Daemon *HF*

By Daemon

Part 1: Dark Dealings

As the shuttle touches down, I feel a tingle of anticipation. I guess you could consider it something like stage fright or performance anxiety, but I like to think of it more like that rush you get just before going out to play football or something. Anyway, the feeling passes and I'm back in the driver's seat. The pilot speaks some half-English gibberish through the loudspeakers. I get the general idea though and walk towards the exit. The outside hatch hisses open and light pours in through the doorway. Blinded at first, my eyes adjust and I can see that they've prepared a welcoming party for my arrival.
There's a soft hum of mumbled words running through the group. I know they're talking about me. They seem to cringe as I walk by. I can hear their hearts quicken as I pass. The smell of endorphins fills my nostrils. I can sense each one tense their muscles underneath their decorative military uniforms. They fear me. And I like it.
They have every right to be frightened, though. Can't blame them. It wasn't but two months ago earth time that I killed a good hundred of their troops. The funny thing about being a free-lancer is that you run into a lot of the same people but on different sides.
I reach the end of the rows of heavily armed soldiers and see him standing there. He's tall and skinny with long, wiry hair that falls to his shoulders. His skin is a light gray, making him look older than he really is. Wearing an intricately woven uniform of brightly colored velvet-like material, topped with a gaudy, floor-length cape, the guy looks more like a color-blind pimp from the '70's than the leader of galactic mercenaries. He smiles broadly, showing off the mouthful of crooked fangs he calls teeth (why was I expecting to see gold caps?) and extends his hand towards me. I ignore the gesture. I'm not here to make friends. "I thought he'd be taller," I hear him whisper to one of his assistants.
"I was called here for a job, " I say, looking around the spacious shuttle bay within his huge battle cruiser. "Do you wanna tell me what exactly it is, or are you gonna stand there and pretend you're not the ugliest bastard here?"
The General is taken aback by my less-than cordial greeting, but doesn't bother to reply. He knows better. Besides, he deserves it for the height comment. He simply waves at his assistants and we walk towards a corridor entrance hatch. I must say, I DO have something of a mouth on me. It's not that I'm a bad guy. I just have a bit of a badass attitude when it comes to my work. Oh yeah, I'm an intergalactic gun-for-hire. Some people call me a bounty hunter. Others say I'm a mercenary. Either way, I'll never have a corner office with a view, but it keeps me fed. The two assistants take off at another one of the General's hand gestures and we're alone in the corridor.
"My earth speak good not. But understand you do?"
"Why don't you spring for a universal translator, cheap-ass," I say reaching for my own UT modifier. I pop in the ear and mouthpiece and say to him in his own language. "Is that better?"
"Yes. That will do. Thank you." He adjusts one of the collars on his hideous get-up and turns back to me. "My Master has called upon your services to complete a particularly important and most personal task."
"Yeah, so I heard." At this point I'm thinking his 'Master' wants me to run to the 7-Eleven for a chilidog and a cup of coffee, but I say, "Go on."
"Your mission, should you choose to accept it…" I roll my eyes. "…is to infiltrate a heavily guarded compound of paranormals and retrieve one of the residents. A former…acquaintance of his Highness."
"Sounds easy enough. Where is this compound?"
"I believe it is on Earth, your home planet correct?"
I ignore the question. "Earth's a pretty big ball-a-mud you know. Where EXACTLY?"
"Let me see here." He pulls out a holo-disc that projects an image of earth in front of him. The image changes as the program zooms in closer and closer to a red dot indicating the location of the compound. From an earth view, it goes to the United States. From there it goes to New York State. And going further, it reaches New York City. Closer still it goes and finally I see a picture of the Black Hellfire Court's mansion.
I stare at the image of the beautifully landscaped grounds surrounding the expensive-looking house. Though I've been out of the loop as far as earth affairs go for a decent amount of time, I DO know a little about the Hellfire Club. I know enough that they're one of the most powerful groups of paranormals in existence and that my price for this job will be pretty damn hefty to say the least.
*Ahem* "Yes, well…you will be paid handsomely for your services," he says, as though reading my mind. "Follow me."
I'm glad he gets to that before I have the chance to ask in a rather rude fashion. I follow him further down the corridor to the shuttle bay next to the one I entered through. The double doors slide open and I see the most beautiful star craft I've ever laid my eyes on.
"This craft will serve as part of the Master's down payment. It is fully equipped with a super-efficient drive system, high-powered weapons and a Terran interior. You will also be given a full cargo load of food and supplies to sustain you for at least one year earth time."
I rush towards the craft and run my hands along the smooth metallic contours. If spaceships were cars, this baby would most definitely be a 'Vette. I notice that even the gun pods look good. Finally I can travel in style instead of hopping dirty space freighters or cramped shuttlecraft. The General suddenly doesn't seem like such a bastard after all. Then again, Jabba the Hut would be a god to me if he handed me something like this.
"What do I get when I bring in my mark?"
"Upon returning with your target, ALIVE preferably, you will receive a galaxy-class gun ship as well as a full cargo load of those carbon crystals you humans are so fond of."
I spin around from admiring the star craft. "Diamonds?"
"Yes I believe that's what they are called."
"You mean, when I bring this guy back, I get a freaking GALAXY-CLASS ship and a cargo load of DIAMONDS?!"
"Indeed it would appear so."
At this point I'm quite overwhelmed. I lean against the craft, thinking of my reward for this one job. First of all, you have to realize that a galaxy-class gun ship is about the size of the U.S. Navy's biggest aircraft carrier. Second, the guy tells me that the cargo hold of this monster will be filled with diamonds.
"What's the catch?" I ask suspiciously, dreams of retirement running through my head.
"There is no catch. You simply have to retrieve your target."
"Well who is it I'm after that's worth all of this?"
At that point his face changes from that silly, gleeful expression to one of all seriousness. He walks towards me, leans close to my ear and whispers the name.
"My dear General," I say, putting my hand on his shoulder, "my fee has just gone up."

End Part 1


Part 2: Homecoming

I leave the General's ship a happy camper. At first he insists I take my new star craft to the surface, but I make him provide me one of his own fighter craft equipped with a holographic cloaking device to use for my job. There wasn't a chance in Hell I'd take my new baby into a firefight. Would you bring a Porsche to a demolition derby? I'm also able to negotiate, through a good half hour of haggling, about 2 million U.S. dollars in spending money and full ownership of a decent sized tropical planetoid in the Dregama System. Javia, I think is the name. It's actually a "resort planet". That basically means the stellar equivalent of Hawaii, Disney World and Las Vegas rolled into one. I'm satisfied.
I feel like a midget in the General's fighter. It wasn't exactly designed for your average human-sized pilot. If only I had made six feet tall like I wanted… Anyway, I fly down to earth and engage the holographic projectors I had installed. With the flip of a switch, my ride goes from alien UFO, to your average business jet. Using a few computer tricks I picked up here and there, I manage to sneak into a landing pattern at JFK Airport. I park the fighter in a secluded hanger and walk leisurely towards the terminal.
It's nothing more than a cab ride over to the middle of Manhattan where I take a deep breath of genuine NYC pollution. It's been so long since I was on earth that I had actually missed those familiar odors that your average New Yorker will either take for granted or write to their Congressman about. You'd be surprised what you miss after six years in space. Which reminds me of something else…
Sprinting over to the nearest street vendor I order a hotdog with everything on it. The delicious smells from the cart invade my enhanced senses and I fidget in anticipation of finally tasting one of the world's best foods once again. The vendor, after piling on half a dozen different toppings, hands me the hot dog and I attack it, dropping him a hundred-dollar bill. As I begin to chew my first mouthful, I let out a satisfied sigh. The vendor smiles broadly and asks if I want a coke too, as he quickly stuffs the hundred into his pocket.
"I love New York!" I say around the food in my mouth.
It doesn't take me long to find some decent digs to live out of while I do a little research. I spend a good hunk of change more than I usually do this time. Normally, I've got to do a lot of budgeting to make sure I still have money left over for luxuries like food and clean water. This time, though, I feel like I'm on top of the world. Once I'm done with this job, I won't ever have to work again. Sitting in my rented apartment, I imagine being able to lie on the gorgeous beaches of Javia without a care in the world. I imagine being able to sleep late and just basically be a lazy bastard for the rest of my life. But then I think of how BORED I'll get. Sure I'll have things to entertain myself for a couple of years: casinos, women, fancy restaurants, women, jungle hikes, and women… Eventually, though, I know I'm going to get tired of it. I'm the type of guy that needs to DO something – particularly something involving some serious action. And I'm talking knockdown, drag-out, point-blank, kick-ass ACTION. I guess I can figure all that out AFTER the job. If I live that long, that is…
At that point, I take a look at my mark. I shake my head wondering when I lost my mind. It's clear I'm somewhat out of my league here as far as shear power goes. I haven't been able to go toe-to-toe with someone on this level since…well that's a long story that I might get to later. Either way, it's going to be tough. It's not even just my mark's abilities I have to worry about either. Part of the job involves breaking into the freaking Hellfire Mansion for Christ's sake! Who knows how many paranormals I'll have to take on just to GET to my mark. Suddenly I'm feeling less and less optimistic about that retirement on Javia… I need to get out.
After touching up my goatee and splashing on a bit of aftershave (damn it's been a while since I could afford aftershave), I step over to one of New York's many clubs for a night on the town. Having been too young to get in to one of these while I was on earth initially, I had never experienced true New York nightlife, so this is going to be a treat. I'm pretty sure this is going to be better than the bars in the Hilopu System (their females resemble short wooly mammoths and are quite forward with sexual advances). I hate the Hilopu system.
The line is pretty big when I get there. Women in short, tight dresses, guys in their best imitation GQ outfits, your average New York freaks…they're all there. Filing in line, I hope to God to get near a lovely lady so we can at least chat while we wait, but it turns out I end up wedged between a leather clad cross-dresser holding a whip and a group of 14 year old girls with stuffed bras and fake ID's. I wonder if Denny's is open?
Finally I get to the end of the line. The bouncer looks me over for a good two minutes with the one eye that wasn't constantly moving.
"Is there a problem?" I say, trying desperately to hold back my lazy eye jokes.
"You gots ID, pal?" he asks in a thick Brooklyn accent.
I reach into my pockets, acting as though I'm looking for it or something. I DO have ID all right. It's just not domestic if you know what I mean. So I say, "I must have left it at home."
He looks at me again. "I guess you's is gonna have ta go back home den."
"What the hell?" I'm a little peeved now. "Do I look underage to you?" Technically I AM by about 5 months, but who's counting. "I'll be damned if you let in that leather freak and not let ME in!"
I slide past him and I'm half way through the door when he grabs my arm. "You's better hold up, pal. I said you ain't gettin' in."
My adrenaline's pumping now. I turn and look him dead in his good eye. He's a big guy too. If not for the lazy eye and the slight potbelly, I'd swear he was the Juggernaut. "Let go," I say through clenched teeth.
"Is you lookin' to get pounded, shorty?"
Excuse, me? Shorty? I fling him aside with little effort, only throwing him about ten feet back (well I didn't want to hurt him TOO bad). The chattering crowd waiting in line suddenly grows silent and begins to stare. Maybe that wasn't such a good idea.
"Steroids," I say and they all go back to their business.
The club is packed. I mean wall-to-wall people. And thankfully, most of them are of the female persuasion. At least I picked the right club. I walk up to the bar next to what looks like a beautiful woman, from the back at least. After she turns around, I have to take a few minutes to calm down my stomach. Not to say she was COMPLETELY butt ugly. Her red mini-dress looked great on her. It's just that her face could stop a freaking clock. Talk about a dream boat body and a shipwrecked face. I realize I've been away from earth for a long time, but I never thought inbreeding would catch on as the latest fad.
I turn to the bartender who has to step up onto a crate to look me in the eye. "What'll you have, buddy?"
"Buddy?" "Pal?" Everybody wants to be my friend. "I'll have a Pena Colada," I say. Adding on, "virgin," as I see him move towards the liquor.
It's funny how I never got into drinking while working in the business that I'm in. You'd think a guy would need a good strong shot of Whiskey before throwing himself into the middle of alien armies and such. But I never took a liking to the stuff. Besides that, I'm somewhat of a control freak. I'd never give my body anything that could possibly impair my judgement. Besides, I'd never want anything to happen like it did when my punch was spiked at that party and I…well that's ANOTHER long story I might get to sometime. Maybe I should hit the dance floor.
When 2 AM rolls around, I find myself back at the bar. "I must've danced with two dozen women tonight," I say to the bartender who had made a comment about my killer moves. Super-human agility and coordination are great powers to have at parties. So I sit there, watching the rest of the people continue to party the night away. As I take another sip of my second Pena Colada, I catch a glimpse of possibly the most gorgeous woman in the Milky Way. The swaying lights and the flashing strobes play on her caramel skin. Her auburn hair bounces in time with the beat as she shakes her hips to the pounding music. Her light blue sundress criss-crosses over her chest, a multi-colored butterfly adorning the corner of the neckline just below the spaghetti straps. It isn't too tight, but the short frock accentuates her beautiful curves perfectly. That's why I love summer time; warm weather and scantily clad women.
Suddenly, a man jumps into view next to her, almost tripping over his own feet, he's so drunk. He appears to ask her to dance, but she refuses, backing up slowly, trying to lose herself in the crowd. He grabs her arm sharply, which makes me jump from my seat at the bar. He looks angry, asking her again to dance. Pulling her arm free she begins to walk away. It's not until he grabs her from behind and starts to force her backside into his crotch that I move.
He's out before I know it. I only grazed him with a weak punch, but he's bleeding profusely from his nose and mouth. "Get up, you son of a bitch," I yell at him over the music, but he's not getting up for a very long time.
"Are you OK?" I ask the woman. I notice she is clinging to my side.
"I…I'm fine. Thank you." Her voice is so sweet.
"You look kind of shaken up."
"I guess I am. I was just so scared."
"Well you don't have to worry about HIM anymore," I say, watching the security guards drag him away.
"I think I'm going to get out of here. Would you join me?"
I want to say, "HELL YEAH, BABY!" But I say instead, "Yeah, I'd like that." What can I say? I may be a badass when it comes to beating the snot out of other guys, but I'm just a big softy when it comes to women and children. What do you know…chivalry ain't dead after all.
We hop in her car and drive off to the other side of town. She says she feels like Chinese. Something else I missed while in space.
"I don't even know your name," she says. Where the hell did she get such a lovely voice?
Frankly, I don't even know my real name. I've been called Daemon for as long as I can remember. Whether THAT is my real name or not, I'm still unsure, so I pick one right there. "Gabriel, " I say. I've always liked that name. Means messenger of God, you know. "Call me Gabe."
"OK, Gabe. I'm Lydia."
"Lydia," I repeat after her. "A beautiful name for a beautiful woman."
"Flatterer."
"Only telling the truth."
We end up in China Town in a few minutes. Hey, where else can you get the best Chinese food? After a great meal and your average chitchat, I invite her over to my place. I make her wait out in the hall for a minute using the excuse that I have to tidy up first. What I really have to do is clear out all the papers I have out on my job and move all of my space gizmos out of sight. After I shove all that miscellaneous stuff into a handy closet, I open the door.
"Welcome," I say as I take her by the hand and lead her through the doorway.
"You have a great place," she says, looking around curiously.
"Would you care for something to drink," I say. Damn, my speech gets proper around women! Hardly ever noticed that before.
"Yes please. Anything is good." She walks over to me in the kitchen and takes the glass of sparkling cider I offer her. Taking a step forward, she moves so close that we're almost touching. Damn she smells good! I don't even need my enhanced senses to feel the chemistry happening between us. She takes a sip of her drink, staring into my eyes the whole time. I place my hand over hers and guide the glass to the counter. I wrap my arms around her waist and pull her close, kissing her gently on the lips. She holds me tighter and presses her lips against mine passionately. I'll leave out what happens next. I'm sure you can guess. But I'll say this; that was the BEST welcome back to earth present anyone could have ever given me!
I wake up the next morning in my king size bed alone. Turning over, I find a note on her pillow.
"Gabe," it says, "I had a fantastic time last night. You were wonderful. Sorry I left without saying goodbye, but I had to run. Thank you again for helping me with that drunk guy at the club. I don't know what I would have done with out you. We'll have to go out again very soon. Or we could stay in instead… My number is 555-8246. Give me a call. We can talk some more and get to know each other. I don't even know what you do for a living. Bye for now. Hope to hear from you soon. Kisses. –Lydia"
It's times like these that I rethink my career choice. I can imagine it now, "Oh so you're a model, Lydia, that's great. What do I do? Oh, I'm an interstellar soldier of fortune." I guess I'm not the type of guy you bring home to Momma. If I could just pull off this job, I'll be set for life and not have to worry about it. I sigh heavily. They say motivation can come in some of the strangest forms. Well MY motivation came in a form with the measurements 36-24-36. Makes me wish she had stuck around long enough to… The phone rings. Who the hell knows I'm here?
"Hello?"
"Greetings Daemon," a translator adjusted voice says.
"Hello General Raal. What do you want?"
"My Master has informed me that there is another among the members of the Black Hellfire Court that he would like you to…acquire for him."
"Another one?! You gotta be shitting me! I'm hardly sure I can take the first one!"
"Your bonus for this second target would be quite substantial indeed."
"What the hell can you give me now? A whole freaking starfleet?"
"How did you know?"
I almost drop the phone. What the hell would I ever do with a starfleet. The offer is tempting though. So I ask, "Who would be my second target?"
The answer is worse than I expected. I might need that shot of Whiskey after all.

End Part 2


Part 3: Uninvited Guest

Having dropped out of the sky in my borrowed alien fighter, I walk the mile or two distance to the BHC mansion. The cloaking device could have managed to get me closer, but for some reason I am being overly cautious. This is the first job I've ever really been somewhat nervous about. Though I've researched every bit of information I could get on the Black Hellfire Court (through legal or illegal means), I don't feel quite as ready for this as I had planned. Who am I kidding? I'm no where NEAR being prepared for this. Frankly, I haven't really got the tools needed to pull this off. I'm basically going on a wing and a prayer here. I sigh heavily, mumbling a few curses to myself. My brain is screaming for me to walk away. I could just take my down payment and head off to the next galaxy over. But my heart has been captured by a young woman by the name of Lydia, who I don't think would like jumping across space to watch me kill aliens for a living. What the hell? Why have I gotten so worked up over a woman I've just met? I know I'm getting myself into some deep shit here, but something inside me won't let me leave. OK. Enough philosophical musings already. It's time to kick some ass!
With a few well-placed alien broadcast devices, I tap into the mansion's security video feeds and run a constant loop of the undisturbed grounds. Pulling down my multi-spectral energy scan goggles, I notice the web of laser defenses. Using my super-human agility, I easily weave my way through the seemingly impassable obstacle. You'd think for such a rich group of people, they'd spring for a decent force barrier or something. Doesn't really matter though. I could get through those too. Bypassing the other security measures is just as easy. The place is pretty damn quiet too. I HATE when it gets quiet. This subtle entry thing is really not my thing, even if I AM pretty damn good at it. I'd much rather dive into a fight head on with both guns blazing, than sneak up on somebody. But if I want to collect that reward and keep my skin, this is the way to go.
I enter the house, undetected. Still too damn quiet. I'm not even sure where exactly to look for my mark. I walk the corridor with mounting tension. Trying to alleviate some of the strain, I take time to notice how soft the carpet feels, and how beautiful the polished, hard wood walls are. I notice that the hall is lined with expensive looking paintings and small tables with decorative busts. This is no place to conduct MY kind of business. It'd be a shame if any of this nice stuff got messed up. I just hope I don't run into…
"If you're not here to deliver my pizzas, you're in big trouble."
Shit! I've been spotted! I turn around to see a rather imposing figure standing over me. The scar over his eye is a dead give away. Darkwolf. "Sorry, son. I'm here to see two of your members. I don't have an appointment but I'm sure they won't mind." I sort of babble when I'm nervous. It's kind of stupid, I know, but it does keep my opponents occupied long enough to size them up.
"I think you better come with me…quietly."
"Oh that's OK," I say as I see him preparing to attack me, "I can find my own way."
He lunges at me like most big guys do. I front flip over him as his punch smashes into the floor. I land behind him and give him a hard kick to the kidneys. He flies down the hall about 6 feet before crashing into a statue, turning it into a pile of rubble. Damn shame, I tell you. Darkwolf gets up though. Is he smiling? Here he comes after me again. Why can't I remember his profile?
I dodge another powerful blow and deliver a right to the jaw. Shrugging it off, he backhands me to the other side of the corridor into the back wall. NOW I remember! Super strength, invulnerability, and nerves buried deep in his skin! Shit! I'm fighting him all wrong!
Pulling myself out of the depression I made in the wall, I drop to my feet. "You suck! I bet your fat-ass mama can fight better than you!"
"You're asking for it, asshole."
"Hey, if you want to know about asking for stuff, talk to your little friend GlitterGirl. She used to ask for it all night!"
He rushes towards me again, a strange look in his eyes. I've got him right where I want him. I run past him then, accelerating to a little more than Mach 1. Did I mention I could do that? I make sure to break the sound barrier just as I pass him, letting the shock wave hit him and the sonic boom blast his ears. With his enhanced hearing, I'm sure it hurts like hell, as the blood dripping from his ears attests to. I'm careful to use a force field to protect myself from the damaging sound burst to disburse it through the air. The move would suck if I got hurt too. Darkwolf falls to his knees with his hands over his ears. He's not done yet though, so I push a little more.
"Now I see why your pal got shot by that gang. He must have been a little pussy like you."
That does it. Already hurt and upset by my previous insults, this last verbal assault touches on a deep pain that he carries with him. It's all I need to trigger that uncontrollable mammalian transformation of his. He screams in rage and pain as the metamorphosis begins. With a little nudge from a static field I surround him with, I'm able to force him into the form of a squirrel. It sure pays to do your homework on your enemies.
"Sorry, little guy," I say to the fuzzy animal. "But that was the only way besides killing you."
"I think you should be worried more about GETTING killed than having to kill anyone else," a female voice says from behind me. Am I getting that clumsy that I keep getting taken from behind?
I turn around to see Puma, Outburst, Blaze, F.X., and Blink standing there, ready to throw down. I must be an idiot to think that I could get away with setting off a sonic boom in the house without drawing some attention.
"I'm sorry," I say kindly, "Can you point me to the little boy's room?"

End Part 3


Part 4: Battle Royale

They attack as one. Outburst draws her twin .45's and starts popping off shots in my direction as Blaze lets loose his kinetic shards. Both of them have healing factors so I have to be careful not to underestimate their tolerance for punishment, especially Outburst with that pain immunity thing. Puma and Blink flank me on either side, cutting off any possible exit and keeping me somewhere in the line of fire. Damn that's smart! While the others keep me dodging projectiles, F.X. takes to the air. He's my main concern at the moment. He's a powerful kid; TK, TP, clairvoyance, enhanced physical abilities… I made sure I was prepared for him though. As I see him bearing down on me, lining me up for a TK blast, I reach into the pouch at my hip.
"Heads up, kid. I have a present for ya." He barely notices the small metallic capsule I throw at him before it explodes. With a flash, it pops open and suddenly blue-white energy swirls around him in mid-air. F.X. falls hard to the floor, gripping his stomach. That capsule contained a decent amount of anti-protons. (For the scientifically impaired, those are the opposite of protons. Its called antimatter…like the opposite of matter which…oh forget it…!) The kid's like a living energy siphon, drawing energy from everywhere all the time. But this is energy produced from normal matter interactions. A matter/antimatter interaction is said to produce a violent eruption of energy and theoretically causes an interspacial disturbance or the warping of reality to a small degree. By throwing those particles at him, I forced a matter/antimatter reaction to occur INSIDE his body. To put it simple, that's like having a black hole erupt in your stomach for a short time. Must hurt like a bitch.
"F.X.!!" Outburst screams.
"Better take off quick," I tell him as he writhes in pain, energy leaking from his very pours, "I think you're going to explode." He blasts off, straight up through the ceiling and into night sky, screaming the whole way. "Betcha didn't see that one coming, did you Clairvoyant Boy?!" I yell after him. Sometimes I can be so cruel…
While the others are temporarily distracted by the huge explosion that happens soon after, I take out Blaze with a quick kick to the face. I know his healing factor should have him back on his feet soon, so I try to work fast. Out of ammo, Outburst attacks with a flurry of kick-boxer style moves. As she spins for a roundhouse kick to my side, I roll sideways and send her flying with an uppercut. Puma and Blink come at me with a high/low combo, with Puma jumping for my legs (in full puma form) and Blink trying to slice my freaking head off with a big-ass sword. Ducking the blade, I grab Puma by the scruff of her neck and fling her at Blink. Puma is back up faster than Blink but I use a little electromagnetic manipulations to force her into unconciousness.
As Blink recovers and postures with her blade, I call on my sword. Reaching out into the very fabric of reality, dimensional energies begin to coalesce about my hand. Sparkling particles of unknown matter spin in a bright vortex and my blade materializes in my hand. Blink's eyes widen just enough for me to notice her amazement despite her attempt to hide it under a veil of contempt. The sword was a gift from an intergalactic Emperor for valiance in battle. Long story, you know the drill.
"Neat trick, huh?"
"You're going to need more than a 'neat trick' to handle me," she says, inching forward.
I love the feisty ones. And she's pretty damn cute too, in that I'm-going-to-cut-out-your-spleen-and-feed-it-to-my-dog kind of way. But her file has her listed as 16. Jail bait if I ever saw it.
She brings her blade in front of her just as I do. "Mine's bigger than yours," I say with a wry smile. I think she almost smiled back. "Well if you don't like my magic appearing sword trick, how about my disappearing act."
You should see her face as my body vanishes before her eyes. She looks around franticly for me, even though I stand only two feet in front of her. I circle around behind her as she continues looking for me. Invisibility is one of my powers that I don't use very often seeing as I can't breath while I'm invisible and it takes a lot of energy. Exhaling, I grab her from behind and bring my sword around her throat.
"Impressed?" I ask in a whisper, close to her ear.
"No, not really," she replies calmly.
Suddenly a black hole opens up in the floor below her and she disappears, only to reappear in a similar hole in the wall to my left. I block her attack and prepare for a counter strike, but only find myself blocking her again from another angle. She's fast with those ports of hers, popping in and out just long enough to get in a blow and leaving before I can counter. I guess that's why they call her Blink. I let her think she has me on the ropes as I expand my senses, letting the energy from her portals show me where she has been and where she will show up next. This time I turn to face her portal just as it opens and I grab her before she can swing that massive blade.
"Say goodnight, cupcake," I say as I use the handle of my sword to knock her out.
I look around to view my handy work and get a fix on my situation. I just took care of Blink, Puma is out, F.X. is off exploding or something, Darkwolf is a squirrel, Outburst is gone (???) and Blaze is…just coming to.
Dropping Blink's limp body I walk over to Blaze as he slowly regains consciousness. His first sight must be me standing over him. "Bon soir, mon ami," I say before swiftly punching him in the face again.
Now where did Outburst get off t...?
"There he is," Outburst says, pointing in my direction.
The guy standing next to her is pretty short, dressed in traditional Chinese garb. In his hand is a tall wooden staff. He doesn't LOOK as powerful as the stories or his file says, but then again, neither do I.
The chick on Outburst's other side is gorgeous. Covered, head to toe, in a shiny, skin-tight black body suit, she looks like she'd be more comfortable if she were naked. Or maybe I'd be more comfortable if she were naked. Either way, with killer curves and legs that seem to go on forever, she's a knock out.
"No, Daemon," the Black Queen Nemesis says, "I don't think we could EVER do THAT together."
Shit! Forgot to activate my psi-bafflers!
"I think you should have more important things on your mind," Gomurr the Ancient says, "like your own survival."
Stepping over Blaze, I turn so I'm facing them head on. I activate my psi-bafflers and put an enchanted medallion around my neck in preparation for the coming battle. "Thank you, Outburst," I say. "These are just the two people I've been looking for."

End Part 4


Part 5: A Book and His Cover

Like I said, I haven't really got the tools necessary to complete this job. Psis have always scared me. Just thinking that someone can be privy to my every stray thought or emotion is just creepy if you ask me…not to mention embarrassing. (I can't believe she caught me thinking about her like that! Damn!) Magic is even worse. I can't even understand it, let alone DO it. The worst part is, both of my marks are adept at each of these arts. You can imagine my apprehension about accepting this job now, huh?
"So are you going to come quietly, or am I gonna have to rough you up?" I put on my best imitation of that baby chicken hawk from Bugs Bunny cartoons.
For a second, they just stare at me standing there, holding onto my sword with that medallion dangling around my neck and the lights on my bafflers blinking on and off. They must have found something very amusing about that, because they simply burst into laughter. Hell, I guess I would have found it funny too if I was on THAT side of the room.
I know they're both ready to kick my ass at this point. I've broken into their home, broken their furniture, beat up on their members and now I'm threatening them personally. Come to think of it, I'm ASKING for an ass whoopin'. On top of all that, I'm pretty much spent. Though I use my enhanced senses and super strength like second nature, other things like super speed and all my energy manipulation powers take a lot out of me. Right about now I'm ready for a good long nap, not another fight. There must be someway for me to save my scrawny behind. But what? As I'm thinking, I notice their laughter die down and they begin to take a fighting posture. It's funny how high-pressure situations make you think pretty damn hard.
"Wait!" I say just as they seem ready to hand out some punishment. They stop dead in their tracks, though I don't know why. Maybe they want to play with me some more and get a couple more good laughs before they put me six feet under. "I have a proposition for you."
They look at each other for a second, probably communicating psionically, and then turn to me. "We're listening," Gomurr says, leaning against his staff.
***
It's about three hours before I'm on my new starship on my way to a rendezvous point with the General and his 'Master'. Gomurr and Nemesis sit in the two auxiliary seats behind me in the cockpit area. You don't know how glad I am that they decided to go along with my plan. I just hope I don't get killed in the crossfire of the inevitable battle. Though I'm still pretty tough, I'm no where near the man I once was. Remember all that stuff I said I'd explain later? Well now is as good a time as any…
I guess we can start on earth where I was…raised… I stayed with my Mom and my little brother in a not-so-rich part of Brooklyn. I can't say I was a poor kid, but I sure as hell was a scrawny one. I was attending Brooklyn Tech on an advanced scholarship at the age of 14 when my long-lost father came calling. I remember that day vividly as the sky seemed to be torn asunder and my father floated down from high above. In those few minutes that followed, I learned that I was NOT Terran, but born of a race of aliens whose home planet lies in another galaxy all together. In addition, he told me of our family's gift. He told me that the first born son of each generation of my family was to have the honor of being the avatar for the…for a cosmic being of immeasurable power and that my turn had come. My father was weary and longed for a chance at a normal life with his wife, so he passed the guardianship of space itself to me and I became the avatar. With this power I traversed the stars, destroying evil wherever I found it. My power was like that of a god and I knew no more hunger or pain. I was loved by millions of civilizations across the universe and feared by the malevolent forces that sought to conquer and destroy. But somewhere in the back of my mind, I knew it couldn't last. Something…happened…and I knew I could never be the hero my father was, nor even the one my young brother longed to be. So I abdicated my power, refusing my birthright and granting the position of avatar to my brother. Left with a small fraction of the power I once knew, I took to the stars to be a mercenary. Though I know it was for the best, I can't help but miss the feeling of all the energy running through my body or the freedom of free flight. But all that's past now, and no one has to know about it.
I can feel Nemesis staring at the back of my head as I return my attention back to piloting the craft. I leave my psi-baffles in place so I don't get myself in trouble like the first time I saw her, but I find myself not really thinking about her at all. God knows she's one of the most beautiful women I've seen and her fuck-me-now outfit is screaming to be peeled off that delicious bod, but I've only got one woman on my mind. Don't ask me why, but I can't get her out of my head. It's like the first time I saw her on the dance floor, I knew I had to be with her. I know I'm probably setting myself up to get majorly hurt here, but I think I'm in love with Lydia.
"You must care about her a lot," Nemesis says out of the blue.
I check my baffles and find that their batteries are dead. I knew I should never have trusted that damn bunny. Energizer sucks!
"I guess," I say, feigning indifference.
"You pretend to be such a hard, uncaring man, when deep down you are the total opposite."
"I'd appreciate it if you'd stay out of my head, lady," I say turning back to her slightly.
She laughs. "Dear boy, I don't need my telepathy to see that of you. I haven't probed your mind since our first encounter at the mansion."
Well THAT makes me feel sorta dumb. "Yeah, well what do you know about me?" I mutter indignantly.
I hear her uncross and then cross her legs, the leather making a sensual sound as her legs rub together. "I know that killing does not come easy for you."
"What're you, stupid? I'm a freaking mercenary. Of course it comes easy."
"Than why didn't you kill any of your opponents at the mansion?"
I don't say anything because I know she's right. How does she know me so well?
"I also know that you never would have taken this job if not for your lady friend. Do you love her that much to deliver the two of us to men you know to be evil?"
"Look, lady," I shout at her, "I don't need you questioning my morals or my motives, alright?!"
"Calm yourself, dear boy," she says placidly. "I actually find the notion romantic. Your tough exterior covers a noble, caring heart. I think that's very sexy."
"You do?" I say turning completely around to see her alluring smile.
Gomurr smacks me in the back of the head with his staff. "Asteroid!" I steer out of the way and then resume course towards the rendezvous point's coordinates. "For a skilled mercenary, you're a bit incompetent. I'm having second thoughts about this plan of yours and whether a brash young man like yourself can pull it off."
"Listen, Gomurr. I've seen more action already than some of the most seasoned military soldiers in the business will ever see in their whole lives. I've gotten myself out of scraps that MacGuyver would have problems with. I've faced armies of heavily armed aliens and defeated them with nothing but my bare hands. By the time I was eighteen I had killed enough scumbags to populate a small planet. They call me the Scourge of the Milky Way, Destroyer of Armies, the Demon that Walks Among Us. I'm Daemon. I don't lose. "
Gomurr smacks me on the back of the head again. "And you're a conceited bastard too." Then, after a short silence, "Wait a minute. You mean YOU are the Demon that Walks Among Us?"
"That's right, pal. The name's Daemon, like I said before."
"I know you," Gomurr says, "There have been stories of you all over the galaxy and beyond. So YOU are the mighty Daemon…I thought you'd be taller…"
***
As we approach the rendezvous point, we have no trouble spotting where the exchange is to occur. Sitting on the exact point of the coordinates I received on earth, is a Phoenix-class flagship. To call this thing big is an understatement. This thing is about half the size of the earth's moon. I've never seen a Phoenix-class ship in person so I was quite stunned by the sight of it.
"Holy shit! Do you see that?!"
"Umm…did you ever find out who this 'Master' guy is?" Gomurr asks.
"Not exactly."
They both glare at me.
"Unidentified starship," a voice says from my com-link, "you are too close to our formation. Change your course heading immediately. You have ten seconds to comply."
Depressing the transmit button I say, "Minkari Vessel, this is Daemon1. I come bearing gifts for the Master." I know it sounds stupid but it wasn't ME that came up with the code phrase.
"Daemon1 you are clear for landing. Tractor beam will bring you in and an elite guard will bring you and your 'gifts' to the Master."
Turning off the com-system, I look at my two erstwhile companions. "It's showtime."

End Part 5


Part 6: Special Delivery

Flanked by a dozen or so of the 'Master's' elite guardsmen, the three of us (Gomurr and Nemesis appearing bound and beaten) enter the huge chamber that serves as the throne room for the mysterious man that has been referred to only as the 'Master'. In the center of the room on a tiered platform rising at least ten feet into the air, the Master sits. The room was completely dark except for the portion from the entrance to the throne where we now walked. Dragging my two 'prizes' behind me, I approached. When finally I had reached the foot of the platform, I pushed both Gomurr and Nemesis to their knees in front of me.
"Not so rough!" Nemesis shouts in a whisper.
Nudging her with my leg, I knock her to floor and onto her side. "You want me to be convincing don't you?" I whisper back with a thin smile. She mumbles something but I ignore her.
"So THIS is the famous Daemon, yes?" the voice asks from the darkness. I almost shudder at the unearthly sound of it. It sounds like someone scratching a chalkboard in coherent sentences.
"That's right," I reply
"Somehow I thought you'd be…"
"…taller… Yeah I know. Anyway, I've completed the job, and even picked up your second mark. Where's my payment?"
"In do time," the voice says. "First, I must inspect the goods."
I flinch a bit as he steps down from his seat and begins to walk the stairs. Coming ever closer, I can feel my heart racing. I want to attack him for fear of being taken by surprise, but I withhold my instincts, and continue with the plan.
Stepping into the light, he still appears to be in shadow, like the light collapses on his very being. His dark robe covers him from head to toe, except for his face which hides, instead, in the shadow of his hood. His hands look withered and old, not the hands of someone as powerful as his henchmen lead one to believe. Reaching out, he clasps Gomurr's face in his shaking claw.
"It has been a long time, my friend. Do you remember me?"
Gomurr looks up and into the shadowy hood. "I banished you from this dimension. You dare return?"
"I dared a long time ago, dear mentor. You were, perhaps, incapacitated at the time of my return, but return I did. I came to reclaim what is mine by birthright…that which you stole from me so long ago. I will have it, Gomurr. And I will make sure you do not die before I conquer the universe with it."
Gomurr grits his teeth as the man moves on to Nemesis. He appears to be fighting the same impulse as me. He has no real reason to, though. The only thing at stake here is my payment. Would Gomurr attack now and go back on our deal?
Pulling her back to a kneeling position, the Master speaks to Nemesis. "Ah my dear sweet Nemesis. It is good to see that you have lost none of your vaunted beauty." He caresses the back of her neck, letting her hair cascade around his hand.
Nemesis spits at him, pulling away. "No one touches me like that without permission," she hisses.
"And still the same fire. You are a lovely one, aren't you? But you will come to find your beauty useless as I see to it you die a slow and painful death."
"I've never met you before in my life, yet you speak as though you know me."
"I know all I need to know of you, my dear. Though we have never met face-to-face before now, I know enough. Tell me, do you remember a young man who went by the name of Shroud?"
Nemesis thinks for a minute. "The name sounds familiar. What of it?"
"That young man approached you for membership into the Black Hellfire Court, did he not?"
"Oh yes," the Black Queen says remembering the boy. "He was too arrogant and quite weak. I gave him a chance to prove himself, but he failed miserably, only demonstrating his incompetence. When I refused his membership, he attacked me."
"You killed him didn't you?"
"He left me no choice."
"Yes, well that young man was my only son! And I have no choice now but to exact revenge in his name, blood for blood." Turning to me now, he says, "You have done well to uphold your reputation, Daemon. These gifts you have brought me are well worth the price."
"So am I gonna get paid or what?" I ask.
"Indeed you are," the robed figure says softly. "On your way out, my guards will lead you to Hanger Bay 213 where your galaxy-class cruiser is waiting. In her hold you will find your diamonds as well as your smaller starcraft."
"What about Javia and my starfleet?"
He tosses me a silver cylinder. "Inside you will find the deed to Javia and a proclamation by myself placing you as the heir to the throne of the Palla System."
"Excuse me?"
"Starfleets do not simply exist on their own. The fleet I promised you belongs to the Pallan colonies. And only the absolute ruler of those colonies can place any claim on their fleet."
I open the cylinder and pull out the royal-looking document, embroidered with silk and tiny jewels.
"Long live the King of Palla," he says almost mockingly.
I start to stammer something about being unfit to rule and my aversion to being in a position of authority on this scale, but I am cut off by a psionic 'push' by Nemesis. Yes. The plan. I have to go on with the plan. As I stuff my royal claim back into its protective container, the elite guard move from their positions around the room and escort me to the rest of my payment. As you can probably imagine, I'm just about kicking up my heels at the thought of getting my hands on those diamonds. In my haste to greet my sparkling prize, I neglect to listen carefully to an exchange between the captain of the elite guard and the Master. Had I been paying attention, my keen hearing would have picked it up completely. But as it was, I only made out a little of it in incoherent bits. Oh well, I guess it's not that important.
It takes a good half an hour to get to Hanger Bay 213. Damn this place is big! It's not until I am inside the hanger with the guards and the doors shut behind us that I realize what's going on. The guards attack from behind while I am attempting to board my ship. There are only eight of them, so I figure there's no problem. Their weapons fire is heavy, but inaccurate. I easily dodge the onslaught of coruscating energy beams.
"You call yourselves elite guards?" I taunt. "You can't even shoot straight."
"Our marksmanship is not what makes us 'elite', Terran," one of them says. Suddenly, they all drop their weapons and begin to transform into seven-foot tall beasts. "THIS is why we are the elite!"
I recoil for a moment at the sight of the snarling monsters that stand where once, human-looking soldiers had been. Covered in deep gray fur, their sharp, clawed hands and bestial faces belie the tactical intelligence that remains. Quickly, they pounce. One of them swipes at me with his claws, forcing me back into the waiting fists of two others. Barely able to duck their blows, I roll right only to greet a face full of razor-edged fangs waiting there. Shit, I'm surrounded! Then it hits me, that conversation between the elite guardsman and the Master.
"Are those documents real, Highness?" the guardsman had asked.
"But of course. They are just as real as the cruiser and the diamonds. But the rogue Daemon will never live to enjoy the riches with which I have bestowed him. Will he, captain?"
"No, milord."
I should have known that even a greedy megalomaniac bent on revenge would not willingly part with so much of his wealth just to give it to a hireling like myself. As I size up my situation with the guards, I make a psionic call to Nemesis.
"I've been doublecrossed, Nemesis. Spring the trap!"
It's at that point that the ship starts to seize with random explosions. Taking advantage of my opponents' disorientation, I open the airlock. Not braced for the sudden displacement of all the air around them, the guards begin flying out into space. I hold onto the support rail of my cruiser's boarding ramp and watched as they all succumb to the airless, cold of space. As the last of them loses his grip on an energy conduit near the airlock, I hit the switch to close the doors and am once again alone with my treasure.
Climbing into the captain's seat on the bridge of my cruiser I give orders to the computer system to prepare for a speedy departure. Suddenly, the flagship quakes from the force of what had to be a huge power core explosion. Red flashing lights swirl and blink, while sirens blare a warning of impending doom.
"Come on dammit!" I psi-shout at Nemesis. "This thing feels like it's coming apart at the seams."
"Go," she shouts back. "Get out of here now! He is very powerful. Our battle is tearing the ship apart. You must leave now if you hope to survive."
Another bone-shattering explosion tempts me, but I can't just leave them. "No way. I ain't goin' nowhere without you."
"Your sentiments are noble but unnecessary. Get away from here as fast as you can and return in ten minutes. We will be waiting for you."
"What're you nuts, lady? This thing isn't going to last another ten minutes."
"DO IT!"
Reluctantly, I command the cruiser to blast a hole in the side of the ship and make a run for it on hyper-drive. I feel ashamed to leave them. Though ours is an uneasy alliance, they are my compatriots in this endeavor and they deserve just as much loyalty as my own brother would. I let three minutes pass, deep in thought, before I turn around and fly back at twice the speed. As my cruiser slows, I see the Master's behemoth explode in a mighty blast, the shockwave slamming into my much smaller vessel with tremendous force.
"Noooooo!" I scream looking through the forward observation window as the computer keeps the ship from tumbling out of control. This was not how it should have gone. We were all supposed to get what we wanted and go home. How could I abandon them like that? No matter what Nemesis said, I should have been here to get them out.
"Don't carve our tombstones yet, dear." Nemesis' voice sounds sweet in my mind.
"You're alive," I said aloud as well as psi-speak. "But how did…"
"Are you just going to sit there or are you going to pick us up?"
"But where…?" I begin to ask, but cut myself off as I look out the starboard observation window. Walking as though on solid ground from among the wreckage, I see a tall beautiful woman and a diminutive mage surrounded by an enchanted bubble.
I almost hug the both of them as I see them come through the airlock, but I simply lean against the opposite wall. "You two seem ALMOST as hard to kill as ME."
Gomurr smirks at me and threatens with his staff. "Your assistance in letting us find the identity of the Master was greatly appreciated."
"Is he gone for good?"
"We were only able to drive him back to the dimension of his original exile, but since he returned once…it is likely he will again."
"Well if you need me, you're always welcome to call," I say.
Gomurr pokes at me with his staff. "You are quite the remarkable young man, Daemon. Despite your terrible attitude, it has been a pleasure to work with you."
"Is that sarcasm?" I ask playfully. Gomurr smiles, as does Nemesis. "You Hellfire Club people aren't so bad either. Now that I'm filthy rich and living in New York, maybe I should consider joining."
"Maybe," they say in unison.
I think I'm going to like my retirement on earth.

End