Jet groaned as he looked at another piece of paper, how many had he filled out so far? A hundred? He'd lost count around then.
Sitting in an uncomfortable metal chair at a table, he stood and stretched, turning to the guard that had escorted Spike and himself from the landing bay he said, "I'm going to go outside and get some air, I'll finish this in a bit."
The guard shrugged, "Suit yourself."
Rubbing his temple with his real hand Jet exited the control room into the main cavern in the direction Spike had gone he needed a few minutes before he went back in. Paperwork had been a part of police work back on Ganymede, but these guys seemed to have developed a way to make it even more torturous if that was possible.
Just a few minutes to clear his head and Jet would go back to filling those papers out.
He put a cigarette in his mouth and lit it, blowing a cloud of smoke out while staring at the endless number of cells.
For some reason Jet had a feeling, the same type of feeling that he had before bad things happened, he didn't know what it was about, but he needed to be on his guard. The type of feeling he should have listened to, otherwise he still might have both of his arms.
Taking another drag of the cigarette Jet leaned on the railing that separated the walkway from a tumble of about twenty stories down to the bottom of the cavern.
Jet had the gut feeling something was about to go down and he didn't like it one bit.
Spike walked down the hallway past several more cells until he finally arrived at a door that was marked with "Visiting Room."
Spike assumed this was the place. The door was funny in the fact in that it wasn't high-tech like the cell doors, it was actually a solid wood which seemed highly out of place in the ultra-modern prison that Marcus had going here.
The door also had an actual doorknob on it. Apparently this room wasn't used enough to warrant a high-tech security system installed to it. Marcus it seemed was cost effective when needed.
Turning the knob and opening the door, Spike walked into the room which was bare, save two wooden chairs and a heavy metal table. The walls of the room itself were concrete that seemed chipped in several places. There were a few dim overhead lights that illuminated the man seated in the chair across the table from where Spike now stood. He glared at Spike with two differently colored eyes, one blue and one brown. He had black hair that was long, down past his shoulders in fact. A beard the same color as his hair was on his face; both the beard and his hair looked dirty. The man was wore a pair of shackles that handcuffed his hands to his ankles. A chain connected the two cuffs together; due to the chain the man could only put his hands up to about his chest level. The shackles on his legs made it impossible for him to move at more than a shuffle. He wore a prisoner's uniform that was light blue color that had a set of numbers and a barcode on the right side of his chest imprinted on the uniform.
"So, you must be Tobias Craven," Spike said, taking a seat across from the man.
Tobias Craven's eyes flickered slightly at the use of his name.
"Never had a visitor before," he uttered.
"Can't imagine why you would. Lieutenant Tobias Craven, veteran of the Titan Conflict. You racked up an impressive record by the way during that. You then chose to leave the unit you had fought and nearly died with, being branded a deserter and a traitor in the process. You were arrested and sent here to serve a sentence of no fewer than thirty years without any sort of parole before then. Since you've gotten here you've been nothing but trouble for the authorities here, killing several prisoners and injuring two guards. You're labeled a 'Maximum Threat Prisoner.' No wonder no one would come visit you."
"You seem to know a lot about me, but I know nothing about you. So why should I talk to you?"
"You can call me Spike Spiegel and I did get you out of your cell."
Tobias shrugged, "Big deal, it's not like I'm not going back there whenever our little chat is done with."
"An old commander of yours did the same thing you did, turned up missing you know, that's why I'm here to talk with you, I just need a little info on the guy."
"Who?"
"Lieutenant Colonel Deric Ashtin."
The name silences Tobias. He leans back in the chair heavily, it creaking slightly under him. He says nothing for at least a minute, in that time Spike lights up a cigarette.
"May I have one?" Tobias asks looking at Spike, "It's been awhile."
Spike offers the pack to Tobias, who holds up his shackled hands to show that he can't reach out and take the cigarette, Spike takes one of the cigarettes out of the pack, puts it in Tobias' lips and lights it for him. Tobias has to bend his head down to his chest to take the cigarette out of his mouth to knock some of the ashes off, finally he speaks.
"So, Colonel Ashtin went missing?"
"Yeah, that's the official word anyway; you think maybe he was kidnapped?"
Tobias snorts derisively, chuckling slightly as well; he takes another drag of the cigarette before removing it and holding it in his shackled hands.
"I do not know a single person in the Solar System, hell, the GALAXY who could kidnap Deric Ashtin. The man is a trained killer and anyone who tried to kidnap him would end up in a body bag within minutes of trying to take him. I'm sure you've read up him if you know so much about me."
"There's a bounty out for finding him, I'm just looking for him."
"A bounty huh? How very interesting, that must mean that you are a bounty hunter there Spike," the last part of the sentence isn't said with the same malice that Spike normally encounters from a lot of people who learn about his trade.
"Yeah, I am."
Tobias takes a final drag of the cigarette before stabbing it out on the metal table, his shackled hands slide off the table and rest out of sight in his lap, he leans forward slightly towards Spike, "So what do you want from me?"
"I need to know about where Ashtin could have gone. Who he could have met up with. What planets he most likely would go to."
"Because the Crazy Aces all went with him," Tobias cuts in.
This causes Spike to pause; apparently Tobias somehow knows or knew in advance about Ashtin and what he had planned.
"How do you know the Crazy Aces went missing too?" Spike responds finally putting out his cigarette that he had let burn out slowly anyway, "I didn't think Marcus allowed you all access to the news."
"He doesn't, just a feeling I had. The Aces are bound to Deric, unto death. They are almost a part of him. However more importantly, this is bad news for me."
"What do you mean?"
Tobias Craven locks eyes with Spike before answering, "Deric Ashtin is coming here to kill me."
"What? How is that possible?"
"Let's just say Deric Ashtin has a talent for making the impossible, possible. In fact you even being near me has put your life in danger Mr. Spiegel."
"I'm used to being in danger," Spike responds.
This causes Tobias to shake his head, "Not this type you're not. I'm sure you've deal with murderers and criminals of the sort before. But Deric Ashtin is something different; he is none of those things yet all of them at the same time. He is the product of military training and testing, the mere fact that you're standing here alive now tells me that you've not even come near him yet."
"You make him sound like some sort of bogeyman."
"He nearly is."
"Well, since you're a dead man anyway. How about helping me out?" Spike asks.
Tobias laughs, "Not that easy, Mr. Spiegel if my life is in danger. I very much wish to preserve it. You in fact can help me in this endeavor."
"How?"
"Get me off of this rock."
"Sure, I'll just call up Marcus and get him to release a maximum threat prisoner to go gallivanting around the Solar System, are you totally insane!" Spike cries out.
"Yes according to several of my psyche evaluations, however, the fact remains that if I tell you nothing, you'll never find Ashtin."
"I could just wait here for him to come and kill you."
"That you could, but then he would kill you as well."
"I've been killed plenty of times before."
"I'm sure. You seem like the type of person most would want to kill"
There was a noise behind Spike, the sound of the door to the meeting room being opened; Spike has time to see Tobias Craven's eyes go wide as he turns around in his chair towards the door.
The guard that he ran into in the hallway is standing in the doorway.
This time, he doesn't seem to be the same cheerful person.
Jet takes a final drag on the cigarette before letting it drop over the side of the railing to plunge down in the depths of the prisoner cavern. He is about to head back to the control center when something stops him, turning around he glances down the walkway in the direction Spike went, there's that feeling again…
Jet decides to shrug it off for the moment, Spike can take care of himself, after all Spike could take care of himself couldn't he?
The question makes Jet hesitate in walking back to the control center.
The hesitation saves his life.
A powerful explosion rips through the control center, killing every guard in it. The force knocks Jet onto his back knocking him unconscious. Within seconds the control center for this section of the prison facility has been destroyed.
Moments before the explosion Spike is staring at the guard what was his name? Ray Gerund, that's it.
"Hey Ray, do you mind? I'm trying to have a chat in here," Spike says.
The guard doesn't say a word; instead he reaches for his sidearm and draws the pistol in one smooth motion. His other hand retrieves a control device from a pocket that he holds in his left hand, the pistol in his right. He presses a button on the control device and the facility shakes from a powerful explosion. Ray Gerund doesn't seem fazed by the shuddering; he levels the pistol at Tobias Craven's head.
Spike's instincts take hold; he springs out of the chair lashing out with his right foot as he does so. The quickness of the move catches the fake guard off balance, his hand snaps to the left, the pistol going off. The noise reverberates through the room as the round slams into the floor, kicking up chunks of concrete. Within but a moment, the would-be assassin has the pistol moving back towards Tobias again, only this time, Tobias is ready. He springs up out of the chair slightly, his hands somehow no longer shackled to his feet, grabbing the edge of the metal table, he heaves upwards with all his strength, sending the table flying at the guard. The table is promptly kicked by the guard who fires two more shots which impact into the thick metal table but do not go through. Spike meanwhile sends a roundhouse kick towards the man's face, the blow catches him squarely across the face, the blow staggers him for a moment and he takes a step or two back into the hallway as a result, dropping his controller which he accidentally kicks back into the hallway as he takes a step back. Normally most men would have been almost out cold, but this guy apparently has some kind of high tolerance for pain.
From behind the metal table, Tobias cries out, "It's Ashtin!"
"Ashtin?" Spike says, "Great! Now I can collect on my bounty."
Spike does a quick step into the hallway where Deric Ashtin has already recovered from the kick to his face. He eyes Spike with those cold grey eyes. An alarm is sounding throughout the facility echoing off the walls, no doubt that within minutes guards will swarm this section of the prison
"So, you're a bounty hunter, eh?" he says, "I must admit. You're not bad, but I'm afraid I don't have time to play with you."
He levels the pistol at Spike with his right hand, Spike steps forward and quick as lightening, puts his right forearm underneath Ashtin's right arm, just ahead of his elbow, his left forearm just behind that same elbow only above the arm.
Simultaneously in the same motion, Spike brings his right arm up and his left arm down swiftly. The move is done so that it will break Ashtin's elbow.
However, Ashtin's elbow doesn't give at all. He fires a round from the pistol, the round grazing Spike's side slightly as it goes by. He then snaps his head forward, his forehead smashing into Spike's face.
Spike stumbles back, pain going across his vision. What the hell was this guy? The move should have broken his elbow instead the guy seems to be made of solid steel.
Ashtin smiles at Spike, pointing the pistol at him. Suddenly his head snaps towards the meeting room. One of the wooden chairs that Spike and Tobias had been sitting in is flying at Ashtin's face. He snaps the pistol towards the chair and fires several rounds at it in midair, shattering the chair into several pieces which fall harmlessly to the floor.
The distraction is what Spike needs; he attacks again, only this time, his target is the gun. He grabs at the gun and pressing down on a small switch on the side, he pushes the upper receiver of the gun towards Ashtin then pulls it back towards him, the receiver comes off cleanly, the gun is now useless without it. Spike throws it down the hallway with all his might it makes a clatter as it hits the floor.
Ashtin looks at the now useless weapon and casts it aside; he raises his fists slowly into a military combatatives stance. However, Spike can tell it's altered; the guy apparently has some martial arts training mixed into it.
Spike throws a punch towards Ashtin's solar plexus, intending to wind him with one blow, but Ashtin catches his fist in mid-air with one hand and slams his fist into Spike's face Spike flies back into the wall, his eyes widen and he quickly ducks as Ashtin throws a punch that slams into the wall.
A normal man punching with such force would normally shatter his hand from hitting the wall, but instead the wall says uncle. Chunks of concrete fly away as Ashtin's fist hits the wall putting a slight crater in it. Ashtin doesn't even seem to notice. He draws back his hand as Spike crouches down; placing both of his hands on the ground and kicks out with both of his feet.
His feet slam into Ashtin's chest, Ashtin takes a step backwards his guard momentarily down.
The heavy metal table suddenly slams into Ashtin's legs the table barely fit through the doorway, but barely was enough. It pins Ashtin against the wall for a second, Tobias Craven slides over the table and yells to Spike, "Come on! We've got to get out of here!"
"Not without him I'm not!"
Tobias shakes his head and runs off down the hallway; Ashtin for his part grabs the table and almost without effort heaves it back into the meeting room. He glares at Spike a moment before running after Tobias, scooping up the controller that he used to detonate whatever explosive device in the facility.
Spike of course, runs after him.
The trio runs down the hallway, like some sort of mouse-cat-dog chase, as runs, Ashtin strips off the top of his guard uniform and rips off his guard pants without even slowing down.
Underneath his guard uniform he is wearing a light blue prisoner's outfit the same as Tobias' the reason for this doesn't dawn on Spike until he sees Ashtin press another button on the same detonator that set off the explosion earlier, suddenly a loud grinding noise is heard.
All of the doors to the prison cells in the section slide open.
Deric Ashtin has let loose several hundred of the Solar System's most ruthless criminals and disguised himself as one of them in the process the only one out of place here is Spike, the prisoners certainly won't bother Tobias and Ashtin who are both wearing the same uniform. Spike however will seem a bit out of place and no doubt the prisoners will notice this.
"Just great," Spike mutters continuing the chase.
The Cerberus
Orbit of Pluto
Faye smiled at Marcus across the table. The meal had been wonderful to put it mildly. After days hell, weeks of eating cups of noodles and whatever else Jet and Spike had it was nice to actually sit down and have an actual meal. Marcus wasted no expense in anything he did it seemed.
From behind his spectacles Marcus smiled generously at Faye's pleasant response.
"I must thank you Ms. Valentine, I haven't had such good company in a long time, it makes me quite sad that you must depart, sadder still with Spike and Jet."
"Believe me in some ways I'd rather stay here if the treatment was always going to be this nice, but I'm afraid I've got to wander, it's in my nature."
Marcus nodded, "Of course, you have your lifestyle and I have my little empire to run."
There was a sudden beeping noise from a small monitor that was built into the table, Marcus nods politely at Faye, "If you will excuse me for a moment."
"Of course," Faye smiles politely all the while wondering how she can hide more of the expensive silverware on herself then she already has without Marcus' notice.
Marcus presses a button next to the screen, his face grows tense as he reads information on the screen, he presses the same button and the screen flicks off.
"I'm afraid that I must end our pleasant company Ms. Valentine," he says.
"Why? I thought we were having a good time," Faye responds genuinely surprised.
"It seems that your two friends have once again brought trouble into my facility. I just received a message that an entire section of the prison's cells have been opened and a riot is in progress."