justinq719: Stay strong, Virgil... And hopefully he can keep the girls from going each other's throats.
Wait! Gwen's a fourth wall breaker!
Re: Oh believe me, romance in comic books can get severely convoluted. It's also a jab at the Harem Formula because it's more of a Slow Burn, and you can't vicariously live through Virgil as a "blank slate" because that slate has been spattered with blood, paint, and other types of fluid. That and its covered in cracks and pock marks, but that's beside the point.
Yes, that's been established. Like, forever ago.
UndeadLord22: What are the chances that he would encounter the Punisher? Is that really a frigging 4th wall breaking? Wth?
Re: In-universe, Punisher would be in New York Zero; more specifically the Yellow Zone which consists of Brooklyn, Queens, and The Bronx. If that answers your question.
CountOrlok777: ... that makes sense. also in the over 3000 stories I've read in this app, first time I've got a top line comment. I'm loving this story. basically brings insanity, Dark ***some familiar faces and whole helping of entertainment. definitely going into the reread pile.
... why gwenpool?
Re: Not completely sure what you mean by "top line". As for the rest, I conceived this story shortly after completing Crysis 3, and since the tone was a bit darker, I wanted to challenge myself by writing content that was different from the "family friendly" content I'd written previously. Try something new, you know?
As for "why gwenpool", the real question is, "Why not?"
OmegaDelta: Soon it will the the business crawl with athena and virgil wonder who they will visit first and the director better not push his luck with the nano suits look what happen in crysis. Keep up the good work.
Re: Ohhhhhhh. Believe me, the next arc will be anything but a "crawl".
superpierce: Man Virgil really needs to get his love life straighten out.
Re: He suuuuure does~
Gwenpool: Yeah. Forever-forever ago.
Re: Damn containment breach…
Phoenix Invictus: Deadpool writing is okay in small doses, but it gets old very quickly. Use it sparingly.
Re: I'll be sure to keep that in mind.
FORGEMaster: Gwen pool, neat...
also why do I get the feeling that Athena and Artemis have the same daddy? Considering the awkward tension between moms.
Re: Hmmmmm…~
Lesserrounds33: Just curios if the nanobots inside Virgil multiplys, if so, can he magic enchance those instead of the off limit Nanosuit?
P.S: just wanted to add the review count. Novel is the best i found here so far. Thanks for the hard work.
Re: The medical nanotech in his system replenishes itself as it wears down like actual cells, but never above a certain threshold; enough to supplement his immune system, and eventually utilize [S.E.C.O.N.D.] and [Nanovision] out-of-suit as their Energy Efficiency increases, but never enough that it'd start "replacing" his body in a positive feedback loop.
As for the Magic angle… Hard to say. Magic + Tech don't really mix all that well, and even though the Medical Nanotech in his system is semi-organic, it's still too "minute" to control with magic, on account of them being so small; at least through conventional methods, though since this is a DC Universe "offshoot", "conventional" isn't exactly a commonality. The Nanosuit itself on the other hand is more-heavily tech-based, and can't be ensorcelled or charmed that easily; at least not with Earth magic, which is one of the few surviving magics in the universe after the Guardians' purge in the early stages of the Universe. Maybe with The Light's [Techno Sorcery], but not with ordinary magic.
Also, thank you for the compliments. As long as you ask interesting questions that are thought-provoking, I'll try to reply pre-chapter as much as I'm able.
*ARMOR WARS*
Moxxxi's Red Light
November 23, 6:00 EST
'I'd say it was good to be up bright and early, but I barely slept a wink last night…' Virgil groaned as he shut off his alarm, having gotten less than the ideal amount of sleep he'd have liked.
With everything that'd happened as of late when he wasn't on the job, he kept waking up mid-sleep, his mind repeatedly contemplating scenarios that would turn his and Athena's business trip out of town completely and irredeemably pear-like in silhouette.
It was as he was jolted out of slumber for the third… or thirteenth time, that he started to hate the fact that Re-l was giving him such a long leash.
Maybe there wasn't anything lined up for him with the fashion magazine, or they were calibrating the suit, or even waiting to see if he'd get killed without their direct involvement so they could give the suit to someone more full-time and not get their hands dirty. After all, people got killed by super-criminals every day.
Either way, he'd packed his gear the night before, so all that was left were the last-minute preparations.
Slipping his best street clothes over his Sneaking Suit, he then loaded his shotgun and SMG into a padded case, holstering his pistol at the small of his back, and synching his knife to his calf. His paperwork for the Firearm Freedoms Act had been laminated and taped to the inside of his case in case anyone at a security check asked any questions, and he didn't doubt that Athena had her own slew of weapons up her sleeve. Hell, if he saw a fountain pen in her breast pocket that day, he wouldn't be surprised if it were one of those "Mandate of Heaven" revolver blowgun pens that'd served him so well last time.
He'd have brought his along with him too, but weapons concealed in everyday objects definitely pushed the definition of what the Firearm Freedoms Act allowed for. At least in regard to President Sears' original vision.
Ensuring he had enough changes of clothes in his carry-on and triple-checking to ensure he had everything, he bit the bullet and headed out for what he prayed to God would be an ordinary day without anything crazy happening.
*ARMOR WARS*
Bludhaven Bus Station
November 23, 8:41 EST
Of course, the inherent problem therein that lay with praying to God, any god, was that he/she/it/they didn't always come through for you.
And just how was Virgil forsaken this day?
Weeeelllll…
*ARMOR WARS*
Bludhaven Bus Station
November 23, 8:40 EST
"Before we leave, I have one more thing to ask."
"What is it, Athena?" Moxxi returned, the lot of them at the bus station to see them off to their first destination.
"Why the heck is Gaige coming with us?!" Athena shrieked clearly incensed as she pointed at the ginger-haired girl beside them, a duffel bag over her shoulder.
"Well, seeing as how I won't be around to supervise you two randy teenagers for your trip," Moxxi said glancing between her daughter and homestay, "I thought I'd send a junior chaperone your way," she said patting Gaige atop the head. "After all, I wouldn't want you doing anything… naughty~"
"Oh that is such BULLSHIT!" Athena raged.
"Athena, that is no way to talk to your mother," Moxxi chastised, Athena wilting under her stern gaze.
"You knowww~ If you just so happened to let me have a piece of that… I might be inclined to look the other way in my chaperone-ly duties~" Gaige stage-whispered into her ear.
"Go jump up your own ass and die!" she hissed.
"Oh, you're just pent up and horny," Gaige waved off dismissively.
"You're seriously having this conversation? Out in public?" Lilith asked, watching the proceedings.
"Seems par for the course," Roland hummed thoughtfully.
'Well we're off to a fantastic start…' Virgil thought to himself as he ignored the curious stares of passers-by.
*ARMOR WARS*
Bludhaven Bus Station
November 23, 8:42 EST
Accepting the fact that God had once-again forsaken him…
"Look, either you can take your chaperone along with you, or you're not going on that bus."
"You're bluffing."
"Am I…?"
" . . . Fine," Athena conceded. "She can come."
"I knew you'd see things my way~"
"Yay! Road trip! Again!" Gaige whooped.
"Get on the damn bus before I change my mind…" Athena grumbled, conceding she wouldn't get the one-on-one time with her boyfriend that she wanted.
Assuming he ever stopped waffling about and made it official!
Of course, having a potentially mentally unstable, and 'thirsty', girl like Gaige around butting in every five minutes didn't make it easy on his end either. At the very least he resisted her every temptation, which she offered in abundance.
"Remember! When you get to Gotham, weapons hot!" Moxxi advised, drawing eyes back towards them that'd wandered off only moments before.
"Yeah! And aim for center mass!" Lilith added in a helpful tone.
"Don't go in any dark alleys," Roland offered in a calmer tone.
"Yeah, no shit."
"What was that?"
"Nothing, moooom!" Athena said over her shoulder, making her way into the bus, her Plus One and not-chaperone on her tail.
*ARMOR WARS*
"So… Where're we going to be staying?" Gaige asked, the countryside passing by the bus windows. "We getting a hotel, or is Wayne Enterprises going to shell out?"
"Mom has a friend in Gotham who's willing to lend us the guest room and pull-out sofa," Athena answered, sitting on Virgil's right while Gaige had the window seat.
"A 'friend', eh? So, is that code for-"
"A 'booty call', yes," Athena sighed at Gaige's waggling brow. "Guy's a detective, and a damn good cop from what I've heard."
"Let's hope he's one of the good ones," Virgil hummed, finger drumming on his pistol. "I'd rather not have to kill a cop," he muttered under his breath.
Because god forbid if it came to that… Batman in all of his infinite wisdom (cue: eye roll) would then proceed to beat him within an inch of his life, all without even bothering to ask why he'd killed a cop and/or what aforementioned cop had done to warrant a murdering.
'I'd pray to god that it doesn't come to that, but I think I've been forsaken once today…'
And you couldn't be forsaken by a god if you didn't pray to them in the first place.
*ARMOR WARS*
Gotham
November 23, 9:18 EST
Virgil had thought that with his shit luck, he might've had to fend off a raiding party of psychotic bandits from The Dust while fighting atop a moving bus in a scene reminiscent of Mad Max; or at least a pre-apocalyptic Mad Max where there was still gasoline to fight over but those that lived on the fringes of society were taking the opportunity to lose their shit.
Fortunately, the bus ride to Gotham was wholly uneventful, other than the sexual tension surrounding Gaige and Athena, with Virgil caught in the middle like the paper between scissor blades.
Upon arriving in Gotham, Pinkney's "Gotham Style" was the splash of cold water the threesome needed. Even though it was well before noon, there was still a depressing air that surrounded them; though it may've been due in part to how they were in the middle-class section of Gotham. Supposedly, things would brighten as they made their way to the Wayne Enterprises building, the focal point of financial and economic power in Gotham City in the upper-class part of Gotham.
"Alright, you two. Stay in front of me, keep your eyes on a swivel," Virgil instructed, his own eyes slowly panning to every darkened corner. "It might be morning, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't be vigilant anyway. Supervillain attacks in Gotham can happen in the mornings too, you know."
"Aren't you being a little paranoid?" Gaige asked.
"Says the fugitive," Athena muttered under her breath.
"Okay, point taken," Gaige conceeded. "So, what's on the itinerary?"
"The tour starts at eleven, then we break at noon for lunch, and then more touring. I assume whoever's meeting me will make their pitch afterwards."
"And after that?"
"I'm not committing to anything until I've toured all the places that're offering a look under the hood, so after that we'll settle down for the evening. Tomorrow morning we'll make our way to Metropolis," Athena summarized.
"So then we've got two hours to drop off our luggage with your mom's friend and meet your guide," Virgil hummed. "How do we meet the guy?"
"Mom says he took a personal day off, so he'll be waiting for us."
"And I can totally imagine what she offered in exchange," Virgil said with an eye roll.
"After that he'll give us a lift to Wayne Enterprises," Athena finished without missing a beat. "So, you ready to go?" she asked jabbing a thumb at another stop.
*ARMOR WARS*
"No offense, but your mom isn't exactly choosy."
"Preaching to the choir on that one," Athena returned, the inter-city bus they were on taking them into the heart of the lower… third of Gotham's socioeconomical echelon?
The neighborhood had seen better days that was for sure, but thankfully it was no Crime Alley; or as it was formerly known, Park Row.
Not like anyone would ever call it that again.
"Well, just make sure to keep a hand on your bags," Virgil said drumming his fingers on his attache case.
Their bus pulling into its next stop, the three of them disembarked, trying to look as-inconspicuous as possible as they made their way to a beat-up looking apartment building. The intercom looked like it'd gotten the business end of a baseball bat from a hooligan, necessitating the need to wave themselves inside, approaching the desk of a surly-looking desk manager.
"Excuse us. We're here for a Mr. Bullock," Athena greeted politely.
" . . . Third floor, fifth room on the right," the man answered begrudgingly after a moment.
"Thank you," she returned with a bow, the three of them moving toward the aforementioned room.
"Aw, stairs!" Gaige groaned at the OUT OF ORDER sign on the elevator.
"What, did that fancy school of yours not have any?" Athena asked coldly. "Too many teleporters and escalators?"
"Oh go eat a dick," Gaige huffed. "It isn't my fault Star Academy's board are a bunch of assholes."
"It must be nice to have 'normal problems'…" Virgil muttered to himself. "Well, here we are," he said looking at room 310. "Who wants to knock?"
"Excuse me, Mr. Bullock," Athena said rapping her knuckles on the door. "My… My mom sent word ahead."
The sound of a door guard and bolt coming undone, a moment later they were greeted by the sight of a middle-aged 5' 10" man, around 250 lbs with a waistline to match, his brown hair cut short and combed back. His clothes were crumpled and wrinkled, and he reeked of booze and cigarette smoke. He had a face only a mother could love drawn into a scowl, but he didn't seem to be openly hostile; just wary.
The sort of stance that tended to keep you alive in a place like Gotham.
"So, you're Moxxi's kid… You look a little like her," he hummed.
"Um, thank you. And, thank you for loaning us the guest room," Athena said bowing slightly.
"Yeah, well…" he said as the corners of his mouth quirked upward.
"Stop," Athena said raising her hands when he opened his mouth to say more. "I don't need to know."
" . . . Well at least she's transparent with her kids," the man shrugged after a moment. "These your tagalongs?"
"If they weren't, would I let them stand this close?"
"Hm. Guest room's in the back. It's not much, but it's something," the man shrugged, turning around and letting them in. "Make yourselves at home. I'll grab my coat and then we can go to Wayne's place."
The apartment in question wasn't anything grand, not on a policeman's salary, but at the very least it wasn't a roach motel. The colors were largely subdued, the furniture second-hand, a bit messy and lived-in like a single man's place where women weren't frequently guests.
There was an attempt made to tidy up before they arrived, that much Virgil could tell.
Maybe Bullock was trying to get on Moxxi's good side.
Or in her 'good side'. Giggidy~
"So… What's with the case?" he asked looking Virgil's way, eyes falling to the case in his hand.
"Oh, you know. A little something in case the crazies come our way," Virgil shrugged. "Relax, its legal."
"I'll take your word for it," Bullock grunted, checking the cylinder of a snubnose revolver before holstering it under his coat.
*ARMOR WARS*
"So… How long've you been a police detective?" Virgil asked from the shotgun seat of Bullock's unmarked patrol car.
"Too many years, and too many to retirement still…" Bullock said nursing an unlit cigarette.
"I guess it feels like that for everyone," Athena hummed. "Sooo… How did you and mom meet?"
"I'd tell you, but it might upset your delicate sensibilities," Harvey returned wryly.
"Gross," Gaige muttered.
"So, what caught Wayne's attention exactly? Didn't think he was into minors."
"I don't know about his sexual proclivities, but his corporate interest is a robot suit I built for Halloween," Athena answered. "Slightly bullet-proof, enough to stop a speeding car. Of course, it was largely cosmetic, so I imagine they think I could make some Batman-level gear if I had access to military-grade materials and an actual budget."
"Yeah, well, while you're up there, tell 'im to send a little more money our way, eh?" he said over his shoulder. "Or some better gear at least. Like maybe some stronger beanbag rounds or something."
"If I meet someone important-enough on the tour, I'll pass that along," Athena returned, flattening the creases on her attire.
For the sake of her meeting the girl had dressed-up appropriately. Black heels with a matching modest skirt, a red button-up shirt, her hair drawn up into a high ponytail, and for good measure a crisp lab coat thrown over her shoulders. Tucked into Virgil's attache case in addition to his own weapons was her own, the plan being that if anything went horribly wrong, it would be tossed back to her so, at the very least, she could defend herself.
Gotham City was known for its "crazies" after all.
"Well, we're here," Bullock said pulling up before one of the more-impressive buildings in Gotham.
As the Wayne Enterprises HQ it was insanely massive, rivaled only by the LexCorp HQ in Metropolis; while the original building had been more humble and notably gothic, as material and construction technology improved, the Wayne Enterprises HQ had been rebuilt and adapted to match, passing up on the gargoyles in exchange for massive floors dedicated to aerospace, biotech, chemical, and entertainment enterprises, just to name a few.
"I'll be in the parking garage if you need me. Try not to get lost up there," Bullock said as his three guests disembarked, the lot of them standing out amidst the many suit-clad figures moving in and out like ants from a colony.
"Well…" Athena hummed. "Where angels fear to tread," she said leading them in after straightening her attire one last time.
*ARMOR WARS*
It went without saying that as soon as they entered the foyer, they were subjected to a security screening, not unlike what one would find at the airport, only in this case it wasn't all for show.
Athena and Gaige passed on through easily enough, only having a phone, wallet, and a few odds-and-ends to put through the X-Ray machine. For Virgil on the other hand…
"Before you guys put my attache case through the X-Ray machine…" Virgil said as he reached inside and drew out his documentation, tapping a finger upon them for emphasis.
" . . . You serious?" one of the guards asked after a moment.
"You look outside those doors and you tell me," Virgil said brusquely.
" . . . "
In response, one of the guards at a computer terminal got to work with the keys. After several moments, eyes widening in surprise, with a nervous look he admitted-
"They're genuine. Let him through."
"Of course, you do understand we'll need you to leave your weaponry behind," another stated, if not condescendingly.
"With the Frankenstinian bullshit you guys have cooking up in R&D, I think not," Virgil said flatly.
"W-Why? What did you hear?" another guard asked nervously, eyes darting around.
"Now, now, boys. With precious cargo like this, I think the young man has a right to bear arms thanks to his paperwork. Especially with the… criminal element about."
"Mr. Fox!" the guard yelped, snapping to attention as a finely-dressed dark-skinned man entered with a dulcet voice appeared.
"At ease, boys," Mr. Fox said in a jovial tone, hands raised. "Of course, you will still be required to put your belongings through the X-Ray machine," he said turning to Virgil.
"Right, of course," Virgil said as he put his case, wallet, gun, and knife on the case, the guards' eyes darting between them and their owner before nervously cycling them through the machine. And thankfully, his implants were organic-enough they didn't set off the metal detector, neither the Stealth Suit, allowing him to reconvene with Athena and Gaige without any further issues.
"Now, I assume you understand your firearms will only be tolerated in the event of an actual, emergency," Mr. Fox stated frankly as Virgil reclaimed his possessions.
"As long as nothing from your R&D labs escape, this case can stay closed," Virgil returned with a pat to aforementioned case. "Don't think I don't know about Man-Bat!"
"I assure you, what happened with Mr. Langstrom was an isolated incident," Mr. Fox returned.
"Yeah, well…" Virgil said as he opened his case and ensured his arms were loaded. "Excuse me if I don't hold my breath."
*Cha-Chick*
"Right… You certainly keep… interesting company, Ms. Moxxi," the man returned.
"Yes, well, I'd rather keep interesting company than be dead," Athena returned. "And you are… Lucius Fox, I presume."
"That's right," the man named Lucius nodded. "Some of the boys in Wayne Technologies saw your work last Halloween and passed it up the ladder. If what you made was only a costume, I'm curious to see what you could make with an actual budget," he said with a smile, and an interested gleam in his eye.
"I assume she'll be hearing that a lot on this Fortune 500 tour," Gaige hummed.
"So… Lucius Fox… What's the CEO of Wayne Enterprises doing way down here?" Athena asked.
"Oh, you know… Just thought I'd get out of the office, put my 'Midas Touch' to work," he returned with a casual air, since it seemed to make the teens the most-comfortable, stretching his arms and popping his knuckles in front of himself. "So, shall we begin?" he asked waving them towards the elevator.
*ARMOR WARS*
Wayne Enterprises: Executive Lounge
November 23, 11:59 EST
What followed for the next hour was a tour of Wayne Enterprises, not all that dissimilar to what children would get from a school trip.
What made this tour different however, was that Athena was being treated as though she were already employed, being taken into rooms that'd normally be off-limits to school children, being made to feel like part of the team. And of course, Mr. Fox's presence added a certain amount of prestige to it. And not just because he was one of the most-affluent businessmen quote "of color" un-quote, but because he genuinely knew what he was doing, and was incredibly passionate about his work. In fact, many of Wayne Enterprises subsidiaries were originally absorbed from failing companies and made world-class by the man's business acumen.
Most of this tour felt like an orientation, obviously meant to instill a feeling of belonging and preemptively condition her mind into wanting to join Wayne Enterprises. Virgil wouldn't be surprised if Wayne's information network already gleaned that Athena had gotten more than one offer from a Fortune 500 company, and given that once-in-a-generation geniuses like T.O. Morrow or Anthony Ivo could create such-anachronistic feats of mechanical engineering within their lifetimes, such genius was much-coveted and much expense was used to acquire even those with a fraction of that sort of talent.
After touring several of the more business-oriented facilities on the lower floors, the quartet eventually broke for lunch, Athena's rumbling stomach the first indicator.
"Well, Mr. Fox, you certainly have impressive facilities here," Athena hummed as they made their way to the food court; an immaculate room with white tiles and walls with a wide variety of food and foodstuffs available.
In a way it made sense. Give your employees the best, and you'll get "the best" in turn. Motivation was key in meeting and/or exceeding quotas for each fiscal quarter/year. Not only that, but humane treatment would give them a reason to get out of bed in the morning, whereas its contemporaries elsewhere, especially in Japan, would sometimes die in their cubicles from overwork and overwork-related abuses.
Of course, if humane treatment instilled loyalty and dissuaded corporate espionage, that was just an added bonus.
"I'm glad you think so. Still, I'm so-amazed what you were able to make all on your own," Lucius said looking down at the video on his phone. "You must be quite the prodigy in highschool."
"Yeah. I was," Athena huffed dejectedly. "I'm not a big fan of 'people', just so you know."
"If it's because of something that happened in high school-"
"A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky, dangerous animals," Athena cut him off.
" . . . Who wants lunch?" Gaige asked loudly to break the tension.
"Eat well. It might be our last meal," Virgil said cocking his pistol.
"What are you doing?" Lucius asked as the teen's actions caused people to jump out of their skins.
"Just a precaution in case something from your biotech division is impersonating a mound of mystery meat," he said directing the end of his pistol over the various food trays, the cafeteria workers behind scurrying out of the way.
"Mr. Valentine, I don't know what you've heard about Wayne Enterprises, but we do not do 'that kind' of work here."
*Schlorp-Schlorp-Schlorp-Schlorp-Schlorp!*
"OH GOD! KILL IT WITH FIRE!" Gaige shrieked as something vaguely arthropodic in shape crawled out of one of the food trays and scuttled across the counter, leaving a trail of foodstuff-like covering in its wake.
"The fuck is this, high school?!" Athena yelped as those ahead in line started upending their trays in panic and scattering like roaches.
"I'm going hot!" Virgil shouted drawing a pair of safety glasses before raising his sidearm.
"WAIT WAIT WAIT THAT WON'T BE NECESSARY!" Lucius cried-
*SPLAT!*
"And y'all said I was crazy for buying this here industrial-grade fly swatter," a gruff man with a thick country accent said after bringing down a bug-killing implement that looked like it could slay insects from the Carboniferous Period.
Underneath the perforated head was the twitching and trembling mass of strangely-colored viscera mixed with foodstuff, a few in the cafeteria upending their lunch. Doubly-so for those who'd gotten food out of the tray the thing crawled out of.
"Sooo… What was this you were saying about Wayne Enterprises not doing 'that kind' of work?" Virgil asked incredulously as he holstered his sidearm, the crisis averted.
" . . . Well good news is, I'm not hungry anymore," Athena hummed after a moment.
"Speak for yourself. Do you see those spaghetti and meatballs?" Gaige asked licking her lips. "This uh… This isn't going to jump up and lay eggs in my stomach, is it?" she asked nudging it with a serving spoon.
"And y'all said I was crazy for checking the foodstuffs hourly," the same gruff man from before said as a mound of what looked like spaghetti and meatballs leapt up, latching onto a man's face after Gaige ducked down at the last moment.
"MY FACE! IT'S EATING MY FAAAAAAACE!"
"I'll get the blowtorch," the cafeteria worker said walking off as though such a thing were common.
"Gaige. Here's a shotgun."
"Please let our staff handle this," Lucius pleaded.
*ARMOR WARS*
"I swear, this normally does not happen," Lucius said as they left the cafeteria, men in biohazard suits and laser weapons rushing in behind them, inhuman shrieks and laserized muzzle flashes echoing after them dying the doorway a bright fluorescent green.
"Phrasing," Virgil hummed.
"But I assure you, we'll get to the bottom of how so many specimens…"
"Escaped?" Virgil offered wittily.
"I was going to say 'absconded'," Lucius returned curtly. "Honestly, what are they even making upstairs?" he muttered under his breath.
"Possibly some sort of foodstuff-based killing machine that could approach a target by hiding on their dinner plate," Gaige hummed contemplatively.
"Remind me not to drink the water," Virgil said eyeing a fountain, his hand on his sidearm.
"I swear, that was all an isolated incident."
"Yes, well, unless your NDAs extend to what happens in the food court, I doubt it'll stay 'isolated' for long," Virgil huffed, fingers going to the latch on his attache case. "Should I save myself the trouble and carry my firearms openly?"
"Please don't," Lucius sighed.
*Bang!*
*FZZZZZZZT!*
"My leg! MY LEEEEEG!" someone wailed from down the hall.
"Look out! Don't let it get away!" another voice cried from around the corner.
The sound of an attache case hitting the ground, when he turned to the noise, Lucius' eyes went wide as he was tossed a shotgun, the red-eyed teen drawing out a P90 and levelling it down the hallway.
"THERE SHALL BE NO ABOMINATIONS BORN THIS DAY!" Virgil shouted as he changed his fire settings from 1 to A.
"Wait! Stop! I'm sure there's a logical explanation!" Lucius said frantically. "One that doesn't involve gunfire!"
And thus, there was. Instead of some kind of "Frankenstinian monster"…
"C-C-C-COCKROOOOACH!" Gaige yelped as an enormous bug-like silhouette scuttled around the corner and towards them.
"What the hell are you feeding these things?!" Virgil cried as he tried to get a bead on it, the thing nearly half a meter in length.
"It's not a giant mutant cockroach! It's a robot!" Lucius said lowering the barrel of Virgil's gun.
"The fuck why?!" Virgil gawped, getting a good look at the thing. Cockroach-like in shape and scuttling across the floor three legs at a time, a small array of metalworking tools deployed between its foremost legs.
"More on that later!" Lucius said fishing for his phone. "Security, this is Lucius! Lock down the floor I'm on; we've got a runner!"
"Because of course you do!" Virgil shouted as he shouldered Athena and Gaige against the wall, the roach-like robot scuttling under Lucius and sweeping his feet out from under him, the man falling flat on his face right as an array of security shutters went down over exterior doors and windows.
"I assume we can't just smash the thing with a really big newspaper, so what about a directional EMP?" Athena suggested.
"No. The MARSARA 2A is hardened against EMPs and electrical surges because its intended use is inside destroyed buildings," Lucius answered.
"Sooooo… no to smacking it with a hammer?" Gaige asked holding a ball peen in her hand.
"Yes!" Lucius groaned.
"Virgil, guide it back towards me, I have an idea!" Athena said running off into a side room.
"I hope you know what you're doing!" Virgil shouted as he ran down the hall. "Get back here, Roachbot 9000!"
"That's not what it's called!"
"I don't give a shit!"
*ARMOR WARS*
The "Roachbot 9000" proceeding to terrorize the more squeamish members of Wayne's staff, Virgil played a very nauseating game of cat and mouse until he was finally able to chase the giant bug-shaped robot back into the main hall, Athena standing in front of the break room, her phone in hand.
"You've got incoming! I hope you have a plan!"
"Don't worry! I've got it!"
"Well, carry it out already! That thing's getting awfully close!"
"Not yet."
"Athena! IT'S GETTING CLOSER!"
"Not yet!"
"ATHENA!"
"NOT! YET!"
The next moment her modified phone was snapped out, a strobe light flashing and overloading the Roachbot 9000's sensors, stunning it like a flesh-and-blood animal exposed to strobing.
"NOW!"
The next moment Gaige kicked over a water cooler into the hallway, the robots feet skittering over the wet linoleum surface. Before it could get too far away, a broken lamp stand came down atop it, acting like an animal control staff and stopping the half-meter-long robot from getting away.
"Alright you sissies! Hold this thing down so we can crack it open!" Gaige shouted into the break room, a cluster of scientists pouring out and taking hold of the staff while the two girl geniuses began to peel the Roachbot's layers back.
*ARMOR WARS*
"So…" Lucius said a while later in a patient tone. "Would anyone like to tell me why one of our prototypes tried to escape?!"
It went without saying that his sentence ended on a less-than-patient note.
Standing around him were scientist and other scientist-like figures casting furtive glances at one another, though no-one wanted to outright point any fingers.
"Oi! You in the back, with the face," Virgil called out, whose eyes were darting from side to side, a trickle of sweat rolling down his temple as he stood there looking guilty. "Is there something you would like to share with the class, young man?"
The middle-aged man turned his eyes away, only to flinch as a weapon was ratchetted in his general direction.
"You could either tell me now, or after I use these bullets Lucius stopped me from using on the Roachbot," Virgil said in a sickly-sweet voice. "Now." *Click-lick* "Talk."
"Mr. Valentine, please don't threaten my employees," Lucius said before turning his attention to the man in question. "I all seriousness, if you know anything, I strongly urge you to come forward with it."
" . . . I forgot."
"Forgot, what?" Lucius asked.
"I… I forgot my wedding anniversary!"
" . . . Eh?" Virgil asked confusedly.
"Marital problems aside, we were referring to the prototype running amok-"
"My wife… She must've snuck a virus into the CPU the last time she was here. She warned me if I forgot again, there would be trouble…" the man said wringing his hands.
"A virus? Why would she do that? How would she do that?!" Lucius demanded.
"In reverse order; she graduated from Star Academy with me, we were sweethearts with me specializing in robotics and she in computer sciences. You know, me, hardware, her, software. A perfect match," he said wistfully.
"Is there a rest stop between here and the fucking point!" Virgil asked tiredly.
"A-A-A-Anyway!" the man yelped as the SMG was leveled at him. "I… I forgot our anniversary for the last five years!" he cried, sobbing visibly. "Normally she's very forgiving since geniuses are bad with personal relationship dates. The problem this time was she's pregnant and on maternity leave."
"For an alleged genius, you're pretty damn stupid," Lucius growled finding the end of his proverbial rope. "After you leave the building to buy your wife a nice reconciliation gift, we're going to have a very serious talk about what she is, and is not, allowed to do in Wayne Enterprises. She can't just sabotage her own project just because her husband is too socially-inept to buy a schedule app, for his god, damn, phone!"
"I'm… sure she had a kill switch for the virus planned-"
"Reconciliation gift! Now!" Lucius said jabbing a finger at the door.
At this the scientist yelped before hustling out the now-open doors to the stairwell, running as though his life depended on it.
"Sooo… Quick question."
"Yes, Gaige?" Lucius asked now that things had calmed down.
"Why does the Roachbot have a vibrator," she asked pointing to one of the metalworking tools.
"Good god, I don't think that kind of satisfaction is what people in a collapsed building are hoping for," Virgil retched.
"It isn't a vibrator. It's a 'Sonic Hammer'," Lucius said with a straight face.
" . . . So why's it look like a vibrator then?"
"Really? That's what you're concerned about?" Virgil asked incredulously. "Not why it has Robocop's 'Data Spike'?" he then asked pointing to another tool.
"I thought that was just a run-of-the-mill murder shank."
"What is it you think we make here?" Lucius cried exacerbatedly.
"Man-bats, flesh-eating lunch specials, amongst other things…" Athena hummed. "So, are we going to continue the tour, or should we give you time to batten the hatches before something else escapes in front of a group of impressionable teenagers with an access to social media?"
" . . . I need to make a call," Lucius returned after a moment, feeling sufficiently embarrassed.
*ARMOR WARS*
Wayne Enterprises: CEO'S Office
November 23, 13:40 EST
"So…" Lucius hummed as they entered his VIP office overlooking the city. "While I have the other departments… tidy up…" he said choosing his words, "tell me, what do you think of our facilities?"
"Oh, everything is just amazing," Athena returned with a smile. "That being the case, I'm not exactly thrilled with the location," she said casting a furtive glance out the window. "Virgil-"
"I checked just now. There haven't been any breakouts from notable prisons concerning infamous super-criminals," Virgil said looking up from his phone. "Then again, the prisons could just as easily be covering it up until someone dies and everyone realizes they've shit the bed."
"That's illegal," Lucius stated.
"Oh, wow! You say that as though something being 'illegal' actually stops people from doing illegal stuff!"
"Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit."
"Oh, and building cockroach-themed murder-bots with robo-cocks is a higher form of wit?"
"It's not…!" Lucius said before sighing. "I've taken note of your concerns, and the engineers in charge of that project, will endeavor to make the Sonic Hammer look like something else."
"Well, as long as it doesn't look like another sex toy…" Virgil said opening up his case. "Here. In case something else escapes from whatever vat the thing from lunch crawled out of," he said handing his shotgun to Gaige.
"Please don't carry those things openly. I assure you, there won't be any more incidents."
"Until there are," Virgil hummed.
"Don't worry. At Wayne Enterprises, safety is our number one priority."
"Well, at least you have that going over LexCorp," Athena hummed thoughtfully. "Virgil, you can keep your sidearm in your coat, but please don't openly carry your firearms. You might panic the other scientists."
"Yes, ma'am," he replied begrudgingly.
*ARMOR WARS*
Wayne Enterprises: CEO'S Office
November 23, 14:30 EST
Once the "hatches" had been "battened", Lucius' tour of the Wayne Enterprises headquarters continued. He certainly did a good job of selling the idea of working there to Athena despite everything that had happened prior, and thankfully, there were no further incidents.
While Virgil had been hassled for his sidearm, the fact that a man's face had been eaten in the cafeteria because something escaped from somewhere in Wayne Enterprises…
Well, let's just say that after today, a good number of the staff would be bringing their lunches from home, well after any foodstuff-related investigations had been concluded.
"So, what did you think of our facilities in full? Relatively speaking," Lucius hummed.
"It's a great company, and I'm sure anyone would give an arm and a leg to work here," Athena replied. "Although… I don't really have any degrees outside a GED."
"We're more than willing to offer you a Wayne Foundation scholarship for any tech school of your choice," Lucius returned.
"But on the condition I sign on to Wayne Enterprises after graduating, right?"
"If you read the fine print, yes," Lucius returned.
" . . . Normally I'd reserve any decision making until after I've toured the other facilities-"
"Glad to have you-"
"-but I'm afraid I'll have to decline Wayne's invitation."
"Huh?"
"I'm sorry, Mr. Fox, but from an ethical standpoint, I'm just not willing to contribute to the Applied Sciences Division and enable Bruce Wayne's self-destructive decline into insanity because he never took the time to mourn his parents' deaths like a normal person," Athena said rising from her seat. "I appreciate you taking the time to see me, but Mr. Wayne isn't the kind of person I want to work for."
"And why is that?" he wondered.
He didn't sound angry, but a bit concerned about what was being implied.
"You try to hide it, but I have it on good authority that Mr. Wayne fails his psych eval every year," Athena stated. "The evidence speaks for itself."
"And what evidence might that be?"
"Do you really want me to say it out loud?"
"Baseless rumors, I assure you, but if you really aren't willing to work at Wayne Enterprises in the future… I wish you the best of luck," he said rising from his desk.
"Thank you for your time, Mr. Fox," Athena said, extending her hand to shake before turning on her heel.
*ARMOR WARS*
"So…" Bullock hummed as he put down his paperback. "How'd your bigshot tour go?" he asked as the three teens piled into his car.
"It was… You wanna help me out here?" Athena asked into the shotgun seat.
"Let's just say it was 'interesting', and leave it at that," Virgil finished, adjusting his shotgun under his folded coat. "Fortunately I didn't have to shoot anybody, but I came pretty damn close."
"What, they whip up some kinda Frankenstinian monster in there?" Bullock asked turning the key.
"Well…" Gaige hummed nervously. "Let's just say I won't be going to the Wayne Enterprises cafeteria… any time soon."
"Oof, that bad, huh?"
"Like you wouldn't believe…" Athena sighed.
"I'll take your word for it," Bullock hummed as they pulled into traffic. "So…" he said a few minutes later. "I got some coupons in the mail if anyone wants takeout for dinner. What're you kiddos in the mood for? Pizza? Chinese? That weird Thai stuff that always turns the office restroom into a biohazard?" he chuckled.
"Actually…" Virgil spoke up. "I kinda had plans on taking Athena somewhere nice tonight."
"You did?" Athena blinked widely.
"You did?!" Gaige gawped.
"Yeah, well, I figure I should try and act like your boyfriend every once in a while. If you'll let me," Virgil replied sheepishly.
"Aw, Virgil~" Athena swooned. "That is so sweet~" she beamed, leaning forward and pulling him into a passionate, lip-bruising kiss.
"Hey, save some for the rest of us," Gaige protested. "Also, don't bend his spine that way!"
"Geez. Teenagers," Bullock chuckled with a roll of his eyes as the two teens played Tonsil Tennis.
*ARMOR WARS*
After they'd returned to Bullock's flat…
"What do you mean I'm not going with you?!" Gaige cried exacerbatedly when she asked what she should wear.
"Its… exactly what it sounds like…" Virgil said trying to let the eccentric ginger down gently. "This is… kinda meant to be a romantic outing to make up for all the times my work took me out of town-"
"What kinda job could a kid have that'd take them out of town?" Bullock asked curiously looking up from his pages of coupons.
"Courier."
A rather loose interpretation of what his on-the-side work and/or adventures entailed, but considering he "delivered" bullets, explosive arrows, and ass-kickings amongst other things… nooot necessarily untrue.
"Ah. Neat," Bullock said tossing some expired coupons aside.
"Gaige, he isn't even your boyfriend. He's mine," Athena said curtly.
"And you're seriously not going to let me have a piece of that?" Gaige asked brusquely locking an arm around Virgil's left elbow.
"What, like one of those French things?" Bullock asked aloud. "What was the word? Manage a trout?"
"Ménage à trois, and no, I'm not interested in that kind of relationship," Athena said locking his right elbow down.
"Okay. Just checking," Bullock said with the tone of a semi-concerned parent wondering what their young wards were getting up to. "Try not to scuff the carpets," he said as the two girls leered at one another, a catfight brewing.
Even police officers knew not to get between two girls arguing over a guy. Or anything really, pulse or no pulse.
It only took one Black Friday sale for Harvey Bullock to learn that lesson back as a rookie.
*ARMOR WARS*
"Ugh, the nerve of that girl…!" Athena growled angrily as she and Virgil rode one of the nicer busses into the nicer part of town.
It wasn't that Virgil was embarrassed to be seen taking Athena to his dating venue of choice in an unmarked patrol vehicle, but taking the bus was the only mode of transportation available that Gaige couldn't impose herself upon without being really blatantly obvious about it.
Athena was still clad in the clothes she'd worn for the tour of Wayne Enterprises, and thankfully their misadventures didn't show. As for Virgil, he'd changed out of his street clothes into something a little more fashionable. Unfortunately, he couldn't sneak his Sneaking Suit into where he wanted to take her beneath a button-up shirt, windbreaker, and slacks, so he settled for keeping his sidearm at the small of his back and hope for the best.
"I'm sure time will help her mellow out," Virgil said putting a hand on her arm, the girl lacing her fingers with his own.
"I hope so. I just… I just can't stand watching her eye-bang you like that," she hissed.
"Huhu~ Didn't know you were the jealous type~" Virgil crooned, causing Athena to blush a beet red.
"S-So anyway, where're you going to take me?" she asked diverting the conversation.
"It'll be a surprise," Virgil replied with a smile.
*ARMOR WARS*
Iceberg Lounge
November 23, 16:17 EST
After getting off the bus, Virgil and Athena walked arm-in-arm, rounding the corner to see a que that spilled out into the street. Athena looked around, her eyes widening as she saw the neon blue Iceberg Lounge sign.
"Ca-can you afford this?" Athena asked, feeling out-of-placed as they passed high society types covered in glittering jewels and designer threads worth more than most people made in a year.
"Don't worry, I've got an 'in' with the manager," Virgil said with a wink, passing the que and making his way toward the bouncer. "Excuse me," he spoke up, getting the man's attention. "I have a parcel for Mr. Cobblepot, and a table waiting for me inside."
"ID, please," the man stated, Virgil holding up his learner's permit for inspection. "Mr. Cobblepot will see you shortly," the man said opening the velvet rope, a litany of complaints echoing down the line from behind them as Virgil and Athena made their way inside.
*ARMOR WARS*
Meanwhile, in the alleyway across from the Iceberg Lounge…
"Can't believe I wasn't invited," Gaige muttered from the shotgun seat of Bullock's patrol car, arms crossed and pouting like there was no tomorrow as the two teens disappeared from sight.
"Well, the kid is trying to have a romantic evening with his girl," Bullock hummed between bites of takeout. "You sure this is how you wanna spend your evening?"
"I'm not really in the mood for TV," Gaige huffed, angrily pulping a Crab Rangoon. "Plus I don't wanna get into any trouble. Have to go to Metrpolis tomorrow."
"I see, I see," Bullock hummed. Not like he had any problem sitting in a car for hours on end. "So what about that kid has you so hot-and-bothered for him anyway?"
"I don't know if it's love-at-first-sight or just an influx of teen hormones, but he was the first guy who ever saw me for 'me', and not the 'eccentric weirdo' everyone thinks I am."
"Guess that's as good a reason as any to get 'thirsty'," the man chuckled. "So, you hoping something bad'll happen and you'll catch him on the rebound?"
" . . . Possibly," she replied noncommittally.
"Well… at least you're honest," Bullock shrugged. "Don't hold your breath though. Cobblepot tends to keep this part of the city villain-free on reputation alone."
"Can't blame a girl for hoping."
*ARMOR WARS*
"Your beverages?" the server asked after escorting them to their table, a little round number for two overlooking the live entertainment on the lounge's titular casino.
"I'll have sweet tea, with lemon," Athena stated.
"The same," Virgil returned. "Athena, why don't you order an appetizer. I should finish my business with Mr. Cobblepot shortly."
"Alright. See you then," Athena returned, taking everything in as the red-eyed teen left.
The walk up to the boss man's office was familiar, but strangely enough the gothic Lolita portrait was conspicuously absent.
He thought he caught movement from the corner of his eye as he reached the landing, but his paranoia was probably making a Sasquatch out of a serving girl.
Virgil was let in without any fanfare, walking in on Mr. Cobblepot eating a platter of cocktail shrimp as he eyed a wall of monitors.
"Ah, Mr. Valentine," Oswald greeted as he caught sight of the boy. "Come in, come in. Make yourself comfortable," he said offering the boy a seat. "So, what do you have to deliver this time?"
"More of a bit of personal business this time around, though still rather lucrative," the teen replied as he drew a fat envelope from his pocket, causing Mr. Cobblepot to quirk a brow. "Mr. Cobblepot, I'd like to invest in your fine establishment."
"You didn't liquidate your life savings on my account, did you?"
"No, no. I just came into a bit of money that would raise some… awkward questions at the office if anyone saw it," Virgil returned. "Don't worry, I'm not dumb enough to steal from Balalaika," he said allaying any possible concerns.
"Hmmm… Well, let's see what you have here," the man hummed, popping the seal with a golden letter opener before drawing out a fat stack of bills. Setting it into a nearby counter, the machine ratchetted away before the numbers $100,000 appeared on the machine's LED. "And… where did you say you got this money exactly?"
"I didn't," Virgil returned amicably. "So, you in the mood for another investor?"
" . . . Perhaps," Oswald hummed as he leafed the edges of the money before returning to his desk and setting it down between them. "Tell me, why invest this much capital here? I'd think someone your age would want to spend it straight away."
"Well, like I said before, I'm not most people my age," Virgil returned with a shrug as he eyed Count Vertigo's former holdings. "The thing about money is, they print more of it every day, but you can't earn it 'every day'. Sure, while most people would put it in savings and let it build compound interest, I'd rather invest in something a little more… concrete," he said before quirking a smile. "That and, if this just so happens to get me a… private table at the Iceberg Lounge, all the better~" he said quirking a smile.
"Well, a hundred Ks will certainly go a long way into getting what you want," Mr. Cobblepot said with a prideful smile. "Sure, I'd be more than happy to welcome you into the fold. Smart youngsters like you are getting harder and harder to come by."
"Maybe it's something in the water," Virgil hummed. "So… Do you have pre-made contracts or-"
"Right here," Oswald returned placing a small sheaf of papers on the desk. "The legalese makes it a little dry, but just for you, I'll highlight the footnotes," he said isolating a few clauses with a blue highlighter. "Trust me, lad. You won't regret it."
"Oh, I'm quite certain I won't. You're a savvy businessman among businessmen, after all," Virgil returned with a smile as he eyed the document before getting to the dotted line, signing his name and routing number with a nearby ballpoint pen.
"Now don't you worry about your money none. You'll be getting returns very soon."
"And hopefully for a good long while."
"Indeed," Oswald nodded before turning back to the monitors. "So… I noticed you brought a lady-friend~" he said waggling a brow. "Saw her with you as you came in. She'll be quite the beauty in a few years I imagine."
"Well, right now I'm dating her for her brains," Virgil returned. "And tangentially her body," he amended with honesty.
"Always a good policy to have. I can't begin to tell you what a boor it is dating mindless fops in my youth," he sighed tiredly, yet wistfully. "Things were less-complicated when I was younger."
"I'll take your word for it," Virgil nodded. "So, anything you'd recommend for the dinner scene? This is kind of my first time dining with high society, so I thought I'd get your recommendation."
"Hrmmm…" Cobblepot hummed, idly tapping his chin with his finger. "Tell me, lad. Have you ever had Japanese Kobe steaks before?"
"No, but I know they're very expensive and even a small one would burn through my travel budget."
"Well then, you're in luck! A client of mine ordered two in advance to celebrate their recent financial success… up until they got arrested for felony tax evasion," he added with a mix between a chuckle and a tired sigh. "Since I can't exactly advertise this sort of preferential treatment to my more 'run of the mill' clients, how about you do me a favor and… take them off my hands?" he offered cordially. "Be a shame to let them go to waste."
" . . . For real? I mean, really?" Virgil corrected after an owlish blink.
"I don't see why not. Think of it as a 'thank you' for investing in the Iceberg Lounge."
"And you don't care where I got the money?"
"As long as you didn't swipe it from ol' Fry Face, that's all I need to know," Cobblepot replied. "Now, go on and have a grand evening. Money isn't the only thing you should invest in while you're young."
"Thank you very much, sir. I think you just 'made' date night," Virgil returned with a grateful bow.
"I'm glad a couple young gents could help one another out," Cobblepot returned with a smile of his own, the two shaking hands before parting ways.
*ARMOR WARS*
"Japanese Kobe steaks? Are you for real?" Athena whispered once Virgil returned from Cobblepot's office.
"Yup," Virgil nodded. "I didn't plan it out that way, but it just sort of happened. Think of it as… a happy accident."
"Okay, next question. Why are we whispering?"
"I'm… kinda embarrassed to say I'm not sure," Virgil said scratching his cheek.
"So… How'd you get this kind of 'in' with Mr. Cobblepot anyway?" Athena asked inclining her head to the door, where the que still spilled out into the street.
"Well, I think it started when I delivered a parcel for Ms. Balalaika a while back," Virgil hummed. "I guess there was something about me he liked, though the flattery couldn't have hurt either."
"Oh? What kind of flattery?"
"Oh, just complimenting his intelligence for getting out of the supervillain game and becoming 'a legitimate businessman'," he returned.
"I suppose that's one way to stroke a man's ego," she hummed with a smile, the girl gulping audibly as a large shadow suddenly loomed over him.
"Yes? Can I help you?" Virgil asked over his shoulder, his fingers ghosting over the handle of his fork as he eyed the man looming over him.
Towering, intimidating, Eastern European descent, the man's expensive gray suit did nothing to hide the rippling muscles of his seven-foot frame. Guy had to weigh over four hundred pounds in pure muscle, and Virgil idly wondered how the man's Italian suit could even handle his movements. He assumed the man would be attractive to the opposite gender with dark blue eyes, thick black hair, and an award-winning mustache.
In a weird sorta way, Virgil thought the man resembled a combination of Zangief from Street Fighter and Mike Haggar from Final Fight.
"You mentioned Balalaika of Hotel Moscow," a deep voice with a heavy Russian accent that perfectly matched the mountain of muscle. "I have not seen her since Roanapur."
At the mention of the destroyed Thai city, the room around them suddenly went quiet.
'A taboo topic?' Virgil wondered idly.
"A question, if I may," the man said unaware to Virgil's musings. "What is it you do for Ms. Balalaika?"
"I deliver mail."
Once again, not untrue.
"Ah. Yes. 'Mail'," the man returned with a nod, as though he were privy to an inside joke Virgil wasn't. "In that case, I have something for you to deliver," he continued. "Do not worry, you will be well-paid for your labor. Come with me."
Given the size of the guy, he didn't think it polite, nor smart, to refuse.
"I'll be right back," Virgil said when Athena cast worried eyes his way, flicking his fork up his sleeve when the Russian's back was turned.
Following the massive Russian into a backroom, Virgil saw it was a breakroom, only slightly-less-club-like than the rest of the Iceberg Lounge, a copy machine in the back and a cabinet of stationery in one corner.
The large Russian man entered something into his PA, his deftness quite remarkable for one possessing such thick fingers, and the printer began to run. After a few moments, the man reached up and placed the letter into a tall envelope, sealing it before handing it over to Virgil, a few large bills pressed between the envelope and his thumb.
"I trust you know how to be discrete?" the man asked, in Russian.
"Yes," Virgil returned in his own Americanized Russian, the man's brow quirking slightly.
"You have a good evening then," the burly Russian said as he left, leaving Virgil with a thin parcel and some money for his trouble.
'Well, it's not like he could've snuck anthrax into it or anything,' Virgil thought idly to himself. Returning to his table a minute later, Athena let out a sigh of relief as he took his seat across from her.
"Thank goodness… You're okay."
"Don't worry. The man just wanted me to deliver a parcel," Virgil returned as he sat the letter down to the side, somewhere it'd be impossible to forget. "But let's not talk about work. For now, let's just enjoy the rest of our evening," he said slipping the fork from his sleeve.
"Yes, that sounds like a good idea," Athena nodded, raising her beverage and holding it out to him. "To tomorrow."
"Tomorrow," Virgil returned, the two clinking glasses.
*ARMOR WARS*
"Oh my goodness…!" Athena gasped. "It just melts in your mouth!"
"A little rich for my liking, but definitely quite good," Virgil returned as he bit into his own Kobe Steak. "I just hope this doesn't Flowers of Algernon our taste buds."
"Oh god, I didn't even think of that."
"And yet, you're still eating it."
"Well I'm not going to pass up Kobe Steak."
"Yeah, me neither," Virgil returned, eating into his steak. "So… Do I know how to be a good boyfriend or what?"
"Hmmm… I dunno~" Athena hummed as she lidded her eyes. "Let's see how the rest of the evening plays out~" she said batting her eyelashes at him.
The two reaching across the table to clasp hands, the next moment a loud *CRASH* of shattering glass sounded from overhead. Two forms clad in black falling through the air a few meters away amidst a shower of skylight, people in the lower tier panicked as another loud *CRASH* heralded a large impact to another table being flattened, food, cutlery, and tableware flying in every direction.
"I-Is that…?" Athena gawped as she leapt back, the lounge swiftly emptying out as people ran for their lives.
"The god damn Batman…!" Virgil growled as the caped crusader rolled backwards and hopped onto his feet, the massive neo-steroid-saturated form of Bane slowly rising to his feet after being used as a landing pad. Grabbing a suddenly-vacated chair before throwing it at Batman like a softball, the flying nocturnal rodent-themed hero rolled out of the way in a streak of black fluttering cloth. "Dammit, those bastards-"
"-ruined date night!" Athena growled pounding the table with one hand, angrily twirling her fountain pen in the other as she made for the stairs. "As soon as I get down there, I'm going to give that masked wrestler a piece of my mind!" she said through grit teeth.
'Well, nice to know you're taking this as personally as I am,' Virgil said as he followed after her, plucking a serrated steak knife from a table as they made their way down the stairs.
Of course, it went without saying that he doubled back for his parcel, but then he was right on Athena's shapely ass.
*ARMOR WARS*
"Batman! I will feel your spine crumble to dust between my fingertips!" the neo-steroid-addled Bane roared in Batman's face, the caped crusader's eyes darting every which way as the Iceberg Lounge began emptying out.
Last thing he needed was for Bane to take a hostage.
Spotting an angry-looking girl in a pencil skirt and lab coat descending the stairs off to the side, when she raised the end of a fountain pen to her lips, the dark knight's eyes went wide behind his cowl at the familiar sound of fletcheted darts being launched. Bane letting out a slight grunt as a quintet of needle-sized darts struck his right buttock, the next moment a red-eyed teen in a button-up shirt and windbreaker rushed up to Bane like a college sprinter.
The teen leaping onto the back of the disoriented Bane as whatever was in those darts began to take effect, the added weight on his Venom delivery hose swiftly pulled the disoriented man into an arched-back position. The glint of a serrated steak knife flashing in the lounge's fluorescent lighting, Batman prepared for the worst, flipping a Batarang into his hand only for a green arterial spray to shower the teen as Bane's artificial jugular was cut.
"Pfffft! Blaugh! Gross!" the teen spat as the free end of the flailing runaway hose splashed green fluid into his face, mouth, and eye. The next moment he cursed- "Augh! Dammit! I really liked that shirt!" -as his muscles swelled and a few of the upper buttons burst, before his muscles began to deflate.
Bane letting out a pained yelp as his swollen muscles began to "deflate", the teen ducked under a clumsy arm swipe from Bane as he bolted for the door, taking hold of his date's hand and escorting her out of the building altogether.
Batman wasn't fond of the idea of civilians fighting super-criminals, but even he could admit it was hypocritical to think ordinary people couldn't step up when needed; not after adopting a circus performer into a crime-fighting crusade.
Still, first time he'd seen an ordinary person cutting Bane's Venom line. Most of the time they tried using small arms fire, only to realize Bane had heightened bullet resistance in his envenomed state.
"Bane… will… crush you…!" Bane gurgled as he brushed the darts off of his buttock, his elastic clothes hanging loosely on his frame as he shrunk, green neo-steroid staining his clothes.
Firing his grapple over the criminal's shoulder into a pillar, the Batman swiftly reeled himself in and struck Bane in the face with a flying "Superman Punch" with a powerful *POW!*, knocking the weakened criminal flat on his ass, the arterial green spray of Venom form.
*ARMOR WARS*
"Well…" Bullock hummed as rich people poured out of the Iceberg Lounge like roaches running from the kitchen lights, a light chuckle leaving his lips as those in the que refused to leave despite the chaos. "Looks like you got your wish."
"Please don't tell them," Gaige said sounding guilty. "Oh shit! Here they come! Quick! Hide!" she yelped trying to sink down into her seat as the two familiar teens made their way over, bee-lining as soon as they saw Bullock's impressive frame.
*Click-Whump* the doors sounded as they were opened and closed.
"Geez, what happened to you?" Bullock said eyeing the green fluid matting his hair to his head.
"And what the heck is that smell?" Gaige asked.
"Do not ask," the young man hissed.
"I won't even ask why you're even here. Just. Drive," the young woman hissed in turn.
"But no, seriously, what is that smell?" the ginger repeated.
"Virgil severed Bane's artificial artery and got Venom all over himself," Athena answered, the tires screeching as Bullock floored the brakes.
"Venom?!"
"Eyes on the road!" Virgil yelped as cars screeched to a stop behind them. "And more on that, I was only exposed for a few seconds, and the stuff I was exposed to I spat right out," he said wiping his mouth on his sleeve. "Besides, I'm not roid-raging like Bane, so I doubt I'm symptomatic."
"You sure we shouldn't go to a doctor? I don't like the look of that eye," Gaige said eyeing Virgil's blood-shot eye, his facial muscles twitching at irregular intervals.
" . . . Fine. I'll call it in," Virgil groaned pulling out his phone. "I'm sure my sponsors have a clinic nearby."
To Be Continued...