Chapter 1 - White Cage

Disclaimer: I do not ownStatic Shock. It belongs to Dwayne McDuffie, Milestone, DC Comics andWB. I just love it.Warning: Will containslash, drugs, violence and one sided relationships. This will be abit riskier than my average fics. Knowing me it'll be okay but I onlythought it fair to place a warning. I hope everyone enjoys therendition of Shiv by a third author. I want to be original and hopethis is. A/N: AU. I rather dislikeGear. This has no Gear. Richie is working with Static by making hisstuff basically. You don't like the idea. Pretend its taking placeduring the timeline of the episode 'Gear'. I consider it AU but hey.Taken LightlyChapter 1: The White CageHe could never really say to himselfthat he didn't deserve this. He was by most standards completelymental. However in his present state, he was in no fit mood to thinkon these matters. He was truly maniac at the moment. He had alwaysbeen and he supposed the doctors only thought this was natural. Hehad been confided to a cell in the institution nearly four daysprior. It was designed as almost a mockery of humanity. It waslabeled, in a benign way, as the center for the mental and socialrehabilitation of metahumans in distress. It was arguably, especiallyby humanitarian groups of Dakota, a controlled human pietri-dish forany doctor with an interest in metahumans. However you were to takeit, it was a high security mental institution which could easily becalled a prison created strictly to house bang babies. It wastastefully named the 'Crane Rehabilitational Clinic' but by anyonefrom any of the metahuman gangs in the city, it was the White Cage.He slashed exhaustedly at the walls ofthe cell he was confined to. It was small with nothing in it to speakof. It was called the breaking room by inmates. A small room withsolid white walls with no real escape. It was used to settle theincoming patients. Shiv had been an entirely different case. Mostmetahumans came in and brutally attacked at anything for all of threehours. They grew bored and cooperated enough to get out of the room.They were traditionally not fed in the room as it was so dangerous toenter into the room of an angry bang baby. One or two doctors hadcome in too early with a few gang members. However, it had been fourdays since the arrival of Shiv. Even the most callous had to admitthat to continue in this manner would be starving the young man. Shivhowever showed no signs of ending his assault on the cells. It wasobvious he was tired. The energy around his hands flicked and blinkedfrom time to time. But he always continued. They knew something hadto be done about this situation.Shiv looked around wildly. He wasnearly exhausted and for some reason his powers were not agreeingwith him. However, the last thing he wanted was to stop. TheMetabreed had been like a family to him. Well, he couldn't say that.It was far more complex than that. He however had always been on theedge in the hierarchy. It was worst to be the weakest and lowest in agang rank. He was far too small to avoid it. He had always been thefirst taken down by Static and the last to get back up. He was alsothe first to run and the last come back. It was a dangerous act beingthe scapegoat. However, he had powers and that kept him useful. Itwas always good to be useful when lacking in other areas. Howeverbeing useful only goes so far. The doctors sat in an observation roomlevel to the cell. They watched through a viewing wall. The four wereall of rather different opinion on the entire situation. Only aroundhalf of the doctors were truly doctors to the extent of having anydesire to help other human beings. Most were rather heartlessscientists who would love to dissect half the metahumans in the city.A hand full of the doctors however including a Dr. Robert Todd wereactually working on a cure for the Big Bang epidemic. He had beenwatching the situation carefully with his two assistants, a youngAsian woman by the name of Dr. Sarah Lin and a middle aged AfricanAmerican man named Dr. James Jackson. Another doctor, a young womanof half Ethiopian decent named Dr. Caren Adams, sat on the far end ofthe observation room. They sat at a desk in order of Dr. Adams, Dr.Lin, Dr. Todd and Dr. Jackson. Dr. Xaolin flipped through her papersbusily adjusting her glasses. She appeared worried as she stoppedflipping the papers. "Are these the only files on themetahumans?"Dr. Jackson looked over at her for amoment. "Did you look through the fifth file cabinet?""Yes. Its just we don't seem tohave much information on him." she paused for a moment reviewingthe documents yet again. "I thought with more information wecould find a way to stabilize and transport him."Dr. Todd and Dr. Jackson nodded to oneanother. Dr. Adams however seemed less impressed with the otherwoman. She sighed to herself. "I suggest that we do one of twothings if we wish to transport him."The other doctors turned to herinterest showed from their faces. Even Dr. Lin put down herclipboard. "I suggest we either use a mildform of knockout gas and transport him after it has taken itseffect."The other doctor looked at her inalmost shock. The action could have any number of harmful effects onthe young man. The gas had for one very been used on metahumansmeaning that it had no record of effects and no diagnoses in casesomething went wrong. Also in the bang baby's weakened state andhysteria, it could put him into shock. Dr. Todd was the first tospeak. "That's a highly dangerous course of action. Don't youthink so doctor?""I think it is no more dangerousto him than it would be to us to handle him without precautions.""We are not trying to kill ourpatients. We're trying to rehabilitate them. If it didn't kill him,it could leave permanent brain damage.""It was just a suggestion.Besides I have another idea remember." she said stretching for amoment. "The metahuman Shiv has genetically altered DNA whichmakes it possible for him to create weapons of light energy."The other doctors nodded."I have been doing a bit ofresearch over the past few days and have found quite a few details onthe nature of these abilities." She paused to see if hercolleagues were listening. They were all listening quite attentively."He seems to be able to consciously manipulate the positive ionsin the molecules of his hands. This manipulation duplicates the ionspositively charging them into a solid object of pure protons. Howeverthe action itself takes up a very high level of energy. He uses theenergy of light with the wavelength of between 500 and 700 nanometersas a form of kinetic energy to fuel this process. However the lowerthe light energy the more draining it is on his own energy supplies.I used this information to create a temporary antidote to his powers.If applied it will make it impossible for him to utilize thisprocess. I suggest lighting the room with light of a 400 to 500wavelength to remove him, applying the antidote and moving him into ausual cell."The other doctor applied impressed.All but Dr. Lin who looked in at Shiv for a moment. "Has it beentested?""Why of course. Its completelysafe." she said arrogantly. Dr. Todd stood up to leave the room."Brilliant, Dr. Adams. Just brilliant. I'll make thearrangements."His two assistants stood up leaving aswell.The remaining doctor smirked slightly."Safe enough for a bang baby."Outside in the hall, Dr. Lin and Dr.Jackson walked beside one another. Dr. Lin flipped through her noteswearily. She was a rather demure woman. She had never been one toargue and enjoyed the security of having all of the information withher at all times. She hated the idea of having to justify somethingwith a solid copy to back it up. Dr. Jackson was far more straightforward. He was a man of ethics and was not afraid to speak up. Thetwo walked for a moment silently. Each was thinking quite the samething but it was Dr. Jackson who noted it. "Do you think shetested that antidote correctly?""I sincerely doubt it."Dr. Jackson looked surprisingly ather. He had thought he was the only one to think so. "Why didn'tyou say anything Sarah? You're obviously worried about the boy.""Yes but I had no evidence. Ialso think it would be best for him to get somewhere where we can gethim something to eat.""You know as well as I do thatthere are probably some type of side effects to that antidote."She sighed flipping through herpapers. "I understand that. I am only hoping that we can find acounter treatment soon after but if it can stabilize him I'mwilling.""I still think its ridiculous torisk it.""Yes but it is also ridiculous tocontinue to starve him while we look for a more humane solution. Itis better than gassing him you must admit.""I can't believe she suggestedthat, can you?""Yes actually. She's always beena scientist more than a doctor. She's brilliant but not ahumanitarian.""And you are still not going todo a thing about it.""I don't have any evidence. Ican't prove a thing all we can do now is wait.""You sound so confident.""I'm glad because really I'm notvery confident." she paused frustrated. "If only we hadsomeone to persuade the boy to cooperate.""Hasn't Static dealt with himbefore?"It was almost as though a light wenton in Dr. Lin. She lowered her papers and turned to him. "Thatmay not be a bad idea."That concludes chapter 1. I hopeeveryone enjoyed it.

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