Disciple - "Sorry for the long wait. That I take responsibility for as my real life became a hell. A literal hell and my muses suffered greatly. I can't apologize more. Instead, we bring you this chapter as I am starting to become my UPGRADED self again. -wink wink. Hint hint-
DP - Deadpool here. Yea, let's give a big hand to Disciple for climbing out of that mess. However, FUCK YOU! You come back and leave me out of the chapter? You're such a cock Disciple!
SOTM – Some exciting news coming in the future for another story involving our favorite people. Teasers to follow ^_^
After a busy day at work, Lekan was being conscious of the time and quickly made his way up the stairs to Ulysses' office. He took a moment to catch his breath and then knocked on the door. He heard Ulysses bark to come in. He stepped through the door just as Ulysses was sending a message on his phone and put it in his breast pocket. He looked at Lekan waiting for him to speak as he exhaled the smoke from his cigar.
"Boss, it's time for your appointment in the sub-basement," he said and raised his eyebrows with a tilt of his head when he said basement.
Ulysses looked at his calendar and then back at him almost annoyed because the days keep getting away from him. It took him a moment to realize what Lekan was talking about. When he did, the, "Oh," expression took over his face. This is why he kept Lekan around. His punctuality and how he always makes sure he gets to his appointments. Ulysses snuffed out his cigar, holstered his Beretta, and followed Lekan down the stairs. It was pure silence while they walked across the casino and to the elevator at the other end of the building.
Until his phone went off, playing a very catchy tune, 'Do, do, doo, do, do, dooo, do, do, doo'
Ulysses perked up and pulled his phone out, a huge smile on his face as he typed back a response and put it back in his pocket.
With the thought fresh in his mind, Ulysses finally spoke. "Lekan, you are the manager of the downstairs bar, yea?" Ulysses asked.
Lekan nodded. "Yea. You and D put me in charge of that after the club reopened a few months back. Why?"
Ulysses didn't even look at him. "When you get back up here, you will fire Jennica and see her off the premises. Then inform Disciple she is terminated."
Lekan did not argue. He simply nodded in agreement and fought back a sigh. "Yes, Boss. Shall I inform D he needs to hire another bartender?"
Ulysses shook his head. "Disciple is busy enough keeping things going and getting some deals lined up. Have Domino get her replaced." he knew that Lekan knew that wasn't the case but neither man said anything.
'Do, do, doo, do, do, dooo, do, do, doo', he pulled his phone out again and giggled. Causing Lekan to feel very uncomfortable in the small space they shared.
Lekan also knew that the other reason was that Ulysses didn't want to argue with Disciple about firing one of his employees. This way was easier. This odd and sudden tension that has been taking place between the two men made Lekan uncomfortable, but he wasn't going to comment on it. But he was still sad that his friends were at odds.
His thoughts shifted when they got to the elevator and stepped in. Once the doors closed, Lekan muttered the code while he punched it in. "8008135."
Ulysses barked out a laugh. "Ha! Love it! I'll never forget it!" He then stopped to wonder why that felt familiar. This had been happening to him a lot recently.
His thoughts went to how familiar many of the recent events seemed. Yet he knew that they had not happened at all. The whole thing was baffling him. As the elevator descended, he couldn't help but ask the question on his mind.
"Tell me something, Lekan, have you been having any moments that seem all too familiar? Like they've happened before. Like you're experiencing... that... um... you know? That feeling of... Frère Jacques?"
Lekan looked at him confused for a moment and when he figured it out he tried not to laugh as he asked, "You mean Deja Vu?"
Ulysses rolled his eyes. "Yes. That shit. Have you experienced... that at all recently?"
Lekan thought for a moment before shaking his head. "Nah. Not that I can recall, Boss. Why?"
Ulysses thought for a moment. "Something about that Mina woman. There have been a few times with her or after I've been around her that have been so... Something that is just... Never mind. Forget about it," he said with a wave of his real hand as he reached for the phone again.
'Do, do, doo, do, do, dooo, do, do, doo'
Lekan just shrugged and watched as the light above the door turned red to signal the elevator was now entering a restricted level of the hideout. He was waiting for it to turn purple to signify that they reached the sub-basement.
Charles was in his office after a meeting with Hank. After putting the files into his desk, he heard the ringing of his Hologram Communicator. With a sigh he answered it and it was the last person he wanted to speak with. Especially on a hologram call. Aleksander Lukin.
"Aleksander, a pleasure as always," Charles greeted as he hid his annoyance.
"Charles Xavier," Aleksander replied in his heavy German accent. "I am no mood to exchange pleasantries. This is not a friendly call."
Charles looked down and Deeply inhaled through his nose. "I'm sorry that she has not been delivered yet," he was quickly cut off.
"We have deal, Herr Professor! You not keeping your end. I sent you part of the payment as goodwill gesture! Yet it seems I paid for Scheisse!"
"I ask you please maintain professional language, Aleksander."
"Nein! I want Savior, FUCKING, X! You WILL, FUCKING, provide her to me. I give three weeks for you to produce her! No more! That is me being more generous than I should. If you don't provide her in
three more weeks, I will have meine assassin eliminate everyone around her. Including your mutants," he threatened.
Charles guffawed and looked at the holographic figure with a wide grin. "Your assassin has been apprehended and lost his arm. He is being transported here for interrogation before being handed over SHIELD."
Aleksander clicked his tongue. "Tsk, tsk, tsk, Herr Professor. All part of the plan that is. Including losing his arm. You not think we have contingency plan? Clever, ja? You're no longer in a position to bargain. You have meine terms. Honor them or it's misfortune for you. And NO fucking clones."
Suddenly the hologram disappeared. Charles grabbed and threw the communicator at the wall. He was so angry he was shaking. He was so shaken he couldn't concentrate enough to use his telepathy. Instead, he called for Hank who entered the room almost instantly.
"Beast, call Logan and Scott and tell them, all the restrictions are off. They must do whatever is necessary to get Mina and bring her home."
Hank bowed his head and rushed out of the room. Leaving Charles to sit and stew on what just transpired.
The elevator stopped and Ulysses and Lekan stepped out. They stood in front of another door that had a green scan light come out of it. It hovered up and down each of their bodies. Seconds later a robotic voice said, "Access Granted." The door automatically opened after the locks spun around and pulled apart.
Once they stepped through the door they were greeted by a dark-haired scientist with glasses. The scientist waved his hand for them to follow him. Without hesitation they followed. Ulysses looked like he did every month he went down there. He was always impressed with how large and spacious the basement really was. The longest he spent down there was when they moved the garage and the office to the main level.
"I always forget just how nice the lab rats have done this place up," he said to himself, finally looking up from his phone.
"They do live here boss. You told them to make it livable. So, they did. The geeks know how to decorate," Lekan replied.
As they approached a door, the scientist that greeted them walked away and Lekan approached the large steel door that stood in front of them. As he got close, he pricked his finger and let a drop of blood fall onto a glass or plastic square and it slid inside of a machine. There was some beeping and whirring before a voice came from the machine.
"DNA Recognized. Welcome, Mr. Lekan."
He smiled. "Hello, Lucille. This is Lekan and I'm with the Doc's next appointment. "
There was a moment before the computer spoke again. "Unknown Person, please give a DNA sample for identification."
Ulysses raised up his prosthetic arm with the canon glowing. "Fuck you. I own this place and am the reason you're installed."
Another moment of silence passed as some beeping and whirring went on. "Identity confirmed. Hello, Ulysses Klaue."
The door automatically opened with the sound of air pressure decompressing as it did so. The two men walked and stopped at a yellow line. They were greeted by a dark-haired woman wearing a white lab coat and a lowcut top underneath. She looked at Lekan and smiled with a flirtatious wink. He blushed and looked away. She led them into the room where a tall and slightly muscular man was hunched over something. He stood up and his red hair and beard were prominent in the light. He turned to them and motioned for Ulysses to sit.
"Glad to see you made it Mr. Klaue. And on time at that," the man said.
"How many times have I told you, Winston, to call me Ulysses, Damn it?"
The doctor looked up. "And how many times have I told you, 'Ulysses Damn It', to call me, Doctor Winston? That is my title after all," he replied annoyed, and looked at his assistant. "Rory, please plug the connection cables into the main computer and bring me the other ends. Ulysses, remove your arm and let me see it."
Ulysses took off his arm and handed it to the red-haired scientist. Once he had the arm and the cables, he set the arm into some kind of a charging box and plugged the cables into it. He sat down and analyzed the results that were coming up on the computer. "Vibranium holding strong. No surprise there. Mechanical components..." he trailed off into a whisper.
'Do, do, doo, do, do, dooo, do, do, doo'
As time went on his phone kept dinging with the same tune, and each time he let out a small chuckle or laugh.
Dr. Winston looked up and over his shoulder at the offending sound, "Do you mind?"
"Nope," he replied as he set his phone on the table to poke at the keypad with one hand, ignoring the annoyance he was being.
A while later Ulysses looked around bored and muttered, "This is as boring as listening to my accountant or stockbroker."
"Or watching Pulp Fiction," Lekan added sounding just as bored.
"There will be no talks of your drama in MY lab thank you," Dr. Winston said sternly. "And NEVER mention that movie again. It makes my face hurt. And for a rather inexplicable and peculiar reason, my genitals ache too when I see or hear about that film." He added as he never looked up from the arm and slid some components into an intake slot near the Vibranium manifold. "Rory, take Lekan to the other room and check him over."
Rory motioned for him to come with her and they walked off while he nervously blushed. Ulysses watched them for a moment and his attention went back to his arm and was surprised when it glowed for a moment and then went back to its original color but still had a new shine about it.
Doctor Winston looked up from it with a nod. "Alright Ulysses, your upgrades are complete. It now has an even stronger exterior armor, resistant to the elements, and will hold up better against other Vibranium powered weapons. Your blast radius has now expanded, and it's been modified to use whatever blast power you choose to come out of the fingertips. It will help conceal your shots. Also installed a magnetic pull of up to two feet. I also installed a new distributor that is connected to your Vibranium manifold to help it flow more evenly and will reduce not only how much energy you use from it but reduce cool down time. Heard you in that office of yours and in the basement above me. Trust me, it will help."
Ulysses let out a groan but said nothing at first as he was however still impressed by the sudden mass improvements. "You only fiddled with my arm for a few minutes."
The doctor waved him off. "Scientists like me are hired due to my specialty working with Vibranium. Just my job. You just keep with yours as a crime boss playing with the mutants."
Doctor Winston put his arm back on him before he stood up and was greeted by Lekan. They took their cue and left the lab. Once back at the elevator to go back to the main floor. Neither man spoke. Ulysses was excited to show off his upgrades and hoped for another fight with the mercenaries they met earlier or the X-Men. Now he also had an edge over Frank and a new way to convince him to step aside and let him have the girl.