The three members thus far of the Anti-League were gathered in the pub, studying the coveted dossier.
"Since were now bosom buddies and partners in crime and whatnot, I should tell you that me real name is Michael McGregor." said Fat Bastard as he took a swig of bear that dripped down his chin and neck.
"Rodney Skinner."
"Henry Jekyll."
They went on reading quietly for a while.
"I always thought it was a folk legend," said Skinner as he clutched a picture of Dorian in his hand, "But it's true."
"Oh, aye! He's been in command of the League ever since the end of W-W-2. He was the one who established the three department structure."
"Let's forget about that Aristocratic prick for a Second and focus on other matters." said Jekyll.
Minutes passed while they flipped though several profiles about men and women with unique backgrounds and skills.
"You know, I don't mean to be one to rain on this Vendetta parade, but it suddenly occurs to me that most Shadows are too scared to join us."
"Most Shadows are smart. This is interesting," said Jekyll as he held up a picture of a hairy man with sharp features, having a general appearance fitting a wolf or a wolverine.
"Who is he?" asked Skinner.
"He has a first name of James, and an alias of Logan." said Jekyll, "He's a mutant with enhanced senses, regenerative healing factor. Has lost memory of ever being in the League."
"He'll be a match for Dorian." said Skinner.
"Look, we already have his location as well; he's staying at a School in Westchester, New York."
"They know his whereabouts and allow him to live on?"
"Sounds very unique, the League probably has hopes of reincorporating him into their ranks." noted McGregor.
"Alright, we'll fly to the states soon."
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Skinner, Jekyll and McGregor walked out of the pub and into the cold night outside.
"This Logan has to accept or offer, he's the only Shadow who can help us and might agree to do so."
"I've arranged for the two of you to fly over there on the first flight in the morning. whether his answer is Yes or no, we'll meet in London." said McGregor as he lit a cigarette.
"We need at least two more recruits," said Jekyll, "A computer hacker and a sniper, and we need a top notch recruit for both, not some over caffeinated Microsoft reject and a Charlton Hesston wannabe."
"You let me take care of that, just make sure the mutant says yes."
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It was an ample room, paintings and photographs decorated the walls, featuring teams of men and women who were Extraordinary. Twenty-five Incarnations of the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.
At the center of the room was a long meeting table, Dorian Gray sat at it's head, and was joined by Six men and two woman, including Cain. They were mostly in their late thirties to early forties, one of them was wearing a gas mask.
"Gentlemen," said Gray, not considering the Blonde woman wearing sunglasses and the one sitting directly next to him, "Big Brother has several tasks for us in the upcoming month, O-Dep shall be sent to Australia, E-Dep has a brief Assignment in Morocco, and I will be joining A-Dep in Berlin. All these Assignments are integral for the fulfillment of the League's plans for this year. So I need all to refrain from committing any mistakes.
"There have been reports of an Increase of Shadow movements all over the world. Which can only mean some desperate deserting agents are planning a pathetic strike. Some of our operations will aim to stop any preparations to do so that a real threat will never materialize."
"Moving along, Lord Norton Marshfield has announced plans to….."
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Westchester, New York
A sign on the mansion announced that the establishment was 'Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters'.
Youngsters of both Genders filled the green plane surrounding the Mansion, some with odd features ranging from slightly uncanny to brutally monstrous.
"Henry," said Skinner, "There's a bloke over there with blue skin and a tail!"
They walked and headed to the main door, upon entering they saw the interior was very plush and stately, resembling an Upscale University rather than a haven for mutants.
"Can I help you?"
The man asking the question was in his twenties with blonde hair, with Angel-like wings sprouting from Back.
Skinner couldn't help but marvel at the wings, leaving Jekyll to do the talking.
"We're here to meet a Mr. Logan."
"Wolverine? Is he expecting you?"
"I'm afraid not."
The Angelic Mutant nodded in understanding and pointed them to a room and asked them to wait.
Minutes passed till Logan arrived.
"You wanted to see me?"
There was an overall rudeness to his behavior, like he didn't really cared what they wanted and preferred to dismiss them quickly.
"I'm Rodney Skinner; this is my associate Henry Jekyll."
"What do you want?"
The man's bluntness caused Skinner to be a little awkward, so he asked,
"Say, you don't remember being part of a Covert Military Organization in the Sixties or Seventies, do you?"
"What?"
"Mr. Logan," asked Jekyll, trying to ease the confusion caused by Skinner, "We are former Agents of an Organization known as the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, and by we, I mean all three of us."
"Let's assume that's true, so what?"
"We need your help."
"Oh, I understand... No. Now get out." said Logan as he pointed to the door.
"Mr. Logan," started Skinner, but Jekyll interrupted,
"It's alright, Skinner, he's not interested."
Skinner stared at Jekyll for a second, then obliged and walked to the door.
"Goodbye, James." said Jekyll as he stood in the doorway.
The mention of the name James dug up some forgotten memories; he could see images in his head of a Snowy country and an old mansion, and someone calling him with the name James.
"What did you call me?" asked Logan.
"James, Mr. Logan, your name is James, or didn't you know that? And by the way, Logan is merely an alias, it's neither your real first or last name." said Jekyll as they kept walking.
"Wait," said Logan, "Who are you two?"
Skinner and Jekyll stopped, turned around and looked at him.
"Were Shadows, just like you."
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"A shadow, James, is a former Agent of League who isn't dead and didn't retire... You were an Agent of them once, just like we were and then you started to disagree with them, just like we did, and then you left, just like we did. Our sources tell us that after your Departure from the League you became involved with a Col. William Stryker and something called 'Weapon X'. The reason you've survived for this long is because they have plans to re-recruit you in later times." said Skinner as they stood in the courtyard beneath a tree as young mutants walked by.
"We don't know your last name or anything else about you, all we know is what you can do, your healing factor, your slow aging process, your enhanced senses, your Alloy Skeleton." said Skinner.
"As a matter of fact, you share something in that area." followed Jekyll.
"You have Adumantium skeletons?"
"No, were mutants, albeit our mutations are self-inflicted. We also are ageless."
"How so?"
"That has to do with something with why we've grown to dislike the league. A mishap that left all our friends dead, and we survived due to only our mutations. Skinner had been cured of his Invisibility years ago, while I had managed to repress my rather monstrous mutation, we have maintained our cellular stability though."
"So what we want is for you to help us bring down the league, when that is done, we'll have access to their Archives, and everything you ever wanted to know about your past will be revealed."
"How many men do you have at the moment?" asked Logan.
"Present company included three. We're hoping to increase the number to seven."
"And you expect to bring them down with seven men?"
"It's not how many men throwing the punches, James. It's whose doing the punching, and where do the punches land. With the proper blow to a vulnerable spot, you can paralyze anyone."
"Look, I appreciate you telling me my real name, but just call me Logan."
"Alright, Logan. In or out?"
Logan looked at both, then at passing students.
"Just to let you know, if anyone of you two or the other ones in with us betrays me, I'll come after you all, and it'll be a bad day al around."
"We'll keep that in mind."
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London, England
Logan shook hands with McGregor as they met for the first time after his amazement with him had faded.
"Firm grip, like Iron!" said the big man and laughed like a crazy person, "Michael McGregor, former Agent of the British Ministry of Defense and The Espionage Department of the League." McGregor introduced himself.
"Logan, Mutant."
"McGregor, what's the status with the new recruits?" asked Skinner as they headed to their car.
"I'm having a hard time finding a hacker."
"And sniper-wise?"
"I found about this bloke..."
"And?"
"He's a bit of the fruit-cake, brooding type. They call him The Turkish."
"Why?"
"Because he's from Turkey, no one knows where he trained, or what his real name is. But he's real good, the League tried to recruit him but he turned them down. Some say he fought Soviets in Afghanistan."
"Dandy, let's meet him."
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The Turkish was a man of ambiguous features, he was fair skinned and had black hair and a light beard, he could very easily be though of as European, Middle Eastern or another ethnicity. He was dressed in black and wore black sunglasses and his face was the very definition of 'Dead-pan'.
He and the Anti-League's Leaders met at a street side cafe, one of his hands hid beneath the table while the other held a cup of tea which he sipped from every now and then. He seldom spoke, but when he did he spoke in a British accent with hints of a middle-eastern ancestry.
"Would you like to tell us your name, or should we just call you Turkish?" asked Jekyll.
"Turkish shall suffice." said Turkish.
"Alright, Turkish. Our sources tell us you had rejected the League's offers." said Skinner, "Now, the League is known to offer very seductive payments to their recruits. But you didn't accept. Which means you're either too greedy or hold a certain grudge."
The Turkish was simply silent, and sipped his tea as if he didn't hear anything.
"If you're greedy, we can pay you to exercise your expert marksmanship, I'm prepared to pay half a million pounds," said Skinner, to which the Turkish smiled slightly, a smile that could indicate either being impressed or a scoff.
"And if you're resentful, I'll let you know we plan on demolishing the League."
A scoffing smile then spread across the Sniper's face, followed by a metallic click that caused discomfort for both Jekyll and Skinner; for they knew what was the Turkish's right hand was doing under the table all this time.
"Gentlemen, there's a Silenced Desert Eagle Handgun pointed at your stomachs at this moment. Besides a bullet to the testicles or the kneecaps, there is no worse place to be shot than the stomach. Now, the reason I'm about to inflict such pain is because I don't believe a word you have just said. So, you better start talking fast."
"We told you the truth."
"Why, then?"
"We are former Agents of the League, we've been betrayed by our own government in the past. That good enough for you?"
The Turkish put the empty cup on the table and picked a cigarette out of a pack of Silk Cuts that were on the table, then raised the hand that was supposed to be holding a gun, which was actually holding a metallic Zippo lighter, Jekyll and Skinner sighed in relief as he lit his cigarette and closed the lighter.
"I believed you, but wanted to make sure. You do know this will never work, right? One reason I didn't take them up is the grand rule of marksmanship; Never assume a position that will compromise your safety and escape. Right now, the League is more like a potential ally to me than it is an enemy, if I accept, that will drastically change."
"Well here we are, mad as Arseholes and jouncing for payback. Want to join the parade?"
"Certainly." said the Sniper as he got up.
"Would you still like the half-million quid?" asked Skinner as they walked away.