Present....
Dr. Domino was an intimidating figure at 6'8' if he was an inch. Hard to tell exactly, with the strange headgear he wore. He walked in a stiff legged fashion, and stepped hard, like his boots were heavy. 'Something off about the way he moves' Detective Chimp noted. Like the precise way he he fiddled with the cape fastener at his neck. Forefinger and thumb, same movement over and over.
Dr. Domino folded his arms behind his back, and studied Detective Chimp for a long moment. He could be gathering his thoughts, but its more likely the pause is purposeful. A not-so-subtle display of authority.
'Now he's going to monologue' Detective Chimp thought to himself. He had zero personal experience with Domino, but the goon was wearing a midnight blue tuxedo with a purple opera cape. Someone dressed that badly always had to talk about their master plan, and how futile it was to try and stop them, and yada yada yada.
"Good afternoon, Detective. So glad you could join me here in my humble abode. My name is Doktor Domino." His voice is strange. Distorted. Like he was speaking through a voice box. "Perhaps you vould like to know how you fit into my master plan?"
Detective Chimp resisted the urge to roll his eyes. It was so cliche, it was painful. The only thing this guy lacked was a mustache to twirl as he monologued. And a top hat, to compliment the cape, Detective Chimp thought to himself.
"Sorry, am I borink you?" He actually sounded annoyed, as though Detective Chimp was being a rude dinner guest.
"For you to bore me 'Doctor', you would first have to attract my attention, something that requires more then a badly coordinated color scheme. Its quite elementary how I fit in... you need my blood."
Five days ago...
Metropolis City, brightly lit, and shiny as a new quarter. Luthor certainly kept the place up to specs. And overall the city had an air of trust, and hope. After all, the good people of Metropolis had the Man of Steel to protect them. And how soundly they must sleep, confident in the knowledge that no woes could befall them.
It wasn't that Detective Chimp had issues with Superman, he was just leery of capes in general. He always felt they were just one traumatic incident from becoming villains. Even the best of them. He was here in Metropolis seeking something of infinite importance, the local entrance to the Oblivion Bar. He needed a drink like nobodies business. He was also looking for an old partner, and the Oblivion bar was a good place to start looking. The entrance was down one of these alleyways...
He squinted through the street light glare at the street signs, trying to remember which ally to turn into. "Daniel St? That doesn't sound right. I am good, and properly lost." He grumbled to himself. He didn't want a human bar tonight, he'd had more then enough interaction with humans for one week. First, he had been stiffed on a job, fellow thought he didn't have to pay a chimp for PI work. Then that card game had gone all wonky. He wanted to get many stiff drinks, and then put his eternally youthful liver through the ringer. He resumed walking, his hat pulled low to hide his face from any curious bystanders. 'Where the hell is that bloody ally?'
He suddenly feels a slight lurching in his stomach, like being on an elevator. The street lights flicker for just a moment, causing shadows to dance around. The feeling passed as quickly as it came on.
"That's quit an entrance. Never took you for the theatrical type." Nightshade commented from the dark alleyway. She was attired in her customary dark outfit, complete with one of those silly masks that only covered your eyes.
"Said the pot to the kettle." Detective Chimp grunted. He had no idea what she was on about, but wasn't about to admit that to her.
"Fair enough. After you?" She held the door with one hand.
"Ladies first." Detective Chimp replied dryly. They step through the door, which vanished after them.
'Another person helped.' someone in the ally thought happily to themself.
* * *
The place was a circus, packed with magic users from various dimensions and worlds. As fate would have it, Detective Chimp's quarry was leaned up against the bar.
'Two birds, one stone.'
"Hey--" Blue Devil starts to say, but is cut off with an upheld hand.
"Two shots of your finest bourbon." Detective Chimp tells the bartender, a blue, earth bound djinn.
"I don't drink." Blue Devil said.
"I know. Their both for me." Detective Chimp replied, as he tossed back a shot. "Daniel, I'm working a job, and could use some muscle."
"I just quit a job. With the commando's." Blue Devil replied, scratching absently at his arm.
'Ah, nervous scratching. Something interesting happened. Something that Daniel was uncomfortable with.'
The Blue Devil was a pretty tough chap though. If he had quit, it must have been a lot of crap, dumped out over a long period. Detective Chimp was intrigued, but knew better then to press the issue at this time.
"You weren't Commando material anyway. Its a misfit guerrilla band pretending to be military. Bunch of hooligans I hear."
"That was almost a compliment." Blue Devil grinned.
"Almost. Better luck next time." Detective Chimp grinned back, and ordered two more shots. "I'm afraid the first two might have gotten lost." He told the bartender, "So I'm sending in a search party."
"I think you mentioned a job?" Blue Devil prodded. "Or was that just a conversation starter?"
"Right," The chimp turned serious again. "Some goon by the name of Domino is capturing, and experimenting on...." He lowered his voice, "magical types. I should very much like to know why."
"You know where this Domino clown is." It wasn't a question. Detective Chimp wouldn't be recruiting back up if he didn't have a target already in mind.
"Of course. He's left an obvious trail that a blind ape could follow. Too obvious, really."
"So its a trap then?"
"Tch tch" Detective Chimp winked, and made the gun gesture with his hand.
"And you need me for a counter trap?"
"Two for two. So...What say you chum? Do it for a friend."
"Oh, a friend needs my help on this? Why didn't you just say so."
"My Daniel, your wit is boundless, isn't it?"
* * * * *
"So I say to Lady F, yeah, but where's your forth hand? And she said---Uh."
As they left the bar, Blue Devil, and Detective Chimp see a pair of big guys in midnight blue suits, blocking the ally exit. Its very unlikely they were carolers. Especially since one has a gun, and the other a large red sledgehammer.
"I think your lead followed you." Blue Devil commented, dryly.
"Oh really? And here I thought I was the detective."
The door disappeared behind them, leaving a featureless wall, and a trashy strewn alleyway.
"I say, you chaps aren't soliciting donations by any chance?"
Shoop! Shoop!
His answer is two darts in the chest. "Tranquilizers? You'll need something a lot more... oh my, these are.... potent.... Daniel.... you're a giant.... Oops. Gonna pass out nn--"
Thud!
The two goons, (or was it three?) Rush at Daniel, armed with glowing sledgehammers.
'Gonna take more then that....' Detective Chimp thought to himself, then the world went away.
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