Marvel Knights: Underworld #1

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batkevin74

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Johnny Rugalinni exited the bathroom of Lee’s House, a dingy little saloon tucked away under the street of 10th Ave and W 58th Streets. He ran his wet hands through his greasy hair giving himself a quick look over in the mirror to make sure he was looking sharp. As Johnny made his way back to his table he spotted a man in dark glasses sitting in a booth causing his mind to race on how he knew him. He slid into his seat and motioned to his friend, Leon Tesolina, who was entertaining two young ladies with tales of epic proportions.

“You see that guy?”

“I ain’t into guys!” quipped Leon a she hugged the girls making them squeal.

Johnny glared at his friend of twenty years. “The big guy in the corner booth. You recognise him?”

“Nope!”

Johnny reached across the table and grabbed Leo’s gold chains. “Beat it girls.”

In a flash the two left the pair alone. Leon removed Johnny’s hand and straightened himself out. “My mumma gave me this chain.”

“I know, I was there. Who’s the guy?”

“How should I know?” Leon picked up his drink and looked over at the man drinking orange juice alone. “Is that the f%$#@ Punisher?”

Johnny rolled his eyes. “If that was the Punisher we’d all be dead.”

“Then who is he? A cop?”

“That’s what I’m trying to work out Leon. He’s familiar.”

“Maybe he’s one of them UCWF wrestlers?” Leon checked him out again. “Big enough to be.”

“Dio!”

Leon shrugged. Johnny tapped the table as it all came back. “Jackie Dio! Guy worked for Silvermane like a million years ago. Got busted and sent up state. Jackie f%^$% Dio. He took a few contracts and then did that big job for Fisk when everything got shook up....”

“Who you calling?”

“The boss. Thought he might like to know that the guy who put a few bullets in him is sitting across the room from us.”

Leon pushed Johnny’s phone closed. “Or maybe, WE finish it.” Johnny looked at his friend quizzically as he continued his explanation. “We tie up this loose end which makes up for that incident with that spider guy.”

Johnny nodded in agreement. “We take him out the back…”

“Two in the head, two in the chest.”

“And Hammerhead may forget we lost those diamonds.” Johnny checked his gun. “You go out into the alley, I’ll bring Jackie.”

Leon smiled and headed for the door as Johnny crossed the room towards Jackie. He watched as the big man poured a handful of pills into his palm and washes them down with the juice.

“How’s it goin Jackie?” Johnny asked as he stood over him.

“I know you?”

“You know my boss.”

Jackie looked at him blankly. “The rice eater, the fatman, the bird lover, the fat head or the cyborg?”

“You’re a funny guy,” Jackie opened his jacket to reveal his gun. “Let’s go.”

Jackie swished the remainder of his orange juice. “I paid eight dollars for this. I’m not leaving til I finish it.”

The two men stared at each other, Johnny at a disadvantage due to Jackie’s solid sunglasses that looked more like a band of steel than eyewear. Slowly Jackie drained the glass and got up. “Now, we can go.”

Johnny walked behind the bigger man and directed him to the fire exit. Nobody paid it any attention. Lee’s was a mob bar and plenty of people had gone out the fire exit, never to be seen again. And nobody saw nothing, ever. It was just the way it was and everybody liked it that way. Jackie stepped out into the alley to be confronted with a gun to his face as the fire door slammed behind him.

“So who YOU working for?” Johnny asked as he put his gun to the back of Jackie’s head.

“Freelance,” Jackie replied. “You?”

“Hammerhead,” Johnny replied. “He’s going to be really pleased when we bring him your head.”

Jackie smiled and quick as a flash slammed his head back catching Johnny’s face with a sickening thump. As Leon realised what had happened Jackie grabbed his wrist and pointed the gun up with one hand and began thumping him in the guts with the other. Leon went down like an imploded building. Jackie turned to the stumbling and bleeding Johnny who was trying to draw a bead on him. Dio fired two shots into Johnny’s knees sending him screaming to the floor.

“You tell your fat headed boss I’m coming to finish the job!” Jackie snarled as he stood on the bleeding knee making Johnny scream and writhe like a cut snake. “Understand?”

“Yes! Oh god yes!”

Jackie fired the remainder of the clip into Leon before pocketing the gun. “Tell him Underworld is coming.”

And with that Jackie Dio walked off into the night.

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cbishop

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TommytheHitman

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To quote bishop! Nice! Loved the dialogue between Jackie and Johnny (especially the part about the Punisher) and also really liked the casual references to some of the crime bosses in the Marvel Universe, you referred to them in such a way that it felt completely natural and not forced.

Make sure you @ me for the next issue.

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stumpy49er

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@batkevin74: That was good.

Underworld seems like Marv from Sin City.

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ImpurestCheese

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@batkevin74: Nice to see Dio take the spotlight again after the too short Underworld series, something I initially picked up due to Boomerang and Grizzly. Can't wait to see this assassin gathering you have planed...

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boschePG

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@batkevin74: good stuff. I too liked the Punisher joke. Two issues into Marvel Knights and there has been two jokes about who they aren't. Hmm....

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Alexander_Wolffe

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@batkevin74: Since I'm not knowledgeable on Underworld at all, I didn't have any idea what to expect. This was pretty good. Was a nice setup for Underworld and some of the criminal underworld (ba dum tiss).

Looking forward to learning more about this character.

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Guardiandevil83

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I thought I commented. Anyway, Underworld seems like a beast.

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batkevin74

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Alexander_Wolffe

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@batkevin74: Huh. That makes sense. Actually sounds like a pretty great strategy, honestly. Imma have to keep that in mind in case I ever join any other group.

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batkevin74

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Bumped