Southport Correctional Facility. A supermax prison that was closed to normal prisoners in March of 2022. It was then reopened as a mutant supermax. Built to contain and rehabilitate mutants. It was also meant to contain only the worst offenders.

Many of those apprehended as a result of SUPER investigations had found themselves incarcerated there. This included the boss of a mutant mob-like family that was trying to set themselves up in New York. Vsevolod Volkov, known as “Vepr” or “the Boar” in English, had been caught in a sting operation in late 2022 and was being held in Southport pending trial due to the volatile nature of his power.

Ranger stood still as a guard waved a metal detecting wand over his body. Ranger felt naked without any weapon, not even a knife, but it was necessary. Traditional guns were a liability not an asset with several of the prisoners that were in the prison. The guard waved Ranger by when he was done.

“He’ll show you to Vepr.” The guard pointed the wand at another guard who was walking over.

Ranger nodded and looked to Carrick, ”One of these days I’ll be done dealin’ with Russians.” Ranger shook his head and started after the other guard.

“We keep him in the metal wing. Prisoners with powers that don’t interact with metal. A little more traditional, but you’ll see why this place cost a fortune to refit.”

As they moved further into the prison and into the metal wing, the construction of the building changed. More of the structure was metal. Most often, steel. There did appear to be a large amount of glass, but the guard disabused Ranger of that notion when he saw Ranger looking at it.

“ALON. Aluminum, oxynitride. Like I said, this was the metal wing. That’s transparent aluminum. Three inches thick. Half that will stop a .50 BMG. This way.” The guard directed them to a door. He nodded to a guard beside it who opened it.

Inside the room was a table and a few chairs. Sitting in the chair on the opposit side of the table was a large man with a scarred face and graying hair. He looked up from his hands which were cuffed to the table by the thickest handcuffs Ranger had ever seen. The chain having been replaced with a braided metal cable.

“Best behavior there, Vepr. Act up and no TV time tonight.” The guard said then to Ranger and Carrick, “He’s all yours. Knock when you’re done.”

Ranger nodded then looked at Carrick , ”Y’ wanna start? Bad cop, worse cop?”

It wasn’t hand to hand combat training. That was all that mattered. He was tired of going home aching from S.U.P.E.R. training. FInally he was in the field... in the one place he joined S.U.P.E.R. to avoid. Prison. The place always had negative connotations for him, his brother, uncles and father all spent time in and out of the place what’s more it was often small and crowded which was the real reason he feared the place.

Carrick’s tail flicked as a metal detecting wand went over him and the first pocket set off the device. Looking down he pulled a flask from it, one he had sentimental value with. Followed by a some keys. Another second past and then the all the other pockets started to set the device off. ”Ya know... best I just empty the pockets.” Ranger said no weapons.

A deck of cards, some loaded dice, a gemstone small and flawed diamond some smoke pellets and a handful of flash paper and a lighter. He looked to the guards and then put the diamond back into his pocket. ”I’ll hold on ta this, but be back fer the rest.” he looked to the flask then to the guards. ”I know how much is in this.” before he trailed off behind Ranger.

”Not a fan of Russians?” he asked as the guard started to explain the metal wing of the prison they were about to enter. Was this where he would end up if SUPER decided he wasn’t worth it? Part of him shifted his eyes to Ranger then the guards. Was this all an elaborate set up to get him into prison? Might be easier than drugging him.

Taking a breath he did his best to calm himself and the screaming in the back of his mind. Something other than the prison was scaring his beast side. The flight or fight mentality was screaming to throw a fist and book it.

>>> “ALON. Aluminum, oxynitride. Like I said, this was the metal wing. That’s transparent aluminum. Three inches thick. Half that will stop a .50 BMG. This way.”

”A big gun!” Carrick said to Ranger looking for the nod of approval to show he was learning. Despite hating guns and how loud they were. Unfortunately he still hadn’t gotten his. Not that he wanted it.

”I’ve seen this before, can’t actually hit him right?” Carrick said to Ranger nodding his head, ”I’ll play worse cop! Hopefully this guy isn’t a total bore.” his tail flicked behind him as he jumped once then twice to get into character.

”I spent most of my time in the military workin’ black ops against Russian extremists who couldn’t let the USSR go.” Ranger said, remembering his time in the ice and snow fighting for his life in Eastern Europe. It wasn’t that Ranger had a problem with Russians as a whole, just that he only seemed to run into ones that caused problems. The one who ran Haven seemed to be an exception. Though, Ranger only worked with her in his past pre-de-aged life.

At Carrick’s exclamation of a big gun, Ranger shook his head as he said, ”Yeah. A big gun.” There was the faintest of smiles. A classic sign of approval while still trying to show disapproval at the way something was done.

What should have not been surprising to Ranger, was the way Carrick was throwing himself into the task at hand. Ranger should probably have worried about whether or not he could hit Vepr was Carrick’s first thought.

”I dunno about cain’t… Probably shouldn’t though.” Ranger shrugged and spoke loudly enough Vepr could hear. ”If y’r worse cop, I’ll start.”

Ranger turned to Vepr and said, ”Howdy Volkov, I’m agent Hunter, this is O’Connor. We jus’ wanna talk. Dependin’ on how this goes we can help make y’r stay here nicer. Maybe pull some strings and get y’ a better deal from the prosecutor.” Ranger leaned in and said very quietly in unaccented Russian, ”If you fail to help us, you might just have an accident. Don’t make me have to kill yourself.”Ranger tapped the table and then continued in a normal volume in English, ”Y’r family was movin’ weapons. Who was y’r source? Where were they goin’?”

Vepr opened his eyes in surprise at Ranger’s Russian but instead of answering Ranger’s question he raised his upper lip angrily and spat, “Look, government swine. You have nothing on me or my family, why would I help you when I will be released after trial anyway? And you cannot touch me, I have your valued constitutional protections. Go away and bother me no more, сука.”

Ranger sighed, ”Have fun.” He said to Carrick.

The shifter nodded as Ranger confirmed what he was thinking. Torture was more of his father’s thing. Carrick even when he was with them back in Ireland the parts he chose to remember, he remembered he didn’t have the stomach for it. At least mentally.

Carrick walked into the room behind Ranger and leaned against the wall just out of sight from the prisoner. Okay, this guy was pretty big. Whale would have been more adpt. At least the hands were enough to choke one. The shifter had an ear for language, none of the words Ranger said was a swear word so he doubted it was an insult. It was enough however to make Volkov less eager to speak to him. The shifter growled behind Ranger and stalked into view then just out of it walking around the table. ”Smell like shit.” the shifter said flashing his teeth. His canines were sharper than the average human.

”That’s the thing. Prisions they make everyone smell worse. You, I could smell ya before we got into the room. Imagine yer family smells something similar though. Ya know I can pick up a scent a mile away? Might take a little time but with the info we got on yer family... it wouldn’t be hard ta track any of them down.”

Carrick shuddered slightly his hands covering in fur as his fingers started turn to elongate stopping before they were fully shifted. His adreniline was pumping. ‘Kill’ he didn’t listen to the voice. The man before him could have crushed his beast form with ease. Not to mention Ranger would have put him down before beasty could have done anything.

There was a faint recognition in Volkov’s eyes as he looked from the claws to Carrick and smirked. “You think I should fear you?” Carrick flashed his teeth again, ”Ever hear of Eric O’conner? Beast of Belfast?” the man’s fingers flexed under the restraints as he pulled them slightly away from the table.

”He’s the reason there hasn’t been any Russians in Ireland in some time right? Me? Well, happened to be his son and let me tell ya, I learned more than I wanted from him. Like what a man like you can do in here while yer family starts ta go missing.” he growled his pupils turning to slits.

Ranger was not sure how Carrick would start. Telling Vepr he stank was certainly not what he was expecting. Ranger shook his head and turned so Vepr wouldn’t see the smirk on his face.

It wasn’t long before Ranger understood where Carrick was going. A threat to Vepr’s family. And from there Ranger could see Carrick holding back his beast. Ranger moved behind Vepr and gave Carrick a look that demanded he keep the beast in check. He didn’t want Vepr to see, it would be better if Vepr thought it was a condoned threat.

When you are given lemons make lemon-nades.

As long as Carrick didn’t go beast, everything would be fine. Ranger would not step in until that happened but if it did he would stop it.

Carrick’s bringing up the Beast of Belfast and his relation to the man seemed to be working on Vepr. The man was talking tough but his body language was shifting.

”See, Vepr. These nice metal walls ain’t t’ protec’ us from you out in the world. No, they’re t’ protect y’ from us. Maybe more him than me. He turns downright savage.” Ranger said leaning in close to Vepr’s ear, startling the man who didn’t expect Ranger to have leaned in so close.

“I cannot say.” Vepr said, looking at Ranger and leaning to the side away from him. “You think these walls protect me from you. No. They protect me from my source. I. Will. Not. Say. More!”

”I see. Y’r source is some nasty that has y’ wettin’ y’r pants. Tha’s okay. We can deal with them. Just give us a name and a location. We can take care of it.” Ranger nodded to Carrick ”Y’ seem t’ know how devastatin’ his family can be.”

“No. I will not say. I will keep my family and myself safe.”

‘Kill!’ it would have been easy, the man was chained. A blue and green eye shifted from the the chains to how he was sitting and he smiled more. Carrick shook his head trying to maintain focus. He was here with a purpose. Not to kill. Just scare. There was a part to play, one he thought he could handle so much so he even stitched together a back story for his worse cop.

He was also the beast of Belfasts son.

His tail flicked and he growled flashing his teeth. His skin started to darken as hairs started to build up under his skin. He was itchy. He wanted to scratch that itch until the fur was free. It was the only way to stop it. ”I’ll hunt down every last one of them, tear them limb from limb and I’ll gift wrap the remains.” Carrick said his voice changing into a low and harsh baritone. ”The one ya should be afraid of is me!”

Carrick clenched his fists and then shook his head, his voice changing back. The moment he took to calm himself he thought of happy thoughts. Amythest. He never spoke in his half form. Was that his voice?

Part of it scared the shifter and part of him wanted to see more. Then he remebered the look on Lizzy and Serena’s face all those years ago. That deflated him. He was about to break character.

His low growl softened. ”Better idea. If the walls are meant ta protect ya why don’t we let ya out fer spilling the beans? They only got ta think he talked. his tail flicked behind him and he looked to Ranger. ”We can let piggy go wee wee wee all the way home. Only a matter of time till his source wants ta ask some questions right? Who knows we might be late.” he flashed his teeth again in a smile.

Carrick pushed on with being vicious cop. It was more than Ranger wanted, but it might work. He let Carrick carry on. This was good since Carick calmed himself. They could appear united in their front against Vepr.

There was a distant banging conducted through the walls. Ranger ignored it. People beating on walls in a prison was nothing new.

”That’s not a bad idea.” Ranger said as he walked back into Vepr’s line of sight. ”We’ll let y’ out. Tell everyone y’ squealed. How’s that sound? Y’ get out o’ here, everyone knowin’ y’ helped ‘r y’ stay here where the big walls protect y’.”

The noises continued then there was a low rumble in the floor.

Ranger knocked on the door then to Carrick said, ”Y’ keep workin’ him. I’ll be right back.” The door opened and Ranger stepped out into the hall. The guard who opened the door looked on edge.

“Keep this quick.” The guard whispered, “A few guests are getting uppity. Nothing more than we can handle though.”

”Need any assistance?” Ranger asked

“Nah we can…” The guard stopped as his radio chirped and someone started speaking over it.

“Agent, you and your partner will need to leave. The situation is escalating.”

Ranger nodded and leaned back into the room, ”O’Connor, we’re leavin’...” Ranger looked from Carrick to Vepr who had an evil grin moving across his face.

From what he could remember from the deage and his life under his Da’s thumb Carrick thought this was the best method. Veper probably wouldn’t talk unless it work out for him to protect his large hide. He was like everyone Carrick hated in his life.

Upon Rangers response the shifter almost looked pleased with himself so much so his tail started to flick behind him. Words of encouragement was something the shifter strived on. Along with the exact opposite. If anything he was looking for a chance to prove he didn’t belong in here.

Pointed ears twitched to the commotion outside as Ranger left the room. He was told he ‘shouldn’t’ hit Vepr. Didn't mean don’t. When Ranger left Carrick’s smile widened. ”Looks like it’s just you n’me!” the shifter said walking closer to the table where the man still sat chained. Vepr smiled towards the shifter and suddenly something felt... wrong.

‘Flight’ his instincts suddenly shifted as more commotion started to go on outside the room. “You know I have heard of one son of the beast. Two? No, I have heard of a bastard son who had thrown away his family and ran from home. Tail tucked behind. A coward. You don’t not scare me boy. You or... your blood. In fact. I have deals with some of them.” Vepr said sitting upright. “Nice to match face to name.”

Carrick’s eyes turned to slits at the comment and he felt the blood that was just insulted boil. ”A coward? Nah, I’m just smart.” the shifter said trying to sound tough, like Vepr didn’t just throw him off his worse cop act. ”The beast ‘nd his litter are relics of the past.” he growled and flashed his teeth. ”Me mate? I’m the ****in future!”

The shifter slammed his hands on the table hard and felt the urge to shout and shake them off. The table was more solid than the shifter was expecting. The door opened again and Ranger issued the order. ”I’m not done! I’m ‘bout ta work this fat @$$ over!” he shook one of his hands when he was sure no one was looking at them.

“No. I think you stay we’ll have fun!” Vepr said as his smile widened. Carrick reluctantly looked back to Ranger who was in charge for more of a reason. That's when a few of the lights flickered. Vepr ripped himself free from the table and flipped the metallic table towards Carrick who was busy waiting for a response from Ranger.

Carrick had protested, delaying him leaving the room. The delay might have given Vepr the time he needed or not, there was no way to tell. What was clear though is that the time spent on it and Ranger’s reply almost introduced Carrick to the pain birds endure when they fly too low across the highway.

”Somethin’s happenin’, they need us out.” Ranger said to Carrick before catching Vepr’s movements.

The lights flickered and Vepr was free and the table was flying. Ranger was already moving. He didn’t know what to expect but he knew it wouldn’t be good. In any possibility he wanted to be between Vepr and Carrick.

Ranger slid past Carrick with only a few inches to spare, catching the table on his arms and driving it up, redirecting the momentum to leave it lodged into the ceiling. Ranger’s body swelling with increased muscle mass as it took the blow and pushed. From there he used the momentum of his body turning to carry through an arc, grabbing a metal chair and hurling it at Vepr. ”Hall! Go! I got him.”

A voice came over the prison PA announcing the prison was on lockdown, calling for all guards to move to their breakout stations. Before the voice could continue it was cut off in a staticy burst of noise and fell silent.

One of the lights burst in a spray of sparks against its transparent aluminum cover. Ranger advanced on Vepr and drove him into a wall, forearm pinned against the man’s throat as he increased in mass to match Ranger.

‘Flight!’ the shifter barely had time to react to the gut feeling that was screaming at him to run. To fly and be gone. He hadn’t felt fear like this in a long time. Mismatched colored eyes focused turning the irises into slits as the adrenaline started pumping. His instinct was to duck and lay flat but as he fell to the ground Ranger intercepted the table.

>>>”Hall! Go! I got him.”

”He could have done this the whole time!?!? Why even chain him up! Waste of money.” the shifter swore as he rolled to the side and pushed himself up into a run. He didn’t need to be told twice... okay so maybe he did. Often, but this wasn’t one of those times. He’d been beat up enough by Ranger to know he could handle himself.

The door flung open as Carrick looked back for a brief moment to see the chair hit Vepr. Good. He deserved it. The lights went in and out and Carrick walked into the hallway... where were the guards? The one that was standing at the door was already running down the hallway. Must have been going to the breakout station?

Poking his head back in, ”Halls empty!” Carrick’s eyes adjusted to the lack of light in the room to see both Vepr and Ranger almost doubled in mass. ”Vepr, you sure ya don’t want ta talk this out?” the shifter asked before ducking back into the hall.

Lights flashed on the side of the walls in a strobe effect. Something he had seen in prison riot movies. ”Should have called in today....” Carrick sighed loudly grabbing the stuff that was left behind at the guard station. His flask, dice, cards, lighter and flash paper. The smoke pellets he held onto as he caught a glimpse of orange running from one room to the next.

His tail flicked and he poked his head back into the room, ”How long you gonna be?” there was more orange in the dim hallway as the bodies ducked back into another room. It seemed they were freeing the other inmates.

Carrick followed orders and made for the hall. As much as he tended to miss or reinterpret an order when everything was under control–in a pinch he could handle business. Ranger knew that, it was why he kept working with him. Ranger was the exact same way.

”He couldn’t roid out ‘til now.” Ranger said through gritted teeth as he held Vepr. ”Psychic suppressed him.” Those who couldn’t be contained through material science were kept near adapted guards or psychics who could suppress them. If Vepr could use his power, something must have happened to his minder.

Vepr and Ranger continued to increase in size as their powers ramped up their raw strength. Ranger had one arm pressing on Vepr’s throat and the other was holding one of his arms. Vepr’s other arm was pressing on Ranger’s head, trying to force him off.

Carrick returned and asked how long he was going to be.

”Just. A. minute.” Ranger strained. His clothes were stretched to their limits against his body and seams were starting to pop. Ranger needed to put down Vepr before they learned who could get the strongest.

Ranger rotated his forearm, leaving Vepr’s neck and driving Vepr’s arm away from Ranger’s neck. Both of Vepr’s arms clear, Ranger leaned back before head butting the man and then pulling up his leg and kicking Vepr… Through the wall. The metal bent until it couldn’t bend anymore and the joints broke. Ranger moved to follow through the hole and put the other man down, but Vepr wasn’t moving. Ranger checked his pulse. Alive.

”What’s the situation out there?” Ranger asked as he spun to face the door, breathing heavy.

Carrick had his flash paper removed and the lighter at the ready in hopes he could help his supervisor out. They weren’t needed. Ranger ate his Wheaties today it seemed. Those poor clothes. Super sized Ranger took care of Vepr soon enough meaning he wouldn’t need any distractions. Shame. A fire ball to the face would have made Carrick feel better about the situation. He didn’t even get to do the interrogation correctly.

>>>”What’s the situation out there?”

”I was supposed to throw the chair.” Carrick said sighing. His eyes were locking in on two inmates in orange who decided to break from the large mass of prisoners that were going room to room freeing the others. ”Depends who you ask?” he said scratching the back of his head.

The ceilings weren’t high, meaning he wouldn’t be able to fly to safety. Dodge a few people sure but the ‘flee’ feeling that was telling him to run wasn’t doing much good. He tried not to think about the enclosed space last thing they needed was for him to have a panic attack.

”I’m sure the inmates are having a good time. Don’t see the guards. They ditched us.” Carrick said looking back into the room. That was when the two inmates closed the distance hoping that Carrick was a guard.

“What do we got here?” ”A Carrick.” stepping out of the way he thumbed back into the room ”And a Ranger. Wrong place wrong time if ya don’t mind we’ll be on our way.” one of the inmates dove at Carrick missing him as the shifter spun low and sidestepped. His tail brushed the man’s face as he flew into the room with Ranger.

It was a good sign when someone could maintain a sense of humor in a tense situation. It meant they could still think. Use their brain to explore possibilities and reason through ideas. It meant they were able to control their fear, manage stress, and act on training.

Debating who was supposed to go all WWE on the inmates was a good use of humor.

”The early bird throws the chair.” Ranger said, taking a moment to breathe deeply.

According to Carrick, the inmates were running the show. No guards in sight.

”Likely pulled back t’ better positions t’ project power from. Regroup, rearm, then deploy. They might need our help.” Ranger said, rolling his hands to work his wrists.

Carrick started talking to someone out in the hall. Gave his name and Ranger’s callsign. Then Carrick moved fast and a man was diving into the room getting tagged in the face by Carrick’s tail.

Ranger grabbed the man by his collar and spun, using the man’s momentum to carry him up and around in an arc terminating with the man’s face hitting the floor. ”Mistake.” Ranger said to the man whose eyes were still rolling in his head.

”Y’r call. Pull back t’ help the guards ‘r go deeper and find out who's runnin’ this circus.”

The other inmate watched his friend get slammed into the ground after he entered the room and slowly backed up. Before he was gone Carrick asked, ”So ya think there coming ta save us then? Or just let us deal with the problem...? Are we charging them or is this pro-bono?” Carrick asked pretty sure he knew what it meant. Free. He hated doing things for free.

”That looked like it hurt!” Carrick said stating the obvious looking into the room. That was two down within a minute.... where was Ranger when the mansion was being destroyed? The shifter didn’t ask. There were other super agents at the mansion. Even mom was there.

The other inmate started to run away towards the large mob at the end of the hallway. ”Mate! I used ta work and live at the circus!” the shifter said trying not to think about the enclosed hallway in a prison designed to keep people in. Carrick didn’t hear anything about helping people, his selective hearing was at work again.

”Ladies and gentleman! The amazing Carrick!” he didn’t shift but rather opened his wings and sprung forward to pounce on the running inmate. ‘Fight!’ it seemed the beast sense only picked fights it could win. Vepr wasn’t one of those fights.

Landing on him and slamming his face to the ground Carrick stood as he just completed a handful of acrobatics and through his hands in the air. ”Normally I’d be in the feather form but the hallways are a bit to cramped.

Upon seeing Carrick take down an orange jumpsuit a few other inmates started to notice them. Carrick waved.

“They guards?” “Never seen him before!” “Let’s introduce ourselves then!” “Arrrgggghhhh!” four started to charge as Carrick hopped backwards, the fear he was feeling started to be masked with an insane and gleeful smile. It was becoming a game.

”They’ll save us in three t’ five business days. It’s alright though, I don’t know about y’, but I’m salaried.” The guards would do what they were trained to do. They weren’t your run of the mill department of corrections officers. These were the cream of the crop. They would handle their business and it would be by the book. That left Ranger and Carrick on their own in the prison until the guard response was ready to be mobilized. ”Maybe the boss’ll give us gold stars f’r handdlin’ this f’r the guards.”

Carrick looked at the remains of Ranger putting in a solid five minutes of work and commented on it.

”Pain… Is a learnin’ experience. I welcomed ‘em t’ college.” Ranger said as his body returned to a more normal size.

There was more commotion coming from the hall. Ranger stepped out of the room as Carrick said he used to be in the circus, ”That… explains so much.”

Carrick set off after an inmate, introducing himself as he went. ‘Amazing’ might have been a stretch, but he was well on his way to earning it. While Carrick picked off the lame in the herd, Ranger tried to listen and watch. Figure out what was going on. It was hard. The prison was built to make communication that wasn’t approved by the staff more difficult. They needed to make their way deeper into the prison.

A group of inmates charged at Carrick. Ranger took a few steps into a run and his leg muscles shifted and each step drove him further and faster. A second later Ranger was tackling one of the inmates, depositing the energy of his 180 pounds traveling at around 100 miles per hour. Ranger’s bones strengthened to resist the force that wanted to break them all.

The pair of them skid across the floor before Ranger was back on his feet and rushing another to deliver a nasty drop kick.

”Let’s move deeper int’ the prison. See who’s behind this.” Ranger said after springing back up.