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| | | | PART 3 OF CHAPTER 2
“Remy?”
Boomer and Sunfire stood quietly and waited. Remy had not been the same suave playboy they had known back in the day. He was much quieter and withdrawn these days. It took some getting used to his moods. Boomer walked over and placed her hand on his shoulder and crouched down in front of him.
“You O.K. Gumbo?”
Gambit blinked then slowly looked up as he came out of thought
“Yes, yes chere I am fine, what were you saying?”
Boomer gave a smile and gently patted his shoulder
“Why do this tonight? We could have done any time.”
For the first time that Boomer could remember in a very long time, Remy LeBeau gave a smile. As if he had been in on a joke that had finally delivered its punch line.
“Well, our dear Le Président Luthor is scheduled right about now to be on national TV talking about his plan of the “good of America” and how well it is going for him.”
He slowly rose to his feet and look to each of his friends with a smile as he propped his staff on his shoulder.
“Let’s go show him just how wrong he is.”
He fished out a pair of goggles and peered at their crime scene. Black Cat was currently just pacing back and forth, stopping occasionally to bark at random patrolmen which were now all covering several access points. He chuckled as He saw her face.
“I believe Ms. Harding has waited long enough, let us go say hello, oui?”
Boomer smiled a wide smile as Sunfire hopped off the antennae down next to her
“Hell yeah boss, let’s roll”
Sunfire grinned and shot off high into the sky, an orange line of fire trailing her. Boomer and Gambit watched a moment and then quickly bounded along the rooftops.
It was time to make their mark.
Felicia Harding was still annoyed. Now even more so.
Though the scene had all been locked down, she still had no idea what in the world had happened there. There were still pockets of fire and debris all over, one of the guards, Phillips had been killed. His body now covered with a long white sheet in the middle of the square.
She gave a heavy sigh and cradled her temple between her fingers. She was at the moment trying to get what happened out a very shook Pvt. Stevens.
“Look, I need you to calm down and try to and relax and tell me what happened.”
Ricky’s eye darted left and right, His face was pale and He was drenched in sweat. Felcia was wrong, calling the boy “shook” was a grave understatement.
“I…..I….it just…..we couldn’t get Alpha….then that song….then it rolled…..then Jimbo….Jimbo….”
His eyes slowly drifted over to the bright white sheet as it was loaded into an ambulance and driven away. Black Cat snapped her fingers in front of his eyes
“Hey! Focus private!”
“He suddenly blinked and then grabbed Felcia by the shoulders and looked into her eyes, his voice strained
“I didn’t sign up for this…I DIDN’T SIGN UP FOR THIS!”
He then collapsed in a heap and started sobbing uncontrollably. Black Cat sighed and stepped away from Him. He staled over to a hastily slapped together post and clicked threw surveillance cams. No sign of any activity was anywhere. She slammed her fist down, stalking out of the tent.
She stormed out into the center of the square, spotlights pouring down on her. Guards were all stationed around exits. She stood and yelled loudly. It was time for this to be fixed
“I DON’T CARE HOW LONG WE HAVE TO STAY HERE! I DON’T CARE HOW MANY BUILDING WE HAVE TO SEARCH! I WANT TO KNOW WHO DID THIS AND I WANT TO KNOW NO—“
Then the sound of whistling cut her off. The tune of “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” filling the square. Phillips eyes widened in the tent and he let out a terrified scream and Felcia Harding slowly scanned the rooftops, looking for the source of the sound.
“Find them. Find them NOW!”
Then a chuckle cut the air and Black Cat slowly turn as her eyes turned to slits. Lounging on the middlefingertip, was Remy Lebeau. He had his metal staff propped on His shoulder as He slowly turned a playing card in his fingers.
“You know Black Cat, before this whole Luthor business you were much more relaxed.”
Even though he was at least 50 feet above her, Gambit locked eyes with her and smirked
“Dis army life isn’t good for your image chere”
Black Cat’s eyes burned into Gambit’s as 15 gun barrels all trailed up to him and cocked a hard metallic snap. Black growled deeply from her throat.
“You. I should of known”
Gambit chuckled softly
“We need to talk about your boss mon ami”
Black Cat gave a bitter laugh
“Like hell we do. KILL HIM!” |
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| | | | "last call, get you drinks and get ready to get the hell out." The short gruff barkeep barked out to the nearly empty room. The bar with no name rarely had a many customers at this point at night, not even among the crowd it catered to. As most of the room begand to settle tabs, one defys the trend and enters.
"Witty, my buddy my pal, my buddy. it's been an age hows your life without wings? gimme a screaming viking." The balding figure settles up to the bar.
"damn you Bug, will you stop calling Me Witty, you bombastic twit." Briefly counting a piles of bills before sliding it into the register. "That was the primary reason I kicked you off the Frightful Four. the other was your poor sense of timing. We're closing."
As the last patron leaves the pub, Irwin pulls out a short stsck of bills. "aww come on witty, don't be like that. We had good times and good business in the past." *his grin curves into somethign more devious, somethign which chills the owner of the establishment to the core. "now, you know I am not as insane as I play up. you also know one day you could be waiting on a subway platform, and 'pop'," with a sudden gesture of his hand, "the conductor gets to know your insides." His free hand hitting the bar lightly. "Now all I wanted was a sample of your old tech. Know you gave petruski some when you parted ways, figure maybe help another old co-worker out. especially one that can give you green..."
"You know tha-"
"That you could have your wireless firewarms rip my head off my shoulders and cook my guts for tommorrrow's special." his free hand mimicing a mouth. "we've been over this before. I popfast enough even supes couldn't catch me. do you think a freaking lazer is going to do the trick? witty, you've grown senile at your old age. even worse predictable. Maybe that's why you got turned into a dau-"
the register slams shut. "oh for the love of god, schwab,if I take your deal will you shut up? just tell Me what you want and We'll let the negotiations begin."
The smirk fades into a look of disgust. "I swear nobody wants to go down memory lane these days. alright, alright. brass tacks. I need a disk. I have $8000, cash, unmarked."
silence passes. the two look into each others eyes glaring, unflinching ina duel of wills. "$90,000"
"10"
"80,000"
"15 dollars and a copy of peacekeeper model plans."
The eyes break as Wittman breaks away for a moment. "how did you go from 10 thousand to 15 dollars?
"I only said ten. not my fault you assumed thousand"
An audible groan utters out. "give Me the 8 thousand and your peacekeeper armor plans. and get Me the guardsman plans. then I'll give you the disk."
"now that's robbery. I should haved you hauled in for trying to rob me right here with that high a cost."
The once mighty wizard takes his turn to coil a serpintine smile. He knows he has won. "cost is rising the more of my time you waste. do we have a deal, Bug?" the accent on that last word made condescending.
"at this price, does it come with a warrantee."
"30 days, repair or exchange, but onyl for defective models. does not cover fire theft or acts of heroes. no refunds."This message was edited by TalesOfTheIronGuard on 7-2-06 @ 4:30 AM
"Don't blame me because I speak with infallible logic, stupid human"
Foamy |
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| | | | Lexworld: The Mask in the Iron Man
~Thoughts~
The world had gone to shit.
Within five years, the peace that people understood as the norm had become a dream of pure fantasy. People used to hear about super criminals breaking into banks and the neighborhood favorites coming out of the woodwork to show the people they were friendly. The presidents of various nations would give out awards to their national heroes or honor those from foreign lands. Teams were known...celebrated...idolized...worshipped.
But no longer.
The teams began to fall as soon as the legislation had passed. Strength in numbers no longer mattered because when they became divided, they fell faster than Lucifer to the earth. And the cataclysm left in its wake was...
in a manner of words..
Glorious.
I was there when the supposed Man of Steel fell to his knees. I watched as the green shard was shoved deep into his chest and I saw him bleed. It was red, just in case you didn't know. I'd never actually seen him bleed before. So I took his blood. Course, nobody saw me, and yet I was there. Stark gave it to me himself, not that he realized who I am. He knew who I used to be, but then outside appearances are like that.
After that first victim, I helped push the legislation that would turn the rest of the world's eyes away from me and my country. And that’s when I set Latveria on fire and watched it burn. I took my people and erased them from Earth's future. Sure, they loved and feared me. I was their ruler and I had absolute power. So I used it. And Latveria is no more.
Stark and Luthor did a huge spread of my passing. I hear even Reed spoke about the goodness that was somewhere stuck in my soul. He might have been right. Had that been me he was talking about... When I showed up again, they were surprised of my return. Course, I milked it for all it was worth. I made up with the Four. I told the president my country had been wasted in an accidental meltdown. I told the World...that I was a new man...for I had nothing left.
And I lied every second.
So...what do I do now?
Simple.
I take it all back. I released the hounds of hell and now it's time to put the thousands upon thousands of old yellers down. Maybe I'll use a knife. Maybe I'll use a kryptonite bullet. Maybe...just maybe, I'll use these magical powers I've come so accustomed to now. Or maybe I'll do it the way I used to.
Take out the kids first.
But before I can get to the kids, I've got to get through their "parents and guardians." Right now, it's chess down there on that world. White King Luthor versus the Black Queen Diana. And neither of them has a Checkmate. So I'll make my own. Literally.
I took three of them from their homes and brought them here. They are still jacked into the system. I can feel sense thoughts in my suit. I can see their dreams in my mask. I can taste their fear and breathe in their horror. And the last one...I can feel her in my bones. Literally. It will take a few more days to get used to, but it's given me time to think on whose next.
Who is next here...and who is next there.
Yes, I know my thoughts are broken at times...but it's what happens when you undergo what I am doing. It's also what happens when to achieve what I've achieved, the price I am currently paying is keeping my current...landlord happy. But he too will be paid in full. I always keep my word.
But for now, it is time for me to go. I can hear my landlord... knocking at my door.
~End Thoughts~
-------------------------------------------------------------------
The figure awoke from his chair and lifted his head. He gazed at the line of light as his door slowly slid open and a shadow as monstrous as the rock of Ages stood there, red eyes glowing.
"Champion...it is time for another round."
The figure nods and slowly steps out of the chair, the metallic ring of his suit hitting the floor loudly and the slight whir of servos turning and changing, compensating with almost faster-than-thought precision. He reached over and grabbed his green cloak and pulled it around his shoulders, clasping the dark orange disks together in their places. He looked at his hands and formed fists and then relaxed. Knuckles popped with an almost metallic ring and he grinned. The gauntlets came on next and then...
he paused.
Two masks set before him and as always he placed the soft one on first, pulling it down over his face and whiskers, tying it off and gazing into the mirror.
"If only they knew what was coming... poor fools. All of them."
The other mask was then lifted and placed on, forming the last of his metallic skin. And then he turned and walked towards the huge monolith of a shadow.
"I am ready."
As the door closed, the dark shadow spoke in it's rather calming and yet commanding voice, posing a simple question.
"Why do you wear two masks? Here, it doesn't matter what you look like but rather if you win or lose. And surely you will know the day that you die. I will give you the stroke of Death myself, my Champion."
The figure didn't turn his head and kept walking down the hall, his metallic voice echoing off the hallways. But he did answer.
"Cheesy as it sounds, Mongul... You will die at the Stroke of Dawn...and your world will fall at the Stroke of Doom. But all in due time...for now, I need to...test my new abilities further."
"Human, don't test me. I rule this world, and I can unmake you."
The figure turned around and a gleam was caught from his left eye.
"Keep dreaming Mongul. You will kneel before Doom...just as he kneeled before me."
And with that, the figure turned from the warlord and walked out into the stadium, the roar of the crowds humming loudly. The dirt on the ground had been untouched since the last battles and skeletons and rotting corpses lay strewn freely. On the other side of the arena, a gate opened and five other figures walked out, dressed in their own homeworld battle garb, one of them hovering off the ground and blades dancing in each of its hands.
"You'll be first...the rest of you will be for fun."
End Chapter 1.This message was edited by [Az] on 7-25-06 @ 12:36 PM |
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| | | | Brunswick Naval Air Station, Brunswick Maine.
Captain Atom observed all the data that Washington had sent him on the Morlocks on the various monitors in his recharging room, and he did not like it.
Apparently the Freedom Force intelligence boys had been keeping close tabs on them for a good year now, for the most part they were classified as a low threat group, never really attacking forces and only doing so when they were cornered, and they always discovered in food and medical supply storage areas.
Their leader was formerly a mutant code named Callisto, but she was killed during an attempt to find Morlocks home base, so the new leadership was by a young woman named Marrow, who posed a very strange power of maneuvering her bones into armor and weapons.
In all of their encounter with the freedom force there was only injury, no fatalities, and injuries were only given when they Warmachine made toward the sewers…….so for all intense and purposes….they were not a combative group……..they were just hiding, riding out the storm that was Lex Luthor. So why were helping the Avengers, and attacking all places the Vault?
The thought nagged at him, as the commander of the interception unit entered, his Warmachine helmet off.
“Captain, all Squadrons are prepped and ready for the intercept”
“Very good Sergeant……head to the launch bay I will be with you shortly.”
“Yes sir…..” and he began to depart, but Atom called after not looking at him
“Sergeant?”
“Sir?”
“Have communication get me an uplink to Arkham asylum….into one of the detainees cells….cell number A-6789…..closed uplink for my eyes only please…”
The young solider nodded. Having been around Atom long enough to know what that meant simply nodded.
“Yes Sir, I’ll make sure no one disturbs you.”
“Thank you”
Then Atom looked to the large screen with all the data on the Morlocks went black for a second then clicked on to show a barren padded cell with just a cot and toilet. The solar radiation bulbs bathing the room in a simulated red sun light, sunlight used to subdue the young woman who occupied the unit, Kara Zor-El……also known as Claire Connors, more commonly know as Supergirl.
She sat on her cot……wearing a pure white jumpsuit and barefoot her prisoner number SG456 stenciled black on her left breast pocket …….her knees tucked up to her chest…her back turned to the camera….. Her once beautiful long blonde hair was cut and shaved to a short spiky look……as she gently swayed a little back and forth. And as Nathan Adams looked upon her his heart broke all over again.
When he was in the Justice League, Kara and he always spent time together when not on missions, she was always bubbly, always talkatively and moving about whether it was walking or floating about him as they walked and talked.
But now, she was very still quite…..the guards reports he had read said that she spoke rarely and never fought back during prison riots or integrations… ….very still.
He clicked on the microphone and spoke very cautiously and gently.
“Hello Kara……..”
She stopped swaying, her lithe body tensing for a brief second and then settles down, though it remained alert, yet she was would not look at the monitor and camera, several seconds passed and then he could hear a soft tired and a little raspy whisper come from her.
“What do you want?”
The coldness in her once warm kind voice made him wince a little.
“There……….have been reports of attacks all over…..in New York…Washington……..Belhaven and rumors that the Avengers are planning an assault—“
She cut him off…still not turning.
“If you are wondering if I know anything you’re wasting your time……I haven’t had any contact with Diana or anyone else from the League or Avengers, then again you and your men made sure that they are either dead, captured or hiding……”
“That’s not the reason I am talking to you……. “
She turned slowly on her backside and faced him directly, her once ruby red lips now pale, her icy blue eyes now tired, sad, angry an dull, cuts and bruises all over her face as she glared at him.
“No, I know WHY you’re talking to me Nathan.”
Atom stood still not answering as she spoke
“The reason why you are talking to me is the same reason why you always contact me every time this time of year: to appease your guilt.”
“My guilt?”
“Your guilt, and knowing what you’ve done to your fellow heroes, people who trusted, the American people……you must have a lot of it., the only way you can keep it from devouring you is talking to me.”
He stayed silent as she looked at him, her hard softening a she said
“Oh Nate could you let it get this far?”
“I had nothing to do with this Kara……”
“YOY BETRAYED US! ALL OF US YOU BULLEHEAD BASTARD!”
“I did what my country asked me to do, and if Clark was still here—“
“If Clark was still here……..he‘d be so disappointed in you.”
He turned away from the monitor as she talked.
“He knew that could not lead the League forever, he told me that he wanted you to take his place once he retired….and then Luthor took power and you did NOTHING you stood by as the greatest being on the planet was MURDERED in front of the whole world, you hid behind your military name in order to avoid jail time ……and like a coward you joined the Freedom Force and hunted those who would’ve laid down there lives for this world…you were a hero Nathan----“
He turned a sharply towards her, his white burning frustration as he said
“You don’t get it……..I am not the last son or daughter of anything…I am not from Mars. I don’t have the back up the green Lantern Corps, and I don’t have automatic amnesty because of my name……I am solider Kara….nothing more……nothing less!”
Her gaze was not hard and cold any longer as tears went down her face as she said
“One day you’re going to have to make a choice of what you really are Nathan…a hero……or a solider.”
He turned to head out of the as the door it sliding open and stopping as he said
“I’ll speak to the head of the Asylum to move to better cell….”
The young Sergeant stood at the end of the hallway and began to follow to launch are 200 hundred Warmachine stood in waiting. he looked upon the cadre of warrior and his heart grew heavy yet again…the cool look on as Kara voice echoed in his head
[i]“Make a choice……hero………..or a solider.”[/i
He looked to the young sergeant and nodded and nodded.
“Let’s go” ] |
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