The Universe's Mixer

Three little beauties all in a row. They were not together but would all be the next to go.

The City was impatient and my bidding nary ceased. The deeds must be done.

The knife sat in my pocket but there could be no mistake. No the gun, it was steady in my hand, the scope clear as ever in the night.


First came the brains. The smart beauty who sought to solve problems.

Perhaps given more time, she might have solved this.

BANG


Next came the beauty, the one who sold her love. I was intrigued and wondered how many had. She had travelled a great deal and seen many things I knew. Where she went now, now she had no choice.

BANG


And then came the mystery. Could she tell the future? Could she see the past? She has ancient bloodlines. Had she seen this, her own future and resign to what it was?

BANG



The City would be appeased.

His arm had slapped against side of the bed when he'd rolled over, an urge to get out of bed suddenly washing over him. This had been the first time ever in the history of Tony Stark's long list of women that he'd been the one to wake up alone. No, not alone. He knew Pepper was around the house, probably sleeping soundly with their new baby curled up in bed with her. He'd been wrong to just leave that night and expect her to watch Salt all by herself. He should have stayed home and took up his new mantle of father to watch her with Pep. But he hadn't. He'd grown weary of sitting inside idly. Tony Stark intended to take the City head on as he'd left to discover what he could about it.

Then he'd found Cameron, and the witty banter encased in alcohol had ensued, and it was like old times. He was acting like old times. Somewhere in the back of his mind he could hear Yinsen's voice urging him to not waste it. In the blink of en eye, he'd reverted to his playboy shell and lost himself in another woman when he had one at home waiting for him that would have done anything for him. Why had he run to another?

Because honestly, Tony was terrified of what would have happened. It was easier for him to sleep with someone he had no emotional attachment. He could brush her off. Pepper was a different case entirely. There would have been no brushing her off if he'd have initiated a kiss. There would have been a mingling of minds, tongues, possibly their bodies. But most definitely, their hearts. Pepper deserved better than him, but he knew that he was what she wanted. The level of loyalty and affection transcended employer and employee, even mere friends. Then why couldn't he bring himself to just say it?

He climbed out of the bed and stretched, though he had slept well, Tony instantly looked weary. He'd glanced over to the bedside table to see Cameron's card sitting propped up by the lamp, but he'd just left it there for now. He didn't care to even read what it said. After showering and shaving, Tony dressed and walked down to Pepper's current bedroom in the house and didn't find her. Huh. That was strange. Maybe she was already downstairs at work. It was after nine after all. But he didn't hear the television on as she sometimes did just for background noise. He peeked into her office and didn't find her hard at work with her nose pressed against the computer screen.

"Jarvis, do you know where Pepper is?"

"Sir, she left in the middle of the night and has not returned."

"What? Left? Where did she go?" a nervous look spreading over his features.

"I am uncertain of her location. She left when she saw something she didn't like on the workshop security camera," the AI said in a very sarcastic tone.

Damn. He hadn't expected that to happen. She was out there somewhere, there was supposedly a murderer loose, and it would be all his fault if she was dead.

As he stood there, Tony felt claws attacking his bare feet, and he jumped to evade the swiping paws. He scooped up what looked like a very offended Salt, the kitten giving him a strong glare that said "you hurt Mommy's feelings". He sighed as he pet the kitten, trying to get her to calm down. "Yeah, I really screwed up, didn't I?" He lifted the kitten up to stare at her. "I don't suppose you know where she went, do you?" Salt just stared back at him and mewed mournfully. "Didn't think so."

He carried the little bundle of fur around with him, trying to figure out what he should do. This place gives you whatever you want. "Jarvis, search any kind of phone book registry for this place to see if Pepper Potts has a phone or address listing."

"One moment, sir." Twenty seconds passed and Tony felt like his heart would fail in those long seconds waiting for what he hoped was a positive answer. "There is an entry for a Pepper Potts, sir. 246 Providence Drive. Building 327. There is a phone number listed. Would you like me to dial it?"

"No, I'm going over there and straightening this out."

"Perhaps you should wear the Mark III. It is probably the only thing that's going to ensure you do not get injured."

"That mad, huh?"

"Quite."

He sighed and set Salt down on the couch. "Be a good girl. Hopefully, Daddy will be back with Mommy. If he hasn't already fucked up too badly."

After searching for a bit and finally finding his trainers, he pocketed his keys and thought it best to take a different car than the one she'd seen him bending a woman over.

Not very long now, all is almost complete.

I walk slowly now, keeping to the shadows, going undetected. He seems distracted or perhaps just doesn't notice. Longer legs catch up to him, tracking him, moving behind.

No gun for this one, it didn't feel right. He was smart, but a fighter of late. Not to be triffled with? But then who among them was.

"Nice night for it, don't you think?"

I was close now, the knife out, my other hand grabbing him and pulling him close.

"Well it was."

Here Kitty, Kitty...


Oh she was good but I was better.
Moving through the streets, the alleys, quiet and stealthy.

Was I hunting her?
Or she hunting me?

I admire the skill but thought upon the irony. The City it seemed, did not like felines. Whether real or alien or euphemism, the City did. not. want.

Or perhaps just luck of the draw.

And draw I did, the knife from its place, watching her and watching her and watching her some more. It moved through the air, the shiny blade of silver. Faster and faster it moved until it was directly upon her. Right there, straight at her chest.


Here Kitty, Kitty.
C'mon let's play.

Now this was different. Not on the street or on a rooftop or in the park, but in a house. And one hellava house too. I looked for signs of security but it seems The City took care of that for me, at least for a little while.

What luck, finding them both, here together.

Resting the rifle on the wall, the target was easily spotted in the scope. The older one had been targeted first, but the younger moved in the way. That would just be his bad luck.

Take a breath. Hold it.

Fire.

Quickly I recovered, focused on the goal. And found the other. Didn't want to let too much time pass or give him too long to get away.

So I didn't.

Take a breath. Hold it.

Fire.


His fancy cars wouldn't help him now. Nor would his money or his technology or skills. It would help either of them at all.

It almost seemed unfair, going after him. But he put himself in danger, sought out the mysteries. There would be no treasure here, nothing to teach.

The knife wouldn't do and by gun just didn't seem proper. But it seemed that the man's own fears would be best put to use. True it might not kill him but fear and terror can often work to the advantage of the hunter going after prey.

He was being chased through the City, or shall I say herded. Careful and deliberate, sending the good Doctor to the right place, at the right time.

And as he stopped and paused, I came up close, and shoved him one last through the door and pulled it shut.

Who would have thought the reptiles at the CIty's pet store could have gotten loose so quickly. Some worse than others according to some, especially with the windows barred and the rows and rows of the anguineous reptiles just inside.

"Good bye, Dr. Jones."

Now this was fun. The hunter was hunting and I was hunting the hunter.

Detective plus magic.
Equal parts formidable.

They moved into the darkened part and I followed close but not to be detected. Oh the irony of that didn't escape me either.

I would not interfere with his work. And if his demon killed him well, I would be disappointed but the job would be done.

The City didn't specify how, just that it must be done.

Staying behind part of the mausoleum, I watched. It was rather intriguing and as Harry turned his back, dispatching his foe, I moved from my hiding place. Hidden in the dark, quiet as possible, the knife wielded. And soon enough I was behind him.

"You missed one."

Oh pretty little girl, so smart, so misunderstood. Would you try to get into my head? Would you dare go there even after all you've seen?

So aware, so alert. So seemingly untouchable.

Almost it seemed.

"Pretty little River, who left you out here all alone?"

We just passed under the streetlight and again in the dark. The street was empty, or at least very quiet. Just footsteps on the pavement as I kept following. Would she run, oh I hope she would. There was nothing so grand as the chase.

"Come little River, come let's play."

I reached out grasping her hair, pulling her back against me. An arm snaked around her, knife in that hand Struggle or no, it would not be too long.

Will she run, crawl, or carry?

Fiesty wasn't she? Oh this one had fire. Liked that I did. At the first sounds of my steps, she knew. And she ran. And soon there were two sets of footsteps along the pavement.

The City was frenzied. So many , so quickly. So much blood.

Not to many more now.
Not too long at all.

In the dark, on the faint glow of the lights, and she fought back. Not many did that even with the wounds I'd given her at first attack. She was quick, this soldier and fighter, but I was quicker and more than once caught her with the blade.

Her blood dripped and flowed to the ground, and it was a beautiful sight. It was feed the City, and the City would be happy once again.

Will she run, crawl, or carry?

Now it was at the end.

Slowly I pushed the doors of the hospital open and walked through. So many people moving around but no one really noticed me. I paused long enough to find where the good doctor likely would be.

One quick glance and then I was off again.

Quick and easy, walking without pause. Through the halls and around the corridors, and then I found him.

Moving fast, the knife flashing in the light, the blood such a stark to the white walls and floors.

My chest bleeds along with the bodies I've killed
I find peace at someone else's death
My life is empty
and I've lost all my sense of humanity


And once again I move. Careful to stay out of reach, out of sight. How would I find him? Where would he be? Did he know the pretty little River had already stopped? Or would the news be the last thing he heard.

There was not time to clean the knife so it was warm and wet in my pocket.

The door slammed open and the knife was in motion the moment he was seen.

"Dr Tam I presume?"

I've already forgotten the last time I dreamed of
today I just have nightmares
I see the heads I've decapitated
with a lot of blood on the hair

The hallways of the hospital were silent and empty. Nobody roamed. Nobody even breathed. A peculiar scent wafted through on the currents of the air conditioner. Blood. From two different sources. It filled his nose and perked his senses. He found that it made him feel more alive.

It felt like forever since the last time he'd killed, when in reality, it wasn't so long ago. Moments, hours, days, weeks. None of it really mattered time wise. Every kill was in his mind, perfectly preserved so that he could visit them again at any moment. Any time he liked, he could go back and relive every second. Feel the blood on his hands again. The knife blade sinking into flesh. The screams. The struggles. That first acrid aroma of blood as it hit the air and continued to spill out.

Hannibal moved the hallways, silently, carefully. Hunting.

Maroon eyes surveyed the vast expanses, through the darkness, looking for silhouettes, for bodies. His sharp ears listening for the tell tale beating of another human heart. His own rhythm carefully toned down into background noise.

His fingers gently clutched the handle of a wickedly curved knife. Something he might have picked up from reading his own books. A deadly osprey claw-shaped serrated blade. His intention was to use it on the next person he came across.