*HF* Hotwire
By Mufasa
Hotwire
Storm staggered forward from the risers, desperately trying to breathe in. She slammed her hand on the piano repeatedly, shaking her head up and down.
Khalid grabbed her from behind, applying the Heimlich maneuver. "Not to use this time to lecture, but this is precisely why you don't chew gum during class." Khalid backed up as Storm started coughing. "That's right... that's a good girl..." Suddenly, the gum flew out of her mouth.
Storm leaned on the piano, gasping for air. "Whoa... I think you cracked a rib..."
Khalid snapped in the air moving his fingers. "Havoc... take Storm down to the infirmary to get checked out." He looked toward the clock. "All right, class is over. No class tomorrow, because of the field trip. On Monday, bring your instruments. Have them out of the case and warmed up by the time class starts. Remember that next Friday will be test day over everything we have done so far. We have a performance to prepare for, so do be prompt. Dismissed." The classroom started clearing out, with mumbles and talking. "Excuse me, Demona, can I see you for a moment?"
Demona walked over, carrying her bag with her. "Yes, Hunter? Did I do something wrong?"
Khalid shook his head as he pulled a tissue out of the box. "No... not at all. I had just noticed that you seemed to be more comfortable with the music than anyone else." Slowly, he reached over carefully pulling Storm's gum out of her hair. Luckily, it didn't stick. "Would you like to do a solo at the concert?"
Demona mulled it over and nodded. "I would be glad to. Do you have a particular piece in mind?"
He reached behind him and handed it to her. "Glad you asked. The piece is called 'Cascade Moon', by Nicolai Guriyev. I used to tour with him a while ago. Take a look at it and see if you like it."
"Will do." Demona rushed out of the room.
Khalid dropped into the chair. "Whew... what a day..." He's been here two months. In about two weeks, they were about to give their first performance. These past eight weeks had been something else. First, he had to argue with Daemon, who wanted to pull people out of his class for some training. After they ironed out their differences, there was something brewing in the school about Puma. He did not know anything about what that was about, and really did not want to know. Then, of course, there was that argument with Avalon... who wanted to use his status as Black Prince to name himself section leader... of the sopranos! Teenagers and their hormones... "Glad that's over..." He slapped his forehead. "Now to worry about the instrumental half of the concert." He sat down at the piano, pulling out the large-sheet scoring paper. "Hopefully, I'll get the arrangements done by midnight..."
SuperGrover crossed his feet on Gomurr's desk. "I understand that the academy is giving a concert in honor of Silver's birthday?"
Gomurr nodded. "Yes. Nem needed something to keep Silver busy while she sneaks the decorators into the Grand Ballroom for the party the following night. Silver already knows about the party, but he has no idea exactly what Nem has in mind."
Grover chuckled. "Dear, sweet Claudia... Always something up her sleeve... How's that new music teacher working out?"
Gomurr took a deep breath. "From the reference point of the academy, he is doing an outstanding job. There was some friction early on, but that cleared up. I passed by a few of the rehearsals, and they sound incredible. He had to throw Bastion out of the class..."
"Bastion? What did he do?"
"Every other minute, he kept asking how certain actions fit into human parameters. As reluctant as I am to pull Bastion out of class, I could understand how that would slow down the work."
Grover leaned back in the chair, taking the two front legs off the floor. "From the reference point of the Black Hellfire Club?"
Gomurr gritted his teeth. "Truthfully? That is up for debate. As far as his training goes, you could say that his dexterity leaves something to be desired..."
"In other words, he is a clumsy oaf."
"I didn't say that..."
"Gomurr, who are you talking to? What else is wrong with him?"
Gomurr tried not to smile. He really tried not to... Grover had a way of getting under his skin... "Well, there's the matter of Mufasa."
Grover started laughing. "Mufasa? The entity that seems to just take over him at will? From what I've heard, Hunter cannot even access him unless he has the shit beat out of him or he remembers having the shit beat out of him."
Gomurr shook his head. "Not quite... I thought at first that it was just as you described it, a symbiosis. Mufasa, being an ancient entity, needed a vessel to come back to Earth and fight. He chose Khalid Hunter, small town kid from Indiana whose mutant power is that he talks with animals and plants. There's just one problem with that... According to the spectral scans taken at his entrance physical, there is no evidence of any extradimensional possession."
Grover thought that this was getting interesting. "So, Mufasa could just not be in residence right now. From what has been described, he just comes and goes as he pleases."
"That's what I thought, too... but let me show you something on the computer." His fingers danced across the keypad. "This is the spectral photograph taken at the examination. As you can see, nothing special." He tapped the function key. "This is a spectral scan taken when I had the shadows drag Hunter into the library. Look at that."
Grover shrugged. "So? The spectral scan shows that red energy in the form of lion is emanating from him. That means..."
Gomurr caught him. "On the spectral scan, red means mutant. That was mutant energy you are seeing... energy that is already apart of his biosignature."
"Let me get this straight... you are saying that Mufasa is nothing but an external manifestation of his mutant powers? Holy schizophrenia! Didn't we already go this route with Nem?"
Gomurr sat on the back of his chair. "Not quite... While this could be considered proof that Khalid Hunter is suffering from split-personality disorder, there is one thing that is overlooking."
"And that is..."
"Mufasa is very much an ancient entity. I ran into him during my stint as an African witch doctor. The Mufasa that was in the library is exactly the same one that saved me when I was younger."
Grover sat up in his chair. "I don't understand... How is that possible? You said Mufasa was not an extradimensional creature."
"You see, that IS possible. It has nothing to do with possession or schizophrenia... Khalid and Mufasa are one and the same."
"What are you saying? I'm not following..."
"It's very simple, really. It's called reincarnation."
Chapter 2: The Black Maestro
"And there is our Black Maestro, hard at work as ever." Deadpool walked into the rehearsal room, looking at the scores on the piano. "Yep, it looks like to me that he is particularly busy right now."
Havok looked at Khalid, sleeping at the piano. "I know that piano music can put you to sleep, but it must really be bad if it knocks out the pianist as well."
"Piano music makes you impotent?"
"No! I said pianist. Pi-a-nist. Get your mind out of the gutter."
"That's where it is, quite naturally. You ought to know that by now."
Havok walked over to the left side of the piano. "Hmmm... every time we see this guy, he is working on something."
"I know. What's he trying to do? Make us look bad?"
A sneer grew across Havok's mouth. "Well, we can't have that, can we?" He balled his hand into a fist and raised it into the air. Then, he brought it down on the keys swiftly.
Khalid abruptly pushed away from the piano. The bench, caught on the friction of the carpet, tipped over, depositing its occupant on the floor. Khalid's eyes blinked open. "What the..." His eyes focused as he looked straight up at the ceiling. "Is this some kind of BHC hazing or something?" He checked his watch and began to get on his feet. "Damn! It's almost eleven! I need to..."
Deadpool grabbed his shoulder and started dragging him out the door. "No kidding! Mike, why didn't you watch the time closer! We're going to be late."
Havok pushed Khalid on. "Sorry... I forgot what time the party started."
Khalid reached back toward the piano. "Party? I don't have time for a party. I need to finish the arrangement for the concert..."
Havok stopped in his place. "Mr. Hunter... Have you forgotten? I am the Black Warlord of the Hellfire Court. I hereby order you to attend this party. The host is a cousin of mine and one of the lower members of the Hellfire Club. He is not aware of the... intricacies in the hovering ranks, so keep that in mind. I'm sure that the two of you will get along fine. His wife is a beautiful woman with friends that would heat up an icebox."
"All right... all right... I'll go. Don't expect for me to have a good time. I have too much work to..."
Deadpool dragged him out the door. "Come on!"
"Reincarnation? Are you sure? He doesn't seem like..."
Gomurr was checking his clothes in the mirror. "Yes. I am quite sure. Khalid does seem to have some measure of control... albeit unconscious. Right now, he is unaware how to access his powers, so they only emerge when he is really stressed."
Grover ran the comb through his hair. "So, why don't you tell him that Mufasa is not a lion demon? Wouldn't he like to know that he is not some mere vessel? Perhaps if he learned how to control his powers, then that would make up for his lack of dexterity."
"Grover, there are a couple of reasons why I can't tell Khalid that he and Mufasa are the same. One reason is that he is not likely to believe it. You know the folly of youth..."
Grover "accidentally" bumped Gomurr out of the mirror. "Very funny... Why else?"
"The damage has already been done. A few years ago, he was nearly beaten to death. In a rage, he slew everyone around him. His actions shocked him so much that he disassociated himself with his active powers. That's why he is convinced that Mufasa is a lion demon."
"Okay... So, this is more of a Jean Grey-Phoenix rather than a Nemesis thing."
"That is my theory."
Grover slid on his watch. "Gee, Gomurr... The Black Court sure knows how to pick them."
"Mike! How're you doing, cuz? Long time, no see!"
Havok walked through the door. "I know. I was shocked when I heard that you'd gotten married."
"Well, that was a spur-of-the-moment thing. We went and did it right after we graduated from Pentway."
Deadpool walked through the door. "Hello, I am WadeWilson. I heard that you have a drop-dead gorgeous wife. She up for adultery?"
The host's wife kissed Deadpool on the cheek. "No... Come back to me in about thirty years, though." As he passed, she whispered in Havok's ear. "Is he a burn victim?"
"No... His religion requires him to keep his head covered."
"Which one?"
"I don't know. He never told me."
The host turned the door. "And you're other guest is... is... oh my God..."
The wife's eyes grew wide as all the blood rushed from her face. "Khalid?"
Havok's head jerked around. "You guys know each other?"
Khalid coldly stood in the doorway. For a second, his eyes flashed red, but returned to normal. "Hello, Dan... Imani... Happy Anniversary."
The three of them stood in place... Havok could feel the tension... and could cut it with a knife. "Well! Isn't this just dandy! Khalid just joined the Hellfire Club a little while ago. I had no idea that the two of you were friends."
Khalid's voice was dripping with ice. "Me either."
Deadpool nervously tapped his toe on the ground. This was going to be a LOOONG night.
End Part II
Chapter 3: The Party
Khalid sat in a lounge chair next to the pool as everyone danced. There were at least two hundred guests... all of them members of the Hellfire Club. Right now, he felt more like an outsider than ever before. He had been dragged to a party, celebrating the first wedding anniversary of Dan and Imani... who at one point had been his best friend and his almost-fiancé. He had walked in his apartment door to propose to Imani, when he found the two of them... together... on his bed. Needless to say, he was not any happier then. "Yes, Mike?"
Havok plopped down in the chair next to him. "Khalid... Imani told me that you had once been close. I had no idea. If I had known, I would have never ordered you to come."
Jamie walked over with a gorgeous Asian running her hands all over him. "What's wrong, Mike... Why is the 'Maestro' acting anti-social today? This party has everything... Fine dining, fine dancing, fine women..." The Asian giggled and teased his neck. "...Hmmm... I even heard that there was going to be a fine skinny dip later on."
Khalid's eyes flashed again as he drummed his fingers on the rest. "Just what I need... to see the two of them naked again. At least it isn't on my bed like last time."
Jamie leaned toward Havok. "Um... He isn't well, is he?"
"No... You could say that he's in a really sour mood." Havok stood up. "Well... For the meantime, you are here. With this being the one of the many Hellfire Club's halls, you have the run of the place. Try to have fun."
Khalid looked up into the sky. "Sure... I'll have fun. Don't worry about me." Havok went back toward the dance room with Jamie and his date. Khalid saw the pigeon sitting in a tree on the opposite side of the pool. "In fact, I know the perfect way to have fun."
"What kind of couple would plan a skinny dip at their anniversary party?"
Gomurr shrugged. "Beats me... but considering that the ratio of women to men is 2:1, I see nothing wrong with that."
"Gomurr, darling... there you are!"
Gomurr's eyes opened wide. That voice... it could only be... He felt himself picked up off the floor. "Malia? What brings you here? I didn't think these kind of events interested you."
The white-haired Malia Trent smirked. "Gomurr... we've been friends long enough for you to know that you don't know me." She looked Grover up and down. "Hmmmm... who is your blue friend, here?"
Grover kissed her hand. "Grover... I am pleased to meet you. So, how does a fine woman such as yourself know Gomurr?"
Malia laughed. "Oh... I've known him for years... and years... and years. I'm a film producer. Occasionally, I take shots at Gomurr's club. I have repeatedly tried to get Gomurr in front of the camera, but apparently, he only works for rival producers."
Gomurr shook his head. "That is really just an unfounded rumor. No truth to that."
Malia looked at her watch. "Excuse me, but I must be leaving. I have a scheduled shoot in half an hour."
"At 2:00 in the morning?"
Malia turned Gomurr to face her. "You should know by now that I do my best work at night... Bye." Without another word, she walked toward the door.
Grover watched the way her hips swung... seductively... There was something about her that really ignited something in him... "Dang, Gomurr! You know all the fine ones, you dirty, old man!"
Gomurr turned back toward him. "Don't let that exterior fool you. That woman used to baby-sit Selene. She's crude and ruthless to the core... That's why she is successful as a film producer. By the way... don't ask what kind of films she produces."
"Gomurr... are you hiding something from me?"
Nemesis, Silver, and Blackfire stood in the dining hall, looking out the window toward the pool.
"So, how am I going to convince the two of you to go into the pool?"
Blackfire shook her head. "There is NO way you are getting ME into that pool. You can just about hang it up."
Nemesis held her hands up. "Sorry... Don't feel like it. Besides... Robert isn't here to get jealous. It's no fun, then. Why don't you ask your secretary, Jack? Mandy strikes me as the sort who would love to..."
"Very funny, Claudia... Hmmmm... She is here, right now..." Silver walked toward the dining cart.
Deadpool handed Blackfire and Nemesis their glasses of champagne. "I swear, Sharon, you can be such a party pooper. You are just as bad as Khalid."
Blackfire shrugged. "Hey, I don't know what his problem is. The less I know, the better I'll be. If he does not want to have fun at a Hellfire function, then that is his choice. If you ask me, he has not exactly made much of an effort to be apart of this club."
Nemesis cut her off. "Sharon, you know fairly well that there was trouble when he came in. Granted... he is not exactly the best fighter... and the mutant power to talk to animals and get possessed by one is kind of dumb... but I can say that he is trying. He is doing wonders with the students at the academy. In fact, he has spent the last month concurrently rehearsing them and writing the music. I asked a lot of him, and he is producing. I never thought that he would put so much energy into it that he would shirk the social responsibilities of the club, though... He must be a workaholic. Besides... with an ass like that, I'd hate to get rid of him..."
Blackfire giggled. "Hmmm... I know... it is kind of..."
"HEY!" The two of them turned to look at Deadpool. "Why don't the two of you talk about MY ass?"
Nemesis took a sip of champagne. "Wade, you are old news. We talked about your ass when you were Black Recruiter."
Blackfire chimed in annoyingly. "DUUUUH!"
"Imani, please appear to have a good time. I had no idea that Khalid was going to come."
Imani was in tears as she turned toward her husband. "Dan... The hurt is very much still there. He trusted me and I betrayed him. Like you said, he was about to propose to me."
Dan held her. "I'm not exactly innocent myself. I mean... I knew that the two of you had talked about it, but I never thought... Look, he was blind. Our animal attraction, it was always there. He was just too naďve to realize it."
Imani looked back at him. "Naďve? Or in love... Dan... I don't regret what we've done. Not by any means, but you have to realize... The timing was bad. We gave into it... right in his apartment... on his bed. Besides... for a while, I was caught between the two of you. It was like I was in love with him, but I was attracted to you."
Dan looked directly into her eyes. "Are you still in love with him? Do you want to go back to him? If you are entertaining such thoughts, then I could walk away right now."
Imani grabbed him. "Don't you DARE! I am in love with you... right now! I just feel... I really feel that we should talk to Khalid. We do owe him an explanation."
"An explanation? For what? Falling in love?"
"No... For the way he found out."
Dan balled his fists, walking back and forth. "Fine... we'll talk to him, damn it. I don't know why you are so hung up on that loser... Do you know what he is? Nothing... Nothing." He grabbed his sides, and began shaking.
Imani ran over to him. "Dan! Are you okay? Talk to me."
Dan nodded his head. "Yes... I am... fine. I'm okay. Really... Can we just not talk about him?"
Imani nodded as the tears fell out of her eyes. These spells of his were happening more and more often. Then, of course, there were the sores on his hands... but what did that mean?
End Part III
Chapter 4: Party Pooper
Grover jumped into the pool. "Ooooh... it is really kind of chilly in here."
Debbie Blue grabbed onto him like she was afraid of drowning. "Yes... It is kind of chilly. Thank you for going in with me, Grover. This is my first time skinny dipping."
Grover placed his arm around her. "Glad to be of service..."
Debbie whispered into his ear. "Just a question... I don't see any fur on you... but your skin feels like velvet... Is there a reason?" She licked inside his earlobe. "Even the inside of your ear..."
Grover looked around as he felt her hand graze somewhere that it shouldn't have. "Debbie... Really... this is not the right place to even be entertaining such thoughts... I mean, there are people around..."
Debbie snickered. "They can't see anything... Besides... I'd say that it is a safe bet the somewhere in this pool, someone else is doing the exact same thing..."
Jamie's head came out of the water, gasping for air. "Whoa! I must admit... this pool is certainly crowded! There has to be almost a hundred people in this pool!"
Julie splashed water on him. "Hey... the Hellfire Club certainly knows how to have fun. This is so exhilarating. The feel of the water against the skin... amazing! They should do this more often! It is hard to believe that this is an anniversary party."
Jamie returned fire. "Yeah... I know. Whatever floats the boat... It is just fine with me." He dunked her head below the water. "Gwahahaha... Teach you to splash water on me. What..."
Julie came through behind him. "Ha! Ha! Made you look!"
Gomurr was doing the backstroke when he suddenly bumped into someone. "AHHH!"
Malia grabbed him and pulled him over to her. "Gomurr! You sound surprised..."
"Malia, I thought you had a shoot going."
"Change of plan... I decided to come back for the skinny dip." She glanced down at him. "Hey... I didn't know you had a birthmark..."
Gomurr splashed water at her. "Hey! Malia, just remember... I am watching you like a hawk. None of your little tricks. The last time I was skinny dipping anywhere around you, I noticed that you happened to cast a little spell that turned it into something out of one of your movies!"
Malia smirked. "The scene worked quite well... Alas, I left my cameras at home. The Hellfire Club is too big a social function for me to pull that off... and not be caught."
"Mmmmmhmmmm..."
"Besides, I'm here specifically to scout out new talent."
Gomurr shook his head from side to side. "I should have known..."
Imani waded at the side of the pull. She looked at Khalid sitting alone at the table. This must have been just as painful for him. She wanted to go over to him... try to make some kind of amends with him... but she was naked, right now. Getting out of this pool would be freezing. Besides, she would have to get the butler to bring her a towel. "Khalid... Why don't you join us in the pool? The water feels just fine."
Khalid turned toward her. Damn... even though he only saw her shoulders and arms, she was still fine... and married. "No thank you, Imani. I'm just not in the partying mood."
For a brief instant, Imani looked at him... remembering the feel of him... his love... Fond memories of their dates flooded in her mind. Then, she remembered them for exactly what they were... memories. She was with Dan, now. "Later on, if you don't mind, Dan and I would like to have a talk with you."
Khalid smiled. "That's just fine. We'll talk." He watched Imani drop into the water and swim toward Dan. Yep... they were miserable. They should be...
"Khalid. There you are." Nemesis and Blackfire walked up. "You decided not to join those people in the pool?"
"I've never been one for skinny-dipping. Are the two of you enjoying the party?"
Nem silently cursed. She had really hoped that she would get a free glimpse of his ass without asking... "Well... I must admit, that I find it awfully boring. We spent most of the time just sitting around like you did. The music was not even worth dancing to."
Blackfire nodded. "You could really teach that band a few things."
Khalid reached over toward the center of the table and put up the umbrella. "Would you like to sit down?"
Blackfire sat down next to him and Nem sat across from him. Nemesis looked into the sky. "Hmmm... Why did you put up the umbrella? It's almost 3:00 A.M."
Khalid looked toward the sky. "Well... I figured that the two of you did not want to be caught in the weather."
Blackfire wrinkled her brow. "Weather? But it is clear..." She heard coos and honks. "Wait a minute... do I hear ducks?"
Khalid nodded. "Yep... and pigeons... and geese. You two might want to scoot your chairs in."
Nemesis opened her eyes wide. "Khalid... what is going on..." She heard a splat behind her.
Blackfire jerked up. "No way..." Several more splats sounded. Suddenly, it began to rain... "All those birds... going at once?"
The three of them glanced at the pool. Nearly a hundred naked people had rushed the sides as they desperately tried to get out of the pool. The bird droppings were landing everywhere... on people... on the ground... in the pool. They rushed to get out, but the droppings at the side, made it too slippery. The only way they were getting out was up the ladders, and even that was difficult...
Khalid smiled. "Okay... Now, this party is getting interesting."
Nemesis was laughing. "I'll say! I've never seen a Hellfire party this live!"
Blackfire was still shocked as she watched everyone outside get bombarded with bird droppings. "I don't understand... why would the birds do that? It doesn't make sense!" Then, she glared at Khalid. "Wait a minute... how did you know that they were going to do it? You put up them umbrella before a single one fell."
Khalid shook his head. "I heard the noise... and reacted accordingly."
Silver walked up to them, wrapped in a towel, dripping with droppings. "Nem... Do you have any idea why that occurred?"
Nem tried not to laugh. "I don't know... I just saw the birds fly up. Did you and your secretary have a good swim?"
He growled as he walked off. Mandy slipped and fell while chasing him.
Chapter 5: Eye to Eye
After the birds left their mark, most of the guests left the house. It had quickly dwindled down to very few people. Nem and Silver had left early, because they had to wake up early to attend to business. Deadpool and Blackfire went out to catch a movie. In all, there were about fifteen people.
Strange enough... Khalid was buzzing. No, he was not quite at the falling-down drunk mark, but he was at the can't-drive status. After the skinny dip had come to its sudden end, he had finally got up to enjoy the party... He had his revenge. The best part was that no one had a clue why the birds had acted up.
Well... almost no one. "Hunter... I must admit that it was quite an amusing stunt you pulled."
Khalid raised his eyebrows. "What are you talking about?"
Gomurr, fresh from the shower room, looked directly at him. "We'll talk about it later..."
Dan and Imani walked in. Dan talked on the cell phone as Imani dried her hair off. "Yes... I'm still on for that golf game tomorrow. Westchester Greens? Sure... Yes, we can finally get the preliminaries out of the way. I can say with some certainty that I have easily adapted. Yes... As of tomorrow, it should be no problem. Yes... I'll even bring Imani. She was considering taking an active part..."
Imani rolled her eyes in disgust as she sat in the loveseat across the table from Khalid. "Khalid... We were hoping that we could possibly rebuild our friendship. It kind of ended on negative terms... and I... we really wanted to apologize for what happened."
Khalid sat up in his chair. "Apologize?"
Dan collapsed his phone and sat down next to his wife. Odd... he kept on rubbing his hands... "Actually, I am making no apologies. Imani didn't want to say this, but you were boring her. The entire time, she was making goo-goo eyes at me."
Imani's eyes opened wide. "Dan!"
"You finding us on your bed was a mistake... If I had my way, you would have found us on your living room floor."
Khalid stood up... angry. By this time, Havok and Grover had walked in... not exactly knowing how to react to the situation. "You son-of-a-bitch... You were my friend... I fucking saved your ass from flunking out of school for two years straight... Then, you go and bang my girlfriend in my apartment... on my very bed when you KNEW what I was going out to buy!"
Imani turned toward Dan. "You KNEW!?"
Khalid glared at her. "Don't you play innocent, Imani. It takes two to copulate... You lead me on... and slept with who I thought was my best friend. The sad thing is that I get the feeling that it wasn't a one-time deal. If you are looking for forgiveness, you came to the wrong place." His eyes returned back to Dan, flashing yellow. "And if you want someone to gloat to, you need to ask someone else. You don't impress me in the very least, Dan. You are EXACTLY what you sell..."
Dan grabbed him by the vest. "You maggot... How DARE you speak to me that way! You are NOTHING. You hear me? NOTHING!" His fist came flying...
Khalid caught it, elbowing him in the nose. "Looks like nothing is tromping your ass."
Grover pulled Khalid back. "Whoa! Hey! Calm down... None of that, here." His voice dropped to a whisper. "Hey... are you aware that your eyes are glowing?"
Havok stepped in front of Dan, holding his hands up. "Dan... That's enough. You already made your point. Now, I think that it is time for you to leave."
Dan started laughing as he stepped back. "Well... Isn't THAT something! The alcoholic bum cousin of mine is coming to the rescue of the poor-ass farmer hick from the podunk town in Indiana!"
Khalid's last words rang in the building. "At least my father doesn't sell cow-shit for a living!"
The two of them almost went at it again, but Imani got in-between them. "Dan... This has gone on long enough. Let's go." The two of them walked out the door to the Hellfire Clubhouse.
Khalid plopped down on the couch. "Fucking asshole. Made me lose my buzz..."
Havok sat in the chair. "I've never understood how a manure salesman could have such an inferiority complex."
Grover walked over to talk to Gomurr. "Gomurr... Where did he learn that elbow move? I thought you said that he was clumsy."
Gomurr observed the man at the couch. "Believe it or not, I spent half an hour Thursday morning trying to teach it to him, but he could never get it right."
"Does it have anything to do with the yellow flash from his eyes?"
"This was the first time I've seen it. It might be time for another exam..."
"What the hell were you thinking, Dan? Why did you go out of your way to antagonize him? I thought that we agreed that we were going to apologize!"
Dan pounded the armrest. "Apologize for what? I don't understand WHY you are so hung up on him. He is a LOSER!"
Imani could not believe what she was hearing. " You weren't that way before... You felt worse than I did after he found us. You weren't this arrogant before you went in with your new business partners. What is happening with you? Talk to me... We decided a long time ago that we were going to apologize to him when we saw him. Why are you so jealous of him?"
Dan backhanded Imani across the eye. "I am NOT jealous of him!" When she started crying, he touched her under the chin. "I'm sorry, Imani... It's just that when you mention him, I just get so... riled up! Please forgive me. I should have never taken my aggressions out on you."
Imani stood up, shying away from his hand. "Let me get some ice..."
As she left the room, the phone rang... Frustrated, he picked it up. "Yes, what is... Oh... You... I... the pains... they are getting stronger... This... person I know... Khalid Hunter... He is responsible for it... I know he is. I won't feel better until... You want to come with me? Fine... Should I bring... No? Leave her behind? Okay... We'll meet downstairs tomorrow afternoon." He hung up the phone.
Imani walked out with ice on her eye. "Dan? Who was that?"
"Don't worry, dear... I think I've finally found a way to solve all of our problems." Soon, Khalid... You will be paid in full... Then, finally, I'll have Imani to myself... the way it SHOULD be...
End Part V
Chapter 6: Khalid's Ass Gets Kicked
"Goody goody... and I was hoping that with the kids gone, I'd get a day off to finish the arrangements and get over to hangover. Hasn't there already been enough black on black violence?"
Daemon's punch landed right in Khalid's stomach. "Look at it this way... 'brother.' You could call this Pharoahan on Terran violence." His kick landed against Khalid's brow. "Of course, I have neither fired a blast nor drawn my sword."
Khalid rushed at Daemon. "Don't think I'm not grateful..." Daemon jumped out of the way just in time for Khalid to crash into the wall. "Yeah, I'm not..."
Daemon gave Khalid a quick kidney punch. "Perhaps if you had spent more time fighting and less time talking..."
Khalid's head went back, striking Daemon in the forehead. His elbow followed, right into the chest. Daemon fell on his back. "What was that you said?" Yeah... I am getting my ass handed to me by a man that I outweigh by nearly seventy pounds...
Daemon's legs shot out, tripping Khalid to the floor. "The moves I am using are quite elementary... We have not done anything complicated, yet." He was on his feet, stomping at the ground as Khalid tried not to get hit.
Khalid grabbed a foot and threw Daemon back. There is a reason I was a music major... "That's nice."
From the observation booth, Gomurr tapped his finger on the clipboard. What was so different about last night? Daemon was toying with him and Khalid could barely keep from getting injured. Right now, he was just as clumsy as he was in every other training session... bumbling on basic moves... He was trying to fight like he was in a bar... What was so different about that yellow glow that caused him to remember? He tapped on the microphone. "Khalid... take a rest. Daemon, a word, if you please?"
Daemon stepped out of the gym and walked into the booth. "Yes, Gomurr?"
"What is your assessment so far?"
"My assessment? His dexterity and mastery over the maneuvers are not even on par with the poorest student at the academy. He does not always take advantages of his openings. He hesitates every move, as if he is afraid of hurting his opponent. His recuperation and tolerance is higher than expected. Although he does not have strength or speed beyond that of an average man of his height and size, he has been able to shrug off several of my crippling blows. That kidney punch should have brought him to his knees, but it seemed he hardly noticed it."
Gomurr looked through the window. "Hmmmm... He is rubbing it a little now, but you are right. He did seem to ignore it when it happened."
"He does have a high tolerance for pain. Other than that, his skill is quite... substandard."
Gomurr mulled it over and over in his mind. Somehow, he had to reproduce that glow... "Daemon, did he seem in the least bit agitated or upset?"
"No... Not at all. Not even my comments seemed to bother him. Why?"
"Just a hunch... Try riling him up this time. Get him angry."
Daemon was confused. "I don't understand... We usually teach the students to block out the anger. Why?"
"I'm betting that the sparring match this time might make you break a sweat. Try it."
Khalid was drinking water when the electromagnetic blast destroyed the bench next to him. "Wha..." He moved just in time for Daemon's foot to go through the water cooler. Good things he had seen the reflection... "Let me guess... break's over?" His fist reached out, tagging Khalid at the side of the neck. As Khalid hit the wall, he nodded his head. "I guess so..."
Daemon started laughing. Hmmmm... that was an unsettling sound... "You've done so well with level one, I've decided that it's time for level two."
The blast struck Khalid in the chest, throwing him into the corner. Ack... He really needed to get out of the corner... "What are you talking about? I barely landed a hit on you!" He ducked just in time for the discharge to strike where his head had previously been. "I can't keep up."
Daemon rushed at him with a sneer on his grin. "Your problem..."
Khalid rolled out of the corner and was almost on his feet when Daemon's knee hit his ribs. Damn... There should be a law to prevent people like that from smiling. He felt the punch cross his cheek just before the kick hit the other one. Faced with little else to do, he fell on top of Daemon, knocking him to the floor.
Big mistake... Daemon turned his weight against him, throwing him onto the mat. "I have grown tired of your presence. Your class is a waste of the BHC's money and the student's time. So now, I finally get something to do about it!"
Nemesis walked into the observation booth. "Gomurr... What, pray tell, are you doing?" She saw Khalid and Daemon sparring... "Gomurr... Don't take this the wrong way, but... Your music teacher is getting his ass kicked. Of all people, why did you put him in there with Daemon? You do remember that Daemon teaches combat... Hunter teaches music." She winced when she saw Daemon's boot hit his face. "Besides... you'll ruin a perfectly good body."
Gomurr started writing on the clipboard. "Did you hear about what happened after everyone left?"
"You mean the fight?"
"Yes... He got agitated and started glowing. I'm trying to force it to happen again, but Khalid down there is not being helpful." He saw the leftover bench hit Khalid across the head. "Hmmm... I hope the doctor is in today..."
Nemesis watched the fight more closely. "Gomurr... Something just happened... The tattoos on his arms just changed to yellow... So did his eyes. Did that happen before?"
Gomurr tapped the spectral-scanning button. "That is exactly what I was hoping for..."
Daemon was surprised... not necessarily at the change in his opponent, but rather the tactics. For once, he had actually successfully tripped him. "A lucky shot, I'm sure."
Khalid stomped the ground as Daemon rolled out of the way. Each time, he had gotten closer and closer... "Shut up and fight."
Daemon caught his foot as it came down and punched his knee. Most people would be stunned by it. Khalid jumped in the air, intentionally landing on his back. His shoulder struck Daemon in the foot just as his free foot landed against the chin. Daemon, not wasting any time, shoved him off and got to his feet. Hmmm... His foot might actually be sprained. Khalid was on his feet as well. Daemon struck at him time after time, but Khalid kept on managing to dodge the strike.
Nemesis stroked her chin. "Gomurr... I thought you said that he was normally clumsy."
Gomurr scrolled through the readings. "He is... Believe it or not, this is a stellar performance as far as he's concerned."
"Let me see if I can pick up anything... What the..." Nemesis dropped to the ground, backing into the wall. "Damn... The sounds... the smells... can't handle..." She started shaking back and forth... almost as if having a seizure.
Gomurr punched the intercom button. "Daemon! End this session, now!" He saw the two of them caught up in the sparring. Damn it... Whenever Daemon finally got into a fight, he was always hard to pull out of it... and Khalid currently did not seem to be thinking straight. "END IT!"
Daemon flipped into the air and landed on Khalid's shoulders. His legs grabbed his neck in a sleeper hold. "Come on... calm down..."
Khalid threw himself against the wall... with Daemon beneath him. He staggered toward another wall and did the same.
Gomurr shook Nemesis' shoulder. "Nem... break off the psionic link... Come on... Break it off..."
Finally, Khalid dropped to the ground, unconscious. Daemon wiped his brow. Hmmm... was that sweat? "Gomurr?"
Gomurr emerged from the shadows. "Nem went into a fit after she telepathically probed his head... She's okay, now, but the doctor is checking her out. What about the two of you?"
Daemon shrugged. "You were right... The fight did get more interesting. I would have never thought that someone would do better at level 2 than level 1. Although I still could have killed him easily, I must admit that the second session was more... enjoyable." He picked up Khalid and slung him over his shoulder. "Where did he learn that drop move? My foot smarts..."
Gomurr teleported them through the shadows into the infirmary. "My guess? Too much WWF. Until today, I never saw a situation where you could apply any of those moves."
Daemon dropped him onto the cot as the doctor started examining him. "What would you call that? For a second there, he reminded me of a wild animal... You don't think..."
"No. Wrong kind of energy discharge. Doctor?"
The doctor checked Khalid's eyes. "According to encephalogram readings, the patient is in somewhat of a state of altered consciousness. Bruising is rather minimal, except for a mild concussion. Practically no bleeding or registering of pain. Respiration is normal after exercise. Pulse rate is about normal... Endorphins are up... Gamma and delta wave production is up..."
Nemesis sat up, holding her head. "What an acid trip... Remind me not to do that again, Gomurr."
"What did you notice?"
"As soon as I got in, it all hit me at once. It was like my senses kicked into overdrive. I could hear your heartbeat, my heartbeat, Daemon's heartbeat, the electricity whirring through the computers... Hell... just about everything. The sense of smell was even worse... It was pretty bad... Mind you, everything I sense was from the reference point of MY body. If I had probed deeper, I would have sensed everything from his viewpoint. Crazy Nem strikes again..."
Daemon sat in the chair. "Sounds like a sensory overload."
Gomurr observed the readings. The others had not seen it, but the spectral scan did see it. There was a very faint aura surrounding him the entire time... Not like that of a lion, but a human being. He would almost be willing to bet that this was an intermediate state between regular consciousness and the bloodrage that was Mufasa. That fit well... That first day, Havok has said that Khalid looked like he was spaced out. Perhaps he really was spaced out. He pulled out the clipboard, and began writing on it. Training Objective: Enable trainee to control transitional states... while remaining lucid.
Chapter 7: Chinese Food
Khalid stepped out of the elevator and headed toward his apartment at Strong Towers. That was the first time he had ever sparred with his landlord... and now he hurt. It was not the hurt that came from getting the snot beat out of him. No... it was the hurt that came from exercising. Although Daemon did hurt him a hell of a lot, he did not strike in such a way that would have left lasting damage... so he thought. "Home, sweet, home... Now to work on the arrangements." He walked through the door and set down the briefcase. "However, I'm not in the mood, right now."
He tapped the answering machine. "Khalid, this is Gomurr... I have some questions to ask you. It pertains to your training. Call me. #BEEP# Comrade, it is Nicolai. I have a few club dates in NYC and I am hoping you could play for them. You have my cell-phone number. #BEEP# Khalid, this is Imani." Khalid rolled his eyes. He did not want to hear a thing about Dan or Imani. They were the top two people on his diss list. He walked into the bathroom and went into the shower. He did not want to hear a word of what she had to say. "I know you probably don't want to hear this, but you are the only one I can trust. I'm worried about Dan. He hasn't been himself, lately. He's been arrogant, confrontational, and irrational. I'm not sure, but I think it's these people he made friends with. Please, if you have a chance, call me back. The number to the hotel is 555-1313 ext. 666."
Havok stepped out of the Lazey Divey Restaurant. It was a nice little sports bar that made the best chicken wings. Of course, he couldn't drink anymore, but it did not have such a hold on his life anymore. He still missed it, though... There were times when he would like nothing better to do then just go all out on a drinking binge... However, he had been down that road several times too many. Right now, he had more important things to worry about, like...
"Michael!"
He turned around as the woman known as Imani Ford ran right into him. He nearly fell down with the force. "Imani... Are you..." He pulled her away from him and saw the black eye. "What the... Did Dan do that to you?" He saw the giant welt on her neck. "What happened?"
Imani was in tears, obviously flustered. "Dan... He's lost it."
Havok could not believe it. It was like his cousin had become a totally different person. "Imani... Dan did this to you?"
Imani did not directly answer the question. "Michael, you must believe me. Dan has not been himself... Ever since he started hanging around this new group, he's been irritable... irrational... violent... It's not his fault! You must believe me on that..."
Havok shook her for a minute to stop the blabbering. "Imani... where is Dan right now?"
Imani started hyperventilating. "He's talked with his friends... and they're going after..."
Khalid was cooking stir-fry in his wok. He loved Chinese Food, even going so far as working for a Chinese restaurant in college just to learn how to cook it. The chicken was already done, having been glazed with orange sauce. The freshly drained rice sat in the colander in the sink. For the longest, he had been looking forward to a quiet dinner at home. Of course, it was almost unheard of to eat alone on a Friday night, but after last night, he was not exactly in the most sociable of moods. Then again, considering the rather large shadow approaching on him, it didn't look like tonight would be quiet, either...
"A tip..." Khalid whirled around, flinging the stir-fry at the intruder's face. "Next time..." He slapped the intruder upside the forehead with the wok. "Don't let your target..." He grabbed the man by his blond hair and slammed his face on the burner. "...see your shadow." He pulled the man's face off the burner and threw him toward the wall outside the kitchen door. "I don't know who you are, but you need to go back to thug school."
A throwing star knocked the wok out of his hands. "Don't move, Khalid... or it's all over."
Khalid turned toward the voice. "Dan... what's the meaning of this? How did you get in here?"
Dan stood at the doorway to the kitchen with a semiautomatic trained on him. Around him was a small Asian man holding throwing stars, twin Hispanic women bearing swords, and a blonde giant with a nasty spiraling second-degree burn on his face. "It's called eliminating the competition, Khalid... and if it suits the needs of my friends, then so be it!"
"The needs of your..." Then, he noticed it... the strange, hungry look in their eyes... and the mouths on their hands...
End Part VII
Chapter 8: Old Friends Meet New Friends
Khalid slowly reached in the sink and pulled out a handful of rice. "I don't suppose that I could interest you in some Chinese? It wouldn't take long for me to cook some stir-fry."
The Asian man with the throwing stars licked his lips. "No thank you, if that was supposed to be a racial slur. I think we'll be having soul food tonight..."
"Too bad..." Khalid threw the rice up toward the ceiling. The sprinklers kicked in. While they were distracted, he jumped over the counter into the living room. Before he could get off the floor, the two Hispanic women were practically on him.
"Una lástima, Maya... El es muy guapo..." Her foot landed right under Khalid's chin.
"Ana! Es mal de jugar con la comida!" Her hand grabbed Khalid around the neck, biting into him...
Khalid grabbed the two of them by their shirts and tossed them into the giant. "You should listen to your sister, Ana... This 'food' doesn't like to be played with." He took off toward the door as they got up.
Dan started spraying the room with his semiautomatic. "Die! Damn it, die!"
Shiro kicked his gun out of his hand. "No! You might hit the others!" Two throwing stars whizzed through the air, striking Khalid in the back. "Poison-tipped... They shouldn't kill him, but they ought to make him sick as hell."
Khalid managed to get one out of his back right before the giant plowed him into the wall... "I share my food with you and this is how you repay me?"
The giant laughed as his fist went into Khalid's gut. "You're right... where are my manners?" He picked up Khalid by his shoulders and slammed him against the wall. Khalid tried to scream as the throwing star in his back burrowed deeper, but the wind was knocked out of him. Right now, he could barely catch his breath. "What's wrong? Not ready for the big, bad, Norseman?"
Khalid could see everything around him starting to swirl... Damn, it was the acid-trip from hell... He tried to fight through it... Keep his mind together. That was difficult, though. All he could hear right now was the laughter... the laughter of everyone in the room... including himself...
"Shiro... what was in that toxin? I wouldn't think he'd be laughing with us?"
"An old family recipe... Gyorg has him. He's completely ineffectual, now. We can feed."
"What the..."
Khalid brought his fists down on the sides of the giant's neck. Gyorg laughed all the louder. "Shiro, I think this American has lost it..." Khalid did it again, still laughing. "Does he actually think that without his precious wok, he can hurt me?" He did it a third time. This time, the giant dropped him. Then, he fell to his knees and finally to the ground, dead.
Khalid slowly got off the floor, still laughing. He could barely balance himself. The entire room seemed to spin around. The people in the room this time resembled monsters out of a bad 70's movie. He wasn't scared, however... He was too high. He found it roughly amusing.
Dan stood in shock. "I don't believe it... He killed Gyorg!"
Anna pulled out her swords. "That's it, enough playing..."
Maya mirrored her actions. "...This one gets eaten, now!"
The door blew inward as Havok rushed in the room. "Khalid! A menage a trois? You dog!" He rammed into the twins, knocking them off their feet. "You lose points for the voyeurs, though..." A photovaltic blast threw Shiro into the wall. "Oh... I get it. I don't understand how the dead guy fits into this, though..."
Ana swung at Havok with the sword. "Look, sister... More food!"
Maya was on her feet. "You should have known better than to come here alone, mutant!"
Havok grabbed the sword by the blade with his morphed hands. "That's right, I should have..."
Blackfire's shurinken flew through the air, right into Shiro's eye. "Rectified!"
Deadpool came in behind her. "Oooh! Twins!" Maya's attack was swift, but Deadpool backhanded her.
Blackfire roasted Shiro. "Guys... I know that we are pretty much busy with emplates and stuff, but has anyone noticed two missing people?"
"Damned Shiro... I told him to bring the helicopter... but no! He wanted to teleport out. Idiot..."
Khalid stumbled out onto the parking lot. "Dan... There you are... I knew I could smell you out here." The aura was bright yellow... and out of control. It seemed to leave a mark on the ground as he approached. "You still think I'm nothing?"
Dan had his gun trained on Khalid. "You come closer, Khalid and I'll shoot you dead. Dare me, freak... Dare me."
Khalid laughed as he stumbled closer. "Come on, Dan... Here I am... High as a kite and beaten up... Are you so much of a wimp that you can't fight your own battles? You are only good as long as you have your vampire friends to back you up?"
Dan sprayed the ground in front of Khalid's feet. "Stay back, dude... or else! I'm warning you..."
"Why haven't you killed me already?" Khalid stumbled into him, grabbing his shoulder. The yellow aura, burned Dan's shirt and almost his skin. "Because you can't... I don't think that you are completely a vampire, yet."
Dan punched him back, landing quite solidly in his jaw. "Khalid! I'm warning you... Besides, we are emplates... Emplates suck marrow..."
Khalid was on the ground as his aura raged out of control, igniting several cars. The effects of the toxin were growing worse. "Marrow... marrow... Not very appetizing, is it? Why marrow, of all things?" He started laughing as well. "Why not brains? Or blood? Or even chicken? Why does it have to be marrow?" He slowly got up. "I don't think you've completely lost it, yet. Somehow, you are still Dan Ford... Shit Salesman Supreme! Hey... S-S-S! Whoa..."
"Dan!"
The sight of Imani in the dress was too much for him... The black eye... the scar on the neck where he had drank some of her marrow before going to kill Khalid... It came back to him. The shock... the shame... the agony... He couldn't handle it. "Imani... please forgive me. I did it for you... I did it all for you..." He brought his gun up to his head...
Khalid stumbled into him, knocking the gun out of his hand. "Ooops..." The aura caught Dan's clothes on fire.
Imani ran forward, screaming. "DAN!!!"
Gomurr emerged from the shadows, casting a gas out of his hand. It surrounded Dan, putting out the fire and dropping Dan. "He'll be okay... The emplate process wasn't finished, yet. He'll return to normal." He saw Khalid sitting on the ground, laughing his head off. "Khalid... You need to calm down... turn off your aura..."
Khalid was rolling on the ground, igniting more cars. "Aura? I have an aura? Whoa! I just thought it was part of this way-cool acid trip!" He was laughing again, uncontrollably. "Hey... does that mean I glow in the dark?"
SuperGrover grabbed him from behind. "All right, Khalid... Calm down... Stop setting things on fire..." His telekinetic field protected him from the brunt of the photon aura, but it still made him a little hot for comfort. "Hold still..." He pulled the throwing star from his back.
Khalid was still laughing. "Whoo! Pain! Pain! I love pain! Gimme more! Whoo!"
"Gomurr... is this what's causing it?" He slid the star along the ground to Gomurr.
Gomurr picked it up, sniffing it. He ran the tip of it just along his tongue. "It's laced, all right. Japanese recipe... Turiyaki brand, I believe. If the toxin is in the beginning stages, then we might really be in trouble. It's not going to wear off until tomorrow night."
"Where are you going to put him for the meantime? You can bet that Daemon isn't going to like the damage already done..."
"Hmmmm... This might be a blessing in disguise..."
End Part VIII
Chapter 9: Work Shmirk
"Subject potentially has ability to actively create solid-photon particles, the extent of which is unknown. For now, subject can only create them under stressful circumstances such as..." Gomurr stopped for a minute, trying not to laugh. "...traumatic experiences, closeness to death, or..." He let a chuckle escape his lips. "...um... altered states of consciousness..." I wonder how many people would be bothered that I used his Turiyaki toxin trip as an opportunity to observe him... or that I have considered giving him more before the next few training sessions
Silver emerged into the observation booth. "What's this I hear about Khalid being..." He looked through the window into the room below. "Gomurr! He practically destroyed the training room! What's this about?"
Gomurr handed him the report of the previous night's events. "Here it is..." He wrote on the notepad: Training Objectives: Refining of Self-Defense Skills, Control of transitional states, Dismantling of mental blocks, and Application of mutant abilities in a combat situation.
"Glad to hear that your cousin is back to normal, Havok." Blackfire crossed her legs at the table as she ate dinner. "The emplate thing wore off this morning."
Havok sipped on some coffee. "I'm glad to hear about it. Imani was worried sick through the night because of Dan's spells, but she's taking him on a vacation, now. I'd say that he needs it."
Deadpool dipped the bread in the garlic sauce. "I just kind of think it was really cheesy the way that Japanese guy teleported them out of there. Just because he gets his eye put out, he thinks that entitles him to escape."
Havok downed the cup. "Well, that is another thing that concerns me. How well have we kept track of these emplates? I don't think that we have the responsibility to go out and kill as many as possible, but I think it is still something we ought to look into."
Daemon walked through the door. "Sorry I'm late, I just had to spend the entire day overseeing the clean!"
Blackfire twirled the spaghetti on the fork. "So... Was there any trouble?"
"It looked like this... The police said the strangest thing... This giant Norwegian was blowing cars up in the parking lot using his semiautomatic. Khalid, seeing this, ran inside. The giant went after him. Thinking quickly, he blinded him with stir-fry and beat his head in with the wok. The giant picked him up and slammed him into the wall. Then, he fell dead from a stroke." Daemon sat at the chair, serving himself a plate.
Havok started on the food. "I'll see to it that the Hellfire Club reimburses you and your tenants for damages done..."
Daemon looked up. "Don't worry about it. My insurance covered the entire thing. However, Khalid might be more than a little upset..."
Havok reached for more garlic bread. "Why?"
Daemon picked up a bag. "What do you see in here?"
Blackfire looked in. "Burned pieces of... Oh my god..."
Deadpool dropped his fork. "What is it..."
She pulled out a single sheet of paper that was practically ashes. "Manuscript paper..." She turned toward Deadpool. "It's the music for Silver's party... burned!" There was a knock at the door.
Blackfire set the napkin down on the table. "Let me get it." She opened the door and saw Khalid standing there. "Khalid... What a surprise..."
Khalid pulled a shurinken out of his pocket. "I found this in my apartment... and thought I should return it."
Blackfire stepped away from the door as she accepted it. "Well... Would you like to come in for dinner?" She turned toward the people at the table. "I mean... if the rest of you don't mind." Everyone at the table shook their heads. Deadpool set another plate on the table. "Come on in."
Khalid walked in, seeing the bag of burned paper. He picked it up looking at it. "Well... what do you know... my manuscript paper..." He walked over to the trashcan and dumped the bag, handing it back to Daemon. "I always spent too much time working, anyway." Then, he sat back at the table... and the conversation began.
The End