A/n: The movie Underworld was placed in an unnamed city. I'm using New York because Mack is traveling east to west recruiting members.
Please note that this chapter was not edited due to extenuating circumstances on the behalf o my beta. I figured that it would be best to post now and repost later. I hope you enjoy the chapter for I enjoyed writing it. Please read and review.
Many thanks to Cinnamon for all the help she's given me in getting this story off the ground.
And now:
Ch 3: The Underworld of New York
It was a grey mourning when Mack and Cleo drove into New York. Cleo was quietly reading over the data on the next set of recruits.
"Who ever thought a Vampire and a Lycan working together? Dad told me tails about Lycans, he called them Wild wolves pretending to be High wolves" she said with a slight smile.
"Technically speaking one is a hybrid; Half Lycan and Half Vampire" said Mack rolling his eyes but still smiling.
"So tell me you know anything about this Vampire/Lycan war?" asked Mack as they pulled in to a public garage.
"Only the usually lore I learned from my tutors. Both lines descended from a war lord named Corvinous who survived a plague by genetic anomaly that allowed him to adapted new genetic material to his needs very quickly. After his conquering days he married many wives and Corvinous had many sons out of which only two inherited his trait. The two were each bitten one by bat the other by wolf and for a time there was peace. The Lycans guarded the vampires in the day light and after several thousand years of that the Vampires saw them as little more then servants. Then the war started" said Cleo
"That's it!" said Mack.
"For all we know yes, around that time my people began to have there own problems to deal with but I have friends here in this city that can help us fill in the blanks" responded Cleo as they parked the car and exited the garage to the city streets.
They pounded the crowded sidewalk for an hour until they reached the Little Italy district. Cleo lead Mack down the packed side street to a grubby looking building that looked it had been abandoned for at least twenty years. The only thing that looked in decent shape was the large iron door.
Before he became a Guyver, Mack would have asked if they were in the right place but lots of battles had taught him to never to take things at face value. So Mack watched as Cleo approached the door and knocked on it rhythmically. A slot opened revealing a set of glowing yellow eyes. Then a deep voice like a growl from the door asked "Password?"
Cleo closed her eyes then opened them instead of her normal brown they had become a bright golden yellow color with black slits like a cats. The voice growled in acknowledgement then turned his eyes to Mack.
"He safe?" the voice asked.
"He's cool" she responded curtly. With that the door opened and let them in.
Mack was amazed at what he saw; it looked like the Veteran's bar his granddad populated regularly, the only difference was that the patrons all seemed to non-human to some degree, some were almost normal looking while others were so abnormal that they probably used some type of magic to pass among humans.
"Cleo, are we among friends?" asked Mack nervously wondering if he should have his powers on hand just in case.
"Don't let their looks fool you. The patrons of this bar are as harmful as puppies. The owner is a white wizard and doesn't tolerate any evil within his establishment" said Cleo.
She then walked up to the bartender, a fat balding man with a gruff voice and thick mustache. "Maim, what can I getcha?" he asked.
"Looking for Grelltra is he here?" she said.
"Yeah, he's here in a private parlor with instructions not to be disturbed" he responded curtly eyeing Cleo with suspicion.
"Tell him 'She who bears golden eyes' wants to speak with him." Mack stared at her as the bartender called up to the private parlor.
"'She who bears golden eyes' what the hell does that mean?" he asked.
Cleo smiled "Code between us let's each other know we whish to speak."
The bartender came back "He's in parlor 218, I'm to show you the way" he said and with that lead them up stairs to the bars upper levels.
They climbed two flights of winding stairs to a long balcony above the main bar. The doors varied from normal to heavy iron doors like the one used for the entrance.
"Cleo what are they for?" asked Mack as they passed another iron door.
"They're for the Bitten, wild ones in human form. Most don't even know they are one but the few that do can rent one of these cells to contain themselves during their change" she responded.
They soon reached pair of oak doors "Parlor 218, shall I send up anything for you?" asked the Bartender.
"Just a jug of water is all" said Cleo she then entered the parlor with Mack right behind her.
The parlor as it turned out was a large room with about twenty small round tables each with a candle on it all but the three occupied tables were unlit. The far back table had only a business man probably a vampire reading a paper and sipping something from a mug. The other table had a couple enjoying a quiet meal together and the last table's occupant stood up as they entered he had long grey hair tied back in a pony tail he and wore only a grey tunic and blue jeans. His leathery face crinkled into a smile once Cleo caught sight of him. Cleo moved to him and embraced like a favored uncle Mack fallowed a pace or two behind not wanting to intrude.
"Dear Cleo it has been too long" he said warmly.
"Yes it has old friend" she said.
Then turned toward Mack "This is a friend of mine Mack Radner" she said introducing him, "Mack this is Lord Alec Grelltra former third warden of the Kingdom of Regulus; the Werewolf home dimension."
They shook hands and Grelltra gave Mack a piercing look over "You're not a werewolf that is for certain, and most definitely not a Feral. I can smell them a mile off so that leaves what demon, witch, wizard…"
Mack smiled "Try none of the above all you need to know it that I am human and am here to ask for your help" he said respectfully.
"Hmm. Good answer, have seat and let's hear what you need help with."
The next half hour Mack explained what was happening about the league and M and why they were here.
"So sir we need to find this Michael Corvin and Selene and get their help" he said. Grelltra was silent for a moment he then smiled knowingly at them.
"You two are luck that I still keep my ears open to information. From what I can tell you of Michael Corvin is that after his battle with the Vampire elder Viktor he returned to his life as a doctor working at I believe Queen of Mercy hospital during the day. At night he and Selene run patrols through out the city protecting who they can from the things that go bump in the night. Selene however went into hiding among the humans, after killing an elder there is return from that. She still has friends within the Coven but Marcus the last remaining elder deals with those still her friends quickly once they are found out. She does come here about once a month to pick up a supply of cloned pigs blood to sustain her she even has a drink with me occasionally but that time isn't for another fortnight and I suppose you need to be quick. I suggest then you visit Dr. Corvin at the hospital he'll listen and put you in touch with Selene" said Grelltra.
Cleo smiled "Once again you pull me from the fire Grelltra" she said.
"Thanks a lot for this news" said Mack then draining his glass of water stood up.
"We had best get a move on it's an hour back to the car then a struggle through midday traffic" said Mack. "Grelltra sir a pleasure" he said with a bow.
Cleo said goodbye and with a finale hug they left. Grelltra soon exited too deciding to head out to the main bar for some food. The man in the suit however watched him leave and once gone took out his cell phone and speed dialed a number.
"Dominos sir we have a problem"
It was around one when Mack and Cleo finally made it to Queen of Mercy. Mack parked on the street out side. Experience had taught him garages tend to be the source of ambushes and sneak attacks.
They entered the Reception area and waited for a free secretary.
"Next" said a young woman you looked like she was barely out of med school.
"Yes I'm here to meet with Dr. Michael Corvin" responded Mack.
"Do you have an appointment?" she asked.
Mack sighed internally he knew what was coming and there was now way around it "No."
"Well then you'll have to wait for him to finish his shift in the ER" she said curtly then called next.
Mack stepped aside to think for a moment Cleo had taken a seat outside to keep watch on the door and those coming and going from the hospital. It then came to him and he mentally kicked himself for not doing it sooner. He cut in to speak with the secretary again who just fished with some one "Could you tell him two people are here to talk about his friend Selene and her father Viktor?"
The secretary gave him a quizzical look and said disdainfully "If it will get you out of my line I will now have a seat."
About five minutes the secretary called him over "He said he'll meet you in his office in twenty minutes it is office 238 strait up stairs." Mack smiled and thanked her then retrieving Cleo from her post headed upstairs to Michael's office.
Inside they sat and waited for twenty minutes. Mack was getting nervous as was Cleo. Suddenly the vents started spewing strange gas. Mack coughed and held his nose "
Oh god! What is that?" he asked.
"Garlic" coughed Cleo "and silver nitrate I think."
Mack got it "Vampire and Lycan smoke bombs, Michael must use them as a precaution when a person mentions Selene and Viktor."
Cleo coughed again "So are we safe?" she asked.
Mack said "Yes, the garlic smell is what causing our cough and silver nitrate is harmless. Isn't it?" he asked.
"Yes silver is harmless to my kind" she coughed.
Slowly the gas dispersed and faded to nothingness. Once able to breathe freely again Cleo said "Remind me to hurt Dr. Corvin once he joins up!"
Once the smoke completely cleared Michael entered the office smiling sheepishly and looking rather guilty "Michael Corvin, I presume?" asked Mack sarcastically.
"Guilty as charged, I'm sorry about the gassing you but being as unique as I am you tend to be on the wrong side of people" he said with a smile.
"Particularly one remaining Vampire elder named Marcus?" asked Cleo.
"Yeah, he is a firm believer in Viktor's ideals about keeping the blood lines pure and the fact that he became a hybrid doesn't help matters for him" at this statement Mack's jaw dropped.
"He's a hybrid, but how, no one except you has ever survived a bite from both species" said Cleo looking thunderstruck.
"Yeah well even that is a tale" said Michael.
"How about you enlighten us?" asked Mack.
"I'll try even though I don't understand most of it" answered Michael.
"I suppose you know about Lucian?" he asked.
"Yes" responded Cleo "He was the one who started the conflict; he broke some sacred tradition or something that got the Vampires' ire up apparently."
Michael smiled "That is what the elders said to the masses, in reality all Lucian did was fall in love with a Vampire; Viktor's own daughter. And out of that love the first hybrid would have been born if Viktor hadn't killed her and for that Lucian swore revenge on Viktor. But he knew no group of Lycan warriors could ever over take some one as ancient and wise as Viktor. He didn't reach elder status by being dumb and weak. So Lucian began studying the history of their two peoples all the way back to Corvinous. During his studies his fortress was attacked by a band of Death Dealers or Lycan hunters. Before they could kill him Lucian made a deal with their leader Kraven that once he discovered how to defeat them, he would help Kraven over throw the elders and place himself on the throne of the three covens."
Mack smiled "Ambition and greed the bane of great leader."
"Any way skip ahead to about a year and a half ago Lucian figured out the only way to stop the best of all Vampires was with some one who was neither hampered by a Vampire's blood lust or the pure viciousness of a Lycan. He needed a hybrid one with all the strength and none of the weaknesses. But since no Lycan ever married a Vampire since Lucian's lost his wife he had to resort to creating one genetically."
Cleo then repeated her exclamation from before. "But no mortal can survive a bite from both species!"
Michael smiled "Yes that is true except for one thing, the Corvinous strain."
Mack's mind clicked into gear with this information. "Corvinous had two sons with the gene but several sons who carried it though it was in active."
Michael nodded "Exactly, Lucian with this new information began a search for all the descendents of Corvinous and with the aid of a Lycan geneticist tested them for the strain until they came to me."
Mack sighed "That explains you but what about Marcus?" he asked.
It was Michael's turn to sigh. "That is were things get complicated during my initial Lycan encounter when I was bitten was when I first met Selene. Initially I think she might have killed me but she didn't instead she tried to protect me and keep me from turning for as long as possible until the moon waned, but a Lycan attack force captured me and the geneticist was with them. With his aid Selene proved Kraven had betrayed them and in a fit of anger Viktor killed him spilling his blood on the crypt floor where Marcus slept. During the battle where Viktor was reviled for the bigot and murderer he was his blood seeped into Marcus's crypt and awoke him. Selene told me Marcus was a direct descendent of Corvinous' son who was bitten by a bat ergo he possessed the strain and was made a hybrid."
"Now, I told you my story, care totell me exactly what do you want with us?" asked Michael.
"Put simply we are here to recruit you and Selene for an elite force to help save the world from a madman who wants to make the world a purer place" replied Cleo sarcastically.
Michael went silent for a moment and looked at them pensively. "I'll join only if Selene agrees as well" he said sternly.
"Fine then we had better locate her" said Cleo.
"That will be simple enough she stays at my apartment the only people who know I live are either dead or not too friendly toward Marcus. If you're willing my shift ends in the next hour and then I'll take you there" said Michael.
"Good we'll be out side in front of the hospital waiting for you" said Mack and with that he and Cleo left.
Michael was out in one hour but the drive to his apartment took them almost another hour in traffic, so it was dark by the time they got there. The apartment was empty when they arrived.
"Selene must have left on patrol already" said Michael as he went to look around.
Suddenly Cleo's nose crinkled and she sniffed gingerly at the air. "What is it?" asked Mack.
"Vampire, faint I think its Selene's" she responded still sniffing the air.
Then it came again much stronger and masculine. She entertained the fact it could be Michael's vampire half but she would have recognized it from earlier. No there was a strangers here. Suddenly a swish came from the shadows.
"Mack I think there is a problem. Mack nodded agreeing with her.
Then out of one of the back rooms there was a crash and the sound of some one in pain. Before they could even turn to see if Michael needed them a pair of big burly Vampires leaped out of the shadows and grabbed them. The one who grabbed Mack placed his hand over his mouth to keep him from speaking. Mack struggled trying to bite at his captor when the Vampire holding Cleo placed a gun to her head.
"Stop struggling or I'll give her a new air hole" he said menacingly.
Mack looked around; Michael was unconscious and being dragged into the room with them by another Vampire. Weighing his options and looked in Cleo's direction Mack stopped struggling against his captor. Cleo was smiling slightly like she knew something.
The Vampire chuckled "Knew it. Brave little hero doesn't want to risk his pretty lady and hopes to some how rescue you."
Cleo just smiled and said "And who said I need rescuing." And with that a change came upon her.
The pendent she wore glowed red and her eyes again shifted from brown to yellow. Her gritted became as sharp as small knives. Her hands became fur covered and clawed. And finally her long black hair grew shabby and coarse like a lion's mane.
With her transformation complete she gracefully threw her opponent aside like a sack of potatoes and turned her attention to Michael's captor.
Mack meanwhile used Cleo's distraction to move his captors hand so he could speak. The last thing the Vampire heard was Mack saying "Guyver" before he blacked out.
When he came to Mack was tending to Michael making sure he was alive and the Feral was still dealing with his comrade. Not waiting to look a gift hoarse in the mouth the Death Dealer made a run on the door. As soon as he wrenched it open he felt the cold barrel of a gun against his chest. There in the door frame stood the former Death Dealer clad in a leather body suit and leather trench coat, her fangs bared, and eyes an inhuman blue color: Selene.
When she heard the door open Cleo dropped her now dead opponent to chase down her new prey. When she reached to door she saw that he was already captured by a woman in leather. She sniffed the air. Her sent was familiar the apartment had it all over.
"So this was Selene" she thought to herself.
Selene looked her over and then saw her change back. Her claws rescinded, her hair became long and glossy no longer shaggy, and her fang became normal human teeth. "Mack, guess who I found" she yelled.
Selene taking her prisoner by the scruff of his neck turned her gun on to Cleo. "Who are you?" she asked in a cold British accent.
Cleo raised her hands in alarm to show she was unarmed. "Some one who doesn't wish to have a UV liquid bullet shot in their gut" she said.
Then out of the other room came a stooped unarmored Mack with Michael on his shoulder unharmed but slightly shaken. "It's okay Selene they aren't with the coven" said Michael in a shaky voice rubbing the back of his head.
"Easy there, Hybrid or not you still might have a concussion and that'll take time to heal" said Mack.
"Alright you saved Michael's life" she holstered her gun "but, I ask again who are you?"
Michael now surer of his footing gave Mack the okay to let him stand alone. "I'm Mack this is Cleo and we're here because we need your help" he said plainly.
"Someone calling himself Dominous is gathering together all of the major bad guys to perform a ritual called 'The Black Rebirth' which will destroy all who they consider impure" said Cleo
Selene's face shifted from paranoia to worry in seconds. "Dominous, did you say Dominous?" she asked her voice slightly shaking but her hand still keeping its grip on her prisoner.
Cleo nodded. Selene's face grew even more worried. "That name was the reason I left before Michael got home, a Death Dealer friend of mine Kane said that Marcus was meeting with a Lord Dominous in the last week. A human by all accounts but for some reason they got along really well. And any human that can get along with Vampire elder needs to have an eye kept on him. Kane said Dominous left for a secrete retreat and that Marcus would join there once matters here were settled. I figured he meant us" she gestured to Michael and herself. "Also he left a contact here to serve as liaison, a lawyer like fellow, well dressed, and very business like."
"Business suit from the club" said Cleo disgusted at herself.
"You said the club owner didn't tolerate evil in his establishment" said Mack.
"All evil except human evil, we assumed he was not human" responded Cleo.
It was Mack's turn to be disgusted. Suit tipped off Dominous who alerted Marcus who planned a "welcoming party" for them.
"Does suit have a name?" asked Mack.
"Kane called him Ronaldson" said Selene.
"If this Dominous has this much influence over Marcus, then we are not safe here any longer. I think we should go with them. On the road at least Marcus won't have an idea of were we are" said Michael.
"How can we trust them?" asked Selene.
"You both saw what each of us can do, we trust you with our secret, surely you can trust us with your safety" said Mack.
"Well said" responded Michael.
"What about him though?" asked Cleo pointing to their prisoner.
"I'll handle him" said Mack.
He approached the death dealer and took out of his pocket a pack of white powder. "And exhale" he blew the powder into the Death Dealer's face.
His head wobbled and his eyes went glossy. "Okay, friend here's your new memory, your comrades killed us but also died themselves, and you took out Selene and Michael. We never spoke and you never heard of Dominous. Understand?" The Death Dealer nodded.
"Dump him outside Cleo; Michael, Selene pack all you'll need and meet me by our car out side. Leave the blood we have all you'll need for now" said Mack.
Cleo looked at him in awe at what he did. "What was that?" she asked.
"Creator Mind Powder. Common party drug for a Creator but on a human it makes the mind moldable and easy to bend to one's will. It's standared for someone inmy line of work to carry a pack or two for dangerous situations" he said.
"Mind if I barrow some, I know some people whoneed their memorieswiped" said Cloe with a Laugh as they exited the apartment.
In an hour's time they had departed but from the roof top two figures watched them leave. "Oh dear me, Marcus will not be pleased" said the Southern singsong voice of Barbus.
His companion Ronaldson sneered "Nor will Lord Dominous. You had best move up your timetable Barbus, most likely they are going to find the Kryptonian."
"Then I had best go get our witch" he said. He then passed a hand over Ronaldson's face "And fear not, Dominous won't blame you." And with that Barbus flamed them out.