Chapter Text
Rachel walked slowly down the New York streets as she followed him from a distance. Her task was simple, wait until he’s isolated, apprehend him, and take him back to the Sanctum. The lights from the buildings lit up the asphalt. Traffic packed the streets, but the sidewalks were oddly clear though. The cold breeze blew through her black coat, making her shiver.
She focused back on her target. He didn’t seem dangerous. Then again, many of them didn’t. However, this one did feel off. She hadn’t had a good look at his face yet, but the way he walked and his overcoat made him unmistakeable.
A few blocks down the street, the man broke off into an alleyway. Rachel didn’t like this. She needed him isolated, but something felt wrong. Going against her better judgement, she continued to follow him. She turned the corner to see him nowhere in sight. He was gone! At least that’s how it seemed. The dagger to her neck proved otherwise.
“I’m insulted.” The man said. His voice was calm, confident, and almost menacing. “Does Stephen really think I’d be overpowered so easily?”
The cold steel rested gently against her skin. She quickly grabbed the man’s wrist and slipped under his arm. She quickly moved back, summoning two circular orange shields from her fists. The man only chuckled. “How adorable! You’re still using default.”
Without another word, the man scaled the wall in several strides. Rachel’s eyes widened at his confidence. She began to climb the wall as fast as she could. How did he just run up the wall so fast?
As she got to the top, the man was already leaping to the next rooftop. She took off after him. Rachel’s breathing grew heavy as she cleared the gap to the third rooftop. Again, he was gone. It was as if he just disappeared from thin air. How could I lose him? She thought to herself.
Suddenly, two black chains shot out from behind her, twisting around her wrists and digging into the roof she was standing on. There was something odd about the chains. A black mist seemed to float and swirl around them. She tried to pull at the chains, but they wouldn’t move.
Then, footsteps sounded behind her followed by a voice. “Students of the mystic arts have a tendency to forget that they aren’t the only ones that use sling rings.” Now, standing in front of her was the man she was chasing. Finally, she could see her target’s face. His jaw was rounded and clean shaven. His gray eyes pierced her own as his dark brown hair swooped down near his right eye. He was dressed as if he were going to some sort of meeting. A black trench coat was worn over black slacks and a cool gray button down shirt.
Gently, he grabbed her chin and turned her head side to side as if he were looking for something. “Such a delicate flower. Stephen truly is an idiot.” The man paused. He released Rachel’s chin and took a step back. “I’m so sorry. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Amadeus. Amadeus Rainer. And you are?” Rachel glared at him. “Oh come now. It’s only fair, isn’t it?”
“Rachel.” she said coldly. He stood staring, waiting for a more complete answer. “Rachel Dawn.”
Amadeus smiled. “There, now that wasn’t so hard, was it, Rachel?” He took another step back and began to pace across the roof. “Now, normally if someone were following me to bring me to that doctor you so blindly follow, I’d kill them without hesitation.” Rachel began to pull frantically at the chains. “Oh I wouldn’t bother with those. They won’t budge.” A beat “As I was saying. I would normally kill them, but there’s something about you.” Amadeus looked at her again as if he were searching for a response. “However,I would much rather plunge myself into the dark realm than to harm such a beautiful creature as yourself.”
She stood in fear as he took out a syringe and plunged it into her neck. Slowly her vision went black.
***
Amadeus caught Rachel as her body went limp. He slowly lowered her down so that she wouldn’t bash her head on the concrete. He took a closer look at his assailant. She had a fire that not many had. His eyes moved to her shoulder length hair. Within her brown hair held a small tint of a red hue.
“It’s cold outside, Rachel.” He said, taking off his overcoat and placing it over Rachel. “I’d hate for anything to happen to you. Let’s see if I can remember how to do this.”
He waved his hands over Rachel causing a protective orange lining to surround her small frame. Then, he knelt to the rooftop and put his palm to it until a white light formed under his hand. He pulled his hand away, releasing a beam of white light into the sky.
He sighed as he admired his work. “Doctor Strange should be able to lift the enchantment when he finds you. Until then, sweet dreams, Rachel Dawn.”