[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/H3gQQuc.jpg?1[/img][/center]
[right][sup][b]The Bug. Hovering over Harlem Police Precinct. New York City[/b][/sup][/right][hr]Blue Beetle stared at the small drone that floated silently in front of him. It wasn't any bigger than a small Frisbee, though it was shaped much like the scarab whose tech led to its design. It was silent, ran on solar power, and could, theoretically, change its color to suit its environment. Ted had designed it to be able to infiltrate places that were too dangerous for him, and it was going to get its first try out tonight.

[color=6ecff6]"Okay, little buddy,"[/color] he talked to the thing, even though he knew it couldn't hear him. [color=6ecff6]"Don't get caught. I'd hate to have to self destruct you on your first spy mission."[/color]

The drone didn't respond, obviously, and Ted made his way back to the pilot chair. With a flip of a switch, the hatch in the floor of the Bug opened, and the drone dropped out of the craft. In front of Ted, the viewport of the Bug turned into a 360 degree view of the area around the Beetle drone. He took the controls, and flew the little drone down towards the precinct.

Using the anitgrav generators, the mini Bug was silent and stealthy as it approached its destination. The windows of the detention cells were squat and thin, but by the Bug's calculations the drone would be able to slip through and get in communication with the prisoners inside.

Now he just had to find them.

It was easy enough to track the heat signatures inside the building, but Ted needed to make sure he got a cell with one of the men who had lost the crazy coloring he had found them wearing in the first place. He didn't need one of the other, crazier inmates sounding the alarm. He didn't need to get in a chase with a police helicopter tonight. 

The drone drifted silently past the first window and peered in. Ted could see one of the men still swirled with what seemed like every neon color of the rainbow. He seemed to be murmuring to himself as he ran his hands through his snow-white hair, tugging at it as he did. A guard passed by the cell and he yelled something about how they couldn't stop the revolution. How no one could.

[color=6ecff6]"Maybe 'Madniks' aren't that bad of a name after all,"[/color] Ted mused to himself as he pushed the drone's controls towards the next cell. 

Inside that one sat a man with a much more haggard appearance. His white, button up shirt was stained with sweat, the bags under his eyes were the size of suit cases, and it looked as if he had been crying. It took Ted a moment to realize that this man was the one he had knocked out on the roof of STAR Labs before he had entered. On the roof he had seemed to be as lithe and dangerous as the others in his gang, but now he came off as nothing more than a pitiable creature in a cage.

With a sigh, Ted pushed the drone into the cell. It was clear the man had no idea that the small device had joined him, so Ted turned on the drone's holographic projector, and an image of himself appeared in front of the man, who jumped back in fear, "No! You can't make me do anything again!"

[color=6ecff6]"Shhh! Shut up!"[/color] Ted put his hands up. [color=6ecff6]"I'm here to help you."[/color]

"I don't believe you," the prisoner's eyes were wide with fear, darting back and forth. "Technology like this is the only explanation. Did you implant something in my brain? In all our brains?"

[color=6ecff6]"I didn't implant anything into you brain,"[/color] Ted shook his head. [color=6ecff6]"I'm the guy that tried to stop you and your friends the other night. And after I knocked you out I watched as you went from something out of a Tex Avery cartoon to what you are now. That doesn't make any sense, and I gotta figure out what the hell is going on."[/color]

"Wait...," the imprisoned man looked down at his hands before looking back at Ted, "you're telling me I looked like one of them? One of the others?"

The Blue Beetle nodded his head, [color=6ecff6]"You did indeed. Jumping around like a madman. Talking about anarchy. The whole deal. You really don't remember any of it?"[/color]

"Not a second," he shook his head despondently. "The last thing I remembered before waking up in a cell was leaving work. It was late, and I felt someone behind me. I turned, and...that was it."

Feigned amnesia wasn't new in the world of criminal defenses. It was as old as laws themselves, and never had held up beyond a moment's consideration. But Ted felt deep down inside that there was something stranger about all of this. He had watched this very man go from looking like a paint store explosion to what was sitting in front of him. If that was possible, it was damn well possible that the man could have no recollection of his activities while he was in that state.

[color=6ecff6]"Listen, I believe you, and I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure you are set free,"[/color] Blue Beetle assured the man. [color=6ecff6]"But I'm going to need all the information I can possibly get. You said you were attacked at work. Where was that?"[/color]

The man chuckled, "That's the funny thing. I worked at STAR Labs. All of us who don't remember anything do. We all worked in the biotech lab that was robbed."

Kord's mind swam at this admission. This was worse than he had imagined beforehand. Whoever had broken in needed these men's knowledge about their work, which included the vaccine for the recent pandemic. If whoever was behind all this was looking to do some serious biological damage, there wasn't a better place to start. With the technology they had stolen, they could design a vaccine-resistant form of the virus if they really wanted to. Such a thing would be catastrophic to the world.

Before Ted could ask any more questions, however, a huge spotlight from below drew his attention away from the interview with the man. Blue Beetle cursed under his breath, realizing that the police had somehow been alerted to his presence. Could have been a lucky glance from a cop smoking on the roof, he didn't know. All he did know was that he couldn't hang around any longer.

[color=6ecff6]"I have to go,"[/color] he quickly said to the innocent man. "[color=6ecff6]But I'm not going to leave you to rot in this cell. I promise." [/color]

The small drone was recalled, and almost immediately the Bug shot into the dark sky, disappearing out of the view of a police in a blink.


[right][sup][b]Warehouse. Docks. New York City[/b][/sup][/right][hr]The multi-colored man stood impatiently in the dimly lit warehouse he was instructed to meet his employer for payment. Under his arm was a small, but powerful, piece of bio-engineering equipment that had been his mission. He didn't care what it did or what his employer wanted with it. All he knew was that he was going to make more money than he could imagine for handing it over. With that money he could really paint the town red...or every color under the sun.

[color=9e0039]"You're late,"[/color] a robotic voice, one that seemed to emanate from a computer announced itself from the darkness.

Farley Fleeter had never met his benefactor. All the madman knew was that he had more money than God and was probably smarter than the big guy too. He promised Farley free reign and all the money he could ever want as long as the anarchist did a job for him now and again. Word on the street was the guy was called "The Brain", but Fleeter would never say that to his boss's face...if he ever saw his face of course.

[color=ed1c24]"Traffic[/color] [color=f26522]is[/color] [color=fff200]just[/color] [color=39b54a]hell[/color] [color=0072bc]in[/color] [color=662d91]this[/color] [color=ed1c24]city,"[/color] Fleeter chuckled. [color=f26522]"But[/color] [color=fff200]I[/color] [color=39b54a]have[/color] [color=0072bc]the[/color] [color=92278f]gene[/color] [color=ed1c24]splicer[/color] [color=f26522]like[/color] [color=fff200]you[/color] [color=39b54a]asked."[/color]

[color=9e0039]"You had trouble,"[/color] the passionless, monotone voice responded.

Farley cursed under his breath. Of course The Brain had heard about the weirdo in the blue suit. The men that had been captured almost certainly had blabbed. Why wouldn't they have? No one expected a weirdo in a suit showing up to try and stop them from accomplishing their goal.

[color=ed1c24]"Yes,"[/color] Fleeter sneered. [color=f26522]"Some[/color] [color=fff200]joker[/color] [color=39b54a]in[/color] [color=0072bc]blue.[/color] [color=92278f]Was[/color] [color=ed1c24]fast.[/color] [color=f26522]Trained[/color] [color=fff200]fighter.[/color] [color=39b54a]I[/color] [color=0072bc]thought[/color] [color=92278f]my[/color] [color=ed1c24]men[/color] [color=f26522]could[/color] [color=fff200]take[/color] [color=39b54a]care[/color] [color=0072bc]of[/color] [color=92278f]him.[/color] [color=ed1c24]Clearly[/color] [color=f26522]I[/color] [color=fff200]was[/color] [color=39b54a]wrong."[/color]

A long moment of silence hung in the air between them. The hair stood on the neck of Fleeter. He didn't know why. He was fast and he was agile. Even moreso now than before. But something about the presence of the man that made him what he was unnerved him.

[color=9e0039]"Unforeseen circumstances must be anticipated,"[/color] the electronic voice chided him. [color=9e0039]"Months ago the world did not seem as odd as you now know it to be. Did you truly think you were now invincible?"[/color]

[color=ed1c24]"Well,[/color] [color=f26522]no,[/color] [color=fff200]but[/color] [color=39b54a]I[/color] [color=0054a6]mean,[/color] [color=92278f]what[/color] [color=ed1c24]are[/color] [color=f26522]the[/color] [color=fff200]chanc-"[/color]

[color=9e0039]"Much greater than you can calculate,"[/color] The Brain cut him off. [color=9e0039]"While you use your abilities for crime, there are others that certainly will use them for the law. Especially when the 'law' of the city are not to be counted on."[/color]

Fleeter's eyes narrowed, [color=ed1c24]"You[/color] [color=f26522]saying[/color] [color=fff200]this[/color] [color=39b54a]guy[/color] [color=0054a6]is[/color] [color=92278f]like[/color] [color=ed1c24]me?"[/color]

[color=9e0039]"Unknown without more known observation,"[/color] was the reply. [color=9e0039]"But he is a variable that must be understood. Please place the splicer where you stand."[/color]

Fleeter looked down before trying to take a step forward. Before he did so however, a deep, angry growl came from somewhere else in the darkness. It wasn't from the same direction that The Brain had been talking to him from. No, this was from behind him. He quickly dropped the device, and was rewarded with a duffle bag of money tossed through the air towards him.

[color=9e0039]"Thank you, Mr. Fleeter,"[/color] the robotic voice was gracious. [color=9e0039]"Now, I would like you to use that money as you see fit. That will draw out our new friend and allow me to analyze him a bit more."[/color]