Disclaimer: I do not own Static Shock. It belongs to Dwayne McDuffie, Milestone, DC Comics and WB. I just love it.
Warning: Will contain slash, drugs, violence and one sided relationships. This will be a bit riskier than my average fics. Knowing me it'll be okay but I only thought it fair to place a warning. I hope everyone enjoys the rendition of Shiv by a third author. I want to be original and hope this is.
A/N: AU. I rather dislike Gear. This has no Gear. Richie is working with Static by making his stuff basically. You don't like the idea. Pretend its taking place during the timeline of the episode 'Gear'. I consider it AU but hey.
Taken Lightly
Chapter 1: The White Cage
He could never really say to himself that he didn't deserve this. He was by most standards completely mental. However in his present state, he was in no fit mood to think on these matters. He was truly maniac at the moment. He had always been and he supposed the doctors only thought this was natural. He had been confided to a cell in the institution nearly four days prior. It was designed as almost a mockery of humanity. It was labeled, in a benign way, as the center for the mental and social rehabilitation of metahumans in distress. It was arguably, especially by humanitarian groups of Dakota, a controlled human pietri-dish for any doctor with an interest in metahumans. However you were to take it, it was a high security mental institution which could easily be called a prison created strictly to house bang babies. It was tastefully named the 'Crane Rehabilitational Clinic' but by anyone from any of the metahuman gangs in the city, it was the White Cage.
He slashed exhaustedly at the walls of the cell he was confined to. It was small with nothing in it to speak of. It was called the breaking room by inmates. A small room with solid white walls with no real escape. It was used to settle the incoming patients. Shiv had been an entirely different case. Most metahumans came in and brutally attacked at anything for all of three hours. They grew bored and cooperated enough to get out of the room. They were traditionally not fed in the room as it was so dangerous to enter into the room of an angry bang baby. One or two doctors had come in too early with a few gang members. However, it had been four days since the arrival of Shiv. Even the most callous had to admit that to continue in this manner would be starving the young man. Shiv however showed no signs of ending his assault on the cells. It was obvious he was tired. The energy around his hands flicked and blinked from time to time. But he always continued. They knew something had to be done about this situation.
Shiv looked around wildly. He was nearly exhausted and for some reason his powers were not agreeing with him. However, the last thing he wanted was to stop. The Metabreed had been like a family to him. Well, he couldn't say that. It was far more complex than that. He however had always been on the edge in the hierarchy. It was worst to be the weakest and lowest in a gang rank. He was far too small to avoid it. He had always been the first taken down by Static and the last to get back up. He was also the first to run and the last come back. It was a dangerous act being the scapegoat. However, he had powers and that kept him useful. It was always good to be useful when lacking in other areas. However being useful only goes so far.
The doctors sat in an observation room level to the cell. They watched through a viewing wall. The four were all of rather different opinion on the entire situation. Only around half of the doctors were truly doctors to the extent of having any desire to help other human beings. Most were rather heartless scientists who would love to dissect half the metahumans in the city. A hand full of the doctors however including a Dr. Robert Todd were actually working on a cure for the Big Bang epidemic. He had been watching the situation carefully with his two assistants, a young Asian woman by the name of Dr. Sarah Lin and a middle aged African American man named Dr. James Jackson. Another doctor, a young woman of half Ethiopian decent named Dr. Caren Adams, sat on the far end of the observation room. They sat at a desk in order of Dr. Adams, Dr. Lin, Dr. Todd and Dr. Jackson.
Dr. Xaolin flipped through her papers busily adjusting her glasses. She appeared worried as she stopped flipping the papers. "Are these the only files on the metahumans?"
Dr. Jackson looked over at her for a moment. "Did you look through the fifth file cabinet?"
"Yes. Its just we don't seem to have much information on him." she paused for a moment reviewing the documents yet again. "I thought with more information we could find a way to stabilize and transport him."
Dr. Todd and Dr. Jackson nodded to one another. Dr. Adams however seemed less impressed with the other woman. She sighed to herself. "I suggest that we do one of two things if we wish to transport him."
The other doctors turned to her interest showed from their faces. Even Dr. Lin put down her clipboard.
"I suggest we either use a mild form of knockout gas and transport him after it has taken its effect."
The other doctor looked at her in almost shock. The action could have any number of harmful effects on the young man. The gas had for one very been used on metahumans meaning that it had no record of effects and no diagnoses in case something went wrong. Also in the bang baby's weakened state and hysteria, it could put him into shock. Dr. Todd was the first to speak. "That's a highly dangerous course of action. Don't you think so doctor?"
"I think it is no more dangerous to him than it would be to us to handle him without precautions."
"We are not trying to kill our patients. We're trying to rehabilitate them. If it didn't kill him, it could leave permanent brain damage."
"It was just a suggestion. Besides I have another idea remember." she said stretching for a moment. "The metahuman Shiv has genetically altered DNA which makes it possible for him to create weapons of light energy."
The other doctors nodded.
"I have been doing a bit of research over the past few days and have found quite a few details on the nature of these abilities." She paused to see if her colleagues were listening. They were all listening quite attentively. "He seems to be able to consciously manipulate the positive ions in the molecules of his hands. This manipulation duplicates the ions positively charging them into a solid object of pure protons. However the action itself takes up a very high level of energy. He uses the energy of light with the wavelength of between 500 and 700 nanometers as a form of kinetic energy to fuel this process. However the lower the light energy the more draining it is on his own energy supplies. I used this information to create a temporary antidote to his powers. If applied it will make it impossible for him to utilize this process. I suggest lighting the room with light of a 400 to 500 wavelength to remove him, applying the antidote and moving him into a usual cell."
The other doctor applied impressed. All but Dr. Lin who looked in at Shiv for a moment. "Has it been tested?"
"Why of course. Its completely safe." she said arrogantly.
Dr. Todd stood up to leave the room. "Brilliant, Dr. Adams. Just brilliant. I'll make the arrangements."
His two assistants stood up leaving as well.
The remaining doctor smirked slightly. "Safe enough for a bang baby."
Outside in the hall, Dr. Lin and Dr. Jackson walked beside one another. Dr. Lin flipped through her notes wearily. She was a rather demure woman. She had never been one to argue and enjoyed the security of having all of the information with her at all times. She hated the idea of having to justify something with a solid copy to back it up. Dr. Jackson was far more straight forward. He was a man of ethics and was not afraid to speak up. The two walked for a moment silently. Each was thinking quite the same thing but it was Dr. Jackson who noted it. "Do you think she tested that antidote correctly?"
"I sincerely doubt it."
Dr. Jackson looked surprisingly at her. He had thought he was the only one to think so. "Why didn't you say anything Sarah? You're obviously worried about the boy."
"Yes but I had no evidence. I also think it would be best for him to get somewhere where we can get him something to eat."
"You know as well as I do that there are probably some type of side effects to that antidote."
She sighed flipping through her papers. "I understand that. I am only hoping that we can find a counter treatment soon after but if it can stabilize him I'm willing."
"I still think its ridiculous to risk it."
"Yes but it is also ridiculous to continue to starve him while we look for a more humane solution. It is better than gassing him you must admit."
"I can't believe she suggested that, can you?"
"Yes actually. She's always been a scientist more than a doctor. She's brilliant but not a humanitarian."
"And you are still not going to do a thing about it."
"I don't have any evidence. I can't prove a thing all we can do now is wait."
"You sound so confident."
"I'm glad because really I'm not very confident." she paused frustrated. "If only we had someone to persuade the boy to cooperate."
"Hasn't Static dealt with him before?"
It was almost as though a light went on in Dr. Lin. She lowered her papers and turned to him. "That may not be a bad idea."
That concludes chapter 1. I hope everyone enjoyed it.