Match of the Millennium

Description: Still in the clutches of the Russians, Agent Daniel 'Jack' Little of Interpol has finally be 'cleared' for the kind of vile procedures. Gone is the ice mines of Siberia, and here is the foul medical experiments of true Russian madness. Fortunately, our brave detective has an ace up his sleeve: Major Charlie Nash of the US Military has come to the heart of Russia, to rescue Daniel from the horrific medical procedures that the Russians have plotted. Will Daniel Jack escape with his life? Or will he be force into the... Shape of Terror? (The cover shows the interior of a castle, within some mad scientist lab. Daniel Jack is strapped to a table, wearing a strange metal helmet as well as his detective outfit. Across from Daniel, using shaky blurring, it shows that Daniel seems to be in the midst into transforming into a beautiful dark-skinned woman in a strapless red gown, also wearing the strange metal helmet. General Zima, dressed in a lab coat, black gloves, and wild science hair, cackling as he pulls a switch. Off to the left side of the comic cover, Major Charlie Nash, dressed in WWII Army Fatigues and armed with a Thompson Machinegun, is leading an assault into the castle, busting down a wall and leading a troop of US Marines into the laboratory) (45 Cents)

[DANIEL]
Oh, lord.

That was all that Agent Little of Interpol could say about his situation. Oh lord. He was supposed to be investigating the King of Fighters tournament. Instead, the team was turning on itself. He was supposed to be in the finals. And he was almost there. He barely inched over a win over Charlie Nash of all people, a win by decision. It was supposed to be good news.

And then he was picked up by the Russians.

In a degree of insight that only the Russians could muster, Daniel Jack was seized at the end of his fight against Sonic Assault. Rather than recovering properly, he was... given clearance. A very... invasive procedure, as it turned out. Daniel Jack was used to being knocked out for long periods of time. But this was... still a problem.

And now, Daniel Jack was in a public hospital in Angarsk.

A string of cyrillic was the name of the place. What it meant? Daniel had no idea. The place had a nasty third-world feel to it as well; that dusty mildew smell was in the air, and in spite of everything being sterile, there was a disturbing off-color yellow to the walls. Daniel Jack was sitting in a hospital bed, with an EKG and IV tube snapped to him. It was public, in theory. In practice, every time a stranged, scarred nurse came in, a handgun strapped to their waist, Daniel would find himself passed out again. And then, waking up again, just long enough for a nurse to return with either unconsciousness, or a lukewarm meal of rice, potatoes, canned fish, and cabbage. Daniel hated rice, potatoes, and cabbage at this point.

The canned fish was okay.

[CHARLIE]
WIth Daniel learning to mistrust the medical staff so, it probably isn't going to be much comfort to him when a doctor with a long, off-white doctor's coat, buttoned up far more like a shady long coat or duster tahn anything, walks in. It's an intimidating sight, and one might believe he's with a secret police of some sort the way he's built. He's a tall, thickly built man, a way that the coat simply cannot hide.

It's probably quite a shock, then, when the doctor proceeds to turn to the now closed door...and jam a utilitarian chair underneath the knob, ensuring that it'll take quite the effort to open it up from the outside. The blinds are all drawn too, both those leading from...whatever 'outside' Daniel actually got in this hovel, and to the hall itself.

It's only when the doctor turns, pulling the cotton face mask from his face, and flips his hair forward from its excessively slicked back state, that Daniel might realize who this man is. "You're a hard man to find even when you want to meet up, Little. When you said we'd talk after the fight, this wasn't what I was expecting."

Sure, Charlie wasn't usually the undercover sort...but he's not one of the US Special Forces' finest for nothing.

[DANIEL]
A new face.

Daniel Jack narrows his eyes at the doctor coming in. Already, he could figure out it wasn't a Russian. It looked too American. Way too American. Like from a ranking from 1 to 10, it was the official Lightning Spangles Showup Hoedown Training Pants. It was just a presence. And when that mask comes down, and Daniel sees it straight on... his eyes widen.

"Chaaaaaaaaaaw-"

"Chaaaaaarlsen Chew is my favorite candy."

Daniel Jack quickly adjusts. He didn't want to blow a man's cover, especially in a situation like this. He didn't know who it was, but there was a rumor that he learned fast that someone was captured trying to rescue him. He didn't want 0 for 2 to turn up here. As Daniel looks around, he sees a nurse passing through the doorway. "Doctor, lay it on me straight. Will I eat candy again?" The detective states loudly, before whispering. "Jesus christ Charlie, I didn't think you'd risk you life over me."

"What's the noise on the floor?"

[CHARLIE]
Seeing Daniel in this state is...concerning. But Charlie Nash is enough of a professional to not push things too far, replacing his mask and slicking back his hair again. Sure, he's taken the precautions to maintain some sort of security here, but can't forget about it before he leaves, right?

"Candy shouldn't be your concern, Mr. Little," he says, with a rather...convincing Russian accent, perhaps a bit too standard if anything. After playing off the 'cover', he whispers back. "You're not allowed to die until you help me get things straight here, LIttle, you got that?" he says, giving him a cursory overview. "What the hell have they been pumping you with anyway?"

[DANIEL]
"Well, uh, it's knocking me out."

That is the response from Daniel as he considers that he has been, well, knocked out. "Which means that it is probably a painkiller designed for an elephant. Aaaaaand probably should be stopping my heart." Daniel Jack pauses a moment, considering the ramafications. "Which means, in turn, that I would be dying very quickly if they stopped checking up on me. Which is probably why I see a nurse right before I pass out." Daniel Jack runs some numbers in his head.

"Huh."

Daniel Jack smacks his lips a bit. "So Charlie, this is gonna sound weird," Daniel Jack begins, gesturing with his hand. "But I think I've worked things out with the Russians. They're just a little nervous with some of my close encounters with the Darkstalkers, you dig?" Daniel Jack flattens his hand, shaking it a bit. "But they've uh, we've struck a deal. I've passed their clearance, and they're willing to work with Interpol again. Everything is gonna go fine. Once I'm out of the hospital?"

"I'm sure I'll be ready for the final fight in the King of Fighters."

[CHARLIE]
---------------------------<Paste from Charlie>----------------------------

SNN - The head of the second largest gang San Pedro Sula, Honduras was found dead early morning on July 31st, the latest in high profile violence in the city and only the latest in a possible string of fighter-related assassinations in the last year.



Luis Obispo Arroyo, leader of the En Solido cartel, was considered one of the most dangerous men in the city and was high on the FBI's Most Wanted list due to his involvement in drug and weapons trafficking, often working with with several smaller organizations to launder money and ship product to the US-Mexico border under the radar of both authorities and rival cartels. His body was found in the office of a banana processing plant long believed to be an En Solido front, with what authorities believe to be signs of deep lacerations as well as a low-yield explosive, with clear signs of outside involvement. However, there were minimal signs of forced entry, and no signs of murder weapons, leading authorities to believe that it was a planned hit by a powered fighter or mercenary. The explicit nature of the assination asl suggests it may have been done as a message from a rival cartel.



En Solido had been emerging as a threat to overtake the larger Mexican cartels along the border, as well as the Las Calaveras cartel also based in San Pedro Sula. Suspicions have been cast on both Las Calaveras as well as the current Mayor of San Pedro Sula, Ricardo Castro Reyes, but little evidence has been found to connect Arroyo's death to either.



FIGHTER-RELATED CRIME ON THE RISE



The assassination of Arroyo just one of many crimes suspected to have ties with powered individuals. Such criminals have been dubbed 'Fighters' due to similar styles and tools used by popular athletes and fighters on various circuits such as Saturday Night Fights. While this has been met with complaints from SNF and its parent company, along with other fighting organizations, the term has stuck, often pared with similar terms such as 'Mercenary Fighter' or 'Powered Fighter', the latter specifically used for crimes committed with signs of high-energy use.



While there have been instances of petty crime committed by individuals with similar fighting styles and tools, the FBI and INTERPOL are on the record of focusing more on involvement with large criminal organizations or mercenary outfits rather than local crimes and felonies by Fighters. With such individuals becoming seen as trump cards for many gangs, and paramilitary units actively recruiting for 'Fighters' as well, international authorities feel little choice but to address what they see as a growing trend.

-----------------------------<Paste to Russia>-----------------------------

Well...that's not the best thing to hear. Getting drugged that much, that regularly, even with regular checkups, sounds like a terrible idea. Which makes one wonder why at all.

"This doesn't exactly look like things are 'worked out'. It looks more like you're being worked on." Even with his face mask on, Charlie's skeptical look bleeds through, curious eyebrow raised toward Daniel. "Though I'm not going to argue about being nervous with your company. But that's the reason we're supposed to talk, isn't it?" He looks around a little. "Once you're out...and when's that supposed to happen?"

Then KoF comes up, causing Charlie's expression to harden. "...Little, do you know what day it is?" he asks. "I had to leave my own fight in my partner's care just to do this. More than like your fight's already been wrapped up."

[DANIEL]
"..."

The news comes with a moment of silence. "They... started the fight without us?" Oh, there was a lot here. Maybe Daniel was being worked on. But right now? Daniel realized that he -was- being worked on. They were going to talk when they were out?

Daniel sits up.

"I'm out of here right now in fact."

"Right."

"God damn."

"Now!"

Daniel Jack slides the legs over. Brow furrowed furiously, he yanks the IV out in a single, smooth gesture. As he begins to detatch the EKGs, the detective mutters furiously. "Those god damn, worthless Russians, I swear to shit, if we lose the god damn- if we -both- lose this god damn tournament, I am going to start slapping the -shit- out of every god damn soldier or agent in this god damn building. Present company excluded." Daniel Jack starts to head to the doorway, as one of the nurses comes in, trying to figure out what the fussy is about.

Daniel responds by grabbing the nurse, flipping her over, and slamming her straight on her back.

"God damn Russians ruining my god damn chances at winning this god damn thing" He mutters as he disarms the nurse.

[CHARLIE]
That was a rather fast turnaround. But that at the very least shows Charlie how seriously Daniel takes things when he's forced to. Especially when he's getting played. Letting the Interpol agent do his own thing, he steps back, and watches him...

The moment he bodyslams a nurse is when he intervenes. "Dammit, Little. This isn't time for a one-man mission. We get the hell out of here, you tell me what the hell is going on, and then we get this Program off the ground, or else I leave you here. Got that, soldier?" He doesn't bother to let the fact that Daniel Jack isn't a soldier keep him from his roll.

[DANIEL]
Charlie's intervention was... respected.

As he starts to finish disposing of the nurse, the agent is stopped cold. Daniel Jack stands back, deferring to the major. Right now, Daniel needed Charlie in the club. But if Charlie was caught resucing him. For a moment, Daniel Jack was correcting the major. "Look, Charlie, between us, I can't risk you. You're the one who has the most at risk. What if the Russians catch us? I'll just go through this crap again. But you... you..."

"Wait a minute."

Daniel Jack shakes his head. "As long as we get the hell out of here, it's not like the Russians are gonna punish me further. I'm being illegally detained, dammit! And they can't stop me. I'm -pissed!-" Daniel Jack surges with orange chi. "Alright Major Nash, we're somewhere in the middle of enemy territory, surrounded in a facility filled with agents, and I'm loaded on more drugs than the corpse of John Belushi.' Daniel Jack wiggles his mustache.

"Lets get the hell out of here, Major."

[CHARLIE]
Charlie doesn't let go of Daniel until he's sure the Interpol agent is calmed and not about to go postal on the entire hospital. His face is still set in that determined scowl (well, one can imagine the scowl from behind the mask at least), until Daniel gets a...slightly better assessment of the situation. It's not perfect, but it's one that the airman can deal with for now.

"As long as you don't decide to draw any more attention to yourself than you already have, just follow me." He then looks at the poor nurse on the floor. "...take her coat for now. It's not going to fit but you need something."

[DANIEL]
"More attention?"

Daniel was good at drawing attention. The agent could do some infilitration. As long as it didn't involve disguising himself, usually. Daniel just couldn't help but being in the middle of attention sometimes. "Alright, Major." The detective states, looming over the nurse. The detective's hands were reaching out, his fingers twisted into hooks. Shadowing over the women, a knowing smile comes over his lips.

And Daniel begins to undress the unconscious woman.

After a moment, Daniel was dressed in the nurse wear. Tastefully, he rolls the unconscious woman on the hospital bed, and covers her up. Adjusting his top, he nods firmly at the Major. "Alright -doctor- I think once we finish up our rounds here, why don't we get off early." Daniel Jack winks, as he fixes a mask over his face.

"I think we were talking about a date?"

[CHARLIE]
...somehow, none of that was helpful. Aside from the disguise part, of course. But Charlie ends up seeing just how Daniel manages to get the reputaion he does, whether he meant to or not. And rather than indulge the man on his creepier antics, Charlie simply narrows his eyes at the 'nurse' and holds up a finger, as if to shush him.

Once that message is sent, he gestures for Daniel to follow him, to a set of stairs. No sense in getting too complex, and most would be more interested in the elevators from his far up. "Don't say anything, play the part, until we're out of the doors," he quickly says with a sharp whisper, authority in his voice.

[DANIEL]
Daniel Jack flutters his eyelashes in response.

As the pair makes for the stairs, they do come past one of the sentry posts. A nurse sits there, watching not the doctor and the nurse, but the fight going down right now. Sergei was just stepping in now, to finish off the Psycho Soldiers. This was a tense time, and truly a moment for mother russia.

Nothing could go wrong.

The stairs would lead downstairs; nobody takes the stairs. But there wasn't an emergency exit that way; they would have to brave the lobby. And after the lobby, the outside. And then, the rest of Russia. Daniel Jack tries his best to wiggle his hips as he follows Charlie.

It was too late for regrets.

[CHARLIE]
One part of infiltration and undercover work isn't so much how to get out of people's vision, but making sure you don't look out of place when you are in their vision. As such, Charlie does his best not to look conspicious enough to stop while he walks out, mindful to wait just a little bit upon coming down the stairs before doing anything else.

Unfortunately, he can only do so much without relying on the man he's springing free, and he's...clearly not helping matters whatsoever. Goddammit, Agent LIttle.

But at the very least, the door seems to be in sight. ONce their out of the door, then they can do things a little more...briskly.

[DANIEL]
They were so close now.

Getting Daniel out this way shouldn't be this easy. On the other hand, there was supposed to be an alarm going off when the nurse saw the situation. And then the sentry wasn't supposed to be distracted, and a bunch of little things build to one big failure. But Charlie and Daniel make it to the lobby, where a team of soldiers are stationed. And Daniel's eyes cast to the television overhead... as Sergei goes into seizures, at Athena's attack. The detective rolls his eyes as he follows after Charlie...
And there is a wolf-whistle.

"<Hey there baby! I love the dark meat!>" A russian soldier catcalls at the nurse accompanying Doctor Nash. There is a pause from the nurse. And then, an instinct. Daniel giggles high pitched, and waves at the man. Promptly, he hooks a hand around Nash's arm. The soldier groans. "<Ah! Should be law against doctors gets hot nurses!>" The soldier sulks, as more moans come from the russians. Looks like the Interpol fight was going... worse. Nurse Little watches the screen, and looks away.

He wasn't going to say it.

But god dammit Russia.

[CHARLIE]
...when this is all said and done? This mission is getting classified. NO ONE gets to know the full details of what happened here. No one NEEDS to know. And mostly because Charlie really wishes he would not know either, because the more that they sweep through the lobby, the more uncomfortable the whole thing gets.

Uncomfortable enough to make up for the fact that their 'escape' was almost too easy. NOt that he'll jinx it and say it out loud, of course.

The Airman simply narrows his eyes before he leads "Nurse" Daniel to the door and to the outside. With precious little to hopefully impede theme, it's all a matter of ditching the disguises and heading to the pickup point. Good thing the Major called in some favors. "Whatever you know and whatever connections you have better be worth all this trouble, Little, because you're a magnet for bad situations."

[DANIEL]
"Oh, just wait until I tell you my bad situations."

Having slipped out of the hospital, it was now just that. To ditch the outfits, and then find somewhere secret to talk. They were still in dangerous territory. But the nurse, looking around, spies what there was away from the hospital. "We need a place to go though. There is a..." He spies a familiar sign. "...Starbucks there..." He glances at a pathway, leading to a bench. "...A park over there..." And then he sees something else, that would be just perfect.

"...or how about that motel over there?"

Daniel didn't know many words of Russian, but he did see the most important ones on that seedy building. He points at it, holding Charlie's arm. "I think the motel even runs hourly rates, so we can do what we need to do in private, and then, get out without having to spend the entire night!" Daniel Jack squeezes Charlie's arm.

"Your choice though!"

[CHARLIE]
...

Charlie stares at Daniel with eyes of disbelief, even as he tossed off his doctor's coat, leaving only a covert ops suit underneath. The mask remains, but again, eyes clearly tell all the story that needs to be said.

"...Daniel, no. We're getting to the extraction point first, and getting out of here, THEN you talk. We are not staying here longer than we have to, and stop trying to play the role, it's over now."

[DANIEL]
"Well where is this extraction point?"

Daniel Jack just puts his hands on his hips, pursing his lips. He could see that look. He could even taste it. "And what do you mean playing the role? What kind of nurse do you think I am, sir?" Daniel Jack crosses his arms, as he sighs. "Besides, uh, I just got the hospital gown. I think I'll get a little further staying in this number."

"You just lead the way, and I'll follow!"

[CHARLIE]
Daniel continues to get a glare from Charlie, the soldier clearly not amused or in the mood for jokes or games. "This is not the time, nor the place, for this, Little..." he glowers...before tossing the agent the doctor's coat he had just shed. "If you need something else, take that."

Adjusting his straps and pouches a little more, Charlie looked on, pulling out what appeared to be a GPS unit. "3 clicks west by northwest," he says, slipping it back into one of the pouches and slipping his back against a way so he can take a look around the corner. "We can hitch a ride on the back of one of the supply trucks to get out of here, but it's on foot from there."

[DANIEL]
Daniel was secretly grateful he didn't have to be Charlie's hot nurse.

"Thanks, scuzzy." The detective nods, as he quickly changes. Unhooking the bra, he quickly puts on the doctor outfit. It was kind of like a trenchcoat, in a way. Keeping his head low, he looks over at it. "Hitch a ride? Are we gonna sneak on? Or..." Daniel considers.

"Maybe I can convince them to let us ride?"

He pauses.

"No, no, we're sneaking on."

[CHARLIE]
Charlie nods in silent agreement with Daniel, never considering just 'asking'. That'd be more trouble in the end than it was worth. Thankfully, the truck is big enough and wide enough that when it starts to pass by, the airman is easily able to run in and hook himself to the back door of the trailer. He gestures for Daniel to follow suit. It's either that, or stay with the 'very nice doctors' back at the hospital, likely very angry that their patient went out without a proper release form.

[DANIEL]
Daniel Jack hops in to the back of the truck after Charlie.

The journey out of Russia was gonna be tough. But Charlie was a man on a mission. It wouldn't be long before they reached their destination... and Charlie gets a full debrief. Of course, both of them had to miss out on their fights over this. Daniel felt guilty for Charlie, but was furious over his own team. Lita probably didn't even know what was going on. And Sergei? He hoped that Sergei would choke in his fight. There was a silver lining, at least.

At least Daniel wouldn't have to punch someone like Momoko or Athena in the face on international television.

Log created on 20:03:48 07/31/2016 by Daniel, and last modified on 19:03:29 08/04/2016.