The X-Project

At the end of the train trip, our heroes try to shake the cultists and wind up making a friend. For Wanda and Strange, it's only the beginning of what's going to be a very long night, one involving moving vehicles, police officers and trust issues.



It was late afternoon as the train pulled into their destination, the sun slanting into the window and filling the carriage with a red-gold glow. They'd been steadily gaining altitude all trip and the Himalayas rose majestically above the small town. Stephen, incredibly, had fallen asleep - he was snoring ever-so-slightly as Wanda nudged him awake when the train began to slow.

Barely able to hide a smile, Wanda squeezed his arm for a second as he glanced around at where they were. "Our stop," she informed him brightly. "Our 'friend' is still up a ways, so we will have to watch it as we get off." She could tease him about the nap but he had been so tired that she didn't have the heart to.

Peering blearily around them, Stephen tried to focus. "If we make our way to the next carriage, we should be able to lose him in the crowd?" he suggested. The longer this 'adventure' went on, the more worn out he felt - the price of carrying evil mantras around on one's skin, in all likelihood. "At the very least it'll make it difficult for him to get to us."

Peering out the window, she made a face at the crowd. "Especially with this many people on the station platform. We will easily be able to outdistance him if he decides this is the right time to move in." Turning, she frowned at him, looking worried. "Stephen, are you alright?"

"Just tired, dearest. It's been a long few weeks and things are getting a bit... tiresome." He rubbed briefly at his chest, where the mantra was hidden by his high-collared shirt. "I'll be glad when this task of mine is done. And then maybe that vacation." He looked so wistful as he looked at her, obviously hoping that it wouldn't be his usual solitary sort of vacation.

Leaning over, Wanda placed a light kiss on his cheek before pulling back a little. "No maybe about it," she teased as they started to gather their belongings. "After this, we will find some off the beaten path get away where there are no crowds and simply ignore the world for a small while."

"I like the way you think," he said, visibly perking at the kiss. He stood and shouldered Wanda's small backpack, politely waiting for the conductor to pass before holding his hand out to Wanda. "Once more unto the breach, dear friend?" he joked, indicating the next carriage with a cocked eyebrow.

Snorting in laughter, Wanda wound her fingers through his and let him lead the way, trailing behind him so that they didn't take up the whole walkway. "Thankfully, there are no English dead to wall up," she responded. "Have I ever told you how sexy it is that you can randomly spout Shakespeare?"

True to form, the blush appeared, but he said in all apparent seriousness except for a certain quirk of his mouth: "I knew all that education would be useful."

As he'd predicted, the next carriage - most decidedly not first class - was crowded with people getting ready to disembark. Mingling between a family with at least six children of varying ages and several labourers, they eased off the train and onto the platform. Here the plan hit a snag, however, as it became apparent that both of them were considerably taller than the bulk of the people around them. Hunching slightly, Stephen shuffled through the crowd, holding tightly to Wanda's hand. They were at the station building door when a sudden shout told them they'd been spotted and Stephen cursed in Sumerian. At the end of the carriage they'd traveled in he could see the drinks vendor trying to push his way through the crowd to reach them. "Once this crowd clears he'll be on us like... well, like something pouncing on something else very quickly." He'd never been very good at casual metaphors. "We need to find a way of getting out of here and quickly."

With no bags to carry, Wanda had a slightly easier time of not getting shoved around by the growing crowds. But he was right, amusing metaphor aside, in that as soon as the crowd eased up the drink vendor would be able to find them very easily. Looking around, Wanda nudged Stephen further out the door. "Once we make it to the streets," she said, "we can find a ride and leave, but we need to do that quickly. I am not seeing any other way out from here, are you?"

He shook his head, agreeing with her. "If we can find transport, we should be able to lose him easily enough. His personal alliances aside, I doubt he'll abandon his goods trying to chase us. I just hope there's not a reception waiting outside."

Making a noise at that, she once again followed his lead. She hadn't really thought about that, that they might have really been one step ahead of them. The drink vendor on the train could have been simply put down as their actions being watched, not anticipated. "The sooner we get out of here, the better I will feel." The place was starting to feel like it was closing in, hampered by the crowds and lack of visible ways to leave.

They managed to get out of the station without much more incident than one little old lady taking exception to Stephen's trying to squirm past her, poking him viciously with her elbow. Once outside they paused. No-one attacked them, but neither did any means of leaving present itself. Nothing - no buses, no taxis, not even a handy pair of bicycles that they could 'borrow'. Desperation was making itself clear on Stephen's face as he clutched Wanda's hand. "We might have to make a run for it," he muttered, mostly to himself.

"Excuse me, can I help you? You seem rather lost, if you don't mind my saying so."

It was the woman from the train, the one Stephen had nearly fallen onto. She was standing beside an old but lovingly maintained Mercedes, a young man in dark pants and shirt in the process of holding the rear door open for her. "Maybe I could offer you a lift to where you're going?"

Hesitating as she glanced over her shoulder, Wanda felt torn. On the one hand this was a complete stranger. On the other there was an extremely agitated drinks vendor just bursting from the crowd and frantically scanning around. "~Should we?~" she asked, even as she edged further towards the Mercedes. The man pursuing them was sure to spot them in just a matter of seconds.

Stephen paused, just as torn. But a decision had to be made and surrender wasn't an option. "~Any port in a storm,~" he replied in Rom. "~And if it is anything untoward, I'm sure we can deal with it between us. Whereas we don't know if our friend is summoning reinforcements.~" In English he said to the woman. "We were expecting to be met, but our friend has suffered some car trouble and can't be here. A lift would be most appreciated, if it wouldn't be out of your way to take us as far as you can to the border?"

"But of course, we can't possibly leave you stranded here. How unfortunate for your friend. Please, do join me..." Without waiting for them to reply she climbed gracefully into the back seat whilst her chauffeur held the door open and gave them a questioning look.

"~You are right. And we can deal with whatever comes next better than we can deal with our friend over there.~" Turning, Wanda gave the chauffer a poliete smile before ducking into the back seat of the car after the woman. Once she was settled her smile warmed. "Thank you very much, we're very grateful."

"You're very welcome, my dear. Travel in my country can sometimes be rather trying and why shouldn't I make things easier? You seemed such a nice couple on the train." The woman settled her sari with a jingle of bracelets - she wore rather a lot of gold jewellery for a woman in her early forties. "Allow me to introduce myself - I am Pashmati Singh. Such a pleasure to meet you and your husband."

"Stephen Maxim," said the magician, climbing in after them. The chauffeur closed the door behind them and climbed into the driver's seat. "And this is Wanda." He figured the pseudonym was close enough to Wanda's surname to not be completely forgettable. "Thank you again - I don't know what we would have done if you hadn't been so kind."

"Nonsense. It's no trouble at all." Pashmati seemed to be one of those gentile upper class women who prided good manners above all else. "So, what brings you to this part of the world?"

As the car pulled away, Stephen caught sight of their pursuer watching them go. He looked rather unhappy - he seemed to be shouting something, but Stephen couldn't lip-read the words. He felt a sudden urge to wave cheerfully to the man but decided against it.

"A vacation," Wanda replied as she sank into the seat of the car. A very nice car, speaking of wealth but subdued at the same time. "We were... separated for a while, due to our jobs, and we figured this would be the best way to reconnect again."

Close enough to the truth that it she didn't blink at it but edged around things better left unsaid. Every lie had a kernal of truth in it.

"Ah, that explains it... I could have sworn you two were newlyweds, you are so sweet together." Pashmati beamed at them. "Not many people come to this part of India - it is very beautiful, but very remote. I hope you are enjoying yourselves, yes?"

"It's been quite the adventure," Stephen said with all honesty,

"You're very right about how beautiful India is," Wanda said, gazing out the window. "I have visited many places, seen many things, and this still takes my breath away." Turning back, she let her hand ghost over Stephen's as she continued. "Stephen was correct when he said it's been quite the adventure. One of those fly by the seat of your pants trips."

"Oh, nothing too awful, I hope?" Pashmati asked, looking anxious and curious all at the same time. "Nothing that would give you a bad impression of us?"

Outside the light was fading as they left the last of the town behind them, climbing steadily into the mountains. The further they went the worse the roads got and the Mercedes made the most of its excellent suspension. Even so, its passengers were shaken into each other and Stephen for the first time wondered at the necessity of all three of them being in the back seat. Certainly it would have been more comfortable if he'd been up front?

"Oh, nothing too horrid. Lost luggage and the usual travellers woes, you understand." Bracing herself just a little bit, Wanda found herself staring out the window again. Something...something felt off. She'd been off teams in an attempt to get her head put back together but she'd always had a healthy gut reaction thanks to the solo travel she'd found herself on in her life time. It was getting darker and she wasn't quite sure where they were going...

Not tensing up, she gave Pashmati an apologetic smile. "Can you drop us off just up ahead?" Wanda asked. "We're probably close to where we were heading and we had been planning on camping out this evening." A lie but they were far enough away from the town that they had to have lost their pursuers by now.

"Camping? But you have no equipment!" Pashmati shook her head decidedly. "You will catch your deaths sleeping outside - the nights are still quite cold this time of year at this altitude. Let me take you to the border, as arranged."

"We'd rather you dropped us off here," Stephen interjected firmly. "You've been very kind, but..."

"Very kind, yes, but you see, I'm afraid I can't do what you ask."

"Oh?" Stephen asked, aware of a faint crawling sensation on the skin at the back of his neck. Something wasn't right here. "Why not?"

Pashmati smiled, playing with the rings on her hands "We are all at the beck and call of those more powerful than us. My Master requires me to take you elsewhere." She held up her hand, palm out and they both caught a glimpse of the wicked-looking needle protruding from the band of one of her rings. "People have such a narrow view of the world," she continued, and her hand moved faster than either of them could anticipate, gripping the back of Wanda's. "Just because you worship an ancient and terrible evil, people brand you as an insane cultist. What's a human sacrifice or two in a place such as this? We are so many, it's not as if we can't spare the souls." Pashmati smiled then, all the warmth leaving her eyes. "Now then, my dear Doctor Strange, you will co-operate. Otherwise your dear companion will suffer the consequences. The drug I injected her with is really very potent and she will be utterly helpless for some time once it takes full effect." She squeezed Wanda's hand meaningfully, driving the needle in further.

"Stop it!" Stephen burst out, torn between Wanda and his mission. "I'll co-operate. Just... please don't hurt her."

To her credit, Wanda remained perfectly calm, even when she felt a sharp prick and a slice of pain. "You certainly do not look like crazy cultists," she said softly, her other hand suddenly gripping Stephen by the back of the shirt. "But then again, we really should not judge one another just by outward appearances, should we?"

The twin flash of red was so sudden and so bright that everyone in the car, driver and Stephen included, cried out. In the driver's confusion and sudden blindness, he let the car hit a deep pot hole and they were all slammed around the car again. As it slowed, nearly spinning, Wanda gritted her teeth and struggled to retain her grip on Stephen.

"~Go limp,~" she said, sharply, shoving him against the door as another, weaker, flash of light flared up again. She was gratified to hear it open and didn't feel all that guilty as she shoved him out of the car. It was going slow enough that he'd be able to roll and, after all, he was the one that they couldn't afford to have caught. In the same motion, she lunged towards Pashmati, to keep them occupied, despite the sluggishness in her system.

Drugged.

"Bitch!" Pashmati lashed out, striking Wanda across the face, her rings adding weight to the slap. "You've only interrupted our plans, not stopped them! With you in our hands, somehow I think that he will won't run so far - with you we have the perfect bait to draw him back to us, as it were."

It felt like fire in her veins but Wanda let her anger, some residual from her encounter from Cthton but most of it from the fact that this woman was out to hurt Stephen and herself, carry her just a bit further. "If you hit someone, you little whore," she said, spitting some blood on the car floor, that damned woman's rings had ripped some skin, "do it properly." The punch may have felt sluggish to her but it was straight and powerful enough to rock Pashmati's head back, blood spurting from her nose.

Stephen hit the ground hard, trying his best to do as Wanda had told him and go limp. His momentum carried him across the road and down into the ditch beside and for a moment he lay there waiting for his dazzled eyes to clear and the pain of various bumps and scrapes to subside. Nothing broken, at least. Then he heard the squeal of tires in gravel and he looked up to see the car coming to a halt, Wanda still inside struggling with Pasmati. "No..." he murmured, trying to think of a spell, any spell, that would help but he was too worn out and in too much pain. Then there came the sound of another engine coming up the road and he turned gratefully towards the source - a mini-van making its way up the hill from where they'd come. Hope was quickly murdered, however, as he realised the occupants were all wearing identical darks robes.

Reinforcements.

Precious seconds ticked by as he lingered helplessly, trying to choose between Wanda and his mission. Wanda meant the world to him, but if he was taken, it could well be the end of that world. Free he could still prevent the cult from achieving their plans, save dozens of people. Including Wanda herself.

Forgive me, dear heart, he thought in her direction and then turned and half-ran, half-tumbled into the rocks and undergrowth at the side of the road.

There was a hand in her hair and Wanda yanked backwards, struggling to get to the door. It was enough to break the hold but she found herself sliding off the seat as everything starting going dark. Breathing shallowly, she couldn't even fight as she was hauled out by someone, everything a strange blur.

All she could think as she passed out was to hope that Stephen was safe and was running in the other direction.

***

It seemed like he had been wandering aimlessly for hours, even though his watch told him it had only been three since the incident. Stephen's mind churned, trying to think, to plan, but all he could see in his mind's eye was Wanda, drugged and helpless and captive somewhere. Needing him and he wasn't there...

His toe stubbed a rock and he stumbled, too tired even to curse. Finding a handy boulder nearby he sat, trying to summon his thoughts. The cult had obviously found out they were taking the train from Kamphur, but how? And if the drinks vendor hadn't been one of them, who had he been? With a groan he realised what he'd missed. That last glimpse of the vendor from the car - he'd been afraid, not angry; afraid for them. If Stephen hadn't been so distracted and worn down he might have been able to See it from the start. He must have known Pashmati was one of the cult and been unable to approach them closely enough to say with her sitting right next to them...

There was a noise up ahead, the sound of a vehicle, and lights sweeping around the bend. They caught Stephen full in the face and he realised belatedly that he was in fact sitting by the side of a road, quite possibly the same one they'd been on. His heart stopped as the vehicle did and he sprang up, preparing to flee.

"~Halt! Police!~" came a shout in Nepali and he paused, puzzled. Nepali? But he was in India, wasn't he?

"~Stay where you are. What are you doing out here?~" Shadows detached themselves from the glare of the headlights, resolving into several armed police, approaching him cautiously. Slowly Stephen raised his hands, mindful that the political situation between Nepal and India wasn't always the most straightforward.

"~I am unarmed and mean no harm,~" he began, his Nepali not quite as fluent as his Hindi, but the two languages bore a similarity. "~I am a traveller and became lost...~"

"American?" asked one officer, moving forward ahead of his fellows. They covered him whilst he approached Stephen. "~You have papers?~"

"~Of course, just let me...~" Stephen's hand moved to his money belt, containing his passport and remaining money, but even as he did he realised he didn't have the appropriate visas for Nepal. This could be a problem. "~I'm afraid I don't have the correct papers for being in your country,~" he began. "~As I said I lost my way. I had a companion, a woman. We were attacked and she was taken. Bandits, I suppose. Please, you have to help her.~"

The man glanced through Stephen's passport, face impassive. At the same time one of the others had picked up Wanda's satchel that Stephen had managed to keep hold of even whilst being pushed out of a moving car. Ignoring Stephen's noise of protest, he started going through it. Wanda's own passport, a few items picked up here and there, and at the bottom...

With an exclamation, he pulled out the knives Wanda had packed, showing them to his superior officer, the one talking to Stephen. "~It is forbidden to carry such weapons,~" the man said to Stephen stonily. "~And you have no papers, plus someone else's belongings. I think perhaps it is you who are the bandit. You will come with us.~"

"~But my companion!~" he protested, taking a step towards the officer and lowering his hands. Immediately there was the sound of several guns being cocked and he found himself looking down the barrels of at least three rifles. "~Please, she might be hurt.~"

"~Of course she might be. Constable, secure those knives for testing - there may be blood on them. You are under arrest, sir. Please come with us.~" The officer's face was impassive and Stephen realised there was no getting out of this. If he'd been rested, he might have managed a spell, but not in the state he was in. His shoulders slumping in defeat, he let the police handcuff him without struggle and put him into the car.

'I'm sorry, Wanda.'