*HF* Enter Black Vein
By Mufasa
Enter Black Vein
Prologue
It was a beautiful spring day at Central Park. There were the usual people zipping back and forth down the sidewalks on rollerblades, enjoying the sunshine and the warm temperature. Squirrels eagerly played in the trees and chattered away. Pigeons hopped along the ground, eagerly awaiting the next morsel of food to be thrown their way.
On one of the park benches, a gorgeous redhead sat and did some of her stretches. The male passersby seemed to walk a little slower so they could admire the black spandex shorts that flatter her rear end. The women, insanely jealous, went on their way furiously arguing amongst themselves how the redhead's ample chest could not possibly be real.
Although the redhead did not openly say it, she actually welcomed the attention. For too long, she had lived her life growing nervous at the thought of someone else's eyes upon her. Not now. She was an adult… and she was self-reliant. Yes, she was a bit naïve, however she knew now that she was safe. No man would ever hurt her again… Not after…
She was abruptly shocked out of her daze by a garbage bag spilling over and dumping aluminum cans all over the place. Ignoring the slovenly-dressed homeless man picking them up, the redhead casually turned on her walkman and continued to stretch.
"My walkman is specially rigged to scramble listening devices. You know that this was not a good idea, Wade."
"I know," said the homeless man. "but this was too important for me not to tell you…even if we're no longer an item."
"Please… Don't start… Not now…"
"Yes… Yes… I know. You've moved on. So have I. Fine… I'll let it go. We don't have time for the mushy stuff or my witty humor… because the agency I'm infiltrating is going to be looking for me in a matter of minutes."
"Deadpool…"
"All right… After Project Veeder busted, their files disappeared..."
"No… before you could delete them?"
"Right, Sharon… Right after I quit the Black Hellfire Court and infiltrated the Secret Service. I have to assume that
there's a leak somewhere… No one should have known I was in there."
"Well… Things won’t get any easier once they realize you called me first over them…"
"Old habits die hard… What can I say. That and I enjoyed the view of your ass…"
"Don't get me started, Wade… Any clue who has them?"
"Word is in the intelligence community that Black Vein has appropriated them… with help from Henry Peter Gyrich."
"You have got to be kidding me."
"I wish I was… Rumor is that Gyrich is looking to jump-start the Hound program once more. While the Senate refuses to pass the bill, he's hoping to have an underground group ready… but he needs marks."
"Marks?! You mean targets…"
"No… I mean recruits. The ultimate targets, of course, are the X-men, X-Force, the Hellions…"
"Recruits?!"
"Not willing ones, either. I don't know what they are getting at and I doubt I will be able to get that information. What I can tell you is that Black Vein is just as shady as they sound… Darkheart leads them."
"Darkheart?! He's apart of this?!"
"Yes, Sharon… The one and only. He's still alive."
Pretending that he was drunk, Wade stumbled into Sharon and slipped the folded-up paper into her bra… and stole himself a squeeze. Angrily, Sharon kicked him square between the legs and shoved him roughly to the ground. "Why I oughtta…"
"Sorry! Old habits die hard!"
Sharon kicked him in the ribs before turning away in a huff. "I wish you the best of luck, Wade… but don't push it."
"I love ya too, Sharon."
Sharon started jogging down the sidewalk and brushing off her top. She knew that Deadpool was trying to be as authentic as possible, but he really pushed the boundaries. Whatever the case, she understood why Deadpool risked his life and his paycheck to fill her in on the happenings. If Darkheart is apart of this, chances are that everyone is in trouble…
End Prologue
Chapter One
SuperGrover looked out his office window at the old walnut trees that were positioned in the central commons of the Hellions' Compound. One hundred years ago, they were mere saplings that struggled for survival in what can be a cruel wild. Now, they were mighty. When all was said and done, they survived everything that has happened at the Hellions' Compound… They were here when it was built and they were here when it was destroyed. They were a true testament to longevity. "I've searched the database myself and could not find any mention of 'Black Vein." Of course… considering the changes we have gone through in the past few months, that may not mean a thing."
Blackfire sat in the chair across from the desk with her legs crossed at the knee. Every time she came into Grover's office, she could not help but marvel at how it feels different, but looks exactly the same. Yes, there were improvements made over the past few months, but it still felt the same… like she was greeting an old friend at the same time she was greeting her king. Conservative coverings, but liberal inside. "I would try some of my contacts at the CIA, but I think that might be risking things. The last few times I have asked them for information, word has gotten to someone that it shouldn't."
"Why do you trust this contact any differently because he met you in person?"
"Easy… because it was Wade. Look… He gave me five names of 'marks'… People they are planning on recruiting against their will."
"Slave labor…"
"Exactly." Sharon reached inside her bra and removed the sheet of paper he gave her. "Wade was able to sneak five of their prospective recruits before… Oh shit."
"What?"
Sharon shook her head back and forth miserably. "It's called perspiration… I can only make out four of the names and addresses. Anyway… He also wrote here that the plan is to pick them up tonight."
"Fine… fine… Let's go with the names that we have. Who are they?"
"The first one is a third-grade teacher at Shadowville Elementary School… name of Rebecca Larson. Wade wrote next to her address 'shapeshifter.'"
"Okay… The next one…"
"Manfred Gregory… Electric engineer at Stark Enterprises… Weak electromagnetic manipulation."
"Weak can be honed…"
"Elizabeth Rausch… Mayor of Ellensville, Indiana… Phasing."
"All right… The fourth name…"
"Mi.. mi…" Sharon's voice dropped off as she tried again. "Michael Breslin… sole heir of Sen. Lyle Breslin."
Grover took the paper in his hand and just held it, looking at it. Then, he pulled it down. "Havok…"
"On the one I can't make out, Wade didn't write an address or power or anything. I just…"
Grover leaned his head to the side as if trying to calm himself. It was disturbing to him just how many files the government had managed to acquire on its people. Was the age of "Big Brother" really coming to pass? Then, for Gyrich to just hand it out anyone?! It was disturbing… "We don't have much time. ComputerRound up every available member of both the Inner and Outer Circles except for the White Rook… Code Red. We are to meet in the auditorium."
"Hold on, Grover… Why are you cutting Khalid out of the loop? I thought that with what happened around New Year's he had pro…"
"Regardless of whether or not he proved himself, Sharon, he's also as much a public personality as I am. Yes, he has a responsibility to the Court, but we have a responsibility to him to ensure that his livelihood isn't jeopardized. He's not on this one. The risk of exposure is too much."
"Understood…"
"Let's go."
------------------------------
In an unknown place… at an unknown time, the dark root of what may be a different evil than the Hellfire Courts are used to looks on as his followers prepare for their assignments. The name he has chosen for himself more accurately reflects his nature than he had ever given himself credit for. The name Darkheart fit him because it WAS him.
Six foot three. 250 pounds of muscle. Head shaved bald, revealing the darkened scalp underneath. As usual, he was dressed in entirely black and entirely for comfort and movement. With the jet-black tattoo over his eye of a lightning bolt, Darkheart was visually intimidating.
In reality, he was even more dangerous than he appeared. He was trained in hundreds of fighting styles, forever evolving and forever learning more. He has mastered a variety of weapons and has earned a proficiency in even more. Few people on Earth can rival his knowledge of poisons and chemicals. It is no wonder that he is notorious in the mercenary world. Many times he has cheated death, without a scratch. Governments all over the world have been after him for years… Darkheart is at the top of his field… and everyone fears him.
Darkheart's most dangerous attribute, though, is not his fighting skill or his weapons proficiency. It is his mind. He always manages to stay one step ahead of the rest through diligent research and patience. He is always able to place himself in the mind of his prey… because by the time he makes his move, he knows everything about them… Their reaction times… their thought processes… everything.
More importantly… He trusts no one.
"Hello…" He called into the shadows behind him. "What do you want?"
With a line of flame, the figure emerged from the shadows and became corporal. "Good… You knew I was there…"
"Of course I knew you were there." Darkheart said, not turning to look at him. "I always know when you are there. Did you bring my lunch?"
The figure laughed as he patted the paper bag. "Only because you are one of my… closest friends."
"Bullshit." Darkheart snapped. "… because I know that restaurant across the street from Strong Towers is your cover. Good chef… Keep him. He makes the best buffalo wings this side of New York."
"Of course…" he laughed again. "Al… When I told him to cook, he at first considered it an insult to his skills."
"Yes… yes… tell me… Does he still get sick every time someone orders garlic sauce?"
"Of course… but idle chat is not why I came here. I understand that your are abducting recruits tonight?"
Darkheart nodded. "This is considered more as a test than anything else. My operatives say that everything is going as planned. Wilson met with Stokes today at Central Park and delivered the list of marks. The strike is more of a test. These 'marks' are only a secondary goal."
The figure looked out the window and made a crooked smile. "You know whom NOT to touch. Correct?"
"Of course… of course… As always. My word is my bond. No harm other than a concussion will come to him."
"Good… Now… If you have five targets, Darkheart, why are there only four groups?"
Darkheart finally turned around to meet his visitor. "Personal reasons… Believe me. All five marks will be visited tonight. My, you're a curious one tonight, Essex…"
"More than you know… Now, I must take my leave of you… I have other… projects to deal with."
Darkheart did not bid Essex farewell as he left. No… instead, he readied himself… to find a worthy foe…
End Chapter One
Chapter Two: Mark One
Team One: Blackfire, Daemon, Rune, Byron, Tangerine…
Outside of Rebecca Larson's house…
It was a quaint little brick house, on the edge of Shadowville, sitting on an acre lot. At the side of the house was a small garden, which at this time of year had at the most green tomatoes and the beginning of watermelon plants. Nothing big, but just the beginning.
Sharon knew that they would have to keep their circle tight. There were not many places for them to completely hide here. Fortunately, Byron had telekinetically transformed everyone's clothes so that they were black in order to better blend in. (White is not exactly the best color to wear for surveillance in the dark.)
The first order of business was to scan the place before making contact. Tangerine took the overhead view. Daemon took the back. Rune and Byron each took the sides. Sharon stayed in the front, with her binoculars trained on the door. Five… four… three… two… No one rang an alert. That meant no sign of anyone, save Rebecca… the "mark."
Sharon heard the twig snap behind her. She spun around on her toes, just enough to stop her elbow before it crashed into Rune's jaw. "Sorry, Rune… I'm a little jumpy."
Breathing in impatience, Rune pushed Sharon's arm back down to her sides. Sharon admitted that in some sense she knew Rune even less than everyone else did. While they both had once been in the Black Court, it was never at the same time. From those few times she saw of him, she knew that he was different somehow. He had deliberately sought to remake himself into something different… and was grouchy most of the time. Whenever he was asked why, he just said that it was personal. "Why are you more scared than usual?"
Blackfire paused before continuing. "Black Vein is led by a vicious mercenary named Darkheart. I've never run into him myself, but others have… others that have NOT come back. Nothing can ever be traced back to him. He's one of the most dangerous people on the face of the Earth… and there's a rumor going around that he's even worse than he appears."
"I know I'm not the most sensitive person on the Earth… but rest assured… We aren't just anyone. We're the White… and Grey Court. We've faced worse odds before. Well… that and you have me."
"You were doing so good until you got to that last part…"
The others arrived right after that point, one by one, each reporting in. From the recon of the house, nothing turned up. According to Byron's telepathic scan, Rebecca Larson was in her living room, preparing her lessons for the next day on the Revolutionary War. Daemon's scan didn't pick up any other signatures in the house.
"Perfect," Daemon mumbled. "Too perfect… Too goddamn perfect… Too goddamn motherfucking perfect… too…"
Blackfire slapped her hand over his mouth. "All right… all right… we get the point… No reason to…" Her gentle admonishment was cut short when Tangerine shrieked and dropped to t he ground in pain. "Tan…"
Rune reached her first, but Tan was already on the ground with her hands at the side of her head, writhing back and forth. "My God… Why… It hurts… WHY…" she screamed out…
"Come on… Tan… please… You have to fight through it… Come on…"
"Will someone tell me what the hell is going on?!" asked Daemon.
"It's having more of an effect on Tangerine…" Byron said. "But I'm getting whammed, too. My available power just fell."
"What are you talking about?!" Daemon demanded. "Nevermind… This has gone on long enough. I'm going up to that house right now and grab the woman."
Blackfire grabbed him by the shoulder. "Hold on, Gabe… You can't go in there alone. You and I BOTH know why, so you may as well hold on until we figure out…"
With a glow of Rune's hand, Tangerine stopped struggling and finally fell to sleep. "After 300 years, I know exactly what that is. Someone set up a dimensional dampener around the area, usually to stop teleporters. Personally, I'm more inclined to think that they were limiting our firepower."
Testing Rune's hypothesis, Daemon extended to his hand to find that Anubis did not come to him. Damn… THIS put a damper on things.
Their conversation was brought short by a scream from the house.
"Shit!" shouted Blackfire. "Byron… Daemon… with me. Rune, guard Tangerine and wait as backup! NOW!"
"Hold on…" Rune said. "You and I are the only ones not affected. How come…"
Daemon's eyebrow went up. How did Rune know that?!
Blackfire stopped him before he went on. "We don't have time to argue… I'm thinking divide and conquer… We'll need you to be the cavalry if I'm correct. Come on!"
As they left, Rune picked up Tangerine in his arms and stepped further back into the darkness. "An angel on Earth," he said "forever denied the love she so long deserved. It's a shame that for an act so noble, you paid a price so great. You deserve better… you deserve love… you deserve…"
"Love?! Pshaw… I can't believe you are so naïve to believe in love…"
Rune's hand snapped to his side, already sparkling with elemental energy. "YOU! I should have KNOWN you were involved in this…"
"And I should have known that your time with these… these… 'do-gooders' would make you weak!" said Essex as he stepped out into the clearing. "They have so much potential… The redhead, in particular, intrigues me as something I could use. Byron, I guess I could… but she has always been more than a pain in my side in the past. I'm asking you, son… Leave them. Rejoin me… your brother… and the rest of your family. There is no place with…"
"Wrong…" said Rune as a hand of stone wrapped around Essex. "There is no place with you. You've lost your soul, father… Playing willing lapdog to Kyra and Anubis."
"I am NO ONE's lapdog!" Essex exclaimed as the stone exploded away from him. Rune could see the unnatural power signature emanating from him. With startling certainty, he knew…
"Essex… no… You wield Diablo's power…"
"Yes… I do. His power now belongs to me! However, that is not why I'm here. I've come to say that the offer to return is always open. Please… accept it…" With a flash, Essex transformed into a column of flame and rose into the sky where he soon disappeared.
Rune sank to the ground, still holding Tangerine… and thinking to himself that he hated his life right now more than he ever did.
----------------------------------
Blackfire kicked the front door open and stepped into the living room, with three shurinkens in her fingers. Although she has been in battles countless times, she has rarely taken a leadership role. Daemon, on the other hand, has probably done this millions of times. After all, he was a king… and fighting battles while she was still a freshman in high school with Byron. She had to assume that she was doing good so far… Daemon had not…
"Hon… Don't take this the wrong way… but the more strategic move would have been to leave me with Tangerine and bring Rune in here."
"Your timing is imPECcable…"
"I love it when you get all…"
Byron pushed her way in-between them and shook her head in disgust. "Guys… Can you flirt later, we…" From the shadows, a stream of ooze slapped Byron in the face and knocked her against the wall.
Blackfire threw the shurinkens back in the direction. "Go!"
With a snap of his finger, Daemon turned a photon cube which lit up the entire room… enough so Blackfire could see her shurinkens flying back at her. She barely moved in time before they imbedded in the wall. "What the hell…"
Rebecca Larson shrieked again. "HELP ME!!!" A rather large Asian man, just shy of six feet, had his hand wrapped tightly in Rebecca's long blonde hair. To her neck, he held a jagged knife, already with a little blood on it.
"Why, you must be the Hellfire Club. I'm Shigeo. We've been expecting you. Don't think you are going to succeed… Black Vein NEVER loses!"
Byron struggled to free herself from the ooze wrapped around her. It was draining her powers, but not before she sensed one of the people. She tried to telepathically warn them, but she was having trouble enough breaking through… Damn… They need to find a way to shut off the dampening field…
Daemon spun on his heel, with a kick aimed for the Shigeo's head. Under normal circumstances, Shigeo would already be down, but it has not been normal in the longest… normal ever since New Year's when…
Unexpectedly, another man grabbed him by the ankle and threw him through the window. Blackfire started to attack herself, but stopped in horror. The second man finally turned to face her… There was no mistaking that square jaw… that face she has seen hundreds of times… that… "My god… Wade??!! I thought… What happened to your eyes??!!"
"Since you developed a thing for Black men, I decided that maybe I might try to win you back… change for you!" said Deadpool as he bobbed his head back and forth. His eyes, which were a coffee shade of brown before, were black all over. The entire eyeball had been overwhelmed by this shade of blackness. If eyes were the windows of the soul, then as of now, Deadpool had no soul… from his back, he pulled out two swords and immediately burst out laughing. "What's wrong… Did I mix something up?!"
"Wade! I trusted…" Blackfire barely had time to dodge as his sword flew over where her head was.
"Face it, Sharon… You can't hang with me. I taught you and damn near everyone else everything they know. You're out of your league and you know it!"
With a jerk from her hand, a fireball hit Deadpool square in the chest, knocking him into the woman behind him.
"Come on, sweetie… You know that is pointless." He said as his chest healed up before his very eyes. "Didn't you pay attention all those times we were in bed?"
Before he could get up, a telekinetic burst fired from the wall, striking the group. Byron had freed herself from the ooze and was not happy. "It didn't occur to you, Wade, that the bitch you just knocked out was the one blocking most of my power."
Daemon emerged back in the house, followed by Rune and Tangerine. With a sneer, his extradimensional sword flashed to life. "What do you know… Dimensional Dampener off… and it looks like you guys are down two…"
"Really?" said Wade. "Fine… Shigeo? Slit her throat. Then, you'll be free to fight aside us."
"I've got a better idea," said Shigeo. "Reiko…"
The woman behind him shot another stream of ooze out of her hands, but Tangerine had already taken to the air and picked her off her feet… and slapped her into the wall. "No, Dear, I don't think so…"
This time, Daemon squared off with Deadpool. For some reason, he was positive that there was something going on… Something that his senses would pick up on had his powers not been… temperamental, recently. Deadpool was a merc, true… but he was trustworthy. To betray them like this?
"Don't worry, Daemon… I've already had that number many times. You know… she is pretty good. I had trouble prying myself away from her…"
Daemon backhanded Deadpool across the cheek. "Shut the hell up."
"We've played MANY games… She LOVES the one with the hot chocolate syrup and… Well.. hmmmm… that might not be necessary with you…"
Furious, Daemon started swinging his sword to cut Deadpool in half when a gust of wind blew Deadpool out of the path of the sword. Angrily, Daemon turned this time toward Rune. "What the hell are you doing?!"
Rune shot a ball of lightning from his hand, hitting Deadpool in the heart. "Can't you tell? He's not himself… Something's… off…"
Shigeo chuckled as he held the knife even tighter to Rebecca's throat. "Now, Rebecca… I think we've had more than enough fun. It's time to take our leave of this place." With that, Shigeo stomped his foot on the ground, collapsing the entire building on top of them.
Sensing his intention a split second before it happened, Byron managed to erect a telekinetic field to prevent their group from being hurt… "Guys… are you…" When the dust cleared, she realized that Black Vein had disappeared… along with the mark. "Damn…"
Tangerine grabbed Rune by the shoulder and nervously spoke. "Rune… I just want to say… thank you…"
"You heard everything I said??!!"
"I was out of it… Not deaf," she said as she kissed him on the cheek.
Blackfire crouched in the rubble and simply cried… and cried… "He was my friend… I trusted him… I can't believe…"
Daemon patted her on the back and just held her. "Ssssh… ssssshhh…"
"I'm losing everyone, Gabe… Everyone…"
One thing that could not escape Daemon's mind. At one point, they could have killed them all, but seemed to be more concerned with dragging it out. What was going on? They could have taken Rebecca before they even realized what was going on? Something reeked… and he was not sure why… This was a distraction… but from what?!
End Chapter Two
------------------------
Chapter Three: Mark Two
Team Two: Hawkeye, Darque Feonix, Nebula, Faith
Stark Enterprises
Once upon a time, Stark Enterprises was the preeminent technological firm in the country. As much as others around the world tried, no one could match the place. At least, it was that way until a new firm started up. Now, Stark Enterprises had a chief rival. Publicly, Tony Stark had welcomed the competition and encouraged it as a way to speed up the development of new technology and to provide competitive prices for consumers everywhere. Privately, Stark reviled the name of Gabriel Strong… but appreciated the challenge. In his last call to Gabriel Strong, he encouraged him to develop a positive relationship with a superpowered guardian like Iron Man. That way, he always has a defense against others. Gabriel informed him rather coldly that he already took the advice…
"Excuse me, Sirs…" said the security guard as he stood up. "Do you have your passes?"
The man with the nearly white hair withdrew his card out of the chest pocket of his blazer. "I'm Arthur Cain, representative from Fujikawa Corp… My associates and I have an appointment with Manfred Gregory over the new silicon chip?"
"Aw… yes… Mr. Cain. He's been expecting you. Thirteenth floor… the office at the end of the cubicles..."
"Thank you." The blond man said as the four of them made their way toward the elevator. "Just like the old days, eh?"
Hawkeye forced out a smile. "I… I really can't say so. No. Good trick, though."
"Thanks," he said, looking past Hawkeye to his recent recruit. "Be a good girl, Faith, and I might teach it to you some day." With that, he winked and smiled at her, making a click with his tongue.
Faith clenched her fingers back and forth. She was not sure why, but Darque Feonix just rubbed her the wrong way. She considered herself thankful that she was a member of the Grey Court and did not have to deal with him on a regular basis. She had to admit, though… She did like his body. GAAAH!!! She hurriedly put that notion out of her mind, but it was too late. Darque Feonix smiled at her and shook his head back and forth. Faith turned a bright shade of red… Damn it… the guy's telepathy was stronger than hers and he wasn't even trying…
Nebula glanced at the lighting from outside the elevator, counting floors in her head as they rose… Something was wrong… Something was terribly wrong. "Guys… The elevator is rising faster than the numbers are changing…"
"You're right…" Darque Feonix said. "And I'm discovering a… field…" he said as he looked at Faith.
"My telepathy's not working up here… All I'm getting is static…"
With a flash of yellow energy, the elevator was brought to an abrupt stop. "Whoever is doing this is a bunch of amateurs… They're giving me a headache, but that's all!" From his hand, a burst of telekinetic energy ripped the elevator doors apart enough to step out.
"Ladies first," Hawkeye said, making a grand gesture with his arm.
Nebula stepped past him, taking the time to give him "the hand" as she walked off. Most people would consider it rude, but both Hawkeye and Nebula knew it was meant in good fun. "I'm not a lady!" Nebula jokingly huffed as she jumped off the elevator. She had been the first to notice that Darque Feonix's psionic illusion was no longer working. Everyone in the room jerked in their seats as she walked in…
"It's a mutie!" one of the men screamed.
"Get away from us, you blue freak!" said another one.
"Can I have your phone number?" a guy yelled from the back.
"Mmmmm… MOMMA! I hope all muties look like that! YUM!"
"Shut up, Shane! She's a freaking mutie!" the man next to him screamed.
"Don't be ridiculous," Nebula called out. "I am not a mutie! I'm a stunning blue-skinned blonde alien that shoots firebolts from her hands. There's a difference. Now… can one of you please point me to a Mr. Manfred Gregory? He stood me up Saturday night and…" The explosion from the office on the far side broke her concentration. "Nevermind. I think we found him. Um… I suggest that you guys screaming and panicking take the stairs."
Darque Feonix and Hawkeye passed Nebula, each taking the time to look at her incredulously as they passed. Faith leaned over and whispered into her ear. "Question… How come they get to joke around… but we don't?"
Nebula's hands both lit up with fire. "Easy, Faith… because with the exception of Sabre, the original Hellions are nothing but male chauvinist pigs!"
Hawkeye stepped back and grabbed them both by the shoulders. "Are you ladies down powdering your noses, yet? Yes, Feonix is superpowerful, but I think he could still use our…" His attention was broke when he saw Darque Feonix propelled by a blast back toward the elevator.
"…help…" Feonix called out as he hung on the side of the elevator with one hand. Instinctively, Hawkeye went to pull him up.
Nebula and Faith charged into the office ready for a fight. Just as she expected… five men in the room. The one in question, Manfred Gregory, was wrapped in energy coils from hand to foot, and squirming on his desk. One man, presumably the one who attacked Darque Feonix, hovered over the desk with globules of plasma spinning around him. Another one sparkled with electricity from his fingers, apparently by using Gregory's electromagnetic-based powers. The third one zipped his forked tongue back and forth from his mouth, licking his lips. The last one, apparently the leader of the squad, just sat on the table with a calculator-sized gadget in his hand.
"Whoa… Hot babes!" the plasma user side. "If I had known that, I wouldn't have blasted your friend so roughly… Hello, ladies… My name's Ken…"
"As if!" Nebula called out. "I had a boyfriend named Ken once… The asshole… Dumped me for some bitch named Barbie!"
"Nebula?" Ken said… "Aw shit…"
"YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE! I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN!!!" A firebolt ripped out of her hand and struck Ken in the face. While she had the element of surprise, Nebula jumped kicking the serpent man and the power-copier in the sides of the head as she went. "I WANT MY CDS BACK!!!" She tackled Ken and immediately started smashing his head against her knee.
The man with the calculator started to rip her off, when he was tapped on the shoulder. He spun around on his foot, backhanding Faith into the wall. Faith started to get up, but she found the sense of vertigo to be intoxicating. "What the hell… did you do…"
"Sorry babe… The name's Scrambler. That sensation you are feeling right now is the effect of my power. It especially comes in handy in putting psis like you down for the count and cutting people away from their powers. That's why your friend the precog couldn't pull himself out of that elevator shaft." He grabbed her roughly by the neck, picking her on her feet. "Mmmm… You're a little greener than the others… I think you might make a good member of Black Vein… I could make a WOMAN out of you…"
Furiously, Faith kneed him in the groin, being sure to grind it in as she went. "No thank you… Something tells me you are too fast on the trigger!" Scrambler dropped the calculator-like device to the ground, smashing it to pieces. With that gone, Faith felt her powers slide back into place. That device had been the source of the psi-damper! "Prick…" she yelled as she threw him on top of Manfred Gregory on the desk.
Darque Feonix, recovered from Scrambler's attack when the field dropped, got to his feet. He saw Hawkeye pulling double-duty on the other two men and was about to help out when he felt that familiar tingling in his head… Rapidly and painfully, his eyes lit up like a fire, bringing distorted and chaotic visions to his mind. A moment of unrestrained anger… an act of haste he would regret… despair… and then something… different…
"You can have it back…" the Black man with the shaved head said. "You can keep ALL of this from happening…"
"What… Who… How'd you get in my head?!"
"Do not concern yourself with either. You see the events that come… you see that your haste and anger will be instrumental to ensuring the future."
"Why you… Get the hell…"
"Remember this vision?!" the man said. Feonix replayed the vision from almost a year ago… where he had dreamt of his flesh… his face being ripped apart by Khalid… a laughing, snarling Khalid who reveled in the carnage he could create… who loved what he did… "It will come to pass… you KNOW it will come to pass… and only you can stop it. The others were wrong about him… you were right… you were ALWAYS right… Remember that."
When he came out of it, he was standing on his feet. Faith, Nebula, and Hawkeye were all on the ground, slowly rising off the ground… both the members of Black Vein and the "mark", Manfred Gregory, were gone.
"Damn, Feonix…" Hawkeye said as he got to his feet.
"Why the hell didn't you help us?!" cried Faith. "You let them…"
"FAITH… BACK DOWN…" Hawkeye barked. "Feonix… Are you okay? A woman… dressed in red… I don't think you sensed her. She touched you in the back and somehow set off a psibolt... Are you okay?"
Darque Feonix shook his head. "Yes… I'm sure… I… Are you guys…"
Nebula pulled herself to her feet… and wiped the pieces of the desk off of her. "For a girl who just got even with her ex-boyfriend, I guess so… What'd the bitch want?"
"To… deliver me… a message…" Darque Feonix said as he allowed his voice to trail off…
End Chapter Three
Chapter Four: Mark Three
Team Three: Marvel Girl, Cyclops, Loki, SlashR
Ellensville, Indiana
Ellensville was a quiet little town in Indiana. Sure, they had a few little problems... like the hate group population being a bit larger than they liked... Well... and every few months or so vandalizing the bicycle store of 72-year-old Mark Wilkes, the only Black man who lives within the city limits. As usual, City Hall pays for the repairs to Wilkes' shop and then assures him that the vandals will be caught. (They never do. Everyone knows the police chief's son is the vandal.)
Other than that, Ellensville was a quiet little town with plenty of trees, farms, and scenery so attractive that it would distract almost anyone from the boredom that is otherwise life. Nature at its best, one could say. and the town would agree.
That was what appealed to Elizabeth Rausch these past thirty years of her life as she grew up here. At her age, she was one of the youngest mayors in the country, especially among women. She ran her town like a business, and refused to kowtow to the hate groups or the corporations who wanted to invade her town. Yes, it might mean business and jobs for Ellensville, but it would rip the soul away from the place. That was what mattered.
For now, she would deal with the hypocrisy of the police chief... and piss him off by continuing to pay for Mr. Wilkes' shop. The people were tiring of him soon. He'd be gone at the next board meeting.
"Ms. Rauch. A moment of your time?" A man standing in the shadows asked.
"Excuse me. Do I know you?" Elizabeth asked. She swept her auburn hair behind her shoulders and stepped backwards toward the street light. Most beautiful women at her age would be afraid to walk home at his time of night. Her? Well. She knew the town of Ellensville. She also knew that if the need arises, she had secret skills that could actually save her life. There was something awfully familiar about this man. Something... As soon as he stepped into the light, she felt the blood rush from her face. "My God. Casey??!!"
"Yes, Betsy. It's me." He said as he walked forward. The hair. the stance. The eyepatch. Distinctively Casey Jones all the way.
Elizabeth rushed forward and embraced him, all the while laughing. She could feel when she touched him that something was wrong. His skin so cold, so callous, it was nothing of the warm man she once knew. "Casey. What's wrong? You have on your Hellions Uniform." She stepped back awkwardly at first, almost scared for Casey's answer, her heavy breath visible to atmosphere around here, her lips opened slowly with a bit of concern on her face. "You can tell me. Yes, I've moved on since law school. I'm a mother, now... and mayor..."
Cyclops, crossing his arms, rolled his eye almost as if she were an annoyance that needed to be settled. With a jerk of his head, that expression completely left his face, as if he were a different person.
"Yes I know, I know you're a mayor. mayor of this here town that we talk in right now..." His body seemed to visibly relax as he groaned loudly... a groan that cause Elizabeth to actually step back away from him with shock. Seeing her reaction, Cyclops actually groaned again, this time seeming to buck his entire body. He abruptly forced himself to stop as his eye rolled down from the back of his head and again fixated on her, with a devilish smile. With fluttered breaths, he snapped his hands tightly around her wrists and jerked her toward him, this time speaking to her in a raspy and at times throaty voice. "There's something. I've always. needed to tell you, Betsy." He said, his entire body beginning to buck.
"Casey." she said as she struggled to pull from his grip. "I told you. I've moved on. I have a husband... a husband I love dearly, a son... a family... I don't feel the same way about you I once." She started breaking into tears as his bucking grew even more frantic. "Casey! Please. You're scaring me."
"Oh. but you know that only HEIGHTENS the pleasure."
He brought her close to his body, releasing a hot surge of energy into her. Elizabeth tried to fight. to protect herself, but she had no time as the surge rammed into her head. She tried to force out a scream - which came out only like a low groan - in agony as all of the synapses in her nervous system fired simultaneously. Her eyes widened with shock, she fell toward the ground. staring up at the man she knew. the man she once knew. The man... who was actually a goddamned metamorph.
"I... should have... known." she called up to the albino man who sneered down at her from above. "Casey... was the one who left me..."
"Details, details, details." the man said before taking a loud hissing breath. "Do I look like fucking Professor Dolittle to you or something? Don't answer that.Just call me Clay, Sweet Cakes, and don't get all jibed up about that tingly feeling your going through. It's just a thing I do... totally harmless. Da boss has plans for you, heh heh, gotta keep ya in good shape."
"Casey... where is..."
"Ah, the real McCoy? Dip-shit and his band of merry mutants should pop up any minute now." Clay laughed horridly, the mucus flying from his tongue to the ground below "Don't worry, he'll get an ass beating for leaving you."
Squeezing her cheeks playfully, Clay give her a childish slap on the cheek, almost mocking her in her current state.
"Your fucked. I hope they fuc.." She paused mid-sentence as he made his way to her side once more. Frightened he'll take advantage of her in this state, she stopped speaking, only for the time being.
"Now Betts." Clay kneeled down gently stroking her flush chin with his ivory-white hand. "You can barely move to speak. much less fight or phase. Tell you what. Once we get back to the base, I can show you some more interesting ways I can use my power. and then you'll be groaning all night." he said as his hand began to take on a faint glow. "Tell me. How's this feel?"
"Oh." said Elizabeth, who had begun to break out in raspy breaths herself. "No... please... stop... I can't explain it... but you are getting me hot and bothered right here." She replied, almost in awe of the man that was just trying to kidnap her.
"Oh yeah." Clay said as his hand moved toward her neck and just massaged. "Why don't ya tell me more about these bothersome spots, maybe I can help." He lowered his face toward hers... about to kiss.
"But, Clay. I don't kiss men," a low voice said. With a snap, Clay looked down below him to find... a man.
"God damn! Another shape shifter!"
"Not just ANY goddamn shapeshifter. I'm the god of Mischief, and he strikes again!" Loki shrieked as he struck Clay in the face with his fist, in the form of an anvil, knocking him to the ground. "THAT was for shocking me." He screamed into the cold air, stomping him in the chest. Stunned by Loki's kick, Clay's neck tightened as he gasped for the air that has been knocked from him. "That was for making unwanted passes at me... and this..." By this time, Loki had raised his grey boot above Clay's face... only to find that his foot got stuck as he stomped it in. "This... this..." Shaking his foot back and forth, desperately trying to loosen it from the puddle of what was Clay's face on the ground. which was encroaching on Loki's leg! "This is absolutely disgusting! FUCK! PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER!!!"
An angel descended from above, with elegance and beauty, striking her feet to the ground. With an orange flash of her eyes, Clay's body, now all melting at this point and wrapping around his opponent, was ripped away from Loki and splashed across a nearby tree like paint. It oozed down to the freshly cut grass, for the meantime discorporated.
"Don't toy with the enemy Loki..."
"Easy for YOU to say, MG!" Loki shuddered out making his way back onto his feet. "You didn't have some liquid, melting wierdo making passes on you!"
"Looked like to me he was making MORE than some passes at you!" She joked.
"Humph! That's the LAST time I cross-gender for ANYONE!"
"What's wrong, Loki? I thought you did a particularly good..." Marvel Girl sensed it, nearly a split second before it hit... a psibolt from behind. She attempted to erect a mental wall, but it was too late. It hit her full force. striking her down, almost instantly. Her face told all the pain. the surprise... and the shock... Grasping her head as she tried to fight the bolt off, she understood completely what happened when she saw her assailant...
"Heya, Jeannie-Gal," an all-too familiar voice cooed to her. "Guess what." the hand grabbed her around her throat, to the point where the air seized to flow, pulling Marvel Girl to her feet so she could look into the eyes of the woman who just took her down. "The bitch is back!"
"Maddie!" Marvel Girl screamed. Furiously, a telekinetic blast ripped her off, giving her distance from her most hated rival.
"It's been months since I visited my darling 'sister.' I just couldn't BEAR to look Mom and Dad in the eye if I told them we fell out of touch!" Madelyne Pryor said, smiling and mocking at her genetic equivalent as she hovered in the air. "By the way, nice threads."
Marvel Girl's eyes, angrily flashing orange, remained trained on Maddie as they circled. "What's wrong, Maddie? Don't tell me your still upset that I was chosen to be Grey Queen?!"
"Don't be silly," Maddie chuckled. "I am a queen... the Queen of Hate, the Queen of Fear, the Queen of Suffering.I find it MUCH more presentable then some dirty, bland, old color.." She cracked back. " Besides. Black Vein's just a part-time job. You know. Like you and Blaze, nowadays? Oh wait. I remember, now. He dropped off the face of the earth, DIDN'T he?!"
Loki stood there, confused at first, looking at Jean... and then Maddie... and then Jean... and then Maddie... Finally stopping, he yelled toward Jean, recognizing her by the Grey Queen's outfit. "Hey, Queenie! Did you know that this Maddie chick has this HONK of a zit right on her nose? I'm talking MAJOR whitehead! Puss action! IT'S GONNA BL..."
Angrily, Maddie lashed out at Loki with her telekinesis, sending him backwards onto the ground. Noticing Maddie's distraction, Marvel Girl grabbed her clone by the hair and slammed her face into her knee. Using a telekinetic boost, Maddie flipped backwards into the air, bringing herself back to a stand. in time to get punched in the jaw. Maddie struck back with a right hook of her own and then backhanded Jean across the temple. Then, she lashed out with another telekinetic attack, which was this time blocked by Jean's. This was her chance, Maddie thought to herself. especially with all of Jean's allies out of the way.
"Tell you what, Jeannie . Since I'm forever going to be known as your clone, I think I may as well look the part!" With a flash of green psionic energy, Maddie's clothes transformed into a copy of Marvel Girl's.
"So what. You STILL have that fucking zit on your nose!" Marvel Girl taunted as she head butted her in the chin.
Maddie paused for a moment, soaking in the pain before she jumped on top of her, digging her hands into the hair. Jean reached into Maddie's hair herself and started jerking her opponent violently to both sides. The cat fight was on.
Loki rose from the ground, holding his head as he heard the two women grab, grapple, and scream in the hair-pulling, claw-scratching, fist-fight. "If only there were some mud. and bikinis... and a camera when you needed them. DAMN YOU, NBC!"
SlashR, followed by Cyclops and Elizabeth Rausch, came running down to the scene. In shock, Cyclops also looked between the two women grappling in the street and realized that one of them must be Jean's clone. "Shit. Don't ask me how we're going to be able to tell them apart."
Loki limped toward them nodding. "Maddie's the one with the huge fucking zit on her nose."
Cyclops looked over toward SlashR and Elizabeth with an arched eyebrow and then finally back toward Loki. "Mr. Kendall. That doesn't exactly help when they are fighting like that!"
SlashR held up three fingers, each with throwing stars. "I know it's been on the fritz for a while, but pure luck!" With a flick of the wrist, the throwing stars sailed through the air, heading directly for the two struggling women. Unfortunately, one of them sensed them coming, and telekinetically zipped them back toward the four of them. With a grunt, SlashR unsheathed his sword fast enough to shield them from the blades.
"Damn it." he grumbled.
Shattering from the sword, the shards flew through the night, hitting the unsuspecting street light behind them. The light fell at their feet, showering the four of them with flying glass and sparks. By this time, Clay had recovered from Jean's attack and had summoned company.
"Hand over the mark, Jones, or you won't be walking away from this!"
"Aw, what the hell. I say he doesn't walk away from this anyway!" said the man to the left of Clay. Discarding his coat to the side, the pale looking man dressed in shrouds of crimson blood, shot out two energy ropes, each one wrapping around Cyclops and Elizabeth's necks. They both screamed in pain as they felt their energy ripped out of them.
SlashR started to bring his sword down on the binds when he found himself lifted into the air by the back of his uniform and held over his assailant's head like a barbell. "What the hell."
"What's wrong, Luv?" said the woman beneath him. "Most men I know ENJOY being held by Meg. Don't you, Sweetie?"
"Damn bitch." SlashR grunted as he brought his sword down his side roughly.
Surprised, Meg dropped him to the ground, and stepped back. She stomped the ground next to SlashR's head, desperately trying to nail him. "Damn it. You're too fast!" SlashR kicked her upside the chin. but Meg managed to grab him by the foot, using her own backward motion to bring him down as well. "But not fast enough for your own... good..." she said as she got a look at his face.
SlashR stood dumbfounded as he noticed that this woman wasn't over muscled like the She-Hulk. She was actually quite attractive. with those pouty lips. that red hair. and those eyes. "Meg?"
"Yes?" she said, dreamily caught in SlashR's eyes.
"I just thought I would tell you. that you are the most beautiful woman in the world... and..." and before SlashR finished, he swiftly kicked her upside the head, striking just below the temple with his loose foot. While she was stunned, he brought the hilt of his sword down on the base of her scalp, dropping her to the ground. "...if you weren't one of the bad guys, I'd ask you out."
He turned back toward the two wrestling blondes. "Now. I've got to take out the clone. I know how my luck has been though. I've got to risk it." He drew the bolo out of his side pocket and let it fly. He watched it wrap around the neck of one of the women and drop her to the ground.
"Jaimy... Thanks!" said the Grey queen as she moved toward him. "One thing about Maddie is that she never knows when to stop."
SlashR went to help her. but then noticed the zit on her nose. "What the..." Before he could strike, her eyes lit up with a green flash.
"Come on, Jaimy. You know how your luck is!" shrieked Maddie as she telekinetically hurled him into Cyclops. With a thought, she wrapped Elizabeth in a telekinetic field, and floated back into the air.
Marvel Girl ripped the bolo off of her neck and rose to her feet, searching for her long-time nemesis. With an orange flash from her eyes, she saw her floating into the sky above, with Elizabeth Rausch struggling in the telekinetic field.
"Don't you DARE walk away from me now, Maddie!" Marvel Girl screamed as she flew into the sky after her.
"Please, Jeannie-gal. I've got an appointment with the dermatologist in the morning about this zit," Maddie taunted as she hit Marvel Girl with another telekinetic blast. "Besides that. We already accomplished our goal. What was it? Nah... You'll just have to buy a front row ticket to the concert and see for yourself... Ta-ta, Jeannie-Gal." With a green flash and a shrieking pop, Madelyne Pryor disappeared with her mysterious teammates and Elizabeth.
"Mr. Koppers... radio this in. I have to tell Bill Rausch..." Cyclops stood there, looking into the now-empty sky. He failed his ex-girlfriend once more and couldn't help her. He could only look on in pain as he struggled to find a way to break the news to her husband and son... Straining from the fact his mission was a failure, the thought of what Pryor said was still abundantly racing through his head.Their goal. was to distract us. but from what?
End Chapter Four
Chapter Five: Mark Four
Team Four: SuperGrover!!!, Maul, Outburst, Impossible Man
Michael Breslin did not prove to be as easy a "mark" as the other three. Why would he be? Compared to the others, he has had considerably more training with respect to his powers. with respect to combat. Unlike the other "marks", he has lived in the real world long enough to know when he was being watched.
Needless to say, he was not overly surprised when he saw the Sánchez twins. Maya and Ana, they were. "Mirror image" twins... "Mirror image" EMPLATE twins who were good with swords. It has been more than a year and a half since they and Shiro Turiyaki tried to feed on Fillet Jazz Musician a Flambe. (Hotwire) The men of the then-Black Court had laughed about this one for weeks afterward. These were some twins they
ENJOYED fighting!
"Maya. Ana. Fancy meeting you two, here. I see you've taken my advice and invested in some breast implants!" Havok said as he dodged Maya's sword. His hands positioned in the right place, he lashed out with a photovaltic blast in both directions, hurling Maya and Ana away from him. "I assume that the two of you aren't here to seduce me, though. A shame... We could have had some REAL fun... as long as you didn't try to eat me or anything... well. in certain places."
He was about to take them out with another blast when he heard the clang of a flash grenade behind him. He jumped to his side, but it already went off, temporarily blinding him. Next, he felt a foot slap him upside the temple and then kick him on his back. He started to rise up when he felt two cold blades resting on both his
shoulders... humming...
"Sorry, Breslin." the man with the red hair and goatee said with a laugh. "As delectable as the Sánchez twins are, this is ALL about business."
"Lucas Christopher." Havok mumbled as his eyes cleared up. "What's wrong? Candra's not paying you enough to be her goddamn thug?"
"You could say we had a small problem negotiating my paycheck after her mess-up in Bhutan."
"Bitch cut you loose, eh? Well. Any man whose claim to fame is the power of a human vibrator and getting beat up by a teenage girl (The Sword of Haresh) probably doesn't deserve anything anyway!" Havok slowly moved his hands toward Lucas's ankles, preparing to pull his feet out from under him.
"Careful." Lucas said as he gently slid his swords closer to Havok's neck. "I wouldn't want to decapitate you by accident. My swords are vibrating fast enough to be as sharp as adamantium..."
Unexpectedly, a shiny black leather boot shot out of the shadow in front of him, crashing into his chin. Snapping one of the swords in his hand, Maul backhanded Lucas across the lip and kicked him against the brick wall. "Nein... Titanium, possibly. but not adamantium. Not dense enough!"
Havok rose back to his feet, dusting off his shoulders. "About TIME the cavalry arrived... What took you so long? Well... I should ask how you knew I was in trou..."
Maul glanced toward the groggy Sánchez twins and winked. "So THESE are the notorious Sánchez twins..." He sniffed into the air and shook his head from side to side. "Nice... especially with the implants..."
"See girls! I TOLD you..." From behind them both, the brick wall exploded out toward them. Shoving Havok out of the way, and accidentally knocking over the Sánchez twins again, Maul flew toward the source, already baring his claws to take him/her down. Before he could reach her, he stopped in the air, screaming as he felt the adamantium manipulated inside his body. "The metal you take for granted as a strength has become your greatest vulnerability!"
With a flick of the wrist, Maul was hurled through a mailbox on the other side of the street. The woman floated over toward him, electromagnetic energy rippling around her beautiful body. The most striking feature about her was not the command in her voice or the flowing green hair falling over her shoulders, but rather her eyes. Her eyes were covered in a black film, giving the appearance that there was nothing but
darkness inside her skull. "Vampire, you are NOTHING compared to might of Polaris!"
Can't move... no shadows... in pain... Maul thought... With no other options, he reached out telepathically, attempting to breach her mind... And found... How?! I sense a mind... but I sense nothing INSIDE it! How is this possible?! Nothing but darkne...
"Oh, vampire..." Polaris chuckled... "You don't KNOW just how much there is!"
"Vas?!" Maul called out as a black wispy mass shot out of her eyes. As the mass wrapped around him, Maul felt the most overwhelming sensation of coldness all over his body. Then, is seeped into his skin, causing him to jerk and spasm as the coldness that was outside now seemed to form inside.
"Know that feeling... for it is FEAR!" Before she could continue, a blue streak tore through the sky, slamming into her chest. Stunned into releasing her electromagnetic hold on Maul, Polaris' powers erupted back enough to stop her backward momentum. "SuperGrover!"
The staff formed from the Gauntlets of Excalibur swished through the air, slapping her into the chin. "Don't get me wrong... I'm not fond of the blonde... but I'm STUCK with him!"
------------------
By this time, Havok was back on his feet and again locked in a sparring match with Maya and Ana. "You girls are acting different than last time. I notice that your eyes look strange. What's with the black contact lenses?"
"Shut up." Maya said as she kicked Havok beside the face.
"Breslin!" said Ana.
"AND SUBMIT!" they spoke in unison.
Havok blasted the ground again, knocking the two of them off their feet. He got up, shaking his head at them in disgust. "Damn. What a waste. You two chicks remind me of those twins on GI Joe. Ever watch that?"
With Havok distracted, Lucas began to make his move... and tripped over a bo. He tumbled forward, spinning around to counter, when he got an exploding card in the face.
"What do you know?! It's Lucas the SHITHEAD!" Outburst's voice boomed in front of him. "Is your backside still raw from when I exploded that bo down your shirt?"
Despite being temporarily blinded, Lucas grabbed her by the leg and threw her into the ground. "You don't have the element of surprise anymore, girl. Let me teach you how the PROS fight!"
Outburst withdrew two more cards and let them fly. "You know what they say. Those who can't TEACH!" The lamppost above crashed down on top of Lucas, dropping him to the ground. "I've never been much of a teacher."
Havok stopped sparring with the Sánchez twins for a moment. "Hold on. Aren't you the Headmistress?"
"SHUT UP!!!!"
---------------
"All right, Lorna... What the hell's going on? What's with the funny look... Why are you in league with..."
"Because I crave POWER, you fool!" Polaris shrieked, wrapping a light pole around Grover. "Darkheart has FREED me from the petty restraints I put on myself... and I REVEL in it."
Grover expanded his kinetic aura, exploding the light pole outwards away from him. "I get it... In other words, you've been brainwashed. It figures. Powerhungry mercs are always easy to read..."
"Arrogant fool!" Polaris hissed. "Darkheart knows us all. our actions. our thoughts. or instincts. Even NOW, you are ignorant of his TRUE plan... a deceptive motion that delays the final cadence."
SuperGrover brought his staff upside her head. "What the hell did THAT mean?!"
"You've fallen TWICE, fool... assuming a motive which was nothing but a means to an end... like fragile Russian dolls marching to Tchaikovsky's theme, you play right into his hands, never daring to look deeper within... and find the TRUE imbedded motive!" she said as she flew into the air.
----------------
When Impossible Man reached Maul, the vampire was doubled over, with his hands plastered on the sides of his head. He was going to help Havok with the twins, but Grover had ordered him to see to Maul. Daggond it, that was exactly what he was going to do... even if he didn't LIKE Maul! As he approached, though, he did notice that Maul had barely moved from his spot... as if although he was no longer fighting, he was still... fighting... "Vampo! You okay? Get your but up! I hear them Sánchez twins have Type O... your favorite!" Noticing that Maul did not even appear to acknowledge the mention of blood, Impossible Man KNEW it had to be serious! He reached down, helping Maul to his feet. "Geesh, Draco... You have to lay off them FAT people, okay? You're getting harder to lift! Now... Speak... You Okay?"
Maul staggered on his feet, keeping his hands pinned on the sides of his head. "Ja..." He stumbled forward, almost falling to the ground before Impy propped him up.
"Yeah... Right... SURE... Okay. if you've been smoking Loki's wacky weed! Your sitting THIS one out, psycho Maul-o-mator, until you can sulk, threaten, and be your usual grumpy self RIGHT!"
"But Impy... I AM all right." Maul laughed as he started lifting his head up. Craning his head toward his side, he finally facied Impy's... opening his eyelids to reveal two black pools of oozing darkness where his eyeballs should be. "PERFECTLY all right!"
His eyes visibly bugging out, Impossible Man started to knock him away, but Maul hit him with the side of his hand directly beneath the lymph node on his neck. While Impy started to stagger, Maul hit him in the sternum with the palm of his hand and then rammed into him. "I've ALWAYS wanted to do that!"
From the other side, Grover punched Maul in the chin. Maul grabbed him by the elbow and the wrist, using the awkward positioning to bend Grover backwards, and then kicked his feet from beneath him. "Nein, Weisskoenig!"
Grover used his power of flight and the momentum to kick Maul in the back of the head. Then, forming two long blades in his handsfrom the Gauntlets of Excalibur, he raked him across the back and then kicked him in the face as he fell... until Maul grabbed him by the foot and threw him into an abandoned car. Moving his head to the side, Maul dodged the flying cards which crashed into the car, blowing it up. "Danke, Le Beau!"
"Thank THIS, Traitor! We ALWAYS knew you would betray us!" With her bo flaring, she kicked first at Maul's face and then slapped him between the legs with her bo. Grabbing it with his hand, Maul jerked it, causing Outburst's forehead to crash into his chin.
From behind a photovaltic blast ripped him square in the back. "My turn, Dra... Hey... Can you tell me what's the deal with all of these black contact lenses?" Dropping through the shadows, Maul came from behind... where Havok was expecting him. Havok was all set to attack with his claws, when he found that he could not look away from Maul's eyes... "Get out... of..."
"It still haunts you..." Maul said eerily...
"It still haunts me...."
"What you found that day..."
"What I found that day..."
"That day..."
"That day..."
Laughing all the way, Maul extended a claw and scratched Havok just on the surface skin of his neck. "And, Breslin... that day is... today..."
In his mind, Havok walked through the front door of his house to find his mother's lifeless body, covered with blood that had just begun to gel. His father's neck was still gushing with blood... "Mom.... Dad..."
Grover reached Havok just as Maul dropped through the shadows. He could see it, scratched on Havok's neck... a K... Deceptive... motive... cadence... Tchaikovsky... All of them musical terms. "Shit..."
"Why, Dad... Why?" Havok said, looking into his father's eyes as they rolled backwards...
"Havok!" Grover grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him back and forth... noticing the air around him was collecting static... "HAVOK!" He slapped him... "HAVOK! SNAP OUT OF IT!" Abruptly, Havok stopped... and fell to the ground, unconscious. Incredulously, Grover turned toward Outburst, who pulled her bo back. "What the..."
"He was about to go off and you know it. We'll be okay... Now what..." Well… and I feel foolish for accusing Maul of being a turncoat when he was overwhelmed…
"Polaris was right... Darkheart had me pegged from the beginning. He knew who would be up and around and who would be on the sidelines… Maul was the mark, not Havok... and the fifth mark is none other than the one I cut out of it at the getgo. Call it in. We might be too late… "
--------------------------------------------
The music was infectious, filling every nook and cranny... every hair and pore... every part of the house all at once. To Khalid, it took a life of its own the moment the sound floated off of those piano strings. It moved, it danced, it hurt, it did it all. He did not even need to open his eyes. He could feel it moving on its own. Everything was a distraction.... that was what really mattered... that was...
Khalid's eyes immediately flipped open with a yellow flash as he pushed away from the polished Steinway piano. "God damn it..." he growled as he forced himself to a stand. He had told himself that the longer he played, the more likely he could just block it out… block out what was swallowing him whole.
He was not alone and he knew it. "Who's here?" Khalid called out, struggling to quell the tingling as his photon aura threatened to burst out. "Gabe… you aren't here to pick ANOTHER fight, are you?" Khalid closed the cover to the piano and walked toward his living room. Despite what he said, he was sure that Gabe wasn't the one that was hiding around. Was it Maul again?! Nah. He would have sensed that as well. Strangely enough, while his head was screaming that there was someone else in the house, he couldn't smell anything. "Who is..."
Khalid stopped to find a dark figure with a shaved head sneering at him as he sat on the couch. With the lights off, Khalid could see was the flashing white lightning tattoo across his face, which blended into the dark. This guy had superpowers... that was for sure. "What the..."
Khalid flicked the light switch on and stared in disbelief at this man on his sofa. The Black man was his very size and height, but cast a different kind of environment… a feeling of coldness… The tattoo, which had been white in the dark, was now black and around his eye... much like the mark of the Crimson Dawn he had occasionally seen on Gomurr's face. His entire head was shaved, except for a goatee. With the sunglasses, the guy looked like Avery Brooks from a bad episode of Spencer for Hire… except that he was leaner and meaner… "Who are you and what do you want?!"
"Mufasa..." Darkheart said as he stood to his feet. "I'm merely one of your biggest fans... and wanted a keepsake. and an autographed picture..."
End Chapter Five
Chapter Six
He wanted to cough. He wanted to cough so badly, just to clear the blood out of his throat, but he couldn't. No, that would be a dead giveaway just where he was at. No, he couldn't do that. He couldn't even take any breaths… fill his air with lungs. No… He had to remain as quiet as possible… and breathe almost as if he were meditating. He had to get his heart rate down… Especially with the flow of blood cut off to his limbs, that meant that the poison was hitting his nervous system all the quicker. All right, K… Think…
Restore the flow of blood to you limbs. Roll on one shoulder until the flow kicks back in again and then use that one hand to get the rest. Good… But the leaves?! That would make too much noise. No… Not if he flared his aura on the ground real quick and deactivated it. Yes, he would be risking Darkheart seeing the light, but he would be DAMNED if he was just going to sit here and just lie around. Good… the leaves were gone…
Waiting for the tingling sensation to go away in his limbs, Khalid sat up, listening. He could tell by the crickets and animals growing quiet that Darkheart was getting nearer. Closing his eyes, Khalid tried to formulate a plan. Teleporting out of here was out of the question. That was how he got away before and with this poison beginning to affect him, he couldn't risk doing that again… even if he had the strength to do it.
Fighting? Nope… Uh uh… He just finished having his ass handed to him. Even before Darkheart hit him with the poison, he had already laid Khalid on the ground with a bloody nose, a concussion, a black eye, a busted rib, and a swollen lip… in ten seconds. FORGET IT. Too strong, too fast, and too evil… Well… there was also the matter that Darkheart can absorb light… like the PHOTONS that manifest with Khalid's power. Yeah, Khalid knew exactly why Darkheart came after him. He was the perfect target… a target who can't fight back!
"Excellent move, Mufasa… Purified… Khalid… or whatever the hell they are calling you these days." Darkheart called out as he walked along the barely worn path in the woods surrounding Khalid's estate. "Take the fight to an environment you know well. The trees are easily tall enough to blot out the light from the sky. With the lay of the land, you can pinpoint exactly the direction from where my voice is coming. Normally, you couldn't hide in the dark from me, but for whatever reason, I can't see you. I have to admit that I didn't foresee this… Good move on your part."
Khalid opened his eyes. Yeah… He knew EXACTLY where Darkheart was, all right… He just didn’t know how he was going to get out of this.
"Don't worry too much, Khalid. I'll find you. You see, I know everything there is to know about you… Your hopes… your dreams… your fears… your strengths… your weaknesses… Don't believe me? I know that you happen to have TERRIBLE luck with women. I mean… just TERRIBLE luck. Cassandra Lecke, for instance. Oh yeah… you were after that number hot and heavy, but never really got anywhere. Seems like your cousin did, though… BOY did he get somewhere… well… until you walked in on them and got blinded. Let's see… and Imani Faith. You weren't much for her, but Mufasa REALLY dug her… Probably the best sex you ever had. Yeah… till you caught HER with Dan Ford on your bed. That touched off the Pentway Incident, didn't it? Then, there's Akiko Tanaka… AKIKO Tanaka… You were more discreet with her. Long-distance ones have a way of doing that. Didn't quite work out, though… Must have been what happened with her brother!"
Khalid examined his surroundings. Plenty of trees… The animals took off. A direct attack wouldn't work so well, but an indirect attack might. Use one tree to pin him to the ground and then take him out. Yeah… sure… simple… easy as pie… NOT!
"One thing I'll say about you… You have more control over your temper than your previous incarnation. Oh wait… Or DO you? With what's been happening the past months… Oh… You haven't disclosed that to anyone yet, have you."
God damn… He knows… The prick knows…
"Oh yes… I know, Khalid. See, one of the beautiful things about that particular concoction I hit you with is that it mimics the effects of intoxication, but without the decrease in sensory input…. Not that it would be a problem for you, mind you."
Aw shit… if what he's saying has an IOTA of truth…
"And we BOTH know what happens when you drink… Physically, it doesn't do much to you, but mentally it does. That wall you put in place to lock Mufasa away starts crumbling… power comes just a little bit more easily… Normally, you'd have to consume quite a bit in order for this to happen… but I don't know how normal its been, lately… or how normal it is going to be when the poison flies into full effect about… now."
As if on cue, the buzzing and the sensory overload hit him at once, stronger than he expected. Screaming, Khalid clamped his hands down on his ears and forced his eyes shut. He tried desperately to draw it back in… push it down, block it out… the sounds of his heartbeat and the wind whistling above the trees… the feeling of the airpressure dropping… the smell of the forest, himself… and the stench of Darkheart's power…
"'And then, there was light'… a damn BRIGHT light, He said… " Darkheart laughed as he saw Khalid's photon aura flaring out of him, forming into a lion. Approaching Khalid, he made a point of speaking louder, knowing that Khalid's own senses were raging out of control. "Now come ON, Mufasa… That's no way to act! It's a beautiful night and you should be ENJOYING it!" Unaffected by the light from the aura, Darkheart ripped Khalid's hands off his ears and shoved him back into the tree. "Careful there, Mufasa… You might start a fire!"
Snarling, Khalid lashed out at Darkheart with the photon lion's paw, but as before, Darkheart absorbed the light. "God DAMN you…"
"Weren't you paying attention before, Mufasa? Your powers don't WORK on me! See?" Illustrating his point again, Darkheart kicked him in the chin. "Not even a burn mark on my shoe." Next he elbowed Khalid in the temple and walked away. "I have to keep in mind though… You don't have files on me. I'm the one who has files on you… your friends… your loved ones… EXTENSIVE ones… You might want to tell Cougar to check up on your Great Uncle Joseph. It looks like the werewolf hunters are after him again… Wonder what they would make of you…"
Finally adapted to the much higher rate of sensory input, Khalid struck the tree next to him with a photon bolt, collapsing it on top of Darkheart. Ripping a log off the ground, Khalid ran up toward where Darkheart was lying to smack him good in the head… only to find he wasn't there. "What the…"
"Looks like I shadow slid!" Darkheart said from behind before throwing Khalid through the air into the branches of the tree. "You know what? I think I've had my fun, now. It's time to get down to business." At that moment, Darkheart's entire body seemed to blend into the shadows, casting a dark silhouette that was blacker than the shadows. The lightning bolt across his eye glowed bright white against the darkness, seemingly growing brighter.
Khalid stood up, noticing immediately that his own protection tattoos flared yellow, burning warmly on his arm. More silhouettes peeled from the shadows, surrounding him. At first, he believed that Darkheart had brought in more of his henchmen, but with a flash of the eyes, Khalid realized that it was nothing of the sort. The silhouettes WERE the shadows… and they peeled away from the surrounding darkness floating in the air and swirling around him, desperately trying to breach his photon aura. "My God… What ARE you?!"
"I am their master… and they are my vehicles…" Darkheart said with a laugh. "When my soul devourers enter you, they will release ALL the darkness within your soul. You will be released from your insanity and for the first time be whole… No holding back… no fighting yourself… Of course, you will for all intents and purposes be one of my slaves…"
"No way… Uh uh… Even if your pathetic shadow demons or whatever you call them could get past me, I'd NEVER…"
"Oh… You don't have a choice in the matter, DO you?" With a motion of Darkheart's hand, Maul shot out of the shadows and hovered behind Khalid. "I said that I know EVERYTHING about you!"
Khalid spun around, hurling a photon bolt in Maul's direction. Maul dodged it and kicked him in the stomach. Then, while Khalid was doubled over, Maul brought his knee up, hitting him in mouth. Grabbing him by the hair, Maul jerked Khalid's head up so that they could see face to face… Both of them moved at once, Maul placing his claws against Khalid's face and Khalid leveling a photon blade at Maul's neck. "Uh uh… DON'T move, Maul… All right, Darkheart… Release him NOW!"
Maul hissed, giving Khalid an up close view of his vampire fangs. Gently, Maul opened and closed his hand, moving his claws gingerly across Khalid's face. He made sure that although he was touching the skin, not to actually penetrate it. "I AM free, Löwe… I've become what I was always meant to be… and you will, too! Don't fight it… Let it happen…"
"Forget it, Maul… Your little mind games don't work on me anymore! Darkheart LET HIM GO!"
By this time Darkheart was laughing at the sight. "Now why would I do that? You haven't been paying attention too much for the past few months, but Maul's tricks DO… well… that would be telling. All right, Maul… back away from him."
Slowly, Maul released Khalid's hair and pulled his claws away from Khalid's face. Khalid stood up, but kept the photon blade positioned at Maul's neck. With a devilish smile, Maul nodded his head. "Löwe… You're too gullible." Maul snapped his fingers.
At first, Khalid didn't realize what had happened, but when the growls began getting louder and uncontrollable, he understood. His eyes opening wide, he looked into the black holes that stood for Maul's eyes in betrayal… as his personality was wiped away and his photon aura dropped. Angrily, he shouted as the soul devourers entered his body, filling him both inside and outside with a feeling of complete coldness.
Darkheart walked up to him as he fruitlessly resisted their invasion. Gripping Khalid firmly by the chin, he glared into his eyes, watching as the darkness devoured his eyes. In the end, where once a man stood was now a drooling, snarling beast that resembled a man. "Now… That wasn't so bad was it?" Finally, he started rubbing Khalid's hair, laughing. "The conversion went even better than expected. Every man should have a pet lion. Let's see about getting you some lion food, eh?"
End Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
"God DAMN, where did this headache come from? Last thing I remember…" Michael Breslin stopped as he sat up in the back of the GCAT. Rubbing his hand through his hair, he discovered a knot… a sore… swollen knot. "All right… First your damn rook fucks with my mind, then someone knocks me upside the head?! While I'm at it, would you mind explaining to me what happened, why I was ambushed, and where the HELL we are now?!" Feeling dizzy, he fell back into the cot. "God DAMN, I need a beer…"
"No you don't. You're not allowed, remember?" Hawkeye smiled. "The LAST time I handed you a beer, the phone rang and I got a good chewing out by this lady who identified herself as your aunt."
"Shani… Sounds JUST like her." Havok sat up again, this time holding his head between his legs. "Gotta love her… All right… Crash course. Three sentences. Go."
"Deadpool told us a mercenary group named Black Vein ran by Darkheart was after mutant slaves - you among them - so we split up and tried to rescue them all, but we failed in each count. They were supposed to be after you but really they were after Maul and when they got him, he turned on everyone and mucked with your mind until Rhiannon slapped you upside the head with her bo. Prydesville, New York. They've got Khalid."
"That was four."
"No. That was three and a sentence fragment. Do you need to take English again? Anyway, I'm ordering you to sit here until the world stops spinning. I'm going to run inside and see what they might have come up with…" Hawkeye said, stepping out through the side door. For a moment, he stood at the bottom of the stairs and looked toward the night sky, not exactly sure what he was looking for… but with a sigh, he walked back through the front door and looked to see everyone walking over the large log house, combing it for any hints as to what may have happened… or who might have nabbed the White Rook. "No I'm not your king and you don't have to tell me anything, but are you getting anything, Feonix?" Hawkeye called out.
"Yes. Coldness… An overpowering coldness so strong that it wiped away any psychic residue. I can't even do a telemetric scan. All I get are shadows… and a headache…"
"Great… Ask a simple question, you get a metaphysical answer…" he grumbled.
Before he could launch into another line of questioning, the voice of Eve Sanders - the newest one to the fold - rose from the stairwell to the basement. "I don't understand why they would go after Khalid in the first place. Is it because he's a celebrity? Because he's a professional musician?"
"No," Hawkeye answered. "While that DOES make him a target for some people, I don't see why they would decide to take Khalid himself and leave his original transcripts on his bookshelf. If this was a simple monetary motive, they could have taken a LOT. They left too much behind."
"Well… and no one would pay for him anyway." Darque Feonix grumbled. Everyone roaming around the living room stopped a moment to glare at him and then returned to searching for clues.
"How did they even know he had powers… I mean… There's that reporter working for the New England Weekly who claims Khalid is hellspawn and all, but I didn't think anyone would take him seriously. I'm still surprised to find out this guy's a mutant!"
"He's low profile like that…" Blackfire said from the living room. "His business is his business and no one else's. I can't say I blame him, but…" She allowed her voice to trail off.
"Okay, then… maybe it was directed at Grover? After all… Khalid IS his cousin…" Faith said.
"Good line of questioning, Faith… You'll be Magnum PI in NO time."
"Who's Magnum PI?"
Again, everyone in the house stopped what they were doing and turned toward the neophyte. Hoping to break the lull before his new recruit became too nervous, Hawekeye spoke. "BOY, am I feeling my age right now… It's not a matter of the blood relationship. Remember, they took Maul and left Havok. Havok's his cousin, too… and was ON the mark list!" Hawkeye said. "I think you all know who I think did it… though you don't want to hear it…" Around the house, everyone but Faith groaned.
Her head dashing back and forth, she turned back toward Hawkeye in confusion. "Why did they do that?"
"Why? I think Ryan did it. Come on… He had issues with Maul, Grover, and Khalid… and something like this is RIGHT up his alley. Hell… He's been trying to manipulate their family for over fifty years… And I won't even MENTION his role in New Year's."
"New Year's?" Faith said, but then she stopped. The assembling of Genesis X had happened after the foundations of the courts were pulled from under them. That much she knew. Daemon had told her that one day he'd get around to telling her what happened, but that day had not exactly come yet. She did know that more than a few people had died… many were changed… friendships and alliances destroyed… and revelations, like the White King's real name and family… "Nevermind."
As Blackfire heard this exchange, she couldn't help but shed tears. She blamed herself for this. Grover had asked her before if she could without a doubt say her information was accurate… She said yes. Her reason? She got the info from Wade. Damn it, she TRUSTED Wade… without question… without hesitation… She TRUSTED him. She was blinded so much by their past that she didn't give it a second thought. "Look for a black valentine."
"What?" Hawkeye asked.
"A black valentine."
"Like this one?" Faith said, crouching near the broken coffee table. Carefully, she brushed the wooden pieces to the side - some bloody - and pulled out a red disc with a black valentine in the center. Standing up, she looked it over, noticing just how cold to the touch it felt. It was if by virtue of holding it, she could sense the sheer… darkness it was throwing off. "Blackfire… it feels weird… kind of like the feeling I'm getting when I probe with my telepathy."
Blackfire took the disc, her hands trembling. "I'm not surprised… It's a calling card. Darkheart was here personally."
Byron walked in from the kitchen, her eyes casting a fiery glow. "Sharon, what else do you know about Darkheart?"
"Just what I've heard in the grapevine… Trained to fight in hundreds of styles… Knows poisons… Learns everything there is to know about his target… Everything that I've told you already."
"Well, I have ANOTHER tidbit for you," Byron said. From her hand, a fireball shot out, scouring the room like a soft sponge. At first, everyone felt nervous as it passed over them, but they realized the fire didn't burn… but rather clean… "Something that brings this to a different level altogether. That coldness Darque Feonix was sensing? So powerful that it blots out psychic residue? That's magic… CORRUPTIVE magic… and this guy seems to exude it naturally. It's the same that I sensed coming from Wade. It's the same energy… that lines the very shadows here as we speak."
"Shadows??!!" Darque Feonix said, momentarily stepping away from the wall. "Byron… Are you telling us…"
"Yes," Byron said. "This magic is a derivative of the Crimson Dawn. Don't you think that puts an ENTIRELY different spin on their motives? Think about it…"
"I'm not following."
Byron pointed to the corner behind the stairwell. "You see that corner? That was where Darkheart entered the house from. Do you want to know how I know?" She turned on the light switch and walked over toward it. "While everything else is reflecting light and what not, that CORNER is not. It's absorbing it."
"Freaky…" Faith said, about to touch it… but Byron pulled her back.
"No… You have to stay away from shadows like this. That's how soul devourers travel." Hey eyes lighting up, a small orange ray of light shot out of her eyes into the center of the shadow, completely dissipating it. "Now, think about something… Compare Khalid's powers to the magic of the Crimson Dawn."
"I really don't think there COULD be a comparison… I mean… Two totally different venues."
"Not quite, Feonix. The photons he uses could do the exact same thing I just did to that shadow. They're more concentrated than that. Anyway, you are missing something even more basic…"
Blackfire interrupted. "Polar opposites…" She brought her hand to her mouth, staring out the broken picture window. "He controls Khalid; he controls a future threat..."
------------------------------------------------
For all intents and purposes, their connection was like the compass to the North Pole. That was because of the Gauntlets of Excalibur. Khalid was the compass and Grover was the North Pole. The laws of physics say that regardless of their relative positions to one another, the compass could always lead back to the North Pole. The laws of physics also say the closer they are, the stronger the influence one has on another.
Regardless, Grover knew that Khalid was still in the area. As he flew over the hiking trail, he also began to feel the unnatural chill in the air. With the goose bumps rising down the center of his back, Grover knew that he had been around this energy before. It had been almost a year since he had been near such high a concentration… since last he was in the dimension of the Crimson Dawn. "Heaven help us all…" Grover mumbled as he set down. "… if this is what we are dealing with."
Weaving his hands around his head, Rune cast a soft blue glow around everyone in the party except for Grover. "My spell isn't going to last long. Once we leave here, we are going to have to find a way to seal this area off… and confine the corruption. We'll more than likely have to call in the Sorcerer Supreme on this."
"Come on… it can't be THAT scary out amongst the trees. Haven't you guys ever been camping? What the hell have they been TEACHING you in that 'school' of yours… Hell, I've run scarier simulations than this." Daemon answered. From a pocket on his shoulder belt, he pulled out several small cubes. After squeezing them in his hand to activate them, they floated into the air and circled around the party. As everything lit up in the immediate area, everyone seemed to jump all at once. Daemon's extradimensional sword flashed into his hand, strangely enough causing the air around it to crackling and sizzle even more than usual.
Nebula raised her eyebrow as she watched Daemon react. Although he didn't express shock like everyone else, she did notice that his eyes were dancing around a bit more than before. "What's wrong, Daemon… This a little scarier than your simulations?"
"Don't be ridiculous… I just like being prepared." Daemon answered.
"This was intentional… a statement… Who the hell IS this guy?" Grover said. Looking up at the trees, he notice that in the area, they were all warped… gnarled… Some of the evergreens, he noticed, didn't expel sap… but it seemed rather blood. Dead carcasses of birds or squirrels unlucky enough to have passed through the area littered the ground… and he could see some warped versions of living creatures moving through the trees. Those sixteen days he spent in the dimension of the Crimson Dawn had burned the sheer horror in his mind. To think that anyone might have the power to recreate even a portion of it on Earth… "Khalid's here, though… I can sense him. Everyone stay on guard."
Hovering in the air behind him, Tangerine couldn't help but feel a crackling in the back of her mind. Was it six years ago she woke up, not remembering who she was or where she had come from? There was no medical explanation for her amnesia. No blunt trauma… no mental trauma she was aware of… There was no genetic reason for her to have wings or orange hair. No reason for telepathy. As indicated by her episode earlier, her powers were fed by another dimension altogether. "I can't see anything beyond this clearing. The resonance of this… this… whatever this is… It's messing up everything… not to mention my telepathy. All I'm getting as I probe is… coldness. Overwhelming coldness."
With a green flash of light, Outburst charged up the two cards in her hand. "I don't know about you guys, but this is just looking like nothing but a sideways bottomless pit beyond those trees. There is NO WAY I'm leaving this clearing. Look…" With a flick of the wrist, the cards sped out of her hand through the line of trees, leaving a trail of green smoke as it went. As it passed the trees, everyone saw that they disappeared into the thick darkness beyond. No explosion. "HELL no! This REEKS of a trap."
After she said it, a loud obnoxious clapping carried through the air. Everyone spun around, scouring the area with their eyes as they searched for the source or even the direction, but it seemed to come from all around them at once. "Give the girl a medal." Darkheart's voice boomed. "She wins GOLD for stating the obvious!"
Grover called out, still scanning for him. "Would you mind telling us who you are and what this entire SETUP was about?"
Darkheart emerged from the darkness in front of him, floating into the clearing. With the light emitted by Daemon's photon cubes, he seemed just as unassuming as any of them. Seeing what he has done with this small area, Grover knew better. The temperature in the area seemed to drop another ten degrees as he set his feet on the ground, sneering. "Just thought I'd finally get around to introducing myself to you. My name is Darkheart… You might have heard of me?"
Daemon arched his eyebrows as if he were running the name through his mind. "In all honesty… No, I haven't. Can't say I missed anything. By the way… you have razor burn on the top of your scalp…"
Darkheart started to take his hand and rub the top of his scalp to check when he jerked to a stop and stared at him. "Funny."
"Tell you what…" Daemon sneered, wiping the end of his sword against his trenchcoat. "Come closer and I'll show you how it is REALLY done!"
"Cute. Unlike you, I've done my homework, Destroyer of Armies… Demon Who Walks Among Men… I could spill your business out here in front of everyone… including a certain little vulnerability that has plagued you since New Year's." Darkheart turned his gaze toward Rune. "Before I forget, Rune, Essex told me last week he would like one of those nifty crystal test-tube racks for Father's Day, just in case you were wondering what to get him. Unlike OTHER people here," Darkheart glanced each at Outburst and Nebula, "I'm pleased to know that someone actually keeps in contact with their parents."
With another flash of green light, Outburst charged two more cards to throw at him when Tangerine grabbed her by the wrist. "No, Rhiannon… Don't let this asshole get under your skin."
"Easy for YOU to say, Birdie! I'm going to send these straight up his…"
"Get ON with it," Grover called, interrupting her. "We've had more than enough of your mindgames, Darkheart. I have no patience for the likes of you."
"Oh… you should… because this is a blood debt that I intend for YOU to pay. Believe it or not, your 'father' made me… He MADE me when he destroyed the only family I had… RIPPED what was rightfully mine away from me… DOOMED me to live my life in a hell that I have grown to love." Darkheart spun around in his place, gesturing to the nightmarish vision around them. "This is but a small reflection of the world I grew up in," He stopped turning around, this time almost snarling toward Grover with hatred. The shadows around them seemed to bubble as Darkheart spat toward the White King, taking every moment to dig his words in. "Because YOUR 'father' took what did not belong to him! But, he was careless… He forgot about me… and I grew… and grew. The more I grew, the more I realized that my world wasn't a hell… but a BEAUTIFUL place." Before them, his skin changed from its chocolate hue to a color so dark that he became a darkened silhouette even against the shadows behind him. Daemon's photon cubes, straining to make up for the change in luminescence, exploded at once, showering their small circuits around the area. The sky overhead took on a reddish tinge as the formerly black lightning bolt across his eye grew bright white. "I am the very son of the Crimson Dawn itself… The embodiment of its darkness… its freedom… and before I make this putrid world a reflection of what MY world was, I'm going to move the CURRENT proctor out of my way."
With a flash of orange light, Byron appeared, with the others around her, restoring some kind of light to the area. Everyone noticed though, that although both Byron and Rune were lighting up the area that Darkheart seemed to absorb it. "Not likely, Darkheart… the Circle of Mystics and the Parliament will never allow it… and even if they did, WE would never allow it!"
With a smile, Hawkeye chimed in. "Yep… and as the Grey King of this Court, it will be my proud duty to say… Fuck off. We're doing good enough of a job fucking up our OWN world, so we certainly don't need your help with it. So, give us our friends back, run back into your rathole, and don't come around again." Everyone turned toward Hawkeye, first in disbelief… then turned back.
"Humor aside," Byron said trying not to laugh. "Hawkeye's right. You're not welcome here!"
"Aw… the ever-so-lovely goddess of Hell… wife of the almighty but POWERLESS Diablo. I have to hand it to you, Grover. You and yours have allies in high places. The Circle of Mystics is too caught up in its OWN troubles. It would be nothing for me to solicit some of the key members to my side. As for the Parliament of All… Do you think they really give flying fuck about this mudball?"
"Perhaps not," said Hawkeye. "But we do. It's OUR mudball!" He stopped for a moment and nodded toward Nebula and Daemon. "Well… their mudball too… AND YOU CAN'T HAVE IT!"
Nebula shook her head again in disbelief. "You CERTAINLY have a way of putting things…"
Rune couldn't resist letting a smile slide across his face, despite the level of power being shown here. "Besides… You'll NEVER defeat Gomurr. He handed your father's ass to him... and he'll hand you YOURS too!"
"Oh… I've already prepared for that inevitable confrontation. Gomurr doesn't have the BALLS to dig deep into it…" Darkheart said with a chuckle as he turned from Rune and fixed his eyes furiously on Grover. The tone of his words changed again, from light-hearted to dark hatred. "That is… unless something happens to his bouncing blue baby BOY. I'll deal with Gomurr on my own terms." He started laughing as dark red lightning started hitting the ground around them. Around them, the wind started shifting and growing stronger, its temperature dropping steadily. "You guys, I'll deal with now… Don't worry… This won't hurt… MUCH." From around them in the darkness, a demonic growl rang out… a familiar one. "Looks like someone else is anxious to greet you guys. Guess they just wanted to let you know how much they miss you."
"If you've done anything to them…" Grover said, beginning to take to the air.
"What do you mean IF, Grover? Besides… the one you SHOULD be worried about… is YOURSELF!" With a jerk of his hand, the shadows moved forth from the trees, much like a tidal wave, washing over each of the party at once before it settled down. Grover screamed out as he felt himself bubble from inside and the spikes of the Gauntlets of Excalibur shoot through his flesh. Dropping out of the air, he fell to the ground gasping and writhing in agony. Rune, who was in the middle of a shielding spell, also collapsed as his own energies attacked him from the inside. Byron proved to be the most decisive target, though. Overwhelmed with pain, her cry set off a rippling shockwave across the astral plane, which dropped Darque Feonix, Faith, and Tangerine. Nearly everyone else's injuries were physical injuries simply by being buffeted by the attack. The only one unaffected at all by the attack was Daemon, whose extradimensional sword had cut through the shadows before they could reach him. "All right guys… They are all yours. Remember… No killing. Incapacitating injuries, on the other hand, are perfectly welcome."
Maul emerged from the shadowy ground, kicking Nebula in the head and knocking her out cold. Spinning around in the air, he punched Daemon in the jaw and rammed him in the eye with the forearm. Stunned, Daemon next felt the kick of Maul's boot in his ribs and the knee in his chin. Before Maul could attack any further, Daemon swept Maul's feet into the air and kicked him away. Seeing Maul come at him with a snarl, Daemon blocked the swipe of his claws with the sword and struck him in the jaw with the palm of his other hand. Slapping him from the other side with the broadside of his sword, his free hand blasted Maul in the stomach with a burst of white plasma. Er?! Where did THAT come from? Enraged, now, Maul dropped through the ground below and burst through the other side, this time kicking Daemon's sword out of his hand. Then, before Daemon could react, Maul brought his elbow down on Daemon's wrist, fracturing it.
"God DAMN!" Daemon said shooting another plasma burst out of his hand into Maul's eyes. "It's not healing…" Holding his arm close, he rammed Maul into a tree. "Weakness… There's got to be a weakness… Think…"
"Nein, Daemon…" Maul said raking his claws across Daemon's chest. "Not as far as YOU are concerned!"
Dropping from above, Deadpool landed in the center, both his swords drawn and to his side. Hawkeye started to tackle him from behind, but Deadpool punched him blindly and kicked him down. "Hello, Sharon…" he said, moving closer to Blackfire, who had just sat up. Just in front of her, Outburst started to get up, but Deadpool slapped his heel down on the back of her neck and leveled the swords at Blackfire. "The two of us have unfinished business. Let's dance, you and me… Eh?"
"Come on, Wade…" Blackfire said, hurling a black fireball into his eyes. "Everyone KNOWS you don't have any rhythm!" Using her power of flight, she pushed off the ground into the air, kicking Deadpool in the chin as she went. "You have two left feet." With a flick of the wrist, three shurinkens shot from her hand into his right arm, forcing him to drop that sword… but he still had another one.
"Do you REALLY think you can hang with me?" He said, his healing factor already mending his injuries. "Oh… wait… we already went this route before… Then again, that was before your current Black Flame - Get it? Black Flame? - interfered! AHHHH - I kill me…" Laughing insanely, he threw his other sword through Blackfire's shoulder. After she fell to the ground, he placed his foot on top of her shoulder and pulled the sword out. Then, he laughed over as he rubbed his foot into the bleeding wound. "Don't worry, Share… You'll be able to heal yourself when this is all over…"
From behind, Hawkeye kicked him in the rear and slapped him in the face with his other sword. "Hey… I'll give you a REAL sword-fight, you chicken-livered…"
"They have gizzards…"
"Whatever… Bring it!"
Amid the pandemonium, Grover started to rise to his feet, each step brimming with pain. Something Khalid said early on… trick yourself… pretend the pain is mind-numbing pleasure. God damn, he couldn't fight like this… Just as he finally got on his two feet, Darkheart grabbed him roughly by his neck, his angry breath whistling through his teeth. Just in response to his touch, Grover felt the cold trying to get through… and agitate the Gauntlets of Excalibur even further.
"You've been bonded to Excalibur for so long. I noticed during your 16-day 'visit' to my place that Excalibur was keeping my realm from working all of its usual charm. Given time, you might be able to use the Crimson Dawn decisively and shrug off the corruptive effects… Though I don't intend on you LIVING long enough to either learn or to become that strong!"
"Why this unrestrained hatred against me?! Have I wronged you?"
"No… Let's just say this. Twice, your father took away those closest to me… and I aim on returning the favor… but not now," he said starting to squeeze. "I want you to look around… SEE what is happening… Everything you see here is the future for those who oppose me… who oppose my will…"
"Where's my cousin, you bastard?!"
"Oh? So you're finally claiming him, are you?" Darkheart said with a chuckle. "Too little, too late, Grover."
With a flash of light, Khalid appeared just outside the area where Hawkeye and Deadpool were fighting. With a snarl and a red flash of light, the lion aura formed around him. Outburst attacked first from the side, but the lion's paw detonated the cards before they could hit. Rushing past his aura, she swung her staff at him. Khalid easily caught the end in his hand and rammed into her. Before she could fall to the ground, he grabbed her by the shirt and held her an armslength away in the air to his side.
"Good swing… well-trained…" He said, spinning the staff in his free hand. "Good staff, too… Nice weight." He threw her to the ground and tossed her staff beside her. "But I don't fight little girls."
"WHAT?!" yelled Outburst, who was rising off the ground. "Who are YOU to be talking to ME about skill?! AND WHO ARE YOU CALLING A LITTLE GIRL?!" Picking her staff up in her hand, she swung at Khalid from behind, who dodged it. For a brief moment, she tried to hit him… make contact… but he dodged each strike, laughing at her. Tired of this game, he gestured with his hand and knocked her away with the lion's paw.
"Pretty good against a little girl…" a voice said. "How about a man?"
Rolling so she sat up, Outburst shouted out behind her. "Havok?! What are you doing here??!!"
"Hitched a ride with Byron when I woke up from the concussion YOU gave me!" He said, morphing his hands. "Come on, Khalid… Since all of a sudden you think you can fight!"
First they each took a defensive stance, but then Khalid swung first, more to get the fight started than to actually cause some damage. Easily, Havok blocked it with his right hand and started to punch the elbow in with his left. Before it arrived, Khalid twisted his elbow down to avoid getting it shattered and hit Havok in the chin with the palm of his free hand. Both of them untangling their arms at once, Havok tried a different approach this time, namely kicking Khalid in the stomach. Growling, Khalid grabbed him by the ankle and threw it up, while sweeping the other foot out from under him with the photon paw. "That's what happens, Breslin, when you fight to restore your fractured ego rather than to win!"
"What the…" he managed out before Khalid kicked him in the chin.
Without looking behind him, Khalid caught the staff that was being swung toward his head. "I told you BEFORE… I don't fight little girls."
"Fine… Don't fight…. Just go out like a light!" Outburst said again, pulling her staff back. Unexpectedly, she was wrapped up with a solid photon tail.
"Away from me." Khalid said as he discarded her.
"Damn it! Why do you always throw me away?!" she shouted, landing ontop of Nebula.
"Khalid! Say hello to your cousin… He misses you." Darkheart laughed into the air. He threw Grover down at Khalid's feet. "You three can finish up things here…"
Laughing, Khalid ran upside Grover and kicked him in the face. "So, I'm your COUSIN now?! Glad to finally know!"
"I never said you weren't!" Grover mumbled. "I just said that…"
Khalid grabbed Grover by the sides of his shirt and pulled him up to his feet. "I know EXACTLY what you said… that you weren't READY. Well… I'm not ready for you!" With a flash of light, Khalid plunged a photon blade into Grover's leg and dropped him to the ground. "Rest ASSURED… that when I AM ready, I'll let you know!"
"Khalid?!" Grover called out… noticing that the pain was passing…
Khalid slammed Daemon from the back with a photon bolt and spun around to face Grover one last time. "YOU know how to find me!"
With that, he threw off a flash of light blinding everyone. When the spots cleared, he was gone… along with Deadpool and Maul. More noticeably, though… was the warped vision around them. Outburst sat up, rubbing her temple. "What the fuck… Everything's back to normal? But my bruises are sure real! Was it an illusion?"
Rune staggered to his feet, both hands planted at the sides of his head. "Trust me… That was NOT an illusion."
Daemon clenched his fist back and forth, looking at his wrist… which had mysteriously healed as soon as the photon bolt struck him in the back. "Someone mind telling me what the hell happened?"
"I'll tell you," Grover said, looking at the scar on his leg. Despite the momentary pain, he noticed that as soon as it happened, the Gauntlets of Excalibur were back to normal. "that everything that happened was DEFINITELY real. What else I'll tell you is that Darkheart has Khalid, Deadpool, and Maul… as well as all of the 'marks' and who know how many other captives. I'll also say this… Darkheart underestimated us… underestimated ALL of us…"
"Oh, I don't know about that… considering we just got our asses kicked!" Nebula called out.
"Oh… but he made a fatal mistake; he allowed us to live… and he thinks that he's setting a trap for us… What he doesn't realize is that the trap's been set for him."
"What are you talking about?! We don't even know where they are! How are we…"
"When Casey and the others get back from Indiana, I'll tell you my plan… but you are going to have to be patient. Let's go."
End Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
"Anwar al Nahid… this is Darkheart speaking." Darkheart called toward the screen in front of him. "How is my favorite 'archaeologist' at the University of Alexandria doing?"
The man on the screen scowled angrily as he saw who his caller was. "What do you want THIS time, Darkheart? I have already given you what you need. I would APPRECIATE it if you would…"
"Ah… Anwar… to the point, as always. I would have thought that at 80 - that IS how old you are claiming to be, is it not? - you would have appreciated the value of taking your time. If I have learned nothing else in the last three hundred years is that you should take a slower walk… enjoy the game, while it lasts."
"I wonder what Lao Tsung would think of THAT, Darkheart!"
"You speak my father's name passively, Anwar… a dangerous move… Fortunately, he is not… here to hear you."
"Bah! I have nothing to fear from the DEAD, Djimon… and nothing to fear from you!"
"You try me, old man… Unless you want to TEST that last statement, you'll refrain from calling me by my given name."
"ENOUGH of these idle threats, Darkheart," Anwar said, glaring into the screen. "What do you want?!"
"Oh… Not much… I just wanted to… CHAT." Darkheart laughed. The white mark flashed across his eye briefly as his eye bored into the man on the screen. The growl was the first sound in the room, followed by a reddish light. Khalid came out of the darkness behind Darkheart, drooling and snarling. With a laugh, Darkheart reached into the refrigerator next to him and pulled out a plate with two raw steaks, and set it on the ground. Crouching, Khalid started ripping into them with his teeth, growling like a starving animal guarding his food. "How do you like my pet lion?"
"Is THAT what this call was about?!" Anwar scoffed. "To show me that you have kidnapped a MUSICIAN and the world has not found out, yet?"
"Good eye, Anwar… I'm surprised you recognized him." Darkheart said, scratching Khalid's scalp as he ate. "Although his physical body remains unchanged, you could see that even the short time in the dimension of the Crimson Dawn has affected his personality, releasing his darker urges… He is my favorite pet… One I can use to knock down any on the path who think to challenge me."
"There have been rumors that this musician was a mystic, but I have never verified its validity…" Anwar stopped as he caught the gleam in Khalid's eye… and the rabid snarl Khalid gave him for staring at him. Momentarily, his words caught in his mouth as if he were surprised at something… and then he continued. "…th… though I suppose I could take your word for it. I know better than to think you called just to show me this."
"On top of things, as always… It has come to my attention that your little sect has discovered the lost capital of the Southern Kingdom."
"Do not be ridiculous, Darkheart… The lost capital of the Southern Kingdom is nothing but an ancient myth passed down by old storytellers drunk on stale wine!"
"This is a warning to you… I know exactly what you are looking for… and if you should ever think to use it against me, I will have your heads."
Furiously, Anwar pounded his desk and barked into the screen. "I don't know who you THINK you are talking to, Darkheart… but I'll tell you this. You don't even know where the secret city is LOCATED… and you'll NEVER know. None of your spies could infiltrate us!"
"Perhaps," he said, with a sneer. "but I DO have someone who knows… and on my say so, he WILL lead me there."
"Idle threats, Djimon… spouted by a second-generation megalomaniac…"
"I warned you about using my given name, Anwar." Again, the black tattoo across Darkheart's eye glowed bright white and his skin grew darker.
Anwar jerked in his seat at the moment he felt coldness and barked into the screen again. "You think to threaten me, again?! I DARE you… SEE how long it takes for us to declare war on you!"
"You can't fight the Crimson Dawn itself… Yet…" Darkheart said with a smile as he powered down. "You are right. I shouldn't do anything…"
"Glad that you are thinking sensibly, Darkheart."
"…when I've got people to do it FOR me!"
Suddenly, Anwar's neck snapped up and his eyes opened wide with an expression of shock. Dropping his jaw, he fell back into his seat, his eyes locked at the screen in front of him. "I can't move… my body… You… I… you… you…"
Darkheart laughed heartily as the scene played out across his screen. "You're right… you can't… You've been paralyzed from the neck down. Amazing, eh? Unable to press a button… to call a phone… to wave your fingers and cast a spell… You know what the best part is?" Darkheart shuddered in pleasure as Anwar screamed at the top of his lungs. "The best part is that you are unable to resist as you feel your life blood being sucked from your body."
Anwar clenched his eyes shut, screaming again. As Darkheart said, he was unable to resist… as the vampire at his neck fed. "I'll be avenged…"
"Yes… Perhaps you will…" shuddered Darkheart. "…but until you die, please remain quiet. I'm currently enjoying Maul's ecstasy and the taste of your blood as he feeds. Mmmmmm… Take your time, Maul… enjoy it… Oh… Khalid… Before I forget…" Once again, the lightning bolt across Darkheart's eye flashed bright white.
Finished with both steaks, Khalid's blackened eyes both flashed red. Closing his eyes to enjoy Maul's dinner, Darkheart moved his chair to the side to allow Khalid at his console. Khalid typed up his e-mail message to the White King… as well as attaching a program that would give Black Vein total access and control of the White Court's computer system…
----------------------------------------------
"MS. PEMBLETON!" Barked Cyclops as he dashed in the door. "What the hell is going on with the computer system?!"
Frantically, Alice Pembleton's fingers flew across the keyboard. In all of his years in the White Court, Casey Jones had never seen Alice lose her professionalism… but he was surprised. "FUCK!" She screamed, as she typed faster… and typed more... He could tell by the tone of her voice and her eyes that she was to the point of tears. "I can't stop it… I can't fucking stop it!" Angrily, she started pounding on the keyboard, sobbing. Seeing how upset she was, Casey pulled her away from the desk and held her, allowing her to cry. "It's my fault… It's my fault… I didn't check what server it came from… and like always, I sent it through the virus scan… and that set it off."
"Alice… What's going on?"
"We've been hit…" she sobbed out. "Message addressed to Grover… from Mr. Hunter… Grover told me to be extra careful should one come, so I scanned it first with the my anti-virus program… which set of a program which connected our mainframe to a remote computer… and gave it access to our controls."
"Alice… Can you fight it back? Turn off the computer?"
"It's too late. Wait… we can go to the main connection downstairs and cut off the power… That would stop… but no… then, we risk losing everything, as sensitive as the system is… DAMN! I should have seen this coming…"
They were both shocked out of their conversation by the sound of Grover's voice behind them. "Alice… what did Khalid's message say before the computers froze?"
"It said, 'Come and get me… if you dare…'"
"How are we supposed to know how to…"
"Khalid told me the answer earlier," Grover said. "He said that I knew how to find him… and I do. Let's get ready to move out."
End Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Black Vein's Central Headquarters
Off the coast of Baja California in Mexico
Although it was around 90 degrees outside, the temperature inside the building was cold. It was not the coldness that came out with an air conditioner, but a supernatural coldness that permeated everything inside and out. The source of the cold - and of the power for the facility - was a spier that was built fifty feet below the ground level. No one understood how it worked or what all it did, but in each of facilities around the world, Darkheart has built spiers. Most of them were small spiers, but this one was a larger one… It's purpose? No one knows, save Darkheart himself...
The bay area in the building was just huge, no doubt to traffic in jets and commercial airliners that Black Vein occasionally stole to transport their illegal cargo. The guards that lined the banisters and the balconies were placed on red alert hours ago. Any moment, they expected these two groups to crash in. Darkheart was prepared for any eventuality. The White and Grey Courts were by far outnumbered and outgunned. Using the information gleaned earlier from the groups he sent out, the entire staff had been briefed on what to expect… and how to go about defeating them. The psionic dampeners built into the walls restricted the effectiveness of telepathy or telekinesis. The spier below them headed off the effectiveness of certain magics. This would primarily be a physical fight… with which the courts could not compete.
The bay doors had exploded inward, scattering debris across the room. Energy flew rapidly across the room from a variety of directions. In less than five seconds, the guards lay scattered around the room and the combined Grey and White Courts stood inside the bay area. "Hello! I'd like to make an order!" Hawkeye called out. "I'd like one German vampire, heavy on the adamantium; a Canadian merc who wears a hood over his face for no apparent reason; a world-class musician, complete with stage light; and several assorted hostages. Cost? A can of whoop-ass."
Rune craned his head toward Hawkeye, his eyebrows arched. "Hey… That was pretty good. You say that all in one breath?"
"Diaphragmatic support… AAAAAH… Just imagine what I could have been if the White Rook had been my music teacher…"
"I'm sorry," Darkheart said, rising from the shadows several feet in front of Hawkeye. "I'm afraid that our supply has just run out. We're expecting a new shipment, shortly… please be…" Jerking his head around, Darkheart motioned to the shadows from which his army were emerging… "Oh… now… look at that. See. I TOLD you the shipment would be in. Let's see… I'm sure we have them in here somewhere, but you'll have to look through them yourself. I don't seem to see them. Just go through all of them, see if there is something you like… and then come up to me and discuss it afterwards."
Hawkeye glanced at the people around the room, some brimming with power, others with weapons at the ready, and even some who were just ready to fight. "Nah… They're ugly… just like you are."
His tattoo flashing across his eye, Darkheart sneered. "Kill them…" Just as his people started to move, he noticed that something was off about the team in the center… Some of them were standing prepared, armed, and ready to fight… Others were flickering… and had no life signs… "What the…"
The ceiling exploded above them, showering everyone below with debris. His hands dancing in front of his face, Rune cast a spell which caused a gust of wind to shield them from the scattering debris… which he projected toward Black Vein. "Guess you should have paid more attention, Darkheart!"
With a snap of Daemon's fingers, half of the "individuals" on the ground changed into small glowing white orbs. They rose into the air and floated back into Daemon's shoulder holster. From the other side of his trench coat, he pulled out a plasma rifle, ready to fire…
"Remember… don't kill the people who have black eyes! They're mind-controlled!" Blackfire shouted.
"God damn pansy ass motherfucking son of a…" Daemon grumbled as he slapped a woman in the chin with the butt of his gun.
"I HEARD THAT, GABE!!!!"
"I was just speaking words of endearment, Dear!"
From the air, a streak sped down, aimed at Darkheart. As if he were no more than annoyed, Darkheart threw his hand before his chin, stopping the object's motion dead in the air. "Excellent tactic, Grover…" Darkheart spat. "The Pharaohan makes the illusions, the mage disguises them."
"Here's another tactic…" Grover said, morphing his gauntlets so that they had jagged blades on the edges. "You fork over Khalid… and I cram these up your ass like an enema!"
With a snap of his hand, a shadowbolt knocked Grover away from him. Once again, Darkheart took his transitional form. "Your precious Gauntlets are a liability against me, Boy! You want to play the BIG leagues?!"
"Yes, I do… But for now, you'll suffice!"
-------------------------------------
The door to Darkheart's conference fell off its hinges. "Fucking son of a bitch," Khalid grumbled. His aura flaring yellow, he was actually relieved to feel the soul devourers finally dissipate from his body. On his arms, the tattoos flared brightly, almost burning into them. Just something about being in this area was corruptive, but at least he finally had his break. At least, the coldness was outside of him where it belonged.
His photon aura once again resuming its normal reddish color, Khalid went to Darkheart's console and started tapping across the keyboard. "Damn prick thought he was going to control ME?!" He said, putting Darkheart's password in. "Sending me to that god damn dimension… scratching my scalp like a fucking PET… thinking he was going to take over MY body with his soul devourers?! AND THE STEAK WAS OLD!!!"
With a snap, Khalid's expression changed altogether as he visually relaxed. His aura, which had been red, flared yellow again and he blankly gazed into the screen. His fingers dashed across the console, slowly at first, but then increasing in speed. Screen after screen of information in every file flashed before his eyes as he typed faster and faster. Suddenly, Khalid snapped out of his daze, and stared at the screen… which was the White Court's main menu. "What the hell… I… don't… remember… fuck it… Now's not the time. Worry later…" Khalid checked to make sure that all of the files from the White Court's computer were downloaded. Satisfied, he deactivated the program that gave Black Vein control and deleted it off the White Court's computer, restoring control to their mainframe.
"Little prick thought he KNEW everything about everyone, eh?" Khalid snarled. "Let's see… personnel.. personnel… personnel… AHA. Alice's cache. Gotta love the gal… Let's see… spades… hearts… trashy romance novel… Alice has to do something on those down days… Let's see… AHA… BINGO!" Slapping his finger on the final key, Khalid growled in triumph as he opened the program. "Ebola Computer Virus… fast acting… completely destructive… and I just HAPPENED to remember Alice was working on a cure!" Turning away from the screen, which was scrolling repeating EBOLAs all the way down, Khalid's eyes flashed yellow as he saw the figure standing in the darkened doorway.
"Guten morgan, Löwe…" Maul said as he unsheathed his adamantium claws. He jumped into the air, flying toward Khalid… "Say hello to your great-grandmother for me when you see her, no? She might want to know how I'm doing!"
"WHAT??!!"
End Chapter Nine
I'll be honest... I was going to hold on and make some more edits... But then I decided that I just wanted to move on! Here it is!
Chapter Ten
Take one quick-healing mutant, add metal. Shake. Stir it a little more, add a touch of vampirism. Not enough to kill, but enough to change. By most people's standards, Maul was already bad enough then. NOOOOO… Darkheart just HAD to go and add a soul devourer. What do soul devourers do? They infect your mind… take it over completely, releasing its darker urges to the forefront. Maul was already a vampire with a nasty mean streak before… Now, he's a vampire willing to indulge that nasty streak… More importantly, in the service of a psychotic megalomaniac. Basically, Maul's freewill has been compromised… Right now, he's the lap dog of Darkheart…
Khalid admitted that he probably should have thought of this earlier, before he decided to play actor and sneak in to destroy Darkheart's files. Yeah, they NEEDED to go… but he probably should have figured out how to free the others. At least one thing, though… the cavalry was here… He just hoped they'd get to him before Maul fillets him!
With Maul flying straight at him, Khalid formed two hooked blades in each of his hands. Not that he thought he had a chance, but he really did not want to kill Maul. Maul's an… er… innocent victim. Yet, he had to keep Maul from killing him. He was lucky enough that Mufasa was influencing him earlier when he fought Havok. Right now? He wasn't feeling anything of the sort…
Bring one hooked blade across to knock Maul's torso - and more importantly his arms - to the side… bring the other one roughly down on the small of Maul's back as he passed. While Maul was stunned, take the first one and strike him in the base of the skull. Two nerve clusters, just like that… Maul didn't expect that; he expected Khalid to dodge. Using the hooks, Khalid started to slap them on both sides of Maul's neck - strike two more nerve clusters (and major arteries) at once…
Maul didn't think so. He sank through his own shadow and emerged through the ceiling above. Eyes flashing yellow, Khalid spun around to swing at Maul, but he unexpectedly was met with the palm of Maul's hand to the underside of the chin. Next came a punch to the stomach, followed by a backhand across the face. With his strength slightly augmented by activating his powers, normally such blows by a human of normal strength would not be effective or devastating in the least. Unfortunately, Maul was naturally stronger, an adaptation of his muscles to carrying an adamantium frame. With every bone in his body lined with adamantium, even a weak backhand to the face was like getting hit with an aluminum baseball bat in full swing.
Slapping his head against the wall, Khalid was fortunate his skull and even his teeth were still intact. His head spinning, Khalid stumbled to attack again, this time discovering a kick in between the shoulderblades. Landing into the ground face first knocked the wind out of him and allowed blood to spill from his nose. Again, Khalid started to get up, any moment expecting to feel his spine ripped out of his back or the vampire feeding on his neck… Damn it… Didn't you just get the shit beat out of you a couple of days ago?!
Back to his knees, Khalid then felt Maul's grab his arms from behind and pin them out to his side. Pulling him into the air, Maul planted his hands at Khalid's temples, starting to squeeze. "A good fight, Löwe… Not as good as on our excursions, but a good fight given your present state."
"What the hell… are you… talking… about…." Khalid muttered, wondering if at any moment his skull was going to give. Again, he tried to trick himself into perceiving the pain as pleasant… at least so he could concentrate enough to teleport or even expand his aura…
"Forgive me… I forgot to whom I was speaking…" Maul laughed out. To his side, he noticed that Khalid's tattoos were flashing, again. Next, he felt a hot sensation fire through him as Khalid's aura flared of its own volition. Screaming, he felt the soul devourers inside of him ripped apart from the inside out and his mind finally returned to him. Overcome by the sensation, Maul and Khalid both fell out of the air and to the ground. Khalid was already out cold and Maul felt himself heading toward that route… Just before he got there, he had the presence of mind to do one last thing…
…Snap his fingers.
-------------------------------------------
Shortly after the fight began, everyone realized just how small the shuttle bay really was. The courts were grossly outnumbered. From what anyone could tell, it seemed that Black Vein consisted of a 60/40 ratio… 60% were those who joined of their own free will. 40% were abducted and converted, like Deadpool or Elizabeth Rausch. Early on, it was declared a priority to harm the unwilling members, indicated by the black eyes, as little as possible…
They chucked that out of the window REAL fast. It was not realistic. Each individual person could already count on having about three people teaming up on him… even more if he or she was particularly successful. It was almost like doing one on one against a tidal wave. Every time one person went down, it seemed that two would take his/her place. The possessed in particular seemed to be even more dangerous than the others, healing quickly… more stamina… almost never tired… almost like they were being fed by something. By what? With Darkheart occupied with SuperGrover, surely he couldn't be doing it himself.
In any case, the priority had changed from "as little harm" to "put them down, but don't kill." As packed as the place was, it also meant to curtail energy attacks… which of COURSE Black Vein had no qualms about doing.
In all, this fight was unbalanced… and right now, the courts were beginning to feel the effects. Few, more so than the least expected of all of them. Those who knew Daemon knew that battle was his element. With or without backup, he had no qualms (that anyone could tell) about walking into a field full of the enemy and laying or wiping them out. He wasn't given the name "Destroyer of Armies" for ANY old reason.
The problem right now is that the rules have changed on him. He had to be extra careful. He couldn't just pull out his sword and indiscriminately slay everyone left and right, because that defeats the purpose of rescuing these people. Energy attacks would not work for two reasons, one being that the fight was already in close corners; the other is no one's business. Superspeed would really come in handy right now, but nah… Nope… That was curtailed for a similar reason… He wasn't unarmed. Two hands… two feet… one brain… That was what he needed. Still… he did miss the accessories.
Another thing was not much of a problem, but more of a concern. Faith may be a member of the Neo Court, but she also is the Field Commander for Genesis X. Regardless of how prepared she thinks she is, she's still a relative beginner. He had to admit that she was learning. One of the rules of combat is to watch everyone else's back. On the inside, he beamed with pride seeing her rip someone off of Nebula…
He didn't appear to be aware of it, but Blackfire's priority was watching after him. The air was both an advantage and a disadvantage in the way that while she was allowed to see everyone and pick her targets from above, she was not able to necessarily see who was trying to shoot her out of the air. Minutes ago, she had run out of shurinkens. She was damn careful about her fireballs… They mostly served as a minor distraction for anyone else to take out.
The battle was not looking too good right now. The courts weren't making any progress. What it had come down to was seeing just how long they could last… and they were beginning to tire out.
Grover hated to admit it, but the most strategic move would be to pull out and come back with reinforcements… though he wasn't exactly sure who the reinforcements would BE! The Avengers? New Warriors? He wasn't sure who he could pull out at this point. Yes, he could no doubt track Khalid all over the world if he needed to, Darkheart might cut that circle all together by sending him to the dimension of the Crimson Dawn. If he pulled out, he faced the likelihood that he might be leaving Khalid, Maul, and Deadpool altogether…
Even in fighting Darkheart, the man had the advantage. Every time Grover struck him or he struck Grover, the Gauntlets reacted to the rampant energy of the Crimson Dawn. Shortly after Malaci had rescued him from the dimension of the Crimson Dawn, Grover had cut off the influence of Simambe, which guarded against magic… such as the magic that Darkheart was skimming from right now.
"You fight well, Boy…" Darkheart said, punching over his head. "You adapt well, too. Always analyzing… looking for openings… testing the waters… reevaluating everything. Another time and place, you would have done well as my pupil… Perhaps I may have been rash in seeking to make you pay for the sins of your father!"
"Come on… I've ALWAYS had more sense than that!" Grover said, this time thinking that it sounded like something Khalid would say. Aw hell… Guess there were more things that ran in the family than the notorious birthmark… "And if Gomurr had ripped the Crimson Dawn from your father, it MUST have been for a good reason!"
Yep… He touched upon a sore spot, there. Enraged, Darkheart again took his transitional form and stepped up his attack, tapping into more of the Crimson Dawn to affect the Gauntlets. Two punches to the face, a kick to the stomach, and an elbow to the eye later… there was an opening. First, Grover hit him in the underside of the chin with the staff formed from Excalbur. Then, he slapped Darkheart's windpipe out of place. For most enemies, it would be a lethal blow… a move he spent hours teaching Khalid to guard from. He also knew that Darkheart was not the typical enemy. Forming the staff into a point, he plunged it through Darkheart's sternum, into his heart, and out the backside.
Darkheart stopped, his eyes opened wide. Grover noticed him cough up blood and apparently stagger on his feet. The staff of Excalibur still stuck threw his heart, Darkheart backed into the wall… "Excellent move… Get me so angry… then stick me through the heart…"
Pushing the staff even further, Grover gripped Darkheart roughly by the chin and calmly spoke into his face, digging every word in. "You release everyone RIGHT now and tell me where my cousin is!"
"But Grover…" Darkheart sneered. "You'll miss the best part. They don't call me Darkheart for NOTHING!"
"What the…" It shot through him all at once, the coldness overwhelming every pore… every synapse… every hair… every inch of him at once. This time, he launched into convulsions as the Gauntlets of Excalibur bubbled inside and outside of his body. Darkheart was not out to kill him, but to change him… to corrupt both him AND the Gauntlets… in preparation… for what? Grover noticed that his thoughts were changing. His thoughts were becoming darker… and something was being released…
"You may have cut off Simambe, Grover, but he still survives as long as your Gauntlets are malleable. Unlike everyone else, here, you are a special case… in that I can go in and release the dark power of Simambe. You'll notice that right now every pore of your being is being affected… Because of your strategic move, the connection is PURE! That's no soul devourer inside of you, that is ME!"
In a flash of light, Khalid appeared, holding a solid photon version of a curved, multi-bladed weapon over his head. With a growl, he brought it down, passing through the connection formed by the staff of Excalibur. A hot sensation passed through Grover as Darkheart's presence was driven out of his body and Simambe was again cut off. Khalid kicked Grover on the underside of the chin to knock him - and Excalibur - away from Darkheart. Then, with another swing, Khalid passed the curved weapon through Darkheart's chest. Externally, it did not appear to have a physical effect. It just looked like Darkheart had absorbed Khalid's photons as before. Yet, when it passed through his heart, Darkheart screamed this time.
Everyone else in the room watched as the soul devourers were cast out of bodies around the place. The courts earned a brief respite as in a matter of moments, the tide of battle changed… this time as the possessed grew angry. The soul devourers sailed through the air and rushed into Darkheart's body. "You caught me… in my transition… form…"
Daemon caught a glance of Khalid out of the corner of his eye. The scent was slightly different… just like it was a few months ago when… Even more disturbing was that he recognized the weapon Khalid attacked Darkheart with. "A Pharaohan Sunblade?!" He started to intervene when he felt a hand grip him by the shoulder.
"//Young one… You must listen to me…//" An old man said. (Translated from the Egyptian.) "//You understand my language, yes?//"
Daemon spun around, slapping the man's hand off. With a flash of light, he held his extradimensional sword at the man's throat. Several things bothered him about the old man… He had no scent… He came out of nowhere… and… "//How did YOU know I could speak your language?!//"
"//Listen to me. Beneath this base is a spier, which is powering the entire place. That was also what was rejuvenating the people he possessed. Destroy it, the battle's over. He'll pull out.//"
"//We're already winning here… Why should I…//"
"//It attracts otherdimensional energy, which is corrupting everyone present. It must be destroyed… End the fight now… end it later… Cut off the corruption now, because you may not have a chance to do it later.//"
Out of the corner of his eye, Daemon saw Darkheart escape into the shadows and Khalid follow behind him. Turning around, he saw that the old man was gone again… "//Dumb old fuck… you BETTER be right.//"
From his place on the balcony, Anwar watched Daemon dash into the stairwell. Rubbing his neck, Anwar wiped the scars that the vampire had given him. To his left, a disciple stood, watching the fight below… and just taking notes. "//Brother Anwar… I don't understand. Why didn't we slay the Pharaohan? Doesn't he pose a danger to our plans?//"
"//Yes he does… due to his personal connection with our goal. The musician, I think, must also be dealt with. In Darkhearts 'courtesy call', he recognized what I was. For now, though, Darkheart was the immediate threat. The enemy of my enemy is my friend… until he becomes my enemy. Darkheart took priority because his threat was immediate.//"
"//As for the other two?//"
"//I have already made arrangements… for them to meet their doom.//"
End Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
"Goddamnmotherfuckinglyingsonofabitch… this is NOT just fifty feet below the ground… It's fucking 10 stories long." Daemon mumbled, gawking at the bottomless pit before him. From his vantage point, Daemon could barely see the base. What was HIGHLY visible, though, was at the end, where it tapered like a dagger. The way it curved near the top reminded vaguely of a dagger.
Although the old man downplayed the size and appearance of the spire, he DIDN'T underestimate its effect. The temperature was indeed colder down here, so much that he could see his breath. This was the power source of the entire facility, responsible for the constant rejuvenation of Darkheart's prisoners. It stands the reason that the energy that it is pulsating with is actually magic of the Crimson Dawn. It doesn't make sense! How can a construct such as this channel energy from another dimension?! MACHINES didn't do that… PEOPLE did.
Daemon reached inside his trenchcoat, running his fingers along his shoulderbelt. Ever since New Years, he has found himself relying more and more on his devices - not particularly by choice. "Aw fuck…" he said as he hurriedly went through his pockets. "Don't tell my I left the plasma grenades in my OTHER belt?! DAMN! Well… I still have the C-4…" He said.
From one shoulder pocket, he pulled out the C-4 and the other a radio transceiver. No, it was not as convenient as a grenade, but for now it would just have to do. Daemon took extra care to sprinkle the C-4 with one of his own concoctions - Isis Powder - which prevents C-4 from going off unless its trigger is activated. Shaping the C-4 like a frisbee, he threw it slightly below, making sure that it stuck solidly to the spire below him. "Good… You STILL have it in you…" Next, he placed the radio transceiver and shot it out of a pistol, watching it land in the C-4. "Yippie-Kay-Yay… Now for the real fun to start." Daemon pressed the remote control on his watch… and to his dismay, nothing happened. "What the hell?" He glared back over the side toward the C-4… and found that it had turned completely back… because of the corruption of the spire. "Fuck it… It wants to play like THAT?! Fine… There's more than one way to skin a spire." Daemon slapped his fist on the elevator button. With a flash of light, his sword Anubis appeared in his hand. "Anubis CAN'T be corrupted… let's hope its powers protect me as well…"
-------------------------------
"When I no longer sensed you, I KNEW I should have taken care of you myself!" Darkheart said as he aimed a kick at Khalid's chest. At the last second, Khalid stepped to the side allowing Darkheart to miss him completely. "I pride myself in knowing my enemies, but I did not foresee that your powers would allow you to even trick me." Finally landing, Darkheart rolled back upright, this time for Khalid to swing at him. "That was a mistake I will NEVER make again!"
Snarling that Darkheart ducked his swing, Khalid also pushed forward, kneeing Darkheart in the chin. Then, grabbing Darkheart be the forehead, he shoved him into the wall, watching as the back of Darkheart's head bounced off the wall. Before Darkheart could focus, Khalid kicked with the side of his foot, slapping Darkheart in the head. Darkheart rolled to his feet and backed up. Khalid sneered at him, a low-pitched rumble coming from the back of his throat. His hand position beside his head, Khalid gestured with his fingers for Darkheart to come at him again.
"I should have known… I was so worn from your move back there that I didn't notice. Khalid's not the one in residence, IS he?!"
Khalid sneered at him this time, allowing a small demonic laugh to pass through his teeth. "He's ALWAYS in residence…" He said, this time taking the offensive. "He's just taking a nap, now." This time, he spun in the air to kick Darkheart from the side of the face. Ready this time, Darkheart dodged and swept Khalid's free leg out from under him. What he didn't expect was for Khalid to keep the momentum going and land on his feet.
Going with the element of surprise, Khalid foot came around again and kicked Darkheart in the face. He pressed forward, punching him in the jaw, and then ramming him in the nose with his forearm. Knowing Darkheart was stunned, he tapped both sides of Darkheart's neck with two fingers on each side and headbutted him. Darkheart started to go at him again, but he felt the blood stall going to his brain and then shoot at once. He grabbed his head, dropping to his knees. Khalid kicked him in the chin, which knocked Darkheart onto his back. Then, he backed away about fifteen feet from Darkheart and crouched, while keeping his eyes trained on him… as if he were waiting for Darkheart to recover.
Gasping, Darkheart sat up, this time glowering at Khalid with hatred. No… Nuh uh… This can NOT be happening. The man was playing with him… embarrassing him. DARKHEART was the one who had the ace up his sleeve… NOT some washed-out split-personality musician. God damn it, HE was the most notorious mercenary in the world. Not that god damned… "You fight WELL, Mufasa… You would have killed a normal man with those moves."
"A grand observation… considering I have not done anything yet… I find it LAUGHABLE that a man such as you - who has not landed a hit on me YET - believes himself formidable enough to displace the Ancient One… much less that I would allow you to corrupt my cou-- er-- his son!" With that, Khalid rose to his feet and began to walk away. "You are not worthy… "
Furiously, Darkheart jerked his hand. A dagger flew out of his sleeve, moving quickly toward Khalid's back. The lion aura flared, wrapping its tail around the dagger before it could make contact. Khalid turned around, taking the dagger from the tail of photons. First he sniffed it, then he ran the blade along his tongue. "King Cobra venom mixed with a strong stimulant to speed up circulation and encourage the toxin to spread throughout the body…" With a flick of the wrist, the dagger sailed back through the air, plunging into Darkheart's leg. "And the preparer used the wrong preservative…" he said, walking toward the exit. "The venom is stale!"
"NO… NOOOOOO…" Darkheart said… From his hand, a shadowball flew through the air. Khalid simply dodged his head as it passed… but then he saw what it was doing. It slapped into a button… causing the walls of the exitway to slam together… sealing the room off. Khalid spun around to see Darkheart standing back to his feet, this time the one sneering at Khalid. "You will NEVER leave here alive… You're welcome to teleport out, but with us being this close to the base of the spire, you never know what dimensional interference might occur… LUCKILY, I don't have to worry about that!" With that Darkheart sank through his own shadow.
Khalid scanned the giant room… Darkheart was right. As ridiculously huge as the room was, that exit was the only was the only way out… except for up. Up was a LOOOONG way! Khalid flexed the lion aura and slashed at the walls… "Titanium… My powers will take several minutes to burn through enough for a handhold… " When the tremors started rocking the ground, he suddenly realized that he didn't HAVE those minutes…
----------------------------------------
When the tremors came they were sudden and overpowering. The entire facility was collapsing, showering them with pieces of concrete, steel, and whatever else might be in the rafters above. Combine that with the rioting people who were angry from their possession were attempting to cause as much damage as possible…
Several things had to happen and real quick… 1.) They had to find their missing friends. 2.) They needed to calm this crowd down. 3.) They needed to get out of here.
The problem? Darque Feonix pointed it out after the fight began. Something in the area was mucking up the astral plane. Psionic powers were not working successfully, here. Teleportation beyond a few feet was risky. The rule on magic here was "use at your own risk."
"JAIMY!" Outburst yelled. "I KNEW it… Your rotten luck has got us in trouble again! We should have left your unlucky ass home!"
"No, Outburst…" Cyclops interrupted. "This wasn't a case of a stray knife going somewhere. I can feel the pulsations through the Odinseye. This was caused by a backlash of esoteric energy. This place is going to go." //Feonix… You hearing me?//
//Yes… but barely… The interference on the astral plane and the number of people in here is making it really difficult.//
//Contact the other telepaths. Psionically calm these people down.// Seeing the almost instantaneous change throughout the room, Cyclops momentarily allowed himself to catch a breath… before he was knocked off his feet by another tremor. //Get them moving out of here! Hurry!//
Blackfire scanned above the crowd of moving people, using her powers to incinerate or deflect the smaller debris. "Gabe! GABE! Where are you?!" She started to fly higher when Tangerine flew directly into her. Right where she had been hovering, a section of concrete flew by, crashing into the ground. "Tangerine! Have you seen Gabe?!"
"Daemon? No… We have to get out of here, Sharon… The place is ab…"
The sound of her voice was drowned out by the rising tremors again. An almost stricken look flashed across Blackfire's face as she saw the entrance to a stairwell near the far side of the room. Screaming a single word, she started to fly toward that direction, when Tangerine grabbed her from behind to stop her. For seconds, the two women struggled in the air until Sharon elbowed her in the stomach and backhanded her away. Stricken with fear, Sharon flew toward the entrance of the stairwell, dodging falling objects, but by the time she reached it, a heavy concrete slab blocked it. Screaming again, her hands erupted in a black flame and fired a thick column of fire toward the slab again. Again, Tangerine grabbed her from behind and struggled to pull her away, but Blackfire resisted. To their surprise, Grover grabbed both of them and dragged them out of the room… barely making it out of the facility before an explosion leveled it to the ground.
"GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABE!" Sharon shrieked, still struggling in Grover's grip. "GAAAAAAAAAAAAAABE!!!!"
"Sharon… Calm down… We'll get them out… It'll be okay…"
"Them?" She said, with a look of confusion on her face. "My God…" she said as her face softened up. "Khalid… Maul… They're inside too! Grover… I'm so sorry… I…" She felt Grover's grip tighten even more around her… and started struggling. "Grover?! What the…"
"Don't worry, Sharon…" he said as the feeling of coldness overtook her. "I told you it'll be okay…"
End Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
He could not believe it. He REALLY could not believe it. Was there any pattern to this at all? It was just another one of his pet peeves… inconsistency. Thankfully, it worked out to his favor this time, unlike back in Prydesville. A giant spire fell on top of him and he didn't have a single scratch or bruise on him at all… Hell… He wasn't even getting crushed by the weight. Yeah… that worked out EXTREMELY well.
Otherwise, Daemon would be squished right now… His forcefield was damaged when Anubis interacted with the energy of the Crimson Dawn shooting through the spire. As he guessed, Anubis protected him from corruption and cut off the transfer. On the other hand, the backlash wiped out all of his instruments and any of his gadgets. Considering how "reliable" his powers have been lately, Daemon REALLY should be squished...
"Don't look a gift horse in the mouth." Daemon said, loosening up the packed wreckage around him enough to move. "Damn… Did I just sound like Khalid?! Nevermind… Now's not the time to worry about it. Sharon's probably worried and…" Daemon stopped himself, as he turned toward the titanium wall next to him. It was barely audible through the 20 feet of solid titanium, but his enhanced hearing still picked it up. It was a heartbeat… A HEARTBEAT??!!
-------------------------------------------
"Damn…" Khalid said, blinking his eyes, "Where am I?" He said. He couldn't see a thing. It was just so dark, here, it was unnerving. He could tell that he was in a tightly-confined space, much like a cell, by the way his words quickly bounced back at him. "Maul? You here? You around?" Khalid said, pushing himself to a stand. He didn't understand why, but he felt really weak… really wiped out. He tried to access his photon powers, but to his dismay he realized that they were off-line again… just like that time he had teleported to Cairo…
With the dull buzz inside his head, Khalid knew that it wasn't just a simple case of Maul beating the snot out of him and throwing him in a cell. No… The exhaustion… the bruises… the dull buzzing of his primed senses… That has happened much too often recently for him not to be able to recognize them as the classic signs. He knew that he could be anywhere and have done about anything… At some point, Mufasa had again taken control of his body.
Khalid found that he did not have to reach far in order to touch the outside, feeling for any kind of entrance way. Nope… There wasn't one. It was completely closed off in all manners. Titanium… but strangely smooth, but not completely even… hot enough for him to burn the tip of his fingers… as if melted and then held in place. Did I do that?! Is THAT what happened?!
In any case, Khalid sat back down and wrapped his arms around his knees. By his admittedly optimistic estimation, he had maybe five minutes worth of air before he suffocated. What ever had caused the titanium to melt had used up more oxygen than he would have been willing to part with. No point in exerting himself physically any more than before. With his powers off-line, he may as well have been helpless.
He tried to relax, blocking out the disturbingly low rumble of the ground beneath him. With the way the wall was soldered, he doubted that it was going to crush in on him. Mentally counting the seconds until he would take his last breath, he was shocked out of his daze when his eyes flashed yellow. Before he could move, he felt a strong arm wrap around his neck in a sleeper hold. Khalid pinched the side of his assailant's elbow in an effort to weaken his grip enough to pull him off, but it was too strong. Feeling himself growing weaker, Khalid struggled ceaselessly to even adjust his weight relative to his assailant, but nothing would budge. His struggling stopped altogether when he heard a fingersnap next to his ear… and felt every muscle go lax…
--------------------------------
Daemon burst into the cell about thirty-five minutes later, courtesy of his extradimensional sword, Anubis. The moment he burst through the titanium cell, he could feel the scent just slam into him. "Khalid?" The identity of this person was confirmed by the brightly shining blade of the sword. Setting it down beside him, Daemon crept the rest of the way into the cell. Briefly, he scanned the inside of the small cell… melted titanium. Good spike… Stopped himself from being crushed. "Come on, K… You're too quiet… Say something... I'll even pretend you're any good at playing the dozens."
He didn't know why he expected a response. They had been buried for well over an hour. The guy should be suffocated by now. There was no rational reason for his heart to be beating. Daemon reached into his shoulderbelt, taking out what appeared to be a piece of gum. He placed it inside Khalid's mouth and slapped the side of his face, trying to get a response… "Come on, K… I know your stubborn ass is alive. Chew it… Hyperoxygenated Dolaxian Chicle… Pharaohan kids chew on it while they go swimming." He heard a couple of mumbles come from Khalid's mouth and could see him apparently struggling to wake up. "Come on K… Get your pansy ass up…" The guy looks almost like he is fighting…
The gum finally working, Khalid finally was able to get air into his lungs. "I said… quit breathing… mein air…"
"Yeah… You're welcome." Daemon said, looking directly up at this cell shaped from titanium. This was probably the biggest space he had… though it was not much. "God damn… How the hell did you get down here?"
"Beats… me…"
For a moment, Daemon could swear that Khalid's phonation of his words were sounding strange… almost as if he changed accents. Hell… Even his scent was off, though he couldn't figure exactly how. What Daemon did notice was that right now he could definitely feel the pulse of power… almost as if… THAT'S IT!!! IT MADE PERFECT SENSE!!! He ran his hand through the shoulderbelt, but didn't find what he was looking for. DAMN it… It's in the other one along with the grenades… "All right, K… We're getting out of here… Stay behind me."
Before Daemon could start slicing away, the two of them fell through their own shadows out of the cell… With a thud, both of them landed hard on the ground beneath the Courts' ships. Unnoticed by Daemon, a large gray mist spewed out of Khalid's nose, shaping itself into a form floating in the air above them. Finally, Maul set himself on the ground and stood Khalid to his feet. It appears that I have learned something from the soul devourers...
"Maul?!" Daemon said, finally getting to his feet. "What took you so long?! K nearly died down there!"
Not while I was inhabiting his body… "Like you, I had been trapped in the collapse, but the strain of being restored and being crushed had left me weak…" Holding Khalid up, Maul snapped his fingers.
At first, Khalid snapped straight, as if he were strung really tight. His eyes momentarily flashing red, a low grumble came out of his throat. His aura flared out, pushing into both Maul and Daemon. Stumbling forward, Khalid's eyes blinked and his hands grabbed the side of his head. Before he could fall, Maul took him by the shoulder and held him still. "Damn, I have a hell of a headache… Someone mind telling me what the hell happened?"
"Later, K… Let's go let everyone else know we're o… o… o… fuck."
Khalid blinked his eyes, waiting for the buzzing in his head to settle down. "Let everyone else know we're ofuck?! Is that some kind of Pharaohan term? What are you…" Daemon grabbed Khalid's hair by the braid and jerked it down so Khalid's face snapped up to see the unconscious bodies of a good number of the White and Grey Courts strewn around the rubble… and the opportunity to realize that certain ones were missing. "You were right… Oh fuck."
End Chapter Twelve
Epilogue
Hellion's Compound
Darque Feonix knew that it was a pointless, but he had to try. His mind soared across the astral plane, seeking out any of the familiar psi-patterns… ANY hint of his friends' location. Just like before… nothing. The presence of the soul devourers obscured any and all psi-signatures.
He had to face that right now he was the highest ranking member in the White Court… and as far as he was concerned, the ONLY member of the Inner Circle. Grover, Blackfire, Cyclops… all pawns of Darkheart… along with SlashR, Impossible Man, and Nebula. That leaves him with Outburst, Rune, and Tangerine. The Grey Court has Daemon, Maul, Byron, and Loki. Darkheart has Hawkeye, Marvel Girl, Faith, and Havok. What did this mean? It meant that when these two groups get together, it is going to be a NASTY fight. They were outnumbered and strategically in trouble… There was no way around it. They were going to have to get outside help. Some of these ex-members, he bet he could call on with no trouble. But for anyone else, that required that he call one of two places… the Black Court… or the Red Court… Right now, BOTH undesirable choices… but he didn't see any alternative…
------------------------------------------
Hellions CompoundInfirmary
This was one of those late nights Angelo Torres dreaded. Broken bones? No problem… Byron already set them and telekinetically mended most of them. (Though they STILL hurt like hell.) He was finished with everyone's stitches hours ago. This was more like on the "grunt" end of the spectrum. He just had to hang around the infirmary so his mutant powers would attack any pathogens that might infect some of their wounds. Yes, he was probably overreacting, but sometimes he felt that was what set a good doctor apart from a mediocre doctor… being too careful. Especially over the past six months, he discovered more of a personal stake than ever before. Granted, his employment options for practicing medicine were rather limited because the dormant gene for lycanthropy was activated by Cassandra Lecke, but he still found himself here because he WANTED to be here. That feeling itself was liberating, compared to the constant foreboding pressure he felt before… as if it were only going to be a matter of time before it was over.
"Hóla… ¿Está Juan Carlos? Es su hijo, Angelo… No… Yo… Qué?! Bién… No me importa. Dígale que no me llama otra vez." Frustrated, he slammed the phone down and turned away from the wall. It just didn't make sense. His father - the ONLY family he had - just keeps calling and hanging up… and refuses to talk to him when he calls back.
Frustrated, he started walking around, checking to make sure that everyone in the infirmary was okay. Satisfied, he started to go back to the bed he had set aside for himself in the room adjoining the infirmary for long nights such as these. Just before he got there, he noticed something out of the corner of his eye. Grabbing the Louisville Slugger behind the door, he started making his way toward that corner of the room, keeping his eye peeled. The bat poised to swing he stopped to find something totally expected. "What the… Who the hell are you?!"
"You have one part of it right!" The man said, rising to his feet. His hand, with sharp claws jutting sharply out of the fingertips, was wrapped tightly around a talisman with a large red stone, the likes of which Angelo had never seen before. For some reason, Angelo felt himself spellbound by it… as if he could not turn away. He could feel the beginning of the transformation starting to take place, but could not move himself to make it toward the room that also served as his cell during these spells. "What do you know… You find the most interesting things on this campus. You're different from most of the others… Like one of the kind those damn Van Helsings have been collecting recently… A healthy prize…" the man said, this time spreading his leathery bat-like wings to their full breadth… and knocking over the lamp on the nightstand.
Snapping out of the spell he had been in, Angelo set the bat down and instead reached for the broom to clean up the broken pieces. "Who are you? What do you want?"
The man was somewhat embarrassed at his clumsiness, but took it in stride as the good doctor apparently decided he wasn't a threat. "My name is Diablo… Perhaps you might have heard of me?"
Rising up, Angelo's eyebrows wrinkled as he examined him. "You're the devil?! Damn… and I was thinking those stories of werewolves being pawns of the devil were old wives tales…"
Diablo sighed. "No… I'm not THE devil… I was just named after him. Satan's my uncle… and don't let anyone know I told you this, but they ARE old wives' tales. You have just as much free will as anyone else. I suppose my dramatic entrance has been ruined. Damn Essex…"
Angelo brushed the broken pieces of the lamp into the garbage can. "All right… I'll humor you, Diablo… though I don't necessarily believe you. What do you want?"
Rising up and spreading his wings again, Diablo's voice echoed around the room. "My wife was injured during that fight out in Baja California… and as the God of Hell, I hereby stake my claim to vengeance!"
Angelo winced as he saw the end of Diablo's wing break his mirror and scatter his medical journals all over the floor. "Why me?"
-----------------------------------
Prydesville, New York
At 3:00 in the morning, the temperature was an unbearable 70 degrees. Factoring in the humidity, the heat index felt more like 80 degrees, enough so that the sweat just clinged to anyone's body... or just slithered down the skin like a parasitic slug. Sticky… humid… unbreatheable… and with no rain cloud in sight.
There was no earthly reason for him to be up at this time of morning. The air conditioning was more than enough to combat the oppressive heat. Even should that fail, his house was well insulated. The breeze sifting in from the surrounding woods also helped to bring relief to this house. Even in a worst case scenario, he could have retreated to the den in the basement, which hovered close to the same comfortable temperature year round.
As he trudged through the abandoned path through his estate, the heat was the furthest thing from his mind. Hours ago, his mind blocked out the sweat that lingered on his skin. He ignored the branches that slapped against his face or his chest... and the sharp rocks that cut his feet. Even the strange turn of events that happened just this afternoon was far from his mind. He didn't think of any of that. His mind was centered on one thing.
With a triumphant snarl, he grabbed the rabbit by the scruff of the neck and held it an arm's length from his face. Slowly, his other hand rose to its exposed neck, just seemingly floating near it. He could hear the plea for life... the screams... All he would have to do is break its neck or cut its head off. Then after its death-scream passed through him, he would release the spirit to its next destination and cook the body. Then finally that hunger… that thirst for the hunt would be satisfied.
Before he could make his next move, his eyes flashed a bright shade of yellow. There was no scent... no sound... no shift in current... no person visible except him. Yet, he knew better than to think that he was alone. With a resonant growl, Khalid called out, keeping his eyes trained on the helpless rabbit. "Daemon... Leave."
Silently, Daemon deactivated his cloaking and took a step closer. Normally, his reaction to the White Rook ranged anywhere from extreme contempt to jealousy. If this had been more than six months ago, his reason for even being out here could be attributed to anger over what has since been a point of contention between them for almost a year. Now? Well… As much as he wanted to, he couldn't call on that rage. What had once been a curse had turned into a mixed blessing. Now, Daemon was going to turn it to his advantage. "No, K… We've got business to discuss."
Another growl came out, this time enough to raise goosebumps on the back of most people... Most people, anyway. Daemon, however, heard something else beyond it. It wasn't anger that he heard, but rather frustration… and pain.
"Later... I'm busy." Khalid said, still keeping his back faced toward his "guest." Slowly, he crouched back toward the ground, releasing the rabbit on its way. As it scurried away in fear, Khalid nervously wiped the tears away from his eyes. He closed his eyes, willing himself not to break down. He wouldn't show fear in front of anyone, least of all Daemon. "Come back during regular business hours."
"Then how about making time for a fucking appointment, K?" Daemon said, staring at Khalid's back. The lion tattoo near the shoulder, he recognized. That one had been there for a few years. He got it at the same time he got the tattoos on his arms. The one on his lower back, just above the waistband of his shorts, was much more recent. A spiked cross wrapped in razor wire plunged through a bleeding heart with the word Löwe on it... the German word for lion?! It had to have been there for months, now... "This can't wait. I helped you with Cougar and now I'm calling it in."
"I'm not asking, Daemon... You have until the count of..."
"You don't have enough fucking numbers, K." White strands of electricity stretched between Daemon's hands, casting a glow much like one would find at a dull campfire. Khalid could hear the sparks jumping back and forth between Daemon's fingers and the see the glowing brightness beginning to form. Even if he turned around, Khalid wouldn't see the discomfort or the hesitation from Daemon. "I know what's been going on. Your fucking dreams in my head... remember? Except that this case, it isn't a dream."
His hands shaking as he went, Khalid slowly shut his eyes and just took a deep breath. He stood still, just shifting his weight from foot to foot… trying to block out the fear that was gripping him by the throat right now. The fear of what? Daemon? Or the truth? "Mind your own business, Gabe." Khalid said.
The glow of electricity continued to glow brighter, lighting up the area. Now, the white sparks seemed to shoot from around Daemon's eyes. As the charge continued to build around the area, he couldn't help but smile. It had been months since he had even felt like he could do this... New Year's, as a matter of fact. "When it is waking ME up at night, it IS my business. Been like this since about February, right?"
"Shut... up..." With his hair standing on end, Khalid knew what Daemon was doing. Any moment now, the entire area was going to erupt in lightning. The tears streamed down his face as in the back of his mind a memory long buried had stirred... Lightning… Why did Gabe have to use lightning? "Please… just…"
"Couldn't resist, could you? Just a midnight stroll, at first, but then you started getting hungry. Berries and roots, right? Then squirrel and possum..."
"Shut the hell up..." Khalid snarled, this time turning to face Daemon. His aura, which had been faint before, was more concentrated now and a glowing crimson red.
"The blackouts have been growing in frequency. You're waking in strange places... in strange clothes... bruised... scratched... exhausted... and blacking out again.."
"I said... SHUT UP!" Khalid roared, this time hitting Daemon in the eyes with a photon bolt. Taking advantage of the stun, Khalid swung at him, but Daemon easily dodged... and backhanded him in the chin.
"Come on, K.. You know better than that." Daemon mocked, the sparks now swirling and flying around the area. "Don't be so stupid!"
With a flash, Khalid formed the red photon staff in his hands. This time, when he lunged, he did with more accuracy, aiming at Daemon's head. As he ducked, Daemon at first thought of Darth Maul's weapon from the Phantom Menace, but then found something else tickling at the back of his mind. He wasn't sure whether it was a blocked-out memory or just having Khalid's memories running through his mind, but this sparring did seem familiar in some way.
Not forgetting the charge he was building, Daemon easily dodged each strike Khalid made, for some strange reason knowing just how he thought. Something about the way people move... just like fingerprints... Although it was Khalid moving, another person came to mind... but he couldn't figure out who.
"Come ON, K! Don't be such a pussy!" Daemon said as he punched Khalid in the lip. The charge was still increasing, enough to saturate the air. "All this time and you can't land a fucking HIT?! No WONDER Mufasa's sick of your ass!"
"//Fuck off, you pygnon-fucking peasant.//" (Translated from Pharaohan.) Khalid called out, his photon aura flaring around him. Two hits, this time... One in the nose and the other in the stomach. With Daemon doubled over, more in shock than pain, Khalid brought his hands up, exploding a flash of light in his face.
"THAT's more like it!" Daemon said, blinking his eyes. His ears picking up on Khalid's location, he rammed into him, knocking him backwards. While Khalid rolled back to his feet, Daemon was already in his face, this time headbutting him in the chin and punching him in the stomach. "I didn't see that coming a MILE away!" he said, backhanding him.
With another flash of light, the photon aura lashed out, backhanding him with a paw. Daemon could tell by the intensity and the growl that Khalid wasn't thinking. He was getting pissed off… and forgot altogether about the charge filling the area. "Come ON, K!" Daemon said, slapping him again. "YOU know my powers! You can't bitchslap me!"
Unexpectedly, the photon tail wound around Daemon, temporarily binding his arms to his side. This time, Khalid struck him twice, tapping each shoulder. Ripping the photon cord apart, Daemon gave Khalid an uppercut, laying him on the ground. "Nice try, K… The most you did was make my arms tingle. Almost a year with your dumb ass in my head and you haven't learned anything except Pharaohan cusswords?!"
Khalid tore off the ground and leapt into the air, the momentum from the lion aura adding to his height. With a flash of light, two photon sunblades formed in his hands ready to attack Daemon again. Before he arrived, the entire area around them erupted into lightning. Daemon, being immune to energy attacks, was not bothered. Khalid, on the other hand, jerked and spasmed as he roared in the air. His eyes and the tattoos on his arms lit up a bright shade of yellow as he screamed. When it was over, Khalid landed face down at Daemon's feet. "Ouch…" Khalid said, the electricity still sparking around him.
From his shoulder pocket, Daemon withdrew a gold bracelet apparently with an ancient Egyptian motif. He clamped it down on Khalid's wrist, which caused him to spasm yet again. "There… Perfect fit…" Reaching down, Daemon threw Khalid over his shoulder. "Now I can put your worthless Terran ass to good use."
Khalid's eyes cringed as he tried to drown out the incessant beeps and whirs in the damn bracelet… that was so obnoxious. Somehow, he didn't know how, he knew that Daemon had attuned it to his brainwaves just to be an asshole. "Just wait… until I can move… I'll fuckin…"
"Just a word of warning, K… I wouldn't touch that bracelet if I were you. Well… unless you want to blow your hand off."
"Why I oughtta…"
"Oh… and don't try getting more than 1000 feet out of my sight… or else you get a zap that will make that last one feel like a spark."
"Goddamnmotherfuckingsonofabit.." he growled.
"Yes, you are… but I promise I won't hold it against you." Daemon said, heading toward his Pharaohan hovercraft. "Besides… the way you've been acting these past few months, I'm doing you a favor making you my pet battery."
"Pet batt… OOOF!" Khalid said as he was dropped heavily on the back seat.
With a smile, Daemon got behind the control panel and took off for Strong Towers. Strange… he thought. Why does this seem so… familiar? Like deja vous…
The End