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Zephyrs eyes narrowed dangerously as Trista delivered her mocking comment, either the girl was a glutton for pain or she truly thought she could get away with this. If it was the latter then he would soon cure her of mind of its foolish delusions and show the little thief her place, and if it were the former well… the elemental supposed he could indulge her one time at least.

The mercenary was abruptly brought out of his brief ponderings on various torture methods when a quick succession of explosions sounded directly behind his person. Allowing his instinct to take over the elemental threw himself to the side and rolled smoothly back to his feet while at the same time sending out a vicious pillar of air to slam into whatever was directly behind him. Unfortunately the only object directly behind him was the vehicle he had taken from the labs. The SUV soared a good ten feet before it became imbedded in the front wall of a dilapidated warehouse and hung there like some outdated Hollywood movie wreck.

It was as he performed this evasive maneuver that the roar of an engine consumed his hearing and he sensed the nearby air currents become forcibly parted as Tris steered his machine through the newly created gap. Allowing himself a single moment to process what had happened Zephyr began cursing himself silently as he strode over to the demolished SUV and deftly cut through the mangled metal and began searching his obsidian helmet.

He had been foolish pure and simple. Hunter’s resources were unmatched by anything he had ever seen before, and considering the mercs underworld contacts in Europe that was saying something, it was obvious that the girl would have learned an additional modicum of control since he’d last seen her. It was ironic really now that he thought about as he dug through the distorted chassis of the SUV. When he’d first brought the girl in he had specifically stated that she needed to improve her control and now that she’d gained said control he found himself wishing she hadn’t obtained it. If he hadn’t been so vexed at Tris he would have no doubt found the whole situation rather amusing, as it was though this little realization only stoked the fires of his frustration as he at last wrenched his helmet clear of wreck and forced himself to stay still for a few additional seconds as he dusted it off. The important thing was not to allow his emotions to gain control, the last time the elemental had done that his powers had created a storm which had traveled the length of the Atlantic ocean and demolished a major city on the US coastline, fortunately the entire event was believed to be a natural disaster and no one had ever suspected his involvement. However his potential had increased monumentally since then and Simon no longer had any idea what he was truly capable of and he had no desire to answer that question this day.

Finally placing the protective headgear upon his skull Zephyr allowed his eyes a moment to accustom themselves to the polarized lens of which the pitch black visor had been constructed. Originally designed to shield the wearer from the harsher light of the sun the visor also conveniently masked the owners features and so once the elementals eyes had fully adjusted to the dim light he had no qualms about removing himself from the earth and tracking down his crimson haired thief from the air.

Surprisingly it took very little time for Zephyr to track down his target; Tris seemed to enjoy going in straight lines, perhaps because it allowed her to utilize the full of potential of the machine she had stolen or maybe because uncomfortable maneuvering in such a constrictive environment. Either way the elemental couldn’t care less as he put on an extra burst of speed that enabled him to keep pace with his stolen possession and descended until he level with the rooftops of the surrounding structures, low enough to be able to view his target but still high enough to engage evasive action if necessary; he would not repeat his mistake.

As he closed in on Trista’s form Zephyr considered his next course of action, directly assaulting the source of his annoyance was not a path he was yet prepared to take, for while he would take momentary satisfaction in showing the insignificant girl her place he was not prepared to pay for it at the price of his motorcycle. That did not mean he was out of options though for he had been in this situation before, most recently against a pair of redheads whose manners seemed to be on level with those of Ms. Evans, the twins had possessed the annoying ability to nullify most of his weaker attacks and so Zephyr had used his environment to end their little scuffle. That was precisely what he would do here; cramped as she was in the tight alleyways of the warehouse district Trista’s barely had room to turn her stolen machine left and right, if she were to face a sudden obstruction the elemental seriously doubted she’d be able to react in time.

It was with this vein of thought that Zephyr made his next move, crafting a multitude of wind blades for decidedly destructive purposes he sent them sailing on ahead of Trista and into the walls of the buildings which flanked her sides. The razor winds sliced through the thick sheet metal easily and caused the walls to collapse and block the alleyway in a cascade effect that would swiftly bury the explosive redhead unless she changed her course.

As he barreled down the deserted expressway Zephyr finally got his first glimpse of the warehouse district, multiple rows of bland grey buildings all set out in an orderly fashion that left the streets in a grid type layout. Narrowing his eyes as he realized the challenge that faced him the elemental once more began issuing strict orders into the radio, searching for Tris on his own right now would be akin to looking for a needle in a haystack, there were simply too many different roads and junctions where she could hide.

As he waited for the personal back at the labs to get back to him with his targets location Zephyr entered the storage district at full speed, barreling down the crisscrossing roads with his eyes darting back and forth. Abruptly the merc caught a flash of movement and immediately jerked the parking brake to its locked position while spinning the wheel as hard as he could to the left. This car went into a screeching slide and it’s two left tires actually left the road as physics took hold of the car and would have caused the entire vehicle to tip over had a sudden blast of air not placed it back on course, allowing the SUV to complete its impromptu U turn and race down the suspicious road.

Unfortunately the aforementioned suspicious activity was revealed to be nothing more than an old moving truck slowly putting its way towards the entrance of one an open warehouse which displayed quite a vast collection of rust as it gradually succumbed to old age. Zephyr’s frustration rose another notch at this failed sighting and he shot past the antiquated vehicle without a second glance. ‘This is pointless’ he told himself, ‘I should wait for the labs to respond with her position.’ Still despite knowing this fact the elemental just could not bring himself to be still; one of his possessions had been stolen. He had spent years honing his skills and his mind in order to achieve what he had today, to have some worthless little nobody just come along and steal one of the fruits of his labour, the elemental felt as though he had been cheated, and he hated being cheated.

Punching the accelerator to the floor the merc once resumed his silent search, containing all of his fury and allowing it to give him the focus he needed to think clearly. He would find Trista and when he did-

A crimson haired figure darted across the road directly in front of the SUV and Zephyr slammed on the brakes to avoid a collision. The cars tires screeched as the vehicle grudgingly responded to its drivers command and came to halt mere inches away from the feminine figure who was riding a state of the art motorcycle. The elementals eyes widened briefly in surprise as he recognized his target, then the azure orbs thinned as he watched Tris speed away from him. ‘This ends now’ he vowed silently as he sent his engine roaring into life and commanded the oversized vehicle to follow the volatile red heads path and slowly began to close the gap between. Technically this should have been impossible as Zephyr’s motorcycle surpassed the SUV in both acceleration and top speed; however by generating a continuous torrent of air Zephyr was able to give his car the added boost it needed to level the playing field.

As he engaged in his pursuit the reckless part of Zephyr’s personality was telling him to simply abandon his current vehicle and take to the air. When flying he could easily travel in excess of 300mph and would therefore be able to catch Tris in seconds, however his more rationale side held greater sway in his mind and it advised that the demonstration of any obvious mutant ability would be utter foolishness. His current tactics were working, there was no need for him to draw attention to himself as a mutant by doing something as abnormal as flying, however there was nothing wrong with using his skills in a more subtle manner. Slowly reaching inside his jacket the merc allowed his hands to wrap around the carefully textured handgrip of his Beretta 92F and withdrew the weapon from its holster. Lowering the front windows of the SUV Zephyr almost casually hung his arm out the side the vehicle and pointed the firearm in Tris’s general direction. Focusing on the air flows traveling in front of him while still maintaining his control over the gusts behind him the elemental slowly began to manipulate the air currents between himself and his target or, more specifically, his weapon and his target. After a few moments of concentration he managed to concoct a swirling vortex of air that would direct his bullet and force to travel to his will.

Narrowing his eyes to mere slits Zephyr focused on his targets and fired, the gun cracked in a manner akin to thunder and the bullet sailed through and followed its predestined path which, providing Tris made no erratic movements, would be the patch of space two inches to the left of her head. He wasn’t going to kill her, not yet anyway. The first shot was simply a warning to inform her that he was fully capable of bringing her insignificant existence to an all too sudden halt.

Wandering casually down the interlocking corridors that served as the veins and arteries of Mondragon Labs the elemental paid no thought to the brief encounter with one of his teammates. They had both said their pieces and had walked away and that was the end of it. That was what his logical side told him, after all they were both adults surely they could deal with maturely and reasonably. However his more realistic side was also providing a rather valid argument; since when were women, especially young ones, reasonable?

Dislodging such thoughts from his mind Zephyr navigated his way around the men and women in white coats who were rushing this way and that. People was always a good sign, it meant that you were getting somewhere and hadn’t become lost in one of the many dead end storage areas scattered around the outskirts of the complex. Still while it meant that you had gotten somewhere it didn’t necessarily mean you had reached your intended destination. Since all of the hallways had been designed in the same manner and there no helpful maps it was almost impossible to tell where you were heading once you left the main entrance.

Now Simon had visited the labs a fair few times before but he had always come form the main entrance, not the parking area and so he now found himself in an unfamiliar section of the labs. Letting his rove over his surroundings Zephyr looked for any small clue that could give him an idea as to where he was, an office name, a room number even an elevator but there was nothing. Placing his hands into his jacket pockets the merc allowed his shoulders to slump slightly as he came to the conclusion that he would have to resort to his usual wandering until he found something of interest.

Usually it took Zephyr at least twenty minutes to find anything of interest in the labs as he would glance inside every door he came across that didn’t have a lock and sometimes even if they did he would try his luck. This time though it only took him five minutes until he a found a doorway with a place card reading “Security Personal Only” As he scanned the place card the elemental raised an eyebrow; security only? Well if that didn’t qualify as interesting he didn’t know what would. Glancing to the right of the door the merc noticed one of the standard palm scanners standing guard over the entrance, after staring at it for a second and silently debating he slowly started to raise his hand.

The thing about these scanners was that if you didn’t have the necessary clearance to the enter a room the door wouldn’t just remain locked, an ear piercing screech of an alarm would blare throughout the entire facility and while Zephyr doubted he’d receive much in the way of punishment the alarm always gave him a headache. Still he saw no reason why he shouldn’t have the clearance, he was after all a form of security and he had been given a senior position, it stood to reason that he should be allowed to enter a simple security area.

Simon placed his hand on the scanner and waited a mere half a second before there was a confirming beep and the door swung open. Zephyr smirked and stepped inside.

Cruising along at 75mph Simon’s features remained blank as he once more shifted his weight to the left and tilted his entire body until he could almost feel his knees scraping the pavement below. The thunderous engine beneath him acquiesced to his command, darting out into the opposite lane and for a split second the elementals body froze as he spotted a fuel truck bearing down on him, its headlights blazing for the briefest moment as they reflected the summer sun. Then the moment passed and Zephyr regained control, gripping the handle bars firmly he twisted the throttle causing the five cylinder engine to increase its roar as it sped forward and overtook the black SUV that had been blocking its progress for the last 30 seconds. The instant he cleared the obstruction the elemental summoned a blast of air which knocked him to the right and caused him to land back in own lane just as the rather explosive truck went barreling past.

“Son of a Bitch!”[/color]

The merc allowed a grin to tug at his features and chuckled audibly within the confines of his obsidian helmet as heard the truck drivers’ expletive carry on the air. Two month ago he never would have believed that he would be spending his free time speeding through the bustling over crowded roads of New York City, yet he here was having a genuine good time as he weaved through cars and gave nearby motorists momentary hearts attacks. ‘To think I once dismissed driving as an unnecessary nuisance’ he thought wryly as he dashed out into the center of the road and over took five vehicles in one go as he entered the city outskirts. Glancing backwards briefly Zephyr crossed lanes and boarded the ramp for the expressway and kicked his engine into full gear. It was time to pay a little visit to the labs.


--

Simons latest acquisition had originally been bought more out of necessity than out of any desire for personal enjoyment. Flying out to Mondragon labs each time Hunter had some task or meeting that required his presence had swiftly become an annoyance for the elemental due to the fact that it was impossible to land anywhere within the facility without being seen and as he had no desire to advertise his flight capabilities this had meant landing a mile away from the complex and then wasting twenty minutes or so as he strolled up to the entrance. After having considered the problem for a fair amount of time Zephyr had concluded that the simplest solution was to purchase some type of vehicle and since he had no desire to become stuck in rush hour traffic that immediately eliminated any kind of car therefore narrowing his choices considerably.

Simon was not one to indulge in impulse buying though, he devoted many afternoons usually reserved for his tourist wanderings to instead researching and learning everything he deemed necessary about the vehicle he planned to purchase. He visited a range of mechanics around the city and collected their opinions as they complained about the faults of some designs while praising the benefits of others, he had searched online and visited a plethora of forums devoted to the subject of motorbikes and filtered through the useless arguments until he came to the hard facts. It had been a rather enlightening experience to say the least for the elemental had known next to nothing of mechanics before he undertook this little project, yet by the end while he may not have known enough to maintain his own machine he had certainly acquired the knowledge to know what he wanted.

In the end Zephyr had chosen to avoid the mass manufactured commercial models that the large majority of motorists were content to use. The elemental had decided that after spending such a large quantity of his time studying the mechanics behind the vehicle he would only be content with what he considered the best, to that end he had calculated his own specifications and then set about searching through a list of manufacturers as he tried to determine precisely who would construct his machine. It was at this stage that some of the mercs ego had chosen to shine for the manufacturer he had selected was Lotus Cars, a British group which was renowned for their light weight designs and almost legendary handling. The problem with this choice had been the fact that Lotus only produced cars; they had never created a motorcycle. Still Simon had sent a request to the company’s CEO and a few days later he had received a response from the mans secretary politely declining his request. However after investing a reasonable fraction of his funds into the company, and thereby gaining possession of large number of shares, he suddenly found that his request had been reconsidered.

During the two month wait he’d had to endure while his bike was being constructed Zephyr had rented a considerably less impressive machine and undergone a crash course in driving. It had been during this time that Zephyr had shown what his teacher termed “unbelievable luck” where the two wheeled machines were concerned. The British merc had proved himself capable of maneuvering in the tightest of spaces, spotting the elusive openings at the last second that allowed him to avoid disaster by a hairs breath. In truth though the elementals good fortune was due to his own god given abilities; Simon had a connection with the air, he could feel its flows and currents, the complex squalls and zephyrs that were merely a breeze to everyone else was an intricate pattern for the skilled merc and whenever that pattern was disturbed he felt it. In the early days of his mutation he had forced himself to ignore it for this ability had proven to be a distraction as he had been unable to limit the range of his awareness and so he had instinctively known about the presence of anything that the wind encountered. Needless to say that in crowded places this little side effect had nearly driven him insane because of his lack of control, shift forward a few years though and he was capable of dealing with this new awareness, though only to a limited extent. Zephyrs limit at the moment was roughly 20m and required a level of concentration which he normally found annoying, however he determined that the benefits he enjoyed while driving were well worth a little annoyance.

--

Finally coming to the end of the long desolate road that served as the entrance for the Mondragon complex Simon applied the brakes and killed his speed; he had a feeling that any unidentified bike that encountered the security forces while traveling well in excess of 180mph would be met with hail of bullets and Zephyrs had no intention of damaging his machine the first day out. So he reigned in the engine until it was doing a humble 30mph before stopping at the first security point and verifying that he did indeed have the required clearance to enter the labs. After that it was a short ride to the underground parking area where he stashed his latest acquisition behind a hulking black van, then still clad in his black helmet and month old leather jacket he wandered off to the locker rooms in order to store his riding apparel before he entered the facility proper.

So it was twenty minutes later that Zephyr found himself in his ordinary everyday attire strolling through the usual bland hallways as he tried to remember which path would lead him to doctor Ingham, the merc had an interesting idea he wished to discuss with the antisocial recluse.

Striding down the seemingly endless bland hallways that connected the various facilities and departments of Mondragon labs Simon maintained a steady pace as he followed the armed guard who was leading him to the armoury.

Normally Zephyr would have preferred to search for the weapons cache on his own, wandering pointlessly through the maze like structure and perhaps ‘accidentally’ stumbling into a few restricted areas. However at present he did not have time for his usual recreational explorations, he’d told his “teammates” that they were to be at the hanger in an hour and although the merc hadn’t actually said he’d be there to meet them he wanted to be in the air as soon as possible to maximize their window for the mission.

After innumerable twists and turns along with an annoying amount of security checks the elemental and his guide finally reached the subterranean levels that housed Mondragons armoury. Raising his hand and placing it on a translucent square of plastic set into the wall just outside the entrance Zephyr waited patiently as the green light of a scanner ran down the length of his palm, a moment later a sound of confirmation was made from inside and the heavy metal doors slowly slid away into the walls. Stepping into the room and taking a moment to glance around the merc had to admit he was impressed; the room was easily the size of a small warehouse and it had been decorated as such. Shelves upon shelves stood in rows on the floor like the soldiers they would soon be equipping should the labs ever find themselves under attack. Although the elemental had to wonder who would ever be foolish enough to plan an assault against this facility; there were easily enough munitions stored here to wage a small war. As he stared upon the many rows of weaponry Zephyr found himself wondering if the labs had acquired a contract with some military manufacturer or if, more likely, the majority of these weapons had been smuggled into the country.

Turning his gaze away from the vast display of munitions Zephyr directed his attention to the stocky individual who had led him here, like most of the guards on Hunters payroll the man was decorated with a suitable display of weaponry that most people would have found at least slightly intimidating. However in Zephyr’s case he considered the guns little more than toys, still he had decided he would obtain a firearm and this man would help him select one. “I require something light and easily concealable” he informed the guard, “but also accurate as well as reasonably powerful and I need it in the next five minutes, what would you suggest?”

The guard didn’t even hesitate as his hands swiftly drew out his own hand gun and presented it to the bemused elemental. “The Beretta 92F would be your best choice at the moment sir”[/color] The man replied in a deadpan tone of voice, “It uses a 9mm cartridge, weighs approximately 2lbs, is accurate up to 50m and each magazine contains fifteen rounds.”[/color]

Still wearing his bemused expression Simon extended a hand and retrieved the proffered firearm. Turning the weapon over in his hands he saw that the man either took great care of the pistol or it had never been used, there wasn’t a single scratch on the metallic surface, nor was it coated in dust or grime. Momentarily satisfied the elemental curled his fingers around the textured hand grip and stretched his arm out before him until he held the gun parallel to the floor and began counting under his breath. After he reached a count of ten his arm had yet to tremble and he deemed the pistols weight as suitable for the moment.

Tucking the weapon into a hidden pocket located inside his coat the elemental inclined his head to the guard. “It will do for now” he stated simply, “Tell me what is your name?”

“Malcolm Evans sir”[/color]

“Tell me Malcolm do the labs possess their own firing range?”

--

The firing range, like the armoury, was located underground. Split into four different sections it covered roughly the area of a football pitch and noise it produced was deafening. Almost all the early stalls were occupied and the constant crack of gunpowder echoed in the air as those present unleashed round after round into the stationary targets. As Zephyr followed Malcolm down the long corridor that ran down the center of the room he could almost feel each shot echo in his skull due to his sensitive hearing, so in order to spare himself the ordeal of a migraine the elemental swiftly dispersed the air surrounding his ears, creating a void that left him completely deaf to the sounds around him.

Eventually the two made their way down to one of the more deserted sections and Simon allowed himself the luxury of hearing once more. Now with only the faintest traces of gunshots echoing down the corridor Zephyr gave his full attention back to his impromptu guide as the man took back his firearm briefly and swiftly disassembled the weapon in order to explain the mechanisms that allowed it to function. Simon’s eyes drank in everything he was shown, swiftly depositing this new knowledge in his short term memory before mentally repeating it to make sure the information sank in.

Once the gun had been reassembled Zephyr once more took the weapon into his possession and stepped into one of the many empty stalls as he prepared to make himself better acquainted with his latest tool. Gripping the pistol in two hands as he’d been shown the elemental raised the weapon until it was at eye level, then he patiently waited for his target. He was determined to get some practice in before he left.

As the first Humanoid figure rolled into his line of vision Zephyr waited until it came to complete standstill before firing off three shots in rapid succession. However having never used a firearm before he had not been expecting the recoil that came with each shot, nor had he been expecting the resounding crack of noise that came from the chemical reaction which forced the bullet from the barrel of his weapon. Consequently when he tilted his head up to glance at the plasma screen above him which displayed a close up of his target he found that his shots were a scattered spray instead of the tight grouping he’d been hoping to achieve. The corners of the elementals lips tugged downwards ever so slightly as he stared at his results. Some individuals may have been happy with the fact that they had managed to hit the target on their first attempt; this was not the case with Zephyr. The merc had developed his mutation to near perfection and he was used to the results such a level of mastery granted him. He had realised of course that he would not become a sharpshooter over night but still, it was irritating to see how far he would have to come in order to simply be considered competent. ‘Practice makes perfect” he reminded himself as he steadied his arm for the next target, he had some time to kill may as well do it here.

--

Twenty minutes later Zephyr left the firing range and entered the nearest elevator in order to ascend back to the surface. He had to admit he was feeling marginally pleased with his final performance at the firing range. He’d developed a temporary solution to counteract his poor aim; by creating a thin yet powerful stream of wind between the barrel of the gun and his target at the exact moment he pulled the trigger he could influence the bullets trajectory enough to ensure that it always hit its mark. This little trick only worked at long range though, where the wind currents had time to affect the projectile, at short range its effectiveness where practically nil, but then Zephyr never intended to allow anyone to get that close to him.

As the elevator doors pinged open Simon found himself in the middle of the guards barracks, not surprising really when you considered were he’d just come from. Deciding to use his current location to his advantage the elemental wandered down the busting passageways until he stumbled upon one of the senior guards. Offering the man a calm expression the elemental voice his query, “Pardon me but would you happen to know where I might find an individual by the name of Michael Neal?”

Zephyr made no distinct reaction to Hunters abrupt arrival, not even bothering to take his eyes away from the page he was reading as he heard his employer approach him and then turn away to face the unconscious form of Trista Evans.

At any moment the British merc expected to hear questions about why he had decided to drug the girl instead of bringing her in peacefully, yet they didn't come. Instead the man congratulated him on a job well done and told his bonus was on its way, which brought a pleased grin to the elementals lips; at the rate he was going it wouldn't be long before his personal savings rivaled that of most governments, 'There's an idea' he told himself pleasantly, 'I wonder what it would be like to own my own country?'

Before he could take his musings any further though Hunter brought his mind back to the present by inquiring about what exactly the elemental had offered the girl on his behalf.

"I first offered her the same lucrative salary you extended to myself and the others" He replied in a bored monotone, not even bother to rise from his seat or put away the paper he was still pursuing. "The idea of wealth intrigued her though I believe she will settle for half a million perhaps less." Zephyr paused here as he turned the page of the newspaper before continuing, "However I believe her greatest motivation is control, something she is greatly lacking at the moment. She relies on gestures to direct her explosions and believes that without her hands she is incapable of using her mutation."

Looking away from his paper for the first Zephyr looked at Hunter, "I pity whoever has to teach her; she has something of an attitude and is rather volatile"

Twisting his chair round to look at his vampiric employer James regarded Hunter critically. The man was being more bothersome than usual, normally he would have accepted the first suggested Ingham made, but not today it seemed.

Resting his elbows on his arm rests and steepling his fingers together in a passable Mr. Burns impression the good doctor gave his employer a baleful look as he considered the problem and considered his words. What Hunter was proposing was not terribly difficult, it was simpoly the fact that James did not wish to be bothered with such an insignificant task. Unfortunately he couldn't pass the problem off to one of the junior scientists as anything regarding Hunters blood absorption ability was classified to anyone but him. It was something of a catch twenty two really; the fact that Hunter only trusted him meant that he was invaluable to ancient vampire, however it also meant he had to do mundane tasks like this.

Twisting back to his monitors without a word the good doctor resumed his typing, apparently having dismissed Hunters request, however if hunter knew him at all he would know that the fact James hadn't outright refused meant that it would get done... just not right away.