“Sir...if I may be so bold, was that really your big plan?”
The Cowl’s assistant had spoken up after the meeting, a man by the codename of Specter, one of the men who had been running the Shroud’s operations in The Cowl’s stead. It had been a few hours since the meeting between those under the Shroud’s influence, and it had been clear people had not heard what they wanted to hear from their intrepid leader. At this point, The Cowl and Specter were all that remained in the large room, with the Cowl staring out the window of the room, looking over the City line of Lost Haven.
“Of course not, my dear Specter, that was just to make sure nobody does anything stupid.” The Cowl responded, turning on his heel to face the taller, more imposing figure. “If we’re going to be operating under the radar of demi-gods and superbeings, we have to do it without anyone deciding they want to get all the credit for offing a tight-wearer.”
“Then what is your plan?”
“To keep business flowing, Specter, what else?” The Cowl took a few steps back into the room, walking by his lieutenant.
“Like I told our collaborators, we shouldn’t be combating these superheroes with the intention of eradication. We aren’t going to be able to fight these men and women like any other...problem. We have to adapt to these new circumstances, not overcome them.”“And how are we going to...adapt, sir?”
“Simple, by giving them a scenario they cannot plan for.” The Cowl responded, moving back to the table, pulling a small device from one of the pockets on his utility belt. Placing it on the table, he hit a small button on the side of the device, causing the device to whir and glow spontaneously before projecting a blue light straight up to the ceiling. The light began to shape and form, the lines slowly drawing out the lines of roadways and districts, the labels of streets and business popping into the air, eventually detailing an entire holographic map of Lost Haven. With a flick of his wrist, The Cowl manipulated the map to a nice bird’s eye view of his standpoint.
“How are we doing on purchasing those contracter companies?” He asked, surveying the map and twisting it to get a better view of certain locations.
“Well, we own the owning shares of most of the contracting and insurance companies operating in the city.” Specter reported on queue. “We’re already making revenue on the rebuilding of Sherman Square. However, construction will be done fairly soon, and all the businesses in the area can begin our laundering factions right under City Hall’s nose”.
“Good, then we can begin our operation.” The Cowl confirmed, pointing at parts of the map, each area highlighting on each point of the Cowl’s finger.
“Tonight, we will have our first wave, I want sections of our street-level gangs to start widespread robberies in Chinatown, Little Sicily, and the French Quarter.”“What about the Financial District?”
“Oh, no, we own far too much of that, the studies in Gene Co alone can’t be replaced. We cause chaos there, we lose far too many resources for it to be worth it.”“Hm, fair enough. However, what about these ‘heroes’ you mentioned? What about them?”
“Oh, I’m counting on their involvement…”“You are?”
“Of course,” The Cowl responded, moving the map to give Specter a better look at the layout of his plan.
“How else are we going to identify who our enemies are without having them reveal themselves to us?”“I’d know better than to doubt your schemes, sir.” Replied the Specter, moving alongside his master. “You’ve met and destroyed every challenge I’ve ever seen you go up against, be it men or gods, you know I’m at your side.”
“Excellent, which brings me to a task for you.” The Cowl replied, walking over to a nearby bureau, his movement slow and graceful as he picked up a dossier, handing it to his right-hand man.as he walked by.
“If we’re going to move on with the next step of this plan, we’re going to have to acquire help.”“Help?” The Specter replied, swerving on his heel to see his commander slowly stride back to the window.
“Superhuman help, to be exact.” The Cowl raised a finger as he spoke, returning to his position of staring out at the window, his eyes returning to the glistening gem that was his city.
“In that dossier are the names I have had compiled of metahumans in the city that could be influenced.”“And you want me to talk to them?”
“Yes, some of them, anyway.” The Cowl’s cautionary eye was fixed on the city, hands drifting behind his back as he continued to stare.
“Others I just want a closer eye kept on them, see where they stand on things. Some I want to hire, some I just want to observe, but all of them will play a part.”Specter nodded, opening the file to look over what information the Cowl had compiled. As he flipped through the pages, his eyes widened in shock. He kept switching between the Cowl and the folder.
“H...how did you get all of this?” Specter asked, his jaw actually opened as he glanced at more of the files. “You have only been in town for a week, this is...months of data!”
“Oh please,” The Cowl reassured, giving a momentary glance to Specter. “Do you ever think I
really left this city?” He made a quick ‘shoo’ gesture, glancing back to the window.
“Now go, see that my will is done.”“As you wish, sir.”
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The current employer that War-Pulse was working for appeared much quicker than Warden had led him to believe, and in a garbage truck no less. His brow raised as the men began to surround the charge, their truck opening up to reveal a full workstation inside. A smirk appeared as he leaned his body slightly to get a better look inside the garbage truck. With the kind of payment he was getting from these guys, he should not have been surprised at the kind of technology they were sporting, but the merc still had a smirk across his face, these guys certainly did not mess around with this.
Eventually, Randall made his way into the building, suspiciously attired when compared to his hazmat-clad squad that he toted with him. Of course, the man was quick to assume the worst had happened, and quickly began to rail into the mercenary about the woman’s condition.
“Ey, ey, ey, easy there slick, you should have told me what she’s capable of.” War-Pulse explained, raising his hand in a nonchalant shrug.
“If I had known she was armed with laser beams and glam-rock razor hair, I would have charged you extra.”During his explanation, one of the soldiers made the comment that she was still breathing, to which War-Pulse gave Randall a wide, cocky grin and gestured to the woman.
“Also; I was going to tell you she was still alive, but you decided to begin telling me that I didn’t deliver on my promise. I’m a damned professional, buddy, and despite my mannerisms I always deliver!”Randall, of course, ignored the arrogant chest-beating that was War-Pulse’s speech, and simply explained a good job was done. Even more so, Randall’s employer had another job for him.
“Oh, really?” War-Pulse began.
“Double you say? Well count me in, slick! If the jobs keep being as fun as this one, then I’ll do them for--.”“Uhhh...War-Pulse?” Came the staticy voice of Warden on the comms, interjecting into his conversation.
“I don’t want to interrupt, but--”“Not now Warden, we’re getting another job!”“Yes, but--”“Not now, mommy and daddy are talk--”“DAMMIT, THERE IS AN ENERGY SIGNATURE COMING FROM THE ARMO--”Almost on queue, the armor shattered in a ear-splitting explosion. Thanks to Warden’s warning, War-Pulse was able to erect a distorted energy barrier in front of him and Randall to shield both of them from the explosion. At first, the mercenary’s vision was cut off from the scene due to the blinding light, but as his eyes focused, the vision became horribly clear. What once looked like an enhanced human now was revealed to be something much more. Her hair was now replaced with crackling tendrils of lightning, her maw now unhinged and expanded, with rows of teeth on full display.
“Holy…” Came a small utterance as the sparking figure lashed out in a sea of vengeance-ridden bladed tendrils. The soldiers didn’t stand a chance, the crackling whips tearing people apart as if they were made blood and entrails encased in tissue paper. A chorus of screaming soldiers echoed through the building, the woman darting back and forth in a blurry barrage of electricity and knives. Of course, War-Pulse kept his shielding up, ready to move in and try to put the woman down again, a pulsating handful of energy at the ready. However, he was stopped by a very peculiar sight, the sight of Randall catching and ripping some of the tendrils off of the woman’s head, almost as if he was unphased by this result. And even as she made her grand escape, Randall had almost no expression of panic or anger as she fled the scene.
While the dust settled, War-Pulse kept his eye on the man in the suit, observing his reaction to the whole scenario. He did not seem surprised by this outcome at all, in fact, almost as if it was a delightful change of pace for him. A brow raised as the man repeated his instructions, the same as before, no changes despite this new development. He was not ordered to pursue the woman, nor was he reprimanded for her escape. Just to do what he was told before.
“Yeah, sure thing, buddy.” He said, lifting the suitcase up to get a better look at it as the man and whatever left of his squad got back in his garbage truck.
“You...good luck with…” His eyes shifted to the large hole the woman had left through, his brow furrowing as his spoke.
“With that...whatever it is.”Of course, Randall would not have heard those last words, as the garbage truck was peeling out way before Randall even heard his response. With another glance at his suitcase, he made a small shrug, his feet lifting off of the ground as he ascended into the air.
“Well, better get started on job two! As soon as I get away from this...bloody, corpse filled warehouse…”And with that joke to himself, an energy burst erupted from his feet to launch him up into the air, far away from the wreckage he left in his wake.
