Plopped on a small gray rock between the two great continents, not on any map, unable to be seen from space, satellite surveillance conveniently ignores it’s very existence, programmed to blip from scanners and recording equipment was one blacksite location codenamed TARDIS, it was founded just after the Spartan Wars ended where the governments could send their war prisoners for torture, experimentation, anything and everything illegal one would dare imagine, but kept out of the public’s eye. The guards here were sent as punishment for anything varying from insubordination to friendly fire, assaulting their COs, and could be stationed here from anywhere between a month to fifty years. The brass loved sending the troopers who had no one, no family, no loved ones, no spouses, easier to keep there forever. The only way off the island is the shipment helicopter that arrives once a month to drop off drinkable water and edible food, the radio was reserved for the Warden’s Office and only usable in emergencies. Can’t swim out due to the sheer amount of sharp rocks that surround the tiny island, even if one were to somehow dodge those, the near freezing water would kill you before you made it to the closest shore in Hades. If a prisoner were to die here, there would be no burial, no honoring, no note to loved ones. Their corpses would be burned, and ashes dumped over the edge.

Private Travis made another pass around the camp, tagging the anti-aircraft cannon with another sticker, he was up to sixteen without the bosses saying anything to him, he wondered how high it’d get before he got the call to go into the office. As he made a left he saw another guard standing in front of a group of four prisoners, down to their underwear, thick black bags over their head and he could see their metal anklets glowing a dark blue, indicating they were on, the mini super magnets designed by the nerds in Orion to harness electrical fields to somehow…manipulate gravity to plant the wearer to the ground to stop them from running.

The guard in charge had a collapsible stick in hand, ready to swing at any of them.

Travis nodded as he approached, “What’s goin’ on?”

The guard nodded in return, “Caught these four out of their cages, I wanna know how they broke a state of the art digital electronic lock when none of them have stepped foot in civilization for fifteen fucking years! Who helped you!?” he shouted, smacking the closest one to the ground.

Travis sighed and rolled his eyes, “Have fun man.” As Travis turned to leave one of the prisoners begged for mercy, “Please! We didn’t do anything, the doors just opened!”

“Shaddup!” the guard shouted, belting the prisoner on the side of the head, blood leaking from the bag, Travis paid no mind and continued his route.

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Another pass toward the makeshift heliport, a flat surface with about eighty feet relegated for landings in front of the guard tower, and to the right a large polysteel door that could withstand about fifty tank shells before moving. Travis was allowed no further, if he tried to get in, the sniper in the nest would pop him in the head before he could get far. He was told what was beyond the wall were the few Orion scientists testing rooms where they’d drag the prisoners down some stairs to their Frankenstein dream rooms. The poor bastards.

Travis made another pass by the AA gun, slapping an apple sticker on the barrel, when he turned the corner, he saw one of the four prisoners somehow…looking at Travis, that should’ve been impossible, those bags should make anyone who wears them blind. Travis halted his pace as the prisoner started “looking” at the other guard. Travis stopped completely, and waited.

When the guard’s back was turned, completely enthralled by the prisoner to the furthest left, closest to Travis, the prisoner darted, Travis was in shock, those anklets should’ve rooted him in place, that’s when Travis saw the anklet was turned off. In a panic, Travis raised his rifle, and shouted at him to stop, but it was ignored. Travis fired a warning shot, landing right between the anklets, the prisoner kept going. Travis struggled to keep his breathing in check as he raised his rifle one more time.

“I said stop!”

The prisoner threw up a middle finger

Travis sighed and fired, a red flower poured down the prisoner’s naked chest as he stopped and looked, holding his now bloody hand up. The prisoner turned and “looked” at Travis before hitting the ground.

“Good shot kid.” The other guard said as he walked past Travis and started dragging the body away, “Dunno what this idiot was thinking. Not like he could’ve gone anywhere.”

Travis eyed the other prisoners who were shaking in fear. He snarled at them, and playfully aimed his gun at them, but none of them moved. They couldn’t see. A few moments later, a heli started it’s landing procedure at the helipad, a team of guards waited for whoever was inside.

“That’s weird,” Travis thought to himself, “delivery’s not for another week. Guess we’re getting an inspection.”

Travis turned to the prisoners, “Get up, gotta get you back to your cage.”

As he started walking them back to the detention center on the east side of the island, one of the prisoners pleaded again, “Please, we beg you…we didn’t do anything!”

“If you didn’t do anything, why are you here?” Travis fired back, bumping a cigarette out of the box on his belt and lighting it.

“Why are you here, boy?” the tallest, most well built prisoner shot back

“None of your fucking business, Spartan.”

“Small man with a big gun…thinking he’s a warrior.”

“Says the proud warrior race who lost and is now a fucking lab rat for the nerds.”

Travis had his hand on the trigger, ready to blast the man to whatever afterlife was waiting for him, but the prisoner made no moves. Travis and the group came upon the guard for the prisoner’s section who waved him down.

“Thanks for getting these guys, it would've been hell if the bosses saw them out of their cages.”

Travis nodded, “What's with the heli?”

“Got some big shot visitor here today to inspect the grounds.”

“The prison or the lab?”

“Both, maybe. Be on our best behavior.”

The two shared a tense look for a moment… before they let out a hearty belly laugh and playfully punched each other in the arm.