Chapter 6: The Crimson Flash

"It sounds like you've got a lot of information. That's good." Tron said.

"Yea, but it's not really helpful or good. In fact, some of it's bad news." Steve warned.

"Any information at all will aid us on our noble quest, friend." Thor assured. Steve took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a moment.

"It all began when I was brought into this place. I don't really know what this place is, but I have learned things that they obviously didn't want getting out into the public… for what it's worth. Everyone in this place who's a native seems to be a robot slave." Steve began.

"Hey! Tron is-" Clint interjected before Tron raised his hand.

"Hawkeye, enough. Captain, please continue." He scolded, nodding to the Captain.

"As I was saying, it's like pretty much everyone in this place is a robot slave of some sort of tyrant. I don't know who this tyrant is or how she came to power, or anything like that, but I learned why I was brought here, and, by extent, why Hawkeye and Thor were brought here too."

"And that reason is?" Clint asked.

"For her own damn personal amusement." Steve hissed.

"WHAT?!" Thor roared. Loki pulled him back, whispering something in his ear. He growled, but calmed down.

"Yea, I know how you feel, Thor. But apparently, she loves watching heroes fight to the death in her arenas. And after New York, the Avengers are pretty damn famous. She must've had the time of her life, watching Thor, Hawkeye, and me fight in her arena." Steve continued. This made Loki suspicious.

"If it is powerful heroes that this mysterious tyrant is after, then why take me? I am no hero by any stretch of the imagination." Loki asked in a silver voice, very suspicious.

"I'm not sure. Maybe because you led the attack on New York, so she figured that seeing you in the ring might incite any heroes she pitted against you to go all out. Or maybe she only really cares about raw power, which, I'll admit, you've got a lot of. I'm not sure, to be honest." Steve replied. Loki smiled when he heard the last sentence, but a nudge from Thor quickly stopped that in its tracks. Then, something clicked in Hawkeye's mind.

"Where's everyone else? Tasha, Stark, Dr. Banner? You know, the others?" He asked. Steve let out a heavy sigh.

"Agent Romanoff…" Steve trailed. Clint's eyes widened nervously.

"She's alive." Steve said quickly, causing Clint to jump-hug the Captain.

"Really?! Where is she?!" He begged, looking around.

"...She's the Crimson Flash."

Thor's eyes widened in horror. Loki took a step back and muttered something incoherent, sighing and rolling his eyes. Tron closed his eyes. But Clint was clearly the most devastated. He fell on his knees, crying and slamming his fist into the floor.

"Damnit! Damnit! I knew I was right! I knew that the Crimson Flash's fighting style looked familiar! DAMNIT!" Clint cursed, crying.

I swear on my life, Tasha… I WILL get you back! I promise, I WILL set you free, if it's the last damn thing I do! He silently vowed, taking in a sharp breath.

"TASHA!" He yelled through rivers of tears.

Within a cage underneath the Game Grid, a female Program sat anxiously, pacing and scratching the floor. She had the same lighting in her Grid Suit as the guards, indicating that she was on their side. She was heavily armed, but because of her feral, mindless state, she was kept in a cage unless needed. She hissed and growled constantly. As she paced, she heard something in the distance.

"TASHA!"

She stopped for a moment, confused. The tone of voice that yelled sounded familiar, and "Tasha" sounded familiar too. She clawed at her cage walls, towards the direction of the yell. She wanted answers as to why it felt familiar… But she soon felt the programming of mindlessness and feral destruction reassert itself, with great force.

You are the Crimson Flash. You are the Crimson Flash. You ARE the Crimson Flash! YOU ARE the Crimson Flash! YOU ARE THE Crimson Flash! YOU ARE THE CRIMSON Flash! YOU ARE THE CRIMSON FLASH! YOU ARE THE CRIMSON FLASH!

She cried out in agony as the programming took control back, before returning to her feral pacing. She turned as she saw three strange armored Users in cages all their own, slumped down, unconscious. They were new, but she didn't care. She couldn't care, right now. Guards approached the Users, and stripped them of their armor. The guards then got close, and small, thin tubes ejected from the backs of their hands. The tubes pierced the necks of their victims. The Users cried out in agony as the Grid Suits formed. Soon, the cries of agony ended. The Crimson Flash growled in her usual feral nature.

"Assimilation successful." One announced. In front of the cages, there stood one guard each.

"New designation: Brutus." The one standing in front of the large axe-wielder said. It imprinted immediately onto his cage and and Identity Disc.

"New designation: Dasher." The one standing in front of the medium-sized sword-wielder said. It imprinted immediately onto his cage and Identity Disc.

"New designation: Fang." The one standing in front of the smaller sword-wielder said. It imprinted immediately onto his cage and Identity Disc. The three guards turned to face someone who was obviously their superior.

"Where are the other two Users?" He asked in a monotone voice.

"They escaped, sir. The newly-assimilated ensured that they were able to flee." One replied, in the same voice.

"Begin new primary directive. Capture the escaped Users, by any means necessary. Then, assimilate as previously ordered."

The guards stiffened, to acknowledge.

"Permission granted to use assimilated Users to capture non-assimilated Users. Lethal force authorized."

The Crimson Flash growled and hissed, clawing at the walls of her cage and pacing. The guards acknowledged their orders, turned, and left the holding area, their commanding officer following suit.