Compared to the grandiose Tower of the Chosen, the Black Gloves' headquarters was practically ant-sized: a medium-sized warehouse in a sea of identical abandoned warehouses on the docks of the city. The Black Gloves didn't have anything to prove except that they could do business better than the competition, and there wasn't much competition left. They had a near monopoly on the creation and sale of psychic items in the Pit, as well as their less well-known but no less lucrative sister service, the implantation of artificially created psychic organs into the bodies of their criminal clients.
They were an organization with a lot of technical skill and little manpower, and their workspace reflected this fact. They lived and worked out of their dimly-lit warehouse, surrounded by large piles of crates and boxes that contained everything from stolen goods to raw psychic materials to human body parts that had been sliced apart and reassembled into new forms.
"Psychosoldier! I'm ready for my surgery!"
The Witch of Darkness Lila called out Psychosoldier's name as she wandered through the dreary manufacturing wing, a bright smile on her face. She passed through a room filled with bins of plastic psychic trinkets shaped like eyes and pendants and other assorted useless junk, scooping up a handful of each and dumping them into a large cloth sack as she walked past. The workers inside the warehouse were too terrified of the creature stalking about with an evil smirk on its face to risk getting on her bad side, so the Witch went unimpeded. She skipped through the building with joy, moving in time to the rhythm of an inner song.
Lila moved into the basement, passing rows of tanks where new batches of worm-like psychic parasites were being grown in warm nutrient solution. The creatures floated in their blue fluid, staring blankly ahead as their minds slowly began to synchronize with Psychosoldier's. The Witch smiled as she watched them, reaching out toward their minds with her aura.
"Hello, little ones! Oooh, so cute!"
The Witch spoke in a low purr. Her words echoed through the chamber as a dozen different sets of tiny black eyes stared up at her.
"Lila. My apologies. I was busy with a project that required my full attention."
Psychosoldier's booming, hollow voice drew Lila's attention immediately. She turned around just in time to see the enormous metal man step into the room behind her. The floor rumbled as he strode across the concrete, leaving footprints in the dust behind him. His hands were closed into fists, clawed fingers digging into his palms. His robotic legs flexed beneath his suit of reinforced plating. The metal man stopped before her, towering above the Witch of Darkness as though trying to intimidate her.
"No problem! I've been having so much fun here, I decided to explore a little to see all the fun things your lovely Black Gloves have been making! I picked up a few little items here and there... I hope you don't mind."
She reached down into her sack and pulled out a bracelet made of beads of purple glass strung together with a thin metal chain. She dangled it in front of Psychosoldier's face, a wicked grin on her delicate features.
"This is so cute! Do you wear stuff like this? I bet it'd look really good on you! You're so handsome, I know it would look great!"
Her thin fingers danced over the beadwork, feeling its texture under her fingertips. It felt so soft and smooth against her skin. She wrapped the chain around her wrist and fastened it tight. Then, she twirled around excitedly, showing off her prize for Psychosoldier's benefit. Her long brown hair danced in the air as she spun seductively, looking at him through lowered eyelids.
The metal giant's red eyes blinked on and off. There was a strange quality to his mechanical gaze, something that made him seem a little more... alive than usual. He stroked his clawed fingers, more than content to let Lila entertain him as long for as she liked.
"What do you think?"
"It is a delight. You are quite beautiful, Lila."
He reached out for Lila's hand, taking it gently in his own and lifting it up to his chest plate. She cooed happily at the gesture, her eyes never once leaving his. He was cold to the touch, but it wasn't unpleasant or uncomfortable. In fact, she felt a nice chill that made her want to stay close and keep touching him forever. Her tiny white fingers traced circles lightly around the edge of his armor and then slid further down until they grazed the flexible black rubber covering his abdomen.
"Lila, are you ready for your surgery? My technicians have prepared four psychic organs to your exact specifications out of the ten that you requested."
"Which ones?"
"Your liver, pancreas, stomach, and upper and lower intestines will be replaced in their entirety. Additionally, I have requested a few additional enhancements to your joints, corneas, and vocal cords. These surgeries are minimally invasive and can be performed concurrently with one another."
Psychosoldier stood patiently as Lila's excitement grew. She grabbed hold of one of his claws and rubbed it between her thumb and forefinger. Her eyes gleamed as though she wanted to swallow him whole.
"I've been going crazy waiting for this operation! Can we get started right away? Please say yes, please!"
"Yes, Lila," replied Psychosoldier as she released her grip on his hand. "The procedure will begin after a short delay. Psychoskull's maintenance is taking longer than expected."
"Oh! Okay! Can we wait somewhere while the doctors finish up?"
"By all means, Lila."
"Yeah! Where should we-"
"I wish to show you my private workstation. I have created a new type of psychic needle made out crystal which I believe will serve as an excellent tool to enforce compliance among our workers. It can be implanted within a subject's body without surgical intervention and activated remotely to create a pain response similar to the experience of being burned alive."
"Teehee! You always make such wonderful toys! I want them inside all my Wild Cards! Let's go! Let's go!"
The Witch of Darkness bounced around like an adorable puppy, dancing around Psychosoldier's massive frame like she couldn't get enough of him. They moved quickly through the halls and corridors of the dingy warehouse, Lila giggling every time they passed a new group of Black Gloves staring in fear at them. Her long dark locks fluttered wildly about her face, obscuring it as she spun around with her hands pressed tightly to her chest. She wore nothing more than a simple, thin white dress over her body and her bare feet left prints on the dirty ground.
Psychosoldier let the Witch run free, staring down at her adoringly. She reminded him of another woman, one he'd been obsessed with in his younger days. Her innocent smile and childish enthusiasm, her bright eyes full of joy, her musical laughter... the resemblance struck him like lightning, bringing back painful memories of that lost, beloved soul.
