Long Live the King – Deathstroke's Forced Descent into Villainy
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Chapter Three: Knights of the Round Table
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As a matter of fact, after Wintergreen's temper tantrum had softened that night after, his cold heart thawed long enough to properly go over to decipher the document in written hand, that Slade was pulling out of his ass. Ah, well getting back to the present for our new comer?
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Will knit his brows and skimmed over the document in his hand three times before setting it down with a face full of so many naughty words to utter. He'd hold his tongue, for today. Slade had trekked across airport lobbies and flown in coach just to see him in his small niche right outside of the German border. He'd liked to stay longer, but Addie was accustomed to keeping tabs on her ex du to returning as a senior operative in security and surveillance. She'd chosen not to run into any brick walls as Slade constantly pushed her to do what she'd sworn never to in front of her boys.
As the two men met, face to face, Slade's only question would be; how would they have the characters and equipment to keep this locomotive running smoothly?
"Saying here…" That the party in….Are we being political? I don't understand a blasted word of this dribble, Wilson." It was true. It was too concrete, allowing for very little flexibility. Slade needed an editor and fast before his dream fell off on the wayside and into nothing.
"I can make this clearer, but it's a simple draft of WHAT we'd do. Take it as this." He sat up and tried to lean forward so Will could catch what the mastermind had to say.
"Any agency is difficult to have since "mercenary work" is a dual – sided obligation. A real, political matter that addresses the facts of justice swifter than any attorney can hope to accomplish in a full year…BUT. If we had an agency to all for those with the same –
"What? And the drug cartel is now running the post office business??" Scoffed the old timer. "Shame of this…publicity. You know the government will clamp down on –
"That is why we find names, faces that already have a hand in this sort of extracurricular business, Will." Slade's eyes brightened. "We can look into them while I start up a true network. I'm sick of this home – town bull and you could use a few extra days on and off the cot. What do you say to that?"
Will looked at the sturdy and iron clad document, then up to his old war buddy. "Is this not about your eldest son, Grant an –
"No. It is not." Slade interrupted and frowned. "I'm doing this since I have a keen interest, and I'll only be recruiting the best, without stepping over any unnecessary lines. In Japan they are ok with house call wives and families. Can you believe the lawsuits? A call to order or such a…. sort of nonsensical venture would put a pinch in our pockets, but the revenue would increase over –
"And what of the real cost- effective, manner of speaking? As in, the weight of your brilliant decision."
"Ehem, we'd only have the best. Not those who'd spill unnecessary blood." Slade chuckled, but Will was unbent by his earliest concern with the deal.
"As for your, new patrons? A crowd of villains, maybe?"
"Businessmen, Will." Slade saw that his cup of Jasmine was half full. Picking it off of a silver tray, Slade's demeanor was calmer than Wintergreen would have liked.
"Just, business." He smiled with a tip of his pinkie. Waiting on William would be tedious in itself, so he just shrugged. "For all I know, you're desperate for attention….yet what can I do with this mess but….say…"
Slade raised a brow from behind his innocent "mask." An eye patch and a lot of nerve too…
Will mentally groaned from across the coffee table.
Bratty soldier – boy. That's what I'd figured you'd want to tell me…
Will sighed. Slade was just as hard headed as any hero in Gotham. Even if he had to kill to get….
"If you say so, Slade. Just…do try not to bring home too many unsavory characters this time…"
"Dually noted, old friend." Slade made his small toast with a smile.
"To new opportunities, with a twist."
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Heading to someone who could set him on said path to the high life, that was only one single step in Slade's climb to the top. Shangri – la wasn't here in his city, but in good natured Metropolis where his daddy "Wearbucks" was awaiting a new up and comer.
Slade would be on his panel, he just –
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" Denied. Sorry…. Eh…. Mr. Wilson?" The cue head wasn't a sucker for the bare minimum. Slade held up his poker face and stayed in character. After all, Will said no one "unsavory." This wing nut was no joke, and this was the tower of Lex corporation.
Otherwise by super genius, Lex Luthor. LexCorp's CEO. He had to face it though…
"Are you speaking in terms of…definite, or will this be more trial and error run…" The man looked over the edited document since changed a bit from at Will's and put it closer for his eyes to skim over.
"Are you aware of the regulations, the jurisdiction which is out of my hands – and yours…. Who is…"
"Deathstroke. Deathstroke is the name I've gone with. A bit of a cliché, I understand Mr. L –
"Somehow, it rings a bell in my head…" Cue ball rubbed his chin and hummed to himself. "Would you happen to be in relation –
"An old ally's, alias. From our war days together." Slade spun his part as Lex played along. "Oh, clever…. something, so down to earth." He smiled, but out of pity. There was nothing. Yes, Lex wouldn't push for a no name killer to take a seat at his table.
"Perhaps you can do some more digging, Mr. Wilson." The two left it at that, finally realizing how different their worlds really were. Slade's father had been abusive; abandoning him to be carted off like a deal of the century. Lex's family…was a mystery so it didn't matter. Leaving the male genius without his dues, Slade walked on…He had to dig deeper. If Lex wouldn't budge, he would just push until he got what was coming…
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Underground; so Deathstroke found a lead and clung to it without letting it slip between his fingers.
Right into the criminal underground, where he'd have no trouble finding lackeys but…
Not, representatives of his image…
"Damn cue – ball…You had to say "dig," didn't you…" He watched the men and their daggers fly out of the pub, and as he did so he saw a back room reading "private" on the sign…Which gave him an idea.
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At the back was prime debauchery of all shades.
She – weasels at the beck and call to some semi - sophisticated dame stompers, or even a few cocked tommy guns at the hip of a dozen other mobsters…and clowns with noses red and coke faces painted bleach white…
Slow paced, sensual sounding jazz; mixed with rock resounded around the front, but in the back? Opera.
Dear god…
"Ahem!" A waiter, right. He wasn't Deathstroke at this very moment.
Slade turned in his makeshift disguise to the one poking at his shoulder. "To...oh...yes, right away." He apologized. Glad to have fooled the man at the lounge so easily, he took up his tray and tucked in his shirt. What a joke. Now….to drop off his calling card…
No. There had to be more. This back room had tables of guests, and defamed relics living in the past (being a first to meet) wasn't one option. Hopefully…
Faith. Faith, in what?
A rustle by, and Slade immediately spotted a few faces at a table; one that not have freaks wearing top hats or singing and dancing, merrily about.
In fact…Could that…
(Playing it my way! Sorry D.C!)
A woman sat on the side of one arm; a white-haired slender doll, a single eye of silver beckoned Slade to join her beside a male ten times his own size.
At the side of him was one more; a rather serious looking man from Gotham city known as Edward Nygma of all fiends…And who was she to his right?
"Riddle me this, Blockbuster and ladies….? W –
"Ah, I apologize for the timing…but, your drinks." Slade held up a tray with bubbling goblets galore atop its surface, while he balanced it perfectly.
The sweet eyes of that silver fox to Blockuster's left must have taken note. She even put up a little smile. He was almost there.
"Aha, uh. We've been witin' since tonight fer some unwindin." The large lug chuckled and directed the waiter to put out their nightly awakenings…
"Here you are, and it's on the house…A gentleman over there decided to keep your attention. I'll gladly go fetch him if –
"Hmmmm…Such a precarious riddle, indeed –
"Hush it, clue – meister." The silver haired beauty waved an arm. Nygma gave her a dirty look from across the booth. "We'd love to get to know…the man buying "big man's" bubbly…. bring him over…please." She leaned onto her elbow and hand, batting her eyes as Slade went to swap faces.
A suit and tie might be ok up above, but he had to make a better impression here. So, he had something cooked up. An old outfit he'd used on a recon mission, no mask but his patch to make the foxes howl.
The silver eyed mistress looked over this man like a piece of medium rare… "Oh, suave boy….you clean up fast –
"Ehem. Mirage, you got some nerve callin' HIM too our table." Blockbuster's eyes narrowed at an old memory of bloody knuckles and a bad temper.
"All in my apology." Slade motioned to the shimmering drinks set out onto the tabletop. "I won't stay long but…I do have a reputation to keep. I wanted to leave my number here. There will be some, changes…A new start to the criminal networks we run. I'm starting up a project that if you're for a few extra years away from the Bat…" He stopped at Nygma's stare. He was analyzing this...
"And it may actually keep the feds off of our backs, if they decide to cooperate…"
"What's your angle, Death?" The second woman; a black haired and green dress wearing villain called Phobia. What was she doing so deep underground?
"I'm looking to build my unofficial "round table" to put it plainly." He was sincere in this, but the silver woman was hardest to read. "Why." Phobia gave Slade a dismissive glance before turning to Ed. "Why is this so important to you, and what do you mean by, changes?"
"As in the structure of our community as…. hired villains or even killers. A more direct line to your own personal angel of death." The man said airily, which made the silver Mirage giggle a bit.
"We already have societies like your little club." Nygma sniffed at the white haired merc. "One less of those, and we'd not change a thing on this planet. Riddle YOU THIS." Nygma slid across the table as his eyes shown green below his bowler hat.
"Why should we care?"
"It will keep Batman off of our backs for a long time…they might even take to joining us…" Slade took that hint of angst for a challenge, and he enjoyed a good battle of the mind at times.
"Who would be your shining knights, Sir Deathstroke?" Seductive as all could be, Mirage was a cut diamond with the power to leave him breathless. "I could have anyone at all, but those who do not share in my dream will simply not understand, my dear…Do you –
"I know a society." Phobia stopped the goo goo eyed pair with a puff of a stray cigarette in hand.
"They call themselves "T.R.U.S.T." She stated, "Their group is a bit to question, yet Ra's respects their work…perhaps they could fund your little daydream. Then, we'll talk real business…" She blew a puff as Blockbuster snorted his part obnoxiously. "Yeah, you'd better cry to another gang of thieves ta' stuff that ego of your –
"As I said; those who do not agree with my dream, do not need to be involved." His words were cold, but that pair of silver eyes would not stop staring…he left with their tab covered and his information…. this group would take time to hunt down. He'd give it the year and before THAT could happen, he needed a plan B for the longest while.
He needed a palace, not some stuffy box.
What he wanted, was his very own picturesque lair to sort all of this out…
So, what to do with a face that was feared, yet not respected like Gorilla Grod's?
You "recreate" your image in the meantime.
And in the meantime, he had a lot of ground to cover if he ever wanted to put this piss-stained den behind him.
That dirty, sweltering den…And, her dazzling, silver eyes staring right at him from across the way.
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Mirage was used in "The Incredibles" but some heroes were actually DC and Marvel characters, so I use her and later you'll see why. Deathstroke Inc. is a very long way off. Slade still isn't getting his dues and he's not giving up. Even when he might have someone willing to lend a hand from the shadows. Shall we move along…read on and stay curious!