Fucked.

That's what she would call it at least.

She was typically not the type to swear or curse but their situation right now was beginning to diminish.

"Alright new game plan" Ben whispered to the three of them.

The third new one. She rolled her eyes as she leaned back gripping onto the side of her ribs and attempting not to whimper too badly. They were trapped. Like trapped cattle awaiting the slaughter. It had gone to shits. They were expecting to meet Zombozo and his goons in the warehouse at 11pm. Kevin had gotten a tip-off that they were selling level four tech an effort to make money to set up a new circus. Probably for the same dirt-covered activities. Hypnotising people; looting peoples jewelry and money. Oh, and the one thing she wouldn't live down- trying to steal people souls- their happiness.

What a sicko!

They had been so careful too. Sneaking in quietly through the back exit and making their way over to some nearby crates, watching and waiting in the dark for his goons to make a move. Nothing.

Literally nothing.

They were just standing around.

But that wasn't the problem. The second she scanned the area for traces of Zombozo- she was lit up. People. She sensed lots of people. They were sprung on instantly.

Trapped like rats.

They were screwed. Even with all their powers combined.

She held her ribs tensing her features. Zombozo had snuck up on her- smashing a sharp metal pipe around her side and in the head. She dropped to the ground instantly, bleeding out badly. Luckily Kevin was there to save her. Scooping her up in his arms and running out the side door of the warehouse and up the stairs following Ben's orders of course and making a retreat.

Now they were trapped in rooftop of the warehouse waiting to be brutally murdered.

The worst part about it was Julie. Why did she have to be here?

She was a great fighter but Ben's cockiness of skill may have just cost her her life.

"We need to get out of here" Ben stated whispering and attempting to be as quiet as possible.

Right now the four of them were sitting on a bunch of metal pipes which were laying on the metal flooring. So extra quiet was always the step. Large air vents surrounded them- acting the choots to the floor beneath them. It was around a one maybe two story drop but it meant a quick escape in case the witch attempted to track them down like the dog she was. Gwen grumbled thinking about the woman. Of all the people to form alliances- it had to be her. The one person who seriously wanted her dead- despite Zombozo. He made it pretty clear that he was still mad at the whole going Antodyte and threatening his arse. Beyond that- Frightwig, Thumbskull and AcidBreath barely knew her name let alone how to spell it. Then their was Vulkanus- who could literally be bought off and Albedo-He was just a creepy version of Ben. Then there was Rojo to top it off. That excluding Vulkanus's 20 goons and Rojo's other two partners. So all up- she assumed that their was still just as many creepy assholes who wanted to kill them as much as they started off as.

"So any ideas?" Ben asked staring at their hopeless faces. His Ultimatrix was out of power and they were all exhausted from being over-run. She gulped staring down at the air conditioner shaft. She could sense that they were down there. All of them. Grouped together. If she charged her energy up, she could probably take the whole lot out. Well, at least most of them. Which meant she may have to surrender her body but at least her family would be safe. She sighed turning to her cousin, dusting her hands off before she got up on her knees and moved over to the opening of the AC hole.

"I saw an exit door in the next room where we first got jumped. I think you can follow the pipes a long and jump down at the exact spot" She squinted her eyes staring at where she thought the other room may be from the attic.

"What about you?" Ben asked a hint of concern in his eyes. She couldn't bear to look at him. Not in his eyes at least.

"I'll create a distraction- giving you guys enough time to run for it"

"No!" Kevin instantly interjected grabbing her arm. She winced in pain at the feeling of being yanked, attempting not to vomit. Thank god it was dark enough to hide her expression.

"We don't have enough time to argue about this Kevin. One of us needs to do it and I'm the only here that's got enough energy to hold them back for a while- Enough that I can escape as soon as you guys are safe"

He stared into her eyes his expression fading from anger to sadness.

He stiffened before looking over to Tennyson- his best friend. He should be the one sacrificing himself. Not them- this wasn't there responsibility. Nor was it Julies. Kevin growled gritting his teeth. Gwen could feel the pain through his features. She turned to him kissing him tenderly on the cheek before lifting herself up.

"Head in that direction" She pointed to her left. It should hopefully lead to the streets. We'll meet up at Ben's house in one hour, okay" She grabbed onto the side of the rim before turning back to them.

"Gwen," She stared into her cousin's eyes.

"Be careful" His expression darkened before he turned to Julie grabbing her hand and helping the shocked girl up. After this, she would never volunteer to help the trio out on their missions, now knowing just how risky it was.

She nodded before turning to the slide, jumping down it, knowing she'd end up in the clutches of the enemy as soon as she hit the ground.

She slid face-first preparing her manna to catch her before unleashing hell on them. Her eyes lit up with pure energy as she extended her arm preparing to create a platform as she saw the ground. She took one last breathe before she felt a presence. She sensed many presences. She flashed a ball of manna creating a platform as soon as possible.

She crashed, smacking into the platform and falling off onto the concrete with a sickening thud. She groaned, having landed on her shoulder and hand first- taking most of the impact. Their was a massive stinging pain ringing up her hand to her shoulder. She coughed, wincing her eyes as she attempted to get up off the ground slowly. She gritted her teeth rising onto her hands and knees.

Fuck.

She felt a large hand grab the back of her shirt and lift her up.

Shit.

She opened her eyes staring at the 20 something guys that were staring back at her. She gulped. The first person she noticed was Zombozo smiling wickedly at her. She bared her teeth attempting to not show him that she wasn't scared of him. He laughed at him finding her humerous.

"Where's your cousin?" He asked not wasting any time and grabbing her chin squeezing it tightly. She winced feeling his skeleton like fingers attempting to leave bruises on her skin. She flung her leg out kicking him in the groin. He gritted his teeth in agony collapsing to his knees before she brought her other leg up kicking him the face.

'Laugh at that' She thought to herself before she turned to the man who had grabbed her. Hands alighting with power as she twisted slashing Thumbskull across the face with pure manna. He screamed in agony, releasing her and falling back.

'Two down' She thought turning around to see Rojo running up to her with a spear and a very pissed off look to match her violent behaviour. The Antodyte slipped out of the way, ducking her attack with ease before she summoned her manna and sent a few disks flying her way.

'Three down' She smiled before she threw up a shield against Vulcanus's minions. She wondered if he ever paid them for the shit they had to go through. They were minors but looked like they could be easily replaced. She shook her head forming a protective bubble around herself before she grabbed her spellbook out of her backpocket and began chanting.

"Peredere, peredere quod hosti-" She felt her power shield disappear. She stared up to see the Amperi.

Oh shi-

She was smacked in the head by the side of a pick-axe. The yelped, dropping the book from her hand. She felt her collar grabbed and pulled forward. She opened her eyes to see the Amperi's arms wrap around her side. Her eyes widened. She screamed in agony as shocks of electricity entered her veins attacking her nerves.

She collapsed to the ground no longer able to fight back. Her body smoked from the intense burns she had recieved. She was no longer fit to fight anyone anytime soon. She didn't even bother putting up a fight when she felt herself being picked up by the back of her collar and her arms grabbed. She was forced onto her knees as her head span.

Yeah, she was going to vomit. She hunched forward fluid dribbling from her mouth.

"Humans are disgusting" Albedo stated lips creasing as he reformed back into his human self. Vulkanus stared at him dumbly as he removed a pair of power cufflings enhanced with neuroinhibors and slapped them onto her wrist to prevent her from escaping. Curtosy of Albedo of course.

"What now?" Acidbreathe asked his boss. Zomobozo stood up groaning from the shot before he stared down at the girl. He gritted his teeth kicking her in the stomach. She hunched over coughing and scrunching her face in agony. If she wasn't being held back by her arms she would have just face-planted it into the ground. Instead, she just hung from her shoulder blades.

Zombozo turned around to Frightwig signalling her to pass him something. Gwen noticed it immediately out of the corner of her eye. It was shiny- how could she not notice it.

"Boss you're not seriously going to-" Acidbreathe stared at the large hammer. Zombozo grabbed her collar pulling her up. He could see the shock formulating in her eyes as she stared at the sledgehammer.

She was so fucked.

"I'm going to make this simple for you to understand" He snarled at her.

"Tell me where Tennyson is and I won't break your legs"

She breathed out thinking she was going to get her face smashed in by a psychopath.

"...Gone!" She muttered back her breathe hoarse before she smiled at him, her bloodied teeth mocking him. He smacked her knee with the top of the sledgehammer. Not enough to break it but enough to cause some bruising. She groaned, wincing as her knee collapsed inwards giving out. Fortunately for her, Vulkanus was supporting most of her weight by her collar.

"She's just a diversion" Albedo hissed staring at her in disgust before noticing the red liquid running down her head. He moved forward, placing a hand up to her forehead and brushing his fingers against the diagonal open wound on her forehead just cutting into her left eyebrow. She winced attempting to moving away.

"You're...bleeding..." He stated as though he had never seen human blood before. Zombozo stared before grabbing his flashlight out his backpocket and aiming it at her. His eyes slid as he took in the sight. Busted up face with bruising on the side of her left cheek bone; her left eye closed from the swelling and blood that had poured down her face from the open wound. He then moved the torch down towards her side. He knew he had smacked her pretty hard along the side. He saw the ripped shirt, torn apart and slathered in burgendy paint. The rest of her was just cut up at her stockings and shirt. Nothing too bad. He shook his head switching his light off knowing she needed medical attention immediately but he wasn't about to hand over leverage against Tennyson.

"Guess you cousin abandoned you pretty fast. Knew you'd slow him down. Tennyson's just a coward" She spat at her. She gritted her teeth in anger spitting in his face. How dare he even say her cousin's name. Ben was a hero. This wasn't his fault. This was her fault. This was her mess and she was the only person who should suffer for it.

Zombozo winced his eyes before bringing his hand up to his face wiping away the spit. She stared at him in horror knowing he was going to hit her again. He raised his hand ready to strike her hard. She winced her eyes attempting to prepare for it but instead she felt nothing.

He groaned, restraining himself. She's not the target- he reasoned lowering his hand before turning to Vulkanus.

"Throw her in the van. Tennyson's probably escaped by now" He reasoned. Her eyes lit up in shock.

NO!

She was going to be used as leverage against her cousin and then he'd be killed because of her.

"Let me go!" She screamed, cuffed hands alighting with power sending Vulkanus back.

"What the-" Albedo stared in shock as soon as her hands alit with pure energy. She ran for it heading over to a nearby door and slamming it shut with her powers before turning and sealing it shut. She breathed out, sweat pouring down her forehead as she staggered backwards. A moment of peace. Only a moment. She turned noticing a green exit sign, below it was a door being held open by a rubbish bin. She smiled. They escaped and soon she would be.

She turned, jumping and almost falling over at the sound of banging against the door. She gulped. She didn't have time to be having having a breather. They were furious, ready to tear down the door and make her life a living hell. Not like they hadn't already. She began running for it. Only 100m until the finish line she reasoned. She couldn't wipe the smile off her face as she neared the door, ignoring all the pain in her body, she jumped.

10m she reasoned moving her good shoulder around so she could smash the door open, making her get away a lot quicker. She couldn't believe she managed to escape without having to lose her human form. She smirked but it was lost when she felt her feet trip over themselves. Her eyes lit up in fear as she face-planted the cement floor and scearded across the ground.

Fuck.

She groaned in agony, not able to move until her head stopped spinning. She was sure that she had a concussion by now. She pushed her legs out attempting to stand up but felt something keeping them together.

Wire?

Rope?

She lifted her head up to see purple glowing manna surrounding her ankles. Her eyes lit up in shock.

Charmcaster.

She didn't even notice the woman was missing.

She smirked down at the Antodyte.

"Oh Gwenny," She chimmed.

"This really isn't your night" She laughed.

Shit.

Gwen gulped as the woman stood over her. She was officially boned.

"Charmcaster listen!-"

"Shut it-" She hissed before she removed the energy off her legs. Gwen quietened in an instant not interested in getting into a fight with the powerful sorceress.

The redhead moved back attempting to sit up if not for the older woman pushing her back down by her foot.

"Move and I'll make this experience extremely painful for you, Gwenny" She frowned down at her.

'Fuck' She mouthed as she rested the side of her head on the cement. She was exhausted beyond wits end and it was made even worse by the neuroinhibitors on her wrist. Luckily she still had her spells handy so she still had some resource left within her. She relaxed closing her eyes and attempting to regain back from energy.

She felt her legs being shifted and something plastic creep up her thighs before it got pulled. She opened her eyes when she felt a second set come around her ankles and be pulled together tightly. She breathed feeling the bony protuberances of her ankles dig into her flesh. It wasn't painful; more just uncomfortable. She closed her eyes again attempting to focus on her energy.

She felt her head being lifted off the ground and re-opened her eyes to find a brown cloth coming next to her face. She her head to the side attempting to stop the white-haired witch from gagging her.

"What did I just say" Her hands alit with pure energy and pressed against her injured side, burning the wound. The Antodyte leaned her head back into the cement, screaming in agony at the sickening pain. She thought she was going to wet herself as the older woman held her hand there, ceiling up the wound from bleeding out any further. Tears streamed the redhead's face as she whimpered.

It felt like ages before the woman released her grip and wrapped the cloth around her face and sat back.

Gwen stared at her angrily, blinding the tears out of her eyes as Charmcaster stared at her dumbly.

"You think I wouldn't know you wanted to cast spells at me I turned my back. Please- I'm not dumb" She hissed at her with venom. Gwen glared at her before hearing the door smash open and noticing the people litter the room.

"CHARMCASTER YOU CAUGHT HER!" Vulkanus laughed knowing the witch always had an out out for the redhead. Almost obsessive to the point where he thought there was a little more going on then just wanting plain revenge. No, she wanted more then that. He just couldn't figure out what.

"Back off she's mine. Your's was Tennyson remember" The older woman scowled at the double-ganger of the heroic boy as well as the clown.

"Right but we can no longer destroy Tennyson without using the girl as bait" He eagerly pointed out crossing his arms in front of his chest knowing the witch wasn't going to make this easy for them. He knew her. He knew how selfish she was. Only having one thing on her mind.

"Bait? You mean luring Tennyson into your so called 'trap' and destroying him. Just like you did today" She rolled her eyes.

"Oh wait! Ben got away and left his 'poor cousin' behind" She turned to the girl noticing her eyes staring daggers towards her. It made the older woman smiled.

"I came here for her. Not Tennyson. Now I'm taking what's rightfully mine" She turned about to pick up the teenager and teleport if not for the clown growling at her.

"Not going to happen. She's ours" He snapped, lunging at her. Gwen's eyes lit up in shock as they began fighting.

Finally.

She turned back to the door beginning to slither towards it as best she could. Unfortunately, it was difficult especially with her now extremely sore side. Yet, she still slid towards it.

Almost there.

Come on.

Sweat flowed down her forehead as she winced her eyes shoving her injured shoulder into the ground and pushing herself forward.

All she could hear was the screaming in the background coming from Rojo, Vulkanus and Zombozo's gang. She knew they were no match for the witch. Yet, she knew Albedo would be more her speed, which meant it would at least distract her long enough for her to get out into the alleyway and hopefully flag someone down for help. She smiled thinking about it. Back home where she can-

She screamed as she felt something heavy come down on her body. She turned round noticing Zombozo's passed out ass crushing her legs.

God damnit.

She screamed on the inside. She flung her legs out as much as possible kicking him off her before she began moving off again.

Charmcaster had been winning the fight. Well, most of them. It was just her and Albedo now swinging at each other. She needed something to destroy that ultimatrix with. Something bad. She flung the plant like creature into a wall before turning back to the redhead noticing her almost near the exit. What captured her attention more was the person on top of her. Rojo, with a knife in her hand ready to plunge it into the girls back to stop the redhead from moving. If it didn't kill her; it would surely paralyse her. She threw a ball of energy towards the woman knocking her into a wall before she turned back around to the shape shifter.

Gwen winced knife falling down, just missing her body. She breathed out not even realising that she that close from being stabbed in the back. She grabbed the knife with her tied hands and began moving off again

Almost there.

Only a few more-

Boots landed in front of her stopping her from moving anywhere else. She looked up to see the witch smiling down at her.

'How the fu-' Her thoughts were cut short when the older woman's boot collided with her face. She collapsed to the ground- thoughts erased from her mind.

Hey so i was going to cut this story half way but thought- na I'll at least get the first chapter out and see what people think. So please review and tell me.