Steel Citadel

Originally the secret base for the regional VIPER nest directed by Steel Serpent, the Steel Citadel became the base for Millenium City's official super-team, The Watch. With the disbanding of that team, the base was taken over by Victor Bashang as a regional HQ for PRIMUS.

History

During the rebuilding of Millenium City, a private engineering firm called McCloskey Hutchins & Associates persuaded the city to let it build a second, for-profit, traffic tunnel between Millenium City and Windsor. After two years of effort, the firm declare the project a failure, filled in the beginnings of the tunnel and left the city.

In truth, McCloskey Hutchins & Associates was in the clutches of VIPER and the project was a cover for the construction of a regional VIPER base, the Steel Citadel. Riding in specially-adapted VIPER speed boat-subs, agents could commit crimes throughout the Great Lakes region, returning in secrecy to the base.

In Episode 3, the Replacements discovered the base as it was being attacked by the War Machine. The Replacements began using as a base, but were evicted within a few days after refusing an offer to become Millenium City's official superteam.

The The Board turned the Citadel over to the Watch.

General Environment.

The interior is a cool, high-tech looking environment with titanium white walls. The lighting is fluorescent. Furniture is modern-looking and durable, with steel counter-top style finish.

Access.

The Steel Citadel can be accessed through several doors:

• The first is a secret passageway that was known only to the Steel Serpent, that leads from the situation room to the Detroit Tunnel; this exit was only for emergencies. It has since been sealed.

• The second entrance is a set of stairs located in the basement of the Slither nightclub; the club owner made sure that no one went near the basement, which was guarded by a VIPER five-team at all times. Slither has since been closed; this entrance has also been sealed.

• The third entrance is in the Regent Tower. It is accessed by pressing the 22nd floor button three times, followed by pressing the 2nd floor button only once; the elevator will descend immediately below the building’s basement, to a tunnel which leads to the Citadel. VIPER maintained an office for International Security Solutions (ISS) on the 3rd floor to provide a reason for its agents to enter the building; conveniently, International Security also is contracted to provide security for Regent Tower. When the The Board took over the Citadel, PRIMUS took over the front company ISS; undercover PRIMUS agents now direct security for Regent's Tower.

• Finally, the base can be accessed through from the Detroit River via the garage/dock. The Watch used this entrance to secretly enter the base from the Detroit River using the prototype submarine/jet provided by PRIMUS, the Devilray.

Highlights

• Lead-lined walls to block X-Ray Vision

• Laboratories.

• Extensive Armory.

• Vehicle Garage which once contained Coral Snake “speedsubs” and the Steel Serpent's Water Mocassin craft.

• Serpentine Computer. Controls most of the functions of the Steel Citadel and, until recently, maintained an encrypted link to the Serpentine computer of other Nests. VIPER technicians broke this link when it became clear that other bases were being compromised. The computer still retains files on the Champions and other enemies, associates of the Citadel nest (Hyde, Dr. Moreau, Teleios, etc.), VIPER technology schematics (for repairs), Agent files, Tactics & Training. The computer system was, however, replaced by PRIMUS with one of its own design. Cypher of the Replacments downloaded the contents of the Serpentine database while inside the Citadel.