"Remember the rules, that will be the only thing you will be living by from now on."
"I have already memorized them, warden Yakovich."
"Stop being such a smart–"
"None of them forbids me from fighting back, warden Yakovich. Be careful where your hands are going."
Warden Yakovich– the one responsible for managing the most secure prison in the entire world for almost 30 years now. He had seen many prisoners come… but not many go. The Super Max Prison was famous for holding the record of having the most Super prisoners that were sentenced to life at one time.
And considering Russia's Super Max Prison could actually only hold 200 prisoners at one time, that truly was a feat that no other facility in the world could replicate.
There were many rules set upon the prisoners– but really, who could actually control people that could practically destroy an entire city if they wanted to? And in the Super Max Prison, there were more than a dozen capable of that. In fact, some of them could just break out if they want to; and chances are they would succeed.
Well, that's where their success ends. They might be able to escape with ease, but what awaited them was most likely death as they would be placed under the radars of the Hope Guild and other superhero organizations.
But still– how is the most secure facility in the entire world the most secure even though there was a possibility that the prisoners could escape if they want to, you ask?
That is because the prisoners themselves have built their own society inside the prison– a sort of hierarchy that Russia has exploited to let the prisoners themselves keep themselves in check. Some prisoners even act as guards, abusing the other prisoners and disguising it as imposing the rules.
In short, politics.
The prisoners were drunk by the power they held inside the prison, even if they knew it was just an illusion. They even set up their own Ranks, the higher the rank you have, the more authority you hold inside the prison… with Rank 1 basically having almost the same authority as warden Yakovich.
Of course, even if that was the case, warden Yakovich was not really afraid that people would start questioning his authority because of this. After all, those who asked could no longer be found in the prison the next day.
There was also the fact that warden Yakovich was also rated as a Class-S Super– only the strongest of prisoners would have the chance to stand toe-to-toe with him if they wished to challenge him.
One might think that the prisoners would be afraid of actually challenging him– but no. Almost every week, a prisoner challenges warden Yakovich, sometimes for no reason at all but for the sheer entertainment of it.
And with his almost 30 years of being the warden; suffice to say, Yakovich was probably one of the most well-versed Supers in the world in terms of combating other Supers. He had seen his fair shares of strong supers…
…but the one in front of him right now was different.
Riley Ross.
Adoptive father, Whiteking; Biological mother, Ms. Phoenix.
Sentenced to life for killing half of the people in the second-most secure prison in the entire world. But most importantly… he was suspected to be the most heinous villain the planet has ever produced– Darkday.
His name was already cleared of that– but everyone has already seen what Riley Ross was capable of. He was a telekinetic capable of rivaling Ms. Phoenix and Darkday, both of which battle for the position of the strongest telekinetic in the world.
Warden Yakovich had also seen the videos of his rampage and already knew what to expect. But this…
Riley Ross was in front of him, his body currently wrapped in layers of kevlar, attached to a vertical stretcher to prevent him from moving even a single finger. His eyes were also covered– so how exactly did he see Yakovich's hand that was about to slap him in the face?
And more importantly… how was he stopping it?
There were only the two of them in this holding room, with their only companions their reflections that moved in all corners of the room.
Yakovich could only take in a small but very deep breath as he stared at his own hand; already lifted in the air but completely still– not even a tremble could be seen.
"Let… go of my hand, prisoner 666."
"...Prisoner 666?"
And with that whisper coming out of Riley's mouth, warden Yakovich could once again finally feel his arm become his own. Yakovich wanted to reprimand Riley with what he just did, but considering the file he had read about him, it would probably not have any effect on him.
Riley Ross was a high-functioning autistic. Of course, there were actually a lot of people somewhat similar to Riley inside the prison; psychopaths, sociopaths, and just insane. No one in this prison was in the right mind. One could argue that even he had a few screws loose for not even straying from this career.
But even then, Riley was unique. He was the only prisoner here that one could argue did not deserve to be here– after all, even half the masses said so.
"You are our 666th prisoner, Mr. Ross," warden Yakovich then said as he let out a small sigh; retracting his hand as he did so.
"That… is quite an interesting number, don't you think so, warden Yakovich?"
"..." Yakovich could not help but slightly squint his eyes as Riley's already wide mouth started to stretch even further.
"Do I get a phone call, warden Yakovich?" Riley then said as the smile on his face remained, "If so, then I want my first phone call to be to the Pope. I finally have a story that could match his story about Jes–"
"That's enough," warden Yakovich then raised his hand; and as soon as he did so, one of the mirrors in the room started to open up; emerging from it almost a dozen super guards.
"You will now be taken to your cell, prisoner 666," Yakovich then let out a sigh, "Once you're in there, you are in the hands of the other prisoners. And since you are sentenced to life, the only way you're leaving this place is inside a body bag."
"That is debatable, warden Yakovi–"
And before Riley could once again finish his words, one of the guards tapped something on his stretcher, causing it to shake violently as they pulled him away without a word.
"Be very careful, prisoner 666. You are in here for killing prisoners and prison guards– both of which are the only people you would be seeing until the day you die, and I am telling you now, they would not be treating you well."
"I was already expecting that, warden Yakovich."
"..." Warden Yakovich could only watch as Riley was taken away by his guards. And seeing the looks that the guards were exchanging, they were already planning on doing something. Riley Ross may be seen as a sort of innocent victim oppressed by the government outside, but in here…
…he was just a prisoner. And what mattered most was what got him here.
Everyone in the prison would surely make trouble for him– especially with the way he looks.
"..." A long and very deep sigh then escaped from Yakovich's mouth, almost fogging the entire walls of mirrors. He was used to trouble… the only problem now was the one that would be at the receiving end was probably the most problematic prisoner this facility has ever seen.
"I knew I should have retired when I had the chance."
***
"Are… we really doing it? He's just a child now that I am seeing him."
"A child that killed more than a dozen of us. If you're going to be a little bitch, then leave."
"..." Although Riley's eyes were covered, it was obvious that the guards that were taking him to his cell were planning something– after all, their excited and nervous breaths were all but familiar to him.
"Is your group perhaps trying to kill me, guards?"
"Shut up! You only speak when spoken to!"
"..." Riley could once again feel his body being violently dragged as the guards once again adjusted his stretcher. After that, however, no words escaped the mouths of the guards– almost as if only speaking through their eyes.
Soon, however, Riley could hear loud whispers and murmurs coming from almost all directions.
"...Who the fuck is that white cunt?"
"Look at that, they brought someone tied up again."
"What do you think he did?"
"Who the fuck cares– he's probably a serial rapist like the last guy."
"Quiet down if you do not want to be electrocuted!"
"Ooh, how scary!"
"Here! Shock me! Shock me you, little sad bitch!"
"Tch, the warden should really fuck these guys up. Their heads are starting to get big."
"..."
The talks and whispers continued on for a few more minutes; until finally, the persistent squeaking sound of the wheels of the stretcher he was attached to stopped.
"Come on! Let's leave!"
"Are… are we really leaving him like this!?"
"...Wouldn't he just be able to break--"
"Let's just go!"
"..." Riley could only let out a small breath as he heard the footsteps of the guards hurry away; fading and soon disappearing from his ears. He waited for a few more seconds if they were planning to do something else, but even after a full minute– no one came for him.
The bindings that trapped him in the stretcher, still tightly wrapped around his body.
And soon, a loud siren thundered throughout the entire prison.
"Yard time, boys!"
"....Oh."