"Dear Peter,
I do apologize for what happened with Meredith. If only I was there to help you when you needed it. Instead, from my understanding, you were found and raised to be a bandit by Raven Branwen. I can't help but blame myself for whatever trouble you've been looking for since."
Peter Quill scanned the cell to see the green woman, the large, muscular man in red tattoos, the raccoon on two legs, and the gigantic tree man who keeps saying "I am Groot." He smiled and approached the four of them.
"All right everyone." Peter said. "Listen, I'd love to hear all your stories, but…"
"Very well. I shall begin." Drax interrupted.
"Uh, actually I…" Peter was about to say before being interrupted by Drax again.
"I was once a gladiatorial warrior who fought for glory. Drax the Destroyer was the most revered warrior in Mistral. That all changed one day when my wife, Ovette, and my daughter, Kamaria, were murdered by the serial killer known as Tyrian Callows. He slaughtered them both in cold blood and laughed. I have vowed since then that I would one day find that monster and make him pay. However, my search for him lead to some… complications. One brawl after another, and the next thing I know, I am locked in here where I meet you all."
"Are you done?" Peter asked.
"Yes."
"Good." Peter said. "What I meant was, I can tell that you all are just as awesome as you look. We're too amazing to be locked up like this, especially me. I didn't do anything wrong."
"You know what you did!" shouted a guard from outside of the cell. "You were caught trespassing in the server room. We grabbed you in the middle of your stupid dancing."
"Hey, Come and Get Your Love is a classic!" Peter said. "If you don't like it, then you've got no taste."
"I am Groot."
"He's right." Rocket said. "There's no use shouting an escape plan if that guard out there's going to hear us." He leaned in to whisper. "So let's be quiet about it."
Gamora sighed as she leaned in closer with the others. Drax did the same.
"Great." Peter said quietly. "Now, all we need is an escape plan."
"Luckily for you losers, I've already got one." Rocket said. "Believe it or not, this isn't the first time I've broken out of a pop stand like this."
Drax looked outside. "I don't see anyone popping anything over there."
"What?" Peter asked.
"Don't try to explain it." Gamora sighed. "I fought this idiot earlier, and from what I could tell, he takes everything literally."
"Rrrright." Rocket said. "Anyway, this is how my plan works. I need four things for this plan to work. First, we need a distraction. As soon as we're let out of our cells to join the courtyard, one of us creates a distraction while someone else removes an electric panel from the inside of the wall. They keep those in case of an emergency."
"What sort of distraction would you need?" Drax asked.
"Preferably one where the distracter gets to beat up a lot of people, including Atlas guards." Rocket grinned.
"Then I shall play the role of distracter." Drax volunteered.
"I am Groot?"
"Yes, Groot. You can be the one to take the panel." Rocket assured his friend who smiled. "Now, green girl…"
"Don't call me that again."
"While the guards are distracted, you'll have to take one of the guard's keycards and sneak on over to the evidence locker. There's a keycode system on it, but in the event of a power outage, the backup generator kicks in and the security around the locker defaults to a standard keycard scanner. Once that happens, you can go in and grab our gear."
"And you'll pick me up on your way to escape?" Gamora asked.
"We'll be picking up our gear." Rocket assured. "You're just a tag-along."
"You said she'll need the keycard if there's a power outage." Peter said. "How are you going to black out the whole base?"
Rocket pointed outside of the cell to a large security room panel where the single guard was. "That's how. While Gamora's getting our gear, you're with me over to that panel. With the component that Groot takes and some slight tinkering, I can overload that panel that'll set off a chain reaction that'll cut power to this whole base. And with the keycard we'll have already taken, it's just a few scans until we're out of this dump."
"Won't we run into some other Atlas guards along the way?" Peter asked.
"I think of Atlas guards as paper people." Drax said.
"Crazy as this plan is, it might just work." Gamora said. "Just tell me what you need me to get."
"My daggers." Drax said. "I named them after my wife and daughter."
"I don't really have a weapon unless I make one myself." Rocket said. "But I will need this nice gun I've been working on. You'll know it by it's purple handle."
"I'll also need my helmet, my boots, and my quad blasters." Peter said. "Oh, and my Walkman."
Gamora gave Peter a confused look. "Your Walkman? As in an old tape player?"
"Yeah. Trust me. It's very important to me."
Gamora sighed. "Fine."
"I am Groot."
"That's the spirit." Rocket said. "Now, this will only work when it's recess time."
"Okay. Recess time." The guard said opening the cell walls. "Everyone to the courtyard. Single file."
The five criminals nodded before beginning their walk. They kept going until they set their eyes on the electric breaker they needed.
"NO PRISON CAN CONTAIN ME! I AM DRAX THE DESTROYER!" Drax shouted suddenly. He quickly grabbed the Atlas guards next to him and threw him to the side.
Most of the guards ran up to confront Drax and contain him. While they did that, Gamora swiped a keycard from one of their belts and ran off to the far end of the hallway. Groot ripped off a breaker door and pulled out the panel inside before following Peter and Rocket to the security computer. The guard there turned, but was too late to dodge Peter when he kicked him in the head and knocked him out. Rocket hopped onto the computer and Groot handed him the machine part.
"Oh, right. I almost forgot." Rocket said before pointing at the unconscious guard. "Quill, was it? That guy has a glass eye. I need you to take it out."
"What?" Peter asked in a grossed tone. "Why?"
"Trust me. It's important."
Peter exasperated before sighing in acceptance. "Fine." He knelt down to the unconscious guard and went to work.
Drax ran back up to the security panel to join the other guys. "Little creature, I ran out of guards to fight."
"Already?" Rocket asked while connecting the panel with the computer. "Damn, you work fast."
"EW!" Peter said as he stood back up with the glass eye in his hand. He set it down next to Rocket. "Here."
"Oh, thanks." Rocket said. He picked up the eye before tossing it into the nearest trash can.
"What?" Peter asked in surprise. "Why'd you throw it away? I thought you said you needed it!"
"I never said that. I said it was important." Rocket said beginning to chuckle. "When the guard wakes up, he's not going to know where his eye is. Hahaha."
"You are one disgusting furball, aren't you?" Peter asked grossed out.
"And… BOOM!" Rocket declared just when the entire room went dark.
After a few moments, the lights came back on and the four of them ran off down the hallway. Along the way, they met up with Gamora who carried a large, black duffel back around her right shoulder.
"I got your stuff!" Gamora yelled.
"Gimme my gun!" Rocket shouted. "We've got a bunch of guards on us in a minute!"
Gamora nodded before passing the gear to everyone. She gave Peter her guns and helmet first. She then gave Drax his twin daggers. She pulled out her metal sword. Lastly, she threw a large gun that Rocket grabbed.
"Oh… yeah." Rocket said with a devlish grin on his face.
The five of them went to the next room, which was filled with Atlas guards. They pointed their guns ready to fire.
"Return to your cells or we'll open fire!" one of them warned.
Groot pouted before stepping in front of them. With one huff, his body became thicker and branches formed around him. "I AM… GROOOOOOOOOOT!"
The Atlas guards began to fire, which Groot tanked through. Rocket jumped on his partner's shoulder and fired his weapon in retaliation. While the guards focused their fire on Groot, Drax and Gamora ran from his sides and counterstruck. Drax flailed his arms like a savage beast while Gamora showed professionalism in her sword-carrying style. Peter put his silver helmet on with red lens while putting on his rocket boots. He threw himself over Groot firing his blasters at them.
"It's time for some tunes." Star-Lord said as he played a song on his Walkman. While he listened to that, he joined his cellmates in fighting the guards.
"If you like pina coladas
And getting caught in the rain
If you're not into yoga
If you have half a brain
If you like making love at midnight
In the dunes on the cape
Then I'm the love that you've looked for
Write to me and escape"
Each guard taken out was another step closer to the door. After a while, they made it. Gamora opened the door with her card and they ran out to the front hanger area where an open gate awaited them.
"There it is!" Rocket shouted. "We're almost there!"
The five of them ran, but they stopped when Special Operative Cordovin stood in their path. She showed an annoyed look of anger on her face.
"I should have known you ruffians were dangerous when brought together." She shouted. "Well, it's up to me to deal with you for good."
Peter scoffed. "Yeah right. We're a dream team right here. And you're just a little, old lady who lives in a boot-shaped Atlas base that doesn't really mean anything."
Cordovin growled before reaching for her weapon. She pulled out a large, two handle weapon that had a large blaster cannon as big as her. All the outlaws took a step back in response.
"Wow." Rocket said. "I may hate that gnome, but I like her style."
"This is what happens when a few common criminals think they can outwit the very might of an Atlas officer." Cordovin said preparing to fire her weapon. "Your deaths will serve as an example of…"
"Sleep."
After a thin hand was placed on Cordo's head, the Atlas commander fell over dozing off instantly. The prisoners looked in curiosity at the girl who saved them: an insect Faunus with large antennae and a green outfit.
"Who the hell are you?" Gamora asked.
"My name's Mantis. Come on. My boss wishes to speak with you. Hurry before more Atlas guards show up."
The five shrugged before following their rescuer. It was long after they left when Atlas guards came out of the base. By then, Mantis had already brought them to the train station. Strangely enough, there was barely anyone in the car besides them.
"Who sent you to save us?" Peter asked.
"Not that we needed saving." Rocket growled.
"I am Groot."
"I was not! I could have taken her!" Rocket responded harshly.
"Hello there." A man's voice called out. It was the only other person in the car with them. "Well done, Mantis."
"Thank you, professor."
"Professor?" Gamora asked. "Wait. You're not…"
The man they met had a brown and white robe that he tightened under his rugged build that surrounded his head like a mane. This man also had a lion's tail sticking out of him.
"Yes, ma'am. I am Leonardo Lionheart, headmaster of Haven Academy. And I need your help."
In a dark, cold room, only the many machines everywhere could bring light. The front door opened up an a young girl with a black outfit and purple hair walked in nervously. She had a spider tattoo on her shoulder which she displayed when she held out a machine part to the only man who was there.
"Here's the next part you need. By the way, Little Miss sends her regards."
The man accepted the part finally revealing himself in the light. He was an old man with disheveled hair, mustache, and beard combo, a white lab coat, and a robotic left eye that glowed red.
"Ah. Just what the doctor ordered."
Author's Note: And now, we've got the villain of the story as well as the start of the plot. Hope you're excited to see what comes next.
Any and all comments are welcome.