Gero's eyes were blank like the life had been drained out of the old man. He was broken in his orange jumpsuit. Chained to a metal table. His world had come crashing around him down.

The camera with its red light was staring at him. Three men were looking at him through a one-way glass.

Frank was in his UNIT Captain uniform with his square jaw and broad shoulders. Bill in his Lieutenant uniform with his young face but whiting hair.

A man in a Major's uniform was behind them his face shrouded by shadow. The jailed doctor in front of them was like a puzzle that all three were trying to work their heads around.

Frank questioningly asked, "So he's said nothing?"

Major in UNIT said "Nothing. He's practically catatonic. He's not eating or sleeping. He mumbles a bit about 'not again' and something about an Adrian. We think according to records that it was his real son. He died due to stray bullet. Wife's dead too cancer maybe. Theirs the monster of course but apparently, he does have a granddaughter or wife. Not really clear yet or maybe they're not related. I don't know. I swear it feels like intelligence is just making this stuff on the fly sometimes."

"Well then I think this a perfect job for the rookie."

Bill gives Frank a puzzled look. "Well I…"

Frank gave him a smile "Nonsense. It's your chance to prove you're worth it kid and show you're not just here because your daddy has a bird on his jacket."

Bill eyes lit up "Yes Sir!" He saluted the two men and marched out.

"Kiddo's a go getter."

"He's eager. I have a funny feeling he'll be on the board or the hot seat one day."

"Well the 'corporation' is always looking for the replacements. How you think he'll do?"

"I'll be surprised if the doctor even looks at him. He's practically catatonic. Nan this just be a good chance for the kid to get some experience."

Bill removed of his jacket and came into the interrogation room. He was young and toned a contrast to the old thin man that seemed to be dying in slow motion.

Bill had on his game face. His blue eyes and whiting eyebrows were arched in anger staring at the decaying genius.

Bill in what could be described as his attempt at a drill sergeant's voice "So heard you haven't been eating or talking. Is that a sign of a guilty conscience or our you just trying to take the coward's way out? Because if so, you should be able to understand the concept that we can force feed you right?"

Frank in the watcher post sighed. He was being way too aggressive right off the bat. Gero didn't even look at him.

Bill took a seat putting his feet on the table then said while looking at the Doctor "You know if you bother to look at me you might figure out that you and I have meet before. You might remember you were holding a gun to the head of a teenage girl like a coward. I'm even the one how put the hand cuffs on you. Right after the turtle hermit gave your son the heave-ho from his mortal coil." Gero's face twitched at Bill's comment. Figuring he was getting somewhere Bill continued.

"Never found his body. He was probably vaporized. I bet he became a very crispy monkey." Bill was smiling trying to agitate him.

"Now if I was a father, I'd hate to see my boy die in front of me, but you know karma's a bitch. But this is old hat to you I bet that's two kiddo you lost. Maybe it will give you an idea of all the pain and suffering that you've caused to everyone else. All those other dead sons…"

Bill stopped as Gero looked him dead on in the eyes those lifeless doll-like eyes. The Major and Frank looked at one another in a mix of concern and surprise.

Gero in a sounding empty voice "Do you have anyone you care about Lieutenant William Stryker?"

The room became ice cold in seconds. Bill was taken aback but kept it together while Frank was considering just taking him out of the room, but this was too important.

"Hey, I ask the questions around here and how do you know my name?"

"Your father is UNIT Colonel Nathaniel Stryker noted militarist. Subject to multiple accolades and awards. A real cold warrior. Your mother Martha maiden name Lee. She is a home maker and very religious. Your brother George Stryker. He is a stockbroker in East City. You are Lieutenant William Stryker originally you wanted to be a preacher but instead went to UNIT to follow in your father's footsteps. You know about us and we know about you. Now do you have anyone you care about?"

Bill had on a nervous smile. Gero had hit home and he was trying to not show it. "That's not how this works."

"Is it? Do you even know how this works?" His words were like daggers said without emotion or effort. Bill had no retort. "I didn't think so."

Bill now angry said "Maybe we show talk about you two dead sons?"

Gero eye once again right eye twitched and with stoic calm said, "One bad day that all it takes."

Bill confused at the statement "What?"

"One bad day. The world goes from making all the sense to none. I think everyone needs their one bad day Billy boy. It gives people perspective. Let's you see who you really are. Red was the only one that took my work seriously. I was a pariah in the scientific community because of my experiments. Brief wanted nothing to do with me. I was called Doctor Frankenstein. Until I made a deal with the devil. She was pregnant. I needed money. It's not an excuse just a reason. I used to care. You people took my son away from me. Kami took my wife, but the devil gave me my new son and then you took him away. The lot of you are but shadows on the wall but he was the reality. A culmination of every dream I had. The beyond man, a god on Earth and you killed him like always do. I thought Adrian dying was my one bad day, but I stand corrected. I am going to hurt everyone you care about. I'm going to make it slow and I'm going to make you watch. It's going to happen when you feel the safest when you think me dead or ash upon the wind. I'm going to hurt you whether or not I'm living or dead and hurt you badly. Just you wait and see."

Gero eyes shifted as he seemed to sink back into whatever mental coma that he was in. Bill was stunned and so was everybody else.

Frank had made up his mind to get him out as Bill started losing his cool trying to talk to the doctor. Pulling, yelling and quite ready to bash his skull in. Frank basically had to pull him into the hallway and restrain him.

Frank angrily shouted at him "Stop and think for a second!"

Bill yelled back "I'm going to fucking kill him!"

Frank gave him smack to face to Bill's shock. "Get your head on straight!"

Bill began to calm down as the guards brought out Gero who had a red mark on his face where Bill punched him repeatedly. It was more than likely going to leave a bruise.

"What the hell are you thinking! You just tried to kill a tier one asset!

Bill coming back to himself was practically stuttering "I… He… I… Those!" He took a deep breath as he stabilized.

Frank let go of him seeing that he had calmed down. "I got it. He got under your skin. But you can't do that if we were cops, we'd have to let him go. Luckily were not and that man is a mass murderer, so no one is going to shed a tear. But killing a resource like him at the very least is grounds for dismissal, worst case treason and a court-martial followed by a firing squad. Do you understand!?"

Bill ashamed and embarrassed "Yeah… Yeah I understand."

Frank sighed "It's okay. It happens to the best of us. No one needs to know, and no real damage done." Frank looked at him curiously.

"What?"

"I think that's the first-time kid I heard you swear. Not even when we were about to be nuked."

Bill laughed and then blushed when he realized the position he was in "Yeah I guess it was. I can't belief that slap worked."

"Yeah me too that only normal works in old black and white movies."

"Yeah." Bill couldn't help but think about what usually came after the slap.

Frank seeming flushed too let him go. "Alright I'll get you a drink and we'll forget about this."

Bill nervously stated "I don't drink."

"Then I'll get you a coke or something. You realize how annoying it is have a friend that won't drink, swear or anything like that?" He patted him on the back then placed his arm his head turning him towards were they were going to which Bill cringed a bit.

Down the halls they went until they got to one of the cafeterias. Frank had his dinner of a scotch on the rocks while Bill had a coke and some spaghetti. When Bill was finishing up a thought occurred to him.

"Boss…"

Frank interrupting "I hate when you call me that but continue."

"Well Frank so why are you always here?"

Frank sighed and smirked a bit "That's not what really asking."

Bill wondered in his head whether he could be a good agent if he was so transparent.

Bill playing dumb "What am I asking?"

"Listen kid. I know you have your family and your girlfriend but let me tell you this. This ain't the kind of nine to five shit where you get to go home every night. I figured you would have gotten that from your old man. It's all of running around and is filled with a lot of moment that you don't think you're going to make it out of. It takes a whole lot and not many are willing to stick around for that. Other people are at best a hindrance or distraction at worse a fatal weakness since psychopaths can use them against you. Case in point the little incident today. Dragging someone into my shit isn't fair. And as for mom and dad, well they ain't around anymore so no problem there."

Bill thinking 'Well that explains the drinking. Wait someone?'

Bill was about to ask another question that had been on his mind when he was stopped. There was shake the lights above flicker. In the distance it sounded like a bomb had gone off. Frank practically jumped out of his chair and had his pistol out as the alarms went off. Bill was a lot slower and as he got up the intercom turned on.

A robotic sounding man said "Attention, Attention we have a breach at the front gate an unknown amount of hostile have seized the entrance. All security personal report to your stations. All civilian personal proceeded with a lockdown. Attention…"

Before the voice even finish the second attention Frank looked at Bill and yelled as the various soldiers and staff were getting up and moving. "Get to the armory and get the gun in the case marked DAVID!" Bill wanted to ask him why but before he did. Frank continued. "Bring it to the prison black asap. I'll be waiting!"

With that Frank was gone running down the halls to the prison block as the stunned Bill ran to do what he was told.

Gunfire was ringing out everywhere. It all sounded like panicked fire to Bill. As he was running by a security station, he got a look a one of the cameras. It was of the scene at the entrance.

A small boy was standing in the middle of a hail of gunfire in all black with taller black suited figures behind. The area was covered in smoke and dust and hard to see. But the boy had on a gas masks with hair defiantly jutting out between the straps of the mask.

Behind him he could see a tail. He pointed his finger as the cameras went dead and another explosion went off. He could hear screams off in the distance.

It was the boy from the Tournament he knew it, but Bill had already guessed it. Here for the doctor and Green.

Bill didn't know what 'DAVID' was but hopefully it would stop him. Bill felt like he should be scared but he wasn't. The sounds of the screams only made him want to turn around and help. He didn't even remember his name at the moment his legs seemed to move by themselves only fueled on by adrenaline.

It was a feat of near acrobatics as he burst into the armory dodging the soldiers who were gearing up and storming out. He didn't know how but despite all of the confusion he found a case marked 'DAVID' in it was a hand cannon. It looked like it would hurt to fire it not that Bill cared.

It read 'SLINGSHOT' and it had only one round. It looked maybe .50 caliber, but this was no normal bullet. It glowed, it gave off heat, it was blue, and It read 'ROCK' in white on its side.

He grabbed the pistol and threw in the bullet, it locked with a snap. It was like all the power in world was now in his hand. He felt like trembling, but it wasn't the time of it. Frank and the free world were at stake he thought as he held it in his hand.

The door slammed shut behind Frank as the guards took their places as from the plexiglass of their cell doors Green and Gero looked on. The cell block had no cover. He threw his back to the wall adjacent to the door as it blew open.

The metal door landed on some of the guards crushing them. It was a blast door made to take a missile and it did jack shit.

Frank even wondered if the weapon would do the trick. The guards open up but were dead in seconds as the boy strolled in. Frank could his breathing even with the mask it sounded pained.

The palm haired monster looked at him. He could tell it was smiling even with the mask. He was alive because it wanted an audience maybe. His gun was forced out of his hand by the explosion not that it would have mattered.

He heard more gun fire as a figure in an armored black suit came up behind him. Kakarrot turned to see the now lit up face of Gero. Kakarrot went to remove his mask as the other masked figure said to him. "Been a while huh Frankie boy."

The mask fell off of the talker and was revealed to be Teal. "If I recall it correctly it was when I plunged my knife into your last charity case before escaping prison." He chuckled. "I guess things do change. Now I'm breaking in."

Frank wanted to go for his pistol, but Teal had him dead to rights and he was on the ground. There was a hissing noise and the door to the cells fell down the steel melted beautiful done.

"I always saw myself as big brother willing to lead a hand to a brother in need."

Frank looked to see the boy his face was covered with bandages. Someone had really fucked him up royally. Shame he thought whoever it was didn't finish the job.

The half-starved old man rushed to his grandson and began to look him over. Green was skipping as he left his cell.

"I was wondering when my loyal young ward was going to come to my rescue. Took yah long enough."

"Sorry general. I was enjoying the peace and quiet. Also thought it was funny if they thought torture could get anything out of you."

Frank incensed "We're not savages like you we don't torture."

"So, you still do know how to talk old buddy."

Teal and Frank stared daggers at one another. Kakarrot might have wanted an audience but Teal could kill him at any second. It was over and Frank knew it. There was a bullet in Teal's pistol with his name on it. This was overtime.

"You really think you can escape. How do you know that we haven't recruited the fighters from the Tournament? Or made some knew weapon? I knew you were coming maybe I made some plans."

Green sighed. Gero wasn't listening and Kakarrot didn't bother to react.

Teal snickered "You really suck at lying you know that. It's over good guy zip, bad guys one. As we speak my boys and girl have secured our exit and we're going to be on our way. Now I just deal with you…"

Teal was interrupted. Out of the room and behind the wall was Bill. He had been listening. Having taken Frank advice to assess the situation before acting. Teal was distracted. Green was probably looking at Frank. Gero was fussing over monkey boy and his focus was on Gero. Time was to take the shot.

Bill charged to the opening from the hall to see his target. Kakarrot wasn't looking, he was completely off guard. Life seemed moved in slow motion for Bill. While running he lined up the shot. He pointed it right at his palm haired head. But while he pointed, he heard a gunshot from Teal. He knew what had happen but acting on instinct he looked instead of taking the shot.

Teal had shot Frank in the chest moment that Bill had burst in. Teal was on the ball seeing Bill first and was swerving to shoot Bill. Kakarrot having heard this pushed Gero off of him as Bill fired.

The head turn before the firing gave the monster that extra millisecond enough to dodge it. It went flying through his hair taking a wad of raven hair with it. It moved faster than a normal bullet as it went slamming into the metal and concrete walls. It was like a mini nuke going off as the bullet on impact turned into an explosion of energy.

Bill couldn't even have the time to realize he missed as he heard a bang and a jolt of pain took the right side of his back. Teal had shot him firing from the hip. Bill's legs were still moving as he was too preoccupied trying to kill Kakarrot. The combination made him trip.

Bill looked at Teal and Frank as he fell. Frank went for his gun, but Teal spun back around and shot him right between the eyes. Frank head practically exploding was the last thing Bill as he hit the floor. Having spun mid-air Bill land face first slamming his head into a chuck of jagged metal debris.

The adrenaline still pumping he didn't really feel it as a piece of the pipe went straight into his right eye and the eye went oozing out of him.

He just sort of felt himself vibrate and his right eye stopped sending pictures. He was still trying to process what in the fuck just happened as he was kick to his back.

It was Kakarrot. His eyes were red. He must have taken almost dying quite personally. Bill's brain hadn't come back to reality as Kakarrot was about to rip his heart from his chest.

"WAIT!" Kakarrot stopped and looked at Gero. "I made him a promise that I intend to keep."

Bill felt lite headed as the boy hissed angrily looked at him then turned from him. He passed out bleeding as the Ribbons left him.

Was the eye stuff too much? Sigh oh well.