Re: Operation Shadow Chaser ((Inkblot and others))

by **The Nekromonga** January 28th 2013, 8:25 pm

(Russian) “Please, take your time to be decent. I am in no hurry.” (Russian.) Ellie said, in a rather plain Russian, not entering the house until they were dressed. She was in transnational affairs- it meant working on criminal cases that could be traced to other countries, and Ellie discovered at an early age people were much more helpful when you spoke to them directly. She spoke most of the major languages, especially those of global players.

Her mind weighed the scene thus far- what were they doing scarcely dressed all alone out here in the woods? Was Franklin telling the truth? Or was there a reasonable explanation for all this? It was Ellie’s nature to question and doubt, seeking out the truth relentlessly. Then again, this was what some people did when they had privacy. She had a few officemates who were rather talkative about their home habits.

She entered, and introduced herself once she realized she was deep in thought again. “I am agent Elisheva Wong, with the Office of Crime and Narcotics. And yes, tea would be nice.” She said, noting that Skyler wasn’t even hiding her preparation of the hot water.

She looked about the house, taking note of the details, grasping the psychological profile that was reflected on the orderliness of the home. It certainly didn’t have any advanced security features, or any intention to conceal anything. But if she wanted to learn more about the house, she'd have to look at it later. She glanced at Lilia, noting her withdrawn behaviour. This was suspicious, but then, all victims had behaviour that deviated from the norm.

“I’m here on matters of investigating Lilia’s case. Ever since her public unveiling, the Russian Federation has been up in arms, demanding her return and investigation into Dominus- which, with the current political climate and what I suspect of Lilia’s current state, is most difficult to produce a satisfactory response.” She placed her glasses on the table, and allowed it to project a hologram onto the table- a video of Frank Salter’s prior interview. The video clip was still paused and showed the man’s arrogant face, with the play button on his nose.

“Dominus’s comments on her case are very unsatisfactory. Most especially because I do not trust anyone in a position of authority who has no transparency.” She said her tone quite cold when talking of the Dominus enforcer. She glanced up at Lilia.

(Russian) “I also believe Lilia is a legal adult, but, considering her situation I will understand if she does not wish to speak during this interview. I simply wish to hear the testimonies on both sides before... rendering judgement.” (Russian) She added, awaiting Skyler’s response or perhaps to play the video.

by **Chellizard** January 28th 2013, 11:47 pm

Sinking into a high backed chair at the wooden, cherry finished table, she crossed her arms and sighed. Her legs followed the crossed position and she let her head tilt to the right while this woman, Elisheva Wong, either stood or took a seat as well. A utility belt was snug around of the woman's waist, and her posture was very stern. Her monotonous voice, along with mechanical Russian meant business, and nothing more. Skyler chuckled, and without skipping a beat, picked up the conversation in Russian to keep Lilia in the loop. Despite learning bits of English over the time living with Skyler, Russian was the dominant language in this household. While Elisheva glanced over Skyler's home, she took the time to rise from the chair again and gently brush a bit of hair away from her face. Licking her lips, she placed a hand on her hip and stood there for a moment, allowing Ellie to keep glancing about the house without Skyler's watchful eye. At least the woman would think she was getting away with checking out the place.

"Lilia's parents.." she started, her Russian accent becoming a bit more authentic to allow Lilia to hear better. "I am her only parent. I am her mother." she turned, mid sentence and gave Elisheva a daring glare, determination and passion in her eyes. She then sighed and shrugged, her slender shoulders rising and falling in a relaxed manner. "So you think I'm somehow tied up with Lilia's disappearance?" she asked, glancing to the video that was presented to her. She scowled when she noticed it was none other than Franklin Salters. She hated this man more than anything, and put up with his vile ways just to protect Lilia. "Salters, huh?" she muttered, her voice barely audible. She then perked up and hit play on the video and let it sink in while she sat down. Near the end of the clip, the tea kettle was screaming, indicating the water was boiled hot.

She held up her hand, indicating she'd get back to Ellie in a moment. Sure, Lilia was a legal adult, but that girl had just barely gotten the chance to start living her teenage life. There was no way in Hell that Skyler would for Lilia to sit through this interview. "Pick your poison," she said, setting a metal container with several different tea types in front of Elisheva. Skyler picked out an Arabic tea; the one that smelled of apples, cinnamon, and other Arabian spices. The taste, however, was a bit bitter; so she always added honey. "Lilia, baby, you can come sit and listen closer; the stairs won't miss you." Skyler said, her voice a bit louder to carry to the staircase that was tucked on the other side of the wall, opposite the kitchen. Skyler had a feeling Lilia had been listening this whole time, so better now to include her.

"Franklin Salters, better known as Salt, is a vile man. And he's right, by the way. I did vanish in Russia six years ago around the same time Lilia did... But what are your true questions?" she asked, her Russian a bit relaxed when Lilia chose to join Skyler and their guest, Ellie. Skyler poured hot water over her tea, and asked Lilia if she wanted anything before returning the kettle back to the stove top. Sitting back down, she caressed her mug, the warm pottery keeping her palms toasty, despite the chilled air sweeping through the cracked window just above the sink. She took a sip of her drink and looked over the rim of her glass toward Ellie before glancing to Lilia. "We can choose to be honest with you, or not. But you have no idea what the truth is; and believe me when I tell you this.. you're walking into dangerous territory, Miss Wong." Skyler said, her Russian daring while she moved a hand to brush a bit of hair from Lilia's face.

by **Twinkletoes** January 29th 2013, 7:15 pm

The diminutive agent sat on the steps like a gargoyle, frozen in place as she listened to the strange Russian conversation happening in the kitchen. It was always a peculiar experience hearing foreigners speak her language. Their accents would always add a unique element to the heavy language and no sooner had both women begin conversing in Lilia's mother tongue did her ears perk up. Fiddling with the edges of her dress the girl quietly listened as Skyler answered the agents questions. It seemed that her silvery haired guardian really was taking the role of mother quite seriously and a tinge of warmth coursed through the young agent's body at Skyler's statement. Her real parents were long dead, her mama and her papa were gone, extinguished by Dominus and the tattooed ex lieutenant was the closest thing she had to a parent. Her eyes began to sting with moisture, there was a concoction of emotions running through her mind; utter joy at having Skyler take on the role of mother and a heart wrenching sadness at having to relive those last few moments with her real parents. It was her personal oath to make Skyler proud...much like she had all those years back with the simple loving villagers who had raised her.

The conversation took an awry turn, Skyler's mention of Lilia's kidnapping forced the painful memories of that moment to traverse her mind. She was certain that Skyler had nothing to do with it, she remembered every man who was present, every single monster who took turns with her body as she lay helpless under their weight. Every night the stench and sweat of her abusers invaded every part of her being, their elated cackles penetrated her mind and the fingers tore at her pale innocent body. It was terror incarnate and Lilia knew that her noble protector had nothing to do with it. It was Franklin Salters, the instigator of her hellish demise, the reason why she feared men and monster who lurked in her nightmares. Every night for the past six years of her life he would visit her and torment her and whisk her frail body into the realms of excruciating pain and shame. Never had she thought a man so evil could exist...she was wrong.

As the recording of his voice rang through the kitchen Lilia cradled her body, covering her ears with her shoulders as her face was tucked into her knees. The very sound of that gurgling arrogant voice of his sent anxious tremors crawling through her skin. A whimper managed to escape her lips as that nightmarish timbre of his words sent her body rocking back and forth, even when he was not present Salters still had complete domain over her.

It took the girl a while to realise that Skyler was calling her, apparently her hiding place on the stairs wasn't as subtle as she thought it was. Wiping her eyes and straightening her dress the girl peeked around the edge of the wall before quietly tip toeing next to Skyler, her petite feet elegantly gliding atop the timbre flooring before she latched a dainty hand around her mother's forearm. She only managed a fleeting glance at the young Asian woman before her, flickering her eyes back down to her recently manicured fingernails in an attempt to not draw any attention to herself. Quite a hard task considering she was the topic of the conversation. She remained silent, only briefly giving her guardian a little simper in an attempt to hide the teary eyes...she would simply blame it on the dust if either woman asked.

She didn't want to talk about Franklin Salters or Dominus, it would merely reinvigorate the supressed memories that churned within the back of her mind. The bruises and scars that stained her supple skin began to slowly burn at the unwanted trespassing into an unwelcoming past. This was going to be a painful conversation and she had not even uttered a word yet...

by **The Nekromonga** January 29th 2013, 10:52 pm

Ellie’s eyes darted back and forth between the two people in the house with whom she spoke. She studied their body language and reactions, weighing what they could be thinking with each twitch, movement, pause, and shift in position. Skyler had next to no Tell, speaking in a calm, collected fashion. She did however, show disdain for the man in the video. This was another red flag- the agents of Dominus most definitely not possessing of camaraderie amongst their ranks.

“I see. So you are acting as her surrogate parent. I can respect that. However, my investigation takes precedence. I want to hear your testimony, your... version of the story of what happened in Russia. Where you were, what you were doing... and not doing. More importantly, where was Lilia for these six years. I want to know, Russia wants to know. I am trying to prevent war during these tumultuous times with the Meta Human affairs tying up the national consciousness.”

However, Lilia exhibited a particularly defensive expression once she entered the conversation. Ellie’s suspicions against Salt were reinforced when Lilia showed the tell-tale signs of a child who wanted to forget- to hide, or to run away from their fear forever. Much like Ellie when her family was finally caught, when she was taken. Except Ellie learned to think, fight and kill the moment she walked. An adult male was simply nothing more than a puzzle, a thing where sharp objects were inserted in certain, specific places. And she had to do it with her bare hands, no powers.

Before Ellie would continue, she looked at Lilia joining them at the table, and shifted her questions to something more pleasant. (Russian) “Lilia. What kind of tea do you like to drink? Do you like sweets? Does your mother let you eat what you like? How is life with her?” (Russian)

She made a strong hunch that Skyler’s words may have carried less deceit than Salt’s, though Ellie kept her suspicions of everyone regardless. Still, she could feel that unmistakable, palpable danger of coming closer to a revelation. Also, she wanted to hear Lilia speak- to hear the words come from her own mouth, to hear the victim standing up for herself. She took stock of the tea, and drank some. "And yes, this is good tea."

by **Chellizard** February 5th 2013, 2:13 am

Shifting her weight a bit from one cheek to the other while she sat, her eyes flicked from Elisheva Wong to her daughter, Lilia. Skyler mumbled something, it was inaudible to everyone, but it was mainly gibberish while she shifted to let Lilia sit down on the same seat as Skyler if she wanted to. The two women were thin; Skyler had thick thighs, but there was still room enough for them to sit in the chair together. Skyler shifted a bit more and smiled, hooking her arm around of Lilia protectively.

"Yes, I am acting as her surrogate parent," she spoke, in Russian of course.

She paused, and nodded, letting Elisheva continue on with her speaking. Skyler let the woman's words sink in, but they weren't really anything to be bothered with. The questions that Elisheva was asking were just.. silly. Skyler had to try not to laugh, her head shaking for a few moments.

"You have all these questions.. all this information.. But what information are you missing? Oh, yes. The parts that leave me out of this. If you want the full story, it has to be off the record, Miss Wong. And until I can trust you? You'll likely never get a word out of me. I'm not letting anything happen to Lilia, ever. She is in my care, and in my care, she doesn't have to sit through bullshit like this." she said, still speaking in Russian so Lilia's not left out of the loop. Skyler took a sip of her tea and then smiled a bit. "Damn good tea.." she said, growing quiet to allow Lilia to answer the simple, questions, if she wanted.

"Lilia.. you do not have to answer anything unless you want to. No one is forcing you, or making you. All right?" she said, shifting another strand of hair from Lilia's face while she smiled, sipping her tea again, her silver irises shifting to look back at Elisheva Wong; another bump in this long road to paradise.

by **Twinkletoes** February 5th 2013, 8:02 am

Lilia shuffled awkwardly shuffled where she stood, quickly accepting the offer to share Skyler's seat, immediately clinging onto the woman's arm. She clung to her surrogate mother, her rose tinted cheeks brushing against Skyler's shoulder. The current topic was something that could easily throw the girl into an anxiety ridden mess, the very mention of Salt sending slight tremors across her skin. The skinny porcelain legs were clenched together, the scarred petite feet crossed over one another in the futile effort to cover the scars. Slender porcelain arms clutched onto the the toned arm of the woman next to her, this conversation was not something she was particularly fond of. Listening to the back and forth between the two older women was peculiar, especially when she was the subject of the conversation.

Skyler's fierce answers were tactful and typically straightforward, she knew what to say without compromising both her own and Lilia's current state. The young Russian sat still, gnawing on her lower lip as she listened to her mother's retort against the Asian lady's questions. Lilia didn't want to offend the young woman, her courteous nature often taking precedence over her fears and after a moment of silence she gazed up at the lady with shimmering cerulean eyes. Glancing up at Skyler the young metahuman swallowed the lump in her throat before shifting her gaze towards the bag of bras still laying on the ground not far from where she sat. If only this woman hasn't arrived, then she would still be blissfully enchanted in the coming of age moment, enjoying the new gifts like any normal teenager. Taking a sip from Skyler's mug the ballerina allowed the steamy liquid to coat her tongue in warmth before swallowing it, wetting her mouth and finally giving her the proper grasp of her speaking abilities.

"I only like the tea mama makes.." , she whispered, her melodic voice just loud enough for anyone present to hear. Mama was Skyler's current title whenever Lilia referred to her and ever since those first few weeks getting to know one another the name had stuck. "...sweets aren't good for me, they don't help with my dancing..", she continued, chewing her lip before gazing up at the woman she was cuddled up to, silently asking for reassurance. "Mama is a good woman, she loves me and takes care of me. She keeps me warm at night and protects me from nightmares, and even bought me some new ballet flats to help with the dancing..", Lilia meekly simpered, a soft grin curling around her peachy lips as a slight blush invaded her cheeks. "She massages my feet when they hurt from the uhh...the marks...and gives me medicine when I'm sick. Mama is not a bad person, she is the most beautiful woman ever." the girl nodded, her hand finding its way underneath the table to clasp Skyler's, the whispery windchime voice rose with her statement, only faltering at the mention of Salt's painful gifts scouring her dainty feet.

A silence ensued, a comfortable one for the meek teenager. She looked up at Skyler, silently asking if she did a good job. The quicker she answered the questions the quicker she would have to rid her mind of anything remotely related to Dominus or her sadistic handler.

by **The Nekromonga** February 5th 2013, 11:43 pm

Ellie was a keen eyed observer and listener, and took in their words with a grain of salt, their expressions and actions, and nonverbal cues. She found it suspect that Lilia found a surrogate so quickly and acted so sweetly, but to each victim her own. Had she been conditioned or brainwashed to love Skyler? Perhaps. Or perhaps Skyler was a genuinely caring soul, and helped Lilia for her own sake. Ellie couldn’t fully tell, but at least Skyler had been less insufferable about it so far. Perhaps Dominus was simply playing her the fool. Perhaps Ellie was intruding on affairs beyond her scope.

Ellie wasn’t Lilia’s psychiatrist, but she knew pressing her anymore about her marks or medicine might cause her undue distress. She personally wished Lilia sat this one out, but she also had to act with care. She eyed the bag of bras; the message was a bit mixed, but they all seemed to be casual clothes shared by parent and daughter, not the sort used in special sessions between master and slave.

She closes the holographic screens suspended in midair, one by one, to remove the images of Salt and Dominus from Lilia’s sight. She turned off her glasses, and placed them in their case, setting it on the table near Skyler. She also removes her mobile phone from her bag, turns it off, and places it beside her case. These two were her only recording devices on her, though she wouldn’t refuse a thorough search.

“As I said, Miss Snowden. I, and I alone, am here to hear your testimony. We both know trust is not easy, but I will say that I take a very personal issue whenever human trafficking is involved. I do not forget the victims, as I’m really just one of them. I also have a grave distaste for Dominus, as they are draining the resources of my agency.”

by **Chellizard** February 6th 2013, 3:15 am

Skyler's eyes were lazily looking over Ellie. It was obvious she was well trained, and well conditioned in situations like this. She had an air about her that definitely screamed CIA, so it would be hard for her to ever go undercover; unless she had some acting skills Skyler hadn't picked up on. Folding her hand around of the mug after Lilia took a sip, Skyler smiled at her and rubbed her back gently. Skyler would nod, indicating Lilia should go on, and tell this woman honest answers. This set of questions felt very psychiatrist to Skyler, but she let them get answered. When Lilia finished speaking, Skyler was almost crying tears of joy. She coughed and wiped her eye, looking up. "It's just an eyelash.." she said, her pride in her way while she plucked out of her own lashes as proof to her white lie. She blew it away, it drifting off to join any other dust that was to be swept up later.

Smiling, though, Skyler decided to speak and include a bit more that she and Lilia does. "We take walks, head to the park, and we practice dancing. I never push her too hard. I some times have to stop her from dancing.. she really does miss being in the spot light. I know she does. I would love to see her in it.. but.." stops herself, and looks toward the Asian woman; Elisheva Wong. Skyler keeps her lips sealed while the woman starts to close and shut down the computer. The woman also takes out her phone, and takes off her glasses. Skyler takes a better focused look on the glasses and see's that they're not average glasses. Makes sense that this woman would have a device such as this.

Skyler gently let's Lilia shift into the seat, her arm uncoiling from around the girl. She rises to her feet and waves a hand in a vertical motion, indicating Elisheva to stand. Skyler then twirls her hand, her index finger pointing downward while she rotated her wrist. This was to indicate that Elisheva should turn around. "I wouldn't say I don't believe you about Dominus infiltrating the actually government.. but I do say this; turn around." Skyler chuckled a bit, and when Elisheva complied, she stepped forward and gently pushed the woman to lean against the counter. "Place your hands on the counter, and spread 'em." she ordered, in a monotonous voice. It was English this time, but Lilia was probably already caught on to the situation, so it was all right.

Skyler's hands moved slowly, gently patting down the woman's sides, feeling for any concealed weapons. Her hands moved along Elisheva's waistline, checking for a wire. She then moved down the woman's legs, her hands sliding precariously close to the woman's crotch before letting her hands glide down to the woman's ankles. Skyler then slowly stood up and ordered the woman to turn around, arms up. When the woman complied again, Skyler's hands traced and arched over Elisheva's front. She cupped the woman's breasts, feeling underneath for any kind of wire that wasn't in her bra. Satisfied after one more rub of her hands over the woman's stomach, she stepped back and sat with Lilia, satisfied. "All right, then. I want to keep the mention of Dominus and Franklin Salters to a minimum.. or I could send Lilia out of the room. Either way, I don't want Lilia to be any more traumatized than she is.." she said, in English, and then turned to Lilia.

"Baby, do you think you can answer any questions that Miss Wong has? They're about.. you know who, and you know what. You don't have to if you don't want to. You can go to the room and relax. Plus, those fresh spring rolls are in the fridge for a snack if you're hungry." she said, in Russian with a soft smile while she moved her arm back around of Lilia securely, but would loosen her grip if Lilia wanted to exit the room. If Lilia chose to stay, it was only a sign that she had guts, and was trying to face her past. If not, it meant she needed time to heal.. more time to let go. And Skyler was okay with that.

by **Twinkletoes** February 6th 2013, 9:04 am

Watching Skyler pat the woman down was a somewhat awkward experience, Lilia knew that there may be the slight chance that the seemingly nice young woman was a mole, not that she wanted such a thing to be true. Taking another sip from Skyler's mug, the ballerina waited patiently for the little safety ritual to finish, staring at her cuticles in the slight chance that any stray skin remained after her last manicure. The aromatic sensation of the hot tea against her tongue brought shivers down the girl's pale body, it was a pleasant feeling and provided that extra ounce of warmth for the teenager. This was her home, she was supposed to feel comfortable and safe but the very mention of Salters and the organisation that ruined her youth forced disturbing tremors to wrack her diminutive form. They were monsters who had purged her of all innocence and purity, snagging her flesh away like it was nothing, a body that was simply there to amuse anyone curious enough to taste it.

Shuddering at such thoughts the young Russian was visibly relieved once Skyler returned, holding the arm that was wrapped around her petite waist and tentatively playing with the fingers that rested on her hips. It seemed that their attention had once more returned to her, once more was she under the unwanted spotlight. Clenching her toes beneath the seat Lilia instinctively found herself gnawing on her lower lip, the stress of whether to stay or leave weighing heavily on her already fragile mind. The very idea of having her past discussed without her present seemed strange and a cruel chore for Skyler to get dragged into..but staying would only summon the nightmarish flashbacks and the trauma that crept in the back of her mind.

Her grip around her mother's fingers tightened, her breathing quickened as her mind raced for a conceivable reply to such a request. Looking into Skyler's eyes, Lilia silently clawed out for guidance. With her silvery haired guardian so close to her Lilia knew she was safe and appreciated, that telling her painful story would have the unwavering support of the woman she clutched onto. Maybe it was time to face her demons, with the help of her guardian angel this seemed like the appropriate moment to start somewhere...even if it were baby steps.

"...What do you want to know...", she whispered, the melodic chime to her sweet voice barley audible as she stared the young agent straight in the eye. This was her story, her pain and her suffering and if this CIA operative was expecting something bad then she had absolutely no comprehension of what the meek Russian ballerina had to face. A true horror story in its own right.

by **The Nekromonga** February 7th 2013, 7:13 am

Ellie listened to Skyler’s story of the days of their lives. She almost envied those tales- the second she and her mother found peace; she was already wholly dedicated to her education and training.

“It is a cruel world we live in, Miss Snowden. I do not enjoy having to disturb Lilia like this.” She stood up and surrendered to a standard pat down. Skyler would find her service pistol, her utility belt laden with lethal and non-lethal grenades and tools, and her... miniature grenade launcher, in the form of a boxy pistol with a small LED display in its side.

Ellie made no comment on her armaments. These were her tools of self defense.

She looked at Lilia, and spoke slowly and deliberately. “First, I cannot claim to know exactly how you feel, or what you went through. My parents and I were on the run for years from... bad men. These bad men caught me, and did bad things to me as well. But... I know we are different. I was taught to survive and kill since I could walk, you were... a dancer.”

“I... If you really do not want to tell me your story, Lilia, just tell me... from how you react at the mention of them... of him... did they really save you and help you? What lies did they tell the world?” She looked at Skyler, her questions spreading away from the focus. “And why did they reveal Lilia only now? What have they been really doing?”

by **Chellizard** February 9th 2013, 7:40 am

"I agree, Miss Wong. One of the most cruel places in this whole universe.. but we deal with it." she said, finishing her pat down. Skyler left all the weapons on the woman, keeping Lilia from being frightened by this woman any more than she was. It was just easier to keep the weapons out of sight, out of mind. Skyler knew where they were, though, and could have Elisheva pinned before the woman could draw any kind of weapon on her. Skyler knew this, because Skyler had training far beyond this woman. Training that she sometimes questioned herself. Though, she was satisfied with Miss Wong, and her cooperation. Once Skyler was sitting back with Lilia, she was a bit more at ease.

Skyler's heart almost skipped a beat when Lilia's grip tightened. She could feel her baby girl's pulse, her own wrist shifting to press against Lilia's in a subtle fashion. She took Lilia's pulse, and was a bit shocked. The poor girl's heart was going roughly two hundred beats per minute, and that was not good. Skyler moved her other hand and looked at Lilia with soft, caring eyes and offered a smile. "Lilia.. you don't have to do this.." saying this softly, in Russian, Skyler leaned her head against Lilia's and kissed her temple. "Mama's here, and she loves you. I'll never let you go. I promise." Skyler swallowed lightly, and looked to Elisheva when she gave a short quip of her backstory. Searching the woman's face, Skyler's silver eyes traced her face, looking for any hints of the truth. The girl was hard to read, but something told Skyler it was the truth.

Skyler let her words spill, in English this time. "Miss Wong, your past may be able to connect with Lilia; but there's no room for it here. Try to be more professional." she said, upset that Elisheva would even mention her past to Lilia. She had her own past to deal with, not someone elses.. and that is why Skyler hadn't told Lilia of her own past; Skyler would not burden her sweet darling daughter with something like that. Like a protective mother, Skyler's arms hugged around of Lilia, and then she spoke.

"What do you want to know?..."

A bit surprised that Lilia spoke up, Skyler smiled and kissed her forehead before gently shifting to give Lilia some more room to breathe, but never let her hand go. "Slow down, Miss Wong.. ask the questions a bit slower." She said, her Russian back in play to keep Lilia's mind at ease. Right now, Skyler was proud of Lilia.. she had chosen to face her fears. It was a big step, and a step Skyler would make with her. "Dominus.. I'll tell you all about that when Lilia is finished answering the questions you have for her, and her alone.. but like I said.. be slow. Give her time. Don't push my daughter, or I'll push you." Skyler said this with a daring tone in her voice, her Southern accent slipping through. She spoke in English this time, keeping Lilia out of this bit. It was evident, though, in her stiff posture, and stern voice that she was being serious. As serious as a heart attack.

by **Twinkletoes** February 9th 2013, 9:31 am

A glaring sense of foreboding slipped into the fractured defences of the girl's psyche, her bruised mind beginning its horrifying venture into dark places. Lilia shuddered, her mouth instantly becoming dry as the warm rosy tint in her supple cheeks began to drain away, she was willingly trespassing into the ghastly chapters of her life. A minor wisp of her trauma was enough to send the young agent into a nervous breakdown, the sheer anxiety from reliving the events that led up to her evolution into a weapon of war was truly sickening. A bitter taste began to gnaw at the back of her tongue, her lips parted as shallow breaths escaped in a rush for freedom, to escape the smouldering terror that constantly gripped her scarred chest. A strong hand was gripped around her demure waist, a gentle loving voice whispering reassuring words that only a mother could conjure. Breathe...breathe...breathe. Mama is here to protect you from that monster, just breathe...he's far away.., she repeated in her head, desperately attemtping to calm the growing panic. Swallowing the bile in the back of her throat Lilia slowly began to form the necessary words to answer the Ms Wong's questions. How could she answer the question without returning to a place that only knew pain and terror? Was she forever trapped in the shame, guilt and horror of her past? Was there no escape?

"Dominus...they kidnapped me. Not only me but other children, from everywhere around the world...", she whispered, blinking away the moisture in her eyes. "They did bad things to us...they...they made the girls do things to one another just so the Handlers could have 'good dreams'. The boys were made to fight each other..." , her voice was barely louder than a whisper, the events of her past haunting her as she spoke. "I'm the only one who survived" , Lilia forced from her mouth, the guilt of being the only survivor penetrating the soft innocence that dwelled in her heart. "...whenever I didn't do what they asked...they...he did bad things to me. He liked that I did ballet...he made sure I danced for him and...and uhh...he made me uhh...", her voice trailed off, she still could not grasp the heinous acts Franklin and his men put her through, they had tampered her soul and ravaged her of all purity and youth that she clung onto so desperately. Simply speaking of her past hurt, hurt more than any knife or needle.

6 years ago

The room was dark, desolate and cold. Shadows crept against the damp floor like horrid spectres, their sinewy black limbs clawing at any wisp of light, snuffing it out with malevolent glee. A rusted pipe overhead dripped with stale water, the monotonous wet chant consistently becoming more and more mind numbing as it continued. Drip. Drip. Drip . There was no warmth, nothing but the suffocating embrace of the concrete walls and the tattered remains of what was once a bed. Mould and decay devoured the linen, the rusted iron framework creaking with pain from any ounce of pressure placed onto the deceased bed. Ticks and fleas roamed freely in the shadowy environment, latching onto the nearest source of blood and indulging themselves in a merry feast of whatever unfortunate soul lay in the small room.

A pale starveling figure was huddled in the corner, the fragile form nestled in what remained of the stained bed linen. Whimpering shallow breaths were forced out of the naked girl, sniffles occasionally rising with the ragged exhales as the ticks drained the fragile body of any remaining blood. Her pained cries stumbled into the unforgiving atmosphere, her bruised and bloody form huddled in a ball as she rocked back and forth. Crimson scabs burnt from the bitter tears that gushed from the girl's cerulean eyes onto the open wounds, the stench of another's sweat clinging to her supple skin like an invisible parasite. There was only excruciating pain and shame coursing through her malnourished body, the scars from her most recent visitor still bleeding and burning, like a fire had been set alight within her abdomen.

She did not know the man. He did not say a word, not when he entered nor when he left. She could not see him,even when his crushing body was pressed against her own. He was just a monstrous silhouette, a grunting and heaving ghoul who took what he came for. Every plea and cry for help was met with a sharp blow to her body, merciless pinches and bites that ripped her skin. The fresh bruises burnt from where the predator choked and bit her, the marks of his dominance torn into her flesh like a beast in the wild. She had begged for release and for mercy...but he could not hear her, the traumatised words were as foreign to him as the dialect that she spoke. She was nothing, a mere piece of flesh to be used and abused. She had no name, they said she no longer deserved one. She had no voice, no will and no power to stop them. She was helpless, a slave to the evil nature of man.

Lilia felt the lump in her throat grow, this was worse than she thought. Her mind throbbed with the swarm of nightmares, every single scar on her body screeching in pain as she returned to hell, to the place of no love. She relived every man who ever touched her, every scientist who forced her body into unbearable measures of pain and terror and every time she was forced to watch someone die, by either her own hands or the men that kept her. Lilia didn't know it but tears were already streaming down her face, the stinging water burning the corners of her eyes as she felt the tremors begin to take hold of her body. "...they...they killed my mama and papa..., she whispered, her gentle voice cracking as the painful words escaped her trembling lips. "I watched them die and...and...", her voice wavered, the soft windchime melody drowning in her sorrow as she began to silently weep. Her body leaning into Skyler's as the pain and sorrow began their merciless assault on her heart and soul.

The agony was still fresh. Still so unbelievably horrifying that her reality had yet to catch up. But she would not give up, she was not going to be defeated by the ghosts of her past, the tears just helped relieve the sorrow by a mere margin...but it still helped. This was a long road and Lilia Ivanov had only just begun the hike to making peace with herself and her past. She just hoped she had the strength to succeed.

by **The Nekromonga** February 9th 2013, 6:19 pm

“My apologies miss Skyler... like I said, I am prone to taking cases personally.”

Ellie listened intently to Lilia’s narrative, and, as she said, she did take her cases personally. There were many parallels, the only differences were Ellie was cuffed and caged, and often restrained, because she had been taught at an early age how to kill. Her stay with her captors was mercifully short, but characterized by violence more than rape. They were only a cell, with a few firearms. Losing teeth or a broken finger only stoked her, and eventually she managed to find herself a weapon and break out, at the cost of the lives of the other girls around her.

Ellie hinged on every word, her silent, unchanging expression hiding a mounting anger against Dominus and Salters himself. She had only a rough idea of their capabilities, but she would make sure to find out. She knew this was bigger than just an international kidnapping case- Dominus was becoming the lead organization in the country, with capabilities to deal with Meta humans. This was much too big for a lone agent from the CIA.

Once Lilia finished her narrative, Ellie remained silent. Beneath her calm exterior was barely contained rage. She wouldn’t care about the law- if she could she’d start waging a war against Dominus herself, the wages of sin had to be repaid in blood. She also weighed the consequences if she could somehow get the story out. Her pragmatism one out- if she reported this to her superiors, nation-wide chaos would ensue. No, as always, that which is most necessary should remain in the shadows- only the outcome need be the worry of the people.

She found herself staring at Skyler for almost two minutes, completely speechless. That wasn’t rehearsed at all, not brainwashed or scripted. She blinked a few times, closing her eyes and clasping her hands together.

“Lilia, you are a very brave girl to share your story. You have my thanks... I hope you will be alright, though I know... nothing I say today can help.” She assured her, then turning to Skyler.

By now, she was convinced that at least, these two were not the sort they were made out to be. “I’m at a loss for words, Miss Snowden. This... this goes much deeper than what my agency can deal with... Legally, anyway. I know you are most capable of handling yourselves... but should you require my assistance, well... let's trade contact information.”

by **Chellizard** February 15th 2013, 11:57 am

Offering a soft smile, Skyler's grip was firm, but comforting within Lilia's petite hand. Shifting her digits, she let her fingers lace into Lilia's, her left leg crossing over her right. She leaned a bit toward Lilia, sharing the chair a bit better now, giving Lilia more of the seat while she started to breathe a bit more heavily, her lips trembling, and her pulse racing. The poor girl's porcelain skin was even more pale, if possible. She looked as if she had seen a ghost.. which was so ironic. Lilia was reliving many ghosts; ghosts that she probably could not shake as easily as Skyler could her own ghosts. Ghosts that still haunt this house, but are easily ignored...

~28 years ago...~
(Aka, Skyler's mild Flashback while Ellie is Absentminded staring at her.)

There are sentences that you never want to hear. Phrases, sequences of words, and vocal patterns. Just, certain things that trigger fear. Mind numbing, hair raising, tear inducing fear. One of those things, one of those sentences.. were often simple. And it all involved Skyler's foster mom, Patricia, leaving the house.

A woman with a small frame, a mousy set of features, and sweet brown eyes pulled on her coat and stepped toward the door. Her brown hair was pulled back into a taut ponytail. Cupping a hand around of her mouth, she leaned around the banister of the stairs before she left, calling up. "Skye! I've got to head to the store; Dane's here, so don't worry. I won't be gone long!" and then came the sound of the heavy oak front door click into it's frame. Click, clack.. click.. clack.. thud thump thud.. was the soft click of short heeled slip on's that Patricia Snowden wore every day. First on wood, then the concrete path. The wind chimes' song got louder just before the door shut, and a breeze whispered through an upstairs window. It passed silky curtains to tickle and toss soft silver hair.

"He's not gonna get me this time, Kenny.." a petite voice muttered into the fluffy white stomach of a teddy bear doll. "I know he's not going to get me.. because you're going to protect me, okay?" whispered that same voice. Shuffling, and the sound of heavy footfalls then resonated the quiet stairwell toward the silver haired girl's room. A small swallowing sound was muffled by the soft white faux fur of Kenny the Teddy bear. "Skyyeeee... are you ready to plaaay?" drunkenly gurgled passed chapped lips and an unshaven face. Squeaking softly, the silver haired child laid down and scooted all the way under her bed, clutching the teddy bear to her chest. The small, chubby knuckles were turning white from how hard she grasped the bear. She whimpered a bit, and stuffed her face against the neck of the toy, muffling the squeaking sobs. The clicking, whining turn of the old door knob to her heavy white finished door sent shivers of terror down Skye's spine. The tears started slow. Well, they had started the moment her mother left the house, but now they hurt. The stinging sensation from the salty streams made her blink furiously. She wiped her face into the fuzzy stomach of her teddy bear, swallowing again.

"Skyyyeee.. I juuust want to plaaay.." gurgled the drunken voice. A weak whine tried to escape Skye's lips while she pressed Kenny tighter against her face, her form curling up into a tight ball. She had her knees pressed all the way to her chest. Her knees were scabbed, her legs were bruised, and she was a bit dirty from playing outside prior to being in her room. Her shorts and simple tank top were dirty, and reflected her tomboyish personality. Large, stinging silver eyes were staring just over the top of Kenny's head at the large, leather shoe covered feet pacing slightly. "Skyyyyeee! C'mooon kiiiiddoo!" gurgled the voice, a hiccup passing the man's lips before he wrenched open the closet door. When he was done flicking and pushing around the neatly hung clothes, he paced toward the door to leave. His feet shuffled for a moment, his form staggering. Skye was trying her best to be quiet. She let out a soft whine, her sobs of terror ripping through her, and muffling into Kenny. They were heard.

She had no time to react. The man, Dane McHale, reached and yanked Skye out from under the bed by her hair. Her grip was lost on the teddy bear. Kenny fell, his plush body hitting the hardwood floor, and bouncing before lolling over onto his side. The hand on her hair was ripping and pulling out the soft silver strands, and it brought more tears and sobs to rack her form. "Shhhhh baby. I just want to plaaay..." he whispered, leaning his face closer. Skye could smell the alcohol, the marijuana, the vile stench of a child abuser. She swallowed and nodded to her best ability. "O-o-okay-y..." she stammered, her lower lip trembling with the fear that had completely engrossed her mind. And then the fun began. Hitting, slapping, tossing, grabbing and holding her down. She tried to ignore him, ignore what was happening.. but this happened every time that her mommy left. Dane made Skye promise not to tell Mommy, because if Mommy knew, then Skye would get taken away. She wasn't going to let anyone take her away from her mommy, so she kept Mommy's boyfriend's secret safe.

She would never tell her Mommy what Mister Dane did to her, ever. She only told Kenny, and Kenny would always keep the promise. Afterall, he was just a stuffed bear.

Blinking away a few absentminded tears, Skyler brought herself back to reality. She had sat very still, just breathing calmly and gently rubbing Lilia's back while she spoke. Each word that passed Lilia's lips, each little sound, put Skyler on edge. She did not want Lilia to be pushed too hard with this, and so she made sure to keep herself attentive through it all. It was hard not to listen. The pain in Lilia's voice wrenched and tore at Skyler's heart and soul, but she had to be strong for her daughter. She was never going to break the promises she made to Lilia. Never. When Lilia started to break down into her fit of sobs and tears, Skyler just wrapped her arms around of her and pulled Lilia into her lap, gently rocking while she mumbled gently into Lilia's ear. "Shh, it's all right.. it's all right. I'm here for you, and I'm not going anywhere.." She swallowed gently and kissed Lilia's temple, then let her attention turn to Ellie.

"I'm sure we can trade information. I'd be more than glad to help you from inside Dominus. Afterall, the only reason I'm there is to protect Lilia.. but it seems even when I leave her with one of the agents I trust, she gets herself hurt.." she swallowed again, blinking away the tears and sniffling to give a soft, comforting smile to Lilia. She then continued, in English of course, so Lilia did not have to hear these parts. "The injuries Lilia has suffered from recently are from a bad day out with her friend Shayla. Turns out someone came to visit that shouldn't have. Either way, Lilia has a fractured wrist, that should be healed up soon; several bruised and a few fractured ribs. She had a bit of internal hemmoraging, but it settled itself with rest and fluids. She also has permanent damage to her womanhood; scarring on her feet, and legs. Not to mention the amount of stress she's under, coupled with the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. All I can do is my best.. and being a Doctor, I know my way around helping her, in more ways than one. You cannot let your agency meddle with this. You need to find a way to have Russia back off; any way you can. If you need my help, you know where to find me.." she said, shifting a bit to brush her fingers through Lilia's hair.

"Shh.. it's all right, I promise. No one is going to get you." she said softly, kissing Lilia's forehead and leaning her head against Lilia's. She rocked gently for a few moments more before glancing to Elisheva. "It's tough when Karma is so kind to me lately. It only means that I'll get what's coming to me eventually. Considering I have done some bad things in my past.. but I haven't been punished yet. I fear that I'll be forced to sacrifice things I never want to lose.." she said, softly. She was mainly speaking to herself as she trailed off, her eyes wet, but transfixed on Ellie's own orbs.

The Rabbit wasn't as late as he thought, this time.

by **Twinkletoes** February 16th 2013, 6:48 am

Skyler's dealings with the young agent soon went unnoticed by Lilia, the girl preferring to nestle into her guardian's arms as the conversation lasted long into the late afternoon. Her tears were dried up and her attention was more often than not focused on the fancy AIVA bracelet around her skinny wrist and the admittedly comfortable bra comfortably snuggled around her perky chest. Here the ballerina felt safe, admitting to the inhumane torture she endured was painful but at the same time she felt a weight lifted off her shoulders. Although this was far from full recovery, the tragic memories of her torture still reverberating throughout her fragile conscious, the young Russian had finally taken her first steps in facing her demons. Every horrid crimson scar that stained her porcelain skin was true testament and a painful reminder of what foul deeds the girl was forced to suffer. Her loving adoptive mother slowly vanquished any fear or doubt that threatened to harm the dainty teenager, any mention of Franklin Salters often disregarded and avoided simply because the Snowden household provided sanctuary. Lilia Ivanov, the prima ballerina and one of Dominus' most prized weapons had turned a new leaf, she was a survivor.

The exhaustion of such emotional withdrawal took a toll on the young agent and her minutes in silence listening to the voices of her silver haired guardian and the Asian woman sent her into the slow comforting descent of sleep. Her starveling form sunk into Skyler's embrace, the soft sleepy breaths gently caressing her guardian's collarbone as light, barely audible mewls escaped her peachy lips. Lilia's mind drifted between consciousness and slumber, her drowsiness barely registering agent Wong's eventual departure but a polite albeit lagged simper was what she could muster when the front door was closed. The day's meeting had ended.

"Is she gone...?", the ballerina mumbled, a feathery yawn escaping her lips as some moisture trickled from the corners of her sky blue eyes. Clinging to her mother's arm, the girl followed Skyler up the stairs and into their shared bedroom, only conscious enough to remove her clothes and crawl into the safe and cozy confines of the master bed. It was relatively early sleeping at this time, but her mind and heart were on overdrive and the girl simply did not want to force herself to undergo anymore anxiety or stress. Her fatigued state eventually snagged her in its blissful grip and the last thing she felt before sleeping was the gentle kiss of a beloved friend and the distant chirpings of some grasshoppers. She was safe.

***

"Come..", an enchanting voice whispered. The sweet syllables licking the air with such a tantalising command. There was no reply.

A gush of frigid wind blasted the surrounding terrain with a terrific blanket of chilling air, forcing the drooping and contorting masses of debris to momentarily freeze in place. A distant siren wailed like a banshee, it's haunting cry bleeding into the frenetic breeze as the sky began to shimmer with a brilliant radiance. What was once a deep indigo canvas quickly became a dazzling light show, multi-coloured auroras garnishing the hypnotic midnight scene with bountiful and sublime trails of neon light that spanned into the horizon. These evanescent ribbons of atmospheric light glimmered in the great beyond, illuminating the ruins a lonel figure stood amongst. Like a glimmering silhouette the single female stood perfectly still, ethereal but frozen, like a statue waiting for a millennia to merely gaze at the sheer beauty that danced in the heaven's above.

"It is almost time...", the voice said in a hushed tone, an invisible caress of a finger dancing in the breeze at the lone female.

Lilia stood at the edge of an endless opening, a deep, eerie crevice that moaned like a beast from the underworld. Her cerulean eyes scanned the majestic horizon, her ears straining to hear the enchanting voice that called to her, such a beautiful voice it was. She did not move, fearing that if she even fidgeted the voice would disappear into the endless night, forever lost in the black winds of the lulling dreamscape. This was not the first time she had had this dream, it was a recurring scene. The feminine voice, the auroras that spanned on forever and the plagued ruins she stood in. Every single night like, as if it was pre-programmed in her subconscious to play this enchanting episode over and over again.

"Where are you...?", the ballerina whispered in return, gazing at the empty darkness before her. A place where no aurora would dare venture into. "Please, come out", she gently prodded, hoping some internal politeness would draw out the mysterious being.

There was silence.

The sky seemed to freeze and the Aurora's brilliant ouster began to fade into the smoggy blackness of the artificial night. This had never happened before. The earth rumbled and the siren in the distance began to wail once more, albeit much more slowly and in a note so deep it was practically bellowing. This was different. Whenever she asked a question she would wake up, eyes flash open back into the room she shared with Skyler. But no, her mind was not allowing her the luxury of escaping just yet.

"Soon...my daughter...soon", whispered the voice, a melancholic tone entwined with a hypnotic lullaby as the words slivered into the young girl's hearing. A glimmer of pale blue light flickered in Lilia's peripherals, a momentary glimpse at something beautiful, something frightening and majestic. A chill ran down the ballerina's spine, something or someone was watching her...but she was frozen in place, her eyes never fully capturing the mirage that stood in the edge of her vision.

She wanted to turn around and demand questions, discover the meaning of these strange dreams but she was terrified. What if it was a monster ready to pounce? Such a thought was highly plausible in this dreamscape so she continued gazing at the auroras. She wanted to wake up, she needed to wake up but at the same time her heart begged her to stay in this world, discover the secret to its whispery ballads. She wanted to question everything but she already knew...she already knew what figure pranced at the edge of her vision. It was an unmistakable mirage, like a forgotten piece of film was being played in her mind. There was a nauseating nostalgia seeping into her veins. How could this all feel so familiar? Why did this mystery figure demand so much adoration and fear from the sleeping girl? These questions were but minor distractions from the very obvious truth.

The figure was a lone female, startingly beautiful and angelic, like a goddess from ancient myth. The pale icy blue aura melted into the indigo sky, the unnerving chill still burrowing its glacial fingers into the ballerina's spine. She was beautiful, a being from ancient fables and yet so familiar at the same time. Who was she? What did she want with Lilia? All she whispered was repeated over and over again, the disturbing drone of her lullaby finding its way into the young Russian's mind.

"Soon."

(end Lilia! Oooooh dream sequence)

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