The sun sets over Damascus. For certain people, it's the end of a long day of wealth-redistributing and cripple-caring.
Car keys in hand, the mutant Caliban makes it back to his white sedan, in a parking garage. As a human, he's an albino. As a mutant, he can detect other mutants. Also as a mutant, he has a fight-or-flight response; the former lends him superhuman strength, and the latter lends him fear absorption. As great as this often is, Caliban often feels like he has better business in the Morlocks' ranks...as well as their caves...for those who get to live in ACTUAL caves...
He finds his car. He gets in. He cranks the ignition. He reaches for the gear shift...
The lever stings his hand. He flinches, and shines a flashlight on the lever. Its tip is covered in some kind of venom.
"Offer your hand," a feminine voice says, from the shadows of the backseat, "and I will replenish what's been damaged."
Hesitant, Caliban offers his injured hand. He flinches again, when a serpent's tongue whips out from the shadows, and lathers his hand in some kind of fluid. The fluid regenerates the damaged parts of his hand. Soon, Caliban can't tell he's been hurt.
"I suppose you expect something in exchange," Caliban says, "despite the fact that you're probably the one who set that trap in the first place."
"I'm merely trying my luck. But I am a bit desperate...so if you don't have to refuse me, I'd advise against it."
Her shadow is feminine...and human. Caliban's pretty sure he knows who she is...but for the sake of safety, he won't call her out by name.
"I can't promise anything," Caliban says. "I'd like to make one thing quite clear before we begin, though. I am a firm believer in client privilege. Hence, if it comes down to my life, and breaking confidence with a client, I won't hesitate to stand for you killing me."
"You're a very brave man. Are you still on the X-Force, BTW?"
"What can I do for you, Madame Hydra?"
"It's just Viper, now. Or Vipress, if you prefer. Either way, I'm looking for a witch who's what they call, where she comes from, a maledictus. Her name is Daphne Greengrass. Tell me what you've heard...and I can add some new chemicals to your purveyor's purse."
"You're lying. You're not going to pay me at all. But it's just as well. I'm just...confused, as to why you'd come to me to find her. Ms. Greengrass is no mutant. Hence, I can't use my mutant power to get a 20 on her."
"Maybe not." She leans forward, to where her face enters a shaft of street light...revealing the face of Ophelia Sarkissian. "But I'm sure that if there were mutants holding her under lock and key...you could track THEM, right?"
Silence follows.
"I won't confirm or deny anything," Caliban responds. "I will merely suggest that some of these alleged mutants holding her captive are either my old fellow X-Force comrades, or my old fellow Morlocks, or my old fellow Horsemen of Apocalypse. I just...don't know how I feel about leading you to them if you're going to bring harm to them. It's not that I care about them that much, or anything like that, it's just that..."
She holds up her green-nailed hand. "You don't have to tell me. I don't know sisterhood...but I've seen it. I know of its unbreakability. You don't have to tell me that they're like brothers to you. I'm sure I'd know it if I saw it."
"So... Will you kill them?"
"Not as a priority, no. But if they stand between me and what I want...maybe."
Caliban sighs. "Fair enough. YES, the people holding Ms. Greengrass are mutants. Now, do I have to drive you to them, or can you figure out where they are on your own?"
She gapes, as if to start saying something. "You might not have to drive me anywhere, if... I don't know... If you told me who their leader is?"
"Now THAT, I wouldn't mind revealing to you. Let me give you a hint: my old boss was Apocalypse. The man who leads the mutants you're looking for? He's my old boss's biggest rival in mutantkind."
"Professor X?! Since when did HE start kidnapping people? I know he once played a mind game on Jean Grey that really offended her once, but..."
"Not that one. You know," Caliban traces his finger across his forehead, in the shape of a diamond...and narrows his eyes. "The SINISTER one?"
She gapes with recognition. "Oh! THAT rival! Yes, I know who you mean, now."
"Good. Then you won't need me to help you find him. But in case you came here tonight to see me use my powers, let me show you what I can do to scary people who get to close to me...especially if they're so much as slightly scared of me."
With that, Caliban absorbs her fear of him, and sends an amplified amount of it right back into her, via his mutant powers.
Now Ms. Sarkissian gapes in fear, and slightly trembles. She slithers out one of the back doors of the car, and scurries off, leaving Caliban be.
Caliban grins, and wipes off the gear shift lever. "I've still got it," he mutters. "Knew that I did. I just...sometimes have to be sure."