It Started With a Ransom

The Crown's On the Other Head

   When you woke up, you felt you were no longer on the bed. You blinked open your eyes, then widened them as you saw you were on a roof.

   You also saw X-Ray, Vav, and Mogar in a cage in front of you, unconscious. "X-Ray?" You called. "Vav? Mogar?" X-Ray lifted his head up weakly. When he saw you he scrambled to his feet. "Y/N!" He exclaimed. The other Lads opened their eyes at your name. They got to their feet as well. "Y/N! Are you alright?!" Vav asked. You pulled yourself to your knees and nodded. "Yeah. What are you doing here? Where are we?" "Mad King told us CorPirate had taken you." Mogar explained. "He wanted to meet him on the skyscraper at noon today. I guess that's where we are." Your eyes widened. "Ryan!?" You exclaimed. "Where is he?!" "I don't know..." Mogar admitted. "He was with us..." Suddenly a whirring sound started up. The group turned their heads to the noise. "Holy shit." You muttered.

   There was a tall tower on the middle of the roof. Sticking out of the top of the tower was an antenna; on top of it was a pulsating jewel. Wires were coming out from the left, right, and bottom of the jewel. The left wire led to the cage the Lads were in, the wire on the bottom led to an empty box, and the wire on the right led to-

   "Ryan!" You exclaimed. Sitting in a chair with his wrists and forehead strapped, was Ryan. The wire wrapped around all three of his shackles.

   "Ryan!" You called again. The trapped man raised his head weakly. When he saw you his eyes widened. He tried to run to you, but his shackles kept him still. "What the hell!?" Ryan exclaimed. "Ryan, are you ok?" You asked. He turned to you and gave you a weak smile. "As ok as I can be. What the fuck is going on?" "I'm glad ye asked that, Mad King." A familiar voice chuckled. You turned your head to the door that leads to the building, and you saw the CorPirate smirking at you. "I've managed to build our ray. Ye know, the one we was workin' on before ye betrayed me?" Ryan rolled his eyes. CorPirate laughed. "I think I've built it even better." He walked over to the base of the tower and threw down an assortment of items; including Mogar's sword, your bracelet, Ryan's crown, and your gloves. He then walked over to the Lads and attached a wire to the base of the cage, near the wire that led to the jewel. He walked it over to the empty box and connected it. "You need an atomic battery, CorPirate! And we could never find one!" Ryan snapped. CorPirate only smirked. "Aye, but I found a replacement." Ryan raised an eyebrow. "And what is that?" CorPiate reached into his pocket and pulled out a small cube. It was the cube Ryan had made to steal the Lads' powers. The CorPirate placed the cube inside the box. The Lads started screaming. "This device ye made allows me to not only power the ray, but store the Lads' powers. And once I connect the top wire to the box, it will transfer waves across the city, leavin' all supers powerless!" "Including you!" Ryan reminded him as he glanced at the Lads, who were now on the floor of the cage in pain. "Not anymore, Mad King, thanks to the bracelet ye gave yer girl. I only needed to make a few adjustments to make it fit my needs." CorPirate reached into the pile of items and pulled out your bracelet, then slipped it on. "Ok, but why am I in this chair?" Ryan asked. CorPirate smirked. "That be me favorite addition. The wire attached to yer bonds 're transmitting yer power to me tower. When I activate it, everyone will be under me control, because no one has powers!" He laughed evilly. "You sick bastard!" You spat. CorPirate turned to you with a smirk on his face. "Don't think I've forgotten about ye, lass." You paled. "Wh-what do you mean?" You stammered. "Ye'll be under me control as well, seein' as yer a mortal and all. But I've got special plans fer ye. Yer gonna be me first mate. Yer brave, fierce, and 'cordin' to Mad King, ye can use yer weapons well. I could use someone like that on me crew." "Leave her alone!" Ryan screamed, pulling at his restraints. "Calm down, I'm not harming 'er." CorPirate retorted. You pulled yourself to your feet. CorPirate noticed and smirked. "What are ye gonna do, lass?" He teased. You looked to Ryan for advice, but he shook his head the best he could. "The chair's made of power restricting metal." He told you. "I can't even read your mind." CorPirate laughed. "Aye, I've thought of that." He smirked at you. "Yer on yer own, lass." You bit your lip and turned to the Lads, who had passed out from pain.