Thoughts are welcome as always! Suggestions and criticisms are as well. Hope you guys enjoy. I am looking for a beta reader if anyone is interested. Probably won't have another chapter for the next two to three weeks as finals get closer but I'll try!
Mica looked up from his workstation at the loud clatter. Across the room, one of his fellow prisoners had fallen off the deathtrap Squealer made and landed on the ground. He was quick to pick himself up but from the way, he walked he definitely would be having a bruise or two on his head in the morning. Which would match perfectly with the scar on the forehead they all shared.
The deathtrap looked like a nightmarish pairing of a tank, a bigger tank, and an RV. Most of it was unfinished and only the bones of the monstrosity had been completed but the main barrel alone took up half of the workshop/prison and was wider than Mica. As for Squealer herself, she was curled up somewhere in a corner going through withdrawal since Bakuda couldn't be bothered to wean her off whatever she had been on. Bakuda had threatened to kill her multiple times but Squealer hadn't even moved other than to make the treads after the withdrawal beat out the fugue.
Mika turned back to his own work, a wristwatch he was tinkering with to turn into a portable laser that could burn through wood or concrete with enough time. It had been going rather well and if he were a free man he would have been rather proud of it and eager to sell it to the PRT for some rent money. Instead, it was the fifth of thirty that he needed to make for Bakuda's "army."
This is what he got for staying in Brockton as a rogue. New York probably never had this problem of insane tinkers kidnapping other tinkers for her army.
Twisting the dial and replacing gear with a nail clipper he glanced up at where the other prisoner had fallen. He had been trying to build a cockpit for the thing and had had no success. Probably because as far as Mica could tell that man's specialty was for drones not goddamn tanks!
The air in the building stunk of oil and smoke along with the rancid rot of rotting fish. Mica wasn't exactly sure where he was though he expected in the docks which infuriated him because it had taken an hour to deduce that upon which he promptly remembered the ABB operated out of the docks. The room was cluttered with broken machinery and stripped-down parts. Above them, a catwalk was patrolled by thugs armed with guns each of whom had a partner somewhere else they were in constant contact with ready to bring more thugs if needed. Cameras were placed above each of the eight workstations to make sure that none of the tinkers tried to keep a weapon or tinker a way out of this hell.
Besides even if they did run the "surgery" Bakuda had provided meant that death would only come if that if they left the building. Deep down Mica wanted to run and risk it but that was pointless. Better to try and survive or wait for one of the other tinkers to try something and then make his move. Finishing the watch he held it up to the camera and placed it in a box with the rest. Bakuda had told them in no uncertain terms that if they didn't make something useful they would be killed. Which the empty eighth workstation attested to.
As he went to work on his sixth watch a loud slam echoed through the room as Bakuda walked in. What was apparent immediately was the cane she was using. Craning his neck to get a better look Mica saw her leg was heavily bandaged. Had she fought someone or had one of her bombs gone off during testing?
She ignored the tinker's other than glancing at their work appraisingly. Realizing Squealer wasn't working she had her thugs search the room and they found the vilianess curled up in the partially finished tank. The woman, for lack of a more eloquent term, looked like shit. Her eyes were bloodshot, her face was as pale as a cadaver, her teeth were chattering, her body was covered in a sheen of sweat, and she couldn't stop shivering which seemed to bring more pain. Bakuda dragged her up and slung her into the workstation beside Mica. "If you won't work on the damn tank then you can work with the trash. As soon as you're ready to cooperate you get as many drugs as you want bitch." Bakuda screamed at her before turning and going deeper into the workshop to where Mica suspected was her main workshop.
Once Bakuda left Squealer sat still and didn't move a muscle for several minutes. At one point Mica assumed she just died and her muscles had locked up. That fear/hope was abated when she looked up at him and gave him a grin. The grin showed her rotten teeth ruined by meth and god knows what else. It was devoid of any happiness or joy and Mica wondered if she had lost her mindfully.
"I'm going to kill her if it's the last thing I do." She said the grin fixed to her face. Mica went back to his work and eventually, she did as well but that abomination of a smile stayed on her face the entire time.
The two groups held their guns without falter and neither wavered. Above them, the portal had several soldiers aiming through their sights.
"We'll be through the portal in just a moment. Leave us be and we'll never return." Van Doorn said cautiously lowering his gun. "We've worked with this tech for a while and I promise you it is under our control. No one will be hurt by it."
Taylor looked to her fellow MEC trooper and lowered her gun as well. It's not like the foam could stop her from killing the troopers before they could stop her. Stone followed suit and the rest of the squad did as well.
"Close it anyway. It's emitting a dangerous level of radiation. Turn it off and we can work about getting you transport to your base." Armsmaster replied still holding his halberd tight.
"We know. The radiation dies rapidly when removed from its source and from our tests isn't dangerous to humans. Just leave us be for a minute and I promise the problem will leave." Van Doorn said taking a cautious step forward with his hands raised. His gun was slung over his shoulder but Taylor noticed how close his right hand was to the hilt of his sword.
"Hebert, any idea why are these people cosplaying as superheroes?" Annette whispered through the comms.
"Consider it a culture quirk. Halberd is fast and skilled and his weapon is loaded with several dangers, soldier can turn her weapon into any gun. The troopers have nonlethal weapons." She whispered back her voice carrying a tired inflection.
"You alright kid?" Stone asked through the internal comms instead of the MEC speakers, noticing the scratch marks on her MEC and the bloody handprint from where she had crawled back in.
"Stabbed in the side but good for now." She replied to the concerned looks of Fatima and Stone.
"I understand that and I'm certain that the tinker who made it knew what they were doing but as it happens radiation in these amounts isn't safe. Turn it off and I'll do my best to get you transport to your base." Armsmaster said as a man dressed as an Ancient Greek flew overhead. He carried a small disc on his arm surrounded by glowing rings that formed a shield and a long beam in the other that looked to be solid electricity. Distantly sirens could be heard approaching.
Taylor wracked her brain for details on the newcomer but couldn't remember much other than he could give objects powers or something. He didn't make a move though he was pointed toward the portal which was fairly concerning.
"Listen. We are just here to get our squadmate. Our base is out of your jurisdiction and is no where near here. Give us five minutes at most and then we leave." Van Doorn said.
The comms blared static for a moment before the voice of an officer at central greeted them. "Don't get in a fight. Vahlen wants to speak with them. Over."
Van Doorn hesitantly placed his hand to his earpiece confused as the rest of the squad. "Can you confirm that command? We have injured and this site is unsecure. Over."
The PRT troopers and parahumans glanced at the squad to try and see which of them may be injured. Armsmaster pursed his lips wondering how large this organization was and how no one knew about them.
"Dr. Vahlen completed her autopsy of the deceased resident from Operation Shattered Crown. From her findings of a tumor matching Hebert's in design and the lack of other uncontaminated samples, she wishes to study the enhanced individuals in your location. She's bringing a team of scientists and has the commander's blessing. She's getting ready to enter any minute. You're being ordered to stay in your location as her escort. The portal will close after she enters but will reopen in an hour. Over." Came the voice causing the team to swear under their breaths.
Armsmaster lowered his halberd slowly and took a step closer to Van Doorn.
"Understood command. We'll stay. Over." Van Doorn said before looking to Armsmaster.
"Command time dilation is present here. A day here could be weeks on your side. Over." Taylor said not wanting to be stranded for any reason.
"Noted. We will adjust the time to try and be an hour on your side. Over." Came the voice before cutting off.
"Well, it looks like we might be taking you up on your deal after all." Van Doorn said in a pleasant tone. "Once our research head arives we'll shut the portal on down."
"I'm afraid I can't allow that. You are an unknown group with advanced weapons and tinkertech as well as using a radioactive portal to connect your base to-" Armsmaster began before a new rope was dropped down and several scientists rappelled down each wearing heavy backpacks of research supplies. Finally, with another hovering S.H.I.V drone by her side, Dr. Vahlen slide down the rope and signaled to the operators above. The ropes were pulled back up and the drone made three trips back and forth to bring in new supplies.
Walking to Armsmaster Vahlen put out her hand to shake his. "Hello. I am Dr. Vahlen of X-Com. Our organizations seem to have gotten off on the wrong foot. Allow me to try and mend this by offering your organization exclusive trading rights to an alternative dimension of earth in exchange for a few paltry favors and gifts such as research aid and operating status for our organization along with a few other things I'll bring up later." Behind her the portal closed and the scientists she brought/dragged with her began to unpack their equipment and take readings of the area.
The man dressed as a techno-spartan was the first the speak lowering himself closer to the ground to be heard. "Who are you people?"