Note: This story of Evolution:Nitro City continues from the last mission,
Saskatchewan Street Fight.
Disclaimer: Selected superstars in this story are property of the WWE, NWA- TNA and XPW. Peroxwhygen is property of WWE superstar, Jeff Hardy. All rights reserved. I also want to credit the individual who came up with Nodrog, from 411wrestling.com. I don't know who you are, but thank you.
Other superstars listed in this chapter: Sea Wolf, Arkuss Blackburn, Tito Velasquez, Buffy Vamp, Clara Lucado, Lash, Genevieve and Whitman Sakazaki are property of the author, Dave Scott. Please e-mail me at bender_hkw@lycos.com for permission to use any character in this story of others listed in previous chapters. I mean it. I would also like to thank Rockstar games and the creators of the Grand Theft Auto series for inspiring this story.
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(Back In Black)
Sea Wolf headed to the Hangman after picking up his payment from Chris Benoit. Everything appeared to be going well at the lumberyard and it looked like the Wolverines didn't need him to do anymore of their dirty work.
It felt good to be out of the house once again. After almost a week without interaction with anybody, except for Jerry Lynn, he was looking forward to meeting with Kevin Nash, Steve Austin and all the other drunks and bikers who lounged at the bar. They were probably starting to get concerned about him.
When he parked his car, he noticed some shattered glass covering the sidewalks and the front window was boarded up. "What happened?" It looked like the place was vandalized. The front door opened he could hear Kevin Nash saying, "Come on in. It's time for an emergency business meeting."
He stepped inside the trashed bar. Scott Hall, Booker T, Vera and Garcia sitting at the bar, awaiting Nash's announcement. Kevin Nash went behind the bar and handed them each a drink.
"Does everyone know why I called you in?" Everyone nodded except for Sea Wolf. "Well, by the looks of this place, you can tell. Some asshole Creepers smashed the windows and demolished this place. It looked worse in here earlier. This room had wall smeared with blood and pus. There was a mutilated dog and other nasty stuff lying around here. I know this is the doing of their leader, Lash.
"Thank God I'm insured, but I won't tolerate this! Since they invaded my property, we're going to invade theirs. Two nights from now, some bands known as Benjamin Gate, Powerman 5000 and Peroxwhygen is performing at the Creepers' hangout, the Brood. I don't know what people think is so great about them, but a lot of those pagan freaks will be attending. I want all of you, except for Scott, to attend the concert and either gather information to nail those bastards or crack a few skulls. You'll need some attire to fit in, so hopefully that's enough notice.
"Also, I know a guy who lives uptown. He's a martial arts instructor at some fancy Dojo. He's been vowing to return a favor that I did for him years ago." He looked over at Sea Wolf. "Here's the address. Go meet up with him and tell him it's time."
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He drove uptown and found the dojo without incident with any gang. The entrance was unlocked, so he carefully opened the door and entered. The room looked like something from a Dragonball Z episode. The walls had anime pinned up, some spiritual music filled the room and there was an unusual scent that almost got to him.
Nobody was in sight. "What the heck? Is Nash sure that there is some guy who can help? I don't see anyone."
At the end of the room, he spotted a man who looked like he was meditating, but he was seated in mid-air with his legs spread placing one on each bar. The guy's brown hair was worn in a ponytail and he was wearing a multi-colored full body spandex outfit with a Yin-Yang picture on the front.
He walked up to the guy slowly. "Hello." The guy wasn't moving. "Are you alive?" Still no response. "I guess I might be in the wrong place." He was ready to walk away and get back to his own life. He had other things on his mind rather than looking at a martial artist who was hovering in a coma.
"What did you come here for?" the strange man asked.
"My name is Justin Timberwolfe. I'm a friend of a guy named Kevin Nash. He sent me here to talk to about returning a favor."
"What do I get out of it?"
"What do you mean? He saved your life years ago."
"We're putting our lives at risk. If Kevin has any request, it's gotta be something intense."
"Well, there's been a gang war going on between him and the Regulators against the Creepers."
"Are the Creepers that Gothic gang that rules the south side of the city?"
"You could say that." He paused. "There's a concert at the Brood in two nights. Benjamin Gate, Powerman 5000 and Peroxwhygen are performing. Kevin Nash asked us to attend their concerts and nail a few Creepers. That's one of their main hideouts."
"Really? And what do you mean we?"
"Well, Booker T, Vera, Garcia and I are going."
"Are those two girls you mentioned pretty?"
"Yes. Do you want one of them to be your date?"
"That would be nice. Also, I've heard good things about Peroxwhygen. The lead singer's a pretty nice guy. He's fun to be around, so I guess I'll go with you."
"That's cool. Meet us at the Hangman in two days. The concert starts at eight and don't forget to wear some appropriate attire. I hear black is their color."
"Relax. I can handle it." He gave a thumbs up to Sea Wolf. "Everything's cool when you're Rob Van Dam."
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He managed to convince Rob Van Dam to join in on their plan and stopped at a trendy store for some decent threads to get by as a Creeper. The only thing he needed was a date for the evening. He picked up the phone and called a woman he knew might be interested.
"Hey, Trish. It's me Justin."
"Hi! How are you doing?" she responded. "It's been a few days. What are you up to?"
"I was just wondering if you were free this Saturday night?"
"Why do you ask?"
"Well, some friends are going to a concert and invited me. They're called Peroxwhygen. They gave me an extra ticket, so I was wondering if you wanted to accompany me for the evening?"
She hesitated for a minute. "Sure. It's a date."
"Okay. I'll pick you up at seven."
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The evening had come. Sea Wolf spiked up his short black hair. The clothing he picked was some leather pants, a tank top shirt with the Megadeth logo, fingerless gloves, some biker boots and a black leather jacket.
He jumped into his Screamer and headed for Trish's loft. She walked out the door little seconds after he honked the horn. His jaw dropped as she stepped to his car. She wore a tight black sleeveless shirt, a short leather skirt, some black boots that almost reached her knees, and applied on some black lipstick as she looked into his side view mirror.
"I don't know what to say." He sighed. "You look great. I better not take my eyes off you."
"Ooh. If we enjoy the show, maybe I'll tie you up and whip you."
"Okay. Let's go meet the rest." He stopped at the Hangman and met Booker, Vera, Garcia and Rob Van Dam. They all had their different threads.
Booker kept his hair the same, but donned some dark sunglasses, wore faded black jeans, a Dark Lotus t-shirt and a leather trench coat. Vera dyed her hair light purple with blue streaks, wore some skintight red pants and a black bodice, revealing most of her cleavage. Garcia had her curly black hair straightened, wore a suede vest with a long silky skirt and high heels. Rob Van Dam only wore a black jacket and blue jeans.
Sea Wolf took his tickets and followed the others to the Brood. There were a crowd of punks and Goths waiting in a single file line outside of the club. He saw two tall men dressed in black from the neck down, patting down each patron before they could pass through. "No weapons allowed, huh? I guess we'll have to rely on our own physical strength," he told himself.
They all lined up, were patted down, carded and then admitted. "You all know the plan," Sea Wolf told them. "Try to look natural, enjoy the show and when the time is right, we beat down the warlord of the gang."
"What's going on?" Trish asked as they separated from the rest.
"Nothing important."
"No, really. It sounds to me like you guys are looking for a fight."
"It isn't me. Someone who attends this club harassed Booker a week ago and he just wants some retaliation. Don't worry about it. Let's have a drink and enjoy the show." He asked for a Scotch on the rocks and bought Trish one of those fancy drinks that he never heard of before. He had never seen so many freaks in his life. It was bad enough to only see in few back in his high school days, but it was like so many flew in from all over the world.
Booker T and Garcia stood on the edge of where the crowd was, avoiding any mosh pits or fights listened to the bands perform. Rob Van Dam and Vera found a place to stand and talk for awhile. Sea Wolf and Trish stood in one spot near the bar so they could hear themselves speak and listen in on a few conversations. He spotted a group walk through the entrance of the Brood. It was like people were stepping aside, making room for them. The man walking ahead was a tall pale man with his black hair worn back and braided and he wore the same wizard like jacket. It was the same man he spotted the evening he stole a gang car from the club's parking lot.
There were two individuals walking beside him. One of them was a young Japanese man with a thin build and long dark hair. His attire looked like the same thing from Edward Scissorhands. The other was a young seductive woman. Her hair was dark and skin was almost white as a ghost. She wore a white laced corset, pushing up her breasts making them look larger and high heel shoes.
The older man in the red suit with the pointed beard was walking around the club with his bodyguards. Sea Wolf spotted them. "Please don't let them recognize me," he pleaded to God. He turned around, facing the bar in hopes that they wouldn't even notice him.
Trish leaned against the bar. She was waiting until Peroxwhygen hit the stage. She bumped into someone as she was pacing around, not paying attention. She was startled at first when the other woman appeared to have a slightly angry look on her face. "I'm so sorry. I didn't see you."
"No problem," the other woman said. "I haven't seen you around before."
"I'm just with a date. It's the guy with the spiky hair that's clutching the bar over there. My name's Trish."
"Andrea Henrikssen."
"THE Andrea Henrikssen?"
"In the flesh."
"I've read some of your work. It's fascinating. I mean.it sounds kind of creepy but it's fascinating."
"Either you're just saying that or I have yet another fan who hasn't been stalking me for an autograph."
"You have nothing to worry about."
"If you're a fan of my work, have you ever read a book of poetry called A Nothing's Blessing?"
"But that was written by Snatch McKenzie." She nodded her head. "That was you too?"
"That's right. Back in my younger days, when I was in rehab, I had written some sad poetry and horror stories. That was the name I went under for awhile, but when I got serious about writing and found a good man, I used my given name."
"What brings you here? Are you promoting some new stuff?"
"No, I only attend this place when there's a concert. The other nights are just too rough. My husband had to take care of some sick children."
Trish looked back at Sea Wolf. "I don't know why he looks so edgy. He started doing this since that guy in the red suit walked by."
"The owner? He's Minister James Mitchell. The regulars think he's a king and those two big guys with him are his bodyguards, Slash and Brian Lee. The only person you might want to steer clear of is that long skinny guy who looks like a sorcerer. I've heard Mitchell call him Lash." She leaned toward Trish. "If I were you, I'd avoid him. He's always up to no good."
"I'm not surprised." She walked to Justin's post, put her arm around him and walked him toward her new friend. "This is my date, Justin."
"Snatch."
"What?"
"Snatch McKenzie. I'm a writer of poetry and horror stories."
"That's cool." He heard a different sound across the room.
"It's them," said Snatch. "Peroxwhygen is on."
"Again. Who are they?"
"Just some average alternative rock group. Jeff Hardy always puts on a good show." They headed into the crowd and cut through to get close to the stage.
Sea Wolf looked up on the stage and had his first look at the lead singer, Jeff Hardy. The guy's hair was short but shaggy and he had it dyed with multiple colors. One of his arms and his face were dabbed with fluorescent paint. He wore forest green baggy jeans and a black basketball jersey with an unusual looking symbol on the front. He danced around like he was having a seizure but everyone loved it.
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Peroxwhygen was on stage for an hour and fifteen minutes. When their final song ended, Sea Wolf headed back to the bar and had another round of Scotch. He saw Snatch at the vendor's buying a few shirts. Trish walked up and hugged him. "That was a great show, but there's one more band up. I'll be over there talking to Andy over there if you need me."
"Great. I'd better check on Booker and Rob." He scouted around the club and found that Booker and Garcia stayed right where they were. Rob Van Dam was chatting his head off with some people until they walked away. He bumped into Vera on his was to the restroom.
She glared at him for a moment. "If you ever set me up with a date again, don't do it with Rob again. He won't shut up!"
"I promise."
"Good." She gave him a quick hug and then went back to what she was doing.
He walked around, eyeing a few of the ladies walking around and admiring some of the unique outfits that some of the regulars were wearing. He noticed James Mitchell coming his way again with his bodyguards, Slash and Brian Lee. He kept walking until he passed by and started walking faster as he cut through another crowd.
James Mitchell's bodyguards looked back for a minute. "Hey, Brian. Did you see anybody suspicious?"
"No, what's to be the problem?"
"Do you remember that guy who took one of our cars from the parking lot?"
"Yeah. What about him?"
"I thought I saw him. He was dressed differently, but I know people when I see them. We might as well check him out."
Sea Wolf stood on one corner, hoping those two guys didn't see him. He took a deep breath and listened to the final band. They didn't sound as good as Peroxwhygen though. He looked ahead and saw Brian Lee and Slash moving forward. They were talking to a few people and spotted someone pointing in his direction.
He slipped through the room and ran up a short staircase where club security should have been watching and he ran through the door. "Maybe I can hide here for awhile, but I can't leave. I can't leave without Trish at least."
"Hey. How are you doing?" somebody said. It was Jeff Hardy. "Have a seat." As he sat down and accepted a bottle of beer, Jeff sat across from him. "So what brings you here? Are you avoiding your girlfriend or something?"
"No," he said slowly. "I guess I got lost."
"That's okay. So what did you think of our performance?"
"It was great! I never heard of your group until tonight, but it was awesome. My girlfriend loved it more."
"Thanks." He sat down next to a scrawny guy who was thumbing through some Green Lantern comics. "What do you do around here?"
"I don't exactly have a steady job. I used to be a Navy pilot years ago, but recently I worked for a brewery, a ranch and a car dealership but recently I've been a bouncer at a local bar."
A clean cut black man was standing behind the couch. He smiled at him and greeted him. "Hello there. I'm Jonathan Coachman. Peroxwhygen's manager."
Jeff shook his head and had a bored look on his face. "Make it fast, Coach."
"I just heard your conversation. So you're a bouncer?"
"You could say that."
"Well, we're gonna be in town for a few days. Jeff likes to roam all over the city when they aren't on the road or on stage. Since there are fans out there who would do anything to get their hands on Jeff, I figured he could use a bodyguard."
"I'd have to think about it. I have some unfinished business to take care of."
"That's fine. Here's my card. We're leaving town in 10 days so feel free to give me a ring or drop my the hotel."
"Excellent."
"Okay. Okay. It's my turn to play with him, Coach," Jeff said pulling Sea Wolf away from Coachman. "That Oreo worries too much about me. I'm not fragile." He looked across the room. "Let me introduce you to the band." He pointed at the man with the Green Lantern shirt with braces sorting out his comic books. "That Gregory Shane Helms, also known as the Hurricane. He's a mega comic geek and our drummer. He has all those Green Lantern, Azrael, Starman and Aquaman comics. All that shit."
A semi-formal dressed woman was reading a book with some headphones on. "This lovely brunette does all the programming and hits the keys. The beautiful Clara Lucado."
There was another woman wearing a leather top that looked like something from a Xena episode and tight black pants. Her black hair was tied back and she had about ten rings in each ear, two in her navel, two in her nose and a cobra tattoo on her left arm. "This one here is a psycho. She plays lead guitar. You're pain is her pleasure. Miss Buffy Vamp will be at your service, but you must keep your hands and the rest of your body parts to yourself."
An odd looking man with gold and black paint on his face and a blonde wig was staring at his portable television. He happened to be watching an old horror movie. The bizarre individual stood up from his seat and stared him down. "The sky is blue and all the leaves are green. My heart is full like a baked potato. I guess you know exactly what I mean when I say it's a Shpadoinkle day."
"Huh? What the hell did you just say?"
"That was from Cannibal the Musical. Directed by Trey Parker in 1992. It was only an independent film sponsored by the Troma Team. The movie was based on a real life event that happened in the late 1800s when a group led by Alferd Packer got lost in the Colorado Mountains. He was the only one who returned and was convicted of cannibalism." He made a nauseating slurping sound. "But they sing."
Jeff turned to Sea Wolf. "Don't worry about him. Our bass player, Goldust is the movie geek of the group." They all looked at him. "Now that you know the band, who the hell are you?"
"My name's Justin, but everyone calls me Sea Wolf."
"Sea Wolf? That some codename back in the service?"
"Yes."
"Cool! I like it."
"That's great and I appreciate your hospitality, but I've gotta go back out and find my girlfriend. She's chatting with some famous writer and I wouldn't want her to be branded a stalker."
"Do you want an autograph at least?"
"Sure. Could you make it out to Trish."
"All right."
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He walked back into the scenes of the club again. The bodyguards weren't in sight so he could finally relax. He looked across the room and saw Trish still talking to Snatch, along with Garcia and Vera. "Just some girl talk going on. I might as well do my own thing for awhile."
The woman in the white corset stood before him. He looked at her and waved back. She went straight to him and placed one arm on his shoulder. "Hi, handsome. You're a new face."
"I guess I am."
"Not too talkative I see." Her breasts heaved as she spoke and started shaking. "My name is Genevieve." She gave him a kiss on his neck.
"Sea Wolf."
"What will it take for me to take your soul?" She leaned toward him and licked his ear.
He jumped back. "Whoa. I think you're moving too fast. We just met."
Genevieve grabbed him by his jeans and yanked him towards her. "Resisting. Is that how you play?"
There were some loud footsteps coming from his left. He turned and saw Trish coming this way. She pushed Genevieve back. "Get off him! He's mine!"
"Oh. Somebody here is whipped," the woman said softly. "Or do you already know that I can please him more than you can." Then she walked away.
Sea Wolf put one arm in front of Trish. "Don't do this. It's not worth it."
"You're right, Justin." They headed back to the bar.
He stood by the bar, not in the mood for anything to drink. He saw the man known as Lash on the top of the staircase talking to another man in black. He looked closely. "That looks like the guy I met at scrap yard weeks ago." The man's hair was down and had a slimy look on his face. He patted Trish on the shoulder "I don't wanna pry into your social club here, so I'm gonna go find the other guys and see what they're up to."
"Okay." He walked up the staircase and hugged the wall next to the doorway and listened for any conversation.
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"Lash, what is the deal? I've just found out we have a couple of Narcs in this club tonight," the mysterious man yelled.
"I can't help it. Mitchell runs this place. He'll either pay them off or get rid of them."
"That's all well and good, but rumor has it there's some new kid in town. He has already taken out most of the Flock. The Flock!"
"I know our deals haven't been too hot because of the Narcs or the Flock, but Raven and his goons have more access to the supplies than we do."
"That's no excuse! I want improvement within 48 hours or you will suffer a punishment that's worse than death."
"Yes, Mr. Blackburn."
"Where have I heard that name before?" Sea Wolf asked himself. He continued to listen to what Mr. Blackburn had to say.
"About that new kid. He sounds familiar. I was told that he looks like a biker of some sort. There was a man I met weeks ago back at the scrap yard outside of town, but he got away."
Sea Wolf's stomach was aching. "It's him." A large hand grasped his shoulder.
He saw a man in a red suit eyeing at him angrily. "May I help you young man?" The door nearby slammed shut and Mitchell tossed him at Slash and Brian Lee who were standing behind him. "Now what are you doing here? You should know this section is off limits to everyone but staff."
"I got lost."
"You're lying. You obviously heard something you shouldn't have."
Slash looked at him. "Boss, I know this guy now. He's the one who jacked one of our cars." He punched Sea Wolf in the stomach. Him and Brian grabbed him and pushed him down the hallway. He tripped and rolled down the steps as they followed. Both men began to take turns hitting him.
He could hear some people egging on the fight while others stepped back and ignored it. Booker cut through the crowd and lunged at the guys. Rob Van Dam was one floor up. He leapt from the balcony and splashed on to both bodyguards. All three of them began to wail on Minister Mitchell, Slash and Brain Lee. When it looked like they were beaten down, they heard someone yelled, "Freeze!" They heard a gun click from behind them.
A young woman wearing black jeans and white blouse had a .38 against his face. Her and a Hispanic guy dressed in all black each flashed out a badge. "Hands on the wall!" They yelled. Sea Wolf, Booker T and Rob Van Dam were propped against the wall, patted down and cuffed.
Minster James Mitchell stood up and approached the officers. "I'm the owner of this establishment. These guys decided to defy my authority when I caught them in an unauthorized area. They attacked my bodyguards and me when I politely asked them to leave. I want them prosecuted to the fullest extent." Before Sea Wolf could say anything, both officers read them their rights and took them away.
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Twelve hours had passed. It felt like days. First Rob Van Dam was interrogated, but he wasn't any help. Booker T was next but he told them that he was only helping out a friend.
Sea Wolf entered the room. The same officers who booked him were waiting. "Do you know why you're here?" the woman asked him.
"For hitting a club owner?"
"No," she said. "Before we tell you about it, I'm Molly Holly. This is my partner, Tito Velasquez. We're part of the DEA." She took a deep breath. "There was a major drug bust tonight at the club."
"A drug bust? None of had any dope."
"I know. We saw you sneak upstairs. Those two men you listened to appeared to be suspicious. Did you listen in on their conversation?"
"Yes, they were talking about dealing some substance and some gang called the Flock."
"Is this the same Flock who has been dealing in some unnamed drug on the streets?"
"Who knows? It's probably not a fund-raiser."
"Don't try to be funny," said Tito Velasquez. "Eight years ago, there was an experiment called 'Project Taurus.' They used gene therapy on selected patients, trying to enhance their strength. They called this gene 'The Nodrog.' The researchers named it after some pagan god that looked like a bull. When the gene got into someone's blood, it would put the individual into an aggressive state within minutes. The only cure would be killing that person. It's either that or their brain would go into a spontaneous meltdown, causing a more agonizing death."
"So you know nothing about it?" Molly Holly asked him.
"No ma'am."
"Okay. Well, we're letting you and your friends go."
"What?"
"That's right. A friend of yours called us up and bailed you out."
Shawn Michaels walked into the room. "Hey, Justin. Nash told me the news and I came down as quickly as possible."
"What about Trish?"
"Vera and Garcia took her home."
"Good."
Molly glared at him. "You'll be hearing from us, so don't leave town."
"I won't."
"Come on, Justin. Booker and Rob are waiting," Shawn said.
Disclaimer: Selected superstars in this story are property of the WWE, NWA- TNA and XPW. Peroxwhygen is property of WWE superstar, Jeff Hardy. All rights reserved. I also want to credit the individual who came up with Nodrog, from 411wrestling.com. I don't know who you are, but thank you.
Other superstars listed in this chapter: Sea Wolf, Arkuss Blackburn, Tito Velasquez, Buffy Vamp, Clara Lucado, Lash, Genevieve and Whitman Sakazaki are property of the author, Dave Scott. Please e-mail me at bender_hkw@lycos.com for permission to use any character in this story of others listed in previous chapters. I mean it. I would also like to thank Rockstar games and the creators of the Grand Theft Auto series for inspiring this story.
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(Back In Black)
Sea Wolf headed to the Hangman after picking up his payment from Chris Benoit. Everything appeared to be going well at the lumberyard and it looked like the Wolverines didn't need him to do anymore of their dirty work.
It felt good to be out of the house once again. After almost a week without interaction with anybody, except for Jerry Lynn, he was looking forward to meeting with Kevin Nash, Steve Austin and all the other drunks and bikers who lounged at the bar. They were probably starting to get concerned about him.
When he parked his car, he noticed some shattered glass covering the sidewalks and the front window was boarded up. "What happened?" It looked like the place was vandalized. The front door opened he could hear Kevin Nash saying, "Come on in. It's time for an emergency business meeting."
He stepped inside the trashed bar. Scott Hall, Booker T, Vera and Garcia sitting at the bar, awaiting Nash's announcement. Kevin Nash went behind the bar and handed them each a drink.
"Does everyone know why I called you in?" Everyone nodded except for Sea Wolf. "Well, by the looks of this place, you can tell. Some asshole Creepers smashed the windows and demolished this place. It looked worse in here earlier. This room had wall smeared with blood and pus. There was a mutilated dog and other nasty stuff lying around here. I know this is the doing of their leader, Lash.
"Thank God I'm insured, but I won't tolerate this! Since they invaded my property, we're going to invade theirs. Two nights from now, some bands known as Benjamin Gate, Powerman 5000 and Peroxwhygen is performing at the Creepers' hangout, the Brood. I don't know what people think is so great about them, but a lot of those pagan freaks will be attending. I want all of you, except for Scott, to attend the concert and either gather information to nail those bastards or crack a few skulls. You'll need some attire to fit in, so hopefully that's enough notice.
"Also, I know a guy who lives uptown. He's a martial arts instructor at some fancy Dojo. He's been vowing to return a favor that I did for him years ago." He looked over at Sea Wolf. "Here's the address. Go meet up with him and tell him it's time."
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He drove uptown and found the dojo without incident with any gang. The entrance was unlocked, so he carefully opened the door and entered. The room looked like something from a Dragonball Z episode. The walls had anime pinned up, some spiritual music filled the room and there was an unusual scent that almost got to him.
Nobody was in sight. "What the heck? Is Nash sure that there is some guy who can help? I don't see anyone."
At the end of the room, he spotted a man who looked like he was meditating, but he was seated in mid-air with his legs spread placing one on each bar. The guy's brown hair was worn in a ponytail and he was wearing a multi-colored full body spandex outfit with a Yin-Yang picture on the front.
He walked up to the guy slowly. "Hello." The guy wasn't moving. "Are you alive?" Still no response. "I guess I might be in the wrong place." He was ready to walk away and get back to his own life. He had other things on his mind rather than looking at a martial artist who was hovering in a coma.
"What did you come here for?" the strange man asked.
"My name is Justin Timberwolfe. I'm a friend of a guy named Kevin Nash. He sent me here to talk to about returning a favor."
"What do I get out of it?"
"What do you mean? He saved your life years ago."
"We're putting our lives at risk. If Kevin has any request, it's gotta be something intense."
"Well, there's been a gang war going on between him and the Regulators against the Creepers."
"Are the Creepers that Gothic gang that rules the south side of the city?"
"You could say that." He paused. "There's a concert at the Brood in two nights. Benjamin Gate, Powerman 5000 and Peroxwhygen are performing. Kevin Nash asked us to attend their concerts and nail a few Creepers. That's one of their main hideouts."
"Really? And what do you mean we?"
"Well, Booker T, Vera, Garcia and I are going."
"Are those two girls you mentioned pretty?"
"Yes. Do you want one of them to be your date?"
"That would be nice. Also, I've heard good things about Peroxwhygen. The lead singer's a pretty nice guy. He's fun to be around, so I guess I'll go with you."
"That's cool. Meet us at the Hangman in two days. The concert starts at eight and don't forget to wear some appropriate attire. I hear black is their color."
"Relax. I can handle it." He gave a thumbs up to Sea Wolf. "Everything's cool when you're Rob Van Dam."
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He managed to convince Rob Van Dam to join in on their plan and stopped at a trendy store for some decent threads to get by as a Creeper. The only thing he needed was a date for the evening. He picked up the phone and called a woman he knew might be interested.
"Hey, Trish. It's me Justin."
"Hi! How are you doing?" she responded. "It's been a few days. What are you up to?"
"I was just wondering if you were free this Saturday night?"
"Why do you ask?"
"Well, some friends are going to a concert and invited me. They're called Peroxwhygen. They gave me an extra ticket, so I was wondering if you wanted to accompany me for the evening?"
She hesitated for a minute. "Sure. It's a date."
"Okay. I'll pick you up at seven."
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The evening had come. Sea Wolf spiked up his short black hair. The clothing he picked was some leather pants, a tank top shirt with the Megadeth logo, fingerless gloves, some biker boots and a black leather jacket.
He jumped into his Screamer and headed for Trish's loft. She walked out the door little seconds after he honked the horn. His jaw dropped as she stepped to his car. She wore a tight black sleeveless shirt, a short leather skirt, some black boots that almost reached her knees, and applied on some black lipstick as she looked into his side view mirror.
"I don't know what to say." He sighed. "You look great. I better not take my eyes off you."
"Ooh. If we enjoy the show, maybe I'll tie you up and whip you."
"Okay. Let's go meet the rest." He stopped at the Hangman and met Booker, Vera, Garcia and Rob Van Dam. They all had their different threads.
Booker kept his hair the same, but donned some dark sunglasses, wore faded black jeans, a Dark Lotus t-shirt and a leather trench coat. Vera dyed her hair light purple with blue streaks, wore some skintight red pants and a black bodice, revealing most of her cleavage. Garcia had her curly black hair straightened, wore a suede vest with a long silky skirt and high heels. Rob Van Dam only wore a black jacket and blue jeans.
Sea Wolf took his tickets and followed the others to the Brood. There were a crowd of punks and Goths waiting in a single file line outside of the club. He saw two tall men dressed in black from the neck down, patting down each patron before they could pass through. "No weapons allowed, huh? I guess we'll have to rely on our own physical strength," he told himself.
They all lined up, were patted down, carded and then admitted. "You all know the plan," Sea Wolf told them. "Try to look natural, enjoy the show and when the time is right, we beat down the warlord of the gang."
"What's going on?" Trish asked as they separated from the rest.
"Nothing important."
"No, really. It sounds to me like you guys are looking for a fight."
"It isn't me. Someone who attends this club harassed Booker a week ago and he just wants some retaliation. Don't worry about it. Let's have a drink and enjoy the show." He asked for a Scotch on the rocks and bought Trish one of those fancy drinks that he never heard of before. He had never seen so many freaks in his life. It was bad enough to only see in few back in his high school days, but it was like so many flew in from all over the world.
Booker T and Garcia stood on the edge of where the crowd was, avoiding any mosh pits or fights listened to the bands perform. Rob Van Dam and Vera found a place to stand and talk for awhile. Sea Wolf and Trish stood in one spot near the bar so they could hear themselves speak and listen in on a few conversations. He spotted a group walk through the entrance of the Brood. It was like people were stepping aside, making room for them. The man walking ahead was a tall pale man with his black hair worn back and braided and he wore the same wizard like jacket. It was the same man he spotted the evening he stole a gang car from the club's parking lot.
There were two individuals walking beside him. One of them was a young Japanese man with a thin build and long dark hair. His attire looked like the same thing from Edward Scissorhands. The other was a young seductive woman. Her hair was dark and skin was almost white as a ghost. She wore a white laced corset, pushing up her breasts making them look larger and high heel shoes.
The older man in the red suit with the pointed beard was walking around the club with his bodyguards. Sea Wolf spotted them. "Please don't let them recognize me," he pleaded to God. He turned around, facing the bar in hopes that they wouldn't even notice him.
Trish leaned against the bar. She was waiting until Peroxwhygen hit the stage. She bumped into someone as she was pacing around, not paying attention. She was startled at first when the other woman appeared to have a slightly angry look on her face. "I'm so sorry. I didn't see you."
"No problem," the other woman said. "I haven't seen you around before."
"I'm just with a date. It's the guy with the spiky hair that's clutching the bar over there. My name's Trish."
"Andrea Henrikssen."
"THE Andrea Henrikssen?"
"In the flesh."
"I've read some of your work. It's fascinating. I mean.it sounds kind of creepy but it's fascinating."
"Either you're just saying that or I have yet another fan who hasn't been stalking me for an autograph."
"You have nothing to worry about."
"If you're a fan of my work, have you ever read a book of poetry called A Nothing's Blessing?"
"But that was written by Snatch McKenzie." She nodded her head. "That was you too?"
"That's right. Back in my younger days, when I was in rehab, I had written some sad poetry and horror stories. That was the name I went under for awhile, but when I got serious about writing and found a good man, I used my given name."
"What brings you here? Are you promoting some new stuff?"
"No, I only attend this place when there's a concert. The other nights are just too rough. My husband had to take care of some sick children."
Trish looked back at Sea Wolf. "I don't know why he looks so edgy. He started doing this since that guy in the red suit walked by."
"The owner? He's Minister James Mitchell. The regulars think he's a king and those two big guys with him are his bodyguards, Slash and Brian Lee. The only person you might want to steer clear of is that long skinny guy who looks like a sorcerer. I've heard Mitchell call him Lash." She leaned toward Trish. "If I were you, I'd avoid him. He's always up to no good."
"I'm not surprised." She walked to Justin's post, put her arm around him and walked him toward her new friend. "This is my date, Justin."
"Snatch."
"What?"
"Snatch McKenzie. I'm a writer of poetry and horror stories."
"That's cool." He heard a different sound across the room.
"It's them," said Snatch. "Peroxwhygen is on."
"Again. Who are they?"
"Just some average alternative rock group. Jeff Hardy always puts on a good show." They headed into the crowd and cut through to get close to the stage.
Sea Wolf looked up on the stage and had his first look at the lead singer, Jeff Hardy. The guy's hair was short but shaggy and he had it dyed with multiple colors. One of his arms and his face were dabbed with fluorescent paint. He wore forest green baggy jeans and a black basketball jersey with an unusual looking symbol on the front. He danced around like he was having a seizure but everyone loved it.
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Peroxwhygen was on stage for an hour and fifteen minutes. When their final song ended, Sea Wolf headed back to the bar and had another round of Scotch. He saw Snatch at the vendor's buying a few shirts. Trish walked up and hugged him. "That was a great show, but there's one more band up. I'll be over there talking to Andy over there if you need me."
"Great. I'd better check on Booker and Rob." He scouted around the club and found that Booker and Garcia stayed right where they were. Rob Van Dam was chatting his head off with some people until they walked away. He bumped into Vera on his was to the restroom.
She glared at him for a moment. "If you ever set me up with a date again, don't do it with Rob again. He won't shut up!"
"I promise."
"Good." She gave him a quick hug and then went back to what she was doing.
He walked around, eyeing a few of the ladies walking around and admiring some of the unique outfits that some of the regulars were wearing. He noticed James Mitchell coming his way again with his bodyguards, Slash and Brian Lee. He kept walking until he passed by and started walking faster as he cut through another crowd.
James Mitchell's bodyguards looked back for a minute. "Hey, Brian. Did you see anybody suspicious?"
"No, what's to be the problem?"
"Do you remember that guy who took one of our cars from the parking lot?"
"Yeah. What about him?"
"I thought I saw him. He was dressed differently, but I know people when I see them. We might as well check him out."
Sea Wolf stood on one corner, hoping those two guys didn't see him. He took a deep breath and listened to the final band. They didn't sound as good as Peroxwhygen though. He looked ahead and saw Brian Lee and Slash moving forward. They were talking to a few people and spotted someone pointing in his direction.
He slipped through the room and ran up a short staircase where club security should have been watching and he ran through the door. "Maybe I can hide here for awhile, but I can't leave. I can't leave without Trish at least."
"Hey. How are you doing?" somebody said. It was Jeff Hardy. "Have a seat." As he sat down and accepted a bottle of beer, Jeff sat across from him. "So what brings you here? Are you avoiding your girlfriend or something?"
"No," he said slowly. "I guess I got lost."
"That's okay. So what did you think of our performance?"
"It was great! I never heard of your group until tonight, but it was awesome. My girlfriend loved it more."
"Thanks." He sat down next to a scrawny guy who was thumbing through some Green Lantern comics. "What do you do around here?"
"I don't exactly have a steady job. I used to be a Navy pilot years ago, but recently I worked for a brewery, a ranch and a car dealership but recently I've been a bouncer at a local bar."
A clean cut black man was standing behind the couch. He smiled at him and greeted him. "Hello there. I'm Jonathan Coachman. Peroxwhygen's manager."
Jeff shook his head and had a bored look on his face. "Make it fast, Coach."
"I just heard your conversation. So you're a bouncer?"
"You could say that."
"Well, we're gonna be in town for a few days. Jeff likes to roam all over the city when they aren't on the road or on stage. Since there are fans out there who would do anything to get their hands on Jeff, I figured he could use a bodyguard."
"I'd have to think about it. I have some unfinished business to take care of."
"That's fine. Here's my card. We're leaving town in 10 days so feel free to give me a ring or drop my the hotel."
"Excellent."
"Okay. Okay. It's my turn to play with him, Coach," Jeff said pulling Sea Wolf away from Coachman. "That Oreo worries too much about me. I'm not fragile." He looked across the room. "Let me introduce you to the band." He pointed at the man with the Green Lantern shirt with braces sorting out his comic books. "That Gregory Shane Helms, also known as the Hurricane. He's a mega comic geek and our drummer. He has all those Green Lantern, Azrael, Starman and Aquaman comics. All that shit."
A semi-formal dressed woman was reading a book with some headphones on. "This lovely brunette does all the programming and hits the keys. The beautiful Clara Lucado."
There was another woman wearing a leather top that looked like something from a Xena episode and tight black pants. Her black hair was tied back and she had about ten rings in each ear, two in her navel, two in her nose and a cobra tattoo on her left arm. "This one here is a psycho. She plays lead guitar. You're pain is her pleasure. Miss Buffy Vamp will be at your service, but you must keep your hands and the rest of your body parts to yourself."
An odd looking man with gold and black paint on his face and a blonde wig was staring at his portable television. He happened to be watching an old horror movie. The bizarre individual stood up from his seat and stared him down. "The sky is blue and all the leaves are green. My heart is full like a baked potato. I guess you know exactly what I mean when I say it's a Shpadoinkle day."
"Huh? What the hell did you just say?"
"That was from Cannibal the Musical. Directed by Trey Parker in 1992. It was only an independent film sponsored by the Troma Team. The movie was based on a real life event that happened in the late 1800s when a group led by Alferd Packer got lost in the Colorado Mountains. He was the only one who returned and was convicted of cannibalism." He made a nauseating slurping sound. "But they sing."
Jeff turned to Sea Wolf. "Don't worry about him. Our bass player, Goldust is the movie geek of the group." They all looked at him. "Now that you know the band, who the hell are you?"
"My name's Justin, but everyone calls me Sea Wolf."
"Sea Wolf? That some codename back in the service?"
"Yes."
"Cool! I like it."
"That's great and I appreciate your hospitality, but I've gotta go back out and find my girlfriend. She's chatting with some famous writer and I wouldn't want her to be branded a stalker."
"Do you want an autograph at least?"
"Sure. Could you make it out to Trish."
"All right."
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He walked back into the scenes of the club again. The bodyguards weren't in sight so he could finally relax. He looked across the room and saw Trish still talking to Snatch, along with Garcia and Vera. "Just some girl talk going on. I might as well do my own thing for awhile."
The woman in the white corset stood before him. He looked at her and waved back. She went straight to him and placed one arm on his shoulder. "Hi, handsome. You're a new face."
"I guess I am."
"Not too talkative I see." Her breasts heaved as she spoke and started shaking. "My name is Genevieve." She gave him a kiss on his neck.
"Sea Wolf."
"What will it take for me to take your soul?" She leaned toward him and licked his ear.
He jumped back. "Whoa. I think you're moving too fast. We just met."
Genevieve grabbed him by his jeans and yanked him towards her. "Resisting. Is that how you play?"
There were some loud footsteps coming from his left. He turned and saw Trish coming this way. She pushed Genevieve back. "Get off him! He's mine!"
"Oh. Somebody here is whipped," the woman said softly. "Or do you already know that I can please him more than you can." Then she walked away.
Sea Wolf put one arm in front of Trish. "Don't do this. It's not worth it."
"You're right, Justin." They headed back to the bar.
He stood by the bar, not in the mood for anything to drink. He saw the man known as Lash on the top of the staircase talking to another man in black. He looked closely. "That looks like the guy I met at scrap yard weeks ago." The man's hair was down and had a slimy look on his face. He patted Trish on the shoulder "I don't wanna pry into your social club here, so I'm gonna go find the other guys and see what they're up to."
"Okay." He walked up the staircase and hugged the wall next to the doorway and listened for any conversation.
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"Lash, what is the deal? I've just found out we have a couple of Narcs in this club tonight," the mysterious man yelled.
"I can't help it. Mitchell runs this place. He'll either pay them off or get rid of them."
"That's all well and good, but rumor has it there's some new kid in town. He has already taken out most of the Flock. The Flock!"
"I know our deals haven't been too hot because of the Narcs or the Flock, but Raven and his goons have more access to the supplies than we do."
"That's no excuse! I want improvement within 48 hours or you will suffer a punishment that's worse than death."
"Yes, Mr. Blackburn."
"Where have I heard that name before?" Sea Wolf asked himself. He continued to listen to what Mr. Blackburn had to say.
"About that new kid. He sounds familiar. I was told that he looks like a biker of some sort. There was a man I met weeks ago back at the scrap yard outside of town, but he got away."
Sea Wolf's stomach was aching. "It's him." A large hand grasped his shoulder.
He saw a man in a red suit eyeing at him angrily. "May I help you young man?" The door nearby slammed shut and Mitchell tossed him at Slash and Brian Lee who were standing behind him. "Now what are you doing here? You should know this section is off limits to everyone but staff."
"I got lost."
"You're lying. You obviously heard something you shouldn't have."
Slash looked at him. "Boss, I know this guy now. He's the one who jacked one of our cars." He punched Sea Wolf in the stomach. Him and Brian grabbed him and pushed him down the hallway. He tripped and rolled down the steps as they followed. Both men began to take turns hitting him.
He could hear some people egging on the fight while others stepped back and ignored it. Booker cut through the crowd and lunged at the guys. Rob Van Dam was one floor up. He leapt from the balcony and splashed on to both bodyguards. All three of them began to wail on Minister Mitchell, Slash and Brain Lee. When it looked like they were beaten down, they heard someone yelled, "Freeze!" They heard a gun click from behind them.
A young woman wearing black jeans and white blouse had a .38 against his face. Her and a Hispanic guy dressed in all black each flashed out a badge. "Hands on the wall!" They yelled. Sea Wolf, Booker T and Rob Van Dam were propped against the wall, patted down and cuffed.
Minster James Mitchell stood up and approached the officers. "I'm the owner of this establishment. These guys decided to defy my authority when I caught them in an unauthorized area. They attacked my bodyguards and me when I politely asked them to leave. I want them prosecuted to the fullest extent." Before Sea Wolf could say anything, both officers read them their rights and took them away.
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Twelve hours had passed. It felt like days. First Rob Van Dam was interrogated, but he wasn't any help. Booker T was next but he told them that he was only helping out a friend.
Sea Wolf entered the room. The same officers who booked him were waiting. "Do you know why you're here?" the woman asked him.
"For hitting a club owner?"
"No," she said. "Before we tell you about it, I'm Molly Holly. This is my partner, Tito Velasquez. We're part of the DEA." She took a deep breath. "There was a major drug bust tonight at the club."
"A drug bust? None of had any dope."
"I know. We saw you sneak upstairs. Those two men you listened to appeared to be suspicious. Did you listen in on their conversation?"
"Yes, they were talking about dealing some substance and some gang called the Flock."
"Is this the same Flock who has been dealing in some unnamed drug on the streets?"
"Who knows? It's probably not a fund-raiser."
"Don't try to be funny," said Tito Velasquez. "Eight years ago, there was an experiment called 'Project Taurus.' They used gene therapy on selected patients, trying to enhance their strength. They called this gene 'The Nodrog.' The researchers named it after some pagan god that looked like a bull. When the gene got into someone's blood, it would put the individual into an aggressive state within minutes. The only cure would be killing that person. It's either that or their brain would go into a spontaneous meltdown, causing a more agonizing death."
"So you know nothing about it?" Molly Holly asked him.
"No ma'am."
"Okay. Well, we're letting you and your friends go."
"What?"
"That's right. A friend of yours called us up and bailed you out."
Shawn Michaels walked into the room. "Hey, Justin. Nash told me the news and I came down as quickly as possible."
"What about Trish?"
"Vera and Garcia took her home."
"Good."
Molly glared at him. "You'll be hearing from us, so don't leave town."
"I won't."
"Come on, Justin. Booker and Rob are waiting," Shawn said.