Post by jackalope on Jul 1, 2011 3:08:17 GMT -5
Ultimate S.H.A.D.E. #2
The Beast in Bangkok pt.1
The Beast in Bangkok pt.1
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon (better known as Bangkok), Thailand
1 week ago
Jonas Higgs is running. Down through the crowded night markets into the shadier parts of town. The places where you can hide and disappear. Places where you won’t exist. It’s been 20 minutes since he heard anything but his heart won’t stop beating. He turns down a small alleyway. Locals stand leaning against walls watching him. One nods. No one knows him here but they know his type, rich foreign white man. Middle aged with a life that stays at home when he travels. Jonas nods back, walking up to the doorway they stand outside and grabbing a handful of cash from his pocket, tucking it in one of theirs.
He turns around looking to the night sky once more. Nothing but stars.
Now
“...turn the knob, AM, FM. S.H.A.D.E.'s full information database should be accessible on mental command. Try it.”
The plane touches down, bouncing slightly.
“There's nothing on Time.” He looks at Robotman, face neutral.
The Cyborg raises his hand to his neck. “Well, obviously, Father Time is something of an exception... Try someone else, try me.”
There is a faint whirring sound in Frankenstein's head. “Named Robert Crane, born 1908, according to your record you officially died 1943 in an explosion in a government. Now code name: Robotman. IQ of 141. Enhanced micro-mechanic super alloy frame, self made...”
Over the intercom crackles in, “If you'll please wait for the open door sign to switch on, we'll soon be disembarking. The temperature is a balmy 35 degree centigrade. We hope you enjoyed flying with S.H.A.D.E. Airways- Welcome to Thailand.”
Robotman detaches a metal clip from Frankenstein's right neck bolt, and the giant blue man stands. He turns to Robotman. “Why are we here?” Robotman shrugs.
6 days ago
Jonas Higgs body, or what's left of it, lies untouched sprawled across a mattress, legs on the floor. Along with his guts. Sun lifts his sunglasses and rubs his eyes, “<5 minutes.>”
The police detective nods. He has been around long enough to know the bribe won’t happen here, but will appear in his bank account as a bonus at the end of the month. That is how the shadow men work. He signal's rest to leave the room and takes a final look at the hairy man in sunglasses with the strange tail hanging out from under his shirt, before leaving himself.
Sun looks over the body, chewing his toothpick. Some blood consumption, but nothing major, no money missing. This was wrath. He flicks open his phone.
“Time? He's here.”
Now
“We are here because there's someone here I want working for us.” Father Time calls from the bottom of the steps as the team disembarks. “We take the strongest and the smartest, and we leave the dregs for the other groups. I only want queens on my chess table, and maybe some knights, they do that great L-shape move.” As Frankenstein walks off the step Father Time points at his head with his umbrella. “Robert get you all sorted out?”
Frankenstein nods. The others on the team file out. Frankenstein allows his new internal systems to fill him in on their details. The Face- Laura De Mille, limited polymorphing ability, coupled with expert disguise work and precise imitation skills, making her a master of infiltration. He senses in her good character, with a secret darkness at her core. The Brain- Dr Jules Brun, genius in multiple fields, including biochemistry, psychology, and micro engineering. In him good and evil seemed to have very little presence, just mainly an ego and a need to be useful. Robotman- Dr Robert Crane, also genius but specializing in robotics, battle hardened by multiple wars. Definite goodness within him, but with a sadness. And the Bride. He stops.
“We will be liaising with our top S.H.A.D.E. Field agent for the Asian region.” Father Time points to the approaching black jeep, turning on to the small airfield, and driving out from the jungle forest. “Here he comes now; now please don't mention anything about dragon testicles. He will take you to where you need to be. Jules is here because we need his expertise in chemistry on this one.” Dr Brun nods at the others. The jeep pulls up and a smiling Asian man with huge dark hair, in sunglasses, steps out of the car. Behind him a black hairy tail curls. Father Time walks over and they shake hands.
The new-comer takes his toothpick out of his mouth. “How goes the free world?”
Time smiles. “Oh, you know, time keeps ticking along...” He turns to the others, “Frankenstein you're lead on this one, but you need to listen to the Monkeyman here. He knows the land and the people. I want this guy alive, so no breaking necks.” He looks at Frankenstein. Behind them the plane's engines are starting up again. As the noise of the engine starts to grow Sun, the Monkeyman, leans into Times shoulder.
“<Digging the turban.>”
Father Time starts towards the plane but Frankenstein grabs his arm. “Where are you going Time?”
“Elsewhere, I'm a busy man, lots of people to bring under my umbrella.” Frankenstein stands waiting for more. Time looks at him and shakes his head, “you've got this Frank. I trust you. As far as me... I saw you sensing out your team, seeing whether they were good or evil deep down.”
Frankenstein narrows his eyes. “How did you know of that?”
Father Time ignores the question. “Try it on me...”
Frankenstein concentrates. His eyebrows rise. “...innocent.”
“Like a new born baby...” Father Time smiles and walks up onto the plane. He turns. “Go get him Frankenstein.”
1 week ago
Even at night the noise is constant. Jonas lies on the mattress and tries to decipher the different noises. Out here on the edge of the city nature can be heard, the distant calls of monkeys, strange insect sounds. He strains to hear whether the sound is the wind of the flapping of wings. He jumps. Just a knock on the door. He stands and walks over, only opening it an inch.
Brown skin with large dark Oriental eyes. A smirk finds its way onto his face. He opens it. The girl is holding an old tray with some rice and curry on it, and some local beer. He opens his mouth to reveal his white teeth. “<Thank you. You are very kind.>”
She smiles back crinkling her eyes and thanks him back. He knows she's putting on a show for the foreign guy because she's made to, but hey, it’s working for him. Young and cute, he asks her name and makes note of it for later. The nights going to be a long one, but if he can just make it to morning...
“<Kimi...>” She turns around. He stares at her fourteen year old mouth as she asks how else she can help. “<Come back later.>” She nods, with a pain at the edge of her eyes, her smile frozen now, and walks down the corridor. He shuts the door.
Now
The jeep rocks around over the rough terrain. Monkeyman turns his head to the passenger side.
“So,” he says to the giant blue skinned man, “...Frankenstein lives.”
In the back the Face cracks a smile and the Bride shakes her head. Frankenstein remains looking at the road ahead. The jeep bounces on a tree root, and the passengers are thrown forward.
“Hey,” the Brain calls from the back, “Careful, I have some delicate equipment back here.” His French accent only barely recognisable. He holds up the steel briefcase.
“Sorry,” Monkeyman calls back, holding his toothpick between his teeth.
“Where are we going?” Frankenstein's voice rumbles around them.
Monkeyman looks at him, “right into the jungle.” He turns and sends the jeep down a steep descent. “There's abandoned temples all through these jungles, some more accessible than others. The one we want is in as deep as they get.” The car turns and continues until it reaches a short steep bank covered in thick forest leaves. Skidding to a stop, he looks up at the rear view mirror, dropping his sunglasses down on his nose. “Now we walk.”
9 days ago
Jonas sits at a table looking out over the market, beer in hand. He's left his jacket back at the hotel; he doesn't need it in this heat. They tell you about the heat, but it’s another thing to feel it, the sweat sticking the shirt to his back. He sculls the glass and lifts it shaking it for a refill.
“Allow me.” The voice comes from behind him, and a man in a blue short-sleeve shirt sits down beside him, placing a bottle of beer in front of him, then opening his own. The man looks Thai, but he speaks English with no audible accent. Down both his arms tattoos of Asian characters trail downwards like words written on a scroll, surrounding spiders on both hands. A thin wide smile is directed at Jonas.
“Mr ...Angka?” Jonas hesitates, hands suddenly sweaty. The man nods slowly, eyes not leaving him. Jonas breathes out.
“Mr Higgs.” The man takes another swig of his beer. “I see you've brought what you promised.” His head nods to the suitcase down between his legs. “When you’re ready we will give you what we promised.”
Jonas's mouth is dry, “really? I mean, are you sure I won’t be caught? Is they like they say it is here.”
“What happens in Bangkok stays in Bangkok?” The man's smile reveals his strangely pointed teeth. He nods. “We have many arms, each with a long reach, putting money in all the right pockets.” He stands up. “Now if you'll follow me we've got a choice for you- 12? 13? 14? younger, older...” His voice becomes sing-song.
“What about the rumours, the devil from the jungle?”
Mr Angka turns. “Rumours, just rumours.”
Now
Only Jules complains. The bugs seem to ignore everyone but him, until he shouts and declares that it will not do. He is given a moment to create some sort of bug spray from his briefcase of chemicals. The other's wait, impatiently moving about, except for Frankenstein who stands looking out through the lush undergrowth. The Bride walks over to him.
“Beautiful eh?”
Frankenstein nods but remains silent. Birds call around them. In the background Jules packs his case, satisfied.
“Not far now,” Monkeyman calls, taking the lead again. Frankenstein follows, as do the others, the Bride waiting to be last in line. Pushing through the jungle they continue until they stand on the edge of a crevasse looking over a tree filled valley. In the centre, a massive stone temple, broken grey statues scattered amongst the trees, all over-grown by vines. “We're here. Com'on while it’s still light.”
When they reach it, it is even larger than it seemed from the distance. Though partially in ruins, the vast majority seemed intact. Around the entrance various bones were strewn, animal it seemed, along with large bowls, filled with what looked like blood.
“Looks like the locals are treating him like a god,” Monkeyman says dipping his finger in the bowl. “Been tracking this bastard all around Asia...” He looks up at the temple, then over at Frankenstein. “Well now it's on you.”
Frankenstein pulls the sword from his back. “Brain, Bride, stay out here, but you be ready.” Jules nods pulling a syringe from the suitcase. “Monkey, Robot, you will be with me. Face, are you ready?” She presses her fingers to her face, shaping it with her firm hands.
1 week ago
Jonas is tired. He thinks about his life, his family back home. It had only started as a little something extra after a business trip, but he had stumbled into a darker world. The last few days were a surreal dream of his darkest forbidden desires. He wondered where he would be now if he hadn't been told about the organisation that had made all of this possible. Probably not on some mattress in a shady part of town hiding from an urban legend. His mind swims to the card that had been given to him. A black spider on one side, a number on the other. He hears a tap.
He smiles, looking to the door. He remembers the girl’s eyes, wide and innocent. He licks his lips, and sits up. There is a tapping again, “ok, ok.” He pauses. The tapping was not on the door in front of him. He looks about the wooden room. The tapping comes again. He looks up.
The corrugated iron that is the roof groan as it bends back, opening up to the cool star filled sky. Jonas lets his eyes dart side to side, trying to stay silent. The background noise seems to have faded away leaving only the constant thud of his heart. Then he hears it, a tap. Then another. Two long leathery wings wrap over the bent back metal. The creatures head appears. He finds he can't move as soon as he sees the beast. It leans into the room. The creature's mouth opens revealing long pointed teeth. Its screech triggers something inside him and now he is screaming, screaming so hard that he wonders whether he could stop. The creature leaps.