Hunter X Justice

A X Troubling X Meeting

Black Mask viciously scowled as an animalistic growl rumbled his throat, his raging orbs burned through the soul of the wincing henchman that stood rather pleadingly in front of his desk. "You had one job... ONE JOB!!!"

The mobster flinched and stepped back from the erupting heat of his boss's nuclear outburst. "We were attacked, boss. I-I thought it was the bat at first. But, you see," A nervous grin grew on the mobster's exposed face. "It moved so fast; we couldn't even see it. We were caught off guard and taken down before we could have a chance to fight back. You gotta believe me!"

A chill of dread spiked his nerves as Black Mask offered a chilling grin. "Oh, I'll believe you all right," he sprang from his chair so fast it tilted forward with his momentum before falling back into place behind him. "WHEN YOU MIRACULOUSLY COME BACK FROM HELL!!!" With precision, Sionis quickly aimed a revolver at the mobster's forehead and pulled the trigger, echoing a loud report across the story. The man's pupils only had enough time to dilate before a crimson stream ran down his face and nose. He collapsed into a heap.

Black Mask glared at his bodyguards, who all stoically stood idly by the side, "Throw this piece of shit out at whatever dump you can find, don't matter where it is." With a sigh, the crime lord crumbled down into his seat, pressing a palm to his scarred face in exasperation and weariness.

He didn't bother looking up at his henchmen as they dragged the lifeless body out through the double doors across from him. Sionis was also sure they were smart enough to mop off the red trail on his floor without waiting for an order like jackasses.

He owned the best he could for his organization, the best, and nothing but the best. And he was sure as hell not to allow some incompetent schmuck to derail his business. He straightened his back against his chair and reached for the stack of papers that sat idly on his desk. "And as for that other schmuck that took out my men... I'll have his skull in my collection by next week." Black Mask muttered with spite.

"Mr. Sionis," A feminine voice pulled his attention away from the papers in hand to see a raven-haired woman shooting an icy stare toward her boss. "Cobblepot's men called in. They're requesting the money that, according to them, you promised to pay them," she spoke, her voice betraying no emotion.

Black Mask gazed down with a snarl as his hands clenched, veins visibly throbbing on his balled fists, crumbling the print underneath his grasp. "If that punk never waltzed in my affairs, those weapons caches would've been in my storage closet, and I'd rightfully take the top spot in the underworld!"

His secretary remained visibly unfazed by her outraged boss's internal venting. "Mr. Sionis?"

"Tell them to wait a little longer!" Black Mask lashed out with panic, "Tell them to give me," He tensed his eyelids to shut as his mind raced for any answer that would pop in. "Two weeks!" He cocked his hand upwards, displaying the appropriate amount of fingers. "Two weeks. And they'll get the payment they're selling for. I have a dead man messing with my business." he finished darkly.

His secretary blinked, maintaining her stoic but professional posture. She processed the dilemma her boss was facing. "Any other requests?"

The crime lord smirked, "After you're through with the call, check through all your sources to find the best contact killers around! I want that son of a bitch dead! Find whoever you can find. I don't care who I hire. They'll get their money's worth if they bring me a body or a head."

The secretary rolled her eyes, "Well, they have to know who-" A hurling Gotham's newsprint slammed in her face. The folded print landed by her feet with a light snap.

"It's on the papers from a few weeks back. I'm sure whoever they were talkin' about was the same guy who did this to my crew."

Without any more words traded, Sionis watched his secretary make her departure. He reached into his pocket and stuck a cigarette to his lips. Enflaming the other end of the wrapped package, he blew out a puff, emanating the space with tobacco fragrant. "New guy in town playing superhero, eh? And stop me from collecting my prize, no less." He rasped out with a sneer. He swirled his chair in the opposite direction to a large window that overtook the back wall and climbed to his feet. He walked close to the transparent barrier, overseeing the nightlights of Gotham City. "I'll be sure to give him a nice welcome to my city."