Justice Avengers: A Black Day in Hub City

"Good." Karima groaned. "I don't want to get in trouble with the Commissioner. I don't want to get in trouble at all. So merry christmas to me and don't fuck up." She downed the last bagel as flashes started going off, the Mayor and his parade of old white men in suits walking out into the stage. "It's starting. Prepare for the bore fest..."

Right next to Anarky's seat was an overweight, black lady of imposing stature,◊ one leg on top of the other as she looked down on her phone. "Lonnie." She said, briefly, before pointing at the agent on the other seat and the one who had just climbed aboard. "Agent Wein. Agent Byrne." And then at the pilot. "Agent Ostrander. They've all read your extensive file. Each one of them has devised five methods to restrain you in case you attempt to escape." She put down her phone. "I have twenty five. So, don't waste your time trying to find something you can use in this helicopter."

"My name is Amanda Waller." She continued, pocketing her phone as the helicopter took off, giving Anarky a headphone. "Let me give you an update on the situation. Yes, we know about the Maggia's plan. We've known about it for two months. No, we have not made any move against them. The reason for that will become clear to you in the following seconds." She pulled out a lollipop, removing the plastic and offering it to Anarky. "We have an extensive file on you. One that we can release to the public in no time. One that will lead to the government taking over your assets. And then forcibly employing you to work for them, which I'm certain is enough to make you wet the bed at night, considering your name."

"My point is, Lonnie, we are now... 'hiring' you to be part of a taskforce. A squad, if you will. Don't mistake us for SHIELD- we have the same boss as them, that's all. The objective of this squad is, to put it bluntly, win the Maggia's competition and gain shared control of their organization. You can guess just how much the government would benefit from having the biggest crime organization in America on their hands. And we want you, 'Anarky', to be a member of the taskforce. Do I have your full cooperation?"

-*Ah yes, the old "we know X ways to contain/kill you" routine* Anarky thought as he listened silently and without moving. Not that those weren't real, he himself had worked out many, but they are not as easy as she made them sound- he almost giggled aloud when she claimed she had devised twenty-five -Not unless you're fucking Batman, Bitch- but he was aware they were still in the 'psychological bluffing' part of this 'negotiation'. Ohh, lookie here, you have no choice BUT to work for us, didn't see that coming. Goddamn government lapdogs.

Then she got to the point. So, Uncle Sam had decided that SHIELD alone wasn't enough and now they were setting up this ARGUS to handle the really dirty jobs for them. For all his distaste for governments, he had to admit it was practical.

"...Yes, it would be a pity to lose my wealth, my achievements, my very identity" he said aloud. "But you forget something, Waller: I'm an anarchist. I'm willing to, if necessary, start over- vanish into the social chaos that even you bastards cannot keep track of, and come back some day with new resources and a new target whose name starts with an "A". Then we'd see how you like it when the public reacts to finding out how the government spends their tax dollars in plots involving Mafiosi and other black ops tactics."

"Still, I do agree that the current situation in Hub City in too dangerous. Innocents might die, and a new order -a criminal one- will arise from it. It HAS to be stopped. I was planning on doing something anyway... so, yes, I'm willing to work with you- not for you- at least for now."

edited 6th Oct '14 7:20:49 AM by Sijo

Bullseye smirked and nodded his head. "Sure thing, babe. Besides, it's not like I wanna take over The Maggia or anything. I just can't turn down the offer of Hub City being our own great big hunting ground." Bullseye returned to his chair, and surveyed the room. A lot of worried faces, a lot of small time crooks and assassins looking like they were about to piss their pants right there. He turned to Cheshire and spoke again in a hushed whisper. "So babe, any ideas on who we should take out first? I've got no grudges with anyone here. What about you?"

Press Conference

"Yeah I know... what's this conference about anyways?" Said the rookie still scanning over the crowds with her binoculars.

Bucky raised an eyebrow, glaring after the mob boss who was acting so rude. He glanced towards the old woman, and without a sound, stepped closer, crouching to help gather up the groceries without a sound.

Then there was the stab to his neck, and he gasped slightly, shoving away, gritting his teeth as he scrambled automatically for a weapon, forgetting for just a second he hadn't been allowed to bring any with him. Instead he tried to shove away the old woman when he realized this drug was much faster-acting than any he had been exposed to before, trying to stagger back towards the inside of the Maggia building.

Amanda Waller stuck the lollipop in her mouth, grinning. "You know, I love anarchists. Such gusto! Really, that's part of the reason why I wanted to get you. Now, let me remind you, Lonnie, we're not SHIELD. ARGUS doesn't exist. And I'm pretty sure you can't fight a ghost." She clasped her hands, reaching into her jacket. "Now, I am actually very interested to see where this plotline goes, so for a moment I actually considered going through with my threat just for the heck of it. But then I'd be wasting the efforts of my agents."

She started leafing through papers. "Agent Wein over there has dealt with things I can't even describe. Agent Byrne over there was the fella that made me reconsider not blowing up that Superman guy, gave me a new outlook on the man. Not saying I don't have a few missiles ready to shoot at him and that copy of his over at Jump City, but at least the finger is not hovering over the trigger. And Ostrander is a legend in our circuits. The reason I hired them is because they'll be working for you."

Amanda threw the packet at Anarky's lap, the yellow folder containing files and pictures of several individuals, ranging from Deathstroke, the Winter Soldier, Chesire, Bullseye, Deadshot, Firefly, Roscharch and a rather weak file on an unknown person which Lonnie could easily identify as Lobo. "These will be the taskforce members. You and our three agents over there will be the... support team. Eyes on the sky and all that. Take this time to read over their files, you'll also be responsible for devising plans that use the best of their abilities."

"When I'm standing on the throne, I'll be sure to share some of the spoils with you." Chesire said, toasting for their re-renewed alliance. "And I'm thinking. You see that man?" She pointed at Silvermane. "Look at the man behind him. The one with the one-eyed mask. He didn't do a thing and that mob boss changed his plans. Whoever he is, he's got power. I say we take that power from him."

"Something about a meeting that'll take place in Hub City." Kamira leaned back on her seat, closing her eyes. "More work for us, unfortunately. Wake me up when this ends." She said, even as the rookie saw, for a brief moment, a small red light blinking over the forehead of the Mayor, who was currently talking about Hub City as a tourist hotspot.

"Come now." The old lady said in a sweet, grandmother-ly voice. "We just need you to co-operate." She whispered to him, grabbing him in a way that made it look like he was helping her, trying to drag him to the alley. "Faster you work with us, faster you get to see your little apprentice."

edited 6th Oct '14 4:58:57 PM by TheBigBean

Bullseye looked over to the man Cheshire pointed out, and tried to size him up. "Ooh, he looks tough. I do love a challenge." He shut his right eye and raised his hand up, mimicking a gun with his index finger and thumb. "Bang," he muttered, aiming directly at the man's head.

Chesire rested her head on Bullseye's shoulder, grabbing his finger gun, bringing it back and blowing on it. "Not so fast, buckaroo. Because if we kill him the moment we get to him, we won't get the chance to kill his friend." She aimed the gun at Silvermane. "And then... bang." At the Squid. "Bang." At another mob boss. "Bang bang bang bang." At all the other mob bosses. "... bang." And one final shot aimed at Deathstroke. "Highway to victory, baby." She whispered on his ear, smiling.

Silvermane scowled over at the woman in green and the asshole with a target on his face. Oh, come on. He was fucking begging to be murdered. This was ri-goddamn-diculous. Then, he turned his attention back to The Squid, and sighed.

"Yes." He said slowly. "I will let you live." "For now", he finished silently.

Anarky read through the files, almost casually. "Very well" he finally said. "But on one condition: it's temporary. I help you win, you keep control and I go my own way. Are we clear?"

"Oh, and if I'm going to do this, I'm going to need to know *exactly* what your three agents can do. Are they Metas? Oh and by the way, who do you plan on setting up as your puppet mob boss, if I may know?"

edited 6th Oct '14 5:52:18 PM by Sijo

Slade, not noticing Bullseye and Chesire's blatant display, looked down for a moment, searching deep within his memory... a book about marine biology came to mind when he was researching a target living on a boat near the Bermuda Triangle. "They have statocysts. Primitive ears. Help with steering as well as hearing through motion." He said, crossing his arm. "Not exactly helping your metaphor."

Silvermane let out a long, slow puff of agitation. Of course they did.

"Ah, fuck it." He muttered, and ripped The Squid's ears off. He pushed him over, letting him scream and bleed on the ground as he held up his hands defensively. "He's not dead!" Silvermane said innocently. "Not yet, anyway. I mean, if you guys don't patch him up, that's not my fault."

Bucky grimaced at that, but shook his head, growling. "Lies. No one could have entered or left our base without Slade knowing of it," he shot back. "Let go of me or I will remove your limbs."

"We'll mull over your request." Amanda said, the lollipop sticking out of her mouth.

"We're completely normal." Agent Wein said, adjusting his tie and trying to hold out his hand for a handshake. "Apart from some special training to deal with superpowered individuals."

"As for who we're putting in control, that's confidential." Amanda replied bluntly.

Squid gulped, and then put his hands together, as if he was praying to a god. "I... swear over my... my entire business and assets over to you, S-Silvio Manfredi. And my men shall obey you." He said, as his goon nodded, anxiously writing it all down on his notepad. " P-p-please, let me liveeee AAAAAH!" He yelled, kneeling over the table, as his goon went over to help bim.

"Don't worry. We just put him to sleep when we saw you guys weren't there. So sad that we had to interrupt his training- he really seemed intent on impressing someone." The old woman took Bucky to a black van on an alley, where a sharply dressed Indian woman stepped out, as other agents in black suits helped her put Bucky inside and strap him to the chair.

"And Deathstroke?" The Indian woman asked.

"Should be coming out." The old woman replied, smiling. "You folks take care now." And then, she just walked away.

edited 8th Oct '14 3:59:25 AM by TheBigBean

"Silvermane," Terra looked rather annoyed and crossed her arms at the whole spectacle with the Squid. "You saw what I could do yesterday, so how would you like to make a deal with me?"

"We can talk about the details outside," Terra pointed to the other mob bosses and specifically at their cameras. She always hated cameras. "Away from prying eyes."

Terra gave a glance to Yelena, acknowledging her existence, "You can take Yelena along, also."

"No metas? That's not very encouraging, especially if we have to "convince" people like Lobo" Anarky responded, sounding dejected.

"But then, the most fun games are the truly hard ones, right?" he said, in a cheerier tone. "Very well.... I'm in." *For now, anyway.*

"Lobo?" Amanda said, raising an eyebrow. "That's the name of subject 52?" She pointed at the last set of papers on the folder. "How do you know his name?"

Anarky grinned under his pale mask. "I have my sources" he responded. "The important thing is: right now, he's your main concern. He's as dangerous as The Hulk, and without the morality that I hear the latter has. Seriously, he's unpredictable, he makes ME look like a law-abiding citizen. We may be able to bully or buy him into working for us, but even then, it would probably not be long before he was bought off or got bored and then turned on us anyway. My advice -and that's why you have, ahem, "hired" me for, right?- is that you target him first. And capture or kill him, in any way you can, ASAP."

Press Conference

"Sure, no pro-" she blinked as the blinking light showed "what was that? it almost looked like... partner? I think we might want to start moving, I saw a... er laser pointer-like light on the mayor's head"

Rooftop Rumble

"Yer guns ain't workin' 'cuz they're too wimpy ta kill me and ya don't have enough of 'em." growled Lobo as he tugged on his hook's chain and dragging the mook impaled on it to him in the process. If the poor bastard was still alive upon arrival, Lobo would drive his fist into the man's face. If not, Lobo would rip the corpse off of his trusty hook and begin barreling towards the third mook with no intent other than to rip him in half.

Domino rose from her seat when Tangle took her hand and chuckled. "Oh no, an illegal and dangerous street race? An upstanding girl like myself should never get involved. But then again, the draw of danger is so irresistible." She said in a mock acting kind of way. She elbowed him in the arm as she walked towards the door and taunted "If you're too afraid there romeo I can always take first place for you."

Slade watched as Silvermane took care of the Squid, nodding to him. "Unnecessary move, but it sent the right message. Good luck on the coming days, friend." He told him, walking out of the room to let him focus on Terra and her offer. Once outside, he stood at the entrance for a while, expecting Bucky to show up.

As Anarky talked about Lobo, Amanda picked up his file from the folder, and silently ripped it to shreds, giving it to Agent Byrne, who pocketed them. "He's a liability. We can't have liabilities. Focus on the other members of the taskforce, they're being collected as we speak. What can you do with them?"

"Mr. Deathstroke." The Indian woman from before said, calmly, as she approached Slade. "Your presence is requested. Your friend has already joined us in our transport, although we had to use certain methods to calm him down." She motioned towards the van parked in the alley. "Please, will you come with us?"

The third mook, seeing he was next on Lobo's kill list, immediately turned around and tried to run away, but he wasn't fast enough to escape his hook. The second mook was halfway down the stairs by this point, panting for his life.

Karima shrugged, not even bothering to open her eyes. "It's just some kid with a laser pointer trying to distract us. That kind of thing is common here in Hub C—"

Her explanation was interrupted when the sound of a sniper shot rang through the air, the bullet flying at high speed and penetrating the forehead of the Mayor, splattering blood on his congregation of politicians, sending his body slumping down on the floor. Karima sat up, her eyes opening in an instant. "HOLY FUCKING SHIT!" Karima yelled out, as the politicians were led off the stage by security guards, the flashes from the cameras meshing with the sound of panicked reporters.

"Man down, man down, we've got a man down!" The radio announced as Karima kicked her car door open, one trembling hand holding onto the gun. "All units, move to O'Neil square IMMEDIATELY!" The voice on the radio barked as Karima looked at where the sniper shot came from, fast enough to see a trenchcoat-wearing man retreating into the building.

" Oh shit... oooh shit... " Karima muttered, scared out of her mind, not knowing wether to follow that lead or help the now deceased Mayor.

"Well, now this is something I can get behind." Tangle said, suggestively, as he put one hand around Domino's waist, leading her out of the meet. "I always like a lady that can take lead.

The two had to walk for a while to reach the location of the race, a down on its luck section of the city that was currently home to the longest string of abandoned shops and stores in town, all a result of the economic reccession. A big group of modified cars, some old, some new, stood on the street, surrounded by people, most of them young, all of them foolish, getting ready for the big race.

"Heyo!" Tangle yelled out to a young man with brown hair and a blond streak◊ next to an all-black low rider, who was currently making sure everything was just fine. "Damn, Reyes. Didn't know you had such a sweet ride."

Robbie Reyes turned around, letting out a sigh before he put on a smile. "Hi, Tangle." He spoke with a soft latino accent. "Hello." He added to Domino. "It's a new car. I've been using it in some races. Where's yours?"

"Ah, should be here in a while." Tangle replied, brushing his hair back.

"And this is?..."

"Domino. Business partner." Tangle continued, putting emphasis on the partner part. He leaned close to her, whispering in her ear. " Son of a bitch always races on some horrible shit-ass car, and now he comes out with this? Now I think that he stole it. And I think we should steal it back. "

Anarky considered the other team candidates carefully, evaluating them by their psychological profiles. "Most seem to be OK... except maybe Rorscharch. She doesn't sound like she would enjoy working for the government any more than I do. Also, I do not trust Bullseye or Firefly. The others seem like they would stay loyal as long as you pay them enough." Actually, from what he knew of Deathstroke and his sidekick, neither seemed likely to let Waller boss them around. But he wanted to see her find that out on her own, so he didn't mention that.

edited 8th Oct '14 7:02:08 AM by Sijo

It took a while, but she finally finished. Creating a virus that can completely lockdown the budget of a city's entire police force? Easier than searching for porn on the internet! But actually tweaking said virus to be undetectable by Earth's technology as well as maintained like a levy system, releasing and closing up funds on command and on certain triggers made from the cameras in and around Hub City? That actually took nearly an hour. Spiral wiped the sweat off her forehead, admiring her work. A true piece of art it was.

Even better, the mayor was actually shot dead earlier, making the incoming chaos to be even sweeter, and some shady organizations are gathering the players together. Though for some reason she was getting heavy interference from the conversation with Waller......

Anyway, the show will be underway. The players are ready, the stage is set, and the virus will be released with only a push of the button. All that was needed now.........was to wait for the stroke of midnight........