Baron Zemo's Lair. - Mob Rules, part three (For Mature Audiences Only)

Baron Zemo's Lair

Mob Rules, part three (For Mature Audiences Only)
Thursday, 16-Sep-1999 00:58:21
63.14.29.46 writes:

Chapter Three

Visionary, finally gaining some control over his motor skills, briefly considered chewing his arm off to escape as Lisa lead him by the hand into the bedroom. He decided, ultimately, that such an act might seem suspicious to their hidden observer...

Lisa flashed him a sly, come-hither look as she closed the door behind them and firmly turned the key in the lock. She then, with practiced deliberateness, dropped said key down the front of her bodice.

At that point, Visionary couldn’t remember why he *hadn’t* chewed his own arm off. Then he realized that he was still staring at Lisa’s bosom, which wasn’t likely to discourage her.

When he looked back up, Lisa wrapped her arms around his neck. “So...” she said seductively, pressing up against his body, which had retreated as far as the wall would allow. “What are we going to do tonight?”

Thankfully, Visionary was able to catch himself before he automatically replied, “The same thing we do every night, Pinky.” That, probably, would have been a mistake. Instead, he swallowed hard, screwed up his courage, and wrapped her in an embrace.

“Good answer” she purred enthusiastically. Her hands roved his back, finally sliding down to...

“Whoa!” Jarvis exclaimed, jumping. He turned around to check behind him.

Cheryl eyed him curiously. “What is it?” she asked.

“Er...” Jarvis replied, rubbing the back pocket of his pants, “um... nothing.”

Visionary nearly jumped through the ceiling, but he kept Lisa locked in the embrace. He slid his cheek along hers, until his mouth reached her ear. “There’s something I need to tell you...” he whispered urgently, trying to ignore what she did to *his* ear. (How, exactly, was she doing that?)

“Oh?” she asked with a throaty whisper.

“Ummm... I, uh...” he began again, his nose and mouth buried in her hair. “...I’m not Jarvis.”

She pulled away from him and looked him in the eyes. “Really?” she asked, surprised.

Visionary nodded vigorously, hoping she wouldn’t repeat what he had said loud enough for the bugs to pick up.

“I’m *so* glad” she sighed, melting back into his arms.

It was not the reaction Visionary was expecting. He decided, then and there, that the gods of every major religion in the universe personally had it in for him.

Lisa gave him a wicked grin and traced the contours of his jaw with her finger. “I was afraid that... after the last time... you would never want to ‘role-play’ again.” she purred. “I promise this time we’ll shift before the chafing gets too bad.”

“But...” Visionary sputtered, on the verge of hyperventilating. “But, that’s not...”

She silenced him with a finger on his lips. “Hush now...” she said as she turned and walked seductively towards the bathroom. “I’ll go slip into... character.”

Visionary stood alone in their living quarters, his back up against the wall. Finally, his gaze fell on the huge, four-poster bed that dominated the room.

“Oh, crap...”

Hallie was nervous, which was distinctly unusual for a machine, even one as advanced as she was. Somehow, she was sure that she was missing something. Something important. She accessed the surveillance cameras that had been implanted in the Lair by an unknown enemy. The entryway was clear. DarkHwk, the newest Legionnaire, was busy with monitor duty. Fleabot and Zip had moved on to three-dimensional chess, and were rapidly exchanging moves in the living room. She checked Jarvis’ office, to find Visionary missing. Momentarily concerned, she relax when she found him in Jarvis’ bedroom. At least he had the good sense to be alone...

Nothing out of the ordinary on any of the bugs. It must be something else. Something she had missed... She went over the day’s events in her memory banks. What was the last thing Jarvis had said before he left the lab? About Visionary’s coat...?

It wasn’t until she reviewed the entryway recording that she realized it. She had based the virtual simulation Visionary on the data from the security scan he underwent prior to his entrance into the Lair. How on earth did the idiot manage to coat himself in some kind of dark goo between the front door and the elevator?

She silently berated herself for not catching it. “I suppose it’s too much to hope that our lurking observer out there didn’t notice the mix-up” she sighed.

“I’m afraid so.” A familiar voice answered.

Hallie was caught off-guard. The sensors showed the lab was empty. She tried to bring up a video feed of the room.

Suddenly, her mind was scrambled, and she was reduced to a streaming line of data, of one’s and zero’s. When she was finally able to reassemble her consciousness, she was back in Virtual Zemo’s databanks.

Her modem lines, as well as all other conventional lines to the Lair, were fried.

“Damn!” Jarvis exclaimed, slamming down the phone in frustration.

“What’s wrong?” Cheryl asked again.

“I can’t get through...” Jarvis replied sourly. “I keep getting busy signals.”

“No...” Cheryl said patiently, “I mean, what the matter? Why are you so intent on reaching the Lair at this hour?”

“Just... a bad feeling” Jarvis answered. Okay, so technically, it was a *good* feeling, centered on his earlobe... (How *did* Lisa do that, anyway?), but he wasn’t about to tell Cheryl that.

“Visionary isn’t hurt...” Cheryl asked, concerned, “is he?”

“No” Jarvis assured her. Although, he added to himself as he felt the pinch of what were undoubtedly handcuffs around his wrists, he may be when I get my hands on him...

“Uh, how about we... Hurk!” Visionary suggested as Lisa flipped him over her shoulder and onto the bed. She was dressed in a police officer’s uniform, and was brandishing a nightstick menacingly.

“That’s enough outta you, perp!” she growled. She grabbed his right hand and, producing a set of handcuffs, secured it to the headboard. Before he could protest, she fastened his other hand as well. “Jail’s to good for scum like you!” she decided as she removed her hat and shook out her silky brown hair. “I think I’m going to have to work you over right here.”

Visionary had studied Zebulon’s report on the placement of the hidden surveillance devices. He had managed to cover the one in this room with his suit coat as he pretended to undress while Lisa changed. Sound was still a problem, though. Now, with the fear of god instilled in him, he strained with all his might to reach the remote control to the stereo that was on the night-stand. Lisa raised an eyebrow but didn’t stop him. Of course, she didn’t help him, either. With the cuffs biting into his wrists, and a near sob of joy, he grabbed it and switched the radio on, turning the volume way up.

“I Fought the Law, and the Law Won” was playing.

He was surely cursed.

As proof, when was just about to explain the situation... finally... Lisa forced a gag into his mouth.

“You have the right to remain silent...” she informed him over his panicked mumbles of protest. She crawled on top of him and leaned over to look into his wild eyes. “Anything you say can be used against you in a court of law.” She gave him a highly suggestive wink. “Best of all... you have the right to an attorney.”

Visionary thrashed against the handcuffs, bucking wildly.

“That’s the kind of enthusiasm I was looking for.” Lisa purred approvingly. “Now, before we go any farther...” she looked at him with a wide smirk on her face and laughter in her eyes, “... I’m afraid I’m going to have to see your permission slip from Cheryl.”

“How fares your mission?” Brother Bartek asked into the phone.

“It was successful” came the reply. “Hallie was booted out of the system without ever knowing what hit her. I sent an energy surge along behind her which should fry her modem lines. She won’t be able to get out of her mainframe for at least twenty-four hours. Just to be safe, though, I jammed all incoming communications to the Lair.”

“It won’t be noticed?” Bartek asked.

“Not likely... they have the new guy on monitor duty.”

“And you’re sure the computer didn’t inform anyone of her discovery?”

“Absolutely.”

“Excellent.” Brother Bartek said approvingly. “His Holiness will be most pleased with you, Brother.”

“I live to serve His cause” was the earnest response.

Lisa moaned rhythmically as the headboard banged repeatedly against the wall. She did have remarkable stamina, Visionary had to admit. She had been going at it quite energetically for close to forty-five minutes now.

Frankly though, the rocking mattress was beginning to make him sea-sick. From the safety of the far side of the bed, Visionary gestured to his wristwatch. It was time to bring her “When Harry Met Sally” reenactment to a close.

Lisa grinned at him and went into her “grand finale”. As if that wasn’t already enough, she supplied a few encores for good measure. Visionary was blushing furiously by the time she brought down the curtain.

“I’m flattered” he whispered wryly as she lied down on her side of the bed.

“You should be” she shot back with a smirk. “But I did have to convince whomever is listening that nothing out of the ordinary was happening in here.”

“Nothing out of...?!” Visionary stared at her, mouth agape. “You scare the hell out of me.” he finally managed.

Lisa chuckled. “That’s how I knew it was you. I know Jarvis’ mannerisms, and you don’t have ‘em.” she explained. “You did, however, have that “deer in headlights” look when I hit on you that just screams ‘Visionary’...”

“So that’s what this was all about?” Visionary inquired. “You were testing to see if it was me?”

“Nah... I figured it all out around lunch.” she said casually. “I earned a law degree, after all... They don’t just give those things to chimps, you know.”

“Then...” Visionary said, confused. “Why did...?”

Lisa shrugged. “Nothing good was on TV.”

Visionary gave her a pained look. “Evil, evil, evil...” he muttered under his breath.

“So you and Jarvis really feel what each other feels?” she asked seductively. “Are you sure I couldn’t just send him a little message?”

Visionary retreated to the edge of the bed.. “Uh... anyway... I figure if you sleep under the covers and I sleep on top of them, then Cheryl probably won’t kill me.”

“Oh sure” Lisa said mockingly. “Just roll over and go to sleep. No time to cuddle. You men are all alike.”

Visionary buried his head under his pillow and suppressed a scream.

Lisa chuckled as she slid under the covers. “Good night, Snookums” she whispered into his ear. “I hope thoughts of how close you came to having an incredible night of ecstasy don’t keep you awake all night.”

She turned off the light, leaving the room dark and silent at last.

“You truly are evil.” Visionary noted unhappily.

Visionary doubts he'll find any such people here