5th Column Comics: Fireteam Hades #1 (of 12)
For More 5th Column Comics check out the Library
The Cistern, Classified Location somewhere under Indigo City
The Cistern dripped from the pipes that ran along the roof, pools of waste-water lining the floor, and flowing around the bodies lying on the concrete, the single light flickering on and off. All was quiet for a few seconds, before an electrical charge ran across the unconscious bodies, their arms and legs twitching, before one after another they got to their feet.
“Ugh I knew I shouldn’t have had that eighth beer.” A man wearing black armour grunted in an Australian accent, before looking down at his wrists, and the chains binding him to the floor. “Okay which one of you b****y w*****s chained me to the floor, if this is some fetish thing I’ll rip your throats out one by one.”
“Oh shut up.” A woman answered in a Hispanic accent, “It’s not like you’re the only one chained down here.” She added, as she moved under the light to reveal green skin covered in needle like barbs clad in ripped jeans and a crop top. “You’re not even the strongest one here.” She added, as she shook her head, her long green hair flowing around her neck.
“And I suppose you think you are?” A large man dressed in overalls snorted, the light bouncing off his bald head and big black bushy beard.
“I’m the only carrier here.” The green skinned woman announced proudly, as she strained to free herself. “So therefore I must be.”
“You are mistaken Miss Rojas.” A voice announced from a speaker mounted on the wall. “There are multiple carriers in this room, and as for power…”the speaker paused as a fierce electrical shock arched up and down the figures in the room. “…I’m the one who has it. But enough about that, you are here because at current you are the worst criminals in Indigo City. With the Blight Wars coming to a close it has become clear that men and women like you have had too much freedom, that you have abused your powers and abilities and we will not stand for this.”
“So what you decided to shackle us?” Another woman, this one with dark mocha coloured skin and flowing ash white hair, asked, as she knelt down, her leather pants and corset squeaking slightly due to friction.
“Correct Miss Morningstar.” The voice announced. “Down here you can’t fulfil those murderous urges you all have. But the thing is, those urges, that need to murder everyone you come across, well right now my employers need that” The voice stated, as the chains binding the prisoners fell apart. “Right now you are below the headquarters of the PMC known as Mattock Military Solutions, I’m barricade in the control room downloading some sensitive data. If you could be nice enough to come find me, I’d be most obliged.”
“What do we owe you? Nothing that’s it!” The armoured man spat, as he rubbed his wrists and glowered around the room. “You may think you can count on the freak-show but I’m in the wind.” He added, as he walked to the door, only to receive an electric shock, one that forced him to his knees.
“I still have the power Mr Collins.” The voice announced, as the ashen haired woman walked to the door before stroking the metal. “And even among your fellow prisoners, you are the weakest. I suggest you toe the line, that you all toe the line or you end up in a coma.” He added, as the woman closed her fingers into a fist, the door and part of the wall sinking into the ground. Cocking her head to one side the woman stepped through into a brightly lit corridor, one ringing with the sound of alarms. “Good, looks like you got out of the room, you have permission to do whatever you want to anyone who gets between yourselves and my position, and that includes each other, consider that my gift to you.”
“Yeah right so anyone know where here and there is?” Collins spat, as the group of prisoners walked down the hallway, each one eyeing the others up and wondering what they were capable of.
“We are currently ten levels below ground.” Morningstar stated, as she ran her hands along the walls as she walked. “The earth is all around us, and she is not impressed by all this metal being sunk into her flesh.”
“You some kind of hippie Morningstar?” The man with the beard stated, as the group stopped at a door locked with a palm scanner.
“No, but I am a Geokinetic.” Morningstar replied, as a thin bald woman wearing a snake skin leotard and ballet flats walked to the front, and rubbed her fingers together. “And call me Earthstar, you mention my slave name again and I’ll give you your own personal volcano.” She added, as the bald woman began to pull off her skin, new features forming below, not to mention short golden cropped hair. Placing her hand on the scanner, an optical laser shot across the surface, before the door lock hissed, and disengaged.
“What in the?” Rojas asked, as the woman picked up her sloughed skin and draped it over her shoulders. “That was freaky as hell.”
“Maybe to you, I myself have grown used to it.” The bald woman replied in an upper class British accent, as the group continued into the next corridor, the sound of boot steps thundering down stairs sounding above them. “Call me Trace, and don’t bother introducing yourselves, I know who you all are?”
“What you psychic?” Collins asked, as the door before them hissed open and seven men wearing black armour emblazoned with an orange spade appeared, machine pistols and shotguns drawn and ready. Before anyone could reply Rojas opened fire, barbed quills shooting across the room and stabbing into the eyes and faces of six of the men. Shocked and surprised, the last soldier fired a quick round before Collins closed the gap, his hands sprouting razor sharp talons that ripped the man’s head off.
“No, I stole the plans for this little team, you’re working for the CBTF as part of a scheme called Fireteam Hades.” Trace whispered, as she clutched her chest, a bullet hole drilled into her stomach. “I can’t tell you anymore, I’m sorry.” She whispered, before sliding down the wall and closing her eyes.
“Figures.” Collins snorted, as the big man with a beard, and a second man dressed in gladiatorial armour bended down next to Trace’s body. “What you two weirdos stealing her s**t?”
“No, just seeing if I can do anything to help.” The bald man replied. “I used to be an engineer with the army, I saw enough gunshot wounds to know how to fix one. Unfortunately Trace is too far gone, it’s a shame too she was such a beautiful woman too. Just a shame I didn’t have all of my tool kit with me," he sighed, as he removed a USB key and a long cylinder from his belt. “Now let Vulcan see that troubled mind chica, maybe I can fix you.” He mumbled, as the gladiatorial finger placed his hand on Trace’s, and pulled three of the fingers out of their sockets. Raising them to his mouth, he stopped and shuddered as electricity shot through his body, causing him to drop the fingers.
“I can see you.” The voice announced over the PA system. “Vulcan, Myrmidon leave her, we have far more important things to accomplish here.” He ordered, as Myrmidon snarled something under his breath, before walking over to the door the security guards had been behind, the others following him at a distance. Reaching the end of the corridor, Myrmidon ripped the lift doors open and stared up the shaft, his eyes narrowing.
“Anyone got a way to get up the shaft?” Rojas asked, as Collins pushed to the front, his arms held wide as an array of metallic feathers sprouted.
“Too bad you can’t fly.” Collins sneered as he took to the air and soared up the shaft. Shaking his head Myrmidon collapsed, his body exploding into a swarm of ants, all of whom scuttled into the shaft before climbing up the sides.
“And I thought Trace was weird…” Vulcan sighed, as Earthstar leapt into the shaft, a chunk of metal and rock rising up the shaft with her standing crouched on the top. “Any chance of a ride?” He asked, as Earthstar cocked her head to one side, before moving over for Rojas and Vulcan to climb onto the stone. Seconds later lava was climbing up the shaft, the rock rising up until it came to a stop next to the doors where Collins was hovering, trying to cut through the doors.
“Get out the way.” Earthstar ordered, as she melted the door lock just enough for her to prize the doors open. Walking out the lift shaft, the group of criminals came to a stop as they realised they were in a massive room filled with security personnel. “Oh c**p!!” She spat, as every gun in the room was trained on them. “Would you guys believe we’re the pest control team?” She added, as one of the guards pushed himself to the forefront of the mercenary security.
“Not one bit.” He drawled in a Texan accent, as he drew his machine pistol. “Now you four put your hands up!!” He ordered, only to see the intruder stand their ground.
“Four?” Vulcan asked, as he eyed up the array of guns pointed at them, not noticing the ants covertly making their way out of the lift-shaft towards the assembled security. “What happened to Myrmidon?” He asked, as the first shots rang out.
Log in to comment