DC Mayhem: The Society #1 - With Friends Like These...
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With a seemingly delicate thump Aliki landed on the horizontal bar feet first and hurried along the fifteen meter pole, before leaping for the hanging rings. Grabbing hold of the first she flipped her body and landed on the second before dropping to the hardwood floor. Her legs barely buckling within seconds of the landing Aliki was on the move again, covering the fifty meters to the vaulting horse in only a few bounds.
“Very good.” The sadistic, almost mocking voice of the Calculator. “But you have yet to show off your enhanced strength in this simulation.” Rolling her eyes Aliki picked up the vaulting horse and turned to face the two way mirror that the Calculator was standing behind.
“You want a test of strength?” Aliki asked. “Here’s your test of strength!!” She snarled before throwing the horse at the mirror, the ad-hoc missile flying the twelve meters to the glass, and smashing through into the monitoring centre behind it. There stood haloed in broken glass, was the Calculator and another two men that Aliki didn’t recognise, although the fact one of them had a sidearm caused her body to automatically tense up.
“Ah so this must be the third member of our field team?” One of the men asked. Aliki looked him up and down before shaking her head, the man looked like a Batman reject with bladed knives on his shoulders.
“Yes Hellhound, as the closest thing I have to a friend I'm putting you in charge of Fire Team Echo.” The Calculator announced. “If required Fire Team India and Sierra can be called in to assist in the simulation.”
“Simulation?” Aliki asked walking forward, her actions causing the marksman dressed in a black open fronted leather vest and a bandana wrapped around his head, to tap his holstered pistol. “What do you mean?”
“It means that we get to go out and kill something.” The marksman hissed in a cold gravely voice, one that made Aliki’s blood freeze.
“Yes Slingshot although may I remind you to avoid civilian casualties and tangling with law enforcement.” The Calculator told the marksman. “This is a test against meta-human targets only.”
“Can’t stop me.” Slingshot snarled only for Hellhound to step forward and grab the man by the throat and lift him off the floor.
“There’s only one alpha male in this group Slingshot.” Hellhound stated calmly as his eyes bored into Slingshot, as he thrashed and twisted in an attempt to escape. “Do something I don’t like and I put you down. Do you understand?”
“I understand.” Slingshot wheezed before being dropped to the floor.
“All this testosterone.” Aliki purred as she put her hand on her hips. “It’s not attractive. So Calculator what are we hunting?”
“A Metahuman has moved into the docks area of St Louis and is killing the business of the local crime lords.” The Calculator explained. “Through an alias I was able to hear that they are looking for assassins to remove him from the situation. The payout isn't great but the operation does have merit as a training exercise.”
“The three of us should be able to cover it.” Hellhound added. “Chances are it’s nobody too high league. The boss will either commit reinforcements or pull us back if we are in danger of being overrun.”
“Maybe weaklings like you would turn and run.” Slingshot murmured. “Makes sense that you would turn tail and run like a dog.” He added before taking a step back as Hellhound swung for him, the blow whistling past his chin. “Too slow.” He cackled as he slammed his knee into Hellhound’s groin. Rather then collapsing Hellhound lashed out again, this time with a set of metal claws, the tips raking four separate slash marks up Slingshot’s left cheek.
“Anything else you want to say Slingshot?” Hellhound asked as his foe raised a hand in surrender. “Speak but do it wisely, next thing you say that I dislike will cost you, your tongue.”
“I was only playing.” Slingshot spluttered, blood leaking from the cuts on his face. “Can't you take a joke Hellhound?”
“May I suggest you get ready for the mission Slingshot,” Calculator stated calmly, “before Kai decides to kill you out of insubordination.” Slingshot nodded and stalked away leaving Aliki and Hellhound alone with their boss.
“How are we getting to St Louis?” Aliki asked. “It’s an eight hour flight to New York alone. And it’s not like we can bring our gear on a commercial flight without tussling with law enforcement like you said earlier.”
“Oh I have a way.” The Calculator chuckled as he led the two villains out of the training room, down a flight of stairs and into a room hewn from the ice and fitted with a massive metal cylinder bored into the rock. “This is a piece of my genius made real.” He gloated. “Years of calculations and several of the best particle and theoretical physicists later and I present to you a trans-dimensional gateway, a portal running on both magics and science.”
“You buying that?” Aliki asked Hellhound as Slingshot tried to tackle him from behind only for his target to shift causing him to fall flat on his face.
“No I don’t,” Hellhound answered, “but then he did give me some nice genetic enhancements. The sonic whistle and enhanced senses are particularly nice.”
“Freaks.” Slingshot muttered as Calculator mumbled on in the background about the gateway. “Getting all roided up without an inch of skill to carry you. Me I got flash trained with the shooting skills of the ten best marksmen in the world using both conventional and unconventional weaponry.”
“Interesting.” Aliki whispered as the Calculator turned to them. “And that is how the three of you are getting to St Louis. Hopefully the phase oscillators won't vaporise too much of you.”
“You must be kidding!” Slingshot yelled. “I ain't being vaporised by that.”
“No because that is a hydro energiser you fool, trans-dimensional gateway pah what lunacy.” The Calculator stated as he pointed at the cylinder. “Like I would risk vaporising useful pieces of equipment,” he mumbled before seeing the angry stares of his operatives, “oh and their users of course. Don't worry you are going by more tried and tested measures.” He added as a matte black lear-jet ascended on a platform from the floor. “As in a state of the art Stealth Jet. Now go make me proud.” He added. “And whatever you do don’t fail me.”
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