The New Vanguard! Miss Victory issue #2 Fighting for the Flag... AND her life!!!

"He ... got the ... (OH!) ... runs," Miss Victory gasped in her bad porn actress style, hoping the bright red face of embarrassment would be mistaken for passion.  She will never EVER tell her husband about this part of the adventure.  NEVER!!!!

"H-he didn't make the ba - AH! throom in time.  Check the shower room!  He OH! Said he had the floor covered."

NEVER EVER!!!!!!

The woman looked at the gyrating women and the motionless men and muttered "Reminds me of my ex husband. He was no good in the sack either."

"Just get finished and get out there! If the boss catches you he'll flay you ALL alive! Blackrock included!"

She shut the door and voices passed by. It seemed they'd left one person to guard the stairwell from the complaining.

Magma Girl shoved the prisoner off her and shuddered. "I need a shower!" she mumbled. Irradiator painfully got to her feet and moved to the door. "Just one guard. No idea who he is. Isn't a musclebound jerk like that one." she said of the guy Miss Victory had been manhandling. "You looked like you were *cough* enjoying that." she wheezed and grinned, but pulled a face as something inside went tight. Looking at her hand she wiped it on her overalls leg. Miss Victory saw a smear of blood. "We need to get out of here. If its too late for me I'll hold them off for as long as I can until... until you know."

Magma Girl glanced at Miss V then spoke up "We're all getting out of here, and turning over a new leaf! Isn't that right?"

Miss Victory was looking past Magma Girl at the prisoner stood in the open doorway...

OOC He's a guy late thirties early forties in prison orange. Thinning hair, wonky teeth, average office worker type except if he's in here he's done something to warrant been thrown in the slammer and having powers removed. Which are now back, whatever they are...

"WE DO NOT EVER SPEAK OF THIS. EVER!" Miss Victory says with a hard smile.

ooc: With her medical knowledge which is about what most doctors have, if we can get Irradiator to a Med Bay or hospital equivalent, does she have a shot at saving her life or at least prolonging it so it will take a few hours before she starts bleeding again? If we combine her medical skills with Damage Transference? I don't know if throwing Scientist and Bio-Chemist into the mix would help as well or not. And if she can do this, it also means her Vita Pill's time will run out and she will need another pill. Which she doesn't have. So she needs to make more or go hunt for her pills wherever they are, which is nearly impossible to do.

"Do you know him," she asks Magma Girl, "know what he can do? Maybe we can get him to help?"

"Huh ladies. Lil old me? They call me Creepy Crawly, cause I have the powers of insects, magnified!" he says.

"Looks pretty creepy to me. I'll punch his lights out and..." started Irradiator.

Magma Girl shouts up "Wait!"

"You have a choice here Mister Crawley. You can help us and forever we'll be in your debt..." she turns and mouths 'look sexy' then looks back at the horrible little man "Or we can beat your brains in and stomp you like a bug. Your choice, but I'd like you to be a friend." she said.

Irradiator rolled her eyes. "Persuasion isn't her strong point." she quipped to Miss Victory.

Crawleys roving eyes lingered over the three ladies and the clearly 'exhausted' two men on the bunks.

"What happened to them? Where's Blackrock?" he asks.

"We wore them out! A man with the uh, power, of insects would be longer lasting, surely! You can find out, and so can we... but we need help first."

OOC The med bays in this place will be advanced computer doctors designed to treat all manner of superhumans, even depowered ones. Because the occupants of this place come in all shapes and sizes the smartest super brains on the planet had to come up with something super to fix them. If they can't save the person they can put them in suspended animation tanks which holds them indefinitely... and holds those very very dangerous individuals who for some reason are immune to power drain or neutralisation, and there are a few. Some of those are the most horrible, nasty critters in here and that is saying something. If Miss V feels like she's been through a ringer she does NOt want to meet those ... 'people'.

"Say ladies." said the horrible greasy little man. "What was that you were saying about gettin out o here? And if ah help you, what will you do fer me? An what is it you want?"

"Irradiator is hurt, we need to get her to a med bay without having to fight off every man in sight," Miss Victory says after taking a big breath. "If you can help with that ... we would be ... grateful."

Meanwhile, Miss Victory is screaming in her head "I am a happily married woman! This is as disgusting as what I went through back in Russia. I'm so going to need my husband to spend hours and hours holding and comforting me if I ever get out of here alive."

"I can do that. But I'll need payin." said Creepy Crawly. "I ain't out fer anyone but myself. Any one of you ladies is fine fer a down payment but what I really want is outta here. You promise that, you make it happen?"

"Then I'll help ya."

Magma Girl looked alarmed. She turned her face away, hand to her mouth. Irradiator started glowing green with anger.

She glowered at the creepy prisoner. "We'll need to confer. Stay there."

Turning to Miss Victory and Magma Girl she huddled in. "No way are ANY of us going with that creep! I'm loathe ta get him out of here too. I mean... he's creepy now, what if he's even creepier out there? We've all made mistakes, no one is perfect, but I'd rather die than get that clown out of here to do... who knows what. He makes my skin crawl!"

Magma Girl pondered then spoke "But if he can guide us to a med bay where we can heal you, you'll survive your injuries! Without it you'll die!"

That quietened Irradiator down. "What do you think Miss V?"

Miss Victory looks over at the man.

"I can't guarantee anything but I do promise to get you to the best place I can," she says. "A place where a man like you should be. After all, if it was easy to get out of here, we would be long gone by now. That good enough for you?"

Crawley looks over the three women. Slowly. deliberately.

Finally he agrees "I gotta warn ya, you cross me and you'll regret it. Everyone thinks I'm a joke but the jokes always been on them when they pushed me."

Magma Girl smiled awkwardly and hugged herself.

"So, med bay huh?" he said, popping his head out of the corridor. "360 degree vision, don't leave home without it" he chuckles. "This way ladies."

He walked out of the room.

Irradiator turns to Miss Victory "I can't believe we're trusting him! Why not just put him down and make our own way? All of us are powerful in our own way. Blackrock was supposed to be this big bad and he's ... he's gone. The other two..." she looked at the men on the beds. "Went pretty much the same way. We could FIGHT our way through this place, but I don't have any idea on how to get out!"

Magma Girl looked doubtful "We should be quiet. You never know, insects might have super ears too..."

All three looked at each other.

Follow Crawley to the med bay - if that was his plan - or make their own way...?

"I've lost one comrade trying to fight through, not going to lose another if there is another way," Miss Victory says quietly. She picks up Irradiator and follows Crawley.

Irradiator is glad for the help and doesn't complain when Miss Victory scoops her up.

Magma Girl is less than convinced and constantly looks about, nervous.

The first 'test' comes when a group of three prisoners walks towards them down a corridor. For the most part the cell doors had been ajar or closed and many prisoners were sat or lying on their bunks. After all when you were locked in a prison and given free rein, the initial instinct would be to go crazy and trash the place. When the place in question was completely invulnerable to any sort of fire or damage in any way up to and including nuclear munitions, the running riot part wore off after a while.

The canteen and kitchen areas were a mess, and some offices had been trashed but when the place was generally paper free and the worst they could do was break stuff they might need, even the most stupid of prisoners eventually realised or were put in their place by the smarter ones.

As usual there was a pecking order to establish, a code, a way that things were. That usually meant the worst, the most powerful, the most brutal, rose to the top and everyone else learned to go with the flow or fight against it.

Each level in the prison had sealed itself from others and fought for their own turf. When prisoners knew each other it was easier to form bonds and so level five (OOC I need to check actually to make sure which level you are on. LH is 3 but our heroine doesn't know that! She might want to figure out a way to find out though...) was devoted to the retention and protection of what they owned. Level four and six might try to take their stuff, or batter the leaders and force them into slavery...

The place was in chaos and Miss Victory thought about that. Chaos was a GOOD thing in here. If the superhumans in here were all on the same hymn sheet... Oh boy. That would be one of the most powerful concentrated forces on planet Earth!

Suddenly cooping up hundreds of superhuman criminals in the same place did not seem like a great idea!

"Where you going with these?" asked the prisoner. Crawley turned about then grinned with yellowed crooked teeth at Miss Victory.

"They want me to lead them to a med bay but I figure the best way would be to drag their sorry asses to the boss! GET THEM!" he cackled

Her initial reaction is to stomp Crawley like ... a bug! But fighting hasn't gotten her anywhere. Maybe this time...

"Okay, we surrender, no need for rough stuff. I just want to get my friend some medical help before she dies," Miss Victory says out-loud, shooting Magma Girl a look that said "Stand down". "You let us help her and we will go quietly to your boss. Deal?"

ooc: If not, she is gonna pound on Crawley first after putting Irradiator down. stats still the same, no change. Trying to save Irradiator's life is her highest priority right now. She was also hoping a certain Ghost in the Shel ... er computer would have been able to get in touch with her in the med bay and maybe tell her where the new hero is at and maybe direct him to her.

Crawley grinned as Magma Girl tried to keep her fiery temper under control.

"That one is injured. Needs taking to the med bay. Let's get the others to the boss." he cackles.

A prisoner who towers over Crawley and looks down on him.



"These women put their trust in you, and you betrayed them?" he growled.

Crawley cackled. "You don't scare me Jones! The boss will reward me! You'll see! lay a finger on me and you'll regret it!"

Jones snarled then turned "Ladies, we'll get your friend to the med bay. We have some people there who have been figuring it out. I'm gonna have to ask that you don't try anything, including using your powers. If you do that I'll try to guarantee your safety. If not, well, it's gonna get messy and this whole place is a powder keg. We need less trouble, not more."

He looked at Crawley. "You're slime, but maybe you did ok bringing this to us. We'll see."

"Yeah yeah Jones. You think you're a big man round here but when the boss sees what I brought him I'll be important round here, an' you'll have ta be nice ta me!" he cackled. "Or else."

Jones was unimpressed. His incredible physique and muscle on muscle was more impressive but he didn't use it to threaten or bully. "Ladies, what will it be? Help your friend and come along quietly? That may mean cuffing you unfortunately. The boss is paranoid, and rightly so. We had some level 6 try something a few hours ago and security is heightened. This place will soon break out in all out war!"

"No cuffs? That means we sort it out here and now."

The other two prisoners spread out slightly.

"Your call lady. Your're a looker an' I learned to trust my instincts. They say you are a power. I respect that, but I got power too..."

"I'm a doctor," Miss Victory says to the big man, "Unless those at the medbay are doctors too, they won't be able to save Irradiator's life. You let me do what I need to do in the Med Bay, we will go quietly to your boss afterwards. Deal? Of course, no promise to what happens to Crawley ... later."

using Charisma to try to convince everyone including Magma Girl to let her save Irradiator peacefully.

Jones sucked in a breath. "Wait here. You." he said to one of the other prisoners. "Go get word to Warlock. Tell him to get down to the med bay. Bring reinforcements. There's a situation."

Crawley snarled and hissed "You fool! You can't trust her! She'll try something! They want to get out of here! She knows something! We should torture her and find out what she knows! She's powerful... I think they did something to Blackrock. No one has seen him."

"Blackrock? He's a scumbag anyway. Whatever he got, I'm sure he deserved." the big prisoner turned to stare Miss Victory in the eye. "Give me your word you'll not try anything and I'll take you all to the med bay now."

Miss Victory nodded.

"Good enough for me."

"Fool!" hissed Crawley!

The black man moved in the blink of an eye and grabbed Crawley by the throat holding him without effort against the wall. As he squirmed suddenly the folds of his clothes bulged and all manner of seething insects spilled forth, pouring onto the floor!

"Arrrgghh!" screamed Magma Girl and she backed up.

The black man leaned in. "All I need to do is squeeze, don't give me a reason scumbag."

He tossed Crawley to the floor and the insects swarmed over him, clustering about their master. Nonetheless he cringed as Jones walked past with the ladies and the other prisoner. Magma Girl shuddered. "He's going to be trouble."

More trouble as Irradiator stumbled and needed to be carried. She was slipping, fast!

=========

The Med bay could host only a couple of patients by the machines and facilities in there were impressive. A robotic doctor scanned the patient as Miss Victory carried her in and bid her be placed onto a gurney which was covered by an all over scanner.

"The Doctor will treat her. We wait till Warlock is here." said Jones with thick muscled arms crossed. "No funny business."

As the Doctor fussed over Irradiator and scanned her body Jones turned to Miss Victory. "I don't recognise you, and I'm sure I would have. Who are you? Which floor were you on before the breakout? What are your powers and what was that about getting out of here?"

"There are ... others ... outside," she says slowly as she follows what the Robot Doctor is doing, ready to step in if she thinks it is going the wrong way helping Irradiator, "Trying to get in. Heroes and Villains both. They are battling right now. Depending on who wins, depends on how we get out. You can call me Vickie. I'm new today. Bad timing, huh? Or good?"

She looks around to see if she could make more of her pills if she had the time here.

"Doctor, if you need more hands, I am qualified," she tells the robot, stepping a bit closer to watch what is going on.

The robot turns. "Prisoner Annie Thornton serial 137C3/4 codename Irradiator has internal injuries that require surgery. I will have to ask you to leave the room whilst I prep for surgery and the patient needs to be placed under general anaesthetic."

"My records have detailed files on each prisoner and their health requirements. My scans indicate extensive damage that will prove fatal unless treated."

It turned and addressed everyone. "Please leave the surgery area so I can prepare it for disinfectant and surgery to reduce the risk of infection. Thank you."

Miss Victory got the distinct impression the robot was programmed to keep patients alive and didn't care what they'd done or who they were.

"C'mon." said Jones. "Outside everyone!"

Jones stood in the corridor as everyone filed out. He seemed to have a presence, like a natural leader. In the corridor were more prisoners. Miss Victory counted at least half a dozen newcomers.

"Vickie I'm gonna tell you straight. Every level in this place has their factions an' some of them have battled against each other, established a pecking order and brought a bit of calm. I backed Warlock and trust him - as far as I trust anyone in here - to be fair. You be fair, and true with him and I'll try to make sure you get a chance to prove yourself. Problem is we've had floor six and four send in spies and people who want to infiltrate. Right now chances are you and your friends will simply be locked up in a cell until Warlock decides what to do with you."

There was a murmur and people started to go quiet.

Jones turned and cursed then spoke in an aside to Miss V. "Vickie, be cool. This guy is Class five, whatever that means. Blackrock challenged him and got a fast beatdown. Warlock spared him and set him to guarding the stairs like one o them other chumps. Like Crawley, to teach him a lesson."



"Obsidian." snarled the giant who filled much of the corridor. He stood over 7' tall, pretty much as wide and had an imposing presence. Jones nodded "Warlock." he responded. Warlock looked at Miss Victory and Magma Girl. "Well?" he asked of Miss Victory.

"I'm just trying to save my friend in there," Vickie says, nodding towards the Med Bay. "We three are just trying to survive, maybe find a way out and want nothin' to do with nobody. Ain't interested in faction fights."

She stands tall up to him, not giving an inch, and smiles at him in a friendly way, not seductive.

"Nuthin in this life comes fer free lady. That means you want somethin from me or my people on MY level, an you gotta do somethin' fer me. You do that we get along fine." growled the giant.

Obsidian/Jones spoke up "Blackrock's missing. Gone. We can't get the cameras working. We think someone has been messing in the main control room. Who did you send to speak for you? Maybe we need someone else stating our case?"

"Someone like you Obsidian?" glowered Warlock. To his credit Jones didn't flinch. Warlock smiled. "No. Keep your friends close, your enemies closer." the villain rumbled.

"So what, I'm an enemy?" growled Jones. Warlock took a step closer, looking down at the muscled criminal. "Everyone is a friend... until they turn into an enemy. Everyone has their price. I look around at all of you. You serve me because you respect my power. That's it. You don't get to stay top because you're nice. Nice guys finish last, or not at all. Remember that, and your place before you anger me Obsidian. You wouldn't like me when I'm angry."

Obsidian was clearly a tough guy but knew when he was outmatched. He broke off his stare and took a step back. The giant turned to Miss Victory.

"Tell me blonde lady. What happened to Blackrock?" he said, looking Miss Victory in the eye.

"Tell me blonde lady. What happened to Blackrock?" he said, looking Miss Victory in the eye.




She looks him right back in the eye.
"He got fresh and wouldn't take "NO" for an answer. Even then, he wouldn't back off, so he died," she replies coolly. "The same will happen to any other man who tries something like that on me or my girls. So sometimes, even Bad Guys finish last. You would do well to remember that."

"What are you trying to accomplish here anyway? Sent a spokesman to who and for what? And what exactly do you want me to do for you to repay you for letting the medbot save Irradiator's life? And if it is anything like what Blackrock wanted us to do ... well, you take your chances like he did."

She prepares to fight, just in case.

"My, you're a feisty one." he growls. "But if Blackrock deserved what happened to him, I have no problem with it." he adds, most reasonably.

Jones/Obsidian stared at Miss Victory before asking Warlock "What is it you want her to do?"

The giant smiled. "We'll treat her friend. Her other pal stays too. I want you to go up a level and talk to the boss there, whoever it is on four. Tell him... or her... that level 5 is ready to talk instead of fight. We have enough problems with 6. You seem able to look after yourself so I want you to set up a meeting. Obsidian will go with you. Sending raids to steal food and equipment from one anothers' level will tear this place apart. We appear to have another problem, that being the weapons are stored on the lowest level. many of the weapons won't be a threat but not everyone is invulnerable."

"I made myself leader of level 5. To that end I demand obedience, loyalty and I need people to follow my orders. In return I will protect them as best I can. If I can secure a truce against level 4 we can concentrate on 6 and putting them in their place."

"So, what do you say? I will make sure your friend is restored to health and none of you shall come to harm. If you work with me, you are protected by my power. If you need a demonstration that can be arranged."

Obsidian gently laid a hand on Miss Victorys' shoulder. "I wouldn't. His power is derived from magic. I thought about going against him. When I saw the way he hammered Blackrock into the floor, I thought again. For better or worse I think level 5 is better off under Warlocks rule. You fancy a stroll to the level above?"

"I first need access to a lab for an hour or so," Miss Victory "Vickie" says to Warlock. "Otherwise, things will ... happen ... that are not pleasant, perhaps for a number of people around me."

She purposely leaves it vague as to what "things".

"After that, I will be happy to be your spokesman for this floor. Though I think you are being short-sighted. This breakout cannot last forever. While many of the most powerful superheroes are busy elsewhere, they will not be busy for much longer."

"It is my personal belief that the aliens masterminded this breakout just to weaken or take out all the most powerful beings on this planet, both hero and villain alike. I believe you ... we ... are all patsies for the aliens, used as throwaway tools, for their total conquest of the planet. It would be better if everyone just went back to their cells and waited for things to resolve back to normal."

"I have ... connections [her husband mainly] on the outside and if everyone returns to their cells and/or stops fighting, then I can use those connections to have very good and powerful lawyers re-examine your cases. See if we can reduce your sentences or even move you to a less confining and restrictive prison or even commute your sentence."

She shrugs.

"I cannot promise the moon. It will really be a case by case determination. Perhaps a willingness to stand up to the aliens when the time comes will also happen to bring you some freedom? You and I both know that you can't get something for nothing. The aliens claim that they want nothing from us or for us but the best. How many other world conquerors said pretty much the same thing? That they knew best how to bring about safety and security for the people?"

"Think about it. Not all of you strike me as the type that enjoy being the unwitting tools of someone you don't even know."

She smiles grimly at everyone.

"Now about that lab? Before bad things happen?"

Warlock smiled. "You are as wily and intelligent as you are beautiful. Take the time you need. Just bear in mind that the longer things go on here the greater chance that people will die. There must be a way out of here."

"I will find it, but in the meantime I will keep my people safe. If I get out there? Perhaps I will heed your words. Pull on a cape. Do good." he chuckles. "I think you are right about the Aliens. If something is too good to be true it's because it is. If they somehow manage to destroy the most powerful superheroes on the planet who then will stop them? The people, the ... Army... in this prison may be the only thing that stands between the Aliens and the destruction of the human race! Think on that before you judge the people in this prison. We have done bad things. We are in here for a reason. A stronger reason may yet exist to free us."

He turns to the others. "Treat her friend. Give her full access to the lab. Obsidian, stay with her, help her as she needs. post more guards at the stairs and the lift. Everyone on high alert. I shall lead a patrol myself." he looks at Miss Victory then nods in respect and leaves with an entourage.

"Well... you impressed him." said Jones, impressed himself.

He led the way to the labs and Miss Victory set to work. Gathering the components she felt able to make several of the tablets she required to... no. Rummaging through draws, reading labels, searching through boxes... One of the drugs she needed which though not exact would work just as well, was missing. The last of them had been taken and a note left to order more.

Obsidian watched but didn't have much of a clue as to what she was looking for.

Time was ticking, Miss Victory didn't have much left!

"Floor four... might have what you need?" he asked...

Time was ticking, Miss Victory didn't have much left!

"Floor four... might have what you need?" he asked...

"Possibly," she replies thinking it over, "let's see if I can find an inventory on the computer and if it will let me in to see if the final ingredient is there or not."

She is going to use this time on the computer to get in touch with her ghost companion and see if he has news of any other heroes that made it inside or not as well as if he can find the final ingredient she needs somewhere in the labs on the various floors.

With a glance at Obsidian who wasn't taking much notice - indeed he'd found an old magazine to thumb through - Miss Victory typed S H E L L G H O S T and near instantly a pixelized face appears on screen.

The words the hero speaks appear as text on screen which Miss Victory discretely replies to.

"Thank goodness you're still alive! I've had to lie low! Someone is in the system with me, hunting me down! They know I'm in the mainframe! There IS another superhuman in here. I've no idea who he is but he can speak with the outside world somehow! He is on level 3."

Miss Victory types about her impending mission to get level 4 to cooperate.

"Level 3 has some of the stuff you need. Maybe I can get a message to him. Get the stuff, meet you on level 4. I can't hang about for long. I clear my tracks but if ... whoever... catches up with me I'm in trouble! I'll get a message to him. I think his name is Wandafar... or Lionheart, one of the two. Try to stay alive!"

Miss Victory leans back as the screen flashes a message at her.

'No Stock found'.

Obsidian came over. "Tough break huh? Some of the people in here have specific medical needs. Without resupplies of certain stuff it runs out real fast. Thankfully the food won't run out but it's never been much to write home about. Level four calls then. Shall we go?"

"Let's check on Irradiator and then we can go," she replies, trying to figure out how much time she has left before her powers desert her. She gathers up the ingredients that she does have and anything she thinks she will need that the medbay in level 4 doesn't have and places them in whatever strong medical cases or bags that she can find to protect them.

ooc: Magma Girl still with us or was she forced to stay here at level 5?