? - Epilogue

The most memorable part of Graham's funeral was a eulogy delivered by John. Standing before an audience that included all the main characters of this story on the protagonists' side, John began with the following: "I guess we're all thinking how sad it is that a man of such talent, of such capability for kindness, of such unusual intelligence...yes, intelligence, should now so suddenly be spirited away. Well, I feel that I should say, 'Nonsense. Good riddance to him, the freeloading bastard, all he ever did for this team was spill coffee on the prototype drawings! I hope he fries!' And the reason I feel I should say this is he would never forgive me if I didn't, if I threw away this glorious opportunity to make fun of him on his behalf. Anything for him, but mindless good taste."
At the end of the service, John announced that they will be taking Graham's urn (containing his cremated ashes) on a city-wide pub crawl that evening to honor the legacy of their deceased colleague.
Afterwards, most of the crowd filed back into the black cars and left the cemetery. Theo, Dennis, Heathcliff, Wolfgang and Charlie lingered behind. It was a pleasant, sunny afternoon, a good time for a walk.
The cemetery was almost deserted of people. Everything was still except for the low hum of distant traffic. The group wandered among the tombstones, the silence between them only punctuated by small remarks. It felt like there wasn't much to say or do other than to just finally have a moment of quiet to themselves.
Suddenly, Charlie stopped in his tracks, looking like he was deep in thought. The rest of the group already several meters ahead of them, Theo stopped and walked back to Charlie's side.
'What are you thinking about?' Theo asked him.
'Well,' Charlie said, while looking at some tombstones, 'the first time we met, Heathcliff totaled my car. Now I don't have a car.'
Theo looked at Charlie without speaking, like she always did when she didn't know where he was taking the conversation. Charlie continued.
'My folks lent me that car after my sister crashed it into a lamp post. The front fenders got dented and had to be replaced. We could only find fenders that weren't the same color as the original, and because of that, my sister didn't want the car anymore so it got passed down to me. I rather liked the car, because the only thing wrong with it was that it made farting sounds when I drove it. Unfortunately, when Heathcliff crashed my car into the warehouse where Wolfgang was trying to propose to you, it was completely destroyed. Now my car is gone, and when I go home I will have an extremely long story to tell to my folks about why that is. After the events in the past few days I'm a little tired, I think for once I don't enjoy long stories anymore.'
'So you're planning to go home soon?' asked Theo.
'My folks aren't expecting me home. In fact, I recall them saying I should be gone as long as my sister's money lasted. You see, they have been running what they called a private liquor business back home, and the word has gotten out to the law. For some reason the law doesn't like private liquor businesses, so my folks are actually taking some time off from their home life to travel around the world, just so they don't have to deal with the law. That's also why they couldn't have been happier when my sister won a lot of money from a lottery ticket and left home to go 'live her life', according to her. She gave me some of that money stored away in a bank account, and since I haven't been spending any of that money ever since I got involved in this adventure, I still have more money than I know what to do with.'
Theo brushed her hand against one the graves, wondering if she should even ask questions. But she decided that after everything that happened, families doing questionably illegal things shouldn't surprise her at all. 'Isn't your girlfriend back at home, waiting for you?'
'The law is very nosy back home. My sweetheart telephoned me before I left saying they're putting her family under surveillance until they find my folks. She said our relationship will have to go on the long-distance, low-maintenance mode. She's not expecting me back home any time soon either.'
'Then why are you worried about having to go home and explain to your family that your car is gone, when right now they're...abroad?' Theo asked.
'Well, I don't know what else I can do, now that both our character arcs are finished.'
Theo looked at him, unsure of what to say next. 'What do you mean, by character arcs?'
'When I woke up in the infirmary on Mr. Dragon's island, my author visited me and told me that my character arc in our story is finished because I've made new friends, and yours would be finished when you successfully defeated Mr. Dragon.'
'Are you sure that wasn't just the morphine?'
'I'm pretty sure it happened, he even told me about events happening in the story which I wasn't present to witness, like how one of Mr. Dragon's colleagues got shot to death by Mr. North in a very similar way to how Al Pacino's character got killed in Scarface.'
Theo still looked skeptical. 'And have you seen this...uh...author since?'
Charlie thought about it, tapping absentmindedly. 'I think there was someone at the service that looked like him, but he was with someone I hadn't seen before.'
'What did the other person look like?'
'She had black hair and wore glasses, and she was writing in a notebook. Occasionally she looked up from her writing to observe you. When they left at the end of the service, she left this note where she sat and made sure I saw her leave it there.' Charlie took the note out of his pocket and gave it to Theo.
Shooting a glance towards him, asking silently why he hadn't brought it up earlier, she quickly unfolded the note and smoothed out the creases. Scanning over the messy cursive, she started reading out loud.
'Although we may not be there to write it, this is only the beginning of your adventures. Best of luck, signed, K.'
'Does this mean we have new character arcs now?' Charlie asked. His eyes brightened.
'Everyone needs to keep growing as people. So I guess the answer would be yes.' Theo looked at Charlie and smiled, 'How about you stay with us for a while. I'm sure Dennis won't want you to leave so soon.' She looked over and saw the other three walking back towards them, probably finally realizing that they had been left behind.
'That's a great idea,' Charlie exclaimed, 'why didn't I realize it sooner?'
Theo shrugged. 'If you're right about the author thing, then it was just written that way.' She linked her arm with Charlie's and looked up at him, grinning. 'Let's not keep our next adventure waiting.'

? - Chapter 59

Mr. Dragon's jaw sort of dropped. He had to close it with a hand after he realized it gaping wide open.
Although his face was still bloodied and badly disfigured, Mr. North laughed like he never did before. Mr Dragon shot out his chair, tipping it over in the process, and grabbed for Mr. North's throat. Mr. North, his hands tied to his chair, couldn't do anything about it.
Mr. Dragon strangled Mr. North for only a few seconds, and Mr. North's face was being drained of color, when Mr. Dragon's phone rang.
'Jesus H. Christ!' Mr. Dragon roared in his furious voice, his let go of Mr. North's neck and turned around to his desk to pick up the phone.
'Who the FUCK is this?' Mr. Dragon raged into the phone, his face swelling a brilliant red, emphasizing the swear word in the sentence, which is uncharacteristic of him, because he was was usually a morally principled evildoer who used swear words sparsely, preferring action over blowing steam.
'Woah, Dragon, it sounds like your head is exploding over there!' The voice in the receiver said.
'WHO IS THIS!' Mr. Dragon roared into the speaker.
'It's T-Rex, at your service.'
'Alligator? Is that you?'
'No, no, no, I'm not The Alligator anymore, that's so not a cool codename, I am now THE TYRANNOSAURUS REX!' Mr. T-Rex said excitedly.
Mr. Dragon covered up the receiver with his hand and snickered into his sleeve, barely containing his laughter. Finally collecting his composure, he spoke into the phone. 'You know, T-Rex, why don't you just settle this codename crisis with the title of Mr. Reptile, since you've been pretty keen on reptilian animal names for the past while.'
For a moment, Mr. T-Rex was delighted at the suggestion. 'Why that's a wonderful...hey, wait a minute, was that an insult?'
'Of course it is!' Mr. Dragon began to laugh right into the speaker, 'T-Rex! Really, in the twenty years we've known each other this has to be funniest name you've retched up thus far, no joke, absolutely not!' Mr. Dragon was in an unnatural fit of giggles and laughter, forgetting entirely that at the moment Mr. North was working on untying his hands from his chair with a splintered fingernail.
'YOU! YOU YOU YOU YOU YOU DAMN YOU YOU...DAMN HERETIC!' Mr. T-Rex protested in frustration, 'IT'S NOT FUNNY! THIS IS NO FUNNY MATTER!'
Mr. Dragon laughed harder. 'Oh my dear T-Rexy, you just made my day!' He slapped his knee in glee.
'IT'S NOT FUNNY I SAID!'
Mr. Dragon was hysterical. He was slamming his fist on his table.
'DAMN YOU IN THE NAME OF SATAN! DAMN YOU!' Mr. T-Rex shouted.
'HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!' Mr. Dragon howled, 'Save your holy damnation for the enemy, Mr. T-Rexy, as for me, I'm not worth your while.'
'Well, now, how about this!' Mr. T-Rex huffed indignantly, 'Just now, your men were machinegunned by an unidentified flying vehicle that resembles the Magic School Bus in a really bad mood, how's that huh? Do I have your attention now?!'
Mr. Dragon laughed some more and then the message began to recall some sense into him. Suddenly, he sat straight up into his chair. 'WHAT DID YOU SAY?' He roared into the speaker.
'Ha! You didn't pay attention, well, TOO BAD FOR YOU MR. DRAGON! Because thanks to your insensitivity, I'm not going to repeat what I just said, how about that, huh? HOW ABOUT THAT!!!'
'MR. T-FUCKING-REX! WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU JUST SAY!' Mr. Dragon barked, now furious once again. In the back of his mind, he thought musingly, at this rate, I'll have to start taking anti-bipolar medication. I'm getting too old for this job.
'I'M NOT REPEATING WHAT I JUST SAID, SO HA!' Just like that, Mr. T-Rex slammed his end of the phone and the line went dead, leaving Mr. Dragon itching to skin the man alive when he finds him.
Mr. Dragon was about to leave his office to go after Mr. T-Rex and teach him a lesson when a powerful, solid force struck him at the back his his head, knocking him down flat onto the ground.
Decades of Ancient Eastern Martial Arts training had taught Mr. Dragon to detect such types of attacks at split second notice. The leg of a wooden chair shattered against his skull just as Mr. Dragon braced his cranium from the impact and spun back up to his feet and around to find himself face-to-face with Mr. North, freed from his bounds.
Circling each other for the second time in a week, the two ex-friends and current enemies were all set for round two of an martial arts duel, and this time, Mr. North was out for blood.

? - Chapter 58

The Dragon was on a conference call, and he was not at all pleased. “What do you mean, Mr. Vulture? Are you saying your ingenious plan had failed?” he asked.

“No, no, that’s not what I meant,” said Mr. Vulture’s voice, his accent thickened by agitation. “Just some complications arose…”

“Did the job get done?” asked the Dragon, his voice lowering and softening with every word.

“If you mean the targets were blown to pieces, then yes we did. But one of our people got unfortunately…apprehended.”

“By who?” asked the Dragon, with some surprise in his voice. “I watched these men run, and it seems quite interesting someone would’ve been able to catch them, especially if my…patron over there ensured that there was no one who would be comparable.”

“Well, from what I could glean from one of those who returned, it was one of the guests…they believe it was a male companion of Theo North…”

“Someone with Theo, hmm?” asked the Dragon, mostly to himself. He leaned back in his chair.

“Yes, someone with her,” said Mr. Vulture, his voice revealing his relief at not being the target of the Dragon’s infamous rage. “I can’t say for certain, but do you have anybody in mind?”

The Dragon thought for a moment, spinning his knife on his desk absentmindedly. He closed his eyes and thought back to all the people who would be capable of doing something so He suddenly jolted up, and stopped the knife with the blade pointed towards him. “Was this mystery man dark haired and have a very lean build? And was he whistling to himself?” he asked.

There was some muttering on Mr. Vulture’s side of the line as he spoke to his men, and then he got back on the line. “Yes, to the first two, and they think he was humming one of those popular Western songs.”

The Dragon let out a short bark of a laugh, and leaned back in his chair again. “I thought so,” he said. He smiled, and dialed some numbers into his phone.

“Thought what?” asked Mr. Vulture, slightly confused at the sudden change in attitude. “What?”

“What now, Mr. Dragon?” asked a gruff voice. “You always call for me at the exact wrong times.”

“I apologize Mr. Wolf,” said the Dragon rather sincerely, ignoring Vulture’s questions. “What exactly are you doing?”

There was a whimper in the background, which was quickly silenced by something. Or someone. “Nothing much, just in the middle of tying some loose ends.” There was a muffled shriek of pain, and the Dragon grimaced.

“Could you maybe do that somewhere else? I would rather speak to you when there aren’t any distracting noises in the background,” he said.

“Just give me a second,” said Mr. Wolf. He said something in a foreign language, spoken to quickly to be identified, and then a gunshot rung out, punctuating his sentence. There was a silence, and then the Dragon cleared his throat and spoke.

“Finished, I see.”

“Yes, indeed. So what do you want me to do? I don’t have all day.”

“I’d like for you to gather as much information as you can on the activities and whereabouts of everyone in the North household, all the workers and Justice League men as well. I also want you to keep especially close tabs on Theo North and Charlie North. Vulture here will help you, am I correct?”

“Yes, of course, whatever you need,” said Mr. Vulture, speaking for the first time.

“Why do you want me to do this?” asked Mr. Wolf suspiciously. “Ms. Scorpion would’ve been better for this job as a young woman, or even that bastard Shark with all his ties in that world. What do you want with me, a human trafficker?”

“Let’s just say I trust you with this more than anyone else. As you’ve displayed earlier, you’re quite efficient at getting things done. Plus, you know how to convince people quick enough for my needs,” said the Dragon.

“How much am I getting reimbursed for? I have a lot of work to do you know…”

“However much you’re satisfied with, but that’s after you do the job. Got it?” asked the Dragon. “You either take the job or don’t. Better choose.”

There was a quiet lull in the conversation as Wolf pondered, and the Dragon could almost hear Mr. Wolf lick his lips at the possibility of the reward. “Fine, got it.”

“Great,” said the Dragon. Just before Mr. Wolf could hang up, the Dragon said “This little deal will stay just between the 3 of us, ok? Don’t seek help from the others, don’t say a word about your activities or there may be some…consequences.” Before the other 2 could reply, he hung up on them.

There was a scuffling noise behind him, and some coughing. “You surely have a way with people,” said Damian North in a dry voice. “Manipulating them to your every need.”

The Dragon spun his chair around to face him. “You’re not any better,” he said. “The Justice League…how would you have gotten to the top and gain the trust of every single man?”

“At least I didn’t step over my family to do so, not like you,” Damian hissed, and he could tell he had stepped on a sore spot as the Dragon narrowed his eyes. Foolishly, he decided to continue with it. “Your son was thoroughly neglected, oppressed and was denied the love that you should’ve given him. And Laura, poor sweet Laura, she tried her best to help you, but you closed her off. What else could she do but leave you?”

“You know nothing, Damian! Nothing!” shouted the Dragon.

“I beg to differ,” replied Damian, and a little bit of a smile crept up onto his sore face. “Laura says hi, and hopes you’re doing well.”

Sorry I've been kind of AWOL everybody! I've been doing no writing lately, as I've been busy with life and everything. Here's a long chapter to make up for it, and I hope to get writing all my novels again soon :D

? - Chapter 41

“You’re quite the sight on sore eyes,” said the Dragon amiably, seating himself across from his prisoner. The others had left on their own business, and it was now only the two men in the spacious room. “I suppose several punches and a stiletto heel can do that to a man, even one as yourself.” His prisoner spat out blood in contemptuous response.

It was true, however. Damian North was quite the poor sight. His cheekbones were starting to swell; his eyes were slowly starting to turn a deep, ugly purple; and blood dripped and dried from the cut that ran from the top of his eyebrow to his jaw.

“I’m surprised even Ms. Scorpion joined in on the greeting,” continued the Dragon. “But then again, you did essentially kill her father.” He chuckled. “I was definitely not expecting her to use the hidden blade inside her stiletto to slice your face. It is suitable of her; an elegant and discreet way to maim someone.”

“Ever the businessman,” said Damian, for the first time since he was brought into the room. “Charging your own colleagues to beat me up.”

“What can I say? When opportunity knocks, I take the chance.”

“Must you use such cowardly methods to contain me?” He tried the chains and metal binding him. “It appears like the almighty Dragon is frightened of me, so frightened that he won’t let any of my limbs loose.”

“I am no idiot, Damian,” said the Dragon. “I have underestimated you before, I am not repeating the same mistake.” He unsheathed a knife from his pocket, a hunter’s knife, the one used to skin animals. “How easily I could kill you right now,” he mused quietly. “Just slit your throat open, or maybe your wrists? I wonder what would be more pleasant to watch. There’s nothing stopping me from doing it right here and right now.” His smile was cold, his eyes on the verge of madness. “But then, it would spoil all the fun.”

“Well then, if I’m going to die eventually by your hands, I guess you could answer some questions I have,” Damian said. He displayed no fear, not even a slight twitch in his eye.

The Dragon chuckled. “I guess that’ll kill the time. Fire away, my good man.”

“What is your incentive?” asked Damian.
“You’re getting old, Damian,” replied the Dragon. “I would’ve thought you knew that already.”

“I have a hunch, but I’d like to hear it from you.”

“Revenge, old man. Pure, simple, revenge. Next question.”

“Why did you get Theo involved with this? She’s merely a child.” Damian’s rage bubbled to the surface for a moment, and just as suddenly, it disappeared under his cool mask.

“She’s no longer a child, if your eyes haven’t noticed. She’s a young woman 19 years of age. And I didn’t bring her in, my son did. She had plenty of opportunities to escape.” He yawned. “I’m getting tired of 20 questions, but I suppose I have enough energy to answer a few more.”

Damian took a moment to ponder. Then he asked, “Where are you getting your resources?”

“Lots of money from my earlier days, and an interesting sponsor that is quite invested in this.”

“What do you mean, invested in this?”

“Why, this sponsor gave me money in order to kill you. He’s given me all the information I’d ever need to know about you. That way I can kill you as intimately as possible.” He smiled. “I was paid millions of dollar, my dear rival, to finish you off. Who knew that you could create enemies out of people so close to yourself?”

“Who is this man, that has paid you enough to kill me?” He was dreading the name, but he was certainly not prepared for what he would hear next.

The Dragon stood up and leaned in close, his lips nearly touching Damian’s ear. Then, in a whisper no louder than a breath, he uttered the name of Damian’s betrayer.

And all Damian could say in response was, “It can’t be.”

? - Chapter 33

There was a collective and complete silence in the sound-proof meeting room, followed by the singular sound of a cricket chirping rhythmically.
'What, the hell, is that?' Mr. Wolf said. The heads all turned to Mr. Panther, a very tanned man with long and curled black hair who looked to be half asleep in his chair. He head was tilted sideways and his mouth was open and drooling onto his tux.
'Panther! Did you come here stoned, again!?' Miss. Scorpion threw up her arms in frustration.
Mr. Panther was jolted awake by the sudden call of his name, he raised his head and blinked. When he realized what was happening, he shrugged and said, 'Hey man, I grow this stuff, I can't be not smoking my own crop, can't I?'
'This is a formal gathering made just more formal by Dragon's delivery of the most important captive we have probably ever gotten our hand on, and as of right now you are acting as informal as the pettiest crook in the alleys of the worst slums on this planet, and yet now you still have the indecency to defend yourself of your imprudent actions?' Mr. Shark said, leaning forward in his chair to stare vehemently at Mr. Panther.
'That still doesn't explain the cricket. Where's the cricket sound coming from?' Mr. Serpent, the bespectacled, clean shaven man sitting next to him asked.
'Oh that, that's my new pet, see.' Mr. Panther raised his right arm and in his hand held a tiny plastic cage with a small insect chirping away inside. 'I found it in the hemp fields just this morning-'
BOOM! There was a crack of gunfire. When everyone regained their bearings, all that remained of the tiny cage in Mr. Panther's hand was the lid, the rest of the cage was shattered into the wall behind Mr. Panther's seat and on the floor. Mr. Panther looked shell-shocked, or maybe he was still under the influence of his hemp, whichever it may have been, he did not get a chance to speak again. The cricket chirp ceased and the cricket was surely presumed dead.
The source of the gunshot was from Mr. Cougar, a gruff, slightly bearded man in his early sixties with coarse, rough skin and a shaved head. His arm was raised and the large pistol in that hand was still aimed at the spot Mr. Panther's cricket cage once dangled. 'Enough is enough! I've had it with the motherfuckin' cricket in the motherfuckin' cage! Are we getting down to business or are we?'
'Shit, Cougar! Did you absolutely have to blow that cage in here? By the devil, you almost gave me a heart attack!' Mr. Alligator shouted, but Mr. Cougar did not apologize.
Mr. Vulture, the bearded man with the turban spoke up, 'If I remember correctly, Mr. Alligator, blowing stuff up is my specialty, not Mr. Cougar's.' 
Mr. Wolf snickered, 'Ha, I still can't get over the Alligator part, you just kill me every time. Speaking of which, say Alligator old boy, mind if I call you Killer Croc from now on?'
'YES I DO MIND!' Mr. Alligator said with dignity.
'It's a compliment for Pete's Sakes, you're truly killer, you know.' Mr. Wolf replied teasingly.
Mr. Alligator was about to respond when Mr. Dragon slammed his fist down on the table with tremendous force that the ground shook and everyone's attention was focused on him again. 'I will have silence in this chamber, or I will silence you all, either way, our guest is waiting.' Mr. Dragon whispered softly and turned to face Mr. Damien North.
During the arguments, Mr. North had been struggling and squirming in his seat. He could not speak for his mouth was duct taped shut. His face was extremely red and the look in his eyes was prepared to kill.
The ten people in the room set their sights upon Mr. North for several moments, and at last Mr. Shark said, 'He's much more in shape than I anticipated.'
'Yes, I was pleasantly surprised also,' Mr. Dragon said, 'I had a fine duel with him, hand-to-hand, before I brought him here. It was quite nice to stretch those  muscles with my dear old colleague, and now it's time for us all to formally greet the man who has thus far made all our lives so very difficult on this world. We'll discuss what to do with our distinguished guest, and what credit I shall receive for his deliverance in a while, for now, I want you all to control yourselves and keep the welcome strictly introductory.' Mr. North shook his head even more furiously.
'And what you are saying is?' Miss. Scorpion raised an eyebrow.
Mr. Dragon smiled cunningly, he said, 'For the price of a ten dollar, you will get the opportunity to come up here and say or do what ever you wish to Mr. North, whether it be a punch in the face or a spit in the eye, one act of your choosing. Let us do this in an orderly fashion and line up-'
'Woah, woah, woah, wait just a minute, so we gotta pay admission to punch this old man?' Mr. Wolf exclaimed incredulously.
'Nothing is free in this world, least of all human beings. You should know that, Mr. Wolf, considering your profession in the slave trade.' Mr. Dragon said.
Mr. Wolf's reply was sidelined by Mr. Serpent, he said, 'Ten's not worth it, make it two and I'll pay.'
'It's not a bargain, Serpent.' Mr. Dragon said.
'This is the eastern hemisphere, the land of bargaining. You heard me, make it a two dollar and I'll accept.' Mr. Serpent replied.
'Very well, eight dollars, not a penny less.'
'Three fifty, not a penny more.'
'Six, and later a bonus in addition to the pay for my work.'
'Five, no bonuses.'
'Six, I name my final price.'
Several more exchanges later, Mr. Serpent and Mr. Dragon came to the agreement of the admission price of five dollars and thirty-seven cents for greeting Mr. Damien North in whichever way they desire, and the others thought highly of the reduced price and Mr. Serpent's professional bargaining skills.
'He's really good,' Miss. Scorpion whispered of Mr. Serpent to Mr. Panther, who asked, 'In what?' and got the reply, 'You really are high.' from Miss. Scorpion, shaking her head.
Mr. Wolf went first, after paying Mr. Dragon in coins, he inched his face up against Mr. North and said, 'I'd do something much worse, but I only got one good shot, this five dollars thirty-seven cents better be worth the satisfaction.' He swung his fist way back, and threw his punch.

? - Chapter 32

In a place somewhere in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, a man strode down a hallway alone, his footsteps quietly echoing off of the pavement walls. He walked with a sense of purpose, and arrogance, as if he had just won a prize or a bet. In fact, it could be said that he had.

As he approached the large set of metal doors at the end of the hallway, he smiled a secret little smile. Besides the doors, he scanned in his handprint and iris. The scanners beeped, and the metal doors creaked to life, opening upon a room that matched the lifelessness of the grey hallways. He smoothed down his graying hair and stepped in.

The 10 solemn occupants of the room looked up from the circular table they sat at. Most of them looked to be past their prime, yet their eyes still glittered with untold plans. Each of them is wearing similar clothing; black formal clothes, with the ladies in dresses and the men in suits. It looked rather like a funeral.

“Late as always,” says a man with slicked down black hair that has visible grey streaks, giving him a dramatic stream lined look. His mouth was quirked up into a smirk, which didn’t quite reach his deep blue eyes.

“This had better be important,” chimes in a young oriental woman, her voice soft and lyrical. “I was in the middle of a deal with a valuable customer when you called me out. I’m afraid I might have to deal with him later in a rather unpleasant manner.” She flipped her long sleek black hair over her shoulder and smiled rather unpleasantly.

“Now, now, Mr. Shark, I am not always late,” said the man, seating himself at the one empty spot at the table. “And Ms. Scorpion, it’s always important when I call such urgent meetings. You, being the only one of your generation, must learn that when your elders call for you, it’s something of great importance.”

“Do not speak to me in such a condescending manner, leader,” Ms. Scorpion said, placing an unpleasant emphasis on the word. “When I lack in age and experience, I make up for it in business skills. Haven’t you seen how I’ve expanded my father’s business? I not only fill in his shoes, I go beyond.”

“Not much can be said about your son,” chuckled another, more rotund man, one with a shock of white hair. Many of the others joined in with soft chuckles except for the leader, who sat there with his hands clenched until the laughter had died down.

“Now that we have satisfied our immaturity, can we please get on with the meeting?” says an elderly woman, her face conveyed that she was not particularly amused. “And you know better than to bring up that subject around our leader, Mr.…what is it today?”

“Alligator,” stated the man that had made the remark about the leader’s son. “It’s Mr. Alligator now. It seems so much more fitting than Spider. And you’re not my mother, Ms. Lynx.”

“You change names more often than a magician changes hats,” remarked yet another member of this odd group.

“Shut up, Wolf,” hissed Mr. Alligator. It looked as if Mr. Alligator was going to get up from his seat and reach over to Mr. Wolf when the leader rapped on the table.

“Gentlemen, please do not create a mess here,” he stated, his voice boomed around the room. “Serpent, Panther, Cougar and Vulture, I assume you gentlemen don’t have anything of important need to interrupt so I will continue.” He snapped his fingers, and a side door opened. Two men dressed in black dragged a third one between them, his head covered in a sack and his feet and hands bound in front of him. They sat him upon a chair and chained his arms and legs on, and then left quickly. The leader stood up and walked leisurely towards the captive.

“I hope you are ready to be pleasantly surprised,” he said, as he got closer and closer to the prisoner. “For I, the Dragon has brought you your nemesis,” he whipped off the sack from the captive’s head, “the infamous Damian North!”