*HF* Starting Over
By Mufasa
Starting Over
Chapter 1: From the Ashes
"Mr. Hunter, this is your temporary apartment until after your interview."
"You have GOT to be kidding!" Khalid Hunter walked into the place that would be his quarters, for the meantime. It was modest, but much more than he was used to. He had no idea that it was going to be furnished. Just last week, all of his belongings went up in a puff of smoke. Now, he did not have to buy anything. Everything that he needed was already provided. "I... I can't believe it." He turned around to meet the owner of the building. "THIS is the apartment the BHC ordered for me?"
The owner nodded his head up and down. The look on his face indicated his annoyance. "Yes, it is. I trust that it meets your specifications?"
Khalid set down his suitcase. "Yes... I guess it does... I mean..." He was overwhelmed. When Silver had said apartment, he was thinking more of a hotel room. This apartment would put some houses to shame. It had everything. "It will be fine. How much will the rent be for tonight?" Like he really wanted to know... he only had $50 in his pocket.
The owner's eyes went up. "The Hellfire Club has already made the arrangements. If you have any problems, please do not hesitate to call my building supervisor. That is what I pay him for. Now, if you will excuse me..."
Khalid reached out his hand. "Mr... Daemon, is it? Thank you very much for showing me the place."
Daemon shook it, betraying his annoyance. He had too many things to do to be wasting time with this idiot. "You are welcome, Mr. Hunter. Good day." He left the room, closing the door behind him.
Khalid checked out the entire place. Compared to the rat holes he had usually stayed in, this was almost paradise. Unfortunately, it was a bittersweet paradise. His career was just starting out. Two days from now, he was supposed to have made his first recording with a record label. However, they withdrew their offer after the incident. For now, he was through... caput... Then, other things began to happen. His tires were slashed and then his apartment was set on fire. He was not sure what was going on, but he knew that his entire life was coming apart at the seams. The call from Jack Silver was a Godsend. There was only one thing picking at his mind. Out of all the music teachers that had been teaching for longer than he'd been alive, why did they pick him out?
Silver looked out the window at the yard. "You know this is going to cause a stir. It took me hours to convince Nem that the school needed a music teacher. I haven't even filled in Gomurr or Monet."
Harbinger sat at the table, eating his breakfast. "Yes, I know. Really, I could care less whether or not there is a music teacher. I just wanted to get this guy someplace where we could watch him. Those men that attacked him at the club worked for the government. I'm sure about it. From picking their minds, it seems like he's a mutant, fresh out of college. I would have probed deeper, but with the spectacle by the press, I felt that it was best for my involvement to be purely telekinetic."
Silver sighed. "So they couldn't see you. Point understood. The press managed to drag his name through the mud, anyway. Personally, I have my reservations. He really has no clue as to what kind of organization we are or what we stand for. After talking to him on the phone, I really don't see him fitting in. As far as he knows, this is an academy for spoiled rich brats. Financially, I don't see him as being of any use."
Harbinger continued to eat. "Jack, I know that a certain level of success is necessary for a royal position in the club, but since when has it been a prerequisite for entrance? If I remember correctly, wasn't your Black Warlord living on the street before he joined? Hell... I spent my childhood in an apocalyptic future. Look at these kids we admit to the academy. Not many of them are the sons and daughters of filthy rich aristocrats. He doesn't know what to expect." He reached down, pulling a file folder out of his suitcase. "I did a little digging. Read the file. I'm pretty sure that after you read it, you'll be sure of your decision. I'm telling you, there is something to this man. Even if he has had no combat training, I think that he could prove useful."
Silver picked up the file, going through it. "Let's see... 6'2'', 240 lbs... At least we don't have to worry about him getting pushed around by the kids..."
Harbinger picked up his coffee. "Keep reading..."
"5th of 7 children. Lived in Lehigh, Indiana. Graduated from Pentway Conservatory of Music summa cum laude in six semesters. IQ of 280? We got enough of those... Was about to sign a record label with Pulsating Records when the public performance was interrupted by government agents. Yeah, what a sob story."
He leaned back in his chair. "There's more."
"Hmmm... Is an expert tracker. Learned the art from his grandfather. Has located several missing people in the parks."
"Interest piqued?"
"There was a situation where he had been found severely bruised in a cornfield with several dead athletes. The police projected that they had been attacked by animals... even though there were no bite marks on the kid himself. There was an earlier situation at an elementary school where he had talked a rabid dog into lying on the ground? What is this?"
Harbinger smiled. "My gut instinct says that we grab this guy. There is some reason that those guys want him. If we let him go, I have a feeling that we would regret it, later."
Silver took a deep breath. "Well... I wasn't sure before when I was pitching it to Nem, which is half the reason it took so long, but now you've sold me. Bring him in tomorrow morning. We'll see what else we can get out of him. If he is going to work here, I think it is time that he learns exactly what we are about."
"You failed. Simple as that. You can expect to be working in Antarctica until you're 90."
"Sir, give us another chance. We have him located... Intelligence is faxing us all the information they have in their computer. Now, we are prepared for him."
"You have two days. Either have him delivered here, or I have you transferred to the Antarctic Project."
End Part I
Chapter 2: Meetings
Khalid woke up and walked toward the living room. He opened the balcony door and stepped onto the deck. Looking out, he could see the city. The view was incredible. A bird landed on the railing, right in front of him. "Quit squawking, Blue Jay."
The Blue Jay chirped in surprise.
Khalid sat on the deck chair. "Yeah, yeah... A human you can understand. So, are you enjoying this beautiful... polluted morning?"
The Blue Jay flapped its wings slowly as it chirped its response.
"Good. Well, you better go ahead and look for bread before some of these New Yorkers shoot you. Your children are probably hungry. Go on." The bird flew off, making more noise than before.
Khalid returned to the living room and was in the middle of doing his right-handed pushups when the phone rang. "Hello?"
"Good morning, Mr. Hunter. Jack Silver, here. There is going to be a meeting this morning for the trustees of the academy and the administrators to discuss your position. You presence is requested, so that we may best determine whether or not you will serve well not only as faculty at the academy, but as a member of the Hellfire Club."
Khalid smirked. Serve well? As a member of the BHC? How could he? Despite his intelligence, the guy had maybe fifty dollars in his pocket. He did not even have a decent suit. That went up in the fire. If things had gone the way they were supposed to, he might have had the chance. Now... Well, he was just going to have to show them that he could teach music with the best of them. "Sure, I'll be there, Mr. Silver. At what time is the meeting?"
"I'm requesting that you arrive at 10:30. That will give us a chance to get some other issues out of the way."
Khalid glanced at the clock. Damn! It was 9:30 right now! He could get there, but he would have no time to buy any clothes. Hell... with only $50, what was he GOING to buy? Great, he was going to make a great impression... He'll look like he is some homeless guy begging for a job. Despite the fact that it was the truth, he still did not want to give that impression. At least they didn't know he was a mutant. The last thing he needs is to be turned down for another job simply because someone suspects he has mutant powers. "No problem." He gritted his teeth. Well, he really did not want to wear the Kente suit his mother sewed, but that would have to do.
"See you, soon."
Monet stalked into Gomurr's office. "Okay, Blondie, conference over!" She picked up the woman by the belt of the pants and threw her in the hallway. Immediately, the door slammed shut behind her. "All right, Gomurr, start speaking."
Gomurr looked at the girl who angrily stood on the opposite of his desk. Under normal circumstances, any girl of that age who acted in such a manner would have been severely reprimanded. However, these are no normal circumstances. Monet is the headmistress of the BHC Academy... and she has reason to be mad. "Truth be told, they neglected to inform me as well. I knew nothing about it."
Monet paced back and forth. "I don't understand this... I really don't. First, I graduate from the academy and get named headmistress, because of my 'intelligence.' Yet, they do not want to give me the space to make administrative decisions. How do they expect me to do my job?"
Gomurr leaned back in his chair. "Monet, I have been in this business an extremely long time... longer than your parents have been alive. Trust me when I say that it has been worse. I would have thought that the games would have ended, but it looks like that I was wrong."
Monet pulled out the slip of paper. "They are just going to say that we have to report to a meeting in..." She checked her watch. "...30 minutes? For a new MUSIC teacher? They didn't consult as at all! I don't even think this guy is a member of the Hellfire Club."
Gomurr stood up. "He isn't. I ran his name... Khalid Hunter... through the database and did not turn up anything."
Monet dropped the paper. She recognized the name. What if... "Khalid Hunter? That's his name?" She reached into her pocket and pulled out a CD and turned it over to the back. "Just what I thought."
"What is it?"
She placed the CD down. "Nicolai Guriyev. Russian saxophonist." Her finger pointed toward the back. "Hunter played piano in his band. His stage name was Mufasa. The guy was set to record a solo CD, except some people busted up his performance. Word is that he was black-listed. This is the guy we're pulling in?"
Gomurr picked up the case to look at the back of it. There was a picture of Hunter sitting at the piano. Although he had never seen him before, something looked familiar about him... but he wasn't quite sure what it was... "Apparently so... We better get down there."
Khalid walked onto the grounds of the BHC. There was something off about this place. He could feel it in his bones. He wasn't sure what, though. The dorms... the large fence... the security... the students walking to gym class carrying broad swords... This was a training ground of some sort. He was sure of it. For what? He supposed that he could go ask the grass or something, but that would look kind of bad. It was always more difficult talking to plants than it was animals. Khalid, what have you gotten yourself into?
"Excuse me, you must be Mr. Hunter?"
Khalid turned toward his left. The woman who greeted him was a gorgeous redhead who appeared to have a gun at her side. Was she security? The outfit she wore pulled tightly across her body, flaunting her nice, fit form. Security wore a cat-suit? Mee-Yow. Hmmmm... Watch her be some kind of psycho mercenary or something. "Yes. Are you here to escort me to the Royal Dining Hall?"
The woman nodded up and down. "Yes, the trustees and administrators are finishing breakfast as we speak. They are waiting to meet you." She gestured toward a large, elegantly-shaped building. THAT was the dining hall? "Let's be on our way. By the way, for future reference, you may call me Blackfire. I am head of security."
Gomurr set down the folder in front of him. "In other words, this is a front. You are more concerned about what this guy might be able to do for you rather than whether or not he might be able to teach the students something."
Nemesis' eyes opened wide. "Silver! I'm appalled!" Her voice grew to almost a whisper. "You didn't let me in on it?"
Harbinger nervously tapped his foot under the table. If he didn't know any better, he would say that Gomurr was pissed. Nah... Gomurr wasn't angry... Monet on the other hand was irate. She would never give voice to it, though. That would save her, for the meantime... "Think of this not as a deception, but as a humanitarian mission. Would it not be better for him if he was in a place under the protection of the Hellfire Club? Who knows what the government had in store for him?"
Silver straightened his jacket. "Harbinger's right. And if it fulfills our needs as well, then it's all for the better."
Monet took a deep breath and spoke out. "How does he fulfill our needs? All you know is that he is a mutant. You have no idea whether or not he can use his powers. He has no combat training on record or any finances whatsoever. What use could he possibly be to the club?"
Silver glanced toward Monet. "Despite everything you mentioned, he is an experienced tracker, capable of locating nearly anything. That alone is worth entrance."
The speaker buzzed. "Mr. Hunter has arrived for his appointment."
"Show him in." The red-headed secretary opened the door as Khalid walked in. Silver walked to the door and extended his hand. "Welcome to the Black Hellfire Academy. Let me introduce the administration. Here we have Claudia Sandubal, Robert Maxwell, and Gomurr... Viejo."
Khalid looked at the old man wearing the robe. Gomurr the Old? How fitting...
Silver turned toward Monet. "Monet, over here is one of our prime students. We had a little situation with her earlier, but that has been cleared up. Time for your next class, Monet." Monet's eyes opened wide as she stood up. For a brief instant, her eyes could have shot daggers at Silver. However, approaching him would have been quite inappropriate... and harmful for her career. Reluctantly, she left the room. Silver turned back toward Khalid and gestured toward the chair opposite him. "Please have a seat."
"Thank you. It's a pleasure to meet you all." Khalid sat down quite agitated. "So, how can I help you?"
Gomurr studied the man sitting two seats away from him. Something was definitely familiar about him... but he had never seen him before Monet pulled out her CD. He was positive that there was something else to him... something that went beyond performing, tracking, and government agents... Music soothes the savage beast... Strange... why did that thought come up?
"The goal of this meeting was not only to determine whether or not you'll be employed by the academy, but also to determine your qualifications to enter the Hellfire Club."
Khalid's left eyebrow went up. "Oh really..." He leaned back in his chair. "Before we start, how about you explain something to me? You don't need a music teacher, do you? Something tells me that this school is much different than it seems."
Silver was taken aback by the question. Nemesis glanced toward him and winked her eye. Yep... the gig is up. "Now, why would you say that?"
Khalid smiled. "Let's see... The dorms, the fence, the kids walking toward the gym with swords, oh yeah..." He leaned forward on the table. "Your head of security is younger than I am. However, I could also go with the obvious reason that I never thought about before..." He drummed his fingers on the table. "Not once did you ask for a résumé or an audition. In most states, it is illegal for a state-accredited institution to hire a teacher without a background check. So, for some reason, this academy seems to have the word 'front' printed all over it."
Silver returned the smile. Perhaps Hunter was not as naïve as he thought. "So, what do you think it is a front for?"
Khalid crossed his arms. He did not want to let it on, but his heart was practically beating out of his chest. "I am suspecting that this is a training ground. For what, I don't know... Would you care to enlighten me?"
Silver stood up. "You are right, in a sense... This is a training ground... for the leaders of the future. In each of these students, there is something special... a drive to succeed. The Hellfire Club seeks to better the world by using whatever resources are at our disposal. However, we need to prepare tomorrow's leaders to take the social, political, and economic reigns and improve global conditions. That is the main goal of the academy."
Khalid listened to the words. How poetic... fluid... politically correct... What a crock of shit! Hmmm... It was almost like the woman in black was listening to his thoughts... freaky... "If I didn't know any better, I would swear that you are gathering thugs. Since when is it in a 'preparatory' curriculum to learn how to wield a broadsword?" He stood up. "You can sit there and play Mr. Universal all you want, but I won't be apart of your games, whatever they are. Good day, Mr. Silver... I will be out of the apartment by tomorrow morning."
As he turned to leave he accidentally knocked Harbinger's folder to the floor. Bending down, he picked it up and began to set it on the desk. Then, he noticed something... everything in the folder pertained to him. "Is this ANOTHER example of using your resources for the common good?" He threw it on the table. He saw the newspaper clipping... March 3, 1995... That was the date... the date of...the athletes... His hands began to shake. "I am out of here." In a rage, he stormed out the door.
Nemesis practically purred. "Well, Silver... Perhaps you should have let me in on it. Then, I could have done some more blatant dancing in his head. However, he is gone, now. C'est la vie."
Harbinger picked up the newspaper clipping. "Did you see the way he reacted when he saw that newspaper clipping? I thought he was going to pass out."
Silver stood up. "What does it matter? One thing about the Hellfire Club is that we ask only once. He had his opportunity and turned it down. His loss."
Nemesis walked toward the door. "I could have told you before that he was not Hellfire Club material..." She paused... "A shame... He did have a nice ass, though..."
Harbinger glared at her. "Only you..."
She turned back toward him. "What's wrong, Robert? You jealous? Perhaps we can take it up, later..."
Silver cleared his throat. He would rather not be in the room when they started flirting like this... "So, Gomurr... What do you think?" He looked around. "Gomurr? Gomurr?" He shook his head. "I hate it when he disappears like that..."
A man took a puff on a cigar as he staked out Strong Towers (thank you Daemon!). "So... that is where Hunter is hiding out. After his place was torched by that guy, I wouldn't think that he could afford it."
"Tell you what... The guy that owns this building? Gabriel Strong? Intelligence says that he has had several connections to the Hellfire Club. In fact, that limo that picked him up? It is registered to Jack Silver... also linked to the Hellfire Club. If I didn't know any better, I'd say that the Hellfire Club is interested in him."
He tapped the ashes just outside the window. "Too bad... Because it looks like soon his allegiances are going to be elsewhere."
Khalid stumbled out of the Dining Hall. He was glad to be out. Damn... the memories were flashing again. He had begun breaking out in a cold sweat. He needed to get out... rest... Right now, he felt really faint.
Blackfire met him outside. "Your appointment over already? I would have expected it to be another half hour."
"Yeah... it's ended early..." He stumbled forward, bumping into Havok.
"Hey! Watch the hell where you're going, will you?"
He stumbled away from him, this time bumping into Blackfire. "Sorry about that..."
Havok looked at him. "Blackfire, the guy has gone pale. Is he sick or something?"
Khalid began hallucinating... reliving the memories. He leaned on the railing and vomited.
Blackfire stepped away from him. "That's what it looks like..."
Khalid could hear the shouts and the taunts... feel the blows raining down. "No... stop it..."
Havok and Blackfire approached him. Havok grabbed his shoulder. "Hey! Are you ok--"
Khalid whirled around, knocking Havok to the ground. He raised his hand above his head, about to strike. Then, he stopped.
Blackfire hastily pulled Havok to his feet. "Mike! Why were you just sitting there?"
Havok turned Blackfire around, speaking really low. "Sharon, do you see what I see?"
Khalid stood for a moment in the same position, apparently catatonic. His eyes glowed red as he held his hand in place. What had drawn Havok's attention was the red outline around the hand... shaped like a cat's paw. His eyes suddenly reverted back to normal and the outline disappeared. "Excuse me... I gotta go."
End Part II
Chapter 3: Whoa Boy...
Havok walked into the Royal Dining Hall. "Silver... Sorry about busting in."
Silver shook his head. "Think nothing of it. We just dismissed."
Havok stood for a minute to catch his breath. "You wouldn't believe what I just saw. You know that guy with the Kente clothes?"
Silver rose his eyebrow. "Khalid Hunter? What about him?"
"Whatever his name was... the guy you guys just had a meeting with. Anyway, he must have really been upset about something at the meeting, because he just freaked out."
"What are you talking about?"
"He was stumbling outside and apparently hallucinating. When I went up to him, he knocked me down. I'm telling you that he was glowing... it was like he was possessed or something."
Silver leaned back on the chair. "I probably shouldn't do this... Hell, the rest of the Royal Court will have my head if they find out I said this... Take Blackfire and tail him."
Havok was shocked. "Okay... but... why?"
Silver drummed his fingers on the table. "I'm not exactly sure... He's supposed to be leaving tonight, but for some reason I am sure that we should watch him."
Gomurr sat in his meditation, rolling through his memories. Somewhere before, possibly in another life, he had met this guy, but he could not remember when or even why it should bother him. There had been other people he had met in other lives... Why did this one stick out? The beast, you idiot, the beast. "The beast... What beast?" His eyes flew open. Monet had told him the name of the beast before. "Mufasa. Damn..." Without another word, he dove into the shadows...
They were after him... Great, drunk again. Why do these people always have to get drunk? Well, they were drunk and they felt like beating on someone. Unfortunately, he was the choice...
"Hello, freak!" Jeremiah Johnson was hot on his trail. "What's wrong? No animals to talk to?"
Michael Graves followed in the truck. "No... He's late for his piano lesson."
Khalid shouted toward the back. "Look guys, has it occurred to you that cornfields are really bad for forward drive vehicles? So, why don't you go to a nice coffee shop and get sober? I'd appreciate it..."
David Smith was in the passenger seat of the truck. "You know, they say you shouldn't drink and drive..."
Graves turned his head to look at him. "Good point... We'll have to remember that next time." The truck went in the ditch. The wheels could not pull out in the mud.
A smile spread across Khalid's face. "Darn. Oh well. I guess we'll just have to put this off another day... like about a hundred years from now." He tripped over his shoelace. "Damn! Best opportunity to get away and that happens." They piled out of the truck. Khalid started backing up. Great. One on one, it would not even be a contest. One on six was another thing. Damn, he should have taken tae kwon do...
Peter Dogz kicked him in the ribs. "Oh, look... what's wrong... Too good to party with us?"
Khalid rolled over, backing up. "In short... yes." Ignoring the pain in his side, he kicked Pete behind the knees. "So... why don't you find someone..."
Dave and Tim reached down and pulled Khalid on his feet. Dave's smelly breath ran into Khalid's face. "You know, I have had quite enough of your mouth."
Khalid ripped his arm out of Tim's hands. "Good." He shoved Dave's face away from him. "I wasn't going to let you kiss me anyway. I'm not that kind of guy. I heard that Jeremy is, though..."
"That's a lie!" Jeremy's fist went across his jaw. It was followed by several fists to the stomach and face. Khalid struggled, but there were too many of them. Damn, he really wished he had taken tae kwon do.
Khalid spit out of his mouth, with blood dripping down his chin. "So, does that mean that the only time you guys have balls is when you are together and drunk? No wonder you can't get laid."
Dave's fist went across his temple again. "You know, I've been dying to set you in your place. So, are you going to blab to your family about what happened?"
Khalid smiled. "Of course I am... I'm also going to laugh when the police come take your scrawny asses to jail." A kick landed in his stomach. "Right after I get out of the hospital..."
Dave grabbed his face around the chin. "You've been asking this for years... showing up everyone... dissing the football team..."
"Is that what you are upset about? Has it occurred to you that football season has been over for four months? If it bothers you that much, take it up with my lawyer." The fists and kicks flew again. Pounding on him... pushing him further and further to that void of unconsciousness.
"Damn, Dave... I think we killed him. He doesn't look like he's moving. Maybe we ought to get an ambulance."
Dave kicked at Khalid again. "No... I am going to make sure this one pays..."
Mike grabbed his hand. "Come on, Smith. He ain't worth a life sentence. Come on... There's really no..."
David whirled around and shoved Michael back. "No! Leave me the hell alone. He is going to pay!" Again, his foot went again to kick... but Khalid's hand caught his foot before it arrived. Dave was thrown into the back of the truck.
Mike staggered back, in disbelief as Khalid got on fours. "I don't believe it, man... He's on his hands and feet... and he's glowing!"
Peter started back toward the truck. "That glow... it looks like a fucking lion!"
David was out of the truck with a tire iron. "Well, I guess it is time to put him down!" He rushed at him. Khalid's hand shot out. The aura, mimicking his every move, sliced across David's neck. David fell to the ground, gurgling blood out of his mouth.
Peter was next. After backhanding Jeremy, Khalid's back foot flew back striking Peter's chest. The claws of the aura went deep into his stomach, nearly disemboweling him.
Within three seconds, the entire battle was over. Khalid opened his mouth and shouted. What came out of his mouth instead was a roar... a roar of vengence ...
Two men burst into the apartment, each holding tranquilizer guns. "Damn! Tom, you hear that roar?"
Tom leveled the gun. "Sure do, Nick... It's coming from him."
Khalid turned to face them, clearly caught in the bloodrage of the memory. The aura of the lion glowed bright red around him. The voice that came out sounded very little like his, but more like a demon. "I am warning you. Leave now or face the wrath of Mufasa."
Nick aimed the gun as well. "Damn! He's on all fours!"
Tom shot a tranquilizer dart into Khalid's shoulder. "Nick! Quit fooling around and get busy!"
Khalid ripped it out, discarding it. His glowing red eyes lit up the darkness of the room. "You are trying my patience."
The two of them shot again. Khalid jumped at them, about to rip their throats out when the toxin got to him. He landed between them, knocking them to the ground. The aura disappeared and his muscles went limp.
Tom stood up. "Whew... I didn't think he'd be like that when we arrived. That was enough tranquilizer to keep an elephant out for two days. We better get him packaged for delivery. We take him out the way he is now and the gig will be up. The last thing we need is the Hellfire Club down our throats..."
Nick pulled a bag out of the hallway and rolled him into it. "There... The material should let him breathe. Now, let's get out of here. This place gives me the creeps."
Tom slung Khalid over his shoulder and walked out. "He better have a good sleep, because he is about to be a member of Project Veeder."
End Part III
Chapter 4: Damn
Havok looked up into the sky. "Sharon... I thought that Daemon allowed only his helicopters on the roofs of his apartment buildings."
Blackfire sat up the car seat, obviously jumping out of her sleep. "Wha-how-huh-who?" Havok was out of the car and heading inside the building. "Why do I even bother asking?" She ran after him into the elevator. "Which number?"
Havok hit the seventh button. "25th floor... I think... Something strikes me a little funny." The two of them rushed off the elevator and toward the door.
"Is it locked?"
Havok morphed his finger and stuck it in the lock. "It isn't, now." They walked inside the door. "Shit. This place is a mess."
Blackfire looked at the floor. "I don't know. It looks to me like he freaked out like he did earlier and then left on his own accord."
Havok reached down, picking up the discarded tranquilizer dart. "Only if he was sleepwalking... He was kidnapped."
Blackfire picked up the phone, dialing Silver's number. "Silver? Yeah, someone grabbed him, alright... Took off in a helicopter. We did not even realize what was going on."
Mark Ingrim looked before him. "Nick... Tom... You've done well. You managed to bring him to me whole and unharmed, which is more than I can say about your first attempt. I would have thought that agents of the federal government would know better than to kidnap someone at a public performance!"
Nick crossed his arms. "Mark, you told us that he would be attending a public performance. You said NOTHING about him giving one!"
"Well, thanks to your botched attempt, five of your coworkers ended up in the hospital. Hell... they have no memory of what happened to them. However, I'll leave that one alone." He looked at the unconscious Khalid at his feet. "Yes... This one will do well in Project Veeder, provided we can control the aura. However, that is what the labs are for. Transport him to lab L."
Daemon slammed his fist down on the counter. "Damn! I just had this place renovated! What an asshole! If he were here right now, I'd show that clumsy oaf..."
Blackfire stopped him. "Hold on, Daemon. Havok and I saw him earlier when he had an episode. I don't think that he can control it at will. Besides... We are here for another reason."
Nemesis walked into the room with Silver. "Really, I doubt there is anyway I could be of help... Whoa..." She fell back against Silver. "The remnant psychic residue in this room is intoxicating. Whatever happened in this room is practically forcing itself in my mind."
Silver stood her up. "Just tell me what you can feel."
Nemesis walked toward what was left of the couch. "Right here... He was dreaming... more like having a nightmare. It was a memory..." She turned back toward the group standing at the door. "A repressed memory that emerged at the meeting. Then... something happened... Something involuntary."
Daemon leaned on the counter. "I'll say." Silver glared at him.
"His mind... his mind changed... changed into something else." She pointed out the door. "Two of them came through that door. They shot him with tranquilizers. He charged them... on all fours. They fired more. He passed out right there."
Harbinger tapped his fingers. "Any idea who they were?"
Nemesis shook her head. "Sorry, Robert. That is all I can get."
Daemon stood to go out of the room. "There is more than one way to get info. I'll check the log in the computer. Any helicopter that lands on any of my roofs has to register for permission. If I don't find anything else, I'll know who owns the helicopter."
Everyone else walked out of the room. "That's a start. I think that we are probably going to have to get someone else on the job. This is serious, people. Whether or not he was about to leave, at the time of his kidnapping, he was in our care."
The first thing Khalid noticed was that he was drugged. It was almost like he could feel the chemicals traveling through his system, blurring his visual cortex... dulling his senses... making it seem that he was just a witness, rather than the subject. Subject? The subject of what? Experiments? Tests? He had no idea. Why couldn't he think clearly? Oh yeah, the drugs. Hmmm... Was this what an acid trip was like? How fun... Must be why he could care less about where he was, how he got here, who brought him, or why he was blabbering to himself in his mind...
Grace Cazwell spoke in the tape recorder as she looked at the monitor. "Forty-five minutes in the sensory deprivation chamber. Respiration is consistent. Heartbeat is relaxed. Brainwaves register well into the hypnogogic state. The subject is in the prime state for the Veeder Memory Implantation."
Mark Ingrim looked through the glass at Khalid. "Begin the process. I plan to have the U.S. Government's next mutant weapon within six months. For that to happen, he must be open to our suggestions."
Grace spoke again. "Now, we shall begin the first process, called Memory Extraction. It provides us with the information to build on."
FLASHBACK!!!!
Khalid walked onto the elementary school grounds. He could see the children playing on the playground, swinging back and forth... oblivious to the threat in their midst. The dog ran throughout the yard, stumbling drunkenly to the left and the right. Mrs. Longe, the second went out to shoo it away. Then, the dog snapped... She could see the saliva dripping out of its mouth. Then, came the scream... the scream of primal terror.
Then, Khalid stepped in. "Rex! I know you are sick, but you are out of control. Sit down! Down!" Khalid walked up behind Rex and reached down, scratching his ears.
Mrs. Longe ran inside and called Animal Control.
FLASHBACK!!!!
Khalid ran his fingers over the ground, and then stared up at the Sheriff. "3'11'', about 65 lbs., and has a slight limp. She was by here about five minutes ago. She went in that direction."
"Good work, Hunter. Your grandfather will be proud of you yet."
FLASHBACK!!!
Khalid opened the door, slowly. He had no idea why he should do it on a spur of the moment. After all, they'd been dating for three years. However, this was just something he had to do. His hand shook as he approached the door to the bedroom. He wanted it to be an absolute surprise. He took the box out of his chest pocket and flipped it open. He had been saving for months to buy the diamond ring... even trading in his saxophone. Did not even have to think twice. He was sure that she was the one. "Imani, I'm home!" He opened the door... and was not prepared for the sight before him. "No..."
Caught in the rapture of the moment, Imani did not notice. "Dan... Dan... I love it when you call my name."
Dan was caught up in his lust, being driven forward... until he saw his best friend standing in the doorway with the furious expression on his face... and the small gray box held in his hand... and the flowers... "Oh my God..."
Imani did not register what was happening. "Oh my God... I can..." Her eyes opened, looking straight at the door. "Khalid!" She jerked up. "I never meant..."
Dan rolled off, forgetting the pain Imani inflicted by the sudden movement. "Khalid! It's not what it looks..."
There was no response. The roses fell to the floor and the apartment door slammed shut... Khalid was gone.
FLASHBACK!!!!
He was running. Great, why did they always have to go beat up on someone when they got drunk...
Mark turned away from the glass. "Grace, after Stage I of the Veeder Process has been completed. Do a physical examination on the subject and file a report to Admiral Bradley."
"Yes, Lieutenant. It will be on his desk by tomorrow morning."
End Part IV
Chapter 5: Project Veeder
Lisa Cox made her daily rounds, to check on her patients. As a nurse, she had been taught not to do it for the money, but to do it because she cares. Mrs. Conway with the slipped disc was always so delightful. Amanda Maxwell, the sweet little blond girl with the dislocated shoulder, was a darling angel. James Huffman was another story. "Hey, babe... Is it time for my sponge bath, yet?" His hand slapped her butt.
Lisa tapped the bed control jerking it up. Huffman screamed in pain. Lisa turned back toward him. "Mr. Huffman, are your legs acting up again? Time for your medicine." She poured the castor oil in the cup. As far as pain killing, it was not worth anything. Basically, for the past three weeks, she has just had enough of Huffman's shit. "All right, James... Down the hatch."
James had a coughing fit. "Yuck! What is this junk!"
Lisa grabbed him by the shirt, holding the bottle beneath his chin. "It is what you'll have for breakfast, lunch, and dinner if you don't quit grabbing my ass and calling me babe!" Without another word, she let him go and stormed out of the room.
James shouted at the door. "Would you prefer toots instead?" Suddenly, the door slammed shut, by some unseen force. "What the..." The curtain behind him was ripped off its hooks.
"It doesn't look to me that she's interested." Havok cleaned the remnants of the curtain off his claws.
Blackfire rubbed James' chin. "I guess that means you are stuck with us." She pulled her hand back and ignited it.
The sight of the charcoal-colored fire made James jerk. "You're a mutant..."
Harbinger came around. "All right, James. You get a prize." He stood at the foot of the bed, glaring down at the man. "Three weeks ago, you attacked a performing pianist. That's how you got in here. Right now, I want to know who you worked for and why you wanted him."
James shook his head. "I don't know what you are talking about."
Havok slammed his elbow down on James' leg. "Sorry, I didn't hear you right, would you like to repeat that?"
James screamed in pain. He reached for the nurse call button, but it erupted in black fire.
Blackfire placed her hand across her chest. "Ooops... Did I do that?"
Harbinger placed his hand around James' neck. "Would you like to talk, or should I start squeezing?"
James shook his head. "Forget it! That would ruin me forever."
Harbinger's eyes glowed. "I just guess I'm going to have to rip it out... It's more painful for you, but you'll survive." James' eyes rolled into the back of his head, just as Harbinger's did. Words started coming out of Harbinger's mouth. "James Huffman... works with... Navy Seals... Khalid... mutant animal communication... expert tracker... Project Veeder... Lieutenant Ingrim..." Harbinger let him go. He was shaking... "Shit..."
Grace Cazwell talked into the microphone. "Subject Hunter... Time in sensory depravation chamber: 1 week. Vital signs are normal. Endorphins are higher than normal, indicating that the subject is responding well to Stage II of the Veeder Process: Memory Implants. Scheduled for third physical exam at 1400 hours."
Mark Ingrim walked into the room. "Grace, I take it that the process is working?"
Grace nodded. "Yes, Lieutenant. After the exam at 1400 hours, the subject is set to begin Stage III, physical conditioning."
Ingrim smiled. "Excellent... excellent."
FLASHBACK!!!!
The rabid dog snapped at Mrs. Longe. Khalid called out. "Rex... sit down." Rex growled again. "I know you are sick. The dog down the street told me. Now, sit down! You are making it more difficult on yourself."
"Khalid! For God's sake! Get away from the dog! Get the other children to safety!"
Khalid walked over behind the dog... "Rex, easy... Everything is going to be fine." He reached down and started scratching the back of his ears... and then broke his neck.
FLASHBACK!!!!
Khalid's fingers ran over the ground. "5'7'', 149 lbs., toe-heel, which indicates Native American, five minutes ago."
Mark Ingrim stood in front of him. "Good job, Khalid. You'll make a fine member of the Navy Seals Veeder Program, yet."
FLASHBACK!!!!
Khalid walked into the apartment, pulling the box out of his coat. "Imani, I'm home." He opened the door, seeing Dan and Imani on the bed.
"Khalid! We never meant..." Khalid ran in, slitting their throats.
FLASHBACK!!!!
He was running... stalking his prey. The chase thrilled him as he took after them. Those so-called athletes thought...
NO! Khalid's eyes burst open. This was not right!
Grace shouted toward Ingrim. "Sir! Look at this. Circulation and respiration are up. Endorphins are up. Adrenaline is up. Brainwave activity is WAY up. This is past the hypnagogic state. I think the subject is waking up."
Ingrim snapped his fingers. Several Seals came out with their rifles trained on the stasis tank.
End Part V
Chapter 6: Time for a Decision
Harbinger, Blackfire, and Havok ran through the hallways beneath the Pentagon. "Project Veeder is a federally sponsored program under the auspices of the Navy Seals... to produce living, breathing weapons to perform its most dangerous operations. Their eyes are on people already endowed with special skills..."
Havok checked the biometric scanner. They were getting closer. "In other words... mutants."
Blackfire incinerated the security cameras before they could film them. "America's own Weapon X program. Great... that's barely two steps ahead of the Hound Program."
Harbinger telekinetically cut off the electricity. "That's two more steps than I would give them..."
Havok looked up ahead. "It's coming straight ahead."
Khalid stepped toward the four people standing before him. There were five more stationed around the room with tranquilizer guns. They knew that they were in serious trouble. Khalid stood like a man possessed... possessed by something that no one could understand. The red eyes and lion-aura illuminated the recently-darkened room. What really defined the atmosphere was not the red energy emanating from the mutant before them, but the voice that came out of his mouth... that sounded like nothing of this world. "You have chosen the wrong person to violate, humans. Prepare for death!"
Mark shouted at the mutant before him. "From where I'm standing, Hunter, you are the last person that should be speaking. Surrender now, and we'll promise to go easy on you."
The paw of the aura grabbed Mark around the waist, hoisting him into the air. "Hunter is currently unable to save you from my wrath, human. You'll have to talk to his secretary!" Without another word, Ingrim was thrown into the computer.
Grace shouted into the air. "Everyone! Fire! Try to take him alive!"
The tranquilizers flew around the room. Out of everyone, only three managed to get through to Khalid's skin. However, he did not seem affected in the least. "I have had enough of you humans!" Khalid tackled one of the Navy Seals, the claws of the aura ripping into his shoulder. He brought his elbow back, hitting Grace directly in the neck. His foot flew back, striking Nick in the forehead.
Tom pulled out the real rifle. "I've had enough of these games... Time for this mutie to be put..." A photovaltic blast ripped through the wall, knocking him into the computer.
Havok rushed in with Blackfire and Harbinger at his side. "Damn... This was not exactly what I expected."
Blackfire's knee came up to a Seal's nose. "Fight first... talk later."
Harbinger telekinetically collapsed the ceiling, leaving nearly everyone out... everyone but a man with a large glowing aura. "Hunter... step down! We've come to free you."
Khalid threw a seal away from him and turned toward the three mutants before him. "'Free' me... Really? You mean, you sought to use Hunter... just as these pathetic excuses for humans did. I did not need your help, Harbinger."
Blackfire flew before him. "Look... You've already won, here... just step down. There's no need to..."
Khalid's paw swiped at her, ripping her suit. "You are not... eh? Sensing extradimensional energies... Impossible..." The shadows reached out, pulling Khalid inside.
Havok checked out Blackfire. "Luckily, no skin damage... Harb, what is going on?"
Harbinger looked around. "I sense Gomurr's hand in this... We should return back. I have a feeling he might have bit off more than he could chew."
Demona and Havoc burst into the library. "Hey, Gomurr! We just wanted to... Damn! What the hell is that?"
Demona made a quick study. "Clearly a mutant... somewhat along the grounds of..."
Gomurr waved his hand, propelling the two of them out of the library. "Out! We'll talk later!" The door shut behind them. He turned his attention back toward the man ripping at the shadow orb. "The more you struggle, Mufasa, the stronger it resists."
Khalid roared at him. "Ancient One! Release me at once! My quarrel is not with you!"
"Nor is it with anyone here. Now, stop fighting."
Reluctantly Khalid stopped struggling with the shadow orb, letting it drop him to the floor. "Speak, Ancient One."
Gomurr sat on the table. "I must admit that I did not expect our paths to cross again so soon... What is this about?"
"The Seal of Mjimbe has been broken. He is free to spread his reign of terror once again. I must prepare this avatar for the upcoming battle. As of right now, he has neither the training nor the experience channeling my power to win the battle with Mjimbe. He will never be properly trained, if I must protect him from your 'government agents' or your 'Hellfire Club'. Mjimbe must be destroyed before he spreads his seed. Then, he may be reborn again."
Gomurr remembered his past life as a young 90-year-old witch doctor, before he had access to the memories of his previous lives. Mjimbe had gathered an army to enslave as much of Africa as possible. He had been asked by his people to challenge Mjimbe... take him down before he could destroy their village. In his brashness, he almost lost his soul to Mjimbe. At the last minute, a middle-aged man named Mufasa intervened. After the battle, Mjimbe was sealed into a dimensional prison. Mufasa's avatar died, unable to handle the energies coursing through his body. "What about Khalid? If my memory serves right, this battle serves as a death sentence for the participants."
"Ancient One, is a single life too high a price to pay for the defeat of a greater evil?"
It depends if the guy is a willing participant... "Perhaps it is a price that is not necessary... Allow him to remain with the Hellfire Club. Here, we'll help prepare him for the battle. It's possible that he may be able to walk away from this. If need be, we will stand beside him when Mjimbe arrives."
"I'll agree, for now. Bewarned, though... Mjimbe will arrive, Ancient One... Sooner than you think. You have less than a year. Remember that I am the only one capable of destroying him. Prepare this avatar well." Without another word, the red aura disappeared. Khalid fell to the ground, apparently quite wasted from Mufasa inhabiting his system. Weakly, he reached up, pulling the tranquilizer darts out of his shoulder.
In the room beneath the Pentagon, Admiral Bradley and his guards walked in. "Ingrim! Ingrim! Are you all right?"
Ingrim pushed the computer off of him. "Yes, Admiral. I am... well..." He reached down, setting his broken leg. "He burst out, sir... He had help, too... By mutants."
The guards went around the room, removing the survivors from the debris. "Mutants? Are you sure?"
Ingrim smiled as he was put on the stretcher. "They had some sort of extra powers. Sir... I have a strong suspicion that the mutants are members of the Hellfire Club. One of them I recognized. His name was Michael Breslin. Intelligence has a lengthy file on him..."
The grin spread across Admiral Bradley's mouth. "Excellent... you have saved yourself from transfer to the Antarctic station. There are quite a few Hellfire Club members on file. I'll have Intelligence go through the roster." He rubbed his chin. "Good... Very good... "
The door to the library flew open. Harbinger, Havok, and Blackfire flew in. "Gomurr! Are you okay? We saw you teleport..."
Havoc and Demona raced in with Avalon and Storm followed. "See! I told you! The guy is some kind of lion demon or something."
Storm yawned. "Yeah, right... All I see is... What the..."
Khalid looked at them with a sneer as his eyes flashed red. The aura appeared around him once again. "Lion demon? No... Music teacher, yes. Class begins at 9:00. Don't be late."
Gomurr noted this behavior. Why did he get the feeling that the relationship between Mufasa and Khalid was more complex than it appeared...?
The End