Hate Destroys The One Who Hates

[Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford]

So, he was jogging at a slower pace than his apparent usual, and Madeleine was still having to jog at a faster pace than usual just to be able to try and keep up with him.
It wasn't fair, he was over a foot taller than her, which meant his legs and stride were about twice the length of hers. It wasn't anyone’s fault, of course, but it sure as hell made her feel pretty small and weak.
Actually, she really didn't have much time to be doing this. She was going to be murdered in Maths for not having finished the incredibly long and frustrating homework on forces that was due in tomorrow, because she knew that she was not going to get the time later on, but it was kind of important that she tell Jack the news as soon as she could.
They’d finally given their full approval.
So, Madeleine had spent most of the morning so far trying to track him down, and had only succeeded when he was on his way out of the entrance hall for his morning jog. Of course, trying to get Jack to wait for a few minutes was futile, so she’d gone on a jog with him (after getting her coat and banging straight into Ailith and wasting a minute on telling her where she was going on the incredibly icy winter morning). Unfortunately, it was sodding freezing.
Still, it was better to give him the good news when they were on their own rather than in front of the whole battle training arena or the common room, or something. After all, if it were her, Madeleine would hate to be told in public.
It had taken ages to get round to this, and she felt bad about it. After Levi's... abrupt dismissal, she hadn't gotten round to appointing a second-in-command, thanks to a million different factors - mainly the complete rushes of work, new rules, new regulation, exams.
She always had Jack in mind, though. Levi had proved to have been a bad choice, and she knew that she could trust Jack - although, after agreeing with Hoodham on Levi Ryder's appointment to the post, Madeleine had been wary of trusting her own judgement on that one. Not because Jack would do what he had done - God no - but, well... sometimes Jack wasn't the most serious people, and while Madeleine knew how committed he was to his cause and his group, she wasn't sure how much the other Warriors would respect his authority. Of course, he was well-respected and liked, but sometimes, being the popular guy isn't a good thing in a position of authority. She'd only been in the position for just over a year, and getting her feet firmly planted after Levi needed to happen first. There was also the well known fact that Jack was a personal friend of hers, and that could be seen as favouritism. He was also involved in a hell of a lot of other things, and...
Still, there was no one else that she had enough faith in to do the job as well as Jack could. He'd been doing most of the duties for a long while unofficially, as it was. He was a good leader, and she knew that she could trust him - and he was definitely one of the most well-equipped. So she'd put his name forward to Professors Raven, Thandie and Hoodham, and after lots of forms and other decision making implements, they'd finally given her the thumbs up.
But apparently, Jack was the type of person used to jogging in silence, without music or any noise, so they'd been going in companionable silence for a while now.
But she really needed to get back to school to try and get more of that dámn maths done.
So, should she lead up, or just go...
Aw, screw it. Let's go for the element of surprise. He should appreciate it.
"Jack... what I wanted to talk to you about... well, how'd you feel about being my second-in-command?"
And after all the months of deliberation, that was it.

[Jack Trove]

Okay.
Okay.
Today was the day he was going to do it.
For real this time. No messing about. One jog- same as always- then in he’d swoop. No doubt it would be easier than he was expecting it to be. In fact, it’d probably be very easy. It wasn’t like Olivia and him were still… very… couply. Truth be told, they barely spoke anymore. It probably wouldn’t make much of a difference to her at all. However, the polite request to be, ‘just friends,’ would probably raise an eyebrow, and reward him the classic response:
“Get bent.”
Poor Olivia.
Poor Jack.
Poor Madeleine.
It was a little intimidating actually, to have her here with him right now. He’d been mentally rehearsing his break-up speech just as she’d approached. Seriously- not good. Mal, back in the good ol’ days, had taught him well-
“Hell hath no fury like a woman’s friends.”
Yeah. Especially when that woman’s very best friend was Head of the Warriors- your Head and-
“Jack... what I wanted to talk to you about…”
… aw, crap. He’d forgotten Madeleine actually had a proper purpose in accompanying him on his weekend jog. He slowed to a gradual stop, turning warily round to face her.
“Hell hath no fury…”
“… well, how'd you feel about being my second-in-command?”
Oh.
His eyebrows shot up, and his mouth dropped open.
Oh.
Oh, well, er, alright then. Oh, wow. Okay. Cool. That was very, er-
“Seriously?” Jack’s mouth split into a wide grin. “Are you serious, Madeleine? I mean… you mean… actually?!”
Okay.
Okay.
This had to be a good sign. A good omen for the day. A good omen for Olivia. This was… beyond good. This was bloody fantastic.

[Ailith Rayner]

Laila lounged back in the rotating office chair in her fairly large room. So much for the "morality break". Laila had laughed when she'd heard that one. Apparently Laila was becoming reckless or too brutal or something and the Guild wanted to make sure she wasn't going crazy.
But Laila wasn't crazy, sure she was really getting into the plotting and the hunt and especially the slaughtering which may come across as a bit mad, but surely that happens to all assissins? Surely at some point the spurting fountain of red after a stabbing or a shooting between the eyes becomes a bit amusing to assassins? Surely they all want to know what it feels and tastes like after a while?
Well anyway, here she was on paid leave and she was as bored as frigg. She swung gently on the chair, humming her own medley of 30 Seconds To Mars and staring unseeing at the ceiling.
WOW! Wow! Laila sat bolt upright as the image of a certain brown haired twerp appeared on her mental mini-screen of Ailith's world.
Laila tuned in. Jack... jogging... fields... just us...
Laila propelled herself out of the swinging chair and flung open the door shouting, "REUBEN! FANCY A HEAD WARRIOR ON A PLATTER?!"

[Jack Trove]

"Actually." Jack must've looked even more shocked than he felt. She wasn't laughing aloud, but he could see the amusement sparkling in her eyes. A half-serious grin tugged at her pretty features. "Is there a problem with that?"
Jack half-laughed. "No, no that's fine! Seriously, that's... I mean it... that's brilliant. Thank you."
She nodded, beaming.
Jack pondered his silent Head for a couple of seconds. The colossal nature of this promotion had momentarily pushed everything else from his mind, but just as quickly, one by one, Jack's priorities were crawling back...
He wondered just how happy Madeleine would be about his being her second-in-command when he crushed Olivia's perfect public image later that day.
He wondered just how jealous other Warriors would be- as rugby captain and and now the ranking second-in-command, Jack was wielding a hell of a lot of power.
He wondered how Sophie would congratulate him...
... he bet it would be good.
But there was something niggling at the back of his mind. He cleared his throat, feeling suddenly awkward from his lofty height looking down at her. "Madeleine... I... I can't help but... d'you mind my asking why?"
Besides for the obvious anyone's better than Levi Ass-Ryder.
She looked thoughtful for a second. "Well..." He counted five seconds here. "You'll figure that one out for yourself, huh?"
Ugh. Of course. Why were women always so bloody cryptic?
Giving up on that, Jack cleared his throat again, and without warning, he felt the painful burn of cheeks flushing with gratitude and pride. "Thanks, Madeleine. I mean it... thank you."
Perhaps she could sense his sudden awkwardness, for she too now looked a little uncomfortable. Her smile remained though; softening in gratification.
For a moment, both Warriors stood in companionable, if uncomfortable silence.
"No, Jack... thank you."
The two continued running along the wet, cold path.

[Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford]

“Thanks, Madeleine. I mean it… thank you.”
Then… he blushed.
Jack Trove blushed.
And Madeleine would have laughed or smirked, were it not for the look of gratitude on his face. Her own smile faded slightly in recognition of that fact, as she tilted her head slightly and studied him for a second in an awkward silence, as no one spoke.
“No, Jack… thank you.”
And she meant that, for a lot of things. He’d been a good Warrior over the past year or so, he’d been a good follower, and he’d been a good friend. Madeleine knew just how much she owed him, and she could tell just by looking at him that this, in some way, repaid him a little for those things.
After all, she could remember only too well the day she’d been given the promotion to Head. Jack seemed to be taking it in faster than she had. She’d sat there for a few minutes thinking that there’d been a mistake, or that it was a joke, before panicking slightly. And when she did realise it was real… her first thought had been of revenge for Shaun.
That was something she’d learned over the year. You can take the lives that had taken his, you can fight for his cause all you want, but revenge? It doesn’t work the way you think it will. It’s never enough, it never takes away the pain, and in Madeleine’s case, it came with its own regrets.
They were running again now, through the wet, mucky fields. Winter was a disgusting season around here.
Still, it didn’t stop them from running, nor did it stop the couple who were currently out walking towards the direction they had just come from – a tall dark-haired man and a slightly-older looking blonde woman, strolling casually down the path, coming ever closer to them. God, they must be keen. Few people went on gentle ambles in this kind of temperature. It was wet, the ground was sticky, and the wind cut like a knife. As she glanced at them, wondering why they were outside on a day like this, the blonde woman caught her gaze.
And for some reason, the steely glint in the woman's eye made a shiver run down Madeleine's back.

[Ailith Rayner]

Laila did not like the brief journey to the fields. Nice view when she looked down and all but rather uncomfortable. When they arrived, Reuben placed Laila quite delicately on her feet. She liked that. She grinned at him before taking a quick scan of the area. Reuben was throwing flames at the targets via his pupil so Laila decided to take the initiative and make better use of her eyes by checking for witnesses.
There were none. Excellent
She returned her sights to the targets and gazed hungrily at them. The big one looked like he showed potential of being a difficult opponent but Laila had analysed the way he fought through Ailith and knew most of his moves. (If Ailith could have kept her eyes off that Texan bloke she could have formed a better database on everyone but hey… assassins can’t be askers.) Baudelaire was as good as gone anyway; all that was left was how. Of course she would leave that decision to Reuben; it was his revenge after all. But she would help. Why she knew all the best methods!
"Don't kill her," Reuben murmured. Laila’s head shot round disappointed. What!?! Urgh bloody typical hormonal boy! "We want her alive.” No, you want her alive… “And Trove -" Don’t you dare say not him either "-Best leave him alive, too." ARGH! B**tard! Should’ve bloody known he’d do that… he’s just lucky he’s so d**n handsome. Like father like son… Laila smirked at the thought.
They began to walk at an average pace towards the smiling pair ahead, “Whatever you say boss-man. So, we acting…” Laila took a step to the left and slid her hand into Reuben’s back pocket and pinched, “…casual?”
Reuben reached behind and nearly broke a few of Laila’s fingers as he removed her hand and subtly threw it back at her. Laila’s smile never faded nor once did she show the pain she really did feel. The guy was powerful. She liked that.
“Suit yourself. Your dad’s much better at the casual stuff.” Laila winked as Reuben flashed a pissed-off sideways-glance at her. She glanced ahead once more at the targets and returned the Baudelaire’s stare.
Nice to see you too, Dahlin’.

[Jack Trove]

In spite of himself, Jack felt himself slowing down. There were two strangers- a man and an older woman- standing casually at the side of the road. Jack wouldn’t have given them a second glance, had it not been for Madeleine’s sudden slow in pace. He wasn’t sure if she was aware of it at first, but then he noticed the strange, cold glare to the older woman’s eyes as she surveyed Madeleine.
And Madeleine was staring just as hard back.
Jack glanced back and forth between the woman and his Head for a couple of times, before doing a slight double take.
The look in that woman’s eye… he wasn’t sure what it was exactly… but he was certain he’d seen that exact same look before.
In Warrior Training, the other day, its perfect reflection had gleamed in Ailith’s Rayner’s eye as she hurdled towards him with a sword.
Jack shook his head, trying to rid himself of the image. It was an unsettling one, because unlike Ailith, Jack didn’t know this woman. Jack couldn’t let reason remind him that this was a friend who wasn’t really going to hurt him.
This woman… was different.
Both Warriors had almost come to a full stop now. Jack, the air cooling around him as he slowed, began to feel a little apprehensive.

[Ailith Rayner]

The targets had slowed right down before them unwilling to close the gap between them. Laila grinned. They knew something was not right. They suspected correctly.
Both Laila and Reuben remained silent as they approached swiftly now but remaining loose and non-agressive in their stride. Once the two pairs were within a few metres of each other Laila looked the big lout in the eyes and asked, "Can I ask a favour of yah, Sweetheart?"
He stopped dead, "A favour? What d'you mean?"
Laila smiled. It begins. "Tell my daughter Ailith I said thanks."
Her muscles exploded with a firey energy and she launched herself at the big guy with a clenched fist into his neck just below his jaw, cutting off his air supply while the other hand went to his trousers and pulled him forwards to pull his balance over. Laila beamed. This oughta flush out the boredom...

[Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford]

Shít.
Madeleine froze solid as soon as the icy cool metal of the gun pressed against the skin of her neck, her mind stopping completely still, the silent swear not even escaping her mouth.
It was when the blonde woman stared at her with ice in her eye like that, that she’d felt suspicious. No one stared at a stranger like that. And, unintentionally, she’d slowed down her pace, Jack slowing his own to match hers.
Then, the couple had come up towards them, speeding their pace slightly, but their posture remained casual. Still, neither she or Jack stopped, although she could feel Jack stiffen slightly as the blonde woman caught his eye.
There was definitely something strange about that woman.
Then, she stopped a few metres away from them, bringing both Jack and Madeleine to a halt. Looking at Jack, she said, in a thick accent “Can I ask a favour of you, sweetheart?”
Maybe she just wanted the time, or something. She doubted it, though.
“A favour? What d’you mean?”
The woman smiled. “Tell my daughter Ailith I said thanks.”
What the f-?!
But before either Jack or Madeleine could recover from that, the lady’s first flew into Jack, just below his jaw, then immediately pulling him forwards, making him lose his balance.
And immediately, the cold barrel of the gun struck Madeleine’s throat, the younger man standing behind it with a look of intense fury in his eyes. “Hold him,” he said to the older woman.
Madeleine’s eyes flicked to Jack, her body as still as a sculpture, oddly calm. Do not touch him. You’re not here for him. “Don’t move, Jack,” she said, calmly, feeling the gun press tighter against the skin of her throat at her words.

[Jack Trove]

Idiot.
Every instinct had roared at him not to respond. But he had. Somewhere at the back of his head, something had been screaming at him to tear his skin open and force out a blade- but the process was clumsy and obvious.
And could've been completely unecessary.
Hell, he was regretting it now.
He didn't much give a dámn about the little Iron Woman who had him by the throat and the hook of his trousers. Her grip betrayed her power, for hers was the vice-like grasp of super strength. He recognised it easily in her, and felt the old fire of anger begin to bubble at the pit of his stomach at the fact his own power was being used against him.
But that anger had frozen when he'd seen the young man place the trigger at Madeleine's throat.
"Don't move, Jack," she said firmly.
Like he needed fúcking telling!
Super speed. Jack had blinked and the gun had been at her throat. This guy had super speed.
And he had hell burning in his eyes.
The woman's fingers were pushing into the soft flesh of Jack's throat like daggers. If it wasn't for Jack's power, her fingers would've torn right through, closing around his very trachea and crushing it.
If it wasn't for Jack's power, right now, he'd be dead.
And Madeleine-
No.
The woman's eyes narrowed warningly. Jack could feel all the blades in his stomach forming; edging silently to the surface of his skin. If he exploded them forth, he couldn't miss that woman. Her chest was inches away...
But bang.
He couldn't risk it. That guy could pull the trigger in less than a second flat, and escape in a second more.
He couldn't risk anything.
Not yet.
Don't move, Jack. Just wait for your orders. Just wait for the signal to strike. Just wait.
Jack could feel the oxygen beginning to catch in his throat, and long dragging breaths were starting to shudder down his frame.

[Ailith Rayner]

Laila was so excited she could giggle. But that would be unprofessional of her.
So she waited for a second order other than 'hold him' because she seemed to be doing that well enough and they weren't going anywhere. If either even twitched the other would suffer for it. Getting impatient now, Laila turned her head slightly to get her Commander into her peripheral vision. She watched him as he silently applied pressure into Baudelaire's head with the p90. Then he issued a few orders to Baudelaire and Laila sighed.
No point in telling the person at gun point you call the shots, haha. They are already aware of that. Tell them something useful like 'kneel down with your hands on your head', or 'turn around and look at me'. And if you're going to tell them to shut the f**k up then tell them to shut the f**k up. Don't make a production of it. It makes it seem like you're desperate and not quite in control. Although he did put on his father's 'power voice' as she called it. It made her tremble with sheer pleasure when Nicholas put it on.
She rolled her eyes at the bruiser beneath her. Amateur, she mouthed at him and smiled before digging her hand in a little more wrinkling her nose in glee at his frown deepened.
"Alright Sir?" Laila asked brightly, "Shall I knock him out? Then he can go back and do my favour."

[Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford]

Ailith’s mother’s iron vice gripped tighter on Jack’s neck. “Alright, sir?” she asked, with a bright smile, and Madeleine stiffened. “Shall I knock him out? Then he can go back and do my favour.”
Don’t you dare.
If she moved, they’d kill Jack. She didn’t doubt that. The woman had a glittering excitement lurking in her eyes, much like some sort of... some sick, twisted, child. A toddler presented with a new toy.
Jack's life was her toy, now. And Madeleine was powerless to stop her playing with it. If it were just her own life at risk here, she'd move. But they wouldn't hesitate to kill Jack if she made the slightest movement, so the plans that were whirring around her head right now were completely futile. The boy with superspeed, whom she recognised from some of Hoodham's files as a Knight, would get anyway far faster than either she or Jack could.
Shítshítshít...

[Jack Trove]

The blades in his stomach were bursting to get out of him. He knew, not from his own pain, or short, ragged breaths, but from the look in this woman's eyes, that his neck was purpling under her grip.
Slowly, now.
Inhale.
Exhale.
Don't let it hurt.
Don't let her get to you.
Slowly, now, Jack.
Breathe.
But all four of them knew he couldn't hold out for much longer. His choker wouldn't need to knock him out. He may just black out before she got to do him the favour. And he couldn't black out. He couldn't wake up and find... find...
His head was aching.
His vision was blurring.
Jack had never felt more desperate, angry, or vulnerable in his entire life.
And all the while, that man had his gun pressed against Madeleine.
All the while... Jack could do nothing.
Give me something, Madeleine. Tell me... anything. Give me something to work with.
Nothing.

[Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford]

And the woman still refused to let go of Jack’s grip.
There was no guarantee that they’d let Jack go. If this boy was just like every other soldier of Marius’ that she’d met, if he was just like Orla – because that was what this was about, it had to be about Orla, there was no way they would have done this without a provocation like that, he may just shoot Jack for the hell of it. Or give his eager woman the chance to do it herself, with her bare hands. It was going that way, much too quickly. She needed to let go.
There was no guarantee that they’d let Jack go, but if Madeleine didn’t agree to this, he’d die anyway.
“Fine,” she said, with little hesitation, feeling the gun move against her throat again. “So long as she lets go of him. Right now.”
They wouldn’t hurt her, she was much too valuable to be seriously hurt. Jack, however, wasn’t. They weren’t to know of his new position, and at this moment, although she was cursing herself for going out like this, she was glad that she’d waited to do this. They shouldn’t touch him if she went with them, and so, she’d go.

[Ailith Rayner]

“Fine. So long as she lets go of him. Right now.” Madeleine winged.
Say it, say it, say it!
Laila grinned at Jack with anticipation, digging in her hand a little more. Just to cut off a little more air so when she released him he'd be too busy trying to breathe in to defend himself.
Say it, say it, say it!
"Laila." Came Reuben's response.
Laila beamed openly in Jack's face and cocked her head. "Don't forget now!" She released his belt and rammed the heel of her hand into his slightly open jaw. Laila could practically hea his brain rattling in his skull. His eyes rolled to the back of his head and closed slightly leaving the whites of his eyes visible. Then after watching him settle into a relatively even breathing pace she rubbed her knuckles hard against his collor bone. No response. Well she would want him waking up to stab her in the back would she?
Laila stood and walked to the back of Jack's head to avoid getting attacked. She looked at Madeleine who, it seemed, had a headache.
"Wha'? Well you never said nuffing about how I let him go did ya?" Laila mocked.