PAYBACK

Part II: Shaw

By Shawn Gauthier

Three thousand feet above the ground, a small plane makes its way towards Los Angeles. The plane is owned by American Armaments, one of the largest weapons manufacturers in the United States. The man inside the plane is Sebastian Shaw. Some believe he is the only man who can save the company from impeding bankruptcy.

Since the American government has taken its new stance against military spending, American Armaments has lost a great deal of its income. Not wanting to layoff thousands of its employees the company was forced to cut a deal with the devil. A devil that goes by the name of Sebastian Shaw.

Perhaps Shaw’s most ambitious achievement has been his induction as the Black King of the New York based Hellfire Club. The club’s sinister Inner Circle is made up of many of the most powerful mutants in the world who are in league together only for the mutual purpose of gaining even more power. Shaw is one of the most ruthless and heartless men alive.

Presently, Shaw’s desires lie elsewhere. His bodyguards have all been ordered to the front of the plane to keep an eye on the pilots. He doesn’t think that the cooperate big wigs at American Armament would ever dream of making an attempt on his life, but you can never be too careful. Plus, by sending his men to the cockpit, he was left alone in the cabin with the shapely stewardess, who is sitting in his lap holding his drink.

Outside the plane a small black object shaped like a man is gaining on the aircraft. The object is so small that it escapes radar detection. Suddenly, at a blinding speed it closes the distance to the plane.

The mysterious, black object reaches the plane’s tail assembly and pulls itself up until it is straddling the plane’s fin, revealing itself to be a man. Amazingly, the man then begins to manually move the elevator and rudder flaps of the plane. The plane begins to rock, as a result, and shake in a violent and random manner.

Inside, the stewardess is thrown from Shaw’s lap and the drink she was holding spills onto his lap. Furious, Shaw springs to his feet just as the plane bucks hard to the right. Not able to maintain his balance he falls to the floor striking his head.

Just as quickly as the turbulence started, it is gone. Shaw is angered beyond words. He is not a man who is used to feeling like a fool.

The stewardess does her best to correct the situation by trying to wipe the drink from his lap as she mutters various apologies. Rising to his feet, Shaw lets the woman fall to the floor – his desire for companionship has faded.

Settling himself into his seat, he calls for one of his bodyguards, whom he instructs to break the pilots’ leg when they land. He then stares out the window until he frantically remembers to buckle his seatbelt.

Chance Casino; Las Vegas, Nevada

Doctor Hind is not having a very good week. First he lost his job – not that he was fired, but when the company’s headquarters, where he worked, was demolished in a battle between his boss and a group of mutant teens, he assumed that he was unemployed. He was too smart to hang around the scene of the devastation to make sure. He knew that the experiments he was conducting for the Damocles Foundation were illegal.

So, he took all the money he had made working for the Foundation and brought it to the Chance Casino. It was his hope that he would be able to multiply his life savings at the roulette table. He needed to make enough money to get out of the country, for certainly the Foundation was already being investigated, so it wouldn’t be long before his name came up.

“Red, Double Zero!” said the young man behind the roulette table.

Damn! Why did I decide to try my luck at a game of chance? I should have stuck to the games that depended more on the players skill, thought Doctor Hind to himself as he continued to watch the pile of chips in front of him diminish. At this rate, instead of having enough money to get away, I’m going to be broke!

“Excuse me, sir. Would you like to place another bet?” asked the young man. Doctor Hind looked up to see that he was holding up the next spin.

Frustrated, Doctor Hind made a desperate move. “Yes! Yes I would. I’d like to bet everything I have on Black-Double Zero!” He could hear the ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ of everybody around him. Well, almost everybody.

A tall, strikingly beautiful woman cut her way through the crowd until she was standing next to Doctor Hind. “That’s quite the bet!” she said, “How about a kiss for luck?”

Without waiting for an answer she bent down and kissed him on the cheek as the young man behind the table spun the wheel.

“Thanks sweetheart, I could use all the luck I can get!”

“Well then, you should be happy because I’m a pretty lucky girl,” giggled the woman as she sat partially in Doctor Hind’s lap.

The wheel stopped. “Black-Double Zero! We have a winner!”

As the plane finally came to a stop on the runway, Sebastian Shaw was pleased to hear the screams from the cockpit as his bodyguards carried out his orders. He then disembarked, feeling slightly better. Once he had an opportunity to straighten out his clothes he would be able to put this whole incident behind him.

He made his way to the members lounge and went directly into the private executive bathroom in order to fix his appearance. His bodyguards dutifully followed. Standing in front of the bathroom mirror, it became annoyingly clear that his suit was stained beyond repair. He sent one of his guards after his bag in which there was a change of clothes.

David had worked at the American Armaments terminal airport for over ten years, so he had seen his share of strange and extravagant passengers. The company’s business seemed to attract crazy tycoons, but when this latest plane came to a stop inside the terminal he knew right away that its passenger was not only different but also dangerous.

His first clue came when he heard the pilots of the plane scream and holler, as their bones were broken. He knew what broken bones sounded like from his younger days as a karate master, and because of his karate David often thought of himself as a bad ass. That was until he saw the size of the goons getting off the plane behind the older yet powerful looking man. Anybody who needed that kind of muscle with him was dangerous.

Once the group of men disembarked the plane and exited the terminal, David let out a sigh of relief. He felt safer out of the presence of these men. His feelings were wrong.

As he turned to pull the luggage out of the lower compartment, he saw a monster standing in front of him. The creature was massive with arms that were bigger than tree trunks. If that wasn’t intimidating enough the monster had grayish-green, scaly skin, which indicated that it was clearly not human.

“BOO!” roared the creature.

David left the terminal leaving behind him a cloud of dust. The next morning, David would end his ten-year run of working for the company, claiming that he would never set foot in the terminal again.

The monster left the terminal in a more calmly manner, but not before taking all of the luggage in the plane with it.

A few moments later, an even more furious Sebastian Shaw was in a limousine on the way to his hotel. If the incident on the plane had angered him, then the fact that his luggage was missing had infuriated him. The body of the dead bodyguard in the terminal’s bathroom would attest to that.

He eyed his carry-on briefcase at his side. It was at least some comfort that he had the foresight to keep all of the contracts and papers he would need for today’s meeting on his person. At least the trip would not be a total waste.

He then looked at the nervous faces of his guards. The death of their associate had made them all realize how dispensable they really all were. In a sick way, this brought a small smile back to Shaw’s face.

Behind Shaw’s limousine, a black van pulls into the fast lane and slowly pulls up along side the limo as it passes. Undetected, a young man strapped to the underside of the van sets to work. He flips his ponytail out of his face as he reaches across the distance of the two vehicles to attach a small device to the bottom of the limo. The device will disrupt radio waves in the area including CB radios and cell phones. Once the device is in place, the young man pulls from his side a long sword, which he uses to slash both the front and back tires on the passenger side of the limo.

Immediately the limo begins to swerve, causing the van to pull away to a safe distance. The driver of the limo did his best, but stood little chance at ever controlling the out of control vehicle. Luckily no other cars besides the van were close, so the limo was allowed to do a 360-degree turn into the side embankment without colliding into any other traffic.

Doctor Hind looks out happily from behind his pile of chips. Not only has he won enough money to get out of the country, but now he also has enough money to retire. His luck changed the moment the pretty woman arrived. Life is once again looking up for Doctor Hind.

“Why won’t you tell me your name, sweet thing?” asks Doctor Hind as he kisses the woman.

“I already told you. I won’t tell you what my name is till after we leave the casino,” giggles the woman, obviously drunk from the many drinks that Doctor Hind has been ordering for her throughout the night.

“But we’re having so much fun here making me rich. Why would we ever want to leave?”

“Because I know a few games that we could have even more fun playing back at my place…” whispers the woman in his ear, moments before she kisses it.

The good doctor sits up in his chair. “I think we’ll be checking out now!”

A small yellow taxi pulls up outside the luxurious and exclusive Billionaire Boys Club Hotel. Many of the hotels patrons gape and stare at the out-of-place mode of transportation.

A livid Sebastian Shaw emerges from the tiny vehicle, followed by the remaining three members of his private security team. Standing in a dignified manner, Shaw stares down all of the onlookers before going into the hotel.

He quickly checks into his room, and has just enough time to shower and shave before his meeting. Not trusting his bodyguards after all the bizarre events of this morning, he takes his briefcase into the bathroom with him. He allows himself a few stolen moments beneath the waterspout, allowing the hot water to wash over him as he gathers his thoughts.

Is somebody out to get me? he wonders, or could all of today’s events be nothing more than a coincidence? He doubts that the American Armaments would be responsible if indeed there was somebody behind it all. He also doubts that any of the numerous powerful enemies that he has made in his life would ever attack him in such a subtle manner. Slowly he convinces himself that he was only a victim of bad luck.

He reaches for the soap and washes both his body and hair. He thinks, ‘If one more thing goes wrong, there must be somebody behind it all. Bad Luck only goes so far.’ As soon as the thought enters his head and his body and hair are lathered, the water stops. Angrily he works at the hot and cold knobs but no water comes.

Furious he wraps a towel around his soapy body and exits the bathroom. As he begins to cross the suite, one of his guards asks, “Is something wrong, sir?”

Still livid, Shaw pauses to evaluate the guard for a few seconds. He then turns toward his other guards and gives the command, “Kill him.”

Before Shaw can finish crossing the room, he hears the heavy thud of the inquisitive guard’s lifeless body hitting the floor. In some sinister way, this sound makes him feel a little bit better. Killing is his therapy.

He makes his way over to the phone and calls the front desk of the hotel. “Where the hell is the damn water?” he demands.

“I’m sorry sir, but it appears that somebody has flushed a bomb down one of our toilets. We have burst pipes all over the hotel. As a result, all of our upper floors are without water while all of our lower floors are flooding.” says the voice on the other end of the line.

“What kind of bomb could do so much damage to your plumbing, and yet not be heard from everywhere when it exploded?” asked Shaw trying to regain his composure.

“We’re not sure, sir. Actually, we’re unsure if it was truly a bomb, since we could not find any evidence of any explosives. Again, I’m sorry sir.”

“Sorry? No, you aren’t as sorry as you’re going to be! Let me promise you that if you do not find someway of getting some of that water flooding your lower floors up here to my penthouse soon, you will be sorry!”

With that Shaw slammed down the phone. Allowing his frustration to get the beter of him, Shaw put his wet fist through a nearby television screen. The glass shattered, and a volt of electricity surged through his body. The electricity would have been enough to kill a normal man, but it was nothing to worry about for a mutant who could absorb almost any form of kinetic energy or directed force.

Shaw still didn’t feel any better – killing an appliance was nowhere as gratifying as killing a person. With that in mind, Shaw crossed the room and snapped the neck of one of his guards with just two fingers. Killing is always so much more therapeutic when it’s done directly.

“Get rid of those two bodies!” ordered Shaw to the sole surviving guard. “I swear you men are useless! Next time I travel, I’m taking some of the mutant muscle from the Club with me!”

Cameras flashed and videos rolled as Roberto DaCosta stood behind the podium. Behind him was a large three-dimensional facsimile of the new Damocles Foundation logo. Not wasting any time, Bobby began his speech as the world watched.

“Ladies and gentlemen, as you know the Damocles Foundation has recently come under fire in the media. Many dark rumors have been discussed and speculated in the media about the secret agenda of the Foundation. I would like to verify those rumors at this time, and promise you that I will cooperate in any way possible with all investigations of the past dealings of the Foundation.”

“I also want to promise to you that the new administration in charge of the Foundation will not let such crimes occur again. Instead of hurting or taking advantage of any race or creed, we will instead do our best to help all races and people to better understand each other and live in peace.”

“As a first step, the Foundation will be releasing a new line of prosthetic limbs to the medical field. These limbs far surpass any existing technology available, and it is our hope that these devices will better enable the disabled to live a more normal life. To further help this cause, all profits made from this new technology will be donated to programs that benefit the disabled.”

“We at the Damocles Foundation want to make a difference, and helping the disabled is only the start. I would like to invite you all back here next month when we will release a new program specially designed to help mutants find their place in this world.”

“That is all. Thank you.”

Ignoring the flurry of questions, Bobby steps down from the podium.

Shaw’s threats worked.

Ten hotel workers carrying buckets of water to Shaw’s suite helped fill his tub. Shaw would have recognized one of the men entering his room if he hadn’t been so deep in thought trying to figure out who was harassing him, as well as the fact that the man was using an image inducer.

Blending in with the line of workers, the camaflouged man was able to walk into Shaw’s bathroom carrying an armful of towels. Tucked in between two of the towels was a briefcase that matched the one Shaw left in the bathroom. With blinding speed, the man switched the briefcases and then exited the room with Shaw’s case between two dirty towels.

Doctor Hind and his mysterious date were staggering down the brightly colored Vegas strip. Suddenly, the woman pulled him into the parking lot of the Bed Bath & Bubbles Motel. The Motel’s sign stated that each room had a hot tub.

“Oh, I see the game we are going to play. Am I the sailor?” giggled Hind.

“No, we’re not playing that game,” said the woman.

“Then, what…?” asked the obviously aroused doctor.

“I like Dominos,” said the woman, starting up the stairs to the rooms on the second floor. A confused Doctor Hind followed.

A limo pulled up outside of the American Armaments Headquarters, and a very late Sebastian Shaw stepped out. The limo was a result of another threat given to the hotel staff.

Just get through the meeting, thinks Shaw as he makes his way to the buildings’ doors.

Suddenly, the ground begins to shake. Fire hydrants rupture and flood the area with water. Shaw sprints for the door, but by the time he makes it there he is drenched.

An earthquake? Earthquakes are not rare in Los Angeles, but what are the chances of it happening to me today? Somebody triggered that earthquake, and now I know who!

Undeterred, Shaw continues onto his meeting.

Doctor Hind eagerly helps the woman open the door to her room and enters. He flicks the lights on, as he is the first to enter. To his surprise, standing before him are three unusual individuals. One is an Indian dressed in spandex; the next looks like an ordinary young black man; but it’s the third that scares him the most, since he recognizes her.

“You’re, you’re, you’re the girl I operated on aren’t you?” he stammered.

“Yes, she is, and now it’s time for you to undo your work, doctor,” says Domino as she shuts the door behind them.

Sebastian Shaw enters the meeting late and wet. “My apologies for my tardiness, gentlemen. I was unavoidably delayed when I ran into an old friend who is in town. So, if we can keep this brief, I would be very appreciative. The deal is simple. You have developed many weapons for the United States Government, who can no longer afford your products. I have many new customers who would be willing to buy your products. Sign over half of your company, and I will ensure that you have more orders and business then ever before. All you need to do is sign these contracts.” he explains.

He opens his briefcase to find the contracts gone. Only a signal piece of paper is in the case. It is a note on it is one sentence. ‘Meet me downstairs in the lounge.’

“Excuse me gentlemen, may I use your bathroom?”

Minutes later the elevator doors open into the hotel lobby, and Shaw steps out. He is quick to find whom he is looking for – Roberto DaCosta is sitting alone nursing a drink.

“Mister DaCosta, what a surprise it is to see you. I thought you were back at the Damocles Foundation giving your speech? I just heard it on the radio on the way over here.” comments Shaw.

“Please don’t insult me, Shaw. I may be new to the corporate game, but I’m not naïve. You know by now that X-Force was behind your unfortunate inconveniences today, just like you know that it’s easy for men like us to be in two places at once.”

“So, it was an android then giving the speech? Most impressive… was it one of Arcade’s?”

“You have a sharp eye, Shaw.”

“That must also be where you got the technology for your new line of prosthetic limbs,” observes Shaw.

“Yes, you see the Foundation is about giving back to the world and making amends for the harm people have done. Arcade is one such person. That’s why after X-Force captured him he decided to donate his technology to the Foundation’s cause.”

“And that’s why you are here, to capture me and get me to make a donation to the Foundation?” asks Shaw, growing amused by what the young man had to say.

“Of course not. Like I said before, I am not naïve. I know that X-Force would not stand a chance directly going up against a man of your resources, but we can make life difficult for you, which I believe we have proven. The way I see it, after making X-Force fight our former leader Cable, you owe us. Since we can’t beat you, we’ll have to settle for annoying you. That is, until a reasonable contribution is made to the Foundation.”

“I’ll tell you what. I’ll make a deal with you. I’m about to close a very big meeting upstairs that could make me a profit of several million dollars. I will gladly donate the entire amount to the Foundation.” Shaw knows that it would be a simple feat to kill the boy and his friend, but this new side of DaCosta sparks his interest. The new DaCosta reminds him a lot of himself at his age, so maybe he can work this to his advantage by making the boy in front of him his protégé.

“Certainly a man of your resources can do better than that,” presses Bobby.

“Very well, Mister DaCosta, I will also share with you a little bit of information. I may have attacked your team, but at least I did it fairly – unlike some of the other members of the Hellfire Club. It would be against Club policy for me to turn on another club member, so all I can do is give you three clues. Selene. Externals. Death.”

What do I have to lose? thinks Shaw. If X-Force beats the Black Queen, then she didn’t deserve the position! If Selene wins, which is more probable, then my potential protégé here is overrated.

The memory of the event Shaw is hinting about leaves Bobby awestruck.

“I assume by the look on your face that we have a deal?” asks Shaw, and then takes his leave.

Moments later, Shaw is once again upstairs in the room with American Armaments ready to resume his meeting.

“Very well, gentleman, where were we?” he asks.

“Freeze! Federal Agents! You’re all under arrest!”

A handful of agents break down the door and storm the room. The last to enter the room is a small, stocky agent who is clearly in charge of the operation. “We received a tip that an illegal buy-out was being conducted here that would jeopardize some of our nations military secrets. Do any of you gentlemen know anything about this?”

“No,” replies Shaw leaning back in his chair, relieved at the realization that thanks to young Roberto DaCosta, none of the legal contracts under suspicion are anywhere in the room.

Suddenly, a young hotel worker enters the room.

“What do you want?” asks the agent in charge.

“I was told to deliver this briefcase to a Mister Shaw, and to give him a message,” answers the now intimidated worker.

Shaw is disgusted to see his briefcase in the worker’s hand. It means that he will be momentarily detained, and possibly could be forced to eat a late supper. Though the agents now have all the evidence they need, he knows that this was nothing but another inconvenience. A few well-placed phone calls will have him free in no time.

“What is the message?” Shaw asks.

“I was told to tell Mister Shaw that his money is no longer good here,” answered the worker.

At this, Shaw breaks out in to a fit of loud, boisterous laughter.

“Yes, I do believe that Mister DaCosta just might be good at this game!”

NEXT ISSUE: Payback Part 3! Bobby and his boys get their revenge on Selene, but can they survive the aftermath when the rest of the Hellfire Club finds out? Plus: the continuation of Domino’s attempt to save Siryn!