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Watching the buxom brunette through narrowed eyes Zephyr allowed the silence to drag out as Duskmoor remained willfully silent, seemingly content to play with her clothing and resolutely ignore the tablet in her hand as she stared fixedly at the floor. On anyone else the behavior might have come across as timid or even chary, and for a brief moment the elemental considered the slim possibility that the girl might honestly be too scared to speak to him.

Then she opened her mouth.

Discourse was not one of the soubrettes strengths and, given her recalcitrant mind set, the jejune retort was far from unexpected. That didn’t make it any less annoying however, and for a few short seconds the elemental toyed with the idea of giving the gamine yet another lesson in manners before ultimately choosing to dismiss the notion for the time being. Tempting though the thought might have been, he’d placed the Promise on the girl precisely because he’d wanted to avoid wasting time beating her into submission whenever they met.

Just like now actually.

The realization gave Zephyr a moment’s pause and his expression lost a measure of its hostility as a trace of curiosity entered his gaze and he took a slow, deliberate, breath before reappraising the situation in front of him.

When he’d first set out to bind Duskmoor to him the elemental had originally intended to rely on the inherent compulsion within her Promise to, well… tame her to a degree. Because while it was quite possible to control someone through fear, it was far easier if they actually wanted to do what you said. If he’d waited another few months to hold this little confrontation he likely could have had the soubrette skipping by his side and literally eating out of his palm if he wanted.

Unfortunately he didn’t have another few months, that being said; even a partially developed compulsion would hold some sway over the gamines thoughts. Provided he didn’t propose anything too outlandish, and chose his words with care… he might just be able to pull it off without the girl being any the wiser.

First things first though, it never hurt to have a backup plan in place, nor a certain degree of privacy. Slinging his satchel from his shoulder to his main hand the elemental swiftly unzipped the bag and spent a brief moment toying with the contents, specifically a slender black box slightly smaller than a VCR. His hand moved with a practiced motion, flipping a number of the switches on the front panel and he spoke in a warning tone which echoed clearly through the room and disguised the initial hum the device made as it began to activate.

“I have very little patience for you right now Duskmoor. In fact I’m sorely tempted to repeat some of the lessons I’ve given you before.”[/color] He trailed off briefly as his hand drifted into another of the satchels compartments and he deftly palmed a small half circle of metal into his jacket pocket before continuing. “ However I’m going to give you a chance. I’m not asking for anything unreasonable. Just behave; don’t get angry with me, and tell me what you were going to do.”[/b]

As he was talking, the tablet in Isabel’s hand flashed from a crisp video image to a collection of static as though it were nothing more than a poorly tuned TV. The disturbance barely lasted more than a few seconds however and seemed to go completely unnoticed by the soubrette as the flood of black and white streaks was rapidly replaced by a simple error message before the device shut itself down without a sound.

Technology truly was a marvel of the modern age. Consider, for just a moment, the sheer wealth of information at your fingertips. With nothing more than the press of a button you can follow the sociopolitical events of another country, learn the names and locations of distant solar systems as well as the orbits of the celestial bodies found within. You can find tools to acquaint and familiarize yourself with knowledge in the realms of science, literature and mathematics.

Or scroll through untold images of felines in various improbable circumstances. That was apparently quite popular too.

Shaking his head at such a notion Zephyr nevertheless followed through with his train of thought as he rested in the backseat of the cab currently making its way through the usual chaotic turmoil of the city streets.

Information was more freely available now that it had been in any other time in history. While this was a fact to be lauded and praised in various academic and philanthropist circles, the truth of the matter was that freedom of information had shifted from a virtue to a vice. There was simply too much available, and with no effective way to separate the wheat from the chaff, the masses inevitably ended up listening to whoever happened to shout the loudest.

The elemental was well aware that his thoughts on these matters were far from popular, especially in the oh so democratic nation of America; the country of opportunity where all was fair and every man was treated equal- no wait, that was communism. Funny how the two could be so easily confused at times.

In any case, as far the Zephyr was concerned his views on the flooding of information were perfectly justified in the article before him. Footage of a mutant girl, barely more than a child, left beaten, broken and bloody by what seemed to be members of the city’s very own NYPD in an unexplained fit of rage. The video had torn through the internet like a rampaging herd of cattle, rapidly subverting all other news and swiftly coming under the auspice of national media branding it a ‘Horrific Crime of Hatred’.

At least, that’s what some were calling it, there were actually quite a number of news agencies who possessed an antipodean view of the matter and praised the NYPD for keeping the streets safe and preventing the rise of another Isabel Duskmoor…

Thinking of the brunette once again Zephyr issued a slight sigh as he placed the small tablet computer beside him on the backseat and glanced idly out the car window as his mind turned to the subject of the rather volatile young woman.

Ever since their little… affair, in Chicago a number of weeks ago he’d largely left the girl to her own devices. All but breaking off contact after he’d dropped her off at Sanctuary with some clean attire and an idle remark not to dwell on what had happened between them because it wasn’t important.

He’d chosen to keep his distance for a number of reasons, partially to give the gamine a rather needed rest. She’d been in quite a state after he’d extracted the Promise, and while he’d enjoyed the quiet on the trip back, it had been quite clear she’d need some time to herself before she could be of any real use.

He’d also wanted to test the soubrette to a degree, a combination of curiosity and practicality causing him to wonder just how long the girl would remain cowed when he wasn’t present to reinforce the lesson. He had no intention of babysitting the soubrette after all and so he needed to gain some idea of how long she could be left to herself. She’d actually been doing quite well lately which made his visit today something of a pity.

Finally, the elemental had also wanted to give the Promise a chance to take root. Honestly he’d been hoping for at least a solid two months before he’d have to step in. The associated compulsion within the Promise would have been far from absolute but, from what he understood, it would have been sufficient to begin influencing the behavior of most individuals.

Annoyingly however, this…. Fiasco, with the NYPD was forcing him to re-evaluate his plans and so Zephyr now found himself returning to Sanctuary somewhat sooner than he would have liked. It couldn’t be helped though, Duskmoors attitude towards the police was well known as was her belief in the homosuperior philosophy. There was no way in hell she’d take news of the mutant girls beating quietly and the last thing the situation needed right now was another one of her bloody rampages.

Not yet anyway.

Instructing the cab to pull over a few short blocks away from Sanctuary Zephyr pocketed his tablet and retrieved a small satchel he’d left in the trunk before quickly making his way to one of Sanctuary’s many side entrances. While normally kept locked a small burst of air from inside was all it took for the elemental to gain entry and swiftly make his way to the lobby.

In all likelihood Duskmoor had already left but the fact that he’d yet to hear sirens gave the mercenary some slim hope that he might yet catch her. Of course, if the girl had actually answered her bloody phone he might not have had to come down at all. As it was though he’d prepared for the eventuality that he might have missed her; she’d have to return at some point after all and when she did-

CRASH

On second thought, he might actually be in luck.

Moving at a fast pace which more than a walk but not quite a run Zephyr headed down the hallway after the sound of wanton destruction. In all honesty it was a rather interesting trial of breadcrumbs he had to follow and all but impossible to miss and so he managed to catch with the buxom bonemancer relatively quickly, catching sight of her as he rounded a corner just a short distance from the main lobby and the infamous golden doors.

“Duskmoor.”[/color]

He didn’t yell, with his talents he didn’t have to. He pitched her name across the brief space between them and forced the surrounding air to carry it straight to her ears with rather more force than was strictly necessary. The moment her name hit her Isabel’s destructive march came to an abrupt halt as she stumbled and nearly collapsed against the wall.

Not giving her a chance to gather her bearings Zephyr quickly closed the few feet between them and put himself between her and the golden doors, letting her see his less than pleased expression and watching as the rage drained from her face as her features paled.

“You’re coming with me.”[/color] He spoke quietly this time, barely more than a whisper, as he leaned over and grasped her arm just below the shoulder.

"Don’t even think about fighting me on this.”[/color] He warned her as he hauled the soubrette back to her feet and all but dragged her away from the lobby and back into Sanctuary.

It was time to set a few ground rules.

He’d never seen Duskmoor cry before, never had the time or opportunity to wear her down, get past her almost instinctive anger and find the frightened child that lay beneath. Now that he’d seen her like this though, he almost wished he hadn’t.

Seeing the girl like this, without her bluff bravado or mindless fury… it had an immensely humanizing effect. Before he’d almost been able to convince himself that he’d been dealing with little more than wild creature; something which either needed to be chained or put down. Now though, as he watched fresh tears spill from terrified brown eyes, and felt her bare body heave against him with each sobbing breath, it was far too clear that he was dealing with a broken human being. A girl who could have been just like his sisters, if only things had been different.

Ignoring the sour taste such thoughts left him Zephyr stayed where he was, forcing himself to meet the gamines petrified gaze as he focused on feeding the flames higher and closer with what little spare air the room had left. He wasn’t doing this because he enjoyed it, not anymore; whatever petty sense of satisfaction he might have gotten had stopped the moment the gamine had begun crying. Now he was simply trying to end this distasteful act as quickly as possible, because if the girl didn’t give in soon he would have to start carrying through on his threats.

"I promise! I promise to always do as you say!"[/color]

The words were mangled, almost incomprehensible, as the soubrette struggled to speak past her sobbing breaths. Nonetheless, the instant the promise had left her lips the flames died down, reduced to little more than faint candlelight.

As for Zephyr, he remained where he was for a handful of seconds, staring into Duskmoors panicked eyes, looking for anything other than the sheer fear the gamine was showing before her breath suddenly hitched and a tremor coursed through her entire body. At the same moment the girls terrified expression faded and she instead gazed up at him with a mixture of surprise and uncertainty even as her chest continued to heave with each shaking breath she took.

Despite the silent question he could read in her gaze Zephyr said nothing, merely giving Duskmoor a short nod as he masked his sense of triumph and fatigue as he slowly pulled himself away. If he was right, and his plan had worked, the elemental could only begin to guess what the girl was feeling as she was bound by her promise and so trying to answer her would be foolish at best, even more so given that he wanted the brunette to remain ignorant of precisely what had happened for as long as possible.

Instead as he stood back to his full height his eyes once again trailed down the soubrettes shapely figure as he searched for the last sign that his plan had worked. In the dim light and under the dried blood which caked her skin he nearly missed it. The mark had formed at the top of her pelvis, what little he could make out on the clean edge of her hip suggesting a strange tribal design.

Whether it was weariness, curiosity or both that moved him next the elemental wouldn’t be able to say, all he knew was that his hand had moved seemingly of its own accord drifting lightly across Duskmoors skin, fingers gently scraping away the dead blood as he traced the unnatural tattoo which now chained Duskmoors hips as one thought echoed slowly through his head.

He’d done it.

It was almost too easy.

Masking a smirk Zephyr carefully kept his features impassive as he stared down at Duskmoor. The fire had caught her completely off guard, so much so that she’d forgotten to keep her back arched, prompting a hiss of pain when the sharp edge of the desk had bit into her spine, forcing the gamine to thrust her nearly bare hips upwards once more in what would have been a rather appealing motion had she not been covered in blood and spikes.

More importantly though the girl had essentially stopped fighting, she’d given up, her frantic, barely coherent pleas were more than proof of that. Add in what little could be seen of her face showed that her skin had become deathly ashen as she stared wide eyed at the flames in his hand, and it was clear that Duskmoor was well and truly terrified.

It might have been vindictive, petty and cruel but even so, for just a few short seconds, the elemental couldn’t help but feel some small sense of gratification for finally tearing the soubrette down; for making her face mortality and forcing her to realize just how vulnerable she really was.

Then the moment passed, and Zephyr pulled his hand away; a short curving motion which brought the flames over the two bodies resting on each of the girls arms, coaxing new fires into life as the silk suits on each corpse quickly caught light, framing the brunette features in fire as she finally found the words he’d been waiting to hear.

"Just tell me what you want me to say! What do you want me to do?"[/color]

Almost at once the fires seemed to die down, the harsh crimson light fading to a more subdued amber flicker as Zephyr planted a pale hand besides Duskmoors head and then gradually leaned down until his face was less than a foot away from her own. A dangerous gamble in other circumstances but as it was the girl had seen with her own eyes how futile her attempts to kill him were, she’d hold back, if only to avoid angering him even more and if she didn’t, well… there was a reason his skin had just turned a few shades paler; he wasn’t all there.

When he was close enough to feel her panting breaths the elemental stopped and held her gaze before he spoke in a low voice of absolute certainty which brooked no argument.

” One chance Duskmoor, one last chance.” The words were cold and crisp, each one chosen with care as his thoughts focused on the third party listening through his phone. He needed this to be perfect the first time.

“Give me your word. No. Promise that you’ll always do as I say, or I will leave you here to rot in this charnel house you created.”

He paused then, waiting for some form of response and when none came the surrounding flames swiftly grew in intensity. “Say it.”

There was a saying about the best laid plans.

From when he’d first dragged Duskmoor to this windswept godforsaken city, through her inevitable betrayal and his own subsequent death and resurrection Zephyr had done nearly everything he could think of to keep the girl pressured and off balanced.

He’d started innocuously enough; initially gaining her compliance through a minor piece of blackmail posing no tangible threat but still one which her pride couldn’t abide. Then, once Sanctuary and all its protections had been left far behind, he’d begun gradually wearing down the girls patience. Trivial things at first; denying simple requests, giving no explanation as he dragged her back and forth across countless city blocks and only stopping just after the city began to flood and soaked them both nearly to the bone.

It wasn’t until they’d reached the motel that he’d begun applying any real pressure; playing off the brunettes insecurities of intimacy by having them share a single room, then highlighting precisely how isolated she was and using it to add another, far more viable threat to increase her sense of vulnerability, all while blatantly disregarding her opinion and treating her as little more than a child.

After that point things had become… interesting. Having visited nearly every criminal contact he’d had in the windy city the elemental had expected Biggs to make some type of preemptive strike, but hadn’t known what shape or form it would take. As it was Zephyr doubted he could have asked for a better response; Duskmoor was far too used to bullets and blades; a bomb was a good ways beyond her comfort zone and though she’d fortunately avoided taking any physical damage, mentally it had knocked her off balance quite well, she’d followed him back outside as though she’d been leashed.

Once they’d caught the useless souls Biggs had sent after them it had been almost too easy. Knowing she’d want revenge against the mere humans who’d dared try to kill her, he’d deliberately put their lives in the gamines hands, and then forbidden her from doing anything. The resulting expression of impotent fury which had raged across Duskmoors face at that point had brought him a surprising sense of satisfaction, and it had only grown when the girl had moved to spite him almost immediately and, in doing so had given him a perfect excuse to retaliate. He’d taken it and left the brunette an aching exhausted, and likely concussed, wreck before she knew what hit her.

After that, it had been child’s play to goad her into betraying him. In truth, the ruse probably would have worked even if it had been broad daylight and Duskmoor had been able to think. New York’s ‘Bone B*tch’ was many things, but she was far from the sharpest knife in the drawer. As it was she’d barely been able to see in the dark, and she likely never realized that her ‘killing’ blow met almost no resistance. Add to that the fact he’d already soaked his clothes in blood when he’d purposefully held her against him and she’d had no reason to ever suspect deception.

That had marked the end of Zephyr’s original plan. Keeping himself alive after Duskmoors betrayal had taken rather more effort than he’d expected. The incorporeal state wasn’t difficult per say, but maintaining even a partial shift for extended periods caused a certain amount of strain. He’d intended Dan to be nothing more than a brief distraction to buy time, yet events had quickly taken on a life of their own and a combination of fatigue and curiosity had left the elemental content to do little more than watch and whisper.

With Duskmoor in charge of proceedings however it was somewhat inevitable that things would become violent. He’d need to sit the girl down and explain the functions of different firearms at some point; buckshot was one of the few conventional weapons which posed serious harm to the bonemancer. It had been something of a race to crack each weapons firing pin before the order to shoot had been given and he’d not quite managed to get the last two in time.

After that well… Zephyr glanced down at his Duskmoor as the buxom brunette continued to writhe and thrash on top of the desk beneath the bodies. All it had taken was a measure of showmanship and drama to scare the girl and rob her of her wits, once she’d panicked pinning her had been a simple matter; he hardly needed to hold the cadavers in place at this point, the brunette’s spikes were more than enough to keep the dead weight in place.
The end result had left the girl trapped in an awkward spread eagled limbo like stance, her head, shoulders and arms had been pinned flat against the desk, forcing her to brace her legs and thrust her hips upwards in order to arch her back and take the pressure off her spinal column. It was an incredibly stressful position and exceedingly difficult to hold for any length of time and after only a few short moments Zephyr saw the gamines struggles become increasingly subdued.

Had she actually bothered to think the ingénue likely could twisted her spine or other bones to escape handily, in her current state though such an idea likely wouldn’t come to her any time soon . That being said, blind fear would only last so long, eventually Duskmoor would realize she was still breathing and fall back into her usual recalcitrant behavior, best to move one now while she was off balance and somewhat plaint.

Stalking deftly towards the shapely soubrette Zephyr eyed the girl with a contemplative expression as he withdrew his phone and began deftly tapping the keys for a number he’d memorized only a short time ago and which belonged to a rather… unique, individual whose word was hind bond and who’d promise, to assist in this particular endeavor.

Pausing just beyond Duskmoors view the elemental cast one swift glance around the scarlet scattered room before he made his decision; death, decay and gore were all well in good for distracting and upsetting most individuals but it wouldn’t work here. Something a little more theatric, possibly even clichéd, was needed.

A single idle gesture towards a switch on the far wall was all it took to kill the blood spattered lights and drape the abattoir of a room in darkness, leaving only the sound of a sudden gasping breath a before a cold, calm voice broke the air.

“I use to think you were worth something Duskmoor; that you might be more than just another mindless mutant zealot. I tried to show you that there was more than one solution to a problem, that killing wasn’t the only means to an end.”

Fire flared into life, a vibrant orange flame which cast vivid shadows over the walls as it hovered just over Zephyr’s outstretch palm… barely a foot from Isabel’s own terrified face.

“I’ve run out of patience with you Duskmoor, give me one good reason why you should keep breathing.”

It is said that no plan ever survives first contact with the enemy.

Much the same could be said of those who meet Ms. Duskmoor.

The girl was a berserker; there was no denying that sad fact as she leapt over the desk and into the thick of things. She thrived on violence, relying on instinct and reflex to tear the life from those around her without regard to her own safety or anything beyond the fight itself.

She’d need to be broken of such behavior.

Still, for all her blind blood lust the gamines propensity for violence meant that her motions were almost an art, if a crude and transitory one. She bore down on her opponents like an enraged lioness, knocking the first of them off balance with a blow from his own weapon before she darted away. The next instant she’d somehow slipped inside the guard of her next victim, a serrated blade snaking into her hand to sever jugular and spine in a single motion which left her spinning and brought her to face a new target whom she charged without hesitation.

All in all the transition from executive office to abattoir took under a minute. In less time than it took most to finish a cup of coffee, Duskmoor had managed to destabilize, if not outright demolish, the criminal hierarchy of an entire city.

Considering that this was the same girl who’d been trying to mug tourists in back alleys a few months ago, it was quite a step up. Indeed, one might say her efforts were worthy of recognition, possibly even a measure of applause…

Clap - Clap - Clap

Across the room, leaning against one of the few sections of wall still left standing, Zephyr’s pale and bloodied form struck an idle pose directly beneath a sparking cctv camera as he brought his hands together in a deliberately slow and mocking golf clap as a dark expression settled across his features

“You put on quite a show.” His voice was low and soft but carried an unmistakably malevolent tone all too fitting for a man whose clothing still attested to the fact he’d been gutted only an hour ago.

“Killing not just your target but your teammate and all immediate witnesses. Pity you couldn’t carry through properly, you might have made it back with nothing more than cuts and scrapes.”

When he failed to receive an immediate response the pale elemental lifted his gaze from the surrounding carnage to the brunettes own stunned eyes and gave a hollow chuckle.

“What’s wrong Duskmoor? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”