Chapter 2 - The Transmission

Disclaimer: I don't ownStatic Shock. Milestone, Dwayne McDuffie, DC Comics and WB own it. Itwould be cool if I did. I would had Shiv live up to his fullpotential.Warning:Will contain slash, drugs,violence and one sided relationships. This will be a bit riskier thanmy average fics. Knowing me it'll be okay but I only thought it fairto place a warning. I hope everyone enjoys the rendition of Shiv by athird author. I want to be original and hope this is.A/N:No Shiv in this chapter. If youwant Shiv skip it. V/R though. I also go a little overboard onconspiracy Richie. He had a UFO in his room in an episode. Hebelieves in Roswell and geniuses tend to be a bit off. Also a bigunderlying theme. If you can guess it you get a cookie. I hopeeveryone likes this chapter. BTW, each chapter is 3 pages.TakenLightlyChapter2: The TransmissionVirgilHawkins battled bang babies on a daily basis. He had actually justbroken up the Metabreed, a bang baby gang, only a few days ago.Things had calmed down signifigantly since then and Virgil was spendsome time just hanging out at the gas station of solitude. Thestation was almost a world different than when they had originallyfound it. It was fixed up to be clean enough for his super geniuspartner not to go into cardiac arrest and an old couch had been movedin to make the place fairly homey. It was still dimly lit with theoccasional interspecies visitors but all and all, it was a nice placeto spend a good free of crime fighting. Richiesat on the far side of the station in what he had dubbed his controlcenter. It was packed with three desks and a table coated withinventions, schematics, parts, Backpack,a new version of the Shock Box, his computer, designs and varioustools for any task from nuclear physics to sewing. The walls werelittered with information on every bang baby in the city andeverything Richie considered important to know about them. He washowever at the moment sitting in the said corner listening to anybroadcast he and Backpack could pick up. It was a very quiet day. "Rich, admit it. No one is doing anything today. Give it arest." Virgil said lying on the couch almost half way across theroom. Richie removed his headphones and looked over at Virgil. "Andwhat if a bang baby attacks? What if the Metabreed comes back? OrHotstreak? We have to be vigilant.""We don't need to be nothing, Rich." Virgil stretched."You have Backpack set on auto sensor. If anything happens,it'll know."Richie grunted slightly. He hated the idea of having his job takenover by any machine. Even if it was his beloved computer. Being asuper genius left few options in terms of being a super hero and hewas beginning to think he was running out of things to build forVirgil. He could only make so many things before all of Static'sneeds were filled to any rational extent. "At least take a break. You're making me nervous runningaround like that."But just as Richie began to get up, Backpack began to beep rathermaniacally. Richie put his headphones back on, booting up theinformation onto his computer as Virgil raced around the stationgetting into his gear. Richie pushed a flurry of keys on his keyboardas Virgil pulled on his mask and grabbed his saucer standing behindRichie waiting to hear where he was going and why. "So what is it Rich?""It looks like a video file. Someone is feeding out a .avifile onto a general...""Pretend for a minute, you aren't a super genius."Virgil interrupted."Its a movie that someone wants you to watch.""You didn't have to dumb it down that much."Richie gave him an indignant look then returned to the computer,"I traced it back to downtown and Bingo!""What is it?""Its a video clip from the CraneRehabilitational Clinic.""Okay. Play it.""What?""Its a video clip, isn'tit? Play it.""V, it could be a trap. Or a brainwashing program. Or...""Fanmail."Richie snorted. "You're ego gets any bigger and we'll need anew hideout.""Rich, its from a hospital. Its not going to be anythingdangerous."Richie groaned and began downloading the file to view it. The screen went black for a moment before showing an Asian womanin her twenties. She was petite with long very straight black hairand glasses. She was dressed in a lab coat and held a clipboard inher arms. She was expressionless and seemingly calm. "Crane Rehabilitational Clinic, Dakota, United States ofAmerica, 20 00 hours, July 23rd" she said calmly withoutblinking. "I am sending a message in hopes that the bang babypresently known as Static will receive it. If you are that person, weare in desperate need of your assistance. You have valuable knowledgeon the fugitive metahumans and it is my hopes that you will come andassist myself and my team. Transmission end." The screen wentblack and returned to normal.Richie and Virgil stared for a moment quietly. Richie pulled hisheadphone down around his neck as Virgil rubbed his head. "Whatdo you know about the CraneClinic?" Virgil said looking at Richie."I know that if you're a bangbaby, you stay far away from it.""Anything else?""You want everything I know onit, V?""Yeah. Only summarized, Rich. Ifyou told me everything I'd be here all summer.""Its a mental institution/prisonbasically. It houses metahumans so the jails don't have to.""It doesn't sound that bad.""Yeah, that's what the workerswant you to think. The institute is known for housing every scientistwilling to cut up a bang baby. It has no moral ethics. Its giant labfor research with criminals as the lab rats. Its not a place to messwith, V.""Is everything a conspiracy withyou?""Its not a conspiracy. Its like adeath camp. No way out."Virgil sighed. "Rich, my popssaid its not that bad there. He says its working on a cure for thebig bang.""By cutting up bang babies.""Rich, I have to go." hesaid slightly annoyed. "They said it was urgent."Richie rubbed his forehead. Heobviously didn't think it was a good idea for Virgil to go. He rackedhis brain looking for an argument for Virgil's. Nothing was coming tomind. Well actually two hundred seventy four ideas came to mind. Nonethat he thought stood up to Virgil's logical which was a criticalfactor in winning a planned argument. According to Virgil, it was hisduty as a superhero to risk his life on a daily basis because he hadsuper powers and no one else was willing to. It was noble but inRichie's opinion unnervingly dangerous. He had tried to find ways tomake it less so. He had found ways to waterproof his uniform and madeup countless strategies specialized to the fighting style, powers,weaknesses and disposition of every known criminal bang baby inDakota. He didn't like surprises. You can't prepare for a surprise. "Come on Rich, what's the worstthing that could happen?" Virgil said to Richie with a grin.Richie almost twitched. A roughnumber of around three thousand extremely violent and/or inhumaneideas popped into his around the same minute. "So not helping,V."Virgil bent over and hugged the now rather worried super genius."Nothing is going to happen. Like I said Pops doesn't think itsthat bad and he'd know about this."Richie did have to admit that Mr. Hawkins had an almost unnaturalknack for knowing these things. "I'm putting a wire on you."Virgil sighed still hugging Richie. "You're paranoid, youknow that, don't you Rich?""I prefer prepared.""Call it what you want, Rich."I almost didn't get the slash in. I hope you review. Ideas arewelcome.

You are not authorized to comment here. Your must be registered and logged in to comment