Dragon's Progeny 75

Deep below the surface, trapped in the bowels of a concrete fortress made to be impenetrable, a man was shrouded in darkness. Suspended by his wrists, manacled to the wall behind him, he was completely alone save for the damp concrete walls around him and the quiet drip-drip of his blood pooling beneath him.

He rasped for breath. The sound was ear-grating and unhealthy as his cracked ribs squeezed his lungs uncomfortably, sending shocks of pain ringing through his battered body. The endless darkness in front of him was so deep that he couldn't tell if his eyes were opened or closed, until a beam of light pierced through the gloom.

“You still alive in here, kid?” A gruff voice reached his ears as the heavy door was dragged open by multiple hands. Artificial light washed into the room, shading the dirty concrete a washed-out grey and revealing the stoic face of Commander Baker, a frequent visitor to this little area of the base.

“Oh you know,” Kon smiled as he squinted against the light. He shook his manacles, ignoring the shooting pain that such an action sent though his body, “I'm hanging in there. I would kill for a rum and coke right now though. What's a guy got to do to get some good service around here?”

That remark earned him a punch to the stomach that made him wheeze and curl in on himself.. He coughed and the blood pooling in his mouth dropped down his chin to join what was at his feet.

“That smart mouth is getting real old, but it's good to see you're still kicking.” The commander said, looking at the man who had buried his fist in Kon’s stomach. “Haul him down. The boss wants to see him.”

Kon grimaced as the metal cuffs bit into his wrists one last time before unlocking with a heavy click. He dropped to the ground with a thud. His legs didn't even entertain the notion of holding him up, numb and useless from lack of use, and they folded underneath him like wet cardboard, sending him to the floor.

He coughed, breathing heavily from the impact which rattled his bones and opened up several of the scabbed over cuts littering his torso. Baker didn't give him the luxury of recovering though, and soon two pairs of rough hands seized him by the arms, hauling him up into a standing position.

“Easy, fellas,” Kon managed, his voice a dry croak as they began to drag him out of the cell. “You gotta give a guy time to stretch after you have him hanging up for a few weeks.”

They ignored him, their grip just as strong as the iron shackles he'd just escaped as they marched him through a long corridor. The transition from a pitch-black cell to the hallway was blinding, causing him to grimace. Fluorescent lights buzzed overhead casting their searing beams into his unprepared retina.

As Kon's vision slowly swam into focus, he took stock of his surroundings, trying to focus past the pain and take in everything he could.

There were soldiers everywhere. He wasn't cognizant enough to count them all, but they'd only gone a few feet and he was sure he had already seen at least twenty. Their eyes followed him for a moment as he passed before completely disregarding him, like he was just a minor distraction to whatever they were doing and not a bloody torture victim being physically dragged in their midst.

I guess they have something better to do. He thought wearily as he tried to get his legs working underneath him.

The air out here was different. It was heavy and devoid of moisture, like his cell had been before he stained it a lovely shade of red. The walls were made of thick concrete reinforced with metal. Vents hummed above head height, likely the only source of actual fresh air considering there were no windows to crack open for a breeze. They were probably underground or something.

Commander Baker walked a small distance ahead of them before he slowed, falling back to walk beside Kon’s dragging form.

“I don't know why the boss wants to see you, but I can't say I'm happy that my favorite punching bag is being taken away from me.” He glanced at Kon who stared back at him with lidded eyes. “You're one tough cookie, kid. I was hoping I'd be able to beat it out of you by now.”

Kon’s attempt to walk was a pathetic shuffle. His feet dragged across the ground, the dead weight of his lower body threatening to pull him down with every step, and the only reason he wasn’t flat on his feet was thanks to the two men holding him upright and forcing him to move. He let his head loll to the side, meeting the Commander’s gaze with a lopsided, bloody grin.

“You know, Baker,” Kon spat a glob of red onto the pristine hallway floor. “I’m gonna miss our little chats. You ask me a question, I don’t answer how you want me to, you punch me in the ribs a few times and take a tooth for good measure. I’m sure when I’m out of here, I’m gonna remember your face for a long time.”

Baker just scoffed, as if the idea that Kon would ever make it out of here was ludicrous and Kon had to admit, his odds weren’t looking too good. He wasn’t sure how long he’d been chained up in that room, getting the shit beaten out of him daily. Days, weeks, months? He wasn’t sure. It was kind of hard to keep track of time when you were in so much pain that you forgot to breathe.

Smacking his chapped lips, Kon blinked and suddenly they were in a completely different place. The pain thrumming through his body was a dull throb compared to the agony screaming in his skull. Dehydration, starvation, mutilation, there were so many things that he was suffering from right now that his body didn’t know which one to focus on.

Amateurs. Haven’t they ever heard of good cop, bad cop? He complained mentally. He finally managed to get his feet underneath him but his gait was stumbling and half-drunk, so he was still basically being dragged along instead of actually making the journey himself. They passed through a set of hydraulic doors that wouldn’t look out of place on a submarine, which hissed closed behind them the moment they passed through, trapping them in between another pair of doors just like them.

There were four men standing in the checkpoint, wielding heavy armor and heavier weapons. They nodded at Baker but didn’t even regard Kon with a glance. Just like the rest of these guys, they were professionals. Kon was betting on ex-military or something like that. They gave off the same vibe that some of the people back in the ABB did, the ones that weren’t taken off the streets to fill the ranks.

Baker cleared the checkpoint and Kon’s journey resumed, taking him on the other side of the blast doors. The atmosphere around them seemed to shift the moment they actually stepped through. The soldiers around them looked a lot less bored, like they actually had something to do rather than just milling around for the sake of it. They all wore some kind of gear, black and tactical, like something Kon would wear out in the field but like, ten times more expensive, and they were moving around with a manic energy, like ants in a colony under attack.

Kon watched them through lidded eyes. It was easy to see this wasn’t just routine. Even an outsider like him could feel that something was up here.

“Looks like you guys are having a busy day.” He said aloud. “Did someone pull the fire alarm? Or is it sloppy joe day in the canteen? Mind grabbing me one or two? My ma’s worried I’m not eating enough.”

“Your ma’s gonna have a lot more to worry about when we deliver you to her in separate packages.” Baker responded gruffly. “Shut the hell up and keep moving.”

Kon did neither. Well, it wasn’t like had control over his movement right now, but he definitely didn’t close his mouth.

“Are you gonna pay for shipping at least? I know I’ve lost a little weight, but there’s a weight limit on certain packages you know.”

Kon kept jabbering for minutes, utilizing the only part of his body that hadn’t been completely broken. Talking was something he was good at, and it didn’t take long for Baker to look like he wished he’d ripped out the young man’s tongue the first time he saw him. It was cathartic, especially once he realized that his belligerent wasn’t going to be punished with even more violence like normal. It seemed like Baker was under orders not to hurt him , or else his jaw would definitely be broken by now.

His talking served a dual purpose. Annoying his captors was always something he was up for, but the talking also kept his mind off of the way his bones shifted in ways they weren’t supposed to, bruised skin and organs begging him to quit whatever tortuous exercise that he was putting them through and rest.

Unfortunately for them, rest would have to be put off for a little while longer as they reached a massive junction, unlike any of the other parts of the base. Instead of continuing down the utilitarian hallways that looked like they’d been copy-pasted from the same unoriginal design, they turned a corner and reached what looked like a dead end. It was like the hallway suddenly cut off halfway, and grey stone was traded for a heavy door that was almost as large as the checkpoint they passed earlier.

It was guarded by three mercenaries. These ones were different from the ones they had passed though, different from the checkpoint guards too. They were lightly armored and held thin rifles in their hands, alongside a backpack that wrapped around their chest and blended seamlessly with the rest of their equipment. They remained completely stoic as Baker approached. Kon didn’t hear what was said but soon a loud buzz echoed through the hall and the door behind them slid open with a hiss. They stepped to the side, allowing Kon and his guides to pass through.

The transition was almost jarring, a sharp shift in atmosphere that left the injured man reeling as he was dragged inside. The grey, concrete walls outside gave way to an almost normal office space, with a large desk and actual decorations along the walls.

There was a man behind the desk, slightly obscured by two different monitors with wires stretching down into the floor. He was wearing a skintight bodysuit emblazoned with a white snake. His ribs were visible underneath the suit, showing just how little protection the outfit truly offered. Not that Kon thought he'd really need it all the way down here, surrounded by dozens of armed guards.

Kon had seen Coil exactly once before, when he was first put down here. Just like before, he found himself entirely underwhelmed by the man's presence. This was the mastermind of Brockton Bay? The one pulling the strings behind everything? He was expecting some kind of puppet master, not a make-a-wish kid who escaped the hospital and survived long enough to grow up into a manipulative shitheel.

Kon was half-dragged, half-pushed forward until he stood, swaying slightly, about ten feet from the desk. The guards immediately moved to flank the door, their weapons silent but ready while Baker stepped slightly back, stoic as he took up his potion.

Coil did not look up immediately. His masked head was tilted slightly towards the hidden monitor as he worked on whatever new scheme he was cooking up. It was probably some kind of power play or something, but Kon couldn't give less of a shit. He was more concerned with how much the temperatures had dropped since they set foot in here. There was only so much his own blood could do to keep him warm.

Seconds ticked into minutes. Annoyed by the silence, Kon decided to break himself. He summoned a rattling cough, filled his mouth with blood, and spat it straight into the floor in front of the desk. It splashed slightly, splattering on one of the legs and no doubt sinking deep, becoming a stain that would take forever to get out or the finely grained wood.

Coil finally lifted his head, gazing at Kon through his featureless black mask. His costume didn't have any eyeholes at all, but Kon knew from the prickles on his skin that the man could see him all too well.

Kon offers him a bloody smirk. “Sorry about that. Allergies.”

Coil gave no strong indication about how he felt about Kon’s actions, but he did finally give him his full attention, powering down his computer and standing with deliverance. Kon straightened but didn’t flinch as the man slowly walked around his desk, hands folded behind his back like some kind of evil genius about to explain their master plan to the unwilling captive. Which now that Kon thought about it, was exactly what this was. Huh.

As Kon came to terms with the concept of being in some eighties spy movie, Coil turned to his men and dismissed them with a wave. They saluted and promptly made for the door, but Commander Baker stayed behind, moving to take up their positions instead as he stood guard by the door. Now that they were mostly alone, Coil turned his full attention to Kon, staring at him intently, and his voice emerged in a smooth drawl.

“I understand that you’ve managed to hold yourself together against Baker’s techniques. I’d say I’m impressed, but I suspect stubbornness is something you learned from her.”

“Aww, is the boss giving you trouble?” Kon chuckled, sensing a small amount of frustration in the man’s voice. “Yeah, she’s pretty good at that. Kaiser thought he could get one up on her too but Baker told me all about how that went. Lost his mind and then lost his head, right? Might want to be careful before you end up the same way.”

Commander Baker used the knowledge of Kaiser’s defeat to try and demoralize Kon. After all, with Kaiser dead and Yosei’s girlfriend back with her, why would she ever waste time trying to find him? Kon expected they thought he would break and spill the beans once he realized that escape was unlikely, but he figured that out the moment he woke up chained to the wall. He wasn’t gonna sell out his people just because Yosei got what she wanted.

Though looking back on it, maybe laughing in Baker’s face wasn’t such a good idea. He didn’t know what a punctured lung felt like, but he was certain they got pretty damn close that time.

Kon’s threat fell flat on the floor. Coil didn’t react in any noticeable way, watching him silently, his featureless mask betraying nothing. He stepped closer, the white snake on his costume writhing with the movement. “Your loyalty is commendable, and if you were one of my men, I might have been able to do something with it. As it stands, you are nothing but a waste of resources. Something that I cannot afford at this junction.”

Kon chuckled, the sound reverberating hollowly in his chest. “She’s knocking on your door, isn’t she? Is that why everyone’s running around like headless chickens out there?”

For a second, Kon thought he saw Coil stiffen but the notion was gone as soon as it appeared.

“She is more determined than I expected.” Coil gave nothing away, but his voice tightened ever so slightly. “Which is why I cannot waste time on someone whose information may well be out of date.”

Kon’s lips rode upwards as hope surged in his chest. For all of Coil’s sleuthing, it seemed like Yosei finally caught his scent. And that had the man spooked. He clearly didn't expect to be found out this soon, and now he was panicking.

“So what’s the plan then?” Kon dug for info, listing lazily to the side, feigning casualness. “Are you gonna put two in the back of my head and pack up this little circus? Move on to the next big city full of people whose lives you can ruin?”

“You seem to be under the impression that Yosei poses some kind of threat.” Coil responded darkly. “She is a child playing a role. She may be suited for it, certainly, but she joined the game far too late to make any real impact. She will be dealt with, and things will return to how they should be. Firmly under my control.”

Kon’s eyes narrowed. “If that’s the case, then why am I here?”

Before Coil could respond, a harsh beep escaped the computer situated behind him. He stiffened and turned to look at it, before casting a nod to Commander Baker who stepped to the side, allowing the door behind him to slide open with a hiss. Kon turned to greet the new arrival, but stopped dead as he caught sight of them.

An old woman led the way, dressed in expensive clothing and tapping a gilded cane with every step. Her hair was white and her face was severe, like everything she saw was just a little bit below her standards. Behind her was a tall man with blonde hair wearing a white costume that seemed to reflect every single ray of light that bounced against it. Unlike the woman, he was smiling, though Kon hesitated to call that an actual smile.

Kon felt a chill that had nothing to do with the air conditioning. Though he’d never met this woman, he knew who she was. This had to be Agnes, the woman who took Tammi and forced the war with the Empire. She looked exactly as he imagined her, rich, old, and a huge, stuck-up bitch.

“Coil.” Her voice was rough and curt, displeased. She didn’t look at Kon or even acknowledge Baker as she stepped past the man. Her eyes were fixed on the supervillain in their midst. “Have you made progress on our bargain?”

Bargain? Kon supposed he shouldn't have been surprised that Agnes was working with Coil of all people, but it came as a shock to learn that the two biggest threats to the ABB as a whole were in league with one another. He watched as Coil inclined his head at her appearance. The man didn't seem to take any issues with her tone or general lack of manners as he spoke in a genial tone.

“There have been some complications, as I'm sure you're aware.” He said. “I brought you Othala, as we agreed–”

“And seemingly forgot that she was only half of the agreement.” Agnes interrupted. “I agreed to do business with you because you assured me you could get results. I am not seeing them.”

Coil's mask blocked his expression, but it was clear he wasn't pleased to be interrupted in such a way. He glanced towards Kon, before moving to take a seat behind his desk once more. Agnes moved closer as well, though she remained standing as the costume man behind her assumed a position just to her right, between herself and Kon.

Coil sank into his chair, placing his hands upon the smooth wooden surface of his desk. “I understand, but I request your patience. I burned a great deal of resources in my bid to retrieve Othala for you. The attack on Yosei's home has all but pushed the Fallen out of the game entirely, and several of my usual agents have gone dark. I need to be more careful in allocating my resources.”

“Excuses of a weak man.” Agnes scoffed. “I have traded one niece for another, and I am getting sick of this dance I am forced to play with that subhuman trash that calls itself the ABB.”

“That subhuman trash sure as hell beat your little clique.” Kon couldn't help but jab, earning the attention of Agnes. Her eyes narrowed into steely slits as they gazed upon him and her lips curled downwards. She looked like she was gazing at a bag of burning shit left upon her porch.

“The Empire was a farce of what it could have been thanks to that brat Maxwell.” She spat. “It was a barely-cohesive force with a prideful idiot at the helm.”

“But a dangerous organization all the same.” Coil interjected just like she had. “The Empire may not have met your standards, but there is a reason they stayed on top for so long. They were dangerous, and Yosei dealt with them all in just a few days. And now the ABB is even more powerful. We must be careful.”

“More excuses." Agnes spat, slamming the tip of her cane onto the floor with a crack that echoed like a gunshot. "I'm starting to wonder if that is all you're good for.”

It was starting to become clear to Kon that this alliance of theirs wasn't as solid as it seemed. Agnes clearly had no respect for Coil, and Coil didn't seem like the type of man to forget her disrespect

Coil was silent for a moment. He looked from Agnes to the cape in white, and then, his hidden gaze slowly slid over to Kon, and he had an idea.

"Perhaps a gesture of good faith is in order.” He gestured a slim hand toward Kon. "I can’t help but feel as if I've been doing all the heavy lifting in this little partnership. If you want your results, perhaps you might be able to help me get them yourself.”

“And what exactly are you suggesting?" she asked, her lip curling in distaste. "This man is on death's door already. hardly useful as a bargaining tool.”

“He is one of Yosei's. A close companion of hers who likely has knowledge that would help us find your wayward niece.” Coil explained as Kon glared at them both. “I tasked Commander Baker with interrogating him, but the results were lackluster. Perhaps you could have more success.”

It was a ripe olive branch, an offer for results that Agnes couldn't refuse. The woman's eyes sharper as she studied Kon with more scrutiny, and Kon felt like he was being dissected under a microscope as she looked him over.

“I see. Perhaps he could be useful then. At least as bait, if nothing else.” The look in Agnes's eyes didn't bode well for Kon, nor did the growing smile on the man at her side. “Very well. I'll play your game and find out what he knows. But the moment I do, I expect to see results.”

“And you will have them.” Coil promised, before his voice turned dark. “But I expect you to hold up your end of the deal as well. Otherwise I will find myself rather displeased.”

Agnes just scoffed, before turning to the man in white."Bring him with us. It seems you and your wife have a new toy to play with."

“I'm sure she'll be pleased.” The man said as he stepped towards Kon with a wide smile. “It's been quite a while since I brought home a gift like this.”

Kon felt his stomach drop through the floor. He tried to straighten and back away, but the cape in white was already moving, grabbing him by the arm and dragging him out of the room to an unknown fate. Though he had a feeling that whatever was about to be done to him was worse than anything Baker could ever cook up.