“We’re moving you.” Bluejay said, getting off the phone. “You darlings will be going to the dungeon, how quaint.”

“This isn’t the kinky kind of dungeon, I’m guessing.” Twee smirked, giving me a weird look that filled me with weird feelings. She flicked her white hair across her forehead and I was 100% sure that was a flirt. What happened to the Tsundere…?

“Oh, unfortunately, you won’t be able to make out in there… As when my bombs level the place, you’ll wish you got one last kiss with Quincy in.” Bluejay said, apparently picking up on the flirt. Selene rolled her eyes, she seemed a little angry. “Take them away. And leave Stocklord. I need to chat... privately.” she finished.

I just really hoped she wasn’t going to fuck the skeleton.

Everyone left the room, and something seemed to wash over Stocklord. Like that feeling that one feels right before something scarring is about to occur.

“Why are you like that?” he asked, staring at Bluejay, who was luckily not removing any clothing, so he assumed himself in the clear.

“Like what?”

“Well, people see you as a hero. Your… colleagues may want to see you as more than a sex object, perhaps?”

“Oh, they don’t. I’m just teasing your employees. My glory days are eventually going to end, and I want to find someone who’ll truly admire… me. Not just… this.” she said, gesturing to herself.

“So my son isn’t that someone? You’re cheating on him, aren’t you?” Stocklord snapped back.

“Six-bones, the little edgelord knows damn well I am with other guys. We are still trying things though. But I’ll be sure to tell him his daddy loves him still. But… I’m sure he doesn’t love you back.” Bluejay teased, Stocklord’s non-existent heart filled with anger. Of all the girls he could have chosen, he was ashamed that his son chose the superhero and the whore, both in one scandalously deviant package.

“Fuck you… Could we cut these silly trivialities and get onto business?”

“Oh, you don’t get to know, King Midas. I just need your money, such is your golden curse. The rich will be taken from in our sick little world.”

“Well, if you want to make a business proposal, or get yourself a sugar daddy… I have office hours, and also a schedule you could have gotten on.”

“There’s a reason this is a private conversation, Stocklord. I don’t think you understand that I need money, TUHF too, not the government. The person I’m working with can explain the details if he wishes. But you aren’t leaving this place alive, unless it’s with me.” the traitorous rogue told Stocklord and his suspicions were confirmed.

He’d been trying to figure it out for a while, but now he knew, TUHF was working with the government, but not for the government. Their true front must be hidden to the president and his people, there was someone else pulling the strings, and a couple suspects came to mind.

“If it’s money you want, I have it! But, since I’ve got your tongue now, you have to let them go.” he surrendered then, the only way he’d figure this out is if he got in cahoots with them, and that meant giving up his morals, but he’d keep his eternal unlife.

“Or I could ask those men with guns to fill them with lead, I don’t care what happens to them. You are coming with me, or you die. They don’t get a ticket out of here, because they… they don’t have monetary prediction powers.”

She smirked like the Devil himself… he knew that smile, it was like a certain demon he had in his company. But not a demonic infliction, she wasn’t like Twee. She was evil. Ruthlessly, dastardously, evil.

She was the demon all on her own.

The soldiers walked us to the cells. I was just kinda confused, but also I was scared, as anyone would be when they see their home in danger. The fear hadn’t truly set in until everyone shut up and let me think. I suppose it was just my anxiety gripping on.

Twee looked over at me, we were being carried in tow by three guards, each in a row. “Sorry for that tasteless comment back there… Just was bored.” she said, more politely than anything. And when Twee was polite, she truly meant it. I felt… honored? I guess.

“It’s okay.” I smiled. “I really don’t mind.”

They approached the doors, three of which opened automatically for them via the touchpad at the end of the hall. The operator? Engerland Mc. Cowboypants. And beside him, Sal and Vigil. Vigil totally had a plan, he even gave me probably the most obvious ‘I’m plotting something, just gimme a second.’ smirk in the history of ever. I suddenly felt a little more assured. I have awesome, amazing, super cool friends.

I was quite violently pushed into the open cell by the guard. I luckily caught myself before my face impacted the floor. Selene wasn’t so lucky though. She impacted the floor of the nextdoor cell with enough force to make her yelp in pain. I couldn’t even interact with her, as there was a big brick wall in the way.

As Twee got locked up, the doors automatically closed, and activated their locking mechanism.

We were trapped.

“Could I… at least maybe know when you are gonna destroy this place?” I asked, sitting back on the mandatory prison bench.

“No.” the guard huffed emotionlessly, walking off. Okay then, edgelord, go read your fucking Shadow the Hedgehog fanfiction and leave me.

I sat there. Thinking about what I was going to do. I just hoped Vigil or Sal would get the chance to talk to me about this. Although, on further recollection, they were probably cuffed just like me. The guards didn’t even have the decency to uncuff me. Don’t they know I am the Marionette? Guess maybe they don’t. Also maybe they aren’t as intoxicated by my charm and cute smile as I am.

Maybe… I’m the sociopath!? Shocking revelation, I know.

I looked out and saw the guards slowly walk off, their big black boots thudding all the way down the hall. I waited until it was faint and distant before getting up. Outside of the bars, I saw two guards and the Cowboy dude who was fiddling with the controls, trying to open two cells for my male friends. He shouted curses that would probably up the age rating on this thing if I revealed them. Yeah, that bad.

“FUCKING TECHNOLOGY!” he swore a little less vulgarly. Not as ruthlessly violent as some of the shit he said prior.

“Hey!” I shouted over to him. He impressively completely stopped screaming, but then gave me a shockingly heart-stopping stare.

“What!?!” the unhinged brit screamed as loud as he could.

“Need help with that?” I smiled cheerfully, even though he’d nearly just given a young adult a heart attack with a single word.

“No.” I was told again. He put his head back down and went back to work. Damn.

“You may want to let him help you.” Vigil suggested, smirking.

“I bet you think I’m stupid.”

“Yeah, I do.” began Vigil. “Your family must not be very smart. From what I read of your bio, you had a druggie father, terrified mother, and a brother who ran-”

“SHUT UP!” he yelled, punching Vigil in the chest, slamming him into the wall. Honestly kinda served him right, Vigil honestly went too far sometimes.

“Okay then. Yeah… you learnt your fathers abusiveness too.” he coughed, sliding down the wall into a sitting position.

“Let me work you little fucker!” he shouted. Vigil then reached out his leg, and swept across the floor, knocking the cowboy to his ass. He scowled, bloodthirsty.

“Nah.” Vigil smiled cheekily.

“Break it up you two!” one of the two guards yelled, they both moved in to break up the madness. That’s when the cowboy pulled out his pistol, shooting them both in the head within the span of around two seconds. They collapse onto the floor, completely dead.

“Okay holy shit, what kind of bribes did you give him to do that?” I hooted.

“We won't speak of this again.” the Brit said, holstering his weapon.

“My friend Jebidiah is trying to leave TUHF. With me.” said a monotone voice from the cell beside me. I didn’t notice it, but the cell to the right of me contained the armored knight from before.

“Jebidiah, huh. You’re still alive? Sorry I didn’t recognize you at all.” I said, looking at the cowboy. He looked oddly different than last time I’d seen him at TUHF. Guess you never really get to know someone until they break you out of your own prison.

“They had me do a facelift… Came out of my paycheck.” he grumbled resentfully. Yeah, I think it’s safe to say he hated TUHF, I could certainly see him leaving. I’d never met his friend though.

“Well then, you freeing us? Or what?” I heard Twee say.

“Patience, demonette. The wise owl will now open the cell doors.” Vigil said, smirking as he tapped a couple times on the keypad, causing every single cell’s bars to slide out of our way.

We walked out and Sal quickly swiped the ring of keys from the guards and uncuffed us. “Lucky we got these.” he smiled, spinning them on his finger, jangling them.

“Be a little more quiet, they have ears, you know.” Twee said.

“Now then, does the wise owl have a way to avoid getting shot?” I asked, approaching him.

“The wise owl hasn’t got to that part, so you’re gonna fucking wait.” Vigil sneered back. His quip game was improving, but I still needed to teach him more.

I gave Selene a quick hug as we got free, then my brain got to plannin’.

“So, we’re fleeing then, right? No way we fight them.” I polled. I got resounding nods.

“What about the boss?”

“I’m pretty sure the mission was to kidnap him, or recruit him. Your dumb skeleton will be okay.” Jeb said, walking towards the door. He grabbed his confiscated hat off the rack and looked back to his knightly buddy. “Coming, Steelpiercer?” he asked.

“Affirmative. Marionette, where’s my sword?” he said, looking to me for answers. Haha, he doesn’t know I’m mentally deficient!

“You… look at me expecting me I know? Sorry... I don’t.”

“Right here, metal dude.” Vigil said, grabbing it out of the box of confiscated items. “Come, get your effects and let’s get out of here. Perhaps we should fly?” he suggested.

“Yeah… sure.” I said. Vigil always had such a good heart. He cared about others, he had ideas right off the spot. He was the friend that you never tell you aspire to be like them. I suppose he wasn’t attractive like me, but he was still so kind and smart with a great attitude. Forget what I said a while back about not really having an idol, Vigil embodied some good qualities. Sal used to be that, but… well, you know the rest.

“Then let’s head out!” he smiled, ushering us to come.

We all gathered together, preparing our powers and our minds for what could happen, and walked up the stairs and down the hall to the hangar. Luckily, they’d only given the superpowered individuals two guards to keep us in, so it seemed we were in the clear. I guess it didn’t matter to them, since we’d blow up anyway.

The air hangar only had like two planes, and only one could carry all of us. Stocklord’s private jet.

“You are lucky he leaves the keys in the plane.” Twee said, walking across the tarmac across the floor. “One of you be decent and open the door for us.” she also said.

Sal decided to flick the switch and the hangar doors slowly slid upward like a garage, because let's be honest, it’s just an airplane garage. The massive room filled with cold air quickly as we boarded the plane. I kept looking back over at the door, expecting a guard to spot us… And as I boarded the plane, none showed… a relief.

“Well, who knows how to fly a plane?”

“I can do it.” Vigil shrugged. “I’ve flown it before, if you remember the Montana Incident?”

“Yeah, and you almost killed all of us, idiot.” Twee recalled snarkily. “Which is why I am the pilot, and Sal is the co-pilot.”

“Uh, why Sal?” I asked.

“Uh yeah, why Sal?” Sal nervously stammered, sweating despite the cold.

“Because she said so, nutcase, fly the plane.” Jeb demanded, coming back in after taking out the stops and doing some simple checks. I hope he did it right, because I have no clue, so he probably doesn’t either. He shut the door correctly though, which assured me a little. “We’re fueled fully already. Let’s get a move on before they take my freedom.”

“I think I’m included in that freedom too, Jebidiah.” Steelpiercer said.

“I was speaking for the both of us.”

I sat down in the plush, white, leather seats and sighed a long, hopeful sigh. I’d live to see another day. But stress still roiled in my gut. This didn’t feel right. My home was about to blow to smithereens, and my boss was being taken away somewhere that I didn’t even know.

“Aggggh…” I groaned audibly.

“I know the feeling, brother.” Selene said, sitting down on the chair next to me. She placed her hand upon the back of mine, and for a moment, everything felt okay. Just for a moment…

Then that moment was crushed, thrown out, and spat on.

I looked out of the plane window in instant shock. A smile met my eyes, a devilish smile, she was loyally followed by a couple guards and superhuman recruits and they all seemed so… terrifying.

She said nothing, I wouldn’t hear it, obviously. The engines started up on the plane.

Bluejay spread her feathered wings to their apex. I knew what would come next.