2013.04.23 - Paging Doctor Venom!

Serpent Manor. Madripoor.

Inside the lush aristocratic structure that is the Baroness' third or fourth off-shore estate the open atrium with a Schonbek chandelier hangs above a silver flecked swimming pool. Fresh fruit lay out on trays and across from it is situated a vast, expansive gymnasium outfitted with fantastic Technogym equipment. Another entry way leads to the sauna pods located outside of a plunge pool and a large relaxation area. The sort of place a normal person would step foot in and suddenly feel very miniscule and envious all at once.

In this immediate area the smell of alpine berries, wine, mineral soaks and various other aromas mingle with the heated mist of the spa. The orange and yellow tones of the walls nicely accented by the wooden cedar polished coloration of the tables and benches inside.

Beyond the windows men can be seen walking back and forth, these guardsmen patrol the grounds dressed in deep blue to black fatigues and Kevlar armored suits. Their faces masked by Balaclava like coverings. Within the walls several men stand without much more on than towels around their waists, a dark skinned man with long dreads standing along one wall with a tray consisting of various fruits and a phone beside him a blonde. Neither spoke nor moved awaiting commands from their Mistress only.

The dark-haired-dark-eyed scar riddled figure of Taskmaster also stood in here as well. His handsome features contorted up as he stares at a flashing lit up tablet, his finger rapidly mashing down on the touch screen. Like the two men awaiting orders he bore no clothing beyond a towel.

"For fuck sake."

From inside the Baroness can be heard, a yell followed by a clatter of metal hitting the floor in bouncing rebound across the marble floors. "Stupid! You think I am foolish enough to dine on the meat this third world country reject provides. I said /import/! Resources."

BANG!

Bare feet were silent in the long strides across the flooring in comparison to the thunder-crack of noise that just came from within, the black robe billowing open and around her figure clad in a red and black bikini beneath, the sleeves rimmed in red and black feathers as well as the collar. Clutched in one hand a Ruger is still heated from the expulsion, though her features are not, calm, reserve, poise - even as one hand plucked a large stem of grapes from the tray and filled the empty space with her weapon instead.

"Be a doll, hold that for me." She said as she patted the large dark skinned man on the cheek and just kept her pace, heading for the pool.

Mechanically the darker man adjusts the tray to support the firearm placed upon it. His blond companion following after him as they trail behind the Baroness. No words, these men only do as commanded.

Taskmaster on the other hand chuckles looking up to stare at Baroness; the tablet being turned off.

"Miss DeCobray." He offers in a playful greeting his stride being quickened to match her own. "You're looking as vibrant and deadly as usual today."

Leaving the two to trail behind her, one hand rises and snaps towards another, but not waiting until he reaches her to speak. "There's a mess inside that needs cleaned, inform the housekeeping to do so. I'm sure this island has pigs that need fed. Also, meat. Ordered from Germany, England, Scotland... Not here, hell knows what they consider /lamb/." Saying the final word her upper lip recoils from over teeth as if she would hiss in disgust.

Sending one to scurry off her focus draws on Taskmaster now, deep painted lips curling upward at his words though cold eyes drop to the tablet with a brow slowly inclining. "And you seem relaxed save your technology's protests. Enjoying the day off?" Who is she kidding? No day is a day off, scheming was just yet to set into motion due to drawbacks that gave her the same reaction as Taskmaster, she just took it out on the help.

The blond man bows his head and quickly scampers off.

Taskmaster's shoulders lift up as his hands both wave out in a shrug. "It's nothing. Just some outside business I'm dealing with." A puzzle game app he downloaded. One he's having a particularly hard time putting down lately. "Also I think they consider mule and dog to be a good replacement for lamb here. Just in case you were curious." Stepping up on to the lip of the pool he curls one leg under the other and sets the tablet down beside him, leaning over enough to flick at the water. "You know if you keep shooting all the men I am training you it just becomes more of an expense to train new ones. These uh..." He looks the dark skinned man over and grunts, "Highly talented and intelligent /minions/ you have under your employ don't grow on trees. I mean a majority of them look like they fell out of the ugly spawning one but yeah... I think you catch me." Temper issues. She has 'em.

"I am aware, and I refuse to eat the unknown or questionable - let alone a fattened cat." Baroness waves a hand dismissively at the thought, as if trying to get rid of it and then slides off the robe to drop it down on a reclining chair that rested beside the pool. Where that string tied bikini of black and red did not cover there is the easy revelation of her own scars, some years old, some fresher, down to the bruises that came from recent hard impacts during missions.

"I killed the cook, so don't worry yourself on having to break any new bodies in... Yet." Spoken just as calmly as a conversation over tea she plucks a few grapes off the stem and rolls them between fingers before eating them, testing their freshness.

"You intend to leave my employ any time soon, Tony?" She inquires now, glancing towards him as she lowers just enough to test the temperature of the pool with the sweep of bare foot into it.

"Killed the cook?! That guy made such a fantastic Banh Xeo! His sauce was so epic... ugh did you at least get his recipe for that first? Welp, there goes my night." Taskmaster huffs as he watches her, his brows bunching up together.

"I request you hire a cook who can make some mean Mexican. It's been a while and I been so tired of Vietnamese or French cuisine I am half tempted to hop the next flight to the states just for Taco Bell."

"You know better. You pay me too well, Ana, plus the perks... I mean, do I look stupid to you? We got a nice thing here. I ain't hopping ship just yet. Besides that plenty of your newbies are sloppy sad sacks who still need molded. I can't give out my seal of approval on a buncha short change chumps. It's bad for business."

The smirk that came over her lips narrowed her eyes behind those glasses as Tony commenced his complaints, shaking her head slowly as she withdrew her foot and just plunged into that deep-end of the pool they were, fully submersed for a moment only to rise and push her hair back from her face, wading back from the edge as she regained focus, pushing her glasses up to rest atop her head and aid in keeping her hair back. Watching through drops of water formed a worse focus then her own eyesight could offer uninterrupted.

"All of his belongings remain and will go to the next chef, on your request. If he doesn't know how to cook Mexican cuisine, he will have to learn, now wont he?" She states rather matter of factually on the matter.

"Good then, because unlike them, /you/ are harder to replace. No matter what type of tree you fell out of. Intelligence, wit, cunning, looks.. I can't be the only one to have them all."

"Aw, why Miss DeCobray you're gonna make me blush." Taskmaster grins back at Baroness as she slides in to the pool.

"Dunno. Guess I'll have to bust out the Chef suit one of these nights. That'll be a treat... I picked up a few recipes here and there." A man of many talents. Many many stolen talents.

As she scissors through the water he flicks his towel aside and dips in, joining her in that slow exercise; moving in close enough he is swimming a few feet from her. "I'm going to get soft being here. This is a much more eh... elegant way to go about this whole mercenary gig than I'm used to."

"Soft? I have lived my life as such when I have the brief time and I do not consider myself soft. Au contraire, it reminds me why I do what I do." Dipping lower for just a moment she kicks back as he slides into the pool, but does not keep distance as he closes it.

"Is tonight too soon to put you in the kitchen?" Now she reciprocates a grin, something brief and short lived before she is kicking off to begin swimming without the laze.

"Five laps. Then you can lose the thought of becoming too /soft/. If I win, you owe me dinner."

"My talents though exceptional in the kitchen would be wasted." Boldly Taskmaster pushes himself through the water towards her so he can grip her hip and a wrist. "I imagine we can find something better suited for my skills tonight." His lips curled back in a show of white teeth as he gets daring. Something like this could get him shot in the face but hell he is a merc, assassin, killer, soldier, spy and in general bad ass. This is the kinda thing he gets off on.

The man beside the pool actually sets the tray he has been holding down on the wet tiles and takes up the Ruger. The safety thumbed off. On command he will happily shoot the man so brazen as to touch the Baroness without her permission.

Stopped where she is by the grip upon her hip Baroness' hand comes up as if to swing in a swift motion that just as thought occurred had been gripped by Taskmaster, her form already back upright from that single breast-stroke she had managed before being ensnared, face to face with him her jaw is tensed with the showing flash of her own teeth set in a grit of moments determination.

He is far more bold than most she has known and the fist does not unclench despite her words that came hissed between teeth. "En-light-en me." She states, trained and careful words despite the surprise that is still present, but the initial shock slowly waning as her other hand rises and gives the signal for the man at the pool side to hold.

As commanded the henchman/servant beside the pool re-thumbs the safety and lowers the weapon then proceeds to pick up the tray he was playing warden over.

"Gladly." Taskmaster responds before his hand on her hip slides further back, curls in and crushes her smaller form against his own as lips descend to her mouth encouraging an entanglement of tongues. Their close proximity making it apparent he has been lying about having ever been soft under her employ.

Across the atrium a door opens and three men proceed inside, towards the occupied pool. Ivan Kozlov the Russian weapons dealer, one of her many nameless shock troopers who is currently playing escort and a rather nondescript man in a labcoat.

The labcoats brown hair is styled in a Clark Kent like fashion as glasses pinch his bird hooked nose, a typical boring look the man never seems to vary from. This is Dr. Archibald Monev, a scientist who has in the past worked for both the U.S. Government and A.I.M.. Currently banned from the States he has been shunned by the scientific community for his dangerous and illegal research.

More unexpected things could happen, a bomb could drop on her manor and she would not be surprised. A ninja could come from a nearby tree and she may be slightly surprised (considering the defenses), this brazen movement by Tony - on the other hand, had a breath pushing out, if not from the sheer force in which his embrace crushed her form against his own, expelling any water from between them in a haste that likely was healthier; even for the element.

Lips trapped and pressed apart by his own there is no sign of a remote further struggle, though the rigidity her form took from the tension of muscles even then slowly began to ebb and fade.

The spare hand that had been risen to stop the man beside the pool descended now, having been held in shock's stasis by Taskmaster's move, entangling in his hair and clutching him there, the tension now riding down that arm only slightly as her smaller form reciprocates a crush with a push that not only would possibly have him wading back in the pool, but lowering in the water as she seeks to slowly ascend in that press against him and find level footing.

Interruptions may come and she is fully aware of that door that opens and closes, as well as the footsteps, eyes opening and glancing from the tray-bearer towards the group as they narrow. A puzzled look is what she gets back for a moment, as the hand that may still be captured presses to rise, giving another gesture for him to draw on them. She didn't have to speak for them to be warned: 1. They did not knock. 2. They were interrupting.

Once more the tray is set down methodically and the servant hefts up the Ruger to aim at the trooper and the two with him.

Ivan lets out a fearful, "Yob, oh shit, poekhali!" Turning he tries to spin right around when he sees the gun and the situation they just interrupted.

Dr.Monev doesn't seem so phased as he grabs Ivan's arm and halts him from retreating. "Stop being a weakling, you imbecile. This is business. She has plenty of time for her... unprofessional dalliances when we are not present."

The confused shock trooper just standing there. His weapon not at the ready as he looks towards the Baroness and Taskmaster in the pool.

"It was all heez idea, Miss DeCobray, I promise. Please do not be angry with me." Ivan slaps Archibald's hand off his jacket and ducks his head down, trying to avert his eyes and look as pathetic as possible. Clearly the 'guest' has learned to fear the lady of the house.

Taskmaster is happily matching the aggressiveness of the Baroness' climb upon him until the interruption, resolving himself to a sigh and a slow retraction from their embrace. Moving to place his elbows up on the edge of the pool as his chin inclines up, staring at the trio from down his nose.

"Never a dull moment."

Baroness seems to have no reaction, the mannerism in which she remains collected even as Tony pulls away could be unnerving, but the Doctor is right. Other times. Moving in a wade towards the edge of the pool she hefts herself out with ease, moving to the side of the tray-now-gun bearing man and places a hand to coil fingers over the shoulder that is poised for the weapon that is held. Her other hand slides down the dark skinned mans arm tentatively and rests over the Ruger as if she would train him to take correct aim and fire, leveling it on the Doctor as well as her gaze.

"Dr. Monev, I do have a very tight schedule, and you see.." She speaks matter of factually as her finger slides over the trigger finger of the mans, but not squeezing.. ".. This is why I hire people like you. Not to tell me what my dalliances are because I very well know who and what I have time for."

Sliding the weapon from the mans grip she leans in and speaks to him in another language, one whispered and gets a slow nod from him as well as a step back. "I however do not have time to deal with you bleeding out in my pool yard and possibly getting it into the water.." As she speaks the weapon is swung with the waffling of her hand in near exasperation of the explanation alone - finally folding her figure into a reclining chair and swinging one bared leg over the other to cross, her arm wielding the weapon coming to rest opn up-most knee.

"Relax Ivan. Good boy. Doctor, do speak. Quickly." As she says the final word she reaches up and slides the glasses back down upon the bridge of her nose.

Puffing his chest out Dr.Monev lifts his head up higher, trying to look as regal and indignant as possible as he return stares the Baroness. "Shoot me if you so please, Miss DeCobray but I assure you it would be a monumental mistake. You will be hard pressed to find a scientist of my caliber that will work under these conditions and with as much expertise as I have."

Ivan takes two steps away from the Dr. His head still remaining down as his fingers tug nervously at his jacket cuffs.

Taskmaster still facing them with his back against the pool and his elbows up on it lets out a small sound that is half-sigh half-groan, "Don't push yer luck, egghead. "

A wave of his hand towards Taskmaster and Dr.Monev reaches down to a front pocket pulling out an electronic display. "Please, silence your pet." The grid lights up and laser images begin to form shapes that soon an outline of the device Deathstroke had obtained for her. "As you know this was the final component I required for the Brainwave Scanner, unfortunately I need one final important key element. One that is not so easily acquired and can be quite dangerous."

Long dramatic pause.

Baroness' smile just grows, something slight and birthing into more the more the Dr. spoke. "Under /what/ conditions Doctor?" Baroness looks around and then leans forward over her crossed leg and lazily dangling weapon. "The food, the comfort, the all-equipped lab, and me, at your disposal for such tasks as fetching you bits needed. It is not good enough? Let me change the conditions then.."

Raising the weapon she aimed it for near Archibald's foot, firing it to where the tiny stucco tiles of the pools surrounding patio shot up in fragments, likely pelting him and those nearby. "Now, I /can/ make the next one hit, take you from shining lab quarters and put you in far filthier conditions with no medical care, /force/ you to remain standing on said foot even as it festers... And if you seek to be stubborn or retaliate you have limbs you can lose that will not harm the work I can still make you do until you Bleed. Out. Then I will find a suitable replacement to finish your work in the lab you currently have and use your corpse as a shining example of failure to me. Under -those- conditions, anyone will do your work."

Glancing towards Taskmaster that half cocked grin only emphasizes the acknowledgement.

"Pet is something you'd only wish you were if you dare to speak to anyone else in my presence as a lesser again. I do hope we are... Crystal. Fucking. Clear. Go on unless you wish to see these things begin being enacted. I'll just let him shoot you in the foot." Holding the Ruger out in offering to Taskmaster as she says it.

"You know Rugers ain't my style for that sort of thing, gorgeous. I'd prefer to use my hands." Taskmaster cranes his head to the side and smiles large. "And the Doc's seen what I can do, haven't ya, Vernin."

Dr.Monev is practically imitating stone as the Baroness fires off the shot; the sound like a thunderclap throughout the atrium with it's own hollow echo. If it wasn't for the shift in Monev's skin tone one would think he was a robot and the large lump in his throat he just swallowed, "We are clear, Miss DeCobray. Now that we are done asserting our dominance may I continue?" It's clear he understands or at least is acknowledging his place at the moment. "We need an person with extraordinary mental capabilities of the psychic persuasion, a telepath or empath. That is if you wish for this machine to be perfect." A switch of the visuals being displayed by his tool and it shows a person laying in a bed with details about their brain and mental wavelengths. "I have already contacted some of my former colleagues inside of A.I.M. who work with the PSI division and they will return some figures and possible candidates. I will need your resources and permission, of course, to acquire one or several of these special individuals."

Ivan's form is hugging to one of the pillars covered in plants as they speak. His gap of two feet from Dr.Monev now a good half a dozen. "Trofim may know of some as well. I... I can ask him."

One hand rises as Baroness gestures for the dark skinned man to set the tray down on the nearby table that has chairs encircling it as well as a bamboo made umbrella over the top. Leaning forward once the tray is set down she picks up a strawberry and inspects it as well before eating, listening and completely content to watch the display the Doctor puts on as he speaks.

Another sweeping gesture and the table as well as the food is offered to those present while the dark skinned man is now held out a few bills that she had withdrawn from within her robe. Apparently something she said earlier is now backed and despite his stoic demeanor the smile only shows in his eyes as he takes the money and goes, the blonde that had left earlier replacing him, toweling blood off his hands.

Looking towards Ivan she gestures for him to come out of hiding and have a seat as well while she drops the strawberries stem on the platter and speaks.

"I want several in case others fail. You have my permission and my resources at your disposal. What exactly are you in need of me to acquire or do to make this happen Doctor?" Leaning back in the chair she remains in the sun and out from the shielding of the umbrella, now taking a laxed repose on it as if trying to catch a tan. Multitasking at its finest.

"Transportation and men. If you require several." The Doctor remains standing as he is; his hands closing over the device in them to shut it off. "A few I can pay to have considered medical waste and delivered to us for the right price. It will be steep but most likely less expensive than abducting them by gunpoint."

Taskmaster boredly begins to swim back and forth from one side of the pool to the other. His lean, well-muscled scar criss-crossed body moving like an Olympian swim team member.

Ivan moves from behind the pillar to walk over to the seat she has gestured towards lowering himself in to it. Glancing over underneath his ever present shades to try and steal a look at the Baroness in her swim suit.

Ana gestures from Ivan to the food on the platter. "That is far more within your reach." She states to him, having caught the sidelong glances. Turning her focus back on the doctor for now. "How many men and what kind of transportation? You need to be specific Doctor so nothing fails here and if I do not have it I can acquire it in time." One thing that made the Baroness very unhappy was failure, and if she is unhappy it tends to make many others unhappy, or dead.

Looking back towards Ivan, Baroness tilts her head. "Ask Trofim as well. It is better to have backup in case one fails, with the way things have been going lately." She says rather bitterly, though at least they did manage to succeed in one area where another failed. Though, she still had Ivan.

Despite business, as usual her gaze does glimpse back towards Taskmaster as he fills his time doing what she would rather be doing... In part, though not too far from success was an easy distraction, for now.

"I do not know of the exact expenses just yet, Baroness, but I can make sure you have a complete list of what they are." That pad is drawn up and a woman's face appears. "Judith, start on a cost projection for HYPNOS. We will need it ASAP or it's your head."

"Right away, sir."

Closing the display out he looks at the Baroness, "That should be all. I will be in direct contact with you once I have everything in order." Turning on his heel Dr.Monev begins to stalk off.

Ivan nods and looks grateful, "I'll call Trofim right away. I know my brother has contacts that can get these things, like mutants or body parts... "Licking his lips he stares once more at Baroness in all of her barely clothed glory. "Oh, yes yes, many thanks." Some of the fruit grabbed up in his hand and crushed in to his mouth using it as an excuse to pry his gaze off of the woman. He values his eyes after all.

That trooper who had accompanied Ivan and Monev turns his masked face towards the Baroness, "Shall I return them to the guest quarters?" Aka the more secured and gaurded sub-house behind the Baroness' own manor.

Baroness is narrowing her eyes at Ivan as he boldly stares on, only content when he finds distraction in the food. Watching the Doctor Baroness lets one corner of her lips rise. "Now you are speaking my language, Doctor. It gets things done."

Baroness rises from the reclining chair and hands her weapon to the blonde as she slides the tray nearly into Ivan's lap. "Take that with you." Then turning towards the guard. "Yes, we are finished here." Though she may pass them glances she is heading back off to what she was initially doing before their unexpected intrusion. Instead of fully sinking back into the pool she takes her place seated at the edge with her legs dangling into the water while she leans back and supports her weight on hands.

Grape stained lips offer a smile and a nod at the Baroness as Ivan takes up the tray and is ushered out by the armor clad trooper. No words come as a response from Doctor Monev on his march from her pool house.

Taskmaster stops in his swimming to look over at the woman as she gets comfortable again, "So, where we we?"