Issue #20 (May 2018)
Written by John Cheese Featuring: Blizzard
Whirlwind
Chain Lightning
Headhunter
The Enforcer
Ghost
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"The Corporate Web"Rosetta Technologies Building, Silicon Valley, California
"Did you know him?" The woman in the green armour and flight helmet asked the figure in silver and blue, his hooded face and goggles obscuring his face. "I mean the guy who used the alias before you?" "Who Donald Gill?" The man asked. "Nah guy was a putz, me I'm going to use this suit to its full extent. Sure, today its robbing lame tech companies, but by the end of the year I'll be on an awesome team like the Lethal Legion or the Masters of Evil." "I knew David Canon, met him while I worked as a tornado chaser for the weather channel. Even though he abducted me, he was the sweetest guy I'd ever met." The woman replied before looking down at the saw blades attached to her arms. "After he got out of prison, we'd hook up. Got to say riding the Whirlwind was an experience, even if I was dressed as the Wasp at the time." "That true?" Blizzard asked. "Fuck no!" Whirlwind snorted. "But it's a good back story, right?" "Building just went dark so let's get to work." The third figure in dark blue Iron Man esque armour hissed. "Bain has us on a busy schedule. First, we hit Rosetta Technologies, then Barstow Electronics and then a clear out at Crosshair Solutions." "Jeez chill out Chain Lightning we know the schedule." Blizzard announced as he sprung off the edge of the building and slid down an ice chute to the roof of the Rosetta Technologies Building. "Time to storm the gates." Whirlwind snickered as she descended onto the rooftop, followed by Chain Lightning. "Listen here's some free advice." Chain Lightning sighed as he walked over to the door leading in to the building. "Drop the puns and focus on the job, do that and people will take you seriously." "Is that free of charge?" Whirlwind asked as Chain Lightning melted the hinges on the door with a high voltage electrical pulse, before softly resting the door on the ground. "Get in there and do your jobs!" Chain Lightning ordered as Blizzard slid into the building. Descending five or so floors he reached a corridor and opened up with his powers, ice coating the walls and ceiling. Moving up behind him Chain Lightning surveyed his work before placing his hand on the ice. Sending a charge through the corridor, Chain Lightning and Blizzard watched as points on the wall smoked and an automated gun turret sprung out of the ceiling deactivated and sparking. "Now that's a frosty reception." Blizzard said with a smirk as both the villains stood to one side as Whirlwind barrelled down the corridor at full speed, the tornado around her ripping the armoured door and the end of the corridor to shreds. Following her inside the three villains studied the vat held in the middle of the room, a jet-black vapour gyrating inside it. "Like we practiced." Chain Lightning whispered as Whirlwind fired up her saws and cut through the valve of the vat, black vapour leaking out. Moving quickly Blizzard froze a canister round a sample of the vapour. "Good work, now let’s make sure our employer has no competition from this lot in the future." Chain Lightning stated as he placed his gauntlet into the hole Blizzard had cut and released a massive discharge, the vapour inside igniting inside the vat. "What about records?" Blizzard asked, as Chain Lightning walked over to one of the computers in the corner of the room and sent a pulse through the machine. "What records?" Chain Lightning asked, as somewhere below them there was an explosion. "Now come on we have more stops tonight." "Then let's cut to it!" Whirlwind cackled as the trio headed back to the stairs. "Cool!" Blizzard snorted. Chain Lightning shook his head, the puns were going to fly all night, personally he'd be shocked if they didn't. Crosshair Solutions Headquarters, Austin, Texas Augustine Cross did not possess the ruthless business sense of his father, nor the cold calculating charisma of his uncle. But then he didn't really need them, they had both died without reaping the rewards that Crosshair Solutions had provided, something Augustine made sure to do. His office had been little more than a bomb shelter when his uncle had inhabited it, now it stunk of money, with elegant expensive design features that only someone with money to rival Tony Stark could hope to afford and enjoy. I mean who actually needed doors rated to be Hulk resistant for twenty minutes. "Mr Cross your eleven o'clock is here." Augustine's secretary announced over the PA system. "I don't have any meetings today Melanie." Augustine replied. He'd hired his secretary for her body not her brains, but honestly this kind of a foul up was moronic on so many levels. "Uh I don't think they can tell them that sir!" Melanie answered nervously. "And now they are asking about your doors." She added, as the oak panels in question were ripped out with a good chunk of wall attached just for good measure. "You said these were Hulk resistant." The vandal, a massive part bovine man snorted. "They were." A red-haired woman that Augustine knew only too well replied as she sauntered into the office, followed by a man dressed in a blue and silver jumpsuit complete with a face mask. "Augustine how have you been?" She asked as Augustine reached for the pistol strapped under his desk, one of the few remaining effects of his uncle's stay. "Gillette get out of my office!" Augustine snapped as he levelled his gun only for the masked thug shot the gun out of the exec's hand. "So, this is it, you're going to kill me just like Uncle William!" "Relax, my associates Mr Nero and Mr Taurens are not here to kill you." Gillette sighed as she sat on the chair on the other side of the desk. "I heard about the robbery." She added before flashing him a smile that was crueller then caring. "Hmpf I suspect that the authorities will catch the police." Augustine replied in a stuffy voice. "What if I could give you their names, then you could pursue justice like your father, like your uncle." Gillette purred in a seductive voice, her eyes glowing red as she applied a hypnotic sublevel to her proposal. "I could…” Augustine began to say, before shaking his head to rid himself of his visitor's influence. "What would you want in return?" He asked, a hint of suspicion in his voice. "Arrange a meeting with her for my associates Mr Sneed and Mr Nero." Gillette stated as she slipped a printout over Augustine's desk. "As for the names...I'll give you one as a gesture of good faith." "Fair enough, any preferred time or location?" Augustine sighed. "No, let her choose." Gillette answered before slipping a profile photo over to Augustine. "That's Randy Macklin AKA the Blizzard, one of your tech robbers." She added as Augustine studied the information given to him. Getting up Gillette headed to the door before turning back to the business man. "Out of curiosity what happened to your Uncle's stuff, and by that, I mean his equipment not his furniture." Augustine looked at her with an expression that verged on worry. "I thought you took it." He stated as he looked her in the eyes, hoping against hope that she was pulling some kind of joke on him. "Someone had cleared every piece of technology out before I moved in. And the strangest thing is, the key logs suggested it was my uncle." "When was this?" Gillette asked cautiously. "The day of his funeral." Augustine replied. "But that's impossible right?" Sanada Exports American Headquarters, Manhattan, New York The short haired brunette dressed in work-out clothes worked the punch-bag in her private gymnasium, each blow causing a muffled scream to emerge from the sack. After landing a particularly vicious palm thrust on the bag she backed off and went to start her cool down routine when a knock on the door sounded. "Enter." The woman ordered. On cue the doors opened and a pair of men wearing business suits walked in. Despite that, she knew the pair of them albeit by reputation alone. "Shockwave and the Enforcer, you two are early." "Our apologies Ms Sanada." The Enforcer replied as the pair of men entered the gym. "And our condolences." He added as he drew a bouquet of some of the most beautiful flowers his host had ever seen from behind his back. "Funny that my enemies offer their condolences before my so-called allies." Sanada stated as she walked back to the punching bag and delivered a swift kick, the bag uttering a scream as the blow landed. "My business rival Kogar sent men to offer his condolences and then ordered them to annex my organisation to his." "And that's why your punching bag needs tuning." Shockwave muttered. "If all you have brought is flowers and witty jibes then you can take them with you as you leave." Sanada hissed as she stalked away from the bag and went to the ballet barre mounted on the wall and leaned against it. "Firstly, these flowers were grown by a wood nymph who owed me a favour." The Enforcer stated as he placed the blooms down on a vaulting horse. "And secondly our boss read the security report on your brother's death and compared it with surveillance footage from the cameras Crossfire laced around the city last time he visited. Let's just say that the report is wrong on a number of levels." "And what would I have to offer to read your findings." Sanada purred as she stretched out her leg. "Sunset Bain is throwing a party in San Marino." Shockwave announced. "If you could get three reservations for one woman and two men we would be most grateful." "The Sanada Smuggling Syndicate is an affiliate to Baintronics I'm sure you're aware." Sanada stated as she stretched her arms out, her fingers locked together. "I would need to know who you've been hired by before I grant you any favour. You see it would hurt my favour if you were to steal from such a generous partner." "There's no employer on this one." Shockwave told her as he walked over and gestured to the punching bag, his host nodding in a form of nonverbal permission. Smiling Shockwave delivered a brutal strike that split the bag open and sent the bruised body of one of Kogar's smugglers spilling onto the ground. "Like you we're looking for answers, ones Bain may just be able to supply." "Have your people send ID photos and aliases along with your findings and you'll have my assurance that'll you get in. I'll even pick you up in my limo," Sanada stated as a burly man who looked like a miniature version of Thor walked in with a struggling punching bag slung over his shoulder walked into the gymnasium. "You'll have them for you within the hour." The Enforcer replied as he and Shockwave bowed slightly to their host before leaving the room. "We will see." Sanada sighed as her trainer hung the bag on the hook. "Sheroke shall I inform our partners in the Conspiracy about this meeting?" The trainer asked. "No Daryl let's keep them in the dark for now." Sanada ordered as she looked over at the squirming punching bag. "I want to see how this plays out." Undisclosed Location These connections are irrefutable.” The armoured figure clad in white stated, its voice triple filtered making it sound like multiple people were speaking at once. “This Conspiracy is allied with Baintronics, a worrying prospect not seen at this scale since the death of Justin Hammer.” “It’s why I came, I need someone who knows how to fight a corporation, and naturally my first thought was of you.” The woman dressed a red suit replied, a slasher smile on her face. “But then who wouldn’t think of the Ghost when presented with this criterion?” “Your past on Wall Street means I can’t trust you, big finance walks hand in hand with big business.” The Ghost stated as it floated up over the table, the eerie light given off by its armour painting everything in the safe a sickly white. “Who wouldn’t suspect the Headhunter: Witch of Wall Street of being a tycoon’s stooge?” “I moved into recruitment.” Headhunter replied as she removed her glasses to reveal a pair of gleaming red eyes, ones that matched the photoreceptors of the Ghost amour. “Then into upper management, albeit of a criminal gang and not a multinational business.” “I know, I know everything about your past.” The Ghost hissed. “Information is the only currency worth collecting.” “I agree, so would my ex employer Mr Cross.” Headhunter stated as she flipped a USB key through her fingers. “But I have a question that will define our relationship when I hear your answer. If your currency is data and information, then why didn’t you know about Baintronics connection to the Conspiracy?” The Ghost tensed up for a few seconds before coming back to the floor, its head bowed. “You have no answer do you?” Headhunter asked in a firm but kind voice, one well-rehearsed for this kind of scenario. “We’re done here.” The Ghost answered before phasing into the floor, the light draining from the room with its departure. “You want to topple a corporation, then let’s get started, there are many factors to consider and judging from your window of opportunity, not a lot time to do it.” The Indigo Room Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada Zebadiah Killgrave AKA the Purple Man dismissed the twin Korean women dressed in bikinis and little else as the holographic projector on his desk chimed. As soon as they were gone he activated the device and noted that there were six green lights arranged around the base, an indicator that the rest of the Conspiracy's Inner Circle were listening. The figure being protected was female, dressed in a short secretaries’ uniform and beautiful. Killgrave smiled, she'd been engineered that way to make her infiltration much easier. "Pagon your report." The voice of the Chairman announced over the radio. "As you suspected Crossfire's Crew has made contact with the nephew." Pagon announced. "They were asking him to arrange an audience with the Sanadas." "Or what's left of them." Killgrave corrected her. "Sheroke Sanada the former Snapdragon is a dangerous link to have busted in our chain with the information she has to hand." "You assume she is turned." Sunset Bain purred, "I have just received four RSVPs for the Sanada Syndicate to my grand reveal of new technology this weekend. If she were not loyal, she would be a fool to attend." "Whatever the case she's one to be watched." Centurius announced. "Ever since her brother Kono died, she's been growing distant. It was Kono who led the Sanadas into an alliance with us after all. "Your orders sir?" Pagon asked. "Keep watching Augustine Cross, see if we can gain anything to force him into allegiance with us and if not plan his termination and replacement." The Chairman ordered as Pagon's image faded replaced by the operatic mask that covered his face. "Miss Bain determine the loyalty of Sheroke Sanada. Mr Killgrave, Baron Blitzschlag you mentioned thinking outside the box to deal with Headhunter and her team of turncoats, how long until you can put your plan into motion." "Next week at the earliest." Baron von Blitzschlag croaked over the radio. "Then proceed when ready, this reluctance to fall in line is becoming tiresome." The Chairman hissed as his image faded. Killgrave smiled to himself before waving his girls back in. He had always stated that the best way to catch a villain was to hire a hero. And failing that, you manufactured them. Sunset Villa, San Marino "Miss Nefer Neith Sinue it's an unexpected surprise to see you!" The security guard outside Sunset Bain's villa gasped as the Arabic looking woman dressed in a white pharaoh-esque dress stepped out of her limousine, followed by the grim looking female bodyguard. "I was invited was I not?" Nefer asked as she turned to the chauffer sitting in the driver seat. "I will call you if I need you Miss Hunter." "Yes Ma'am." Hunter sighed before winding down the window and driving the limo to join the fleet of expensive vehicles parked opposite the house. "Uhm Miss, you'll need to surrender your weapon." The security guard gulped as he spotted an antiquated flintlock pistol holstered on the bodyguard’s belt. Rolling her eyes, the bodyguard looked over at her employer. "It's okay Rachel, we're here to have fun." Nefer stated as Rachel handed her weapon to the security guard, who slipped the weapon into a hermetically sealed case before handing the body guard a ticket to reclaim it later. "Have a good time ladies." The security guard stated as the women walked into the villa and another limo pulled up. "Ah Miss Sanada, welcome." The guard announced as the woman in question stepped out, her elegant red evening gown flowing over her toned body like liquid rubies. "Thank you sir." Sanada replied as her guests stepped out. "May I introduce my new finance team; Miss Lea Talbot, Mr Danny Bowman and Mr Payne." She announced as she gestured to the red-haired woman dressed in a forest green gown, and the two gentlemen dressed in tuxedos. "Uh Mr Payne can you surrender your taser stave please." The security guard gulped as he spotted the twelve-inch retractable stun baton taped to Payne's leg. Payne grunted and handed the weapon over and got a ticket in return. "My, you do your work well, Miss Bain must be very pleased with you." Talbot purred as she stroked the man's chin as she headed inside. The guard nodded seemingly unaware that Sanada and her entourage were now inside. "Easy entry." Bowman snorted as the four of them walked across the atrium to the courtyard where the party was taking place. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves." Talbot purred as she stroked the ruby stoned pendent round her neck. "Sneed we're in." She whispered as she looked over at Bowman and Payne, in reality the mercenaries Spear and the Enforcer. "Stand by, the mayhem is just about to start." |