more likely to have sustained any injures than the invincible Etoile. The desperate scramble ended with them crouching behind a dumpster,but she was still not ready to disengage the enemy.

She could still feel the blood warm on her cheek though slowly coagulating, Etoile's blood. Reaper wanted to rip her into bit,and present her head to Adam personally,prove that she was superior to her in every way. An old hatred welled within her once again,she would end it;no compromise. Her thoughts were a torrent that was somehow broken by one thing. The cool feel of diamond hands against her cheeks and a soft voice pleading,there were only a few words but they rang true through the haze as clear as day. All at once the situation dawned upon her in an instant. They stood no chance against Gossamer, especially if she were going to act so carelessly against that woman. ”Don't worry,i'm not going anywhere.” She spoke with a semblance of control,what seemed like a smirk forming upon her lips,far different than that blood hungry grin.

”But what will we do about little miss Gossamer?” She wondered to herself,the thought running through her mind as she considered every possible solution and letting themselves be taken by Dominus was not one of them,though why they wanted her was unknown,since she was an agent anyway. It seemed like there was more going on than she knew but what did Etoile have to do with any of this? Slowly removing the diamond girls hands from her cheek she let a deep sigh escape her lips.

”Well what have I gotten myself into this time.” She chuckled ruefully.