Prologue

It was cold. But then again it was almost always cold in New York City. At least, that's what she'd come to learn over the last month of living here. She had moved up from the south and was not use to the weather in the northern part of the country, yet, but she would be. She had always been good at adapting.

She had been in the city for a couple of weeks and had found work at a bar. It wasn't a horrible place to work and it put money in her pocket. Which was something she was in desperate need of. The city was crowded and finding a place to live on the amount of money she had was nearly impossible.

At first she had found a group home where she had been staying for a while. It was affordable if not entirely legal. Everyone one there worked so it was hardly crowded considering 8 people lived there, unless of course you needed as shower, then there was somebody always in there. Not that she really considered showering there. The idea of getting undressed in a place full of strangers never sat well with her.

Unfortunately yesterday had seen to it that she left her temporary home. There was always a danger living with others in one place, something she had been cautious of every time she had slept there but, it was still a surprised to be wakened by someone groping you. He had originally just meant to find the cash she had no doubt stashed upon her person, making a rather awful robber, to be honest. Most would be if they tried in his intoxicated state. In such a mindset he was unwilling or unable to resist his more carnal urges.

It had been a mistake he wouldn't soon be making again, as he now sponsored a broken hand, leg and nose. The only problem was she was back on the streets for the nights, as she was not willing to stay where she knew she would indeed find trouble. She had left, and was now out in the cold.

So she now sat atop an ally fire escape to a building she had no desire to enter. It was getting close to four in the morning and she hadn't manage to get any sleep that night; just another one for the count. The nights were rare when she manage to get anything near well rested.

Shifting against the cold metal bars that were jammed into her back. She sent a silent prayer that the clouds gathering overhead wouldn't open and start pouring. Considering the part of the country she was now in, she wasn't going to hold her breath. Adding to her increasing misery the temperature was near freezing and being wet was one more thing she didn't want to deal with.

Her attention was taken from thoughts of the weather to the sound of shouting to the entrance of the ally. A SUV of some color had blocked off the only entrance into the ally and there looked to be some sort of a struggle in the area around it.

When the first gun shot went off and she watched a body fall to the ground, she knew her roost was no longer safe and it was time to move. She had heard of gangs in the city and she knew she wanted no part of that business.

Adrenaline had shot through her veins as the gunshot had reached her roost. As she made ready to climb farther up towards the roof she noticed finely dressed man break away from the group and turn to get back into a door that lead from a posh club. The door refused to open and the man turned to watch as four men advancing on him.

"You will regret this, I promise you. I will make you wish you had never even opened your eyes this morning. There's a reason nobody messes with me." His voice, as it reached her, was rough with anger and surprisingly no fear.

With a sinking feeling in her gut, she realized it was a kidnapping. Before she could talk herself out of it she was climbing down towards the conflict and not away. With the adrenaline still coursing through her body she silently scrambled down to the ground.

Four against one were never good odd especially when the antagonist looked to be armed to the teeth and ex-military to boot. She was most definitely regretting waking up this morning.

The only advantage she had was surprise, and she would damn well make the most of it. As the leader on the group of men got close enough to touch the would-be kidnaped victim; she struck. Lashing out to the guy in the back of the group. Using a piece of pipe she scavenged from the alley, she smashed it into the back of the man's head right at the base of his skull. Before he could make a sound he on his way to the ground unconscious.

Before his body hit the ground she was moving again. She took out the man on her right with a swift front kick to the side of his knee breaking his leg closest to her and swung the pipe up into his jaw as he fell. Her surprise was now gone, and the other three were reacting to her unexpected presence.

She grabbed the next man's outstretched wrist which was pointing a gun at her and twisted her body around and using the momentum to through him over her shoulder taking the gun in the process. Not even turning as she fired a shot into the leg of the man behind her. As he stumbled to the ground he squeezed the trigger. The bullet missed and she pistol whipped the side of his head. Turning she ducked and rolled to the ground just in time to avoid the knife that cut a path across the area she had just stood.

AS she pulled up from the roll the knife wielding man didn't give her a chance to fire the gun as he closed the distance between them, knowing it was his only hope. He charge with a brutal slash at her abdomen, and she danced to the side. Gripping the pipe in her hand not occupied with the gun she swung to intercept his knife as it descended to her once again. As the man pushed on her with the knife knowing his strength would beat hers, and she bought up the gun in her left hand and pulled the trigger catching him twice in the stomach.

He collapsed to the ground and she kicked the knife away from his hands. Turning around just as the sound of gunfire went off behind her she watched as the man she had thrown earlier collapsed back to the ground a bullet through his forehead.

Her eyes traveled to the man the group of mercenaries had been targeting and raised her hands up as she looked through the gun barrel of a previously dropped gun pointed at her. Well, at least he had some brains. Most people would have just stood there and been left helpless.

"You know pointing a gun at the person that just saved your ass, is a pretty poor repayment."

He seemed to agree as he lowered the gun till it hung limply in his hands.

"Come on," she gestured for him to follow her, "I dunno about you but I don't really want to wait for anyone else to show up to this party."

He followed her silently as she started out of the ally, only to stop as he came across two bodies. She recognized by their dress coats that they must have been his men who had fallen at the beginning of the debacle.

She was surprised to see a look of disgust pass over his features as he glared down at his fallen men. With a derisive snort he kicked out at one of the bodies' feet.

"I paid them a fortune and they didn't last five minutes. 'The best of the best.' I was promised and yet some street rat managed to do what 'the best' couldn't."

His tone was derisive and he sneered down at his fallen men.

She blinked, showing no other response to his assessment. It was rather hostile approach and a backhanded compliment if she had ever heard one.

She scratched the back of her neck as awkwardness descended on her. She wasn't quite sure how to reply to that comment. As he turned his dark gaze onto her.

She stared at him and he stared back. She was suddenly struck by his appearance, now finally having time to take it in. He had dark hair and matching dark eyes. The streets lights didn't reach all into the ally, so she wasn't sure the exact color. What light did reach them threw his face in harsh contrast. Making his striking jawline and cheekbones look crafted from hard grey stone. She supposed he would have been very handsome during the day. At the moment though he struck her as a rather cruel figure.

Breaking away from the impromptu staring contest they had gotten into she started for the busy road. The roads were always busy here, no matter the indecent hour.

"Come on I'll flag you a taxi, you probably want to be back to civilization already." She tossed a sardonic grin to him over her shoulder as she made her way to the street.

She could feel the pumping music coming from the club next to her as she walked. Mixed with the flagging adrenaline it had a rather disconcerting effect on her head making her feel like she was walking in a fog. She supposed it was just the shock and exhaustion of the night's events catching up to her body. God was she tired.

Coming to a stop at the curb she felt his presents gracefully glide up next to her. She wondered how it was he could do that after just being held at gunpoint. Maybe, she decided as she attempted on flagging down one of the many yellow cabs that would hopefully bring this night to a close, she didn't want to know.

As she finally got ones attention and it slowed down in front of the pair she felt a slick drop of moisture fall on her head. She raised her face and looked up as the clouds finally decided to open up, and the rain poured down. She couldn't find the energy to feel annoyed as her clothes soon became sopping wet.

She turned her attention back to the man getting into the bright interior of the vehicle in front of her. As he took his seat, water running off his hair and somehow miraculously not getting on his face, he turned to her.

"I don't think we ever properly introduced ourselves. My names Victor, Victor Von Doom."

Chapter 1

Charlotte "Charlie" O'Brien stood facing the floor to ceiling window that made up two of the walls in the pent house office of Von Doom Industries. She had been working for Victor Von Doom since that fateful night over two years ago.

Head of security and personal bodyguard to the CEO himself. Quite a step up in the world from the homeless starving bartender she had started as in this city.

Out of boredom she studied her reflection in the glass just ahead of her. It was something she didn't often do. It reflect the image of a woman who was slightly taller then what would be considered attractive for a woman, standing at five feet ten inches she made an impress silhouette. Her wavy long blonde tresses were secured behind her in a tight braid that fell to her shoulder blades that did nothing to take away or enhance any beauty that one might find in her face. Her light brown eyes had hard in appearance as she surveyed herself, a frown marring her otherwise striking face.

Her body was toned, and strong muscles wrapped around her frame that were slightly too large to be considered attractive. It was necessary though for her job, as she fought strong and fast people. If she wanted to make it out alive in a fight she had to be stronger and faster. She trained her body often enough to make sure she was.

She didn't wear a business suit, which would have been much more typical of a company security head. No, instead her outfit was purely practical for fighting. Her pants black thick material with barely noticeable padding on the knee's and inner thighs. Combat boots laced on her feet. A black quarter length tee shirt adorned her torso and upper body with a sharp looking suit jacket thrown over to appease her boss's sense of propriety and decorum. Every article was created especially for her needs and fighting style while still managing to look ridiculous expensive that it was.

She wore a leather gun holster that hung over her back and under her arms. She had a set of throwing knives concealed in the small of her back and two thick combat knives hidden elsewhere. She had more holsters and knives that went around her thighs, but those she only wore if she was expecting trouble. Not for a typical day at the office.

Having enough of the dower reflection in the window, she turned and faced the man sitting at the large black desk that took up a good portion of the large room. He appeared to be going over some documents on the computer pad in front of him. She knew it showed the same thing it had been showing for weeks now.

"You seem to be going through all of trouble to get this one guy under your thumb, and while he does seem like a legit genius what he is seeking do is extremely dangerous. Personally and professionally. Why him? The risk is very high?"

Victor frowned at her over his work before sighing and leaning back into his chair. He brought his hand up and traced the line of his lips with a finger as he debated on how to answer her question.

"Reed Richards and I have a history as it were. We attended together at MIT. Both science majors. His focus was genetics while I took a broader approach to the subject. Knowing that I would be faced with overseeing a larger variety of specialties then he ever would." He paused for a moment in what, she could only guess, reflecting over past memories."

"People like Richards annoy me. Not because they think themselves better than us. For as you know me, and the people I have worked with before, this is no bother to me. No, it is that Richards and all men like him hide their narcissism behind fronts of frail humbleness and modesty they think men should be endowed with. They project an image of a tormented, angst ridden scientist who bears all the burdens in the world. With the deluded belief that there is no one else with the knowledge or skill who could possible compare to themselves.

The truth of the matter is completely opposite. To top that aggravating view they have, the rest of society struggles and forces themselves to learn and achieve beyond what other believe them capable of. Men like Reed Richards are complete naturals and are born with a mental process that far outperforms you average mans and yet they have the nerve to act like long suffering heroes."

Charlie wasn't really surprised by his answer, nor that it seemed he had put a great amount of thought into the answer. He never did anything without much thought and lots of planning.

"So this whole business deal is a way to what..? Get a back at a passed rival? Put a high minded fool in his place? Because it to be frank about it, it appears he's already there." She said as she pointed to a magazine, whose front cover proclaimed the mentioned man in bankrupt and in danger of losing his home.

"That," he waved his hand dismissively at the magazine between them, "just feeds his justification for seeing himself as the scientific world's unsung hero. A scapegoat that's been lamented upon by those who are uneducated. Never mind the fact that he refuses to even remote attempt anything that doesn't come naturally to him. If he can't understand it immediately then he will put no further effort into it. So this business deal," he smirked at her, "will rub it in his face that he doesn't know everything. Plus it will be a bit of fun and it will be my turn to gloat."

He seemed very pleased with himself, and she wasn't going to attempt further to understand whatever nonsensical bubble had momentarily encompassed his brain. School rivalries were something that stood beyond her. She had learned long ago, that there were some things that she didn't want to know enough, to put the effort into trying.

Deciding to change the subject she asked,

"Did you want me to send someone to attend his briefing at NASA, as a reminder of the deal they have with your company and to smooth their compliance?

I believe that Loraine Corsane is down there now for the preliminaries for the maintenance conference that is happening next week."

He was back scanning his computer pad again.

"No... I think you should go. If I remember correctly you made some lasting impressions last time. It will be good for you and them"

The smile he gave her was not inviting. It was evil, pure and complete evil.

She should have never made fun of that ridiculous statue that he had built. The damn thing was practically a shrine; one large melodramatic narcissistic waste of money.

For whatever reason, he hadn't been particularly pleased when she had voice her thoughts on the matter. Bastard.

Now this was payback, and it was going to drive her to drinking going back to NASA. The last time had been Von Doom proving he had the NASA scientist by the balls. The people had viewed her with derision and fear.

He had sent her to participate on some of the astronaut training that she had found absolutely useless. We'll, except for the physical part, she had to hand it to them the guys they sent up were in top shape. Anyways to say the people there were less than pleased with her presence last time was an understatement, but she did make an impression.

"When do I leave?"

"We'll Richards is doing his presentation tomorrow, so you should get there before he does."

He waved his hand dismissively and she took it as her queue to leave.