(This is part 2 of the origins of Gerald Wimple aka Scalphunter, Bishop Cain aka Cut Throat, General Falcon Helfitta, The E.A.D and the mysterious John. This ties into some Tales From The Empire, Death Squad & Scalphunter. Have a read. This is rated MA+ because there's something that happens that isn't pleasant and borders on the yuck so MA+. Enjoy)
2183AD,Gotland, United Kingdom of Scandinavia
John and Gerald sit at the camp bar, being waited on by a robo-bartender. A veritable pyramid of shot glass sits in front of each of them. John raises his beer mug to Gerald.
“You’re impressive Gerald” he says “In all the years of doing this ridiculous high paying job you’re the only one who has come close to being worth anything. You’ve taken to the trade like a duck to water…despite being a mutant”
“What?” Gerald cried in shock “I’m not a mutant!”
John grabbed Gerald’s hand and smashed the beer mug across Gerald’s face, splitting it open like a ripe melon. Gerald screamed and swung a punch but John kicked the stool out from under him and Gerald hit the floor. John stepped on his neck. “A human doesn’t heal like that” John pointed at Gerald as the cut on his face rapidly closed up leaving only a bloodstain.
“How did you know?”
“It’s my job” John stepped off Gerald and lit a cigarette “I don’t care. Human, mutant, you’re all transitory compared to me”
“And what are you?” asked Gerald
“Thirsty” snarled John bearing his teeth
Outside, near the Officers Mess
Flacon Helfitta and his wife Amanda walked hand in hand as they left the mess.
“How much longer are you going to be here?” asked Amanda snuggling up to her husband “I miss you!”
“I miss you too” said Falcon “But I serve at the will of…”
“The Supreme Commander!” mocked Amanda firing up a salute “Maybe you should’ve married him”
Falcon playfully pushed his wife who flopped into a snow drift.
“Come here Mr Helfitta” she said suggestively.
Falcon smiled. Suddenly there was a loud crack and Falcon fell onto the snow, the back of his head opened up by the blow from Bishop Cain, who stood there holding a baseball bat, wearing Gerald Wimple’s uniform.
“Come here Mrs Helfitta” he sniggered
**
Gerald and John stumble out of the bar each propping the other up “Secret’s safe with me Gerald”
“No…NO!” slurred Gerald “S’Scalphunter! My name is Scalphunter now”
“You stupid mutant!” laughed John who roughly hugged Gerald and then pushed him away.
‘And you’re a big, bad whoop!” Gerald stumbled backwards, landing on his butt in the snow “Gravity sucks!”
John staggered off towards his quarters, Gerald crawled towards his. As he crawled along he bumped into a person lying in front of him. A bloody hand quivered in his face.
“What the stark?”
“Bout time you got here Gerry?” laughed Bishop as he slammed the bat into Gerald’s neck “You’re the star of the show”
Gerald raised his arms to protect himself as Bishop wailed on him with the bat. Bishop grabbed Gerald’s pants and tore them off him!
“Hey! I’m not that kind of girl!” protested Gerald drunkenly
Bishop caught Gerald in the temple with the bat, knocking him out cold. He surveyed the scene. Unconscious Falcon lying bleeding in the snow. A semi-conscious and soiled Amanda Helfitta lying half naked and bloody in the snow. Pantless Gerald lying unconscious in the snow. Bishop tore the embroided badge “WIMPLE” off Gerald’s uniform and shoved it into Amanda’s hands. He snapped open some smelling salts and wafted them under Falcon’s nose as he placed Gerald on top of Amanda. He then ran off into the night to the trees to watch the show.
“Falcon” wheezed Amanda, her pretty face a bloody mess, deep bruising on her neck.
Falcon Helfitta came to, to see Gerald groggily pushing himself up off his wife. Her voice caught his ear and Falcon went ballistic.
“YOU STARKING ANIMAL!!!” Falcon tackled Gerald and began beating him. Gerald responded in kind but he wasn’t his usually self due to the alcohol and the beating he’d just received. The two of the tore into each other like wild dogs, no quarter neither asked nor given.
John ran into the scene, drawn by the yelling and sounds of battle. He watched Falcon and Gerald attack each other and merely watched. It was a genuine brutal display of hatred. He then caught a glimpse of Amanda; lying broken and violated in the snow. John crouched down and held her.
“Why?” she sobbed
John shrugged as he placed a firm hand to cradle her head “You’ll probably just serve as a constant reminder that Falcon wasn’t on his A game. I take no pleasure in this” John slowly squeezed and cracked Amanda’s skull and placed her into the snow “May you rest in Valhalla”
John stood up and caught a glimpse of Bishop hiding in the tree line.
“Stupid boy” muttered John as he took a seat and watched his favourite students bludgeon each other.
Gotland, United Kingdom of Scandinavia, next day
Gerald Wimple, Bishop Cain and Falcon Helfitta stood at attention in the presence of the Supreme Commander. The Commander cast a discerning eye over the two on the end, each bloody, bruised and beaten. John sauntered into the room, cigarette in mouth, bottle of scotch in hand.
“Not you again!” scoffed John
“I have come to this frigid hellhole to revise your progress…or lack of it John” the Commander strode towards John “Just three worthwhile assassins in how many years?”
John stood up and backhanded the head off the Commander “I warned you about robots!”
A hologram beamed from the eyes of the decapitated head into the air of the Supreme Commander “Still impressive John. But this European Assassination Division is a borderline failure
“You want amateurs?”
“I want RESULTS!” even in hologram the rage was tangible “I’d smash wave after wave of fools into New Latveria to distract that thorn in my side!”
“You’re an idiot!” John blew smoke through the hologram
“Watch your tone”
“I’m really getting sick of you” said John taking a swig of his scotch
“Wimple! Cain! Helfitta! Step forward!” barked the Commander, the trio doing so in perfect unison.
“Helfitta you are to return here to the States. Can’t have your talent wasted in this freezer”
“Permission to speak freely sir” asked Falcon
“Granted”
Falcon with lightning speed and jammed a knife into Gerald’s throat “YOU RAPED AND KILLED MY WIFE YOU STARKING ANIMAL! DIE! DIE! DIE!” Gerald convulsed on the floor, blood gushing from the wound. Falcon stabbed him nine more times until he was still. Falcon stood up and threw up a salute “Thank you sir!” Falcon left the room.
“That man will be the death of you all” stated the Supreme Commander “Get up you disgusting creature!” Gerald got to his feet and pulled the knife from his chest and lazily saluted “I have tried to have your kind eradicated!”
“What? Irish Catholic?”
Bishop went to backhand Gerald for his insolence but Gerald ducked and thrust the knife, stopping on the skin of Bishop’s neck.
“ENOUGH!” roared the hologram “Keep this up and I will teleport to Gotland! As I was saying to the mutant, I have tried to wipe your kind out. To remove you from the planet! Sinister assures me mutation is merely a natural part of a species evolution…he and I tend to disagree on a great many things. Be thankful Wimple I don’t peel your skin off and telekinetically force your brain out through your hair follicles!”
“Sir yes sir” replied Gerald “And it’s Scalphunter sir!”
“I don’t care!” he yelled “You three are going to Germany. My spy network has reported that Doom will be attending screening of potential new hosts. You will destroy the hosts, burn the town to the ground and if you can manage it you will KILL VICTOR VON DOOM!”
“Whatever” sneered John
Simultaneously a telepathic message beamed in: {Bishop Cain. Gerald Wimple. You are going to Germany. Whilst there you will kill John! He has outlasted his usefulness to me and the Iron Army. Whoever kills him shall become the new head of the European Assassination Division. Do you understand?}
“Sir yes sir” shouted Bishop and Gerald to both sets of instructions
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