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ZERO-TEN'S DATAFILE, X-DELTA010010:
Wulfgar's face took on a darkened cast, and set into that deadly, stony expression that indicated that the emotion of ‘berserker-fury' had overtaken him.
This rage fueled his fighting, but was of little use here.
His lips writhed in his face, the only mobile aspect of his visage, and his voice was the very thunder as he spoke (or so I might be inclined to say, were I of a poetic bent)...
WULFGAR010(bellowing):THAT FOOKIN' BASTARD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHAT CHRISELESS GAME IS HE PLAYIN' AT NAOW?!?
(more calmly) Richard said that he'd thought him as sorely grieved by her death as any of us...but THIS...
ZERO: Perhaps the Professor was wrong; or this may be his way of assisting us. You yourself have stated upon numerous occasions that he is an inveterate game-player, that he is congenitally incapable of being straightforward...ESPECIALLY in matters of life and death.
WULFGAR010: Tha's as may be Brother, boot Ah cannae bring mesel' tae troost such a sick, twisted, demented mon...
My sib was literally shaking with rage. Were it not physiologically impossible, I believe that he would have exploded on the spot.
At this time there came a knock at the door of our impromptu base of operations.
Wulfgar's favoured giant sidearm, a .44 AUTOMAG, appeared in his hand. I armed myself with my well-used Ithaca Stakeout.
We positioned ourselves at opposite sides of the door.
WULFGAR010: Who's there?
A familiar voice responded
PRINCESS OF PMS: It's ME; I MUST speak with you.
Bernstein's innamorata; my sib and I exchanged glances; Wulfgar nodded, all-but- imperceptibly. I put up my Ithaca, but kept it nearby..
He cautiously deactivated the security-grid, and opened the door. There stood The Princess, as she was known, and her "Man-Friday", Ivan "The Gleeful Butcher" Leopold, ex-KGB,ex- SMERSH, and ex-KAOS agent, and a tallish Asian woman, clad in an unfashionable hat, and bulky black duster, not unlike the one that Wulfgar habitually wore.
PRINCESS: I'm glad to see that you-
Wulfgar cut her off-
WULFGAR010: Do no' try ‘n' mak' it seem as if ye gi' a shite aboot me ‘n' mine, Princess. We've ALL been i' th' "Business" tae lang fer THA'.
Ivan bristled at his tone, but the Princess stopped him with a short wave of her hand.
PRINCESS: I almost understand your...attitude...Wulfgar. I've spoken with Richard...
I saw hope replace the dark clouds of rage in his features for a moment...
PRINCESS (continuing)-And I believe that he's too emotionally involved with this case, on SEVERAL levels, to be of any help to you. He took Namagomi's death very HARD-
WULFGAR010: Who DIDN'T...?
PRINCESS (ignoring interruption)- but Master timleary and I, however, have come to a consensus; Ivan Leopold and (indicates Asian woman) Lady Eboshi are being placed at your disposal.
Wulfgar regarded Ivan with an unfathomable expression, somewhere in the shadowy realm between sourness and acceptance; Lady Eboshi elicited a somewhat different response...
WULFGAR010: Ha'e we no' met before? Ye seem VERRA familiar...
LADY EBOSHI: This One serves Master timleary; in acknowledgment for your assistance in the saving of Junkyard Dog and Himself, master leary sends his greetings, his blessings, hgis thanks, and This One's assistance.
WULFGAR010: I seem tae remember...ye were th' NURSE! Naow, I dinnae if we're goin tae need any pillows fluffed where WE'RE goin'
Without a word, the tall woman dropped to the floor, and with an effortless and practiced leg-sweep, took him down at the knees.
His left hand shot out, allowing him to catch himself (ungracefully), and he drew his Automag with the other...only to find himself staring down the barrel of what looked like a 4.7mm G11 Casless Heckler & Koch mini-Sniping Rifle that had materialized into her hands.
My own hands reflexively sought my Ithaca Stakeout, but the Princess caught my eye with what my sib would call a "knowing look".
WULFGAR010: Fookin' HELL; there ain't many who could ge' th' drop awn me like THA'. Why didn't ye SAY tha' ye were a fighter?
The woman shrugged, and the weapon disappeared under her jacket. I found myself speculating as to what else might be concealed there...
(To be continued...)
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