Jailhouse Lock (Part 1) by MaLAguA

Thursday, January 12th - 3:56pm
Outside the courthouse - undisclosed city - Georgia

A trial for a mutant in a courthouse, and the people outside are either nuts, or this mutant murdered a lot of people and isn't a rager. The local police are trying to keep things from boiling over, ready to transport the subject to a maximum security prison. This crowd, because it is the job of the police to protect even convicted criminals until their sentence can be carried out, should not let mob justice rule.

The police and city definitely preferred to keep the processing of the mutant supervillains under wraps and away from the attention of the public, lest they invited unfortunate outcomes. By law, they couldn’t conduct the arraignment and subsequent trial in secret, and the remote option was rebuffed by the defense. And yet, it became all the more inconvenient when information about the trial was leaked by the defendant himself at the last minute.

What kind of idiot defendant leaks information on their own trial!?!

All those concerns, they should label H1! a hate group already.

“We’re standing outside of the courthouse awaiting the sentencing of Percy Scribbens, also known as Fulminant,” reported a well-dressed woman before the camera. She was standing as close to the door as the police would allow anyone. “A criminal by trade, he is a mutant capable of flight, electrical manipulation, and enhanced feats of strength–the dreaded superman style powerset enhanced by the absorption of raw electricity. Last month, he went on a power trip after stepping into a power plant that supercharged him into a serious threat, capable of going toe to toe with some of the heavy hitters of the country. The city of Athens, Georgia, was plunged into chaos for three days. His rampage was, mercifully, stopped by the appearance of superhero Gigaton from the Hero Union agency, who was able to match Fulminant blow for blow in what could be described as a destructive performance…”

Destructive rampage, people died since it mentioned families of the victims above, I now understand why they want him dead. Murder is one of the charges; he killed people, so the death penalty should be a potential sentence.

Fulminant fired his lawyer that quickly; he is an idiot.

Ah… The judge has found him guilty and sentenced to life in the Stonewall Jackson Maximum Security Correctional Facility.”

Defending himself in court, there was no other outcome possible. Great, some idiots want a public execution; that will not bring justice and will whip up mobs to go after any mutant who so much as jaywalks. Fulminant reaction to being bound and how the crowd taunts him, he is mentally unhinged. Petra Sarahs, you are either brave or foolish to get that close to even a restrained supervillain who has murdered people.

He ditched his lawyer because he didn't want to put on a show, good grief.

“For what?” Percy laughed. “Get this. My lawyer told me he was going to claim I underwent a temporary bout of megalomaniacal insanity after my ‘accidental’ exposure to the power plant’s generator. I was to prostrate myself before them, beg for forgiveness, all so I could hope for an ‘early’ release in fifty years. Nevermind that the prosecution had recordings of me sticking my hand into the machine. If anything, I did him a favor. There was no way I was going to do the whole regretful act for nothing. Does a human have to apologize to the ants he steps on? For nothing? I’m not going to bother answering.”

This is temporary insanity, this is power madness in the belief he is greater than normal humans and can lord over them like a god, doing as he wishes, simply because he has powers they don't. He thinks he will be the first person to escape this prison, and that he has insurance. Eww, saying that to Petra, he is a nasty piece of work in every way. Some idiot is firing! Misses and hits a cop in the shoulder, and another flies off into the air. Why do so many think you just have to pick up a gun and aim it to hit a target? The crowd in a panic, a hero flies down and is the reason the third shot went into the air. Dam H1 nuts firing like that with a crowd around. Percy's reaction is unhinged. What is wrong with him?

A month prior…
Thursday, December 23rd - 10:50pm
Syndicate rental base, designation ‘Swampy Drummer’- Marion County, Florida

Anyone who is captured by someone and yells "Do you have any idea who I am!?" has a huge ego that needs knocked down a peg or 4.

A screen showed the stock trends of a company named Trireme, a conglomerate that dealt in property trade and security. So far, the tendency was towards growth, having recently celebrated their new CEO taking over the reins of the job. A man that appeared to be well connected, well spoken, but not without his own fair share of scandalous allegations and rumors. Still, that didn’t stop his rise to success, up to the position he found himself in right now: bound and tied within a Syndicate rental base in the marshlands.

Who did they tick off to get the Syndicate involved?

A few of them were offices of operations, but the majority were empty in the attempt to push the city into more and more desperation, hoping to force them to accept the next price offered. All of them were targets.

Oh, this kind of scummy business, they need to be made illegal.

Oof, who is the older man watching through the screen? An exoskeleton, interesting. Hhm, why will this be the last time?

“Boss,” began the message under the title HL, henchmen leader. “All twenty-five employees have made it to the road and are now taking off in the designated vehicles. As part of the Syndicate’s Force-for-Rent program, we give you thanks for your patronage and your proper guidance.”

“No problem. Right… it’s time to close the shop,” he muttered to himself, swiping the message off, before swiping the camera back to the feed of the bound man. “There’s just one thing left. One last loose end.”

Don't tell me that the CEO is the last loose end. A revolver, yup, the CEO is the last loose end. Droids, he uses droids as robot minions, priceless.

“Attention, droids, we’re preparing to close the base, finish the last patrol before retiring back into your storage stations…” His voice trailed off when he noticed something off, a small red space in the corner where the counter “13/24” could be read.

What is the counter for? Oh, droid counter, and it is going down, intruder!

A trail of broken droids on the cameras, leading near the command center, uh oh. Purge the data, but not enough time before the intruder beats the droids outside and possibly makes it through the door into the command center. *facepalms* You make plans, but didn't make a plan in case of intruders into your base at the last part of the job, oh brother. Deletes everything from the exoskeleton, and it shuts down. He expects to die here.

He hobbled back to the main table to grab a lone item that appeared out of place within the space: a simple locket, a memento of the old life he used to have and what he wished could be.

Ouch, it isn't many supervillains you see who wish they could have taken another path in life, at least not shown to the audience in this way.

A fiery explosion blows the doors off, and an assault rifle and laser weapon are trained on him.

“Techno Revenant.” The woman with the laser weapon looked like a crocodile wrangler from down south, with the exception of the techie belt around her waist. “You’re under arrest for destruction, mayhem, kidnapping and, over all, being a villain. Now put your hands where I can see them!”

So that is who the old man is. He is unarmed, but they aren't taking any chances. This is their first supervillain capture. Oh boy, don't let it go to your heads. They are going to the Heroes United event in Washington. I hope they behaved.

Ouch, he hates the name Techno Revenant. His real name is Seth Millar.

“Do you know why people resort to being criminals?” Seth began. “It’s because they seek to accomplish something that is outside of the limits of the law. Law that is determined to protect the wicked, and denying rest to my heart… My life would be different if the right hero and the good cop had been there to aid me… But alas, I have nothing left in me. Do you think I have a chance at peace? I tried it, and this is where I’ve been brought to.”

“Is this how villains monologue?” the woman said before surprisingly swinging her gun against Seth’s face, sending him to the ground. “You’re nothing but scum, so you better accept your defeat in despair.”

He has a right to tell his side, and he is human; this woman is more scum than him for striking someone defenseless and has surrendered simply for what he said.

Great, the police rescue the scumbag CEO, and this woman has to act arrogant.

“Yeah, we stormed your base, destroyed your robots, captured you… that’s it. Your message said that, at an hour before midnight you would set and detonate your bombs…” the vigilante with the rifle said. He sounded like a smartass. “But earlier today the buildings were searched and none were found, and you can’t go over and place them now that we got you.”

“I see the confusion…” Seth said, still from his position on the ground, wary of the armed heroes. Fortunately, the cops appeared to have enough standards to be mindful no abuses were committed. “I sent the message just so evacuations would be made… I sent my envoys to the location an hour ago to bring it all down…”

“Your…”

“… envoys?” The two loudmouth heroes turned their eyes to the surveillance feeds. While most of the locations appeared tranquil on account of being abandoned, the security storehouse, which held most of Trireme’s arsenal, was full of action. Members of the team designated to stay and act as guard dogs now fled scared of something that none could see…

A genius supervillain who can create things like this hasn't been in the business this long and free without knowing how to plan around the actions of heroes and police.

His electrobombs can do that! Now I see why he is so dangerous and wanted everyone evacuated from those buildings. All the buildings that the business bought were gone in an instant.

The last decade of his crusade had been exhausting and trying. Now that he’d reached the end, a breath of relief escaped him… even if all hell was about to start. “When I want something, I set myself to it, no matter what. Luckily for you… I have no other wants…”

Man, and he staled them long enough for the master tablet finish purging itself, impressive.

A month prior…
Monday, November 19th- 8:56pm
Cargo Docks - Miami, Florida

A group of criminals waiting as the torch cutter works on a cargo container. Ah, the Syndicate hired men and the droids that were sent out with them. The Techno Revenant works on cutting open the cargo container.

A villain who’d risen to prominence in the region over the past decade for his apparently unstoppable plots. Robbery, destruction of property, kidnapping, extortion and sometimes even murder; those were his hallmarks. Even when a wrench was thrown into the works, his goal was accomplished in the end. And all of that without any intention to brag about his deeds.

Okay, what happened to turn him to a life of crime in the last decade? Did this corporation he is after cause the death of his wife or someone else he loved?

Hey, he is my preferred type of supervillain: professional, don't get innocents involved, don't draw attention to your actions whenever possible. Luthor Stone, aka Stones for this operation, is the lieutenant of the operation. High-power electrical crystal batteries are one component of the electro-bombs.

“Of course…” Techno Revenant said. “I am… I was an electrical and energy engineer. I know my trade perfectly. Do you know the concerns and dangers with these units?”

Not a mutant, now there is a nice change. I should have known the droids were made by Junkerer, it fits his style of creation.

“Someone took something from me. Something important.”

It sure sounds like the CEO is involved with the loss of TR's wife, or the home they built together, being stolen out from under them by the corporation.

“Don’t count your luck so early,” Techno Revenant warned. “The only moment to let another thing occupy your mind is once the door to your base is closed.”

“Come on. You don’t believe in jinxi–” Unfortunately, he was cut short by one of his lookouts running their way from around the corner, waving their green scarf as the signal that law enforcement was in the area.

Yes, jinxing exists in a world where superpowers, including magic does! Crud, Luthor Stone and the other Syndicate men have to delay the police and a hero for 15 minutes.

Tricking the cops into splitting up so Stones can jump them and take them down, never split up in an area with a lot of cargo containers, it is like a maze, and easy to set up an ambush. Crud, Stones' part of the plan ruined by the hero jumping up to his level above the containers. For the well-being of the earth, just what is their crusade? Stones can manifest rock, including hard sandstone gloves, awesome! An opponent who hides their face and doesn't retreat, Stones is in for a rough time.

So, during the third barrage of the duel, as swings were delivered, traded, and parried, the hero was surprised when his opponent jumped back while thrusting his hands out. Shards of manifested rock shot out in a surprise move that forced the hero to block as the shards exploded off into sand and dust clouds. It wasn’t much, really, but it bought Stones the chance to disengage and escape.

Neat trick with his powers, always have a means to aid escape in your arsenal. Ouch, some of those cops are going to need first aid at least.

The police fired on the droids, who fired back with electrified shots. So close to being able to just leave. Only for the pellets from a shotgun to hit the joint of the heavy-duty droid carrying the battery, its leg is broken, and it was forced to kneel. Shit! The one with the shotgun hit TR in the leg, so this is how he got his injury. And the officer after him is going after a killing shot! Stones to the rescue, shotgun destroyed, and Stones tells the other Syndicate men to get going.

The retreat is working; TR and the crate are being taken to the sub to escape. But the hero kicked Stones out of cover and into the fray. Darn it! The hero is in Stones' blindspot! Stones is thrown down into the ground and is going unconscious; this is bad. Nope, Stones is back, and some of the Syndicate men try to come to his rescue, but he tells them to go. Slamming his face into the concrete, some hero to use such brutal force on some thieves. Darn it, Stones is captured. I still don't get what Techno Revenant has to do with Fulminant, or how the operation might be connected to him. Unless they are both ending up in the same prison.

Tuesday, January 25th - 4:56pm
Syndicate offices - Portland, Oregon

Portland, now who are we dealing with? I have to admit, the Syndicate has good office space. Ah, Caroline Kythe, always nice to see her.

In a way, Caroline wished that she could join them in a similar line of work. It would be nice just to have a simple job away from all of this. Doing menial tasks in the standard schedule before finishing and going home, without any of the concerning implications that could arise from such decisions. But at the same time, she felt as though she wouldn’t be able to make the difference she wanted… even if she was working for the “bad” guys.

Caroline, you would get bored within a week or two at most in such a job.

As long as she could protect those in need, as long as she could deny as many cruel ones as she could, and as long as she could minimize the victims, she would focus on the task at hand with her own heart in peace.

Without good people like you working for the Syndicate, I fear how much worse things could get in the world.

Called into a meeting with Director Comoran, head of the Syndicate, whoa.

Focused on the money, it was as though his heart was never in the mission of world domination that most people imagined the organization had, he tended to make decisions on the safer side. It was something that gave Caro some peace of mind.

Oh, good, someone like him in charge explains why the worst sorts get weeded out quickly. Not Laureate!

Having to tell only partial truths as to why she was at the 'Heroes United' event, I don't like Laureate's ideas for what to do if the hero group stakes a flag in Portland. He is trying to sideline Caroline from her work so he can get away with his schemes.

“The person of interest was a young runaway energizer mutant from Louisiana capable of throwing some types of powers into overdrive… mostly energizers, wizards and some warper type abilities. He was on the run while also being hunted by a small group of villains that hoped to use him to power themselves up.”

If that kid went to Whateley, they would have to keep the nature of his powers a secret, or several groups and individuals would try to force him to work for them.

Laureate, you are an arrogant ahole. Lifeward gave the kid a choice; in the long run, it is better if he comes to you willingly.

“See?! This is the problem with her,” Laureate pointed out. “She takes the emotional route instead of the more practical one.”

“What’s wrong with trying to not coerce children?”

“Children should do as told; they don’t know better. Maybe some of them could be better operatives if taken in from an early age,” Laureate said dismissively. “Much like they do in Whateley.”

Laureate, you have forgotten what it is like to be a child, and know nothing about dealing with children, nor about how Whateley operates.

“Tsk tsk tsk… That’s a shame. Perhaps a re-evaluation is needed. Since having a visible GSD does take away some of his already meager value.”

“I bet the board would love to hear you say that.”

Laureate, you sound like the anti-GSD bigots, and are just looking for an excuse to screw over Vic to mess with Caroline.

“Laureate, the money for all the kids was approved before the start of the year, at Lifeward’s insistence; it’s already separated in the budget and accounting. You cannot make alterations to a contract without a good reason. We’re way above concerning ourselves with the well-being of the sponsored kids.”

Thank you for shutting that idiot up.

A special order for ROSE, it is about the Fulminant rampage in Georgia. A destructive fight that collapsed a building, how many people died due to that?

“After all, it was your ex-husband who took down Fulminant. Though far from cleanly. The city suffered millions of dollars in material damage and the fight resulted in the deaths of eight civilians, with about seventy injured. A good portion of them came from the three buildings that crumbled during their scuffle.”

Gigaton! As a hero, you are supposed to take the fight to an unpopulated area if possible, and minimize damage, especially civilian death and injury. Extract Fulminant from prison, and it is a service request.

“No… but one of our paying clients has taken up Fulminant’s offer and is willingly giving up their own GOJa in his stead,” Laureate swiped his tablet and the formal request appeared in Lifeward’s own. “The issuer of the request is a Nebraska villain interested in a team-up.”

This is too far; this kind of scum should be left to rot in prison.

A quick search for the issuer revealed they were a rather powerful mutant classified as a destructive type after recently getting close to razing a settlement and the woods around. Someone that probably shared the same anarcho-hedonistic views as Fulminant. A potential cataclysm in the making.

This creep wants Fulminant to help them cause death and destruction on a wide scale; the Syndicate should cut him off as dealing with such criminals is why heroes wish to take the Syndicate down.

Lifeward refuses, and Laureate is being an ass to her about it.

“With stipulations. When I joined, I pointed out that I wouldn’t take on morally dark jobs. Murder and the like.”

“This isn’t an assassination. It’s a retrieval,” Laureate scoffed. “Or are you too hung up with your own personal tragedy to do a job that is within the permitted limit?”

“The outcome comes close to being.”

“Who is more apt to deal with the assignment than one of our better operatives?” the director said. While Lifeward hoped he would back her side, he instead appeared to have been preemptively convinced of the endeavor. Things made more sense when she noticed the extra money the claimant attached to the request to get it done right away.

An order or she faces a penalty in status for refusing, I would lead every hero on the planet to the Syndicate bases at this point to take them all down rather than do this job.

“The Stonewall has quite a few empowered criminals within, not to mention the regular stock baselines… perhaps the task should be given to a more heavy handed operative, Typhoon or Necromonger would put on a good show… Destruction that would release a ton of criminals off into the streets, ready to join our forces. It’s not like even Lifeward’s idealistic finesse can make this a victimless execution. Too realistic for her, right?”

“...I’ll do it.” Lifeward said, prompting both men to look her way.

“Huh?” Laureate blinked. “You will take the assignment?”

“If it’s the only way to keep the situation from becoming needlessly destructive and bringing in the attention of more heroes into our operations, I’ll take the lead on the assignment,” Lifeward said, bitterness slipping through her voice. “But I’ll need some time to prepare and gather a team.”

Laureate, the threat of sending in those other operatives was blackmail. Oh, using the rules and loopholes to break out Stones and Techno Revenant at the same time, I like how Caroline games the system. Time to get the team together.

“Good luck…” Laureate said with a hint of sarcasm. “And remember, any person lost in a prison extraction is automatically considered disavowed.”

Lifeward didn’t answer; she simply made a polite bow before taking her leave of the room.

I hope that includes the person they were sent in to extract so they can arrange Fulminant's death without suffering a penalty.

Tuesday, January 25th - 8:21pm
Rooftops of Portland

Girls chatting about going to see a movie together. Raffina, yay!

“I don’t know,” Raffina said, taking a moment to lower her head as a cold wind draft passed by. “I’m up for romance like any other girl, but I think that one is a bit too much like me…”

“Really? Aw…”

“But I’ll go. At least tentatively. Count me in. Just let me check my schedule, first,” Raffina noted.

“Ah, your private lessons?”

“It’s always that.” one of the girls snorted, echoed by another.

Private lessons and tutors moving the schedule, why did she lie about that? Raffi, why are you on a rooftop?

The Japanese American Museum of Oregon, located at the base of a multistory building, was a humble looking place for a ‘museum’ but still a perfectly legit target.

She commits heists at night, huh.

Good phone camera to pick all that up from a rooftop across the street.

After she heard that there would be a display of court treasures for a limited time, she just had the idea of slipping in to peruse the wares first-hand. How nice would it be to throw pictures of her borrowing a geisha’s fan and kimono, or holding a katana, into her alternate social media? Another notch to her street cred as an infiltrator.

Ah, so no heists, just infiltrate and alternate social media pictures to show off her skills. 5 stories up on the edge of a roof, she likes to live daringly.

A call from Caroline startles Raffi, and she gets outed by a car horn that she is out this late. Ah, don't tell her Mom. Scouting a place, and Caroline only cares that she is being careful. Had to open the door to the stairwell with her shadow portal to the other side of the door. Always leave something to jam the door a little open when going to a building's roof. Caroline is inviting Raffina to the prison break job, oh boy.

Caroline seemed to sigh, but was it out of doubt or concern? Raffina couldn’t tell. Still, her magic trainer carried on. “Very well. We’ll be departing on Friday. Come to my place at four, with a bag ready for a weekend out.”

There go the movie plans with her friends.

Alone in the winding staircase, she carried on down leaping three steps at the time, excited. This was her first assignment. “This is gonna be awesome…” she mused.

She'd better get out of this assignment without being maimed or killed.