Just Rumble

by Bronycommander

Chapter 11 Prisoners

Chapter 11: Prisoners

None of them knew where they were taken. Vittoria comforted the children the entire time until the plane landed.

One guard cuffed her again. “Hanger door secured. That’s good, open up.”

“We’re ready to welcome the new guests. Open the door.”

The prisoners were escorted out of the plane and to a Processing Center as far as Vittoria could tell. They were provided with numbers.

Vitoria was prisoner 011215, Rumble 110616, Francesco 230610 and Greta 220906.

After they got their numbers, the Blank Hand transported them to a Detention Camp. It was on an island Vittoria didn’t know.

In the camp, a woman in riot-style gear greeted them. Vittoria judged by bodily structure that is was a woman.

“Greetings prisoners. I am the Warden. We have three rules here. Rule one: You attend roll call every morning and evening. If you fail to report as required, or you enter an illegal area at any time, you will be punished. Rule two: Stay clear of the perimeter fence at all times. If you don’t, you will be executed. And rule three, is the base rule: Prisoners must obey. For the most uncooperative prisoners, we have a high-security cell. As long as you obey, you will be treated fairly. Dismissed.”

Guards brought them to a Cell Block. Fleeing was not an option as snipers were on guard towers.

In the cell block, Vittoria comforted the children until they had cried themselves to sleep. The other prisoners had compassion for them, looking sad at the children.

Before Vittoria fell also asleep, she prayed, “Oh Lord, save us. Or someone.”

---

Marco was returning home, only to find his house devastated. “What happened here?” He asked in shock.

“The Black Hand! They took them! Nobody knows where.” A neighbor said excitedly.

Rico joined with Luca and Giovanni.

“Don’t worry, I will find and save them. You have my word.” He left while Luca and Giovanni comforted the soldier who was about to cry.

---

At 7 AM, the morning roll call came. The children and Vittoria were still tired but reported as required.

“Good morning, Ladies and Gentleman. I am delighted to see you all so eager to face the day. Dismissed.” The Warden said in a neutral voice, his expression hidden by the helmet, the prisoners looked rather surly by this.

For a prison, the breakfast was very good. They were permitted to move freely within the yard, outside the mess hall. A man came to them, having black hair and green eyes.

“Good day to you. I’m George. Look, if the prison’s getting you down and you need a laugh then I’m your man. I organize games for the people here at Nebio Sud Detention Camp, so let me up if you’re up for a bit fun.”

“What kind of games?” Rumble was interested.

“Well, young man, there ain’t much way of entertainment here, but there’s no shortage of stones lying around. I run a stone-throwing game during the morning and afternoon. Want to try?”

“Hit us with the rules,” Francesco replied.

“I’ll give you some stones. Throw ‘em up at these cans over here and knock them off. Simple!”

“We’ll give it a go.” Greta was in.

“And the best of luck to you, kids.”

The Children had much fun. Vittoria smiled at them before asking the man, “Why are you here?”

“Well, I was part of a smuggler group who was operating in Medici before we got captured by the Black Hand. Must be…oh…over a year now. You?

“Got arrested by them at our house for no reason. Where are we?”

“As far as I know, Insula Lacrima. Years ago, it was property of the eDEN Corporation. After they went bankrupt, the Black Hand took over it.”

“Uh-huh. I heard about the eDEN Corporation. A friend of mine used to work there before he was fired.”

She also played the game and had fun. Lunch was also good. In the afternoon, they were permitted to move freely around their compound including the cells, as the Warden showed up.

“Prisoner 011215, 110616, 230610 and 220906, in my quarter.” They gulped, fearing the worst if the Warden called them to him.

The quarter was very comfortable. A fireplace, a wine shelf, and a wood ornament. The Warden gestured them all to a table.

“P-please, we didn’t do anything,” Greta begged, Vittoria comforted her by hugging her.

“I just want to talk. Ghosts, leave us alone.” They left and the Warden took his helmet off.

He was a woman with brown hair and blue eyes. “I run this camp for some time, but I never had children as prisoners until now.”

“We’re not guilty of anything. The Black Hand stormed our house and arrested us for nothing.” Vittoria explained, yet feared that this would make the Warden upset. Her reacting was the opposite.

“Rebels and political opponents are brought in here, but you aren’t looking like that. I would like to hear your full backstory.” She replied with pity as poured herself a glass of wine.

“It’s kind of a long story,” Rumble explained who he really was and what happened.

The Warden looked with sympathy at the children. “We Black Hand are mercenaries but not all of us are merciless. And we had respect for the general but forcing you to work for him is disgusting. My guess is that the order to arrest you came from high command.

I give you double rations, so you stay strong, kids. You do not deserve to be here. My hands are tied to release you but I will anything I can do to make your stay comfortable.”

“Thank you, Ms. Warden.” The children were glad.

Then they had a very delicious dinner and the evening roll call came at 8 PM.

“Good evening. I hope you all had a pleasant say. Dismissed.” Knowing that the Warden was friendly to them, they all could sleep much better this night.

The morning roll call was not different as yesterday.

“Good morning. I hope you all had a pleasant night’s sleep. Dismissed.”

They played George’s game. “I see you’re three are getting better. Better than I am.”

“Thanks.” Rumble managed to hit two cans with one stone.

“I wanted to thank you.”

“For what George?” Greta asked confused.

“For the fun I had with you. I see you in a better place.”

He started to run towards the fence. “George! Don’t be an idiot! George!” Vittoria shouted but it was too late.

“Halt! Halt!” One of the guards yelled.

George jolted mid-sprint and fell to the ground, lifeless. “George!”

Some prisoners looked up to see a sniper on a Watchtower, his rifle smoking.

The children ran to George and cried over his dead body. “Kids! NO!” Vittoria called out, but to her surprise, none of the guards shot them. They just looked over the crying children.

The Warden arrived at the scene. “What’s going on?” She asked. Giving Vittoria a nod, Vittoria walked to the children and comforted them.

“Why? Why did he do that?” Rumble buried his head into her chest.

“I don’t know.” After some minutes, they walked back and had lunch. Vittoria could saw that they were very sad. Instead of playing, they just sobbed.

A commander arrived at the prison. “Hello, sir! What brings you’re here?” The Warden asked.

“Warden, I want the three prisoners that were so attached to the killed prisoner to be brought to me.” The commander’s voice was cold.

“They’re under my care.” The Warden protested.

“I know I just want to talk.” He replied, they trembled but followed him into a quarter.

“Did he tell you anything about his plans of escape our any other prisoner involved?” He asked.

“No sir, he just showed us his games, nothing more. We swear.” The kids said united.

“In that case, you’re dismissed.”

As they left the quarter, they saw how Vittoria talked with a woman, having brown hair with matching eyes.

“Why did he do that?”

“Well, he and I worked together. He tried going over the wire, under the wire, through the wire. He never gave up. His buddies were transferred last week, making him the only one left here. I supplied him with the tools and the like for his escape plans. Guess he had enough and tried it head on, don’t blame yourself.”

“I know. How’s your name?”

“Eva. Sorry to hear about the loss of their parents, but I see you make a good surrogate mother for them.”

“I know, they told me that I should take care of their children should something happen to them.”

Vittoria let out a weak smile as the children returned. She played with them until the roll call came. It was raining.

“Good evening, I’m pleased to see that, as usual, you are all…”

”Thank you, Warden, I will take over from here.” The Commander interrupted him.

“But Sir…”

“Dismissed, Warden!” The Warden stepped aside.

“It appears that a few of you have seen fit to abuse the Black Hand’s more than generous hospitality. Some of my personal documents have been stolen, an act which not go unpunished. Guards, search the block!”

The Guards searched them and a guard reported.

“Sir, we have them.”

“Warden, this time you have been fortunate. But the prisoners responsible for this will be punished, so, who did this?” He asked the crowd but no one said a word.

“Nobody? Then there’s only one way to find it out. Guards!” The Guards moved closer to the children, who trembled in fear and dragged them to the Commander.

“No, please, spare them! They’re still children!” Vittoria cried. The Black Hand ignored her as still nobody talked.

“Why does no one talk? Now this child must die…” He aimed his pistol at Rumble’s head.

“No, no please… uh, uh…” Rumble cried. All prisoners were worried but no one took the responsibility.

“I will count to three. One… two...”

“STOP! It was me! Spare them!” Eva stepped in front of the crowd.

“I want her to be locked up in the high-security cell at the Processing Center.” The commander turned to the prisoners as Eva was brought away.

“Let this be a lesson to you all! Double camp security and halve the prisoner’s food rations! There will be no further transgressions. As for the children…” He walked away but turned around when he reached the exit.

“As we need an example, they will be hanged.”

“With all respect Commander, you’re ordering the death of innocent children. They have nothing to do with this.” The Warden replied, sounding a bit shocked.

“Are you questioning my orders?”

“No sir, but as they’re under my care, I should decide.” The woman pointed out.

“You’re right Warden, but as I have the last word, I decide that they will be flogged instead.”

They trembled harder. “No please…” Greta cried as they were dragged into a quarter.

“NO!” Vittoria screamed and tried to save them, only to be stopped by the Warden.

“Don’t worry; I will make sure they won’t be harmed.”

As the Warden went inside, Vittoria broke down crying and sobbing.

After some time which was like hours, the children came out. “MAMA!” They cried and hugged her.

The Warden was covered in blood as she walked out and a guard took care of a body. Vittoria was glad that the children were unharmed. “Thank you.” She said as she went to bed with the still trembling children.

---

Rumble woke up at 6 AM in the morning. He didn’t know what happened in the quarter. He could only remember that he, Greta and Francesco were tied up and blindfolded. Instead of pain, they heard how someone was beaten and hit the ground hard. After this, they were untied and brought out.

Rubbing his eyes, he saw that his mother and friends were still asleep but someone puttted chocolate on the table next to their beds. “Thanks, Ms. Warden.” He mumbled.

He fell asleep again, only to be awoken by an explosion. Greta and Francesco startled and hugged Vittoria tightly. “W-what’s going on?”

“I don’t know, Francesco.”

Vittoria replied as a loudspeaker resounded, “Prisoners found outside their cells will be executed on sight! Lethal force is authorized!”

The cell doors opened but they didn’t want to die, so they stayed inside, holding each other for dear’s life while Vittoria calmed them down.

More and more of the camp was destroyed, forcing the Warden to get into the action.

“Warden, taking over command immediately. Terminate all insurgents.”

With her Ghost escort, she took many prisoners down that tried to fight the Black Hand.

The Warden was mobile, his armor strong enough to shrug of any attacks, her Bavarium Splitter, an assault rifle exposing regular ammo to reactive Bavarium in its splitting chamber, causing a violent explosion of molten metal, an extremely lethal close to mid-range weapon, forced Rico into cover.

They then fought with their fists, none seemed to gain an advantage until she delivered a strong punch, making him stumble.

The Warden used this moment to look at the young mother and children, seeing the fear in their eyes. The woman felt sorry for them, they didn’t belonged here.

Still, it was her job to make sure the prison was kept under control.

Rico used her distraction debilitating blow to her helmet, knocking her down and rendering one of her eyes visible through the damaged helmet.

The Warden looked one last time at the 4 prisoners she had promised to keep safe from harm. She knew the intruder was here to free them, and frankly, she wanted the woman and children to be free, they hadn’t done anything wrong.

Knowing now, that this would come true, that they would be reunited with their loves ones again, she closed her eyes, waiting for the man to finish it.

A loud shot and everything went black, as a bullet went through the helmet, blood splattered from it as the Black Hand member filched, then stopped moving.

Only he and 3 other prisoners survived as the Black Hand sent reinforcements.

“We send reinforcements to eliminate the prisoners. Crush the insurgents immediately!” A Black Hand trooper ordered on the radio.

Black Hand troops arrived in tanks, helicopters, trucks, bikes, as paratroopers, with drones and even some kind of robots with 4 legs that used wheels, like a skater would.

But even that couldn’t stop Rico but the prisoners were all killed.

Rico? You came to save us!” Vittoria was glad to see him.

“Yes, and to drove the Black Hand from Lacrima. Your husband and friends will be glad when they hear that you’re still alive. I suggest I bring you to the Processing Center. It will be a lot saver there.” They nodded and got into a Weimaraner W3 of the Black Hand. “Also Tom want’s to apologize. He and the agency did what they could to keep you out of trouble and reached the opposite.”

“It’s alright.”

Eva expected them. “Hello again, Vittoria. I’m glad to see you and the children alive. We’re about to start an uprising, you’re in?” Vittoria hugged the children.

“Yes and no. I rather stay behind to protect them then to fight on the front and risk my life.”

“I understand. You can stay here until it’s over.”

“Thanks.”

They went to sleep as they were still tired.

The gunfire in the distance couldn’t wake them.

In the evening, they joined the other prisoners in a party, as the uprising was a success.

“Lacrima belongs to the people now!” a prisoner cheered.

A boat arrived boarded by Marco, Luca, Giovanni and Alice. “Vittoria!”

“Marco!” They hugged each other with tears of joy.

“I’m so glad that you’re alright!”

“Si, but Francesco and Greta lost their parents.” Marco saw that they were about to cry as his wife had said this.

“Don’t worry, we take care of you.”

“Really?” Greta asked with hope.

“Si. Your parents said that we should take care of you should something happen to you.”

“THANK YOU!” They exclaimed hugging them.

“My husband was killed by the Black Hand as they also tried to get him here. But in my heart, he will be always alive. Now let’s get home.” Alice told them with a hint of sadness.

As they were about to get into the boat, a white light blended them and they vanished.

“Where did they go?!” Eva asked confused.

“I believe they’re now where our little amico comes from, Eva. If you’re excuse me, Sheldon and Annika said they have a job for me.”

Rico leaved in the boat but he never would forget Rumble. You’re make good parents. Stay that way. He thought smiling.

Author's Note:

A few references if you can spot them

Comments

[rikusorasephiroth]

I saw you pull a Phasma with the Warden.

Also, we need to see Rumble riding on the access platform that sits on the tops of the mechs.
Marco, Luca and Giovanni in weapons-free mechs with Rumble and his friends on the tops, racing on the abandoned runway on the... I think it was on the Northwest coast of the mainland, but I can't remember

[Bronycommander]

9260777
Sounds like a Good idea to have Fun. the other references, look at their numbers, every One Stands for a Date

And i'm glad to hear you liked the First reference.

[rikusorasephiroth]

9261039
I figured that, but they don't really have any definitive meaning for me.
If you'd had 290698, 211198, 041102, 031201, 311098 or 100998, I would have made connections.

[Bronycommander]

9261066
Well, Vittoria's number is the date Just Cause 3 was released, Rumbles's the release Date of the Mech Land Assault, Francesco's the release of Just Cause 2 and Greta the release of the first Just Cause game.

[rikusorasephiroth]

9261227
Ah. Makes sense.

[Bronycommander]

9261298
Yes.