Hades drove over the border into Russia. He made another stop to change cars this time is was a more powerful car, one of his design, this one did not have weapons, rather it was the material that the car was made of and the agility that made it special. It was made of a material called unobtainium the name that Hades came up with for fun. It was a special way of allying titanium, so that its strength to weight ration was better than that of normal titanium alloys, in terms of speed this car was also fully fitted, with self replenishing nox, magnetic clutch that allowed it to change to hidden gear systems, supercharger etc. Hades chose this car as this was a retrieval mission, it would need to be real quick, in and out, he would have a window of about half and hour when the satellite would be dummy fed last passes data. As he neared the place, he used a structural scanner to scan the structure and noted with some unease that the structure had become a lot less stable than last time, but some of his other experiments were recording some unusual results. Arriving at Chernobyl he quickly enclosed the special cryptext in a case to protect it from anything, the case was designed to withstand almost anything and all attempts to open it by force would lead to destruction of its contents. Just then there was a creaking sound, Hades sped up his actions even more, just as he was dismantling the last experiment there was suddenly an intense explosion and a white flash, the Last thing that Hades felt was raw heat and a very bright light, then darkness…

A second explosion at Chernobyl did not go unnoticed. The Russian government was quick to respond. Teams in radiation suits went it to collect various things to try and piece together what happened. A core sample of the ground was taken, to determine how much more radiation had been released, along with various other routine things. What wasn’t routine was the collecting of unidentified fragments of metal and a wholly intact cryptext so close to the explosion site.

All their findings were loaded in an unmarked truck which, along with two unmarked escorting vehicles headed for a government laboratory. The convoy never arrived. Instead they were intercepted by a team of people who effortlessly dispatched the guards and removed the items without a trace.

The items eventually ended up at Vtech laboratories, a privately owned laboratory in Russia. Almost all of the items were disregarded as irrelevant and placed in permanent storage. Only two things were kept out for study, the metal fragment and the cryptext. Analysis of both began immediately.

(occ hunter hope you dont mind me god modding the scientists)
Ever since the explosion, if anyone could have tracked the individual molecules they may have notices something unusual. it they could have been observed one could almost swear that of the molecules that were scattered by this tremendous explosion some looked as if they were trying to reform, as if they were held by some extremely long range bond. Quickly they sunk to the ground most of them and the rest were to far up in the sky to help pull the others up. Down, further down they went, it looked as if they would be forever banished to the centre of the earth, where they would reside until some of the airborne particles finally landed.

As the last few molecules slipped further and further into the earth, some were scoped up by a large instrument and put into a container. There they were kept. Slowly, slowly but surely, they began to call out to the others, drawing them, summoning them almost.
Hour 3: core sample was taken by Russian scientists and loaded for transport and analysis
Hour 5: convoy completed inspection of the site and loaded the sample, cryptext and metal fragment into transport vehicle
Hour 7: Transport diverted to Vtech Labs
Hour 7.5: Samples unpacked and examined
Hour 10:
As the scientists examined all that was before them, they had already sent the core sample into storage as it posed no immediate interest to then yet, they started analyzing the fragments of metal and the cryptext.
The cryptext was a very interesting object, a quick scan revealed that it was intricately built to resist any outside disturbance, yet if the lock was forced open by any means the whole device would self destruct at worst, at best it would definitely destroy what was contained within. The interior of the cryptext proved even more mysterious as it seemed to block all efforts to scan it. Thus they decided to take one step at a time and began constructing a simple mechanical code cracker to crack the complex code needed to open the cryptext.

It was then that the sensors monitoring the core sample started to report anomalies. The heat readings increased, as did energy levels, they continued to rise. Scanning equipment was hurriedly constructed and setup and it was monitored.

Hour 11.5: Combining the results of the various scans, it appeared that there was a sphere of some description in the core sample and that it was highly energetic, any instrument that touched in seemed to cause a tremor on the surface of the sphere. Finally they decided to try to cut open the sphere to reveal what lay beneath, as soon as the cutting tool hit the sphere there was a blinding flash followed by a huge Boom. When the dust settled the sphere was unscratched but the room was in ruins, even the thick steel bulkheads, and doors and reinforced walls were bent outwards. It was then that they realized that they did not have the technology to deal with this and they sent off a message to Mondragon Labs.

Half an hour later Hades emerged calmly from the sphere feeling slightly disorientated. Some people in white lab coats rushed at him which in his momentary confusion took as aggressive and thus disabled them, well permanently disabled them.
Looking around the laboratory he was impressed at the equipment (or what was left of it), whoever stocked this lab, basic as it was knew how to choose quality equipment, he wandered into another room, saw a computer console and quickly wrote a program that would ping a “hello” throughout the network, hopefully that would get him some answers. Next he went searching for his cryptext.

He retrieved it, just as it was about to be placed in the code cracking device.
After assuring himself that the contents were still safe. Determined that he was still in Russia and that he was in no immanent danger he sat back and waited. Hades, resent the ping, noting that a lot of stations seemed to have powered down suddenly, he typed “ You have roughly 20 minutes” and pinged that too. Since his experiment had been treated with respect and delacy, thus he used the mose basic system to try to contact the head of the lab, pinging was the most basic way of communicating through a network, it was just like an electronic Morse code, which made it impossible for any program to be written or sent along it, which also meant virus free communication. So he sat back and waited, every 5 minutes he would double check the perimeter, in 20 minutes he would be long gone, but he was slightly interested in who owned this place, so he sat back and waited, idly running through a plan of action, and a new to do list.

Hunter was notified shortly after the explosion happened, and so saw Hades emerge from the sphere. He got the first message, but spent a while considering how to respond. When the second one with the time warning came he decided that this would be best resolved face to face.

He appeared on the monitor in front of Hades. “Well well,” he said, “I hadn’t expected our second meeting to be so soon after the first.”

Hades was once again wearing his smart casual clothes, and was humming a tune to himself when the screen in front of Hades lit up, and who should be on it? Mr Hunter himself. And where would this new found equal be without his sarcastic humor. “Well, well, Mr Hunter, it is good to see you again, allow me to introduce myself, my name is Hades, I apologize for the hasty exit but I urgently needed to retrieve some (he raised the cryptext) rather personal property.”

Hades nodded as a greeting, secretly he was pleased, he was impressed with Hunter’s taste, his scientist’s and equipment was of good quality even if it was not the best, from the experiments that they were conducting (though some was out of date to Hades, and not conducted in the most efficient and accurate manner), the professional level at which they were conducted was uncommonly good. Hades secretly was hoping that Hunter might have an offer for him, although he would never ask so.
From his research he knew that while he was not as advanced as before, in certain areas he was still decades ahead of everybody else. While knowing that he could easily get a job at a lab anywhere in the world if he wanted, Hades was interested in Hunter’s next move, He had been around long enough to see that Hunter was interested in him, yet he was proud enough that only if Hunter personally extended him an offer would he accept. No, he would never ask, like the times of old, if Hunter respected his talent and admired his talent, then Hunter would have to ask, if not then Hades would look for someone who could appreciate his skills more fully.

“You seem to have a good taste in quality research as well as leadership skills, loyalty and skillfulness of your companions (he did not say subordinates because he did hold some respect for Nox, Gearhead, but more so for shogun), I myself am deeply interested in research among other things.”
He paused
“Are you free to pass the time of day by any chance? I am sorry I never gave you a chance to respond. I would offer you some excellent Chinese tea, but I am afraid that you are not here and I left some of my best brands in the lab, you may find them gift wrapped in a small alcove behind the present, along with a proper tea set.”

He waited for Hunter to respond

Hunter considered Hades for a moment. He was clearly a brilliant man, somewhere on par with Ingram and Gearhead in terms of intellect, but unlike them he had hidden himself away from the world for a time, only revealed now by some considerable effort from Hunter’s people.

“Well Hades,” Hunter began in answer, “I am afraid that currently not only am I very busy, but also on another continent. However, one of my chief associates is free. He is fully capable of making offers on my behalf. I can have him on a plane and on his way to you as quickly as humanly possible. If you wouldn’t mind staying at the lab for a few hours, he has to fly from America, but I assure you it will be a no detour trip. Until he arrives I have instructed the remaining workers to offer you their full cooperation and make your wait as comfortable as possible.”

Hades nodded, he took the hint “Very well, I shall wait, and thank you for your hospitality.”

Hmm, well he has kept the options open, lets see what his right hand man will say, hmm, I am slightly excited.

Nigel was on the plane ten minutes after receiving the call from Hunter. He went straight from the airport to Vtech labs. It wasn’t humanly possible to get there any faster than he had, just as Hunter had promised.

The lab staff guided him to where Hades was waiting. Pausing a moment to check himself he walked into the room with a smile and extended a hand. “Hades, pleasure to meet you,” he said warmly, “I am Nigel Banks, Mr Antonescu’s right hand man.”

Hades stood up and bowed ever so slightly as he took Nigel’s hand in a firm grip. The hand that shook Nigel’s was old and slightly wrinkled but the grip was sinewy, wiry and strong.
“A pleasure to meet you Mr. Nigel.”
He looked around and glanced once at his watch, in the time that Nigel had taken to arrive, with the aid of the lab staff he has furnished himself with a briefcase that securely held his cryptext.
“May I ask if we are going somewhere, could we make a detour to the Swiss bank? and I would like to pick up some personal effects there. But that could be done later.”
Hades at the moment looked quite the old businessman/ VIP, what with his suite, briefcase and cane that he leaned on for support, (or was it for support) his manner was also formal and polite, yet direct.
Looking at Nigel, “So, what now?”

“Now we head back to America,” Nigel answered, “after making a small detour to the Swiss bank. This is really more of an outpost for Mr Antonescu, his centre of operations is America. If you’d like to follow me.”

Nigel led Hades out of the labs and to a waiting limo. Getting in they swiftly made their way to the Swiss bank. Entering the building Nigel was immediately greeted by one of the bank’s staff. “Mr Banks, how good to see you again,” said the man in Russian, “Please, just follow me.”

They were guided up to the maximum security area, bypassing the normal checks. The staff knew Nigel well enough that he was not to be bogged down by checks. “We’re here to extract something that belongs to my friend,” explained Nigel in Russian as he indicated Hades. The man turned to Hades and waited for him to produce the required key.

Hades noted all this and secretly nodded to himself in approval.
Hades approached the key reader and after making a few adjustments to the head of his cane, he inserted it into the card reader, it blinked scanned the head three times and beeped, and a number came up on the attendants screen. As the box was fetched they were lead to a plush room with a sturdy door.

“Please wait here.” The room was plush and classy, in one of the walls was a recess with a desk that could be sealed off by a curtain, in which the attendant soon placed a box.
Hades turned to Nigel, “Mr Banks if you would not mind I won’t be long.”
He said stepping into the recess and drawing the curtain. Indeed very soon he emerged carrying a different briefcase and wearing a fresh set of clothes, they were pressed and ironed.
Thanking the attendant they left the bank. Stepping out into the cool crisp Russian night air, they breaths left steamy trails in the air that hung for an instant or so then vanished.
“Thank you for that Mr. Banks, please lead the way.”

Nigel watched as Hades used the cane as the key. He waited patiently for his companion to change before exiting the bank and getting back into the limo. “We’re now headed towards the airport,” Nigel explained, “From there we shall be taking a private jet back to America.”

“We shall land at a privately owned airstrip and then travel via helicopter to Mondragon labs, the current central hub of Mr Antonescu’s global operations. If possible you will have a face to face with him, but failing that you will at least have a video conference with him.”

“That is good news indeed.” said Hades stepping into the Limo that drew up, nodding to the person who held the door open. When inside Hades removed his hat, revealing his graying hair, it was well kept and added to him an air of distinction and intelligence, he had intelligent yet piercing dark green eyes. The ride from the bank was rather short, and he sat facing Nigel. During the short trip Hades observed that despite the almost celebrity look about this Mr. Banks, from what he had seen, Nigel was anything but angelic, he recognized him as a hard efficient individual.
“So Nigel, may I call you Nigel? What is your story? Tell me abobut your self and how you came to work for such and interesting man like Hunter.”
Nigel acquiesced, and the ride to the airport was thus occupied.
Hades observed with a slightly raised eyebrow as almost all security was waived before Nigel, Nigel seemed to part them like the Moses parting the red sea. In no time at all, they were on the plane. There they sat facing each other, sipping tea. After they were in the air, Hades asked Nigel, “Nigel would you mind bringing me up to date with what has been going on in America and with Hunter’s organization?” then he sat back and listened

Nigel’s blue eyes sparkled as he regarded Hades’s question. “I was one of the CIA’s top agents, but I got greedy and made a mistake. I was all set to go under when Mr Antonescu bailed me out, saying that he could make use of my skills. Considering my options I accepted, and haven’t looked back.”

Arriving at the airport the mere presence of Nigel was enough to have them whisked through to the jet on which he had arrived. Once seated he began to brief Hades on the current state of affairs. “Currently there is only one overriding issue in America, the mutant registration law.”

“Mr Antonescu is currently working on two front to defeat this law and get it rescinded. The organised groups of mutants in New York have been scattered by the government’s enforcer robots. Mr Antonescu has gathered the remnants and formed a resistance. This resistance will attack the camps where mutants are being held and keep the focus there.”

“While that is happening Mr Antonescu will be working to alter the political landscape of America by removing certain key players. Once the balance has shifted he’ll begin applying pressure to have the law recinded.”

“I was one of the CIA’s top agents, but I got greedy and made a mistake. I was all set to go under when Mr Antonescu bailed me out, saying that he could make use of my skills. Considering my options I accepted, and haven’t looked back.”
Hmm, that means that Hunter at least has sufficient to purchase the materials and equipment needed to complete some of my projects, that is good. Hmm so it was a character flaw that lead to his employment, I wonder how many others have come under Hunter’s employment due to the timely employment of funds? Hades mused to himself

. “Currently there is only one overriding issue in America, the mutant registration law.”

“Mr Antonescu is currently working on two front to defeat this law and get it rescinded. The organised groups of mutants in New York have been scattered by the government’s enforcer robots. Mr Antonescu has gathered the remnants and formed a resistance. This resistance will attack the camps where mutants are being held and keep the focus there.”

“While that is happening Mr Antonescu will be working to alter the political landscape of America by removing certain key players. Once the balance has shifted he’ll begin applying pressure to have the law recinded.”

What? The registration bill? That is basically holocaust II, Hmm, I wonder if I do “get the job” so to speak? Though I do not know these people, they are being oppressed and if am employed, then his friends will become my friends, hmm, work involved, but to me that means testing time and challenges. Hmm, Mental note send Hunter a resume of my abilities and talents, he may find use for my covert ops training and my “unique” infiltration skills. Hmm two frond approach, good strategy, well at least I am slowly building up a profile of Hunter and his right hand man, never know when knowing your employer comes in handy. Hmm I wonder what powers the mutants have? Are they strong = some of my super heavy guns design, and a whole lot more. Hmm this may be challenging and fun, IF I get that job that is, let us not count our proverbial chickens before they hatch.