Freedom Isle

Buddy stirred his breakfast into a mess of eggs and hash browns. Last night's nightmare rested foremost on his mind. Why did he look different in the dream? Why did it come with memories of being exiled to another reality? Did it have something to do with his...not to good standing with the team and society at large? Was he scared that they might turn on him?

Rexford, aka CyberPunk, elbowed Buddy when he didn't respond.

"Huh?" Buddy blinked a couple times.

"How's your first week?" asked the gremlin superhero from England. Even though he wasn't in his orange and yellow construction uniform styled super-suit, Rexford looked odd in his civilian clothes with his buck teeth and pointy ears.

"OK, I guess."

"I know it can be a lot to take in." Rexford took a bite of his hot dog, chewed, and swallowed. "You feel like you got thrown into the deep end. You're whole world changed. I know how that can be. I was raised to believe that humans were vile and ungrateful creatures. According to our history, we helped humans with technology, but they took all the credit...not even a thank you. To get back at them, we began sabotaging their machines. Then, I found out that not all humans are bad; most didn't even know the gremlin history. It really messed me up for years."

The cafeteria door slid open. Bryan Brent, the hero from Japan, entered. "We've got a situation, Rex. You and Buddy are needed in the Monitor Room."

***

Buddy took a seat next to Rexford.

The high-tech shine of the Monitor Room seemed a bit to bright for so early in the morning. The chairs were provided by Brain Walker. He'd invented seats that were the ultimate in comfort to anyone. The seat could become hard or soft; the arm rests could lower, raise, or retract—the same for the backrest; the chair could raise or lower to fit your needs; it also scoots to the right distance away from the table so that you can reach and not feel stuffed up against the table; it can have a cupholder, play music, give you a massage, and comes with headphones; finally, it can also maintain proper blood circulation and muscle safety so that sitting for long periods of time don't harm you (also after so long it'll push you out so you do have to stand for awhile).

A whoosh from the doors let everyone know that Brood had entered. That and the sudden drop in temperature (not actual temperature, just the temperature of the room). The reformed vampire headed for the "head" of the table without a single greeting. Seeing as the table was round there was no head but there was a spot reserved for those giving the mission briefing—mainly so they could activate any visual/audio aids they needed to.

Brood stood cross-armed as a holographic video appeared in the center of the table. His black and red duster jacket seemed to billow out, even though there was no breeze in the Monitor Room.

A young woman appeared on the video.

"This is Sally Pine for WAG News with breaking news," said the woman. "Three inmates have escaped from PAWS Maximum Security Prison. It is still unknown how they escaped, but they are considered armed and dangerous. One is known as the Dene Soleast, the serial killer found guilty of killing 30 sentient life-forms."

With a wave over the command panel, Brood made the video vanish. "Copycat and Zero will go after the other two missing inmates while CyberPunk and I go after Soleast. You have your assignments; head out."