Harbinger: Plague to Injustice
A/N: This is an original story/ hole filler.
There are essentially two storylines, both connected and both featuring Ti'Gel Varexi. One with Snake-Eyes, the other with Black Panther and Tony Stark. The Snake-Eyes story line covers both the beginning at the end while the Black Panther/Tony Stark story line covers the middle.
Being re-written to fit the Snake-Eyes story line. Concirt to see what works here though would be helpful.
Pronunciation Help:
Ti'Gel Varexi: Ta-Gel Va-rex-ee
Chapter One: The Apparatus-Manhattan Project
Ferran's Pub
Washington D.C.
2345 (11:45 pm)
As customers sat at tables from the local ReStore, smoking cigarettes and drowning themselves with bourbon, the juke box with teal neon near the restrooms flickered eerily. Save for the bar and a few copper colored can lights on the ceiling, this juke box was the only color in the place. Everything else was black.
The bar had four stools in it. Three men were sitting there.
Justin Bates, a regular, who was wearing a wife beater, was passed out from too much Bud Light. Next to Bates was his friend, Mark Hallow, who looked like a rejected T-Bird and was too busy looking at his reflection in the counter with the glossy finish. The third gentleman who was tapping his fingers in rhythmically, was wearing a brown shirt, black leather jacket, and black fedora. His face was calm and had the appearance of a department store mannequin. Pure white features.
"What'll it be sir?" the bartender, Jack Gracie asked.
"One pack of cigarettes, and a Manhattan." The mannequin-sque man replied, looking up revealing his pearl eyes.
Gracie nodded, "One pack of Marlboro's and a Manhattan, that'll be thirty dollars."
'I figured as much. I'll pay out the door."
"That's fine sir." The barkeep said as he leaned down a moment to pick up a cocktail glass for the Manhattan, cleaning it with a questionable rag. "You're one of those refugees aren't you, from that planet up in the Kuiper Belt?"
"Don't remind me of my shortcomings, just feed my addiction."
Above the bar was a television sitting precariously on a shelf, blaring a woman in her thirties with little priorities and common sense.
Federal Officials say that the Avengers, the team of superheroes who defeated the Norse-god Loki last year, have officially been disbanded. Nick Fury, who worked closely with the team, had this to say.
A cut to of a poor quality shot of Fury outside of SHEILD Headquarters came next.
Ranting, followed by bullshitting followed by an unpredictable weather forecast by a man who's up to his chin in student loans and then a commercial break.
"Huh, looks like Burger King has a new burger."
Duke looked over and saw Mark glued to the screen, as if it were the most interesting thing in the world.
"You said that as if it were big news." Duke said.
Mark didn't hear him, he was too busy brainwashing himself.
"He's drunk sir, just like he is every night. Don't mind him." Jack said. "Here's your Manhattan."
Duke tipped his hat, stood and with drink in hand, cigarettes in pocket, and walked over to a booth near the juke box.
"Here's your Manhattan and cigarettes." Duke said, sitting the drink and cigarette pack on the table.
A figure dressed in black clad reached for them individually, first the cigarette pack which he moved over to the side and then the cocktail which he moved in front of him. All the while, Duke could slightly make out a scaled hand as he sat down.
"So," Duke said once his companion was finished, "you made inquires about the job?"
The flick and ting of a cheap Zippo. A cigarette burned with the passion of an Arab sun, the smoke that extruded from it was a fine Esmeralda.
"That I did Mister Warren." The darkness brought out the interviewee's deep caramel eyes and his beguiling voice became even more metaphysical than before.
Duke nodded slowly. A faint outline of a lizard tail was sweeping back and forth across the floor underneath the table.
"Before I go any further," Warren said, "a name by which to call you by would be most appreciative."
The gypsy and Arab sun danced and glowed again before they were fanned away by Mr. Caramel Eyes. He stated his name and extended his hand.
"Ti'Gel Varexi."
When Duke shook Ti'Gel's hand, an instant chill ran up his spine. He experienced a back spasm as his hands got clammy and his fingers numb. For a moment, Duke feared hypothermia.
Ti'Gel removed his hand. Duke shook his awake.
"The sensations will ware off momentarily." Ti'Gel said with an assuring voice.
"That's alright," Duke said trying to keep his composure, "now, what are your qualifications?"
Ti'Gel smiled, "That depends, what do you want or need them to be?"
"I need specifics."
Ti'Gel nodded, placing the hot end of the cigarette on the table and turning it over and over, killing the sun.
"My previous occupation before coming to this interview was being a part time physics and chemistry professor at Morgan State. I left because I was looking for more excitement."
"How long did you stay?"
"Five years. Prior to that I was on the Baltimore Police Force, Homicide Division, and that lasted about seven years, and before that-"
"Your past criminal record is what I need Doctor Varexi." Duke said, clasping his hands together as if he were in prayer.
Ti'Gel leaned over, his eyes staring quizzically. "How do you know about that?"
"Let's just say that Nick Fury was very generous in his information giving this morning."
A bell sounded.
Walking through the door was an African man by the name of Luke Charles. He headed towards the bar and sat in the middle stool.
Jack, who saw the man come in via peripheral vision cleaned a beer glass with his rag and said in a trained, robotic way, "Hello sir, how may I help you?"
"I'm looking for someone by the name of Duke Warren." Luke said. "Heard of him?"
Jack shook his head, "Not that I recall sir. Would you like something to drink- on the house?"
"That's kind of you." Luke said.
Jack poured Budweiser into the freshly cleaned glass and handed it to Luke, trying his best not to look over the man's shoulder.
"What do you need me to do Mister Warren?" Ti'Gel asked.
"Are you familiar with The Apparatus Project?"
Ti'Gel shook his head, closed his eyes and flicked his lighter open again, lighting another cigarette.
"Oh you mean that miserable failure? Yeah sure, I know about it, I pioneered the damn thing," He sighed "If God permitted me regrets, The Apparatus Project would be one of ten thousand."
"Why do you say that?" Duke asked, looking over to the bar, seeing Luke Charles and turning back towards Ti'Gel in a 'look over there' sort of way.
"Because," the lizard said, looking over, tensing up for a second, his mouth grew dry and his voice escaped him. He coughed and regained composure. "because it didn't even work."
"No, Doctor Varexi, it did work- that's why I need your help, because it works!" Duke said, getting a bit animated with his arms.
Ti'Gel's eyes furrowed, he reached across the table, grabbed Duke's shirt and pulled him close to his face. "You mean tell me, that you got that damn thing to work?"
"Not me exactly, you see one of your colleagues managed to-"
"Shut up a moment." Ti'Gel turned towards Luke.
Luke thanked Jack for the drink, paid the bill and walked towards the bathroom. He glanced over towards Ti'Gel, flashing a condescending smile. Ti'Gel just followed him with his malignant eyes.
"Ti'Gel, before you go, there are some things you need to know." Duke said.
"Say them quickly Mister Warren." Ti'Gel replied, eyes still locked in the direction of the bathroom.
"As I was saying, your colleague, Patricia Watts, was able to make the project work."
"Damn it!" He cried. "She doesn't even know what she's doing!"
"Apparently, neither does Stark Industries." Duke said. "She's in cooperation with them."
"Does Mister Stark know what this project can do?"
"At the moment, he thinks it's a military device." Duke said.
"Because it is Mister Warren, that's exactly what it is, and if Mister Stark pushes the wrong button, then the whole fucking world blows up."
"It's a bomb?"
Ti'Gel rolled his eyes, "That was a metaphor you idiot. But it's a pretty damn good one."
"Then why is he here?" Duke asked a bit concerned.
"That's what I intend to figure out. I don't know how you're involved in this business, but whatever you require of me to do know that it shall be done."
"Glad to hear it," Duke said, "now can you please let me go?"
Ti'Gel let him be.
"I need you to be my sentential. At the moment, I'm not exactly on good terms with SHIELD or Mister Stark."
"Any particular reason why you're involved Mister Warren?" Ti'Gel said, getting up.
"Yes," Duke said, "Let me just say that Mrs. Watts isn't what you think she is."
"Leave it at that for now." Ti'Gel said. "I have business to attend to."
He walked towards the bathroom, his lizard silhouette and the darkness of the room were homogenous.
Luke Charles washed his hands slowly and when he was finished, he flicked his hands twice, spraying the cheap mirror and even cheaper vanity with water droplets. He didn't bother with paper towels, he just dried his hands on his shirt and moved towards the door.
Ti'Gel, who dawned a black balaclava and black camouflage suit took a moment to breathe, to reconsider, to go through the information. One question kept repeating over and over, overriding all other thinking function:
Why has he been following me?
Luke relaxed his shoulders and exhaled, remembering his mission. He reached for the doorknob and turned it. Ti'Gel moved with the door. Luke walked back towards the bar, stopping just before the threshold that separated the main bar from the restroom hallway.
Luke turned towards Duke and smiled, "You!" He called.
"Yes?" Duke asked, standing up.
"Come over here."
Duke nodded, exited the booth and walked over. Ti'Gel slowly crouched and advanced forward, Luke moved his left foot back slightly. Ti'Gel stopped.
"Do you need something?" Duke asked.
"You're one of those refugees from the Kuiper Belt aren't you." Luke said, "What was the planet's name... Ka'Dish is it?"
Duke nodded, "I don't like to talk about it. Anyway, what business do you have with me?"
Ti'Gel held his breath and tried to move forward again. In his pocket, he carried a ballistic knife.
"I just wanted to say that it is a pleasure speaking to a United States Ambassador." Luke said. "How is everything working out, in terms of rebuilding your home that is."
"Slowly but surely, just like any government." Duke replied.
A pause, Ti'Gel stepped on the only squeaky board in the place.
"Isn't it a bit dangerous," Luke said, "to be going under your real name?"
Ti'Gel smiled, "Isn't it a bit obvious that you're going under an alias- T'Challa?"
The African man laughed. "I underestimated you Doctor Varexi, and I thought you were a murderous savage."
"Common misconception." Ti'Gel replied, slowly raising the knife.
T'Challa moved his hand back, grabbing Ti'Gel's wrist. "I suggest," he said, keeping his eye on Duke, "that if you wish to keep your wrist intact, you drop the knife and tell me what you know."
"About what?" Ti'Gel asked.
"The Project you simpleton."
"I don't know what you're talking about." Ti'Gel said.
T'Challa let go of Ti'Gel's wrist and turned around. "Oh good," the Chief said, "you're already in submission."
"What do you want?" Ti'Gel slowly stood up.
"Why the only thing I want good doctor is a simple understanding." T'Challa moved close, whispering with a slight hiss, "Return what is mine in twenty-four hours and you shall be spared."
He leaned back and turned towards Duke. "Sorry, we had to settle a matter-"
Ti'Gel moved to T'Challa's left and whispered condescendingly into his ear. "You won't find it with me Chief." Ti'Gel walked past him.
"Is that a challenge Doctor Varexi, because if it is, then I humbly accept." T'Challa said.
Ti'Gel's eyes moved to the left, he stopped dead, his tail sweeping the floor again.
"I'm telling you the truth T'Challa, whether you choose to believe me is your choice." He walked towards the door, "For your information, in case you want to chase me down," the lizard continued, "you better start running."
T'Challa laughed to himself and followed the black clad reptilian with Duke Warren in tow.
"So," T'Challa said, "what's your role in all this Ambassador?"
"If I were to tell you," Duke said, "I'd have to buy you a Manhattan. Which reminds me, I have to pay my bill."
T'Challa walked towards the door as Duke made his way to the counter. He placed a twenty and ten on the counter, tipped his hat again and rushed out the door, catching T'Challa as he was about to disappear into darkness.
"If you do catch him," Duke said, "bring him to me."
T'Challa smiled, "You're his keeper?"
Duke sighed and with a shrug of the shoulders said, "I guess so."
"I'm so sorry for you." T'Challa said.
"Thanks." Duke walked over to his car that was parked on the other side of side of the street, a custom built Hennessey Venom GT. Otherwise known as, a car that travel 0-60 in 2.5 seconds with a top speed of 270 mph.
When Duke was ten feet away the car's engine started, blue lights on the side, reminiscent of the Nike swoop, lit up, along with two blinding LED lights. Duke opened the door, closed it and sat in the leather upholstery. He shifted it into gear and sped off in a Batman-like fashion.
As Duke passed an intersection, Adonis, an Artificial Intelligence, appeared in his spherical avatar on the right side of the windshield.
"Sir," The sentient computer said in a thick Russian accent. "Nicolas J. Fury is on the line, shall I answer it?"
"Is his surname showing right now?"
"It appears to be that way sir, do you want to me ignore it?" Adonis asked.
"No Adonis," Duke replied, "answer it, besides, it should be fun."
"Duke, you have made me very unhappy, very unhappy indeed." Fury said.
"Why don't you grab yourself a Whopper and we can talk about this face to face." Duke replied.
"I don't find that joke amusing, in fact, I don't even see it as a joke, I see it as an insult and if you insult me again Warren, I swear I'm going to wring your neck!"
Duke turned left, towards the Washington Monument. "Thank you by the way, that information was extremely helpful."
"Yeah about that, you're paying for my hospital bill and my car insurance, hell, you have the money, you might as well retire me!"
Duke laughed as he began to witness the horror of late night traffic. His car was stopped in front of a Starbucks.
"Sir." It was Adonis again.
"Hold on Fury," Duke said, putting Nick on hold, "what is it Adonis?"
"Tony Stark is calling in sir, shall I leave a message?"
"Yes," Duke said, "tell him that when he's ready to cooperate with me he can suck my-"