Mythlands: THE HEIST

Part Two: The Mundanity of Evil

The Castle: former corporate headquarters of Mythical Creatures Interdimensional - now the ruling seat of the Zodiac Council

Death loomed in the corridors of power. He walked, fully robed, his dark skeletal features covered by his ragged hood. In one hand the creature held aloft his scythe - moving slowly and purposely along the dimly lit corridor on the 56th floor of the skyscraper, this grimmest of reapers, was fixated on but one goal and woe betide any who stood in his way.

'Oi!'

Charon's skeletal head turned, with a creak.

'This ere route-way is temporarily closed on h'account of h'essential 'h'office maintenance. You is hereby h'ordered to find a h'alternate route to yer destination ... mush,' finished the officious figure blocking the way.

'Who dares!!??'

The smaller figure held up his hand palm and fingers out in a gesture. 'Halt and desist h'at once.' The little man in the black uniform puffed out his chest. 'Me name? Why I'm the bleedin Two of Hearts, I am ... fully 'h'authorised to secure these here environs in the name of the Zodiac, that's who!'

Charon's shoulders slumped dejectedly. 'But I was on my way to Dining Area 15 just ahead. There's only 30 minutes left on my break and the detour will take ten! Can't you just let me through?'

The Two shook his head. 'Sorry mate, it's more than me jobs worth.'

*

The occupants of the corner table looked up as the ferryman of hell entered.

'Charon! You took your damn time. I find that almost as annoying a trait as those of Esmerelda,' declared Fleur-de-Lys de Gondelaurier.

The other woman at the table snorted. 'Give it a rest Fleur. Everything you say is about flamin Esmerelda.'

Fleur-de-Lys crossed her arms. 'I hate that bitch.'

'And yet even though you chopped her head off after torturing her over a year back, you still can't let it rest,' snapped The Octopus as he struggled to remove the black plastic octopus head-piece from his head. 'You give us evil masterminds a bad name.'

The french woman glared at him. 'At least people have heard of my arch nemesis and that thrice accursed hunchback. Who ever heard of your one, you pathetic z list golden age comicbook non entity. Who was he again? Some little blonde kid that was a superhero fan ... not even a superhero himself!'

The Octopus was incensed. 'Comics McCormick may have been no-one, but it doesn't matter what our origins are. It's how we perform in the new mythworld order and I proved myself in the blood purges! What have you done you French whore? Or should I say who? All we know is that Sagittarius seems ... satisfied with your ... service!'

Before a furious Fleur could react, the other woman slammed her knife into the table top. 'Shut the hell up both of you. We were waiting to hear Charon's news from operations.'

The hooded reaper sat and blew at his latte. 'No big news except ... The Mouse is on his way here. With a prisoner and pursuing some renegades who fled north through the forest.'

'A prisoner?' The Octopus was thoughtful. 'When was the last time we kept any of those alive ... well, the special prisoner apart.'

Charon tapped his bony fingers on the table. 'The special prisoner is essential. Loki and Zodiac only tend to keep rebels alive if they can serve a purpose. From what I've heard there's some Frankenstein shit going on with this one.'

'Where did you hear that?'

'Well, they've called in Doctor Frankenstein.'

'Makes sense.'

Charon sipped his latte. 'I tell ya though, there's some serious hardcore types in the NWMO but that guy ...'

'The Mouse?' Fleur asked.

Charon shivered. 'That guy scares me.'

'What about these renegades you mentioned?' the blonde woman wanted to know.

Charon reached for a donut. 'Some rabbits and a couple mythicals that pissed off the big eared one. They lost them in the dark but are pretty certain they're heading here for some reason. The Mouse's airship will be here in a few hours - he says he wants to wait for them.'

The woman stood up and smoothed down the lapels of her black uniformed jacket. 'I'd better get back to Security and see what's what.'

'Before you go Captain ...?'

'Yeah?'

'You know that guy from Wonderland ... sounds like a cockney, bit of a dick?'

'The Two of Hearts.'

'Yeah, have a word will you? I had to go all the way round to get here because that fool wouldn't let me through.'

The Security Captain finished her drink. 'He's internal building securi-corps. Not my jurisdiction.

Charon sighed. 'Ah ok ... thought I'd ask. Good luck with the rebels Captain.'

Goldie Lochs nodded. 'Won't need luck Charon me old mate. Them bludgers come here, they're dead men ... or rabbits, whatever.'