Author's Notes: Yikes; took me long enough to update this, sorry loyal fans, but alas everything crazy happens this time of the year and I've been in the process of trying to find a new job. Anyway; here's the next exciting chapter, and as always I kindly request that you Read & Review. Smiles
Matt Murdoch was visiting his latest girlfriend in the hospital when he caught the strangest sound thanks to his enhanced senses; it reminded him of a lizard's tongue flicking in and out, saying he'd be back after a quick trip to the washroom he headed down the hall and opened the door.
"Excuse me is something troubling you?" He asked of the occupant.
"Not a thing, I'm just fine." The man replied in a deeply guttural tone.
"Of course; forgive the intrusion." He apologized before leaving in search of an empty room; he recognized the Lizard when he heard him and saw him.
"You should have silenced him." Vulture chastised as he re-entered the room via the window.
"What for he was blind." Lizard countered placing the device under the bed. "Is Venom and Scorpion in place?" He inquired.
"Of course." Vulture replied. "I just hope that symbiote controlled time-bomb can keep his mind on our mission."
"He's done everything we've asked so far, I think losing Carnage snapped his sanity back into place." Lizard countered flicking the switch on the timing mechanism. "Besides we've got Shocker in case he get's out of hand." He added with a grin.
Frank Castle was no one's fool; when a group as deadly as the Sinister Six lost two of their members it was only a matter of time before they recruited new members. He'd been tracking Venom ever since he'd been released from the Helicarrier after his injury during the B.A.T incident and he knew the psychotic Spider-Man hunter couldn't be up to anything good at a hospital.
"Battle van deploy symbiote counter-measures Alpha, Beta and Gamma." He ordered; several internal panels flipped around revealing a bevy of non-lethal weapons designed to capture and neutralize symbiotes. Strapping the gear on he leapt from the back door of his patented van and followed after Brock.
Spider-Man arrived at the same time as Spider-Girl and her charges; so to speak, the two of them met on the roof he'd pushed himself hard and he'd manage to make it quickly because he didn't want anymore deaths on his head, especially Spider-Girl's.
"My spider sense is going wild." He admitted cocking his head to one side as he looked around for Doc Ock.
"Mine too." She muttered inching towards the entrance she'd seen Octavius and Mysterio use to enter the building. "Bet you anything the rest of their pals are already here."
"I wouldn't take that bet, how do you want to handle this?" He asked preparing to pounce.
"I hate to say this, but we could use backup." She replied. "And he did say we could use these communicators to get in touch with him." She added; Spider-Man growled at the prospect of calling the arrogant semi-X-Man in to help, but he had to admit his daughter had a point.
"Do it; then meet me inside, we've got to stall them long enough for him to get here." He lamented before leaping into the hospital.
"Spider-Girl to Kilowatt; come in Al." A voice called out of the ether.
"Kilowatt here, what can I do you for?" I asked eliciting a giggle from Rogue; my cheeks flushed a little as I realized how inappropriate that might come off as.
"The Sinister Six are at General Hospital and you just know they aren't here to cheer everybody up. Dad and I need backup." She explained; I nodded as I climbed to my feet and started out for my bedroom, a chance to try on my honorary X-Man uniform in public.
"I'm on my way, ETA… Six minutes." I stated Rogue was following me and watched while I changed smiling slightly; I glanced at her as I finished getting dressed. "Care to join me fair lady?" I asked gallantly.
"Yah couldn't keep me away." She replied pulling her gloves back on.
Daredevil returned to the room where he'd encountered the Lizard only to find the room empty save for a ticking device of some sort; possibly a bomb, he couldn't handle this on his own. That's when he was bombarded by a high-pitched whining sound forcing him to clap his hands over his ears in an attempt to muffle the sound; it was coming from three stories down.
"I better check that out." He gasped gritting his teeth slightly as he stumbled back to the entrance of the room; whatever was going on he had to put a stop to it or else he'd be no good to anyone.
Spider-Man dodged another of Doc Ock's tentacles and fired off a web line in an attempt to blind the villainous scientist; close quarters combat was his strong point and Spider-Man was hard pressed to avoid being beaten down. Spider-Girl had joined him moments ago and was tangling with Mysterio near the emergency exit; she was doing pretty well actually for never having fought this particular villain before, a high-pitched whine suddenly exploded from somewhere else in the building distracting all those involved.
"What is that?" Octavius cursed fighting to flinch as the shrieking sound built in pitch.
"I believe someone is striving to upset our symbiotic ally." Mysterio replied dodging a high-kick from Spider-Girl in the lull between deafening noises.
"Scorpion should be able to protect him." Octavius surmised lashing out at Spider-Man once more; and as if to prove his words correctly the sound cut off mid-whine.
The Punisher dodged a stream of acid from the Scorpion's tail as he was forced to cease his assault on Venom temporarily; once he was clear of Gargan he fired a third time at the Symbiote clad Eddy Brock who was writhing in agony on the floor.
"Stop him!" He cried desperately trying to back away from the offending device.
"I'm trying!" Scorpion snapped charging the annoying man; suddenly a strange club whipped past his legs and knocked him to the floor mid-charge, glancing up he found Daredevil swaying slightly on his feet near the entrance to the stairwell.
"You appear to need a hand." He remarked as he moved to join Castle; Punisher merely shrugged before returning his attentions to Venom and firing a fourth time, Daredevil looked a little sick to his stomach, but he realized that Venom needed to be stopped and so put up with it.
As we arrived within the vicinity of the hospital Rogue caught sight of the Vulture circling a specific spot and seemingly waiting for someone; it made me wonder though how stupid he could be, considering he was in plain sight of everyone if Spider-Man happened along he would have attacked him first, a distraction then for any heroes who arrived on the scene.
"I believe you can field this one." I began before a flash of green scales caught my eye. "I've found myself someone I have a score to settle with." I added swooping towards my target; Lizard never knew what hit him, one minute he's climbing out of the sewers the next I slammed into his solar plexus at mach two… Well, more like mach point five and sent him crashing into a pile of old crates resting in the alleyway; where were those back when I encountered that Vampire. "We never got to finish our dance last time." I quipped hovering above the pavement.
"I see you've changed into a more suitable wardrobe." He shot back lashing out with his tail; I ducked under it and blasted him with twelve volts stinging him. "You will pay for that." He hissed.
"I think it's long past due for you to take a hike and let Curt Connors back in the drivers' seat." I retorted stinging him again; he snapped at me and leapt clear across the alleyway and collided with me, we went down in a tussle of flailing limbs, raking claws and dangerously close teeth. Still I managed to get the upper hand using my latent gravity abilities to flip him off of me and send him back into the pile of crates; making a tsking noise I moved closer to him building up for one mother load of a shock. "You aren't playing nicely; and if you can't learn to play nicely then I'm going to have to…YAGH!" I trailed of screaming in pain as the blast took me unawares; losing focus I careened across the short distance and slammed into the concrete wall of the building opposite with enough force to break my nose.
"You talk too much." A new voice remarked flippantly; glancing towards the source of the sneak attack I discovered a man dressed head to toe in a strange yellow and black outfit, he was wearing some kind of device over his fists which were glowing with power. The Shocker didn't give me a chance to regain my senses completely and fired again; I screamed in pain once more, his gauntlets generated massive blasts of air capable of shattering through objects. This time I was driven through the wall twisting my leg at the hip in the process; though not actually breaking it, I was driven by the blast into the building proper and crashed into a wall of HD T-V's.
"Al!" Rogue's voice drifted down from somewhere above; I couldn't see her and Shocker wasn't letting up, I couldn't think as every part of my body experienced a crushing sensation of a type I couldn't begin to describe. Shocker's gauntlets could theoretically turn a persons' bones to jelly; according to the comics, but he'd never once used them at that setting as far as I knew. Without warning the blast ceased and a figure crashed up against the wall next to me; Rogue stood over both the Lizard and Shocker who was unconscious, she looked at me concernedly, but I shook it off as rapid healing saved me again.
"Thanks babe; now I think it's time we let the cops deal with these two and find out what their pals are doing at the hospital." I stated climbing unsteadily to my feet; Rogue nodded and hefted both unconscious villains with either hand, together we left the electronics store and made our way across the street dropping off the two Sinister Six members at the cop barricade that had just been set up.
Daredevil and Punisher were just finishing off Venom when Kilowatt and Rogue found them; Kilowatt eyed Venom concernedly; since they'd engaged three members of the Sinister Six outside that meant there were seven actual villains present, which did not bode well.
"Where's Spider-Man?" He asked. "He was tailing Doc Ock and Mysterio here." He elaborated.
"I haven't seen him." Daredevil replied as several trailing police officers came in and arrested Scorpion and Venom. "But the Lizard placed some sort of timed mechanism in one of the room's three floors up." He revealed; Kilowatt sighed, when it rained it poured.
"Then I guess we better deal with that first. Castle; check around down here, these two might have put a similar device on this floor." Kilowatt called over his shoulder as Daredevil led both X-Men upstairs; the Punisher didn't acknowledge the order instead he simply began searching the rooms.
"So what do they call you?" Daredevil asked as we raced up the stairs; well more like he raced up, Rogue and I simply flew.
"Kilowatt, with the X-Men." I offered knowing full well Murdoch and Castle would probably recognize my voice anyway; we arrived at the room a few minutes later and I approached the device trying to determine its' function. It was about the size of a baseball though cubical instead of spherical, three readouts were visible; one counting down, the other counting upwards in tens and the third flashing a number. I whistled appreciatively; this was some seriously high-end quality stuff, whatever it was.
"What?" Daredevil asked.
"This thing is rigged oddly; with three displays. I think it's programmed to go off when the other two reach the number the third keeps flashing, it also appears to go off when they reach it simultaneously; ending in threes." I tried to explain, this readout read sixty-six and we were on the sixth floor; the Punisher would most likely find one rigged for thirty-three and Octavius probably had one for ninety-nine.
"Diabolical." Murdoch remarked.
"Biblical even." I added without thought. "Question remains how do we disarm them?"
"We can't." Castle stated coming into the room with the thirty-three explosive.
"But we can get them out of here." I countered. "Let's hit the ninth floor and make sure Ocky can't activate his." I added racing for the stairwell.
Spider-Man was tiring despite Spider-Girl's help; Mysterio was out, but Doc Ock had too much of an advantage in the closed confines of the hallway and was taking every hit he could get in, which was a lot. Suddenly Octavius screamed as his extra limbs were dragged towards the entrance to the emergency exit; Al stood there in an X-Men costume and was obviously angered at the sight of Spider-Girl who was favoring her left arm.
"Didn't your mother teach you to respect what they do here?" He demanded before he began to yank harder on the limbs causing Octavius considerable pain. "Spill it Ocky, what are these? Bombs." He added holding up the small cubical device.
"Neurotoxin detonator, designed to unleash a lethal compound into the air." Octavius replied through spasms of pain; this was worse then when Magneto had done it.
"Shit." Al cursed letting Octavius go long enough to zap him unconscious. "We need to seal these in an airtight container and fast, please tell me they didn't activate theirs." He pleaded; Spider-Girl giggled and flipped him a third device which was dead.
"Fish bowl was carrying it." She offered a smile hidden behind her mask.
"Your webs can be made airtight right?" He demanded whirling on Spider-Man rapidly his eyes twinkling with the germ of an idea.
"Sure, but they have a finite time limit." Spidey replied uncertain where this was going.
"Then seal me in with'em." Al snapped.
"But." Spider-man began; Al shook his head.
"No time, just do it!" He cried; with limited time to argue or give in to his demand both spiders began to spin an airtight cocoon around the young man, and within minutes the detonators and he were cut off from the rest of the world. They could hear a slight hissing sound as the counters reached their desired numerical setting and went off; Rogue eyed the cocoon fearfully, but there was nothing more any of them could do until the stuff dissolved.
"Computer monitor the levels of neurotoxins in the air; notify me when I have absorbed them all." Al stated from inside the cocoon; his watch beeped and then all they could hear was the young man taking deep breaths.
"Ah'll stay with him fer now; yah deal with those two." Rogue told the others; Daredevil nodded and he, Punisher and Spider-Man left to take Octavius and Mysterio down to the cops; Spider-Girl decided to stick around up here, but didn't say a word. The time limit was one of two hours; if in that time Al had not absorbed all of the neurotoxin into his own hybridized form it could cause severe problems. During this time the police carted off the five remaining members of the Sinister Six and Venom; Spider-Man took off for a date with MJ, The Punisher left in his van searching for more criminals he could deal with and Daredevil reverted to his alter ego of Matt Murdoch in order to resume his visit with his girlfriend. Rogue and Spider-Girl remained next to the web cocoon for the entire two hour life span; once it did Al was revealed to be fine, although he did teeter on the verge of fainting upon first emerging.
"Amazing." Spider-Girl remarked. "But, what happened to the neurotoxins?" She wondered.
"I inhaled them." Al replied weakly. "My body broke them down into a useable oxygen supplement effectively disposing of the danger." He elaborated through halting gasps of air; Rogue then began to herd him outside so he could recover properly, Matt Murdoch stopped them on the third floor landing and offered a greeting.
"We meet again Mister Rutherford." He stated with a small knowing smile.
"Indeed Mister Murdoch, is this a social call or business?" Al wondered a pleasant smile on his face; Rogue looked disapprovingly at the blind lawyer, she wanted to get Al back to the mansion where his tricorder was.
"Social; in fact I thought you might care to meet my girlfriend." He replied motioning towards one of the rooms.
"I'd be honored." Al replied despite Rogue's obvious look of disdain; he followed Murdoch into the hall and towards the room.
As we entered her room I let out a startled gasp as recognition dawned in her eyes and flashed briefly across my own; this could get very awkward very fast.
"Alain Desrochers." She exclaimed.
"Janelle McKrindle." I muttered under my breath so she couldn't hear.
"I didn't know you were in town, or that you knew Matt." The woman continued despite my now dumbfounded look; I had not expected this at all, she was significantly taller than the girl I'd attended high school with. Which made sense since she had, had a few extra years of growth, but there was no mistaking that semi-haughtily tone; those ever present glasses or the identical facial features and cut of her hair. This was indeed Earth Nine Hundred and Twenty-Nine's counterpart to the young woman I had known in brief who's life was tragically cut short in our twelfth and final year of high school; due to complications stemming from the blood poisoning and numerous transfusions she had been forced to endure until the time of her passing.
"Forgive me." I interjected halting her ramblings. "I'm afraid you have me confused with someone else." I continued purposefully altering my vocal pattern to be safe. "My name is Allan Rutherford." Strangely enough these last words brought a sudden look of sorrow to her face.
"Oh; I'm sorry, you just looked so much like a friend of mine..." She apologized trailing off so as not to make this further awkward then it had to be; of course it made sense that I would look like my counterpart, considering not all versions of me could have been the short overweight teen I had been. "So how do you know Matt?" She asked quickly recovering from her mistake and interrupting my thoughts.
"We met at the central library, tripped over one of my books I do believe." I replied with a knowing smile; good thing Spider-Girl had left and Rogue had gone downstairs to arrange transport. "So, how did you two meet… If I may be so bold?" I requested sitting down in a chair more to hide my weakened condition from this woman than anything else.
"I was attending a seminar for people interested in helping out the blind and deaf; hundreds of people from around the globe attended. Matt was one of the speakers and the moment I laid eyes on him I just knew we were meant to be together." She replied with a wistful smile on her lips; Matt smiled and moved to stand beside her clutching her hand in his own.
"What are you in for?" I asked afraid of the answer.
"Broken tail bone, I tripped over this big lugs spare billy club." She replied with a loving, forgiving smile aimed up at Matt.
"I see." I mumbled with a tiny sigh of relief. "You better take damn good care of this one Daredevil." I commanded in a soft voice that only Matt could have heard; he looked in my direction taking care to hide the shock from Janelle.
"How?" He mouthed.
"Never mind, just don't you dare let happen with this one what happened to the others." I stated coldly before turning back to Janelle. "A pleasure to have met you ma'am, I hope you have a long… And happy life." I stated emphasizing the last point for both Murdoch and whatever deity deemed to be listening; I had never truly gotten to know Janelle too well on my Earth, but I'd be damned if this version didn't get to live out the hopes and dreams they both seemed to share. Though I clearly didn't understand too much my feelings on the matter; perhaps it involved my guilt at not visiting her in the hospital prior to her death back home, or not really knowing her. "I'll see you around." I added taking my leave; it was just a good thing I'd been wearing ordinary clothes under the X-Men uniform.
Rogue met me outside near a dirty grey Datsun Fairlady-Z two hundred and eighty ZX; I recognized the vehicle almost immediately considering it belonged to a member of the Autobots.
"What brings you to New York Bluestreak?" I asked the Autobot as I approached the duo.
"Possible Decepticon activity, I recognized Rogue here and thought I'd say hi." He replied as his passenger and driver side doors popped open. "She said you could use a lift."
"Oh, well that's really…" I tried to decline, but he would have none of it.
"I insist." He stated eliciting me to shrug in somewhat defeat towards Rogue.
"Beats walking." I said with a chuckle. "Besides he is a Fairlady-Z, they're classic."
"What is it with guys and cars?" She asked rolling her eyes heavenward; I chuckled as I helped her into the passenger seat.
"Truth be told I think the real question should be what is it about fan boys wanting to live out their fantasies." I quipped as I hopped into the driver's seat; she punched my arm playfully as Bluestreak joined the flow of ongoing traffic. "I thought the 'Cons would quiet down after losing Megatron; unless Starscream managed to convince them he should lead." I amended slipping into the role of fake driver effortlessly.
"You ain't kidding, but apparently Starscream's out and some new powerhouse is in. Prime is really worried." Bluestreak admitted taking a left.
"Well it might cheer him up to know that Josie Beller is whole once more, we managed to break her of her desire for vengeance." I stated with a smile.
"Hey that's great; no human should suffer because of our war." He stated as we took another left.
"Sure wish I'd thought to charge though." I remarked with a sly smile.
"Yah joke around too much." Rogue accused trying hard to keep a straight face.
"And that's what you love about me, right." I teased running my free hand up her inner thigh.
"Not exactly; Ah simply tolerate it." She shot back playfully nibbling at my ear.
"Ouch, hey." I grumbled although my angry tone was pretty weak; didn't fool her for an instant, she leaned in for a long kiss and when we parted I was smiling from ear to ear. "You're getting good at that." I teased eliciting a blush from her, she'd french kissed me again; Bluestreak revved his engine as if to say, Humans, and turned right at the next intersection.
"The Sinister Six failed again." Toad reported with a chuckle; Vulture glared at him, but Kingpin didn't seem to acknowledge him.
"I am well aware of that." Fisk snapped reaching over for the telephone. "I trust that fool supplied you with the right number." He added dialing a sequence of numbers.
"He said it was genuine." Toad stated defensively.
"D and D wreckin' company, you build it we wreck it; how can we help ya mate?" A voice on the other end greeted with a sickeningly sweet tone.
"This is The Kingpin I believe you've been expecting this call." Fisk began only to be cut off by the man on the other end who had broken out into hysterics.
"Yo' big Z, it's him!" He hollered far too loudly for the Kingpins' liking; after several short minutes of silence a new voice greeted Fisk, a far more sinister toned voice.
"Ah Mister Fisk; how good of you to call, how can my organization assist you?" He asked straight to business.
"There is a particular thorn in my side of late; a man by the name of Rutherford I want him eliminated." Fisk demanded; the man on the other end smiled although Fisk didn't know this.
"We'll handle him; just give us a full name and address." He stated. "Of course the matter of cost is not a problem?" He wondered casually.
"Money is no object; the target is Allan Rutherford. He is staying at Fourteen Oh Seven Graymalkin Lane Salem County West Chester." Fisk informed; the man on the other end thanked Fisk for his business and hung up, he turned to a silent observer and smiled broadly.
"Just as you predicted Cobra Commander." Zartan stated with a slight chuckle.
"Was there ever any doubt? The wheels have been set in motion, soon the Kingpin of crime will be no more and his former handhold on New York City's criminal underworld will be ripe for the pickings." The Commander stated eyes flashing from beneath the hooded mask he was currently wearing.
To Be Continued; Better late then never right? The Sinister Six have been dealt with; next time we begin the two part segment featuring the adventure of a life time for our young hero... Ok it's really just a fanboys' dream come true, but whatever; because next time...
"GIJoe Will Return After these Messages!" (Guest Starring Allan Rutherford as New Recruit Benjamin Franklin Pierce.)
