Tricked
Prompt by @nuttynutcycle
"I'm actually surprised what a good team we make. Supervillain didn't even see us coming." The hero said, thrusting Supervillain's detonator in the villain's direction. "Mind holding this?" He fumbled to get his jacket on.
The villain nodded absentmindedly, reaching out to grab the device. A hand slammed on top of hers and forced the button down. The resounding boom shook the ground and drowned out the following screams. Her mouth gaped. "What did you DO?"
He grinned back. "No, what did YOU do?"
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Villain threw the detonator away with trembling hands as she stumbled back. As far as she could get from the hero. She was shocked but realised she needed to get out of there immediately. She could not afford to worry about anything else. She turned around and took off at top speed but suddenly she felt a sharp sting in her neck. She gasped as she realized what happened.
She ran faster as she pulled it out struggling to get as far away as possible before it took effect. Sadly, she was slowing down as slowly couldn’t feel her legs anymore. She stumbled and fell to the ground. She stared with anger as Hero approached her. Slowly, leisurely for she was going nowhere. She glared at him. Oh if only looks could kill. This would have never happened but unfortunately, he had caught her off guard.
By now Hero had come close enough so she could see his face. His expression was completely different now. He had a smug look as he brandished the dart gun in front of her. He laughed, “Didn’t expect this did you? It took me quite some time to figure out a way to trick you. You never trust people easily yet you finally did and look where that got you.”
Hero smirked and at that moment he was not looking very heroic to Villain. He was looking like a villain. One far worse than any she had encountered.
Hero smiled a sinister smile, “Well, I’ve got to take you in for setting off that detonator now. You’ll pay for your crimes.”
That was the last thing Villain heard and saw before her limbs went completely limp and her vision faded and she was out.
When she awoke she was in a completely different place. She was sitting in a cold metal chair and had been chained to it by the ankle. She vaguely wondered why they thought they could keep her there only with a single chain when she felt something. The lack of her powers and strength. She glanced down and saw a thin bracelet encircling her wrist. It felt like lead on her wrist.
Its appearance was deceptive. It was made of an almost unbreakable metal and also drained her powers and strength thus making it impossible to break unless removed with its specific key. She looked around. She was in a cold bare room. She sighed. At least it was clean. She could plan her escape here.
A moment later the door opened and Hero entered along with Superhero and some other people from their little organization. Villain stared coldly at Hero taking note of how his expression was so different now. He looked like a hero who had just captured a villain and saved the world. Not an ounce of the malice and spite in his eyes that she had seen before.
Superhero pulled out another chair that was present in the room and sat on it right in front of her. She reclined as best as she could on the chair she was seated on. She could make it her throne temporarily. She spoke with a wry smile, “What brings you here? Most importantly why am I here?”
Superhero stared at her. “Do you not know what you did? Luckily Hero was able to capture you so you could answer for your crimes. It was a pity he was too late to stop you but at least we can stop you from committing crimes for the rest of your life.”
Superhero’s expression turned to one of anger and disbelief, “How could you? Do you know the amount of people that died just because you pressed the button?”
Villain smiled sadly. “It wasn’t me; you’ve got the wrong person. It was Hero-”
Superhero stood up in anger. “Oh really? Are you going to tell me that Hero forced you to press your hand on the button so that we could clearly see that it was your fingerprints on the button and yours only.”
Villain looked up at Hero who was silently standing behind Superhero and from his expression he was enjoying this. His eyes held silent mirth. No doubt his mocking expression was saying- and she could almost hear it loud and clear- They’ll never believe you. After all, I’m the hero and you’re just a villain.
She silently seethed with anger. This hateful man was walking around scot-free after causing such havoc. After causing her to get charged with a crime she never even committed. She silently berated herself. She should have known Supervillain must have had a trick up his sleeve. She never would have imagined Hero was one of his men.
She had to admit. It was a pretty good plan but they were ever so going to regret it the moment she got out of here.
Superhero was still speaking - some long list of charges it seemed. She heard the last line- “You’ll be punished by being imprisoned here for the rest of your miserable life.”
Villain’s jaw dropped. No, that wouldn’t do at all. She had to do something. How could her plan work if she was stuck here?
By the time she realised she should try to make Superhero believe her she looked up and noticed he had already stormed out of her cell. Probably too disgusted by the crimes she had apparently committed. She wondered what Hero had added and exaggerated to her normal list of crimes.
She was deep in thought when she saw Hero had stayed behind, even after they all had left. He walked over to her and leaned towards her. He whispered into her ears. “You didn’t think I would let you go out again and give you the chance to do something against me, did you? Oh no! You’re too dangerous to be left free.”
With that he grinned at her and left, closing the door with a final click.
Villain stared around the room with a growing level of dread. She hated being trapped. She got up and tried to see if there was a way to get out. She quickly realised the chair was fixed to the floor at the centre of the room and the chain around her ankles didn’t let her go far enough to reach the door.
She sighed. She was angry, tired and frustrated. It would do no good attempting anything now so she decided to just sleep and hoped the next day would bring some new hope and ideas.
The next day she woke to the sound of the door opening. A different person entered. She hadn’t seen him before. He walked over and quickly handed her a package. She didn’t need to open it to know what it was. It was food. However, it surprisingly smelled extremely good. The person, now that she looked closely, he was quite young. Probably around eighteen years old. Well, that made him younger than her.
The person- no, the boy chuckled. “Don’t worry we provide good food here. It is a prison run by heroes after all. No matter how bad you are. We won’t provide you with terrible food while you’re imprisoned.”
He suddenly winked, “Though it would be a different story if Hero was in charge here.”
Villain suddenly looked up. Had her ears deceived her?
The boy grinned as he sensed her unvoiced question. “Yes I know about Hero’s true nature. I’m fairly new here so I didn’t blindly trust him and one day when I was least expecting it I witnessed it myself. Luckily, he didn’t know I was there too. It’s a pity that he has everybody else fooled.”
He looked up at her with pleading eyes. “I also know you’re the only one capable enough to defeat him.”
Villain laughed bitterly. “That wouldn’t do any good now that I’m stuck in here and believe me I’ve tried to think of a way to get out of here but I have… failed.”
Villain put her head in her hands as she fully acknowledged the despair she had been feeling since she had been locked up here.
The boy looked worried as he saw her expression bleak and utterly defeated. He silently opened the packet and handed her the sandwich and spoke while she ate. “Don’t worry. Since you are a high security prisoner, they won’t let you out often but they will let you out once a month if you are good for the entire month. No causing havoc or disturbances here.”
Villain scoffed. “Just stay put here like a willing prisoner and accept that I have to live the rest of my life here?”
The boy’s eyes twinkled. “Of course not. You shall be planning your revenge. How to take down Hero and Supervillain once you successfully get out of here.”
Villain looked up; her eyes dull. This was too good to be true. She didn’t believe a word of it.
The boy realised she needed more convincing and continued, “When you’ll be taken out for your walk after a month, you’ll have two guards next to you and you’ll be chained at the waist with them holding one of each of the two sides and of course with the power dampening bracelet.”
He now started smiling, “However, I will be the one in charge of restraining you properly before you’ll be going out of here so it is very easy for me to make sure you can slip the chains off easily and unlock the power dampener for you so you can make it fall of with just a click when it’s the appropriate time.”
Villain looked up and for the first time since she had been brought here, she felt hope spark inside of her. She also felt better after eating the sandwich.
She took the boys hand and firmly shook it. “Deal.”
For some reason she believed him. She could sense he was being genuine.
He smiled as he hastily made his way to the door, “I’ve already spent more time than I should have in here. I’ll be seeing you soon.”
A month had passed. Villain had been quiet and well behaved. Only on the outside. In her head she had already formulated a fool proof plan. She smiled darkly. Supervillain and Hero were going to pay. They were going to wish they had never messed with her.
She looked up to the familiar sight of the boy coming in through the door to give her her daily supply of food.
Today he entered with chains dragging behind him.
She looked up with a smile. It was finally here. The day she had been eagerly waiting for. The day she would escape.
While she had been silently planning, the boy had also made preparations and had managed to get his hand on the key that unlocked the power dampener bracelet without any suspicion.
He quickly walked over to her and released her ankle that had been chained for so long. He also made short work of attaching the chain to her waist, showed her exactly where she had to pull so the whole thing fell off easily and unlocked her power dampener.
He leaned in and said in a hurried whisper. “Something unexpected happened. Hero will also be accompanying you for the walk.”
Villain smiled as she felt her powers flood through her body. She felt alive once more. Her strength returned and it felt glorious.
She looked over at the boy and thanked him with a smile. “Don’t worry about that, I can take him down easily now. I won’t be caught off guard like last time. He isn’t a match for me at all.” She smiled reassuringly at him.
She also made up her mind to return the favour to him someday. She was not one to be ungrateful.
By now, the guards had come inside to lead her out. She smirked. Hero was going to regret his decision very soon. He had come to her and given her this opportunity. He only had himself to blame for deciding to show up today.
She smiled as her eyes flashed dangerously. This was going to be oh so much fun.