The walls of this prison were thick and cold. Chains bound the hands and feet of the prisoners any time they were going to leave their cells. A tiny window, covered with thick bars, allowed a pitiful streak of sunlight into the otherwise dismal place. On the bed, chained to the wall, sat a heavy-set man with long, thinning hair, unkempt face, and thick glasses.
“Hey, Osteen, lunch will be half an hour late.” A guard passed by.
“It’s Doctor Osteen! Doctor Jason Osteen!”
The guard scoffed as he left, not acknowledging this.
Dr. Osteen glared at the chains binding his hands. He was put in these an hour ago, waiting to be led to the lunchroom. But, once again, they are late and he sits here hating his life.
There was a sudden sound of a helicopter. This was a no-fly zone, so this interested him.
“Probably some high risker,” He muttered.
The helicopter landed right outside his window, in the small yard inside the prison walls. At first there was shouting and then gunfire. Dr. Osteen dove under his cot and trembled, not sure what was going on. The gunfire grew and then sirens screamed from every corner of this place.
“What
the heck is going on!” He yelled.
“Dr. Osteen?” One asked as he scanned the area.
“That’s me.” He slowly scooted out from under his bed.
“No! I’m doc Osteen!” The man in the cell next to him, who was now looking through the newly opened hole, yelled.
The man in black looked at a small screen on his wrist and then swiftly shot the other prisoner in the skull, killing him. Without missing a beat, he turned and said, “come with us.”
“Why?”
Yelling and feet trampling across the ground came from the other side of the bars. The prison security was rushing in.
The soldier said, “our organization will trade your freedom for some help with a project. Otherwise, I have to kill you for seeing us.”
Dr. Osteen got the message and was quickly to his feet. In no time, they got him out of his cell and into their special helicopter. The prison guards arrived and fired at them, but these soldiers fired back, killing ten men in less than a minute.
***
“I said no,” Chase stated as she walked down the corridor of the BADGE station.
EB hopped along, bouncing high enough to meet her eye to eye every other bounce. “But, why not? Valentines is just around the corner.”
Chase turned down another hall, heading for the classrooms. “I just don’t think I want to go on a date with a bunny.”
“Come on. I’m no ordinary bunny. I’m THE Easter Bunny. I mean, I am like super famous, fabulously wealthy, and you will get the best chocolate you’ve ever had.”
“Oh, sure.” He snapped his fingers, and a colorful egg appeared, which he presented to her.
She took it, unwrapped part of it, and chomped down. “I don’t have to date you to get chocolate.”
“Rats. Okay, fine. That’s no big deal. But, think about it, I can pay for any place you want to go. Paris for dinner or a happening five star place in Singapore. Oh, oh, oh, I know, there’s this place where they make incredible steaks in Tokyo.”
Chase paused, “you eat meat?”
“Just because I look like an herbivore doesn’t mean I only eat salads. I like a good steak now and then. I am an ancient, magical being from another world.”
Chase continued on her way, “I forget that some days. Then again, I start conversations with animals only to remember that they are just dumb animals. My life has gotten so weird.”
They both stopped beside a closed door. EB said, “just think about it. What other choices do you have? A hunky stone statue that has a crush on you... wait, that doesn’t help my case.”
Chase leaned over and patted his head, “okay, I’ll think about it. Right now, you have a class to teach on arcane powers and how to combat them.”
EB smiled, “yup. My first class... hope I do well.”
“Just, focus. Don’t go down any rabbit holes.” she grinned.
He rolled his eyes, “you were just waiting for a chance to use that one, weren’t you?”
“Yup.” She pressed the button on the door and it opened. Inside was a large, theater style classroom filled with people who have just discovered their new powers.
EB hopped in, “good morning class. I am The Easter Bunny, no I won’t sign autographs… right now that is. Now, lets get to know you...”
Chase let the door close and went on her way. She pondered how well EB could teach a class. He was smarter than people realized and extremely clever, but he had a wandering mind and could get sidetracked so easily.
Just then her wrist comm buzzed. Nova’s voice came over it, “Chase, Gar, report to Operations right away.”
Chase walked out of the lift into the Operations center. Nova and Gar were already there, standing in front of the monitor. When Gar saw her, he would smile and his wings would lift slightly.
Nova waved her over. “We have a problem to deal with.”
Chase approached saying, “good morning to you too.”
“No time for pleasantries. Comm, put her through.” He nodded toward a robot at the computer.
On the main monitor appeared the office of Prime Minister for Onnotangu, Minister Shizue sitting at her desk.
“Oh, good morning, Chase, it is good to see you again.”
Chase bowed slightly, “Prime Minister, I’m pleased to see you as well.”
Nova asked, “please explain the situation to them.”
“Of course.” She pressed a button on her desk and the face of Dr. Osteen appeared, wearing an orange jumpsuit with a line of numbers under him. “This is Doctor Jason Osteen. He once worked for the leader of this nation before his fall. Dr. Osteen is a brilliant man with several doctorates and many patents to his name.”
Chase asked, “what about him?”
“This morning, there was a jailbreak, and he escaped a high security prison.”
Gar asked, “why tell us? He isn’t a meta human.”
Nova answered, “the break out was orchestrated by what they reported as an elite team of specialists. They murdered dozens of guards and a few prisoners, then left.”
Shizue added, “we have found no trace of anything at the scene to identify them. The security cameras were all disabled at the same time. They left no evidence at the scene to help. They left no one who saw them close up alive to talk.”
“This is serious.” Chase commented.
“More than you know.” Shizue said, “Dr. Osteen worked for our former leader in developing some of the most powerful and hideous weapons. He was the one who helped design those awful guns that vaporize meta humans. His work with genetics is legendary and terrible. He experimented on prisoners in our state prisons for projects that we still haven’t been able to fully understand. The only reason anyone would want him out of that prison is to use him to further evil plans.”
Nova asked, “could one of the generals under the former leader of North Onnotangu be a part of this?”
“I doubt it. Most of them died during the battle with Krampus and Skelanimal here. However, I cannot confirm this is impossible. All I know is that he must be found and whatever work he is doing must be stopped.”
Nova looked at Chase and Gar, “I’m sending you two down to that prison to help investigate and find out what is going on. I want to know who is behind this.”
Shizue said, “the prison is a special location only known to the Onnotangu government... or so I thought. It was once a place for political prisoners of the state. We have used it to imprison the villains who persecuted our people. I will send you the coordinates. Please, do what you can to stop him.”
Nova handed Chase a special tablet that held the information. “Head down to the docking bay. One of our stealth shuttles will take you there. Do not tell anyone about this yet. I am not sure who we can trust.”
“Understood.”
0 Comments