Sliced Bread: Part 4
The all powerful Wind Duster! The mighty Freight Train! And the enigmatic Dark Arrow! Formed together due to events that are better left unspoken and lead by the brain power of CBTF Director, Morris Pfeifer, together they are the Response! The World's Greatest Superheroes!
The Detention Center for Criminally Inclined Carriers, the Outskirts of Indigo City, 2 days from now...
The Detention Center for Criminally Inclined Carriers (or the DC3 for short) was not on the top of Morris Pfeifer's preferred list of destinations. It was bleak.. dreary and it was in the middle of nowhere. Miles away from the City that had supplied most of its inmates. It was an area that most people preferred to avoid... and the people that didn't stay as far away as possible from the place were either insane or had no choice in the matter. First built in the 1920s and originally called Steadford Penitentiary, the building had been created in an attempt to detain some of the vilest and nastiest criminals on the face of the Earth... over the years the idea had stayed the same. However the capabilities of the inmates... and the building itself had altered over time.
"ID please, sir." One of the Security Guards asked, rifle in his hand and a bored look on his face. They were inside the Main building... the one that lead to the main Cell blocks and just past the reception area. Pfeifer passed his identification badge to the guard's gloved hand, he quickly scanned it on a nearby machine shaped like a rectangular bin and waited a second. The bin lit up green with a loud ping and a large, lime coloured tick flashing across the screen.
"Sorry Director." The guard handed the badge back over and saluted smartly. "Can't be too careful." He said as Pfeifer walked past and continued down the hall. Most of the guards working in the Prison were soldiers that he'd fought alongside during the Impact. All had a deal of respect for him.
"Welcome to Steadford, Director Pfeifer!" Warden Kimble yelled from his office door to Pfeifer's left. The man's round, bowling ball like body struggling to squeeze through the exit. He was new, recently pushed into the position after the previous Warden had been fired due to the recent prison break out several months earlier. It was obvious he was new... the guy was still smiling. "We weren't expecting your inspection until next week" He glanced at the silver, metal case Pfeifer was clutching tightly in his right hand and a look of concern appeared on the guy's face. "Has... has that been scanned?" He asked, unsure of himself.
"Prisoner 20891." Pfeifer said, ignoring the Warden's question. "I need to see him." The Warden looked at the Director for a second with a smile, like he thought he was joking. However after seeing the glare in Pfeifer's eyes it was clear that the former Soldier was deadly serious.
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Just outside Indigo City Hall.
"Y'know when I said that my costume 'fit like a glove'?" Wind Duster asked before pulling at the fabric covering his crotch area. "I was wrong." He sighed, twitching slightly with clear discomfort.
January Morgan rolled her eyes as she carried on writing with her tablet device. "You're nervous." The sounds from beyond the black curtain keeping the two hidden seemed to grow louder. "Looking for things that aren't there." She looked up from her work and tried to smile reassuringly. "You'll be f-" She remembered who she was talking to and instantly regretted not asking Freight Train to take Mark's place in this little adventure. "...well... the public loves you." She corrected.
Wind Duster quickly patted around on his costume checking for any creases and lumpy bits that might affect his image. "Is my cape on right?" He asked, scratching at the golden piece of fabric dangling from his back. January laughed slightly sending waves of energy running through Mark's body.
"You'll be alright."
Wind Duster smiled (albeit nervously) under his mask. He heard the announcer from the front of the stage begin to say the key words to let Mark know to get ready.
"-likewise I'm sure Wind Duster-" Mark took a deep breath and stepped through the curtains into the bright sun light beaming down from above. Cameras flashed at him and Mark's heart missed a beat when he saw the crowd staring at him from the ground. "-doesn't need any introduction." The announcer passed his microphone to Mark and quickly stepped over to a chair waiting by the stage's side.
"Uh... hi." Wind Duster said, his voice echoing around him. "How's everyone doing?" Silence responded, disappointed looks from the crowd filled Mark's vision. They'd been expecting a team of the World's Greatest (and newest) Heroes. Not someone they'd already seen a million times over. "As... as you all know, I've been active as... as a Superhero for a few months now. People seem to have really taken to the idea of a man dressed in spandex trying to do what's right and I'm glad." He smirked slightly. "That spandex isn't cheap." A few laughs filled Mark's ears as he peeked at the writing on his hand. "But I think that it's really obvious that I haven't been doing all this stuff on my own... and the events in New York have probably already confirmed that." Mark paused as instructed for dramatic effect. "So... my name is Wind Duster." He pulled the gold badge he'd been given from his pocket and placed it onto his chest, the four golden and brown letters were proudly on display for the whole world to see. "I'm a member of the Carrier Blight Task Force."
The people clapped... however it was more due to politeness rather then enthusiasm or excitement. Mark chuckled nervously, his daughter was probably laughing her head off.
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Chuck Hawser shoved the spoonful of white, freezing chocolate cream into his mouth and swallowed. The curtains to his room were closed, bathing the place in black darkness... and the floor surrounding the bed he was lying on was covered in dirty clothes he hadn't bothered to wash. He looked at the bright, flickering of the TV and smiled upon seeing the News headlines.
WIND DUSTER REVEALS CBTF ALLIANCE!
"Cool..." He sighed before setting the ice cream tub down on the floor and resting his heavy head on his pillow.
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"I came to talk." Director Pfeifer slammed the metal case down upon the grey, lifeless desk and glanced around the room. Completely bare with the exception of a bed, toilet... and the desk that the Guards had brought in upon Pfeifer's request. The large, lumbering figure that Pfeifer had come to see sat across from him, covered in chains... but that didn't stop him from smiling and revealing sharp, yellow, carnivorous teeth.
"Talk?" Abhainn Blackwood seemed somewhat surprised. "Talk about what?" His voice was deep, combined with his Scottish accent it made it very difficult to understand what he was saying. However Pfeifer seemed to manage.
"I need a favour." Pfeifer sat down in his own chair and stared at the scars covering the man's entire body. "There was a leak..." Abhainn snorted slightly at the word. "It revealed some information... and now I need to try and salvage the situation."
The criminal known as Axe-Man leaned forward, body chained to the wall with the exception of his neck. Apparently he'd escaped the prison several times in the past few months.
"What do you need ME for?" He asked, eyebrows raising slightly. He was interested... and Pfeifer knew what would get his full attention. He entered the combination number into the case's side and lifted the top half into the air revealing its contents.
"My team needs a threat." Pfeifer admitted, guilt filling his voice. "Something big enough that we can say 'Destiny brought these people together'. We can't just reveal it a press conference." The case showed the Axe-Man's mask as well as his trademark weapon. "I need you to show up in Indigo City with these items and smash everything you see. In return... I'll shorten your sentence." He closed the case, frosty gaze hiding the fear he was feeling about the Superstrong Serial Killer. "Think you can do that?" He asked.
The Axe-Man snapped the chain holding his right arm back and calmly took the case from Pfeifer's hands. He tore it open and pulled on his mask, his mouth grinning once again showing his hideous, cannibal teeth.
"Yes..." He grumbled, stroking his ginger beard. "I can probably do that."
Pfeifer nodded solemnly before standing up to leave.
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