//------------------------------// // Prologue: Part 2 // Story: The six headed HYDRA // by Malcolm Merlyn //------------------------------// This is not going to be pleasant for you. You know... sometimes... being wanted alive may actually be worse than being wanted dead. Especially when the person sent to hunt you down wasn't too picky about how badly he was going to hurt you. Especially when all he needed you to be was alive. And that was the predicament for a drug kingpin when on his grounds, he a man sneak in. A man in a black and orange suit of armor who was armed to the teeth. Deathstroke. The two silenced pistol shots ran out, dispatching both guards in an instant upon the entrance as Slade made his way in. Activating his tactical vision, he took a careful look around. They had spotted him. Regardless... things would only be more interesting that way. The door opened to reveal several armed guards. From here, he could take them out easily with his sniper rifle... but what fun would there be in that? He watched as the men hid behind some shipping containers, oblivious to the large crane overhead. A well-placed shot from his sniper rifle would send it crashing down upon them, killing several of them. The slightly quicker ones managed to get away, but by then, the masked mercenary was already upon the with his sword as he ran a few unfortunate individuals down. Those who weren't killed outright had the good sense to run, while a few bolder (or dumber) of the men tried to stay and fight. This would end badly for all of them as Slade moved at speeds that was disorienting for the lesser man and had a lightning fast reaction time. Not a single one of the bullets would come close to hitting as the assassin came upon the guards, the sword flashed and several bodies dropped to the ground. Chuckling to himself, the assassin kicked open the door, sending it flying several meters and actually crashing right into a pair of men, the sheer force of the flying piece of metal would break several bones. Moving out, he spotted the elevator... of course, actually using the elevator would be asking for it. No... breaking open a hole on top, he used his grappling gun to move quickly through the shaft until he reached the top. His mission would be waiting. Placing several shaped charges upon the door, he jumped back onto the other side and pressed the trigger. As predicted, they wouldn't be expecting the door to have come straight in upon them, taking the opportunity of the confusion and carnage, Slade jumped right into the opening, even without his tactical vision, he probably could have just as easily as listened to the panicking voices to discern their general decision. They all went down in moments to his swords. When the smoke cleared, the room would be full of dropped bodies and Deathstroke who proceeded to the door as he readied his swords and kicked the door open. The remaining guards tried to do something... but only ended with them getting a blade ran right through them before any of them could even as much as react. And there he was, the lone frightened drug lord, by his desk screaming incoherent things in Spanish as he shot his gun at Slade. There was the sound of metal hitting metal. Two halves a bullet hit the ground, cut in half by Slade's blade who looked back at his target who's mouth was open and was backing against the wall. From behind him, a section of loose masonry fell out place and landed right between his legs. Fortunately for him, Slade wasn't here to kill him. Unfortunately for him, Slade wasn't exactly told not to give him a vicious beating. ____________________________________________________________________ "Jeta is finished." Slade said as he threw the man to the two ARGUS agents. Numerous fractured ribs, both arms broken, both legs broken and several instances of internal bleeding. How this person was still alive... it was a mystery to Waller and her subordinates as she looked at him. "I'll check that off." The woman said as she looked at Slade. "Twelve down... a few hundred more to go. I've transferred the funds to one of your offshore accounts on this one." "Thank you. Pleasure doing business." Slade said. Whether or not he was sarcastic in the last part, it was anyone's guess. The moment Waller and her men turned in the other direction, Slade would be gone, already on a plane heading back home to a safe house in Gotham. Five hours later, and he would be home. It had been a good week. The guy in the bat costume wasn't going to be bothering him any time soon with most of his contracts being out of town... though who said he wouldn't be able to get any work done here in Gotham? Most of it would hardly warrant the attention of batman. He considered taking a drop to the iceberg longue. Cobblepot always claimed that his men could beat Slade in a brawl, so far, out of their 400 or so bets, Slade had won every single one. How Cobblepot hasn't gone broke from this type of awful gambling was a mystery to just about anyone. Sitting down in the mostly empty dining room, the man made himself some dinner as he looked a photo. An old one that had him and his family in in it. At the time, he looked not much different how he looked now, just that his hair was brown and not silver. The many decades wouldn't have any effect upon his body, except for his hair. Another photo he kept close to him was hung up by the stove. Depicting himself, a big guy in a stars and stripes costume, a doctor with a pair of smart glasses, A burly man in a huge suit of power armor and with a goatee , a short boy with what Slade considered to be the dumbest haircut ever , and a short girl with silver hair that eerily resembled Rose in her childhood. "I see you still may have a heart after all... assassin." The voice said coming out of nowhere. "Never knew you would miss those people this much." "Mhm." Slade said as he was hardly surprised. Though... the sound of the voice was quite familiar as he turned to face the dark blue alicorn. "What do you want Luna?" "What do you think?" Luna asked rather grimly. "I never knew overgrown child toys needed people with two bullets in the chest this often." Slade said. "It's only been three months." "Then you should see this." Luna said as she tossed the file to Slade containing snapshots of various men dressed in what highly resembled SS uniforms. "Equestria seems to have a big thing on it's hands once again. No dragons." "Perfect. So... you want these people dead?" "Stopped... by whatever means necessary. If lethal force must be applied, than so be it." Luna said. "What say you? If it may motivate you, Steve Rogers has agreed to help." "Well... I always wanted to see that magnificent son of a bitch again." Slade commented as he thought of everyone else. "Just him?" "He's brought a friend from what our sources say. But other than that, it's all we have as of now." "In that case, I'd like to be paid this time." Slade said. "Perhaps in advance." The tip of Luna's horn glowed as bags of cash fell straight onto the ground. "Satisfied?" "Indeed." Slade said as he looked over at the dead presidents. "Where do we start? And who needs to be dead?"