Chp. 66 Playing Games

[Troll World]

"I can save her John, but that would mean I would have to reveal my biggest secret. Are you ready to pay the price of knowing even if it means you will have to sell your soul to me?" Paul sat on a chair on his porch in his lake house.

"Helen, is all I have. Whatever the price, I will give it. Even my soul…" John had been in a spiral of emotional crisis one after the other since they learned of Helen's terminal illness.

"Very well, but to do this we would have to stage her death John. I do not want people looking in to her and finding out she is alive form a terminal sickness. Thus it is a must that she'll have to disappear from the world for me to help her, but don't worry. Once I own your soul then you can still see her, but…" Paul drawled the last word as he looked at John.

"But? Am I not able to afford the price?" John was desperate, he had been searching left and right for people that would heal Helen and his search finally led him back to Paul who he treated as a fried the past few years.

"…but will Helen agree John, I know how stubborn she is. So you better talk her out of it as I seem to hear that she is already planning for the inevitable. We're friends John, I hate seeing you like this so I am risking so much revealing what I am to you already…" Paul's words made John calmed down as he knew how headstrong his wife can be.

"…if you can convince her then I will help you. With the best of my abilities can, but once you are contracted to me then I would have you work for me for a very long time. But you'll get to spend that time with Helen, I'm not a black company owner. You'll get employee benefits if you are working for me, now go you idiot and convince Helen and clean yourself up before you go. You look like a mess…" Paul waved John away as the man seemed to have gained a semblance of Hope hearing Paul has a way of saving his wife.

"So you would bring him with you as well?" a thin old guy appeared from the shadows, he looked like a young Willem Dafoe, but this guy was the teacher of John Wick named Marcus.

"Him and many others Marcus, I plan to get a lot from this world before I leave. I seem to be getting a bad habit of collecting stuff from all over various realities." Paul talked nonchalantly at Marcus who looked at the vanishing light of John's car.

"Another world huh? If you haven't given such a wonderful serum making me young and handsome again I would not have believed you for the rest of my life." Marcus ran his hand on his long brown luxurious hair smiling like a fool.

"If I had known you'd be this obnoxious about your looks I would have not given it to you." Paul rolled his eyes as he saw Marcus chuckle while looking on a small mirror in his hands.

"Come on boss, I had thought I would never get to see myself this young again and super strong too so at least make me enjoy this for a bit." Marcus shrugged his head as he poured himself a cup of coffee.

"Anyways, you really want to get the best of the best huh? How'd you know Santino D'Antonio has marker from John anyways?" Marcus acted casual around Paul even if he knew that the guy besides him is a super powered being.

"I snooped around sometimes, besides I haven't heard from what I left you to deal with. Did Giana receive the letter?" Paul looked at Marcus as he nodded.

"Yes, it surely spooked her thinking her brother might use it against her if she ever gets the seat in the table." Marcus pulled out a phone an fiddle with it.

"I see, at least she might have Cassian kill the guy before he goes do something stupid. Not that any would trouble Wick here since Viggo is running things around." Paul waved his hand and another cup of hot coffee landed on his hands.

"I found Caine, but he still seems stuck up on watching his kid from afar." Marcus said as he thought about the new life he'll be going to.

"Great, if you can maybe put on an offer to him that I might be able to give him what he wants. I can alter his daughters memories a bit so she'll have no idea about this world at all if he ever accepts." Paul smiled hearing that he might get the blind assassin to his hands.

"Still can't tell what you're thinking gathering many of the world's best assassins though." Marcus looked at Paul who was smiling.

"Nothing much, just bored and felt things are somewhat surreal from time to time." Paul looked up the sky then remembers something. "So about that mute girl Ares, can you have her leave Santino as well? She's not on your level but she looks cute…"

"You into her or something?" Marcus looked at Paul who just shrugged his shoulders.

"I'm totally curious, if you look at her she is quite a looker but was able to survive in this dog eat dog environment you all made. Maybe she can be a good body guard material." Paul said as he stretched his body giving out cracks here and there.

"Hah! You needing a body guard? That's a laugh right there…" Marcus chuckled thinking such a powerful man like Paul needing such people on his side.

"Heh, maybe I am just greedy. Sometimes it takes a while to figure out what the world wants of you if you also have powers like mine…" Paul said as he then fell silent in contemplation. Marcus saw this and just finished his cup and left the Lake house.

[The Next Day]

John and Helen arrived in Paul's Lake house where they saw him making a roasted rabbit on a grill on the back of the house.

"So you've convinced Helen already John?" Paul looked at the couple as he carried the roasted rabbit inside where he then prepared lunch with the couple.

"Paul, do you really have a way to cure me?" Helen asked as she seemed to be partially convinced by John.

"Yes, yes I do have a way. But that will depend if you are ready to my price once you agreed for me to rid you of that illness. You want juice or water John?" Paul was just casually moving around the kitchen preparing lunch as the two sat by the table.

"Water please." John seemed too have gotten his bearing together as he seemed calmer this time compared to his last night visit in this place.

"What's this about John having to sell his soul or whatnot? Are you into some sort of illegal group Paul?" Helen was a bit worried when John told her about Paul's price.

"Oh no Helen, I represent nothing else but myself. And selling his soul is literally selling it to me so I will cure you but in doing so will reveal secrets of mine that I keep from people that might just change the whole perception of the whole world." Paul placed three sets of plates and utensils as he took out the mashed potatoes as well as some steamed greens on the counter.

"But before I tell you, will you accept my offer? I might be sounding like the devil here but I assure you I am not as handsome as Lucifer. But I am a 100% sure that I can cure you. Okay dig in." Paul said as he then sat down started to eat the food he made while John and Helen was still sitting there looking at each other.

"I will accept." John said as he looked seriously at Paul.

"John! You can't ju-" Helen was still not completely sure of what Paul was playing at but John stopped her and looked deeply into her eyes.

"Please." That was all he said and Helen calmed down as she gave John a hug.

"The foods getting cold guys, go eat some because we'll be having quite a trip to go to where I will operate on Helen." Paul urged the couple as he felt that he should not rush their way to his secret laboratory.

"Okay, you hungry John?" Helen looked at her husband who seemed to be smiling a bit seeing her agree finally.

"Yeah." John said that as he started giving Helen more food on her plate.

After that the couple was led by Paul into the basement of the Lake House which confused John and Helen but they followed him. Paul went to a corner wall and pushed a small part where a keypad and biometric scanners popped out.

Paul just made some tedious process of having his finger prints scanned, putting in a password 200 letters long and an eye scanner in about two minutes.

Then the wall pulled back and showed a futuristic room where some weapons were hung on the walls and a sleek looking computer as well as a mini lab can be seen inside.

"Follow me." Paul then walked to the other side of the room where there is a maglev transport waiting for them leading somewhere the couple does not know of.

Paul had his clones study and apply the things he learned from the various brilliant minds he copied in Marvel World and here he was able to replicate the way Wakandans transfer their vibranium.

The maglev train can travel about 1200km/h but inside was such a stable space that Paul and the couple did not have much discomfort.

"How were you able to build this Paul? Is that even your real name?" Helen asked as she looked at the changing view outside realizing that they were now passing under the Sea as the shuttle whizzed past through the slightly dim ocean floor.

"Yep, that is my name. Everything here is totally made by me as I have knowledge that is totally out of this world. I mean literally out of this world." Paul walked to the side where a small fridge was and got a can of coke then placed a popcorn pack on a microwave.

"We'll arrive at the destination in about four hours so make yourself comfortable, there are four bedrooms with amenities in this shuttle so go ahead and make yourself at home. I'll watch some news while we wait." Paul took a remote and turned on the flat screen tv where it showed some sports events happening around the world.

John nodded and led Helen to rest in one of the rooms as she seemed to be a bit lethargic since her illness has developed this far.

A few minutes later John was back to the lobby of the shuttle where he saw Paul putting up a rig which John does not understand.

"Oh she's asleep already? Don't worry the room is sound proof so you can talk all you want. Here help me with this." Paul's actions really confused John as he went to help in putting the rig together.

"Are you an alien?" John asked as he thought about Paul's words earlier.

"An alien? Not from this planet yes but if you are thinking I am not human then no, I am human. Okay let us test this bad boy shall we? Here put these on, I really want to see if my gadget here really works as intended." Paul looked at the 360 treadmill as well as the wires and cables that are attached to a belt.

This was the first ever attempt of Paul in making a VR console that he plans to release in Marvel once Ultron and Zola are gone. Though he did think that Ultron does not need to be borne but that might be a canon event he cannot stop.

He might be able to make Tony and Bruce who he recently tracked not make it but who is to say Hank Pym would not just go whip up the genocidal Ai out of nowhere.

So he decided to let that thing be while he only maintains his Badger Clone to be his public identity. But for now Paul is making prototypes of such with his other clones, now he and John were wearing the full body suit for the VR game.

"What is this?" John was confused but he got used to Paul pulling him out of nowhere and test try some of the things he made.

"Just put on that headset like this and get on the treadmill to lock the belt on your waist." Paul then connected the two VR consoles into a game he reprogrammed to be able to be played in VR.

He found the game Enemy front and reprogrammed it, not before buying the company so he can access the other games they have but this was the first he released for now.

"Okay, this thing here John is a Virtual Reality Console. These suits will make us feel what the characters feels albeit only at 10% of what the predicted pain would be. This rig will enable us to move as much as we want in the game and I intend to test try if we can find any bugs that might still be in game. Ready?" Paul was excited as he tightened the gloves in his hands.

"Umm, yeah?" John was confused as he looked around with the VR as he was now in a player Menu.

"Okay John can you hear me?" Paul's voice rang in John's ears making him look around.

"Don't look around, search for the equipment button and think of pressing it with your mind. Then go choose your weapons as we will be deployed in WWII to fight the germans. We have about one minute until we are placed on the field so buckle up John." Paul went and picked a simple set of weapons as well as appearance.

Then suddenly him and John was placed in an open field where Paul can see John's nametag.

"John! I'm here!" Paul waved his hand while John was totally confused.

"This is a game?" John was looking around amazed as he saw the details of the place.

"I know right? I'm a genius, so ready your guns because we will need to capture strategic points to win the game, look up on your upper right vision you can see the map. So let's go shoot some Nazi butts! Follow me John!" Paul ran to the jeep as the other NPCs began to run towards the small town.

John followed Paul as he sat on the front seat but Paul pointed to the machine gun behind the truck.

"Go there, I'll drive and run over some noobs!" Paul then drove the truck like he was Dom Toretto going to save his family. John was overwhelmed a bit but his past training kicked in as soon as gunshots were heard.

He pointed to where he heard than and sprayed a few burst shots hitting a NPC that was acting like a sniper.

"Whoa nice!" Paul said as he went full speed as he saw three enemy soldiers on the front and hit one of them flying. John fired the 50 cal. as they whizzed past by killing the two NPCs that rolled away.

"Don't worry! They are Ai generated so they are not real people but their movements were scanned using the actions of a real soldier in the field as well as their skills in guns." Paul drifted as soon as they arrived in a cross road where a few soldiers were on the windows.

He pulled out his pistol and fired as he drove but only got one, John did the same as his right fired the 50cal while his left pulled out a revolver and got a head-shot on the ones Paul missed.

"Okay let's hold this place so our allies can arrive. If you are out of ammo pick up weapons as well as grenades." Paul stopped the truck and got down beside a door of the house. Then pulled a pin of one grenade and threw it inside the house forcing the NPCs to jump out of the way.

John already got down the jeep as well and shot them down with the rifle, he looked down and saw some magazines for his gun and picked them up. Paul went to CQC with the NPC killing two but John already got the rest.

"Whoa, that was fast. Okay I'll take sniper's nest on top floor." Paul carried his M1 Garand and ran up the house to take position. John was down stairs looking weirdly around him as he felt a bit at home for the moment.

He saw the bodies disappear but some items were left on the ground. John carried them in and placed them on a corner as he saw that a dozen enemy are now closing in their place.

Paul went shooting down all he could and killed about three enemy while four were already in range for Wick who went full killer mode on them as he played them inside the house.

"Reloading!" Paul shouted in voice chat as he changed magazine after throwing a grenade out to put up smoke so the NPC AI would slow down their assault.

"How you doing there John?" Paul asked as he went on about his sniper role while John kept the ones outside from getting close to Paul.

"I'm alright!" John said after breaking the neck of an enemy soldier. But even then they were getting swarmed, good thing reinforcements arrived on time as five other soldiers helped in killing the germans.

"Private go take position on the other houses and cover our six." Paul said on voice chat.

"Yes sir!" the NPC answered making John look at the private confusedly.

"They are AI john, they can understand a bit of you give them orders. You are currently a master sergeant so you can order those lower ranked to do things." Paul said as he shot more closing enemies.

"Really? What's the end goal here?" John asked as he seemed a bit enjoying his time playing.

"Hold strategic points long enough and kill more enemies. Once the ratio gets into our favor then the game will end or who can hold the positions longer gets more score in their team." Paul said but as he talked he saw a large thing coming towards them.

"Oh shit, John they got a tank! Do we have someone with RPG's down there? Fuck they are going to shoot his house everybody get out!" Paul said as he stood up and ran from his position seeing where the barrel was aiming.

*BOOM*

"*Cough!* aw shit, John are you okay?" Paul asked as he stood up form the rubble.

"I'm fine, two of our men got killed though." John said as he picked up the RPGs and ran to the side of the three houses to sneak up on the tank.

"I'll get their attention you hit them from the side. You three cover me!" Paul ran to get into another vantage point as the tank seem to be targeting him.

"Yes sir!" the three NPCs left shouted as they rained cover fire for Paul while three more allies arrived to help.

Paul kept shooting back as he ducked and weaved on the bushes to avoid being locked on by the tank.

"John do you have a shot?" Paul asked but then he heard and explosion making him look back and saw that the tracks of the tank were broken.

But the rest still functional, yet this made John's position known to the enemy as they started to swarm towards his place.

"Corporal get the Sergeant out of there right now!" Paul said as he was currently ranked lieutenant in the field.

"Affirmative sir! With me!" the NPC moved and went to pincer the enemy in the open.

Paul on the other hand was looking at NPCs with the radio and luckily one of which was the one he assigned on another house. He ran there and then made a call for an artillery strike since the second RPG seemed to not have killed the ones in the tank.

They can't get close because the bow gunner was a bit annoying so he called for a bombardment.

"John do you have a red smoke with you? If you do throw it to the tank! I called for an artillery smoke on that area so leave immediately after you do so!" Paul said on the line.

"I don't have one!" John said as he killed the enemies like he used to but then the Corporal can be seen throwing red smoke for make the tank a target.

"Get out of there John! Argh! Shit!" Paul warned but a stray bullet his him on his legs making him curse out.

For the next two hours the two grown men were playing a VR game like their life depended on it whereas Helen was brewing tea since John forgot to close the door completely waking her up from her rest.

But she was watching what the two were doing on the TV as she seemed interested seeing John a bit happy playing like a kid.