JohnnyChany Posted July 11 Read Aloud Posted July 11 THE SERPENT SOLUTION: A GANGLAND SIDE STORY: Part 2 CONTINUED FROM PART 1 The Iceberg Lounge never stayed quiet for long. A jazz quartet played beneath shimmering crystal chandeliers while the clink of poker chips and roulette balls echoed across the polished marble floor. Expensive perfume mixed with cigar smoke, and every patron quietly pretended not to notice the armed gangsters scattered throughout the club. Near the entrance stood the newest addition to Penguin's security, King. She stood with perfect posture; hands folded comfortably in front of her. Her tailored white dress shirt, purple vest, purple slacks, and black bow tie gave her the appearance of an upscale maître d'. The fingerless gloves hinted she did far more than greet guests. She constantly surveyed the room with the calm awareness of someone who'd spent years looking for and expecting trouble. Which was exactly why the two elegantly dressed women of Serpent Solutions approached her. Black Mamba smiled first. "Excuse me." King looked toward them. "Can I help you?" The woman extended a hand. "My name's Tanya." King accepted the handshake. "I'm King." The second woman smiled. "I'm Cleo." King nodded politely. "A pleasure." Black Mamba tilted her head. "You must be pretty tough." King blinked. "I'm sorry?" Black Mamba gestured around the Lounge. "This isn't exactly the safest neighborhood in Gangland. Not that any of them are actually safe, and Penguin trusts you to guard the front door to his pride and joy." King shrugged modestly. "He apparently does." Black Mamba laughed softly. "So, how long have you worked here?" "Not very long." King answered honestly. "A few weeks." "And?" Asp asked. "Do you like it?" King thought for a moment. "I do." The two onetime members of Bad Girls Inc. exchanged a glance. King continued. "I appreciate working for someone who isn't intimidated by strong women." Black Mamba raised an eyebrow. "Oh?" King nodded. "I've had jobs before where people didn't take me seriously. I actually had to dress like a man." Disgust spread across the face of Asp. "Uggh." King nodded. "It was just easier for me. Only then did people assume could handle myself." Black Mamba frowned. "That's unfortunate." "It was." King agreed. "But Penguin never questioned whether I could do the job. He simply watched me fight and hired me." Asp smiled. "Can't argue with results." King looked between them. "So., what do you two do?" Black Mamba and Asp exchanged another glance and then laughed. "That's actually kind of complicated. My friends and colleagues call me Black Mamba." Asp grinned. "And I'm Asp." “Like code names?” King wondered. Asp laughed “Something like that. We're members of Serpent Solutions." King looked puzzled. "Serpent Solutions?" Black Mamba nodded. "We represent criminal employees, like a union for the underworld.” King stared. "That's… actually a thing?" "It is." Black Mamba smiled proudly. "And frankly, I think we've cornered the market." Asp leaned forward conspiratorially. “Traditionally, we mostly represented snake-themed villains." King looked amused. "I didn't realize there were enough of those." "There are." Asp replied without missing a beat. "But we're expanding." Black Mamba looked King up and down. "You've already got the look." King blushed slightly. "I do?" "What do you think about the name..." Black Mamba paused dramatically. "King Cobra?" "I..." King laughed awkwardly. "That's flattering, but no." Asp tilted her head. "No?" "I don't intend to spend my life in crime,” King declared "You don't?" Black Mamba asked in disbelief. "I actually prefer avoiding it altogether." Both Asp and Black Mamba burst into laughter. Asp pointed toward the Iceberg Lounge around them. "You picked a funny line of work then." King laughed too. "I know, but it's temporary” Her smile slowly faded. "I'm trying to earn enough money for hospital bills." The joking immediately disappeared. Black Mamba's voice became gentler. "Someone close to you?" she asked The office behind the Iceberg Lounge was every bit as cold as the club itself, not figuratively, literally. The walls were lined with blocks of carved ice. Frost clung to the windows despite the warmer weather outside Exotic birds perched quietly atop ornate stands while blue light reflected through the frozen sculptures that Penguin insisted gave the room "proper ambiance." The current centerpiece, however, wasn't decoration. It was punishment. A massive block of crystal-clear ice stood in the corner of the office. Encased within it, suspended in frozen stillness, was Big Boy Caprice’s lieutenant, Influence. His face remained twisted into the final expression he'd worn before Penguin's cryogenic prison swallowed him whole. Oswald Cobblepot sat behind his broad mahogany desk. A crystal glass of expensive brandy rested beside a thick stack of intelligence reports. Across from him stood a woman who looked like she'd wandered out of a nightmare laboratory. Linda Friitawa, known throughout her time in Gotham's underworld as Fright. Most people remembered her for her brilliance in genetic engineering. Those who survived encounters with her remembered something else, her strength. Thanks to her own experimental serums, Linda possessed strength that completely defied her slender frame. Penguin folded his hands. "I trust you've brought me good news." Linda remained expressionless. "I'm afraid not." Penguin frowned. No trace?" "None." She calmly adjusted her glasses. "I've exhausted every lead within what remains of Big Boy Caprice's organization." Penguin slowly leaned back. "The bastard simply vanished." Linda nodded. “It would appear so, I interrogated every survivor we could locate. They knew nothing." Penguin tilted his head. "Did you ask nicely?" A faint smile crossed Linda's face. "No. I employed my nerve toxins." Penguin chuckled. "I imagine they became remarkably cooperative." "They did." Linda folded her hands behind her back. "I'm quite confident If any of them possessed useful information they would have shared it." "I’ve never doubted your methods,” stated Penguin He stood from behind his desk. "Very well." He stopped beside the window overlooking the Iceberg Lounge. "The trail's gone cold." Linda remained silent. Penguin watched the patrons below. "So, we widen the search. "He turned back toward her. "I want you heading north to the Theatre District." Linda raised an eyebrow. "You suspect Madam Masque?" Penguin immediately shook his head. "I suspect nothing. Yet." He clasped his hands behind his back. "I'm certainly not foolish enough to accuse Whitney without evidence." "So why the Theatre District?" Linda wondered. "Because it's crowded and noisy,” Penguin answered. "If a man wished to disappear, he could hardly ask for a better neighborhood." Linda gave a respectful nod. "I'll leave immediately. I'll report the moment I discover anything." Penguin smiled. "I know you will." She turned, walked toward the door, then disappeared into the Lounge. Penguin slowly walked toward the frozen block dominating the corner of his office. He stopped inches from it. Influence stared back through several inches of crystal-clear ice. Penguin placed one hand gently against the frozen surface. "You've been very lonely, but don't worry," A cruel smile spread across Penguin’s face. "You won't be alone much longer." A knock interrupted him. Penguin sighed. "Come." The office door opened, one of Penguin's hoodlums hurried inside. He was breathing slightly harder than normal. "You told us to report anything unusual." the man stated. Penguin turned. "I did." The hood swallowed. "There are three women downstairs. They've been talking to some of our people for a while now." Penguin immediately became interested. "Which people?" "The new blackjack dealer, Casino, she disappeared behind the Lounge with one of them." "And the other two?" "They're speaking with the bouncer, King. Kinda reminded me of that mystery blonde woman yapping to Jay, Lark, and Raven before they got taken,” the hoodlum reasoned. Penguin thought for a moment. “I trust Casino to earn her paycheck so the one who left outside is not my concern at the moment. The other two, however…” Penguin’s voice trailed off momentarily. “Fetch the twins and tell them to meet me by the front.” The man hurried from the office; Penguin adjusted the cuffs of his tuxedo and exited his office as well. Meanwhile, King was in the midst of explaining her motivations to Asp and Black Mamba. "My friend, Yuri, is very ill. Her older brother, Ryo, is gone right now and there is no one to help her,” King explained. "Gone?" "Looking for his friend Robert Garcia.” King replied. “The Sakazakis never made much money. Teaching martial arts and running a dojo was enough to survive but barely. Usually, Robert always helped when a major emergency would fall on them. He's very wealthy and he never minded. But now, he's disappeared." "So when Yuri became sick,” King looked down. “The options to get her the care she needs were few." Asp put a comforting hand on King’s shoulder. King smiled appreciatively. "The only time I ever really made money was working security for Mr. Big in Southtown." "The Mr. Big that is running around with Geese’s crew in East Island?” Black Mamba asked. King nodded. "In Southtown. I worked as a bouncer. before I met Ryo. After that time, I promised myself I'd never work for Mr. Big again." "But..." She shrugged. “I heard he'd relocated here, along with Geese Howard. I thought maybe there'd be opportunities for quick cash here that wouldn’t involve me going back to either one of them. "So that's what brought you to Gangland." King smiled. "Exactly." Asp let out a low whistle. "That's quite a story." "It is." Black Mamba smiled warmly. "I still think we can help you." King looked genuinely curious. "You do?" "I know we can—" A familiar voice interrupted. "I sincerely doubt that." The three women turned. Penguin approached with deliberate confidence with his top hat sitting perfectly atop his head, and his umbrella tucked beneath one arm. Walking silently behind him were two nearly identical figures. The Kabuki Twins. They moved in perfect synchronization. Their crimson bodysuits reflected the icy blue lighting of the Lounge while their white expressionless masks hid every trace of emotion. Steel claws extended from their hands. "Ladies," said Penguin. Black Mamba answered pleasantly. "Mr. Cobblepot." Penguin ignored the greeting. "I couldn't help noticing you're occupying quite a bit of my employee's time." "It was only girl chatter," Asp insisted. Penguin snorted. "I'm also supposed to assume your pink-haired associate is simply chatting with my best blackjack dealer?" Neither woman answered immediately, Black Mamba instead folded her arms. "We're making sure villains receive fair compensation,” she stated. There was a brief moment of silence, then Penguin burst into laughter. "A union? For villains?" He wiped a tear from one eye. "Oh, that's priceless." His amusement vanished as quickly as it appeared. "Leave. My. Employees. Alone." King quietly stepped forward. "Mr. Cobblepot, I've already turned them down. they've been perfectly respectful." Penguin didn't even look at her. "Back to your post." King hesitated. "...Sir?" "I said back to work.” She reluctantly obeyed and she stepped away; The Kabuki Twins suddenly moved in perfect unison. They leapt directly in between King and Asp and Black Mamba. First one flashed her claws before the other one soon followed suit. Black Mamba sighed. Penguin looked delighted. "I'm becoming dreadfully tired. of outsiders. coming into my district trying to steal my people," he declared as he pointed his umbrella. "So, I believe I'll make another statement. The broken bodies of the two of you should do nicely." Asp looked toward the twins. "Look, we don't have any quarrel with you." The Kabuki Twins remained perfectly still. Black Mamba tried next. "We're actually trying to help people just like you.” No response. Penguin laughed. "They don't speak, and they're completely loyal.” Penguin proclaimed proudly. "They only listen to me." Black Mamba sighed. "I wasn't expecting to fight in this dress tonight. Maybe Diamondback had the right idea." Asp looked down at her elegant green gown "We’ve fought in worse." Penguin tapped his umbrella against the marble floor and motioned for King to come back. “I insist you take the fighting outside. I have paying customers. And I rather like my furniture." King quietly stepped forward. "If you'll follow me..." She led everyone toward the front entrance. As they walked, she spoke to Black Mamba and Asp in a low voice. “I’m sorry.” Black Mamba smiled reassuringly. "It's alright." Asp nodded. "This sort of thing was inevitable in Gangland." King looked guilty. "I didn't want this to happen." Black Mamba reached into her evening purse. She removed a small, embossed business card She gently pressed it into King's hand. "Hang onto that." King looked down at it. "Even after this?" Black Mamba smiled. "Especially after this." She looked toward the waiting Kabuki Twins. "I think we can beat a pair of mute assassins. And everyone in Gangland will find out we aren’t to be messed with." Outside, the cold night air waited, along with the malicious intent of the Kabuki Twins with their steel claws. Black Bamba readied her Darkforce energy and Asp her Venom Bolts as they prepared to battle. Quote
Callisto Posted July 11 Read Aloud Posted July 11 Learn More About BAD Girls Inc. Read more about BAD Girls Inc. at Wikipedia Official Site: Marvel Links: Wikipedia Kabuki Twins Read more about Kabuki Twins at Wikipedia Official Site: DC Comics Links: Wikipedia DC Wiki Batman Wiki Quote
leroypowell3 Posted July 12 Read Aloud Posted July 12 10 hours ago, Venom 2009 said: Going for the BAD Girls. 🥰 I feel you on that one. But I can't get past the Kabuki Twins. They need to make a comic appereance. 1 Quote
Callisto Posted July 16 Read Aloud Posted July 16 Match Final Results Member Ratings:5.00 - Boratz 5.00 - Venom 2009 FPA Calculation:2 Total Votes cast 10.00 Total Combined Score 10.00 / 2 = 5.00 Final Rating on the match MATCH SCORE BAD Girls Inc.: 4Kabuki Twins: 2 Quote
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