[center] [hr][hr] [img]https://res.cloudinary.com/teepublic/image/private/s--Kl3ScUff--/t_Preview/b_rgb:191919,c_limit,f_auto,h_313,q_90,w_313/v1512130609/production/designs/2126250_1[/img][/center] [right][h2][color=7ea7d8]The Blue Beetle stars in...The Runaway: Issue #2[/color][/h2][url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/4716641]Previous Issue[/url][/right] [hr][hr] [b]Unknown SHIELD Facility[/b] "Shoot him,[b] NOW[/b]!" Agent Sitwell roared, still reeling. His head was pounding after he'd been ragdolled by the twig-armed teenager, but he couldn't let that slow him down; Jasper knew that, despite his age, this kid could and would kill him in a split second if given the chance. All bets were off now as the trio of armed SHIELD agents standing in front of Sitwell lifted their sidearms and opened fire. Deafening cracks reverberated in the tiny, metal room, muzzles engulfed in flame as lead poured out from their guns onto the captured metahuman. And they kept firing. And firing. The twists, snaps and pops of nine millimeter hollow point rounds exploding against metal caused Sitwell's ears to ring. The ringing didn't stop, even when the gunfire did. A series of dry clicks proceeded three magazines hitting the floor, the agents quick to go for the replacement each carried on his belt. Sitwell pushed himself up off the ground by his forearms, rising on shaky legs. "Did...ya get him?" There was a sour taste in Jasper's mouth. He kept his gaze away from the kid, knowing that the image of his body filled would holes wouldn't leave his brain for months. No matter the threat he posed, it didn't change the fact that it felt- and looked- utterly wrong. An ear-piercing shriek filled the cabin, like a Glock shoved into an industrial blender. That sickeningly inhuman stuff lathering Jaime Reyes's flesh twisted and writhed like an anguished animal. From the living metal came the chunks of shattered bullets, squeezed out from it's pulsating mass. They clinked against the floor one by one, dozens of ineffective rounds rolling along beside the fallen monstrosity. Jaime's palm hit the ground. [b][color=0072bc]'Jaime Reyes.'[/color][/b] That voice, deep and warm, played in his ear. It possessed a resolve that could make mountains flinch. [b][color=0072bc]'You are in mortal danger.'[/color][/b] It repeated, serene and unaffected by the pounding it had just taken. [b][color=0072bc]'Let me help you.'[/color][/b] The child was shuddering and shaking, his every muscle tensed near to the point of snapping. Jaime could feel his throat constricting, his mind warped by fear and shock. He couldn't believe what was happening to him. It was some kind of fever dream, or...or a nightmare. None of this could be [i]real.[/i] But it was real. He'd felt each and every one of those bullets smack against him. It didn't hurt through the alien material covering his fragile form, but Jaime could not deny that he had [i]felt[/i] each shot. Jaime let his mouth drop open, his voice broken by fear, barely above a ragged murmur, but it came all the same. [color=7ea7d8][sub]"Help me."[/sub] [/color] And Jaime blacked out again. --- Gunfire, screams, and the sound of ripping metal echoed inside the kill box as the Scarab attacked. Eldritch shrieks of the damned poured forth from the living metal monster inhabiting Reyes's body. Sitwell threw his broken shoulder against the interrogation room's closed door, blood splattered on his face. It might've been his, or it might've been Jameson's; he didn't know. He half ran, half hobbled away, his hand running up to grasp his communicator as his voice echoed over the emergency channel. "We have a rogue metahuman on deck four, near the interrogation room! I repeat: Rogue metahuman, deck four, by the interrogation room. I need a heavy containment squad down here [i]yesterday[/i], damn it!" Jasper had dealt with superpowered freaks before, but this was the first case where it had gone so wrong. He knew the docs were full of shit when they said the Object was gone; those scanners had to have been faulty. He held his pistol tight in his grip. It was a revolver, chambered in .45 Colt. He'd tossed away the more standard Glock after it failed one too many times to put down the type of shmocks he had a tendency to run up against. More than a few metahumans and mutants had gone down under Sitwell's sights. This was the first time he'd seen it do absolutely, less than [i]nothing[/i] against a target. --- Jaime let out a low, sickly groaned as he wobbled, threatening to fall over. His eyes fluttered open, dizziness still clinging to his mind like a wet blanket. He knew this feeling well- it was the same one that had overcome him right before he woke up to this nightmare. [color=7ea7d8]"Ugh...[i]Ese[/i], you gotta warn me before you do-"[/color] His whining was cut short when he caught sight of three dead men laying on the floor around him. Then he threw up. A clank resounded as he fell onto metallic palms and knees, bile flooding forth from his opened maw onto the floor. It smelled like feces and urine, coalescing with burned gunpowder and gore. It was the most disgusting concoction of odors that Reyes ever had the displeasure of experiencing. Not to make mention of the mauled and mutilated human cadavers that assaulted his eyes alongside it. [color=0072bc][b]'You appear to be malfunctioning.'[/b][/color] The Scarab commented, his voice tinged with concern. That concern went unanswered. [color=7ea7d8]"[i]Dios mio![/i] What the hell did you do?! Did you make me kill these guys?"[/color] Jaime still wasn't over the fact that he was talking to a seething blob of alien armor, but neither that thing nor the agents that attacked him were giving Reyes any time to process what was going on. They were all expecting him to just roll with the punches and go along with it, but he was having a [i]hell[/i] of a time just keeping himself from passing out. [b][color=0072bc]'They were a threat to us. Lethal force was necessary in order to neutralize that threat.'[/color][/b] The explanation flowed smoothly from the nonexistent tongue of the voice in Jaime's head, as if it made the most perfect sense in the world. Reyes almost puked again. [color=7ea7d8]"Oh, fuck you, those bullets were bouncing right off of us! You didn't have to do any of this!"[/color] He protested. Something was beginning to replace the fear and shock now that the guns had stopped firing and he was given even a second to think. It was beginning to be overshadowed by anger. [color=7ea7d8]"What, were the people in the museum a threat too?! Explain that one, [i]amigo,[/i] 'cause that's how we ended up in this mess!"[/color] [color=0072bc][b]'I don't understand the question. What people are you referring to?'[/b][/color] [color=7ea7d8]"The ones you slaughtered right after you fucking crawled down my throat. Creepy ass...goop...Y'know what? No. No, get off me. Get the hell off me! I am done now! Take me fucking home!"[/color] There was a pause, and for a moment Reyes feared he'd pissed off the murderous flesh machine. But that baritone voice appeared once more, speaking right inside his head for only Jaime to hear. [color=0072bc][b]'I apologize if our bonding was unpleasant. However, you are incorrect; we have both been offline for several hours immediately following the bond. This is normal, as your body needs time to adjust to my interfacing with it. It is impossible for us to have attacked anyone- on top of that, I would never commit such an act. It would go against my primary directive.'[/b][/color] More silence followed, though this was from the boy. He knew they'd slaughtered those people- he could remember bits and pieces of the incident, and the SHIELD guy had talked about it like they'd seen it all on camera or something. Yet, as Reyes listened, he felt a deeply disturbing [i]trust[/i] in the voice. Like it couldn't possibly lie to him. Khaji Da continued. [color=0072bc][b]'Escaping this place should be our primary concern. Then we will decide whether it is safe to return you to your nest. Your concern for the lives of our attackers is noted. Though I do not understand it, I have amended my combat protocols to reflect your concerns. Be aware, however, that this will affect combat effectiveness and may endanger our lives if the enemy employs deadlier armament.'[/b][/color] Jaime finally let out a long, disgust-laced sigh. He was frustrated beyond belief. [color=7ea7d8]"This is just...this is crazy. I'm going crazy."[/color] Shaking his head, the teenager was forced to go along with more of the insanity. His only other option was to pray to God SHIELD would help him get this thing off of him. Reyes knew that he was better off [i]not[/i] trusting the shadowy government agency that hadn't existed until six months ago. INFO Bugle had taught him that much. [color=7ea7d8]"Fine. You're the expert here, [i]ese.[/i] How do we get outta this place? Whatever...this place is."[/color] A black site? Was he in some kind of testing facility? [b][color=0072bc]'Agent Sitwell hasn't gotten far with his injuries. He should know where the nearest exit point is. My bio-scanners have pinpointed his location- it should be appearing on your map momentarily.'[/color][/b] [color=7ea7d8]"Map? I don't have a-"[/color] A transparent blue image, like a hologram right out of Star Wars, popped up in the corner of Jaime's vision. [color=7ea7d8]"Oh. Map. Got it."[/color] A ping appeared on the three-dimensional plain, pointing out the exact location Agent Sitwell had retreated to. It looked like he was in another room just around the corner. [color=7ea7d8]"Your...uh...'bio-scanners' pickin' up anything else, [i]amigo[/i]?"[/color] [b][color=0072bc]'Expanding my net.'[/color][/b] Khaji Da responded, processing the request. Several more blips appeared on the same level, though they were significantly far off from their current position. [color=0072bc][b]'Sweep of the area complete. You have eight more organics on the approach. Time of arrival is roughly eight minutes based on your natural foot speed.'[/b][/color] --- The broom closet's lock clicked shut. It was cramped inside- filled with every manner of highly toxic cleaning chemical known to man, as well as more brooms and mops than he could shake a stick at. Sitwell did his best to steady his breathing, quieting his pounding heartbeat. Things had not gone according to plan, that much was sure. The kid wasn't supposed to be dangerous anymore- the docs had [i]assured[/i] him of that. [i]'If I get outta here in one piece, I swear to God I'll ring all'a their necks. Poindexter bastards.'[/i] Jasper kept an eye on the door and tightened his digits around his weapon, the revolver's grip slick with sweat. He cocked his head to the side. He thought he'd heard something. It was faint, and distant. [i]'Footsteps, maybe...?[/i] A sharp creak came from the other side of the door moments before he watched a sharp dent form in the metal. Then a crash from the other side, and the dent snapped open as a closed fist appeared through it. The sound of grinding, tearing steel was hell on Sitwell's ears, even as the closet's threshold was torn from it's hinges and tossed away like yesterday's trash. Standing on the other side was the short, imposing figure of an alien in blue and black armor. Eyes of unfeeling yellow seemed to stare directly into Jasper's soul. He brought his revolver down, popping off a single shot at point blank. It bounced off of Jaime's head, doing no more than make the boy flinch. Well. Flinch, and then tear the gun from Jasper's hands and toss it over his shoulder. [color=7ea7d8]"Why does everyone keep shooting me?!"[/color] He moaned incredulously. The SHIELD agent gave an undignified scream when Reyes grabbed him, dragging him out of the janitor's closet. "Lemme go!" He shouted, just as he was dropped to the floor directly onto his butt. [color=7ea7d8]"Alright...So I just ask him where the door is?"[/color] Sitwell blinked, glancing around. "Ex...excuse me?" [color=0072bc][b]'Unless we can find schematics for this structure, yes. Interrogate him.'[/b][/color] Jaime looked at the fallen man hesitantly. [color=7ea7d8]"T-tell me how to get outta here."[/color] He stammered. The look on Jasper's face was some mix of terror, disbelief and confusion. "What? Why...Why would I tell you that?" [color=7ea7d8]"Cause I gotta get outta here, man! You [i]locos[/i] are gonna kill me if I don't."[/color] "We won't. Just surrender yourself to me and I can- I can make sure that you get the help you need." [color=7ea7d8]"Oh, yeah, because you seemed [i]SO[/i] concerned for my safety when you [b]SHOT ME IN THE FUCKING FACE[/b]."[/color] [b][color=0072bc]'Your interrogation skills leave much to be desired, Jaime Reyes.'[/color][/b] The voice in his head sighed. [color=0072bc][b]'Allow me.'[/b][/color] Jaime watched with stomach churning disgust as his arm transformed right before his eyes. His hand receded into his body as his second skin twisted and swam, a construct like an infected, living cannon replacing it. Spindly, insectoid spines kept the weapons platform stabilized as the rest of the arm appeared to pulsate and breathe like a living organism. Jaime was jerked forward by the Scarab, the cannon pointed into Sitwell's face. It gave an animalistic whine as the interior began to glow a deep blue, radiating heat. Sitwell gulped, his eyes drawn to the gun in his face. "Right. Exit. Can do." He squeaked.