"VILLAINOUS: menacing marvel minions" - Issue #0

[Kevin Perrine]

mutants and masterminds
P . R . E . S . E . N . T . S​

VILLAINOUS
m a r v e l . m i n i o n s​

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issue #0
"an offer they can't refuse"​

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Welcome gentle WRITERS to the opening issue of "VILLAINOUS: Menacing Marvel Minions"!

In the first of our THEIV-A-RIFIC issues we shall open in "MEDIA RES", that translates to "in the middle of" for all you knuckle dragger monosyllabic thugs out there! More to the point - this is where the ACTION is!!
Lot's of "all-cap" words, a plethora of "explanation points" and a myriad of adjectives and action verbs - 'cause that's what's happenin'!

The kick here folks is that your merry marvelous master of the game, hereafter known as GM, gets a breather from the verbose and wordsmithing...
"WHAT?!!?!?" you say!!
So go on...
Imagine these openings as the first SPLASH! pages of your favorite issue of Spiderman or the Avengers... the villain of the piece is shown bursting into their evil plot, their vile bit of theivery and then IN GALLOPS the super hero!
Same said here boys and girls!
Each VILLAIN will set their scene for the opening of our tale. Describing their mission, location, and the events leading right up to that SPLASH page point of the hero bursting in JUST before the "get away with" their crime!!

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What, can you imagine, would be a more fitting opening to our little tale of the bottom of the barrel, low-rent, C-Tier super-thugs of the Marvel Universe?!?!?
"WHAAaaaa???"
THAT'S RIGHT!!
This is the first telling of the secret lives behind the planning, the plotting, the prolific lives of Marvel's pond scum... Face it TRUE BELIVERS (and tigers) you've just landed smack dab in the loves, lives and larceny of Marvel's LEAST wanted.

But with their cobbled ingenuity they will begin to rise into the sights of many of Marvel's finest and fiendish!!!

and now we set the tale...
enjoy

 

[Kevin Perrine]

ISSUE #0 - "an offer they can't refuse"

"Greed is for amateurs. Disorder, chaos, anarchy: now that's fun!"

-- Top Dollar, "The Crow"​

[forming the shape of the first panel in our issue is the long slender form of the bald, large headed alien with big white pupiless eyes... as he speaks to the reader]
"I am Uatu the Watcher…
My duty is to observe their world, and a thousand of its kindred, hanging gemlike in the lunar sky. The world is home to millions of men: well-intended or evil, craven or valiant. Each of these worlds has its own outstanding few, those who have chosen the path of hero. But as a coin has it's opposite face, so must the heart of men.......
I have turned my attention to men of unseemly nature. For it is they who will have profound effect on the lives of the beloved and heroic in their foul future”. "
Uatu, the Watcher is one of a species of hyper-evolved beings who are pledged to observe events across this universe and others, but never to interfere. Uatu, who has a comfy home-base on the Moon, usually devotes his attention to the Earth. He takes his vow of non-interference about as seriously as Captain Kirk takes the similar Prime Directive. (i.e., not particularly seriously.)

________________________________​

EARTH…
New York City, NY
11:30PM [local time]
2004…

It is night in the city of New York. The floors are laid with gold, the colors of blacks, and many crimson reds accent. In the distance beyond the viewing chamber - gears grind, while inside the whirl of air whiffs past ears and nearly one hundred digital monitors flash, set around a tall wide roman column of ivory set into the floor, cutting scenes back and forth from cameras watching across the globe. The panel is set inside a most decadent viewing room looking down on the city from far above as one man's shadow ponders to another - larger stronger man in shadow...
As they toast with ancient crystal glasses.

"Some consider night to be the haven of the dastardly, the evil, the villainous. 'Criminals are a superstitious and cowardly lot.' That my son is utter nonsense... We whom society deem as 'evil' are but victims of our own strength.
The Strength to venture off the path set by the weak.
Is it weak to be superior?!!
Is it weak to take what by right is yours to take?!!
Is it weak to lead rather than follow the insipid lemmings they call society?!!!

For this... I need hearts ready to be given to me freely. I require a new breed, broken and ready to be reborn!!! But first they must learn from one another, and with machevellian manouvres I shall rule them...
Go now and make the deed done!!"

Looking up to the screens looming over, as if showing the way...
The second man in the shadow remaining silent to this point slips from darkness to light as he strides for his leave. Behind him the screens show many men and women ready to be taught anew...
"Yes, sir..."
And as the barrel chest of the man passes across the panel we can only see blue tinted chainlink broken by a large single white star centered!!!

Stan Lee wishes he could present:
"VILLAINOUS: MENACING MARVEL MINIONS"​

________________________________
c a s t i n g . . c a l l​

the Enforcers Montana, "Fancy" Dan and Ox, three under the Kingpin rule. They are his arm, delivering all kind of message for there boss. Ox, strong and good brawler, Dan, fast shooter, and Montana, a master of the whip, the three of them can handle everything, except maybe themselves.


Madcap Having lost everyone he ever knew or loved in the same accident that granted him his fantastic regenerative powers, Madcap has set out to prove to everyone else that nothing matters. A true nihilist, Madcap’s gaze can remove all inhibitions from those who meet it, making others as (temporarily) insane as he. Though many see him as an immoral (and immortal) berserker, he sees himself -- in his more lucid moments -- as an educator and philosopher.


Bullet A lonely, alienated man who makes his living by beating and killing others. He is a fairly casual killer, but he is also a devoted father. The source of Bullet's superhuman strength and toughness is unknown. He is however a formidable if not undisciplined hand-to-hand combatant.


Mr. Hyde Like many children, Calvin Zabo was fascinated by the tale of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde; unlike the others, though, he believed it to be true. Zabo dedicated his life to discovering the formula that would allow him to unleash the true man inside: powerful, invincible, fearless, and free from the constraints of 'civil' behavior. Now, as Mister Hyde, he is known as one of the most unrepentant and dangerous criminals at large. Hyde possesses a horrible strength of limb, a seemingly indomitable will, and tremendous resistance to injury.


Porcupine Alex Gentry was a weapons designer who developed what he thought was the ultimate battle suit. He felt the US government would not pay him for his work so he decided to make his money the old fashioned way: stealing it through his mighty battle suit. A veteran of super powered crime, Gentry (now known as the Porcupine) has worked with many of the best and worst in the business. The Porcupine uses his armored battlesuit that sports a wide variety of weapons to make the world remember one of the world's first supervillians.


Batroc the Leaper ...


Blacklash ...

.

 

[Hand of Vecna]

CODENAME: Madcap
AKA: Unknown
MISSION: Show people that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Or is bought by judgment. Or is momentary. Or… something.
TACTICS: An appointment was made a week in advance, under the name "Mr. John Smith." Stroll in, driving people in the waiting room mad as he does so, then sit down with the doctor. Afterwards, show newcomers the perils of plastic surgery, with up-close demonstrations.
LOCATION: The office of Dr. Fredric J. Cohen in Manhattan.
as we join the scene…

“So, Mr. Smith,” the balding doctor in the well-appointed office said, “tell me what you don’t like about yourself.” Dr. Cohen was a well-respected plastic surgeon, one of the best in New York, with offices in the Bronx and Manhattan; he never lacked for work. The man he spoke to seemed to be somewhere in his mid-30’s, half the age of the surgeon, and wore a baggy gray jogging suit and sunglass.

“Well, Doc, it’s my eyes...” the man said, removing his sunglasses. As Dr. Cohen bent in closer to look, the doctor suddenly felt very light-headed, and as care-free as he did in his youth. As smile crawled across his face as he knocked over the pen holder from his desk and began playing Kick-the-Can, giggling gleefully as he did. “Hrm, I guess you’ll be of no help, either. Oh, well. Let’s go see how the others in the waiting room are doing, shall we?" 'Mr. Smith' jumped out of his chair and tunred to exit the office, then stopped and turned back to the doctor. "Ah, mustn‘t forget the visual aids, though....” ‘Mr. Smith’ wandered through some random rooms, gathering random surgical tools in a metal tray, then walked back into the plush waiting room.

The comely brunette receptionist was busy coloring scenes of unicorns and faeries in the appointment book with various pens and highlighters, while a slim rail of a man who’d come in for pec implants was singing to the potted ferns. An elderly couple, who looked like they'd just stepped out of a Norman Rockell painting and into the office, seemed quite shocked at the scene.

“Wh-what’s going on here?!” the elderly man demanded. “We’ve come here for our facelifts, and -- “

“Facelifts, you say?” 'Mr. Smith' interjected. “How fabulous! We can do them right here in the waiting room -- for your convenience!!! First, though, I’ll need to change into my operating gown...”

The elderly couple watched as ‘Mr. Smith’ used a surgical scalpel to cut off his gray jogging suit, revealing the gaudy yellow-and-purple harlequin costume underneath. “Let's go, Harold, he’s obviously mad!” the woman whispered to her husband.

“Madcap, lady, but, for now, Dr. Madcap will be more appropriate. So, you say you’re both in for a facelift, eh? Anniversary gift to one another, eh? How sweet....” Madcap fluttered his eyelids as he raised the scalpel to his own face. “Here, allow me to show you what’ll be happening, so that you’ll know what you’re getting in to. First, they slice into your face....” Madcap explained as he ran the scalpel blade across his forehead, cutting all the way down to the bone, “and then they pull your face up to smooth out the wrinkles!” Madcap dropped the bloodied scalpel and grasped the ragged edge of his face and pulled up and back, tightening his face into a grimace. “Of course, if they’re not careful,” Madcap suddenly jerked away and down, literally tearing his own face off, revealing bloody muscle underneath, “accidents can happen....”

The elderly couple had turned mostly away as Madcap worked, thus avoiding the effects of his gaze, but they did see enough to turn their stomachs.

“Fortunately, medical science is such that your new face will be better than the old!” Madcap’s head had already completely regenerated, but his old face stuck to the wall where he’d tossed it. “Now, perhaps a facelift isn’t what you really want… perhaps a tummy-tuck?” Madcap lifted up part of his costume and began running the scalpel across his belly. “Those are quite simple -- all they do is slice... into... your... side... and scoop out...” Madcap dropped the blade and picked up a wide, flat instrument and began scooping out his insides, “the fatty deposits… oh, wait… that’s my liver... or is that a spleen? I can never tell... anyway, after they do that, they slice off a bit of the tummy, fry it up a bacon, staple you up, and serve ya breakfast the next day!” Madcap tossed the slice of his stomach into the office’s fish tank, and his regenerative abilities were already expelling the first stomach staple as he put in the fifth.

Suddenly, Madcap became dimly aware of a still presence in the office. “Ah, another customer to Dr. Madcap’s Plastic Surgery! Tell me what you don’t like about yourself..." Turning, his gaze fell upon....

 

[Kevin Perrine]

MADCAP's intro...

The elderly couple watched as ‘Mr. Smith’ used a surgical scalpel to cut off his gray jogging suit, revealing the gaudy yellow-and-purple harlequin costume underneath.
“Let's go, Harold, he’s obviously mad!” the woman whispered to her husband.
“Madcap, lady, but, for now, Dr. Madcap will be more appropriate. So, you say you’re both in for a facelift, eh?

Suddenly the pretty receptionish found herself splattered with the red streams of blood and as if it had fell from heaven. Not even glancing up...
"thanx Dr. Madcap!" she said in a childish voice as she began painting the "Red Robins" in her mixed media refridgerator art... to the tune of "It's not Easy Being Green" coming from the waiting room fern man.
Meanwhile...
New York, NY
Manhattan
Somewhere on the street below the office of Dr. Fredric J. Cohen

in a sing song tune a young man enjoys the day..........
"...seems you blend in with so many other oooooordinary things
And people tend to pass you over 'cause you're
Not standing out like flashy sparkles in the ACTION: ......tingletingletingle...... huh? OWw.... crap...... okay hero time"


Back in the doctor's office!
[following his own vivisection]

Madcap tossed the slice of his stomach into the office’s fish tank, and his regenerative abilities were already expelling the first stomach staple as he put in the fifth.

ACTION: crawlycrawlycrawly...
Down the hallway stairs from the floor above a "friendly neighbor" clings to the ceiling - the right wall - then the ceiling again as he quickly moves toward the cause of his special sixth sense to alarm just seconds earlier on the street below...
Suspended on a narrow thread webline the wallcrawler slowly lowers himself to see into the scene of the chaos... Glancing around to get barrings he takes a deep breath...
Eewww, glgg... geeze - why'd I go with a full mask... he thought - just avoiding spilling his lunch while hanging upside down, before centering his attention on the villain within.

[RULES: Spot Check DC16 (to see if he recognizes/remembers the costume/name Madcap) ... and he made it with a 21.]

Suddenly, Madcap became dimly aware of a still presence in the office. “Ah, another customer to Dr. Madcap’s Plastic Surgery! Tell me what you don’t like about yourself..." Turning, his gaze fell upon....

"whoooo.... ME???" Spider-Man says as he glances back behind into the hallway, hoping that the MADMAN will bring his full attention away from the patients within...
"well Doc... it's my arms...... I don't have enough'a the darn things... I mean take yer grade-A supervillians like Doc Ock, HE has eight arms... heck even Rhino has a tusk!!"
as he puts his hand up to mask as if whispering to say "I hear it's all fake though!! heheh"...

"but you... comeon 'doc' sure you got the MAD thing covered but I mean you don't even WEAR a cap. What's that all about??" Spidey glances back for room to manuver away from Madcap's "Crazy Gun" as he tries to draw him out.

"OH oh oh... I also have these REALLY big eyes,
people are always telling me 'Spidey - you need yerself an eye job'............
Heeeeeeeey - you ever watch 'Nip/Tuck'??"
As he swings backward into the large hallway hoping Madcap will follow...


[RULES: Intimidate Check vs. Madcap to get him to chase the webslinger into the open hallway away from the patients. Spidey gets a total of a 25...
If I'm remembering correctly it's a Sense Motive check DC25 for Madcap. Or is it Madcap's Will +10 that's Spidey's difficulty? I don't have my book with me to double check- sorry]

HALLWAY Description:
The doctor is one of NY's finest, set up in a suite (possibly entire floor with other doctors) of the Empire State Building. This particular hallway is wide at about 20' across from the office door, with higher ceilings at 15'. The hallway stretches in either direction. The office is centered between the two main elevator columns on the 42nd floor.
Security Cameras line the hall as normal. It's decorated in warm tones with small museam like couch/benches every 50' or so on either side. Beautiful plants, paintins and sculptures decorate the hallway for all the doctors on the floor. And 4-5 people mill about down each direction.
(one could sprint to either elevator in a round easily)

ROLL INITIATIVE!!
SPIDER-MAN = Roll: 18 + 13 (modifiers) = 31
BYSTANDERS = Roll: 10 + 0 (mods) = 10

 

[Hand of Vecna]

[[ Intimidate, or Taunt? Spidey's more a Taunt man.... and Madcap'd resist with a Sense Motive or Taunt check of his own (roll 11 + 7 total Taunt modifier = 18, which does not beat Spidey's 25). Oh, and Madcap's "Fun Gun" is still holstered. ]]

MADCAP = Roll 15 + 2 (modifiers) = 17

"Nip/Tuck? What's that, some prime-time tv show? Feh, I never watch those things -- far, far too violent and raunchy." As Madcap spoke, he had taken the scalpel back to his belly and was carving out a large circular section. "You're right, though, I could use a cap -- how's this?" Madcap plopped the belly-slice atop his head, matting his hair down with his own blood; already his own torso was mostly regenerated. "It's sorta like a pork-pie hat, though I guess you could call it more of a long pork pie hat. Whaddayathink?" Madcap looked up and saw Spider-Man was already webbing his way down the hall, and so Madcap gave chase. "Hey! Wait up! You'll never be a decent fashion critic if you keep runing away!"

 

[Velmont]

CODENAME: The Enforcers
AKA: Montana Bale, "Fancy" Dan Rubinstein, Bruno "Ox" Sanchez
MISSION: Make sure the owner of the Nigthlife club, also an illegal gambling house, pay his fee for his protection given by the Kingpin. Deliver a diplomatic message, and make sure he doesn't forget it.
TACTICS: Enter the place with the cooperation of the owner's goon, deliver the message, make sure he doesn't forget, and gently walk out.
LOCATION: Street in front of the Nightlife club.
as we join the scene…

"What I can't enter. I am waiting here for more than hour, and you just let those three guys in and they didn't waited." say the guy first in the line, waiting to enter the Nigthlife club.

"They were expected by the owner. V.I.P. You are not, you'll wait." answer the six foot and an half tall man standing in the doorway. He cross his arm and make his angry face, which is not very beautifull to look. The guy in line calm himself, knowing he could only end by being kicked by that bouncer. The guy is not the only one waiting, the line is very long, but it is always the case every Saturday night.

A black car slow down in front of the club and the passenger window open. The face of a man wearing a cowboy hat can be seen. He looks at the club entrance and say "Park in the backalley, we will use the other door."

The car turn into the backalley and stop next to the backdoor. Three man get out of the car. The driver is a small guy wearing a black suit and have short hair. The front passenger is a man in a green trenchcoat, leather gloves and a cowboy hat. He is an head taller than the driver. The third man looks like of mexican lineage at one exception, he must be two head taller than the driver, and he has the shape of a prefessional boxer.

"I hate that club" say the driver.

"OK, tell me why, Dan. Just curious the reason that time."

"Well, they cheat with there game. I came a night and lose all because the load the dices"

"You know, you'll ever lose money on gambling game, or no one would want to own a gambling house. You have a proof?"

"No, just know it."

"Well, you know that start to be lame of you. McDo first, now that gambling house, you hold a grudge against any unfair thing that happen to you for no good reason"

"Oh, shut up Montana!"

The three men walk to the door. Montana knock at the door, but they doesn't seem to answer.

"Ox, please."

"My pleasure."

Ox knock at the door, but so hard that the door shake a lot. One more time lke that and the door may just fall down. But it seems it won't be necessary, as a man open it. Seeing the three guy, he try to just shut the door, but Ox put his feet in the doorway, blocking the door, and easily open it back.

"Calm down. We are just here to see your boss."

But the man doesn't seem to be able to answer.

"I know the place, we will find him."

"Fancy" Dan walk into the building, followed by Montana and Ox. They wlk down the stair to the basement where a bouncer block the way.

"Sorry, you can't enter without invitation." say the bouncer calmly. Ox walk next to him. Being a head over him seems to make the bouncer nervous, but he doesn't move.

"I think you will let us pass, as you know we are invited and don't want to see our invitation." He says, clenching his fist. The bouncer become more nervous, but he seems he will not move. Ox grab him and push him out of the way. The bouncer offer him some resitance, so he decide to strike him right in the face. The bouncer is knocked back into Dan before he fall down over him.

"Come on, Ox. Take it out of me." Ox grab the bouncer and push him aside. Dan stand up, clean his suit before entering.

Gambling table are all over the surface. Dozen of persons are playing some games. Craps, Blackjack, Slot Machine, Horse Race. There is for every style and taste. The three man walk throught the crowd without problem, Ox opening the way. The gamblers doesn't seem to bother. They cross the room and open the door at the other side. They enter a room where a lady is working at a computer. Seeing the three man she say "Mister Cebulsky is in reunion, you can't ent..." as she sees the looks of the three men, she decides it would be better just to shut up. Montana walk to the door of the office and open it.

"Great!" he says.

Dan and Ox looks into the office and see that Cebulsky is talking to...

 

[hero4hire]

Bullet's intro

CODENAME: BULLET
AKA: Unrevealed
MISSION: Kill local crime-boss
TACTICS: Stake out local restaurant until target shows, kill him, his guards, and anyone else who shows up.
LOCATION: Clinton District, Manhattan


A mountain of a man stood waiting patiently in the shadows of an alley across from O’Grady’s an Irish-American eatery. Located in the heart of what civilized people now called “Clinton” but to the man called Bullet it would always be “Hell’s Kitchen”.

If his Intel was correct he shouldn’t have to wait long. “Red” Bennigan, a local up and coming crime boss was known to frequent O’Grady’s. Unfortunately for “Red” he crossed the Maggia, and Bullet was going to get a decent paycheck by making an example of him. The hit should be an easy one. Four armed bodyguards, bulletproof car…. Well it wasn’t going to stop this “Bullet”.

His patience was soon rewarded as a green and white sedan slowly turned the corner. Bullet hurtled himself across the street towards the car. The driver of the car attempted to avoid the collision at the last moment but was too late. The sound of crunching metal and shattering glass thundered as a near 7 foot 400 pound human wrecking ball hammered into the broadside of the vehicle. The impact sent the car skidding sideways on its two left wheels until it skipped and flipped onto its roof.

Bullet slowly walked towards the wreckage as a guard struggled to crawl out of a shattered window, feebly attempting to aim his pistol at the assassin as he did so. Bullet lifted one size 18 boot and brought it down onto the guard with a sickening thud. Not even pausing to look at his gruesome work he bent down and with one of his ham-hands grabbed the sedan’s backdoor. With a grunt he freed the door from its frame and quickly snatched a red-headed figure laying inside. He hoisted the man into the air almost effortlessly and held him thus, feet dangling.

<cough, cough> “Whatever yer gettin’ paid I’ll double it.” Red gasped.
“I don’t think so.” Bullet said evenly and then slowly increased the pressure of his bear-like paw that was wrapped around Red’s neck.
“Noooo, leave my dad alone!!!” shrieked a voice coming from the direction of the car.
Bullet looked and saw a strawberry headed, freckled face boy holding a bleeding arm.
Bullet stared for long moments seeing his own son in the boy’s face. Emotion lanced icy hot through the pit of his stomach. Yet he kept his features a stoic masque. “Damn…” he said quietly. His grip slackened slightly on the death-grip he held.

“Drop that man NOW Bullet!!!” came a voice slicing though the air.


[Tag GM]

 

[GrayPumpkin]

CODENAME: Batroc the Leaper
AKA: Georges Batroc
MISSION: Hired by Roxxon Oil Executives to kidnap Daily Bugle reporter Ben Urich and bring him to a seedy run down pier where they can use an experimental mind wipe device on the tenacious reporter who is writing an expose on the company.
TACTICS: Go into the Bugle and grab Urich.
LOCATION: Just outside the Daily Bugle
as we join the scene…

As Batroc “cleverly” disguised as a pizza deliveryman enters the Bugle Offices. Whistling the French National Anthem as he does.
Batroc heads for the elevator checking a note to see what floor Urich is on as well as a picture of the reporter.
A burly security guard eyes Batroc suspiciously and heads over to him. “Hey Mac can I help ya?”
“Help me Monsieur? On no thank you but I do not need zee help.”
Batroc continues to whistle as the guard continues to stare at Batroc.
Batroc turns his head toward the burly guard, raising an eyebrow in annoyance. “Eez thair a problem Monsieur? I’m finding your staring rathair offensive.”
The guard narrows his eyes and leans in closer. “There's something fishy going on here Mac, that accent of yours, that mustache I'm getting the feelin' I knows you from someplace.”
Batroc waves the man off nonchalantly. “I get that all zee time Monsieur, I have what you call a familiar face.”
“A familiar a face huh” the security guard scratches his chin pensively “Hey wait a minute, Luco’s Pizza is all the way across town what are doin’ delivern’ here?”
With that Batroc springs into action doing a back flip that lands a kick directly under the guards chin sending the hapless guard sprawling. “ZUT ALORS! ENOUGH OF THEEZ DECEPTION! BATROC EEZ A MAN OF ACTION!”
Batroc looks down at the unconscious guard. “Quelle surprise! Mon Gendarme, you saw through Batroc clevair disguise and for that Batroc salutes you!” With a flourish Batroc bows to the man and then bounds for the fire stairs.
Batroc bounds and flips his way up the stairs. “C’est la vie. Ah it is no matair een fact it eez better this way, Batroc was not born for skulking.”Batroc leaps out into the Bugle’s main room, the room is packed with people who seemed shocked at his arrival.
Batroc looks around the room, the startled people are starting to run and Batroc seems to be having trouble finding his target in the confusion.
Batroc leaps up on a row of filling cabinets to get a better view, he pulls out the picture again and holds it up before him, comparing it to the panicked faces in the crowd.
“AT LAST!” Spotting the reporter Batroc leaps doing a 3 1/2 twist into triple forwards somersault landing in a crouched fighting stance before the stunned Urich who was trying to make a break for it.
“Je suis navré Monsieur Urich, but I cannot let you leave, eet seems you have an engagement elsewhere.” Batroc twists his mustache and smiles.

 

[quill]

Codename: Porcupine
AKA Alex Gentry
Mission: To steal the gold death mask of King Tut
Tactics:…that would be telling
Location: Glenbow Museum in Calgary, Alberta, Canada

A typical Sunday afternoon at the museum, which has been doubly blessed. Not only is there an exhibition of King Tut’s tomb in the upper level, but the lower level has just started a one week exhibit based on the Avengers and their foes. Let us join a young couple as they approach a familiar part of the exhibit….

“The Porcupine?” The gum in her mouth popped as she looked at her boyfriend to answer.

“Yeah he was an old bad guy. Fought Ant-Man long time ago. I think he died or retired or something’ He scratched his head and looked at the suit of armor on display. It was pretty cool how they even put glass eyes and filled the suit so it looked like someone was really wearing it….

Then the eyes locked with his….and the suit moved….right off the platform…wow they really did go all out with this exhibit….and then it turned and spoke to Allison.

“Hey kid, which way to King Tut? And what’s with this crap?” The Porcupine flicked at her eyebrow piercing. “Kids today, you look like freaks…and…is that something in your tongue?” He shook his head. “You are lucky I’m not Magneto. Now the dead king is…?”

Allison finally pointed upstairs. Her boyfriend, finally moved, grabbing the armored figure by the shoulder and screamed. He pulled his hand away, gushing blood.

“Can’t you read?” The Porcupine grabbed the placards in front of ‘his’ exhibit and raised it in front of the young man’s face. ‘Quills are extremely sharp! Do not touch!’ “Stupid kids” he muttered as he started to walk towards the stairs.

All this action hadn’t gone unnoticed as a guard rushed to block the Porcupine’s path. “Stop where you are!” he shouted in his best commanding voice.

The Porcupine kept moving “Or what? You’ll shoot....no this is Canada you don’t carry guns. Wait you’ll call the super heros…no this is Canada you don’t have those either.” Even with the mask on you could sense the smile on the Porcupine’s face.

The guard went for his radio to call for help. He never got any further than reaching for it as the Porcupine raised his left arm in his direction and a small pointed quill shot out towards the guard. It flew like dagger right at his face…and blew up before it could hit him, sending the guard flying into the nearest corner.

“I love Canada” the prickly perpetrator shouted as he walked up the stairs. The beer, the women, the poor border guards that let him smuggle in his battlesuit, hockey , all they need is better candy bars and I’d move here he thought. Hmm who’s this?

A nervous looking thin man in a suit ran up to the Porcupine. “I’m sorry sir you can’t go into the exhibit.” Shockingly, this little nebbish was talking to the Porcupine like he was a lost tourist, not an armored guy covered in quills.

The little guy kept going. “We have a very private gathering in there with an important individual who can’t be interrupted.”

Porcupine pointed at one of the placards he had grabbed. “See here? I’m ‘an honored foe of the Avengers’. I think that makes me an important guest.” He shoved aside the little man aside and opened the door only to see that the VIP was….

 

[Nuke261]

CODE NAME: Blacklash
AKA: Whiplash, Mark Scarlotti
MISSION: Fulfill a contract with the Maggia to eliminate a former member who has turned himself over to the authorities in exchange for a new identity in the witness protection program
TACTICS: Assassinate George Campanelli in broad daylight to boost his reputation and mark his return to the big time
LOCATION: Street outside the Federal Building, downtown Miami, Florida



Blacklash readied himself as he saw the two black suburbans pull up in front of the Federal Building across the street. He had been sitting in the back of a box truck parked across the street for close to an hour and a half. He had paid the delivery man four times his normal daily wage to take his time carrying in deliveries so that he had a nice vantage point for his attack. You can't exactly blend in on the street with a a purple cape, mask and a big green ponytail. Now the time was right.

30 more seconds and I'll make my move. They should have him on his way down already. I just want to get this gig over with so I can get on with the next one. I know it's a soft job but I got to start building my rep back somehow.

Blacklash leapt out of the truck and made hi way across the busy street just as two men in matching suits escorted another man out of the front doors. Traffic honked and beeped and cursed at Blacklash but he paid it no mind. All that mattered now was the job. Screw those loosers with their boring lives, he was getting paid today.

George Campanelli was the first to see Blacklash. He was already sweating through his light grey casual suit. His eyes went wide and he simply stopped moving. Then the two men with him stopped, looked back at Campanelli and then turned to see Blacklash. It was too late.

Blacklash wasted no time in his attack. He moved between the two suburbans and directly for his target. He had pulled out his gravity bolo as he darted across the street. He quickly threw it and watched as it wrapped around Campanelli, knocking him to the ground. Good luck getting away from that, sucker! Iron Man can't get out of, you don't stand a chance!

The two agents escorting Campanelli reached into their suit jackets and pulled out large automatic pistols. They opened fire and Blacklash laughed as their rounds bounced off of his cape. Three more agents jumped out of the parked trucks. Two had rifles and one had a shotgun. Blacklash stopped in the street and grabbed the agent with the shotgun with is whip. The man was instantly snared and Blacklash used the momentum of the attack to throw him into the other two men. All three landed in a pile in the street. A large, cocky smile was clearly evident on Blacklash's face.

"All right guys, time to get this over with." Blacklash moved quickly towards the two feds guarding Campanelli. They fired several more rounds at him and his continued to laugh, much louder now. This was almost too easy! He continued to move forward and attacked both agents as his did. Both went down. One of them tried to crawl over to his weapon but Blacklash simply kicked it away as he moved past him to stand over Campanelli.

He looked down at the man who was struggling to keep from falling to the ground. He sat there on his knees and looked up at Blacklash's sneering face. "George Campanelli, your friends in the Novelli family sent me to wish the best of luck in your early retirement. Too bad it didn't last very long!"

Blacklash suddenly noticed that although Campanelli was still scared and trying to stay up on his knees, he didn't seem to being looking at him anymore...