CHAPTER IV
MARDI GRAS MADNESS
Curt woke up to find that he was wrapped in cloth, which he threw off immediately. He looked at his body to find that he was in his human form, which was a relief, but he soon sighed as he saw that he was in the nude and in the back of a pickup truck. He covered himself up and looked around, and luckily found that no one was nearby. From what he had heard earlier, the hunters probably thought that he was a gator and shot him on sight. The bullet would've bounced off, if his armor hadn't begun to deteriorate earlier.
"Well, I can't walk around here in the nude", thought Curt. Since there were laws against walking around nude (well, in Florida there were at least), he began to panic and throw things around in the trunk. Fortunately, one of the first things he found was a briefcase, so he began to dig through it to see if there were any clothes in it, and he found one pair. However, it was very unfortunate that the only pair of clothes in the car had to be a biker suit, which would be inappropriate for a well-known scientist to be clad in.
"Well", said Curt out loud, "a lizard's got to do what a lizard's got to do". He proceeded to put on the piker suit, which fit very nicely. However, since there were no undergarments available, his private area really stood out. That would be a good thing if he happened to go into a bar....but he would not dare do that, for it would dishonor his wife's spirit. Once that was over, he leaped out of the car and proceeded down the street, where he met a very young girl.
"Hello, babe", said the girl.
"Uh...hi", said Curt. "Who might you be?"
"My name is Kimberly", said the girl, "and I am your worst nightmare". She then took her shirt off in front of Curt, and since she had no bra on, her bare chest was exposed.
"That is very nice, young Kimberly", said Curt. "However, I must be going now".
"You'll regret that for being such a poor sport", said Kimberly. However, a young teenage man ran up to her and put a bead necklace around her neck, and Curt realized something quite scary to him- he was in New Orleans on Mardi Gras. It would've been nice if he had a tour map or something, but he was a stranger with a biker suit and a Pterodactyl on his trail. Sweat began to pour down his head, and his skin started to harden.
"I'm starting to stress out", thought Curt. "I must eat or do something to calm me down". He spun his head around to see if there was anything available, and one building in particular caught his eye- Dominique's Restaurant. He dug his hands in his pockets to find that he had a wallet, and once he took it out he found that he had $50 dollars cash and a credit card, and a smile crept on his face. He proceeded to the Restaurant, where he was met by a young, obviously southern man dressed in the fanciest of suits, armed with a notepad and pen.
"Hello and welcome to N'awleans", said the boy. "How may I help you?"
"I'd like to have a seat at one of these tables", he told him.
"Would that be just yourself?"
"Yes, I do not have any company."
"Follow me, then". The waiter then led him to a nice, leather couch, where he sat and stared at the people and listened to their conversations. About twenty minutes later, a Creole man came by and looked at him.
"This way please", said the man. He then led curt to a small, two- manned table, where he sat a plate in front of him. "Welcome to Dominique's Restaurant, the best N'awleans can offer. What would you like to start off with?"
"I'd like a bottle of Verite 2000 La Joie, please", said Curt.
"Sir", said the Creole man, "That wine is over a hundred dollars".
"I don't care about the price", said Curt. "I want to have a fine night, so I want the finest wine. Is that okay?"
"Yessir", said the man. He then ran off to get the wine while Curt looked at the menu.
"Mmmm", thought Curt. "This gumbo is so expensive it must be good. I'll take it". The Creole waiter then walked in with the wine that Curt had ordered, along with certificate of authenticity and a cooler to keep the wine crisp.
"What would you like to order?" asked the waiter.
"How 'bout the 'King Bacchus Gumbo Platter'", said Curt.
"Why don't you try our new Gator Gumbo?" asked the waiter. "It's the hottest thing in town, especially today." Curt wrinkled his nose at the thought of Gator Gumbo. It would practically be called cannibalism.
"No thank you", said Curt.
"Are you sure?" asked the waiter.
"YES", said Curt very curtly.
"Okay then", said the waiter, who walked off. No less than a minute later, a waiter came walking by with a woman, who was probably in her early thirties. She had light blonde hair, a slender build, and was wearing tight, Tomb Raider-like clothes with a brown vest, filled with various sorts of knives and other strange equipment Curt had never seen before.
"I want to sit here", said the woman.
"But ma'am", said the waiter, "there is a man sitting here."
"I'm sure he won't mind", said the woman, "right?" Curt nodded and the woman sat down.
"What would you like to drink?" asked the waiter to the woman.
"You won't mind sharing that bottle of wine, now would you?" asked the woman.
"Be my guest", said Curt.
"What would you like to order, ma'am?" asked the waiter.
"I'd like the gator gumbo", said the woman while staring into Curt's eyes. The waiter then left with the greatest of poise, and Curt turned looked at his guest.
"What purpose do you have by sitting here?" asked Curt.
"You are Curt Connors", said the woman, "are you not?"
"Yes I am. And who are you?"
"I am Ronnie Lake".
"Wow. What an interesting name. What do you do for a living?"
"Bounty hunting".
"Bounty hunting? I guess there's some big bounty on my head and you're just trying to collect it, huh?"
"I wish. However, my need is greater. Remember the A-45 formula?"
"Yes. That was one of my original formulas to help me grow my arm back in a reptilian fashion. It failed, but it was used to help remove the radiation from one child- Hank McCoy, whose father transmitted some radiation from his factory to his son."
"That's why I've come for you".
"Hank McCoy became a mutant because of that formula. I've kept it a secret all this time, for who knows what he would do to me. You don't want that formula. It's way too dangerous."
"My son worked in a nuclear power plant, and when it exploded he was flooded with radiation. I need the formula. His body is already starting to mutate. Either way, he will change. But since one way will result in his life, I'll take that chance."
"Do you need the materials to make the formula?"
"Yes. Just name your price".
"Once I'm done, if you charter a flight to Florida for me, I'd be grateful. Oh yeah, and a new change of clothes."
"That's acceptable. Are you with me or not?"
"Done." Curt then shook Ronnie's hand but sighed. He felt really embarrassed after Hank's body mutated. However, the government used the formula without his permission, but it was his creation. On the other hand, he could save a life, so he might as well get two missions done at once. Suddenly, a loud boom shook the room.
"What was that?" asked Ronnie.
"Oh my god", yelled several people in the restaurant. Curt ran as fast as he could to the nearest window, and sweat began to pour down hid body once he realized that Sauron was standing on top of one of the float, holding two young children.
"I need Curt Connors!" yelled Sauron. "If anyone knows where he is, just tell me. If I don't here an answer within ten minutes, these two children will get the old fashion stickin'" He unsheated a set of claws on one of his talons and smiled. It would sure be one messy Mardi Gras this year.
MARDI GRAS MADNESS
Curt woke up to find that he was wrapped in cloth, which he threw off immediately. He looked at his body to find that he was in his human form, which was a relief, but he soon sighed as he saw that he was in the nude and in the back of a pickup truck. He covered himself up and looked around, and luckily found that no one was nearby. From what he had heard earlier, the hunters probably thought that he was a gator and shot him on sight. The bullet would've bounced off, if his armor hadn't begun to deteriorate earlier.
"Well, I can't walk around here in the nude", thought Curt. Since there were laws against walking around nude (well, in Florida there were at least), he began to panic and throw things around in the trunk. Fortunately, one of the first things he found was a briefcase, so he began to dig through it to see if there were any clothes in it, and he found one pair. However, it was very unfortunate that the only pair of clothes in the car had to be a biker suit, which would be inappropriate for a well-known scientist to be clad in.
"Well", said Curt out loud, "a lizard's got to do what a lizard's got to do". He proceeded to put on the piker suit, which fit very nicely. However, since there were no undergarments available, his private area really stood out. That would be a good thing if he happened to go into a bar....but he would not dare do that, for it would dishonor his wife's spirit. Once that was over, he leaped out of the car and proceeded down the street, where he met a very young girl.
"Hello, babe", said the girl.
"Uh...hi", said Curt. "Who might you be?"
"My name is Kimberly", said the girl, "and I am your worst nightmare". She then took her shirt off in front of Curt, and since she had no bra on, her bare chest was exposed.
"That is very nice, young Kimberly", said Curt. "However, I must be going now".
"You'll regret that for being such a poor sport", said Kimberly. However, a young teenage man ran up to her and put a bead necklace around her neck, and Curt realized something quite scary to him- he was in New Orleans on Mardi Gras. It would've been nice if he had a tour map or something, but he was a stranger with a biker suit and a Pterodactyl on his trail. Sweat began to pour down his head, and his skin started to harden.
"I'm starting to stress out", thought Curt. "I must eat or do something to calm me down". He spun his head around to see if there was anything available, and one building in particular caught his eye- Dominique's Restaurant. He dug his hands in his pockets to find that he had a wallet, and once he took it out he found that he had $50 dollars cash and a credit card, and a smile crept on his face. He proceeded to the Restaurant, where he was met by a young, obviously southern man dressed in the fanciest of suits, armed with a notepad and pen.
"Hello and welcome to N'awleans", said the boy. "How may I help you?"
"I'd like to have a seat at one of these tables", he told him.
"Would that be just yourself?"
"Yes, I do not have any company."
"Follow me, then". The waiter then led him to a nice, leather couch, where he sat and stared at the people and listened to their conversations. About twenty minutes later, a Creole man came by and looked at him.
"This way please", said the man. He then led curt to a small, two- manned table, where he sat a plate in front of him. "Welcome to Dominique's Restaurant, the best N'awleans can offer. What would you like to start off with?"
"I'd like a bottle of Verite 2000 La Joie, please", said Curt.
"Sir", said the Creole man, "That wine is over a hundred dollars".
"I don't care about the price", said Curt. "I want to have a fine night, so I want the finest wine. Is that okay?"
"Yessir", said the man. He then ran off to get the wine while Curt looked at the menu.
"Mmmm", thought Curt. "This gumbo is so expensive it must be good. I'll take it". The Creole waiter then walked in with the wine that Curt had ordered, along with certificate of authenticity and a cooler to keep the wine crisp.
"What would you like to order?" asked the waiter.
"How 'bout the 'King Bacchus Gumbo Platter'", said Curt.
"Why don't you try our new Gator Gumbo?" asked the waiter. "It's the hottest thing in town, especially today." Curt wrinkled his nose at the thought of Gator Gumbo. It would practically be called cannibalism.
"No thank you", said Curt.
"Are you sure?" asked the waiter.
"YES", said Curt very curtly.
"Okay then", said the waiter, who walked off. No less than a minute later, a waiter came walking by with a woman, who was probably in her early thirties. She had light blonde hair, a slender build, and was wearing tight, Tomb Raider-like clothes with a brown vest, filled with various sorts of knives and other strange equipment Curt had never seen before.
"I want to sit here", said the woman.
"But ma'am", said the waiter, "there is a man sitting here."
"I'm sure he won't mind", said the woman, "right?" Curt nodded and the woman sat down.
"What would you like to drink?" asked the waiter to the woman.
"You won't mind sharing that bottle of wine, now would you?" asked the woman.
"Be my guest", said Curt.
"What would you like to order, ma'am?" asked the waiter.
"I'd like the gator gumbo", said the woman while staring into Curt's eyes. The waiter then left with the greatest of poise, and Curt turned looked at his guest.
"What purpose do you have by sitting here?" asked Curt.
"You are Curt Connors", said the woman, "are you not?"
"Yes I am. And who are you?"
"I am Ronnie Lake".
"Wow. What an interesting name. What do you do for a living?"
"Bounty hunting".
"Bounty hunting? I guess there's some big bounty on my head and you're just trying to collect it, huh?"
"I wish. However, my need is greater. Remember the A-45 formula?"
"Yes. That was one of my original formulas to help me grow my arm back in a reptilian fashion. It failed, but it was used to help remove the radiation from one child- Hank McCoy, whose father transmitted some radiation from his factory to his son."
"That's why I've come for you".
"Hank McCoy became a mutant because of that formula. I've kept it a secret all this time, for who knows what he would do to me. You don't want that formula. It's way too dangerous."
"My son worked in a nuclear power plant, and when it exploded he was flooded with radiation. I need the formula. His body is already starting to mutate. Either way, he will change. But since one way will result in his life, I'll take that chance."
"Do you need the materials to make the formula?"
"Yes. Just name your price".
"Once I'm done, if you charter a flight to Florida for me, I'd be grateful. Oh yeah, and a new change of clothes."
"That's acceptable. Are you with me or not?"
"Done." Curt then shook Ronnie's hand but sighed. He felt really embarrassed after Hank's body mutated. However, the government used the formula without his permission, but it was his creation. On the other hand, he could save a life, so he might as well get two missions done at once. Suddenly, a loud boom shook the room.
"What was that?" asked Ronnie.
"Oh my god", yelled several people in the restaurant. Curt ran as fast as he could to the nearest window, and sweat began to pour down hid body once he realized that Sauron was standing on top of one of the float, holding two young children.
"I need Curt Connors!" yelled Sauron. "If anyone knows where he is, just tell me. If I don't here an answer within ten minutes, these two children will get the old fashion stickin'" He unsheated a set of claws on one of his talons and smiled. It would sure be one messy Mardi Gras this year.