Out of The Past: chapter 6 - 8 *HF*
By Gomurr
CHAPTER SIX: OF SIN AND SUBTERFUGE
The three girls continued to listen until they heard someone approaching the door. It was Avalon, the Black Scribe. The lad was about their age, but due to his position on the ruling council they didn't know how far they could trust him. In his hand was a long rectangular box. He knocked briefly and then entered the chamber hall. Gregor looked up and Avalon almost cringed at the look on his face.
"Avalon, I didn't call for the scribe. What is the meaning of this interruption?" roared Gregor.
"A package for you, my king...It was marked urgent, but had no return address, and the delivery person knew nothing of it's point of origin. After today's message I thought it might be related." explained the scribe.
"Very well," said Gregor regaining a hold on his temper. "Bring it to me."
Gregor opened the box and saw it was full of long stemmed white roses. He rummaged through them until he found the card. He picked it up and smelled a familiar perfume as he brought it out of the box. The card simply read "An Eye for an Eye" in evenly spaced type, but when he flipped the card over he saw that a small medallion had been taped to the back of it. He looked closely at it and recognized the BHC comm badge embedded in its finely crafted gold. Gregor pressed the activation button and the hidden comm badge and watched the computer console at his desk.
INCOMING COMMUNIQUÉ FROM SASHA CULLEN, the screen read.
Gregor tore the flowers from the box and as he did a thorn embedded itself in his forefinger. He howled with rage and pain and tossed the flowers to the floor. When he looked down, it wasn't a thorn at all, but a pendant of some sort. He pulled it from his finger and examined it. It was finely crafted silver and was in the form of a coiled rattle snake with ruby red eyes.......the emblem of Nytshade the White Queen.
"JOOOOOONNNN!!!!!!" Gregor roared. "You'll pay for this...I swear it!!!!"
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Nytshade paced in her elegantly appointed office as she listened to the speaker phone ring. On the fifth ring, she was ready to give up when the other end was picked up, and a pleasant voice answered.
"Thank you for calling Psy-Chance Industries. How can I direct your call?"
"I need to speak with Mr. Gil de Rubio. It's urgent."
"Mr. Gil de Rubio is in a meeting right now, could I place you in his voice mail, or is there someone else that could help you?" the receptionist countered.
"Listen closely to me, girl. My name is Jon Ellen Tolliver and I will speak to Mr. Gil De Rubio now, or tomorrow after I do finally speak with him, you will no longer have a job," spat Jon.
"Yes, Ms. Tolliver," the young girl said quickly as she put the call through.
"Hello, Jon," Victor Gil de Rubio, A.K.A. Mischance answered. "What is so urgent that you need to disturb my meeting?"
"Victor, please............I know what your 'meetings' consist of. I remember the intern from Tolliver Enterprises I let you borrow....and I thought Clinton was bad," said Jon.
"If you called to judge my taste in women, Jon, I really don't have time. I really have a company to run here," said Mischance.
"I'm sorry, Victor. You're right. It's necessary to call a meeting of our Hellfire associates. One of the students at the White Hellfire Academy was taken or convinced to leave by a member of the BHC. I want to know who took him, how they did it, and why. Can you meet me here in an hour?" asked Jon uncharacteristically humbly.
"Of course," said Mischance. "We'll be there as soon as possible, but how do you know it was the BHC?"
"They left a calling card," said Jon fingering the silken cloth with Gregor's monogram. "And who do you mean we?"
"Nevermind that....what kind of calling card?" said Mischance.
"They left one of Gregor's handkerchiefs, but that's unimportant....Get here as soon as you can," said Nytshade.
"Touch it as little as possible. I've got a plan!" said Mischance.
"Just get here as soon as possible, Victor," pleaded Jon. "We don't have time for games."
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Margaret Miller, A.K.A. Shockwave, looked from Janista to Glittergirl as they hurried to the boys dormitory.
"Janista, you heard what they said in the council meeting," whispered Shockwave. "Somehow the White Queen is involved in Sasha's disappearance. Open warfare between the houses could put you in danger here. I don't know what the council will do when they realize they have a white hellion on campus."
"I can't believe Nytshade would kidnap anyone, but there's no time to worry about that, now" stated Janista more forcefully than she usually spoke. "We've got to concentrate on figuring this mess out."
"Hey look," said Shae, "There's the guys now!!! Hey Johnny, Hey Las.....c'mere guys."
Belasco, Johnny Blaze and Psi-Shot approached from the steps of the dorm where they had been playing a round of hackey-sack. Cannonball and Kid Sampson had left together to hit some clubs in town earlier in the day.
"Hello ladies," Belasco purred as his eyes wandered up and down the bodies of the three young girls. "What can we gentlemen do to make your stay on this mudball more....shall we say...pleasant?"
"Cut the crap, hornhead," said Shockwave. "This is serious."
Belasco ran his hands through his thick dark hair and felt the small nubs on his scalp. Nobody could really distinguish him from human until he utilized his power and "massed up". Then, however, his horns grew and his demonic appearance became evident. He was rather sensitive about this issue and Shockwave's comment shut him down quickly.
"What's wrong," said Johnny Blaze in rapid fire fashion. "We're not looking for any trouble, so if you guys are, then we aren't interested."
"Speak for yourself," said Belasco sullenly.
"Quiet down you guys," said Psi-Shot who finally found his voice after being stunned in to silence by Janista's nearness. "They seem to be really serious."
"We are," said Shockwave. "Puma never came back from her run this morning, and we know why."
"She can get into the clubs.........looking as ummm developed as she does," mumbled Johnny Blaze. "Maybe she ummm..went with Cannonball and Sampson."
"No, Psi-Shot," said Janista placing her hand on his arm. "Something's happened to her and your inner circle think the IFHC has something to do with it. We gotta find her and fast to stop the fighting before it begins."
Psi-Shot would have done anything Janista asked at this moment, as he felt his whole face flush from the touch on his arm.
"I knewit ......trouble.......Weshouldjustrelaxand......and....and....and.....lettheadultshandlethis. Wedon't wanttomakeitanyworse bydoingsomethingfoolish," blurted out Johnny Blaze.
"Slow down before you overheat, Johnny," said Glittergirl. "We aren't being foolish. We are just doing what's right. Now let's get going before they think to shut down the campus."
And with that the three young heroes went to investigate the disappearance of their friend.
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Paramount had removed the hooded cloak and the stealth suit he had worn in the kidnappings and padded naked through his lab. He had long since finished gaining any useful information from his "guests" and had allowed them to fall into the darkness of a drugged troubled sleep. His interrogation served a two fold purpose. By gaining what data he could about the current runnings of the branches of the IFHC, he could more easily turn them against one another, and every time he made skin to skin contact with one of his captives, he more solidly latched onto thier bio-signature making it possible for him to morph into them. He looked over the softly breathing features on the tables in his lab. They had all collapsed into unconsciousness hours ago. Blink, in her weakened condition due to her longer stay in the lab, went out relatively easily. Puma was the next to succumb to the welcome embrace of the dark, but Alex........he was another story. WildChild had fought Paramount with every last breath in his body. Each time the madman turned up the juice on the electric shocks or tried a different variety of tortue, WildChild seemed only to become more hardened. It was only when Paramount began threatening the comfort and safety of the ladies in the room that the young man began to crumble.....and finally along with the other prisoners he passed out from the pain of the process.
"Foolish young man, letting his own weakness for female flesh guide his whims," Paramount hissed. "When will they learn the only companion anyone needs is themselves."
Paramount laughed to himself.
"Things have gone quite well, up to this point. The fire's been lit, now it's up to me to fan the flames, but I'll need to change into something......more comfortable before I go."
Paramount concentrated and where once the pale, blue eyed man with shockingly white hair stood, now stood the naked form of Blink. Paramount surveyed himself in the mirror and smiled as he slid his hand down his smooth hip.
"Come along darling, let's see how hot under the collar, we can get those fools in the BHC," Paramount said to himself and then he began to laugh.
CHAPTER SEVEN: STEALTH
Janista looked around cautiously. She was leading this group of anxious youths into the heart of the White Hellfire Compound. The compound itself was one of the oldest structures in the city, and had thus achieved national monument status. Tours regularly went through to admire the victorian beauty of the old mansion grounds, but none suspected the state of the art surveillance technology that lay tastefully hidden in the sculptures and fountains. Shockwave had come up with the infiltration plan, but it had seemed much easier on paper. They had successfully breached the perimeter wall by having Belasco mass up and set them all on the other side. Janista had simply psi-blinded the outer guards to the process. Then their plan hit a snag. Janista had been unaware that the guards within the compound wore standard psi-armor and thus were immune to her telepathic probes, and any direct confrontation with the guards using a more physical power would only alert more guards. So the six teens crouched under a flowering shrub in the garden and discussed their next move.
"As much as I enjoy being down in the dirt with you ladies, I think my room at the BHC mansion would be a more appropriate setting for this," said Belasco as he not so accidentally put his hand on Glittergirl's thigh.
"Hands off demon-boy or I'll glitterspark your butt back to Limbo," hissed Shae under her breath.
"Will you two cut it out," Shockwave whispered urgently. "If we get caught, there's no telling what those guards will do to us."
"She started it," chuckled Belasco. "wearing those shorts....I mean it's practically a neon sign inviting people to look at her legs."
"Look....Not touch, Horn-Head," Psi-Shot said. "Now leave her alone and let's get on with this."
"Let's justturnback. We'venotdone anythingwrongyet. Wecanstillgobackto the academyandactlikenone of this happened," said Johnny Blaze in a blur of words.
Shockwave put a hand over Johnny's mouth to quiet him down.
"It'ok Johnny, calm down," she said. "But you guys just gave me a great idea. Shae, you think you can put on show and turn a few heads for a minute or two."
"Puuuuh...lease and a half, Margaret. The day I can't turn heads is the day I turn in my glitter," countered Shae.
"OK OK...so here's the plan........."
Shae Marquette crawled from under the bushes, dusted herself off and began to walk towards the guard closest to the entrance of the academy's main building, swaying her hips as she went.
"Now that's what I call a super power," whistled Belasco under his breath.
"DUDE!!!!! Will you shut up, before we get nailed," Psi-Shot hissed.
Glittergirl approached the guard smiling innocently at him. His eyes travelled up her lithe young frame and he watched her approach.
"This is a restricted area, miss. You are going to have to come with me," said the guard.
"OOOHHH Thank goodness I found you, sir," cooed Shae breathily. "I've been wondering around for what seems like hours. I got separated from my tour and I can't find the exit. I'm such a silly with directions and your grounds are soooooo big. Is there anyway you can find it in your heart to show me the way out."
The guard gave a small start as Shae pretended to slip and fall forwards. Her arms flailed and he caught her as she fell against him. Shae looped her arms around the guard and leaned further into him.
"My goodness, sir...Thank you...all this looking for the exit must have made me feel faint. It's a good thing, you were around to catch me," continued Glittergirl.
"Now, Johnny........ GO!" whispered Shockwave urgently.
At first young Johnny Blaze lay motionless on the dirt. He wasn't cut out for this. He never asked to have these powers, why was he even here? But one look into Margaret's determined eyes, and he knew he knew he couldn't say no. This hesitation which might have taken other people seconds took Johnny only a fraction of the time. With his excellerated rate of doing everything, the entire decision making process was done in about one second and he was off and running before anyone knew he had hesitated in the first place.
Moving in an almost invisible blur, Johnny Blaze ran past the guard who was stooped to help Shae, removed his wallet, took the keycard that Janista had said would be there, replaced the wallet and was back under the bushes with the rest of the group almost before anyone knew he was gone.
"It's terribly windy here tonight," said Glittergirl as Johnny whizzed by, "and I still feel a bit faint. Could we go sit on that bench over there and let me rest a minute before you show me the exit?"
"Sure," the guard said as he patted her lower back slyly. "I think we can spare a little time."
As soon as they had seated themselves on the bench. Shockwave sent a bolt of kinetic energy to the back of the unsuspecting guard's head knocking him unconscious. Belasco dragged him under the shrubbery, and they once again began to ease towards the main house.
"You stay here Glittergirl, and stall him if he wakes up," said Shockwave.
"O.K.....O.K....but you guys hurry up, I don't want Ronnie Rent-A-Cop to get too touchy feely if he decides to wake up befor you guys get back. Polyster pants and hips...ewwwwwww," said Glittergirl
The other five students hurried to the main building and Janista slipped the card into the card slot. It immediately prompted her to put in a four digit security code.
"Remember we only have 10 seconds from the time you push the first button to get the code in correctly or the alarm is sounded," whispered Janista.
"Like we discussed, Johnny...you can do this," said Shockwave.
Johnny looked around quickly and then his hand began to fly over the console in a blur of motion. Momentarily they heard a click and the door slid open silently. Johnny had tried every four digit code possible until he had hit on the right one, and it had taken him all of 7 seconds to do it. From here it was easy.....sneak into the building.......get everyone into a white hellions uniform........find out what was going on.......and then get back out again before the guard woke up.
Shortly, five students dressed in the red and white uniforms of the Hellions strolled down the halls toward the White Queen's office.
"Now what?" whispered Psi-Shot. "You said the White Queen's door isn't open to any of the staff, so this card won't work."
They all looked around at each other as their plan hit another snag.
"O.K. you guys," said Belasco suddenly " I'll do this, but if you tell anyone, I swear i'll mass up and stomp your bones into jelly."
The rest of the assembly looked strangely at Belasco. What was he going to do?....mass up and kick the door in. That wouldn't be very discreet and would surely bring more guards down on them, but before any of them had a chance to argue, Belasco began to SHRINK. They noticed that he had begun shrinking from the floor up as well, somehow he was holding himself in the air, while he shrank his mass. When Shockwave looked closer, she noticed bat like wings had begun to grow from Belasco's back, and they had begun to move in a blur, much like those of a humming bird. By the time he had reached the size of a wasp, the buzzing noise was evident and one by one they all began to giggle.
"Remember you dweebs, I can still get huge again and take you all out....you don't wanna laugh at me!" buzzed the angry Belasco in a voice that sounded like Alvin and the Chipmunks.
The others stifled their giggles, but had Glittergirl still been among them, none of them would have been able to contain themselves. Belasco did a quick buzz around their heads and flew down to the floor. He looked up at his friends as he touched down. He groaned to himself. How could he ever look them in the eye again after letting them see him as the incredible shrinking bumblebat?....ACK!!! He peeked under the door and saw the room beyond. He especially noted the white leather riding crop sitting on the antique white laquer desk. This White Queen might be nice to know more about. He slipped under door and was about to change back into his normal size and reopen it from the other side when a deafening hiss was heard from behind him. He took flight just as Birtha's jaws snapped closed inches from where he had been standing.
Birtha was fast, however, and batted the intruder from the air with her tail. Belasco fell to the ground and tried to run, but he realized with a searing jolt of pain that his wing had been broken. As a demon, Belaso's wounds healed at a preternatural rate, but he didn't have time to waste with Birtha hot on his trail, so he began to run. He could have easily transformed back to his regular size or larger had he had the time, but the process took concentration and with the pain in his wing and the pursuit of a three foot rattlesnake, Belasco wasn't in the concentrating frame of mind. Birtha's jaw snapped once more behind him as he hurdled a computer cord that lay on the thick white plush carpeting. Just when he thought he would never escape being lunch for Jon's pet snake, he felt his wing snap back into position as the magic that flowed through his veins knitted his body back together. With one movement, his body seemed to explode outward as he regained his normal size. Birtha stopped in her tracks and coiled to strike. Like lightning, however, Belasco's hand shot out and grabbed the rattler behind the head, preventing her from biting. He thought about popping the squirming serpent into his mouth and swallowing it, just to show her what it felt like. After all he had seen the other demons in Limbo eat much worse, but he thought better of it and simply held her as he opened the door to let his companions in.
"What took you so long," blurted Johhny Blaze.
"Don't ask," said Belasco holding out Birtha.
"No time for that," said Janista, "Put her in her cage and let's get the information we came for. I work with the White Queen as her cataloguer. It's sort of like your scribe, so I record the minutes of their meetings and things like that. Sometimes, though, when meetings are important and of a secretive nature, I am kept out of the loop and Jon records them for herself to look at later. I have seen her view the files though and I think I can get the information we need."
Janista sat down in front of the White Queen's computer and punched in a few lines of text bringing up a standard media selection menu. She selected laser disc and the gathered group listened as a smooth hum began in the cabinet next to the desk. Another menu appeared and Janista selected today's date. The hum continued and a list of files came up. The final file had a time stamp on it of an hour and a half previous to the time the computer clock showed. Janista selected the file and it began to play.
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ON THE MONITOR
"It's about time you got here," Nytshade said nervously.
"We came as soon as we could," said Mischance.
"We?" Jon questioned.
"Yes," Mischance continued. "Remember I spoke of a plan. Allow me to introduce you to a friend of mine....Ms. Vanessa Lopez."
"You can call me Psyche," Vanessa said extending her hand.
"Charmed, I'm sure," Jon sneered as the woman approached.
Psyche was dressed in all black, and not in the evening attire that Jon was accustomed to. Instead, she wore tight fitting jeans along with a leather motorcycle jacket and boots. When the woman grew closer, Jon realized what a beauty she was. At first glance, Jon had seen only the biker gear and didn't notice what the loveliness of the woman underneath. When the woman removed her sunglasses, Jon was again surprised. Her eyes glowed a brilliant cobalt blue and Jon caught her breath involuntarily. So she was a mutant. This could be interesting.
"What of this plan, Victor?" Nytshade said. "We must act quickly."
"Among Vanessa's many talents, she has the power of psychometry," said Mischance. "This gives her the ability to actually read the history of an object simply by touch. Where is the handkerchief?"
The White Queen looked doubtfully at the woman, but handed over the handkerchief. Psyche took it in her hand and closed her eyes. Suddenly she gasped for breath and her head was filled with tortured conflicting images. Psyche exhaled and dropped the handkerchief and Mischance caught her in his arms.
"Vanessa, are you ok?...Vanessa...Wake up." he said as he scooped her up.
"I...I'm fine, Vic, Just give me a sec here," Psyche replied jerking her arm away from him.
"We don't have a moment," Nytshade hissed. "What's wrong with you? What did you see?"
"I don't understand what I saw," returned Psyche. "I will admit, sometimes my visions are not clear, but this one was painfully so. I see a man in a dark cloak capturing a struggling wildcat of a youth and leaving with him. His thoughts are some of the most evil I have ever seen, and there is no coherent pattern to them. Only one word rolls through the red haze that compromise his thoughts......Elaida!!!!"
"Only Gregor knows me by that name. I knew it!!" Jon hissed. "What did this hooded man look like, Psyche? Tell me!!"
"That's what's so wrong with this vision. He had no face!!!!" she said almost hysterically. "My veiwings are of a person's astral self not their physical so there should only be the astral avatar. There are always slight variations between the physical and the astral, but this was a total lack of recognition between the two. Almost as if the man doesn't even know who he is, himself!!!"
"No matter," Jon said. "It was Gregor." Of this she was sure. This woman was unreliable at best, but she did pick up the name and that clearly indicated Gregor. He would pay for this interference, and she would have her student back.
"Gather the council, Mischance." Jon Commanded. "We are about to show the BHC we can give as good as we get."
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Janista looked from one to the next of the five assembled youths, and slowly began to speak.
"Nytshade thinks that Gregor is responsible for the initial kidnapping, and Gregor thinks that Nytshade is......but from hearing what they say, neither side is responsible.....but then who is?" Janista breathed frantically.
"That doesn't matter right now!!" said Shockwave. "This file was made over an hour ago.....Jon and the rest of the IFHC have probably already made their move. THE WAR'S ALREADY BEGUN!!!!!!"
CHAPTER EIGHT: PLAYERS AND PAWNS
The assembled youths found their friend, Shae, still looking over the unconscious body of the guard. As they approached her, they marveled at her calm. She could be any young girl enjoying a beautiful spring day in the garden sunlight. Her innoncent beauty stole the heart of almost all who saw her, but her friends knew that beneath the calm and beautiful facade lay the brash, mischeivious young girl that they all loved.
"Shae, has he moved?" Shockwave asked with concern.
"Not even a twitch, Mags," said Glittergirl using the nickname she knew Shockwave hated.
"It's Margaret, pleasssssseeeeeee, or Shockwave when we're on a mission. Mags sounds like a dog's name," moaned Shockwave.
"Whatdifferencedoesitmake.....if it's Shockwave, Blockwave, Mags,Billy,orBOB....WE GOTTA GET OUT OF HERE. Do youallnot realize we just commitedseveral felonies....breakingandentering..assault....theft of property...I could go on!!!!!" blurted out Johnny Blaze.
"What are you gripin' about speed freak, I almost became snake chow," said Belasco.
"Woah, A GIANT SNAKE BIG ENOUGH TO MUNCH BELASCO!!!" Glittergirl interjected. "These Whites take their security seriously."
The rest of the youths began to giggle as Belasco stared at them menacingly.
"What?...What!?...What's so funny?" Glittergirl continued.
"Nothing, Shae," said Shockwave coming back down to reality. "We've got to work on getting our friends back and stopping this conflict."
Everyone nodded silently and waited for Shockwave's next move.
"Janista, do you think you can use the cerebro unit back at BHC headquarters?" Shockwave asked.
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A tiny sliver of blood trailed from the corner of Wildchild's mouth as he tried to move past the pain that rocketed through his arm. His healing factor was was taxed to its limit, yet he couldn't stop, because stopping would mean that Paramount had beaten him, and he had never given up on anything in his whole miserable existence. In Paramounts "enthusiastic" interrogation, the insane shapeshifter had unwittingly shorted out the restraining collar that kept Alex's mutant powers in check. When Alex discovered this, he began to test his healing factor against the bonds that held him prisoner. He continued to pull against his restraint, feeling the slick and sticky inner side of the shackle. The drying blood from his previous attempts lubricated the passage of his hand from the shackle, and he was glad of it, although the thought sickened him. By pushing his thumb as far beneath his hand as possible, he could almost slip free of the cuff. The only obstacle was the first bone of the thumb digit and the fleshy mass that covered it. Finally with one last effort the skin gave way to bone and gristle, and the scrape of mineral against metal could be heard. The bone in his hand snapped more easily than he suspected and with a blinding flash of pain his clawed hand slipped free. He stifled a howl of pain and bit his lip once again as the blood flowed freely from his mouth. Raising his broken paw to his face, he could see the vague outline of the thumb that hung limply by the tendons that were left whole, but he could also feel the bittersweet agony of his body repairing the damage. Now his thoughts were filled with only one thing...ESCAPE....escape for him, and the two women beside him. He could barely hear them out there somewhere.....softly crying in the darkness.
Alex waited for what seemed like an eternity, until his thumb was once again functional. It still gave a sickening grinding noise when he flexed it, but even that would pass in time. He reached across the table to the pinion that held his other shackle closed and freed himself. He then released his legs, and then he was off the table in a dash towards Puma.
"Alex.....you mustn't," she cried. "If he catches you, he'll kill us all. He said he was watching....WE CAN'T ESCAPE."
Sasha's spirit had been broken by the madman's tortures, and she was in a state of utter panic and an almost holy fear of Paramount. This once proud girl was reduced to arguing against her own worthiness to be free. For this, Paramount would pay double, Wildchild vowed. He gently released her bonds and lifted her to the floor. With an snap, he released he dampener collar as well.
"Ssssssssssh, it's ok. We'll be fine. I'll get you home....I promise." Wildchild soothed.
WildChild then approached the table that held Blink. The teenager that had become the Black Princess lay with her eyes closed. If not for his heightened senses, he would have believed her dead. Her chest rose and fell only slightly under her torn and tattered clothing. He freed her left hand, then her right, then snapped the release on her collar.
Before he could release her leg shackles, however, he felt Rae's hands against his throat and saw the electric pink glow of one of her spatial distortion spikes as it pressed against his head.
"No, Rae!!!" Puma screamed. "He's here to help us."
Blink's grip loosened slightly.
"How do you, know? This could just be another of Paramount's tortures." Blink cried hysterically.
"It's not, Rae...I promise," said Puma laying a calming hand on the bruise covered shoulder of the Black Princess. "Now release the pulse bolt....don't hurt him."
The electric glitter of the pulse bolt faded into blackness, and the two youths released the leg shackles that held Blink to the table.
"She can't walk, Sasha," explained Alex as Blink tried to put her wieght on her feet and let out a sharp cry of pain. "Her leg is broken, and possible even worse....I'll carry her. It's up to you to find us an exit."
"I'll try," Sasha said weakly.
"NO, you won't race traitor.........You'll DIE!" a gutteral smoke filled voice growled from the darkness.
The three captives froze as they heard a sound.........SHLUCKT!!!!!!!!!!
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Paramount walked into the BHC headquarters looking from side to side. A young servant walked by and bowed briefly as he made his way to his duties.
"Good evening, Princess," he said.
It always amazed Paramount how people bowed and scraped to please these court members when it was always an effort for him to maintain control of his subjects, when he had been White King. Ofcourse having the body and beauty of Rachel Clarice Ferguson always helped to keep male subjects in line.
"Yes," he thought. "This body is perhaps one of my best disguises yet."
He rubbed his hands down his form fitting white pants again and felt the youthful curves of Blink's body. Being the Black Princess was not only allowing him to destroy the Hellfire Clubs, but also held several more physical pleasures as well. He continued down the hall, swaying back and forth, enjoying the covert stares of the servants in the halls. He slowed slightly when he saw the approach of SuperGrover.
"Speaking of fun....." thought Paramount wickedly.
Grover walked silently toward "Blink". His features were a mask of serenity until he saw "her" approaching, and then his yellow glowing eyes seemed to take on an even higher shine. He caught "her" around the waist and led "her" to a secluded alcove in the hall. The track lighting adorning the priceless artwork in the halls was the only illumination, and Grover's eyes glowed eerily in the shadowed corridor.
"Thank you Grover, for protecting my secrets in the meeting. Without your intervention, Gregor would most assuredly have cast me out.....or worse," said Paramount giving a little cry of feigned fear.
"Worry not, my sweet," soothed Grover as he patted "her" porcelain cheek. "When all of this is done and reunification is completed, all our efforts to realign the houses will be rewarded."
"You are right, as always," said Paramount as he reached up his hand and pulled Grover's face closer. "You are my hope in the darkness of this deciet we must live."
"Blink's" lips parted slightly as "she" pulled Grover in for a passionate kiss, but Grover pulled away suddenly.
"No, my darling.........I love you truly, but it is not right that we act on this. You are still but a child, and although within in you, there burns the passions of an adult, those passions are yet to be tempered by the wisdom of age. Someday I promise. We will be together," said the noble Grover.
"You are once again right, my darling," said Paramount as he hid his anger and resentment. Who was this fuzzy blue oaf to turn down his advances? He would pay........ as would they all.
"Now, I must go and see Gregor about the plans to retake Puma from her captors," said Grover as he got up to leave.
Paramount also rose and continued his way down the hall. The insane former White King had almost made it to Blink's suite of rooms when he was awakened from his dark thoughts by the entrance of two highly intoxicated young mutants behind him.
"Evenin, black princessssss ," said Cannonball in a drunken drawl as he bowed and almost fell onto the marbled floors.
"Yeah....top of the night to ya," laughed the equally drunken Kid Sampson.
"Quiet, you idiots," Paramount spat, "Do either of you have any idea what's been going on since you left here this afternoon."
"A lot of drinkin," cackled Cannonball, "and some really bad Karioke by Sampson."
"No, you two wretches," continued Paramount and then stopped suddenly.
"Maybe this evening won't be a total loss after all," he thought as he noticed for the first time the trim athletic build of Cannonball and the stocky arrogance of Sampson.
"You two come with me to my quarters, and I'll.............fill you in on what happened in the meeting today," said paramount making Blink's voice husky and inviting.
Sampson and Cannonball looked at each other strangely, and then back at the "Black Princess" They then began to smile. Paramount returned the smile with a suggestive wink and opened the door to Blink's quarters.
"A pity that the Puma girl hadn't been more cooperative to his advances," thought Paramount to himself. "Even when he had morphed into the form of the other lycanthrope, WildChild, she had known, or smelled, as she put it, the difference. Oh well........any port in a storm," thought Paramount lustily.
Just as Cannonball and Sampson were about to enter, the wall at the end of the hall exploded inward and Nytshade and her attack squad came rushing through.
Greg
TBk
runner up for a buncha things 2000
"If video games affected people, wouldn't all of the Pac Man kids from the 80's be running around in the dark, eating pills, and listening to elctronic music?"
- Unknown