When Roberto DaCosta was a child, this is the kind of life he dreamed of. Tipping champaigne glasses with the rich, exchanging dry wit with the famous. Now, he finds himself immensely bored.
<"Young Roberto!!">*
He turned to see a large, elderly man approach him. A fake smile appeared on his face, as he shook hands with him.
[*Translated from the Portugese--linguistic Dino]
<"It's good to see you again, Senor Fernandez,"> Bobby said.
<"Please Roberto, call me Marcos,"> the man replied. <"I have long looked forward to the day when you would take up the reigns of your father's organization. Now, it is nice to see you are even a member of the illustrious Hellfire Club. Tell me, do you plan on moving to Buenos Aires?">
<"Sorry to disappoint you Marcos, but no,"> Bobby stated. <"I've decided to take some time... overseas.">
<"Where, praytell?">
<"Africa,"> Bobby replied. Saying that he was now in Genosha, and part of Magneto's elite strike force wouldn't go over well.
<"A lovely country, I truly hope you enjoy it.">
<"Marcos Fernandez, you will never learn,"> a man stated, walking down the stairs. His arm was linked with a young woman, who had blonde hair. Roberto DaCosta's eyes nearly shot out of their sockets when he saw her.
"SIENA?!"
<"Pardon me?"> the young woman asked. <"I'm sorry, I don't believe we've met.">
Or so you may think... Bobby thought to himself. I remember you as Siena Blaze, though. Formerly one of the Upstarts. Best thing to do right now is to play along. The last thing I need to do is remind you of your past, unless I want to do battle.
<"I mistook you for someone else,"> Bobby stated.
<"Roberto, this is Ricardo Torres,"> Marcos said. <"He is the head of this chapter of the Hellfire Club. Ricardo, I'd like you to meet Roberto DaCosta.">
<"Ahh, so the elusive young DaCosta finally shows his face,"> Ricardo stated, extending his hand. <"This is Maria Campo, one of my most-trusted advisors.">
<"A pleasure to meet you both,"> Bobby said.
Maria Campo?! The woman Magneto wanted us to bring back is Siena Blaze?!
*****
The young girl named Gendra is a native of Hati. Like her father, Dimor, she was born here. Hati is her life, just as it was his. That is, until recently.
Now, she sat in the aircraft of the Fallen Angels, hitting button after button, trying to access the communication system.
"Come on, come on..." she muttered. Then, one of the monitors lit up. The face was that of a silver-haired man.
"Who are you?!" he demanded. "How did you gain access to the Genoshan priority access codes?!"
"My name is Gendra," she said. "I'm looking for Magneto, I have some important information about his Fallen Angels."
"I am Magneto, child," he replied. "What do you have to tell me about my team?"
"They have been captured!! By a team of mind-controlled mutants who call themselves the Three!! I ran into them in Buenos Aires, and they offered to help me with my father.*"
[*Last issue--Dino]
"Where are you now?" Magneto asked.
"I'm in Hati, in their aircraft," Gendra said. "The Fallen Angels are here on the island as well, but they have been taken to the Plantation!! If we do not help them soon..."
"Say no more," Magneto said. "I will arrange for someone to meet you there."
*****
Magneto closed the communication path, and sat back in his chair. A flash of light and mist signaled the entrance of Amelia Voght, the field commander of the Acolytes, and Erik Magnus Lehnsherr's most-trusted advisor.
"How goes the battle with the Magistrates, Amelia?" he asked.
"The Acolytes and Mutates have been able to push them back," Amelia replied.
"As much as it pains me to do so, you must abandon your fellow Acolytes for now," Magneto stated. "I need you to transport to Buenos Aires and find Roberto."
"Is something wrong?" Amelia asked.
"As a matter of fact, yes," Magneto replied. He pressed a button on the control panel, replaying the call he had just heard from Gendra. Once it was over, Amelia turned away from the screen.
"I'm on my way right now," she stated. With a simple hand gesture, she vanished.
*****
Tabitha Smith's eyes slowly began to flutter open. She found her arms and legs bound in shackles. She looked to her left and right. Feral, Shatterstar, and Rictor were also shackled. Gendra was nowhere to be seen, which caused her to breathe a sigh of relief. That means that Gendra got away, and that (hopefully), she was able to contact Magneto.
"Welcome back to the land of the living, Boomer," Rictor stated, referring to Tabitha by her old code-name.
"Yes, all four of you, welcome," an elderly man stated. "Welcome to the Plantation, Fallen Angels. I am the head of the Plantation. You may call me Corpo. You have already met Mjnari, Sonia, and Dimor--the Three. They are the first of my undead."
"Undead?" Meltdown asked. "What are you, some kinda vampire?"
"Not at all," he replied. "I simply use the ancient voodoo powers that have been passed down for generations in my family. I'm able to transform mutants into 'zombies,' if you will."
"Riiiight..." Meltdown muttered.
"Prepare them for the process," Corpo stated, turning to the Three.
*****
<"I must say, Roberto, it is truly an honor to finally meet you,"> Ricardo stated.
<"You said that already, Ricardo,"> Bobby replied. <"May I talk to you in private? It's about Maria.">
<"Right this way,"> Ricardo said, leading Bobby to an office. Once inside, he closed the doors behind them. <"Now, what was it you wanted to tell me about my lover?">
<"Your lover?">
<"She's horrible in bed, though,"> Ricardo stated. <"Yet that's not the real reason I want her. My dear Maria is actually a mutant with the ability to alter the Earth's Magnetosphere. That is why I keep her around--because of her abilities.">
<"How did you find her?">
<"It was several months ago,"> Ricardo began. <"She was lying unconscious in a field, clothed in some sort of odd uniform. Fortunately for her, my limo was driving by at the time. And finding a beautiful woman lying unconscious in a field is a very rare opportunity that I couldn't afford to pass up. However, her abilities were simply the icing on the cake.">
Magneto has some use for Siena's powers. But, for all I know, Torres' intents may not be that noble. I can't risk it, I need to accomplish the mission.
<"Thank you, Ricardo,"> Bobby said. <"Perhaps now we should go back out and rejoin the party.">
<"Yes, my friend,"> Ricardo said. <"Perhaps we should.">
As they stepped out of the room, a woman bumped into Bobby.
<"My apologies, madame,"> he said.
"Entirely my fault, Roberto."
"Voght?!"
<"You know this woman?"> Ricardo asked.
<"She's an... assosciate of mine,"> Bobby replied. <"Excuse me, Ricardo.">
<"Of course,"> Ricardo stated. <"It was a pleasure meeting you.">
"I'm glad you decided to wear a dress as opposed to your Acolyte uniform," Bobby said.
"Image inducer," Amelia replied. "We have a situation."
"What?" Bobby asked.
"Have you found the girl yet?"
"Yeah, but I don't think that Torres is going to give her up that easily," Bobby replied.
"The rest of the team is currently being held captive in Hati," Amelia said. "It's a long story, and we should get moving."
"I'm not leaving until we get Maria," Bobby said. "Magneto forgot to mention that she's also Siena Blaze."
"The Upstart?!" Amelia asked.
"I can't let her slip away right now," Bobby said. "Who knows what danger she might pose if we let the Hellfire Club control her."
"All right..." Amelia sighed. "Lets be quick about it, though."
"Right," Bobby said. <"Maria!">
<"Excuse me,"> Maria said to the people she was mingling with. She walked over to Bobby and Amelia. <"Thanks so much!! I can't stand these parties.">
"Do you speak English?" Bobby asked.
"...I suppose I do..." Maria replied. "I had no idea I could before now..."
"Nevermind that," Bobby said. "This is Amelia Voght, one of my teammates."
"Teammates?" Maria asked.
"Come with us," Bobby replied, leading Amelia and Maria into another room. "There's something I should tell you. Amelia and I, we're mutants, like you."
"...How do you know I'm a mutant?"
"We're from Genosha," Bobby continued. "It's a country that's currently caught in a civil war between the mutants and their former human oppressors. Magneto, the ruler of Genosha, sent me and my teammates here to find you. We need your help."
"You need my help, so that these humans won't oppress the mutants anymore in your country?"
"Basically, yeah," Amelia replied.
"Do you have something else you'd be able to wear?" Bobby asked. "Perhaps the clothes you were wearing when Ricardo found you?"
"Yes, come with me," she said. "I've been thinking of leaving for sometime now. But, I only stayed because Ricardo saved me, gave me a new life."
"It's not the life you want, believe me," Bobby stated.
*****
"...It's done..." Corpo stated. "I must come clean. This has nothing to do with voodoo powers. It is simply a scientific concoction made from different materials. It slows down your metabolism to the point of a death-like state, almost like suspended animation. By the time the subject, in this case, you four, recover by tomorrow, you will be under my control."
"Pal, something is seriously wrong with you..." Meltdown muttered.
"Jus' wait until I get outta these shackles..." Feral stated. "I'll tear ya a new one."
"A new what?" Corpo asked.
"You'll know..."
"Your cancellation is imminent!!" Shatterstar exclaimed. "Simply release us now and save yourself a lot of trouble!!"
"I'd rather not," Corpo stated. He tapped a syringe which was filled with a strange sort of liquid. Then, he stuck it in Meltdown's arm, and depressed the plunger.
*****
A flash of light and mist appeared before Gendra, outside the Fallen Angels' aircraft. Three figures stood there as the mist dissipated.
"Gendra...?" the young man asked. His skin was pitch-black. There were two women with him, one with short, blonde hair, and another with long, red hair.
"You are...?"
"We're the rest of the Fallen Angels," he said. "I'm Sunspot. This is Voght, and... Blaze."
Blaze...? Maria thought.
"Can you tell us how to get to this Plantation?" Voght asked.
"Yes..." Gendra replied. "Please... help them."
NEXT ISSUE: Can Sunspot, Voght, and Blaze stop Corpo and save their teammates?
<"Young Roberto!!">*
He turned to see a large, elderly man approach him. A fake smile appeared on his face, as he shook hands with him.
[*Translated from the Portugese--linguistic Dino]
<"It's good to see you again, Senor Fernandez,"> Bobby said.
<"Please Roberto, call me Marcos,"> the man replied. <"I have long looked forward to the day when you would take up the reigns of your father's organization. Now, it is nice to see you are even a member of the illustrious Hellfire Club. Tell me, do you plan on moving to Buenos Aires?">
<"Sorry to disappoint you Marcos, but no,"> Bobby stated. <"I've decided to take some time... overseas.">
<"Where, praytell?">
<"Africa,"> Bobby replied. Saying that he was now in Genosha, and part of Magneto's elite strike force wouldn't go over well.
<"A lovely country, I truly hope you enjoy it.">
<"Marcos Fernandez, you will never learn,"> a man stated, walking down the stairs. His arm was linked with a young woman, who had blonde hair. Roberto DaCosta's eyes nearly shot out of their sockets when he saw her.
"SIENA?!"
<"Pardon me?"> the young woman asked. <"I'm sorry, I don't believe we've met.">
Or so you may think... Bobby thought to himself. I remember you as Siena Blaze, though. Formerly one of the Upstarts. Best thing to do right now is to play along. The last thing I need to do is remind you of your past, unless I want to do battle.
<"I mistook you for someone else,"> Bobby stated.
<"Roberto, this is Ricardo Torres,"> Marcos said. <"He is the head of this chapter of the Hellfire Club. Ricardo, I'd like you to meet Roberto DaCosta.">
<"Ahh, so the elusive young DaCosta finally shows his face,"> Ricardo stated, extending his hand. <"This is Maria Campo, one of my most-trusted advisors.">
<"A pleasure to meet you both,"> Bobby said.
Maria Campo?! The woman Magneto wanted us to bring back is Siena Blaze?!
*****
The young girl named Gendra is a native of Hati. Like her father, Dimor, she was born here. Hati is her life, just as it was his. That is, until recently.
Now, she sat in the aircraft of the Fallen Angels, hitting button after button, trying to access the communication system.
"Come on, come on..." she muttered. Then, one of the monitors lit up. The face was that of a silver-haired man.
"Who are you?!" he demanded. "How did you gain access to the Genoshan priority access codes?!"
"My name is Gendra," she said. "I'm looking for Magneto, I have some important information about his Fallen Angels."
"I am Magneto, child," he replied. "What do you have to tell me about my team?"
"They have been captured!! By a team of mind-controlled mutants who call themselves the Three!! I ran into them in Buenos Aires, and they offered to help me with my father.*"
[*Last issue--Dino]
"Where are you now?" Magneto asked.
"I'm in Hati, in their aircraft," Gendra said. "The Fallen Angels are here on the island as well, but they have been taken to the Plantation!! If we do not help them soon..."
"Say no more," Magneto said. "I will arrange for someone to meet you there."
*****
Magneto closed the communication path, and sat back in his chair. A flash of light and mist signaled the entrance of Amelia Voght, the field commander of the Acolytes, and Erik Magnus Lehnsherr's most-trusted advisor.
"How goes the battle with the Magistrates, Amelia?" he asked.
"The Acolytes and Mutates have been able to push them back," Amelia replied.
"As much as it pains me to do so, you must abandon your fellow Acolytes for now," Magneto stated. "I need you to transport to Buenos Aires and find Roberto."
"Is something wrong?" Amelia asked.
"As a matter of fact, yes," Magneto replied. He pressed a button on the control panel, replaying the call he had just heard from Gendra. Once it was over, Amelia turned away from the screen.
"I'm on my way right now," she stated. With a simple hand gesture, she vanished.
*****
Tabitha Smith's eyes slowly began to flutter open. She found her arms and legs bound in shackles. She looked to her left and right. Feral, Shatterstar, and Rictor were also shackled. Gendra was nowhere to be seen, which caused her to breathe a sigh of relief. That means that Gendra got away, and that (hopefully), she was able to contact Magneto.
"Welcome back to the land of the living, Boomer," Rictor stated, referring to Tabitha by her old code-name.
"Yes, all four of you, welcome," an elderly man stated. "Welcome to the Plantation, Fallen Angels. I am the head of the Plantation. You may call me Corpo. You have already met Mjnari, Sonia, and Dimor--the Three. They are the first of my undead."
"Undead?" Meltdown asked. "What are you, some kinda vampire?"
"Not at all," he replied. "I simply use the ancient voodoo powers that have been passed down for generations in my family. I'm able to transform mutants into 'zombies,' if you will."
"Riiiight..." Meltdown muttered.
"Prepare them for the process," Corpo stated, turning to the Three.
*****
<"I must say, Roberto, it is truly an honor to finally meet you,"> Ricardo stated.
<"You said that already, Ricardo,"> Bobby replied. <"May I talk to you in private? It's about Maria.">
<"Right this way,"> Ricardo said, leading Bobby to an office. Once inside, he closed the doors behind them. <"Now, what was it you wanted to tell me about my lover?">
<"Your lover?">
<"She's horrible in bed, though,"> Ricardo stated. <"Yet that's not the real reason I want her. My dear Maria is actually a mutant with the ability to alter the Earth's Magnetosphere. That is why I keep her around--because of her abilities.">
<"How did you find her?">
<"It was several months ago,"> Ricardo began. <"She was lying unconscious in a field, clothed in some sort of odd uniform. Fortunately for her, my limo was driving by at the time. And finding a beautiful woman lying unconscious in a field is a very rare opportunity that I couldn't afford to pass up. However, her abilities were simply the icing on the cake.">
Magneto has some use for Siena's powers. But, for all I know, Torres' intents may not be that noble. I can't risk it, I need to accomplish the mission.
<"Thank you, Ricardo,"> Bobby said. <"Perhaps now we should go back out and rejoin the party.">
<"Yes, my friend,"> Ricardo said. <"Perhaps we should.">
As they stepped out of the room, a woman bumped into Bobby.
<"My apologies, madame,"> he said.
"Entirely my fault, Roberto."
"Voght?!"
<"You know this woman?"> Ricardo asked.
<"She's an... assosciate of mine,"> Bobby replied. <"Excuse me, Ricardo.">
<"Of course,"> Ricardo stated. <"It was a pleasure meeting you.">
"I'm glad you decided to wear a dress as opposed to your Acolyte uniform," Bobby said.
"Image inducer," Amelia replied. "We have a situation."
"What?" Bobby asked.
"Have you found the girl yet?"
"Yeah, but I don't think that Torres is going to give her up that easily," Bobby replied.
"The rest of the team is currently being held captive in Hati," Amelia said. "It's a long story, and we should get moving."
"I'm not leaving until we get Maria," Bobby said. "Magneto forgot to mention that she's also Siena Blaze."
"The Upstart?!" Amelia asked.
"I can't let her slip away right now," Bobby said. "Who knows what danger she might pose if we let the Hellfire Club control her."
"All right..." Amelia sighed. "Lets be quick about it, though."
"Right," Bobby said. <"Maria!">
<"Excuse me,"> Maria said to the people she was mingling with. She walked over to Bobby and Amelia. <"Thanks so much!! I can't stand these parties.">
"Do you speak English?" Bobby asked.
"...I suppose I do..." Maria replied. "I had no idea I could before now..."
"Nevermind that," Bobby said. "This is Amelia Voght, one of my teammates."
"Teammates?" Maria asked.
"Come with us," Bobby replied, leading Amelia and Maria into another room. "There's something I should tell you. Amelia and I, we're mutants, like you."
"...How do you know I'm a mutant?"
"We're from Genosha," Bobby continued. "It's a country that's currently caught in a civil war between the mutants and their former human oppressors. Magneto, the ruler of Genosha, sent me and my teammates here to find you. We need your help."
"You need my help, so that these humans won't oppress the mutants anymore in your country?"
"Basically, yeah," Amelia replied.
"Do you have something else you'd be able to wear?" Bobby asked. "Perhaps the clothes you were wearing when Ricardo found you?"
"Yes, come with me," she said. "I've been thinking of leaving for sometime now. But, I only stayed because Ricardo saved me, gave me a new life."
"It's not the life you want, believe me," Bobby stated.
*****
"...It's done..." Corpo stated. "I must come clean. This has nothing to do with voodoo powers. It is simply a scientific concoction made from different materials. It slows down your metabolism to the point of a death-like state, almost like suspended animation. By the time the subject, in this case, you four, recover by tomorrow, you will be under my control."
"Pal, something is seriously wrong with you..." Meltdown muttered.
"Jus' wait until I get outta these shackles..." Feral stated. "I'll tear ya a new one."
"A new what?" Corpo asked.
"You'll know..."
"Your cancellation is imminent!!" Shatterstar exclaimed. "Simply release us now and save yourself a lot of trouble!!"
"I'd rather not," Corpo stated. He tapped a syringe which was filled with a strange sort of liquid. Then, he stuck it in Meltdown's arm, and depressed the plunger.
*****
A flash of light and mist appeared before Gendra, outside the Fallen Angels' aircraft. Three figures stood there as the mist dissipated.
"Gendra...?" the young man asked. His skin was pitch-black. There were two women with him, one with short, blonde hair, and another with long, red hair.
"You are...?"
"We're the rest of the Fallen Angels," he said. "I'm Sunspot. This is Voght, and... Blaze."
Blaze...? Maria thought.
"Can you tell us how to get to this Plantation?" Voght asked.
"Yes..." Gendra replied. "Please... help them."
NEXT ISSUE: Can Sunspot, Voght, and Blaze stop Corpo and save their teammates?