Chapter 21: CH : 19 Villain Bar
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*****
Helmet on, traffic was clear, it was time for some speed. My motorcycle came alive beneath me before my two stalkers returned. Not even sparing a glance, I was out of the parking lot cutting off a delivery truck as I zoomed along. There was a science convention next week right after my meeting with Luthor, and I was looking forward to it.
My mind was advancing at a pace that made it hard not to want to advance the world and tech around me. Unfortunately for the world, I knew better. All of the advancements that came to mind will be for my citizens, and the rest of the world can get the scraps. Eventually, they will demand, but Doom will demand they bend the knee.
Bludhaven was rapidly approaching, and the tracking that I left on the car that Dick drove was showing them entering the Wayne Manor compound. Of course, they would go there, the other trackers that I had for any roof top followers weren't pinging so I knew I was safe. After a telekinetic scan on myself, I plucked off the tacker Dick placed on me during a slight bump in the hallway on a passing car making a right-hand turn.
Grin on my face, I took a left turn, pulling a wheelie along the way. Damn it's good to be alive. With a pit stop to get lunch, I was off again. I knew this bar was on the south side, and there was nothing above it because they had motion sensors for the capes. The first thing within my sight was the Gothic crown around the top with metal rods sticking out. Interesting wasn't even the word to describe the place, right above the parking lot was a sign that said steal a vehicle, and we break your legs.
Who would have thought that a bar in Gotham had some sense of honor, I thought to myself while I parked my bike. With a few button presses a force field sprung into place, protecting my property.
There was a whistle, and I turned to find a rather large being with a cloak tossed over its head and shoulders.
"That's a sweet ride you have there," The person said with a rather gravelly voice.
Looking closer with my sight, I noticed the different fluctuations in his bio aura. I noted his Bio-aura indicated only half of it was human, it looked to be mixed with something else I couldn't place. "Yeah, I built her myself," I replied with a nod towards my bike. There was no need to be rude to someone I just met.
"Come on, let me buy you a drink kid, and you can tell me more about your ride." He said while he nodded in the direction of the bar's back door.
"You never introduce yourself."
"Names Croc, Killer Croc." The large man said as he removed the cloak covering his large frame. "You coming for that drink or what?"
The first thought in my mind was this is how someone felt when they looked up at the Hulk. This man was huge once he stood at his full height. Killer Croc's arms had muscles that had muscles. His skin was a shade of forest green on the back and forearms while his chest, from what I could see under his shirt, was a lighter cream shade.
"Killer Croc isn't a name, but you can call me Victor," I replied as I held out a hand for a shake.
"You're a strange one, you know that, and the name's Waylon," Waylon said as he returned my handshake. "Why don't I smell any fear from you?"
"Because I would easily kill you if you decided to make me a snack," I replied with a shrug. "I'm not Batman or any of the Rogues around here. People will understand in due time, I guess."
Listening to the big man laugh, we walked into the bar that was still a little slow before the night shift really picked up.
"We ain't open, so it's double the cost per drink and slow service."
"Yeah, we hear you, Mary." Waylon returned as he took up a booth on the far end, I noticed he was trying to watch the football game. Interesting, I would have thought the Cajun man was more into the jazz and music scenes.
"Tell your friend that this is neutral territory, we don't accept cape bullshit around here."
Waylon grumbled as he waved an arm at the bar keep. "Yeah, yeah we understand. It's to bribe or get a drink and leave the fighting outside."
I relaxed into my seat and waited for a waiter to come by so I could order myself an overpriced beer with all these villains. Taking a look around, I noticed Mad Hatter, Two-Face, and a few others sitting around the different tables. The one table that had my undivided attention though was the table where sat Scare Crow was.
That was interesting, I would think that he would be out playing some mad scheme to take over Gotham with his fear toxin, maybe I should get a sample for myself. There was the little Joker serum I found left over in a capsule outside a water tank. One more side project won't hurt. Maybe I could use this for something good like I have planned for the other serum.
"Are you interested in him or something?" Waylon asked as he cocked his head to the side while looking at me.
"Nope," I replied, popping the P. "I'm wondering if he will sell some of his toxins so that I could study it for a project."
Shaking my head, I turned back to look up and watch the Coast City game. The football team was playing against Tampa Bay, and the game was actually a pretty good one.
Now I understand why Waylon came to watch the game. We spoke about my motorcycle and chatted about the game for a while as we waited for the night to descend on us. It was a good time, and I wasn't expecting these villains to be so chill, but seeing as how this is their relaxing place, I could understand.
There was a lull in the conversation as we both drank our beers and watched the game on the large tv. "Tell me, Waylon, where do you work?"
The silence that greeted me from him was very telling. Turning to face the big man, I heard a slight growl escape him.
"Convict or not, this is Gotham and anyone can get a job, so why take offense to a simple question?" I asked the big man, then I sent him a wave of calming psionic waves.
With a tisk of his teeth, Waylon went back to giving the game most of his attention. For a moment, I watched as he mulled over what he wanted to say.
With a grunt he started, "Nahh, after the military left me like this. I went about killing those that did this to me. After that, they black listed me everywhere."
"So, that means you're currently free of employment?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Just say what you want kid." Waylon growled out before chugging the rest of his beer, then he held a hand up and called for another.
"I need a sparring partner and someone to look after the grounds while I'm away," I said before drinking what was left of my own beer. "You don't have to be around the house for long if you don't want to, but I would like your nose to sniff out to see if people stop by besides those I order my tools from."
Waylon looked me up and down before belting out a ruckus laughter at my expense. "You want me to be your sparring partner, kid, you wouldn't be able to survive that."
Ignoring the growing urge I had to punch Waylon in the face, I continued my sails pitch. "There will also be a chance to cure you of what the government did to you."
"Ha! Don't make claims of things you can't do, kid."
"From my observation you're a splice of a freshwater alligator and human. Sprinkle in the metagene with a controlling factor, and you can be back to being human and transform whenever you want. However whoever did that to you was a half cooked mental case. Look me up when you get the chance, now if you will excuse me I see a lovely lady with whom I would like to converse." I said as I eyed the red hair, lith form, and spotted coat.
Honestly, I thought I would have to wait more than a few months before I ran into her. Getting up from my table, I dropped a hundred and made my way towards the bar. There were very few Cat woman types that could ever hold my interest, but this wasn't Marvel, so Black Cat was off the table for me. That left me with two choices, Cat Woman, who likes to sniff around Bruce, and the other would be Cheetah.
Cheetah was a bonafide super villainess: but who cared about all that. Dr. Barbra Minerva was a top Archaeologist and Anthropologist before the whole Goddess of the Hunt curse trapped her as a humanoid female Cheetah. Lucky for me, the brain and the beauty, while both eye-catching, also coincided with my future plans. There were plenty of magical trinkets around that I would like to get my hands on, but only one person had the skills to get them that wasn't on the Justice League's roster.
Before I could get halfway across the bar, someone tripped me. Instantly, I caught myself before I stumbled. There was nothing to describe the feeling of instant anger that washed over me at that moment. Before I could retaliate, my face was filled with a puff of gas. My gut instinct screamed at me to cower in fear, but my will screamed out for me to attack. How dare this plebeian attempt to subvert my mind from my grasp.
Instantly, I was on him driving my knee into his sternum as I dove across the table to smash the face of the one who thought he could subvert my mind from my control.
Weapon! I needed a weapon to finish the task at hand, but what could I use? Anything would work, but I had to use something that didn't give away my main abilities. Metal: metal was needed.
Although I no longer needed to use my hands, it felt right to keep doing that to people, and some will think I would need a focus. As Victor Von Doom, I would need to hold a few cards to myself.
I could easily pass it off as having electromagnetism. Driving my fist into the mask that ScareCrow wore, it tore slightly showing me the eyes of a man who knew his end was near.
With a savage slam on my palm crushing his nose, blood poured forth as I held up my left hand summoning a knife from the kitchen to my outstretched palm. Before I could jam my hastily created knife spear I summoned into his face, a giant clawed hand wrapped around my own and yanked me off the slumped over form of ScareCrow.
"Who dares to deny Doom his right of retaliation?" I roared, turning around to find the large form of Killer Croc looming over me.
"You already won kid. No need to spill his blood." Waylon said as he then stepped in between myself and the slumped form of ScareCrow.
"That was a dumb move, Crow, now you have to pay for a round for everyone and to replace the things that broke during the skuffle," Mary the bar tender spoke as she stood over his slumpped form. Then I watched her hand cock back and sank into his jaw. "Tell me, kid, why didn't his gas work on you?"
"I do not fear. I get angry and attack. Especially when someone tries to subvert my mind for their goals. That is a violation of my person, and I take umbrage with such a transgression." I replied in a growl as I stared down at the form of ScareCrow. "No need to charge him with the damages and for the rounds. I will pay for it as this incident was allowed to happen due to my disturbance and lack of awareness while distracted by the beauty at the bar. Now, if you will excuse me."
The bar instantly went back to its loud and boisterous nature as I stepped over the broken table and other splinters that littered the ground. Looking around, I found brown eyes with auburn curls looking directly at me as I made my way to the empty seat beside her.
"So was it my beauty that attracted one such as yourself?" She purred at me while looking me up and down.
Ordering us both another round of whatever she was having I took my seat. "No my dear, it was your intellect that drew my attention. It's not very often that one meets the infamous Dr. Minerva and I doubt you would like me to be after your tail, I would prefer not to join the list of individuals you have let down."
With a hum and a purr, Cheetah chuckled to herself before downing the drink I ordered.
"What is it that you would like of me then?" Cheetah asked after a bit of silence.
"Would you like to be human again or stay as you are?"
When I asked that question, Cheetah's eye did a noticeable change, and I could feel all shades of emotions flash in waves from her. Turning away to take a drink, I allowed Cheetah a moment to gather herself. After a moment, Cheetah finally gathered herself and turned on the bar stool to fully face me.
For a moment, I stopped as I caught the look of her from the corner of my eye. Around Cheetah's neck was a beaded necklace that had cat motifs in the middle. The fur on her front was a lighter shade than the one on her back. Not only that, but her stomach was also missing any spots, while all across her body, it carried a spotted pattern. Even Cheetah's inner thighs and breast carried light sprinkles of spots on her fur, around her waist was another cat motif on a beaded string in the form of a belt.
"Can you change me back?"
*****
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