Contract pt2

[Vordigan - The Dark Archer]

For three days he had been here. For three days he had been checking the blue prints and surveying the lay of the building. He had watched people go in and out. During the day he watched the procedure to get through the lobby and at night he watched the security guards that kept an eye on the place. But no matter how secure a place thinks it is there are always some flaws and LexCorp was no different.

Through the blueprints, intel he had purchased, and observations he had made while watching the place he had come up with his way into the building. A step he was about to take at this very moment.

Vordigan carefully straightened his black designer suit with his free hand and readjusted his grip on the thick black briefcase as he stood across the street from LexCorp waiting for the crossing to change. After a minute or two the signal changed and he started across the street with the rest of the crowd and then towards the door of building.

As he walks into the large lobby of the building he stops and looks around for a moment surveying the area. Cameras sit in all corners to give a good over view of the lobby, at least the ones they wanted everyone to notice. His intel said there were at least ten that were hidden in the lobby alone to make sure no one slipped through that wasn't suppose to. A receptionist was straight a head of him at her desk with two guards next to an ID scanner for those looking to enter the building. A few more guards stood throughout the lobby keeping a look out for any suspicious people that might cause trouble.

Vordigan looked around for a couple more seconds before walking forward towards the two security guards next to the ID scanner. As he approaches he reaches into his pocket and pulls out an ID and swipes it through the scanner. The looks and waits for a second before the light on the scanner goes green and a picture of Vordigan pops up with the name Bob Brooks. Vordigan steps past the guards and and stops bringing the brief case up and resting it on the table past the scanner and opens it up.

He steps back as the guard walks over and looks inside the briefcase. He gives him a curious look as he sees the hood vest inside and what looks to be pieces of wood with some string.

"Got a costume party that the wife is dragging me to tonight. I'm heading there right after work so figured I would just bring it with me so that i could change on the way to the party."

He throws on a slightly embarrassed look and then shrugs. The guard gives him an "Ive been there" smile and closes the brief case and hands it back to him.

"Have a good day"

The guard gives him a wave and Vordigan turns and heads towards the elevators. The easy part was over now. The next part would be the challenge. All the offices had a vent used for the fans that would allow him to enter his targets office through but it was the middle of the day and that was not the right time to full fill this part of the contract. He would have to wait till most of the people had left. He had already thought this part out and with the help of his intel should be able to pull it off no problem as long as his timing was right.

LexCorp had been thorough when it came to the security for this building. Every hour the guards patrolled the floors and a scan swept the vents in sections to make sure no one was hiding in them. The intel that he had gotten included the order that the sections were scanned in and that there was about a ten second delay between section scans allowing him time to switch sections before he would get caught in the scan.

Vordigan stops in front of the elevators and hits the up button. After a minute or two the elevator door opens and six well dressed LexCorp employees step out of the elevator and head towards the lobby. Vordigan and a couple other people step into the elevator. Vordigan hits the button for the seventy floor and looks at the others behind him with a smile

"What floors do you all need"

They all answer in turn and he presses the corresponding buttons. After several minutes and several stops the doors finally open on the seventieth floor and Vordigan steps out into hallway. He looks left and right and sees people mostly secretaries moving between offices. Some carrying stacks of files, some with one of the executives dry cleaning and other with cups of coffee.

He turns left and head down the hall towards the nearest bathroom and walks inside. He walks through and checks the stalls for any occupants and finds them all empty. He locks the door to the bathroom and places the brief case on the counter and pops the lid. He carefully pulls out the pieces of wood and string and quickly assembles them into a small crossbow and bolts and sits it down on the counter. He pulls out his black pants and black hooded vest and sits them down on the counter next to the assembled cross bow and bolts before reaching into his pocket and pulling out the section scan list and lays it next to his crossbow, bolts and clothes. He removes his suit and folding it up and placing it in the briefcase and closing the lid. He slips on his pants and hooded vest and then walks over to the garbage can in the corner. He removes the top and slides the brief case inside and then places the top back on.

Vordigan grabs the list and slips it into the inside of his vest before grabbing the cross bow and strapping it on hip holster and adding the bolts to the holder next to it. He walks over and unlocks the bathroom door before heading into the middle most stall where an air vent is located. He reaches up and pops the vent cover off and lowers it down balancing it on the edge of the stall wall and door. He jumps up grabbing the edges of the vent and pulls him self up and into cramped vent, The crossbow digging into his hip as he backs up in the vent. He leans down through the vent hole and grabs the lid and brings it back up popping it back into place.

Vordigan moves fore ward a couple of feet before coming to a stop. He struggles to bring his arm up and look at the cheap watch he had bought. The first vent scan he would have to avoid would begin in three minutes and he had already position himself so that he could use the ten second gap to move to the section it had already scanned. He would have to be in these vents for a least three hours before he could make his move. That meant three scans that he would have to avoid before he complete this part of his contract and then he would still have to get out.

His watch begins to beep signaling that the scan had begun. Vordigan silently waits as the minutes tick by before his second alarm sounds and he quickly begins turn around the bend to his right and crawl a couple off feet till to make sure he is out of the scan section. He waits listening for any sort of alarm to sound that he had to slow but hears nothing but silence. After a couple of minutes the third and last alarm goes off signaling that it was clear to move back to where he was. Vordigan backs up and goes around the corner slowly and resets his alarms.

(Time Lapse-3 hours)

As his final alarm once again sounds Vordigan backs up and around the corner. Once he straightens up he begins to move for ward following the path in his head that he had memorized to get to his targets office. Vordigan takes a left at the first junction, then a right at the next, goes straight for two junctions, and then takes a left and stops at the third vent in front of him. he looks down through the vent into the office below. He can just make out the desk and see the hands of the man behind moves a couple sheets of paper. Vordigan mutters to himself slightly annoyed.

"He's behind on his routine"

Vordigan continues to watch till finally he hears the wheels of the chair the man is sitting in roll back. The man walks under the vent towards the office door. Vordigan hears the door open and and then close as the man exits. He pulls his hood over his head and waits a second or two to make sure that the man has left before pushing down on one side of the vent popping it loose. He the side down until he is able to get his finger tips around it to hold it while he does the same with the other side. As he pops the second side he holds on to keep the cover from crashing to the floor and making a lot of noise. As he frees the second side he pulls the lid up and slides it to the other side of the vent he grips the edge of the vent and slowly moves forward leaning out as far as he can before flipping his legs out and hanging from the vent. He drops himself down to the floor and looks at the door.

He backs up into the corner next to the door and draws the crossbow from his hip. He pulls back the string and then reaches down with his free hand and draws out a bolt and slides it into place.

As he waits for the man to reenter the room he looks out the large windows and sees that night has descended on the city of Metropolis. His attention snaps to the door as he hears the sound of foot steps coming his way. He presses himself into the dark corner next to the door and waits.

The door opens and a man in a light gray suit walks in with a cup of hot coffee in his hand. His hair is combed back with streaks of gray on the side and he walks towards his desk with determination. He was going to show everyone that he had what it takes to become a Vice President in this company. He had already landed some big profits for the company and now he was going to land the biggest one of them all.

The sits down at his desk and places the cup of coffee on the cup holder on his desk. He rolls his chair forward and looks up. The last thing he sees is the an arrow coming out of now where before planting itself right in his head.

Vordigan watches as the man takes a seat and aims the crossbow at him. He could have shot him in the back when he came in or could even shot him in the chest right now. Both would have killed him but he might have still gotten off a scream before he died. No straight to the head was the shot he was going to take, clean and instant. He watched as the man sat down his coffee and rolled his chair forward. The second the man began to raise his head to look in Vordigans direction he squeezed the trigger on the crossbow and watched as the mans eyes went wide for a brief second before his head snapped back and his body went limp.

Vordigan steps out of the shadows and slides the crossbow back into its holder before walking over to the desk. And just as his intel had told him what he was looking for was sitting on the top of the desk. He had been using it as a paper weight. It was part of this contract but a contract Vordigan had assigned himself when he learned about about it.

Vordigan reaches into his leather vest and pulls out an empty leather draw string pouch like before and picks up a blue oddly shaped crystal from the dead mans desk. He slides it in the pouch before pulling the stings tight and placing it back in his vest. Normally he would remove the bolt from his target but he had been told to leave it as way to make sure that it was known that this had been a hit.

Vordigan walks over and jumps up grabbing the edge of the vent and pulls himself back up and into the air duct. He checks his watch before sliding the vent cover back over and popping it into place. He should have just enough time to make it back before the scan starts for that section. Vordigan quickly begins moving through the vent system retracing his route.

He drops down into the bathroom just as the alarm on his watch goes off and he quickly hits the button so that its not heard out in the hall. He opens up the stall and walks over to the garbage can and removes the lid and pulls out his briefcase knocking off the towels and other stuff that had been dropped on top of it through the day. He opens sits it on the counter and opens it up. He pulls out his black designer suit and sits down on the counter before disassembling his crossbow and removing his vest and pants and replacing them for his designer suit. He neatly places everything in the briefcase before turning and walking out the bathroom door and down the hall way.

He gets to the elevator and press the down button. After a minute or two the elevator door opens and he steps in and presses the lobby button. The classic elevator music plays as he descends down in the elevator each floor getting him closer to the exit of the building. The elevator dings and the doors open. Vordigan steps out and walks towards the two guards by the scanner.

Once again he gets a curious look from the two new guards that must have come in for the shift change. He pulls out his ID card and swipes it before putting his brief case on the table. He once again explains that the cloths are for a costume party his wife is making him go to before the guard closes it and lets him go through.

Vordigan gives them a wave as he walks by and heads to the door. According to the ID scanner Bob Brooks was not sitting dead in his office at this minute because he had just walked out the door. But Vordigan had paid good money to get this ID, and he had paid good money for what that ID would do when swiped a second time. A virus was currently destroying any data involving that ID. As far as their records would show Bob Brooks, the real Bob Brooks had come in at 6am and never left. The virus would also be wiping out the all the camera footage between swipes with a ten minute bleed over. Any footage of him was gone and erased.

As he exits the door Vordigan presses two fingers to his ear activating the small ear piece he has in.

"Target Eliminated"

He lowers his hand and continues towards the sidewalk to hail a taxi for the airport.

[Lex Luthor]

Continued From the last post in justiceisntfree.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=bromfieldenterprises&action=display&thread=183

By the time “Marcus Mercer” had concluded his business at Bromfield enterprises, it was already quarter to noon and Monday Morning was on the cusp of becoming Monday Afternoon. As the Limo pulled up to Lexcorp there were police cars everywhere. Officers were talking to people outside Lexcorp towers. People in suits… presumably employees… were mingling and buzzing over whatever was going on. Despite Luthor’s act as Metropolis’ favorite son, he hated having cops around.

He took a deep breath and said to himself, “If somebody’s not dead, somebody’s gonna die.”

And with that sentiment expressed, the door to his limo drew open and Luthor stepped out as his Chauffer held the door. Luthor began toward the building as the chauffer shut the door.

“Mr. Luthor…”

Lex glanced over. It took him a moment to recognize the face but he soon realized that it was the cop who’d escorted him around the hospital last week when the Mayor and Commissioner had been shot by the Archer’s arrows.

Lex Luthor, “Ah… Officer…” He had to glance at his name plate… “Mahoney… I’m glad to see you again. What uh… What’s going on here?”

Officer Mahoney, “This morning around nine thirty we got a report that there was a man found dead in your building.”

Luthor seems surprised, “What man?”

Officer Mahoney shrugs, “I’m not sure… I’ve been down here making sure nobody leaves or comes in that hasn’t been approved by the Commissioner. But I was told I should escort you to see Commissioner Martin on the seventieth floor as soon as you arrived.”

Lex nods, “Well then, let’s do that.”

The officer nodded back and they began toward the building.

-Brief Time Lapse-

DING

The elevator chimed as they arrived to the seventieth floor. There were cops all around. Most of them were interviewing various officer workers. They stepped off and began down the hallway. It wasn’t long before they rounded the corner and headed for the office of Bob Brooks. Luthor walked in and immediately stumbled back…

Lex Luthor, “Oh dear God, what is that smell?”

Luthor coughed and held a hand over his face as he looked around. A blanket had been thrown over the body of Brooks in his chair but the head looked weird… His neck hung over the back of his chair but there was something pointy under the blanket, like Bob had a stick in his face or something. The Commissioner was looking through Bob’s filing cabinets with gloved hands as a police photographer was snapping away. Commissioner Martin pushed up from his squatted position by the bottom filing cabinet drawer.

Commissioner Martin, “That’s the scent of human flesh beginning to decay… And defecation… Sometimes when you die your body releases your waste and so, that’s the potpourri that currently fills the air.”

Luthor looks disgusted.

Commissioner Martin calls out, “Jerry!”

An officer rush’s in, “Yeah Commissioner?”

Commissioner Martin, “Go through these filing cabinets until I get back.”

Jerry nods, “Yes sir.”

The commissioner looks at Lex, “Can we step outside for a moment?”

Lex Luthor, “I thought you’d never ask…”

He hacks again at the scent before he turns and steps out. He and the Commissioner walk down the hallway a little ways before they stop.

Lex Luthor, “So Tom… What’s going on? I had appointments today so this is the first time I’m coming in since Friday afternoon… What is this?”

Commissioner Martin, “Hasn’t anybody called you?”

Luthor reaches into his jacket pocket and withdraws his I-Phone.

Luthor, “Ah crap… Yeah, I turned my ringer off for a meeting I had this morning and I guess I forgot to turn it back on.”

The Commissioner nodded, after all, who hadn’t made that slip up at one point or another?

Commissioner Martin, “Well, your employee Bob Brooks… He was murdered. Our Coroner’s was unreachable. He was a guest speaker at the University of Metropolis for a class. He’s on his way now but we don’t know the time of death or anything yet. But that body’s been sitting there for a while. Your security footage has him coming in at six am on Friday morning so we know he was still alive then. However, there’s no record of him leaving and your cameras building wide end up going to static around four pm and stays that way until around quarter to nine pm.”

Lex Luthor, “This building makes Fort Knox seem like it a cheap car alarm on it and you’re telling me that somebody got in here… Murdered somebody… Got out and there’s no evidence whatsoever?”

Tom shrugs, “There’s no video evidence anyway. Whoever did it was a pro. We’re haven’t figured out yet how they got in or out. But, the killer left calling card…”

Luthor, “I don’t suppose this calling card had a phone number, place of business and an email address on it?”

Tom laughs and shakes his head, “No… He left a bolt in the man’s head.”

Luthor seems perplexed, “A Bolt? Like nuts and bolts?”

Commissioner Martin shakes h is head, “No… It’s a short arrow that you load into a crossbow. After the events that took place last week, we have to consider the Archer as our prime suspect I think.”

Luthor’s nostrils flared, his teeth gritted. But his initial reaction of anger faded and he took on a more contemplative demeanor.

Luthor, “Wait… The Archer uses a normal bow and arrow. He doesn’t use a crossbow.”

Commissioner Martin, “He didn’t use a Crossbow in Centennial Park… But who’s to say he didn’t use one here? I mean, in the year 2012 there aren’t a whole lot of people out there using any kind of a bow and arrow as their primary weapon. It’s hard to assume the Archer wasn’t behind this.”

Luthor nodded, Commissioner Martin’s logic was sound. And whether it was the Archer or not, it’d look a lot better for Luthor’s cause to let it spread to the papers that the Archer had murdered someone in Lexcorp to send a message to Luthor. It’d make Luthor seem even more courageous when he would call the Archer out this week at the Key To The City ceremony.

Luthor, “I guess you’re right. Son of a bitch… I can’t believe I let that bastard get away.”

Commissioner Martin, “Don’t worry friend, we’ll find him. In the mean time though, I think you should be very careful. Watch your back.”

Luthor nodded.

“Oh thank God… Didn’t you get any of my calls?”

Luthor and Commissioner Martin both turned around as Lexcorp President Andrew Harington was heading down the hallway in a brown suit with a tan dress shirt and a brown tie.

Luthor, “No. I had my phone off…”

Luthor looks back to Commissioner Martin, “How long will it take before we can get back to work around here?”

Commissioner Martin, “Well, this area’ll be closed off for a while but, outside of this area I suppose you could get back to work now. I’ll get some of my men to take off and we’ll worry about contacting any further employees for statements as the necessity arises.”

Luthor nods, “Thank you, I appreciate it… If you’ll excuse me Commissioner, Mr. Harington and I need to begin going through our files so we can make sure that those survived by Mr. Brooks are properly taken care of in their time of grief.”

The commissioner nods, “Of course Lex… I’ll get a hold of you later and we’ll keep you updated on the investigation.”

Luthor, “I appreciate it.”

Lex and Tom shake hands, Tom wincing as his arm’s still pretty tender from being shot by an arrow last week. Luthor turns and he and Harington head back for the elevator. Luthor presses the “Up” button.

Andrew Harington, “Do you think it’s him? Do you think he double…”

Luthor snarls, “Shut up Andrew… You keep your mouth shut until we get upstairs.”

DING

The elevator door opens, a couple of cops stepping off as Luthor and Harington step on. Luthor hit’s the appropriate button and they begin their trip upward.

“I was tired of my Lady… We’d been together too long.
Like a warn out recording… Of a favorite song.
So while she laid there sleepin… I read the paper in bed.
And in the personal columns… There was this letter I read.

If you like Pina Coladas and Getting caught in the Rain.
If you’re not into Yoga… If you have half a Brain.
If You Like Making Love at Midnight, in the Doons of a Cave.
Then I’m the love that you’ve looked for, write to me and Escape.”

“If You Like Pina Coladas” continues to play as the elevator finally get’s up to it’s floor.

DING

As the two step off Luthor says, “Every elevator I get into lately, it’s that same song.”

He shakes his head as Laura Shane get’s up from her desk with a look of relief…

Laura Shane, “Oh thank God!”

She wraps her arms around Luthor’s neck catching Luthor by surprise.

Lex Luthor, “Alright then…”

Laura let’s go and says, “I was worried that the Archer got you too…”

Luthor lets out a hearty laugh.

Laura seems confused, “What’s so funny?”

Lex smirks, “Miss Shane… The Archer is an imbecile running around playing Robin Hood… I am the greatest mind of the modern era… Not on this planet nor any other could the Archer “get” me. Worry not Miss Shane, I will be here for a long time to come. The world simply couldn’t afford to lose Lex Luthor.”

With that Luthor draws open the door to his office. He walks in with Andrew Harington in tow. Luthor turns around and says, “Oh… Miss Shane… Notify the front desk and let them know that I’m expecting a visitor… A Man named Otis. I forgot in the midst of everything going on.”

Laura, “Alright Mr. Luthor.”

Lex, “Thank you.”

And with that he shuts the door.

Andrew Harington, “This isn’t good… I wasn’t comfortable with this thing to begin with but you promised me nobody’d be seriously hurt. Now Bob Brooks is dead and who knows what else this maniac has planned. We have to tell the authorities. We have to…”

SMAAAACK! Luthor slaps Harington across the face making Harington grow wide eyed with shock as he rubs his cheek.

Luthor, “Pull yourself together… And for Christ Sakes, will somebody please tell me who the Hell “Bob Brooks” is?!”

Andrew rubs his face, but he opts to let it go.

Andrew, “Bob Brooks has been here for seven years… He secured some very big contracts including our contract with Delta to only use Lexcorp manufactured devices and safety equipment in their planes.”

Luthor, “……… If you say so. Here’s the better question, why would the Archer murder this guy? And if he wanted to kill somebody in our office, why IN our office? Wouldn’t it be easier for someone like the Archer to secure a space in one of the buildings across the street and start picking people off? Plus, the Archer had half a chubby standing in the middle of the media last week so, why such a lack luster scene? It doesn’t make any sense.”

Andrew Harington, “Who else could it be? There’s not a ton of people out there using a Bow and Arrow as their weapon of choice.”

Luthor, “I don’t know but “big contracts” or not, Bob Brooks was just another worker ant. Very replaceable, no name value in the city…. Who ever did this erased a five hour block of our security footage. He got past all of our security. This guy clearly had knowledge of our building and our security. He came with a plan. He invested time and effort into doing this. Which brings us to the million dollar question. Why? Why on earth would you plot to take out a nobody in the most secure building in the city? And better yet, why here? If it was a grudge against Bob Bricks…”

Harington interjects, “Brooks… Bob Brooks…”

Luthor waves dismissively, “Whatever… If it was a grudge against “Bob Brooks” then why not wait for him outside. Why not kill him at home? Kill him at the seven eleven? Kill him at the adult book store, the liquor store or wherever the Hell else this loser spent his time? This person… This killer… They specifically went to the trouble of killing him here, in his office and that Mister Harington………… Well that just flat out intrigues me.”

Harington didn’t know what to say. Harington was a much nicer, more caring individual than Luthor so he was still upset that a man with a family whom he knew is now dead. And worse than that, if it was the Archer, Harington felt like he was responsible. Luthor on the other hand seemed like he was more interested in the puzzle of the whole thing then he was in the fact that a man lost his life. He paced slowly by his window, looking out over the Metropolis sky line.

Lex Luthor, “As far as the police and the media are concerned, the Archer did this. I don’t see any reason to try and suggest otherwise. The more negative press the Archer receieves the bigger a hero I will be when I take him down. But I don’t believe But I don’t think it was the Archer. It doesn’t fit his M.O.”

Harington, “Archer has an M.O now?”

Lex Luthor, “Yeah, Archer has an M.O and this isn’t it. Whomever killed our employee had a very specific purpose and I want to know what it was. If he wanted to send a message he’d of killed someone higher on the food chain… Like you.”

Andrew gulps.

Lex Luthor continues, “If he wanted infamy, he’d of tried to kill me because let’s be honest… In 2012, This is as close to JFK Assassination fame as you’re gonna get. I almost wish he’d of tried. I’d of made Bruce Wayne look like a pansey for taking so long to recover from a little fender bender.”

Harington perked an eyebrow… a “Fender Bender” wasn’t a very accurate description of Bruce Wayne’s car crash according to the news.

Beeeeeep…

“Mr. Luthor… Your expected visitor has arrived.”

Luthor grins… He walks to the intercom and presses a button, “Send him in.”

He releases the button and looks at Andrew, “You’re going to love this guy…”

The door draws open and in steps Otis, all cleaned up and put together from the last t ime we saw him.

Luthor grins, “Mr. Otis… You clean up well… This is Lexcorp President Andrew Harington… Andrew, this is my umm… associate… Mr. Otis.”

Andrew extends his hand and Otis snarls… Andrew looks at him like he’s half nuts and withdraws his hand making Luthor chuckle.

Luthor, “Andrew… Make sure Mr. Bricks family is properly compensated and we’ll talk some more later.”

Andrew was about to correct Luthor again on Bob Brooks name but he decided it wasn’t worth it. He nodded and dismissed himself.

Lex Luthor, “Otis, could you get the door please?”

Otis turns around and shuts the door. Luthor motions to a chair in front of his desk and says, “Have a seat.”

Otis walks to the chairs and sits down.

Otis, “I’d like to say Mr. Luthor, you won’t regret bringing me on. Anything you need Mr. Luthor… Somebody’s skull cracked, whatever… I’ll do it for you Mr. Luthor.”

Luthor grinned… He pulled open a small drawer on his desk and withdrew a big ol’ cigar and a cigar cutter. Cutting the back of the cigar off, he placed it in his mouth and withdrew a golden zippo from his inside pocket. He took a big puff off the cigar and and exhaled some smoke.

As he held his cigar he said, “Otis… What I want from you is to assemble a team. I don’t care who you hire as long as they’re effective. You will be my uh… “Private Security” team. Heh-heh-heh…”

Otis wasn’t the sharpest tool in the shed but even he could read between those lines. He grinned and let out a gravely laugh of his own.

Luthor, “And once you’ve assembled that team, It’s time to figure out what the Hell’s going on around here. Somebody penetrated our security and I don’t appreciate being embarrassed like that. I want to know why. I want to know what was so important about killing that grunt worker downstairs that it had to be done in my building. I want to know why he was left with the arrow in his head. I want to know everything that guy was working on and I want to know if anything was taken other than this guy’s life. There’s more than meets the eye and you and your crew are going to find out. I don’t know how, and I don’t care how. But I want it done.”

Otis nods, “Don’t worry. I know people in the streets… If there’s somebody plotting against you in this city, we’ll find em and when we do….”

He slams his fist into his palm.

Luthor, “Good…”

Luthor took another puff on his cigar before opening back up the same drawer he had withdrew the cigar from. He grabbed an envelope and tossed it to Otis. Otis opened it up and saw a stack of hundred dollar bills inside. His eyes got as wide as saucers.

Luthor, “Welcome to Lexcorp… Now go find yourself a team.”

Otis, “Ye-Ye-Yes sir!”

Otis turned around and headed out the door as Lex turned around and starred out his window wall, puffing on his cigar as he let the thoughts run through his head and took in the Metropolis skyline.