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He’s sprinting down the halls.
Gotta get away! Gotta get away! What the fuck is that thing?!
Xavier slides through another doorway. The lights flicker above him, making the office building seem much more sinister. He spots a door at the end of the hallway.
Fire Exit.
With a relieved laugh, he makes one last sprint down the long hallway, slamming through the door.
There’s no stairs.
“There you are.”
Xavier feels his heart stutter in his chest. The voice is raspy, almost inhumanly so. Whatever the fuck this thing is, it’s got him now.
“What the fuck are you?!” He spins around, trying to make out the figure in the rapidly dimming light, but finds no one. Then, it’s pitch black.
“Why don’t you sit down?” A hand pushes at his chest. It’s not a strong push, but the fear and the coldness of the hand makes him jump back in shock, his back hitting the wall the same time his knees give out.
It’s quiet for way too long. Xavier can’t even hear the breaths of whatever is in the room with him, can’t hear the shuffling of cloth or the thump of footsteps.
Then, a snap. The area around them is faintly illuminated by a blue wisp of flame held in a pale hand. A face appears behind it.
“What the fuck?” Xavier says aloud, because he can’t process what the fuck he’s looking at. It’s a young boy, probably around Dakota’s age, but he’s lifeless. It’s like looking at a corpse.
“Where’s Dr. Lutz?”
“What?”
The face gets closer, and Xavier is able to make out the blackened veins streaking across the pale skin. Those light blue eyes harden.
“Where’s Dr. Lutz? I won’t ask again.”
Xavier heaves in fear.
Something presses into his chest- a hand- and suddenly he can’t breathe. It’s like every bit of oxygen in the room has been sapped away, and no matter how hard he breaths in all he tastes his smoke.
“Some shit with the Prime Defenders, right?” He asks, and the boy nods. “I don’t fucking know, man. Something about some island they’re gonna raid in a few days. Hardawa or something like that. I’m a vigilante. I just work with them sometimes.”
“Hardawa Island…” The hand pulls away and Xavier heaves, able to breath once more.
“I need you to pass on a message for me, Xavier. To the Prime Defenders.”
The boy suddenly smiles, but it’s too wide. It’s almost like the edges of his lips tear with the move.
“Tell them that if they continue to get in my way, that The Wraith kill them. Every last one of them.”
Xavier believes him. This kid isn’t fucking bluffing, not by a long shot.
“Do you understand me, Xavier? That includes you. Tell the Prime Force’s lapdogs to back off, or there will be consequences. And ill start with the messenger.” Those blue eyes crinkle. “That being you, of course.”
Then he’s gone. The lights flicker on again, brightly illuminating the room.
Xavier falls onto his side, shaking uncontrollably.
What the fuck is that kid?