Within the Brass Web.

by Brian Moon

  Chapter 9: Dark Watcher stops watching.

  “This had better not be a stupid April Fools Joke.” Lukas said coldly to the men standing in front of him.

  “N n n no sir. I wish that it was right now though. What I mean is…”

  “Shut up.” Lukas looked at the men in front oh him, he hadn’t felt like hitting something in a long time, but lately this feeling was surfacing more and more. He really looked at the group of men in front of him, to see their injuries. He focused on the one man that seemed less battered than the others. “You,” he said pointing to the man, “these men all look like they’ve gone ten rounds with a bull. You don’t look as bad off as them, why is that?”

  “Sir,” the man stepped forward at attention. “I was guarding the truck outside sir, they somehow knocked me out sir. I woke up to the men dragging me to the back of the truck to escape. I’m sorry sir.”

  “They? Are you saying there was more than one of them?”

  “No sir, I mean sir I really don’t know how many there were.”

  “I see… Any idea how they “knocked” you out?”

  “No sir, I don’t. I had my back to the truck and I didn’t see anyone in front of me. One moment I was on watch and the next moment I’m picking up myself off the ground.”

  “Get back in line… Can anyone tell me who did this? How did this happen?” When no one answered he slammed his hands on the desk in aggravation. It was unlike him to let anything upset him. He knew what it was; he had spent the last couple of weeks running everything, while Lord Nemesis stayed secluded in his workshop. Lord Nemesis was excited when he finally had time to look over the work from St. John-Smythe and how he constructed his Vambrace suit. He kept going on and on about how this was what he was looking for. At the time, Lukas brushed it off as scientific excitement. What he didn’t know was that it would mean him taking care of everything. The day to day items were one thing but the increasing nuisance for these would be heroes, was beginning to wear thin with him.

  Lukas rubbed his temples and sighed. “Okay one at a time, tell me what you saw happen tonight. Not what you think, not what anyone else did, just your story. We will piece together events from there.”

  The large Ford truck rumbled over the planks of the dock. It was headed for their scheduled meeting at the pier nine warehouse. Two black, four door Deisenberg escorted the truck. The men inside the cars and the truck all wore top coats, to protect their suits against that night’s rain, but also to conceal their weapons. The Kings were getting aggressive these last few weeks and neither they nor the Family were taking this lightly. Several key attacks seemed to only aggravate the Kings instead of settling them down. They were definitely too stupid to know when to back down, and it would be their undoing. The headlamps barely cut through the rain, showing only a few feet in any direction and the men were rightfully nervous. The docks should have been secure by the Family, after all this was their home, their kingdom. The men didn’t worry about the Family double crossing them. The Family and Southern United dealt in two different aspects of business, so they really weren’t competing against each other. They actually supplied each other when the need arose.

  The large truck stopped and then backed up to the loading dock door, which opened as it did. Several men stepped out onto the dock under the cover of the extended roof. Both of the cars stopped and the men all got out, huddling against the rain the quickly climbed the stairs to the loading dock floor and entered inside while four massive looking dock hands easily unloaded the crates and brought them inside. In the darken warehouse the eight men from Southern United and the Twelve men from The Family all stood around or sat on crates sharing a couple bottles of Canadian whiskey, talking about the start of the baseball season that weekend. The usual debate between the Red Sox, Dodgers, and Yankee fans was always lively but good-natured. Of course every one ribbed the dockhand that favored the Pittsburgh Pirates... This was just a drop off, the money had already been exchanged so there was no worry of being cheated or double crossed. Really what was in the crates wasn’t even a completed weapon, but parts the Family had brokered to someone in Canada in exchange for the more whiskey. The men had just finished their round of drinks when the lights in the building went out.

  They were experienced men and silently drew their weapons and whispered commands to prevent them from shooting each other. They slowly moved towards the docking bay door. When one of Marcone’s men flew ahead of the group to crashed into the door.

  “What’s the matter guys, can’t see in the dark?” Came a voice from somewhere in the darkened warehouse. “Both of your organization’s days in Paragon are numbered gentlemen. Well actually your number just came up.”

  “Stay tight and keep your backs to the door!” someone shouted.

  “Show yourself!” Shouted another.

  “Gladly, but you should be careful what you ask for.” Chuckled the sinister voice. Out of the darkness screamed terrors, darker than the darkness, wrapping themselves around each man, filling each man with paralyzing fear, the only thing to break that fear was a sudden attack. Each blow seemed to drain the life out of each of them but they didn’t notice, they didn’t hear each other’s screams. One by one they dropped to the floor. Only unconsciousness brought them a reprieve from the things that held them immobile from terror. As the last man fell to the floor the voice spoke again but he wasn’t laughing anymore. “Tell your bosses, that the Dark Watcher is done watching.”

  “So you’re telling me that none of you got off a single shot? How did he to it? How did he scare you so badly that you couldn’t move?” Lukas demanded. He had seen men paralyzed with fear on the battlefield, but he had never heard of anyone inducing it. This was just madding. “Get out of here before I shoot you myself.” These heroes were beginning to become really irritating and still Lord Nemesis refused to act. His “you don’t see the entire picture” didn’t help his mood. This didn’t look to be a start to a good day. He looked at the reports piled oh his desk. He hated the feeling of being incapable of reacting. If he could just put out contracts for these creeps, even if it was opened to independents, to keep the company out of it. He’d even be willing to contact the Kings for their assistance. Why were these heroes targeting him and not the Kings anyways? He new the answer to that question, that fool of a mayor and his big mouth, were to blame. He may have been the perfect pawn for their use, but he was as transparent as glass. He was corrupt, the heroes knew it and they knew who his biggest supporter was. It was a pretty short trail back to them. He chuckled to himself, if they only knew about the other half of this.”

  “What’s so funny?” Helena asked walking into his office. Her long fur coat was made of silver fox and it accented her pale blue eyes.

  “Nothing, it’s just been one of those days. So what brings you up to the tenth floor?”

  “Well a lunch date actually. You did remember we had one right?”

  “Yes, but its not...” He stopped as his eyes locked on the wall clock to see it was indeed twelve noon. Where had the morning gone? “I’m sorry; I told you it was one of those days already.”

  “We can do this some other day.” She said a little disappointment in her voice.

  “Oh no we won’t,” he said standing up and grabbing his jacket off the back of his chair. “If there is one thing I know, lunch with you will be the brightest point to my day. Let’s get out of here.” He leaned down to the intercom on his desk and hit the switch.. “Linda, please have them bring my car around. Ms. Michele and I are going to lunch.”

  “Yes sir.” Came the reply. Lukas had his topcoat on, his duster hat set just right on his head and he opened the door for Helena. Maybe the day was looking up after all.