In a bright white medical room a man lays on the table hooked up to all sorts of machinery. Leaning over him is a man in a white lab coat who is performing what looks like the finishing touches of a surgery. The only noise in the room is the beeping of the heart monitor. After sealing the last stitch the doctor walks over to his laptop and begins typing. He looked up at the injured man and pressed a key. All of sudden the man's arm lights up, mechanical noises are heard and the man slowly begins to stir. Like that, his eyes open. He sits up to reveal a closer look. His face covered in bandages save one eye. The doctor slides off his mask to reveal his face. Doobernasi.
"Can you hear me?" Asks Alex.
Vargas turns to him and nods.
"I'm going to be honest; this process has been extremely difficult. Even with your accelerated healing, the burns you sustained were something interdimensional. It has taken me months to get you back to health again. You took a beating. This surgery to replace your arm with cybernetics should be the last box. Once you are used to it you should be ready to go again."
Joe pulls the bandage off his mouth and speaks. This time no longer in his crisp cocky voice, but a raspy damaged sound comes out. "We will kill them."
"I don't mean to question you but, isn't this what happens when you try ? These guys are no joke. We should- "
Vargas rises from his bed and walks to Alex. He grabs him by the shirt cutting him off and tosses him aside.
"Listen here fuckface. I don't care what happened. I got carried away and let them get the better of me. Next time I won't be so careless. Now either you are in or you are out. Do I need to remind you what happens to those who are out?"
"I saved your life you fool!"
"Which is why I won't kill you for your insolence this time. Don't try your luck."
"Fine, but please tell me you have a real plan."
"I do, we need to go get Snodderly and the others, and then I have a question."
"What?"
"I know we discussed this in the past. So, what do you think about your old colleague, Albert Arkley?"
"My opinion is the same as it was before, he's a brilliant man but he's power hungry and won't work with us. At least not willingly."
"Okay, what did we know about his resurrection research?"
"Apparently he has managed to manufacture a way to bring the dead back to life, But he was arrested right before he figured it out. This of course is just rumor."
"So, if we were to bring him in and convince him to work with us, he may be able to finish that research?"
"It is possible, but of what use would that be for us."
"You asked if I had a plan. Well. I need him and that for my plan."
Alex looks side-eye at Vargas and seems to be mulling over what he could be thinking.
"Where are they keeping Arklay?"
"Fuchin maximum security prison. Same place as Snodderly."
"Convenient. We are gonna break them out."
"We? I'm coming too?"
Vargas wipes his stitched face and shakes his head. "You're the last one I have. I need you. You're smart, you'll figure it out."
"Mr. Vargas, you aren't even close to 100 percent yet. You should rest more before we move."
"No time, I don't need 100 percent for some prison. I suppose however I can give it one day of actual sleep. Tomorrow night when darkness falls we move out." The two head off.
****
The next day late in the evening Doobernasi is woken up violently. Vargas grabs him by the arm and walks in the nearby window leaping out and taking flight. Heading towards the town's massive prison. After a short flight, they land just outside and plan. Looking around large metal walls line the perimeter. The corners hold 4 large watchtowers. In the center is a massive fortress of a building.
"So this is Fuchin. Looks smaller than I imagined," said Vargas.
"It's a low population prison that they use for those who would easily break out of standard prison."
"Makes sense, let's change that. Two guards in the watchtower. I'll get them and we take this silently. For now."
Vargas soars upwards and appears in front of the guards. He grabs them both and yanks them from the tower, sending them sailing towards the earth outside the prison walls. They hit the ground dead. Vargas lands back near Doobernasi
"Take their clothes, you are working undercover while I go in loud. You get Shane, and maybe Krat and Poke. I'll get Arkley."
"Understood, but sir. What if I am found out?"
"Go full throttle, or ping me and I'll come help."
Alex dresses up as a prison guard helmet and all. Vargas flies him up and places him in the watchtower. He ducks down and follows him through a tunnel that leads into the prison. As Alex approaches the first hallway there are two guards and they think nothing of him.
"Excuse me, I have been instructed to check in prisoner Arklay. Where has he been moved too?"
"Cell 53 is the same as he has been in. He wasn't moved. That isn't until the first of the month when that new equipment comes in."
"Oh of course how could I forget? Thank you."
"Vargas flies in Mach one and slams them both into opposite walls of the hallway. Leaving a mark and killing them on impact. Another guard turns the corner and sees this. He makes a run but Vargas moves fast. He picks the guard up off the ground and impales him through the back and throws him aside. As the guard bleeds out, Joe gets down and begins pounding his head in until nothing remains. Joe is soaked with blood and he reads the sign on the wall "cell 42-55." He darts down the hallway and Doobernasi tries his hardest to keep up.
"Doob, go after the others."
"Got it."
Doob cuts down another hallway as Vargas flies into a large square room which holds multiple high security cells. Then he spots it. Cell 53. He flies towards it and smashes the door clean off the hinges. He enters. An older man with slick back blondish grayish hair sits in the corner with very little reaction to what has just happened. Vargas walks towards him and stands over the man waiting for a response. The older man doesn't move.
"Albert Arklay?"
"Yes?" Says the man not breaking his concentration.
"Your lucky day pal. I'm here to break you out."
"Are you sure this isn't some elaborate trick to make it look like I'm running so they can kill me? You do know if I step outside of this cell, they can shoot me and nothing can be done about it."
"Not at all. I need your help. You help me and your freedom is guaranteed."
"And what is it that you need help with that would concern me? Seems like you have it all handled yourself."
Doober enters the cell and Arklay's calm look turns to a glare. "You bring this rat to beg for my help?"
"Skip the pleasantries Albert, Vargas I went down both lanes of this cell block and I could not find Snodderly or the others."
"Don't worry I'll find them myself. As for your question Albert. I know you can bring the dead back to life. I need you to bring a certain somebody back and if you do it I will grant you total freedom. You have my word."
"And if I refuse?"
"I kill you right here and now. You have my word. You are a vile criminal with a history of human experimentation. Wouldn't be against my morals to outright murder somebody like you. Unless of course you want to help my cause."
"I see the offer. Well, who is this somebody? A lot of boxes need to be ticked for my experiment to work even if i was able to figure it out, and if I'm being honest I would need time to finish my research. I never did manage to make it work. So there are no promises that it can even be done."
"You will have time and all my resources at your disposal. Just need to know if you can do it."
"You dodge the question. Tell me, now. Who do you want brought back? You also must realize when they are brought back, this isn't the actual person. It's only a conjured summoning that bears who they once were. If you are trying to bring back a loved one i suggest you don't. "
"Maybe not a who but a what. Are you familiar with the urban legends of the chaos demon ? And are you familiar with his master?"
Albert's eyes go panicked. "It's an urban legend. Not an ounce of truth."
"That's not what your research here says. It says you found signs that it's real. That the greatest conqueror in human history was here at one point. Riding around a beast the size of three whales. Destroying everything. Tell me Albert, why were you researching this anyway? Also how did you even get your hands on this information?"
"What are you saying? I can't bring that thing back."
"I think you know what I'm saying Albert. So what's it gonna be? Time is ticking!"
Alarms sound as the guards figure out what happened.
"You can't control him! He will turn you to dust!"
"I'm the most powerful being on the earth, of course I can control him. Now are you in? Or are you dead?"
"As if I have a choice, but I implore you to reconsider the risk of your idea."
"No time, we need to go and you are already in. You gave your word and to me that's all that it takes. Let's go."
"The three take off down the hall toward the opposite direction they came from. Another guard comes around the corner and aims his gun at Joe.
"Freeze!" The guard shouts.
"Watch this." Vargas teleports and grabs the man by the balls. The main lets out a shriek and begs for forgiveness.
"Where is Snodderly, and the two other prisoners you took in with him? Max security I'm guessing."
"Go down the stairs, in a special hallway. Down there take a left 5th cell! Please let me go!"
"Nah."
Joe lets go of the man's balls and slams him upside the head, sending him into the wall. His head crushed and his neck snapped on impact. The three run down the hall to the marked cell and on arrival Joe sends the door off the hinges. A sad and downtrodden Snodderly stands up and looks inward.
"Didn't think you were coming." He says.
"I almost didn't, now let's go before I change my mind."
"Hey boss! Get us out too!"
A voice echoes from the next cell. Joe walks over and Krat and Poke sit chained up, same as before.
"Krat, Poke. Suppose I'll let you out as well. Glad you are ok."
"Thank you for saving us, boss."
Joe rips the hinges off again and lets them free.
"These cuffs suppress physical and magic energy. Made breaking out impossible," said Poke.
Joe grabs the cuffs and breaks them freeing the two.
"Did they hurt you guys?"
"No, just locked us up."
"Damn Joe, you didn't ask if they hurt me!" said Snodderly.
Joe turns and glares at Shane. "I don't ask about things I don't care about."
Doobernasi pushes past Snodderly looking around. "Do you have an escape plan?"
"Yes I do. Back up." Says Vargas.
"Before you go, why don't you break me out too?" A voice speaks from a cell across the hall.
Snodderly rolls his eyes and looks at the cell across the hall. A middle aged man with brown scruffy hair and mustache sits in the cell flipping a toothbrush.
"Why would I do that?" Asked Joe.
"First let me introduce myself. I'm Kon Cassidy. Maybe you have heard of me?"
"Nobody has heard of you except for me," said Snodderly. "Now please don't start telling that stupid story."
"Back in 96, I was in my prime and I was known as the most deadly shot in Fukouka. I once killed seven men with-"
"Yeah yeah just six shots. It's hardly impressive."
"Look fat, you let me join up and I'll be the best right hand man you could ask for."
"Nah, I'm cool cowboy." Says Vargas.
"Let him out, boss! This guy was cool to us. Snodderly is being a clown." Says Krat.
Joe looks at the cowboy and sighs. "Well, why not I guess."
Joe grabs the bars and rips them out of the cell door then boots it off the hinges.
"You won't regret this poppy!" The cowboy says as he runs out of the cell.
"Yeah whatever." Vargas charges a beam and sends it towards the ceiling. Blowing a large hole and crumpling the structure above. The entire building shakes from the power.
"Grab on if you can't fly".
Everyone grabs on to him as they sail upward. Guards in the terrace already on alert open fire on them but Vargas is moving too fast to hit them. The angry man flies towards home with the look on his face changed. No longer smug and silly now stern and angry. He wanted revenge. And he is willing to do anything to get it.