Everything goes to shit part 1

It doesn't all go to shit in this post, but I'll get into that later.

I met with Elie, Kimiko and Jane a block away from the Black Garden. Contrary to what the name may suggest, its not a literally garden. Doesn't have anything to do with plants at all. It's just an abandoned, run down building that some cultists use as a base.

"Glad you guys could make it," I said, as they pulled up in Elie's car. "I've been staking this place out all day. Not much activity. We play this right, there won't be any trouble."

I noticed that Kimiko was carrying a daito with her.

"Let's hope you won't be needing that," I told her. "Here's the plan. We'll go in the side entrance. Stay hidden. If anyone spots us, let me handle it. You all just keep your eyes out for any Azoth."

I led them inside. No one was around that area.

"Okay, we're good," I said. "Remember; get it, get the sample, get out."

Jane and Kimiko took one side of the room, trying their best to keep quite, while Elie and I searched the other side of the room.

"A couple things have been on my mind," Elie whispered to me.

"And what would they be?" I asked.

"That spider of yours," he said. "It's part of the Intrusion, correct?"

"Yes," I said. "I've been observing it. It's intelligent. More so than a normal wolf spider. But the extraction seems to have weakened it's link to the hive. I don't really have proof of it, but that's what it looks like to me."

"If that is true, then it would mean you've effectively created an Indesin," Elie said.

"Possibly," I said. "There's nothing in this room. Let's move on."

I approached a door, and listened to the other side. I couldn't hear anything, so I took a peak through. There was nobody in my field of vision, so I motioned for the others to stay there as I slowly entered the room and looked around. It was, for the most part, empty. No people, just furniture. I nodded t the others, and they followed me in.

"What else is on your mind?" I whispered to Elie, as Jane and Kimiko began examining the furniture.

"You and I aren't the only ones with Extractors," he informed me.

"What!?" I hissed back.

"My original blueprints were stolen two months ago," he said. "I don't know who it was, but its entirely possible they were able to make one of there own. Unless they're technologically inept, which is wishful thinking at best."

"So somebody else out there has the means to extract, and possible make use of, Eldritch energy?" I asked.

"I'm afraid so," Elie confirmed.

About then, Kimiko waved at us, excitedly.

"I think she's found something," Elie said.

"Let's go," I said, nodding.

She had, in fact, found a sample of Azoth, dried up on an old hand towel laying in a chair. Not a big sample, like the one I was able to find my first time here, but Elie's Extractor would be able to work with this. Elie picked it up with a pair of tweezers and placed it in a jar, sealing it shut.

"That was easier than I thought it be," Jane said.

"We didn't run into any-" Kimiko started to say, but I cut her off by rapidly raising a finger, causing them all to fall silent.

A soft tapping noise had started up, and I took a couple seconds to seek out its source. I noticed a man in the corner, dressed in dark robes, with a blindfold on, and two toned, black and crimson hair. The sound was coming from him rhythmically tapping his fingers against a large wooden staff he was leaning against.

"I didn't expect you to be foolish enough to return here, Mr. Ferris," he said.

I teleported between the others and him, standing straight with my can in front of me.

"Dr. Ferris," I said. "We didn't come looking for trouble, Raoul. We just need the sample. We'll be leaving now."

Raoul wordlessly slammed the end of his staff on the ground, and several portals opened up all around us, and cultists wearing dark robes stepped out of them, surrounding us.

"Shit...," I muttered.

"How did he-, Jane muttered.

"Raoul is hundred's of years old," I said. "His master may be out of the picture now, but he's been around long enough to learn some magic tricks of his own."

Raoul approached me slowly.

"Last time you came here, you insulted me deeply," he said. "Why would I let you leave so easily?"

"Look, let's all just calm down," I said. "I'm sure we can work something out."

Raoul stopped in front of me.

"Such as?" he asked.

I produced a few syringes from my coat and showed them to him.

"This is a vaccine I developed for a poisonous ointment that local Oathbreaakers have been spreading around," I informed him. "Let us leave peacefully, and it's yours."

"And how do I know you're not plotting to poison us yourself?" Raoul asked.

To prove it, I uncapped a syringe and jabbed it into Elie's chest, before pushing down on the plunger.

"Ah!" Elie exclaimed. "Why'd you do that to me?"

"I have poison immunity," I said. "It wouldn't have any impact if I did that to myself."

Raoul waited for a minute, but Elie showed no signs of harm.

"I see," Raoul said. "Unfortunately, Oathbreakers are no issue for us. That vaccine of yours will not be enough."

The cultists all took a step toward us. Kimiko reached for her sword, but I motioned for her to stop.

"Ie!" I hissed. "Keep it sheathed! I can handle this."

She stopped herself, but kept her hand hovering near the hilt. Raoul took another step closer to me.

"So, what else are you willing to offer in exchange for mercy?" he asked.

Before I could answer, a woman appeared a few feet behind him. She was stunning, with long, fiery hair, and a pair of crimson wings growing from her back. She was dressed in a gown of cyan and violet, and her eyes were shut closed. No one else seemed to notice her presence. That made sense. The Vision rarely shows herself to more than one person at a time. Or so I've been informed.

"Why are you here?" I asked her.

"Excuse me?" Raoul asked, but I raised a finger to silence him.

"Not talking to you," I said. "Something more important just came up."

"What?" he said.

The woman opened her eyes, locking them with mine, and suddenly, a very clear vision filled my mind. My lab. Paris was there, on his knees, bleeding from the forehead, and clutching a bullet wound on his right arm. That Guy Tyler was dead in the corner. My samples were all on the ground, some of the jars containing them being smashed.

Two figures stood before Paris, each holding a gun. A man and a woman. Both wearing the trademark suits of the SMSC.

"The man you work for is a dangerous threat," the man said. "Now tell me, My Jacob. Where. Is. Dr. Ferris?"

I came to. The woman was gone, and we were still surrounded.

"I have to leave," I said.

"As I said before," Raoul said. "We have no intention-"

I cut him off angrily.

"Look, Raoul, I tried being civil, but I no longer have time for that," I snapped. "We're leaving."

I teleported behind the three cultists who were blocking us from the door. I quickly knocked them all out with my cane and shouted at the others to run for the exit. The three of them ran past me, as Raoul commanded the cultists to stop us. I wasn't letting that happen.

IT was time to try out my new superpower.

I raised my cane above my head, channeling power into it, and then slammed it down on the floor, unleashing all that power into the floor in front of me, causing it to rapidly freeze over. The cultists and Raoul quickly found their legs encased in ice. I then pointed at the frozen floor, making a typical gun shape with my hand.

"Bang!" I shouted.

A bolt of lightning shot from my fingertip. It hit the ice, and spread throughout it, electrifying all of them.

I didn't stick around to see if any of them survived. Knowing Raoul, he at least did.

I ran after Elie and the girls and l told them to get the hell out of there. I, on the other hand, had to take care of that vision. I teleported back to my lab, and that is where I will have to end this post. I'll explain what happened next later. Until then, goodbye.