Ultimate Genesis X-Men Chapter Nine: Blacklash

Written By Mick Edwards

RECAP:ProfessorCharlesXavier,GeneralNicholasFury,andSpecialAgentLoganofSHIELDheraldedthedraftingofseveralofXavier'sstudentsintoaprojectcalledX-MEN.ItsmissionistoprotecttheAmericanfrontfromglobalterroristfactionsincludingmutantsupremacistbasedterrorism.Intheirfirstmission,theystoppedashipfullofterroristsfromdepositingtheircontents,butwhatwasinsideisunknown.RoguehadtouchedtheCaptain,andgainedaglimpseofthemanwhowasbehindthewholescheme...theRedSkull.ArescueattemptledtotherecoveryofAgentLogan,buthismindwasfoundtobelostduetotheRedSkull'spsychicpowers.Uponreconnectingwithhisbody,LoganhelpedAnna,Tessa,KurtandtheothersdefeatCrossbonesandhisgoons.Currently,theychargetheRedSkullscloakedcastle,hopingtolearnanswersaboutwhotheRedSkullreallyiswhilenotknowingaboutLogan'spast...

AfternarrowlydefeatingtheseeminglyunstoppableDestroyerrobot,theX-Menwerecaughtinaexplosion,theirfateunknown.NowtheX-MenaredividedwithWolverineandAnnainthegripofBlacklash!

BlacklashhadhiswhipstightaroundLogan'sthroat,sendinghighvoltageintothemutant'sbody.Annaunconscious,unabletohelp.Thewhips,Logandidn'tknowwhattheyweremadeof,maybecarbonadium.BlacklashmadesurehewasbehindLogan,notallowinganycounterattacktobemade.Loganpulledonthewhipsaroundhisthroat,tryingtowrenchthemfree.Nogood.Theelectricshocktohissystemwastakingitstoll.Annawokeup,alashmarkonherface.SeeingLoganbeingelectrocutedscaredheroutofherwits.Shecouldn'tletLogandown.Carefullyplanningherattack,Annamanagedtomakecontactwithhisface.Nothinghappened,andBlacklashturnedhisattentiononAnna.Knockingherasidewithhisfist,lettingLogango.BlacklashbelievedLoganwasdeadandAnnacouldsoonbenext.

"C'merelittlegirl,Ioweyouawhippin'!"

"No,stayawayfromme,I'mwarningyou!"

"You,warnme?" Blacklashlaughed.Hiswhipscracklingwithcurrent. "Honey,thereisnooneheretosaveyou."

Blacklashmadeamovetowardher,Annamadetodefendherselfuntilbloodhitherrightontheface.JuttingfromBlacklash'schestwasLogan'sclaws. The bruises on his neck healed, and there was a wild look in Logan's eyes. Blacklash smiled, His whips took hold of Logan's ankle, pulling him into the air. The wounds on Blacklash healed, but not in a organic type of way. It appeared Blacklash was more machine than man. Making this fight a whole lot more dangerous.

-X-

Kurt, Bobby, Jean, Scott, and Tessa had been back at the mansion for a day. They had not heard from Anna or Logan. This made the team concerned. Professor Xavier used Cerebro try to track them down. For reasons unknown, Cerebro was unable to detect their mutant signatures. This left the team discussing what they should do next.

"We need to find out where Anna and Logan are, since our encounter with the Fear Foundation, they have not turned up." Scott stood my by the unlit fire place. A bottle of water in hand. Jean sat next to him.

"I agree, they are our teammates, family."

"I'm afraid you have a new mission my X-Men, that demands your immediate attention." Charles entered the room with a tablet that he sat on the coffee table. A projection showed a tall, heavily muscled man wearing orange armor with silver bands on his biceps, and a silver helmet on his head.

"This is Cain Marko, my step-brother from my mother's second marriage. Cain is a mutant who can manipulate matter with in his own vicinity. Some how, he learned to use that power to make him a super strong, nearly unstoppable behemoth."

"You never mentioned a step-brother, Professor." Sage showed the rare emotion of surprise. Charles looked at Tessa, sensing she was hurt about not knowing more about her adoptive father's family.

"I'm sorry, Tessa. I kept Cain a secret because he is an unrepentant mass murderer. He has killed thousands in his rampages, and destroyed millions of dollars in property. Every effort to subdue him has failed. No one knows how he learned to turn his power in on himself to make him so difficult to defeat."

"Then, what can we possibly do?" asked Kurt. He was perched on the edge of the couch where Tessa and Bobby sat.

"There has to be a method that was over-looked," said Bobby

"There is, but...it is very risky."

Tessa tensed. Like she knew what her adoptive father would say. "You plan on shutting him down."

The others looked at Charles, with surprise and concern that he would go to battle with them.

"I am hoping that my mental powers are strong enough to subdue him so that he can be placed where he will hurt no one else."

"If you are going to do this Professor, then we will need a solid plan of attack."

-X-

Stomping his way through armed resistance, Cain was enjoying himself. His blood lust insatiable. Every since he was a child, he enjoyed killing things cause he had no sympathy, no remorse. No emotional attachments to anyone or anything. He killed his own father when his mutant powers manifested. Nothing satisfied him more. Cain picked up a civilian attempting escape. It was a small child that he killed by pulling the boy apart.

"Hahahahah!" Bullets just pinged off the mad man. His helmet was constructed of common steel, amplified by his own mutant powers and containing the early cerebro prototype Xavier built that instead of allowing him to isolate mutant minds from norms. Prevented psychic intrusions. Cain picked up a garbage truck that skidded in front of him and was ready to bring it down on the police. A crimson beam hit Cain in the chest forcing him back. Cain put the garbage truck in front of him, the crimson beam smashed straight through with the effect of knocking Cain on his back side.

Continue the assault, Cyclops. Ice Man make sure Cain cannot gainhis bearings. Nightcrawler, teleport the civilians to satisfy. We have to contain the damage.

-X-

The injuries took their toll on Logan. He started healing slower and slower. Got up less frequent. Blacklash continued the punishment. Anna felt helpless. Until she noticed a cabinet half opened with a blaster in it. Having never used a gun, Anna picked it up and fired it haphazardly. A corrosive spray nicked Blacklash's shoulder. The damage quickly moved up his arm making it inert.

"YOU BITCH, what did you do!"

More of Blacklash's body succumbed to the corrosive, he fan from Logan's badly injured body. Disappearing in a dark pink flash. Anna came over to check on Logan. She had little idea how to help him. The sound of engines could be heard, with the silo above opening. A SHIELD rescue unit landed and Anna cried as they carried Logan onto the ship.

-X-

Cain pushed hard against the blizzard like conditions Bobby put him through. Using his mutant power to make himself stronger and more durable. The metal helmet of his cracked since it wasn't as close to his skin. Scott managed to get a shot shattering the helmet. Next began the battle of wills with Xavier bringing to bear all of his psychic power on Cain. The struggle for dominance between a psychopath and a man of peace. Like all battles between good and evil. Evil seemed hell bent on winning. Xavier started losing foot hold after foot old. Until he felt Jean in his mind, lending not only her strength, but that of Sage. Cain's progress halted, with his mind trapped in a four sided psionic cage that he may never escape from. Xavier collapsed from the effort with Jean and Sage tending to him.

-X-

Weeks went by. Logan had just gotten out of the CCU and placed in his own room at a SHIELD medical facility. His recovery slow, and worrisome for Anna. She spent nearly all of her time by his side. Hoping that he would wake up soon. He didn't. This scared Anna more than she had ever been in her life. The second time Logan had been in a coma like state. Crying herself to sleep.

Logan opened his eyes shortly after. His wounds began to heal faster until he could get out of the bed on his own and remove his bandages. Logan popped his neck and stretched his body. Seeing Anna in the chair, Logan felt guilty for making her worry. Logan had experienced many of times before that when his body took too much damage, his mind would shut down with his healing factor focused on stabilization and not rapid recovery. He didn't know why this happened, he didn't know what his body did or his mind. All he knew is that upon wakening, he would fully heal.

Logan felt cooped up in the room. Putting on a pair of gray shorts left in the clothing cabinet for patients to walk around in around the facility. He went outside, feeling the breeze. Better than being cooped up inside. All the different scents that made him feel alive. The moon light reminded Logan of nights past. When he would lay beside a lover, thinking this is it. It can't get any better. Each time ended in tragedy. One man stalked Logan his whole life. He only knew him by his first name. Victor

"Logan?"

Logan turn around, seeing Anna looking through the window at him. She rubbed her eyes thinking she might be dreaming. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, never better kid."

"Come back inside, it's freezing out here."

Logan smiled. The cold weather didn't bother him in the slightest. His healing factor insulated him against extreme cold, and other harsh weather. "I'll be in shortly."

Anna nodded and went to the cots provided for family or guests.

-X-

"You failed Blacklash." The chill in the air made Blacklash's cybernetic stump seem like a lesser problem. "X is too dangerous to remain loose and under the purvey of SHIELD. When he should be under our thumb."

"I'm sorry, Master. I didn't expect..."

"Silence," said another voice. "We don't need any excuses. Return to the PIT your repairs and sleep cycle."

Blacklash didn't waste a moment getting out of the sight of his masters. The center of the floor opened and a single figure rose up from the secret elevator. He wore all black, a visor on his face, large angelic wings, big hands and feet. Stark blondish brown hair,

"Calvin, we have a job for you." Calvin smiled.

To be continued