The Headmen vs The World! FOR SCIENCE! Chapter four
The Headmen once fought The Defenders as a part of their scheme to take over the world with little violence, behind the scenes, as powers behind all the thrones of the Earth. They failed, but they failed SPECTACULARLY! Can these complex schemers and manipulators organize a second attempt, or will other world-conquerors such as HYDRA, AIM, THE YELLOW CLAW and ZODIAC beat them to it? And if those are your choices, you'd better hope The Headmen conquer Earth first!
Chondu the Mystic had been a lecturer and performer years ago, when he still thought humanity was naturally eager for learning self-improvement from a dedicated teacher. He still came across as somewhere between an overly enthusiastic science teacher and a Las Vegas magician when he wanted people to pay attention.
Arthur Nagan was impatient by nature. He had been even before the lab accident that had given him a human brain being constantly flooded with the hormones of a 600 pound gorilla. But as the nominal leader of their conspiracy, he knew when to let people be eccentric. He settled into the reinforced sofa, and pretended to give his full attention. Ruby and Jerry Morgan were making themselves comfortable as well, knowing that Chondu was going to make a long, detailed point.
"Friends, we are at a crossroads. We have several options ahead of us if we are to change our fortunes. I have a different perspective than the three of you. You are all deeply mired in the world of science and logic, while I am a scholar of the mystic arts, creativity, intuition…"
"Harvey, you're from Rhode Island, not the hidden temples of Tibet…" Ruby remarked.
"Yes, but I spent TIME in some of those temples, as well as learning in India and a few interesting years in Germany and Ireland. My POINT is that I've been looking at our problem from another angle than you three. When a group has a problem the group cannot solve, common sense is to pull more people into the group, to get more ideas to discuss, more points of view."
Jerry leaned forward, shaking his head. "We tried that, every time it was a disaster. Bentley Wittman the so-called "Wizard" tried to order us about like he was in charge. Elias Starr tried to steal from us! We wound up having to use my Oblivion serum to erase their memories."
"Even that mistake was beneficial though," Chondu replied. "As I recall the three of you stripped their various hidden labs bare of secrets, and THEY had stolen technology from too many sources to count. But that brings me to my point."
Chondu gestured in a quick motion and mumbled a few words, Ruby's enhanced hearing only made out the word "Icon." Suddenly their surroundings changed, they appeared to be in a dusty, slightly decrepit temple, with several monks in robes of red, orange and green, and aged from anywhere from eight to a thousand sitting on the floor chanting in a low murmur.
"I spent time in the city of Kamar-Taj in Tibet, trying to win a place as a student of The Ancient Ones. I watched how their priesthood worked. When they needed a new Holy Man, they didn't go out and LOOK for someone that fit the bill already trained. They would search out a few of the brightest children they could find, and train them from the ground up to be the Holy Man they needed. That way there was no power struggle, no fragile egos on the line, or nonsense to get in the way. If they needed an exorcist, they apprenticed one. If they needed a monster slayer, they took their time and trained one; they didn't just look for the toughest looking swordsman around."
"Friends, we need to recruit an apprentice. Someone under 12, a child prodigy. Already trained in some things, but a mind still open enough to be turned to our way of thinking. Fresh ideas, a fresh perspective, without all the annoyances of adding someone like that old Soviet, Ivan Kragoff to our group."
I took the liberty of researching some possible candidates. There is a student at Empire State University, he was admitted at 9 years old, he just turned 11. A nearly photographic memory, an impressive talent at robotics apparently. He is a teacher's assistant for Professor Marla Madison, an expert in "electro-biology," I assume one of you can tell me what that entails later. He has spent the past year focused on studying the work of Philo Zogolowski , and apparently has almost duplicated the World War Two era robot that was Zogolowski's crowning achievement."
Jerry Morgan looked thoughtful. "It sounds like this kid is a Master's degree and a lab accident away from being one of us already. And I see the sense in the idea. Who better to teach a young genius the ways of super science than us? And Chondu's knowledge of alchemy and my biochemistry has gotten us very impressive results. Cross training someone to combine Chondu's magic with Arthur's medical skills and Ruby's biotechnology could give us incredible breakthroughs. It could take a decade to pay off, but Rome wasn't conquered in a day."
Arthur nodded, and announced his decision which agreed with the general mood of the room. "It's a good idea, and worth pursuing. Chondu, think about finding a way to recruit him. Let's keep away from simply kidnapping him or brainwashing. The way our luck goes, that would attract attention. Maybe offer him a scholarship, a "genius grant," and use that to have him meet us in a location we can abandon if it doesn't work out. What's the point of being able to erase memories if we don't take a risk once in a while? What is this prodigy's name, Chondu?"
"Terry Vance," the magician answered. "They nicknamed him the boy with a hundred hobbies. Perhaps he can add super science and world conquest to his list."