~Chapter Fourteen: Plan C~
WARNING: NASTY, NASTY GORY SCENE WITH INJURY DESCRIPTION.
I will indicate it with three bold *** and then end it with the same in case you are squeamish.
Demencia raised an eyebrow as she watched Black Hat leave the cell. He looked bothered, though not completely displeased. The young woman had worked with him long enough to know the differences between his constantly scowling expressions.
The young woman also knew that Flug was in that cell and now wondered if it would be worth checking on him first. Not that she cared as much but if anyone was going to be left in a worse state it would be the new inmate.
Sighing, she headed over. That was until she heard a low rumbling scrape from the corridor to the left of Black Hat's prison cell (since his was at the end). Immediately her curiosity peaked and distraction got the best of her. Pressing her back to the wall, she edged around the corner. No one hung around here, it was far too close to the number one villain. That and one of the upper lights had been shattered casting the area in a dim lit blur.
But Demencia could see easily. There were shadows across the floor from where the corridor turned at the end and it seemed that someone was standing there. Crouching, she went down slowly and silently. When she got to the next corner, she could hear the voice with clarity.
"They've got it now"
"That was quick", was the scratchy reply. As though coming from a phone.
It was inmate 27, Greenland.
"It's borderline embarrassing that neither of them bothered to check they still had it after we attacked Flug"
"Well, it's their problem now".
They must be talking about the walkie-talkie...but who had it now?
"You know if they hadn't been so uncooperative I'd be tempted to just rush in and grab the heroes now considering we know where they are"
"But that wasn't nasty enough for you, was it?", the voice was so monotone and uninterested compared to the low, almost drunk sounding giggle that replied.
"You're not wrong, Gregorio"
"So can I get back yet?"
"There are no loose ends that need tying up yet?"
Demencia risked sticking her head out a little further to get a better look but Greenland spun to look at her immediately and she ducked away lightning fast before darting away.
"I'll stay, just to be sure".
As she ran, the young inmate knew for sure that they had been talking about the heroes that had the walkie-talkie. But there was something that bothered Demencia more than anything.
Greenland didn't talk.
He hadn't even managed to see anything! Nothing that would clue in why the scientist wore the bag anyway. Although the identity of the doctor was the last thing on the mind of the villain right now.
Leaning against the wall of the storage room, hidden behind the tall shelves. He brought a hand up to his mouth and breathed out slowly. God, what had he been thinking?! Sure he'd flare out if his emotions got high but...this?!
It hadn't felt bad. On the contrary.
But what did Dr Flug think? He hadn't pushed him away and his expression.
Black Hat closed his eyes and brought one of the fingers still bare from his torn gloves into his mouth where he bit down slightly.
Oh god, his expression .
He had to go to Flug. He had to talk to him. Had to explain to him. Had to kiss him-
Black Hat moved his hand and clenched it into a fist, swinging it back at the wall where it crumbled some of the brick. He had to sort this out.
"Let me participate in Nivel Siete"
"...I assume you have something to give me?"
"What makes you say that?", Demencia stuck her tongue out, eyes glittering as she smiled at the other inmate. David furrowed his eyebrows and pursed his lips.
"Because I've told you again and again that I won't let you compete in the ring. You're too much. So you must have something to convince me. Plus you're doing that...thing with your face".
He was probably referring to the wild excitement evident on her expression and she chuckled at his words.
"Correct! So, I'll tell you and if it's good enough. You let me compete".
"What makes you think it's good enough?"
"It'll put you in good favour with Black Hat"
"What is it?"
Demencia grinned.
Now was the part where he had to approach Black Hat and relay the information he'd been given. He found the number one villain stepping toward his cell where almost on cue, Dr Flug was leaving. David raised an eyebrow at the expressions on their faces. There was a mixture of shock, embarrassment and fondness that almost made him turn away. But Black Hat had caught his eye.
"What is it?"
"Sorry to disturb you...just there's been rumours that an inmate has handed over the walkie-talkie to the heroes-", David shrugged. Before he could even continue, Black Hat interrupted.
"We need to see them. Now", Black Hat decided. Grabbing Dr Flug's wrist and storming out of the cell. David followed them with a slow jog. Demencia wasn't far behind and he slowed to call back to her.
"Why didn't you just tell him yourself?"
"I really want to fight in your ring though", she whined and David rolled his eyes with a wry smile.
They picked up some curious followers on the way; mostly consisting of Nyx, Cerise and 5.0.5. They kept their distance but their eyes were wild with excitement. Heading through the various corridors, they finally came up to where the heroes were being held. For a moment Dr Flug forgot about the situation when he saw who or what was in charge of the hostage room. It was...a rabbit? An abnormally large one at that, with almost cartoonish features as it sat back on its hind legs and looked up to them. It hopped out the way swiftly with one look at Black Hat and as they passed, Flug noticed the tag pinned on a scarf around its fluffy neck.
Usa.
Jupiter looked up at the villains with a stern gaze as they piled into laundry room through the glass. His arm was a state. It was black and swollen*, though he didn't seem to let the pain get to him. Solaria had been asleep but now awoke groggily. She looked awful. Dr Flug felt his heart pang with sympathy at her messy hair and the dark rings under her eyes.
"We've been informed that someone in here has been foolish enough to hand you the walkie-talkie", Black Hat announced, raising one eyebrow.
"They haven't! You're out of your fucking mind if you think that any of us would risk pulling that kind of shit!" Solaria snarled. Jupiter said nothing and the scientist noticed.
"Then I'm sure you won't mind if we do some searching", Black Hat smirked and Solaria just rolled her eyes, leaning back against the wall. Her arms looked numb and limp for having been in the cuffs for so long.
"Surely if one of us had them then we'd have gotten out of here by now. The only reason they haven't sent in a rescue team is that they don't know where we are", Solaria snarled as Cerise was sent in to pat her down. The young hero didn't make the job any easier for her and Nyx sent Solaria a glare.
"Better safe than sorry", Black Hat shrugged, standing a few feet away with his arms crossed as he urged David to check Jack Jupiter. Before he even touched the hero, there was a screech of rubber soles against the floor as Demencia came flying around the corner. Her golden eyes were wide and her voice out of breath as she yelled,
"The cuffs are fake!"
A great, echoing boom, not unlike the shuddering quake of cracking ice sounded throughout the room. All villains aside from Black Hat and Nyx stumbled to their knees, gasping. Jack Jupiter stood and raised his large hands, as he did there were wails from the inmates as they were pushed further toward the ground.
"Well this hasn't gone according to plan", the low, timber voice of the hero announced. Solaria looked up at him in shock, curling into herself into the corner of the cell and she remained dumbfounded when Jupiter caught her arm and pulled her to her feet.
Black Hat watched in silence as the hero walked up to him and stood above him, lifting his hand slowly. The cries became louder from the others and Nyx dashed over to her sister as though she could stop her from crushing her own skull into the concrete. Jupiter watched her and his eyes widened. Black Hat immediately followed his line of sight and saw Dr Flug desperately clinging to the 'Impure'.
"Ah, why don't you fetch that Black Hat?"
The number one villain glared.
"Oh, that's right. You might be strong enough not to bend to the earth but you still can't move", the hero gave a hearty chuckle; one that would have been kind in any other context.
"I'll go get it for you, shall I?"
The older man leisurely stepped over to where the scientist barely touched the weapon with his fingertips as he tried to fight against the weight forcing his kneecaps to push into the floor. In a few seconds, he swore he would hear them cracking. With a gentle tap, Jupiter moved the gun from his reach with his foot. Then he held his boot over the weapon.
A shudder of dark smoke and it was gone. The hero blinked and snarled, looking to the left where Nyx stood holding it. Her body was shifting in and out of solidarity.
"You have no weight to pull", Jupiter stated and Nyx said nothing. Instead, she lifted the gun and aimed it at Black Hat.
"Ah, don't be so quick to do that if I were you", the hero calmly stated before kneeling and picking Dr Flug up by the back of his shirt collar.
"Shoot him before you've followed and this brat is going to be six feet under. Literally", he stated. Nyx turned to Black Hat in a panic who in turn gave her a look that said, 'do as he says'.
"I'm giving myself a head start", Jupiter called out and left.
With gravity no longer bending his bones, Dr Flug gasped in relief. Though such a sensation was short lived as he felt Jupiter dragging him away from the others. Toward the main room. The bright lights and open air meant he knew exactly where they were when he was thrown to the ground once more and the weight was pressed back on. This time he heard the various cries and shouts from other inmates nearby. The scientist also heard the clutter of the others emerging from the corridor and out into the open. He could almost hear Black Hat growl.
"Someone uncover the camera", Jupiter yelled. There was a stunned silence before Jupiter repeated his command and Hoag gulped loudly, rushing over where he used the bars to climb up awkwardly before tugging the cloth away and stumbling back to the ground where he clutched the rag like a lifeline with wide eyes.
Jack Jupiter tugged the walkie-talkie from the back of his trousers where he'd had it hidden.
"In a minute, some friends of mine are going to come in. Cuff you villains , throw you back in your cells and take Solaria and I out. It's been fun, but this is where it ends".
"Even with your new weapon, if you don't want to risk the doctor here becoming two-dimensional, I wouldn't try anything funny", he hissed; specifically in the direction of Black Hat. The inmates turned to the number one villain at this and a few looked almost angry.
"So what?! Nyx, shoot him!", Danila yelled.
"Flug might as well be taken out for the sake of you being able to take Jupiter down! Or else the guards are going to be in here and that's the end of all of this!", Kaida called in agreement but was quickly shot down by the borderline furious voice of Demencia.
"Are we all so quick to forget that this lunch-bag risked his own life so we weren't PureTech poisoned?!", she growled, spinning to meet the eye of Nyx, her gaze daring her not to do a thing. Nyx shuddered, still holding the 'Impure' though now like it was a vicious burden. Still, she held it toward the number one villain who looked at her and Dr Flug with an unreadable expression. A few moments passed before Black Hat muttered.
"Lower it".
Nyx did so immediately with a defeated expression and neither villains made eye contact with anyone as Jupiter smirked and lifted the walkie-talkie to his mouth. Before he clicked the button and spoke, there was a broken sigh.
"Do it"
Black Hat inhaled sharply and looked to the scientist who gasped against the ground. Blood had started seeping from his old wounds where they had been reopened. Black Hat glanced at Nyx who was still more than capable of aiming.
"I'd stay quiet if I were you", Jack hissed.
"DO IT!" Dr Flug screamed.
Nyx pulled the trigger.
Jupiter raised his hand.
"Plan C is working by the looks of it", Dr Zaheed commented. A hand lifted to their chin as they watched the newly viewable CCTV footage with a neutral expression.
"You've got to be kidding me", Officer Lazcano's jaw hung open as she stared at Jupiter through the screen, "he was part of this the whole time?"
No one answered. Abundis Sandoval glanced at her briefly but remained silent.
"But...but why?"
Again, no answer. The young woman snarled, looking to the warden who seemed just as stunned; even though he was completely out of it. He turned his gaze away from Lazcano and hung his head in defeat.
"This is for the best, I don't know what's going on but with Jupiter, in there it means we can put a stop to all of this", he managed after a short while.
They all flinched at the sudden static crackle of the screen and the shadows pooling into the main prison room as Nyx pulled the trigger. Dr Zaheed stood up, gripping either side of the screen like they could wring the neck of the villain themselves.
"There's no way", they hissed.
"I thought you made sure that Black Hat was soft on him?"
"He's supposed to be from everything I heard", he shrugged. Seemingly unbothered by the whole development though his eyes remained stern.
"Well, the doctor's no doubt dead now. I saw Jupiter raise his hand", Dr Zaheed rolled their eyes with a low snarl and sat back down like a spoilt child. Lazcano looked at the blurry footage with tears stinging her eyes.
Choking black smoke flared out in ocean-like waves across the ground and any nearby inmates spluttered. Stepping away toward and sometimes into cells. Tendrils soon followed after; like living wires, they snaked across the ground and up the walls as Black Hat rose to a terrible height.
All of this had happened in a split second. Quicker than the time it took for Jack Jupiter to throw Dr Flug to the ground and activate his gravity increase. The long, dark tentacles shot out and caught the doctor before he hit the ground. The increased gravity of his body made it hard at first and Black Hat growled before lifting him against the pressure properly. Jupiter released the gravity and the villain made sure to stop Dr Flug from flying upwards at the sudden snap. With it, his bag game off.
Madame Cobra sprung in front as the bag went flying. Thanatos swung the scrappy edged cape he kept slung around his shoulders (in prison-issue blue) over the face and upper body of the other. After he'd done so, he looked a little bit confused. Like he didn't know why it was his instinct to do such a thing.
Black Hat swiftly saw what happened before turning his attention back toward Jupiter. Madame Cobra took charge of the scientist's body as the tentacles moved away from his limp frame.
"You've not thought this through Jupiter", Black Hat cooed. His voice scratchy and demonic. The hero wavered at the words but stood firm.
"I thought it all through Black Hat, you villains are just too damn unpredictable ", he sighed as though this was a mild inconvenience.
"You're one to talk" was the low laugh and Black Hat lifted his right hand, it became larger and larger until the talons were nearly four feet in length. The villain swung for the hero but the next thing he knew there was a spray of firework-like sparks in his vision that he lowered himself away from. Glaring up, he saw Solaria standing before him, her hands splayed out before her, lightning crackling between her fingers. She looked worn out and weak on her feet. She called out behind her.
"I don't know what the fuck is going on but I'm not going to let you get taken out".
"You should have stayed in the cell", Black Hat rolled his eye and dropped to his normal height, his hands doing the same. Yet the claws remained prominent and sharp as broken china* as he darted toward the heroes, both flinched only to find he had disappeared. An icy chill ran up their spines as they realised…
"Behind you".
Black Hat's hand encompassed the entire back of Solaria's head as he picked her up for a second. A wildly terrifying grin on his face and his eyes never moved from where they looked straight ahead as he threw her to the side. She flew and landed with her back against the wall the other side of the room. Smoke fluttered from the cracked concrete and she spluttered, eyes rolling back as she slumped to the ground.
Jupiter watched in horror as Black Hat blew the smoke emitting from his talons and slid his eye toward the larger hero. Jupiter scowled and raised his good arm. The cement surrounding was beginning to crack and splinter, bringing more dust up in the air and beyond the fog, sputters and coughing could be heard. Black Hat didn't look remotely perturbed and continued flexing his fingers and admiring his nails as a sly smirk spread over his expression. Jupiter looked furious, his gravity wasn't working!
The next thing he knew the number one villain had grabbed him by the wrist and starting clenching his fist. Jupiter cried out, trying to push the other way but it was as though he'd been grabbed by a statue of iron. Black Hat wouldn't budge. Jupiter couldn't do anything with his bad arm and started trying to kick the other or curl his fingers but when he heard the crack of bone he cried out and fell to his knees. Perhaps he was grateful for the still rolling smoke in the room hiding his shame.
Although as he looked up, he saw a scowl in Black Hat's expression and a twitch in his one eye and the hero; despite everything, offered a small smile.
"But even you can't take this much without all your powers" he muttered and with that, he tore his arm out of his makeshift sling (with material from his robes) and snarling through the pain, tore away the pendant around his neck. As he did, there was a collective yell from bystanders as the pressure of gravity spanned out and crushed them toward the ground.
There were a few scratchy and muffled yells from the walkie-talkie but Jupiter seemed unable to hear them. Black Hat now let go in an effort to balance himself and the hero immediately shifted away, breathing heavily as he inspected his brightly bruised wrist. Before he even lifted his eyes upward to the villain, Black Hat had expanded his hand again and held it over the hero like a thundercloud. Jupiter rolled backwards as it crashed down to the already cracked ground. Jupiter regained his senses, his mind dizzy from his tumble and it would be his downfall. All this time without enough food and this tremendous pain was making him unbearably weak. A tendril from underneath Black Hats's shirt shot out and wound around his ankles as Black Hat sauntered toward him. Jupiter could only get to his knees as the villain stood above him. Tentacles spread around him and formed into sharp spikes as they aimed toward the large hero.
"Where are your friends now?" Black Hat questioned, his voice demonic and Jupiter gave up there and then.
"Even though your friends betrayed me, you put up a good fight...", Black Hat purred, circling the fallen hero like a cat.
"And with your broken arm…", the villain blinked as though he was impressed before he pressed a hand against the chest of the other, where the pendant once rested against and pushed as Black Hat used his other arm to pull Jupiter's arm from the elbow.
Tearing it away from the socket.
The ungodly sounds of cracking bone and the slushy sound of muscles tearing would have sent anyone running. Blood sprayed and spilt to the ground in pools of crimson. It spread over the ground, turning gritty against the debris on the ground. Jupiter could barely breathe let alone scream until it was over and his arm was ripped from his body to the ground where it lay unmoving and black. He brought his mildly injured hand to cover the open wound only to scream out as his fingers and the air stung the overly sensitive injury. The bone was splintered into shards and a few tendrils of sinew trailed out, a pale pink and slick with blood.
He couldn't look at it, it brought vomit to his throat and his eyes had gone completely blurred by the tears. Yet he couldn't look away with the sheer shock. Before he passed out, he saw the near translucent teeth of the villain as Black Hat smiled at him.
The smoke faded out and those who could finally see let out shocked cries or even a few laughs. The walkie-talkie in the back of the collapsed man's pocket rang and Black Hat pushed the man to one side to retrieve it almost casually.
He listened as outraged, almost unintelligible yells were thrown at him before Black Hat pressed the button and began to speak.
"You wanna come grab them?"
There was silence until a new voice appeared, it was a woman.
"Y-Yes, we will leave tarps outside of the office door outside the cafeteria and you will wrap them in them and bring them to that same door before leaving. If you do not comply, there is nothing to stop us from raising the PureTech up".
Black Hat raised an eyebrow at the quiet confidence of this one and simply answered.
"Fine", before turning it off.
Once an uneasy peace had settled over everyone. Attention was drawn toward the new prisoner 31 who remained still beneath the coverings. As Black Hat approached, a few inmates shuffled back instinctively. Kaida shook her head though her eyes were wild and excited.
"You're fucking insane B.H"
The number one villain gave her a single glance but said nothing. It was enough. Kaida shivered as she saw the sheer lack of remorse and pride in his eyes. The villain knelt near the new prisoner and surveyed the situation.
"Th-there's blood soaking through that material", Demencia uttered and there was a cool silence in response. Immediately, Rena Feller has approached and crouched nearby Madame Cobra.
"I'm going to have to remove it", she said calmly and Black Hat made a low seething noise. 5.0.5 nudged him and the number one villain stood and turned to the large blue bear before nodding stubbornly.
"What's the point of even hiding his identity further? We know he's not a villain. We're not getting out anytime soon so we're not going to go after him if he gets out of here or something", someone yelled across the way. It was Kaida. She seemed a little on edge; to no one's surprise.
"Let's just keep it a secret! He's unconscious anyway", the left side of No Brain spat and walked forward. Maboroshi-shi immediately moved in between them and the body.
"It's not our place to discover his identity", Alexander commented.
"This isn't some dramatic story either. It's just his face at the end of the day. None of us knows who he is and none of us cares. What he does need right now is immediate medical attention so stop bickering and Feller, get to work", Rubi Wretch claimed harshly.
"Anyone who would like to look away. Now is the time to do so", Rena called out gently. Of course, there was the nervous scuff of toes on the floor as inmates pondered on what to do. But in the end, very few looked away as the cloak was lifted. Silo took this opportunity to run back to the camera and cover it with the cloth as usual.
The cracked goggles were next to go. Black Hat closed his eyes. It felt wrong invading the others privacy like this. How ironic. Was he not the one only earlier this day insisting on seeing Dr Flug's face? His sensitive ears then picked up every single gasp, cry and breathless word as the inmates no doubt laid eyes upon the scientist and his true face.
207 and 5.0.5 were the only ones who didn't respond.
Soon after, everyone fell into to a complete silence.
"He...he's supposed to be dead", David spoke up. His voice breaking a little halfway. The only noise in the deafening silence.
"The crash was supposed to kill him. No one has seen him since…"
Black Hat opened his eyes. His breath hitched in his throat. He realised that he did in fact, know who this was.
A/N: * I had to image search broken arm ewwww
* I have cut myself on broken china before and BOI DOES IT SLICE
Okay, few things.
First, Black Hat is such a mean motherfucker in this one because he's the NUMBER ONE VILLAIN in the world and Jack Jupiter has tricked him, hurt Flug, pissed him off in the past and has now GONE FOR SOME ROUNDS WITH HIM. Black Hat is not going to feel particularly forgiving.
Even so, apologies to anyone who found that scene disturbing.
Secondly, I hate to leave it on a cliffhanger but I have three assignments due in the next 2 weeks for you're not going to hear from me until after then. I absolutely cannot wait to show you what I've designed as Dr Flug's real identity! Please forgive the break!
Finally, I am aware that since I changed up the timeline there are now some event mix-ups so I will fix that ASAP!
Thanks again everyone!
Wonderful OC from roboticfennec, inmate 24: Usa, no gender and the name means Rabbit in Japanese.
-LAW09