Alice Vermire is currently attending Marinton High. She has been living a pretty simplistic life, not exactly having over 10 friends but she prefered it that way. Most of the popular people just didn't seem to be all that interesting to her. As for her family she had only her mother and father. Both of them were scientists that worked at a company called Omynex Inc. It was a company that specialized in both bio-medical advancements and weapon production. It was a very well known company as it was in all the cities in the world. Granted in this age there was currently only one city per continent. Today though her parents had finished their special project and we're going to come pick her up after school.

         It was about twenty minutes before school was out today and it seemed like everyone was pretty much done, but just as Alice was putting her things into her bag, a pair of hand pretty much slapped her desk with a familiar face shouting out

Fredrick: Schools over, wanna go on a date?

Alice: Didn't you already try that one on me today Fred?

Fredrick: Yeah but I didn't really get an answer from you.

Zoey: She didn't respond because she believed you to be able to take a hint. Honestly Fred, you keep doing this almost every week.

After they started chatting for about ten minutes, Zoey brought up a topic about the strange disappearances that have been happening in the city

Zoey: Have you guys heard about this strange criminal called Red Raven? It was the only name that had any connection to the missing people. Apparently from what they are saying a strange man covered in a bloody mist is seen in most of the disappearances, so the athorities have put him as the top suspect. It's been like that for the last few weeks now and so far no one's been able to catch him.

Fredrick: I heard he was a moster from one of those urban legends come to prey on the innocent, but of course if I run into this Raven thing I will so punch it in the face and the girl it was chasing will so want to be with me after that.

Both Alice and Zoey sort of just gave him a quiet and akward look.

Fredrick: No no, it's playing on the Cinderella story, umm I can make it better".

Alice: You should just stop there, because you know you take things way too far and lose sight of what you we're talking about. So anyway you were saying Zoey?

Fred was a little disapointed, but he recovers from things like this very fast and just listened to Zoey for the momment.

Zoey: Well from what I heard that it's literally a mist like phenomenon that takes people away to a place out of this world, never to be heard of again.

Zoey was the kind of girl who was interested in horror novels, usually the supernatural kind.

 Alice could tell that they we're both making their own ideas up about Red Raven. While she was listening and trying to be supportive, she wasn't believing it.

Fredrick: So haven't you heard any stories or came up with any ideas about Red Raven?

She claimed that it was probably just an urban legend and someone was playing a bad joke on everyone.

Zoey: You know Alice, she's never been one who believed in anything out of this world.

Alice: I prefer to see it to believe it yes, but I do also think that there is something out there beyond the here and now, after all just us having a mind of this caliber is somewhat of a phenomenon.

Later after school, Fred was seeing if anyone had any plans tonight and while Zoey was available, Alice declined

Alice: Sorry but my parents are comming back today, so I'll have to pass.

          Both of them had arrived with the expected family reunion. Her father Norton Vermire, had been about six feet tall with a semi-aged face and roughly around the age of 47, about an average build for a man. Her mother Jessica Vermire had a slightly slimmer figure for a woman stood about 5' 2" feet tall and about the age of 49. Both of them wore glasses and had brown hair (although Nortons was short while Jessicas was long).

Alice herself was about 5' 4" feet tall and had a bit more of a developed figure. Oddly she had hair that was a bit brighter colored brown, possibly mixed in with a bit of ginger. So it was kind of a wierd color but still looked natural and it was long enough to reach her sholders.They started asking about how her education was going.

Alice: It's going fine and I think I know where I want to go with it.  Her answer was to be a psychologist, and of course Norton began to describe what exactly that is just to make sure she was willing to go through with it. 

Jessica: I think it fit her quite well and she should go for it. Norton did withdraw saying

Norton: Heh, I just want to make sure my little girl knows what she wants.

Changing the subject Alice did inquire about the big project they had been working on.

Jessica: Well we can't get into specifics due to Privacy Protection Policies, but it's going to be something that can solve alot of worldly problems.

She did continue explaining that the form of energy they had discovered called Eyous, which was heavily effective.

It was one of the big breakthroughs that made Omynex Inc so well known. In fact the car they we're in was powered by what they called an E Cell. Some of this knowlege was something Alice already knew but she let her mother continue anyway, just incase she gave any hidden messages or let something slip out.

But then there was a small problem, the road that they used to take to get to their favorite restaurant had been closed off forcing them to take the highway.

         Norton always hated this highway because for the last five years ago there we're almost nothing but some of the idiotic drivers on this road. The good news is now most cars are designed to be automatically driven.

It does take the fun out of driving but it did end alot of drunk driving accidents. The AI was pretty good as well since all the cars are programmed to be aware of eachother and stay on the road properly allowing the passangers to essentially do other things. There was manual driving as well but it's to be used in an emergancy.  So far they we're held up in a small ammount of traffic but it was at an ok pace.

It was about an hour when Alice noticed something moving across the highway bridges. She did point it out to her parents but because of the darkened sky it ws hard to identify wht it was.

They didn't think much of it for awhile and turned their attention to the time and road. However that same figure was still moving around on the blackout highway bridge. It seemed to be moving in somewhat random directions. It was something that she didn't want to worry about but as time continued it became more noticable. She then tried to immediatly tell herself it's nothing and tried to keep herself from looking.

                She did keep this up for a good 35 seconds but that's when something shocking happened. What looked like a large nail came flying through the window right infront of her face. Alice never had such a shocked or frightened face before, and lowly turned her head to the left.

The nail like object was surprisingly thick and covered in blood. She then checked herself and then her family but it seemed like none of them got hit by it. They rushed out of the car along with alot of other people that just saw that.

If it didn't hit them then what did it hit she thought? But there was nobody who looked injured. To add more problems some people were running in the opposite direction screamming telling everyone to run for their lives.

All the cars were completly halted so no one was going to run over anyone else. Although Norton and Jessica we alot more calm about the situation they were about to do the same thing.

Jessica was trying to open the trunk of the car while Norton was monitoring the area. He had a rather disturbed look on his face ordering

Norton: Alice come we're not sticking around here.

Alice was doing what she was told but before either of them could get any mommentum she pointed out a truck flying through the air.

The truck exploded, cutting off any escape. Everyone was begining to worry and others just flat out panicked. Norton went back to the car. Jessica was holding a really strange case. It was definatly the kind of case you carry hazardous material goods in.

It was then Alice saw what part of the distress was caused by. A figure wearing a blood red cloak

It had to be him, the person her friedns were talking about, Red Raven. He had his back turned to Alice, wielding massive nails held from their heads. His gaze was fixated on the distress ahead.

She then heard a vicious roar of  a monsters comming this way. It looked like a large lizard-like creature. It stood on it's back legs about the size of a semi-trailer. It's jaw wasn't as far out as anyone would be led to believe. Alice strangly wasn't as frightened as she should be.

It moved like a human while having the visage of a beast. But as it was trying to hit Red Raven, it also started grabbing random civilians unlucky enough to be within it's arm length. It would eat any person it grabbed while throwing any inanimate object it could get its hands on.

In the process it threw a large car at Red Raven but because he had been running around dodging whatever this creature threw at him, it ended up flying towards the car that the Vermire's were standing at. Red Raven retaliated by launching one of his nails at several other vehicles near the beasts feet precicly aimed at the cars engine. The end result was part of the highway bridge falling while the beast fell to another.

                The highway had stopped collapsing for now but many we're badly hurt or killed. Norton managed to pull himself to his feet, although limping in the process. He looked for his family, and managed to find his wife's arm still holding the case she had been carrying. But he was heartbroken to find the rest of her crushed to death by rubble and other debris. All he could do was retrieve the case.

Norton: Alice?! . . . If there ever was a god out there then this is the time to prove it.

He would keep calling her name hoping that she was alright. But when he found her she had been impaled by a piece of metal from part of a vehicle. Dropping the case and rushing to her almost to the point of tears.

He found that she was still breathing but the injury was pretty bad. She would need medical attention within the next ten or it would be terminal.

Without any medical tools of his own there was no chance of him helping her. At this point there was only one way to save her but he dreaded using it. To be forced to put her through what should be his responcibility . . . but he is a father before a scientist. He went to retrieve the case his wife had been holding.

He took off all the seals and locks on it to reveal a strange silver ball. It had a glowing teal light eminating from it's digital veins.

Norton then grabbed the metal object and quickly removed it from Alice's wound. It pained him to do so but he knows he can save her.

Norton: I know you may one day hate me for this Alice. Hell I may be damning the rest of the world . . . Tch, what am I thinking. I'd rather trust this to you over anyone else.

He then placed the metallic orb into the wound. It began to melt and spread over and into her body. Norton estimated it would take about twelve minutes for it to finish its job.

It was then the highway began to lose its balance breaking apart. Norton became seperated from Alice as she fell to the lower road.

________________________________________________________________________

Alice awoke about an hour and a half later to find no one around. She remebered as far as before she was pierced with that metal piece. Looking around she found herself along the highway.

She checked her body where she was pierced before but there was nothing. No wound or even a scar. She called out to her parents, but only her own echo would answer back.

She began walking along the ruined road. It got difficult when there were some large gaps to jump. There was some sort of beeping in her head. At first she thought it was just the ringing of aftershock but then she began to move on her own. She managed to clear a jump that would take a professional athlete to deal with.

She began to hear that beeping noise again. And then it began to come into a voice.

???: Scyncronization at 49%. Neural systems established. Language has now been established.

Alice: What? Who is that? Why are you speaking in my head?

???: Current protocal is your survival at this time. I will be assuming patrial command over you until scyncronization is completed. It will be at that point I can properly verify the threats locaton.

Alice: Are you talking about that monster?

???: After vewing your memory I can confirm the threat is a Dayon. Further analysis will be required to confirm its class.

Alice didn't really want to trust this thing immediatly but she wasn't exactly in a position to complain. She could still walk on her own so it seemed apparent that whatever this voice is will only interfear in critical moments

For a good twenty minutes minutes Alice moved across the ruined highwave. It was then she heard more rumbling on one of the higher roadways.

???: Syncronization at 61%. Dayon detected.

Alice's heart began to race.

???: I apologies but I cannot yet determin its classification.

The creature fell from the higher roadway. It looked like it was in terrible contition. A missing arm, several nails in its chest and even its back was partially burned. It was holding someone in its hand.

Monster: (Pant,pant,pant) Damn that bird. Running out of meat. Only two left so far.

It gorged on the deadman it was carrying. Alice watched the creatures arm partially recreate itself from its wound.

Monster: Birds running out of toys now. Nothing personal little girl. Wrong place, wrong time.

This creature reminded her of a simple gangmember just by the way it talked. The creature may even be a person behind its monsterous exterior.

It began charging at her. As it reached out for her, Alice felt her legs move on their own again. The creature became disgruntled as she kept evading its attacks.

Monster: Ugh, I am in no mood for this kid.

It then began tearing up the road to minimize her evasion options.

???: Current evasion options are limited to traversing seperate platforms. It is still under developed but I can maintain your safely regardless.

Alice: Sorry but I don't want to keep evading that thing.

???: What?

Alice: My family may be dead because of that thing. If you're going to keep me safe it mkaes more sense to stop it here".

As the creature lunged its fist towards her, she put her hands out open palmed. The creatures hand was stopped, and part of the road where she stood was also pressed in. As the creature was paused by what just happened, Alice's hands began emmiting an increasing glow. Then came a large teal shockwave throwing the beast back and breaking its good hand into pieces.

It fell to the ground holding its arm screaming in pain.

Monster: Holy fuck!?

The creature looked at her with surprise.

Monster: You are not human and you can't be a Dayon. Maybe a Reaver?

She looked at her hands in shock to find teal glowing vains across her whole arm. Probably all over her body. They didn't follow the patterns of human blood vains though. More like how a computer circut board would look.

Alice had mixed emotions of hate towards the creature and fear of what this other thing might be inside her. The creature struggled to its feet.

Monster: If you really are a Reaver kid then I can't let you live.

The beast used its other hand and grabbed whatever debris he could grab.

Monster: Do everyone a favor and di . . .

From it's head through it's mouth the beast was punctured by a massive nail, forced to the ground. And then followed by several more through the rest of it's body.

Red Raven: Just like any other performance. Once the composer has finished his score, the curtain must be closed.

He hopped off the nail he was standing on.

Red Raven: How refreshing. One of my audiance stayed for the whole thing.

He took a bow to her though it was hard to tell if he was praising or mocking her. The rest of his clothing was black underneath that red cloak of his. He was wearing a white mask with a single red eye and a smile pained on.

Alice: Should I consider you an enemy as well?

Red Raven: It is not my place to strike the audiance. After all what good is there in it if no one else witnesses. Only the instraments must be composed. I hope you enjoyed the show Leibchen.

Alice: Leibchen?. . . Hey wait.

Before she could ask him if he knew what happened to her parents, he jumped off the road. When she looked over he was nowhere to be found. She then turned to the voice in her head.

Alice: You said you can detect those creatures right, if so can you trace him?

???: I apologies but sincronization is still at 76%. My capabilities to track others would be limited to how close you are to something.

Alice was still not used to having this person talking to her but she tried to avoid getting to violent with it.

???: To be honest . . . I wasn't even able to detect him despite how close you were.

She wasn't that concerned with Red Raven at the moment and while bracing for the worst turned the question to it.

Alice: Then can you . . . tell me if my parents died or not.

???: Norton Vermire, Jessica Vermire. My creators. I can confirm that Jessica Vermire is deseased. Norton Vermire current status is unknown . . . I believe that he may still be alive.

Alice: I see . . . well then I guess it wasn't quite as bad as I thought. . .

Tears began to run down her eyes. While she was trying to be quiet about it, the sadness was not something she could hide.

In the distance she heard sirens. Sounded like the police and peramedics were comming. Of course she knew that they were too late. Not surprising since the athorities are always around, after the crime is done. She checked her body again to notice that the teal vains are no longer visible.

Alice: Is now a better time for you to tell me what you are?

???: In your current mental condition, It would only lead to more confusion right now. It is better for you to recover first.

Alice: Can you at least tell me what I should call you.

Nova: I am an A.B.M.E. But my creators have given me the code name Nova.

Alice: I see, well then thanks for keeping me alive Nova.

As the ambulence came they took Alice to the hospital as soon as they could. They could confirm no other survivors and several missing bodies.