Previous Post --------------- Parrodpolis. The Safe on Flanagan Island. It's Lunch & all those that are deemed safe enough to eat together are all meeting in the Cafeteria. New Inmate, Eugene Martin is looking for a place to sit. He is clad in his Safe issued orange jumpsuit & a pair of black leather shoes. His long brunette hair was pulled back in a ponytail & was reseeding up top which gave him a high widow's peak. He had a full, almost walrus in looking mustache & beard. He searches the rows & rows of tables for a place to sit. He'd take anywhere but if he could use this time to mingle too that would great, too. He spots an empty spot at a table. He sees who else is sitting there & smiles. Eugene hurries over there almost spill his meal all over himself. Once there at the table he asks "Can I sit here?" "Yes. It's free with the confines of the rules Prison." The man said. He was wearing a crimson red smoking jacket. On his feet were a pair of slippers (they were the same color of his robe) & a pair of argyle socks. His pants were pajama bottom, white cotton with light blue stripes, his top was of the same material & style. His hair once a thick black hair was now grey with sections turning white & he was slightly balding up top. Eugene sat down. There was a few moments of silence between the two men, then Eugene asked. "So, the rumor around here is that you've been here for some time?" "Yes. I've been one of The Safes' longest continuous running residents. Sure, there have been people here longer but most of them have tried leaving from time to time. I for one haven't since it seems pointless to me. You plan, you escape, you have a few moments of glory on the outside, somethings happens to derail that which mostly is a run-in with a Super Hero & your brought back. Then they try all again hoping for different results." He said with a laugh. "So... you know this place pretty good, right?" "Yes." "You looking for anyone to help you out?" "In what?" He said not sure what Eugene was asking about. "You know, a gang. I'm sure you for one have a nice group going, what with all the time you've been here." "Why would you assume I am the leader of a gang?" "I know how Prison works." "You do?" He said with a raised eyebrow. "Yes and Gangs are the way to survive." "No. No really. Yes, there a few groups around here that are leader by ambitious young men & young woman but they never truly amount to anything." "So, how is the way to survive here?" "Be nice." Eugene looked confused. "What?" "Yes. I've found that my experience here has been almost purely based around the concept of the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you'd want to be treated." "So, Karma?" "What?" "It's roughly the same thing." "All right." He said. He wasn't familiar the term, he might ask about it the next time his granddaughter visited. "So..." Eugene said changing the topic slightly & looking around. "Who see the Zemo chick anywhere?" "No. The Baroness is not currently allowed to eat in the Cafeteria. Last time she incited a rebellion." "nice." Eugene said with a smile on his face. "No. It was horrible. They had cobbler that day & didn't get a chance have any." Eugene at the man across the table quizzically. He noticed this & then asked. "What?" "Are you sure a Super Villain?" "No." He said matter a factly. "What?" "I'm not I'm been a super anything in my life." He said sadly. Then continued on. "I think if I had been a Super Villain I wouldn't have spent the last few decades in facilities like this. Plus, I'd think more people would know the name Thomas Gillespie." "What?" Eugene said. That last name caught him off guard. "Yes. That's my name, didn't you know that?" "No. People had told me your name was Thomas & that you had been here a long time but they had failed to mention your last name." Thomas noticed a tonal change in his voice like Eugene had some anger issues towards someone with his last name. Before the conversation could continue, a siren went off which signaled the end of the Lunch. All the inmates got up. They made their ways over to the doors to dispose of their trash, return their dishes, trays & utensils. Then head off back to their cells. --------------- Later that day, Eugene was just sitting on his bunk in his cell thinking about what had happened at lunch & why he was there. Then, his door opened. "Hello, Eugene." The man in the doorway said. Eugene could see hind him & the hallway not there anymore, it was now a beach somewhere. The man who has just entered closed the door behind & pulled Eugene's lone chair up & sat down. He was wearing a finely tailored suit. "How are you today?" Eugene didn't respond. "I know I may look like someone you might know but I'm not him." He said with a smile. "I am someone..." he paused & then said "different." Still no response. "Would you like to leave here?" No response. "I'm sure you would. I don't even want to be here but I am here to make you an offer." "Which is?" "To leave this place & join me." "Doing what?" "If you come with me you'll see." He said with smile. Eugene wasn't so sure about this man, he for some reason reminded him of Hatman but there was something different about him, something more evil. "So, what will I get?" "Anything you want. I hear you recently lost something very close to you." "Yeah. Glass Breasts." The man tried to contain his laughter. Once he did, he continued. "Well, Eugene: if you come with me you can not only get all the glass breasts you want but also all the glass women you can handle." As Eugene thought about this proposition, he noticed the red light on the security camera wasn't on. The man turned his head to see was Eugene was looking at. "Ah Yes. I see you noticed the camera isn't working properly. I couldn't have them listening in on our conversation so they are currently watching a loop of you. They don't even know I'm here." He said with an evil smile. He turned & waved at the camera. "See! Nothing. Now they'd know I'm here if they walked by but if they tried getting into this cell block right now they'd enter a nice little bar in Tibet." There was a few moments of silence then the man asked. "So, Eugene what do you say? Will you join me & do you want to stay?" Eugene thought about the offer for a moment. "Come, Eugene. This is a limited time offer. Your not the only person I'm asking today." The man said impatiently. "Sure. Why not?" "Excellent." The man said standing up. Eugene did too & said. "Before we go two questions." "Yes." "One: Can we get my stuff?" "Yes. Where is it?" "In Storage." "No Problem. What's the other question?" "Who are you?" "I'm Doorman." He said as he opened the door. He motioned for Eugene to walk through. He did, Doorman followed him & closed the door behind him. --------------- Shortly there after a siren was going off. One that Thomas Gillespie had heard many time before: someone has escaped. He looked up from his book & shook his head is disbelief. He thought one word "Idiot" & then went back to his book. --------------- TO BE CONTINUED....

I'm not sure if being nice really gets you all that far in real-life prison, but I liek the idea that it does just fine for people in the safe. An interesting conversation, and a surprise escape!