10. Migraine
Hellfire Club, two hours ago:
Upon arriving at the Hellfire Club, Miguel thought he had made a wrong choice. The building looked to be nothing special, just another apartment laden structure with a dark colored exterior. Inside; however, was a completely different story.
After parking his motorcycle out front, he was greeted by a well-dressed doorman as Sebastian Shaw and White Queen escorted him inside. The entire first floor was highly decorated with expensive paintings and statues. Oriental runners lined walkways, stopping two feet from each work of art. Men and women of high society stood and drank or smoke as they spoke of things only a lady or a gentleman of their stature would spend their time on, money and power.
At least three large fireplaces flamed with burning wood, providing an atmosphere demanding of soft spoken words. Pillars supported the high ceiling which was adorned with a large painting reminiscent of Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel only it wasn't God man was reaching to, but Sebastian Shaw.
"Welcome to the Hellfire Club." Shaw spread his hands out as Miguel took the room in. "The first floor is reserved for our gatherings with banquets being held in the rear festivity room. Only the most sophisticated of the sophisticates are allowed entry along with very special guests. You my dear Mister Cortez, are a rather exceptional one. Care for a drink? Scotch? Brandy?"
"No thanks," Miguel grumbled. "Ah'm drivin'."
"So be it. Spice, would you come here please?"
Motioning to a short haired blonde, Shaw removed his coat and handed it to a butler who seemed to open a portal in the air and slipped the coat in. Miguel watched as the covering appeared over where a golden coat rack stood and was hung up.
"Is everyone here a mutant?" he asked as the new blonde walked up to him, Shaw, and White Queen.
"But of course. We don't allow the last generation in here."
"You summoned us Master Shaw?" the blonde said, triggering a curious look from Miguel. She then separated herself into five different identical women.
"Allow me to introduce Spice, better known as Sophie, Phoebe, Irma, Celeste, and Esme. Together, they are the Stepford Cuckoos. Five separate bodies governed by a single hive mind and capable of separating into five individuals or become one very enticing woman."
"And my most prized students." White Queen stepped forward and stood next to Esme proudly.
"So you train mutants here?" Miguel asked as the five blondes looked him over.
"Only the most powerful. Now, time is slowly ticking away on the hour you promised and I have so much more to show you, as well as have you prepped to look more like a man of upper class. Now if you would, please, follow Spice here and she will take you to be turned into a new man."
Warehouse, one hour later:
"This would go faster if he didn't rip off his damn GPS tracker. Are you sure this was where he was at, Gumbo?" Wolverine asked as he and the others from the X-Van searched the outside of a warehouse. They all wore their mission uniforms.
"Oui," Gambit answered. "Ah saw him leave dis place and follow a limo. The tracks go off in a southwest direction."
"I'm picking up on a large number of people here. There was a lot of violence and blood." Jean concentrated hard as he picked up on remnants of the fight crowd's mental pattern. "I feel him. He went of his own will."
"Why would he do that?" Pixie asked as she searched the area from above. She had a hand to her ear mounted communicator while looking for any sign of Miguel.
"Professor Xavier said the Hellfire Club is strictly for aristocratic mutants that look for powerful ones to add to their ranks. Others call them the Illuminate. They manipulate the financial records of institutions they deem are…not worthy of their assets, which is all of them. Maybe that's what they want with him. Or…"
"Or what?"
"Or, they keep him as a gladiator to force him to fight for sport. They're responsible for a number of mutant deaths. Basically, you win, you're a slave fighter and earn them money from gambling."
Pixie paused in the air above the telepath. "And if you lose?"
"You lose and have no value to them, you die." Jean could hear Pixie slightly gasp as they continued to scope the area.
"Found it," Wolverine announced. "His scent goes off over here."
Gambit, Jean, and Pixie climbed back in the van as Wolverine hopped back on his bike and had them follow.
Hellfire Club, forty five minutes ago:
"You are incredible." Standing outside a large chamber door, Spice, divided up in five and speaking as one, grinned as Miguel stepped from an elaborate boutique.
Instead of his usual cargo pants and wrestling shirt, he was now dressed in a pair of borderline black, gray dress pants with matching belt. A dark blue dress shirt adorned his torso with a single breasted vest matching in color with his pants, buttoned in front. Lastly, he was given a shave and a haircut. Now he sported short spiked black hair with his left side bangs just a tad longer to give him a unique style and a neatly trimmed soul patch. When it came to footwear, he kept his black steal toed swat style boots instead of the dress ones he wasn't comfortable in.
"Now that is a fighter," Sebastian said from down the hall as he drew close to where Miguel looked himself over in a full length mirror. "You did a wonderful job, Spice."
The five-in-one woman gave him a nod of thanks as White Queen joined them. She gave Miguel a long look over and smiled sensuously. She had changed out of her cat suit into a white corset, stockings, thong panties, and garter belt. Her arms had on full length sheer gloves that just hinted at her skin underneath and a white feathered boa rested over her shoulders.
"What do you think of the new you?" Shaw asked. "Every fighter in the Hellfire Club needs to look like a gentleman when not in combat. Only the finest materials will ever adore your person in and out of the Gladiator Pit."
"Ah don't know. Ah'd rather wear my old clothes," Miguel flatly said. He turned his head this way and that to look at his new hairstyle.
"Leave your appearance to us. We'll leave your fighting skills to you. Now, as for your combat gear, White Queen has a few ideas as to how you should look."
The scantily clad blonde slowly walked around the nicely dressed Miguel. Her white stilettos clopped with every step she took on the reflective granite floor. She ran a hand across this shoulders, back, and chest as she returned to his front.
"I see you in a pair of dark blue thigh length trunks, a symbol on each leg. A symbol of masculinity, of prestige, of superiority, of…desire." The last word was whispered in his ear in a way to make his pants feel even tighter than they were at the sight of her.
"Listen," Miguel said as he stepped away from White Queen. "Ah only came here to give you an opportunity to show meh what you have to offer. Thanks for the new look, but your hour's just about up and Ah haven't seen anything that would make me wanna join so-"
"Then perhaps you would like to see our fighter's quarters." Shaw said. There was something in his voice that made Miguel slightly wary.
"No, Ah think I'll just change mah clothes and take mah leave."
"I'm afraid I can't let you do that." Shaw took several steps forward then looked at Spice. "I didn't lie when I said you are powerful. It's something that interests me and my wallet."
"What do you mean, your 'wallet'?"
"You came to me, to my fight club. Those who lose are shunned or put down."
"You kill the losers?" Miguel gave Shaw a look of shock that was returned with a sinful grin.
"I only want the most powerful working for me, fighting for me, and making me money. Think it over, Miguel. Should you join us, you would never be poor. You would be feared and powerful. A woman will always be at your side to do with as you wish, dressed accordingly of course."
White queen turned and rubbed her backside against Miguel's body. She flashed him a lustful smile before heading over to Shaw.
"And what if Ah refuse? Ah'll just walk out that door and leave."
"Actually, I can't allow that. You see, those who enter the club are given everything they want. Those who refuse our generous membership who have been through those doors, can only leave in one way. They must fight for it."
"Fine." Forming his claws, Miguel charged Shaw who only laughed at him and dodged his attack.
"Just so you know, I can absorb your attacks. Fighting me is extremely futile."
As if to test this, Miguel delivered a round house kick to the man's face. Not only did it not faze him but he struck Miguel with the same amount of force in return. Claw attacks were blocked and Miguel soon found himself in a losing fight until he managed to slice into Shaw with a surprise attack after flipping over his head and landing behind him.
Stumbling back, Shaw had a look of surprise as he fell to his knees. There were no cuts or blood where he was hit. He did however feel weak from the blue aura around Miguel's hands.
"Spice, help me," he ordered.
Before Miguel could attack him further, the blonde multiplier separated into five different beings and sent out a psionic wave. Their eyes glowed a bright light blue as they knocked Miguel out with a psychic attack.
"Take him to the pit," Shaw commanded. His breathing was labored from being weakened. "Slap a collar on him and put him against the other mutant who wanted to join our ranks."
"Shall we collar him as well?" the Spice women asked.
"No." Shaw stood and popped his neck. "I want this one to pay for what he did to me. No one brings me to my knees. Make his death slow."
Everything was a blur around him as the sound of mumbling and glasses clinking surrounded him. His eyesight slowly cleared but was sensitive to the light overhead, causing him a headache from the light. It came as a surprise to him that he was face down in sand. Some stuck to his face as he moved to rise with bones cracking and muscles flexing from being out for a while as well as wearing a suppression collar. It was then when the mumbling around him became interested talking as he got to a knee.
A concrete wall encircled him that was at least fifteen feet tall with a cyclone fence topping it off. Two large iron gates were closed at either end of the pit with darkened hallways behind them. The talking came from numerous people around him, dressed in only the finest suits and dresses.
"Ah, I see our guest of honor has woken up from his little nap," Sebastian Shaw said from a throne-like seat high up on the wall. "It's a good thing too. I don't think these kind people are willing to wait around much longer without a show."
Miguel rose to his feet. He was still in his dress attire from earlier. "Where am Ah?"
"Why, you're in my personal gladiator pit. The one you fought in earlier was for individuals to tryout if they wish. You passed. Now you get to fight in my own personal gladiator pit." Standing, Shaw raised an arm and pointed to a man at a control booth. "Release his opponent!"
A load creak echoed through the arena as one for the iron gates rose. Miguel moved a few steps back as a large shadow loomed into the area, coating the sand in its darkness. The cause of the shadow was a large obese man with a shaven head. His white tank top stretched tightly around his body, barely covering his belly with a pair of olive colored pants graciously covering his legs. He took a step forward and left a boot imprint in the sand so large; Miguel thought it was as wide as his chest. Despite the large man's girth and strength that accompanied such a thing, it was the fact that he didn't have a suppression collar on that really got Miguel's attention.
"Remember our deal, Blob," Shaw said as he sat back down. White Queen joined him and sat in his lap. "You can be part of the club only if you kill our guest."
The man called Blob grinned and turned back to the depowered mutant.
Across the city, Wolverine revved his motorcycle to go faster. Horns honked around him as he weaved in and out of traffic as well as run red lights. Behind him was the others in the X-Van who received similar treatment.
"If we weren't in a rush, I would suggest we listen to the Speed Racer theme," Boom Boom said as she attempted to sit straight in her seat next to Pixie. "Or at least buy better life insurance."
"Gambit, you mind slowing down?" Jean yelled as she slammed her foot on the invisible brake on the floor in front of her.
"No can do, roux. Wolvie's got a good lead on us and you heard what the Prof. said about that club. The sooner we get there, the bettuh." Laying on the horn, Gambit somewhat followed the speeding Wolverine as cars and trucks moved to get out of his way.
"When we get to where Miguel is and get him out of there, you're driving us home Boom Boom." Jean yelled over the symphony of blaring horns.
"Thanks, Jean," Boom Boom said as she gripped the overhead handle tight. "I always wanted to be the wheel girl."
Back in the Hellfire Club's Gladiator Pit, the once quiet group of sophisticates were acting like those at the warehouse. Howls of excitement filled the arena as the two men below engaged in a fight to the death. Above them on his throne, Sebastian Shaw sat contently watching the fight below with a grin on his face. Spice watched from White Queen's side, anxious to see if the new comer was as good as the others led her to believe. So far, he wasn't.
Blood flew from Miguel's mouth as Blob threw him into the wall. Between dodging the large man's attacks and trying to get the collar off his neck, he was also trying to figure out a way to escape.
For someone of his size, Blob as incredibly quick. Miguel had to keep on his toes as large meaty tree trunk sized arms flew over his head. The few that landed sent him sailing back through the air. When he tried to mount an offense himself, Blob would simply absorb the hits and laugh at the painless gestures. Kicks to the face, punches to the gut, knees to the joints, none did anything to bring Blob down. Miguel's only hope was to pry the collar off his neck, but it would not come off.
Again he was kicked into the wall. The vest and shirt he wore were long gone and lay bloodstained on the floor. As he struggled to get back to his feet, Blob picked up the ruined clothing and threw it into the crowd where the women scrambled for it.
"He's really into this," White Queen said as she finished taking a sip of champagne. "Looks like Blob's going to be joining us."
"Doubtful," Shaw told her. "The moment he wins, Spice will stop his brain from making his heart beat. We're so much higher than him. He's nothing but a fat piece of s#%t that needs to be erased from the Earth."
"Well, it looks as if he's close to disappearing then."
"Come on!" Blob yelled as he grabbed a bloody Miguel off the sand. "At least put on a show. These people want a show!"
"Rot in hell fat ass." Miguel could barely see him through blood filled eyes. More blood poured from his mouth and it felt like his left arm was fractured.
"Time to put you out of your misery."
Holding Miguel in both hands, Blob began to squeeze tight. The blood bathed mutant grunted from the pressure exerted on his being. He could hear his bones pop in his ears and desperately wished he could at least have his healing factor back. It became difficult to breathe as he gasped for air. He was losing his temper, not that it would do any good. To him, dying that way seemed more preferable to being slowly crushed to death. He then let out a yell that burned his lungs.
"Crush your bones to make my bread," Blob laughed. "Crush you into fairy dust."
'Fairy, elf, sprite, pixie…Pixie.' The words ran through his mind, making him clutch his eyes tighter then jerking them open. A blue flash faster than Blob could see took them over for an instant as he let out a slow gurgling sound in the back of his throat and he slowly flexed his arms.
Blob looked on in disbelief. The man he had beaten down was somehow forcing his hands to open. What strength he had left was put into crushing Miguel but it didn't make a difference. His strength meant nothing as the supposedly depowered mutant broke his grip and landed a dropkick to his chest, sending him back a few feet. The collar around Miguel's neck short circuited as he stood back up and formed his black claws.
"F #$ing round boy!" Before he could attack, a large explosion occurred from above.
People watching the spectacle screamed as they ran for cover while Shaw, White Queen, and Spice saw several individuals fall through the floor above. Landing first was Gambit who threw a handful of charged cards at several guards who were racing to the disturbance. They were sent back as the kinetically charged projectiles blew up before them. The Cajun then went after several others as Wolverine fell into the battle on the opposite side.
Slicing through the guards that stood in his way, Wolverine left none standing as he impaled them with his claws. Weapons were sliced in half with their bullets doing barely any damage to the Canadian X-Man. Those that struck him were quickly forced out of his body and the wounds healed as he continued forward.
Pixie flew through the hole and sliced into several guards with her soul dagger, leaving them paralyzed in her wake. She spotted Miguel below, fighting armed guards and not holding anything back as his black claws put them all down. Her eyes grew wide at the sight of him so far over the edge as he had totally lost his temper. She soon joined him and helped keep the other incoming guards off his back.
"Miguel!" she yelled as she landed beside him. "Calm down! You're using you're-"
He charged at Pixie and tackled her just as Blob's enormous fist came crashing down on the sand. With her out of the way, he charged the heavyset man and connected with a kick to his meaty face.
"Miguel!" she shouted as he began to tear into Blob with his claws.
Above the fight, and seeing Wolverine heading towards him, Sebastian looked over at White Queen and Spice. "Ladies, I think it's time we take our leave." The three left through a secret passage in the wall with several guards following them. Once the doors shut, it was like nothing was there to begin with.
Overseeing the battle, Jean floated down and mentally relayed what was going on to the Professor. When a guard raised his rifle at Gambit's back, she mentally grabbed and threw him against the wall for a knockout. It was then when she saw Miguel bring Blob down to his knees.
Letting out a roar, he was ready to deliver a final blow to the fallen mountain of goo when he fell to his knees. He released another scream as he dissolved his claws and gripped his head in pain. He fell forward with his head in the sand before arching his back and yelling again.
"Miguel, what's wrong?" Megan asked as she slid in beside him.
"His mental, ugh, mental readings." Jean landed beside them as Gambit and Wolverine finished off the last of the soldiers. "It's so…painful."
"Do something!" Pixie caught the suffering man as he fell back, still gripping his head tight as Jean placed both her hands on his temples.
"What's wrong?" Wolverine landed on the other side of the pit and ran up to them.
"It's too much for him. His mind's ripping apart." Jean tried in vain to ease his mind and keep it together but it was too much for her.
"Professor, Miguel's brain's goin haywire," Gambit said into his communicator. "Jean's working on it but he's lookin' pretty bad."
"Gambit, tell Jean she must get his mind to ease down at all costs," the Professor told him. "Tell her to search for a woman in his mind named Isabella Rios. The image of her might calm him down."
The Cajun leapt down into the pit and told Jean what Xavier told him. Megan overheard and saw Jean search for the woman but had trouble finding her. Seeing him like this, she swore she could feel his pain as he lay on the ground squirming and yelling. She didn't want to see him like this and wanted to take his suffering away.
"Move." She pushed Jean to the side, not allowing her to let go of Miguel's head and continue to search for the woman she knew more about than her. "Miguel, please, calm down." She put a hand over his face and sprinkled some of her Pixie Dust on him.
The yelling faded after a moment, the squirming soon after. Jean was able to find the woman in the back of his mind and bring her image to the front. Pixie held onto Miguel's hand as Wolverine and Gambit kept a lookout for any other threats.
"I was so close," Blob said as she sat against the wall where Miguel left him. "I was gonna be in the Hellfire Club. I was gonna be their number one fighter and make the big bucks."
Standing up suddenly, pixie made a beeline over to the obese mutant and flung a massive volume of her Pixie dust in his face. Once the dust was absorbed into his skin, his eyes dilated and his mouth formed a large smile as he looked around.
"Skittles. Skittles!" He immediately got to his knees and began to eat the sand. "Skittles! Skittles! I'm eating a rainbow! Skittles!"
"That's for nearly killing him." She made her way back to the passed out mutant and stayed by his side as Jean levitated them out.