Disclaimer: I don't own Static Shock. It belongs to the glorious man who is Dwayne McDuffie, Milestone, DC Comics and WB. If I were to own it though Aqua Maria would be present more often and speak with her accent in her native tongue.

Warning: Will contain slash, drugs, violence and one sided relationships. This will be a bit riskier than my average fics. Knowing me it'll be okay but I only thought it fair to place a warning. I hope everyone enjoys the rendition of Shiv by a third author. I want to be original and hope this is.

A/N: I told myself not to write this chapter. I told myself that I sound practice my drawings and take a break until I got some readers and reviews. I lie to myself obviously.

Taken Lightly

Chapter 3: The Cell Room

Virgil was lead by Doctor Lin into a room much like the average prison. The differences were superficial. It was cleaner with glass walls instead of barred doors and a control panel on the side of each cell. She lead him to a cell approximately three cells from the end. She stopped before going in front of it and turned to Virgil. "He's in that cell there. You'll have to use the intercom to speak with him." the doctor began to walk away.

"Hey!"

She stopped and slowly turned to Virgil. "Yes?"

"Aren't you staying?"

"No. Oh yes, one more thing."

"Great, I thought for a minute, I was on my own."

"Good luck."

"What?"

"I said good luck." she said and walked away down the hall.

Virgil groaned and stood for a moment. He had never really liked Shiv that much. He was unnervingly maniac and constantly trying to kill him. It did not make for a good friendship. It was then it hit him that Richie was still on standby on the communicator. He took out the small microphone and ear piece setting it up to give Richie the news of what was going on. "Rich, you there?"

He heard what sounded like Richie almost falling out of his chair and dropping the keyboard of his computer. "ARE YOU ALL RIGHT! WHAT'S HAPPENING! WHAT'S GOING ON!"

Virgil winced as the ear piece was in his ear and Richie was screaming rather loudly. "Chill, Rich. Everything's fine. I just thought I'd tell you what's going on since the doctors aren't around."

The sound of Richie sighing and picking up his keyboard could be heard through the ear piece. "Alright try not to scare me again, I think I almost broke the keyboard."

Virgil laughed into the mike. "Fine. I'll give an I'm-not-in-mortal-peril warning next time."

"That's all I ask, Zappy. So what's the news? Do they want to cut you into itsy-bitsy pieces and sell it as protein bars."

Virgil made a disgusted noise. "You have to stop watching Soylite Green."

"Its people, Static, its people. So what's going on on the third floor."

"I'm sorry but that tracker is going from being a useful tool to a device for your amusement."

"And. Can't super genius abuse their powers once in a while?"

"Nevermind. What do we know about Shiv?"

"Shiv, eh? Should have known." the sound of flurried typing and papers began almost instantly. Richie was more efficient than any computer when it came to bang baby info. "Shiv is a metahuman who uses medium to high frequency visible light energy as means to fuel a complex, and in my opinion overly draining, system to create weapons composed entirely of proton ions. He's a sprinter with fastest clocked time of 21 mph on foot lasting fifteen minutes. He also uses a combination of long range and short range combat specializing in keeping a good amount of space between himself and his opponent. The best strategy is short range combat as he has minimal strength and endurance."

"Okay, what else?"

"Okay..." the sound of typing and papers whipping filled the communicator. "The structure of his bones were significantly altered in the big bangs making them hollowed for speed much like the bones of a bird."

"Not facts, Rich. Like what's his name?"

"Shiv."

"His real name, Rich."

"Who cares? Shiv works just fine for identification."

"Rich, these doctors caught him and they want me to talk to him."

"What?"

"I'm not kidding."

"... I don't know what to tell you. You're better at this than I am. You actually talked to the Metabreed before. Use your instincts."

"Thanks Rich." Virgil said sarcastically.

"Look if it get to rough, leave him. He's not our business."

"How very caring, Rich."

"I'm serious. I don't get attached."

"Fine. Static Out."

Virgil walked over to the intercom. He took a deep breath to himself. It was now or never. He pushed the button. "Shiv, you in there?"

Shiv had been sitting on the floor by the end of the cot. The familiar voice sounded inside the cell. He wasn't in any mood for this and decided against encouraging the superhero. He sat as quietly as possible.

Virgil hadn't expected a welcome but he had expected something. He tried again and again and several more times with no luck. Shiv was not going to talk with him. Virgil sighed. He was too stubborn to leave but wasn't going anywhere talking to Shiv either.

He sighed and reached into his pocket. Inside were several pieces of rather old paper. Virgil frowned at them for a moment trying to remember what they were. He opened them. They were flyers for missing children his father had given him. He had told him to tell him if Virgil were to ever see any of the kids. They were given to him before the Big Bang. He had consistently carried them with him for probably a week then quickly forgot. Richie must have shoved him into his Static costumes pocket and hoped that he could pick up a few lost kids. Virgil unfolded them looking through them one by one to pass the time. Until he arrived at the bottom, he looked at it shocked for a moment. It read as:

"Jomei Chen, answering to the name of Joe, 16 years old, Asian, male, pierced on both ears. Hair often spiked with a goatee. Excitable, active and friendly. Missing since: April 24th ,Dakota MI, suspected runaway."

The picture was of the lean Asian boy described on the flyer. He was identical to Shiv in every aspect except for the hair color. The boy's hair was black. Virgil didn't know for sure that it was Shiv but his instincts told him it was and Richie had told him to go with his instincts.

He pushed the button again. "Shiv, are you there?"

There was no answer.

"Come on, Joe. I just want to talk."

He could hear stirring in the cell and Shiv moved enough to look out form behind the glass at Virgil. He appeared almost as shocked as anyone could. "What did you call me?"

Dun Dun DUN! I have to say I was going for something different but this is good. I hope you review. I need ideas.