Other Fan Fiction ❯ All Is Calm ❯ Two ( Chapter 2 )

Author's Note: I don't own Psychonauts, durrrrr!

 

-Two-

“What's the trouble, Ford? Is everything alright?” Sasha's voice was tense as he and the Brazilian agent ran towards a trembling Cruller. The eldest stood, holding what appeared to be a bloody shirt sleeve in his hands.

“The vision in this sleeve is, or was a cry for help. Nein, Vodello, you are not going to believe this, but I think Agent Hann was here.” Milla gave Ford a incredulous glance.

“Ford, Agent Hann has been missing for who knows how long. HQ even sent an official death certificate to Truman. I am pretty sure that she has not been in this building, darling.” Sasha took the sleeve in his hands.

“Three years, to be exact.” His voice remained monotone as he focused on the cloth and used clairvoyance. What he was about to see would cloud his mind with speculation and confusion.

~Vision~

The faint image of a young, dirty blonde haired girl running through the halls of Ellison's hideout could be barely discernible in Sasha's mind. She had bright, blue eyes with golden flecks, pale skin, and a tall, thin frame. As a nasal voice boomed throughout the alley, the girl hid behind one of the many concrete pillars and held her breath.

“That little cunt had better be here somewhere. Find her, and I'll raise your pay by six thousand dollars.” The obese guard walking alongside Bombay grinned in pleasure, daydreaming of all the donuts and other junk foods he would buy with the money. He ran off, his incentive providing a new burst of adrenaline and willpower. Unfortunately for the guard, his brain lacked this new drive and forgot to check behind all the nooks and crannies of the room. The young woman let out a sigh of relief, but as she turned to look for another hiding place, she was surprised by none other than Bombay Ellison himself. The man was a very strange sight; his face was pock-marked and angular, his long, black hair covering his eyes. The muscles on his gaunt frame were withered away on his left thigh and calf, but despite his lightweight appearance, the rest of his body was powerfully built. Bombay was missing a few fingers from his left hand, most likely from his duel with Ford. From Agent Hann's point of view, the man was intimidating, but that was only because she was too weak to fight him. Bombay strode over to her, his posture asserting his authority over the Psychonaut. He licked his thin lips and lifted his head, his steel blue eyes gazing into hers hungrily. As Ellison whispered to her, his lips grazed her ear softly, passion and a sickening amusement raging through him. His facial expression exposed a hint of doubt, but this scrap of conscience was quickly discarded. A criminal such as Bombay Ellison did not care about what was right and wrong. He only cared about what he wanted, and that was not about to change.

“So you think you could track me down? Those two other people you tagged along with thought so too, but they were wrong. You were all wrong.I've got you now, Hann. There is nobody to save you now. Not even the Psychonauts care about what happens to you.” Agent Hann glared at Bombay, and in one fluid motion, she attempted to run away from her captor. The plan failed, as Bombay gripped her tightly, her frail body unable to cope with the force. She nearly fainted from exhaustion and pain, but it was that throbbing in her body that kept her conscious. Sasha was able to get a closer look at Mari. The former Psychonaut was covered in scratches and bruises, her face was slightly bruised above the cheekbone, and her eyes held not a frightened expression but an enraged one. Her arms, which were once quite strong and muscular, had lost their strength. Mari's fists clenched, ready to strike the monster beside her. Nein could tell she was about to fight Bombay again. The madman caressed her cheek softly, then the room went black as one could hear a violent struggle, then the painful thump of a body collapsing could be heard in the distance.

~End vision~

 

“He's right, Agent Vodello. It is certainly Mari Hann. Whether this is authentic or if Ellison is merely playing games with us is a mystery. We should take the garment to Headquarters and have it analyzed as soon as possible.” Milla did not bother to observe the sleeve herself as she wistfully listened to Sasha speak. It was small talk like this which made Milla miss her old relationship with her partner. Ever since she joined the Psychonauts, he forgot I was there for him. He probably didn't mean it, though. What he lacks in people skills he makes up for in good intentions. She kept her thoughts highly guarded, desperately hoping that Sasha would either ignore them or be unable to infiltrate her mind. As a matter of fact, Milla never stopped thinking about Sasha, but she didn't want him to know that. She knew that either her partner did not feel the same way or he would never admit it, and love was not supposed to be one-sided. Milla did not like to think about Agent Hann often, as it reminded her of how she and Sasha fell through in the first place. Some would accuse Milla of acting jealously, which would be strange, for someone as kind and thoughtful as she. Although they did not fight, the Brazilian's suspicion of a budding relationship and her co-worker's overtly friendly behavior towards Sasha that made the Psychonauts miserable. As much as Milla disliked Hann, she was unsettled by the memory she watched through Sasha's mind. She did not despise the young woman, after all. It was just a personality conflict that caused the problem, not anything serious. Milla's slight concern turned to panic as another thought crossed her mind; what if Mari had not died? What if she returned to do her captor's bidding? As in many previous incidents of psychic terrorism, kidnappers often brainwashed their victims in order to take down the whole organization for revenge, often for being denied acceptance in the Academy or treated harshly by professors and peers. These plans had often failed, but the danger did not lessen with time. In fact, the more these terrorists perfected their tactics, the more the Psychonauts prepared for a hostile takeover. The incident with Morceau had been more of a scare than any other, as of recently, the attacks involved the mind control of powerful agents, who would lead enemies such as Ellison directly to Zanotto himself. Milla scolded herself internally for hoping Mari to be dead, but it was only out of the safety of the Psychonauts, not her personal opinions of her former colleague. She scanned the building for any other signs of the ex-Agent's whereabouts, but Razputin had already taken pains to study every corner. Overhearing part of the conversation, the boy approached his mentor, unaware of how his curiosity would affect the mission.

“Agent Hann? Who was she, one of your former partners, Sasha?” Agent Nein shook his head firmly at Razputin, not wanting to rehash some of the more painful memories of his job. It was not just for Milla's sake, but for his own, as well.

“It was long ago, Raz. Let us not discuss this right now.” Milla glared at the German, knowing he did not want to start a fight, but she wanted to make her opinion of Hann clear.

“She was an old friend of Sasha's, or, shall I say, an old flame.” Milla watched Sasha's expression change from bored to frustrated, and she showed him no pity. It was not her fault that Sasha cared more for Agent Hann than any other Psychonaut.

“Ooh, Agent Nein had a girlfriend.” Lili smirked as she spoke, and Sasha sighed while he pushed some of his jet-black hair out of his face.

“Razputin, this was the confrontation I was attempting to avoid. I assure all of you, especially Agent Vodello, as you appear to be the only one offended, that I was not involved in a romantic relationship with Agent Hann.” Sasha paused, turning towards Milla to make his point. He never thought that occasionally working with the other German would hurt his partner, but he realized that the jealousy of women involving male acquaintances could not have been restrained in this situation, even by Milla. In that instant, Sasha forgot that his partner was listening in on his thoughts, and he would pay the price for it.

“Oh, darling. I am not upset at all. After all, who am I to tell you who you can or cannot be friends with? I know women get jealous, but you will have to forgive me, alright?” Her words were saturated with cynicism, so much so that even Sasha flinched, hoping desperately that she was not too angry. Like with an angry dog, Sasha avoided eye contact and walked away, muttering an apology under his breath as the others watched. He did not have time for this nonsense.

“Maybe that's why Morry left for the jet.”

The ride back to Headquarters was unbearable for all the agents, including Zanotto. He fidgeted in his seat as Sasha sat on his far left, Milla sat on the right, and Raz and Lili bickered amongst themselves elsewhere. Morry and Cruller sat up front, the stout Psychonaut cursing to himself as he drove the jet. The German let out a sigh of irritation; he was not one to behave like a child, but that was exactly how he and Milla were acting. It was strange how under stressful circumstances, grown adults could throw a juvenile fit, even in the company of peers. It was neither his responsibility nor his personality to apologize, however, and Sasha was not going to change in the near future. He did not like to step out of any comfort zone, even if it was a mere apology to someone he had worked with for years. Nein felt horrible about their fight, but Milla had started it, and she would finish it. She was more suited to let her pride go to ease tension than he. With this thought, his mind drifted to Agent Hann. She had so many similar traits to both of the Psychonauts; Mari had a refined, quiet personality when it was needed, yet in other instances, she was funny, empathetic, and would fight tenaciously for those she cared about. She was a hot-head, but when she was very angry, even Sasha would envy her calm exterior. It was confusing to Sasha how she could have such a range of behavior and not be bipolar. As a Psychonaut, there is a heavy responsibility to keep up a good reputation; everyone is watching your every move, leaving very little margin for error. Agent Hann had neglected the publicity for quite some time, but eventually, a strong personality was a necessity to make her a more valuable agent. Both Milla and Sasha had their own distinct styles, but what made Mari so individual? Agent Hann was so multi-faceted, excellent in many things, he thought to himself, that even she didn't know who she was. Even with her many assets, she never revealed them to anyone unless they asked, so not much was known about her. Ford, who was an experienced Psychonaut at the time, was the only one who knew Mari well, but Sasha knew a significant amount after working with her. She had studied Psychic Healing and taught classes at the Academy, and in three years, she had joined the ranks of Sasha and Milla, who were not quite veteran agents either, but the three were the best of the Psychonauts. Mari was twenty-one years old at the time, Sasha was twenty-one as well, and Milla was only nineteen. It was eight years ago, Sasha remembered, when Mari had first arrived at the Psychonauts Academy. She was one of the older students, and the German did not understand why she had come later than the others. Mari had made up for it as an agent, as she was younger than both Sasha and Milla, who had been working together for a few years when she joined them, but this was only because she was a quick study. It was quite unusual for someone her age, but Mari was very talented, and that aptitude brought her far in the Psychonauts. She did not work with them much, only when Milla was ill or taking a vacation. Sasha was never sick, and the term “vacation” was not in his vocabulary, so Milla never had to be partnered with who seemed to be her antithesis. More often, she would work with mediocre agents, and later on in her career, Mari was stuck with who Sasha believed to be the most mediocre Psychonaut in the agency. Only two years later, around the time Morceau joined the Psychonauts, there was an accident which led to Hann's “temporary resignation”. The title had meant absolutely nothing, as very soon afterwards, Truman Zanotto received Mari's death certificate. He did not want to reminisce any longer, and luckily, Morry announced to the group that they had reached HQ. Rather than approach him in her friendly manner, understand that he did not mean to hurt her feelings and forget about the whole incident like she usually did when they fought, Sasha heard the heels of Milla's boots click past him, her hair bobbing up and down as she walked. There was nothing he could do about it, but Sasha was perplexed as to why Milla took this fight more seriously than the others. The two of them had fought occasionally for as long as he could remember, but that was because Milla felt comfortable around Sasha, and she did not feel obligated to remain stiff and polite around him. He had not felt extremely happy about that, but again, it could not be avoided. Sasha had tried to make the point across to her, that they should remain professional and not emotionally attached, but Milla would not allow it. Her spunk and amiable nature did not adjust to her partner's autistic behavior, nor would it ever. This was especially why Sasha was a bit nervous as to what lecture he would receive later that day. As Milla levitated to the parking lot of Headquarters, she did not say a word to anyone. Nein watched his partner until he saw Cruller's hand waving in front of his face. Embarrassed, the German lit a cigarette and levitated out of the jet as quickly as possible, leaving Oleander and Cruller with a perplexed Zanotto.

“What's going on with those two?” Ford was quite surprised that the Grand Head was not inclined to scold Sasha and Milla for having personal issues during a mission, even if it was on the return home. Ford shook his head, indicating that he did not want to involve himself in his partners' problems. Ever since Mari had accompanied the two on missions, though it was not very often, Milla had felt excluded, or so Ford assumed. Nein respected Hann differently than he did Milla, most likely because she could tolerate hours of his preferred uncomfortable silence. Hann did not care that Sasha was an introvert, and Ford thought she found Milla to be agitating in that manner. Vodello had always tried to lighten her partner up, but Mari had told the elder that her attempts were futile.

~Flashback~

“You cannot change the deeply rooted patterns in a person when that is how they were raised, how their parents were, how they would be without any tampering whatsoever, and how they intend to continue being. No matter how pushy Milla is, no matter how insensitive she is to Sasha's personality, he will keep it. That is the basic principle of human nature: fight vs. flight, and Sasha uses the `flight' response. He does not defend himself by putting Milla down or pumping himself up. He reacts by changing the subject or using another distraction.” Mari had told Ford this once, the year before her accident. It was after a class she was teaching at the Academy, and he had inquired about her opinions of Sasha and Milla as people, not as coworkers. Ford did not remember why he asked that question. It was really none of his business, but he had considered Mari his friend, and in reality, do friends ever mind their own business?

“But Mari, you just said that Sasha is an introvert. How do people that controlled be that dogmatic?”

“You may find this absurd, Ford, but people who are reserved are just as or more set in their ways than those with fiery, irrepressible tempers. Angry people are perfectly aware of what they do wrong. They show their insecurity by blowing up at people, their best defense being a strong offense. The introspective show no anxiety, no fear of anything. It is a form of intimidation in itself. They have their vigor in their minds, not their mouths. Consequently, one who believes they have the mental capacity to solve their own problems are far less likely to express nervousness. When they know they are wrong, they either admit it, which is unlikely, or they cover it up by remaining quiet. They figure that nobody has to uncover their weaknesses. Sasha follows this example perfectly. This is not a black and white theory, considering that all people are different in how they were raised and in their individual thoughts, but Sasha fits the description. Don't you agree, Ford? You've worked with him since he was a kid, so you would know him best.”

Ford could not help but agree. Sasha was, indeed, quite stubborn when it concerned his attitude, even before he became the cold shell of a man, only allowing himself to express flickers of humor or concern if the situation involved those he respected. Sasha was such the stereotypical strong, silent type, though. It was typical of Mari to use a generalization in her theories that often appeared to be, in Cruller's mind, at least, extremely biased. When new agents took classes from or worked with Agent Nein, they often were intimidated by his detached attitude. Although Ford, Mari, and Milla cared for him, all of the Psychonauts had an understanding about Sasha. The man was brilliant, but making up for his psychic aptitude was that cold demeanor which nobody could change, and never would. It was a bit self-centered, but Sasha did not know that. He always believed his emotional seclusion was for the better, both for himself and for everyone else. Sasha wanted to set an example for young agents, who were very often destroyed on the field by their own instabilities. It was a good idea for the newer Academy graduates, but when one was with friends and long-time co-workers, the shell was unnecessary. Still, Ford was certain that was Sasha's way of keeping himself together. After all, it was Ford himself who introduced the concept to the German as a young boy. He didn't want to remember those times at the moment, so he focused once again on the conversation.

“Unlike Milla, Sasha keeps his personal ideals to himself, or when he teaches, he merely suggests one controls his or her thoughts in order to improve psychic potential and avoid mind-reading. Milla wants everyone to be like her so people can relate to her, but not everyone can be outgoing and, well, flamboyant, like she is. That is just a fact of life.”

“Are you sure she's not just trying to make people happy?” Mari snorted at the comment as if it was ludicrous.

“If that was the case, she would leave well enough alone.” ~End flashback~

After leaving the jet and entering Headquarters, all of the agents went their separate ways. Milla disappeared long before anyone else, her fuse shorter in that moment than ever seen before. Sasha levitated down one of the many hallways in the enormous building, leaving Oleander to take care of Ford, whose Psitanium deposit was losing effect. This deficit of psychic energy left the man barely able to recognize his surroundings, and he began mumbling incoherently under his breath. Morceau sighed, walking with his friend and superior over to some Psitanium nearby. Lili and Raz remained with Truman, even though Sasha had initially offered to escort the Grand Head to his chamber.

“Don't worry about a thing, Agent Nein,” Razputin stood up straight as he faced the most powerful man of the Psychonauts and said, “He'll be in good hands.” Sasha rolled his eyes at Raz and left. Lili wrapped her arm around her boyfriend, but Zanotto did not seem to mind that his daughter and the new recruit were together. Lili was expecting a significantly worse reaction, but she figured that Ellison must have messed his brain up or something, and frankly, she did not care. If it means I get off the hook, that weirdo can screw with Dad's brain up all he wants. It's not like he pays any attention to me anyways. Razputin shot her a concerned look, and Lili glared at him in return. She thought to herself using a few choice words that Razputin had better stay out of her mind, or else. Lili made a mental note to see Milla about shielding her thoughts. I should go ask her right now. Who knows what Raz could overhear in the future, and that dork isn't going to quit anytime soon. She glanced upward and sighed; Headquarters was much more expansive than she remembered. Thousands of small rooms surrounded the main hall, most likely offices for advisors and businessmen who believed they had power, but in reality, the Grand Head had the final word in everything. The Psychonauts used to have a board of psychic leaders from around the world, similar to that of the United Nations. However, since Ellison's threat peaked in the last decade, Truman Zanotto emerged as the ultimate force behind the organization. The others were insistent on catching the maniac, but not one of them had agent skilled enough to support their idealistic claims. Truman, on the other hand, had Sasha, Milla, Ford, and Mari at his disposal, and with their reputations, he was able to monopolize the agency for years. All who trusted Zanotto believed he would rid the world of Bombay for good, but hope quickly faded. Lili had only heard a part of the story, but there was a rumor that one of the best Psychonauts alive, Mari Hann, was captured while she, Sasha, and Milla attempted to locate the villain. The papers had said that she was missing from the infirmary after an attack from an energy vampire, but those were quite rare. Mari's finest skill was psychic healing, so it was obvious that she would be able to take care of herself. The details differed depending on who was speaking, but the conspiracy theory was that Zanotto planned the entire thing. Since Bombay was considered invincible, the fear amongst psychics generated a greater popularity for the Grand Head, as he was the only one considered powerful enough to stop him. This all came to a screeching halt when Truman's business partner was caught by none other than Ford Cruller. The elder had him cornered, but as if by magic, Ellison decimated him in a duel long ago. When Ford's psyche was destroyed, the Psychonauts were terrified of attacks still to come. Up until that point, Cruller was Zanotto's most valued agent, but after the accident, the Grand Head could not use a mentally scarred old man in the field. Mari “died” soon afterwards, and the loss of both Hann and Cruller could have devastated the Grand Head's powerhouse. Although confidence sagged, the Psychonauts did not lose all hope in Zanotto and his two remaining agents, for even though it appeared that all was lost, they were still legendary. Ever since then, they would say, Sasha and Milla have been running around in circles looking for a man their own boss was involved with. The rumors were interesting to listen to, but Lili had a hard time believing that her father would compromise with such a horrible human being to gain power. Still, she thought to herself, there could always be a little investigation. She immediately looked at Raz, considering his psychic prowess as a major advantage, but she changed her mind. Her boyfriend could be a big help, but he did not want to risk her father finding out her suspicions. As Raz waved at her, Lili remembered her first task.

“I wonder where Milla went?” Lili looked around, but she was unable to find her favorite teacher. The concern was short-lived, however, as she assured herself that Milla was fine and that her boyfriend was a higher priority.

“She probably went to get something to eat, Honey. It has been hours since, well, you know…” Truman gave his daughter a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder as the three of them left for the Grand Head's room. He knew Lili was up to something, but he had just returned, and it was not worth ruining the happy moment by bringing up accusations. She probably is just worried that I'll be angry about Razputin. I'd better talk to her about that, but he seems like a good kid. Lili's a good judge of character, I guess. Still, I'm not quite sure… As a father, Truman did not want Lili to date someone quite yet, but there were dangerous characters in the world, and the Grand Head was actually grateful that his daughter's choice was a Psychonaut. Her psychic powers were quite developed, but Truman was not ready to drop the overprotective behavior yet. In the passing of time, all would come to learn the fragility of trust.

 

 

 

Alright, folks, that's it for now! I'm sorry if this chapter was unbearably long, but it had to be. After all, I did take forever and a decade…Well, I know I neglected to fill in an internal dialogue for Raz, so I'm sorry. If you would like a character involved somehow, whether it is an Academy student, an Agent, or someone else, let me know, okee dokey? Thanks to my loverly readers for giving me opinions and criticism! You are cool, but PLEASE! I NEED MORE READERS! I hope this fic isn't to serious for people, but I wanted to make angst with some interesting undertones that one could relate to society and psychology. Gah, high school has corrupted my pathetic mind! Anyways, thanks again for putting up with this crappy fan fiction.

~Farcie~