[center][h2][u]BITCH AND THE BEAST[/u][/h2] [img]http://i.imgur.com/uvX201s.png[/img] [img]http://i.imgur.com/oM6nPmR.png[/img][/center] Location: Midas Industries, Lost Haven-Maine Time: Morning (some time around 3-4 am) Richard Midas stepped into the laboratory in the sub basement of Midas Industries with a smile on his face. Since the so-called meta humans began showing up in Lost Haven, and in various cities around the world, he had wanted to get his hands on one. He wanted a powerful meta that would be at his beck and call, a meta that would answer only to him and see that his will be done. Shortly after Icon had made his spectacular debut in Lost Haven, Midas had reached out to him, offering his hand in friendship in hopes of cultivating a mutually beneficial relationship that would ensure their places in this world. However, the blue and silver clad hero had rebuffed him. It was a rejection that still fueled Midas to this day. However, due to recent events in Chinatown, his fortunes had changed. He had first heard about an amazing young woman through a well placed mole that he had placed within one of his largest rivals. The young woman in question, Racheli Desdemona supposedly had an almost unlimited potential, and if her potential was realized, could rival Icon himself, as well as any potential threat that could endanger this world. However, in order to reach that potential, her abilities, and whatever it was that was inside of her that gave her those abilities would have to be nurtured. Not only would he be the man to nurture her and her gifts, but he would study them, and if at all possible, replicate those gifts in others. However, those aspirations would have to wait, because for now, he needed gain her trust, if at all possible. And if her trust proved difficult to gain…he had other ways to get her to cooperate. Midas approached the hospital bed in which Racheli lay, still unconscious after her battle with the super powered mercenary War-Pulse had been cut short by his drones. Her torn and burned clothes had been replaced by a thin hospital gown. He watched her chest rise and fall with each breath, as he waited for her to awaken. Fortunately for Midas, who was never known for his patience, he did not have to wait long. Almost as if on cue, her eyes fluttered, and then opened. Midas watched her as she stood up suddenly and slowly came to the awareness she was no longer in Chinatown’s street, battling War Pulse. “It’s alright, Ms Desdemona. You’re quite safe. Nobody is going to come looking for you here, I can assure you of that.” Midas said with a warm smile as he addressed his guest for the first time. Racheli’s hand reached up then started to rub away the grit in her eyes, clearing her vision. Her head cocked toward Midas’ voice when he spoke causing her to stare a bit and tried to register his face from her memories. Nothing. That meant, she quickly deduced, she had never encountered him before in her life as her feet slide to the side of her current bed and hung down. It was then it came to her attention that she was currently dressed within a very thin gown instead of her usually thicker clothes. Her head snapped up, bring her spine to stiffen in reaction to this fact. If had been possible, then all color would’ve faded from her skin and given her a sickly look before her eyes darkened into anger,[color=indianred] “Where the hell are my clothes and who the fuck are you?”[/color] Midas had expected such a reaction. While he was not accustomed to being addressed in such a manner, he was slightly amused by it, and due to the extraordinary events that had lead her to be in his possession, he was willing to forgive her abruptness, for now. “My name is Richard Midas, and I own this facility.” Midas started. “But more importantly, I’m a friend. I’ve been following you for some time, Ms Desdemona. You have drawn quite a bit of attention to yourself, some of that from people whose attention you really do not want. I can help you with that.” Midas told her, noting that her expression did not change; it remained one of anger and contempt. “Of course, once we know that it’s safe, you’ll be free to go. Your clothes have been boxed up and I’ll personally bring them to you if you would like.” Midas told her. “Racheli, you’re safe now, you don’t have to fight anymore. We can help you.” He said, his tone softening as he offered her a kind smile. Inwardly, Rach was wondering why she kept getting into these types of situations. Was the bastard upstairs trying to tell herself and didn’t quite take no for an answer or was she just unlucky? Either way, complaining wasn’t going to help her now. Shifting slightly on her bed edge, Rach tried to keep her tone steady and calmer than she felt in the moment,[colo=indianred] “While I appreciate the offer, I have friends trying to help me and I don’t think I need your help. So, would it be much trouble to get my clothes so I can be on my way?”[/color] “I’m afraid that you can’t leave, not quite yet, anyhow. You see, Ms Desdemona, I have plans for you. I believe that we are under an unprecedented threat posed by these meta humans. And you, my dear, are the key in ensuring our survival.” Midas told her, his tone taking a slightly darker turn. “I’m well aware of your friends, and it would be a real shame if something...were to happen to them due to your refusal of my offer.” Midas said plainly. Rach’s lips frowned. She didn’t like what she was hearing and her expression showed it, her mind ticking over what he had said for several moments,[color=indianred] “It would take a lot to imprison my friends. I don’t think you have enough power or resources to keep or even hurt them. Now… either you kindly get my clothes and I walk out, or you will regret it.”[/color] “You seem to be under the impression that you have a choice in this matter, my dear.” Midas said with a smirk. “As for your friends, I have little interest in imprisoning them.” He told her, allowing the implication of his words to sink in. “Why don’t you run your fingers behind your left ear?” He waited for her to do so. Rach gave Midas a confused looked as she raised her hand toward the indicated spot and felt something underneath her skin. It was thin and protruded from the bone, making her spine seep with dread while she followed it right into the back of her skull. She knew deep down the nanites should’ve dismantled and reconfigured anything that wasn’t natural to her anatomy, but this wasn’t affected. “Do you feel that bump at the base of your skull? It’s an explosive charge that my doctors implanted in your head. Should you become a problem, it will detonate, and all of your problems will be over, if you get my meaning.” A shocked and stunned look crossed her earlier scowling one, replacing it quickly. Immediately her fingers, more out of instinct, started to dig into the flesh where the device was. Her desire to get out clear with the deeper her fingers started to tear into her skin. Meanwhile the bed frame screeched then made a metallic scream when crumbled slight from her magnetic abilities showing through. Several metal tools nearby on the cart jerked and flew from the top, burying into the wall nearest the room’s door. [color=indianred]”What the fuck did you do to me? This isn’t possible, the nanites and… how did you do it?”[/color] Rach growled in frustration, still trying to remove the foreign object in her skull. Her eyes narrowed on the man as she began to stand upright from her bed and took one step toward him. “You may want to rethink that.” Midas said to Racheli, who was moving toward him, no doubt to put an end to him here and now. He calmly unbuttoned his shirt and pulled it open, revealing a small incision in his chest, about the length of a quarter. It took everything within Rach to pause when Midas spoke. Her left fist was clenched at her side, the other one occupied, and every fiber wanting to force him to fix this then finally rip him to pieces. Her voice, filled with rage, spoke,[color=indianred] “Funny, that’s what everyone fucking says. Give me one good reason why I should?”[/color] “You see, that device in your head is directly linked to my heartbeat. Should anything happen to me…” Midas said as he brought his hands to the side of his head and mimicked her head exploding. “Also, you may want to stop trying to pull it out...it has a real hair trigger.” He told her, purposely not answering her questions. “You see my dear, you really have no choice in this matter. I was hoping that you would be see reason and we could do this the easy way. But you seriously underestimate my ability to play dirty. I always get what I want.” Feeling her fury about to burst, Rach’s hand stopped picking at her skin and fell to her side. Blood trickled down her ear and along her neck where it gradually dried, the nanites dying in the air. Her eyes didn’t move from Midas as she trembled in rage, her figure subtly shaking. With little warning, her right fist darted out in immense speed. The wall cracked inches from the man’s head, the impact spider webbing as she pulled away causing the plaster to crumble onto the floor and his suit. Rach was still breathing hard when she decided to voice her thoughts outloud, [color=indianred] “You are a spoiled shit, aren’t you? You have my attention so what happens now?”[/color] “Listen, I’m a reasonable guy. I need your help to safeguard not just this city, but the entire world. Once we have done that, you’ll be free to go, if that is what you want. But somehow, I get the feeling that once you see what’s going on, and once you get to know me...You won’t want to leave.” Midas told her confidently. “You’ll be well paid, and you’ll be provided with everything you need. I need you to trust me, or at least trust in the fact that I will do whatever I have to do in order to get what I’m after...even if it’s something that I really don’t want to do.” [color=indianred] “Well, you’ve started off being a real charmer. How can I resist trusting you after this,”[/color] Rach shot back sarcastically, her figure gradually lowered back down to the bed. Impulsively she shifted her hospital gown to cover her as much as possible, her ears still listening,[color=indianred] “Instead of planting a bomb in my head, shouldn’t you be finding like minded individuals with abilities? I don’t care about your damn war or desire to protect the city. If you haven’t opened your eyes, I pretty much tore up a whole street in one small skirmish and brought down most of one building at least.”[/color] “I’m well aware of your destructive abilities, and your...lack of discipline in utilizing them. That building that you tore down belonged to me. Hell, child, I own half of this city. And as far as you’re concerned, I did what I had to do to ensure your cooperation. Once you get to know me, you’ll realize that I’m not a bad guy. And more importantly, once this is all over, you’ll realize that I’m right.” [color=indianred] “Until then, if ever, I’ll keep hating your filthy guts. It makes me feel better,”[/color] Rach snapped, still unimpressed with the argument,[color=indianred] “You still avoided my question: what now? I assume you aren’t going to keep me locked up here and since I have no choice, I want to know what is going to happen next.”[/color] “You’re right, I’m not going to keep you locked up. In fact, as we speak my people are preparing your penthouse apartment in Sherman Square. There you’ll find a new cell phone, which you will want to keep on you at all times. Should I need you, I’ll call, and you’ll come, lest you want to lose your head.” Midas said in a tone which made it difficult to tell whether he was joking or not. “You’ll be free to go after I get one small thing from you.” Midas said as he walked over to Racheli. He put hand down on the bed next to her and leaned in slightly. “I just need a blood sample.” Racheli leaned away to look at him, commenting on the odd fact he hadn’t gotten one yet,[color=indianred] “I’m surprised you didn’t get one while I was out. It would’ve been easier.”[/color] “Indeed it would have been.” Midas conceded. “But I was hoping to get your approval first.” He said with a smile. Annoyance swept over her face at the fact the choice was out of Rach’s hands as she glared at him, her arm extended for the blood to be taken,[color=indianred] “You’re really funny, you know that? Get it done and over with.”[/color] Midas beamed as he produced a needle to take the blood sample. “Relax, this might sting a bit.” He said with a smile as he plunged the needle into her arm, taking a vial full of viscous black blood. “There, that wasn’t so bad, was it?” Midas asked as he took the sample and placed it in a lock box to be processed by his scientists as soon as possible. Moments later, the door to the lab opened and Ms Sparks stepped inside with a small box containing Racheli’s clothes. She looked over to Midas and then to the Racheli. She leered when she saw the barely covered form of Racheli. She glided over to the infuriated woman and dropped the box of clothes at her feet. “Get dressed, we’re getting you out of here.” Ms Sparks said as she turned and led Midas out of the lab. [color=indianred] “Gee, thanks for the update. Keep leering like that, it might stick that way,”[/color] Rach said in the woman’s wake, hopping off the bed and started to dress.