Crescent - Paranoia (Chapter 14)

Philip was confused at first but then he felt a stinging in his mind which grew until it was unbearable and, before he knew it, he was gripping his head in fear it would crack open.

"So, you're Felcan, I expected more." the woman said in a thick accent which was a mix of heavy Russain and German.

"Who- Who are you?" Philip managed to gasp, falling to his knees.

"Me? I am Paranoia, loyal ayccompleece of C'ptain Shade." she said and Philip barely understood because of the pain and such a mix of accents. "And you shoodn't be ayble to speak." Paranoia continued and turned her hand as if turning a dial and Philip screamed which rose in pitch the more she turned her hand and she laughed as his fingers dug into his head, drawing blood.

"Falcon!" he heard someone shout but it was far away and muffled.

His head swam and he felt like he was going to die, like he was on the edge of a cliff and about to fall but never falling.

Suddenly, Paranoia was thrown off her feet and a pair of hands materialised and helped him to his feet.

"Are you okay?" Chameleon asked.

He nodded slowly, rubbing his head.

"Good, c'mon, we've gotta get outta-" too late. Just as Chameleon was closing a pair of shackles around Paranoia's wrists, amid insults in fifteen languages, the doors burst open.

"Get down! This is the poloce!" a man at the front of a squad of fifty men and women roared, holding a pistol.

"Crap, armed devision." Chameleon muttered.

"Stand in line with your arms in the air." he continued.

Other members of the squad began helping up the ex-hostages, one man went to help the woman, who had re-claimed her child, to her feet. "What are you doing?" she demanded. "They saved our lives!"

"They are a threat to society if they are who I think they are." the squad leader snapped. He was clean-shaven with short, grey-black hair and cold blue eyes. "Who are you?" he asked of Beam.

"We are HATE, I'm Beam, next to me is Probe then Void, next to Void is Shimmer and Chameleon. That's Morph and Focus, then Pixel and Falcon." Beam said calmly.

"See, ma'am, HATE, they caused the Thames Disaster." he rumbled.

"That's a load of rubbish! They've only ever protected us!" she retorted. "Long live HATE!" she yelled and the other ex-hostages took up the chant.

"Well, they're still wanted so they're coming with us." the leader said as Pixel's arm swayed into Philip's.

Philip was about to move his arm away as the plastic was quite hot from the machinery in her suit when suddenly they were on the roof of the bank.

"Get in!" Beam yelled, pointing at the helicopter as two press ones drew closer.

Everyone boarded the machine and it took off as Philip strapped himself in.

"Looks like we're back in the spotlight, internet mentions of us made today are at three fifty and rising." Pixel said.

"This will either make us or break us..." Chameleon muttered as they flew away.