Belle Reve, Metropolis
3:35 PM, January 4 2016
"LIVE. This is Kat Grant reporting with breaking news. Belle Reve Penitentiary has been broken into by none other than the long-time Iron Man foe The Mandarin. Though his current intentions are currently unknown, it is known that The Mandarin is a centuries old Chinese warlord who has previously conquered a third of China and built a personal army called the Ten Rings. Over the years he has had many schemes to achieve world domination, most of the recent ones foiled by--you guessed it: Iron Man. When the Ten Rings were attacking a middle-eastern city, they were cut short by the intervention of Iron Man, in his first public appearance. In years since, The Mandarin has had a long-standing vendetta against Iron Man, more so than any other 'hero'.
In his last known appearance, about a year ago, the Mandarin and his dragon, Fin Fang Foom, went head to head with Iron Man and his allies in an intense struggle that lasted for days. He'd almost killed the Invincible Iron Man before he was betrayed by Fin Fang Foom, at which point he was forced to team up with the injured Iron Man in order to come out alive. Though the exact details were never released as to how he lost his rings, it is known that they were scattered across the globe leaving him without any special abilities. Despite the obvious disadvantage, he still managed to slip by Iron Man and the entirety of SHIELD, until today that is.
Once again the exact details are unknown, but witnesses have reported that the Mandarin was seen with the majority of his rings breaking into Belle Reve. In the ensuing chaos, an unknown amount of prisoners have escaped from their cells and the prison grounds. The SHIELD response to this disaster is currently unknown, but it is assumed that they will do their best to care for the situation
Stay Tuned for updates. This is Kat Grant reporting."
Cafeteria, Belle Reve, Metropolis
3: 45 PM, January 4 2016
Stepping through a field of guards unconscious amongst dozens of inmates, the Mandarin took advantage of the chaos he'd created. If he was correct, all he had to was travel a little ways north within the penitentiary, and he'd find his missing ring, buried beneath several feet of concrete. Looking behind him, he found a conscious guard, shivering pathetically and almost letting out a whimper, pretending to be strong.
"Stop withholding your true feelings, coward. Serve someone greater than yourself, like me," evil flashed in his eyes as he commanded the guardian to abandon his post. In case he were to be met by resistance, he took choice out of the equation, using one of his rings he'd already had to sap the man of his free-will. "Rally some troops, there is some excavation to be done."
The guard, eyes now lacking any emotion or even alertness, marched away from the Mandarin, attempting to rouse several prisoners from their unconscious state. When they resisted, the guard merely pointed over to the grimacing figure that was The Mandarin. Garbed in a green robe, the oriental warlord looked down upon one man who was being recruited from a distance.
The inmate kicked one of his fellow prisoners, who also had been sprawled across the concrete floor. The other prisoner then stood up and began to whisper to the first inmate, who looked towards the Mandarin and nodded his head as they stood beside the guard, who pointed for them to head for the Mandarin. Before they'd submitted to his will, however, they'd turned around, facing the guard and the second inmate began putting his hand behind his back, fishing for something tucked away in the folds of his jumpsuit. He slowly produced a short blade and casually brought it to his side, intending to 'shank' the Mandarin's servant.
But the criminal was clearly unaware that The Mandarin was watching the entire proceeding. So, to keep his current servant from coming to harm, he forced a preemptive strike with the steel baton, clubbing the prisoners across the side of the head. Evidently it was time to choose some new minions. So the Mandarin had the guard abandon the unwise criminals and instead seek out someone a bit more.... obedient. Hitting the proverbial jackpot, the guard stumbled across the perfect candidate. Strong and durable, but not monstrously stupid or psychologically inhuman. He was formidable and truly powerful, but nothing that the mighty Mandarin could not make short work of. Conveniently, the guard stood next to Girder, who was also fast asleep, likely abandoned by his comrades when they escaped the prison an hour ago.
Exerting power over the guard, he had him strike Girder fiercely to wake him up. Girder's eyes flashed open and gritted his teeth. Before the Mandarin had even seen it coming, he threw his iron foot into the chest of the guard, launching him across the room. As an act of mercy, he forced the guard to sleep before controlling Girder himself.
"Come this way, Girder. I have need of you." The Mandarin motioned with his fingers, summoning the brute.
He did just so, scurrying without breaking into a run. When he was standing directly in front of him, The Mandarin looked into his eyes before allowing the brute any actions. It is said that the eyes are the window to the soul, and it would appear that Girder had a very malleable spirit about him. So the Mandarin turned his back and led him to a spot within the halls.
"Dig." It was a blunt command that was followed without hesitation.
Girder's fists pounded into the concrete floor, fracturing it over and over, hammering it relentlessly. A few seconds in, he'd already ripped out a whole foot of the floor. Then the process accelerated. And like a machine, he came to a complete stop when he knew he'd gone far enough.
"Retrieve it for me," The Mandarin whispered.
Girder reached his enormous hands down into the hand-made trench and lifted a trunk out of the bottom. He heaved and raised it into the hallway, where he set it in front of his temporary master.
"Very good, very good indeed," the Mandarin mused as he lifted the top of the trunk. Then, from a pile of jewels, he removed the object he'd come to retrieve, his ninth ring. "Only one more to go," he whispered excitedly. Then he promptly made his way toward the exit
"Put your hands in the air immediately or we will use deadly force!" A slew of security guards all encircled the Mandarin, meeting him at a corner in the entry hallways, each bearing arms that were trained on him.
Scoffing, the ring-bearer retorted, "No, you arrogant fool. Should I not be allowed exit, you shall be the ones to perish."
"This is your final warning!" A guard hollered, raising his club behind a riot shield.
"So be it," the Mandarin whispered as he raised his hands above his head. With a twisted smile, he chuckled "You've been warned." Suddenly, a wave of shadow washed over them all, their weapons disintegrated at the speed of a gatling gun. And before they had a moment to react, Girder had charged them all and threw them about.
As he walked away from the scenario and made an exit, he dramatically announced, "No man crosses the Mandarin and lives. Not ever again. Now for the final piece of the collection, to Okaara."
