IMPULSE: Armageddon

Chapter 2 - The Supreme Council

The car was a Jaguar F-Type SVR. It sliced through the awfully quiet streets of London during the night like a blue shark, gleaming and powerful. It was a beautiful car. Misaka had grown to love it almost as much as Zekken did.

They turned on to St. Val Street, passed the spire and iconic vampire monument. Emily sat in the back and complained that the shackles were too tight. it was three in the morning. Misaka fought a yawn.

This time last year she would have been in bed, snuggled up and dreaming about... well, whatever it was that she dreamed about back then. Things were a lot different back then, than they are now, she was lucky if she could get a few hours sleep a night. If she wasn't fighting against crazies like Emily, she was practicing magic, if she wasn't doing that, she was training to fight with either Zekken or Tsubaki Natsami, and if it was none of those, she was thinking about her parents before they got murdered. These days her life was a lot more thrilling, a lot more fun, and a lot more dangerous. In fact, one of the major downsides to her new life is that she rarely had sweet dreams anymore. When she slept, it was nightmares that came to her. They waited patiently, and they were always ever so eager to play.

But that was the cost, she reasoned. The cost of living a life of adventure and danger.

The owners of the War Museum had closed it down after the events of the previous years, and set up a new and improved version in another part of the city. So now the new building stood quietly beside its neighbours, humble and drab, its front doors closed and locked and sealed. But Misaka and Zekken had never used the front doors anyway.

They parked in the loading area at the back of the Museum and took Emily in through the rear door. The corridors were dimly lit, and they walked past the lonely historical figures and icons that had been left to collect dust. Misaka traced her hand along the wall to find the switch, and the door slid open in front of her. She led the way through and down the steps, her mind flashing back to the old times when she used to visit the museum with her family.

Two Knights stood guard against the far wall, dressed in all silver metal plating. Their blades strapped to their backs, visored helmets pointing straight ahead. The Knights acted as the councils law enforcers and its army. Silent and lethal, they still gave Misaka the creeps.

The double doors to their left opened and the new court master, Issac Nora, came out to them. He looked to be in his thirties, with thick short blonde hair, a smooth pale face and cold eyes.

"You found her then," Issac said. "Before or after she managed to actually kill someone?"

"Before," Zekken said. Issac grunted and gestured slightly to the Knights. They stepped forward and Emily shrank away from them. They took her firmly by the arms and she didn't resist. She even stopped whining about her broken nose as they led her away.

Misaka looked back at Issac. He was a friendly man by any means, but he seemed expecially uncomfortable around her, like he wasn't sure yet if he should take her seriously. He tended to speak directly to Zekken, and only glanced at Misaka when she asked a question.

"A situation has arisen which requires your attention," said Issac. "This way."

Zekken fell into step beside the court master, but Misaka stayed two paces behind them. Issac had taken over as head of the Supreme Council of Magic, but he still had to select the two sorcerers who would rule beside him. It was a long and arduous process supposedly, but Misaka suspected she knew who would be Issac's first choice. He was a man who respected power, after all, and there were few more powerful in the world than Mr Jackson.

They walked into a room with a long table, and Mr Jackson rose - long hair, tall and broad shouldered, his eyes a piercing blue.
"I have received some disturbing news," Jackson said, getting straight to the point as usual. "It seems that Yuno Augtier has been freed from the confinement facility in Japan."

Zekken was silent for a moment. When he spoke, he spoke slowly. "How did she get out?"

"Violently, from the reports we have been getting," Issac said. "Nine Knights were brutally slaughtered, along with approximately one third of the prisoners. Her cell, like all of the cells, was securely bound. Nobody should have been able to use magic in them."

Misaka raised an eyebrow and Zekken answered her unspoken question." Yuno Augtier was one of Ghouls infamous three generals. Dangerously fanatical, extremely intelligent, and extremely, extremely powerful. I saw her look at a colleague of mine and my colleague....ruptured."

"Ruptured?"

Zekken nodded. "All over the place." He turned to Issac. "Do we know who freed her?"

The court master shook his head slowly. "According to the Japanese, one wall of her cell was cracked. Still solid, but cracked, like something has hit it. That's the only clue we have at the moment."

"The prison's location is a closely guarded secret," Jackson said. "It is well hidden and well protected. Whoever is behind this had inside knowledge."

Issac made a face. "That's the Japanese's problem, not ours. The only thing we have to concern ourselves which is stopping Augtier."

"You think she'll come here then?" Misaka asked.

Issac looked at her and she saw his fist clench. He probably didn't even realise he was doing it, but it signalled to Misaka loud and clear that he still didn't like her.

"Augtier will come home, yes. She has history here." He looked at Zekken. "We already sent our people to airports and docks around the country, in the slightest hope of preventing her from entering. But you know better than anyone how difficult Augtier is to....contain."

"Indeed." Zekken mumbled.

"I think we can assume," Issac continued, "that if Yuno Augtier is not already here, then she will be arriving shortly. You arrested her ninety years ago. I'm relying on you to do it again."

"I'll do my best."

"Do better, detective."

Zekken observed Issac for a moment before answering. "Of course, court master."

Issac dismissed them with a curt nod, and as they were walking back through the corridors, Misaka spoke.

"Issac doesn't like me."

"That's true."

"He doesn't like you either."

"That is mystifying."

"So what about Augtier? Is she bad news?"

"The worst. I don't think she's ever forgotten the time I threw a bundle of dynamite at her. It didn't kill her obviously, but it definitely ruined her day."

"Is she all scarred now?"

"Magic gets rid of most physical scars, but I like to think that I scarred her emotionally."

"How about on the Evil Psycho Scale? Ten being Yeager, and one being Emily?"

"Augtier, unfortunately, turns it all the way up to eleven."

"Seriously? Because, you know, that's one more evil."

"It is indeed."

"So we're in trouble then?"

"Oh, yes," Zekken said darkly.