The Misfits Arrive
Disclaimer: Same as before. I couldn't resist a cameo by a certain walking, talking creature of the cat variety. Meowth actually is going to have a role in this story. Also this takes place sometime before Ted proposes to Paige in my Misfit Holidays fic.
---
"So are we're going to Paradise Valley or what?" Althea asked.
"We're going." Roadblock said, "Assemble the team and we'll go brief. And remember not to cause Paradise Valley any grief."
"With this group, it's gonna be hard to do." Althea replied.
Both Althea and Roadblock were alerted by a loud commotion outside.
"Guys! Guys! Come quick!" Spyder shouted from outside.
Klondike had cornered a creature, that looked like a cat. The thing looked like a cream colored cat, but it had two whisker like projections atop its head and an oval gold coin-like projection between them. It had a brown tail tip and feet, and it spoke as Klondike barked and wooed at it.
"Roo woo woo woo woo!" Klondike said.
"Ah get back ya mutt!" the thing said in a Brooklyn accent swinging claws, Klondike snapped his jaws, narrowly missing the thing's paws.
"Woo woo woo wooo woo!" Klodike said.
The thing swiped again and Klondike grabbed a hold of a paw in it's jaws. "Klondike! Let go! Leave it!" Ted shouted.
Klondike released the creature. "What on earth is that thing?"
"Foist of all, I'm not a thing, I'm a Meowth."
"A what? How in God's name does an alley cat learn to talk?" Ted asked.
"Do you think it's a COBRA experiment?" Spyder asked.
"Or another visitor from another dimension."Althea asked.
Meowth was determined not to show that he was hurt, that the bite of the gray furred mongrel had injured it. Not to mention that he was far more hungry, tired, and worn out than when he had lived as a stray on the streets.
"Roo woo woo woo woo! GRRRR!!" Klondike said.
"Ah ah! Klondike..." Ted replied.
"COBRA? What's that? All I know was I was mindin' my own business and then I get sucked into dis weihd pohtal and then I'm being chased around by the " Meowth began.
"We'd better get you to Airtight." Althea said, "Come on...I gotcha..."
"Hey, I can walk...." Meowth said, taking two steps and collapsing.
"You look like you've been through hell." Althea said as she picked Meowth up by the scruff of the neck, "Let's get you to Airtight, he's like our vet."
Meowth couldn't think of any witty quips or anything else before he passed out from exhaustion.
---
"Looks like he's suffering from the effects of malnutrition, exhaustion and exposure." Airtight said, "As far as I can tell his vitals are similar to those of the domestic housecat, but this being a totally new species I can't really tell."
Meowth stirred and groaned. "Cole...Protect...Wielder..."
"We've gotta get Lance over here, pronto." Lifeline agreed.
"I'll get right on it." Althea said.
Throughout it all, Meowth faded in and out of consciousness. Images and events and sounds played through his head in a kaleidoscope of memories. He could hear the sounds of battle in the distance. But these weren't just ordinary Pokemon battles, but the struggle his world was waging against the Heartless.
Every trainer from every faction had united to battle the Heartless. Even Team Rocket had put its nefarious scheming aside and put its trainers and Pokemon at the disposal of the militia defending their homeland. Meowth had fought in five major battles all over the Johto Islands before it had occurred.
Defending the Junction Road was the job of Meowth's group, a mixed bag of militia and Team Rocket forces under the command of Lieutenant Surge. The Heartless were coming up the road to pursue fleeing refugees fleeing through one of Johto's largest road junctions...
"Pidgeotto, Quick Attack! Now!" A trainer shouted.
The Pidgeotto dove and repeatedly attack three Soldier Heartless, killing them by breaking their skulls. An Air Soldier dove from the skies and jumped the Pidgeotto, jumping on it's back and forcing it to the ground where three Soldier Heartless stomped on it.
The young female trainer watched in anguished horror as her Pokemon was being killed off. "Primeape! Rage attack!" A Primeape jumped on the Air Soldier and broke it's back with a drop kick and attacked the Soldier Heartless, using the severed arm of one of the creatures as a club.
"Voltorb! Thundershock!"
"Lieutenant! The flank's gonna fold!" one militiaman shouted, carrying a wounded Persian in his arms, "All my Pokemon are either dead or too wounded..."
James let out a scream of agony as he was lifted, screaming into the air by three Air Soldier Heartless. Meowth leapt onto the back of one Air Soldier, clawing at the creature's midsection, disemboweling it. Another Air Soldier launched a devastating kick, which cracked Meowth's left ribs and caused him to fall. As he hit the ground and blacked out, he saw the glowing heart shape as James lost his heart...
When he came to several hours later, the battle had died down. The bodies of dead Pokemon and Trainers littered the junction. The ferry to the next island burned in the distance. The militia had destroyed it, to deny the Heartless its use.
Meowth heard sounds of assorted militia groups or even individual trainers battling the Heartless. He staggered to his feet, feeling his side. His legs were intact, but his ribs were another story. They felt like they were on fire.
As he fled, feeling less like a cat and more like a rat, for fleeing away from the battle a lone figure blocked his path. Before him stood a man dressed somewhat casually for the affair...
He remembered seeing the same man arguing with a fellow who looked like a red mummy. They were talking about something called 'Keyblade'. He only remembered the guy in the suit got angry when the red mummy with the cape called him Belthazor.
Meowth opened an eye cautiously. He could see the young man with black hair and the black t-shirt and jeans walk into the room. From when the mummy guy, DiZ or something like that, waved his hand in front of his face he knew it was the wielder of the Keyblade.
"Lance..." Meowth said before collapsing back into unconsciousness. The EKG started to fade.
"Brumby!" Lance shouted.
The orbs of a Whitelighter shimmered as Brumby appeared. "He's fading! We're losing him. Epinephrine, now!" Airtight said.
"I don't know enough about his physiology. I could kill him if I use it." Lifeline replied.
"Heal him..." Lance said.
Brumby walked over to Meowth's bedside. Closing his eyes he placed his hand over Meowth's forehead and began to allow the healing energy of a Whitelighter to flow through the creature.
Meowth's heart rate began to stabilize and his breathing became less labored. He opened his eyes slowly, "Wh-what happened."
"Rest for now...answers will be coming." Brumby said.
---
Ted knelt at the base chapel, his Squad Advanced Marksman Rifle (SAM-R) on his person as he knelt in front of a small shrine to the Virgin Mary. He who blessed our Fathers Abraham, Issac and Jacob may he bless the fighters of the Israeli Defense Force...The Canadian Israeli thought.
He had been praying his rosary for almost twenty minutes when he saw the glowing essences of a Whitelighter. The Israeli crossed himself and stood to see Paige. He smiled broadly as he took her in his arms and lightly kissed her.
"Hey." Paige said softly, "I came to see you..."
"Yeah. I've actually got a mission soon." Ted replied, "I just stopped off at the chapel before the mission. And it really is great to see you..."
Ted noticed the small silver angel pendant he'd bought for Paige around her neck and one other thing. The other half of his dog tag. Paige noticed his glance.
"I kept worrying I'd lose your dog tag, especially after that night." Paige replied, "I couldn't lose something that reminded me of you. And then you gave me that angel pendant..."
"And you are my angel." Ted replied, "I can't say it enough times. If it hadn't been for you I would likely have eaten a bullet...after all the nightmares of the war..."
"Ted. I'm no angel...I'm just a woman who loves you very much." Paige replied.
"You mean the world to me, Paige. And much more." Ted replied, "I love you, my Angel."
Paige sniffed slightly, feeling slightly overwhelmed as she put her arms around Ted. A little difficult a task considering he had his weapon, but she managed. "Take care of yourself..."
"Always." Ted replied.
Paige watched Ted walk from the Chapel back towards the Misfit house before she orbed away. She felt that awful ache of worry she always felt whenever he was due to go on a mission. She lightly fingered the angel pendent and dog tag. She gazed at the engagement ring on her finger and felt that same ache of worry again.
While not especially religious herself Paige said a silent prayer of her own, "He who blessed our forefathers Abraham, Issac, and Jacob please bless the soldiers of Israel..."
In particular my Israeli soldier. Paige thought.
---
"Remember, this is a standard observation mission." Low Light said.
Ted nodded, "Understood."
"Are you sure?" Low Light said.
"You don't need to talk to me like I'm a sniper recruit." Ted snapped back.
"You don't need to snap back like that." Low Light replied.
"Sorry. A lot on my mind." Ted replied.
"Keep your mind on the mission." Low Light replied, and his face softened slightly, "If it's about Paige, remember the positives to keep you going."
Ted nodded laconically as they tapped their Mass Device watches which put them on the outskirts of the Paradise Valley Chemical Planet.
---
Forge walked with Annie to her car after a late night at the plant. "Things haven't exactly been safe around here." Forge explained.
Ordinarily Annie would have been annoyed by Forge's attentions to her, but this time his attentions weren't too doting. Actually she had been feeling uncomfortable for at least the past couple of days, especially since that sniper incident.
"Is it just me or has Dr. Fredrickson been working us hard?" Forge asked.
"Fredrickson's always been that way." Annie smiled wanly.
"What's with this thing for GC 161? Wasn't that an old project." Forge asked.
Annie seemed to freeze for a minute before regaining her composure. "Fredrickson's always had a fascination for obscure and old projects. He thinks he can see details in long abandoned projects that were overlooked."
Forge noted Annie's quick freeze and was about to comment when he noticed several men in black clothes piling into the back of a storage truck. It was when he noticed guns in their hands that he grabbed a hold of Annie and pushed her back.
"Wh-" Annie began.
"Shh!" Forge said, "There are men with guns around the corner going into that truck.
The vehicle started and began to drive off and Forge turned to face Annie, seeing she was blushing red. He noticed why in a millisecond. His left hand was cupped directly over Annie's left breast.
"Oh crap...I'm sorry." Forge said.
"It's alright. Men with guns?" Annie said.
"Yeah. But they were weird ones. Like 1940s guns or something..." Forge said.
"1940s guns?" Annie asked.
"I'm weirded out too. But have you noticed Danielle's been keeping some weird company." Forge replied.
"Some German guys. But they never seem to go anywhere in the labs. I was delivering a memo to her office for Fredrickson when I noticed them." Annie replied.
"When was this?" Forge asked.
"Just today. Why do you ask?" Annie replied.
Little did the two of them know that they were being watched.
---
The world was sharp and clear through the telescopic sight. That much the man who's unerring eye peered behind them knew.
He watched as two more people who appeared to be Paradise Valley Chemical Plant employees. They walked together, talking for a moment until one of them, the male Native American, pushed the female aside. His hand was cupped across her left breast but the touch appeared to be an accident because he seemed to be apologizing rather profusely.
He saw the armed men loading into the back of a large van. What was weird about those guys were the 1940s era weapons and the black clothes.
But neither the two employees nor the 1940s commandos were his targets. The target was working late. Danielle Atron. Now wasn't the time to kill her. Even with a halfway decent shot.
It was time to observe, to note her routine and then it would be time to fire the fatal shot. The sniper was always observant, always ready to strike but also eternally patient striking only when the time was right.
---
"Thanks for walking me back home." Annie said.
"Not a problem." Forge said as Annie smiled faintly as she went into her apartment.
Forge left the area. When he gave Annie the gentle pat on the back he left a small biodegradable bug on her jacket. That meant he could hear things going on in Annie's apartment through his blue tooth.
Annie walked in to find Alex and Ray watching the news.
"Man. Things are really going to hell in the Middle East." Ray remarked.
There was a video of Israeli riot police quelling a mob of Palestinians with clubs and shields. With a loud bang something exploded and gun shots started to echo. A van sped away from the scene.
"Violence has intensified throughout the Gaza Strip as Palestinian mobs engaged Israeli riot police near several border checkpoints. Sources say that Palestinian refugees fleeing from the Heartless in Gaza have been turned back at gunpoint by Israeli forces along the border." the CNN newscaster said.
"That's not the half of it. The Iranians and Pakistanis are going to war too." Alex remarked.
"In other news today the Pakistani garrison at Qila Safed has attacked an Iranian border station. The attack appears to be retaliation for the Iranian destruction of two Pakistani flagged tankers in the area of Bandar Abbas." the CNN caster continued, "The UN is attempting to broker a cease fire between Pakistan and Iran but neither country desires to talk of a truce. Pakistan's president has decreed that Iranian's actions have been inexcusable and must be met with force. Tens of thousands on both sides of the border have been displaced fleeing from air strikes, ground battles and the rumored use by Iranian forces of mustard gas."
"Chemical attacks?" Annie sighed, "The world's being FedEx'd to hell all over this Heartless terror."
"But they're not talking about the Heartless on the news right now." Ray said.
"But that's why the Iranians have been attacking merchant ships for the last few weeks." Annie said, "They've been claiming that ships full of Heartless have been coming towards their shores."
As he walked back to his own lodgings Forge could hear everything going on inside that apartment. The bug would biodegrade after 24 hours into nothing more than a fleck of dust.
---
Gaza: Imhotep fired a single round from his Mauser 86SP sniper rifle and the Palestinian with the RPG fell backward with a smoking hole in the center of his forehead. A trio of Palestinians with the RPG were trying to use the riot that the YAMAS team was quelling as cover.
CRACK! The shot to his left told Imhotep that his spotter Avi was engaging with the M16A3 rifle. Another Palestinian with an AK hit the ground.
At the same time five men emerged from the riot wearing Israeli Police ballcaps. Imhotep knew that it was Samad's team that just snatched the instigator. Roa yanked the Mini-Uzi from under his jacket as Samad put the instigator in a controlling hold. Samad shoved the prisoner into a vehicle and the other YAMAS operatives piled into the unmarked civilian van which drove away from the scene.
Avi and Imhotep kept their scopes covering the arresting team's egress route. Lately the Palestinians had tried using RPG teams to attack YAMAS undercover teams when they would egress from a mission. To counter this the YAMAS units kept snipers as stay behind units to pick off RPG teams.
"The package is wrapped." came the voice of Shlomo into the headsets of the two YAMAS snipers.
Imhotep slung his Mauser rifle and pulled his IMI Jericho sidearm from it's holster on his right thigh. Avi took point and the two men left the building they had been using as a hide site hours before the riot.
Downstairs waited a squad of MAGAV soldiers around three Israeli Sufa jeeps. The two YAMAS snipers raced into the vehicle and the MAGAV troops mounted and drove away from the riot.
As Imhotep and several of his fellow troops were cleaning their weapons Shlomo walked into the room and called the teams together. "Latest news."
"What's going on?" Imhotep asked.
"We're being pulled out to the Gaza perimeter. The Army is dealing with the entire affair now." Shlomo said.
The sound of artillery fire could be heard and the noise of several Israeli Defense Force attack helicopters flying overhead could be heard.
"What about support functions?" Samad asked, "And intel. After all our teams have been all over Gaza for months."
"Aziz is already dealing with them." Shlomo replied, "But until then we are on quick reaction force status. That means any Israeli forces coming under attack we respond."
---
"What's going on Arcade?" Angela asked as she walked into the Misfit house.
"I just hacked into the computer of Danielle Atron, the CEO of the Paradise Valley Chemical Plant." Arcade said.
Sorcerer was also in the computer room. "I've got gigabytes of data coming in. A lot of files on this GC-161 compound."
"Most of it's pretty old stuff from the '90s and everything." Arcade said.
"Thanks guys. Way to make me feel old." Angela replied.
"Wasn't you and Sergeant Draper's first date in the '90s?" Arcade oh so innocently asked. Angela jokingly ruffled the young hacker's hair with one hand.
Arcade didn't mind Angela Bennett at all. She was different from all the other soldiers and assorted government types that called the Pit home. First of all she was a computer expert so he clicked with her and with Sorcerer almost immediately.
And she was one of those 'cool' adults here at the Pit. That earned her even more props in Arcade's book.
"Hey I've got something else too. It looks like a shortcut into Danielle Atron's private database. It's firewalled though and it's defeating all my attempts to hack into it." Arcade said.
Angela said, "Let me take a look at it. Here. Try this..."
"Wow." Arcade said. Angela had instant access to the contents.
"I've found some disturbing stuff. Something about compromised operatives and a facility in Bratislava?" Angela said, "I'm burning this to DVD and getting this to Lady Jaye."
"Good call." Arcade said, "Sorcerer and I will see what else we can find out."
Angela walked off to her car and headed for the Tactical Operations Center, as she headed into the building she nearly ran into a very harried looking Carl Draper.
"Carl what's going on?" Angela asked.
Inside the TOC was Paige Halliwell. The Charmed One looked worried as she wrung her hands and paced through the room.
"Lowlight, Mountaineer this is Motel Six." Dial Tone said, "Report."
The sounds of gunshots being traded could be heard.
"Damn it they're jamming our communications." Dial Tone shouted.
"Ted's alive. I don't know about Low Light..." Paige began.
"How do you know that?" Lady Jaye, the Battle NCO or the sergeant in charge of the Tactical Operations Center, replied.
"I have that emphatic bond with Ted, it's like a Whitelighter's bond with her charges." Paige replied.
"There's your answer." Draper replied, "Lady Jaye, I'm diverting the Predator over to investigate."
"Scorpion 25," came a radio call from the Predator controller, "This is Stinger 16. I've got armed hostiles and five vics closing on our team's position...request permission to engage."
"Standby." Draper replied and shouted over to Lady Jaye.
"Engage." Lady Jaye replied.
"Stinger 16, engage..." Draper replied.
Angela could see the video feed from a Predator UAV. Two men were running from several more armed men. At least forty of them were on their tails. There were also five black vans with armed men jumping from them.
"I still can't get comms." Dial Tone said.
"Let me take a look at it." Angela replied as she headed over to a computer and started to check.
"Oh no..." Angela groaned.
"What?" Lady Jaye said.
"It's a classic worm(1). That attack on the Pit that happened last week." Angela replied, "It was just a diversion. They must have gotten information on our communications system and that's why they're jamming the teams."
"This doesn't sound like something COBRA would be capable of. They don't exactly have the best computer experts working for them." Lady Jaye replied.
"They don't. But the Praetorians do." Angela replied.
"Can you defeat it?" Lady Jaye said.
Angela looked at the lines of code on the screen, "I can. But it might take me a while."
"Work fast because a while is what Low Light and Mountaineer don't have." Lady Jaye replied.
"No need to tell me twice." Angela replied as she became heated.
"Stinger 16 engaging targets." Draper shouted, "BDA two vehicles destroyed three fleeing the scene. Permission to send Stinger 16 to pursue?"
"Negative. Keep that Predator engaging the team's pursuers." Lady Jaye replied.
"I'm reading a truck with more gunmen headed toward's the teams position." Stinger 16's voice came, "We've got seven dismounts headed their way. They're firing on the team..."
"Engage hostiles." Draper ordered over his radio.
---
Lowlight lay napping for a couple hours of sleep. Ted was on watch on the spotting scope, his SAM-R set on its bipod. They had trailed a suspicious individual with a World War II era bolt action rifle earlier on their insertion.
Ted kicked Lowlight awake. "Sarge. Check this out..." the Canadian-Israeli began.
Lowlight grabbed his 7.62mm Mk.11 Sniper Rifle. He silently moved his safety from safe to fire and noticed Ted's safety was at the same status.
Below was a sight straight out of a World War II movie. "Please tell me there's a movie being shot in Paradise Valley about the Nazis on the Italian Peninsula..." Ted groaned.
"Call it in." Low Light said.
Ted reached over for the handset for the radiotelephone. "Motel Six this is Bullet 20. I'm reading a force of guys moving in from the west. Black uniforms...holy shit."
"Ted what is it?" Low Light asked.
"Low Light tell me I'm hallucinating. I see Waffen SS troopers." Ted replied.
"I'm afraid you're not hallucinating." Low Light said.
"I hope that's just a bunch of World War II re-enactors." Ted replied.
"Doesn't look like it..." Low Light said. He saw a man standing on the porch of an old house at the edge of a clearing. He shook as the SS troops fired submachine gun rounds into him.
"Motel Six, this is Bullet 20. I've got what looks like Nazi stormtroops massacring civilians..." Ted replied, "Engaging."
"Knock it off!" Low Light said.
"Damn you we can't let them just massacre civilians like that!" Ted replied as more gunfire ripped into the area.
Ted opened fire. His rifle bucked and a Nazi smashed against a tree as a bullet ripped into his skull.
"Cease fire!" Low Light said.
Another Nazi fell with a bullet in his skull.
"Mountaineer!"
"That wasn't me this time!" Ted replied.
"Where'd that shot come from?" Low Light asked.
"I don't know!" Ted replied.
"They're headed this way." Low Light replied and cracked off another shot, knocking another Nazi to the ground.
Ted reached up for his own radio
"I've got five vics headed this way." Ted replied as he pointed towards the road. There were several black vans with several Paradise Valley Chemical Plant personnel armed with H&K G36 battle rifles and full combat loads heading their way.
"Recommend we beat feet." Ted replied.
"Smart idea." Low Light said, "Lay down suppressive fire and I'll get to that far ridge. I'll signal you on the team radio."
"Our radios don't work." Ted replied.
"Our radios to base don't work. But our personal walkie talkies do." Low Light replied as he took off running.
Ted picked his targets carefully as he began to engage the Paradise Valley Chemical Plant Security Forces closing on them.
It was then that he heard the Predator drone overhead and saw two Hellfire missiles streak towards the black vans. Two of the enemy vehicles exploded in a massive fireball. He fought down the urge to give a loud war whoop as several of the armed men took cover.
Low Light began to return fire and shot another Paradise Valley trooper down with a bullet through the neck as Ted took off running. Bullets streaked by uncomfortably close even with Low Light picking off gunmen as he saw them.
A Nazi from below was taking aim at Ted when another gunshot sounded. The Nazi fell to the ground as a bullet ripped into his skull.
A Paradise Valley trooper took aim with a shoulder fired missile. The projectile streaked into the Predator drone which began to waggle its wings and it crashed into the ground with a big explosion.
As Ted and Low Light fled into an arroyo the sight of several of the Misfits teleporting in could be seen.
"Boy are we glad to see you guys." Ted remarked as he cracked off several rounds at their pursuers.
"Stand back. I'm gonna rock their worlds..." Lance said as he caused a massive wave of earth to rise and smash several of the pursuers.
A Nazi got over the rocks and fired his submachine gun at Blob. Blob turned and said, "Hey that tickles before charging the Nazi who was frantically trying to change magazines, lifting him into the air and then body slamming him onto the ground.
"Woo hoo! Woo hoo! Woo hoo!!!" Pietro said as he ran around among the various Nazi and Paradise Valley troops and yanked several massive wedgies.
The Nazis and Paradise Valley Chemical Plant Security forces beat a hasty retreat as the Misfits advanced on the house.
"No question about it. This wasn't an ordinary criminal hit." Roadblock said as he surveyed the carnage inside the house.
"Who were these guys?" Lance frowned, "Spooks or something?"
"They do seem to be spooks by the appearances looks." Roadblock said.
"They're not ACME or anything. We'd have known about it if it was the case." Ted replied as he glanced around, "Bingo."
"What?" Blob asked.
"The uniform pattern on the dead radio operator and the destroyed radio set. I recognize it but it doesn't add up. It's a World War II radio set, used by Allied forces and the uniform is consistent with a Royal Air Force signal NCO." Ted replied as he took his left hand off the foregrip of his SAM-R.
"Nazi soldiers and guys with World War II equipment? Huh." Shipwreck said as he picked through the wreckage.
"Wait a tiff, Ted," Althea began, as she walked over another corpse, "Don't the Halliwell's have a sister that's on another world where World War II is still being fought?"
"Yes. Prue's out there fighting the Heartless on another world." Ted replied, "I'll have to ask Paige if Prue knows anything about any of the Nazis from her world making their way into ours."
"Do it." Althea said.
"Right." Ted replied before he tapped his Mass Device communicator. Nothing happened.
"They've got a jamming device here." Althea frowned.
"But it doesn't jam the Whitelighter express." Paige said as she orbed in.
"Where did you come from? How did you know..." Althea asked.
"Emphatic bond." Ted replied with a smile: "It's like the link Whitelighter's have with their charges but a bit more intimate."
"So in other words you guys are almost as clingy as Scott and Jean." Althea observed.
"No. Unlike the X-men leader or his controlling girlfriend BDSM is not part of our lifestyle." Ted replied.
"Good one." Althea smirked.
"Ugh, what happened here? Who are these guys?" Paige asked, "Clearly not a bunch of World War II re-enactors."
"They were the remains of an OSS team."a voice began, but not one of the Misfits.
A man walked into view. He was wearing a pair of civilian trousers and a green World War II era collared shirt. The symbol on the left sleeve of the shirt was a blue diamond, the symbol of the Ranger battalions of the Second World War. In his hands was a telescopic sighted 1903 Springfield.
"Who are you?" Althea demanded.
"Anthony Hiram. These dead men were my teammates. We were on a mission. Trailing the Krauts to this world." Hiram replied, "One of their snipers killed one of our team and seems to have trailed us here."
The sound of a jet making a landing could be heard and the Blackbird landed in the clearing nearby. "Someone else seems to have trailed us here too." Althea said as the X-men made their way towards them.
---
"So let me get this straight." Scott began, before pointing at Hiram, "You're from an alternate dimension where World War II is being fought against an alliance of the Axis Powers and the Heartless."
"Yep." Hiram replied.
"And you're part of a squad from that world's Office of Strategic Services chasing a group of Nazis here." Scott said.
"Yeah. But the Krauts hit us hard." Hiram replied.
"Hey. Vill you vatch vith the Kraut line. I find it offensive." Kurt replied.
"Sorry." Hiram replied, "We've been at war with the Jerries for a long time."
"Hey." Kurt said.
"Guys. I recognize the world Hiram's from." Paige remarked.
X-men and Misfits alike stared at the Charmed One as she spoke, "My sister Prue lives on that world. She's been dealing with that particular alliance."
"Fighting against it I mean." Paige added at Hiram's raised eyebrow.
"OK. Now that it's settled who these people are and who's getting involved in this we should get out of here." Low Light said.
As they left the area two yellowish eyes watched them. Sabertooth spoke into his communicator as the Blackbird flew away: "X-men and Misfits are in town and Pyro saw one of their human friends, Forge hanging out at the Chemical Plant."
"Do they know you're here?" Magneto said from the other side of the communicator.
"No." Sabertooth said, "At least not me. Pyro might be another story..."
---
"Things are at a boiling point, exactly as you predicted in the Middle East." Destro said.
"Perfect cooperation between you and the Praetorians." Syndrome replied.
"The death toll in the Iranian-Pakistani border conflict is believed to be at least ten thousand. The Pakistani government accused Iranian forces of using mustard gas on several villages near the border. In retaliation, Pakistani forces have fired VX gas into Iranian positions along the border." The CNN report began before cutting to a speech from the Pakistani Prime Minister.
"Tehran's actions in the past weeks have been inexcusable. They accuse us of using the Heartless to attack their cities and attack our ships and kill our mariners. Well no longer. This morning Pakistani forces along the border launched an offensive into Iranian territory. We will not be pushed by our peer nations. They fire chemical weapons at our villages in hopes we will cower before them. They have only added to our resolve..." The Pakistani Prime Minister said.
"I must admit it was ingenious to imprint those computer files into the Iranian government's data bases and tip off Pakistani agents." Cobra Commander said.
"Forgery and deception are among the many things Praetorians are skilled at." Trelawney replied.
"And both you and Cobra Commander's efforts in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict have been quite useful. And I must admit that it was brilliant to start kidnaping mutants in the Territories in the middle of all the Israeli and Palestinian fighting." Syndrome replied, "Mindbender must be having a field day."
"That he is." Cobra Commander said, "Our secret labs in Lebanon and Syria are producing more types of Heartless."
"You might want to be careful. Possible Israeli raids could occur on your facilities." Trelawney warned.
"Pfah. The Israelis are too busy fighting with the Palestinians to notice any of our laboratory projects." Cobra Commander replied, "Both the Shin Bet and the Mossad's key efforts are oriented at the Palestinian terror networks in Israel and abroad."
"Bear in mind that the Mossad and Shin Bet are two of the most formidable intelligence agencies on the planet. They have already arrested one of our operatives and killed two of them." Trelawney replied.
"Now who's incompetent!" Cobra Commander said triumphantly as he stood up and jabbed a finger at Trelawney.
"First off the two deceased operatives were killed when they found themselves in the middle of a gunfight between the Israeli Army and the Palestinians in Gaza." Trelawney replied, "And the one arrest happened in Samaria when he happened to be supporting some of your operations. YAMAS didn't realize who they'd detained at first and now he's being interrogated by the Shin Bet."
"OK. What does that operative know? Do you have inside agents in Israel?" Syndrome asked.
"Unfortunately no." Trelawney said, "And not for lack of trying. Within a year of their insertion the Shin Bet always manages to dig them out and either kill or capture them."
"So much for the Praetorians having eyes and ears everywhere." Cobra Commander smirked, "The Shin Bet makes for a formidable adversary, doesn't it."
"Well at least our idea of a formidable adversary is one of the most efficient and skillful internal security services on the planet. COBRA on the other hand keeps getting kicked in the balls by a bunch of mutant teenagers." Trelawney replied.
"Knock off the arguing. Both of you. I agree the Shin Bet and Mossad have been a thorn in our sides." Syndrome said.
"More than a thorn." Duncan Matthews said, "I've got nothing to trace them on it, but I think they might have killed six of my guys in Bayville."
"I think that goes beyond Bayville, Mr. Matthews." Graydon Creed said, "All over the world FOH members have been killed. Quite a few by gunshots, but mostly by bombs."
"Well you do have your share of enemies on the human side. After all the Purity League has split off from your factions, thinking the FOH isn't radical enough." Trelawney added.
"And you know this how?" Creed asked.
"The Praetorians have a fairly good hacking network among other things. And the blogs of a few of your junior members, including the six blown up in Bayville. Not exactly a big secret." Trelawney replied.
"All that intelligence and 'talent' and you still can't kill one woman that was able to bring you down in the late nineties?" Cobra Commander replied snarkily.
Creed laughed at Cobra Commander's remark before Syndrome said, "Let's get back to the matter at hand."
"And lets not forget mutant problems too." Senator Kelly said, "A number of our contacts have been found killed by bone spikes or similar mutant phenomenon. The Morlocks have a protector in the form of that former X-man Evan Daniels."
"What of Senator Shale's speech in Orlando? Do you require help?" Trelanwey replied.
"Our operatives are in place. None have been compromised. The Orlando Police Department has very little clue of what we're doing nor any federal agency has any real." Creed said.
"I'd say the fact that there has been a G.I Joe contingent training the Orlando Police Department's SWAT Team would say that someone knows about your operation. There's a leak." Trelawney said.
"Pfah! It's a simple security precaution. I'm committing my best operatives and the anti-Mutant power generators COBRA generously provided to the operation." Creed replied.
"Bear in mind they're only prototypes. Barely tested." Mindbender cautioned.
"Alright. Now let's not forget about the GC-161 project. I believe Paradise Valley Chemical Plant has some in stocks." Syndrome said, "I believe there is gonna be no shortage of interested parties regarding that chemical...or the kid from that accident in the '90s."
"Dr. Mindbender would have a field day using the chemical to create more powerful Heartless and Nobodies." Cobra Commander replied.
"Let's not forget that the Xavier Institute has an operative in place." Trelawney added.
"And there have been sightings of two of Magneto's henchmen in the area." Syndrome replied.
"I sense a conflict brewing in the area. I think it prudent to wait it out and then steal samples of the GC-161 ourselves..." Trelawney replied.
"Agreed." Syndrome said, "Let the Acolytes and X-men duke it out and swipe the GC-161 from right under their noses. Perfect."
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TBC
1. See Chapter Five of Praetorians.