The House of Cards

Noelle lay on the cot in a tangle of sheets. Her long white-blonde hair hung heavily down, brushing the floor, while her feet pressed up against the wall of the cell. After a while, the room's heat had become – certainly not comfortable – but bearable. Like walking out onto the hot city streets under a baking sun and no humidity. In a desert. On the Equator. It hurt to breathe, sometimes, each intake of hot air seeming to hit her lungs like fire, but she tried to remember to take shallow breaths.

She'd been in the room for... was it three days? Four? She'd wanted to do that thing from the movies where the prisoner made some mark on the wall for each day that passed, but without a window to tell day from night, and long stretches where she just flat-out lost track of time, it was impossible.

The two Fives – the Twins, Spade called them – brought her food at mealtimes, and water to drink, but they stood in the room with her while she ate, rings of fire surrounding them, fireballs at the ready. They weren't taking any chances, and Noelle figured she needed the water to drink more than she needed a failed escape attempt. After all, her friends were coming. They had to be. They were just formulating the best plan. She knew they were.

A bead of sweat ran down her chest, and with a slight flutter of her fingers, she froze it into a mini-glacier, sliding across her skin before it evaporated. That was about all she could do.

She tried to think of happy thoughts, to distract her from wondering when she was going to meet this Ace that Spade talked about.

She thought about sitting on a roof talking about boys with Erin and Nora. Shopping. Watching Sabrina and Jason together. The first time she met the Baron, with Mavra. Getting a cup of tea from the Mal-Bot. Mal setting two Fake Nemesis to fight each other. Puck saying "Minty!" after their girl-power moment taking down Infernal. The wooden trout Sammy gave her Christmas, at Anna's party. The earrings from Streak. Joking with Reese at the Carnival. Being with Kid, hearing him tell her he loved her. Listening to him sing.

A tear ran from her eye as she mouthed his words:
"Wise men say
Only fools rush in
But I can't help
Falling in love with you..."

As Ted approached the front door of McKenzie's Pub he could hear the classic rock from the jukebox spilling out into the otherwise quiet King's Row street. He smiled warmly at the bouncer and paused reaching for his wallet.

"Don't worry about it man, I know you're not drinking," replied the young woman behind the mask.

"Uh, Thanks Vin. I've been trying to get ahold of him all night."

"He's in trouble."

"Oh, uh, no, it's nothing like that. I just needed to talk to him for a bit."

"No, he's in trouble. I was going to take him home but my shift's not over for another..." She paused and pulled back her glove to look at her watch.

"I'll take care of him." He gave her a reassuring smile. She smiled and nodded up at him. "Thanks again."

"You bet."

Ted stepped inside and looked through a cloud of smoke that was so thick he could actually see the beams of light. It clung to him the way hovered around the other few patrons. A few were chatting an playing pool. Most were sitting at the bar. It was at the far end that he saw the young man with the gray skin, hunched over his glass, slowly swaying in his stupor. Ted pulled up the stool beside him. The bartender came over and looked inquiringly at the burly blonde. Ted returned the glance, confused. The bartender said with a slightly annoyed air, "What can I get you?”"

Ted suddenly understood. "Oh, nothing. Thanks, though." The bartender grumbled something to himself as he turned away. "Hey Reese, I've been trying to find you half the night. Why weren't you answering your comm?"

With his thumb and index finger, Reese pantomimed holding the comm. "They got this little on off switch on them." With his other hand he toggled the switch on the imaginary comm back and forth. "I know the buttons are really small, but you'll find it if you really look."

"What if it was something important?"

"If it's important, why would you call me?"

"What if, and not that this has happened, and I pray it never does," He knocked on the wooden bar top, "we're under attack by some giant monster whose only weakness is a um, constant barrage of insults?"

"You'd probably call Erin for her lame... I see your point." In a poor attempt to be sneaky Reese slipped his hand into his pocket and turned his comm back on.

Ted stood from his stool and gently helped Reese to his feet. "Come on. I'll get you home. There are some things I need to ask you."

"You can't ask me here?"

"They're private things."

"You can ask whatever you want about my privates, but I reserve the right not to answer."

"I mean secret."

"Oh."

Reese put a hand on Ted's shoulder to help keep his balance as they slowly made their way out the door. Another polite nod was given to the bouncer. "Take it easy boys."

"You too Vin."

"Vin!" With a sudden burst of energy Reese spun around and nearly tackled the heroine with a hug. "Thanks for everything Vin. You've already helped out so much, you don't even know."

"Yeah sure, any time." She heaved him back toward Ted who caught the young man as he was stumbling backwards. "See ya soon."

"Bye Vin." Reese replied a bit louder than necessary.

The walk to the train station took a bit longer than it should have. Along the way couple Skulls perked up at the sound of a helpless drunk stumbling down the street, but instead of circling like vultures, they backed off when they saw that he was accompanied by a large fellow with a number 76 on the sleeve of his jacket.

Ted eased Reese into a seat and let him rest his head on the railing beside the door. He remained standing and leaned against the hand rail as the train lurched into motion. "Reese, if I tell you something, will you remember it?"

"Yeah I remember. Even when I'm pissed I remember everything. It's one of my super powers."

Ted took a deep breath and closed his eyes, rubbing the bridge of his nose in frustration. "I'll probably tell you again anyway, but we have a mole in the House of Cards."

"Cool, do I know him?"

"I think you've spoken before."

"Do I like him?"

"Uh, do you like anybody?"

Reese pointed a finger in Ted's general direction. "Touche."

"It's Star Breaker. He volunteered."

"Who?"

"Uh, Derek."

"Oh, at least it's not one of those agent fuck-ups."

The brakes squealed as the train came to a halt in Steel Canyon. Ted pulled Reese out of the seat and the pair began their long walk north. "He'll be contacting me once he finds Noelle. What I wanted to ask you was, how much time do you need to get ready?"

"That depends. If we're pressed for time, I can be on site in around two hours. If we have time to be perfect, I'll take a full day for setup and we'll go at night. Not because it's easier for me, but because it's harder for them."

"How much of a difference is there between the rush job and the regular?"

"Rush job I can..." Reese pushed off of him and collapsed to his hands and knees crawling to where the closest building met the sidewalk.

"Are you all right?"

He began throwing up. Ted watched for a few seconds to make sure everything was as under control as it could be, but turned his head away offering at least a little bit of privacy. Plus it was pretty gross.

"Rush job will likely take at the very least 10 minutes."

"And with time to get ready?"

He spit out some chunks of vomit that lingered in his mouth and got stuck in his teeth. "I can have Noelle out of there in 30 seconds. Possibly 8."

Ted's eyes grew wide. It just didn't seem possible. Surely this was just the alcohol that was forcing itself back out the way it came talking. "You can't be serious."

"Why not? I mean sure I never kidnapped anyone before. I'm just thinking of this like Noles is a big painting that talks, weighs 100 pounds, and smells nice."

Ted removed a small tin of breath mints from his pocket offering them. Reese stared at them a moment trying to figure out what they were. "Mint." Reese dug one out and popped it in his mouth. "You ready to get moving."

Reese nodded and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. With a bit of help he was back on his feet again and headed through the Boomtown gate.

"Why do you live here?" Ted asked staring up at one of the statues that decorated the outside of the former Phalanx headquarters. Reese struggled to force open the front door. It tended to stick a bit.

"Because it's safe." He rammed his shoulder against the door several times with no progress.

"What's safe about a condemned building? Or is it because you're alone here?" His gaze slowly canted downward until he noticed Reese locked in an epic struggle against the door. "Y'know, I could probably open that for you..."

"Condemned my ass. It may look like shit on the outside, but inside this place is a fucking fortress. Just doesn't have any power." He kicked the bottom of the door a couple times while fiddling with the knob. "Besides, this is where the heroes live." With one final effort he drove his shoulder into the door and it swung free. Reese followed through tumbling head first into the foyer.

"Are you OK?"

"Yeah, I think I'll just stay here a bit. "

"Can we talk about this more tomorrow when you're more lucid." There was no response. "Reese." The silence was broken by some light snoring. Ted lifted the passed out punk into his arms and squinted as he searched the unlit room for a place to put him. Spotting an old couch in the far corner Ted gently placed Reese on it and removed the black leather jacket to drape it over him like a blanket. Departing, Ted shut the door tightly behind him. It was getting late and he had some girls that needed good night kisses.

The Five of Hearts walks down a dark, shadowy, carpeted hall with windows as tall as Atlas and large portraits between them. The long, flowing drapes partially cover the windows like a toga on an ancient Greek. Lightning crashes and reflects off the Five of Hearts' stone cold face. He does not react.

The Five of Diamonds makes his way through a stone tunnel of a hall with no openings anywhere, nothing but hard cold stone on either side. He moves down the stairs to the hot, steamy basement. The air around him appears to gasp for a breath of itself. The fires of Hell burn against his cheeks. He does not react.

As the Five of Hearts' hand grasps an ornate doorknob, the Five of Diamonds' unlocks a large steel door. They both utter, "The Ace of Hearts shall see you now," as Derek Cole and Noelle Frost are led to the candlelit chamber of the Twilight Heart.

The Ace of Hearts sits in a shadowy chamber lit by numerous candles. Her throne is covered in purple silk and satin hangs on her walls, yet she wears no glorious fabrics. She appears to have no true form at all. She is merely a black silhouette. Her hair of shadows extends to the ground. All of her being is pure, jet black except for her eyes, which sit like two glowing purple jewels in an ebony statue, and the emblem on her chest – a glowing heart of violet. All those around her are drawn to stare at it, oblivious to the magic of it all. Her left hand holds a glass of red wine. Her right hand is gripped tightly around the hilt of a rusted katana. She is the Twilight Heart, second in command of the House of Cards. Star Breaker, the new Jack of Hearts, and Noelle Frost, the prisoner whose fate is in her hands, enter her chamber and are taken to their seats by the fiery Twins. The Twins raise their hands, calling forth fireballs, ready to melt any ice Noelle tries to conjure. The Ace allows Noelle and Star Breaker to sit in silence for a moment.

Noelle glances over to Star, sitting beside her. Is this the rescue attempt she was waiting for? She tries to catch his eye, to signal him somehow, but he doesn't look at her, and Noelle gives up, looking back at the woman's form on the throne in front of them. After days in her hot cell, it is almost a pleasure for her to be here, in this room. To be able to breathe cool, comfortable air. To not feel like one of her Jacks, melting. Though she can't help but worry...

Derek could tell Noelle was trying to signal him, he could see her in his peripheral, and he had spent years studying people's expressions, even the ones they themselves didn't know they were using, all to get a bit of an insight into his father's mood, before his father himself even announced it. He knew what she was looking for, and he wanted nothing more than for this to be the time, the time to take her out of here. But not yet, he needed to learn a bit more, as much as it was hurting him to see the pained expression, the worry on Noelle, he had to keep up the charade a bit longer.

Twilight breaks the silence, letting out a slight laugh. She then slowly takes a sip of wine and savors its flavor before smirking, and finally speaking. There are strong elements of an Asian accent in her voice, but the sound is distorted as if spoken through a great void.

"Derek Cole. The Star Breaker. The Invulnerable One. The Jack of Hearts. Welcome to the Mansion."

Noelle gasps as the Ace announces Star's title. He... joined them? Joined up with her captors? She flashes an angry glance at him, but he continues to ignore her. The Ace continues, "It is a great honor to be given such a high rank upon entrance to the House of Cards. Of course, your case is special, not even Spade Fearra could bring you in."

Spade Fearra then materializes behind Twilight. Was he there all along? His dark cloak shrouds over him, covering everything but his eyes, which seem to be looking at no one and everyone in the room at once.

"And the former Jack's tale is a tragedy indeed," he says, falling silent once again.

The Ace smirks again, waving a languid hand. "However, none of us can read your mind. You must prove your loyalty. I demand you, Jack of Hearts, kill this woman," she says, pointing her blade at Noelle without actually looking at her, "She has no use to the House of Cards."

Noelle stands as the Ace pronounces her sentence, the threat of the Twins unable to keep her from grasping at the air around her, calling forth a gust of chill wind to wrap like an icy armor around her slim form – but the Fives pull her down again, their flames encircling her chair, melting her ice. She wrests her arms away from their hot hands, her jacket singed by the contact.


"No." He had muttered it without hesitation. "You may think she has outlived her worth, but I doubt many others would agree with you. You have one of the most powerful members of the Alliance in your grasp, and you are going to give up after a week?"

"Why do I sense hesitation in your voice, Mr. Cole? Could it be you still hold feelings for these people? For this woman?"

It was true, Noelle was not only beautiful, but one of the kindest people he had ever met. He would save her, he didn't know how yet, and he didn't care if it came down to him and a mansion full of people who wouldn't hesitate to kill him. Then, in an instant, a thought came to him, he knew how he was going to get her out of the mansion, and it already fit into Ted's plan.

"It is true; I may once have felt something for this woman," he lied, in truth he had only truly felt something for two women in all his life. "But the ability to feel that way about anyone died when I took the life of someone who claimed to be my friend. No, I only ask the chance to use her in a trap. Move her out of the mansion, let her friends learn her location, and when they come to save her, not only will we take her life, but also crush the insignificant Alliance rescue team at the same time."

She stood still pondering for a moment. "Very well. Fearra, we shall take Noelle to the lab in Dark Astoria."

Spade turns slowly to the Ace of Hearts and calls to her mentally, "The one guarded by the Sons of Utopia?"

They begin having a psychic conversation, so no one, not even Derek, can hear them. The Heart responds, "Correct. A squadron of Number Cards will lie in wait in case the Sons fail."

"And if the Number Cards fail? Many heroes will be attacking, I fear."

"Then you and Star Breaker shall lead a group of Face Cards to crush them. It will be a massacre."

"Excellent."

And as the room of velvet emptied, all watched by the Ace of Spades, sitting in his isolated throne deep within the Mansion. It is impossible to know what he is feeling and thinking as he stands motionless. He then reaches for a ornate chess table to his left. He moves his black bishop and takes a white knight. Mysteriously, a white piece moves on its own to respond to the attack. The Ace continues his match against himself, until the white side's army is nearly depleted. But a white rook remains. Three overconfident turns later. Checkmate. He flings the board aside with a quick swipe. The pieces break, releasing spirit energy into the air. He stands still for a moment, before uttering a single phrase in his flat, mechanical voice.

"And so, the true game has begun."