"Tsk!" Taskmaster jumped forward striking. 'I have to buy time!'
"I see what you are doing. You have my respect buying time for your lover." Max raised his palms up. Focusing on his opponent. Taskmaster was a dangerous man after all. And not killing was harder than killing. 'Way of the Dead Mantis.'
*Thumm!* hanging his posture as his aura circulated, was enough to give Taskmaster slight pause.
A slight grey glow from Max was all he caught before it disappeared. The first grabbed, however, was completely missed. With a throw, Taskmaster was sent through a screen. The screen was magic that lead into one of the warehouses. No sense in keeping so much magic up.
*Thump!* Taskmaster bounced off the ground and recovered a split-second later. Eyes scanning the room for any ambush. None were found as he pulled a discarded pipe over with his foot.
*Pat!* Palm met strike from the pipe. Taskmaster couldn't believe Max barely budged. His arm the only thing that moved. Max's right palm went forward striking Taskmaster's foot. The blow pushing it outward disrupting his stance.
"Humph!" Taskmaster harumph as he went down. He let go of the pipe and used his hands the moment they touch the ground. A quick leg sweep to put Max on the defensive. Max did a front flip. Heel coming down towards his face. "Dammit!" Taskmaster had just enough time to block.
*Whack!" The block blow carried a wait the pushed Taskmaster shoulders against the floor. With a push, Max Jumped back. Allowing Taskmaster to get up.
"Soo." Max blew a little air as he sent out a palm strike. On instinct, Taskmaster guarded himself. "Haa!"
*Swirl!* Spiritual energy circled around and made a grey palm strike. It started off small but grew in height and width. Encasing most of the room.Taskmaster did not scream he took the strike as he was carried off his feet into a wall.
*Crack!* The imprint of his body against the wall causing it to fracture a little. As well as his bones creaking slightly.
"Enough!" Taskmaster yelled with effort. The only thought to his unborn child and Ngyuen. "I.. can not.. die here!" He pushed back against the wall staring at Max with hatred. Suprised to see his opponent smiling happily. Little white light gathering around him. 'What is he doing?! Is he mocking me?!'
'What beautiful Endurance.' Max waited for the blow to end. As Taskmaster slumped to the ground, he muttered a small spell. "Return broken flesh and discarded health. Your body must be whole once more."
*Shing!* A golden light restored all of Taskmaster's wounds. As well as some underlying damage.
"All better. So talk now, yes?" Max squatted in front of him. Looking almost like an actual teenager at the moment. "I really, want you on my team. You skills and reputation are legendary."
"What have you heard?" Taskmaster was still stalling. Especially since he could tell Max was not interested in causing trouble for him or Ngyuen. But still, he was rightfully suspicious.
Max started to tell him about the early work he accomplished. The stuff he crossed referenced with Slade and the A.I. To make sure he said nothing that had not occurred yet. As well as a good bit about the League of Shadows past.
"I think it best we go our own ways." Taskmaster took a few steps to the side. "Appreciate you allowing my partner to escape."
"Of course. She is pregnant after all." Max smirked. This caused the man to flinch. "I am just trying to help the earth out in my own way. Miss, Ngyun did a lot to make it this far in life. Or is it better to call her Tigress." Taking a few steps forward, Max's demeanor changed. "I want you on my side like I said. As well as her. The League of Shadows will have business with me in the future or the present, it does not matter which really. But the present, will make sure your life is nice."
"You talk as if I have a choice in the matter." Taskmaster had already spotted a few ways out of this. In fact, he was suprised that Max did not really try to keep him to stay more. 'What is this boy!? He knows to much!'
"Do you wish to end the Triad and make it easy for the League, or do you wish to go back with only a little info about what happened?" Max waited a little before continueing. "We need to remove them from Gotham and Metropolis. I have a job for you that needs to look clean. It will also pay top dollar for you and the League."
"League services don't come cheap."
"Assinate the Commissioner Loeb but make it look like an accident. As well as several other prominent socialites in Gotham." Max removed photos from his sleeve. Various families of high society in Gotham. "A long contract, 10 years picking them off. Using their own enemies they make to do so. will take talent."
"This.." Holding the pictures, Taskmaster recognized some. The Court of Owls was known to the League of Shadows. A few run-in with the upstarts a few decades ago. The League knew how to deal with them so left them be mostly. The Court gave wide birth and were contend with ruling Gotham and its neighboring places. "I will pass this up to the right people. For now let's get out of here."
.
-Sometime later-
.
Max and Taskmaster made it to a small hideout. Tigress already patched up but out cold. Only a few others there banged up. they had escaped the police but lost most of the shipment. Seeing Max and their boss was something. Max the most troubling as they couldn't tell his face. A mixture of swirls every time they blinked.
"Hmmm, a peace offering." Max clapped his hands healing everyone in the room. A basic spell that would take time to heal them completely but it did enough in the present. It also allowed Max's demons to find them everywhere. Marking them if you will. "So we need to hit them hard and fast. Wipe them out the gold criminal way."
"We need payment first." Taskmaster said. He already made a call to his contact. Max did not eavesdrop on the conversation. He just made himself busy when they walked in. None of the others were really important people. But they had the potential for some things. "75 million. No haggling."
"Here." Max opened a portal, not his mirrors. Dropping some of the gems from the downed ship. He would make them work for having such a pain in the ass price. They could fence the jewels themselves. "80 million in precious jewels. The five million is for your crew specifically. I do not want random switch out laters. Consider it a bonus as well as funds for .. medical."
"I understand." Taskmaster said gravely. He gestured for the others to take the spoils away. As he spoke to Max after waking up Tigress. She was started for a bit, calming immediately after hearing the pay. "Enough of this." Taskmaster actually had a blush under his mask.
'Hmm is that the reason he didn't want to give up the life originally? Not wanting to have a weakness. How interesting. I will let Slade speak with him later.' Max watched the two for a bit.
"It is good to meet you boss." Tigress said politely. Much to Max's chargin. She was sizing him up in a way. "Look forward to working with you."
"I as well. The criminal element has its uses. Especially for clean up." Max smirked. "First the Triad then the Mobsters. The police are not to be targeted, understand?"
"Of course. We are not amateurs." Taskmaster understood greatly. Especially with how dangerous the new Task Force had been to them. "Three areas we can hit tonight. Quick and fast."
"These two yes." Max pointed at the map. The last he marked no. The Task Force was there staking it out. He would not let them cross paths. "Leave that one alone. The people here in these two places, are expendable. But if you can, kill them silently and bring the bodies. no sense in wasting good organs. Tons of people waiting on donor lists."
"Right." Tigress said subduing her shock. 'Need to be wary of this one.'
"We will be ready shortly. Coming with?" Taskmaster asked. He rather the crew see Max at work. He received a nod. "Gonna wear a mask?"
(It is safe to do so now. Taskmaster and Tigress have gained enough influence by seeing you.) The A.I. intoned. (The clothing you are wearing is slightly off putting. I suggest clothing No.31. You also need to start field-testing your craft items. No time like the present.)
"Hmmm." Max hummed as the clothing changed. He was now wearing tactical body armor with a cowl. A face mask for his bottom half to cover his breathing. Magic at its finest. Wrist guards that carried retractable claws in them. "Better?"
"Much." Tigress answered.
After busying themselves for a bit, they left. Via a truck. Not the same one to deliver towards the Triad. Another local gang was hired to do that. You need a good fall guy. And up and coming gang bangers were always looking for ways to prove themselves.
.
Elsewhere-
.
"Pack up, we are done with Gotham." A crime boss said. This man was Angel Marin. He was ordering his guys to abandon Gotham. They would give up on expansion in full. The last few months have been to brutal. "Screw the Triad, head back to Bludhaven!"
They kept working. Taking what could be moved and left the heavier stuff. In the shadows, demons watched with intrest but made no real move. They had standing orders to wait it out. Mix in with the demons was a young teen.
The teen was Benjamin Turner. Picked up from Coast City when he was found almost beating a few robbers to death. His anger not stemmed from his Tae Kwon Do training. So the demons snatched him up. To take him to Max for training. He becomes Bronz Tiger in the future. Someone who bounces around the fence of good and evil. Which makes him perfect for a contract.
'Calm yourself, Benjamin.' A demon thought to him. The voice mesmerizing to help stave away the natural anger Benjamin had inside. 'You are to observe for good reason. To help you understand why sometimes we must wait.'
'I understand Abezethibou.' Benjamin called himself. He knew what the demons were and how they gained freedom. They did not hide it and explained it was a very rewarding endeavor than to be in hell. That was the big deciding factor for him to follow. 'I am glad I only killed the one man to save my family. Put that stain on my soul and the anger I feel, still trouble me.'
'Another visitor.' Abezethibou thought to the others. 'That woman is with the Triad. I believe her name is Madame Sun. Things have gotten interesting. Mbulu, go and search the surroundings.'
*Stretch!* Several of the shadows moved away.
Mbulu were a bunch of aquatic Africa demons. They followed Abezethibou because he treated them justly in Hell and even more so on Earth. There was nothing they wouldn't do for him. Benjamin had risen in their eyes as someone important as well.
"What do you think you are doing!?" Madame Sun yelled. She was covered mostly but her face was visible. She had an average face that could mix in a crowd easily. If not for her pompous demeanor. "We are almost done. Do you think you can skip out? Or do you not want the profit?"
"Keep the profit!" Angel shouted. "If you were half as smart as you claimed, you would leave. Especially before you end up like the one group!"
"Bah, nonsense. No one in Gotham does organ harvesting anymore." Madame Sun said. She couldn't be more wrong. Seeing as Angel kept moving unbothered by her, ticked her off. "I will make sure "they" know of your cowardice!"
"All finish boss!" A lackey yelled. Angel ran over and only came back to get his bobblehead on the desk. 'Jeez, boss fascination with that thing is creepy.'
"Later toots. Do not get pinched. Or worse." Angel hoped in the back seat and they were off. Tires burning rubber as they left. "That woman is screwed."
As the cars drove off, a truck came in. It was the shipment they were expecting.
"Humph! More money for me." Madame Sun moved over to the landline and made a call. "Listen, Angel is out. He gave him take on the stash. He left a few minutes ago."
....
"Of course I have everything under control." Madame Sun said. Having to defend herself from the accusations were getting old. "I took care of the "Detroit" problem with no issue. I will handle Gotham."
.....
"If you don't like it, get someone else!" Madame Sun hung up the phone. Which was a really bad idea. but their was only so much she could take. "I need a new line of business."
*Siren!* Sirens went off outside. She couldnt believe her guards didn't catch the cops coming. What she didn't know, was that demons were at work and put her guys to sleep. Waking them up when the sirens came.
"Shit!" Madame Sun ran to check the exits. No dice, as the cops came in full force. 'Loeb is just going to have to get me out of this.' Not wanting to get in the cross fire, she got down on the ground. 'Maybe I should have left with Angel?'