Angel’s Tears
Part 1 — Prologue
Rapture City was the kind of city people trusted—a place of certainty. Crosswalks were respected, trains arrived and departed on schedule. The sky was open, freely casting the sun’s warm embrace onto the people below. Even the narrow alleys between buildings felt like a haven to its citizens. For they knew they were protected. They lived in a world of heroes, and they could sleep soundly, knowing that Rapture City was home to some of the greatest of these.
Of course, Rapture City had still seen its fair share of catastrophes. Mirage, the city’s most ingenious and elusive hero, almost lost her life when the infamous villainess Phoenix threatened to burn the entire city to the ground. And the mindless rampage of Mr. Savage was only halted by the efforts of his brother, Terrance.
On the outskirts, a privately owned mansion cast long shadows across its gardens. Behind reinforced doors on the third floor, a hidden laboratory hummed quietly. The steady rhythm of water flowing from a fountain somewhere in the gardens betrayed no hint of what was transpiring behind the walls.
At the back of this lab, isolated from the rest of the equipment, hung a luxurious black fox fur jacket. The decadent item looked so out of place in the lab. A slender hand reached out, gently running a finger along the soft pelt. “Magnificent. A true thing of beauty, don’t you think?” The voice was well refined, laced with a hint of wonder.
The response from behind them, however, was something far more casual. “Nice try Celine, I’m not falling for that one.” Lucy Voss replied with a smile from across the room, not even stopping to look up from her clipboard. The young woman stood composed at 168 cm in her well-kept white lab coat. Her short hair was dyed crimson with a single streak of bright scarlet at the front in a lob. Completing her look were a pair of simple glasses resting on her face.
Celine Lauren, the mansion’s proprietor, turned to face the woman. Like the jacket, she seemed almost out of place in the lab—in a way that suggested she belonged in worlds far grander. She looked even more youthful than Lucy. Her well-practiced posture carried her 175cm frame with effortless grace. A long black maxi dress traced the gentle curves of her body, while high-society heels added the slightest lift. Beside her on the bench, a pair of black velvet gloves waited, silently.
Her black hair, slightly longer than Lucy’s, was pulled back into a sleek ponytail. A thin layer of makeup served only to illuminate her natural beauty, further complemented by diamond earrings catching the light at her ears, glimmering softly like private stars.
Through a cheshire grin, Celine’s voice floated across the room. “Oh, Lucy, whatever do you mean?”
Lucy sighed, setting down her pen, “You’re clearly trying to make me say ‘Yes it is,’ then hit me with some cheap shot about how you were talking about the coat, not my work.”
Celine grinned, turning back to the garment, “Not this time, Lucy. I wouldn’t dream of diminishing what you have created here today.” As she leaned in close to the jacket, she could smell the pleasant scent of lavender. “With this, dear Lucy, I can finally step out of the shadows. Finally—I will have my rightful place at the top. You have given me the most powerful weapon this world has ever known, and I will not soon forget it.”
Lucy shifted as she openly sighed at her boss once more “I have given you the most versatile weapon, not the most powerful.” She lectured, lightly tapping her pen. “, Celine, just because you have one weapon doesn’t mean you are immune to another. A bomb can wreak havoc without the even being present. A gun can still take out any target its wielder can see—much faster, too.”
“But a pen wielded by the sharpest of minds is worth more than a thousand swords in the hands of fools.” Celine’s smile only widened. “And with your creation—with Angel’s Tears—I will no longer be wielding a mere pen.”
Lucy couldn’t help but chuckle at the name once more. Celine had always been grandiose in her vocabulary. “The Angel’s Tears,” she thought. A curious name for her magnum opus—though one Celine had insisted upon. It did, she had to it, capture the subtler graces of her creation.
Her gaze drifted to the jacket, lightly coated with Angel’s Tears—a chemical that, when taken into the body, would quickly leave a person confused and disoriented. But the true beauty of her work lay elsewhere: after a mere minute of continuous exposure, a typical victim would become highly suggestible, following any instructions they were given even after becoming separated from the Tears.
Celine leaned toward the jacket once more, the sweet aroma of lavender, perfectly masking the scent of the Tears. “It’s a shame you cannot smell this, Luce. This scent… the promises it makes for the future—it’s simply…”
“Well, maybe I could if someone would let me take the counteragent—you know, the one I invented.” Lucy snapped back with a playful smirk.
“Now, now, Lucy. It’s not cheap getting you everything you need to create this stuff. I’d hate to see any of your hard work go to waste.”
Lucy rolled her eyes. “You mean your investment.”
Celine ignored her, taking on the tone of a wounded child. “Also, I don’t know if I can trust you after that whole—trying to kill me—phase you went through.”
Lucy stifled a laugh. “Oh, please. I was young and naïve. I’ve matured.”
“You were twenty-three.”
“Young and twenty-three,” Lucy shot back. “I was just starting out and somehow got it into my head that killing you meant I’d magically take your place as kingpin of Rapture City’s criminal underworld.”
“Besides,” Lucy’s eyes glinted behind her glasses, “things have… changed since then.”
Celine raised an eyebrow.
“I’ve ed your team,” Lucy continued, leaning casually against the bench, “and—after all these years—I’m one of your most trusted lieutenants. How many people in your empire even know your face, Celine? Don’t tell me you don’t trust me.” She leaned forward just slightly. “What’s a little poisonous gas between friends?”
Celine gave her a flat look. “Poisonous? Lucy, you blew up half my office.”
“I… slightly messed up the chemicals, alright…”
“You vaporised most of a load-bearing wall.”
“It was not load-bearing.”
“It was afterwards.”
“SOMETIMES SCIENCE IS A LITTLE MORE ART THAN SCIENCE, OK!”
There was a pause between them.
Eventually, Lucy could no longer contain her laughter. “Alright, alright—I concede.”
Celine grinned. “Gotcha.”
Lucy winced; there was that damn phrase of hers. “You know, Celine, you don’t always have to win.”
Celine smiled, almost indulgently. “No. But with these Tears, I always will.”
Lucy began to idly fidget with her scarlet streak, “I’ve been meaning to ask—why pick a fur jacket as the vector? And must you insist on using black fox fur? You don’t think that—”
“That what?” Celine cut in smoothly. “That the heroes of this city will gaze upon my fine choice of attire and somehow divine that the Black Fox—architect of Rapture City’s criminal element—and Celine Lauren are one and the same?”
Lucy frowned. “It’s unnecessary attention, Celine.”
“It’s branding,” Celine corrected. “No longer will I hide in the shadows.”
She turned back to the jacket, running her fingers slowly through the fine hairs, savouring the texture. Her voice softened.
“Soon, the Black Fox will make her debut… And at her side… the city’s beloved heroes.”
Her lips curved, faint and sharp.
“They’ve walked among us, praised for what they were given. Celebrated for accidents of birth. Powers they never earned… never worked for… yet wear like crowns.”
Her fingers stilled. A flicker of something colder ed through her expression.
“I have watched them. Watched the way the world bends around them. The way doors open. The way people believe in them.”
“And still they think that makes them superior.”
She closed her eyes and glimpsed a pair of golden wings, stretching wide and radiant.
“It doesn’t.”
Her hand tightened slightly in the fur.
“Each of them will be trapped in my creations. Each of them will serve.”
Her voice dropped—not louder, but heavier.
“They will smile when I tell them to. Speak when I allow it. Act when I command it. And they will call it their choice.”
Silence lingered for a moment.
Then, with quiet finality:
“Those heroes understand nothing of what it means to wield power, to build it, to earn it.”
Her gaze never left the jacket.
“I do.”
Suddenly, a sleek black pen flicked lazily across the room, striking her squarely on the back of the head.
Celine turned. “Really Luce?”
Lucy leaned back with a smirk, uncaring, as if nothing at all had happened. “That’s quite the high opinion you have of yourself. Last I checked, I was the one who made this all possible.” Her tone sharpened. “Keep talking like that, and you’re going to wind up like every other nutjob who thought they could challenge Rapture.” She then added with a wink, “And I’ll be running your network while you’re locked up.”
Celine exhaled, steadying herself. “Don’t worry, Lucy. I know I’m not invincible. Fortunately for me, the superfreaks so often think they are—right up until it’s too late. Also—HELL NO. You had your chance. They lock me up, you come and get me.”
“I suppose a proper lady such as yourself doesn’t think she belongs somewhere as dreary as a cell? Okay, Celine, I’ll think about it.” Lucy playfully teased.
Sometimes Celine could not believe the audacity of this woman. Whenever she was outside a lab, she was always such a mouse. Like every cliché of a timid little academic—nervous, and unable to properly hold a conversation. But whenever she was here, in her element, she became someone completely different. Someone who knew she was the master of her own world and wouldn’t hesitate to challenge even her own boss.
Celine let her gaze drift to Lucy’s scarlet hair—far too bold for someone who spent weeks hidden away, wrapped in a humble lab coat. Why bother if nobody ever saw it?
“You know Lucy, you really do own your look.” She gestured to the hair. “But I’m surprised you would go to the effort. You’ve been squirreled away in here, with only the occasional visit from myself these past few weeks. Why would you take such precious time out of your day to keep up appearances when there is nobody who could appreciate it?”
Lucy blushed and looked back to her notepad. She silently muttered under her breath, “How can you be so perceptive sometimes, yet still never put two and two together.”
“What was that, Lucy?” Celine asked. “You’ll have to speak up.”
“I said thank you, Lady Celine, for your most gracious compliment.” Lucy deflected, getting back into character. “But we’re getting off topic. Tonight, when you attend the Gala, will be the first proper field test for my baby. You need to see how close you need to get to people before they start to go under.” Her eyes returned to her clipboard. “See what you can get them to do without arousing their suspicions. Preferably, I’d like you to get someone back here so I can fully test how they respond without any prying eyes.”
Celine began to stride across the room towards Lucy—unhurried, deliberate. “Oh, I think they’ll find I can be very convincing even without the jacket, Lucy dear. But tell me… is that really the only reason you want me to bring a friend home with me?” Celine had that look in her eye again. That wicked glint of an animal toying with its prey.
“You must have been soooooo lonely cooped up in here all by yourself, Lucy. Were you perhaps hoping I would bring you a strapping young man? Someone you could have a little fun with while your boss wasn’t looking?” She stepped closer—close enough that Lucy had to fight the urge to step back. “Someone who could make all the stress you have built up just… fade away?”
Lucy flushed “Y… you know I don’t swing that way…”
Celine was right next to Lucy, seemingly towering over her despite the small difference in size between them. “Oh, silly me,” she purred, “Then perhaps one of the fairer sex? That brilliant mind of yours must just be aching for the chance for some real… experimentation.”
Lucy drew in a small breath, composure snapping back into place. “That isn’t necessary,” she said. “The objective is to observe the compound’s effects in a controlled environment, not to… indulge in variables that would complicate the data.”
A slight pause. “My interest is in the results, Lady Celine. Nothing more.”
“Of course, sweet Lucy. How could I have let myself believe your wonderful mind would allow itself to… indulge in such extraneous distractions.”
Lucy felt the tension ease—and immediately wished she hadn’t let it. “Exactly.” She smiled with that impish charm she had practiced so hard to cultivate.
“But know this, Lucy. The Black Fox always rewards those who serve her faithfully.” Celine was starting to sound like an actor upon a stage. “Soon, nothing in this city will be beyond my reach, and I will not allow one who has shown such loyalty to simply be forgotten.” Her eyes drifted shut, a slow smile touching her lips as the future unfolded behind them. Her future. A future where all the world’s heroes lay before her, fawning at her feet. Gazing up at her with the adulation she had earned, that she deserved. All of them. Hers to do with as she pleased. When she pleased.
But the vision shifted. She was there. Standing behind her fawning thralls was that bitch! Even now she stood tall, her gaze resting upon Celine. Her expression gave nothing away. The sun seemed to radiate out from behind her, catching in her long golden hair and matching wings. A soft breeze kept them gently swaying. Even her eyes still sparkled with that same brilliant gold.
Celine’s eyes opened, the vision shattering as something colder took its place. She looked to Lucy and continued, her voice now tainted with a venomous edge. “Power belongs to those who earn it. And you, Lucy, have more than earned your place in the new world I will create. Your efforts SHALL be rewarded, Lucy. This… I promise you.”
“I’ll hold you to that, Celine.” Lucy grinned, looking her dead in the eye. She met that vicious gaze head-on, returning one of her own that betrayed no hint of fear—only a silent hunger. This was the Celine she knew.
“I do so look forward to the delights this new world offers to one who stands at your side.” Lucy’s heart practically leapt to her throat—and yet, she had never felt more alive. How would Celine react to her subtle suggestion?
Suddenly, the two women heard a violent crash from outside the lab. Before they could react, a roar rolled like thunder: “CELIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNEEEEE!!!” The two women froze.
“Lucy, bring up the security feed. Main foyer. NOW!” Celine barked. Her heart hammered. This couldn’t be happening. Not now. Not when she was so close.
“CELINE! GET OUT HERE RIGHT NOW!”
Lucy fumbled frantically with the controls. “What’s going on? They’re calling out for Celine, not the Black Fox? Surely this is just—”
“JUST SHUT UP AND DO WHAT I SAY, OK?” Celine snapped, cutting her off.
Lucy’s fingers slipped over the controls, slick with sweat, until the feed finally came up.
The double doors had been thrown wide, and in the foyer, two figures loomed, radiating authority and intent. Lucy’s hands trembled as she realized who they were.
Celine remained frozen. There they were—those wings. Those damn wings. Those damn wretched wings which had haunted her every night since she was a child. Her hands slowly clenched into fists at her side.
“CELIIIIINNEEEEEE! WHERE ARE YOU!”
Slowly, Celine’s lips began to curl back into a smug, almost knowing smile. Her voice began retaking its practiced elegance as she spoke “It would seem I have guests Lucy. Would you please excuse the lady of the house while she assumes her responsibilities as a proper host?”
“Celine, I know exactly what you’re thinking—and it’s not going to work. The Tears only allow you to influence people. Complete subjugation requires prolonged exposure and this woman…”
Another roar cut her off “CELIIIIIIIIIINNNNNEEEEE!”
“She’s not going to give you the chance.” She finished, breathless.
Celine ignored her, gliding across the lab to the fox-fur jacket. The screams from the foyer rolled in like distant thunder.
“No need to worry yourself Lucy. I have a… history with this one. I am sure she just wants to help me clear up some misunderstandings like the dear old friend that she is.” She calmly lifted the jacket, fingers brushing the fur, savouring that gentle scent of lavender as the hairs bristled beneath her touch.
Celine’s voice soon took on a serious edge; she slipped her arms through the sleeves of the jacket with deliberate care, appreciating the silky caress of the fur against her skin.
“Listen, Lucy. I meant what I said before. If something happens and they put me away, I expect you to get me out within a fortnight. You can hide away in here and pretend I was keeping you against your will if they come looking.”
The jacket settled pleasantly over her evening dress, resting softly on her shoulders. “After all, we masterminds are well known for our eccentricities.”
Lucy was growing increasingly concerned at her boss’s casual demeanour. All pretences of formality had fallen away. “Cel, she may not technically have superstrength—but I’ve seen enough to know she might as well. I won’t be able to help you if she decides to throw you through the wall… and I’m not bringing a mop!”
“CELINE! IF YOU DON’T SHOW YOURSELF RIGHT NOW, WE’RE GOING TO TEAR THIS PLACE APART, FRAME BY FRAME, UNTIL I FIND YOU!”
After closing the jacket around herself, Celine began to calmly slip on her velvet gloves as she made for the door. Even now, her heels clicked with quiet grace. The jacket rippled gently around her hips with each step.
“You wanted a field test Lucy and, well, there’s just no time like the present, is there? I suppose the gala will have to wait.” A slight tremble betrayed the faintest hint of uncertainty.
Lucy winced. What had gone wrong? How had these heroes made the connection between Celine and the Black Fox? “Just be careful. You’ve never been in a position like this before… and… I still want to get paid.” She forced a smile, but her stomach twisted.
Celine grinned facing to the door. “Gotcha.”
As the door opened, a shaft of light caught the jacket, glinting off the fur and velvet gloves. Celine exhaled slowly, mentally bracing herself. “Showtime.”