Issue #22 (July 2018)
Written by John Cheese Featuring: Man Bull
Spear
Rosetta Stone
Flintlock
Ghost
Headhunter
The Enforcer
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"Business Before Pleasure"Sneed bent down and looked through the rangefinder aimed at the gates as the limousine pulled up to them, and at the three figures that had gotten out, the driver trading places with one of the security staff in the gatehouse.
"Activate the transmitter." Sneed whispered to Man Bull, his massive fingers gently twisting the knob on the radio pack stolen from one of the 'now sadly' deceased members of the perimeter patrol slumped against the GAZ Tigr they had been driving. "Who are these chicas?" Man Bull asked as Sneed kept the rangefinder aimed on the women as they slipped into armour and armed themselves with the exotic tools one acquired in the role of 'super mercenary'. "One of them is the tech tycoon Nefer Neith Sinue." Sneed commented as he sat back and let Man Bull peer down the rangefinder. "She's not the one I worry about, the older lady is Zawadi, a rogue Wakandan and former CIA asset, she's the most dangerous of the bunch. "Better make sure Headhunter knows that, if these guys are working for Bain things have gotten a lot more complicated." Man Bull snorted as he took one last look at the curvy brunette pulling on a red jumpsuit before letting Sneed return to his overwatch position. "This is already complicated Sneed." Gillette stated as Daniels closed the door to the ornate bedroom behind him. "I don't think Sinue is working for Bain though, she seemed genuinely upset about her invention being seized, not to mention the display Bain put on." "Gillette security patrol." Daniels whispered. "One moment Sneed." Gillette answered as she swapped channels. "Ghost activate tech damping signature on hallway three and tell me that you've got the tools we smuggled in for you." "I have indeed." Ghost buzzed, phasing up through the floor next to Daniels. "One second." Looking through the peephole Daniels watched as the security agents froze for a second, and then continued their patrol route down the hallway. "Clear, good job man." "Pah that was simple." Ghost replied. "Finding the antidote is not, as we speak Baintronic's security is planning to move it and Mr Carr to another facility." "Good intel Ghost, hack the servers, we'll deal with everything else." Gillette ordered as she pulled off her shoes and detached the stiletto heels to form a pair of blades. "Sneed, you and Bill have eyes on the main road." There was a pause as she got an answer. "Good, find the main garage and secure the trucks there and if you can knock out the power as well." "What about the others?" Daniels asked as he took Gillette’s shoes, removed the lining and salvaged a case of micro flachettes. "Nero, Sheroke both of them could be captured as well." "I've tried contacting Mike but he's gone silent." Gillette answered as she fished out the inserts from her bra, popped them open with her knives before handing the concealed ceramic components to her teammate. "As for Sheroke, I'm not sure if she's with us or against us at the moment so let's be careful and find Bain, she has much to answer for. Sheroke Sanada walked out to her limousine, flanked by a five-man security team. Heading to the boot, she popped it open and removed the lining to reveal two modified hat boxes. Lifting the lid of one, she saw a purple scaled bustier and dark leggings completed with gold boots and gauntlets. Opening the other she saw a different costume, a dark gi, armoured helmet and plated leg guards. "Snapdragon was a reluctant pawn of the Conspiracy, even more so now Bain has pressed me into service." Sheroke sighed as she ran her hand across the leotard. "You would be disgusted I'm even considering this decision brother, your entire life was in service to others, but on your terms." She added as she pulled out the black helmet and ran her hand across the gold accents, well aware that her security escort was gathering behind her. "Bain wants us to continue our sweep and to find a missing patrol." The team leader announced, his hands clenched around his MP5 SMG, ready for any excuse to take the shot. "I understand." Sheroke sighed as she put the helmet down and removed something small and glinting from the box her Snapdragon costume was in. "Don't forget who you work for." The lead security man stated, as Sheroke turned, a sudden sharp sensation in his forehead. "A Ronin works for no master." Sheroke replied as she looked at the five dead men, a shuriken stabbed into each of their skulls. "It's time the lady of the house learned that." Mike Nero had the foresight to grab his bag on his search of the villa’s grounds. The smell of rotten magic was in the air, and he knew just who was responsible, the Hooded Witch. Mike had searched far and wide for the last servant of the Wanderer, looking to finally avenge the death of his old partner Sarah Hannigan AKA the Zombie Master. Reaching a small walled courtyard, he saw his enemy, hooded and mumbling herself, already in the midst of some foul spell. Opening the bag, Mike removed a silver serpent pendent and a katana, its blade dark and stained red in a thorn pattern. Attaching the blade to his waist, he next removed three daisy chains and tied them round his wrists before adding a bandolier filled with glass vials. "You always took your time to get ready." A croaking voice stated, as the Hooded Witch got to her feet. "I was warned that you were here, that you were a danger, I told them that you weren't, that you might even help us." "Help who?" Mike asked. "You? Bain? This whole Conspiracy that you're wrapped in? The latter two I dislike on principle, but you I hate, you killed my partner and I'm here to make you pay for that." "I suppose I did in a way." The Hooded Witch sighed as a sparkling aura appeared around her hands. "I only wish you knew the truth." She added as Mike went for his sword, the blade unsheathed just as an energy blast struck him. Grunting in pain Mike raised his chained wrist just as another bolt came in, the wreathed flowers absorbing the energy allowing him to advance. "Nice protection charm." The Hooded Witch announced as she directed some of her power into the ground, the tiles sliding backwards neutralising Mike's forward momentum. "It'll take more than that to stop me though." She added as Mike stumbled backwards. "I'm aware of that!" Mike snarled as he grabbed four of the vials on his bandolier and tossed them into the courtyard, his adhoc projectiles missing his target completely. "I can see that." The Hooded Witch replied sarcastically as her opponent got to her feet. Summoning up a plume of tree pollen she quickly shaped it into a snarling red scaled serpent that lunged at Mike, the demon hunter using the stained blade of his katana to slice the summoned beast in two. Wordlessly Mike slashed at the Hooded Witch, her arm raising to block the attack, the hastily reinforced protection spell doing its job before sparking out with a gleaming white light. "How cunning, your first onslaught wasn't aimed at me." The Hooded Witch purred as she delivered a knife chop, the strike empowered by the Loa, to Mike's sword hand, the katana falling to the ground. "What was that? A homemade version of the Mists of Munnopor to reduce the potency of martial magic." "Saved just for you!" Mike answered as he held out his hand, his bag twitching as his meagre magical ability touched it. "What's this, your bag of tricks?" The Hooded Witch asked as the tiles beneath Mike's feet began to liquify, causing him to sink into the ground. "No," Mike stated calmly as the top of the bag burst open and a shower of athame's flew at the Hooded Witch. "It's a bag of knives!" Snorting in amusement the Hooded Witch deflected the blades flying towards her, the knives clattering to the floor. "Is that all you've g...guh!" The Witch mocked, only for an athame, its flight delayed slammed into her forehead causing her to collapse backwards. "I have a hundred deaths for you!" Mike growled as he slowly pulled himself out of the liquid stone he was trapped in. Recovering his katana, he heard the last athame clang to the floor, and turned around to see the witch, now unhooded, her corpse like face visible to all looking at him, an unimpressed glare spread across her lips. "Then bring them on," She hissed, "because amateur hour is over!" Daniels fired a micro flachette from his pistol, the armour piercing dart stabbing through the guard's finger as he used the biometric scanner. Rushing through into what appeared to be an ornate conference room, Spear and Headhunter manually closed the door, the servos in the runners whining in protest as they did so. "Ghost how are you doing?" Gillette asked as Daniels ran his hands across the conference table's underside before finding a concealed switch and flipping it on. "I'm almost finished." Ghost replied over the communications link. "Twelve seconds was a more than sufficient window to break the security, now I just need to trick the geo lock into thinking our server is an allied Baintronics network so the data doesn't fragment upon transfer." "Okay, once the data is transferred get out of there." Gillette ordered as she looked at the holographic simulation on the conference table. "Is that..." She gasped before looking on in horror and more then a little envy. "We should know being the loveable motley crew of thieves and assassins we are." Daniels answered as the pair of them watched the multiple simulations of corporate leaders being assassinated by concealed conspiracy members. "We've got specs to, looks like the Conspiracy has made bootleg versions of the Super Adaptoid to infiltrate and destroy their enemies." "Project Riposte, this could result in a massive financial crash on the stock market if this goes forth." Gillette gasped as she watched the CEOs die over and over again. "God knows we don't another one of those any time soon." Daniels replied before turning as the door slid open to reveal a figure clad in black, almost Samurai esque armour armed with a Hanbo staff. "You're alive, but where is Toby?" The figure asked as Gillette and Daniels kept their weapons levelled on the speaker. "Sheroke?" Gillette asked cautiously as she looked for any easy way for her stiletto blades to pierce the thick woven gi. "Last time I saw you, you were paying respects to Bain. Shortly after that she started rounding up my team, give me a reason that convinces me you didn't sell us out." "There was nothing to sell out, she already had Chemistro and the woman in custody when I came to see her." Sheroke replied. "She revealed that the Conspiracy killed my brother, then demanded servitude. My current allegiance can wait however, Bain has mobilised security to capture you and kill your associates, something they think covers Toby." "But she's not a part of this!" Gillette spat as Daniels lowered his weapon. "When have super villains dealt in anything but absolutes?" He asked as he ran his fingers around the edge of the table. "You and..." He turned to Sheroke, "...what do we call you when you're dressed like that?" "Ronin." Sheroke answered. "You and Ronin go find Toby, I'll find a way to make this portable." Daniels announced as he leaned on the table. "Daniels I'm not leaving you here..." Gillette began only for her teammate to stop her by putting a finger on her lips. "Go, rescue the girl, I'll be here when you get back." Daniels ordered as he looked at the simulation playing. Nodding Gillette headed out the room with Ronin hot on her heels. Waiting for a moment, Daniels turned to face the camera and clapped twice, the sound causing the lens to constrict and form a red cross. "I did what you wanted, now take your prize and leave us alone." The trucks labelled with the Baintronics logo looked like normal vehicles, but an expert eye would see that they'd been fitted with a force field generator on the front and a set of under mounted boosters. In short it could jump a roadblock, or if the driver so chose bulldoze straight through it. Likewise, the cargo of bottled security water was something more insidious as well, in this case consisting of a deadly nerve gas. The heroine known as Rosetta Stone knew all of this as she stood in the road as the three-truck convoy barrelled towards her. Narrowing her eyes behind her mask she heard the horn of the truck sound before opening fire with a plasma lance, the bolt of energy ripping through the front of the truck causing it stall. The effect on the following trucks was widely different, the second vehicle in the convoy engaged its boosters leapfrogging the stalled truck and Rosetta Stone. The third activated the ram pushing the stricken truck out of its way as it continued moving forward. "Take them." Stone stated quietly as the truck phased through her holo-duplicate, the driver gasping in surprise, before feeling something heavy impact with the truck, knocking it on its side. "Security control we are..." The driver of the former lead vehicle in the convoy began to call into his radio, only to feel a gun barrel resting against his head. "I wouldn't if I were you." Flintlock stated as she and the driver watched Zawadi vault up onto the last operational truck and then see the driver be flung out as she took control of the vehicle. "Now my boss has questions for you, please answer them." She ordered as Rosetta Stone stepped off of the vehicle she'd rammed. "Bain will kill me!" The driver squeaked as Stone walked over and gestured for Flintlock to step aside. "If you want to live long enough for that to happen I suggest you talk to me!” Stone stated as she held out a canister of the nerve gas. "Unless you want to be condemned to live a life of never waking death!" "What do you want to know!" The driver gulped. "Where is Bain and her test subjects?'" Stone asked. "That's a good question." Sneed asked as he stepped out of the bushes, his semi-armoured form eclipsed in bulk by Man Bull. "Agreed you can come up with an answer while we deal with these hired thugs!" Stone hissed as Man Bull snorted and charged towards her. As he reached half-way, Zawadi dropped down on him, driving him into the floor, before vaulting off and slamming a telescopic bo-staff into Man Bull's skull. "Continue this elsewhere." Zawadi told Stone as Sneed depowered his gauntlets, electricity sparking as he dropped into a defensive stance. "Flintlock and I can deal with these two." "Right!" Stone replied as she grabbed the driver and took to the air, just as Man Bull got to his feet. "You'll pay for that!" Man Bull roared as he advanced on Zawadi, only for Sneed to give him a low voltage tap on the shoulder. "What!?" "You won't catch Zawadi, deal with the gunner and I will get what she owes you." Sneed announced. Looking down at him Man Bull lumbered off towards Flintlock cursing under his breath. Turning to Zawadi he disengaged his gauntlets and let them drop to the ground. "Word was that you were one of the best martial artists in the world." He stated. "The same could be said of you." Zawadi replied as she cast her bo-staff down on the ground. "Shall we see which legend is true?" She added as a devil may care smile spread across her face, one that was mirrored on her opponents. “How do we find her?” Ronin asked as Gillette delivered a kick to one of the guards, before spinning round and throwing both her knives at the second, the blades stabbing into his eyes. “Ghost how is the hack coming on?” Gillette asked as she retrieved her blades, just as a third guard came charging up the stairs only to receive the tip of Ronin’s Hanbo in his face, sending him toppling back down. “Done.” Ghost hissed. “Just leaving a parting gift in the form of a nasty anti-protocol worm for Bain after we leave.” “Brilliant, I need one more favour, an HVI is being hunted by Bain’s security, they assume that she’s part of our crew.” Gillette announced as Ronin walked to the window, before lifting the latch. “I need her location now, she’s wearing heels and a gold dress.” “Yes, I’ve seen her, she’s on the third landing running for her life.” Ghost answered. “You’re not that far, if you head two levels down and through a…” There was a smash as Ronin leapt through the window and landed two levels down. “You are amazing, thank you Ghost.” Gillette replied as she saw Ronin take out the pair of guards situated on the landing, an open top walkway surrounded by iron railings that led between two of the wings of the house. Bracing herself Gillette followed Ronin down, just in time to see Toby barrel though the door with five guards chasing her, a nasty looking bruise across her face, “Lea!” Toby yelled as Gillette strode past Ronin towards the fleeing fashion model. “Target Alpha has been engaged!” One of the guards called into his radio, only for a thrown stiletto blade to slide through the handset and pin it to his hand. “Get behind me!” Gillette ordered as she pushed Toby past her before delivering an elbow to the closest pursuers face before moving through the crowd, her hands and feet sticking out with an unprecedented level of fury from such a usually reserved woman. As the last guard fell, Gillette bent down to the guard she’d stabbed through the hand and pushed him against the railings. “I want you to apologise now!” She snapped. “You’re our enemy Headhunter, why would we apologise to you!?” The guard spat as Ronin walked over. “As for Sanada, she’s a traitor, Bain has added her to the list of targets.” “While I’m sure Sheroke would appreciate it, I meant an apology to Toby, she’s wasn’t part of this!” Gillette snarled as she reached for the knife embedded in the guard’s hand and began to twist the handle. “No please Lea, you’re a hero, you don’t need to do this!” Toby yelled as the guard screamed in pain. “I was never a hero.” Gillette replied coldly. “But that means…you’re a super villain.” Toby stammered as she looked at Gillette with surprise. “Is this what you do? Torture people, kill them even.” “Yes, and I’m good at it.” Gillette sighed. “It’s not Lea, it’s Gillette AKA the Headhunter, as in the Headhunter that worked with Crossfire.” “This can wait, we need to find Spear and Chemistro and then leave.” Ronin stated as she looked through the bars down at the front of the villa. “And Bain is not going to make it easy for us.” “No, it can’t wait.” Gillette stated as she knocked the guard out and removed the blade before walking over to Toby. “Stick behind us and we’ll get you out.” “Do you enjoy it?” Toby asked as Ronin led the way back into the villa and towards the lift down to the ground floor. “Do you like doing this?” “No, I hate it, but like I said, it’s what I’m good at.” Gillette answered as Toby moved to get between her and Ronin. “Get out my way.” She ordered as she came to a stop. “Move me.” Toby ordered. “Get out of my way!” Gillette snapped as she glowered at Toby. “Move!” “You can’t move me, you’re not so bad.” Toby told her as she looked at Gillette with sympathy. “I know bad, my mother was better known as Madame Slay, a Wakandan super villain who fought alongside my father, Eric Killmonger. She threw me out when I was seven when I said I didn’t want to be a super villain when I grew up. Wherever I ended up she would return, ruin my life, try and push me into doing something stupid.” “You’re telling me this why?” Gillette asked. “Because you came sailing in like a hero and swept me off my feet.” Toby replied as she kissed Gillette on the lips. “That’s what you are, the hero in my story, and the fact that you care about me is all I need right now.” “Guys we’ll be needing wills and tombstones if we don’t move.” Ronin called. “Can this wait until we get out?” Gillette asked as the lift doors pinged open, followed by Ronin cursing in Japanese. Looking past Toby, Gillette saw the reason for her outburst as Thundersword stepped out of the lift, twin forks of lightning radiating out of his blade. “The three of you are going nowhere.” Thundersword announced. “Except to your graves.” |