Thank you PhantomAmongPhantoms for entering the Halloween story contest. Here is their story...
PhantomAmongPhantoms, one time weapon of mass destruction sat in the
centre of a scene of devastation... again.
His head throbbed,
his eyes were stinging and there was the strong taste of what was
probably disapointment in his mouth.
"Kick me out of
the Tower you bastards!" He grumbled to himself. "I know
Fallen said don't do it. Quark was all 'No Phantom we have rules'.
Even sodding Hanzo said it was a bad idea, but did Rakly really have
to react like that?"
He pushed through
the debris, trying to find a can that wasn't empty.
"I'll show
them. Can't just boot me out in the cold. I got stuff going for me
... like... like... loads of stuff!"
Slowly he clambered
upright, picking through the refuse to the door. He flicked his wrist
computer on. "I need somewhere to sleep, a new job, and a
drink."
"There is a
hotel ..."
"Priorities!"
He stabbed at the buttons.
"There is a
listing for ..."
"Do you
listen?" More button mashing.
"Blue Oyster is
approximately 6 minutes away"
Phantom thought
briefly. Mack wasn't an Avenger, he wouldn't turn him away now.
"Take your next
left ..."
"Shut up!"
"Mack, buddy,
let me in!"
"We're shut!"
"I just want a
drink."
"Still shut!"
"C'mon just a
quick stiff one"
"I'm off the
clock!"
Phantom glared at
the now firmly closed window, then down at his wrist computer.
A red light
glickered on it that he hadnt noticed before.
"What's that
mean?"
"Badge distress
signal" the processed voice responded.
"Play it"
Hisses of static,
alarm sirens, a loud thump reminiscent of an old man falling down ...
then a further crackling static.
"Play it so I
can hear it! "
"Re-analysing
and enhancing ..." static ...siren ... thump ... "who can
... compromise ... help"
"That Nova's a
dick"
Despite his
misgivings Phantom was in a bit of a quandary, BADGE hadn't really
helped him, but then the Avengers had decided he wasn't going to be
helping them.
Two birds one stone
... or something about gift horses looking in bushes. Whatever ... it
couldn't hurt.
"Call Mack"
he requested clearly.
"Calling Mack"
"Just do it!"
"Do what?"
"Mack, buddy
..."
"Still shut
Phantom!"
"I need to do
some compromising"
"Three things
... one, it's too late for this crap. Two, it's generally
compromising situations at the Oyster, which leads to three WE ARE
SHUT!"
"Couldn't you
make an exception?"
"Look you know
there's not much I won't do for cold hard cash, but I have a few
principals."
"Well how about
you give me a clue and I tip you next time I'm in."
"Compromising
isn't always a situation ... click"
Mack could be a
deceptively cryptic guy for someone who generally left it all in
show.
"Call Smith,
Shinkler, Smith, Ramirez, Smith, Deloitte and Smith"
If anyone knew about
compromise it would be a lawyer.
"Mr
AmongPhantoms how can we help?
"I need to do
something compromising"
"We would
advise that you tell us no more details as we will mot be able to
represent you if we are complicit."
"Can't you give
me an idea?"
"Say nothing
until you are asked if you want legal representation, then call us
.... click"
This wasn't going
great.-
"Message from
Seraphim Angels"
"What?"
"You have a
message from Seraphim Angels"
"Who?"
"Seraphim
Angels are a ..."
"What do they
want?"
"It appears to
be an invitation."
"They invited
me!?!"
"It would
appear so. How would you like to respond?"
"Reply ... erm
... ok ... don't send that but ... start with 'thanks for the invite,
I'm not busy right now, if you're inviting me I'd be happy to accept.
Please be aware that if there is a party, alcohol, women, good with a
humorous name or shape, alcohol, hot tubs or alcohol I may put myself
in a compromising situation."
Phantoms wrist
computer read the message back, he considered it briefly. "Send
that!" There's a good chance I can do that compromising Nova
wants so much, he was quietly confident.
Not much happened,
genuinely, a quiet couple of weeks dragged by. Phantom stayed quiet,
no parties or booze were thrown at him, not even a whiff of women, or
hot tubs. Equally importantly no further garbled messages from Nova.
But that wasn't
helping Phantom, he was getting antsy.
"Any news?"
He asked his wrist computer. "But not about Brexit!"
"Message from
Hanzo"
"YES! What's
that crazy want?"
"Message reads
'party needs DJ free beer will be women and if clean in time hot
tub."
"Reply ... you
had me at Party!"
Phantom relaxed ...
if I haven't compromised anyone by now I will then, that will shut
Nova up.
"Message
Island"
"Message
contents?"
"You going to
Hanzo's party? Want to share an uber with Mack? Promise that we'll
all get in compromising situations and all get clean away with
minimal reprisals."
"Message sent."
Best go get a
shower, figure out some tunes and grab a case or six.
"Message from
Island"
"Yeah?"
"Missed you
Phantom. Been up to mischief?"
"Message Island
... Me? Never gonna change, I don't do compromise, don't haggle,
won't settle for anything less than the best, accept no
substitutions, can't take second best. Tell Mack to call me with a
pick up time."
"What about
Nova?" His wrist computer piped up.
"Meh .... he's
a dick!"
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