CHAPTER 6: Bundinn af Gleipnir

“Crew?” Statik’s voice floated over to Crew where she sat chained to the wall of a grimy cell made of brick walls with steel bars along the front. “Are you back to being Crew Leader yet?” Statik asked cautiously.

                Crew groaned. “I’m always Crew Leader �" why do you ask me that sometimes …?” She opened her eyes, taking in the scene. She glanced down, impressed at the sheer amount of chain wrapped around her. Apparently since it had worked before, it was the only thing they trusted to keep her corralled. She took it as a compliment, it meant she worried them. “Where are you anyway?”

                “Oh, we’re in our own cell. Apparently we’re not as worrying as you, it seems. Not even chained up.” Statik waved at Crew from the cell next to Crew’s. She was crouched next to the bars while Reever was in the other corner, sitting on the floor with his arms crossed. He merely gave her a slight nod before staring at the floor again. “Don’t mind him �" he’s not too happy about being caught. I don’t know why he’s surprised, he’s useless in a fight anyway.”

                “I’m not useless in a fight �" I just don’t care for them,” he retorted.

                Statik rolled her eyes. “Still means you’re useless in one.”

                “Alright, alright. I get it; don’t bring Reever to a fight, yeah. So, what happened? Where are we?”

                Statik sat on the ground next to the bars. “From what I can tell, we did actually manage to find the rebels. However, what we didn’t know was we fucked up and fell into a trap for the Tide.” Statik glared at Reever as she spoke �" Reever for his part didn’t even look at her.

                “Oh? Some information gatherer �" you got information meant for their enemies.” Crew had a small smirk on her face. “So why didn’t they try to kill us first thing?”

                “I think they meant to use that path as a way to capture Tide soldiers to find out what Tide knows.” Statik leaned against the wall. “Instead they got us and are probably trying to decide if we’re worth keeping around. You, uh, didn’t make a lot of friends on the way in, Crew. Quite a few of them are busy being mended because of you.”

                Crew looked confused. “All I did was throw a few of them �" if they’re decent at all, they’d know how to roll from a throw. I didn’t even throw them very hard.” Reever looked at Crew with an odd look on his face while Statik merely kept her mouth shut. Crew Leader saw Reever’s expression and looked back at Statik who wouldn’t look her in the eyes. An irritated expression came over Crew’s face. “Statik, what aren’t you telling me?” Statik kept looking everywhere else until Crew became even angrier. “Statik,” she growled, “what won’t you tell me? What won’t either of you tell me?”

                Before Statik could respond someone came into the cell area, slamming a pipe along the bars, making as much noise as he could. A look of pain came over Crew as the noise was quite loud to her more attuned ears. Once it stopped, the figure began to speak: “Enough talking! You’re prisoners �" not here for some down time!” The speaker stepped closer to the cells where the trio could see him �" he didn’t appear impressive, simply a gangly teenager or maybe in his early twenties. A large hoodie hung on him that he wore with the hood up, and combined with the baseball cap he wore under it, it was difficult to actually see his face. There were long strings that hung from the base of the hood that had beads on the end which swung around him as he moved about. His shoes were worn, and his pants raggedy �" his whole outfit could be described as raggedy if one really wanted to.

                He looked over at Crew, checking to see she was still held by the chains before looking back at the other two. “Well, if there’s one thing I can probably say, is that you’re not Tide. Not if you’ve got that thing,” he motioned towards Crew, “trailing along with you.” Crew, for her part, merely rolled her eyes. “Except that doesn’t mean you weren’t followed by Tide soldiers.”

                Statik stood and walked towards the man, “Are you just going to talk, or are you going to say something worthwhile?” She crossed her arms as she stared him down. “Because I don’t like to be accused of anything to do with the Tide, unless I’m being accused of beating them senseless.”

                The figure laughed. “Oh really? Then we might have a use for you at least. Regardless, though, because you three fell into our trap meant for the Tide, we need to move again. Until we’ve found a good spot, and we can really sit down and have a chat, you lot are going to have to stay here.”

                “And how long does it take to move?” Reever asked from his corner spot.

                “Wouldn’t you like to know. Don’t worry, you’ll get fed �" we aren’t nearly as heartless as the Tide. I’ll return when it’s all said and done. Anyway, I’ve done the nice thing and visited, so I’m off. Enjoy your stay.” The man turned to leave, dragging the pipe along the floor as he went, until Crew called out.

                “Do we at least get your name?”

                He turned back around with a smirk visible under his cap. “Cambio.” With that, he left.

                Statik stared at where Cambio had exited for a while longer until she went and sat against the wall once more. “I wish we knew what time it was. I don’t know if I should sleep or stay up since there’s nothing to do.” She made some small sparks between her hands. “I hate sitting idle.”

                “I know,” responded Crew. “There were many times I had to break fights between you and the rest of the Crew because you’d gotten too bored.” She chuckled. “Granted, some of them deserved a punch, I didn’t want you putting all my work force in the infirmary.” Crew Leader sighed. “At least you can get up and move. I’m stapled to the damn wall.” She looked over at the other two. “I think Statik, you might as well sleep. I imagine you’ve still got a bit of your hangover left lingering around. And from the sounds of it, nothing too interesting is going to happen for a while yet.”

                “Are you sure?” Statik asked.

                “I think Crew Leader’s right, Statik. Plus you’re the only one among us that actually sleeps, so you might as well take this chance to do so,” Reever agreed.

                Statik grumbled as she tried to find a comfortable spot on the hard brick floor. Crew could hear her mumblings, catching such phrases as “Why do I always hang with the weird people…” and the like before she finally allowed sleep to overtake her. As Crew watched Statik for a few moments, she noticed Reever was watching Statik as well.

                “Well, we found the rebels,” Crew stated.

                “Indeed,” replied Reever.

                “And now we’re prisoner. Was that part of your plan when we set out?”

                “Not entirely, no. Yet I feel you’re enjoying this more than you would enjoy another day at the bar, if we’re being honest.”

                Crew smirked. “Alright, I’ll give you that one. Though I never thought when I came out of retirement, my first act would be getting caught.”

                There was silence for a few moments until Reever spoke. “I’ve been thinking  -- how does one such as yourself even retire to begin with. I always thought it to be a life-long thing, being a villain.”

                Crew groaned. “Everyone always asks that. They make it sound like you’re born a villain, you die a villain. I never considered myself a villain �" I don’t even like the word. People want to see the world in black and white, but never want to consider that there’s a grey somewhere in between. Just because you’re born in the Rogue Isles doesn’t mean you’ll turn out to be some bloodthirsty mindless killer.” She paused. “Though, the Isles have their fair share of those, don’t get me wrong.”

                “So, what, you consider yourself to be in the middle?” Reever asked. “I find that hard to believe, seeing what I’ve seen so far, and what I glimpsed in Statik’s mind. I think I can admit that from some of what I saw, you were terrifying to anyone living in the Isles.”

                “I never claimed to be a saint. I don’t think I could even attempt to say that with a straight face �" no. No, I could be terrifying, but there are times when a soft touch won’t get what you need done.” She looked over at Reever. “And I’m sure the little hero will announce how much good he’s done for the world and the like.”

                Reever waved a hand, as if shooing the statement away. “Why do you assume I was a hero? Or is it the attitude? No, I may be many things, but I don’t think a hero is one of them. Perhaps I fit into the same shades of grey as you claim to.”

                Silence filled the cells for a long time as Crew and Reever each found something to occupy themselves. Crew decided to try and count the bricks in the ceiling while Reever thought back on what all he had done in his long lifespan.

                “You never answered my question,” Reever reminded Crew Leader.

                “What question?”

                “How did you retire �" although to be honest, I’m more interested in the why.”

                Crew Leader thought for a few moments. “Everything got to be too easy. The crew was running without me by the end. I had become a figurehead �" the big scary thing behind a threat. I was what parents threatened their children with �" ‘Don’t stay out too late or the evil Crew Leader will snatch you up for her crew’! I never wanted to be like that. I got moody … destructive. So I left it all.”

                “You just dropped it and left for Renard?” Reever sounded surprised. “No warning?”

                Crew looked away, “Not one of my better moments, but I bet if you ask in the Isles, many still think I’m there. They never saw me on the streets anymore �" so how would they know? I honestly expected Statik to take over. Generally the crew followed her; they certainly saw her more than they ever did me there at the end since I was always shut away. I was surprised when she showed up at my door three years later.” She looked back at Statik’s sleeping figure. “I guess I didn’t realize how clingy she truly was.” After a few moments she glanced at Reever. “And what about you? How does a fellow member of the grey-club end up in Renard?”

                “Ah, it’s not that interesting, truly,” Reever replied.

                “Not very fair, here I am, telling you so much, and you won’t give me anything back? Give me something at least �" what about your mask? Is there anything under it?”

                He thought for a moment before he pulled the mask off his face and showed it to Crew Leader. She finally saw what color his eyes were �" a vibrant green, they were quite startling against the black paint on his face around the holes in his mask. His skin itself was somewhat pale, and he had light blonde hair that was cut short but could still be seen under his hood. After another moment of allowing Crew to get a good look he placed the mask back on.

                “You could pass as a normal �" why bother with the mask at all?” Crew asked. “I wish I could �" but makeup won’t cover my mark, and nothing covers my eyes.”

                “It’s … habit I suppose. I’ve worn it for so long, it’s like a part of me. I guess I’ve come to see it as my real face. It doesn’t feel right to not have it on.”

                “I think I know how that feels,” Crew agreed. “I don’t know what I’d do if I lost this coat, it’s sort of become a second skin. I don’t even think about it anymore.”

                “What’s it made of?” Reever asked, “It’s so hard to look at, yet I can’t help but try and look �" it’s almost like the absorbs the light cast on it”

                “To be honest, I don’t really know,” Crew admitted. “I’ve heard theories, stories, and so on, but even I don’t know what to really believe. Maybe one day I’ll find out, but I imagine I’ll be quite old by then.” Crew smiled. “Probably annoy Statik to hear this, but out of the three of us, I feel like she’s the most normal. I don’t think I ever got to experience ‘normal’. It must be nice.”

                Reever took a quick look at the sleeping Statik. “Maybe normal is relative. For Statik, she spent three years searching you out �" maybe to her, you are normal.”

                Crew laughed. “How sweet. Next thing I’ll get cavities �" maybe you should go into being a relationship counselor Reever.” She sighed. “Thing is, she’d agree with you. She’s so stubborn. Now if you don’t mind, I think I’d like to get back to my count of bricks in the wall. Not used to saying more than just ‘get me another glass’.”

                Reever smiled. “It doesn’t bother me. If you want to talk again, feel free to.”