Hospital in New Jersey, Sunday
"Hello William." Billy woke up, and blinked in surprise, and maybe a bit of alarm when he saw who was standing in his hospital room.
"Who...oh. Didn't recognize you without the fancy outfit." His tone was guarded, and he was contemplating whether the IV stand would make a good enough weapon.
Sensing his intention, the man smirked. "Do not be alarmed William. If I'd meant you harm I could have done that while you slept."
"Not your style Serpentor." Billy remarked. "On the other hand, neither is killing someone in a hospital bed." He relaxed. "The suit, uhm, suits you."
Again, Serpentor smirked. "One does occasionally need to avoid attention." Despite his simple, if very expensive tailored suit, his bearing still spoke quite loudly that this was a man to be reckoned with. He was after all, an amalgamation of histories greatest leaders and conquerers.
"I met the God of War not too long ago." Billy said. "I think he'd like you. Coming back from an arrow to the face and all. Oh if it's any consolation, Zartan got buried alive after that."
"As did you from what I hear. It would seem you both backed the wrong horse."
"I wasn't backing any horse, I was trying to find out who killed my father. But yeah. Fat lot of good it did me. So, to what do I owe the honor of your visit? Somehow you don't strike me as the social call type."
"I mean to regain my position. And more."
"I won't help you against my father."
Serpentor bristled at being interrupted, but he kept his temper. Instead, he looked at Billy appraisingly. "Your father betrayed you at every turn. He has tried to kill you more than once. He even violated your mind. And yet you would refuse to betray him?"
"He's my father." Billy said grudgingly.
Serpentor nodded approvingly. "It is just that loyalty and integrity that brought me to you. You presumed too quickly that I wished for your help in defeating Cobra Commander. No, I came to you for your assistance in securing my legacy."
Billy's expression, though tightly controlled, betrayed a bit of interest. "Oh?"
"The situation this time around is much different than last time. This time I have family to assist me."
Billy wondered what that meant, but kept silent.
"The existence of my...brothers calls into sharp relief something that I am lacking. A bride."
Billy's heart began to race. Was this how his daughter would come into being?
"I already have all the DNA I need one half of the project. Catharine the Great, Joan of Arc, Boudicca, Elizabeth the First. The Baroness, and more. But...she will need a father."
"You want my blood."
"Yes."
"You want me, the son of your greatest rival, to be your father in law." He couldn't help a smirk of his own at the irony. Serpentor smirked as well.
"Yes. If you wish to stay neutral in the coming struggle, I will not hold that against you. But should you opt to join the Coil, you would be welcomed with open arms. I would be proud to have one such as you in my ranks. And as the father of my bride. And of course, there would be...benefits."
"Such as garunteed protection for me and my own family?" Billy said.
"For a start. Whatever history, and modern society thinks of the methods of my fathers, the results cannot be argued. The citizens of Rome were safe. The people of Romania were free. France was prosperous. I will give that to the world. And you, and your loved ones will enjoy the benefits of that more than anyone else."
Well he certainly found it hard to argue with that. Besides he'd get a daughter out of it, and having met her, he found that incentive enough. He knew from what she'd tell him, that Serpentor would fail once more. He did feel a slight twinge of guilt about using the man like this, but...
"Done." he said, holding out his arm.
[ooc: establishy only, NFB due to distance.]
"Who...oh. Didn't recognize you without the fancy outfit." His tone was guarded, and he was contemplating whether the IV stand would make a good enough weapon.
Sensing his intention, the man smirked. "Do not be alarmed William. If I'd meant you harm I could have done that while you slept."
"Not your style Serpentor." Billy remarked. "On the other hand, neither is killing someone in a hospital bed." He relaxed. "The suit, uhm, suits you."
Again, Serpentor smirked. "One does occasionally need to avoid attention." Despite his simple, if very expensive tailored suit, his bearing still spoke quite loudly that this was a man to be reckoned with. He was after all, an amalgamation of histories greatest leaders and conquerers.
"I met the God of War not too long ago." Billy said. "I think he'd like you. Coming back from an arrow to the face and all. Oh if it's any consolation, Zartan got buried alive after that."
"As did you from what I hear. It would seem you both backed the wrong horse."
"I wasn't backing any horse, I was trying to find out who killed my father. But yeah. Fat lot of good it did me. So, to what do I owe the honor of your visit? Somehow you don't strike me as the social call type."
"I mean to regain my position. And more."
"I won't help you against my father."
Serpentor bristled at being interrupted, but he kept his temper. Instead, he looked at Billy appraisingly. "Your father betrayed you at every turn. He has tried to kill you more than once. He even violated your mind. And yet you would refuse to betray him?"
"He's my father." Billy said grudgingly.
Serpentor nodded approvingly. "It is just that loyalty and integrity that brought me to you. You presumed too quickly that I wished for your help in defeating Cobra Commander. No, I came to you for your assistance in securing my legacy."
Billy's expression, though tightly controlled, betrayed a bit of interest. "Oh?"
"The situation this time around is much different than last time. This time I have family to assist me."
Billy wondered what that meant, but kept silent.
"The existence of my...brothers calls into sharp relief something that I am lacking. A bride."
Billy's heart began to race. Was this how his daughter would come into being?
"I already have all the DNA I need one half of the project. Catharine the Great, Joan of Arc, Boudicca, Elizabeth the First. The Baroness, and more. But...she will need a father."
"You want my blood."
"Yes."
"You want me, the son of your greatest rival, to be your father in law." He couldn't help a smirk of his own at the irony. Serpentor smirked as well.
"Yes. If you wish to stay neutral in the coming struggle, I will not hold that against you. But should you opt to join the Coil, you would be welcomed with open arms. I would be proud to have one such as you in my ranks. And as the father of my bride. And of course, there would be...benefits."
"Such as garunteed protection for me and my own family?" Billy said.
"For a start. Whatever history, and modern society thinks of the methods of my fathers, the results cannot be argued. The citizens of Rome were safe. The people of Romania were free. France was prosperous. I will give that to the world. And you, and your loved ones will enjoy the benefits of that more than anyone else."
Well he certainly found it hard to argue with that. Besides he'd get a daughter out of it, and having met her, he found that incentive enough. He knew from what she'd tell him, that Serpentor would fail once more. He did feel a slight twinge of guilt about using the man like this, but...
"Done." he said, holding out his arm.
[ooc: establishy only, NFB due to distance.]