'Another Villain dies after jumping off a 12-story building in an attempt to escape the Heroes.' The news blared on the speakers as Zero sat silently, listening to the reports. He had been listening to it over and over as he waited for something to change in the radio news. But it never did change, the sentence repeated itself as Zero listened.
"Do you like the news?" Zero listened to the atomic door unlock as a figure entered his room. Times like these Zero wished he could see, but their protocol was against Zero. A heavy metal cage was over his mouth and nose, solid to the touch with a slight latch to eat. It dug into his flesh as the leather strap tightly held it around his head. A black cloth was over his eyes as it destroyed his view while his hands were tightly wrapped around his torso with what Zero believed to be a straight jacket. His feet were bound under ankle chains that only had so much range from each other, that's why he never got off the padded room's floor. "It's everywhere." The deep voice continued. "The city is celebrating your death, isn't that ironic." Zero couldn't answer, but if he could, he wouldn't have anyways. "Too bad you aren't dead, yeah?" Often Zero was stuck listening to what he assumed were doctors rant about Zero and how he should be dead as they shoved a feeding tube up his nose so they wouldn't need to take off the metal cage on his face.
Zero was debating on what he could do, and what he should do. The only violent act that he could think of was either smashing his head into the doctor's or smashing his head into the padded walls, but they were both unlucky to do damage as the walls were padded and the doctor could see.
"You have a guest today, be a good boy." Zero instantly flinched back as the doctor's hand met Zero's bare thighs, causing Zero to fully realize how close the doctor was. Zero felt a sharp needle-like pain shut through his thigh as he grunted while he tried to lean away. But it was no use, Zero was already on the ground as the man headed over him. All he could do was beg that the doctor did nothing else as Zero was left at the man's mercy. "And once the man leaves, you can go back to just wilting away in this cell as we watch." The man laughed before Zero felt a hard kick to bare thighs as the doctor's shoes dug into him. Then another on his lower back as Zero tried to drag his legs closer to his chest. The metal mask now stabs deeper into Zero's face as he puts weight on the side of his face, trying to sit up so he could be better protected. "Cute, but not enough." A screeching sound ripped out of Zero's throat as the doctor stepped on his ribs and pressed down with weight. Zero was now fighting the straight jacket as he tried to pull his arms away from his chest while he rolled to the side.
"Doctor Bruce!" The speakerphone blurred into Zero's room as Doctor Bruce removed his foot from Zero's stomach as relieved the pressure on Zero. "Guests 1, 2, and 3 are at the door." Doctor Bruce was further from Zero now, but close enough that Zero could still hear his heavy boots on the padded ground before the beep of the door was heard once more. Zero always felt he had eyes on him, but this was way more. Strong presents were standing only a few feet as the door locked them in. Zero groaned as he took in deep breaths, warned out by Doctor Bruce and from the fact that he was unable to move his body in the correct position.
"Sage, it's so good to see you again!" Doctor Bruce was now a new man as he spoke to other people, becoming a friendly caring person rather than someone who hurt Zero when he wasn't able to fight. "And you must be Dan and Bruce, great to finally meet you too." Zero was confused about why there were two Bruces, and what they were all hearing. But that didn't change the fact that he was fully exposed on the ground, unable to fight or flee if he needed to from these new men.
"Good to meet you as well." This voice was more dominant than any Zero had ever heard, maybe even more than the Chairman. It rang with power that could calm the seas and make an army bow to its will. Yet how it was said made him sound like he was gentle with care.
"He is labeled as 9577 with the given nickname as Zero." Bruce began to walk towards Zero as he lay still like a broken glass doll on the ground. "We brought him in a few months ago, he has healed fully with a few fragile limbs still needing time. Other than that, he's in good health." Doctor Bruce was standing over the frozen boy as he spoke, not caring that he was scaring Zero to the point that he was shaking. "His DNA was run but it came back with no I.D or birth certificate. His power level is under a 4.2 making him average, we have a mask damper on him for protection anyhow. Any questions?" Zero knew that all the men were around him as they looked down at him like a child. Zero began to move his arms as he turned his head the other way, facing the wall rather than the feet of his captors.
"Why is he wearing that?" A new voice spoke, this one being shaky and unsteady as they cleared their throat. "If his level is just a 4.2 it should be okay for him to have a room like a normal human, and not be locked up like an animal." Zero agreed, he was being treated like an animal. The only times he was allowed to stand was when it was a bathroom break. His legs were beyond sore; they were numb. The straps of the straight jacket rubbed up and down his inner thighs as it was tightly wrapped around his throat. Each movement caused him to wince in pain or to cry out. But nobody cared, until now.
"He's still dangerous, and he's still a villain who kills people. This is what he gets." Doctor Bruce had turned brutal towards the newcomers, his act completely washing away as his anger rose.
"Sorry, I just never saw someone get treated this way unless they were higher than a 5." The voice was barely a whisper before a loud sigh was heard.
"Dan, it's fine." The other Bruce said, their voices were oddly different as Zero listened closely. "Well thank you for informing us, we will take it from here." The nice Bruce said as Zero heard footsteps disappearing.
"What a b-"
"Dan, mind your manners." Zero listened to the laugh as he took a restricted breath gagging and coughing as the mask held his voice hostage as his jaw ached.
There was a pause in the room as Zero's hard breathing echoed in the room. A minute passed as Zero waited for something, but it was still quiet until someone placed their cold hand on his bare stomach. Zero withered away as he screeched at the contact fear consuming him as he tried to kick at the figure.
"Hey, hey, it's okay," Dan whispered right next to Zero's head as Zero leaned further away. "Nothing to worry about, I'm just gonna unhook the straps that go under your legs," There was a pause as Zero listened to the two clicks of the hooks undoing and falling between his bare legs. "I'm going to grab you by your shoulders now, and lift you onto your feet." Alan felt someone's hands go under his armpits before he was lifted onto his feet. The world moved as Zero rocked, sagging into the man's grip as he tried to steady himself. "Bruce, undo his leg cuffs." Zero felt cold hands touch his ankle as they grabbed the cuff before pulling it away. His aching ankles stung with the fresh air as if they hadn't had it in a long time.
"We're gonna need to wrap these, the cuffs were too tight. He's bleeding pretty badly." The arms under his armpits were removed as Zero just stood still, waiting for the next thing to happen.
"Yeah, Bruce is right," Sage muttered. "I'll have Una give him a full check-up when gets there." Zero felt a hand press against his back as they pushed him forward, signaling him it was time to walk. Zero began to step in front of him, hoping the man would steer him if it was needed. Zero was dragged to the left then right, hearing hundreds of different noises and voices as he was led away into the unknown.
After walking for what felt like forever, Zero was grabbed and halted into a full stop. "Okay, there is a car in front of you with a huge step." Zero felt someone grab underneath his thigh and lifted his leg until he was almost able to touch it with his face. His foot was then placed onto a step before he was pulled and pushed into the back. The movement was so fast that Zero fell to his knees onto the back of a truck, maybe even a renovated money truck. "Sorry," Dan muttered as someone sighed. "I swear it gets better." Zero didn't know why they were being so nice and so gentle towards him. He killed people, he probably killed some of their families, yet they treated him like a normal human. Which was bizarre to Zero, to the point that he thought this all might be a dream.
Someone grabbed him under his arms before lifting him onto a cold seat before a strap was placed over his waist, tightening around him as he listened. "You won't have to be here for long, just the drive." Zero couldn't tell who said that or where it came from, all he knew was that someone was staring at him. A loud bang was heard as the door shut Zero in, making him flinch violently as he tried to see anything through his blindfold. "You're good, it was just the door." Someone was sitting in front of Zero as the truck started, causing him to be a babysitter for however long. "I hope we can help you, I do." It was Sage, his deep voice echoed in the back of the truck as it started to move, leaving Zero frazzled as he listened to Sage's breathing for the rest of the ride.