"Incoming transmission."
"Put it on video, Aya," Kilowog ordered.
"Commencing upload." After a moment, the video screen came to life.
"Hello? Is this thing on?" An all too familiar face showed on the screen.
"You!" Razer came to attention, his eyes narrowed. "Why are you contacting us?"
"Believe me, I am not pleased by this arrangement," the Prison Warden hissed. "We need your help."
"Doing what, exactly?" Razer snapped.
"Easy, kid," Jordan stated, his card game vanishing. "What do you need, Warden?"
"We have an escaped prisoner."
"Who?" He crossed his arms, recalling the last time they'd dealt with them.
"A mindjumper, one by the name of Xeroxy Meuroxion."
"Those little buggers?" Kilowog shuddered. "I'd rather not."
"You do not understand. Xeroxy is infected with the Black Plague."
Silence.
"Does anyone mind telling me what the Black Plague is?" Hal demanded. "Does it have anything to do with rats?"
"No." Razer faced him, his ice blue eyes blazing with a frozen light. "The Black Plague is a disease. It causes delusions and hallucinations, as well as an uncontrollable rage and varied moods. It drives its carrier insane, more so than the current psychopaths in this slime bag's excuse for a prison."
"Okay, and he's asking us to deal with it? Won't we be infected?"
Razer shook his head. "No. Many species have a natural immunity to the Plague. There are some, the ones with psychic abilities, whether dormant or active, that have a risk of being infected."
Hal looked around at his crew. "Anyone is here psychic or have psychic abilities?"
They all shook their heads.
"Good, then." He faced the Warden. "We're on our way."
The hallway was dark and cold, their breath crystallizing before them. All was strangely silent, and the feeling that something was watching them was no longer there.
"The signal's getting stronger," Hal informed them. "We must be getting close to the tracker."
"How did they plant a tracker without being infected?" Kilowog asked.
"Xeroxy must have been controlling someone at the time. Mindjumpers usually are physically inactive when they do so." Razer spoke from the shadows behind them, his voice quiet.
"You all right back there, kid? I know this isn't the best place for you to be right now, but-"
"I am fine." He had moved somehow and was now in front of them. His pale eyes seemed to glow. "I am not receiving the signal. If you would lead the way?"
They arrived after that. It was even colder here, frost forming on their suits.
"Do mindjumpers like it cold or something? I can't feel my face," Hal complained.
"Moderate temperatures," Razer muttered. He had a hand on the wall, his thin fingers digging into the stone.
Kilowog pulled Hal away from the former Red Lantern. "Do you think there's something wrong with the kid?"
"We are close to the place where he was nearly tortured to death," Hal replied. "I imagine it isn't such a good thing."
"Still, he's...quieter." Kilowog glanced at him. "He's-"
"Are you two going to linger for much longer? We do not have all day."
"He's our same old Razer." Hal grinned and put a hand on the Bolovaxian's arm. "Don't worry. He'll be fine-or at least as close to fine as he can be." He moved away, calling, "We're coming."
"So what's the plan? We've been searching for hours and can't find a thing."
"We'll split up." At their looks of shock, Hal raised his arms. "Hear me out, I have a plan."
"Your plans always end up in us being shot at, blown up, running for our lives, or hiding," Kilowog hissed. "How will this be better?"
"That's what makes it fun." Hal grinned. "But listen. We'll cover more ground that way. Keep your eyes peeled. Anything suspicious, contact the others." He faced them, his grin gone. "Aya, take the lower levels. Kilowog, these ones. Razer, you take the higher ones. I'll take the basement."
As they left, Kilowog stopped Hal. "Jordan, something is wrong here. I can feel it."
He looked at him. "Kilowog, we're in a prison. Something's always wrong."
At Hal's look of confusion at Kilowog's look of annoyance, Razers spoke. "Think about it, you fool," he said, as blunt as always. "We are in a prison, one known for its extensive torture methods. You know there will be screaming."
"So?"
"If there is no screaming, no feeling of being watched, where is everyone?"
Kilowog flew through the dark hall. He still couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong, with Razer and with this place. He couldn't hear the scuttling of the Spiders' many legs. He didn't feel anyone watching him, and that was a bad thing in a place like this.
As he neared the closest hallway, an overpowering stench hit him. He staggered, landing on his feet. What was that? It was worse than a rotting grub worm feast.
It only increased as he approached one of the larger cells formerly for the Thanagarian warriors. The Bolovaxian's ring beeped incessantly and he slowed. There was something dangerous behind that door, something powerful enough to make his ring's scanners go haywire.
He pushed open the door and stared.
"Jordan."
The human continued flying through the basement, his teeth chattering from the cold. "Yes, Kilowog?"
"Ger over here. There's something you need to see."
"Is it-?" He cut off as a horrid aroma hit him. Gasping for breath he swerved, landing on the ground with a thud. Forcing himself to his feet, he gasped and coughed. What was that smell?
"Jordan?" Kilowog's voice held worry; he had heard the other's coughing. "What's wrong?"
"I'm fine, Kilowog. There's some strange smell; I can hardly breathe."
"There's something here as well, but I'm not affected as much as you. Put up your shield and meet me here."