Survivor: the Initiative: Episode 2

Survivor: the Initiative Episode 2
Lines Drawn, Sides Taken

DAY 4

TEAM HAMMOND

“My edict stands.”
Biohazard threw up his hands in frustration. “B-but that is so totally unfair! I’m part of this team, too!” He looked to the rest of Team Hammond for support, but Mark Diering, Brother Nature, didn’t care what anyone else had to say about it. It was his call completely.
“My edict still stands. Anyone who disagrees with my decision is welcome to find another shelter to stay in as well.”
Biohazard continued stammering, pathetically pleading his case. “But I’m t-trying to control my powers! I’m trying to find responsible ways to use them! I’m t-trying to be a better person! That’s why I enrolled in the first place!”
“Good for you,” Mark said coldly.
Mark stood in front of the wide domed tree shelter he’d made for the group. After the men had awakened for the day and scattered to go about their various daily tasks, Mark had willed the dome to close in on itself, blocking the shelter from anyone who wanted to enter. When Biohazard, MAULER, and Battle Star had returned from their foraging trip, Mark had let them know, succinctly and decisively, that Biohazard would no longer be welcome to sleep in his shelter. He explained calmly that he could not in any way support someone whose powers were so deadly to the environment, and that Biohazard would need to find somewhere else to sleep. After he’d seen Biohazard use his powers in the immunity challenge the day before, he’d been practically nauseated.
“Brother Nature, you are being completely unreasonable. We are teammates. Where am I supposed to sleep? Just because you are comfortable sleeping away from the others, I’m not! You can’t just bar me from our team shelter!”
“I can, and I have.”
Mark watched in concern as Biohazard’s flesh began to roll and squirm and take on a green hue. He was beginning to use his powers and was losing control of his acidic form. Mark stood his ground, not at all frightened. It was a strict edict of the game that the contestants could not harm each other or they’d be returned to prison, and he trusted that Biohazard would not squander this opportunity for petty revenge. And if not? Well, Mark had survived death once before.
Without warning, before MAULER (out of his armor) or Battle Star could react, Biohazard grew into the green bubbly acidic monster that was Biohazard and, with a screech of fury, launched himself at the tree dome. At the shelter!
Mark cried out in horror. “The trees! You’ll hurt the trees!” But Biohazard was already burning his way through the blockage, sending off the sickening smell of wood smoke into the air. Hardly taking time to react, Mark used his powers over the environment to send a large mound of dirt, mud, stones, and grass out of the ground, trying to douse Biohazard, who screeched as the dirt hit him and fell back to the ground, in human form. MAULER was standing way back, looking at the tense situation with wide eyes as Battle Star kneeled down next to Biohazard, who was breathing heavily and had started to cry. “You’ll not hurt the trees!” Mark yelled, his heart pounding in his chest.
Battle Star looked up at Mark in horror. “Geez, Nature, he’s just a kid! Get outta here and give us some space ta calm him down!”
Mark backed up into the dense trees again, but pointed a finger back at Biohazard. “You are not welcome in the shelter. And if you harm one more tree with your disgusting powers, I’ll find a way to make you pay.” He stepped back farther, into the shadows, out of sight.

Fletcher Traynor, Biohazard, felt hot tears running down his cheeks. Battle Star was still kneeling next to him. “You all right, son?” Fletcher hated being called son. Hated being treated like he was a kid. His dad was dead and no one had the right to treat him like his dad, the criminal, had.
“I’m fine. I—I just lost control for a minute.” Fletcher looked over and saw Mr. Doyle still watching the situation. Doyle was nodding reassuringly, trying to send Fletcher the message that things were cool, but they weren’t! How was he supposed to be a valuable part of this team when he couldn’t even share the shelter? What was he going to do? “We’re not gonna let him get away with this, are we?”
Battle Star looked perplexed. Everyone knew he was the leader of this tribe, and Fletcher figured if anyone could fix this situation, he could. “Well, kid, the thing is, we got no control over Brother Nature. He made this shelter of his own free will, and I’m figuring he gets the say as far as who gets to sleep in it.”
“So I’m supposed to just sleep off in the woods by myself? Forget his stupid shelter! We can build another one!”
Mr. Doyle stepped in now. “Ach, Fletcher, we cannae just expect everyone ta pack up an’ move just after we were gettin’ settled, now, can we? Don’t you worry yuir head none. We’ll support ye as a tribe, but ye’ll have ta be sleepin’ on yuir own, it looks like.” Mr. Doyle had a look in his eyes that conveyed patience. Fletcher guessed this was part of his plan and that they could talk later, but he didn’t like it at all.
Battle Star put a hand on Fletcher’s back. “I think MAULER’s right. We’ll find a way for you to survive, and we’ll keep you integrated here.”
Fletcher stood up and dusted the pile of dirt and rocks off his legs. There was dirt everywhere now! And the burned blockade still over the shelter! Man, he hadn’t done anything to deserve this! He didn’t ask for powers like these! He didn’t ask for his dad’s machine to explode and turn him into this monster! He didn’t ask the freaking Thunderbolts to track him down and put him in jail for not enrolling! None of it! He didn’t want to be a hero! He didn’t want to be here!
Without even trying to hide his tears, Fletcher turned away from the others and walked off on his own.

TEAM JOYCE

Heather Tucker, Tempo, had to admit that getting rid of Gladiatrix had been the right move for the tribe. Things had been much less tense since tribal council last night, and there seemed to be a relative level of peace among them now. In her bathing suit in the lake, Heather looked at the Phantom Blonde and Free Spirit up on the beach. Ever since Heather had tried to intimidate the Blonde, she’d been getting intense looks over the past few days. But Heather figured she’d been just mysterious enough to be scary. It couldn’t hurt to have a player or two under your thumb when the chips fell.
Heather had been on too many teams in the past few years. She was used to being a loner among her allies, and she was used to having different goals and motivations than they did. From what she could tell, most of her teammates weren’t in this game to win. Gladiatrix surely had been; Ion and Valkyrie might be; but the rest just seemed to be here due to their enrollment. They didn’t have enough incentive to really fight for themselves. But for Heather, this competition was everything. She really wanted the victory, and was willing to fight for it, and fight hard.
Heather had been entirely disowned by her parents when her mutant powers had manifested when she was 18. Even though her powers of “time-twisting” had not caused her any physical impairments or mutations, Heather had been ostracized by her community and peers ever since then. She was barely an adult when she’d been drafted by that maniacal killer Stryfe into the Mutant Liberation Front, but Stryfe had taught her how to use her powers properly, how to make herself fly, and how to make the headaches stop. Plus, Heather had found some camaraderie with the other mutants in her team even as they committed various terrorist acts at Stryfe’s whim. But an early mission for the MLF had taken her against her father and even though he was a bigot, he didn’t deserve to die like he had. It was only a matter of time before Heather got out of the MLF completely and had a go at college and a normal life, but it didn’t last. She’d gotten sucked back in to mutant problems and mutant issues and Heather was sick and tired of it all. She had these powers, yes. She could fly and twist time, but did she have to be targeted? Hunted? No!
Heather pulled her hair back and squeezed some of the water out of it. It was nice to let her hair down once in a while, figuratively and literally. It always had to be up when it was in her helmet. She walked up onto the lakeside beach and felt the water drip off her body. It was a perfect day, absolutely beautiful. As she stretched and looked toward the sun, she noticed Free Spirit and Phantom Blonde walking over to her. Free Spirit was in the lead.
“Tempo, you got a minute?”
“I’m not going anywhere.”
Free Spirit stopped a few feet in front of Heather and looked at her intently, right in the eyes. Heather held her gaze, not at all intimidated. “Listen, I’m worried about your strategy here, and I’m the type of woman who just wants to clear the air.”
Heather felt immediately annoyed. “My strategy? What concern is that of yours?”
“Listen, I know you are a former villain and that makes me automatically distrust you a bit, but I can understand you wanting to be a hero. What I don’t get is why you keep acting like you are outside the law. Wanda told me about you trying to intimidate her our first day at camp. You hang out away from the others and never say anything about yourself. So far, I don’t trust you, and I’ll give it to you straight. You don’t change your act, you’re going to be the next one to go.”
During her speech (dang, but that girl liked speeches), Free Spirit never once took her eyes off of Heather’s. Phantom Blonde was hanging back like she was scared, but Free Spirit was right in her face. Heather, her heart pounding, leaned in a little closer, her voice intent.
“Listen, blondie, you don’t know me. You don’t know anything about me. When I want your advice, I’ll ask for it, got it?”
And with that, Tempo twisted up some time and flew off. She was a dozen yards away before Free Spirit was even aware that she’d moved. Heather looked down at the blondes on the ground and smiled to herself at the dumb looks on their faces. Then she flew in the other direction.

DAY 2

TEAM HAMMOND

With a thought and a gesture, Derwyddon willed the water before him to support his weight, then stepped out onto it. Walking on water, he smiled to himself. He thought back to his youth, over a thousand years ago now, when he’d first learned this trick. He remembered asking his teacher how he could turn the water solid, and the teacher taught him that you did not change the state of the water, but that you instead communed with the water, as with all things in nature, and asked it to bear your weight. With focus, Derwyddon stepped out onto the middle of the small lake and began sensing the small protein-based life forms swimming and flitting beneath him. Derwyddon closed his eyes and muttered a silent prayer to his gods. With his fingers shaped to one of the sacred shapes, he pointed toward the water, then brought his hands upwards, and he was granted permission by three sizeable fish to make a meal out of them. The fish rose to the surface and Derwyddon, with a muttering of thanks, retrieved them into his arms. Though still alive for several seconds, the fish did not thrash and squirm in his arms as they struggled for their final breaths, as they drowned in the air. No, they had willingly given themselves to him, and Derwyddon was very grateful.
Derwyddon stepped back to the shore, where he had willed a small fire into being. He pulled his robe up on his knees and sat down cross-legged before the fire, then set the three fish, whole, onto the small rocks next to the flames. He loved the wilds of this land. It had become home to him.
“You may come down and sit with me, if you wish.”
Derwyddon heard several seconds of silence, then the voice of the Steel Spider came from several yards above him. “How did you know I was here?”
Derwyddon, his eyes still on the flames, smiled to himself once again, this time at how unenlightened the youth of America were. “The tree told me.”
The Steel Spider, used his long metal legs, quickly climbed down the tree and took a few steps over to Derwyddon. “You have fish…”
Derwyddon looked up at his teammate now. “Yes. It will be ready in minutes. You are welcome to have some. And in the future, you don’t have to hide and spy. You can simply ask me what you want to know. I’m not one to speak falsehoods.”
Steel Spider seemed to let the tension melt out of him. With one hand, he pulled his mask back off his face and smiled. “Thank you, old man.” Then took a seat in front of the fire.
Derwyddon had had few interactions with his teammates thus far. In fact, he’d barely spoken to any of them. Only MAULER, who’d approached Derwyddon on the first day and invited him to join an alliance. Derwyddon hadn’t committed to anything, but he assumed such alliances were necessary in this game of survival. Derwyddon was pleased, though, if he could, to offer guidance to these wayward youth. Starting with this one.

“There’s some lines bein’ drawn here, I can just tell. It feels like our little tribe is dividing into factions when we should be pullin’ together toward the victory. I need to know who’s with me.”
Tony Trainer, Sandstorm, admired Battle Star a bunch, he did, but he didn’t feel like this was going to work very well. In fact, the way he considered it, wasn’t it better to be a few small groups of allies within the tribe instead of a bunch of morose loners? He looked around at the men on their tree cots in the shelter. MAULER was purposefully not making eye contact, it seemed, and was staying focused on his twiddling thumbs. Tony guessed there was a lot going on with that guy, a lot more than they knew. Gomi, with his big-eyed green lobster in his lap, sat against the tree trunk with a blank expression. And the rest of the group? Who knew. Off in the woods somewhere, Tony figured.
When no one responded, Battle Star, wearing only his boxer shorts, continued. Tony listened idly, using his sharpened grit armor as a blade as he whittled on a piece of wood. “Listen, I don’t know much about the women on the other team. Valkyrie has been around a long time and I know Free Spirit worked with Captain America. But I firmly believe that unless we get our act together, those women are going to beat us and beat us bad. And me? I’m in this to win it.”
Tony smirked when no one spoke again, and Battle Star continued. “I’m not trying to put myself out there as leader or anything. I just kinda comes natural to me. I mean, I spent a long time working for the government and a long time working as a professional mercenary right here in Symkaria. I’ve been around. And I hope that experience gives me a bit of clout.”
Gomi broke the following silence. “Mr. Star, sir, what are you proposing?”
“I’m proposing that we unify ourselves!”
MAULER finally looked up and scoffed. “How’re we gonna do that when we’ve got Brother Crazy bannin’ people from the shelter an’ two of our other teammates never even showin’ up at camp?”
Tony remained silent even when Battle Star looked over at him for help. He was on his own for this one. “Well, I think we’ll just have to get rid of Brother Nature first. Then the rest of us can pick up and move forward from here.”
And that, Tony thought, was the way the game was played.

TEAM JOYCE

Dr. Voletta Todd, Ion, had always had a rather one-track mind. It had served her well in her work as a scientist. She was able to focus her entire being on one task and work on it tirelessly until she succeeded or failed, but she almost always succeeded. She had been a beautiful woman, too, focused on fitness and good-living, but she’d often been the ridicule of the scientists, businessmen, and interns around her as she’d always had little to do with social interaction. When a science experiment gone awry had left Voletta’s mind trapped in a powerful form of ionized gas, she had absolutely panicked. She’d rampaged through the city, demanding she be returned to her natural form, unless the fledgling hero Machine Man stopped her. It was then that she’d learned that extreme cold could return her to her human form.
As her thoughts ran away with her, Ion, trying to focus on the task at hand, spread more of the dense foliage over the shelter’s roof and used her ionic energies to meld it together. When it inevitably rained, her teammates would know that she had been the one to keep them dry. She’d need friendships in this game, she knew. Her only alliance thus far was with Nocturne, who Voletta frequently flew with, but who still had yet to speak.
As soon as she could, Voletta had moved to the wilds of Greenland, where she assumed that she could continue her scientific pursuits in the cold environments there. But her human body could not last long in the cold, and as soon as she’d tried to warm herself, she’d reverted back to her gaseous state. It was maddening! Voletta had spent every moment since, as she no longer needed sleep or even food, trying to find ways to return to her human form. She’d designed a humanoid containment suit to contain her gaseous self and had tried, again and again and again, to succeed, but she always failed. So she’d decided to shift focuses. She’d enlist in the Fifty States Initiative, try her hand at being a hero, maybe develop some alliances with famous brains like Reed Richards or Henry Pym. Maybe they could get her back to human form. But for now? Her goal was to be famous, to be needed, to be victorious. She’d prove to all of them, prove to herself, that she was meant to be a hero, that she deserved their attentions.
Then she’d show them all.

With a slash of her sword, Samantha Parrington, Valkyrie, cut through the trunk and watched as the massive tree crashed to the ground, crushing several smaller trees beneath it. Clouds of dust and debris scattered in the air as the sound of the crash cascaded through the woods.
With a robust flourish of her sword, Samantha stabbed at the air, pumped her other fist, and shouted “Victory!” A broad smile on her face, she sheathed her sword and turned back to her watching allies. Number Nine, in her red-white-and-blue leotard, was clapping her hands enthusiastically and shouting about how mighty Samantha was. Phantom Blonde and Free Spirit were both smiling good-naturedly, though Phantom Blonde was a bit smarmy about it.
“I told you it was possible!” Samantha laughed again as she stepped toward her friends. They had somehow gravitated toward her as their leader. She supposed that was only natural. She’d been a leader in the feminist movement through college and after. She’d used her parents’ money and resources to set up various charities, foundations, and institutions. And she’d been a hero for longer than anyone here, though her heroic history had definitely been sporadic. Samantha wondered how long it had been since the otherworldly Enchantress had bonded to her the essence of one of the immortal Valkyrior. Her initial transformation had been short-lived, but she’d later served a stint with the Defenders and had even helped save the world from Yandroth and other threats. Why wouldn’t they see her as leader?
Phantom Blonde punched Valkyrie lightly on the arm. “You know, you are totally going to have to teach me how to do that, right?”
Samantha laughed back. “Sure. All you’ll need is an enchanted sword and the gift of godly strength.”
Now Free Spirit and Number Nine were joining in as well. “Or an evil female scientist to bring out and enhance all your natural skills as a woman!”
“Or a millionaire to turn you into his ideal woman!”
There was an awkward pause after Number Nine spoke. Samantha leaned in, put her fingers under Number Nine’s chin, and looked her in the eyes. “Listen, sweetie, that’s not something to be proud of, okay?” Number Nine’s eyes immediately welled up with tears. Samantha wanted to be annoyed, but she remembered what it was like to have no memory of her past. She let her compassion speak louder. “Nothing to cry about, Nine. Just trying to help you.”
Number Nine sniffled. “I—I know. I’m sorry.” She quickly wiped her tears and looked sadly at the ground.
Phantom Blonde, not one to ever be quiet, even for a few seconds, piped in. “Ladies, I must say, you all make me proud to be a woman, and proud to be a hero. I say we stick together. Us four, right to the end. The four blondes! We can win this game and laugh in all their faces!”
Samantha joined in the laughter that followed. No one noticed the silent Nocturne fly off from the tree above them.

IMMUNITY CHALLENGE

As the two tribes walked in on either side, Jasper pointed out to the men that Gladiatrix had been voted out by the women at the first Tribal Council. Battle Star looked absolutely stunned. Jasper walked the fifteen contestants out onto a constructed platform on one of Symkaria’s largest lakes, reaching depths of 1500 yards. Each group would have one side of the lake to work with. Scattered across the bottom of the lake were seven separate treasure chests, each containing a key. Each contestant would have to retrieve one key and then rejoin their team back up on the platform. The teams would need to use teamwork and problem-solving skills to retrieve the keys, but each member had to get one key each. Back on the dock, all seven keys would each open a lock, releasing the team’s flag and bringing them to victory.
Jasper informed the men that they would have to sit one team member out, and that the same member could not be set out in back to back challenges. Brother Nature announced that he would be willing to use his powers over the environment and nature to give his team a speedy victory, but only if Biohazard were the one to sit out. Biohazard, though furious and frustrated, agreed that water wasn’t his best environment, and agreed to sit out this time.
As Jasper started the timer, the teams quickly huddled to put together battle plans. As they were on separate playing fields, Team Joyce determined they couldn’t use Tempo’s powers on Team Hammond. Free Spirit, Valkyrie, and Number Nine knew they could hold their breath for extended amounts of time, but they struggled to find ways to help Nocturne and Phantom Blonde retrieve their keys. Valkyrie quickly dived into the water to scout out where the chests were located. Meanwhile, on Team Hammond, Brother Nature ordered his teammates to stand aside and to be prepared. With a dramatic flourish of his powers, he used wind and his command over water to cleave the surface of the lake on the men’s side from the top to the bottom, like Moses over the Red Sea. Given this opportunity, the men quickly scrambled down to the bottom of the lake and retrieved their various keys. Gomi sent Bill, MAULER flew down, Steel Spider climbed down the platform with his legs. As the women watched in absolute wonder, the men returned to the dock and watched as Brother Nature, with MAULER’s help, retrieved the final key. In a matter of minutes, Team Hammond had claimed victory.

TRIBAL COUNCIL

That night at tribal council, Jasper looked over the seven women and reminded them they’d had two losses in a row. He gauged their various reactions, determining who he should ask questions of.
He leveled his gaze on Free Spirit. “Two losses in a row for Team Joyce. What do you attribute it to? Is it a lack of leadership?”
Free Spirit shook her head. “Definitely not. We’ve had very few conflicts on our team. I think our losses stem from a combination of luck for the men and just different power sets. I don’t believe the men are a stronger team, but our skillsets are vastly different. I believe that their talents have been better suited to the various challenges thus far.”
Jasper turned to Number Nine. “And do you agree with Free Spirit?”
Number Nine stifled a giggle. “Yes! Life in our camp has been wonderful! Absolutely fun and crazy, like a big outdoors slumber party!”
After a few more questions, Jasper let the women get to the voting.
The first vote was for Tempo. This was from Ion, who didn’t care who left so long as it wasn’t her, and was voting with the majority.
The second vote was for Tempo. This was from Free Spirit, who was keeping her promise to Tempo.
The third vote was for Tempo. This was from Nocturne, who’d been clued in to the vote by Ion.
The fourth vote was for Tempo. This was from Phantom Blonde, who wanted to get rid of her intimidator.
The fifth vote was for Tempo. This was from Valkyrie, who was voting with her blonde alliance.
The sixth vote was for Tempo. This was from Number Nine, for the same reasons.
The seventh vote was for Free Spirit. This was from Tempo, who had been lied to by Valkyrie and Number Nine, telling her they’d match her vote.
Tempo quelled her nausea as she stood and had her torch extinguished. Furious at herself for having tears in her eyes, she walked off to the sidelines as calmly as she could.
Jasper dismissed Team Joyce, reminding them that they were now down two members, and admonished them to get their act together.

Well, everyone should be getting used to the characters and premise by now. As I’ve mentioned a few times, I have great plans for all of these characters, but one has to leave each time. Once again, you can send your votes to me at hellochadman@yahoo.com, on facebook, or as a comment here. Excited to see who goes next! I know there is a lot to read. I’m working hard to keep things succinct, full of character interaction, and entertaining at the same time.
Due to random selection, Team Joyce wins immunity in episode two. That means you have to vote off someone from Team Hammond. Use whatever strategy you want in casting your vote. Pick your favorites and root for them, stir it up, choose your adventures!

TEAM JOYCE (IMMUNITY):
Free Spirit (Cathy Webster)
Ion (Voletta Todd)
Nocturne (Angela Cairn)
Number Nine
Phantom Blonde (Wanda Mason)
Valkyrie (Samantha Parrington)

TEAM HAMMOND:
Battle Star (Lemar Hoskins)
Biohazard (Fletcher Traynor)
Brother Nature (Mark Diering)
Derwyddon
Gomi (Alphonsus Lefszycic)
MAULER (Brendan Doyle)
Sandstorm (Tony Trainer)
Steel Spider (Oliver Osnick)