Disclaimer 2: Any OC's in this fic are the property of WesternBlakeHawke and myself. The two AU's in this universe are the work of myself (AoS 2), Blake (AoS 2), and various admins at http:ageofsinister. (AoS 1). Various aspects of the kids' profiles will be revealled during this fic, which will hopefully keep running...
Success!
Sinister smiled sickly as he entered the room. Two dozen prime subjects. Two dozen slaves. Two dozen hostages, to be used against X-Corps. He'd fought many battles against those annoying do-gooders, but this would be the last. This time, X-Corps would be fighting X-Corps. Because the hostages he had were the children of Matt Murdock, the blind lawyer, and his wife, Will Murdock. Not all bological, the older ones were adopted, the younger ones Matt's, the ones in between from Will's first marriage. But all of them potential allies or enemies to Sinister's cause.
There was a groan, followed by the sound of fist on flesh. Sinister turned to see that a guard had just knocked one of the boys out again. The oldest boy, nineteen year old Nathaniel Templeton. A dangerous one. Old enough to know what Sinister was about, maybe too old to be taught to obey without seriously damaging his power ability. Very protective, which is why he needed to be unconscious while Sinister was in the room. Nathaniel Templeton, affectionately codenamed Yoda by his three year old brothers, Ben and Bret Murdock, who lay asleep in the cots Sinister had designed for the younger children. Special incubator-like cots that pumped the occupants full of X-gene activator serum as they slept. The young man was chained to the wall, as were his biological siblings, all of whom had active X-genes. Very powerful as well. The Templetons were fourth generation mutants. On that count, they would have been eleven at the oldest when their powers developed. Meaning Nathaniel Templeton had been a mutant for at least eight years. Three of those years with X-Corps. He would be dangerous, if he couldn't be forced to see Sinister's way of thinking.
Sinister walked along the line of Templetons. Only Nathaniel was unconscious. The boy was a telepath, and a telekinetic. Which, Sinister decided, was what had settled his codename. The young man was no fighter, unlike his little green namesake. Eighteen year old Christie Templeton stared unblinking at him. Cat-like, as if the chains were no object, and she wanted to rip his throat out. Tigris, her codename was. Tiger. Untamed, for now. Maybe not much longer. Silver-tongued seventeen year old Ames Templeton was next in line. The boy was gagged, but his eyes held the same hatred for Sinister that appeared in his older sister's. Ames was called Loki, and now sinister finally saw the boy in person he understood why. Ames looked like butter wouldn't melt in his mouth, but like Xavier had been able to do, Loki could bend anyone to his will. Eventually. A power that could cause a lot of trouble. After Ames came fourteen year old Allie, an amphibious young woman known as Gi-Potiza, who was obviously not fairing well in the rather dry conditions. Sinister beckoned to one of the guards, who brought Allie a drink of water as Sinister looked at the twin Templetons, Ryan and Rowanne. He frowned, then backhanded each of them. Ryan spat at the man in disgust, while Rowanne just hung from the chains, unconscious now. The cuffs on the twins' chains showed fire and ice damage. Meaning the twins had been trying to escape. Sinister swung a fist at Ryan's stomach, only to be met by a wall of ice. That settled that then. Ryan was an ice-former, while Rowanne had supplied the flames. Opposing powers combining, in an attempt to thwart Sinister's plans. Sinister left the twins, to look at the final active X-gened Templeton sibling. Dean Templeton, the healer Apollo. The youngest mutant, but apparently the most sensible. Dean's eyes were closed, his breathing slow and shallow. Sleeping on his feet.
Sinister turned from the Templetons, to look at the three rows of cots. Three rows of seven, with four cots empty. In the row closest him were two sets of triplets, and a single. Carrie, Cassidy and Cooper, all eleven years old, then Ashleigh Templeton, aged ten, showing signs of being a healer, but being given X-gene activator just to be sure, then seven year olds Amy, Amber and Adam. The two sets of triplets were Blake-Debonnaires, children from Will Murdock's first marriage. Completing the Blake-Debonnaire set, on the second row of cots, were twelve year old twins Jessica and Jennifer Blake-Debonnaire. Although the same age as Dean Templeton, Jennifer and Jessica did not yet have obvious powers. Dean was still new to his, though, no more than eight months in to his powers. The remaining eight children were the ones Sinister had most hope for as bait. All Murdocks, two sets of triplets and one set of twins. Four year olds Samual, Sean and Sophie, three year olds Ben and Bret, and year old triplets, Elijah, Erin and Ethaniel. Both Erin and Samual Murdock were blind, but then so was their father, and it had never stopped him. More was the pity. Sinister left the Templetons chained, and had the cots wheeled out of the room.
Three hours later, the children were returned, some in tears, others the same hatred in their eyes that now shone in the eyes of all seven Templetons, Nathaniel, Rowanne and Dean having regained consciousness. Cooper, Carrie and Cassidy each carried a one year old, all of whom were screaming, while Ashleigh held the hand of Samuel, making sure he didn't fall over anything. Jennifer and Jessica held the hands of Bret and Ben. Nathaniel struggled against his chains, not wanting to use his powers in case the kids got hurt by mistake. He slammed the door shut behind the guards as they left, though, and then carefully unlocked the shackles around his wirsts, and those of his bio siblings. Figuring they were being watched, he took Ethaniel from Cassidy, and rocked the oldest triplet reassuringly until he calmed down. As Ethan stopped screaming, Erin and Elijah quietened down too.
"You know what, bro," Chris drawled, "one day, you'll make someone a great husband."
Somewhat in shock, this made Jessica and Jennifer burst out laughing. Dean looked at them, and then moved to hug the two girls, who had tears pouring down their faces. Sam pulled away from Ashleigh, and joined his adopted brother in hugging his sisters. Ryan rubbed his wrists with normal hands, then walked over to Nate.
"Here, bro, let me look at that," he said, holding a cold hand to his older brother's jaw, which was bruised and swollen from being hit a lot. Nate winced as his younger brother touched the dark marks, then shivered, but didn't argue. Ashleigh sat down on the floor, and was about to start talking when Sophie started babbling.
"Sam made this guy faint by touching him," she said. "The guy was going to hit him, but Sam did that dodge thing Dad's been teaching us all and grabbed the guy's arm and just held it, and he fainted real quick. It was cool. I didn't know he could do that."
"Don't be a dummy, SJ," Coop said. "None of what happened just now was meant to happen 'til we were older."
Sophie poked here tongue out, and Nate held up a hand, to calm things down.
"What do you mean, Coop?" Adam asked.
"All that stuff we can all do now," Coop replied. "Wolf stuff. That trick you pulled which nearly suffocated you, Soph. Sam being much more confident now. He never pulled away from a helper before, if help was offered. That kinda thing. Allie took a spill earlier, cut her arm. It's all healed up now. I think Sinister activated our X-genes. He's gonna use us when they come to get us."
Coop looked at Cassidy, sadly.
"Especially you, Cass. Apart from Uncle Deak, X-Corps doesn't have anyone who can withstand that extra thing you got."
Cassidy bit her lip.
"So, you all got powers?" Dean asked. "That's cool. what did you get?"
"The babies got wolf stuff, but can't morph yet. They also got that touch thing Dad has," Carrie said. "All the Murdocks got that."
"Me and SJ gots more though," Sam said, almost happily. "I got the ability to manipulate blood pressure, and SJ gots the ability to change at-mos-pher-ic pressure."
He said atmospheric slowly, the word twisting in his mouth when he tried to say it fast. Nate looked at Chrissie anxiously when Sam revealed this.
"That's Deak down, too," Chris said, voicing Nate's thoughts. "If she can control atmospheric pressure, she can suffocate all of them. Can't breathe proper thin air."
Sophie started to cry.
"I don' wanna hurt nobody!" she stated, as Rowanne scooped her up and hugged her.
"It'll be OK, SJ," Rowanne soothed the four year old. But the words sent a shiver down Cooper's back.
"So we sorted out the Murdocks," Dean said. "How 'bout the Blake-Debonnaires?"
"We all got cool powers," Amber said. "The wolf stuff mom has, with morphing and everything, plus extra stuff."
"Extra stuff?" Allie managed to croak out. Nate stood, and banged on the door.
"HEY! My kid sister needs a permanent supply of water! How 'bout you turn on the damned sprinkler system!"
He kept banging until half the sprinkler system was switched on, soaking half the kids, but helping Allie stay alive.
"Nate!" Amy said in surprise. "You said a bad word!"
"Worked though." Nate said, sitting down in a puddle. Sean started smiling, splashing around.
"You looked real red when you did that, Nate," Sean said.
"Red?" Dean frowned. "Waddaya mean, red? He's not red."
"No, he's yellow now," Sean said, happily. This time, Ash looked at Sean with a frown.
"How 'bout me, Sean. What colour am I?"
"You're misty blue," he said. "Kinda confused."
"ESP," Allie said, softly, still recovering from the dehydration. "Mom had it. That's cool, Sean."
"Right," Dean said. "So what extra stuff did ya all get?"
Carrie shrugged.
"I got a language thing. One of the guards cursed in French 'cos Sam tripped. I never took Spanish, but I understood what he said. Snarled at him like Mom does when she gets annoyed with one of us for ragging on another."
Cassidy smiled.
"I got a bad ol' banshee scream," she said. "It's not fair. Banshee screamin's no use to anyone, 'less ya wanna bust an ear drum."
Coop hugged Cass.
"Sinister'll know how to use that scream," he said. "That's a bad thing. You and Sophie alone can kill all of X-Corps."
"Not helping, Coop," Cass stated. "You're lucky, you just got TK, like mom."
"Yeah, I threw a metal ball across the room without touching it, yay me," Coop retorted, sarcastically. "Watch me win Kiddie League."
Cass punched Coop on the shoulder. Before an argument could start up, Amber spoke.
"I got a cool power. I got animal control. Coop turned into a wolf and was gonna jump me, but I saw him and pointed a hand and said no, and he didn't. He looked surprised, as if he couldn't jump."
"I couldn't," Coop said. "It was really weird. But it'll help you with being a vet."
Amber nodded in agreement.
"I got to fly!" Amy stated.
"You did not!" Adam said. "Can't fly without wings. You levitated. The guard said."
"Same thing," Amy replied.
"Whatever. I created an illusion. Jus' a lil one. But still got the power."
"And I got healing factor," Ash said. "Like Wolverine, not Dean."
Dean looked at Jen and Jess, who were still holding on to him as if their lives depended on it.
"How 'bout you two?" he asked.
"We got electrokinesis," they replied in unison. "Trying not to get wet."
They were stood in the drier part of the room, making sure not to get in contact with the water.
"So we all have powers," Nate said. "Sinister wants us to do something with them."
One month later, Sinister came to the room, with some news. Nate slammed him into the wall telekinetically, still sat on the bed, consoling Cassidy, who was still distraught over the deaths of their parents, which Sinister had forced her to take part in.
"This better be good, Essex," Coop snarled, extremely wolf-like. "Otherwise Sam'll be annoyed. Right Sam?"
"Right," Sam said. Like his dad, Sam had no fear. He'd willingly step into anything.
"Me too," Sophie stated, moving to stand next to her brother. "You'sa bad man."
Sinister straightened up his shirt cuffs, as John Deacon entered the room.
"We're going home, kids. Then I'll deal with Sinister later."
"Threats, threats, threats," Sinister said. "Worth nothing."
Two months later, Deak was sure he'd found the safest place for the kids to stay. X-Corps in this universe was no more, but he'd found another universe, where there were no versions of the two dozen kids, and where Matt and Will were still alive. He'd be dumping a load of uninvited kids on their dorstep, but he didn't care. It meant they would be safe. didn't it?
TBC...