Chapter Text
Mutation Eco-Terrorist Escapes Prison
New York Times
Yesterday evening was the setting for an incident at the Brookside Federal Penitentiary at Pompton Lakes, New Jersey. After an explosion, a riot apparently broke out. After one hour of intense conflict, order was restored. Fifteen prisoners were injured and two were killed. Five guards were injured in the riot. However only one prisoner escaped: Alexandra Springer.
Springer was the former leader of S.C.A.L.E., a radical animal rights organization dedicated to the liberation of mutations. She was incarcerated several months ago for crimes against the U.S. military. An investigation is currently underway to find this individual, who has been designated as a terrorist by the FBI.
It should be noted that Rikers Island Jail was also subject to a similar incident three days ago. Although the attackers were not identified, the only escapee was inmate Jonathan Insley, founder and former CEO of American Technologies. Insley was reportedly awaiting trial for genetic experimentation with intent to commit terrorism. Official statements have yet to confirm whether this prior attack was also conducted by the same party which had liberated Springer.
If you have any information regarding the whereabouts of Alexandra Springer or Jonathan Insley, please contact the authorities using the numbers provided.
Jonathan Insley's Journal
Date: June 28
Less than a day since these S.C.A.L.E. radicals have freed me from prison and already they have a list of demands. All I remember when I was taken from prison was a sack over my head. Most of what happened after that was a blur as I was dragged around. I remember a distinct sensation of getting dragged onto something metallic on the water. A boat perhaps? Regardless, the blindfold was only taken off upon reaching this laboratory.
I was quite surprised that my captors were able to provide the resources for me to even address their bizarre wishlist. This laboratory they have 'acquired' certainly exceeds the capabilities of my last facility and my liberators promised a superior security system. I asked them how this was possible, but all I was met with was vague answers and deflections. S.C.A.L.E. offered me a simple ultimatum: stay and meet their demands or be delivered back to prison. As if the choice was difficult.
Date: June 29
My first assignment was to develop an engineered creature for S.C.A.L.E., one to serve as their loyal attack dogs for their operations. The creatures I crafted, labeled as 'Vanguards' on the extremists' list, did not actually use dogs as the base template, but instead a species of desert kangaroo rat, upon which I imparted traits of canids, armadillos and dolphins. The resulting transgenic stands four feet high, its long hopping legs capable of reaching speeds of up to 40 mph and making twenty foot high jumps. The armadillos provide them with natural armor which I augmented to stand up against human weaponry, while the dogs lent an increase in intelligence, pack cohesion, and cooperation. The dolphin genes were modified to confer a specific advantage to the creature- ranged weaponry. A Vanguard can release a focused ultrasonic howl that can incapacitate a human from several meters away. In my experience, a spliced creature of this size is an experiment, but perhaps one to stretch my legs in a figurative sense. Still, the first specimens will take a day or so to develop. If my modifications are correct, the creature should prove easy to train.
The longer I have lingered with S.C.A.L.E. the more I seem to question their ideology. For animal activists, they seem to have no qualms with me using genetic engineering to create mutations. One would think that they would find me as unconscionable, playing God with nature's children. My captors have refused to speak up on this contradiction yet, and I fear the moment I bring it up they would do away with me. Better to keep my head down until their leader arrives.
Date: July 1
Today I met S.C.A..L.E.'s leader, Alexandra Springer. She carried the charisma and authority of a rebel leader effectively, securing the zealous loyalty of her followers. I could guess she came from a background of military training. Despite her intimidating first impression, she was open to answer many of the questions I left unvoiced.
According to her, this facility was on a remote island in the Sargasso Sea. Any attempts to resist or escape would be fruitless, but frankly anything was better than rotting in a cell. It struck me as peculiar that her assets were vast for someone who also had recently escaped from prison. The woman explained to me that one of the members she managed to sway to her cause with her environmentalist rhetoric was a multimillionaire who had lent them their own private island to use as a base of operations for their righteous campaign. This greatly complemented what few resources she managed to retain after her arrest- the government seized most of her military-grade hardware and property while she was incarcerated.
Springer herself related to me her own attack on the government's secret Monster Island. Despite her raid's ultimate failure, I was indeed impressed at her little band's ability to infiltrate and debilitate a highly-classified and protected military accomplishment was certainly convincing me that S.C.A.L.E. was no mere rabble of radicalized activists. With the proper resources and the right strategy, they could deal a tremendous blow.
But why choose a bio-engineer to craft your own mutations? That paradox was the question I was most reluctant to ask to my ideologically-driven warden. Springer's answer was somewhat religious in its articulation. In her own words, my creations would be the 'chosen agents of Nature' - born to deliver our world to the mutations. She assured me that the creatures I produced were not mere tools, but once we had succeeded in clearing away humanity's destructive influence on our planet, they would roam free as one of the many new inheritors of the future. Her ramblings sounded as profound as they were mad, but I saw the elements of truth beneath.
Regardless of what that fool Tatopoulos says, I still believe that humanity is still on the course towards a mechanized armageddon. The growing reliance on computers to run our lives has made it that much clear. While I find it hard-pressed to agree with Springer's assertions that mutations are the future of this world, I would concede to her that it would be better to let nature run the course of this planet than let mankind destroy it with technology. Perhaps the way to force mankind to humble itself from our own gluttony is to let these creatures bring us to our knees. After all, they only came about because of the consequences of our technology, our recklessness.
If this is how Nature chooses to contend with the arrogance of humanity, then perhaps S.C.A.L.E. and I are not so different than I initially believed.
Date: July 4
Springer took the Vanguards with her for a field test, raiding a Solstice Technologies factory and disrupting their presentation of high-tech military vehicles on the 4th of July parade. The fanatics even offered me the privilege of watching their handiwork on the news. The Vanguards' loyalty to their masters and their effectiveness on the field proved to be a boon to the terrorists, as evidenced by their own testimonies. Given how Winter has taken the media's attention with his garish machines and "Destroy all Monsters" campaign, it's no surprise that he has earned the enmity of my hosts. But according to Springer, my work on the Vanguards and this raid were merely the first step in their righteous crusade to deliver our world to her revered mutations.
As I watched firefighters put out the flames of the burning factory, I thought back to my prior years in the tech industry. My company was on a good upward trend as our computers were becoming one of the popular models for the business market. I remembered my bitterness as Winter swept through the competition, including my own company. A rising star and media darling, the face of 21st-century American innovation, the magazines once called him. His stratospheric rise helped spur on my initial disillusionment about our technological advancement, my reason for starting the D.R.A.G.M.A. project. Ah my D.R.A.G.M.A.s, thanks to the loathsome H.E.A.T. destroying my data, any hope of recreating them is impossible now.
Springer gave a rousing speech to her followers in celebration of their attack, promising justice for Winter's "cruelty to Nature's children". She made it a point to reiterate the difference between my Vanguards and ICE's engineered creatures too. Winter created his beasts to bring him fame and profit, while I was manifesting the 'Chosen Ones' as ordained by Mother Nature (again with the strange religious overtones). But Springer also warned that they had more enemies than H.E.A.T. and Solstice to contend with, many forces that would seek to destroy the mutations they intend to protect. The road to salvation was never going to be smooth, an experience I learned first-hand.
There was much work to be done, but Springer operated with a sense of vision that had me believe that there was a slim chance at success.
Telephone Call Transcript - Alaska to Monster Island
Call Recipients:
*Nick Tatopoulos
*Maj. Anthony Hicks
{Start of call}
Maj. Hicks: Nick? What's the situation?
Nick Tatopoulos: No mutations today, Major. Did you see the news?
Maj. Hicks: You mean the parade attack? I don't like it anymore than you, Worm Guy.
Nick Tatopoulos: First Springer and Insley were both broken out separately. Even though it happened a few days apart, it still smells like a planned operation. Now they attack a Solstice factory and make a showing at the New York parade. This isn't something random, nor would I expect it to remain an isolated incident.
Maj. Hicks: No it's not. They're doing it to send a message. Now it's not my place to help the police or the FBI on this, Nick. But they wouldn't be stupid to try another raid on Monster Island. She won't have any tools to pull a stunt like that again.
Nick Tatopoulos: That might be, but that doesn't mean S.C.A.L.E. isn't going to try and restock, gather up some momentum before she tries to 'liberate' Monster Island again.
Maj. Hicks: If they try, we'll be ready. In the meantime, maybe your French agent could help Interpol track them down before they make another hit.
Nick Tatopoulos: She could, but that's not my call to make unfortunately. I hate to say this Major, but unless the authorities can track them down in time, they'll be laying low until they decide to strike again.
Maj. Hicks: If only it was as easy as spotting them at a street rally or protest like most of those environmental yahoos.
Nick Tatopoulos: No it wouldn't. And now that they've announced their presence they'll be focused on maintaining that low profile. Maybe they'll stage another intervention at the next mutation incident.
Maj. Hicks: Yeah they might. Keep an eye out, Worm Guy. When it comes to groups like S.C.A.L.E., they know how to play the long game.
Nick Tatopoulos: I will, Major. Good night.
{End of call}
A/N:
Ta-da! S.C.A.L.E. is back with a returning face! If you thought Winter and the monster-of-the-week were the only things to worry about, you were dead wrong, hahaha! There's a whole new arc brewing around these nutty whackos, plenty of cool stuff in the works. I hope I've conveyed a sense that there's more to S.C.A.L.E. than what Insley is made privy to, questions and mysteries to be answered later.
The Vanguards were harder to create than you'd think. Initially I planned them to just be mutant dogs, but that was far too generic. A mutant hopping rat would stick out more, I felt. And of course, expect Insley to churn out more mutant monsters as well!
See you next time!