Halloween Contest Entry - Compromising Situations - PhantomAmongPhantoms PID 10823

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Halloween Contest Entry - Compromising Situations - PhantomAmongPhantoms PID 10823

phantomamongphantoms
PhantomAmongPhantoms, one time weapon of mass destruction sat in the centre of a scene of devastation... again.
His head throbbed, his eyes were stinging and there was the strong taste of what was probably disapointment in his mouth.
"Kick me out of the Tower you bastards!" He grumbled to himself. "I know Fallen said don't do it. Quark was all 'No Phantom we have rules'. Even sodding Hanzo said it was a bad idea, but did Rakly really have to react like that?"
He pushed through the debris, trying to find a can that wasn't empty.
"I'll show them. Can't just boot me out in the cold. I got stuff going for me ... like... like... loads of stuff!"
Slowly he clambered upright, picking through the refuse to the door. He flicked his wrist computer on. "I need somewhere to sleep, a new job, and a drink."
"There is a hotel ..."
"Priorities!" He stabbed at the buttons.
"There is a listing for ..."
"Do you listen?" More button mashing.
"Blue Oyster is approximately 6 minutes away"
Phantom thought briefly. Mack wasn't an Avenger, he wouldn't turn him away now.
"Take your next left ..."
"Shut up!"

"Mack, buddy, let me in!"
"We're shut!"
"I just want a drink."
"Still shut!"
"C'mon just a quick stiff one"
"I'm off the clock!"

Phantom glared at the now firmly closed window, then down at his wrist computer.
A red light glickered on it that he hadnt noticed before.
"What's that mean?"
"Badge distress signal" the processed voice responded.
"Play it"
Hisses of static, alarm sirens, a loud thump reminiscent of an old man falling down ... then a further crackling static.
"Play it so I can hear it! "
"Re-analysing and enhancing ..." static ...siren ... thump ... "who can ... compromise ... help"
"That Nova's a dick"

Despite his misgivings Phantom was in a bit of a quandary, BADGE hadn't really helped him, but then the Avengers had decided he wasn't going to be helping them.
Two birds one stone ... or something about gift horses looking in bushes. Whatever ... it couldn't hurt.

"Call Mack" he requested clearly.
"Calling Mack"
"Just do it!"
"Do what?"
"Mack, buddy ..."
"Still shut Phantom!"
"I need to do some compromising"
"Three things ... one, it's too late for this crap. Two, it's generally compromising situations at the Oyster, which leads to three WE ARE SHUT!"
"Couldn't you make an exception?"
"Look you know there's not much I won't do for cold hard cash, but I have a few principals."
"Well how about you give me a clue and I tip you next time I'm in."
"Compromising isn't always a situation ... click"
Mack could be a deceptively cryptic guy for someone who generally left it all in show.

"Call Smith, Shinkler, Smith, Ramirez, Smith, Deloitte and Smith"
If anyone knew about compromise it would be a lawyer.
"Mr AmongPhantoms how can we help?
"I need to do something compromising"
"We would advise that you tell us no more details as we will mot be able to represent you if we are complicit."
"Can't you give me an idea?"
"Say nothing until you are asked if you want legal representation, then call us .... click"

This wasn't going great.-

"Message from Seraphim Angels"
"What?"
"You have a message from Seraphim Angels"
"Who?"
"Seraphim Angels are a ..."
"What do they want?"
"It appears to be an invitation."
"They invited me!?!"
"It would appear so. How would you like to respond?"
"Reply ... erm ... ok ... don't send that but ... start with 'thanks for the invite, I'm not busy right now, if you're inviting me I'd be happy to accept. Please be aware that if there is a party, alcohol, women, good with a humorous name or shape, alcohol, hot tubs or alcohol I may put myself in a compromising situation."
Phantoms wrist computer read the message back, he considered it briefly. "Send that!" There's a good chance I can do that compromising Nova wants so much, he was quietly confident.

Not much happened, genuinely, a quiet couple of weeks dragged by. Phantom stayed quiet, no parties or booze were thrown at him, not even a whiff of women, or hot tubs. Equally importantly no further garbled messages from Nova.

But that wasn't helping Phantom, he was getting antsy.

"Any news?" He asked his wrist computer. "But not about Brexit!"
"Message from Hanzo"
"YES! What's that crazy want?"
"Message reads 'party needs DJ free beer will be women and if clean in time hot tub."
"Reply ... you had me at Party!"
Phantom relaxed ... if I haven't compromised anyone by now I will then, that will shut Nova up.
"Message Island"
"Message contents?"
"You going to Hanzo's party? Want to share an uber with Mack? Promise that we'll all get in compromising situations and all get clean away with minimal reprisals."
"Message sent."
Best go get a shower, figure out some tunes and grab a case or six.
"Message from Island"
"Yeah?"
"Missed you Phantom. Been up to mischief?"
"Message Island ... Me? Never gonna change, I don't do compromise, don't haggle, won't settle for anything less than the best, accept no substitutions, can't take second best. Tell Mack to call me with a pick up time."

"What about Nova?" His wrist computer piped up.
"Meh .... he's a dick!"

We took out Aegis1 .... and then the world ended. Guess we should learn from that ...mines a double!

ID 10823