Asylum *HF* Chapter 11
By collaborative
Mysty found Markus quite easily. He was secluded in a huge, round control room with a few technicians who were desperately trying to get the equipment running with the limited power they had. She blew the door open with a TK blast and faced a surprised and angered Markus. She ignored him for a few moments, taking her time to look at everything. She noticed that only some of his camera monitors were working, and the one outside that door wasn't one of them.
"Fancy place ya got here. I'm afraid we broke some of your toys though." His hands were clenched at his sides. He watched her, his hate and anger very tangible. "But aside from technical difficulties, how are you doing? Not that I really give a damn, but, hey... why break the habit of politeness? Oh, wait...I know. Because you're a fucking murderous bastard!"
"I AM a servant of G..." Mysty cut him off, using TK to constrict his throat.
"I'm sorry, what was that? I can't hear you. What?" she taunted. Markus glared at her harder and refused to fight with her power. He would not be perceived as weak. "Aww, c'mon. It's just not as much fun if you don't fight back." She held on a moment or two longer, then released him. Despite his best efforts, he gasped and coughed for air.
At that moment, the technicians decided to make a run for a door on the opposite side of the room. Rage, quite impatient for a good target, set upon them unmercifully. Once finished though, she came out of her rage and passed out not far from Mysty. She used her powers to lower her gently to the ground. That just left her and Markus.
"Aww, look. We're alone. Well, I guess you could call this alone. I mean, they're dead," she gestured to the bloodied and broken technicians. "And she's gonna be out for a few minutes anyway. I s'pose we should make this a quickie then." It was her turn to grin maliciously. With her powers back and the effect of the drugs wearing off, she was in a rather vindictive and mischievous mood.
"Let's play a game shall we?" Her grin broadened.
"I don't play games," Markus seethed.
Mysty laughed coldly. "You've been playin' plenty of games with peoples lives, with their heads. But it seems to me that you never learned proper manners growing up. It seems the concepts of taking turns has eluded you entirely. Well, it's my turn now and I pick.... truth or dare." He raised his eyebrows. "I'm gonna ask you some questions and I dare you to lie to me." She was smiling but her voice held dangerous fury.
Markus kept the appearance of strength and loathing, but his eyes betrayed him. They showed his fear. He was fucked and he knew it.
"Let's see, first question. I have these horrid blank spots in my memories. Tell me, why is that?"
"That is your own fault. You caused that," he growled.
"Wrong answer." With her power he was flung like a rag doll against one of the consoles and then to the floor. The impact knocked the breath from him. He wheezed for air, but otherwise made no sound. As he brought himself to a kneeling position, Mysty smiled.
"Now that's a position that looks good on you. I may have to teach you "beg" next. I think could be quite interesting." Markus got to his feet defiantly. "Hmmm, question number two. I know you haven't given me all of your attention. What have you done to my friends?"
"Not nearly enough. I should have killed you all."
Mysty shook her head. "You just don't learn." Markus was then hit with a small blast. Again, he fell to the floor. He rose halfway and glared at her.
"You don't get it do you? You're a plague, a disease, a cancer to God's people. The only acceptable option is to eradicate the disease. You can not be allowed to poison all of humanity!"
Mysty's attention was on Markus, but she knew that Siren and Marvel Girl had entered the room. MG went to Rage who was beginning to stir, but Siren stood a few feet from Mysty, fixed on the scene before her. The girl was torn between hate and fear, though hate was definitely the overpowering emotion. She, too, wanted a piece of Markus, but there was no way she was going to interrupt these two.
"Ya know what? This really is an overrated game. I have a much easier and more accurate way to get from you what I want. It's a lot more fun too."
Markus's eyes went wide as Mysty entered his mind. Mysty smiled at his fear and shock. But that smile faded as she delved into his thoughts, his memories. She saw her friends, torture and drugs, his common methods of "treatment". Seeing herself given shock treatment of several occasions made her tremble with anger. She went back farther into his memories, seeing past victims. Masses of mutants tortured and broken, no longer human. She was hit with a wave of nausea as she realized that there were lower levels in this compound where the tortured beings were kept. They were packed into cages, let out only to be tortured. All hope and love gone, they knew only fear, pain, and survival. Small wonder they only cannibalized the dead or dying. But some were there, not yet broken. A flame of hope still there, but slowly being snuffed out as with the other occupants. When she was through there, they could be rescued. But she wasn't through yet.
As sickening as that revelation was, she went back still farther. She saw the events that had taken place in Italy. Only now did she know what atrocities they had prevented by attacking swiftly. Faintly, Mysty noticed the entrance of other mutants. Familiar they seemed, but she was to far in to identify them. She could feel surges of pain from Markus. Pain from her mind forcefully sifting through his. Good, she thought. The bastard could never suffer enough for all this.
The memories, the plans, and the sheer enjoyment he took in his work continued to flash before her. She went all the way back to a time when he was married. The woman was beautiful, but unhappy, wary. Then Mysty saw why. She too was a mutant, unknown to Markus for some time. But when he found out, he had shot her while aboard a luxury yacht. Behind it all, a terrified little boy watched, screaming and crying as she fell into the choppy waters of the Mediterranean. Mysty watched as Markus took a hold of the boy, shaking him, smacking him, and telling him to never cry for the wicked. To never speak of that "filthy witch" ever again.
Mysty released her grip on Markus's mind. He fell, momentarily consumed by the pain in his mind and the sudden release. Mysty watched uncaring. Her hands were clenched in fists so tight, that even her short nails cut into her palms, but she didn't notice. Encompassed by her rage, tears streamed silently down her face. She watched him, waiting.
“Get up,” she growled so low it was near a whisper. He looked up at her, defiance in his eyes. “GET UP!” He was fearful now. He didn’t move, so Mysty forced him up with her power. “You murderous…you…” She could think of nothing that would probably describe him. He opened his mouth to say something. A syllable or two sputtered out, but that was immediately silenced. “SHUT UP!!!” She was trembling from a fury that kept building, seeming to have no end. “Never…NEVER again!”
Daemon, who had arrived with Hawkeye, Loki, and Scrib as Mysty had been submersed in the mind of Markus, reached out. MG quickly caught his hand and gave him a warning glance. In her current state of mind, Mysty would likely lash out at anyone interfering. It seemed MG knew a little more of what was going on. Perhaps she had brushed the surface of Mysty’s mind. Perhaps she didn’t have to. Whatever the case, he trusted her judgment and withdrew.
Mysty stalked close to Markus, more dangerous than any predator. He was held there, part by fear, part by her. She stopped only two feet from him.
“W-what are you doing?” he stammered weakly. She did not answer him, only stood observing him for a moment. She then raised her right hand and pointed her first two fingers at his head. She moved her hand down, never touching him, until she pointed at his chest. Her eyes and finger tips glowed a deep, electric purple. Markus groaned in pain and his body tried to double over, but she held him rigid. His body was lifted from the ground and sent to hover a few feet ahead for all to see.
Mysty used her mind to see into his body, to see the very cell structure. There, she began imploding cells and turning them upon each other. She made sure he felt each and every one. The destruction spread like the shockwave of an explosion though very, very slowly. Inhuman screams of pain and terror ripped from his throat. She made him survive to the end. For him, it was like an eternity, when in truth it was only a few minutes. A short torture for someone who had devoted his life to bringing torment to so many people.
“AAARRROOONNN!!!” was his final scream as he became consumed in a brilliant purple white light. Then there was nothing.
Mysty collapsed to the floor, barely holding on to consciousness. Hands were around her. Many hands, but she could not connect them with their owners. She was completely numb. All her senses began darkening. Her head was buzzing. Get out…now! Commanded a voice. She thought that she must be hallucinating, but an image flashed in her mind. An image that made her cold with fear.
“get…out…must…” she muttered to anyone who might hear. Feeling as though she were drowning, she gave in to the darkness, unable to hold on any longer.
_ _ _ _ _ _
“Why?! Mysty!” Daemon shook her, but she was out. In fact, she was comatose.
Siren, though awe struck by what she had witnessed, had run to her friend the moment she had begun to fall. Now, she jumped back, trembling, her gaze becoming distant. In her mind, she saw a great explosion. The crying out of many tortured souls and their silence in a fiery wave. It consumed everything and it was soon to come.
“Siren…what is it?!” MG asked, gently shaking the girl. She came out of the vision as if startled awake.
“Oh God!” She looked at the others. “We gotta get out…we gotta get out now! This place is rigged to blow!”
‘When?” Hawkeye questioned.
“I…I don’t know. Soon.”
Loki bent down and lifted Mysty. “Well, then now would be a good time to split. Personally, I ain’t in the mood for a bar-b-q, especially since it means I would be on the menu,” he said as he made quickly for the door. The others closely followed him with Siren bringing up the rear.
They all passed quickly through the halls, all the while Siren’s dread was mounting. Thankfully, it seemed that all the earlier opposition had vacated. They must have obviously known what their master had in mind if his place were ever exposed. With no resistance, their progress was fast. They didn’t have much further to go when fate decided to abandon them, or Siren anyway. They had been running through a darkened hall. None had noticed the shadowy form that lay still in an indentation in the wall. That was, until he took his assault rifle and swung it like a bat at Siren’s legs. There was a short string of wet cracks and a cry of pain from her. The momentum carried her forward to the ground to land in a heap. The pain was intense and worsened as she tried to move her right leg. The man leaped out from his shadow, rifle raised with the intention of beating her to death. As his figure loomed over her a fist shot out, connecting with his face and crushing it. The impact sent the man backwards where he fell dead to the floor.
Daemon knelt down beside her, checking her quickly. It was obvious her knee was broken. He’d have to carry her out. No big deal. He was about to, as gently as possible, maneuver her into his arms when a low rumbling touched his sensitive hearing. The floor began to vibrate, then shake. He scooped her up quickly, ignoring her cry which was part pain, part fear.
As he ran in the direction of the exit, a golden glow began to illuminate the once dark passage. With his speed he burst out the door into the courtyard and made it to the outer perimeter as the explosion consumed the institute.
Between the team and those that were rescued and their way home was a horde of reporters. Daemon and Siren suddenly found themselves the focus of a lot of unwanted attention. So many people were talking at once that even Daemon couldn’t sort it all out. He forced his way through the crowd while trying his hardest not to jostle Siren. At the sight of lights and cameras though, Siren had kept her jaw clenched, her face determined, and her moans of pain silenced. One particularly annoying reporter followed them through the crowd, unable to take the hint. Hawkeye moved casually, put his hand up and crushed the camera lens as if it were no more significant than a wad of paper. That brought a cry and a stream of curses from the man, all of which were easily ignored.
Marvel Girl, who had herself made her way through the human gauntlet, was getting quite irritated. The mass was pushing even closer to their transports. They were causing serious distress to the newly freed mutants. They were disrupting the teams departure. It was about time to put an end to this headline feast.
“I would highly suggest you back away from the transports!” she boomed, as four ventured still closer. They didn’t listen, only caring about what they could get on camera. Being outright ignored seriously pissed her off. She rose in the air, the Phoenix Force flaming about her as an unearthly flame. That got their attentions. Without so much as a gesture she sent the force lashing outward, destroying all camera and recording equipment. Some people were fearful, some awe struck, but all obeyed her.
_ _ _ _ _ _
4 Days Later
Mysty shot up out of the bed she was in, fearful. She was in a room with one door out and nothing but a bed. No, not again…she repeated to herself over and over. It took a moment for her heart to stop racing for her to notice some of the other things around her. She was in a hospital room. At least that’s what it reminded her of. She sat in her bed, cross-legged and watched the door. She was too tired to move. She absentmindedly began playing with a loose strand of hair. Braiding it, then unbraiding it. Wrapping it around her finger, then unwrapping it. The whole while she alternated between singing quietly to herself or humming. Music had always calmed her. Ten minutes after awakening alone, the door opened. Mysty froze what she was doing and stared intently at the door, wondering whom it was but also dreading whom it could be.
She was shocked to see Charlotte and Celeste walk through the door. Mysty sat fixated on the two, who smiled at her.
‘Well, nice to see you finally decided to wake up,” Charlotte said.
Mysty smiled faintly and nodded. “So we’re not in the Asylum then anymore?”
“Well, nothing gets past you does it?” Charlotte replied dryly. “What do you remember?”
“Er…almost being shot in the head by Loki. Seeing Markus. But after that I don’t know what happened.”
“Well,” Siren spoke up. “You missed quite a bit. But we’ll catch you up on everything later. You need to rest.”
“Yes. You’re looking a tad Ethiopian. You need some food.”
Mysty slowly stood up and, with help from Siren, walked to a mirror. She was shocked to see that she had lost so much weight in the time they had been captives.
“My god. How long were we in that Hell?” she asked.
“From what they’ve told us, about three weeks,” Rage said.
“Heh. Well, that would explain why I’m so thin. You try not eating for three weeks.”
“I’d die. No, wait. I’d die only to come back and have to suffer this again,” Rage said with a sigh.
Mysty looked over at her and shook her head. “Aww, c’mon Rageypoo. You don’t wanna die. What would ya do without me?”
“Lead a saner existence without having to suffer you calling me Rageypoo,” she replied with a shudder. Siren and Mysty just laughed quietly, while Charlotte glared at the both of them.
“So…about this food. Know where I can get any good Italian?” Mysty said with a smile.
“Well, you ARE in Italy. Gee I wonder…” Siren said rolling her eyes.
“SPAGHETTI!” Mysty exclaimed and Rage looked sick.
“Ugh, I hate that stuff,” Rage groaned. Mysty’s jaw dropped at that.
“You. Hate. Spaghetti. My god woman!” Mysty couldn’t believe it. The other two simply laughed at her look of shock and left the room after telling her they’d be back with some clothes for her to put on, seeing as how they didn’t think she’d want to go eat in a hospital gown.
Mysty collapsed in a chair after they had left. It felt different now. Being alone. She didn’t like it. It scared her. She used to enjoy being alone. Had asshole changed that much in a few short weeks? She hoped his soul was slowly burning in hell. She wondered how he had died, if he had died. She couldn’t remember. So many blank spots in her memory. She didn’t like that one bit. She looked up as her door opened again and Siren came back through carrying some clothes. Black jeans and a red shirt.
Mysty looked from the clothes to Siren’s face then back. “You want me to kill you don’t you?” Siren had the look of someone trying to fight laughter.
“It wasn’t my idea. It was Char’s.”
“Riiiight,” Mysty said shaking her head. “Get out so I can get dressed. At least the red is bright and noticeable. That way if I happen to walk down a dark alley you guys won’t lose me!” Siren just shook her head laughing and walked out of the door. Mysty slowly got dressed, trying hard to not think of what had been done to her, but also wanting to know what she didn't remember. She knew some things were different now, things she wouldnt' be able to change. Mysty finished dressing and sighed.
THE END