14711/The Devil Calls a Favour

The Devil Calls a Favour
Date of Scene:	17 February 2023
Location:	Lucifer's Penthouse, Melville
Synopsis:	Favors are pulled, thugs are questioned, and Spidey still gets justice. All around eventful night!
Cast of Characters:	Lucifer, Sinister, Spider-Man, Phantasm (Drago)

---

Lucifer has posed:
A few nights ago a couple of guys were up to no good and started making trouble...wait. Wrong show. Let's try this again...

A few nights ago, Spider-Man made his way to Lux. As did Nick Drago and the Winter Soldier. While here, Spider-Man made an attempt to confront a few would-be bad guys. The good news is, they were quickly taken outside and dealt with.

The bad news is that they attempted to be within Lux to begin with.

And of course, they were handed over to the police. Good work men! You did all the right things. But Lucifer has fingers in many pots, and favors to call upon with many a person. It just so happens that one of these favors nets him the Thug Leader of that trio grop and one of his partners in the so-called crime to be brought BACK to Lux. Not only to Lux, but upstairs to the Penthouse. It's also true that Lucifer might have asked a few people to join him for a bit of mischief and mayhem that only the Devil is good for showing. Which is where this all begins. Two thugs currently tied up. A Devil and his Doctor and their accomplices gathering for a night to remember.

Sinister has posed:
In one of the mirrors of Lux, stands tall and pale. He is dressed from head to toe in black, save for that ruby diamond in his forehead and the glowing red eyes -- silk shirt, undone at the collar by a couple of buttons, black leather pants, black gloves, black hair tie, black fuzzy raven slippers. What, wait a sec...

Yes, black fuzzy slippers shaped like ravens. He adjusts his hair, smooths it daintily with a glove'd finger and puts hands on his hips. "Black hides a myriad of sins, doesn't it?" the comment is quite cheerful.

Spider-Man has posed:
Spidey still had some friends on the force, and checking in as he did so people wouldn't be hanging out too long, and get properly arrested before the web evaporated again. When he called, and heard that one of the people he had tracked down, and retreated had just got back out that quickly Spidey wasn't happy and so was back on it to make sure the person faced the proper jail time, and didn't just use the time to comit more crimes. Though learning that they were back at Lux made Spider-man wonder if he was saving him, or hunting him.

Either way as he swung over to the nightclub he was able to land outside on a balcony connected to the Penthouse outside he peers in to see three very scared peple inside, and sighs a bit giving a knock on the door that lead inside. Pressed up against the glass is a Spidey-Face finger-waging at the people inside. "Ya know they have detectives for this stuff.." and sighs though as it was most likely an effective way to get a confession if nothing else.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
It should be stated that while Lucifer may have invited others for the mischief and mayhem. The invite didn't REALLY properly state the purpose. But Lucifer and the good doctor kind of gotten to a bit of friend status in Nick's head so the invite was accepted.

Also Nick was kind of curious to how big Lucifer's penthouse was for it to merit the devil snubbing his nose at the musician's midtown Manhattan apartment.

Ding!

The elevator doors start to open. "So you know, the message was a bit- vague." Nick states as he exits the mode of transport, stepping into the main area. He pauses, taking a look to the group gathered and then to the two tied up men. What the hell did he walk in to?

Ooh. Nice slippers.

Lucifer has posed:
"Black hides a myriad of everything, my love. Sin included. No pun intended, I presume?" Lucifer offers this while looking Sinister up and down. All the way to those raven slippers which will make noise as soon as the man begins to walk which will be an interesting thing indeed.

His eyes quickly turn to the window where Spider-Man has landed, knocked and even said something. Of course the ONE person with good morals will come along. That will make things just this much more interesting it seems, and Lucifer walks to the one window that can open, prying it so and makes a gesture. "Well come in before you catch your death of cold up here. Also. I realize there are detectives. You need to realize that I work with said detectives and I am used when the truth needs to be obtained with...creative measures." He offers this.

Then the elevator dings and he turns to see one Nick Drago stepping in. "Ah. Nick. Just in time for the fun. Sorry for the vauge invite but you see. I simply had to make sure I piqued your interest just enough to get you to come here. You can stay if you want or...go if you like. But I must admit this is going to be a night filled with FUN." Then he turns to the two tied up thugs. "Now. Which one of you is the actual ring leader hmm? Who decided it would be ever so wonderful to waltz right into Lux and do their dirty work without expecting to get caught? Hm? Was it you?" He points to the thug on the left. Randomly. Maybe.

Sinister has posed:
"Oh, the pun was intended," Glancing to the tall floor to ceiling glass that keeps out the cold, Sinister lifts an eyebrow faintly at the sight of a friendly radio-active spiderbite victim. "Well, well, well." And of course, Lucifer is in full host mode, so all he does is click his heels, which do NOT make any noise, then to turn and ....
Caw-caw Caw-caw Caw-caw. If he runs it would become surreal, not that this isn't just bordering on it. Over to the bar, to pour himself a glass from the one bottle of cognac in the wall of whiskey. He then selects one for Lucifer, pours it and glides along, quak-cawing the entire time, to the more modest drinks cabinet, where sits everything -else-. "Hmmmm..." and an irish car bomb is poured for Nick and is floated over, ferried by an invisible platter to the musician. "Can I get you anything, spiderman? A soda? Perhaps a virgin gin and tonic?"

Spider-Man has posed:
Opening the door Spidey grins his mask emoting it, "The suit is a lot warmer then it looks actually" he points out as he walks in, and see's the others. He looks at Sinister, and wonders if maybe they were related to the person he saw yesterday of course not knowing it was Sinister. He glances back at Lucifer and smiles, "Usually I just drop them off of high buildings.. the harder it is to get information the further I let them fall." and shrugs a bit, as he doubted either of the three would take very long. "I only missed... once." and grins as he never had but he wouldn't let them know that as the risk is what made them worry.

Now while the group makes the three jealous, and Spidey does know who the ring leader is he lets them figure it out as it was prob part of the process. If they worked for who he thought they did the questions were only going to get harder from here, but even now just the treat of the four of them together does not get the job done. Spidey notes from the back, "You should also ask who they were following." Spidey knew it was one of two people, but depending on who it was it was bound to be different people behind it. Spidey just knew that they had been in the same bar twice as those two, and he severly doubted it was just random.

"No thank you!" he notes to Sinister, "Can't look intimidating while sipping through a straw." and chuckles a bit as that was the only way he could drink keeping the mask on.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Lucifer's rewarded with a confused look. "...Why do you need me here for this?" What's more concerning is the promise of a night full of fun.

There are two men tied up in the penthouse. What type of fun is th-

And then the slippers start making their sound.

OH MY -

The slippers cro-ack. There's the slight bit of amusement as he momentarily imagines that paired with his mask from the Five Times Novel tour. Just how quickly would Kip have been driven nuts during rehearsal?

Focus.

The floating drink is glanced at for a moment before Nick reaches up, taking the beverage, downing it quickly. Yep. Alcohol's a necessity at the moment.

"Best I got is at least one of them was an asshole over at Birdland. Dark environment and he's trying to make a guy carrying easily a grand or two worth of camera equipment fall. Good thing the guy was paying attention."

Sinister has posed:
Sinister's gaze holds steady on Spiderman for a few moments, then with his pinky lifted pointedly and slowly for public viewing, he selects a small black drinking straw from the bar. It's placed through a marascino cherry and neatly dipped in the drink as he turns to caw-roak his way toward the men tied up. Lucifer's already begun, so he simply starts gazing at the pair. Left. Right. Left. Right. Never once does he blink, but his gaze gets deeper red, starts illuminating his eyebrows rather vividly. He sips through the straw, delicately even and crouches with a loooooooooow cawwwwwwwwwwwwwwk as the slipper's squeakers rise to the occasion.

Just gazes, but that hint of the mind-crippling pain plays like a light spring rain over the surface of the mind behind the face he stares at. Not enough to hurt much, but enough to invoke a certain PTSD in the one that /actually/ felt the full force the other night.

Lucifer has posed:
Lucifer is content to, for the moment, remain silent and gaze on. This is as much for Sin's enjoyment as his own. Though he does glance over to Nick and lifts a single shoulder in a shrug. "Perhaps to prove to you once and for all I am who I am? Or perhaps because I thought maybe there was a spark of mischief behind those eyes? I could have read you wrong tho. Correct me if I have." He pauses, glances to Spider-Man, and then back to Nick. "Neither of you need to stay...we can handle this on our own but... oh it's so much nicer with an audience..."

Spider-Man has posed:
As it was the leader that Sinister used it on before he decides it is the best to lie and points at the other guy, which surprises the other guy to make him point at the other. Spider-man sighs, as he looks at the two then over at Nick, "oh you mean the smoker?" Spidey mentions and shakes his head, "I doubt he is involved I mean all he does is stalk me around, and take pictures." he addds with a shrug Spidey looks at Sinister and frowns a bit as the look is making them talk, and he remembered last time they were actually yelling in pain so offers. "Tourture is actually not an efficent way of getting information. They are more likely to lie just to make it stop, and tell you what you want to hear."

He turns to Lucifer, "I can't just leave them.. They belong in jail, we have a system for this, though since it happened infront of Lux I am giving you a bit of space here." he turns to look at the two men, "If they don't return how you took them the officers that let you take them would also get in trouble, and you don't want that do you?.. Not because I care bout these guys,"

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
"No, he was there for some work stuff," He points to the tripper guy, "THAT guy was just an ass to him. So we had him thrown out." Nick corrects with a frown.

Nick grows quiet for a few moment, considering the pair. He looks over to Spider-Man. "...You think they were following someone?" He looks over to the pair, giving them a critical look. "...They're too lightweight to be a leader of anything." He decides aloud. "Two nights in a row of making a scene at a club? That's amateur and probably a pain for whoever they're actually working for. Probably going to make an example of them once they get out."

Lucifer has posed:
Lucifer's eyes flash red as he turns towards Spider-Man. "Listen, kid. I've been doing this for a LOT longer than you...and I do mean that quite literally. I have an entire prison filled with the lots like these two men and worse for their crimes. I also work with the police force, as a liason and special unit. So I know they need to go back and they will go back. After I get the information they may or may not have. Maybe it was sheer dumb luck they picked my club for their business matter... but I will have you, them, and every other black hearted criminal mastermind aware that no one. NO ONE walks into MY domain, MY turf, and tries to use it for their ill-gotten gains." He offers this much, grins and then turns back to face the two men.

"Besides. You've not seen the type of torture we do so well. And if you'd rather not see it, I would suggest you leave and come back later. Say...in an hour. Maybe two. It shouldn't take too long." A glance over to Nick then. "Petty lower totem scum then. Which means they serve a higher person. I wonder who that is. Sinister, my love, perchance we could suss that out from them, yes?"

Sinister has posed:
That's the ticket boys. Just mention the things around the close-mouthed and possibly internally panicking. One certainly is, the lower on the totem pole so to speak. The other, unless he's very, very good at shielding his mind, is likely to picture his boss in his mind along with a shopping list of other things, like the scenarios of getting out of here, what his odds are, all that juicy stuff. Ripe for the looking at, delicate for the plucking.

"Hmmm..." Sinister sips at his cherried cognac, then narrows his eyes just a little, until the flame of a dying star is but a slit in his pale face.

The walls around them change, the scenery twists. It is still the penthouse, that much is very obvious as it seems almost like a backdrop to the transparent world taking form around them. A bar someplace, none of which is focused, it keeps changing and will keep changing until the man whose thoughts he is probing recognizes some of what he's thinking and ultimately....

"Focus."

That one word spoken, is not a statement but an order. It carries a certain weight that might aaaaaaaaaalmost make other people in the vicinity want to do the same thing. Psychic commands are such lovely things.

Spider-Man has posed:
Spidey just nods looking at the guy Nick was pointing at, and sighed a bit, as of course Spidey reconised the guy from the bar, but he couldn't say that so instead he answers his question he glances at the guy he thinks is the leader, which is the one who pointed first. "I think they were following you or James." he says, as Spidey knows James from team-ups so knew that people might just be coming after him again, though wasn't sure who was so foolish if it was. He shrugs looking at them, "I just don't know which one, and I doubt they are the Brains." as the first pointer says.. "heeey.. no reason to get insulting... words hurt!" as Spidey nods at him the man still hasn't realised how bad of a situation he is in.

Spider sighs, and listens to Lucifer "Then you know I speak the truth." he says calmly as he was speaking it as to be fair in most cases it was the exact truth. He doesn't seem too worried about the red eyes as that person over there had a diamand in his head.. things are just wierd in New York sometimes. He calmly just smiles, and adds. "Perhaps if it bothers you so you should ask them other then yell at the person who is trying to give you room to do your thing? But if you intend to really hurt them to the point where it has to stop, I don't care if I have to fight the Devil himself.. Win or lose I will try to save someone from unfair punishment."

Spidey really didn't think he would win against Lucifer himself, not to mention if he had help from that other one who could cause pain just by looking, but he had to do the right thing, and he was crazy enough to try if it came to it though he still has that smile on his mask as he hadn't needed to yet.

As he hears Focus, he sighs and nods. "You are right, I have not saw what you have planned, and I plan to as I am not going anywhere till your done with them, but that response shows me you are close to this, and that can make us all take things too far so I do understand why your angry. You have done well for yourself here, and with the police.. Just don't put that in risk over these two noboys" which again gets another "Hey!" though unlike Spidey they did get a bit worried with the red eyes even if it wasn't at them.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
As the scenery of the bar starts to filter in, Nick turns his head to look to the scenery. Thoughts to the time Strange did the same to his sketch of the lab he stumbled into come into mind. Flashes of fighting a Spiger in raven form and a Sharktopus Rex in wolf form come to mind as well before-

Focus.

Ok back to the bar.

When Spidey reinforces the concern that either he or Bucky is being followed,  Nick's eyes narrow. "Really now." There's an iciness that seeps into the tone, welling up from deep underneath. "If that's the case, then your boss REALLY wants you out of the way. How much did you screw up before you got this assignment?"

Spider-Man has posed:
The focus to the men show a few things, as they try not to think about it. First the boss, though he isn't familer to Sinister, Nick would know him well. They had only met a few times, and the money was good as they were just supposed to observe and report. This is going through the mind of the first guy that pointed. Though the second guys mind was... Oh I am going to die.. over, and over not really knowing anything, or having anything to trade he just thought of the other one here when someone mentioned boss.

Lucifer has posed:
At this point it seems like Sinister is having all the torture fun with Lucifer just watching. Which is fine. Really. Lucifer likes watching Sin work sometimes. For many reasons. He plucks the drink made for him out of the air it's been sitting in and takes a sip of the whiskey. "I do love it when he works..." Finally saying his thoughts out loud but then he lets the whiskey hover while the scene around them turns into a bar...and then into...maybe a lair of sorts? Big Boss on the horizon...

"Tsk tsk tsk... oh...come now...you can do better than that can't you?"

Sinister has posed:
Sinister simply lifts his right hand and flexes his fingers in a semi-circle, head tilting just a little in the opposite direction with it. "There now, that wasn't so hard was it?" his voice /almost/ sounds kindly. "<<Sleep>>" a command for the terrified lackey of the two, the man will crumple but remain ultimately unharmed... and a lot less likely to piss himself, given those repeated memes in his brain.

The other gent? Well, he inhales deep and slow, then says the word once again.

"FOCUS."

Which is likely to get the image of the boss very nice and clear for all to see, thanks to a combination of Nick recognizing him /and/ the thug boss getting another whammy.

Idly: "Spiderman, I am going to assume you are young. I suspect you are idealistic. I am neither of those things. However, I /am/ pragmatic and have seen enough life for more than one man. I should be dead a long time ago. But I've spent a lot of years learning the art of not breaking what doesn't have to be broken. And torture can be a whole lot of things."

He leans closer to the man commanded to focus infront of him and the red eyes flash almost into fire status. "<<You're going to turn over a new leaf. Get a job as a florist. Something like that. And you're going to help out the friendly neighbourhood types here, by being a very obliging rat. Keep up the good work, my friend. Your life may be a lot longer because of it.>>" All a mind implant.

And then he straightens, sips his cognac and puts a hand to stroking once down Lucifer's upper arm, almost like he's reassuring himself of presence. "We were all good folks once. You boys are welcome." And that, it seems, was to all of them.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
As the figure comes into view. Nick tilts his head in reaction. His contribution to it, aging the figure slightly based off of the photo he had seen in a presentation over a year ago.

Savio Drago.

With the exception of the photo from Bucky's research it's been decades since he's seen him.

No, this can't be right. The mythos of Drago got taken out years ago by Punisher. And there's no way he'd be back.

"...How long ago was this?"

Another faint figure forms near Savio, one that is gestured to by the identified man. This one, Nick does not recognize. He focuses, trying to remember what he can so he can make a quick sketch of the guy later. Maybe there's information on him too somewhere.

Spider-Man has posed:
As Spidey looks at Lucifer decide to get his drink he visably relaxes a little bit not even relising he was tensing up, though it ws understandable when the King of hell is upset at ya as it could get very ugly very fast. As one of them fall asleep Spidey watches, and shakes his head there were some nights he wishes he could do that as sometimes sleep was tough turning it off after being on edge as he fought crime through the city. He turned and smiles at Sinister the mask emoting the looks. "Younger then an eternal being, though that isn't saying much." he shrugs a bit at Sinister. "And I have been, and hope to always be an idealist, as there are enough pesmisist out there already." and chuckles a bit. "Seriously though, life hasn't been a gem for me either, I don't know how many times I have almost died out there.. But i am this cities protector, and it is my responsibility to smile, and make sure people know that this Neighborhood Spider-man has their back ya know?"

He turns to look at Lucifer, "And I have seen too many people make the mistake of acting on something too personal." he looks back at Sinister. "It makes us act not think, even me if ya hit the right things. I don't mean to say he, or you are bad guys, but even us good guys can do bad things when pressed ya know?" and chuckles a bit nerviously at that.

The crook on the other hand says nothing just stairing into the air as he is given instructions. It is almost too easy as this isn't a strong willed person, and even the minor suggestion is enough as he repeats.. "Florist... new leaf." not meaning it as the joke it is though Spidey grins a bit looking around.. "What it is a little funny." though the man speaks again, "Work hard... live long."

As it was broken, he blinks saying out loud to the people here, "Hey.. I am getting to old for this, you guys let me go I swear... nothing but selling flowers from me!" and if anyone could tell it had the ring of truth to it. He looks over at Nick, "It was like three Months ago. He said wait ninty days then to start following you.. No idea why, but he was very specific. Take photos, write down where, and when you went to places... the works."

Lucifer has posed:
Lucifer sighs. "This is getting a mite bit boring..." Saying this as a general thing while straightening back up and plucks his whiskey back out of thin air to take another sip. When the figure of the man comes into view and then a more distorted companion shows up, Lucifer tilts his head. "Now that is interesting..."

His attention turns to Nick, watching the man as a sort of light bulb appears over his head. The man knows something about this perhaps? Who's to say. "Sinister, darling, perhaps we should wrap this up and let the friendly spider man see that these men get the....proper police Justice..." Cause now the Devil is bored and that can end up a whole mess if not quelled somehow...but in the company of Good Men...he can't do too much.

Sinister has posed:
Sinister looks obliquely to Lucifer. "Well, if you insist. I doubt there's much more to be gleaned that hasn't already been gleaned. Peel apart the layers and you end up knowing what they sing in the shower. Never fun..." he stands up now, pointing imperiously toward Spiderman. "He'll get you where you need to go. Justice'll have one of you in for concealed weaponry for at least a couple of years in the clink, but who knows? I'm -sure- turning in state evidence will help things along." He looks over at spiderman, tilts his head to the left at the words of wisdom shared and smiles a little grimly. "Life isn't fair. It never was, and by design if some are to be believed..." he backhand waves toward the webslinger. "They're all yours."

Turning away from them, he walks a few paces, croak-squacking the entire time, thanks to the slippers and points directly at Nick Drago. "I think you probably ought to share a few things, my dear fellow."

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Nick looks away from the visage of his father, giving the guy a questioning look. "Three months? Really?" A finger points over to Savio, "To him or the other guy?"

This doesn't make sense at all. Isn't him setting foot in New York just ASKING for a lot of people to die?

And why a three month delay? What was-

Was this in response to the shelter attack?

No. Timing's off.

"Where did you meet him?...Did you wait the full 90 or start ear-"

And then they're just... dismissed. The musician bites back a bit of frustration, growing quiet.

Sinister's prompt for more information causes for Nick to look to the mind reader. "...I wouldn't know where to start and what I could say. Quite honestly it is one giant pain in the ass."

Spider-Man has posed:
Walking over he picks up the sleeping man with one arm putting him over the shoulder, and webs the awake one, looking over at Sinister he nods, "Life might not ne fair, but I am still going to try to make it a bit easier on the people of New York" walking back out to the balcony he turns and nods to Sinister. "Try to have a little fun, we only get one of those lives and then we move on why not live well right?" he nods to Lucifer with a chuckle, as if anyone knew this it was him.

He turns to look at Nick, "Don't let it bother you, just keep an eye out for if he hired one ya never know." with his free hand Spidey shoots a web to a nearby roof. "Good luck.." he tells the man as he glances around seeing he is leaving him wih Sinister, and Lucifer. Though he just chuckles as he is sure it will work out as he steps off the Balcony to swing away, as he does the web connected to the other man gets pulled. All he gets out is, "I met him last..." and he was gone pulled away out the window by the web that connected him to Spidey... Not getting the chance to answer and leaving Nick in a mystery.