Marvel-X - Hellfire Club

#2 (of 4)
MAY '99

Sebastian Shaw: Long-standing Black King of the Hellfire Club, Shaw is the true power behind the group. A mutant, Shaw can absorb kinetic energy on impact and rechannel it into physical strength.

Shinobi Shaw: Son of Sebastian Shaw, Shinobi once attempted to sieze control of the Hellfire Club by slaying his father. Shinobi's mutant power is that he can alter his body's density from intangible to diamond-hard.

Gamesmaster: Known only as the Gamesmaster, this mutant is an omnipath, a telepath so powerful that he can hear the thoughts of every being on the planet. However, he cannot block these thoughts out, so his head is constantly full of six billion voices.

Scalphunter: Member of the Marauders, Scalphunter is an assassin with the ability to assemble deadly weapons from spare pieces, which he usually keeps attached to his costume. More importantly, his mutant ability allows him to construct the very weapon that will exploit his foes' weakness and cut right through their defenses, making the attack lethal.

Tessa: Tessa is a telepath of limited ability, strong enough to read minds and communicate telepathically. As Sebastian Shaw's familiar, Tessa advises and counsels her employer in business, as well as more shadier dealings.

"Games"

by Braden Giordano

Springfield, Ohio... Thursday
'It's moving day,' thinks John Kanter. 'This time tomorrow I'll be in New York City, working as the in-house accountant for the prestigious Hellfire Club. Life couldn't get any better if I wanted it to be!'
Taking a long sip of his black coffee, looking out to the front lawn, seeing his son, John cannot help but smile. The boy, Jacob, named for his wife's late-father, is eight. 'Eight years old... where does the time go?'
"What are you thinking about John?" Sarah moved in quietly behind him, nearly taking John by surprise. He turned around, and saw she was wearing and old football jersey. Joe Montana's, when he was with the 49'ers. She had put it on after they had made love last night for the last time in this house, the house that they had shared for fifteen years. This move had been a difficult decision.
"Thinking about how beautiful you are, this house, Jacob, the baby on the way..." With that, John smiled at his wife and absorbed her shock. She was in awe of what he had just said, because she had not told him.
"How... how did you know?! I only took the test two days ago!" Sarah stared at her husband in disbelief.
"Because you are glowing," he smiled, knowing exactly what she wanted to hear. Smiling, Sarah wrapped her arms around her husband of eleven years, and kissed him. Things may have gone further, but for the arrival of an eight year old boy, ready to make his first trip to his new home - his first great adventure.
"DAD... MOM... THE MOVING TRUCK IS HERE!" Jacob ran into the house like a speed-demon, stopping only to see his parents in a moment of caress. "Dad, you can't kiss mom, she's a girl!"
Sarah and John looked at their son and smiled. John spoke, "Jake, go upstairs and get ready. We'll be on the road to Westchester in an hour."
Jake made his way upstairs, trying not to trip on the many boxes in his way. For Jacob Kanter, this was the best day ever.
"Are we making the right decision?" Sarah whispered to John, "It's not even been a month since you had that episode... I'm a little concerned..."
"Sarah, I'm fine... it was just stress, the office was just too much for me. This new job won't be a problem at all. We'll have a big yard for Jake and the new baby. It's in the country, heck there is even an exclusive private school nearby! Maybe Jake could get in when he's a little older. Don't worry love, I have it all under control."
With that Sarah smiled, and went to get dressed, holding on to John's hand for as long as she could.
John Kanter sipped his black coffee slowly and turned his attention to the rest of the world. Six billion voices filtered into his mind like music; they dance in his thoughts. John Kanter is secretly the Gamesmaster, and noone, not his wife, his son, or any of the fool children of Xavier have any idea...

New York, New York... Friday
Sebastian Shaw stares into his son's eyes with distaste. Shinobi sits, nervously, in anticipation of what's about to occur. The two have not seen one another for almost a year, when Shinobi confronted his father and blew up the house they were in. For a long time, it appeared as if Sebastian Shaw was dead, and Shinobi took that time to usurp the Hellfire Club. Shinobi failed at killing his father, at ruling the club, at life. Now, it's time for Shinobi Shaw to pay the piper.
"Shinobi, my son, you have been a very bad boy, haven't you!" Shaw, the elder, smirks. He jokes very little, for it is not in his nature.
"Why am I here? What are we waiting for!" Shinobi tried to hide his fear, but he failed.
"We are about to have a little meeting, in fact, I believe you know who we are waiting for..." Shaw barely finished his sentence when it appeared before them - the psi-projection of the Gamesmaster.
"Hello Sebastian, I see that you have done as you promised, your son is here."
With that, the Gamesmaster looked towards Shinobi, "Then we are in agreement, Sebastian?"
Shaw spoke, "Yes."
The Gamesmaster nodded in acknowledgement, "Good. I will be here in person on Monday. Soon, it will begin..."
As quickly as he appeared the Gamesmaster's image was gone.
"What was that all about?" Shinobi asked.
Shaw paused for a moment, "The future..."

The psionic plane... Sunday
{Please don't think, you will just hurt your mind more. My name is John; some call me the Gamesmaster. I found your mind, and it... impressed me. You were a soldier; you fought the good fight until your unit died, their trauma unleashed your powers. You are a telepath, a very low-level telepath, the deaths of your comrades catalyzed the power within you and you lost your mind. I like that. I am an omnipath, six billion voices are in my head at all times, this is what that feels like.}
{No, don't scream, not yet. Here is how it's going to work. I am going to take over your mind. Each and every time I open the world to you, your mind is going to fall away, and I'm going to take its' place. There are many like you, a boy in a mental institute, a woman who works at the United Nations, a Genoshan ex-patriot. You will be special, though, because you are going to be the one who is most visible. Things are in motion, and you are the linchpin. It is time to open up my opportunities. There is a club in New York, and you are going to be the new king in white.}
{You can start screaming now...}

Boston, Massachusetts... Sunday
"This is Chris Mayhorn of WLIV channel 56. In news today, an unknown soldier walked out of the Boston Memorial VA hospital. The soldier, who's identity has been unfortunately lost in a sea of bureaucratic red tape, had been a patient of the hospital for seven years, in an unmoving catatonic state, described as coma-like. Doctors and nurses were surprised to see the man suddenly wake-up, and then walk out of the hospital. His current whereabouts are still unknown..."

New York, New York... Sunday
Trish Tilby sits in a coffee house, sipping her fifth cup of the evening. Papers are spread about the table as she continues her research into the famed Hellfire Club. If she were a little bit more observant, a little less absorbed into her research, and a little more careful in her choices as far as sitting in the window of the coffee house was concerned, she wouldn't have had a laser-sight pointed at her forehead. If she followed the laser to the origin, she'd see a man in a trenchcoat across the street. The man is covered head to toe in very dark rags, unusual for a warm summer's day. If Trish Tilby were a little bit better at reporting, she'd be dead already, because Scalphunter would have already pulled the trigger.

New York, New York... Monday
The traffic from Westchester was light, according to the cab driver, but John Kanter wasn't so sure. The Hellfire Club was in sight, and John motioned to the driver, "Over there, please... the Hellfire Club."
The cab pulled over, and John got out. Walking to the front door, he was greeted by a man with a patched left eye, looking as though he were searching for someone.
"Excuse me," John spoke, "I'm new here, where is the accounting office, please?"
Smith looked down on the shorter man and looked annoyed. 'You don't have any idea who I am do you,' thought the Gamesmaster.
While standing, waiting for an answer, a limousine pulled up in front of the building. The driver got out and opened the door for the passenger. If, on Sunday, you were in front of the VA hospital in Boston, you might recognize this man. He walked out of the hospital after seven years in a coma, and proceeded to disappear.
Walking to the door, his blue-green pinstripe suit seemed to breathe. A cynical person may begin to wonder why the bad guys always look good. John Kanter smiled, as Smith finally spoke, "Second floor... and next time, use the staff entrance."
John Kanter just kept smiling, as the man in the pinstripe suit walked up to Smith. "Mr Master to see Sebastian Shaw."
"Right this way," Smith said, with the unknown man in tow. They walked to the main office of the Club, and Smith swung the double-doors wide open.
Smith then walked to his place behind Sebastian. By the fireplace, decorated with a portrait of Harry Leland, stood Shinobi. Sitting in chairs by a chessboard were Freeland and Scalphunter. Walking in behind the unknown man came Tessa.
"Hello Sebastian, I am the Gamesmaster, but I think it would be fitting if you began to call me the White King..."

In Hellfire Club #3: Learn why the Gamesmaster wants to join the Hellfire Club, and his plans for Shinobi! Shaw completes his recruitment for the new Upstarts! Also, Scalphunter has someone in his sights, and it's not who you think!

Marvel-X logo created by Ryan Krupienski, and may not be used without permission.

Story © 1999 Braden Giordano, and may not be reproduced without permission.

Mason Freeland & Smith created by Braden Giordano, and may not be used without permission.

	Sebastian Shaw: Long-standing Black King of the Hellfire Club, Shaw is the true power behind the group. A mutant, Shaw can absorb kinetic energy on impact and rechannel it into physical strength.

	Shinobi Shaw: Son of Sebastian Shaw, Shinobi once attempted to sieze control of the Hellfire Club by slaying his father. Shinobi's mutant power is that he can alter his body's density from intangible to diamond-hard.

	Gamesmaster: Known only as the Gamesmaster, this mutant is an omnipath, a telepath so powerful that he can hear the thoughts of every being on the planet. However, he cannot block these thoughts out, so his head is constantly full of six billion voices.

	Scalphunter: Member of the Marauders, Scalphunter is an assassin with the ability to assemble deadly weapons from spare pieces, which he usually keeps attached to his costume. More importantly, his mutant ability allows him to construct the very weapon that will exploit his foes' weakness and cut right through their defenses, making the attack lethal.

	Tessa: Tessa is a telepath of limited ability, strong enough to read minds and communicate telepathically. As Sebastian Shaw's familiar, Tessa advises and counsels her employer in business, as well as more shadier dealings.