If he had known he would meet his future in N-Tek's prison he would have allowed himself to be captured long ago. He had known for some time what it was like to be on the outside living like a king. It had been decades since he had felt love for another human being. One could not control when or how they met their destiny- it just happened.
The woman in the cell next to him had seemed quiet and subdued when he had first arrived at N-Tek. He might have overlooked her existence if he had been another man- luckily he was not. He had only caught a glimpse of her as he was being put into the cell. With the way her long brown hair hung down over her face, he could not at first see her, but as she looked up to take note of the new prisoner, her gray eyes met his and he knew he was done for.
For the first time since one of his plans had gone wrong, he spent the entire next day contemplating not his short comings, but how best to start up a conversation with the woman on the other side of the wall. In his mind, he had gone through all the conversation starters from "May I ask how someone of your caliber has ended up in a place like this?" to what type of wine she preferred for this season, but all of it sounded horrendously casual. How do you first talk to a woman you had known right away you wanted to spend your life with?
Then, fate knocked in the form of Beethoven's fifth symphony. As he sat in his cell contemplating love, the universe, and how to better his situation, he heard light tapping noises coming from next door. Listening to the rhythms intently, he realized the woman was playing one of the best pieces of music ever written. Without a keyboard, she must have just been playing from memory using the wall as her instrument, but he could hear the music nonetheless. He closed his eyes and listened as she threw in some thrilling adaptations of her own- he knew the song so well he could hear the notes playing in his head despite the medium.
When she had finished, he moved towards the front of his cell and she was soon as close to his side as was possible in such conditions. Without even thinking about it, he removed his sunglasses and they stared into each other's eyes. With all the gravity it is possible to speak with, he told her "I love you."
LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
As the days turned into months, they came to realize they were meant for each other. Many nights they would not sleep- just talk for hours on end, refusing to end contact with each other. Often they would stand for so long that after a while they would each lie on either side of the wall to continue the conversation- each so exhausted, but not willing to drift into unconsciousness where they would be deprived of the other's company.
After five months, he had voiced his desire to marry her one day, and she accepted. He had no ring and knew of no set time where the two of them would both be out in the world once more, but it was as good of a prisoner's proposal as he could make. They did not attempt to plan for the future- they were not as naïve as that- to plan a life that at the moment they had no control over- but they talked about the past. They discussed the failed plans, the shattered dreams, and decided what could have made them work. He found the weak points in her actions, and she in his. They were made for each other, and he knew that when they would work together they would be unstoppable.
LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
It had been nine months on the day that Jefferson Smith finally came to visit. Dread had left associates with orders before he had gone out on his last attempt to obtain the max probes by holding Josh McGrath's irritating friend hostage. If he were to be captured, they were to lie low until everything had settled, and then when N-Tek least expected it, they were to break him out.
"I doubt Psycho's been lying low in all reality, but I find it reasonably likely they will enact the plan soon."
She nodded thoughtfully- the two were at the front of their cells discussing his escape plan. "From what you have told me, I'm still a little worried…"
"Oh?" Dread was more intrigued than worried. He, of course had already analyzed every possible angle from his point of view, but was fascinated to hear the short-comings from her vantage point. With her insights, he felt he could always be ready for anything N-Tek, or the rest of the world for that matter, threw at him. She was absolutely brilliant.
"From what you've told me, it seems the two would fight for dominance…Dr. Klemo does not seem a man to let anything deter him…do you think he might let personal vengeance get in the way of your plan?"
After contemplating for a moment, Dread was about to answer when the prison's lift started up. They exchanged a hurried glance, knowing who would be on the lift and exactly what level it would stop at. He reached through the bars and quickly squeezed her hand. As the top of Jefferson Smith's bald head began to emerge over the horizon, Dread hurried to the back of his cell and seated himself on the bench, focusing intently on his hands. By the time Jefferson stepped off the lift and came to stand in front of the cell, John Dread appeared to be completely lost in his own world.
Pretending to just notice the N-Tek CEO's presence, he looked up in a nonchalant manner. "Jefferson Smith, to what do I owe the pleasure?" Listening to his own voice, he knew it sounded wrong- too up-beat, to optimistic…he had forgotten what it was like to be in love.
"Just making sure you're…enjoying your time with us." The man in the cell was glad he was wearing his glasses so Smith couldn't see his eyes roll. The CEO had apparently picked up the habit of making ridiculous wisecracks from his son. The most ironic part of it was that of course the humor always came when it was least deserved- right before Dread had sprung his trap.
"Time is one of the few things I possess now…thanks to you and Mr. Steel," he had to struggle not to laugh while saying this- it was so difficult to play the part of a bitter criminal when you knew you were on the verge of escaping. Knowing his friend next door would be listening to this exchange, he couldn't help adding "Admit it…the world is a duller place without me." Because he was listening for it, his ears detected a stifled laugh from the next cell- he knew Jefferson had missed it. The man had never been one for detail.
Smith glared. "Hardly. And I'm going to ensure the world is never bothered by you again. That's why I'm moving you to a new facility at first light tomorrow."
As the man turned and walked away, Dread grinned. All hail the knights in shining armor…who always tipped their hand long before the cards were played. Turning his back to the overly-confident man descending on the lift, he used the device he had long ago concealed in a false tooth to signal his faithful employee. Psycho had put the plan into action- teaming up with the esteemed Dr. Klemo in front of Team Steel to make N-Tek nervous and move Dread to a "more secure" location. In all honesty, the two had been working together for some time at that point. Finishing the transmission, he basked in the glory of his own magnificent plan.
"So it's tomorrow then," the soft voice came from next door.
A momentary pang of panic pierced his moment of jubilation. "Yes," he answered softly. "It's tomorrow."
LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
They passed the night talking as usual, but these hours were strained. There was so much they each wanted to say, and so much they dared not to. His salvation was at hand, but at what cost? They went over the plan again- exactly how he would re-enter N-Tek, how she would know it was time, what signals to look for. He would get her out. They would be together.
And then finally it was morning. Team Steel came to transfer him to a new prison- as had been planned- and he knew during this transfer he would be freed. Then he'd be back…to 'liberate' N-Tek. Seeing the lift that began moving to bring the guards up to him, he leaned as close to the bars as he could without getting himself electrocuted. His confidante had come as far up as she possibly could as well- he had told her enough of his plan so that she also knew what was coming.
As she looked over to him, he met her gaze and held it. "I'll be back for you."
She nodded, smiling sadly. "Good luck, John."
He opened his mouth to tell her it was the truth. He was not one to make false promises. He *would* come back and he *would* free her and they *would* be together. At that moment, however, the lift began to reach their level and Dread heard the detestable voice of Max Steel.
Wonderful timing, he thought sourly. With a final loving glance thrown towards the woman in the cell next to his, he retreated back to his cell's bench and prepared to play his part. He needed to focus, and comforted himself in knowing that he would see her again.
He turned his back to the bars and held his hands behind him- the good prisoner act had been her suggestion.
"All right Dread, moving day."
Max Steel's overly-confident voice made him want to grind his teeth. The boy had no idea the gravity of the situation.
Dread turned, pretending not to have known exactly who would be sent for him. "Max Steel. Always a pleasure."
Facing the bars once more, Dread was greeted with the sight of not one but two N-Tek agents. His love had been right again- she had indeed seen this coming. He had no knowledge of the second person though. A woman, she looked rather small in stature. By the way the two moved together, he processed they must be partners, and immediately decided the woman must be a force to be reckoned with if she was a partner of Max Steel at her size and age. She also looked much more intelligent than the rookie agent…not that such a thing was particularly difficult, but he would not underestimate her.
"This must be a new member of the illustrious Team Steel. How do you do, my dear?" He knew his overly suave demeanor would both amuse his partner in life and crime as well as disarm the female agent. Not that she would fall for the act, oh no, but she would be more likely to underestimate him with her dismissal.
He began to introduce himself. "I am-"
The woman leaned closer to the bars "John Dread, scum of the earth."
He heard his beloved let out a low hiss.
Dread laughed at this. Even though Steel's hearing was supernaturally enhanced, he would just take the sound for the average cursing and spitting that went on any time he entered the prison- seeing as he had put most of the inhabitants into their cells himself.
"You flatter to me."
He waited patiently as Steel tapped in a 5 digit code- he wondered how long it had taken the boy to memorize that with his extraordinarily limited brain power. He also considered telling him that he was holding that gun wrong. The bars of the cell disappeared and he held his hands out in front of him.
"You know the drill," Steel sniped, speaking to him as if he were a run of the mill low level criminal. The boy would learn.
Dread studied the design of the handcuffs that Steel's partner clamped around his wrists. "But I didn't get you anything," he commented, now on the verge of breaking into hysterical laughter. It was all too funny- these two children acting so condescending and sure of themselves as he was on the brink of enacting his best plan ever.
The two looked at him warily as they backed up to allow him out of the cell- finally they seem to be getting it, he mused. Once he had followed them onto the lift, he turned, seemingly to look at the cell he had so long occupied. Neither of the agents saw his lips moved as he professed his love one last time.
As the three descended, Steel and the girl seemed uneasy. Dread decided he would help the mood by whistling his new favorite tune- Beethoven's Fifth with some adaptations. He could feel the relief in the air as they reached the ground floor where a transport awaited them. As he stepped off the platform into the waiting vehicle, a chair turned toward him, inviting him to sit. He guessed it reacted to the electromagnetic signal of the handcuffs. Either that or Dr. Martinez was watching on a monitor somewhere. As he sat down, the seat belt automatically closed over his shoulders, and he struggled to keep his head. All he wanted to do was return to the woman upstairs.
The smirking face of Max Steel suddenly obscured his view. "Comfy?"
The man now strapped to the seat struggled to maintain his further bravado. "Snug as a bug." As the door closed, he turned to study the inside of the vehicle instead. "I suppose a magazine and a danish are out of the question," he added casually.
As Max Steel and his partner got in and spoke with Dr. Martinez (he was there via television screen after all, Dread noted) the prisoner resisted the urge to look back towards the prison. He knew he would not be able to see her even if he did, but the craving was still there.
The transport raced down the tunnel as Max and the woman (who Dread now knew was named Kat) discussed some ridiculous sporting event they would be attending the coming week. The man in the back would have been somewhat insulted under normal conditions- they were so sure that the threat in him was neutralized they were discussing names and locations right in front of him. Instead he was listening and looking for the signs he knew would soon come.
He did not have to wait long, or even pay close attention, as the sign of his impending escape came in the form of an explosion that shook the tunnel and water rushing onto the tracks.
The agent named Kat yelled. "Steel!"
Yes, Dread mused, I suppose the situation would be a little frightening for someone who does not have an escape plan. Sitting forward in his seat, he felt exhilarated. Finally. "Right on time."
As the vehicle was lifted by the water and slammed against the tunnel, the prisoner prepared to hold his breath. His love had advised him to prepare his body to use less oxygen in the minutes before just in case the sometimes bumbling Psycho took too long getting to him. She had been highly concerned about this part of the plan.
The craft came to a stop along the bottom of the tunnel and shortly after the front window was smashed in by what could only be a bionic arm. He sat patiently holding his breath as Steel dove for Psycho only to be diverted and tossed aside. Watching out the window, he saw Klemo move to take on Max. It seemed Mr. Steel would be occupied for some time. Meanwhile Psycho had entered the vehicle, provided him with an air mask and undid his bonds in what was only about 30 seconds by his count. The cyborg might deserve a raise after all. Making a mental note to reward his accomplices, he waved his fingers at Kat, who was struggling to keep enough air in her lungs, and swam towards freedom.
