Young Writers Society

He took a deep breath, then angrily let it back out.

"I've worked for people like Boomslang before," he said. He wasn't sure why he was telling Kratzer this - and the other prisoner by extension, since he was also present in the room. He just felt like he had to explain himself, had to prove that he was right, prove that he could escape from this.

He reached a hand up and pulled down the collar of his shirt. Burned into his flesh was a small but distinct mark in the shape of a lyre. He knew it meant nothing to either one of them, but it was his proof, and it was a reminder of the mistakes he had foolishly made as a child. "This one's from a group called the Orpheus Society." He let go of his collar, and his shirt once again covered the mark. "People like them are manipulative. I'll give them that. Mine tricked me into thinking that I'd be getting a family out of joining. But I left the society's headquarters as little more than rubble as a parting gift, and I'll have no trouble making this place follow in its footsteps."

It was starting to sound like Boomslang was the kind of person he might've been. Had he not been brought up with a fortunate upbringing and joined the military he might've had to rely on a system hand-made instead of one already put into place. He would've had to connive and use fear to command respect and manipulation to get people like Kratzer or Skull to enlist in his services. It would've been a fragile system, one held up only by his ego, instead of the greater service of the government, and the head of a king.

To be fair, it did sound like Boomslang was far from a regular human. It sounded like she had inhuman abilities like Skull and Kratzer, if even greater than the sum of them both.

There was no way for him to be sure, and he wasn't sure if he could wager his freedom against Skull's apparent strength. So he decided to wait, and listen. Perhaps Kratzer would say something useful.

"You think that hasn't already been attempted?! There is no headquarters. There is no organization. There's just Boomslang pulling strings to fick with everything. But if you want to try, fine, we'll be chilling out here when you come back."

"So then I'll just head straight to Boomslang," Skull said, anger beginning to ebb away and be replaced with his usual cockiness. "She might be powerful, but I'm immortal. And I can get fairly creative when I want to be."

He rolled his eyes. "How do you plan on getting through that door?"

He thought for a moment. He'd never admit it, but Kratzer did have a point. He needed to get through the door if he wanted to get out of this place. "I'll just wait it out," he said, plopping down on the ground next to it. He knew that Boomslang was monitoring them with cameras, but someone had to eventually enter the room. When they did, he'd overpower them and slip out.

Simple as that.

"That might be a while," Carter observed.

"They know you're out. It's not as though they'll be unprepared," he pointed out. "They managed to capture you in the first place, didn't they? If they could get you then they can most certainly get you now."

He was torn between which one of the two he should give a glare at, but ultimately decided that Kratzer could use one again. "I wasn't prepared for them," he said. "I thought I only had one threat to handle, and my attention was all on that. Now I won't be so distracted."

He sat down to watch. "Good luck."

“Yes. Do prove him wrong,” Carter said dryly.

As he waited for someone to come, his mind drifted back to his days in Bickerstaff's little group. It felt like so long ago, though his mind recalled them just as easily as he had the day after they happened. He remembered how young all of the kids had looked--how Jay and Flo had that adorable baby fat going on, and how Jess and Percy had both tried to look so strong because they had to if they ever wanted to see their families again.

He thought about Jay and Flo in the present--would they start to worry when he didn't show up at their shop? Or would they just believe he had found another lead, and finally assume that he had somehow been killed when he never got out of this place and never found a way out of what should have been his home-

No.

Earth wasn't home, and it never would be. It was just a horrible place filled with terrible memories, and it was on Arium that he thrived. That was final, and he couldn't let himself start getting sentimental in a situation like this.

It was that moment when the a key scratched in the lock and the door was slowly opened. In the threshold stood two very peculiar individuals. The first was a woman with dark dreadlocks and tan skin, her eyes golden underneath kohl-lined lids. She wore a loose-fitting, thin, white garment that was reminiscent of Egyptian attire, and in her fingers were two curved knives. One was so pale it seemed to glow and the other was darker than oblivion. The second was a man in a white lab coat, with dark hair and eyes, though his skin was pale due to his Northern descent.

"I'm sure Apophis here would love to fight this out with you, Skull," he said, "but I'd say that it's probably in your best interests to hear us out before he make any rash decisions. Of course, if you'd rather jump on in with the serpent goddess, be my guest," he shrugged. "It's not as though you'll die."

He had been contemplating attacking the newcomers, but ultimately decided to give them a chance to speak. Apophis hadn't been a name that had come up so far; there was the very slim possibility that they were going to help them. It certainly wasn't a large one. But it was something, and he couldn't push aside any help offered to him.

He folded his arms. "I'm listening," he said.

Apophis frowned, a little disappointed by his decision, and the man in the lab coat smiled and stepped inside, closing the door behind him and his ally. "Wonderful."

As he spoke, Kratzer tensed. He knew that man. He'd killed him. He felt his heart stop as he saw him again. After so long...after so much running...and here he was, right where he started. He stepped back and the smirk was wiped off his face instantaneously as the fear took hold.

The man glanced his way, then looked back to Skull. "I suppose I should introduce myself. I am Dr Kennewick. I'm here to offer you all a deal. I'm sure you all have things you'd like to be doing aside from being stuck here, and, though attempting escape is certainly an option, I wouldn't advise it. Even if you do manage to best Apophis there's going to be more soldiers, human and otherwise, than even the most skilled fighter will be overrun." He gave Kratzer a rather pointed look before turning to Skull again. "So, I'll give you your other two options. Work for us, or be lab rats. Your choice."