I Caught Me A Big One! (HB/HIVE)

(Continued from https://ttrpg.forumotion.com/t4923-no-smugglingjommy#78423)

Kris walked into the storage area and saw a huge crate that was empty and left over from the mirror heist.... They needed mirrors for the death laser, ok?! Kris threw the Titan named Toji Okamari, or something like that, in and locked it, Toji still had the ropes tied on and the hood over his head. Toji would have no powers here, HIVE had that pesky power dampener that finally came in handy. Kris then walked to one of the many intercoms spread around the base, "Guys.... I think you wanna see this! Come to the storage area!"

The announcement came as a bit of a shock to Hugh. He hadn't expected to see hide nor hair of Kris for a long while yet. They had used him as a plant to infiltrate the Russian army and hopefully garner useful intelligence or make a profit from his interactions. Finding a way to actually stop the armada was pretty low on Hugh's list. If Russia won then HIVE would evacuate and maybe return when the heat had died down. They were already outlaws. The only difference was language. Have Kris draw up a few flash cards to jog their memory and they'd be good to go.

An internal service elevator brought him to level and the metahuman stepped into the largest set of rooms in base. He was upon a metal gangway overlooking the sterile expanse of the hanger bay. One half of an entire wall was dedicated to just getting the craft out into the open ocean. The upkeep of these facilities had fallen sharply since TIBERIUS had left. Pix couldn't find anyone willing to chip in. But given that secret submersible craft didn't have MOT tests he figured they would still serve. He just hoped he remembered how to drive them.

The sprite; not at current a sprite - an impossibility thanks to the base's power suppression - walked down to the exact storage room the transmission had originated from. When he saw Zero he had still not puzzled out the man's abrupt appearance, "Kris! What happened? Was your cover blown? Why didn't you call us?"

Toji wakes up, groaning. "Ugh......what was that stuff...........Wait, where am I?Why is it so dark....Huh, I'm ted up?! That won't holdme!!" He strains, then fail."What?! My strength...." Then, he hears voices. Grinning, the halfling gets an idea. Slamming back and forth, he caused the box to rock, making it seem like he was trying to excape, when he had another idea entirel. Toji grins in truimph when he gives one more slam, making the box fall towards the voices. "SAY GOODBYE TO YOUR TOES, JERKS!" Slamming, into the ground, he groans, having jarred his wounds. "owwww'........."

Kris stepped out of the way and opened the door, walking over to Toji and taking off the hood before kicking Toji in the ribs, "I caught a Titan." Kris grinned as he bent over to Toji, "And he isn't going anywhere...." Kris then, very forcibly put the hood back over Toji's head and spit on him, the filthy Titan.

It was rather annoying how things popped up just when Quinn had found something to do. The Snake-Girl was up in the common room, enjoying some 'Clash of Clans' on her phone when she got a message from Pix to meet him down in the hanger. A sigh befell her as she got the message, placing her phone down on the table, Quinn then got up out of her seat and headed for the elevator.

A few moments had passed, and the elevator doors would slide open to reveal the hanger. Not far off in the distance was Pix... and Kris. Ha. Quinn skipped on over to join the troop. "Told you he'd blow his cover, five bucks pleeeeease". Quinn said, hand held out as she expected payment from Pix. There had been a little wager on how long Kris could last undercover, and from the looks of things it seemed as though Quinn was right. A week longer and Quinn would be the one who owes Pix.

"Errr." For once Pix was speechless. The vocal box was one thing. And its acrobatic vigour another. But Kristoff's nonchalant answer completely offset the seriousness of the situation. Though to be fair Pix didn't think Zero was capable of grasping its complexities. For years Titans and HIVE had enjoyed a sort of division. They almost turned a blind eye to each other. Granted most the work on this part was HIVE's discretion. But they were effectively at peace. And in peace time - you did not take a hostage. Pix wasn't ready to turn his hand to the Titans yet! He felt suddenly queasy.

The sprite had not heard Quinn enter and stood frozen to the spot with an expression of startled disbelief as she droned on. Then something snapped, "Shhh! Zip it. Titan. Box. You take - to prison. Now." He tried to shove Quinn in the direction of the casement with the assumption the assassin could obey his clipped instructions. Pix next pointed at Kris and clicked his fingers, "Follow." Grief. The cur was awake as well. This needed a full situational overview before Pix decided what alert the base should be on. He hoped it wasn't red alert. That would mean changing the bulb.

Toji groans as he'd kicked. " Gah. Growling, the halfling spinsd around,after he,s spit on, kicking back at Kris. " Take this!!! You may have beat me, that doesn't mean you get to treat me like dirt!!!" He kicksagain. " Lousy coward!! What kind of a man kicks another while he's down!!Untie these ropes and I,ll beat you blue!!!"

Kris followed Pix, finally realizing what he's done, "Ok, before you start lecturing me, I had no choice! He saw who I was! I was with my gang, smuggling weapons from the Russian Armory by the docks, using my new status as Captain to help us out. As we were loading the last of the weapons, this idiot comes barging in! He saw my face! I'm supposed to be dead, and he'd go blabbing to the Titans about a Russian teen with black hair and amber eyes? You know how many of those are in Jump City?! One! Our entire operation could be blown! I had to take him in!"

"Really... you're not even going to lend a hand?". Quinn would say, calling out as Pix and Kris exited the immediate area. It really was rather ungentlemanly like of them, to leave lil' ol' Quinn to move this heavy bow by herself. Pix's father isn't going to like to hear about his sons rude behavior, no way! Quinn stepped over towards the box, but before she got remotely close she would be able to see the box move slightly. Whatever Kris had in there, it sure wasn't going to be the best behaved house guest that they have ever had. "Kick again... and that's the last thing you'll do". Quinn yelled out at whatever was occupying the box.

Gripping the box, Quinn lifted it up and would then nonchalantly throw the box forward. It rolled across the floor, before Quinn began kicking the box again and again over towards the elevator. There she would pick the box up in both hands again, and await the elevator. As she did, she would throw the box up and down slightly, the box spinning in the air and when caught would be knee'd in the bottom by Quinn. Alas, a ding. The doors swung open, and Quinn backed in with the box in hand. The elevator doors slid to close, and slammed against the box - this happened several times before Quinn backed into the elevator properly.

Moments later and the doors slid open on the holding cell level of the HIVE base. Quinn threw the box out, which rolled along the floor. A run up this time, Quinn struck the box with a kick to send it through the air to land just outside one of the cells. She's open the cell up, and then toss the box in before closing the door, and locking it. Job done. The box was in a cell, and there was no means of getting out. "Perfec!". Quinn said to herself before skipping away to reach the control room.

Pix had indeed been building up to his usual litany of 'do you have any idea' and 'but what you don't understand is'. Fortunately Kris was quicker off the mark. With the situation explained it was difficult for Hugh to get angry at this sudden state of affairs. Zero had acted intelligently. Not ingeniously - for though they had taken his communicator for the duration of the mission, there were other inconspicuous ways Kris might have found to contact them - but if Pix berated everyone for being dumber than him then they might actually start to resent his lectures. And he could never spoil their enjoyment of those. It would be too cruel.

An exhaustive sigh escaped Hugh's lips, "Alright. Fair enough." Even now the sprite was searching for some way the assassin had messed up, but he couldn't think of a reason. Toji didn't strike him as the type who would plan to get captured. And at any rate they wouldn't know Ivan was HIVE. Still, they had bases to cover, "Which Titan is he? What did you do with his communicator? Did you frisk him for weapons or magic charms? Does our power suppressor cover his entire power set? Do they know you have him?" He had begun to drum his fingers nervously on a nearby piece of furniture, "Where do the Russians think you are? When will they expect you back? What chance is there they'll call you? You're off the grid down here and that's gotta raise alarm bells if they phone."

"He's a new one, Lightening based, Lightning Wolf I think he went by, Toji Okami. I threw his communicator in the bay, and all his weapons are in the trunk of my car. It seems as though he can't do anything right now, so I'd say he's pretty powerless. And I think Bow may have seen me take him." Kris paced, thinking, "The Russians think I'm on a covert mission, should take 2 days. I told them I'd be off grid." Kris walked to a screen, "They also think this oil rig is supplying the Army with oil, so they want to take it over...... I think we need to get better security."

"Grief. They think this old rig is still in operation. We can play dead until they clear off." Despite his snap response, Pix did not feel the solution would be as simple as that. Sure they could turn off the defences and wait until the Russians discovered that the surface was inoperable, but that supposed the enemy would retreat after. This patch of sea would be hard won and Hugh didn't believe any Russian commander would willingly give up ground. Heck, they would probably lie to their superiors and say this rig was operational just to get commendations. But thankfully there was time to plot a strategy there. HIVE had a more immediate problem.

They couldn't kill Toji for fear of being caught by the Titans without their hostage. Bow obvious knew what type of fate had befallen her comrade - which meant the heroes were mobilising. HIVE base had remained a secret for so long but Hugh didn't put blind faith in its continued non-discovery. If Hotwire put his mind to it they could very well find themselves under assault. All for the sake of rousing a sleeping lion.

Releasing Toji was out of the question too. They may have shared adventures together, but Pix was acutely aware that he still held a reputation for cowardliness. Especially considering his stance over TIBERIUS which almost amounted to reverence. The villain group would not stomach Toji's deliverance without suitable threat or gain. They didn't see as far forward as Hugh - never had. Not to mention that still left Kristoff with a problem. Toji had seen his face wearing a Russian uniform. It would be naïve to think the Titans weren't on Russia's grapevine. Ivan's cover would be blown.

Obviously they had to trade Toji somehow. And fast before any investigations led the authorities here. But the young lad's knowledge was inconvenient. HIVE could try being frank with the kid, explain the importance of a mission against common enemies. Yet he had no reason to trust Toji nor did he know of his character. Lightning Wolf might have had a reputation as a blabbermouth as far as Pix knew. Which meant HIVE had to cut their loses and tell Kris that his double agent days were over. To not return to his role as Ivan. All that preparation and hard work to ruin.

Maybe there's a better way...

The HIVE leader made his mind up. It had taken less than a minute. A reassuring hand went to Kris' shoulder, "I know what to do about our witness. You start baking cookies. I'll get Quinn fill a beaker. And then we'll throw Nina in jail." Decision made Pix turned to leave. He continued to speak over his shoulder, "I'm serious. Bake something. We don't have time to spare. I have to grab a copy of Requiem for a Dream."

AN HOUR LATER

The Halfling paces the cell, growling, and rubbing various bruises that had happened with that girl playing soccer with the box, with his black-gold eyes and enhanced canines fully on display."Jerksjerksjerksjerksjerks...." He sticks his hand in his pocket, surpised to find a marker." Yahahahahah......I'll pay him back...right now!!!!!" About five minutes later, he steps back from his masterpiece on the wall, a serious look on his face. The picture he had drawn was of Kris, made to look like a bee, with, with missing teeth, a unibrow, a broken stinger, and stink lines. Beneath were the words,"I'm not a stinger, I'm just a stinker!!!" Toji holds his serious artist post for a second, then breaks down, falling on the ground and rolling around, laughing hysterical."Hahahayhahahahaha..f-fine resemblance.....hahahahahaha....v-v-v-very accurate,hahahahhaa!!!" Though it hadn't done much to aiding him in escape, it had calmed Lightning Wolf down and cheered him up, making him look like a normal,albeit bluehaired, teen again.

A fox walked past the cells and looked to Toji, giving a smile and waving its tail around as it sat on the other side of the bars and whined for attention, putting its nose through the bars and staring at Toji, its brown eyes staring at Toji like a lost puppy. The fox then put a paw on one of the horizontal bars and gave a toothy grin, hoping to get some attention from the only human it had seen so far.

Toji, chuckling one last time, sits up, examining the picture. "it's missing something...Oh yah!!!" he closes his mouth, getting ready to inhale through his nostrils and gather up some nastiness, when he heard a whine. The young Halfling smiles, seeing a fox. "Hey, a fox! Are you a servant of Inari, coming to visit a distant cousin down on his luck?" He reaches through the bars, petting the fox while he smiles sadly. "I really...how do you say it..screwed up, my little friend. After five years of slavery, I get free, only to land myself in this mess...Heheheh, guess that's how it is." He grins, though theirs a sad look in his eyes. The Halfling rubs his neck, where the control collar had left it's mark.