Noxus paced, frustrated. He, Spire, and Samus were all imprisoned in separate cells which seemed to be jamming both weapons and alt-forms. Noxus was scheduled to be executed in about 12 hours and he knew his odds of escaping were slim without outside help. He sighed and continued pacing, thinking hard about how to escape.

So weak, Vhozon...a voice in Noxus' head sneered and Noxus brushed the thought away. Even after death, the Dark Hunter's thought planting hadn't fully faded, but it would in time. Noxus studied the cell carefully. Perhaps there was some form of escape tunnel that could be made...he examined the bricks can noticed a loose one. He removed it eagerly, but saw solid bricks behind them.

"Figures..." Noxus sighed, about to replace the brick. He hesitated. The brick might be a good weapon to help him escape...he smiled slightly. A plan was beginning to form...

Meanwhile, Servu was returning to the Battlelord's office. He had been contacted and told to arrive in person. Servu placed the Dark Material in his ship's safe. It wouldn't be too long before he could examine it.

He rushed into the 'lobby' and the yellow secretary glanced at him with a hint of revulsion. While Servu wasn't very popular, he deserved respect and he gave her a dark look, which she mirrored with a smirk. Servu entered the Battlelord's room.

"Yes, my lord?" Servu hissed. The Battlelord studied him for a moment and gestured for him to sit. Servu did so, feeling anxious.

"Status on the prototype?" The Battlelord asked, a hint of a sneer upon his cloaked face. His emerald eye gleamed and Servu handed him a report. After a few minutes, the Battlelord placed the report to the side.

"Very well. We have had a series of intruders lately. You are scheduled to do the execution of the Vhozon, Noxus." Servu blinked. "Recognize the name, Servu?" the Battelord asked quietly.

"He registered for the Archives and he was present when I attacked the Last Diamont. Samus and a terrorist arrived to save the Vhozon." Servu replied. The Battlelord looked surprised.

"Terrorist? Who?" He asked, eye narrowed.

"Sylux, I think." Servu responded.

"Interesting..." The Battlelord mused. He considered a moment, then shrugged. "You will personally go to the prison and bring the Vhozon here. Then the final decision will be reached. Dismissed, General." Servu nodded and left, feeling irritated.

Noxus heard footsteps and readied himself for his surprise escape. He clutched the brick in his fist, and struggled to appear sad, lost, or defeated. 3 kriken guards passed his cell, ignoring him. Noxus looked through the bars and saw them heading to the high security wing. He glanced at the time. Someone's idea of a joke was to have the timer count backwards.

It had started at 24:00 and was at this point 8:12. 8 hours 12 minutes to execution time. Noxus scowled and waited.

Servu walked to the main prison gate. He was annoyed sheerly because he couldn't examine the Dark Material while running errands. He entered the gate and spoke briefly to the warden, who nodded and allowed him access.

Servu walked down the corridor, unescorted and found the cell that housed the foolish Vhozon. The Vhozon appeared defeated and looked at him with a weak expression. Servu smiled cruelly and waited until Noxus' eyes widened.

"You!" Noxus hissed, all trace of defeat lost. Servu grinned and pressed a button. The cell opened and Servu kept his distance, in case Noxus attempted to punch him. While weapons were disabled, close combat would help Noxus more than Servu. He moved to adjust a jammer setting.

"Imperialists on." Servu muttered to himself, half-forgetting Noxus was there. Unless the Vhozon had an Imperialist, it wouldn't help. He raised his weapon at Noxus and barked, "Move, you filth!" Noxus hesitated and slowly walked forward, then froze, staring at something behind Servu.

Servu glanced back just for a second and turned back, but the distraction was all Noxus needed. He flung the brick with great force, which Servu reacted to immediately by ducking, but the brick bounced off the wall and hit Servu, who groaned, rubbing his back. Noxus leapt forward, swinging his foot around, hitting Servu in the face. Servu slammed into the wall and Noxus wrenched the Imperialist from Servu.

Servu looked taken aback, but Noxus raced down the hallway towards the high-security wing. Servu withdrew a second Imperialist and fired after him, which shattered bricks above Noxus' head, raining gravel upon him. Noxus fired back, and Servu dodged to the side. When Servu poked out again, Noxus was gone. Servu cursed and raced down the hall, wary of ambushes. He burst through the door to the high security wing and fired at the retreating Vhozon. Noxus fired back, the beam missing Servu by an inch.

Servu fired again, and Noxus dodged to the side. Noxus continued heading down the hallway as Servu fired, but Noxus was excellent at dodging. Noxus fired with near perfect accuracy, and Servu was equally good at dodging those shots. Noxus abruptly changed his pattern, and fired at Servu's feet.

Servu leapt into the air, and a second beam struck the ceiling, a large stone falling on him. Servu blocked it with his arm, and turned to shoot at Noxus, but he had vanished. Startled, he walked forward, watchful for signs of an ambush. He passed a high-security cell and glanced at the prisoner inside.

"Hello!" Samus said with a laugh. Servu looked puzzled and a beam of red struck him in the chest, causing him to stagger into the cell release button and the door slid open, Samus lunging out, barreling her shoulder into Servu, shoving him into the stone wall. She thrust her arm into his head and he fell to the ground. She hurried after Noxus towards the Special Security Cell. Samus found Noxus deactivating the locks to Spire's cell.

"You might need this!" Samus called, tossing the ID she took from Servu. Noxus smiled and slid the ID in the last lock, and the cell slid open. Spire hurried out, grinning broadly.

"Only Imperialists are enabled." Noxus whispered and Spire shrugged, having no Imperialist at that time.

"That creepy Kriken, Servu, is our opposition." Noxus explained and the 3 hunters hastily returned to the other prison corridor. Servu was back on his feet, and also 5 kriken guards had joined the fight.

"Ready?" Samus whispered. Both nodded and they rushed into the fray, even as more guards flooded into the room.

TO BE CONTINUED...