Chapter 55
Hellfire Club, 12 hours earlier...
On this occasion Emma had managed to hide her intrusion into Superman's mind which meant she has reached the chained up door without drawing the attention of the other 2 personalities. While she couldn't be certain, Emma was hopeful, that what was behind this door was the key to what she wanted to achieve. It is what she had told Shaw when he had wanted an update.
In reply Shaw told her she was almost out of time. Apparently Selene's patience is running thin so this could be Emma's last opportunity before Superman is taken out of her hands therefore she must succeed in getting through this door. She may not have the time necessary to make Superman her willing servant but she should be able to come up with something that would appease both Selene and Sebastian for the short term and that would grant her the time required to finish her work.
Emma stands at the door and examines the chains. They're metaphorical chains of course. Representing mental barriers and defences. Now she has to break them and get through this door. Emma closes her eyes and focusses her considerable mental energies on the chains. Her mental projection turns to diamond and she pulls at the chains which, after some effort, break. Emma drops them to the floor and raises her hand to the door knob. She turns it and opens the door. She is blinded by a brilliant light but is not deterred and she steps across the threshold.
When the light fades away and Emma can see again she finds herself in a very...interesting position. She is lying on a bed, her wrists tied by silk scarves to the posts of the headboard. Looking down she can see her clothing had been reduced to...how shall she phrase it...to a risqué lace white bra and panties. Not that she is embarrassed in anyway. Modesty is a useless commodity within the Hellfire Club.
"Now if I was I charge this is how I would have all women dress all the time."
Emma looks up to where, at the end of the bed is...well another version of Superman it seems, dressed in...hmm is that a black silk shirt? Expensive and tasteful...even if not her colour. There are black pants to match and he is examining her carefully, every inch of her with this little cocky grin. "That would be rather chilly come winter," she points out in reply.
His grin gets wider. "I'd keep you warm," he says with a waggle of his eyebrows.
"I'm certain," Emma says dryly. "Now is there a reason I'm tied here?"
Superman shrugs as he walks round the bed towards the head of it. "This is my little corner of our mind and what I say goes and..." he gives her another once over. "Well damn, I just wanted to have a good look at that body."
"And who are you precisely?" Emma asks, remaining firmly fixated on business. She has a deadline to meet.
He grins and waggles a finger at her. "Tsk, tsk Emma, darling. I won't be falling for that. I'm even smarter than I am good looking...but if you require a name, you can call me Kal." He sits down on the end next to her. "So since I already know why you're here why don't we skip to the part where you offer to free me from my confinement, hmm?"
Arrogant this Kal most certainly was. Emma can use that. "And why would I? You have offered me nothing in return."
"Oh I can offer you more than you can ever handle Emma," he says with a lazy smile as he brushes his fingertips over Emma's exposed shoulder and arm.
"And who are you? Which part of Superman are you? I would need to know, otherwise for all I know I'm freeing his inner serial killer."
Kal chortles. "Well I must admit a killing spree does sound like fun," he says, not being serious at all. "But really I'm the cute funny one with all the personality," he boasts.
"Then why are you locked up?"
"Because I'm the side of us the other two are ashamed of. They're all about selflessness and making the world a better place, etc etc, yadda, yadda, all that boring hero crap," he derides what his other selves do before he explains who he is. "I'm the selfish side. The one who only thinks of himself. The one who right now is thinking how damn good getting into your panties would be."
"That is more than you would ever be able to handle," she retorts, turning his words against him
"Toosh."
"I think you mean touché," Emma corrects him.
Kal's hand cups her butt. "No I mean toosh," he says with that arrogant grin. "And boy what a toosh it is eh? Not as good as mine but then whose is?"
"Of course," Emma says dryly while trying to restrain an eye roll. He was like an oversexed horny teenager. Still she can use that. "I believe we can help each other."
"Oh I know we can," he says suggestively.
Emma does roll her eyes this time. "I can help free you, put you in charge of this mind," she proposes.
"And in return what do you want? My secrets? Forget it. I know who you work for," he dismisses her. "I'm the smart one, remember."
"If you know who I work for then you should know what they can do for you. You can have anything you desire. Money, power, influence."
"Hot women?"
"If you want."
"You?" he asks with a deep, lustful gaze.
"That can be...discussed," she says in a non-committal fashion because she does want him by her side, loyal to her but she is not offering him a blank cheque.
"Still leaves what you want," Kal inquiries what Emma would want in return for aiding him.
"The 3 stones. That should go without saying."
"That can be arranged. I care little for them in all honesty. What else...and please be honest. Time is limited. My others will discover you're in here eventually."
The clock was ticking, Emma agrees, although her reply is mostly what Shaw is wanting. "A pledge of loyalty to the Inner Circle."
"I can consider it. What about Selene though? She doesn't like me."
"She did consent to my attempt to persuade you round. If she goes back on her word it would harm her standing within the Circle," Emma argues that even Selene would have to accept him.
"Hmm so let me summarise this. I get power, wealth, women and you get the 3 stones and all the vast power they possess. That right?"
"As a starter."
"And what do you want Emma?" Kal asks, with a penetrating gaze. "I remember your words. What were they again? Oh yes, I would belong to you, body and mind," he says with a crooked grin.
Emma fidgets a little where she is tied up, caught out. She hadn't been aware he heard her say that.
"Should be more careful what you say," he playfully chastises her. "Now I'm more than willing to share body space with you but I'm not going to be used as a pawn in a game," he warns her, his gaze suddenly growing darker, almost menacing.
"It's no game," Emma insists, her tone serious. "Your power combined with the stones, what could stand against us?"
"Oh so it's us now is it? What are you proposing? A partnership of equals? We're hardly equal. I have all the power. I have all the knowledge of the stones."
"I have all the knowledge on the Inner Circle and where it's influence stretches...and my power should not be underestimated. After all I got in here didn't I?"
"Point!" Kal concedes. "So you're planning to double cross your associates hmm?"
"That is not how I would describe it. I have ambition and they are simply obstacles in my way. Besides every single one of them would betray me in a heartbeat to elevate themselves."
"Nice little club you have there," Kal says drolly.
"When we're in charge we can reform it to function better."
"When we're in charge? Hmm, well my dear old dad is always going on at us to change the world," Kal says with an expression like he is considering her proposal.
Emma stares at him, wondering if she can make an arrangement here. "We can reshape the world anyway we desire," she tempts him and she believes it is true. Her power, his and the stones combined. The world would be theirs to do with as they please...and her students would have a place. Emma isn't forgetting them. They will be rewarded for all their work.
"But what makes you think that I won't tell your associates what you're planning?"
"Because you're smart. Isn't that what you said about yourself? None of the others can be trusted. Tell them and you gain nothing."
"And you can be trusted?"
"No...but at least I admit it," she says with a smile.
A deep rumble escapes Kal's chest as he laughs hard at that.
"Are you not tired of being locked away like this?" Emma asks, appealing to his obvious sense of anger at being imprisoned.
"Oh you have no idea," Kal says, bitterness leaking through his voice at his long incarceration.
"Then how about it then? I help free you. You help me. We both gain...benefits," Emma says that as suggestively as possible to be interpreted as openly as possible. She adjusts her position and her face takes on an open looking expectant expression.
Kal leans in and brings his lips to Emma's ear and whispers to her. "Truth is I'm kind of a shallow guy who likes benefits so I agree," he accepts her terms. His hands glide along her bare arms and reach the scarves where he undoes the knots and releases Emma.
Emma rubs her wrists, holding back her smile of triumph. It may not be him enslaved to her but she can work with this shallow, arrogant version of Superman for now. As she was thinking earlier it will buy her time with Shaw and she can work on Superman until he is what she needs him to be.
"I told you he could not be trusted," a resigned sounding voice says.
Emma and Kal look to the doorway to see, standing there, the Superman in the black suit and the one in the red jacket.
"You're never letting me hear the end of this are you?" the one in the red jacket asks, with a resigned expression on his face about having to hear about this for a long time which indicates it was the Superman in black who spoke first.
That Superman gives the red jacketed one a look as if to say 'No. I'm not letting you hear the end of this.'. He then turns his attention to Kal and Emma. "This attempt at rebellion is over aberration," he states firmly.
Kal blows a raspberry at him. "I'm fed up being locked away. I want to have some fun!" he protests childishly.
"Your actions have just proved why you must be locked away," the Superman in black reprimands Kal. "Making deals with this...pristine example of humanity's flaws..." he shakes his head in stern disapproval.
"You're a big meanie," Kal says back. "I mean look at her," he gestures at Emma. "I don't see any flaws."
Emma agrees. She doesn't have any flaws.
The Superman in black looks to his red jacketed double. "Do you concur that we must stop this?" he asks.
"Yes," is his short simple reply.
Emma concentrates and changes her outfit to her more traditional uniform as she prepares for the confrontation. The other two Superman move towards her and Kal and...
The present...
"Enough with the storytelling," Kal says, fed up, cutting Emma off before she can finish explaining to the captive X-Men how they stand here now. "Sheesh. It doesn't need explained. I think it is fairly obvious we kicked my others butts, left them locked away and freed me in a way that leaves me running the show...and that alone is a 1000% improvement don't ya think?"
"Yes. You were prattling on Frost," Selene says in agreement, never missing an opportunity to put Emma down.
Emma is good at hiding her true feelings but her annoyance is clear enough at being interrupted as she was explaining to the dear, pathetic, captured X-Men how she helped in their downfall. The time for masks, for pretending to be anything else was over.
Kal looks to Shaw. "So I believe this upholds my end," he says. "You said I needed to prove myself to earn a place in your Inner Circle and I promised to deliver the X-Men to you and here they are," he explains the deal that was struck after Emma had presented him to Shaw.
Sebastian had, understandably, been cautious about Emma's claims that she had succeeded but 'Kal' had indeed upheld the struck bargain. Even Selene had gone along with it and relented in her desire to inflict suffering upon the young man. "You have indeed upheld our bargain, Kal. Now what do you think we should do with them?"
"Well first off we need to get them to tell us where they moved the stone to."
"I can do that," Selene offers her services, her coal black eyes gleaming gleefully at the thought of inflicting great suffering upon someone now that Jor-El's son is off the agenda. Selene must admit to being...pleasantly surprised by his deviousness and willingness to betray his friends. Not that she will go as far as giving Emma any credit for it. It will be intriguing to see how 'Kal' develops over the course of time. If this switching of sides is for real then...well Selene has a few ideas over what he can do for her. Enough ideas to persuade herself to overlook her need for revenge over what Jor-El did to her.
"One moment Selene," Shaw cuts short her enthusiasm. He asks Kal, "You believe it has been moved?"
"I would if I were them. Wouldn't you?" Kal says back.
Shaw must admit he would...unless he was planning to deliberately leave it as part of a trap, just like he did to capture the X-Men but that isn't how Xavier thinks. He turns to the Professor. "Where is the stone Professor?" he demands to know.
"I have no idea what you are referring to," Xavier deliberately plays dumb.
"Yes you do and before you think of heroically refusing to answer me know this; refuse and it will be your beloved students who pay the price of your defiance," Shaw warns. He addresses the guards. "Take them back to their cells. Let them think it over," he commands. It's always good to let them sit and worry over what fate is about to befall them.
The guards start to escort the X-Men out. All of them look at Clark with hurt and confusion.
"I am so disappointed in you," Domino says to him as she walks by him, sounding and looking exactly in that manner.
Kal smirks. "So no chance of making my wet dreams come true then?"
"Wait, what?" Domino asks, caught out by that before a guard shoves her forward.
Kal chuckles.
Rogue glares at him with a deep scowl, unable to believe she is going through this again. Kal is...dangerous and unpredictable to such a degree she can't be certain of what his intentions are and that assumes it is the side of Clark she thinks it is. With Frost messing about inside his head who knows what has actually been let out. Yeah, her boyfriend has issues she might just have to admit.
Kal reaches out and grips Rogue's arm, momentarily stopping her departure. "You know I meant what I said. There is a place for you at my side. I'm sure Emma would be delighted to have you join her Hellions."
Rogue looks at him and her eye twitches as she tries to restrain her temper. She leans forward to whisper her reply so no-one else can hear it. "Kiss my ass," she whispers harshly as she refuses.
"Did that last week, honeybun," Kal whispers back with this incredibly smug, self-satisfied grin.
Rogue's cheeks flush as the memory comes back to her. She shakes it off, snaps her arm free of his grip and walks away with the rest of the X-Men back to her cell.
"She'll come round," Kal states confidently.
"Of course she will," Selene says dryly, not buying that for a second.
"They will have no choice in the end," Shaw states. "They will be turned or they will be left in your tender care Selene...if that is fine with you?"
"I always need a snack," Selene says lightly, implying she will simply drain them of their life-force...after she has inflicted unspeakable torments upon them naturally.
Well they can certainly never leave. Shaw has already decided that.
"So am I in?" Kal asks about his membership of the Inner Circle.
"That requires a full meeting of New York members to approve that but lets just say that you have the recommendation of the Black King," Shaw tells him.
"Cool."
Now the 4 people left are joined by the Hellions being led by Isobel and accompanied by Sage.
Shaw turns to them. "I congratulate you and, of course, your teacher. You played your part perfectly during that little show we put on for the X-Men," he praises them for the staged fight between the Hellions and Superman that was to deceive the X-Men into thinking that Superman had escaped. "You have earned the favour of your King."
King Bedlam speaks for his team. "Thank you, your Majesty," he says with a bow of respect.
"Kal," Shaw says. "I believe I have not introduced you to Sage," he holds his arm out in the direction of the dark haired woman. "She is my personal assistant."
Kal gives her the once over. "Of course she is. Any chance she can become my personal assistant too?" he asks, his suggestive intent obvious.
"That kind of privilege you have yet to earn," Shaw tells the young man and there is much the young man has to learn but from what he has seen so far he can definitely see potential. Of course having Kal's power alone, at his disposal, is a useful aid to Shaw's ambitions.
"Right. Whatever."
Shaw can see they need to work on respect. "Leave us," he commands. "I have business to discuss with my Queens," he explains. "Sage, Isobel, you can remain."
Kal shrugs and leaves with the Hellions, sliding in next to Volcana. "So been awhile since we were on the same side hasn't it?"
Claire looks at him, unable to fathom who she is looking at. What had been done to him to turn him traitor? What had been done to her? She...helped set up the X-Men. She helped set up her friends. Is this what she signed up for? Claire has no answer.
"Still the quiet, angry type I see...but that's not so bad. Trust me under this handsome, jovial exterior there is some anger I would like to work out on certain people."
"There are other ways to work out anger," a tone with a more than flirtatious edge says as Roulette winds her way to Superman's side. Jen was very happy that he was now on their side and very eager to...celebrate the alliance.
Hellion scowls at the way Jen throws herself at Stupid-Man. Seriously what does this guy have that Julian doesn't. It's not that he and Jen are exclusive or anything. They agreed it was casual and were free to see other people but seeing her flirt in front of him...well it is annoying him...a lot.
Kal flashes Jen a smile. "I'm sure you have a few suggestions right?"
Jen's smile grows. "Yes. How about you come on over to my room and I can show you my...techniques."
"I can already see your techniques are pretty impressive," Kal says complimentary, giving Jen's voluptuous figure a once over.
"My personal demonstration is more so," Jen says in deeply husky tones.
"I'm certain...but I have to take a rain check to go check on my old pal Spidey," Kal brushes off the offer...which may seem out of character to some but those people don't really know him. "But perhaps I can find the time later to drop by."
Jen looks disappointed but still retains a flicker of hope that she'll be able to do that demonstration. "Please do drop by any time. I will be willing to drop everything for you."
"Oh god. Please will you two stop," Beef pleads at all the insinuation. "I'm never going to be able to burn the images out of my head."
Kal laughs amused. "It's like we have something to be ashamed about. I don't think we do, do we Jen?"
"Absolutely not," Jen pouts, pretending to be hurt that someone would imply she has anything to be ashamed about.
"Well this is my turn off," Kal announces as they reach a crossroads in the hallway. "I'll see you guys later. It was fun working with you and setting up my former friends. I'm going to cherish the look of shock on their faces for a long time."
Hellion snorts and just turns his back on Kal. The other Hellions go by without much of a reaction. When M goes by Kal stops her. "Monet, a word if I may."
Monet wonders what this is about. She has not forgotten the humiliation he inflicted on her at the Academy.
"Now my mind has been...reorganised I have given some thought to what you said about us being the superior and if you wish, I would be happy to discuss that further with you."
Monet's brow furrows in slight puzzlement unsure if he is being serious or being suggestive and is hitting on her. In fact, as she takes a moment to think on it, why couldn't he be doing both. She is not averse to the idea. The person she chooses to enter a relationship with should be as close to perfection as is possible. After all it is too much to expect anyone, beyond herself, to actually be perfect.
"Think on it," Kal says with a pleasant smile before he leaves with a farewell wave as he goes to check up on another former friend. He chuckles at the thought of what Petey's face will look like when Kal explains to him what he has done, is doing and is planning to do next. Some days...scratch that, every day it's great to be him, Kal muses to himself.
Once the X-Men have been shoved back into their cells, which are all next to each along a corridor, they start talking to each other about the situation.
"I can't believe we have to go through this again," Evan complains. "I mean Kal was bad enough the first time round."
"He's up ta something," Rogue argues. Sure she's pissed as hell at him but not so much so she can't see through him.
"You think so?" Domino asks.
"Ya weren't around when Kal last visited so ya don't know him. He's scheming and manipulative," Rogue explains Kal's nature to her sister.
"Yer implying his betrayal is part o' a scam," Sean deduces from the talk.
"Very likely," Hank confirms for his friend. "We have met this aberrant personality before and what we learned from that experience is that Kal cannot be trusted by anyone. He is working his own agenda."
"Zhe question is vhat," Kurt raises the obvious.
"The problem is, if last time is any indication, you can never figure it out until it's already happened," Jean makes the bleak assessment.
"The problem also is that he does not fully understand who it is he is trying to scam," the Professor adds his own downbeat point.
"Aye. He's playing with fire," Moira warns.
"Perhaps," Scott concedes. "But he is very smart. That never changes. Assuming he is planning something I would think it would involve us at some point which means he has a plan to do something about these collars."
"I would agree with that," Storm says, while hiding her concern about Logan. He wasn't here with them. She wondered where he was and prayed he was alright.
"We have to be ready to act at any moment," Scott pronounces because he is certain that they are all correct in the belief that Kal is working a con. It's what he does. Emma, who Scott is now liking even less than before...Emma has no idea what she has unleashed. Kal is likely the most dangerously unpredictable being on this planet.
This is the uncomfortable side of their friend. They all like Clark but after meeting Kal the first time you can never shake the memory of what a manipulative bastard he can be. Assuming they survive this there are going to be a lot of hurt feelings to soothe over...but first they have to survive this and for that they just have to pray Kal's arrogance isn't overcoming his common-sense and that he actually knows what he is doing. The fate of the X-Men is now in Kal's hands.
Author's Note: Of course Kal is up to something. It is what he does. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. Next up; a couple of surprise people to the rescue only they have no idea what revelations are about to be dropped upon them through this course of action.