"So what, they force a few kids to become better students, I don't really see the problem here Bruce."
"The problem," a rough voice replied within his ear piece, " is they aren't just brain washing for better students. Youth crime has gone up since this place opened and it's way to organized to be of the normal variety. The even bigger problem is the kids that don't come out."
"Fine ok, you're right," Terry McGinnis sighed as he glanced around with the new gaming center Zyn. Bright lights, flashy machines, loud music, free games. It was any teen's paradise, hell if he didn't know what was going on he'd be having a blast in this place.
Of course he did know what was going on. First off; certain machines reprogrammed the user. Second, because of the free gaming the place was packed with those just waiting to have their minds wiped. Thirdly, again because of the free gaming, street kids were the majority within the place, and no one misses street kids.
For the past three months kids have been doing better in school, behaving respectfully towards parents and teachers, and have been vanishing. The interesting point was that not all the disappearances were of street kids anymore. Now they were upping their game to anyone and everyone for no apparent reason.
Neither Terry or Bruce could figure out why some kids were taken their first trip in and others just got to keep coming back for more.
Just last week a kid from Terry's home room vanished.
That was why he was finally given the go ahead to enter the place.
So there he was amidst the unknowing bodies unable to decipher who was normal, who was brainwashed and who was in the process of trading one for the other.
There was no way to tell and he was not about to risk finding out which machines could turn you into a slave to well whatever they were making slaves for. Of course standing around idly for any amount of time did not seem to be a good idea, of course that knowledge came just a little too late.
"We've got company," Terry hissed as he saw guards that would put the police to shame attempting scoping him out in the most obvious of fashions.
"No confrontation, get out now."
"Easy for you to say," Terry replied coolly as he turned and began the process of loosing himself in the crowd in hopes of finding an unguarded exit before he was apprehended and turned into zombie boy.
Movement caught his eye as a janitorial personnel exited a back corridor, leaving the usually locked door open for mere seconds. Seconds long enough for the new Batman to make his exit.
Of course that seemed to be the easy part.
"Let me pass," Siv snarled as she glared at the three guards that were presently barring her access to freedom. If only they knew how right they were in this action, well there would certainly be more then a mere three.
"We need to put your name into the system miss so that you can return with ease." The first said as he tried to keep the confrontation peaceful.
If only they knew.
"I don't think I'll be returning." She replied coldly trying to keep everything under control.
"Was something amiss? Please come with us and we can discuss how we can change our facility to better suit your standards."
Political answers 101, this guy obviously aced it.
"I'm moving." She lied quickly, "I'm sure I'd love to return but can't sorry guys."
"Oh, we have facilities in other communities as well. If you simply let us put you into the system then you'll be able to visit them instead."
Damn do they never give up? No of course not. They hadn't the last time around. Of course the last time around she'd been normal. This time, well that was their doing now wasn't it.
"I don't think so," she snarled and pushed through them with too much ease causing them to react as best they knew.
No one was permitted to leave the premises without proper authority, and she sure as hell wasn't going to get it.
They sought to restrain her and all her hatred and desperation broke through leaving a violent angry flurry of fists.
She knocked one out cold, got another off his feet but that was it before the bastards came swarming from the building like she'd stirred up an ant hill.
Modified or no she had her limits and taking on twenty full grown men with weapons, well she fell short of that, especially in her present state. So against all the newly inserted instinct she ran. Ran for all she was bloody well worth too. Knocking past some tall mindless drone in her initial flight before diving into the shadows of the extensive parking lot.
She could hear them searching for her asking those around them who had little choice but to answer. They'd ask the boy she'd ran into. He'd point her out to them. Damn. She was supposed to be able to rejuvenate faster, or course that took energy didn't it. Energy was what she needed to rejuvenate, so that wasn't exactly going to work now was it?
Damn. Damn damn damn.
"Did you see where she went?"
The question fell like her death sentence and they were too close for her to just up and run.
"Not a clue."
The response was not what she expected at all. She peaked out from under the vehicle where she hid. It was the same dark haired teenager she'd run into. He had to have seen where she'd dove.
The guards obviously agreed.
"She ran right past you. You had to see which way she went."
"Sorry can't help you."
That was certainly not the answer of a drone. Poor boy just gave himself away with four little words.
'Gave himself away to save you,' she thought in disgust. They were going to take him back into that hell hole just because he was helping her.
Fuck.
"I'm sorry sir but you'll have to come with us," the guard replied with obvious suspicion and upon his words his companions fell to their new target giving her the opportunity to escape.
Honor. Something she believed she'd had long before they started screwing with her DNA. Couldn't exactly take that away from her now could they.
One of the guards got in a lucky shot to the back of the kid's head before an actual fight could ensue.
Damn.
Damn honor and all the trouble it has caused so far. Just damn it all.
She leapt from her hiding place as the boy's body began to crumple.
At least they'd given her some speed to match her new strength, not that it would last long. But she'd do her damnedest or die trying, she was not going back into that glass box.
She pushed past the few guards who had surrounded the boy, sweeping him up into her arms as she went not intending on giving the bastards a chance to out number her again.
Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks? They learn, especially if the trick will save their life.
She could hear the blasts of shots fired and curses thrown carelessly as the bastards attempted to followed. She knew what was happening behind her and she had no intent of glancing back. They'd always told her what would happen if she tried to run.
Air ships rising from the building, spotlights flourishing, blocking out the shadows that could very well hide her from them. More men in suits with weapons. They would hunt her through this city.
It was her city far longer then theirs. They may have their little drones who's programming is now telling them to find her but they were all high class kids. Never spent a night on her streets. She had the upper hand.
Keeping it though was another matter altogether. Her speed had already given way and she was forced to run at a normal pace. Her strength was giving out, it wasn't as if this kid was light, no he had a solid build, muscle like woven steel, when it happened she would be left as a normal eighteen year old girl she'd have no way of carrying him.
Hiding him was her best bet. Hopefully they wouldn't find him. But then again she'd have to go back to that hell eventually, she could always rescue him then.
She shook her head, no she couldn't think that. One step at a time.
She shifted his weight once more and pressed on into the alley's turning as often as she could, leaving a trail through the maze of Gotham.
She had less then an hour before his weight had her staggering and her once good speed was failing miserably. She should have ditched his body a while ago, now instead of hiding him and leading them further she was about to collapse right then and there.
Glass box. Glass box. Glass box.
She continued to chant the words within her skull with each step taking strength from her hatred and anger, but those too were also waning in strength now.
"Shit," she groaned as she collapsed, turning in mid air to fall beneath the boy, saving him from injury.
She'd recover, she had to. All she needed was a little sleep.
'You can't sleep you stupid bitch! Get up! Run! You're going to let them all down!'
It didn't matter, her eyes fell closed on their own accord, she didn't even hear the soft approach of a vehicle.
