He was still conscious. Going slightly insane and feeling ready to hurt someone, but that's to be expected. How long since I fought you, "creator"? I've lost track of the years. 5? 6? No more than 2? He'd been aware of his prison- no more than a fortified closet, really- ever since he was put there. Out of boredom, he tried yet again to move his body. Nothing. How did you shut me down, "father"? What did you do? Why am I still conscious? thud thud thud. What was that? I could've sworn I heard something… He waited a few moments. Silence. I really am going crazy. It was only a matter of- thud thud. The sound of feet running in his direction was unmistakeable now. Feet coming closer and closer, finally stopping before his prison. Voices.

"This the place?" a male voice asked.

"It had better be," a female voice replied. "Cinder will be furious if it isn't. I wonder what could be so important to raid Teknos Inc."

"According to these blueprints, it should be right on the other side of this wall," the male said, a little agitated. "So, where is the door?"

"How would I know, Mercury? Look around a bit."

"I have an easy way to get to get to the other side, actually." THUD!

Did he just kick a wall?

"Good job, genius! You have successfully slain some… stone… work? Why isn't there a mark?"

"It felt like it bent a bit when my foot connected."

"Really? Kick another wall." THUD! The sound of metal on stone was heard as the male, Mercury, kicked the opposite wall. "Look for something that doesn't look normal."

"Like what?"

"Anything. Wait! I've found something! Come over here." click click click. ER-ER. "Darn it!" click click click. DING! "There we go."

Light flooded the room. Well well well… Who dares to enter my prison?

A gray-eyed boy with a gray two-toned jacket and black pants walked in, looking like he was prepared for a fight. He could only assume that this was Mercury. "Hey, Emerald, there's a robot in here. Think it could be the 'asset' Cinder wants?" A dark-skinned girl with red eyes and green hair walked in, and stopped next to Mercury. She wore an intricate white top and an olive undershirt. Although she wore high heels, she moved easily in them.

"It could be. Let's see if we can activate it. Look for a terminal."

It? You walk into MY domain and call me an IT?! He was furious.

"What if it's a guard?" Mercury asked as he looked around the room.

"Doubtful. If it were a guard, it would've activated by now." Emerald's eyes scanned the room and locked onto something behind the robot. "There's the terminal." She walked over to it. click click click. "That should do it. J3 should be active. I assume that this robot is J3, since J3 is the only robot or AI in this terminal's range."

Is it true? Can I move? He tried to move, and succeeded. Wonderful! Now, to deal with these two… He turned with lightning speed and rushed the girl. Before she could move, he had a metal hand around her throat. He turned towards the man. "Move, and she dies." The girl tapped his shoulder.

"J3, put me down and- ghagh!" He tightened his grip.

"I always hated the name J3. My name is Archangel." He pulled her face closer to his so she would be forced to look him in the eye. "Never forget that. If you leave here alive, that is." The girl was clawing furiously at Archangel's metal hand trying to pry his hand off of her.

"Please, Archangel, put my friend down and let's be civil about this." Mercury, despite his words, started to get in a combat stance. Archangel loosened his grip, then finally dropped the girl. Emerald gasped for air.

"Ok, Mercury, why are you and Emerald here?" Mercury started.

"How do you-"

"Answer the question!"

"Our boss sent us to collect something. We think that something is you. I'll contact her now so you can ask her what she wants." Archangel simply nodded. Mercury pulled out his scroll and contacted Cinder.

Cinder Fall was waiting. She had checked her scroll 3 times now, waiting for when Emerald and Mercury found Archangel. They're taking longer than I expected. Beep-beep. Beep-beep. Finally. She pushed one red fingernail against her scroll. "What is it, Mercury?" she asked as if she was bored.

"We have the asset. He wants to speak with you." Cinder's red lips curled up into a wicked smile. Everything is falling into place.

"Put him on." Mercury handed his scroll over to a boy who had cold, gray eyes and a head of black hair. He was wearing a black leather jacket. Despite her knowledge that the "boy" in front of her was a robot, he was a convincing one as far as looking human goes. Cinder held Archangel's gaze for a long moment. "Hello, Archangel. Enjoy your 3 year 'sleep'?"

"So, it was 3 years since Talon shut down my body." Archangel said Talon's name with such hatred that Cinder raised a single eyebrow in surprise.

I knew he hated Talon, but I wasn't aware of how COMPLETE his hatred was. This can be useful. "You would like revenge on Talon, wouldn't you?" Archangel grinned wickedly.

"You have no idea." Cinder shivered, half in excitement and half in awe.

I've never seen a hatred like this! He will be easy to manipulate. "I can help you with that. In fact, we could help each other."

"I'm listening."

That was much easier than I thought it would be. "Well then, let me tell you what I have in mind."

An hour later, Archangel, Mercury, and Emerald were on their way to Haven. Archangel didn't say anything, which Emerald thought was weird. He's had no one to talk to for 3 years. If it were me, I'd be chatting up a storm. "So, Archangel, were you conscious all 3 years? Or were you off and on?" Archangel stared her down.

"I was conscious. It was infuriating. I couldn't move or speak. I could see, but I couldn't see much because there were no windows or lights of any kind in there. I couldn't even change what I was looking at." Emerald felt bad for him.

Here is a man- robot? AI?- a sentient being who had it worse than I ever did. "I'm sorry, Archangel."

"I don't need your sympathy or apologies. I need your assistance killing my 'creator'. If you can't help me, than you can only harm me. If you can only harm me, I will kill you without a second thought." Archangel's voice was emotionless, distant, and cold. Emerald shivered. Mercury adjusted his position on the pew that he and Archangel were sharing so as to get a little more space between himself and Archangel.

"He's worse than Cinder." Emerald stared at Mercury, mouth gaping.

"Mercury! That's not a nice thing to say!" Archangel jolted a bit, then looked at Emerald. Mercury threw his hands up.

"I'm just saying. Cinder doesn't like failure. This guy takes it to a whole new level."

"I don't need you defending me, Emerald. Worry about yourself. Everyone else is simply a means to an end. And Mercury, don't ever insult me again. If you like breathing, that is." Mercury looked at Archangel.

Don't do anything stupid, Merc. Please…

"Was that a threat, Tin Man?" Mercury drew his legs up, ready to strike.

Oh no…

There was no warning. One second, Archangel was sitting down. The next, Archangel had Mercury pinned to the ground with one metal foot on Merc's chest. "Tin Man. That's who I am to you, Mercury? Let me explain to you why you're wrong in that classification." He pushed down on Mercury's chest. "You see, Kicky, tin would simply fold and buckle under the pressure I'm applying onto your chest. I am a combination of steel and Dust. The Dust amplifies my strength and speed." He pushed harder, causing Mercury to start gasping for air. Emerald heard bones crack. Not break, but still impressive. "The steel, when bound as it is with me, makes me almost invincible. So, Kicky," Archangel leaned in and grabbed Mercury's collar, lifting his face up to be only a hair away from his own, "what is my name?" Archangel eased up on how hard he was pressing on Mercury. He gasped.

Please, Merc. Don't do anything stupid. Again...

"Arch- Archangel."

"Never. Forget. That." Archangel threw Mercury hard back onto the ground- hard enough to daze him- and sat down.

Cinder, I hope you know what you're doing. I really do.