Kremlin D.F.
Moscow, Russia
“Laynia?”
Circling around the woman who had just landed between them, Vanguard and the Winter Guard watched her cautiously. Ursa Major stood frozen in place as his blue eyes fell upon the stunning beauty; she had been his comrade for so long but they had parted ways a few months before he had enlisted in the armed forces for the second time in his life. Vanguard moved from the circle as he stepped towards her.
“Are you so shocked to see me, brother?” Darkstar replied with a wry smile.
The significance was not noted by the newer heroes such as Red Guardian and Starshine, but for the veteran heroes, Darkstar’s reputation preceded itself.
“I heard you were...”
“Missing in action?” the blonde cut off the Black Widow. “Not quire, dear friend. I’ve merely been... on business, for lack of a better word.”
“Laynia, I’m...”
“Sorry?” she snarled at her brother. “We have little time for that, dear; I believe we have a murderer to catch.”
Snow and sleet fell around them, and Darkstar’s eyes fell upon the new Red Guardian and Starshine, her eyes resting upon the locket that was looped around Starshine’s wrist, she smiled coyly as she approached and took hold of it.
“This looks familiar.”
“Petrovna, what is the meaning of this interruption?” snarled Black Widow angrily as she approached the woman she had worked with back in her days as a Defender; even then she hadn’t much cared for her flaky personality.
“Romanova,” she drawled as she turned her attention to the redhead. “Consider me your servant in arms, this is my country too and I’m lending a hand.” Her blue eyes met those of her brother, Vanguard. “In a cause I actually believe in.”
Vanguard growled but Black Widow undercut him.
“Under whose orders?” she demanded.
There was a short silence as Darkstar let a smug smile etch onto her pale face.
“Mine,” echoed a voice through the courtyard.
|
#2
FEB 10 |
 |
Red Warzone, Part Two:
“One Moment in Time”
Outside Courtyard
Kremlin D.F.
Moscow, Russia
“Vazhin?” groaned Black Widow, growing tired of his surprises.
Vazhin approached the Winter Guard, and Darkstar, with his arms folded across his heaving chest. Smoky breath billowed from his face in the cold; he was both stern and anxious. He didn’t fear the Black Widow, for he was her superior but he did fear her wrath when the mess that Russia found itself in faded away.
“Yes, Darkstar has been under the employ of the Kremlin since it was introduced last year,” Vazhin responded to her.
“Then why wasn’t she in there?” Starshine enquired meekly, as she gestured back to the meeting with the Democratic Cabinet.
“Darling, keep up,” smirked Darkstar, her eyes still resting upon her locket.
“Darkstar wasn’t present with the government because she isn’t officially a member of the Winter Guard,” Vazhin explained. “She’s an employee of the Kremlin, which remains independent of the Winter Guard.”
Starshine removed herself from the group slightly as she took her place behind the Red Guardian.
Ursa Major watched the woman he had loved from afar since their first meeting with an intensity that was noticed by Fantasia, who hid a smile from him with his eyes made contact with her. “I...” he stammered.
“You’re secret is safe with me,” she whispered into his ear.
Black Widow looked furious but Vazhin needed them focused.
“Enough,” he yelled at them, demanding their attention. “I have just received word that the President’s wife, Zofya Bullskova, has gone missing. I can’t divulge all the details because I don’t have them right now, but I will need a team to...”
“But what about the killer?” asked Red Guardian out of turn.
“I was coming to that,” glared Vazhin. “I will be sending a team to search for the killer and another to meet with the President Bullski; I believe he had received a ransom letter of some kind.”
Rubbing his hand through his greying hair he continued.
“To save all disputes I will select who goes were. Black Widow you will lead a team after the killer, and you will be accompanied by Starshine, Ursa Major and Red Guardian. That of course means that I’m sending Fantasia, Vanguard and Darkstar into Minsk to meet with Bullski.”
Vazhin placed his hands in his pockets and marched away from them.
Darkstar waltzed forward and placing her hand on her brother’s shoulder, leading him towards Fantasia where she placed her hand on the brunette woman’s shoulder. “I guess we’ll catch you on the flipside.” Darkstar’s words uttered through the air, even after the black portal imploded around them. Teleportation with Laynia Petrovna was courtesy of the Darkforce dimension.
Starshine was jealous that she had yet to master such a feat, but she hadn’t even considered that it was possible. Her only ability was concussive blasts of energy; Kragov had considerably dressed up her power when she had first been paraded in front of the President. Sasha had already completed one tour of duty, but she had a fear that battling superhumans would test her in ways she had never considered.
She wasn’t excited like Red Guardian, and she wasn’t experienced like the Black Widow and Ursa Major, but she had already promised herself that she would aide them more than she would ever allow herself to hinder them. Starshine wanted to be the heroine of the story instead of the bystander.
“Ursa, you alright?” Black Widow enquired of the man, her eyes bore no concern.
“I was just taken aback. I’m fine,” he replied gruffly. Mikhail hated having to deal with emotions in any respect.
“I guess that leaves us whilst they search for Bullskova,” the redhead thought out loud. “Well, we have to get to Siberia so we had better hurry it along shouldn’t we.”
“How are we meant to do that?” Red Guardian called after her as she stormed forward.
“I happen to know that the Kremlin has its very own aircraft; it was a peace offering from SHEILD.”
Black Widow led the way and the two youths followed. Ursa Major remained frozen for a few moments longer before he followed; he knew the dangers of heroism better than they did. He had more experience, but obediently he followed the leader.
Bullski Chateau
Minsk, Russia
Stepping into the spacious room, the three heroes allowed for a moment to comprehend their surroundings. It was the typical ancestral home screaming of old money and prosperity. It was everything the communist regime had wanted to share between men, but Vanguard knew better than to voice his opinions when his sister was in such close proximity, not that Fantasia would have appreciated the sentiment.
“Are you Vazhin’s guards?”
Bullski stood in the doorway, frantic and clutching paper.
“Yes, I am Darkstar and these are my comrades, Vanguard and Fantasia of the Kremlin,” her voice was delicate and soothing as she approached him. “May we see the ransom note?”
Shuffling forward, he handed the sheet of paper to the blonde.
“You have forced our hands,” Darkstar read to her comrades. “We have acted to protect the way of life that we had established in this country. Democracy is never going to work, and until we have the old ways back and reinforced we have taken some high profiled dignitaries, all of which are mutants, and we will execute them one on every hour beginning at 12.00. Only you can give us what we want Bullski.”
“So the ransom is Communism?” spoke Fantasia, feeling slightly confused.
Eyes fell on the beautiful brunette mutant, her blue eyes shone in the darkness of the room. Her gaze was cold and calculating, almost as if she was forming a plan in her head, forming her great escape. Fantasia had campaigned for democracy; she would not assist in its destruction. Letting her dark hair shuffle from her shoulders, and holstering her gun, she pulled the note from Darkstar as she read through it.
“Not that they’ll be getting it,” Darkstar muttered.
“But people will die,” Bullski murmured.
“Grow a backbone,” snarled the blonde mutant. “This country needs you to be strong, no matter what happens.”
“Guys, its twelve.”
All eyes fell on Vanguard and then onto the clock. Bullski slowly moved towards the television and, turning it on, he flicked through the channels. The news was on everywhere. It made him shake to his core as he realized what was happening: the news teams gathered at the scene of a murder in the city of Moscow. Bullski fell onto a seat.
The heroes of the Winter Guard moved closer to the television screen as a newscaster spoke.
“The body has been identified as that of Irma Zolnerwichova, the only remaining member of the Democratic Parties Boris Zolnerwich, who was himself murdered less than a fortnight ago. Her throat is said to have been slit and she was left at the fountain that marked the City of Moscow. The scene was said have a note attached to the body, it stated the four classical elements: Earth, Fire, Wind and Water. We will be following this story closely as the police search for her killer...”
“Irma...” sobbed the President.
Turning to stand in a huddle the three heroes spoke their minds.
“We’re too late,” Vanguard concluded.
“No,” interjected Fantasia. “The note, it’s a clue. This killer, they want to be caught.”
“I think you’re right, I mean, they’re giving us a lead to follow,” Darkstar concurred.
“Then we should follow it,” Vanguard chorused.
Darkstar reached out, and the three disappeared in a flurry of Darkforce energy as Bullski continued to sob in the spacious room, fearing for his wife.
Central Russian Upland
Zaraysk, Moscow Oblast
Screams awoke the night.
Hues of greens rolled over his body as he was dragged towards the trees, it was dark and he was frightened. Chains of metal clung from each of his limbs, laced with spikes that dug into his skin. Tears streamed from the twenty five year olds eyes as he heard the Dutch muttering around him, he knew this was because of his brother but he didn’t know much more than that. He wasn’t sure what these guards had wanted with his brother, Rheinholdt, but Fyodr Kragov was not ready to die.
Memories and dreams flashed before his eyes, like he had always heard.
As he was dropped to the ground, the foliage of the area brushed against his skin. Cold dew was refreshing; it seemed to relax his muscles. Botany had always soothed him; he had harnessed it as a child. A mutant from a young age, he had never saw a need to hide his abilities and he had valued peace over war, it was at the University of Moscow that he had allowed himself to fully love that gift.
It was painful to consider that he might die because of it.
What have you done, Rheinholdt? He thought as he forced back the tears.
Mount Elbrus
Mountains of the Greater Caucasus
Karachay-Cherkessia, Russia
Doménico Cieri Estrada once said, ‘Reason and Faith are both banks on the same river’.
It was cold but, as a philosopher for the remaining years of his life, Erasmus Tolstoy had learned that a little bit of faith could go a long way. The difficulty wasn’t in finding why he had been taken from his bed in the early hours of the morning...it was who had done it. Erasmus’s brother was Foreign Secretary of State for the Russian government; Erasmus merely assumed he was a ransom and one that would be aptly met.
However, Erasmus was a clairvoyant. Five years ago he had seen his death and these surroundings were looking eerily familiar to the scene that had never left his mind. Strangely, that seemed to calm Erasmus. He was able to make his peace with the world before he died; it was only a pity that he would have to die without knowing his reasoning.
Silently, he began to pray.
Lake Charvak
Tashkent Province, Uzbekistan
Bumping and halting, Zofya Bullskova had surmised that she was in some sort of vehicle and travelling at speeds beyond those that she was used to. It seemed logical to assume that she was somewhere on the back roads of Russia and that only made her more frightened. Her dark hair fell messily around her face; as frightened as she was she would not let the villains know how she felt. Zofya was the First Lady of a country that needed strength and if she were to die for them, she would do so with dignity.
Crashing her head of the side of the van, she felt the moving stop. Panting loudly as the doors were pulled open, she saw the night was clear.
“Bastards,” she spat at them in a final stance of defiance.
A large, brutish man reached in and pulled her from the cargo compartment by her hair, she slipped on the damp mud as she fell. Grabbing her then by the arms, she was led towards what appeared to be a large, picturesque lake that was surrounded by mountains, and she feared only for her people.
In the uncertainty she worried were she was and why she had been taken to such a specific place.
The Bronze Horseman Monument
Constitutional Court of Russia
St. Petersburg, Russia
Gideon had never imagined that allowing his son to pursue his political ambitions would lead to his death. the Dutch guards had spoken of communism and, as a former blacksmith in the Germany, he had realized what they had meant. He didn’t want to die for democracy, he was happy just being able to make ends meet, and he had no wish for glory or to become a martyr for a cause he could care less about.
He was a family man, three children and a wife would be left behind if he died. They would be unsupported and alone in a world that would never know the truth behind their family. Gideon had to find some way to escape, but after he had used his ability to burn the guards with his hands they had placed metallic gloves on him, trying to melt them had only meant that he had burned himself.
Looking around he could see nothing but darkness, but he could feel that he was surrounded by wood and a lot of it, not just what he was tied too.
Underground Cavern
Siberia, Russia
Illich watched Yelena pace backwards and forwards, nothing but fear and frustration etched across her fine face. Things didn’t seem to be going to the plan she had laid out for herself. Illich had been making her life hell for the best part of twenty minutes and she was getting angrier and angrier. Reaching for her gun, she slammed the doors of his cell open and stormed in on him as she directed it at his face.
Smirking, he forewarned her. “Big mistake, little girl.”
Sibercat pounced on the blonde agent, his yellow fur was a mere blur before her hazy vision as he pushed her to the ground and knocked the gun from her hand. Her eyes followed the gun as she raised her foot to his chest and pushed him rolling off her. Unfortunately, like a cat, he landed on his feet with a hissing sound.
“Shit,” Yelena groaned, her short blonde curls bobbing around her face.
Pushing herself from the dirt, creating a rustle of dust and grit, she bolted from the cell but she wasn’t quick enough to close the door before Sibercat bulled his way from the cage that had contained him for so long. He would no longer allow this woman to dictate his life to him, Sibercat was stronger than that, and he was hungry.
Pulling a cat o’ nine tails from her belt, Yelena swung it at the mutant that rushed at her. At first Sibercat underestimated the pain that could be caused by the weapon as it crushed into his back, causing blood to stain his yellow fur a ruby red colour. Regaining his composure at a distance, he unsheathed his claws and rose from all fours to stand like a man.
When angry, Illich had always become more feline.
Using the enhanced agility, Sibercat pounced at the wall and ran across it, his claws flung mounds of dirt behind him, but he jumped to the roof above the woman as she launched her weapon at the wall, and he leapt over her, catching her face with his claws and landing behind her with a smirk.
“Bastard,” she screamed in rage.
“You only thought you had problems.”
Yelena’s eyes turned from her foe to the snowy opening of the cave that was just a few yards away from her.
Water Fountain
Moscow, Russia
Her nostrils flared and she was forced to step away from the scene for a moment. Placing her fist over her mouth to stop her gagging, Fantasia had never been one to have a sensitive but the smell of blood and decay was rife in the air, already the corpse was decomposing. Something had been done to the body, almost as if the killer had given them the lead, but he was still timing their every movement. It had to be quick.
It had taken almost forty minutes for the search of the crime scene to dissolve into the bickering that was now occurring a little to her right between her comrades. The time they had spent agreeing would seem impressive to anyone who hadn’t been present, but they had avoided each other for those forty minutes so Fantasia was more than a little annoyed.
Her eyes followed a glare that caught her sight.
Kneeling down, her skirt fluttered around her legs as she lifted the small stones, they appeared to be emeralds, she was tempted to call for the attention of her comrades but she couldn’t really be bothered getting involved if this lead nowhere. She followed the glistening stones across the large courtyard and she peeked nervously into the alleyway, before she made her way down after them.
Wrinkling her nose, the smell was back and as she followed the stones until she was facing a wall, her eyes lifted somewhat hesitantly and in shock she fell back from the wall a few steps.
Were the spring never ends...
Blood trickled from the words...it was the most sinister sight she had ever seen, and she looked away from it as she rushed from the alleyway. Suddenly she came to a stop as her eyes watched the ground nervously, filtering the information carefully she tried to remember where she had heard that saying before.
Stumbling towards the bickering two, she tried for their attention.
“Hey, hey, guys listen,” Fantasia lost control as she found her voice. “Shut up!”
Her voice screeched as she fell back from them, her scream reverberated around the old buildings, her eyes widened and she suddenly remembered where she had heard the phrase before, it was almost as though something was caught in her throat, Fantasia couldn’t breathe and she held her throat as she stumbled backwards.
“Fantasia?” Vanguard approached her.
Her eyes began to glow a pale violet, as did her hands, and as she pushed her comrades away from her a violet explosion ushered over her body. When the haze cleared, Fantasia was gone and her teammates were left confused and in the dark of her discovery.
Underground Cavern
Siberia, Russia
“Well, if it isn’t my predecessor,” snarled Yelena as her eyes met those of the Black Widow.
“Only I would never have been as naughty as you,” replied the older of the two woman.
“That’s not what I heard.”
Before anyone could react, Yelena thrust the cat o’ nine tails behind her and they smashed into Sibercat’s face and left him lying slumped against the cold, hard wall. Her eyes narrowed and she smiled as she discarded the weapon, pulling a dagger from her belt. Red Guardian was unprepared and suffered the first blow, before Starshine blocked a second attack with a Darkforce projected wall.
Ursa Major roared loudly as his body transformed into that of a bear and he rushed at the young woman. She leapt over the humanoid bear and tried to punch the Black Widow, who successfully avoided her before delivering a roundhouse kick to the young woman’s face. As Yelena stumbled backwards, she was knocked from her feet when her own weapon, the cat o’ nine tails, collided with her stomach courtesy of Red Guardian, who clutched it at his chest.
Starshine ran past her to the aid of Sibercat, but Yelena managed to pull a throwing disc from her belt, and hurled it at the young Russian. It struck her between the shoulder blades as she fell forward, unconscious.
Pushing herself up, the somewhat brushed and battered Yelena punched Red Guardian and turned to kick him in the chest knocking him away from her. She was panting heavily as Black Widow and Ursa Major charged at her, and she knew she was fighting a losing battle. The Russian mercenary opened a smokescreen from her belt and the scuffle fell to a halt.
Black Widow looked on at her team in disdain as the smoke cleared and Yelena was missing, two of whom lay unconscious.
“That was a failure,” muttered Ursa Major as he returned to his human form.
“No,” Black Widow replied. “We engaged the target; we know who we’re dealing with now.”
“And these guys?” he enquired.
“We patch them up and get them back on the field.”
Central Russian Upland
Zaraysk, Moscow Oblast
Fantasia found herself hurtling from the violet haze into the fresh smelling grass.
Pushing herself to her feet as quickly as possible, the Russian beauty looked frantically around her. She had to be right, but she didn’t want to be because if she was then time was running out for her. Night wind bristled through her hair as she felt it cut through her, the cold kept her awake and that was how she knew she was alive. It was then that her eyes saw the mutant, kneeling in the middle of the field.
Fantasia rushed towards him and fell to her knees beside him as she saw the face she had hoped not to find. She could only whimper. “Fyodr.”
Blood scarred his body and she hated whoever had done this to him, she rested her hands on either side of his face. His shaggy brown hair and his comforting hazel eyes were exactly as she remembered them. She had always been told there were no friendships like those founded in college, and they had been right, but now she was faced with the prospect of losing a man who had been so important to her.
Her eyes fell upon the timer and her mouth was ajar.
3.00...
“It’s in minutes, not hours,” he sobbed and he laughed a little as his eyes met hers. “I tried to be strong, Erina.”
“Don’t talk like that,” she demanded of him, placing her hands on the straps that surrounded his body, holding the bomb in place at his chest.
“You’ve got to run...”
“Don’t be stupid...”
“Run, Godammit!”
“I have a few minutes left,” she screamed back at him as the tears ran down her cheeks.
“Erina...”
“No,” she continued to whimper.
“Erina, listen to me.”
2.35...
Fantasia stopped pulling at the straps; they weren’t moving. She was uncontrollably emotional as she lifted her eyes to meet his, though she could only sniff and wipe the tears away.
“You were the first girl I ever loved,” he smiled. “I remember that first day in halls, when I got busted for being a mutie and you turned the guy’s belt into a snake and frightened the fuck out of him.”
They both laughed a little, as he continued.
“You weren’t only the first, you were the last and my life was better for knowing you,” Fyodr began to cry. “I’m...I’m glad you were beside me.”
1.57...
“I remember, you were so docile and submissive, but I was just so brash and stubborn; we were great together. I never wanted it to end,” Erina told him through the tears as she stroked his face.
“I’m happy to die, as long as I got to see you one last time,” Fyodr forced a smile through his tears.
“Don’t talk like that,” Erina snapped at him. She began rapidly pulling at the metallic straps again, trying to snap them or transform them with her powers. Nothing would work.
“Run,” he whispered in her ear as he leaned forward, resigned to his fate.
“I can’t!” she screamed at him. “We have to fight this!”
Fyodr exchanged a look with her, and she understood him wholly. Pulling him close to her she kissed him lightly on the lips. “I love you and I always will.”
Fantasia pushed herself from her knee’s as she continued to sob for the man she had to watch die, someone who had meant everything to her.
0.07...
“I love you too,” Fyodr finally gained the strength to mutter as she stood frozen.
0.03...
“Erina...”
0.02...
“Erina!”
0.01...
“RUN!”
0.00...
Fantasia’s hands shot ahead of her as a violet haze blocked the sudden rush of the explosive fumes, gases and energy that burst towards her and, as it deflected around her force field, she struggled to maintain the strength required. Before her very eyes she watched the body of Fyodr tear apart from the blast and then a second blast echoed from the bomb which sent her force field backwards and it propelled her through the air, landing in the cold, dew covered grass as the smoke clear.
Leaning on her elbows she rubbed what felt like rain from her face, only to discover it was ... blood.
To Be Continued...
Next Issue: In Winter Guard #3: The race is on to save Zofya and Erasmus but can Vanguard and Darkstar succeed? Can Fantasia mentally survive her ordeal? A shock diagnosis for a Guard, and a traitor is revealed but will it Wmean the death of a Guard!
Previous Issue | Next Issue
Kremlin D.F.
Moscow, Russia
“Vazhin?” groaned Black Widow, growing tired of his surprises.
Vazhin approached the Winter Guard, and Darkstar, with his arms folded across his heaving chest. Smoky breath billowed from his face in the cold; he was both stern and anxious. He didn’t fear the Black Widow, for he was her superior but he did fear her wrath when the mess that Russia found itself in faded away.
“Yes, Darkstar has been under the employ of the Kremlin since it was introduced last year,” Vazhin responded to her.
“Then why wasn’t she in there?” Starshine enquired meekly, as she gestured back to the meeting with the Democratic Cabinet.
“Darling, keep up,” smirked Darkstar, her eyes still resting upon her locket.
“Darkstar wasn’t present with the government because she isn’t officially a member of the Winter Guard,” Vazhin explained. “She’s an employee of the Kremlin, which remains independent of the Winter Guard.”
Starshine removed herself from the group slightly as she took her place behind the Red Guardian.
Ursa Major watched the woman he had loved from afar since their first meeting with an intensity that was noticed by Fantasia, who hid a smile from him with his eyes made contact with her. “I...” he stammered.
“You’re secret is safe with me,” she whispered into his ear.
Black Widow looked furious but Vazhin needed them focused.
“Enough,” he yelled at them, demanding their attention. “I have just received word that the President’s wife, Zofya Bullskova, has gone missing. I can’t divulge all the details because I don’t have them right now, but I will need a team to...”
“But what about the killer?” asked Red Guardian out of turn.
“I was coming to that,” glared Vazhin. “I will be sending a team to search for the killer and another to meet with the President Bullski; I believe he had received a ransom letter of some kind.”
Rubbing his hand through his greying hair he continued.
“To save all disputes I will select who goes were. Black Widow you will lead a team after the killer, and you will be accompanied by Starshine, Ursa Major and Red Guardian. That of course means that I’m sending Fantasia, Vanguard and Darkstar into Minsk to meet with Bullski.”
Vazhin placed his hands in his pockets and marched away from them.
Darkstar waltzed forward and placing her hand on her brother’s shoulder, leading him towards Fantasia where she placed her hand on the brunette woman’s shoulder. “I guess we’ll catch you on the flipside.” Darkstar’s words uttered through the air, even after the black portal imploded around them. Teleportation with Laynia Petrovna was courtesy of the Darkforce dimension.
Starshine was jealous that she had yet to master such a feat, but she hadn’t even considered that it was possible. Her only ability was concussive blasts of energy; Kragov had considerably dressed up her power when she had first been paraded in front of the President. Sasha had already completed one tour of duty, but she had a fear that battling superhumans would test her in ways she had never considered.
She wasn’t excited like Red Guardian, and she wasn’t experienced like the Black Widow and Ursa Major, but she had already promised herself that she would aide them more than she would ever allow herself to hinder them. Starshine wanted to be the heroine of the story instead of the bystander.
“Ursa, you alright?” Black Widow enquired of the man, her eyes bore no concern.
“I was just taken aback. I’m fine,” he replied gruffly. Mikhail hated having to deal with emotions in any respect.
“I guess that leaves us whilst they search for Bullskova,” the redhead thought out loud. “Well, we have to get to Siberia so we had better hurry it along shouldn’t we.”
“How are we meant to do that?” Red Guardian called after her as she stormed forward.
“I happen to know that the Kremlin has its very own aircraft; it was a peace offering from SHEILD.”
Black Widow led the way and the two youths followed. Ursa Major remained frozen for a few moments longer before he followed; he knew the dangers of heroism better than they did. He had more experience, but obediently he followed the leader.
Bullski Chateau
Minsk, Russia
Stepping into the spacious room, the three heroes allowed for a moment to comprehend their surroundings. It was the typical ancestral home screaming of old money and prosperity. It was everything the communist regime had wanted to share between men, but Vanguard knew better than to voice his opinions when his sister was in such close proximity, not that Fantasia would have appreciated the sentiment.
“Are you Vazhin’s guards?”
Bullski stood in the doorway, frantic and clutching paper.
“Yes, I am Darkstar and these are my comrades, Vanguard and Fantasia of the Kremlin,” her voice was delicate and soothing as she approached him. “May we see the ransom note?”
Shuffling forward, he handed the sheet of paper to the blonde.
“You have forced our hands,” Darkstar read to her comrades. “We have acted to protect the way of life that we had established in this country. Democracy is never going to work, and until we have the old ways back and reinforced we have taken some high profiled dignitaries, all of which are mutants, and we will execute them one on every hour beginning at 12.00. Only you can give us what we want Bullski.”
“So the ransom is Communism?” spoke Fantasia, feeling slightly confused.
Eyes fell on the beautiful brunette mutant, her blue eyes shone in the darkness of the room. Her gaze was cold and calculating, almost as if she was forming a plan in her head, forming her great escape. Fantasia had campaigned for democracy; she would not assist in its destruction. Letting her dark hair shuffle from her shoulders, and holstering her gun, she pulled the note from Darkstar as she read through it.
“Not that they’ll be getting it,” Darkstar muttered.
“But people will die,” Bullski murmured.
“Grow a backbone,” snarled the blonde mutant. “This country needs you to be strong, no matter what happens.”
“Guys, its twelve.”
All eyes fell on Vanguard and then onto the clock. Bullski slowly moved towards the television and, turning it on, he flicked through the channels. The news was on everywhere. It made him shake to his core as he realized what was happening: the news teams gathered at the scene of a murder in the city of Moscow. Bullski fell onto a seat.
The heroes of the Winter Guard moved closer to the television screen as a newscaster spoke.
“The body has been identified as that of Irma Zolnerwichova, the only remaining member of the Democratic Parties Boris Zolnerwich, who was himself murdered less than a fortnight ago. Her throat is said to have been slit and she was left at the fountain that marked the City of Moscow. The scene was said have a note attached to the body, it stated the four classical elements: Earth, Fire, Wind and Water. We will be following this story closely as the police search for her killer...”
“Irma...” sobbed the President.
Turning to stand in a huddle the three heroes spoke their minds.
“We’re too late,” Vanguard concluded.
“No,” interjected Fantasia. “The note, it’s a clue. This killer, they want to be caught.”
“I think you’re right, I mean, they’re giving us a lead to follow,” Darkstar concurred.
“Then we should follow it,” Vanguard chorused.
Darkstar reached out, and the three disappeared in a flurry of Darkforce energy as Bullski continued to sob in the spacious room, fearing for his wife.
Central Russian Upland
Zaraysk, Moscow Oblast
Screams awoke the night.
Hues of greens rolled over his body as he was dragged towards the trees, it was dark and he was frightened. Chains of metal clung from each of his limbs, laced with spikes that dug into his skin. Tears streamed from the twenty five year olds eyes as he heard the Dutch muttering around him, he knew this was because of his brother but he didn’t know much more than that. He wasn’t sure what these guards had wanted with his brother, Rheinholdt, but Fyodr Kragov was not ready to die.
Memories and dreams flashed before his eyes, like he had always heard.
As he was dropped to the ground, the foliage of the area brushed against his skin. Cold dew was refreshing; it seemed to relax his muscles. Botany had always soothed him; he had harnessed it as a child. A mutant from a young age, he had never saw a need to hide his abilities and he had valued peace over war, it was at the University of Moscow that he had allowed himself to fully love that gift.
It was painful to consider that he might die because of it.
What have you done, Rheinholdt? He thought as he forced back the tears.
Mount Elbrus
Mountains of the Greater Caucasus
Karachay-Cherkessia, Russia
Doménico Cieri Estrada once said, ‘Reason and Faith are both banks on the same river’.
It was cold but, as a philosopher for the remaining years of his life, Erasmus Tolstoy had learned that a little bit of faith could go a long way. The difficulty wasn’t in finding why he had been taken from his bed in the early hours of the morning...it was who had done it. Erasmus’s brother was Foreign Secretary of State for the Russian government; Erasmus merely assumed he was a ransom and one that would be aptly met.
However, Erasmus was a clairvoyant. Five years ago he had seen his death and these surroundings were looking eerily familiar to the scene that had never left his mind. Strangely, that seemed to calm Erasmus. He was able to make his peace with the world before he died; it was only a pity that he would have to die without knowing his reasoning.
Silently, he began to pray.
Lake Charvak
Tashkent Province, Uzbekistan
Bumping and halting, Zofya Bullskova had surmised that she was in some sort of vehicle and travelling at speeds beyond those that she was used to. It seemed logical to assume that she was somewhere on the back roads of Russia and that only made her more frightened. Her dark hair fell messily around her face; as frightened as she was she would not let the villains know how she felt. Zofya was the First Lady of a country that needed strength and if she were to die for them, she would do so with dignity.
Crashing her head of the side of the van, she felt the moving stop. Panting loudly as the doors were pulled open, she saw the night was clear.
“Bastards,” she spat at them in a final stance of defiance.
A large, brutish man reached in and pulled her from the cargo compartment by her hair, she slipped on the damp mud as she fell. Grabbing her then by the arms, she was led towards what appeared to be a large, picturesque lake that was surrounded by mountains, and she feared only for her people.
In the uncertainty she worried were she was and why she had been taken to such a specific place.
The Bronze Horseman Monument
Constitutional Court of Russia
St. Petersburg, Russia
Gideon had never imagined that allowing his son to pursue his political ambitions would lead to his death. the Dutch guards had spoken of communism and, as a former blacksmith in the Germany, he had realized what they had meant. He didn’t want to die for democracy, he was happy just being able to make ends meet, and he had no wish for glory or to become a martyr for a cause he could care less about.
He was a family man, three children and a wife would be left behind if he died. They would be unsupported and alone in a world that would never know the truth behind their family. Gideon had to find some way to escape, but after he had used his ability to burn the guards with his hands they had placed metallic gloves on him, trying to melt them had only meant that he had burned himself.
Looking around he could see nothing but darkness, but he could feel that he was surrounded by wood and a lot of it, not just what he was tied too.
Underground Cavern
Siberia, Russia
Illich watched Yelena pace backwards and forwards, nothing but fear and frustration etched across her fine face. Things didn’t seem to be going to the plan she had laid out for herself. Illich had been making her life hell for the best part of twenty minutes and she was getting angrier and angrier. Reaching for her gun, she slammed the doors of his cell open and stormed in on him as she directed it at his face.
Smirking, he forewarned her. “Big mistake, little girl.”
Sibercat pounced on the blonde agent, his yellow fur was a mere blur before her hazy vision as he pushed her to the ground and knocked the gun from her hand. Her eyes followed the gun as she raised her foot to his chest and pushed him rolling off her. Unfortunately, like a cat, he landed on his feet with a hissing sound.
“Shit,” Yelena groaned, her short blonde curls bobbing around her face.
Pushing herself from the dirt, creating a rustle of dust and grit, she bolted from the cell but she wasn’t quick enough to close the door before Sibercat bulled his way from the cage that had contained him for so long. He would no longer allow this woman to dictate his life to him, Sibercat was stronger than that, and he was hungry.
Pulling a cat o’ nine tails from her belt, Yelena swung it at the mutant that rushed at her. At first Sibercat underestimated the pain that could be caused by the weapon as it crushed into his back, causing blood to stain his yellow fur a ruby red colour. Regaining his composure at a distance, he unsheathed his claws and rose from all fours to stand like a man.
When angry, Illich had always become more feline.
Using the enhanced agility, Sibercat pounced at the wall and ran across it, his claws flung mounds of dirt behind him, but he jumped to the roof above the woman as she launched her weapon at the wall, and he leapt over her, catching her face with his claws and landing behind her with a smirk.
“Bastard,” she screamed in rage.
“You only thought you had problems.”
Yelena’s eyes turned from her foe to the snowy opening of the cave that was just a few yards away from her.
Water Fountain
Moscow, Russia
Her nostrils flared and she was forced to step away from the scene for a moment. Placing her fist over her mouth to stop her gagging, Fantasia had never been one to have a sensitive but the smell of blood and decay was rife in the air, already the corpse was decomposing. Something had been done to the body, almost as if the killer had given them the lead, but he was still timing their every movement. It had to be quick.
It had taken almost forty minutes for the search of the crime scene to dissolve into the bickering that was now occurring a little to her right between her comrades. The time they had spent agreeing would seem impressive to anyone who hadn’t been present, but they had avoided each other for those forty minutes so Fantasia was more than a little annoyed.
Her eyes followed a glare that caught her sight.
Kneeling down, her skirt fluttered around her legs as she lifted the small stones, they appeared to be emeralds, she was tempted to call for the attention of her comrades but she couldn’t really be bothered getting involved if this lead nowhere. She followed the glistening stones across the large courtyard and she peeked nervously into the alleyway, before she made her way down after them.
Wrinkling her nose, the smell was back and as she followed the stones until she was facing a wall, her eyes lifted somewhat hesitantly and in shock she fell back from the wall a few steps.
Blood trickled from the words...it was the most sinister sight she had ever seen, and she looked away from it as she rushed from the alleyway. Suddenly she came to a stop as her eyes watched the ground nervously, filtering the information carefully she tried to remember where she had heard that saying before.
Stumbling towards the bickering two, she tried for their attention.
“Hey, hey, guys listen,” Fantasia lost control as she found her voice. “Shut up!”
Her voice screeched as she fell back from them, her scream reverberated around the old buildings, her eyes widened and she suddenly remembered where she had heard the phrase before, it was almost as though something was caught in her throat, Fantasia couldn’t breathe and she held her throat as she stumbled backwards.
“Fantasia?” Vanguard approached her.
Her eyes began to glow a pale violet, as did her hands, and as she pushed her comrades away from her a violet explosion ushered over her body. When the haze cleared, Fantasia was gone and her teammates were left confused and in the dark of her discovery.
Underground Cavern
Siberia, Russia
“Well, if it isn’t my predecessor,” snarled Yelena as her eyes met those of the Black Widow.
“Only I would never have been as naughty as you,” replied the older of the two woman.
“That’s not what I heard.”
Before anyone could react, Yelena thrust the cat o’ nine tails behind her and they smashed into Sibercat’s face and left him lying slumped against the cold, hard wall. Her eyes narrowed and she smiled as she discarded the weapon, pulling a dagger from her belt. Red Guardian was unprepared and suffered the first blow, before Starshine blocked a second attack with a Darkforce projected wall.
Ursa Major roared loudly as his body transformed into that of a bear and he rushed at the young woman. She leapt over the humanoid bear and tried to punch the Black Widow, who successfully avoided her before delivering a roundhouse kick to the young woman’s face. As Yelena stumbled backwards, she was knocked from her feet when her own weapon, the cat o’ nine tails, collided with her stomach courtesy of Red Guardian, who clutched it at his chest.
Starshine ran past her to the aid of Sibercat, but Yelena managed to pull a throwing disc from her belt, and hurled it at the young Russian. It struck her between the shoulder blades as she fell forward, unconscious.
Pushing herself up, the somewhat brushed and battered Yelena punched Red Guardian and turned to kick him in the chest knocking him away from her. She was panting heavily as Black Widow and Ursa Major charged at her, and she knew she was fighting a losing battle. The Russian mercenary opened a smokescreen from her belt and the scuffle fell to a halt.
Black Widow looked on at her team in disdain as the smoke cleared and Yelena was missing, two of whom lay unconscious.
“That was a failure,” muttered Ursa Major as he returned to his human form.
“No,” Black Widow replied. “We engaged the target; we know who we’re dealing with now.”
“And these guys?” he enquired.
“We patch them up and get them back on the field.”
Central Russian Upland
Zaraysk, Moscow Oblast
Fantasia found herself hurtling from the violet haze into the fresh smelling grass.
Pushing herself to her feet as quickly as possible, the Russian beauty looked frantically around her. She had to be right, but she didn’t want to be because if she was then time was running out for her. Night wind bristled through her hair as she felt it cut through her, the cold kept her awake and that was how she knew she was alive. It was then that her eyes saw the mutant, kneeling in the middle of the field.
Fantasia rushed towards him and fell to her knees beside him as she saw the face she had hoped not to find. She could only whimper. “Fyodr.”
Blood scarred his body and she hated whoever had done this to him, she rested her hands on either side of his face. His shaggy brown hair and his comforting hazel eyes were exactly as she remembered them. She had always been told there were no friendships like those founded in college, and they had been right, but now she was faced with the prospect of losing a man who had been so important to her.
Her eyes fell upon the timer and her mouth was ajar.
3.00...
“It’s in minutes, not hours,” he sobbed and he laughed a little as his eyes met hers. “I tried to be strong, Erina.”
“Don’t talk like that,” she demanded of him, placing her hands on the straps that surrounded his body, holding the bomb in place at his chest.
“You’ve got to run...”
“Don’t be stupid...”
“Run, Godammit!”
“I have a few minutes left,” she screamed back at him as the tears ran down her cheeks.
“Erina...”
“No,” she continued to whimper.
“Erina, listen to me.”
2.35...
Fantasia stopped pulling at the straps; they weren’t moving. She was uncontrollably emotional as she lifted her eyes to meet his, though she could only sniff and wipe the tears away.
“You were the first girl I ever loved,” he smiled. “I remember that first day in halls, when I got busted for being a mutie and you turned the guy’s belt into a snake and frightened the fuck out of him.”
They both laughed a little, as he continued.
“You weren’t only the first, you were the last and my life was better for knowing you,” Fyodr began to cry. “I’m...I’m glad you were beside me.”
1.57...
“I remember, you were so docile and submissive, but I was just so brash and stubborn; we were great together. I never wanted it to end,” Erina told him through the tears as she stroked his face.
“I’m happy to die, as long as I got to see you one last time,” Fyodr forced a smile through his tears.
“Don’t talk like that,” Erina snapped at him. She began rapidly pulling at the metallic straps again, trying to snap them or transform them with her powers. Nothing would work.
“Run,” he whispered in her ear as he leaned forward, resigned to his fate.
“I can’t!” she screamed at him. “We have to fight this!”
Fyodr exchanged a look with her, and she understood him wholly. Pulling him close to her she kissed him lightly on the lips. “I love you and I always will.”
Fantasia pushed herself from her knee’s as she continued to sob for the man she had to watch die, someone who had meant everything to her.
0.07...
“I love you too,” Fyodr finally gained the strength to mutter as she stood frozen.
0.03...
“Erina...”
0.02...
“Erina!”
0.01...
“RUN!”
0.00...
Fantasia’s hands shot ahead of her as a violet haze blocked the sudden rush of the explosive fumes, gases and energy that burst towards her and, as it deflected around her force field, she struggled to maintain the strength required. Before her very eyes she watched the body of Fyodr tear apart from the blast and then a second blast echoed from the bomb which sent her force field backwards and it propelled her through the air, landing in the cold, dew covered grass as the smoke clear.
Leaning on her elbows she rubbed what felt like rain from her face, only to discover it was ... blood.
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To Be Continued...
Next Issue: In Winter Guard #3: The race is on to save Zofya and Erasmus but can Vanguard and Darkstar succeed? Can Fantasia mentally survive her ordeal? A shock diagnosis for a Guard, and a traitor is revealed but will it Wmean the death of a Guard!
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