HOSTILE TAKEOVER

Part I

By Brent Lambert

with a plot assist from Dino Pollard

Sebastian Shaw looked out of the window and took in the awe-inspiring sight before him. He had seen the sight numerous times and many times it was nothing impressing to him, but today was different. Today the sun rising symbolized his triumph approaching and nothing was more beautiful to Shaw than that. In only a few days he had made the knowledge of Black Womb worldwide.

Black Womb was an organization bent on the experimentation and exploitation of mutants. It was far from an original concept, but Black Womb was very good at what it did. Rumors had it that the man known as Mr. Sinister had some involvement in the origins of the organization. Shaw cared about none of that though. Only how exposing Black Womb would help him go forward with his own plans. Plans that would seat him on top of all his foes. Nothing was going to stop him now. Not the meddling heroes, not the blind government, nor his fellow corporate competition. All of them would be squashed under his boot and bought low. Just as Rome had salted Carthage so would Shaw salt his greatest opponents.

His plan was quite simple really. By him exposing Black Womb every nation on the planet now wanted their own personal mutant armies. Armies that would be more than any of their neighbors could handle. It was a classic example of escalation at work and he knew that the UN would fear this. They would also fear the backlash from mutant terrorists once the news of Black Womb reached them. So it was with great delight that he would wait for the appropriate response.

Tessa came calmly and seductively into his office holding out Shaw’s cell phone, “It’s the UN. They wish to speak to you.”

Sebastian turned from his gazing and smiled. Just as he expected, the UN would turn to their only hope for piece. With all his recent acquisitions Shaw had proven himself to be the number one manufacturer of one thing.

“Shaw we need your Sentinels.”

“Where is Shaw?” Astra complained as she tapped the wooden table. She had been waiting for the industrial giant to show up for nearly ten minutes and her patience was wearing thin. She didn’t like to be called away from her activities simply to wait until Shaw felt the need to make his presence be known.

“Patience is a virtue that has passed by you I see,” Tessa said smugly as she examined her newly painted nails.

Astra laughed haughtily, “We all can’t hope to be sleeping with Shaw like you, whore!”

“Ladies please. Shaw will be here soon and I’m sure he doesn’t want to see us fighting like children,” Red King implored as he took a sip of his glass of red wine. Admittedly, he enjoyed the company of Astra more than Tessa simply because Jennifer had far more interesting stories, but this was a business meeting. No other business was more important than Hellfire business.

“I say let them fight. I wouldn’t mind seeing a good cat fight,” Vanisher smirked as he propped his feet up on the table.

Gamemaster came out of the trance he was in and laughed, “A simple mind such as yours would enjoy primitive pleasures such as that.”

“The Hellfire Club is once again assembled I see,” Shaw said as the bickering worked as a transport to the old days of the Club. The days before they met Jean Grey and Frost defected from him. The days when they were proud and strong. Those days were fast returning.

“So what’s the order of business for today?” Astra asked sarcastically.

Shaw’s eyes glittered like a lion about to catch its prey, “The destruction of X-Corps.”

It took a great triumph of the mind to keep Skin from screaming every second of his captivity. Hooks had been torn through his skin all along his back, arms, and legs. These hooks that viciously were coated in a pain-inducing drug were suspending him. Angelo Espinosa wasn’t about to give Shaw or anyone else in his stinkin Boy Scout club the satisfaction of hearing him scream. He might not have been much of a man throughout his life, but he would not crumble in this dark prison.

“You are quite the survivor my friend. Anyone else would be dead by now, but your talents are oh so unique,” a voice said from the shadows.

It was a miracle that Skin could even talk, “Who are you? Why are you here?”

Stepping into the light Angelo saw a horrific sight. It was Rory Campbell, but not the same one he knew when first signing up with X-Corps. The man was naked and lined with mechanical circuitry throughout various parts of his body. His right eye glowed a dark red and his lower jaw was completely metal. His entire left arm and the top of his right were now mechanical. Sparks of electricity came from his left leg as the machines buzzed and hummed. Smiling with metallic teeth Campbell said in a resonating voice, “The adjustments are not quite completed yet, but once I’m done I’ll be a work of art.”

Skin could barely believe what he was seeing, “Why?”

“That’s a good question. Depends on what you’re asking though. Why’d I sell you out to Shaw or why I decided to alter myself? Scream once if you want both answered,” Campbell said as he sadistically poked an electric prod into Skin and forced a scream out of the young Latin man, “Since you asked so nicely I guess I’ll give.”

Walking slowly around Skin, the traitor began his explanation, “See mutants are just getting to be too much trouble. Well…superhumans in general really. Even the Avengers and Fantastic Four are just too much of a hassle. Regular folks need protection. Creating X-Corps was just my way of gathering all you mutants into one convenient spot. Sure its not all the crucial ones but some pretty important players were convinced to join my team. Shaw so graciously gave me the means in which to finally make myself a true champion against the superhuman threat.”

“You’re sick ese,” Angelo weakly commented.

Campbell got in front of Skin and grabbed his chin with his cybernetic hand, “And you’re going to be just as sick as me Mr. Espinosa. See, I’ve devised two ways in which to take care of this superhuman threat. The Sentinels that Shaw Industries and AIM jointly designed will be the main way, but there will be a secondary way to handle the likes of you. If you want to catch a mutant sometimes you’d have to use a mutant. See where I’m going with this?”

Skin’s eyes widened in terror as Campbell began to move a syringe towards his forehead. Angelo tried to struggle but it was no use. The metal needle drew closer and closer towards him and he knew that things would never be the same as Campbell said, “Welcome to the future freak! You’re going to be my first Hound.”

Roberto DaCosta slammed the phone and threw his can of Diet Coke into the nearest wall. He wanted to scream out in frustration, but all he could bring himself to do was slam the phone over and over again. He didn’t give a damn if the contraption broke. It had just been the harbinger of some news that he never wanted to hear. So if the damn thing broke then it was no skin off his back. Besides he could buy a thousand of the same phones and it’d never hurt his bank account, but what he had just been told hurt him. It hurt him more than financially. The news had hurt him when it came to matters of X-Corp as well. He could only imagine the reaction of his teammates once he found himself calm and able to utter the words.

“What’s wrong luv? Don’t go beating the bloody thing to death!” Psylocke exclaimed as she came into the room to see the tantrum that Sunspot was throwing. He was a spoiled brat to be sure, but she had never seen him cut up in such a manner. Something must have really gotten to him for him to be lashing out so badly.

“He did it! I can’t believe he fucking did it!” Sunspot yelled as he finally broke the phone off the hook. He began stepping on his coke can over and over again.

“Did what Roberto?” Psylocke asked gently.

“I can’t believe that bastard! The nerve!” Sunspot bellowed as he kicked the can clear out of an open window.

Psylocke asked again, but this time with a little more force, “Did what?”

“I gotta have something to drink! I need to think!” Sunspot exclaimed as he ran to the refrigerator and frantically searched for the nearest jug of cheap wine that Wisdom liked to buy. He was throwing out food items left and right. Who cared right now? He could buy new food later. Right now he needed to stop and think.

“Did what?”

“Where is the damn wine when you need it? If that bastard Wisdom could get the bottle away from his damn mouth for one second…”

That was Psylocke’s breaking point. She had calmed quite a bit since the days she was expelled from the X-Men, but Betsy still could only be so polite. Roberto’s pretended ignorance to her presence bought out a bit of the old days. So she forcefully took the information she needed from Roberto’s mind and saw a few little sexual escapades she rather have not seen along the way.

“Ahh that fucking hurt!” Sunspot yelled grabbing his head.

“Shaw bought out Damocles,” Psylocke said in shock, as she had to take a seat.

“Now you see why I’m looking for a drink,” Sunspot sighed.

“Just what could that bastard be up to?” Betsy asked herself becoming completely oblivious to Sunspot’s presence.

::SURRENDER PEACEFULLY MUTANTS. WE ARE AUTHORIZED TO USE FULL LETHAL FORCE::

Psylocke and Sunspot both turned to the open window to see five human sized Sentinels with glowing heads. Each weapon of destruction had their arm-mounted guns pointing the way of the two mutants. Sunspot powered up and said, “I think I can make a safe bet what he has in mind.”

“By buying out the Damocles Foundation the little brat now has no playing power in the corporate sector,” Tessa explained.

“So that keeps the corporate angle out of our hair, but what about the heroes? I don’t think the Avengers would be too happy that a bunch of Sentinels with psionic abilities are floating around hunting mutants,” Vanisher said.

Gamemaster shook his head, “The heroes are too tied up with Noh-Varr and the coming invasion. X-Corp will fold easily enough with no one to turn to.”

“Campbell has delivered them right into our hands, but if he would betray them what’s to say he won’t betray us?” Astra asked catching the attention of most in the room.

Shaw took that question, “Campbell is not long for this world. He’ll serve his purpose and then we’ll be done with him. I really needed him for his information and Hound operation if nothing else. He’s a minor thread in a far bigger tapestry my dear.”

Vanisher cocked his head to the side and looked at Shaw dumbfounded, “Hound operation?”

“It’s a process similar to the Genoshan mutate one. Campbell is going to make mutant trackers that will assist the Sentinels in their activities and our friend Skin will be the first among them.”

“At least his place is assured in history,” Astra joked.

“Better than being a minor footnote I suppose,” Tessa remarked.

“Now ladies let us rejoice in this victory and savor it,” Red King said.

“Agreed. Now is the time for celebration. Not fighting. Soon the name Hellfire will ring across the globe,” Sebastian promised.

Astra didn’t take much in the promise and acted as if she didn’t care, “Well, since we’re all done acting villainish, can we move on to the next order of business? I think the LA branch is stepping a bit over their bounds.”

“I think you’re exaggerating just a tad. They have their own goals yes, but nothing I see that interferes with what we’re doing,” Red King replied.

Shaw nodded in agreement, “If they’re not fumbling up my game plan then let the children have their fun. If they cross the line then we put them down.”

The door slowly creaked open and Rory Campbell stepped into the room fully transformed and ready to begin his long campaign against all those who were superpowered. With an inhuman voice he reported, “The attack on X-Corps has begun Shaw. Soon everything will be ready.”

“Excellent Mr. Campbell.”

“Don’t call me Campbell anymore. From this day forward I will be forever known as Ahab.”