❝ **Vanessa** ❞ // @Muse

If we lived in a world where your emotions could clearly be seen by everyone despite whatever face or facade you were putting up, there would be steam coming out of Vanessa’s ears. The polite nods she gave to the guards that were walking past her were unusually forced and robotic.

Her fingers rapidly pressed the buttons on a keypad while she placed her other hand on a scanner, opening a door, and leading Vanessa into the Crusader’s home.

She had to admit the security of the place was top-notch, although the people running it had their heads half up their entitled asses. The young woman did a dive towards a couch, snuggling between the oversized throw pillows the engulfed her.

A suffocated groan left her body as Vanessa pulled her hair out of its ponytail, a cascade of brown curls and waves fell across her neck and the black leather of the left arm sofa.

The memories of what happened prior a few minutes ago recollected in her mind. And she really wished it didn’t.

[ Flashback ]

Vanessa walked to the other side of the Interrogation room, where a serious silence was upon the high-ranking men. One was typing furiously on a hologram screen, another doing the same except in a notepad. Other than the diverse use of technology the point of the matter was what they were watching through the one-way glass.

A heavy set man in his mid-forties was shouting vigorously in a stern attitude to a more gaunt man sitting bored across the table.

The female Crusader let out a respectful but pointed cough breaking the silence and announcing her presence.

“Mr. Daniels? The Pandora said you requested my service.”

The ‘Pandora’ that Vanessa mentioned is a superior artificial intelligence designed to be a personal assistant, she’s connected to everything in the tower and is exclusive to the Government. She was also the one who interrupted Vanessa’s session of running in the gym.

Vanessa eyed the blonde man turning around to greet her, she was extremely out of breath but was trying to hide it because she was currently in a circumstance that having a considerable amount of professionalism was mandatory.

“Jacob, Mr. Bernson has the situation under wraps, in about 2 hours he can break him, there was no need to bring the witch- I mean that Crusader here.” The man that was scribbling on his notepad grumbled out, not looking up from his calculations.

Right at that moment, a frustrated holler came out of said, Mr. Bernson, as he slammed his hands on the table roughly standing up from the other side of the glass.

His round, chubby face was twisted in irritation a bright embarrassed tint of red was slapped across his cheeks.

“Y-you- I’ll have you know I’m certainly not a virgin!”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever you say Mr. Potbelly.”

“Potbelly?!” The what looked like an older man sputtered out in response.

Mr. Daniels or otherwise known as Jacob shrugged, “We don’t have 2 hours. The court wants solid evidence right now. We’ve already delayed for 3 days.” He said waving a condescending hand at the room where the interrogation was happening

“And that situation is going nowhere. As much as I also dislike the idea, Ms. Kapoor is here to assist us.”

And with that statement, the room burst in mumbled complaints.

Jacob tucked a strand of his long hair behind his ear and looked Vanessa up and down, because of the abrupt request the Crusader only had a minute to change out of her sweaty gym clothes and into something new.

She wore a gray hoodie, mid-washed overall shorts, and black flip-flops. He wrinkled his nose and straightened the tie of his suit.

Vanessa pursed her lips looking down at her attire.

“Well, Ms. Kapoor I bet you want the rundown,” Jacob said raising his voice to be louder than the shouting coming from the speakers, one of the things that connected this room to the other.

“Pandora, materialize case file #0864 for Crusader Agent Vanessa Kapoor.”

A hologram screen of her own shifted in front of her, a soft blue glow emitting onto the brunette’s face.

She scanned it carefully.

-

**Nickel D. Rennoli**

**Gender:** Male

**Age:** 32

**Past Criminal charges:** Stalking and Sexual Harassment

Powerless / **Dynamism effected**

**-Dynama Abilities:**

Can turn body invisible on his own accord.

-

Vanessa swiped the screen away from her, “So he’s a Dynama?” she asked, but already knowing the answer.

Jacob looked away from his own screens and back to her, “I don’t know you tell me.” He said sarcastically narrowing his hazel eyes.

“Yes, Mr. Rennoli is a Dynama, but he’s also a murderer- at least that’s what we’re trying to prove.” He added on casually. “His girlfriend for 5 ½ years was found dead in an alleyway last week. There was no sign of a fight or a struggle, later examinations found poison in her system.”

Vanessa wrinkled her nose. ‘Out of all the ways, he had to choose poison.’

“And it was the slow kind, that damn bastard.”

Jacob said as if reading her thoughts, “But the court without solid evidence can’t give him a verdict, and we all here have a hunch it was him.

When we tried interrogating him yesterday he was sobbing about his ‘sweetheart’, but we knew it was an act. And today he’s exuding a completely different mood...

But like they say what my heart says ain’t worth shit in the justice department.”

“So you want me to make him confess…?”

“Yeah, yeah, do that-” He waved his hands around the air, “*Thing* you do.”

Before Vanessa could say another word, the elevator-like doors another connection from this room to the other, slid open. Mr. Brenson stomped in wiping sweat from his forehead with a black handkerchief.

He was shouting words that she couldn’t make out, but she could bet that half of it wasn’t pretty.

The foul-mouthed man stopped when he noticed Vanessa watching his aggravated antics. His jaw gaped open, “this is absolutely insulting! You’re sending that criminal wench to sweet talk that- that- monster!” He stammered out, pointing a shaky finger to Nickel, who was still sitting nonchalantly.

“There sadly is no other way. Ms. Kapoor go ahead, Charles open the door.”

Vanessa tightened her ponytail and took a deep gulp of air. She’d done this only twice before, they all knew that interrogations would go so much efficiently if they asked her for help more. But they obviously couldn’t find the room to put Rational reasoning in their human brain that was overflowing to the brim with ego.

As the black doors gilded open with ease, Vanessa blew strands of baby hair from her eyes. Before stepping into the more darker room, Jacob’s laid-back words halted her to a stop.

“Good luck, *Sister*”

The Crusader gritted her teeth, eyes barely flashing emerald for a millisecond, she turned her head towards the man.

“Thank you, Sir. It will be under control in 10 minutes.”

Her voice echoed through the room, challenging the attempts made by the other men in the past 3 or so days.

Not wanting to hear any more bullshit Nessie stepped inside the room, eyeing her surroundings.

The interrogation room would’ve been pitch black if it wasn’t for that one hanging lamp that lit the room in mysterious, almost eerie, glow. Vanessa shrugged off the bad feeling she had creeping up her spine and looked at the tan man with tousled black hair that was staring expectantly at her.

“Hello Nickel Rennoli, my name is Vanessa Kapoor, and I’ll be asking you a few questions.” She said, taking strides toward the table and bluntly sticking her hand out for a shake.

He grunted in response, “sending a pretty lady to seduce me is the last resort eh?”

Without skipping a beat, the Crusader slipped into the chair and laced her fingers together on the table separating them.

“Let’s play a game then.” She whispered a calm smile drifting across her features.

Nickel furrowed his eyebrows in confusion at the sudden change in atmosphere, “you wanna do what now?”

“A staring contest.” Her clarification brought a nervous scrunch to his nose.

The suspect twisted his head around the room looking for what Vanessa guessed to be hidden cameras, he gave up his search and cocked his head to the side.

“A’ight pretty lady, not like I got nothin’ better to do here.”

“Perfect, the rules are simple Mr. Rennoli-”

“Nick. Call me Nick.”

“Okay… *Nick* there rules are simple. It’s a twist to the normal staring contest, instead of losing by blinking the first person to look away loses.”

“Then who knows how long it’ll go on for?!”

“The time limit is *10 minutes*, do you accept my rules?”

Nick sighed, “I already have.”

Vanessa brushed the last bit of baby hairs out of her eyes and relaxed her posture, his dark brown eyes quickly found her own green, Nick followed her movements of relaxing. She propped the side of her cheek on her fist.

“Begin.”

 The first few ten seconds passed with ease, a languid smile stretched Vanessa’s face. She could almost feel the disgusted looks from the other side of the dark glass, and she loved it. Right, when the uncertainty flushed out of Nick’s face Vanessa started stirring her cauldron.

Her exhale was slow and steady, irises shining of a new color. A color that no human could ever naturally have. The intensity of Emerald lit up the room in new different ways, it no longer had the pressing feeling of Anxiety, Nick opened his mouth is surprise at the new warm feeling enveloping him.

In a matter of not even seconds, he was addicted to it, he was on the edge of his seat trying to get closer to that precious gleam. And with a snap of her well-manicured fingers, Nick’s eyes were glowing too.

*“Tell me Nickel Renolli where are we right now?”* Vanessa purred.

“T-the inter- holy shit.” The lamp swinging above became a chandelier, an exquisite spread of food on a silky red tablecloth smiled up to him. There were in a massive dining room full of other tables and guests just like them, small-talk and chattering filled up space as a waiter filled up their wine glasses.

Jacob and the rest of the government officials watched as he gaped in wonder, his eyes glistening chillingly. The room was still the same small room for them, but they knew in his mind it was something different. Something grand. And whatever it was- it was the cause of that woman who was grinning like a mad devil.

*“Do you like the food?”*

“I-I don’t know- I don’t think I’ve tried it.”

*“It’s okay, you can break eye contact with me to enjoy your meal.”* Vanessa knowing all too well that this was just a complicated hallucination created by both of their imaginations that Nick was having in his mind.

He took a sip of his wine and almost whimpered in pleasure.

That taste he was experiencing was just something that he had tasted in the past and was replicated in his brain as a filler or explanation to what was unnaturally happening to him.

But Nick was too wrapped up in all of it to actually come up with a reasonable solution.

*“Can you tell me something about your girlfriend Nick?”* She asked gently, taking a sip of her own wine. It tasted like nothing to her.

He stopped scarfing down a dinner roll to look back up at her, drool escaping from his lips. “W-what do you want to know?”

*“Her name.”* Vanessa stated simply.

Nick sighed dreamily, “Her name is Louisa Herman, she’s 34 years old, her hobbies include sewing, dancing, and swimming- she likes to hum while showering and always helps as crew for local theatre productions.

That’s where I met her y’know, we crashed together backstage on the day they were acting *Romeo and Juliet*...” He stopped to giggle like a lovestruck teenager.

 “It was all so romantic, right when Louisa was finished apologizing she helped pick up all the papers I was carrying. She saw the tickets for a movie I was going to watch later and commented that she wanted to see it but didn’t have any money, well me and my best friend was going to go see it but he stood me up earlier that day, so like a lovely gentleman I asked if she wanted to go… and that was that.”

*“Wow… that sounds really cliche and sweet”* The Crusader said surprised at the amount of emotion that was rolling off the man in waves.

 His eyes trailed around the room and watched a young girl fumble with a small velvet box. The other woman sitting at the table not noticing anything. It was clear to anyone who was watching what she had in mind.

Nick flinched away and stuffed spaghetti in his mouth.

Vanessa cocked her brows, she had placed that situation there in hopes to get a reaction out of him… and well.

“She was so wonderful.”

Her eyes narrowed at the sudden change of ‘is to was’ as if he just realized something big.

*“What happened to her Nick?”*

The ‘suspect’ shivered as he reached for a wing of some sort of exotic bird, “I-I”

*“You can tell me, you can trust me.”* Vanessa coaxed gently, the emerald in her eyes pumped up in their vividness.

Nick’s hand stopped hovering on top of the bird, a dark expression coming onto his face, “My Louisa was always fascinated by my powers…” he whispered.

“She- she- would always ask me to turn invisible in front of her. And always clap after it every single damn time, it never got old for my *sweetheart*.”

The Crusader nodded in understanding, there was always 2 type of powerless humans, those fascinated and those disgusted.

“S-so one day I heard of a rumor that someone was selling something that had effects of the dynamism in one pill, I was ignorant and dumb, I thought I could give her the thing she wanted since she was born…

*Powers*”

Vanessa dropped her fork, the clang of silverware against the glass plate. *“No… you-”*

“I didn’t see his face- was it even a he? They just handed me it and left, disappeared into the crowd of the underground market.

 I was- I was- exhilarated. The same night I invited her to my house for dinner, Louisa excused herself for the bathroom and I- and I-” Nick’s voiced cracked as a tear slipped down his face.

*“What did you do Nickel Renolli? What the hell did you do?”*

“I slipped it into the clear pill into her drink!” He sobbed out.

The breath Vanessa was holding left her body in a rush.

“I wasn’t in the right state of mind, it was almost as if someone was telling me I had too, and I know that sounds crazy but you have to believe me,” Nick said in a quiet hush.

His head hung low as he stared at the scraps of food on his plate.

“It dissolved, she drank it, we finished dinner, and she left to walk home. I only heard about the news in the morning.” He finished quickly.

The tears were rushing down his face now.

“I killed her.”

*“It wasn’t your fau-”*

The hallucination that he was having crashed down as 2 fully armed men in black grabbed him from his chair. Vanessa screeched in surprised, her eyes returning to its normal shade.

“What are you doing?!”

She stood up, the chair the Crusader was sitting in pushed back against the wall, her arms and legs moved automatically to try to save the man from their grasps.

*“Pandora set shock level to 46 and fire.”*

Vanessa’s tortured scream ripped through the air, as sparks erupted from the bracelet that was clamped onto her wrist. She fell into a heap on the floor, heaving loudly.

Nick was yelling through his tears, witnessing the Crusader’s fall.

“Please don’t hurt her! You have to understand! Please- haven’t you ever made a bad decision in your past?!”

“That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t receive a punishment for them, take him out and lock him cell 72, send the recordings to the court asap,” Jacob said wiping his hands on his suit pants. “You criminal.”

He walked over to Vanessa with a displeased look, kicking her fallen body lightly, “Stand up.”

She looked up to him, her eyes almost rolling back. “I-it wasn’t his fault… he was deceived.”

“I wouldn’t take you as a person to empathize with the *tricked*, stand up before I deliver another shock.”

Vanessa winced, slowly getting to her knees, Jacob watched her struggle snorting, not even offering a hand as she finally got to her feet.

“At the end of the day, it was his fault for trusting that guy and putting that pill in for his ‘*Sweetheart*’” He said with a sneer, “and since he’s a Dynama the jury will probably double everything.”

“N-no you heard him something was- something was- telling him to-”

“Do you hear yourself, Ms. Kapoor? Everyone says that now head back. Your service isn’t needed anymore at this moment.” Jacob snapped while turning around to follow the guards.

Vanessa lowered her eyes to the ground and walked past the other men in suits, the one holding the notepad gave her one final look before whispering:

“Your time was 11 minutes.”

She wanted to shrink more.

[ Flashback End ]

Vanessa wanted to scream.

This was what she was now, a pawn that could be used and thrown away by the cruel ones in the Government.

*“Do you hear yourself Ms. Kapoor”* She imitated in a higher more childish voice, fidgeting with the black bracelet on her left hand.

The rush of electricity in her veins had faded, but the pain still wrenching her heart had not.