Chapter Twenty
Hellfire Club Chamber, Los Angeles, California
December 15, 2145 hours
Liam frowned as they were led into the Court Chamber proper by the young woman Logan had called Jubes. Clearly there was some sort of history there, but he couldn't tell what kind it was. Kurt and Piotr were both shocked as well, but Laura didn't seem to know who she was either. Maybe the history was of the ancient variety. Of course there would be one more thing to complicate their night. Liam sighed.
Whatever it was between them, it evidently wasn't important enough to discuss at the moment, because she led them into the main Chamber. It was an elongated diamond shaped room, with white marble walls about five feet high, behind which sat pairs of people dressed in black tunics like the young woman's, all wearing crowns of some sort. The floors were polished white marble, just like everything else in the room, and it was lit softly by a single pearl colored globe hanging from the ceiling. He recognized a few of the people as they watched and whispered among themselves.
Brian Braddock, the costumed adventurer known as Captain Britain, and a purple haired woman at his side, the X-Man Psylocke. The Mandarin, an internationally known warlord of unknown type. Viper was there, and in the next group was the French Prime Minister, Michelle St. Claire. The New York Kingpin of Crime, Wilson Fisk and at his side, the X-Man known as Angel. And then, of course, there was Tony Stark and his group, all in white, nearly blending into the walls.
To his left sat Janet Van Dyne, fashion mogul, heiress, and Avenger. To his right, the Asian girl took her place, leaving Liam and the others in the middle of the chamber. Angelo Espinosa, the "problem solver" that had met with Liam on behalf of Stark grinned and waved from Van Dyne's right, and an unfamiliar dark haired woman stood to the right of the Asian girl. Liam didn't recognize half the other people, but he didn't really expect to. He figured they were heroes or criminals or just plain powerful people. It wasn't really important to the matter at hand.
Stark stood, and the hushed whispers abated.
"Hellfire Club Courts, we have before us a challenger. He offers challenge to those who have offended him, and will meet those responsible in combat. No weapons, no powers. This ring has power dampeners in it, so no one will be able to use their powers, even if they wanted challenge will be met with strength of hand and will." he said, gesturing for Logan to step forward.
Logan stepped up and removed his hood, glaring about at the assembled groups. He nodded to a few of them, but mostly he just glared.
"Someone has been importing Lick, and that business got my daughter kidnapped, drugged, and abused in more ways than one." he said, turning in a slow circle. "I challenge whoever is responsible to personal combat."
His eyes landed on Viper, and she stood.
"I accept your challenge, and I speak for my fellow Courts in admitting our responsibility in your troubles." she said softly. "Silver, Jade, Gold, and Black Courts. State your combatant."
Liam watched as she picked up a silver coin and tossed it to Stark. He caught it effortlessly, and looked at it in his palm.
"Heads. The Silver Queen will fight." He said.
The Mandarin stood and tossed a shimmering green coin to Stark, who pronounced that it had come up tails, and so the Jade Rook, the Asian man next to The Mandarin, would compete. Kurt leaned over and whispered to Liam.
"Shiro Yoshida. Sunfire. He's an X-Man."
Liam nodded slightly, watching as the French PM tossed a gold coin.
"The Gold King will fight." Stark said, and the Prime Minister nodded.
Wilson Fisk stood and tossed an onyx coin to Stark, just a few feet away.
"The Black Knight will fight." Stark said, nodding to Angel.
The blonde man just ruffled the white wings on his back.
"Now, normally this would be the end of our selections, but as this happened in my White Court, clearly someone in my own organization, probably one of my Pawns, has turned on me, and so I must also put forth a combatant." Stark said. "I hereby offer up one of my present Court. Which of you will accept the challenge?"
He turned to face his people, who all looked relatively uncomfortable with the idea of facing the X-Men in combat, but the Asian girl spoke up.
"The White Bishop accepts the challenge." she said, and Logan gasped.
Kurt muttered something in German that sounded like a prayer.
"Very well. Now you shall draw lots for your opponents, challengers. Step forward, one by one, and take a piece." Stark said, laying five small tiles face down on the edge of the wall.
Logan stood still, with an unreadable look on his face as the others went and drew their tiles. The matches wound up being Kurt against the French PM, Piotr against Shiro Yoshida, Laura against Fisk, Liam against the Asian girl, and Logan against Viper, in that order. Kurt removed his red tunic, and began stretching as the St. Claire climbed down over the wall. Liam and the remaining X-Men were ushered up a small set of steps into an observation box.
Liam leaned over to Piotr and whispered softly.
"Who's the girl?" he asked, nodding at Stark's box.
"Jubilee. She is former X-Man. Logan's protégé and adopted daughter. They were…close. Then she died." Piotr said. "Or so we thought."
Liam glanced at Logan, who was muttering to himself, and sighed.
"Shit. This should be interesting." he said. "Don't you people ever stay dead?"
Piotr shrugged.
"It comes with the uniform, I suppose."
Stark cleared his throat, and said "Begin."
The fight was over in less than a minute. St. Claire was a middle aged politician who exercised, who indeed held great power, but against Kurt, someone who trained for flexibility, strength, mobility, and combat almost every day of his life, the Prime Minister never stood a chance. Kurt locked him into a neat little arm bar, but when he wouldn't give up, the furred mutant spun the arm lock into a choke hold, and the Frenchman passed out. Kurt eased his grip, but didn't let go.
"Stop." Stark said, as the assembled crowd muttered to each other in hushed tones.
Kurt released the man, who slumped to the ground. Two men in white tunics entered what had become the ring, and picked the man up, carrying him from the Chamber.
"Challenger victory. Next combatants." Stark said.
Piotr stepped down and took Kurt's place, looking like a mountain of muscle compared to the lithe man who stepped into the ring opposite him. He frowned at the smaller man, and sighed.
"I wish things were otherwise, my friend." he rumbled.
"With respect, so do I, but I must." Shiro said, bowing slightly.
At that, the Mandarin stood up, and shook a finger at Stark.
"The Jade King calls for a disqualification of this combat. My Rook cannot perform to the best of his abilities." The elder man said, angrily.
A hushed murmur went through the room.
"Clearly, his loyalties are conflicted. While my Rook performs his duties for me admirably, I cannot be sure that he will face his former teammate with all of his abilities. He said it himself."
Stark looked to Shiro, and raised his eyebrows. Shiro turned and bowed to the Mandarin, and to Stark.
"Forgive me, my King, but you are correct. I wish I could say that I would not perform with any less than my full ability, but I cannot honestly answer you so." he said.
Stark frowned at the Mandarin, who had a particularly satisfied look on his face.
"Very well. Unless the combatant wishes the Jade King to select another opponent from the assembled Courts, he must forfeit." Stark said, turning to Piotr.
Logan cleared his throat, causing Piotr to turn and look at him. Logan shook his head. Piotr cocked his head to one side, an insistent look on his face, but Logan just shook his head again.
"Ah, no thank you." Piotr said glumly, returning to the box.
He sat down next to Logan, and opened his mouth to speak.
"He's already got the win. If you fight, you get tired and you still might lose. This way, at least you're still rested up." Logan said, as he watched Laura enter the ring. "We may need you later."
Piotr froze, his mouth still open. He thought about it for a moment, and closed his mouth.
Liam leaned down on the rail of the box, watching Laura closely. She was probably two feet shorter than Fisk, and he had to outweigh her by at least three hundred pounds. Even though Liam had seen Laura fight, he had a feeling that the bout wouldn't end well. His feeling got worse when Fisk took off his tunic, revealing a heavily muscled frame.
"I take no pleasure in this, my dear, but I will protect my interests." he said, his voice deep and intimidating.
Laura just stared at him, curling her fingers into loose fists.
"Begin."
Laura launched herself at the massive Mafioso, a flying kick aimed at his head, but he caught her leg in midair, and tossed her back across the ring.
"Come, come, now. Surely the offspring of our illustrious Wolverine can do better than that." Fisk chuckled.
Laura twisted in the air and landed on her feet.
"I can." She said, throwing herself at him again.
Several quick kicks and punches connected, though Fisk managed to block several more. The fight went on for several minutes, with her darting in and out of range. Finally, Fisk let her come in close, and managed to get a hold of her tunic, which he used to lift her up over his head and slam her hard onto the floor. She managed to scramble free, leaving the tunic behind, winding up wearing only her sports bra on her torso. She made it to the far wall, and shook her head, as if to clear it.
"Very nice. Perhaps there is pleasure to be found in this after all." Fisk rumbled lecherously.
Liam was on his feet ready to leap in to Laura's defense before he knew what was happening. Thankfully, Kurt's reaction time was faster, and he placed a firm hand on Liam's shoulder, shoving the younger man back down. As Liam realized what had happened, he blinked back at the ring, and saw Laura stalking back towards Fisk, undeterred.
"Keep your mind on the fight, fat man." Liam called.
Fisk turned and smirked at Liam, taking several blows to the midsection, and not even flinching.
"You keep your mouth shut, little bug. You have no voice here yet." he growled.
He reached out and snared Laura again, her feet at least a foot off the ground, and this time wrapped her in an iron bear hug, one arm around her throat, and one wandering over her body. All four men in the box were on their feet, but Stark raised a hand before they could protest.
"Fisk. Stop." he said.
Fisk paused, turned, and spat defiantly in Stark's direction as Laura continued to struggle, though she couldn't break his grip on her throat.
"This is a fight, that you can easily win. Not an excuse for you to molest young girls." Stark said, snapping his fingers.
Panels in the walls opened up, and several Iron Man suits of armor stepped out of hidden alcoves, all targeting Fisk with a whirring sound. Shocked cries and epithets came from the Hellfire Club, but Stark didn't waver.
"You will stop this, or I will." Stark said, leaning down closer to Fisk's face, which was now covered in red laser dots.
The larger man scowled, and cast one last glance at the suits of armor, who's weapons were beginning to glow with energy. He nodded in acquiescence, and let his free arm wrap around Laura's chest, compressing her ribs so that she couldn't draw any air. Her struggles slowed, and then finally stopped.
"Stop." Stark said, and the Iron Man suits stepped forward, just in case. "Black King wins."
Fisk let go, and Laura fell to the ground. The men in white tunics came to pick her up, but Logan was in the ring first. He picked Laura up, and carried her back to the box, glaring at the men, as if daring them to try to take her from him. He carried her into the box, and lay her on the bench.
"Stark, how far do the power dampeners work?" he asked.
"Just on the floor of the chamber. She should be fine." Stark said calmly. "Next challenger, step into the ring."
Logan slid onto the bench, laying Laura's head in his lap, rubbing her sternum with his knuckles, trying to cause enough pain for her to wake up.
"Go to, kid." He said, not looking at Liam.
"But-" Liam began to protest.
"We can't stop now. Go to. She'll be okay. Her healin' factor just has ta kick in." Logan said, nodding towards the ring.
Liam turned and saw Jubilee enter the ring at the far end of the chamber, and he sighed. He unfastened his tunic and began pulling it off to enter the ring.
"Kid- " Logan began.
"Don't worry. I won't hurt her." Liam said, stepping down onto the floor.
"You'd better. I can win my match easy enough, but you absolutely have to win for us ta come out on top." Logan said. "She's had at least as much hand ta hand training as you have, and she's an X-Man. And she fights dirty. You better beat the ever lovin' shit outta her."
Liam paused as Jubilee took off her own tunic top, jumping up and down to stretch out her muscles. She flexed and extended, and took a few experimental jabs in the air. She seemed to know what she was doing. Worse yet, she was fast. Liam was no slouch, and he was good, very good, at hand to hand combat, but he hadn't really expected a fight. Crap.
"Oh. Okay." he said, more to himself than anything else, pulling his arms over his head to stretch his muscles.
He took a few steps towards Jubilee, and stopped in the middle of the floor. She walked up close with her hands on her hips, looking him up and down with a smile on her face.
"So you're the new kid running with the old dogs, huh?" she asked, smirking. "They won't steer you wrong. I sure hope you're worth their effort."
Liam studied her for a moment. She had a hard gleam in her eye that spoke volumes. She might be younger than he was, but in some ways, she was just as old. Her years, while not entirely unkind, hadn't been easy ones. She saw life for what it was, and what it could be, both the good and the bad.
"So do I." he said, nodding. "Good luck."
"Shyeah. Sure." she rolled her eyes, and stepped back, falling into an easy stance.
Liam mirrored her, and glanced as Stark raised one hand.
"Begin."
The fight immediately went downhill. Five seconds in and Liam had managed to catch three kicks to the ribs, and a punch to the nose. She was much much faster than he'd even anticipated. And she was deceptively strong. His chest ached on the left side, and his nose was trickling blood. He'd managed to shove her back out of arm's reach, and blinked away the pain.
"Jeezus." he muttered.
"He did warn you." she grinned, launching another flurry of blows, and this time he managed to block most of them.
When she broke off, to reset herself, Liam lunged at her, catching her in the midsection, taking them both to the ground. A quick scramble later and he had her caught between his legs as she threw blow after blow at his face. He blocked, and stretched his body, keeping her fists from smashing him about the head anymore. After two failed attempts at reaching his face, she changed her tactics, and punched him squarely in the crotch.
Twice in three days. Just perfect. Liam's first instinct was to let her go and roll away in pain, but he forced himself not to release his legs, which he locked in place. He squeezed her ribs as hard as he could, forcing the air out of her lungs, making her face turn red. She punched and scratched at his chest and stomach, but as he held up the pressure, her color moved from red to purple, and she started moving more slowly. Liam's legs screamed in protest, but he kept the pressure up. He managed to get a hold of one of her arms, and swung around into an arm bar, which was a mistake. The moment she got another breath, she grabbed a hold of his pants, and tried to stand up. While she didn't make it to her feet, the movement made it hard enough for him to hang on that he couldn't dislocate her shoulder. She managed to make it to her knees, and lifted him off the ground, slamming him back down. The breath whooshed from his lungs, and his grip loosened just enough for her to wriggle free.
Liam managed to scramble to his feet as she launched another volley of punches and kicks at him, which he concentrated on dodging rather than blocking. She stopped and as he kicked straight out at her, she leapt, twisting in the air, to land behind him. She leapt onto his back, and slid one arm around his throat, trying to get a choke hold locked in, but he kept his chin to his chest and backed her up against the wall, pinning her there. He pushed back with his legs, and felt her grip loosen again. He reached up with both hands and took hold of her wrist, twisting it towards himself. She yelped in pain, but didn't let go, so he took a quick step forward and bent at the waist, throwing her over his shoulder. She crashed to the ground, and he yanked on her wrist before she could get back up, pulling her into a rear naked chokehold. She squirmed, kicked, and scratched, but in ten seconds, she stopped moving.
"Stop." Stark said, but Liam had already released the hold, and was performing a sternal rub to try and wake her up.
After about twelve more seconds, Liam got his reward, which was a swift punch in the jaw as Jubilee rolled away.
"Ow." she said, rubbing her chest with her palm. "That hurt, kid. Not bad."
Liam ran a hand over his jaw, which was throbbing something fierce.
"Same to you." he muttered.
"Challenger victory. Final combatants." Stark said.
Liam glanced up and saw Jubilee leaving the ring, and Logan entering, watching her walk away. He came over and clapped Liam on the shoulder, nodding towards the box.
"Get out, kid. Good work. Lemme finish this." Logan said. "Go see ta Laura."
Liam looked into the box, and saw Laura sitting upright, a pained expression on her face, her tunic jacket back on and fastened halfway. He moved to the box, and went to sit next to her. She slid over on the bench, and lay her head on his shoulder.
"You okay?" he asked.
"I will be. My neck hurts to hold up." she said.
He nodded, and put an arm awkwardly around her as Viper entered the ring. She turned and smiled at Logan.
"You know I still love you, right anata?" she asked.
"And I you, taisetsu." Logan said softly.
"Good." She said, turning to face Stark. "The Silver Court admits is involvement in these affairs, and forfeits the round of combat without battle."
"What?!" screamed the Mandarin, over the other startled outbursts from the assembled. "This is an outrage! You cannot just give them victory! You'll divide the Club in two!"
She turned to face him with a contemptuous look.
"The division is here. It has been since we started this drug running business. It's already been brought out into the open." she said. "All I did was save myself a few bruises from a fight that I couldn't win."
Stark raised his hands, and cleared his throat.
"Quiet. Quiet in my Court!" he called.
Slowly the outraged voices subsided, and Stark took a deep breath, giving both people in the ring a considering look.
"Challenger victory stands. This is my ruling, and so the challengers have the day. Those courts involved will gather their people and leave my domain, not to return until invited back." he said, grimly. "Your business is no longer Hellfire Club business. Jarvis will see you out. Silver, Black, Gold, and Jade Courts, as King of this Royal Court, I hereby dismiss you and all your Courts from participation. Leave my home immediately."
Stark hit a switch, and suddenly Logan smiled. He unsheathed his claws, and his healing factor closed the wounds around the metal blades. Laura lifted her head, sniffing, and unleashed two claws from her hands, startling the hell out of Liam. At first he didn't realize what had happened, but then it dawned on him. Stark had turned off the power dampeners. He was expecting a fight with the other members of the club, and wanted Logan and his group to join in, if it came to that. Liam smiled. He didn't have any weapons on him, sadly, but he had his powers, and that was something. As Kurt 'ported to the floor of the chamber, Piotr suddenly grew in size, turning silver with a sound like liquid metal flowing across stone. He stepped right over the wall, and stood beside Kurt and Logan. Quickly, other members of the Club, those that Liam recognized as adventurers and heroes, began to enter the ring, powering up. Liam and Laura joined them, Liam letting his power flow unrestrained through his arms, the telekinetic energy writhing along his skin like clear snakes. Stark stepped down with his people, facing the Mandarin, and removed his tunic jacket, revealing Iron Man armor.
"You will leave, or face the King's wrath." he said, as an Iron Man helmet dropped from the ceiling.
He caught it effortlessly, slipped it on, and it sealed with a click and a hiss. His palms began to glow, and for an instant, the entire room hummed with the rising energy of the heroes in the center ring. Liam thought that the opposing Court members would actually go for a fight, but Viper left the floor, snapping her fingers at the man who had been seated with her, and he rose to leave with her as she exited the council chambers. The X-Man known as Angel moved to enter the floor with his fellow X-Men, and Fisk grabbed the back of his tunic.
"You don't leave until I say so, Worthington. I'm still your king." he growled.
Worthington shrugged off the larger man's grip, flexing his wings so hard and fast that Fisk staggered back.
"I won't stand with you anymore, Wilson. Not after what I saw you do in that ring." he said calmly. "I'm an X-Man. I always have been. I was just a little lost with you."
He joined the others in the ring, and Fisk turned to leave in a hurry. The only people left were Shiro and the Mandarin, who looked like he was still ready to fight. Shiro placed a soft hand on his King's shoulder.
"My lord, perhaps we should save this fight for another day."
"You think me unable to handle them?" the Mandarin cast a haughty glance in his direction.
"Not at all. I fear for my own safety in such a pitched battle, and ask you to look after my wellbeing as one of your Rooks."
The Mandarin sneered, and faced the assembled heroes (and villains, and private detectives), but he nodded slightly.
"Very well. We will have our way another time." he said, turning and leaving the chamber.
Shiro bowed to the group, and followed his King out the door. For a long moment, nobody moved. The group stood there, facing the door that their enemies had just left through, as if expecting them to come roaring back in at any moment. It wasn't until Logan spoke that anyone relaxed.
"Well. I need a beer."
Liam let out a nervous laugh, and it slowly spread through the group. After a few moments of laughter, Stark turned to the group, and spoke, his voice sounding slightly robotic from beneath his helmet.
"I think that makes two of us. Challengers, if you would be so kind as to leave the Court Chambers, we still have much to discuss. Miss Potts or Jarvis will have accommodations set up for you here. Go, get some rest, and I'll speak with you when we're done." he said.
Logan led Liam and the X-Men, now plus Warren Worthington III, back into the preparation room, where Stark's butler Jarvis met them and led them to their individual rooms to await Stark.