The three-person team was escorted from their plane to a nightclub in New York. They stepped out of their car and looked at the outside of the building. A large red neon sign read "Kill Zone" above the entrance. Two huge bouncers stood, arms crossed, behind a red rope guarding the double doors. Loud music along with gun shots emitted from inside the club. Jimmy looked at his superior who didn't flinch. Baker walked up to the bouncers and looked at each of them.
"Name" one of the bouncers bellowed, not breaking eye contact with Baker. Baker reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a badge. The bouncers glanced at each other before pulling the red rope aside.
"Welcome Commander" one mumbled as Baker strode in with the kids in tow behind him. The inside looked like a nightclub, people crowded the middle dance floor moving their bodies to the beat of the music. In the back of the building, on a stage, were custom painted EVOX machines.
"So where is this Arthur Lewis guy at" Mattied asked impatiently looking around. Baker scanned the area until he saw a large group of guys hanging out in the corner surrounding one person. Baker pointed and the kids followed over. The group surrounded a large Afro-American teen, who was built like a literal tank. He was a towering 6'7 and had to weigh in with solid muscle at 250 at least. He wore a black hoodie that had the words "Ar-tillery" in green plastered across the front, a pair of matching sweatpants, and basketball shoes. He had dark brown eyes and had a shaved head.
"Are you Arthur Lewis" Commander Baker asked, not intimidated by the large group that surrounded the trio. Arthur stood up to tower over Baker.
"Listen if you're the Ban Hammer team, you can turn around and leave now. Everything is legit here and I'm starting to get tired of your shit" the large teen spoke with a deep voice. Baker didn't blink once through his tirade.
"Actually we're here to make an offer" Baker spoke, pushing Jimmy to the front of them. Arthur looked further down to Jimmy, and smirked.
"Well squirt? What is it?" This guy was cocky, and Jimmy didn't like it.
"I'm giving you a chance to join our team and play in the upcoming worlds for World War 3" Jimmy spat at him. The teen looked at his group and erupted in laughter.
"I'll tell you what kid, I'm gonna pass that deal up. But I will take the little skirt behind you off your hands. Waddya say cutie?" He asked looked over Jimmys head at Mattie. She rolled her eyes at him and crossed his arms. The group started cat calling at her before one of them attempted to put their hands on Mattie. Before anyone could blink, she grabbed the guys right wrist with her hand and gave it a gentle turn. Instantly the teen was down on two knees clutching his arm. Arthur attempted push over to her but she held up a finger.
"One more fucking centimeter asshole and I'll snap his wrist like a fucking twig" she spoke, dripping venom from the tiny whisper. Arthur took a step back and looked at the small girl.
"Hmm, I like you. You've got a back bone" he complimented her with sincerity, "What's this deal involved squirt?" he asked this time looking at Jimmy.
"I think this should be in a private setting if you don't mind Arthur" Jimmy spoke this time with more confidence. The teen kept his eyes trained on Jimmy for a few moments before nodding at him.
"Take a walk boys, I've got this handled" Arthur spoke to his flunkies. They all nodded and headed into separate directions. Mattie released the teen she was holding and he slumped down to the ground. "You ever try to touch a lady again, remember what happened here asshole." The boy scampered off into the sea of people.
Jimmy and his twosome followed Arthur to a VIP area located behind the stage. It was a small room with 3 separate couches and a glass table sitting in the middle of it. Arthur sat down and kicked his sneakers onto the table.
Jimmy tossed a folder into the table, and tapped on it. Arthur opened the manila folder up and looked inside. It contained all the information of Jimmy's fathers death along with his mothers being paralyzed. Arthur kept an intense gaze on the folders files until he closed it up and tossed it on the table.
"So Neutron...What's all that have to do with me joining your team?"
"The file left out the big details...The people that attacked my family, the people that attacked your family, are the same people responsible for the game that you've been a pro at" Arthurs eyes grew wide and he sat back in his seat.
"Listen, we're both prideful people, I get that. So you'll understand how big of a deal it is when I say that I need your help. I have a list of specific people that are going to make this team great. While we're at Worlds, we're going to infiltrate Black Star HQ and get hard evidence on that piece of shit Kane. Please, Arthur, I need your help" the boy genius pleaded to the man tank.
Arthur rubbed his pupils for a bit, before looking up at Jimmy. "Just promise me one thing Neutron?"
"What's that?"
"We catch the son of a bitch responsible for all of this and take him down. Can you promise me that?"
Jimmy extended his hand to Arthur, and he met his grasp. One of Arthurs groupies burst into the room with an enraged look. "ARTHUR ARE YOU SERIOUS MAN" the kid screamed. Arthur stood up and marched over to him.
"How long have you been out there Terrel" Arthur Bakred.
"Long enough to know that you're abandoning your crew for this chump! We're family Arthur and you're leaving us without a leader!" Whoever this kid was, was fired up about Arthur leaving.
"Terrel, what do you want me to do, huh? Keep leading my life wondering how and why my parents were murdered in cold blood!? Of all people, I thought you would support this! But I guess I see where you stand on this, here" Arthur shoved an armband into the guys chest. It had a symbol painted on ot.
"You're making me leader?"
"Yeah I am because I won't be coming back here" he rumbled before storming out of the room. The original trio left the guy to himself and followed Arthur outside.
"So, who's next on this list of yours?" Arthur asked putting a cigar in his mouth. Baker pulled out the team folder and flipped a few pages. "Alexander Kelly, the designated marksman. We'll be flying down under to Aussie for this one. We just need you to sign this legal document saying you won't talk about what's going on."
Arthur signed off on the contract and the group headed to the airport to get on the jet.