Marvel Mayhem: The Villain's Tale - #3 Syrup and Sorcery
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Last Issue dark truths begun to leak out about the Jester’s Death with Princess Python revealing that she blamed Diamondback for his murder. Meanwhile 8-Ball was given a sinister card featuring his fiancé’s likeness and a sinister message from an as yet unknown figure. Will the weight of secrecy and paranoia crack this team of conflicted felons or can they pull the metaphorical rabbit out of a hat.
“Home again Jeff.” Overrider stated as the taxi pulled to a stop outside a standard suburban home nestled in the depths of Long Island. “You figured out what you’re going to tell Rachel?”
“No but I have an idea where to tell her.” 8-Ball answered as he handed the cab driver a wad of bills. “That should cover the cost.” He told the short man with the unfortunate nose deformity that made him look like a duck. “And that is an extra fifty dollars to forget that you dropped us off here.” The driver just shrugged and counted his money before driving off from the curb. “Man that guy looked like a duck and his cigars stunk.” 8-Ball snorted as he walked up the path.
“Hey everyone is different.” Overrider stated, “Beak, mouths in your hands or simply a sickening taste for dressing like a toad we all have something odd about us.” He added as he pushed the door open. “The thing is…Jesus Eff Christ!!” He swore as a woman covered in brown scales walked through the hall.”
“Nice Overrider.” Diamondback hissed as she walked out of the kitchen with a glass of wine in her hand. “As if Carla didn't feel bad enough about herself.”
“Carla?” 8-Ball asked as he walked over and kissed Diamondback on the cheek, “Since when did you know a Carla.”
“Since wedding dress shopping earlier today.” Diamondback stated as Overrider peered round the couple to look at Carla. “She was used by Princess Python as a distraction so she could escape. I figured she could crash here until we found a cure.”
“Um Rachel I love that your charitable but do you think we really have enough…wait what was Princess Python doing at a wedding dress store?” 8-Ball asked a look of concern spreading across his face.
“Looking for us.” Impala announced as she trotted down the stairs carrying a blanket. “She was there to kill Rachel.”
“Huh so we got robbed and you had a murderer chasing you.” Overrider stated. “Coincidence I think not.”
“There was something else,” Diamondback whispered nervously, “Something I need to tell you.”
“Can it wait because there is something I need to tell you too.” 8-Ball answered. “But not here, I was thinking about hitting NYC tonight, go to that restaurant we went after our first successful heist.”
“The Wheelhouse?” Diamondback asked, “I thought Scorcher burnt that place down trying to kill the Slingers last year?”
“Okay how about the pancake place we went for desert?” 8-Ball suggested.
“Well I should stay with Carla make sure she’s fine.” Diamondback answered looking at the serpent-human hybrid wrapped up in a blanket.
“We’ll be fine.” Impala chirped, “Hey Overrider I brought a cherry pie today and you know what that means”
“You know what the Pancake Plaza sounds great. I’ll grab my purse and call a cab before the massacre starts.” Diamondback sighed nervously before running upstairs.
“There is no pie is there.” Overrider sighed looking as the mouths in his hands rippled under the gloves he wore.
“No but it gets here out of the house.” Impala purred before following Diamondback upstairs. “Just have her home by eleven.” She joked as Carla shrugged and followed after the two mercenaries.
“So that duck cabby doesn't seem so strange now.” Overrider stated as he checked his watch.
“No still the creepiest thing I've seen all day by a long shot.” 8-Ball answered as he pulled his mobile out of his pocket. “But then that’s New York for you.”
**
After an hours drive into the city Diamondback and 8-Ball stepped out onto the curb a block away from Ma and Pa’s Pancake Plaza and after tipping the taxi driver, who despite having mottled green skin and large bat like ears was still, in 8-Ball’s eyes, less creepier then the duck from earlier, merged into the constant crowd of people that infested the city streets. Halfway to the restaurant 8-Ball stopped as a surely man walked past with a crowbar in his hand.
“Was that the Wrecker?” Diamondback asked as the crowbar wielding thug stopped next to a busker packing up his guitar before smashing the tool into the man’s face and bending down to pick up the case full of loose change.
“No.” 8-Ball answered as he removed his mobile phone from his pocket, flipped off the battery cover and removed a pellet from inside before walking over to the thug and slamming the pellet and his open palm into the man’s face, blue powder spreading across his features before he collapsed to the pavement, the whole incident ignored my the myriad of pedestrians.
“That’s the second time you saved me today.” The busker coughed as 8-Ball kicked the case over to him. “It’s JP you and your friend were going to the bank or something.” 8-Ball squinted and took in the features of the man wearing a Blackflag Concert T-Shirt and beaten up jeans before nodding. “Well your help is most appreciated. I won’t keep you folks.”
“Okay?” Diamondback replied as she and 8-Ball resumed their journey to the restaurant. “You saved him? Maybe when we get home I should dress you up in that spare Captain America Uniform I snagged.”
“Only if you wear nothing but the bracelets and boots I brought for you last year.” 8-Ball replied as they walked into the Pancake Plaza and sat down at the only available table before picking up the menus. “So what did you want to talk me about?” He asked.
“Princess Python knows.” Diamondback whispered. “She knows what we did.”
“But we didn’t do anything.” 8-Ball snarled. “What happened with the Jester was an act of kindness, we owed him that much.”
“If she has evidence that can place us there then we are screwed.” Diamondback hissed, “Now what did you want to talk about.”
“When I was…Jesus Christ.” 8-ball swore as the people on the next table started coughing up blood. The revolting spectacle was joined as all the other customers begun bleeding profusely from every available orifice. “Hey somebody call 911.” He yelled as one of the waitresses walked calmly past with a plate of pancakes. “Hey miss we need to…oh my god you.” He wheezed as he reached out to get her attention only to see her skin slide off to reveal a gaunt woman dressed in blood red bone armor. “You…can’t be here.”
“Oh but I can.” The Hooded Haunt hissed as she reached out and summoned her scythe into her hand. “Your arrival was just what I was waiting for. You will pay for the crimes of Snake Marston against me. You will witness the pain of fifty accursed years on this cesspit of a world condensed into twenty seconds as I sacrifice you to bring forth Hine; Maori Goddess of Darkness back to this world.”
“You’ll have to catch us first.” Diamondback answered as she reached into her purse, the action going unnoticed by the Hooded Haunt. “So if you plan to sacrifice us then why are you bleeding all the patrons of the restaurant? The way you talk about your scheme you made it seem like a personnel matter.”
“Their blood will pool in the glyphs I carved while I labored in this godforsaken dump. Ai Apaec failed to break the seals to release Hine but I will not make the same mistakes his actions led to. This time there is no Sorcerer Supreme to save the day only the darkness that is the Seven Pointed Star. And with your deaths I will finally be able to dispel the hex placed on the totem pushed through my door and punish them for standing against me!” The Hooded Haunt bellowed as the blood caught in faint grooves on the floor before forming a heptagram on the floor stained red with the lives of innocents.
“Wait totem?” 8-Ball asked. “Was it a playing card with a warning written in blood by any chance?”
“You know of it?” The Hooded Haunt snarled. “Then it was you who sent it!”
“No I…” 8-Ball begun to stammer before the windows shattered and a humanoid insect lumbered into the restaurant before it un-holstered the long barreled sprayer connected to the armored power pack mounted between two vestigial wings. “I take it back this is more disturbing then the Duck Taxi Driver. What is that?”
“I am Mosquitor.” The insect buzzed as it trained its weapon on the Hooded Haunt. “I was summoned to exterminate the Blood Witch. Avatar of Nephatyes this is your last day on this plane. I am the death of you and all the traitors allied against the Master, I am your doom.”
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