The Path of Redemption

The Incredibles: The path of redemption.
Englishwitch
Disclaimer: Disclaimer- I do not own The Incredibles, it is a Disney/ Pixar animation motion picture

Chapter 19- Retreat and progression.

An armoured car drove out into the countryside, heading for the mountainous regions far outside the city. It stayed off the highway, sticking to the smaller roads. The driver and passenger didn’t speak, but they didn’t have to, they both knew that their minds were occupied by the precious cargo in the back of their van.

**************

Deep in the heart of the city, at the top floor of a skyscraper, sitting around a very long table, were many men in very expensive tailored suits. Standing behind each of these business men were very large men in cheaper suits; bodyguards. All the men at the table were looking at each other very uneasily, they had never been in the same room altogether before and there was a lot of bad feelings between them. But they all stayed silent, waiting for the last empty seat to be filled.

The door opened and a woman walked in, she was in her thirties, with some silver just beginning to appear in her long raven black hair. She had an Asian face; her mother had been Chinese. She wore a suit, but this one was oriental in design. Her cold eyes looked around the room at everyone sitting at the table and her lips twitched in the slightest of smiles; they had all come. Her body guard was right behind her, dressed in a suit, he looked like some kind of ex-wrestler. Everyone knew her and held a respectful fear. Saddako Burns; She had inherited her fathers mafia empire when he had died of a heart attack. Even in his old age he was still too good to be caught be an assassin. His half-Chinese daughter had taken over the business and anyone who had thought a woman would be a soft touch in the mafia business was quickly put right through pain or death. The Burns family had been powerful before, now they owned almost a third of the city.

She sat down at the head of the table and looked at all of them. “First I extend my welcome to all of you. I am pleased that you decided to accept my invitation. But I also know most of you are simply here out of curiosity, why I extended the invitation in the first place. It’s quite simple really. We are all under threat. A year ago, as you all know, the supers returned and since then our profits have started going down like the titanic. All of our business ventures have suffered at the hands of the supers. The situation has not been helped by us fighting amongst ourselves. If we are to stand a chance of survival, then there is only one thing to do; unite. We must combine our forces, both muscle and business, to have the funds and power to live on through this new age of the Super’s.”

There was silence for a few minutes as everyone began to absorb what she had said. An elderly man, in his sixties, spoke first. “You want us all to become partners?” He glared around the room, looking at a few of the men at the table.
“I know what an insult you feel it would be McDonnel, your family has been in competition with half the families at this table since the time of your grandfather. But your grandfather also had trouble with the Super’s. You’re family almost went bankrupt through battles against Supers and rival families did it not? Only in the years after the Supers were outlawed did you begin to make your hundreds into millions. We all became richer than our ancestors had ever managed have we not?” There were nods of agreement. “But now the Supers have returned that money is starting to dwindle again is it not?” Again, there were nods of agreement. “Then we must work together. Only through our united resources will we stand a chance of defeating the Supers.”
“You can’t defeat the Supers.” A guy yelled at the other side of the table. “That’s insane.”
Saddako looked at him, her cold eyes made him hesitate to speak again.
“True.” She conceded. “We might be unable to defeat them, but we could hold them back, perhaps even hurt them.”

The thought of hurting the Super’s was a thought many of them liked. They smiled and nodded. Perhaps they could put some of their differences aside in the name of progress…and money.

****************

A private road led to an enormous, multi-acre estate. There were mountains on one side and woods and a lake on the other. In the centre of this estate was a large house, very seventies in design, three floors high and shaped, weirdly enough, like a set of giant stairs leading to nowhere. There were more window’s than wall, but there were lots of blinds and most of them were closed.

A small welcome party was waiting three agents, one of whom was Agent Price herself. There were also a two doctors and a nurse, in case Violet needed medical attention after her long journey. Tony was waiting, rather impatiently, for her to arrive. He kept looking along the road, to his watch and to Elizabeth Price. She said nothing, but continued to look at the road without blinking.

Finally the van turned the corner and came into view. It drove down the long driveway into the valley and parked in front of the party of people. The two agents jumped out of the front of the van and immediately ran to the back and opened to doors. Ahead of everyone else Tony rushed forward to greet her. He skidded to a halt and stared.

Violet was sitting in a wheelchair, dressed in her civilian clothing she had an IV drip attached to one arm. Her face was still badly bruised. A nurse was at her side, and the woman looked like she had sat in silence for most of the journey, apparently Violet hadn’t been in much of a mood to talk. There was a sports bag on the floor of the van, the zipper was slightly open and a patch of purple was seen inside. Violet hadn’t packed it, her mother had snuck it in when she wasn’t looking. The thing that made Tony hesitate was the look in Violet’s eyes. They were hollow and lifeless. They had lost the spark of life and power that he had known in her for such a long time. The spark that had developed after she had come into her own and became Vanisher. That spark was dead, was Vanisher dead too?

Violet smiled, but her eyes remained as sad as ever. “Tony.” She said, with a monotonous voice. “It’s so good to see you again.”

The two agents helped her off the truck, lifting the wheelchair and up and down to the ground. There was no lift to do it for them on the truck. Violet wheeled herself forward to Tony and held out her arms expectantly. He stooped down and they hugged. She kissed him on the cheek and he did the same. Their lips found each other and they kissed again. But for Tony it felt wrong, their lips met but no spark that had always been exchanged between them. Violet’s kiss had no love in it, no emotion at all. As soon as they had parted he had to step away, he left like he had kissed someone else. It was not the Violet he knew in that chair. It had been a stranger that he had kissed; he even felt disgusted with himself, as if he’d just cheated on Violet.

Before the uneasiness could grow any more Elizabeth stepped forward. She took the sports bag from the truck and handed it to one of the subordinates. “We want to give you a check up in our medical centre first. Then we’ll move you into your room.”
“Fine.” Violet said, still in her monotone. The nurse that had ridden with her took control of the wheelchair and pushed her toward the building. The medical staff followed on behind, followed by the agents. The two who’d driven the truck climbed back into their vehicle and drove off. They’d never said a single word.

Tony hung back and Elizabeth stayed with him for a moment.
“What happened to her?” He said in a shocked voice.
“She was badly hurt.” Mirage said to him. “Psychewave gave her more than physical injures. We can heal her body, but her mind…we can’t help her until she’s ready to help herself.” She walked off, leaving Tony with her enigmatic speech in his head.

************

Saddako smiled as the last signature on the last contract. Their various empires had just been divided up and there had been nothing but peace throughout the entire event. A few strong words here and there but it had all worked out. If any of them came under threat all the others would have the resources necessary to defend each other now. The Supers wouldn’t know what hit them.

Suddenly there were screams and shouts from the hallway beyond the closed door. All the body guards dived their hands into their jackets and pulled out guns. The gangsters themselves ran behind their protectors and waited.

The great doors of the conference room broke apart, showering everyone with long splinters of wood. The dust cleared and a group of people walked in. The bodyguards all rushed forward to attack and defend their employers. Out of the group only two of them moved, a big man and a skinny man. Before a single shot was fired they had struck and left all of the body guards unconscious on the floor. The gangsters were afraid, they had given up their own arms, as agreed, and were now helpless against these invaders. The only one who did not seem afraid, was Saddako, who stepped forward confidently and greeted the young boy dressed in a black suit that had a small white P over the breast.
“You must be Psychewave.” She stretched out her hand but he didn’t take it.
“And you must be the one who forgot to tell her security staff we were coming.” He spat back at her with venom in his voice.
“A little test.” Saddako said, trying to put a sweet tone in her normally serious voice. “to see if you were worthy of doing what you’d proposed.”

Syndrome wheeled himself forward to try and break the tension. “So you are Saddako. I knew your father well.”
“He spoke of you.” Saddako said casually. “You supplied many good weapons. I see the years haven’t been too kind.”
“The years were terrible. The Supers were worse.” Syndrome said angrily.

“What’s going on here?” Snapped one of the gangsters. They had all realised that there was more to this situation than met the eye and none of it meant dying. Saddako smiled and turned to her business partners.
“I must admit I had a few alternate motives for bringing you all here.” She put a hand on Psychewave’s shoulder. “This is Psychewave. I’m sure you’ve heard of him.” She stopped for a second and noticed the recognition in all of the eyes of the men. “Well he has a little…proposal for us. One that will be helped by our new, united empires.”

Psychewave stepped forward. None of the men looked thrilled about hearing anything from a kid. But the name of Psychewave had become famous over the last couple of days. He was the one who had defeated Vanisher, killed her many said.
“It’s simple really. You all carry on just as you are.” He said with a smile on his face. “Only send it to an extreme level. Go out there and use all your resources to cause carnage. Crime and destruction never seen before. I want this city brought to it’s knees. I want the people begging me to be in charge.” He glanced over his shoulder. “And my colleagues of course. And once we rule you may have what you wish of the pieces. Rebuild your business empires with no resistance from the authorities, or legitimate businesses. All I ask is to step up what you’re doing now.”

This was an interesting idea. All they had to do was cause a load of destruction, stretch the authorities and Supers to the breaking point and then break them. Then as soon as they were finished they could pick up all the pieces they wanted.

***********

Tony lightly knocked on the door and came in. the blinds were open and the sun could be seen setting over the mountains; filling the room with an orange light. Violet sat by the window, looking out to the valley. She looked in his direction when he entered and sighed. Tony looked at her, she looked like she used to be, long before they had gotten together and Violet had been a face wandering the halls. She was dressed in dark clothing and had her hair in front of her face, with just one eye peeking out. The hairstyle may have been just to hide the bruises, but Tony doubted it.
“Hi.” He said quietly. He padded across the room and sat on the end of the bed, near her. Violet didn’t turn to look at him again. Tony stayed silent for a little longer, he just couldn’t think of anything else to say. She looked so crestfallen that he didn’t know what to say to make her feel better. Before he could say anything though, Violet spoke.
“Leave me alone.” She said quietly and mournfully. Tony was shocked, never in a thousand years did he think that she would send him away.
“Violet…” He began, not knowing exactly what he was going to say. He didn’t have to think of a speech, Violet interrupted him again.
“I’m useless.” She muttered. “Just a broken up cripple.”
“No, Vi’ you’re not…” But she cut him off again.
“Just go.” She muttered. “I’m nothing. I’m Beaten and broken and useless. Go and find someone you can have a future with. You don’t need to stay with me just because you feel sorry for me.”
“I don’t Vi’ I…”
“Just go Tony.” She snapped, her misery was giving way to anger. “Just leave alone.”

He could see that she wasn’t willing to hear anything else. He sighed and rose from his feet. There was nothing he could say to make her feel better, especially when she wasn’t willing to hear him say it.

*****************

Psychewave was back at HQ. In his hand was a glass of champagne. Their deals with the mafia were signed and sealed. He barely even had to use his mind control to convince them, they were practically sold on the idea already. At the break of dawn a wave of chaos would crash down on the city and all would be swept up by it.

On the table was a copy of the evening’s paper. There was lots of speculation about whether Vanisher was alive or not, no one was sure of anything anymore since she went missing. He Didn’t know where Shifter had taken her but the fool had aided him more than he could have imagined. Since Vanisher had fallen crime had gone up almost ten percent, the police and Supers were already beginning to feel the strain and his plan hadn’t yet come into effect.

People faith and confidence in humanity had begun to drop. Ever since Vanisher had been defeated, people had been panicking about the return of Psychewave. People wanted answers and results from the Supers and the authorities and everyone was getting upset that nothing was happening. It might end up with a riot in the streets before it was over. He enjoyed the thought of a mob tearing the city apart trying to find him. They would be doing his work for him.
*My son*
Psychewave turned and stared again, the image of his mother had returned and she did not look happy.
“Why do you plague me?” He demanded. “What have I done to deserve this? Speak damn you.”
His mother shook her head very slowly. *It is you who are dammed my son. You who are cursed to fail. You hide behind the mask of Psychewave and destroy the glorious reputation the name once held. The innocent suffer because of you and your twisted dream.*
Psychewave jumped to his feet and slammed his fists down on the table. “No, it’s not like that, you don’t understand. No one understands. I’m doing my best for the glory of everyone…but it’s hard. So hard.”
*That’s it, grovel.* She scolded him. *Wallow in self pity. You were never fit to follow in my footsteps. You are unworthy of baring the name of Psychewave.*
“No. you’re wrong. You’re wrong.” He muttered. He couldn’t bare to look at her. Something she seemed to take pride within.
*Heed these words my child. The seeds of your own destruction grow within you. Soon they will flower and bare a black and evil fruit. You will not succeed.*
“YOU’RE WRONG.” He shouted. He looked up to glare at her but his mother was gone. He still grabbed the glass of champagne and threw it at the wall where she had been standing. The glass shattered and the liquid ran down the wall and pooled on the floor. “You’re wrong.” He muttered the to the empty air. “I’ll prove it. You will be proud of me mother. I’m doing all in your name.”

To be continued.