They would join him, indeed. He landed back on the ground and walked out of the room, levitating the camera with his powers so that it trailed after him, to document the new world order he was about to create.
He entered a dark cold room and observed his daughter, sitting tied to a chair and bruised up. Force had been required to keep her in line. She'd been troublesome, but no longer. He now had the power to take complete control of her.
Power burned in him and he entered Sam's mind, tearing through the veil of her thoughts and memories like cutting through a heavy canvas wet with rain. She screamed through the duct tape on her mouth, and he relished the pain that rushed through her. She fought him, using her mental powers to ram against the walls he'd built around his own mind, to counter his efforts.
It shouldn't be this hard. He had the power now, but he needed her baby's power, and only she could provide that. He ripped at her mind again, shredding through fragile thoughts, this time like silk in the wind.
Again, she got the upper hand and crashed through his wall, leaving a hollow, sick feeling in its place. Pain filled him, and he dropped to his knees and held his head. He didn't want her in his secrets, knowing his thoughts, so he kept tearing.
Piece by piece he cut through her defenses. She squirmed as he rearranged her memories and reprogrammed her mind. He had to use many of his own memories, trying not to sacrifice vital knowledge in the process. He wouldn't have done this for just anyone, but she was the one. She was worth it.
Once he had the last piece in place, he'd gain the baby's powers and never have to alter thoughts again to gain control of someone.
One more piece and he'd be done. He ripped.
She pushed back. He could tell she knew it was the end, as he forced his own thoughts into her. 'This is your purpose. This is what you were created for.'
Her laughter filled his mind. "Tell my friends I say hi—when they come to kill you." Her mind pulsed and fired out one more rush of power.
She broke through his block and connected to another mind.
Chapter 120 - Lucy
The valley hums with life as Lucy skips through a field of star flowers. Butterflies dance around her, landing lightly on her shoulders as she soaks in the bright warmth of the sun.
A beautiful weeping willow stands before her, its long branches swaying in the breeze. She moves through them, expecting to see Mr. K's impish tree face, but the tree is just a tree.
"Lucy." Someone calls her name, the familiar voice carried on the wind.
She turns around and sees Sam. "Are you really here, Sam?"
"Yes and no. My thoughts are here, and you've projected an idea of me into your dream. But the thoughts are real." She seems more ghostly than the real Sam.
"Are you okay? What happened to you?" Lucy steps forward, closer to her best friend.
"I'm fine, but I don't have much time. There are things you need to know about Simmons." She walks the rest of the way toward Lucy and raises her hand.
"Besides the fact that she's a bitch? Okay, tell me."
Sam shakes her ghost head. "No, I need to show you." She touches Lucy's chest and teleports her to another time and place.
***
Lucy stood in a lab, present but not, a spectator to someone else's memories.
A much younger Steele—she recognized him from Sam's thoughts—sat at one of the tables, typing on a laptop. Complex equipment and glass vials and bottles lined the walls and tables of the sterile room.
The door to the lab opened and Beleth walked in, looking no different than he did now. "I got your message. Are you certain of this?"
Steele didn't look up from his screen. "Yes, the tests have been 100% safe on rodents. I'll be fine."
"But—"
"No buts, my friend." Steele stood and clasped Beleth's shoulders. "Today, we make history."
Beleth nodded and walked away to set up the camera equipment.
Steele shrugged into a white lab coat with a familiar symbol on the front right pocket. Lucy zoomed in mentally to see it more closely, and gasped when she read it: a black circle with white IPI letters in the middle.
They worked for IPI?
Before she could recover from that revelation, the door opened again and a young and vibrant Simmons walked in carrying a bottle of champagne.
They all knew each other?
Simmons smiled at them, her blue eyes brighter than now, her skin smooth and hair soft and full.
Steele smiled when he saw her, then walked over and took the bottles from her and kissed her on the cheek. "Thanks for grabbing the drinks, Honey."
Honey? Kisses? Lucy didn't understand what she was watching, but she knew it was important.
Beleth watched Steele for a moment longer than appropriate, but Steele didn't notice. "You have quite a wife."
"Quite a wife, indeed," agreed Steele.