Chapter 8 – Relapse
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Of course it had to be the fucking twins. The priggish pair. The sycophantic siblings. Of all the guild members OS could have sent, he had to send a pair they stood no chance of either conquering or convincing. Siren and Kraken were an unstoppable pair, perfectly coordinated, able to communicate with merely a look, and packing powers that synergized so, so well. Siren was an unbearable distraction, blurring vision, drowning sound, decimating balance with her haunting voice, making it nigh impossible to successfully avoid Kraken’s tentacles, which paralyzed any they pierced in seconds. Even some of the most dangerous delta-humans needed days of planning if they wanted any chance at taking on the twins.

 Simply put, the moment she saw them enter the building from their window on high, Elaine knew she, Allie and Lexi needed to leave. But, since the world had decided that day it would be fucking the three of them over in particular, they soon discovered that Lexi had drained her suit of the juice she needed to portal them out. Lexi had reassured them both that she was already hard at work recharging, but she needed time. In the frantic moments of untying and throwing on clothes a hasty plan was formed. A plan which found Slipspace face to face with her backup, standing tall, poised, channeling a haughty mix of dominatrix and righteous heroine. Siren and Kraken filled the doorway to the building’s main elevator bay, imposing as ever in their matching naval-style suit coats. Kraken’s had been strategically torn to reveal his bulging arms and back, which would doubtlessly soon sprout his mammoth spectral tentacles, Siren had simply simply cut hers so as to reveal her lovely form and myriad of perplexing, winding, disorienting tattoos. 

“Siren. Kraken. It’s good to see you.” She regarded them with a cool, distant professional courtesy, the sort that said you’re not needed here, I’ve got this. 

“Slipspace, darling, would you give us a status report? I know an up and coming hero like you wasn’t just waiting for us to arrive and save the day. Not that we’d be upset, if you had. I’m sure it can be very hard to face an old nemesis after such a difficult loss last time. My brother and I are just so fortunate that we don’t need to worry about such things.” Siren was a veritable artisan when it came to making people hate her, at least the people she felt she was better than. But Slipspace was the picture of aloofness, she simply smirked, and raised an eyebrow, quizzically before delivering her bluff. 

“Oh, you misunderstand. Honestly, if Tic had told me you were coming I would have sent you away, I’m absolutely loath to wasting the time of such important heroes. The situation is under control, Siren. Our villainous duo is incapacitated, restrained. In fact, it was right about when you arrived that I was - ah, tying off loose ends? I don’t wish to waste your time further. I’ll be calling in for a lift from Tare shortly.” She swept her gaze from one sibling to the next, daring either to question her. When their eyes met, Kraken’s face broke into a broad grin.

“Why that’s just great, Slip. Two supervillains in one night? Unheard of from a low-powered heroine, you’ll be promoted for this I’m sure of it! We’ll be happy to put a word in for you. But I’m sure hauling them through Tare’s portal will be exhausting, especially after a fight. Let us help you.” He attempted to shoulder his way through and deftly, Slipspace stepped back into his path as Kraken's smile evaporated.

“Kraken, I’ve been polite for this long out of a mutual respect I thought we shared, but I need you to understand that I’m not having you two come in and nab the credit from under me. You know well as I do that’s what’s going to happen if you help even a little. Small names like mine are easy to knock down to second fiddle. I’m asking you both politely to leave.” She knew it wasn’t going to work, the two were relentless, the only thing more intolerable than their pompous passive aggression being their unwavering misguided convictions. They were right. Villains were wrong. Fuck anyone who got in their way. All Slipspace could really hope for was to stall long enough to enable Allie and Lexi’s escape.

“Listen here, Slipspace. You were assigned the two of us as backup. We just had to spend the last forty-five or so getting here because Tare was saving her remaining energy for a return trip. Do you have any idea how below us these two are? Your fuckup is not our problem. Step aside or be moved.” Any illusion of politeness had evaporated from Kraken’s tone, and given the looks Siren was giving her, the two were, as always, on the same page. Time was up, their patience exhausted. Another quip would not be tolerated, another thinly veiled threat would likely be met with actual force. But, perhaps she could milk a few more seconds out of them with her best glare.

 She felt as though she were in an old cowboy movie, hand at her hip, ready to draw, eyes flicking defiantly from brother to sister in anticipation of the telltale twitch of power flicking to life. Siren’s lips creased into a predatory smile, and just as they began to form the words that would madden and befuddle her, Slipspace stepped to the side. All three visibly relaxed, the twins flashing Slipspace a pair of identical, conceited grins. They stormed down the hall, boots hammering into the floor as they approached the lab. Slipspace hurried along behind them, readying for her moment of truth. 

Either way, Slipspace was about to look like an incompetent fool. Her friends had either already escaped, or were very obviously not tied up and in the midst of an attempt. There was no way this night ended in the credit she deserved for actually beating them. But that didn’t matter, Allie was more important than her career, if she got stuck on dispatch and other pointless work for the rest of forever that would be fine, Lexi wasn’t going to betray her. The twins rounded the corner, Slipspace in tow, and it took everything she could to not let out a whimper of despair. Standing in the middle of the room was Lexi, frantically scrambling to stuff the batteries she’d been charging back into their receptacle, with Allie anxiously pacing, massaging her likely still sore wrists. Strewn across the room were the cut ropes, strategically selling the myth of their ‘escape’ from Slipspace’s ‘capture.’ With the sound approaching, the two turned heel to face the intruders, Lexi managed to slip the final battery back in, but it was too little too late. They’d been had. 

“Well, Slipspace. It seems you did a great job wrapping things up. One piece of advice though, maybe in the future work on your tying skills?” Siren was absolutely radiating self-satisfaction. With silky smooth strides she glided across the room, and stood before Allie, staring down at her imposingly. “Best give up now, little villain. We wouldn’t want that pretty little body you just got to be all roughed up, now, would we?” The room fell quiet as Arcadia and Siren sized one another up, Slipspace prayed silently she would just surrender, it was better than facing the wrath of the twins any day. A low, mechanical hum broke the silence, followed by the high pitched whine of something charging up.

“Get away from her, you bitch.” Lexi growled, a shoulder mounted cannon aimed squarely at Siren’s head. The two shared a look, tense, each daring the other to make a move. This was bad, worse than bad it was catastrophic. If a fight broke out there was no telling just how horrible it would end, the twins did not take kindly to those who resisted. They relished in dispensing their particular sadistic brand of justice. Slipspace couldn’t just sit by and let this happen, hang the consequences, they needed to understand.

“Lexi, Arcadia, listen to me. You can’t win. You don’t want to go toe to toe with the twins, they don’t play nice like I do. They’ll fuck you both up badly, maybe permanently. So, Lexi, unless you plan on killing her right here and now I’d suggest you put it away.” Slipspace felt the white hot anger of Lexi’s glare  burrow into her.

“Have you picked your side then, Slip? I’ll fucking do it right now if it means protecting her. That’s what it means to actually care about someone.” Her gaze was burning, withering, palpable with rage, mistrust, betrayal, but that was nothing compared to the sting of her biting remark. Elaine cared, she cared too much, she cared so much she was putting her very career on the line. Why couldn’t they see this was the only way? Slipspace flitted her eyes around the lab: Allie on the floor, threatened with a vicious beating by Siren, fear and pleading in her eyes, Lexi and Siren caught in a standoff on the verge of explosion, Kraken observing with a bemused grin as tentacles crept along the walls to surround his prey. 

If Slipspace didn’t do something the fight that ensued wouldn’t be one Allie or Lexi could walk away from. They’d both be bedridden, damaged, battered within an inch of their lives. She couldn’t let that happen, and she couldn’t let Lexi force their hand either. Slipspace stood paralyzed with indecision, her options tumbling about in her mind in a dizzying whirl. They couldn’t win, she knew that, even with her help, even if Slipspace chose to condemn herself to villaindom. She was out of options, her gaze met Allie’s once more, and her composure broke as she realized what she needed to do. It was going to hurt so much, too much. She took a deep breath, and strode across the room, seizing Allie by the collar and opening a portal between the floor behind Allie, and the deadly plummet outside. 

“Dr. DeLEXIous, you, and your accomplice are under arrest. You will lower your weapon. You will surrender. If you harm either of my associates, then, well, it’s a long way down.” Elaine was certain in that moment she heard Allie whimper her name, in the softest, most terrified, most hurt voice. She closed her eyes, thankful for the visor which hid her true expression, and tried as hard as she could to reassure Allie without giving up the game.

"You're bluffing, you won't. Not after what I saw, you care about her." Lexi was of course, correct, and part of Elaine wanted to give up the game then and there. To accept defeat and hope to god somehow the three of them would win. But they wouldn't. And Slipspace knew the bluff wasn't unsellable. Despite her words, Lexi's tone betrayed worry. Lexi didn't trust Slipspace, Elain knew that. She and Allie hadn't had time to actually explain why the two were having sex. That mixed well with the fact that Slipspace had never been known to show Kinetiq any degree of leniency in the past, even if she'd never successfully managed to bring 'him' in for arrest - a personal choice Elaine preferred to keep a secret. To the public eye Slipspace was well known for kicking the ass of Allie's former self with impunity, but never quite managing to seal the deal and bring her nemesis in. The history of their animosity was an easy sell that would sow doubt in Lexi's mind for certain, but Slipspace could tell she needed a little push. A push she really, really didn't want to give. 

"Care? As if, what you saw was a heated moment of passion when this little slut started showing just how much she liked being tied up." No it wasn't no it wasn't please Allie please don't believe that. "You think I'm bluffing? Just try me, DeLEXIous." A tear ran down her cheek as Slipspace thrust Allie closer to the edge, knowing in that moment she’d never be able to forgive herself, but the alternative was so much worse. At that Lexi flinched, her tense, killer’s stare melting into fear, rage, despair. 

“Slip, you fucking bootlicking scum, put my sister down.” Wait, sister? Oh god, oh no Allie I’m so sorry. Elaine tried as hard as she could to spontaneously manifest telepathy in that moment, to tell them both she wasn’t going to just throw them to the wolves, she was going to - well, she hadn’t really figured out that part of it yet, but this was the only way forward. Her gaze returned to Lexi, then to Siren who was staring at Slipspace with the most delighted look painted upon her face. As if the night couldn’t have gone worse, now these psychopaths actually approved of her. Silent tension threatened to pull the entire situation apart, the betrayal, the hurt, threatening to snap it in a heartbeat. Lexi’s finger rose to her gauntlet, every eye in the room fell to her. She was panting, grimacing, gaze flying all around the room in desperation, before exhaling into a wail of impotent rage and grief, lightly tapping a button and withdrawing her cannons. 

Lexi was barely standing now, knees weak, trembling furious at her helplessness. Her eyes fell on Elaine once more.

“Mark my fucking words, Slipspace. If she’s hurt, I’m coming for you first. And twins? Better sleep with your eyes open. Soon you’re going to know what it’s like when Dr. DeLEXIous actually tries to be a villain.” Lexi tapped her gauntlet once more, a portal flickering into existence, and as Siren’s voice and Kraken’s tentacles flooded the room, Dr. DeLEXIous fell backwards, and into nothingness as the portal closed behind her.

The dust settled, leaving Arcadia alone, outnumbered, and severely outmatched. Elaine closed the portal, and weakly sank to her knees, easing her grip from Arcadia. 

“I’m so sorry, Allie.” Elaine whimpered softly, praying her associates weren’t listening. “It was the only way. Please just trust me. I’ll find a way to fix this I promise” 

“You’re pathetic, Slipspace. At least your friends over there are predictable. Though then again, maybe I’m the idiot for finally thinking you’d changed. Will you be thinking of me next time you cash your supercop paycheck?” Even as she found the words that would cut the most, there was no stopping the tears streaming down Allie’s face, no stopping the pain in her voice.

“I’ll get you out, Allie, please. I’ll work from the inside, I’ll find a way.” Allie scoffed, Elaine had never heard such disdain.

“Oh yeah? What are you gonna call your senator? Then maybe go out and collect signatures for Azur to not patent their stem cell research and sell it off to the highest bidder? Let go of me you fucking snake.” Allie shoved her away, and glanced toward Siren.

“Alright fash, I give up. Take me in.” Allie offered Siren her wrists. With a delighted purr, Siren slid forward, cuffing Allie and gently running a hand down her cheek.

“Well at least someone knows her place, too bad it doesn’t run in the family. Don’t worry, you and your sister will be reunited soon, I hear the guild has something special planned for you both.” A chill ran down Elaine’s spine as Siren’s gaze turned to her. “Good work out there, Slipspace. Maybe we misjudged you. You were ruthless.”

 

Hello my lovely readers! I know this chapter was a little rough, but don't worry, our heroes are down, but not out. Just so everyone knows, there have been minor additions to chapters 3 and 4. Mostly correcting some inconsistencies such as explaining why Elaine didn't think to worry about her backup, as well as giving Lexi a proper description to match the reveal this chapter. If you want you can go read them again, but it won't dramatically affect the experience.

A quick announcement for my Searching for Normal readers. SfN will be going on a very brief hiatus at least in the realm of scribblehub while I finish it up. You will be able to see early access to chapters on my Patreon, chapter 13 is up there right now, in fact. If you don't want to / can't pay don't fret too much, more will be coming soon. This is not going to be any kind of extended break, rather me just wrapping up the story and making sure everything is perfect before posting to SH. If you haven't had a chance yet, you should check out what is written here 

Also, you should check out my Patreon! There you can read the first three chapters of my scifi romance story Complications of Interstellar Dating, which follows Ves, a butch trans woman, and her relationship with her spunky, excitable alien girlfriend, Amaryllis. Perhaps more enticingly, there's a very delicious audio reading of Searching For Normal's full chapter sex scene performed by yours truly (as well as a free sample, if you want to get a feel for it without paying). And lastly, while SfN is on it's brief hiatus, you will be able to read the chapters I write early there. You can become a patron for that, and soon more content here.

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