Ch. 10 Castle in the sky, TPTB
Title: Castle in the sky (10/?)
Series: The Powers That Be
Author: Romanceguru
Disclaimer: Joss is the boss of me.
Rating: R for heaps of immorality
Fandom: Firefly/Angel
Characters/pairing: Marcus/River.
Warning: Possibly very dark and disturbing.
Summary: A change of scenery compliments a change of heart.
Notes: Massive thanks to elsibet34 for her dedication and patience.
You can find the previous chapters here.
“You’re here.” River whispered in disbelief, staring at Marcus, who stood tall and imposing in the dark before her. She drank in the familiar blue of his eyes, forever impenetrable, as something akin to happiness filled her to the brim.
“Didn’t think you’d come back for me.” She confessed, remembering to breathe.
Marcus looked down at the girl, stifling a smile. He hadn’t expected her to be this pleased to see him. Then again, he never knew what to expect from her.
“There happened to be no suitable replacements.” He explained simply. “So, here I am. Strictly to finish the job.” That wasn’t entirely true, but it’s not like honesty was one of his strong points.
With sight and sound attested for, only touch was needed to assure authenticity. River reached out to obtain physical proof, but Marcus turned away from her and flicked on the light before moving to the opposite side of the room.
Dropping her hand, she chose to remain silent as she watched him curiously.
Sliding open the closet door, Marcus stood assessing River’s large collection of dresses, sweaters and coats, hanging in neat little rows. “I need you to pack some of your things.” He instructed, his manner all business. “We’ll be leaving here tomorrow.”
Pulling out a colorful number, with straps fastened with small, daisy-shaped flowers, he considered it as if he were doing something more important, like deciding the fate of mankind. “We only have a few months left.” He continued. “Might as well make the most of it.”
“What is our destination?” River asked with uncertainty. She still wasn’t sure that he didn’t want to dispose of her. Pass her along to the next available evil. There were creatures with red eyes and serpent tongues bordering the edge of his thoughts.
Marcus paused as though he hadn’t thought on it. “Were would you like to go?” He offered impulsively. “Pick anywhere. The universe is yours.”
Lifting her eyebrows, River found it odd that he was giving her options. Putting her in control of their fate. She silently wondered if dark entities were prone to bouts of dementia.
“I prefer somewhere warm.” Marcus added without looking up. “Just a suggestion.”
River let herself relax, accepting this offer as the real thing. Various planets and desirable locations tumbled through her mind; anywhere would be better than here.
She imagined herself sailing through the black, free as a bird, able to land wherever she desired with no restrictions.
Except there were. They were everywhere. In her head, in the walls, they were the walls.
The feeling of falling through space gripped her insides; a nothingness filling her with dread. Simon. In her sleep they came, vision upon tormenting vision.
“No! They come out of the black.” She chanted, her body trembling. “They come when you call.”
Marcus rolled his eyes as River started towards the door. Grabbing her by the arm, he pulled her back to him, holding firm as she struggled against his grasp.
“They’re falling out of the sky!” She pleaded. A new sense of urgency made her frantic, incoherent. “Outside force must act upon…upon motion…acting.”
Marcus increased his grip, squeezing her shoulders and forcing her to look at him as he calmly spoke. “No one is going to fall out the sky.” He paused, considering this. “Well, not for several more weeks to be exact. But you need not worry about that.” His grin was malicious.
River, startled from her fit, searched Marcus’ face, seeing a new truth. Images beyond his words. “You took care of it.” She confirmed carefully. “Bled them of their own cause.”
Reaching up, she traced a trembling finger along his bottom lip, struggling to understand. “Why?”
Flinching at her touch, Marcus released her and turned to busy himself, shrugging his broad shoulders. “It’s of no importance.”
“It is. To me.” River countered earnestly. “There are things you cannot hide.”
“Are you going to help or not?” Marcus demanded as he pulled a handful of dresses from the closet and threw them across the bed. Really, this whole I can see inside your head business was becoming quite annoying.
River made her way to stand next to the giant, her eyes glued to him as they worked. She barely paid attention to her duties, grabbing clothing at random.
He had killed them. For her.
A faint light flickered somewhere deep within; she could see it now.
She would go there. Follow the cool, blue pinprick into the dark until it was captured in the palm of her hand. There, she would blow on it, oxygen to flame, until everything burned bright.
Marcus paused, raising an eyebrow. “You can stop that now.” He chided. She was looking at him like he was some sort of saint. The thought instantly repulsed him. He was going to have to set her right.
Marcus turned towards River, giving her his full attention. “Let’s get one thing straight. I’m not your knight in shining armor. This was a one deal occurrence.”
"Valiancy is fleeting." River affirmed, nodding her head in understanding and keeping her smile hidden inside.
Marcus held up his chin. “Good. Now that that’s out of the way, have you decided?”
Pursing her lips together, she thought a moment before pointing a delicate finger upward. “There is a castle in the sky.”
Marcus smirked with approval. The girl had excellent taste.
---
The piece of land the Blue Sun Corporation possessed among the Bellerophon Estates was, of course, the most expansive of them all.
Their mini island was roughly 5 miles wide and 7 miles long. The property contained 2 enormous lakes, several ponds, a small horse ranch, a patch of green forest, 5 expansive gardens, and 6 connected pools, and the mansion itself spanned over 20,000 square feet.
The villa was open and airy, Mediterranean style, with enormous open windows, balconies, numerous arches and walkways that opened up to large, airy rooms. 28, on three different levels.
They traveled by teleport this time to Bellerophon, and for 2 hours after they arrived, Marcus had to listen to the girl chatter on, trying to work out the infinite number of scientific variables it would take to explain such a phenomenon.
Well, he could have walked away. After all, they had an entire island in the sky to themselves. He’d never admit it aloud, but he found her brainy enthusiasm was somewhat infectious.
Marcus relaxed on a comfy, reclining patio chair outside a tiled balcony, which spanned from the most master of bedrooms. Sheer curtains billowed in the breeze behind him, the morning sun low on the horizon ahead.
He watched River intently, who was lying on her stomach on the ground next to him.
Ripping another sheet turned dark with mathematic equations and formulas from her pad, River tossed it aside before continuing on a fresh piece of paper.
For a brief moment, he toyed with the idea of explaining it to her, it was simple really, but decided that watching her work it out on her own was far more entertaining. He always believed that learning was best achieved through experience, diligence and a whole lot of pain and suffering.
Closing his eyes, Marcus let himself be sedated by rhythmic scratching of lead, and the cool ocean breeze that trickled in from the north.
Yes, this had been an excellent idea, he thought contentedly. Somewhere between listening to the screams of agents Stevenson and Wayneright, and his meeting with the Senior Partners, he realized that giving up the girl would make him look weak, no matter which way he spun it.
He had worked hard to get this far up on the corporate ladder, and he wasn’t going to let one difficult, sniveling, obnoxious little brat destroy all he had killed for. Quite literally.
It didn’t matter that she was enjoying herself or that he had finally liberated her from her tumultuous confines. That she was happier then even he ever thought she was capable of becoming. He was doing this for his own sanity and enjoyment. Even the most wicked enjoyed a vacation from corruption and coercion every now and again.
“Time-space continuum solved.”
Peeking one eye open, Marcus observed the piece of paper being thrust in his face and then looked up to see River smiling contentedly, the blinding morning sun haloed around her.
Opening his eyes fully, he took the paper and sat up.
River sat down next to him, propping her elbow on her knee, chin in hand, watching as Marcus took all of three seconds to verify the proof. Smiling slightly, he handed it back over. “It wasn’t as complicated as you thought, now was it?
River smiled at him. “That’s the trick.”
Marcus held her eyes for a moment before clearing his throat and looking out over the balcony, past the fountain pools, towards the forest and beyond. “Is this what you had in mind?” Thinking of the girl’s favorite pastime, he grinned a little and added, “I imagine there are enough places for you to hide.”
“Have no reason to. Nothing to fear.” River smiled brightly and slipped her small hand into Marcus’s large one. Getting to her feet, she tried to tug him upwards. “Let’s explore it. Together.”
“Sorry, can’t.” Marcus replied with a polite frown. “There are some things I need to tend to.” Reaching inside his jacket pocket, he encircled his free hand around the scroll hidden there. He wondered why he even bothered keeping it from her. Being a reader, she’d figure it out eventually.
There was that look on her face, blank and far too intimidating for a human.
“Someone needs to wait for our things.” He explained further. “They will be arriving shortly. Go on, now.” He withdrew his hand from his coat and patted the back of hers, arching an eyebrow in amusement. “Perhaps you can figure a mathematical equation for land suspension.”
River’s expression was serious as she explained it for him. “Gravity and magnetic field are a counterbalance. Manipulated to create midair floatation. Weightlessness.” Letting his hand drop, her eyes held his. “It‘s an illusion.”
“Yes, well, most things are.” Marcus confessed and then watched as River disappeared through the thin, wispy drapery and into the house beyond.
---
Standing before the large vault in the library, Marcus scanned the lengthy scroll unraveled before him. Her prophecy. Her name scribed in the Latin.
The Senior Partners valued River Tam’s hand in the events to come above all else. They believed her dreams to be the key to the undoing of these sad, new worlds. She was a precious investment, so to speak.
At this moment, there were others seeking her as well. For good or bad, she was wanted by many. This fact only added to the girl’s increasing desirability.
It was true he still wanted her for himself, to ravage and possess, but it was more than that now. She was growing on him, her abundant flaws fading with each new day. Just being around her satisfied his craving for all that was unholy. It was a thought that should disturb him greatly.
Carefully rolling the parchment up, a binding document with time itself, Marcus slipped it back into its protective case. After entering the combination on the vault pad, he opened the heavy door and tucked it safely away.
---
The house was vast, grand on a scale River had never experienced before. Then again, everything associated with Marcus Hamilton was larger than life. Boundaries were nonexistent in his world.
Standing in the grand entranceway, she turned in a circle, looking up towards the 30 ft dome vaulted ceiling. The whole room was painted in off whites and beiges, trickles of blues, greens and gold throughout in the decor. A circular stairway wound down around the perimeter of the room. Halfway down, in the middle of the space, a large chandelier was suspended in midair.
River continued to explore the room, as she had the others, smoothing her hand over the rich furnishings, stained-glass lamps, intricate patterned vases and several enormous paintings.
An ivory carving of an elephant, reared up on its hind legs and ready for attack, caught her eye. Picking it up off the long table, she turned it over in her hands, transfixed.
Something about the piece triggered a distant memory. Taking her back years before needles and missions. Laughter echoed in her memory as a young girl ran through lavishly furnished halls. She was shrieking at the top of her lungs. Someone was chasing her… The great safari hunter.
Clutching a small carving to her chest, (an offering from the jungle gods to protect her on her journey to rid the evil from the earth) the girl ran as fast as she could, her little heart pounding with excitement, the pursuit her favorite part of the game.
The imminent sound of footsteps grew louder, thundering across the thin carpet covering the hardwood beneath their feet. In a whirl, her pursuer snatched her from behind, pinning her arms down at the sides. “Ah-ha, I’ve got you!” He triumphed. “Hand it over!”
Struggling and squirming against his hold, a look of defiance was set on her face. “No! I will not surrender!” And then she added for dramatic affect, “You will have to cut off my head!”
The evil boy-hunter tickled her sides, an infallible torture technique, causing young River to squeal in agony. Finally breaking character, the girl pleaded with her brother, “Stop, Simon, stop!”
Simon lowered his tone to make it sound menacing, like she‘d taught him. “Not until you give up the key.”
A commanding voice suddenly startled both children from the top of the stairs. “What is it you think you’re doing?”
Simon released his sister immediately, standing at proper attention. River-girl looked into her father’s intimidating eyes, and panicked, guilty for playing with the treasured family relic. The elephant slipped from her fingers, crashing hard on the surface below, where it broke apart and scattered in a dozen pieces.
River jumped, the crash echoing from past to present. Looking down at history repeated, she observed chunks of ivory as they lay still on the Italian marble.
A deep voice cut through the silence, echoing in the large room. “I have to say, you seem to have a thing for destruction.”
River looked up at Marcus making his way down the stairs. “Not that I mind those tendencies. Admire them actually. But you might want to go easy on the priceless artifacts. It was the only one of a set of two left in the Universe.”
River kneeled down, picking up one of the broken pieces, fragments from her past.
She looked up as Marcus approached, a question in her tone as she studied him, “There are things you find irreplaceable?”
“Some things.” Marcus offered her a large hand down. “I’m finding.”
TBC…
Next: Kiss the girl