Chapter 1: Chapter 1

This story is an old one which formerly belonged to Dusel. He gave me permission to reload his work and continue it. I hope that I am able to continue it to his and all reader's liking but I am unable to make any promises.

I do not own Naruto, Marvel Comics, or the Original idea for this story. They belong to Masashi Kishimoto, Stan Lee, and 's very own Dusel.

Chapter 1: Fall.

This was so stupid, stupid and confusing. What had gotten into that old perverts head? Not only did his 'training' suck, but I kept summoning tadpoles and he just told me 'Try harder!' the nerve! But this day started even stranger and it only got weirder and weirder as time dragged on. Now the old pervert was standing in front of me and asking stupid questions. I couldn't take it any longer, I just had to ask!

"Wha-" pain, he hit me in the gut…it hurts…my stomach…blacking out…

As soon as I regained consciousness I immediately jumped to my feet and saw that the pervert was leaning over him, face set in stone.

"Why did you-" I was about to shout when his voice cut me like a knife.

"Training ends here, if you want to live then figure it out yourself." He said as he poked me in the forehead and I felt my legs lose contact with the ground as I flew back and down into a fucking gorge…

As I few I knew...I knew that I would die if I didn't do anything. I did not want to die, I wanted to live, I wanted to live…that is when it happened, for a fraction of a second time slowed down to a complete stop and everything turned black. Next thing I knew I wake up in a sewer, in a SEWER! But that would mean…I started walking, I did not know where but my legs instinctively lead me in one specific direction.

It was very easy to realize just where I was as a giant cage loomed over me the moment I entered one of the rooms, it had taken me several minutes to reach this place and now I was finally here.

"What do you want mortal…?"I couldn't help but flinch as the echo of the words hit me but I would have to be strong, brave, if only for a minute.

"I am here for your power Fox!" I shouted defiantly, attempting to hide my fear.

"And why would I give my power to you? What would I gain?"I guess it worked huh…

"Let me put it this way Fox, if you don't give me power, both of us will die!" come on, come on, please work.

"Heh…heh…heh…I like you boy, you have guts…To stand in front of me and demand something from ME. Fine, you can have as much as you like."I was just about ready to piss myself when the bastard grinned at me, by Kami he could probably swallow one of the heads of the Hokage Monument in one bite!

Red demonic chakra crawled from the depths of the foxes cage and quickly enveloped me, it burned and as I looked at the damn flee-bag I saw his…its, eyes widen as if he had realized something, then he burst out laughing.

"AH-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA, BOY! HA-HA-HA let me tell you this, the Universe either smiles upon you, or curses you for an eternity! See you on the other side; oh and boy…be prepared for a whole World of Pain! AH-HA-HA-HA!"he kept laughing as I felt more and more of his power surge from the cage, what have I done…I just…gave him control…

As I snapped my eyes open the least thing I saw was that my body was paralyzed, incased in a red cocoon of demonic energy, that and the bottom of the gorge and the circular crystal formation that was hidden in the water which had just started glowing red as well. The moment I touched the water I felt Pain…so much pain…

AIR! I need air! The ice cold water sizzled as it evaporated, if I wasn't in such chilly water I'm sure my skin would have caught fire by now but the fact that my skin hadn't melted of my muscles didn't help the fact that my blood was literally boiling my internal organs. How did I end down here anyway?

I don't remember jumping into the lake. I focus myself onto the one task that really matters at the moment – getting out of the water before I suffocate! My efforts were soon rewarded by fresh cold air that cut to my lungs like a cold knife but I didn't care, I'm sure that there wasn't much left of it anyway, my blood was still boiling me alive and the steam that came out of my mouth, ears and nose along with the blood only proved it.

I am so tired, I just want to close my eyes and hope the pain goes away…but I can't stop, the shore is just several feet away though at the moment it felt like several miles. I dragged myself to the edge of the water and grasped at the snow in an attempt to dig my fingers into the hard ground and pull myself out. That was…too easy…I rolled over on my back and weakly raised my left hand to my face. Was it natural to have claws? They weren't much but really…wait a second…What AM I? Shouldn't I have a name? Urghhh! Pain, this time in my head, flashes, pictures but…I can't grasp them, I can't recall them long enough, it hurts so much.

"Grrrrr." I looked up and the last thing I saw a very large, clawed paw descending on my face before everything went black.

"Are you sure the power surge came from this sector?" the man who said that was wearing very thick grey clothes which worked wonders in the cold weather of the Canadian wilderness.

"Not really, the eggheads just gave us a general area for us to search. Do you see anything with the binoculars?"

"Nope, every things white, hold on let me switch to heat seeking mode. Aaaaand…there by the lake! I found something. Wow that thing is white hot."

"For real? What does it look like?"

"It looks like…a small body, a child's body more likely. C'mon lets establish visual."

"Roger."

The two heavily equipped and armed men jogged down the small hill they were using as an observation point to scan for their target and got within a dozen meters of the small body that was emitting lots of heat.

"Whoa…poor kid…A bear must have gotten to him." One of the man muttered as he gazed at the mutilated, disembowel and half eaten corpse of what looked like a twelve year old boy.

"Something ain't right man, I saw on the heat vission that he was white hot, still is! Oh My Sweet Lord…" exclaimed the second man as he and his partner watched stunned as the boys internal organs re-grew back into place as the bones of his ribcage knitted themselves tighter and after the muscle and skin regenerated, the boy looked just a bit messed up but ultimately fine, all in the span of less then a minute.

"Did you just see that!" exclaimed the man with the binoculars.

"I sure did, oh man we gotta let Doctor Rice know about this, now!" said the other man as he took out a radio and flipped it on. "Base. This is Thompson reporting, we found the source and boy will Doctor Rice be salivating when he sees him. Over."

"Roger that, chopper will be at your location E.T.A. five to ten minutes. Over."

"Roger that Base, Thompson out." He turned t off and pocketed it as he moved a little closer to the unconscious boy to take a better look at him. "You think he's a mutie? I mean the eggheads cloned one of 'em that heals reaaaaal fast."

"Yeah I know about the little monster. Whoa, check out the tat man." Exclaimed the second man as strange symbol appeared on the skin of the boy's stomach. It looked like a big swirl with two lines, on the top and bottom of the spiral that had four protrusions each, it didn't look like anything to them and they were real freaked by it since it just sort of appeared on the kid's skin from nothing.

"Man I can't wait for the fucking chopper, this kid is freaking me out by the second and he's out cold too…"

"I hear that…"

Medicaljournal, doctor Zander Rice.

The new subject that the security guards brought in last week has turned out to be quite a puzzle, at first we thought that he was a mutant similar to the original Weapon-X but we were proven wrong as several experiments showed that the he has an advanced regenerative factor, I am saying regenerative and not healing because it is what it looks like, the subject's injuries seem to knit themselves together at an astonishing rate much higher then that of Weapon-X, those who read this may find it amusing but the closest comparison to the level of cellular regeneration would be the T-1000. And I may not be far from the truth as molecular scans of his DNA and cell structure yielded unusual energy readings which could mean many things though I theorize that the subject's body is not completely corporeal thought it is still only a theory.

After I brought my findings to project head Martin Sutter he has authorized me to begin work into molding the new subject into another living weapon to partner with our current project X-23 who is doing exceptionally well, especially with the Trigger Scent though that will take a lot more time to finish, my estimates are eight months to an year.

Zander Rice finished typing, got up from his chair and walked briskly through the hallways that would lead him to the room where his new project had just awaken, the news had arrived just before he had finished writing and he could not wait to begin work.

As soon as he reached the lab he saw thought the one way glass that his new subject was laying peacefully on the bed he was strapped to as his eyes darted to and fro before they focused solely on him as he opened the door.

"Hey there, do you have a name?" he decided to be a little diplomatic in his first meeting with the boy, though the chance was slim he could probably learn something more about him if he acted a little civilly.

Said boy just looked at him blankly and spoke in a clear voice "Who are you?"

Rice frowned as he realized that boy had just spoken flawless Japanese, not something many who had studied the language could do, there would always be an accent that was remicent of his or hers first language.

"My name is Rice Zander and you are in a hospital."He lied flawlessly. "And what is yours?"

"I…I…don't know…"

"I see…"Rice nodded to himself as he chatted with the boy for several minutes in which he learned absolutely…nothing…It would seem that whatever had happened to the boy had caused him amnesia. How…unfortunate. He had just opened the door to exit the room when he saw Kimura, another one of his projects appear at the doorway, quickly drawing her gun and firing past his ear.

It took him several seconds for the shell shock to fade and he to realize that the boy who was 'supposedly' strapped quite tightly to a table was about to pounce him from behind when Kimura had shot him in the collar bone.

"I was going to ask about the new training program you've got planned for the little clone when I see you almost get jumped by the brat so I just couldn't help myself. Who is he anyway?" questioned the coldhearted handler as she approached the downed boy and kicked him in the head making him yelp in pain.

"He is to be my newest project; apparently he can regenerate at a higher rate then Weapon-X and X-23. Though he seems to have problems with making friends." Smiling cruelly Rice took great pleasure in watching Kimura pummel the boy the moment he said the word regenerate.

"Want me to teach him the pecking order around here boss?" she asked as she grinned when one of the boy's ribs broke under the pressure of her kicks and blood gushed out his mouth.

"Electrocution was what I was thinking, one very LONG session if you will .That and a lot more beating." Smiling at her Rice exited the room from which more of the young boy's pain filled wails came from.

"Well Zander, it's been three months since your newest project was given then green light, what are the results so far?" questioned Martin Sutter, project head of the base.

"As you know the subject has suffered amnesia and our information brokers have found nothing on him or anyone that has similar to his abilities or characteristics so his past is a mystery. Now, unlike before, he is quiet and obedient though it took several 'sessions' with Kimura to get the facts through his head. I believe we have successfully broken him sir." explained Zander Rice with a smile.

"Good, please continue."

"Yes well, it would seem that before he lost his memories he received extensive training in martial arts, at the moment he is doing them on pure instincts though it is nothing too advanced he is being refined as we speak, he is a surprisingly fast learner if the conditions are right." Rice chuckled.

"I hope you haven't been torturing him too badly, I need a weapon, not a nervous wreck. Now tell me, what upgrade are you planning for him?" Sutter propped his elbows on his desk and crossed his arms, leaning his chin on them.

"Something that could not have been done on X-23, tell me have you watched The Predator?" asked Rice as he took a metal box out from his jacket and handed it to Sutter who took it and with a raised eyebrow opened the box and smiled at what he saw. One perfect pair of the jagged, scary looking wrist blades that the The Predator used were laying in the small rectangular box.

"For now they just made from steel but if the experiment proves successful we will cover them with adamantium, we are also designing a hook blade that will extend perpendicularly under them and will be able to rotate at a full 360 degrees do to several pieces of tech stolen from Stark Enterprises." Finished Rice with a smile matched by his superior.

"When do you plan to implant them?"

"I'm not particularly in a hurry, not until Kimura gives the green light that he is as obedient as a drone."

"Good, how is X-23 progressing?"

"Her combat training is progressing steadily, but she still needs time for her trail run. I'd say maybe six to seven months."

"Good, good."

'Crack!' What is the point? There is no hope of escape; every time I try to escape she is always there to stop me….

'Crack!' It hurts soooo much…I hope she doesn't cut one of my hands again, it re-grows but it still hurts so much.

"Will you try to run anymore shitstain?" she likes taunting me; she takes great pleasure in seeing me in paint. I so much want to jump up and twist her neck!...like that will ever happen…I quickly shook my head before she strikes me again and coughed up a little blood. The last rib she broke got lodged in my lung; it will heal…still hurts though…

"Good, now be nice and don't attack anymore personnel while I check on the little clone, if you do, I'll cut off all four of your limbs." I winced as I knew she would fulfill her treat and take great pleasure in it. "Oh come now, why the scared face? You're not afraid of a little pain are you?" she continued to taunt me as she kicked me in the gut one final time. "Doctor Kinney will be here soon to resume your studies so I want you on your best behavior shitstain!" she called out after her shoulder before she slammed the door to my cell shut.

I smiled; of all the people I have seen here so far, doctor Kinney is the kindest one. She's so nice to me all the time and she actually praises me! Her and Sensei, he is strict but kind. Though what bothers me is who are all three talking about. Who is this clone that Kimura always sneers about? Is she the same girl doctor Kinney and Sensei sometimes refer tot? X-23…wasn't it how doctor Kinney once called her? Another one like me…

One month later.

"So Zander, is he ready?" Martin Sutter was currently standing in front of a large window that revealed a large circular room several meters under it. At the moment the large room was empty save for one blond haired, blue eyed boy with whisker marks on his cheeks who was standing a little way to the center in some black spandex clothes.

"More then enough to handle the current test, ok bring it up." Assured Zander Rice as he gave the command to a man who sitting in front of a computer who tipped something on his keyboard and the floor a dozen feet from the boy parted and a cage was lifted which contained a wolf who had several mechanical implants surgically integrated with the wolfs back.

A second later the cage opened and some sort of liquid flowed through a see-through rubber tube from the mechanical device on its back to somewhere in the back of its skull. The effects where instantaneous as the wolf howled in rage and lunged itself at the blond who quickly jumped back so far that he hit the wall behind him and to the shock of everyone observing, stuck to it, but before anyone could utter a single word the boys entire visage took upon a metamorphosis as his sapphire blue eyes turned a bloody red, glowing color and his teeth and nails elongated even further, before they were much buggier and sharper then a normal humans, now they choppers and claws respectfully.

Jumping lightly from the wall he fell in a crouch and began to use both his hands and feet to move closer as he and the enraged wolf began to circle each other slowly.

"Look at him Zander…he's a beast, a demon!" exclaimed Sutten with glee. "But why hasn't he showed such behavior towards Kimura?"

"Who knows? Maybe he instinctively knows that Kimura is stronger and therefore superior to him, or it could be any number of things, X-23 acts similarly, she as well has given up on resisting Kimura because she can't harm her. She-" he was cut off when both his subject and the enhanced wolf lunged with only murder on their minds.

The fight was short and brutal as the blond boy allowed the wolf to latch onto his collar bone as he used both his hands to gut the poor creature then dismember it in his rage. After his little temper tantrum was over the boy just stood up and stared blankly at the mass of flesh and bones that the surgically enhanced wolf now resembled as his wound completely closed itself, all had happened in less then twenty seconds…

"He is perfect…And to think we will only be improving on that…" whispered Sutter.

"Imagine the possibilities after he undergoes the operation." said Rice.

"He will be unstoppable."

"Indeed…and I have just the perfect codename for him, DX…Demon-X."

'Snikt.' They did another experiment without anesthetic or whatever one of the doctors called it, doctor Kinney said it dulled pain. I really wanted those anesthetics…'Snikt.' Another two months had passed since they first…tested me. There had been several more tests after that one which I passed as well. 'Snikt.' Is this supposed to be a prize or something? Do they think I am good enough to be given these weapons, or do they think I am too weak and I need these things to help me? 'Snikt.'

The blond was staring with great interest at his newest acquisition. Given the speed at which he regenerated the sergeants gave up on using conventional methods and instead programmed the entire operation into a robot that simply drilled right through his flash and bone and forcefully implanted the metal claws into the boy's forearms. The boy was in unimaginable pain.

Now he had two pairs of double claws that exit between the knuckles of his index and middle finger, and his ring finger and pinkie. But that was not all, nestled between the two wrist blades was another hook-like blade. Though it had the same jagged design as the other two, this one was curved forward and resembled one mean looking mini-scythe.

'Snikt.' Knowing his…what where they even to him? He knew that Kimura was his handler but what would the others be? His masters...? Most likely…so knowing that his master would surely test him again he decided to get a feel for the pain. 'Snikt.' Maybe if he did it for a long enough time, the pain would dull to only a twinge in the back of his mind, but until then… 'Snikt.'

This was the worst punishment to date. I knew it was foolish, I shouldn't have done it but…there was this small glimmer of hope…was, not any more…I had once again attacked her when she wasn't looking and had caught her by surprise but it ultimately ended in failure.

My punishment…I want to cry every time I think about it. She had decided to test the limits of my healing factor and had hanged me by my wrists on a chain but not before she had stripped me. She started with my feet, poring kerosene on them then lighting them on fire, then my things, my waist, my torso and finally my head and arms. Each time when she moved up she pored some extra so she could cover all that she had previously burned and was patient enough to wait for my healing factor to regenerate my skin before she pulled a match. It hurt sooo much, especially when my eyes melted inside my skull. That had to be the worse. Suffice to say, I never tried to escape again. Not for a long time atleast…

Several months later.

"So tell me Zander, how did the bonding process go?" asked Sutten as he read through some documents that were laying on his desk.

"Perfect and there hasn't been any incidents involving DX ever since that particularly harsh punishment Kimura dished out."

"Don't you think she went a bit overboard with that one?" Sutten looked up from the paper he was reading to look at Rice with a raised eyebrow.

"We were wondering how to test the limit of his healing factor anyway and she was careful not to go too overboard and endanger the subject."

"That is good to hear, how long do you estimate before we can field test him? I already have X-23's first target that will introduce her to our clientele." Said Sutten as he took a photograph and handed it to Rice.

"Ahhh, Presidential Candidate Greg Johnson, a good choice, high profile indeed. But are you sure it is wise to leak out the info that someone IS planning to assassinate him? For all we know S.H.I.E.L.D. or even The Avengers could be there?" Rice asked with a smile as he flipped through Greg Johnson's folder.

"Oh I'm sure she will do just fine."

"Of course." Rice kept smiling even as he exited Sutten's office.

"When are you planning to introduce DX to X-23?" asked Doctor Sarah Kinney as she watched DX during his firearms practice.

"I was thinking after we field test him, then maybe giving them tandem training so they could become used to each other." said Sutten smiling.

"Speaking of his field test." said Rice as he just had entered the observation room. "I've picked up the perfect target." He handed a folder to Sutten who began flipping through it. "Several Senators will be throwing a gala in Congressman Hudson's villa on the coast of Upper State New York. Families, security and staff over two hundred people all in all." finished Rice as he crossed his arms over his chest.

Reading the files for several more minutes Sutten nodded slowly several times. "Do it." Was all he said as he returned the folder to Rice and turned back to watch as DX pepper his target with automatic fire from a standard M-16.

Several hours later DX was taken out of his cell and escorted under heavy guard to an armory where he was outfitted with his mission clothes. A pair of black spandex pants and a shirt that only covered to his biceps was what he was going to wear along with a pair of knee high boots that looked slightly bulky. In addition he was given a full set of minor gadgets that he had been thought to use.

He had been briefed on the mission before head so all that was left to get going.

Several hours later.

After using a jet to get from Canada to New York DX and his handling team had boarded a chopped from their base in the state of NY and were now two miles from the target building.

"Listen up, from the moment we drop you off to the moment we hightail out of here you have exactly one hour. If you're late even one second were dusting off without you, got it?" explained the commander as he handed the blond teen a watch that showed exactly one hour.

Looking up at him, DX nodded and strapped the offered watch to his left wrist while donning a pair of goggles which had two little, round, red glowing lenses that would be showing everything the soldier of the 21st century would need to see, from tactical data to infra red, night and heat vision to a tactical 3D map of the target area. They had it all.

The chopper reached the landing point in several minutes which was only about a mile away from the target building, any closer and the security might be tipped off, ruining the entire operation before it began. The pilot lowered the aircraft and landed smoothly, not a second later DX shot out through the passenger compartment and dashed through the night.

The mansion was obviously a summer retreat do to the lack of security that would normally be present on such a big event meaning that infiltrating the mansion would come down to sneaking past several bored private security guards. No challenge.

Crawling up the wall to the second floor he climbed through one of the windows after he easily cut the glass with one of his claws. Once in, he stealthily moved through the corridors of the second floor heading for the security center of the house.

Pressing his back to the wall he walked slowly down the dark corridors before he froze in place as a door opened directly in front of him and a boy roughly around his age, though slightly younger exited a room. Thinking quickly and ruthlessly he pounced the younger child who was unable to resist him resulting in both of them falling to the ground back into the room. Grabbing the sides of his head, DX snapped the boy's neck with one quick movement. Jumping to his feet he slammed the door behind him and looked up to see that at least another dozen kids around his age and younger were staring at him with wide eyes.

DX contemplated his next course of action for only a second before his stood strait and let his arms dangle at his sides. 'Snikt!'

"Did you hear something?" asked a blond well built man dressed in a tuxedo as he glanced at the ceiling.

"Bah, it's just the kids having fun Steve, ahhh, when we were young-" laughed a much older and rounder man with pudgy face but was cut off by the first.

"We were stupid. I still can't believe sixty years passed like that Congressman Hudson."

"For Gods sake Steve, it's SAM. Were friends, old war vets and we call each other by our first names."

"Of course Sam, I guess it just slipped, you know me." He chuckled along his old war time comrade and friend.

"But of course, Captain America, the image of etiquette and good behavior. Tell me, will any of your friends from The Avengers be joining us tonight?" questioned the older looking of the two.

"Tony will be arriving in about half an hour or less but the others had work and other responsibility's, you understand I'm sure." answered Steve Rogers, Captain America with a small smile.

"I'm really grateful that you came Steve, it means a lot." said Hudson in a quiet voice.

"Anytime Sam and…there is a secondary reason for my attendance." Replied Steve in an equally quiet voice as he took another sip of his champagne.

"Yes…Greg was a good man, he would have made a great president-" but before he could continue the power went off without any warning making some people panic.

"Stay here Sam; I'll check with the security guards on the second floor." said Steve as he used the little moonlight available to climb the stairs to the second floor. Once there he walked to the opposite end of the large mansion and knocked on door where the security center was located once he reached it. No answer, strange…he knocked again and still no answer. Knitting his eyebrows he grabbed the handle and twisted it only to find it jammed, frowning he quickly took a step backwards and hurled himself at the door which gave way under his super strength. Shock quickly took over Steve Rogers as he stared wide eyed at the corpses of the security guards strewn across the floor, four people, each with his throat cut open.

Taking a step backwards, Steve exited the dark room and found himself back into the moonlight lit hallway and then screaming began. A second later he was running at top speed down the corridors.

Pushing himself to his limit, Steve drove shoulder first into the door and rowed down the staircase into the dark room which by now was, much to Steve's fear, deathly silent, body's strewn across the expensive carpets, all was quiet before a woman's scream pierced the darkness form an adjacent room until it was silenced a second later. Snapping himself out of the macabre trance he had entered, Captain America sprinted out of the room nearly tripping on several occasions into a body before he entered a corridor and caught a glimpse of someone's foot around a corner.

Sprinting even faster, Steve rounded the same corner and ran down another hallway after a small figure that just crashed through a window followed closely by the Avenger. Giving chase through the back yard of the mansion, his sharp eyes snapped to the side for just a moment before Steve concentrated and threw himself in a row, grabbing a round river stone that was part of the gardens decoration and hurled it at the mystery assassin the moment he rolled to a crouch.

The egg-like stone flew through the air and impacted squarely with the back of the assassins head making him fall forward into a roll and a one-eighty turn that allowed Steve to see the face of the mystery assassin for the first time. And when he saw it, he couldn't help but gasp as he gazed at the still roundish face.

"Just a kid…" he mumbled as he watched the preteen stand up, knees bent and, spread and the older man was sure that he was glaring at him from under the goggles that covered half his face. 'Snikt.' Steve couldn't believe his eyes when two pairs of very, very mean looking claws extend from the boys knuckles. "Just like her…" he mumbled again as the boy launched himself at the Captain who quickly snapped into action as well by ducking the double slash and delivering a shoulder tackle to the gut making both of them fall to the ground with the older blond pinning the younger with his body and strength.

"Who sent you?!" shouted Captain America as rage was etched on his face which quickly turned into shock when the boys knee was imbedded in his groin.

Pushing the advantage, the boy was able to roll from under the older man and get back into a fighting position just as Steve jumped into a crouch, one hand still holding his private area.

Not wasting any more time, the boy rushed again and slashed with vigor though it was obvious that the older man was faster the young assassin but by only a little for if Steve was just a moment slower he would have been cut real bad and he had no illusion that if someone made a copy of his friend and teammate Wolverine that they wouldn't give him the signature adamantium claws.

Rushing again, the boy slashed at Steve who ducked making a big mistake as the boy jumped with one foot on his knee and spun backwards delivering a strong kick for his age to the older mans chin.

Stumbling back Steve flipped back to his feet just in time to catch both the child's arms which he crossed at his wrists while he lifted him in the air. Brining the boy only inches from his face Captain America was about to say something when the skin between thumb and index finger was cut to the bone as a pair of scythe like claws jutted out of the boys wrists forcing the Avenger to release him resulting in a drop kick to the solar plexus, driving the air from Steve's lungs and making him fall to the ground again. This time however before he could defend himself a trio of gunshots thundered out of the security guards gun and nailed the boy in the shoulder, collar bone and right lung making him lurch backwards before the preteen spun on his foot and took of in a sprint.

"Not so fast pipsqueak!" roared a green skinned woman as she rushed past the still downed Captain America.

"Steve! Are you alright?!" shouted Tony Stark as he sprinted across the grass to help his downed friend.

"I'll live...did you have to shoot him?"

"I didn't shoot him Steve and by the look of things there wasn't any alternative, who is that boy?!" questioned the Iron Man as he helped the blond man to his feet.

"The one who is responsible for the massacre…" said Steve with a monotone voice.

"WHAT?!" exclaimed Tony. "He killed all these people…?"

"Are there any survivors Tony?"

"No Steve, I'm sorry. He hacked into the security network and initiated a security lockdown, baring all the doors before the killed the power."

"I…see." Was the only thing that Steve Rogers could say as he mentally beat himself for another failure he had allowed to occur on his watch.

"Do you think there is a connection between this and Johnson's murder?"

"No…I'm certain of it."

"STOP RIGHT NOW!" bellowed She-Hulk as she continued to chase me through the woods to the extraction point. The moment I was shot and forced to flee the scene I had radioed the chopped to start up, I had lost count of the time and it is just now that I realize that I have less then a minute to go and one of The Avengers is chasing…no gaining on me fast. I don't think I'll make it…

"You have less then thirty seconds DX! We are hovering over thecliff; you'll have to make a running jump!"

I didn't answer, I didn't dare to. Had I told them that She-Hulk was on my tail they would have been miles away by now.

"This is your last warning! If you stop now I won't beat the crap out of you when I catch you!" must run faster, must run faster, must run faster, MUST…RUN…FASTER!

Unknown to DX as he was chanting in his mantra in his head, his body had began to glow with a slight red light as wisps of pure energy began to gather around his feet. Jennifer Walters a.k.a. She-Hulk was a bit freaked out by this, although she didn't lack confidence in the fact that she would not only catch the boy but subdue him, she couldn't help but be a tiny bit nervous since the first time she saw the boy was when he was about to deliver a finishing blow on her fellow Avenger Captain-freekin-America and his claws reminded her of Wolverine which was enough to make her nervous to begin with. So yeah, she was cautious and now just a little worried.

At that moment the two runners exited the small forest surrounding the mansion and entered a small field that ended at a vertical drop cliff that ended in the waters below and off the edge of that vertical drop hovered a chopper.

'Shit...' thought Jennifer as she pushed everything she got into her legs in an attempt to catch the boy.

…Six…

'Shit!'

...Five…

'Move faster!'

…Four…

'Just a little more damn it!'

…Three…

'C'MON!'

…Two…

"GOTCHA!" a heavy hand suddenly fell on his shoulder. 'NO!'

…One…'Klang!' "We got 'em! We got 'em! Get us out of here NOW!" shouted the commander as he helped DX climb into the passenger compartment of the chopper.

"How the FUCK did you do that!" he shouted in DX's ear the moment the boy was strapped to his seat.

"I…don't know…"

Jennifer was stupefied, one moment she had the boy's shoulder in an iron grip and the second she is coughing up dust as the kid suddenly disappeared and reappeared an inch before he slammed himself into the choppers landing gear.

"Ahhh fuck…" claws, healing factor and now super speed. Jennifer could only tilt her head to the sky with her hands on her hips and groan hard. 'Steve is gonna be pissed…And the punk made me ruin not only my stiletoes but my designer dress too! I'm gonna PUMMEL HIS LITTLE HEAD WHEN I CATCH HIM!' she fumed as she walked back to the scene of the crime…massacre…

The next day, back at The Facility.

"And there you have it gentlemen, after the success of X-23, our newest operative, DX, is ready and waiting for an assignment. The bidding will begin at One hundred and fifty million dollars." Concluded Sutter with a smile as the various heads of criminal and terrorist organizations began to up one another to see who will be able to gain the services of an assassin that could take out two hundred people under the nose of Captain America, beat him in a one on one fight and then evade capture from another Avenger and escape. Oh yes, Sutter was definitely having a good day as he watched the price jump to over two hundred million dollars curtsy of Wilson Fisk, the Kingpin of Crime. Oh yes indeed…Sutter was definitely having a good day.

"DX…" spoke doctor Sarah Kinney as she entered the boys holding cell. Hearing her voice and his designation, the blue eyed blond lifted his head and looked at her strait in the eye.

"There have been some changes, from now you will have training sessions with X-23." hearing 'X-23' made DX tilt his head to the side in confusion. 'So I will finally meet the girl doctor Kinney was talking about but for now he needed to know.'

"Doctor Kinney…" the black haired woman flinched a little hearing his monotone voice. "What happened to Sensei?" he saw as clear as day that she was nervous.

"He…had an accident." Ah…he guessed that here, an accident meant that he was dead. His eyes took a downcast look but he nevertheless took the woman's outstretched hand and allowed for her to guide him out. He had someone to meet after all.