"Babe..."
Julio blinked, looking up from his desk and out the door to the dimly lit hallway of his Ridgetop penthouse. There stood his better half, the love of his life.
"What's up, Niko?" Julio asked, a soft smile tugging at his lips.
Niko had his arms crossed over a broad chest, his dark green eyes flashing with annoyance as he walked into the office. "They're not listening to me."
Julio's brows furrowed. "What? Who's not listening to you?"
Niko sighed. "The people you have over."
Standing quickly enough to startle his boyfriend, Julio's tone sharpened considerably. "I don't have people over. Suit up, now."
He disappeared in a flash, quite literally, and returned a moment later dressed as his villainous persona, Malachite, in his suit of green-and-black body armor. The suit incorporated a visored helmet, gloves, boots, and a belt of various weapons.
Julio had to admit, he loved a man in uniform. He swiftly pulled a pistol and knife from a desk drawer, glancing at his partner.
"Three men, four women. Black business suits, green ties," Malachite said.
"And they saw your face?"
"No shit. I didn't have my mask on."
Julio groaned, putting on his mask that concealed the upper half of his face. "Doesn't matter. Nobody breaks into our house and lives to tell the tale."
Hand in hand together, they headed confidently into the living room to face the assembled group.
The strangers sat, looking quite comfortable, on their expensive leather couches. Arrogant smiles adorned all seven faces, and they reeked of misplaced authority.
Government folks, or private contractors. Not that it truly mattered. Spartan hated them all equally. And these people were all equally dead.
They looked him and Malachite over, not the barest hint of respect in their eyes. One man in particular leaned forward, looking especially egotistical in his knockoff suit.
"Well, well. It's the mighty Spartan, in the flesh."
Spartan stared at him with a blank expression. Out of fashion timepiece, at least three seasons out of date. Overly gelled blond hair, and the flash of a gold tooth.
Somebody was trying really hard to play the part and failing miserably.
"Well, then," the man said, clearly miffed at being ignored. "My associates and I would like to propose something to you."
"Go on," Spartan said curtly. His hand tightened ever so slightly around Malachite's.
The action didn't go unnoticed. Two of the women whispered to each other, glancing at Spartan and Malachite with clear disdain.
The ugly blond man cleared his throat. "We require your particular set of skills, and those of..."
Spartan raised his index finger. "Before we go any further, give me your names."
A heavy sigh from the blond. "I am Adam Kechler of Kechler and Company. These are my board members. Anything else is irrelevant."
"I'll decide what's relevant here," Malachite said venomously.
Adam looked surprised to hear Malachite speak, and Spartan fixed the man with a cool glare.
"You heard him. We're partners, and what he says goes. Now, stop wasting our time and get to the point, Adam."
Barely restrained anger was clear in Adam Kechler's gaze. It amused Spartan. Obviously, this little mosquito of a man was used to being treated as an authority figure.
Slowly, Adam regained his composure.
"We need you to rob the Library of Congress and assassinate the President."
Malachite smirked. "Oh! Is that it?"
At a subtle nod from Spartan, Malachite went into action.
Before the assembled board members had time to draw breath, Malachite unholstered a custom-made blaster gun and fired seven shots, each one instantly fatal but completely untraceable.
"Good job," Spartan said with a grin. "He was starting to get on my nerves."
Ten minutes later, the corpses had been disposed of. When Malachite returned to the penthouse, he asked, "What did you think of that little gnat's proposal?"
Spartan paused, then shrugged. "Seems easy enough. What do you think?"
Malachite yawned. "Let's go for it. I've been wanting a date night for weeks now."
A smile pulled at Spartan's lips as he entwined his hand with Malachite's. "Then take it away, mi corazon."
They disappeared together in a flash of green light. Their violent date night had only just begun.
