Shaw Industries - Chicago Offices

"Okay Shaw, you have us here," said Telford Porter. "Now do you care to tell us why?"

"As you all know, I have spent these past few months reforming the Hellfire Club's Inner Circle," began Shaw. "The last Inner Circle was killed off by one of their own - Madelyne Pryor."*

( *Actually, it was really Cable who did the deed back in Cable #25 - Dino )

"Do we strike at Pryor?" asked a young woman with short, black hair.

"No Miss Frost, we don't," replied Shinobi. "As far as I'm concerned, Pryor did us a favor. In fact, I was going to offer her membership in the new Inner Circle, but she's apparently missing."*

( *Check out Cable #30 - Dino )

"So what is our purpose, then?" asked Martinique Jason.

"I think we should wait a few moments," said Trevor Fitzroy. "We're missing someon--"

The door opened and a large man with gray, jagged hair and some sort of breathing apparatus stood in the frame. He had an almost birdlike appearence to him, and the only part of his face which could be seen clearly were his beady eyes.

"Now we can begin," said Fitzroy with a grin.

"Maybe I should introduce everyone to our guest--" began Shaw.

"Telford Porter, Cordelia Frost, Raven Darkholme, Shinobi Shaw, Trevor Fitzroy," replied the large man. "And the woman who calls herself Martinique Jason."

"How does he know who we are?" asked Cordelia.

"Don't patronize me, child," he replied.

"Allow me to introduce you all to our Black Bishop - Marius St. Croix," replied Shinobi.

"Just as long as we are clear that I am here for my own reasons, Mr. Shaw," said Emplate and took a seat across from Raven Darkholme - the White Bishop.

"All of us are, St. Croix," stated Porter. "Now Shaw, could you please get on with it? I have a business to run."

"Very well," said Shaw, taking a seat at the head of the table. "The seven of us represent the Hellfire Club's Inner Circle. We're back, my friends. And we have lofty ambitions."

"If you say world domination, I'm leaving," warned Porter.

"That's what I was just about to say," replied Shaw. Porter stood from his seat, but Shinobi called out to him. "Hold on for just a minute. Listen to what I propose. I'm not talking about world domination in the sense that Magneto or Doom or any of the other would-be conquerors have in mind. There's only one way to dominate the world - and that is with money. Unfortunately, following the deaths of the former members, an investigation was conducted. And that investigation showed that the Hellfire Club was funded through the use of criminal activities. By calling in a few favors, I prevented the government from seizing Shaw Industries. I was not, however, able to prevent them from seizing the assets of the Club's New York chapter. Simply put, we're broke."

"Just great..." muttered Porter.

"Oh, but it gets better," began Fitzroy. "We chose each of you based on your abilities and connections. The seven of us together can easily secure the necessary funds through various... activities."

"Porter has control over various drug cartels," said Shinobi. "Cordelia possesses connections to Frost Enterprises, even though her sister has effectively thrown her out. Marius has connections to his father's company, and during her time at the Massachusettes Academy, Raven found access to some secret bank accounts of the late Charles Xavier. And as for Ms. Jason, her illusion-casting abilities will be a great asset to us in so many different ways."

"I do have a question, though," said Raven. "There are eight seats here but only seven of us - who's missing?"

"Someone who owes me a favor," said Fitzroy with a grin.

"Another question then - why Chicago?" asked Cordelia.

"Do you know of any superheroes, X-Men, or mutant terrorists living in Chicago?" asked Shinobi.

"Actually, there is one..." began Fitzroy. "But you leave him to me and our Black Rook."

Porter looked across the table to the empty black seat parallel to him.

Bishop Investigations

"I think we need to talk."

"About what?" asked Bishop.

"About that serial killer," replied Detective Jack Reiger. "The one who killed several people. The one you killed."*

( *Check out issues #1-4 for the complete "MURDER ONE" story-arc - Dino )

"What's your point, Detective?" asked Bishop.

"I did some checking," replied Reiger. "On your name. On your appearence. I came up with some interesting facts. Would you like to hear them?"

Bishop offered no reply. He knew where Reiger was going with this. He was already figuring out a backdoor plan to get out of it.

"You did your homework, Bishop," began Reiger. "When I did some searching, I found out that Luther Bishop does indeed have a birth certificate. However, you were abandoned by your birth mother and adopted by James and Mary Bishop. They named you Luther. I checked with the adoption agency, and there's no one there who remembers you."

"I was adopted at a young age," replied Bishop.

"Exactly what it says on your papers," continued Reiger. "I also checked with the schools. No one there remembers a student by the name of Luther Bishop."

"I was a very quiet growing up. The teachers hardly noticed I was there."

"Just another student who fell between the cracks, isn't that right?"

"Exactly."

"Everything else about you checks out," said Reiger. "You majored in criminology at Empire State. And then you moved to Chicago to become a private investigator. Funny thing is, I tried to look up your parents and discovered that they're dead. Even funnier is the fact that you don't have any living relatives."

"Are you heading somewhere with this?" asked Bishop. "Or did you just feel like reciting my life story?"

"I did some more checking - this time concentrating on your image, and you bear a striking resemblence to a known mutant terrorist. This terrorist was last seen committing mass-murder a few years back in a night club in New York City. Eyewitnesses claim that his partners referred to him as, guess what, Bishop. Now, I may not be the best detective, but I can put two and two together. The mark over your right eye, the same facial characteristics, the weapons, the personality, the lack of people who can verify your past... well, things get fishy and I'm not one for seafood. You're wanted by the FBI for questioning in several unsolved murder cases. If I show this to the feds, I could probably be commended for apprehending a you."

Reiger lifted the file up in front of Bishop's face. And, in one smooth move, he tore it in half.

"The key word being 'if.'"

"Why did you do that?" asked Bishop.

"Because you saved my life," replied Reiger. "I owe you something in return. That's what I have to offer you."

"That's not what I need," said Bishop. "If you did try to inform the FBI of my location, I have ways of putting them off the trail or of falsifying your claims. Tearing up that file isn't doing me a favor. What I need from you, Detective, is one thing."

"And what's that?"

"Information."

"On what?"

"On everything," replied Bishop. "I'm here to do a job - the job that the police aren't willing to do."

"You're starting to sound like that Punisher character from New York."

"Can you provide me with whatever information I request?"

Reiger sighed and looked down at the ground. He placed his hands in his pockets, searching around for a cigarette.

"Well?"

Reiger placed a cigarette between his lips and lighted it. He looked up at Bishop as he did so before replying with, "within reason."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Okay, let's be realistic," began Reiger. "Chicago may not have the highest crime rate, but it's up there. And if we have superhuman criminals like this body snatcher killer then I'll be honest with you, I could use the help."

"Mountjoy."

"I'm sorry, what?"

"The 'body snatcher killer' as you called him - his name was Mountjoy."

"Sorry, I forgot to renew my subscription for Super Villains Illustrated," said Reiger. "The swimsuit issue should be interesting, though - I hear Doc Doom's gonna be on the cover."

"Are you finished?"

"Truthfully, no. I've always had a thing against superpowered types. And now, I've got them coming to Chicago. It's not something I'm happy about."

"You have nothing to worry about, then," said Bishop. "I don't possess any powers."

"According to those police reports, you were able to project energy blasts from your hands," said Reiger. "I'd call that possession of at least one power."

"I don't possess any powers," said Bishop. "At least, not anymore."

"So what are you, then? A supervillain version of a Ghostbuster?"

"No," said Bishop. "I'm just doing a job."

"And what would that be?"

"Ensuring that you people don't destroy yourselves."

"Sounds awfully cryptic."

"Let's keep it that way."

"How's that waitress friend of yours anyway?"

Bishop stopped to consider the question for a moment. He hadn't checked on Pamela since the attack by Mountjoy. He stopped by New York to speak with Storm,* and before he could get a chance to speak with Pam, he got word that Gambit was wanted for murder in New Orleans.**

( *In issue #5 - Dino )
( **Check out the Gambit & Bishop: Manhunt Collected Edition - Dino again )

"Good question..." replied Bishop.

Columbia

Telford Porter stood with his hands in his pockets as the workers loaded the merchandise into crates. Most of it was heroin, laced with a special drug he had developed - a drug which would prevent employee theft. One of the workers appeared somewhat groggy, and Porter frowned. This was exactly the type of thing that he was trying to, no pun intended, weed out.

He walked up to the man and addressed him.

<"Are you feeling okay?">* he asked.

( *Translated from the Spanish - Dino )

<"Yes... just coming down with something, sir... no problem.">

<"Show me your arms,"> ordered Porter.

<"I'm sorry...?">

<"Show me your arms,"> repeated Porter. <"Now.">

The man slowly lifted his arms up and Porter grabbed them. He pulled the man's sleeve back to reveal marks on the arm. He glanced up at the man.

<"How did you get these marks?">

<"I--I don't know... maybe I was bit by something.">

<"You've been stealing from me, haven't you?">

<"No! Never!">

<"Don't lie to me.">

<"I wouldn't lie to you! I stole nothing!">

<"Really?">

<"Yes, really...">

<"Okay, go back to work,"> ordered Porter.

The man turned and went back to loading. Porter lifted his arm and pointed it at the man. Without warning, the man's head vanished from his shoulders, and his lifeless body fell to the ground.

<"Let that be a lesson to all of you!"> shouted Porter. <"Anyone who tries to sample the merchandise will end up the same way. Now finish loading, we have a deadline to meet.">

Chicago

"You came back," said Pam. "Finally..."

"I had other matters to attend to," said Bishop. "They were of a... personal nature. I was out of town for awhile."

"So... can I get you anything?"

"No, I just came to see how you were doing."

"I know there's something different about you, Bishop," revealed Pam. "You and your friends. Every time I saw you in the bar, I kept getting the distinct impression I knew you from some place. I just never knew where."

"Have you figured it out?"

"No, not yet. But I want you to give me some answers."

She pulled the chair out at his table and sat in it, right across from him.

"Who was that guy?"

"He was a criminal - a murderer" replied Bishop. "His name was Mountjoy."

"What did he do to me?"

"He was a mutant," said Bishop. "He... possessed you, for lack of a better word."

"I don't remember much from what happened," said Pam. "Did I... do anything when he... possessed me?"

Bishop thought back to the torture he received at Mountjoy's hands. Torture which Mountjoy performed while he was in possession of Pam's body. But Pam had been through much as it was. She had a right to know what he made her do, but it wasn't really her fault. So why should she know? Why should he force her to suffer through the pain and humiliation of weakness that Mountjoy forced Bishop to undergo?*

( *In the Bishop limited series - Dino )

"No," replied Bishop. He was lying right through his teeth. "He only used you to get at me. He didn't force you to do anything."

"Are you telling me the truth?"

"Yes."

"Are you sure?"

"Why don't you believe me?"

"It's not that I don't believe you..." replied Pam. "It's just that... well, I've been having these dreams. Nightmares I guess you could say."

"Of what?" asked Bishop.

"I can't really describe it..." said Pam. "I see myself in a mirror... and then I see someone else... a woman I've never seen before in my life... and I see some sort of... animal or beast or something... and then I wake up screaming."

She looked down at her hands for a few minutes and sighed. Bishop just watched her carefully, unsure of what her next move would be.

"Do you... do you think it means anything?"

"They're dreams," replied Bishop. He stood from his seat. "Nothing more."

He turned and walked towards the exit. He gripped the door handle, but before he could turn it, Pam called out to him.

"Wait," she said. "Listen... I was thinking..."

"About what?"

"Well... I know you're new in town and all," she replied. "And since the last time we got together, you kinda had a gun pointed at my head... I was wondering if maybe I could show you around a little bit? Y'know, show you what Chicago has to offer."

"I don't think that would be a good idea," said Bishop. "I have a lot of work to do."

"Well here..." she said and grabbed a napkin from the table. She pulled out a pen and scribbled some digits on the napkin before handing it to him. "If you change your mind, just give me a call. That's my home number, by the way, so if you call before 11, I'll probably still be at work."

"I'll think about it," replied Bishop. He folded up the napkin and placed it in his pocket, then walked out the door. In reality, he hadn't planned on even considering it at all. It was too dangerous to get involved with her. There was a lot he didn't know about her, and he couldn't risk letting his guard down after Mountjoy had gotten so close to him. Suppose his enemies were able to get closer next time?

No, he couldn't afford himself any weaknesses.

Reiger sat patiently in his car. One of his contacts had informed him that there was a drug shipment coming in. He expected it to be brought in by trucks, since there's no way they could bring it in via the lake. It would take far too long, which is why there isn't much on drug shipments in Chicago.

He took another sip of his coffee and continued to watch. Still nothing. He looked at his watch and sighed. 11:58. He wanted to get this overwith already. If something didn't happen soon, he would probably bust himself just so he could do something.

He closed his eyes for a second and rubbed them. When he opened them again, he took a sip of his coffee—and almost ended up spitting it out in shock.

Standing before him were several crates, and a couple dozen men all scurrying about to move them. But where did they come from? And how did they get there so quickly? There were no trucks present or anything. He reached for his gun. It was a Smith & Wesson 9mm automatic - standard police issue. He quickly snapped the magazine into place. He grabbed his radio, but before he could call for back-up, he heard the sound of clapping.

He turned around to see a bald man in an Armani suit sitting in the backseat with a grin on his face.

"Nice try," said the man. "But sadly, not good enough."

Reiger aimed his pistol at the intruder, who simply grinned.

"What's so funny?" asked Reiger.

The man grinned and held out his hand. Reiger's gun vanished from his hand, and reappeared inside the intruder's. He then aimed it at Reiger.

"That," he said. "Get out of the car."