The story thus far: Force Works set its sights on Dr. Sublime, a modern day
Dr. Menegla responsible for Arsenal's powers. They found him, but
unfortunately hadn't expected his new allies, Genecide and her Eugenix.
Caught completely off guard by these well-prepared foes, Force Works was
easily defeated. Only X-Treme, who disappeared before the fight, remains
free.
***
In the secret bowels underneath Mother of Hope Mental Rehabilitation Clinic
"That nose of yours pick up anything, One?" John Borne, otherwise known as the fire-projecting member of Eugenix called Nine, asked. He was standing over a map of the facility with his fellow members of Eugenix.
"Nope, I can't smell any odd scents, and the sensors haven't picked anything up, One replied. "But that most likely means he don't have a scent or hasn't set off any alarms." Like all of Eugenix, he was wearing a gray and blue body suit. His hair was pure white, and his powers were largely physical.
"That means we have to do this the hard way," a blond haired female stated. Her designation was Four, and was gifted with super speed.
"Are you sure that's a wise idea?" Twelve asked. "What if he gets past us and to Genecide?"
"She's in the holding area with Seven, Ten and Eleven, along with Sublime. She'll be safe in there, at least for now. Now, let's get hunting!" Four shouted before speeding away.
The other nine members of Eugenix reluctantly scattered, each given an assigned area of the base to search.
"Hunting, eh?" X-Treme whispered from his vantage point, hanging comfortably on the steel pipes above where Eugenix had planned their search. "Shame they don't know who's really the prey."
***
The Holding Area
"A super charged human, a quantum reinforced mutant, a genetic redundancy, a extra dimensional energy manipulator, a shape shifter limited by her own fear, a modern day Frankenstein, a super strong weather manipulator and an overachieving techno morph," Genecide clucked her tongue. Force Works was imprisoned before her in transparent tubes, stasis tubes specially designed by A.I.M specifically to keep Force Works captive. The entire team was lined up like trophies. "It takes so little these days to become a celebrity, I guess."
"You say that like it's a bad thing," Speedball quipped. "and we prefer the term, social activists."
"You'll all make fine compliments to Eugenix, regardless," she replied.
"Assuming they take to your...gift," Sublime added from a chair in the far corner.
"About that," Taki stated. "I've read about you and your team. Why are you allied with Sublime, a man whose experiments run directly against nature? And how did you recruit so many mutants to your team?"
"I suppose there's no harm in telling you, since you'll be members of our ranks soon enough. What do you know about this hospital?"
"Nothing really," Kymaera confessed.
"Obviously. This place is, or was, hardly a mental hospital. It's an institution where rich parents send their mutant children for 'behavior modification', by in large. Mutant children are enrolled, and then drugged until they forget the fact that they are mutants. My parents sent me here when my powers, the abilities to see and understand anyone's genetic code with but a glance, surfaced.
I was able to resist the drugs at first, but soon I realized something. Not only could I see my own genetic code, but that I could change it to however I wanted. In a short amount of time, I killed the director of this institute and assumed control. After a little experimentation, I learned that I could 'gift' people with my powers, to a certain degree," Genecide motioned towards Ten, Seven and Eleven. "After doing so, they joined my campaign."
"Effectively brainwashing them," Mirage deadpanned.
"I prefer to think of it as drafting. With some of my fellow mutants at my side, my crusade to repair our evolution will be that much easier."
"What's Sublime got to do with your twisted agenda?" Arsenal spat. "Or have you forgotten how he chopped up mutants to empower me?"
"I forget nothing, Mr. Greggs. As you are aware, Sublime has done something almost no other meta-scientist, in twenty years of trying, has done. He's created and transplanted an artificial healing factor. So..."
"So you're going to use him to create a virus that acts similar in function to a healing factor, only applied to the genetic level. Those with 'good genes' won't be bothered in the least, but those with poor genes would be killed by their own immune system," Wiz Kid finished.
A pause.
"Wow, is that what our faces look like when you villains explain your schemes? Because that look is just priceless," Taki stated. "No wonder you do it so often."
"Great minds..."Sublime muttered. "Yes, well, you know what they say," Sublime smiled. "Soldiers pay for their war crimes, scientists simply commit more for different masters."
***
"You ordered X-Treme away, didn't you?" Dani whispered to Nova, their tubes adjoining one another.
"Yup," he replied simply.
"And after all that bull about how to play things straight for the media," Dani snapped.
"Hey, you got deniability." Richard Rider smirked. "The media barely talks to us, only to you, remember? Besides, shouldn't we be worrying about getting out of here?"
"I'm waiting for X-Treme," Dani explained. "but don't worry, I won't let Genecide try anything."
Nova opened his mouth to reply before a realization came over him. He remained silent, but kept a smirk on his face as Genecide detailed exactly how she would break Force Works to her will.
***
"Whereisthatspikeyfreak?" Four asked aloud as she searched room after room at super speed. She finished searching one hall, and moved onto another. However, she streaked down the hall, she failed to see a boot made of alien leather shoot out of a formerly closed doorway until it was too late. Four was sent tumbling down the hallway at nearly sixty miles per hour.
"Roosha, I feel dirty," Adam Sol muttered as he stepped out. He didn't like fighting women and he hated fighting slaves even more. But Adam was a practical man, and always did what he had to. Recriminations could always come later.
"Too bad it didn't work..." Four stated as she rushed by, striking X-Treme with a one hundred mile per hour haymaker. "I got super speed reflexes, which means I'm fast enough to react properly during a fall."
X-Treme, on his hands and knees, spat out a small gob of blood and stated. "Duly noted. What's your top speed, if I may ask?"
"Speed of sound," Four said proudly as she waited for X-Treme to make his next move. She could easily defeat him now, but this way she could prove her superiority to him. "Why?"
"What happens if you hit something at top speed?"
"Umm..." Before she could find an adequate answer, X-Treme pushed himself up into the air, like a startled jungle cat, and unleashed several blades. None of them were aimed at Four, but rather at every light bulb in the hallway. They scattered as one, throwing the hall into utter darkness normally reserved for the bottom of the ocean.
And Four, fearful of hitting something at super speed now thanks to X- Treme, was easy prey for a chop to the back of the neck.
***
"Can't believe I'm wasting my time like this," Nine muttered as his hands cackled with flame. He was in the kitchen, taking a quick rest from the search for a beer break. So far, no member of Eugenix had found a single shred of evidence that X-Treme had been with Force Works today, and Nine was an impatient man. If he wasn't cleansing the world of the worthless, well, he just wasn't happy. He popped the beer open and took a deep gulp.
"So you burn people?"
Nine tossed the beer away and spun around, spying the object of his search.
"I used to do that too, until my leader asked me to stop. Something about health effects and lawsuits. You should be careful too, I guess," X-Treme said conversationally. "You wanna do this, or would you like to surrender?" X-Treme paused. "Please?"
Nine increased his body temperature two hundred degrees and smiled. "Go right ahead, bitch. I know all about you, you're a close range fighter. You can't touch me, you can't hurt me."
"I wouldn't be so sure about that," X-Treme's left hand became a blur, and Nine heard a whizzing sound moments before he felt steel slash against his forehead, just above his eyebrows. The resultant blood lost, besides being incredibly painful, blinded Nine completely.
"Arrgh!" Nine lost his concentration on his flame powers and tried to wipe the blood out of his eyes. He wiped once, enough to see X-Treme's foot crashing towards his chest.
Twelve failed to see X-Treme approach him from behind until X-Treme's garret was secured around his throat.
Three, with the power of acid touch and searching the personal quarters, didn't see X-Treme balanced on the top of the doorsill until it was too late.
Five, empowered with a voice that controls anyone who hears it, was defeated with a chop to the throat and punch to the stomach.
And on it went, until there were only two hunters left. One was currently stalking X-Treme, and had been doing so since he'd defeated Six. The hunter and prey were in the Broiler Room, with X-Treme standing over the prone form of Two, rubbing his chin.
"This is all of them, I think," X-Treme mused aloud.
"Heh, poor bastard doesn't even know he's missed me. Well, when I'm done with him, he'll never forget me." One thought to himself. He lined himself up so that he faced X-Treme's exposed back, and pounced, his clawed hands out.
"Oh yes," X-Treme stated as he, without looking backwards, reached behind his back, grabbed One by his wrists and flipped him over onto the cement floor. "One more to go."
One's vision spun wildly as X-Treme carefully regarded him for a long moment. Then, casually, X-Treme plopped down on One's chest. X-Treme withdrew a dagger and pressed it against One's throat. "Here's how it's going to be. I want to know about every single trap, back up plan and dirty little ideas Genecide has regarding Force Works. If I have to hurt you to find out, then I'm sorry, but so be it."
In response, One swiped both his claws at X-Treme. X-Treme caught them and held them in place despite One's protest.
"Go to hell, you won't make me talk," One spat.
"I may not, but nature will," X -Treme flexed his muscles, and cleanly snapped the bones in One's arm, who howled like a banshee.
"Gonna...have to do better than that!" One snarled thru gritted teeth.
"I may not have to. See, I know about your healing factor." The alien warrior explained with a flat expression. "See, bones are funny things. They don't heal correctly, they don't set, you see. If they are out of place and are left there, well, they'll heal there," X -Treme squeezed One's wrists ever so slightly. "That's what I'm doing now. Now, unless you want me to cripple you for life, you'll give me what I want. If you don't," X-Treme squeezed harder on One's wrist, sending dagger of pain shooting thru his body. "I'll stop playing nice, and get really ugly."
One gulped hard, and began singing like a canary.
***
The Holding Area
"One, come in! Twelve, come in! Anyone report, what's your status?" Genecide shouted over her comm. unit, worry seeping into her voice. "Why aren't those idiots responding?"
"Duh, maybe they be keepin' the radio silence on," the hulking form of Seven suggested.
"Or maybe they just turned their comm. units off?" Sublime proposed. "Perhaps they didn't want someone to accidentally give them away?"
"Or maybe X-Treme's just that damn good," Arsenal stated from his stasis tube. "But let me tell you something, Sublime, not even X-Treme will stop me from gutting you."
"My, such outrage, Bobby. But answer me this, how much of it is truly yours?" Sublime asked.
"All of it."
"Oh? I've given you power beyond your wildest dreams. You never would be where you are right now if it weren't for me. Tell me Bobby, have you ever attempted to see if my handiwork can be undone?"
Arsenal glared at Sublime, never saying a word.
"Of course not, because not so deep down, you like the power," Sublime explained with a very smug expression. "You're only angry because you think you should be. Yes, some of your outrage is genuine, no doubt regarding the mutants that I experimented with, but let's be honest Bobby, that's where the hatred ends."
"Don't call me Bobby, Sublime, we're not friends," Arsenal growled.
"But we will be soon," Sublime said with an easy smile. No sooner had he said that than the entire room was thrown into utter darkness. The back up lights quickly came on, bathing everyone in red emergency light.
"Dammit," Genecide quickly pulled out a small remote from her belt.
"Nervous, Genecide?" a voice boomed, filled with casual confidence. Eleven fired ice in the direction that she heard the voice, but hit only the wall. "Perhaps an earth psalm will calm you."
Seven cracked his knuckles, ready for attack. "For yea though a walk thru the valley of the shadow of death..."
Ten swirled about in his gas form, unable to discern where the voice was coming from.
"...I will fear no evil..."
A blade shot out from the shadows, slicing into Genecide's hand and forcing her to drop the remote,
"Because I'm the baddest mother fucker there is," X -Treme finished as he finally stepped into the light. To the horror of Sublime and the Eugenix, X- Treme looked as fresh as a daisy, not like someone who'd just defeated an entire team of super humans. X-Treme slowly unsheathed his sword from his back and held it straight in front.
"You're out numbered, and out classed," X -Treme stated. "Surrender, please."
"Out numbered? I count four of us, blondie," Ten replied.
"But there are nine of us," a voice declared. Eugenix turned as one, and saw Mirage. Only she wasn't inside the stasis tube where they had placed her, rather she was outside, leaning back against it.
"I'm called Mirage, remember? What do you think the chances are that I just stood around with my thumb up my ass, waiting for X-Treme?"
Force Works freed themselves with an almost dismissive ease from the now ordinary glass tubes, glass particles littering the ground. Wolfsbane growled as she regarded her foes, Tarene's war mallet glowed with power in anticipation, Arsenals eyes glowed red while Taki created an high tech weapon in his hand.
"Now, lets try this again, only without the element of surprise," Taki stated as he struck Ten with an electrical blast that sent the gas creature into unconsciousness. Genecide and Sublime took off into a dead sprint, albeit in separate directions as Seven and Eleven stepped forward to meet Force Works.
"Genecide's mine! Arsenal, get Sublime!" Mirage shouted as she started to chase the two masterminds
"Take your best shots, losers!" Seven declared as he charged forward. "Whatever you hit me with, I'll shove it back down your throat!"
"Oh really?" the human rocket asked as he zipped under Seven's legs and came up, wrapping his arm around Seven's throat. "I actually figured out that you absorb kinetic energy from our last fight, you putz. But that don't mean I can't choke you into submission."
Before Nova could fully strangle Seven into submission, the huge, balking man began to shrink down at an incredible rate. Within moments, the formerly hulking man was only four feet tall.
"Sorry baldy, but I'm taking back what's mine. Gimme!" Speedball explained as he drained the kinetic energy out of him. Seven was then defeated with the flick of Nova's wrist.
Eleven, for her part, attempted an attack that had been successful before. She lunged at Tarene with her hands out, again attempting to freeze the blood in her veins. Tarene however, had other plans. Moving as swift as lightning and with a sneer, Tarene grabbed Eleven's wrists and snapped them like twigs. Tarene then cast Eleven aside like a rag doll, but she wasn't content to stop there.
With blood red eyes and anger hotter than the stars above, Tarene stalked towards Eleven and raised her war mallet. "You hurt me!"
"Tarene, stop!" Wolfsbane tackled the mystery godling at the knees while Kymaera tackled her from the front.
"Tarene! What the hell are you doing?" Kymaera demanded. Fear shot down the princess' spine as she saw Tarene's face. Her face was snarled, ugly, like the vampires on "Buffy" but somehow still the same young woman Force Works had taken in. Her eyes were blood red, with no evidence of pupils whatsoever. It was a look of rage rarely seen on any living creature outside of the Hulk, and it scared Kymaera deeply. Thankfully, some part of Tarene recognized her friends. She blinked several times, and seemingly unaware of how she came to be tackled by her teammates, asked the obvious question. "What?"
Genecide sprinted down the corridor that led to Eugenix's aircraft. Her team was defeated, her resources compromised and her long-term plans derailed. She knew that if she didn't escape, she would be up shit creek without a paddle. Genecide's hands flew a small control panel on her wrist, a remote activator for the preflight procedures for her aircraft. She hadn't a moment to lose. Once she was in the clear, she could plan to rescue or recruit another Eugenix, start over. As she burst into the hangar, she expected to be met with the sounds of a roaring jet engine, hovering several feet off the ground and ready for take off.
Instead, she found that her plane was still ground bound and deathly still. Genecide began pounding on her remote as she made her way towards the plane, desperate to activate her only real means of escape.
"If I had to guess, I'd say that X-Treme disabled your aircraft," a voice explained.
Genecide took a moment to steel herself for the confrontation. "So, it comes down to this. A cat fight between two opposing leaders."
Genecide spun around, and was met with nearly a half dozen arrows. One arrow struck each lung, another two struck Genecide's kidneys and a final one struck her liver.
"Sorry about the harsh treatment, but I was informed that you have something of a healing factor," the young illusion caster explained as Genecide slumped to the floor.
With fire in her eyes, Genecide forced herself to stand. She ripped the arrows out and before allowing her healing factor to repair her badly damaged body, and lunged at Moonstar.
"And about that comment about a 'cat fight'?" the mutant Cheyenne deflected Genecide's attack with her left arm and struck the woman squarely in the jaw with her right. Dani followed up with a knee to the gut and finished with a roundhouse kick that sent Genecide tumbling into near unconsciousness. "I've been trained by Wolverine, know four forms of karate and SHIELD trained to boot, but I don't know how to cat fight."
"Should have killed you when I had the chance," Genecide muttered as she fell unconscious.
"Yeah, you should have. Because, while we're not as powerful as the Avengers or as experienced as the X-Men, but most of us grew up doing this shit," Dani explained, her expression blank.
***
Sublime ran thru the corridors like the hounds of hell were baying at his feet, and that wasn't far from the truth. Sublime turned another corner, and nearly soiled himself in relief. Not twenty feet away was an old emergency exit. And from there, freedom. Sublime began sprinting, his eyes wet with relief.
But his escape was not to be. An optic blast, aimed expertly at the ceiling, transformed the exit into a dead end of rubble. Sublime whirled around, and saw Arsenal's steel form strolling towards him.
"I...I helped you! I made you better! If it weren't for me, you'd be a nobody!" Sublime exclaimed as he fearfully backpedaled into the rubble. Arsenal said nothing as he stalked towards Sublime in his steel for, silent as death.
"I...I can undo what I did! Please, think about all I can do for science!"
Arsenal looked down at the pathetic, quivering scientist, and couldn't bring himself to say anything. The silence ended when bone slided past bone, quickly followed by a long, shrieking scream.
In one act, one horrible man was stripped of everything he held dear.
***
Later, The Work Place
After several hours of police reports, impromptu interviews and briefings, Force Works were on finally home after a very long day. X-Treme's, as always, landed the Stealth Wing into the hangar with expert ease and the team stepped out.
"You can't believe how glad I am this day is almost over," Dani said as she stepped down the walkway of the Stealth Wing. "At least we did some good, though I doubt we'll beat out X-Corp on today's news."
"We're nae in competition, ye knew," Rahne reminded her.
"We were here first," Dani grumbled.
"Moonstar, you there?" The familiar voice of Malcolm Hearte, asked over her comm. unit.
"How'd you get on this frequency, Hearte? You're our P.R director; you don't need to have our comm. frequency," Dani spat.
"For the record, Parvenue's people all but crawled up my ass when they performed a background check, so you don't need to worry. Look, about today's mission..." Mirage listened with interest, and then, startling everyone, jumped up and down hollering like her football team had just scored an impossible touchdown. After several confusing seconds, she composed herself.
"Care to share the good news?" Taki inquired
"The F.B.I's and the Justice Department launched an civil rights investigation into the institution Genecide was using. C.N.N, Sixty Minutes, Dateline all want interviews! We're front page for at least a week!" Dani pumped her fist into the air. "But that'll come later. To celebrate our continued popularity, I'm going to go to a club, and probably get shit faced. Anyone else want to join me?"
"Sounds good to me," Nova shrugged.
"Me too," Arsenal added
"What's shit faced?" Tarene asked
"We'll explain it when we're older," Namorita smiled.
"I think we're all up for that," Speedball said.
"But only those of legal age will get shit faced, Robbie," Dani quickly stated as she pulled her yellow mask down.
"You mean I'll have to watch, fully coherent, while you guys make an ass of yourselves?" Speedball asked. "Damn," Speedball snapped his fingers, then nudged Wiz Kid with his elbow. "You got a camera on that thing, right?"
Wiz Kid converted his tech-pack back into a wheel chair and smirked. "With live web feed, if I wanted to."
Robbie turned towards Rahne. "You wanna join us red? A party's not as much fun without a wet blanket."
"Umm, I have a date with Doug," Rahne said meekly. "Unless you would like me tae come wit' ye."
"Sure! We need all team babes there!" Robbie implored
"Robbie, quite. You go have a good time with Doug, firetop. That's an order," Dani said. She already knew Rahne was no fan of clubs, so she didn't feel like dragging her into something she wouldn't enjoy over a date with her boyfriend. "Nova, go grab the image inducers, we're going to hit Nature's Gift."
"Aye, aye, chief." Nova did a mock salute, and was gone in the blink of an eye at superspeed. He zipped down to the lower levels, designated for storage. The room was filled with almost piece every survival equipment imaginable for the well-equipped super team. Night vision goggles, specially designed parkas made of unstable molecules and at least a dozen spare uniforms. After several seconds searching, Nova found the locker that kept the image inducers. He was about to speed away when he realized that he'd grabbed all but one of them, and he only had seven (X-Treme had already pulled his damn vanishing act. God forbid he act social). There were supposed to be nine always at the ready, at least.
"Ten bucks says Speedy's swiped one to look like Leo and pick up chicks," the human rocket smirked. He rejoined his teammates and handed out the inducers. One by one, the members of Force Works activated them. The changes the inducers caused were subtle, things that might have been missed by Force Works' friends and family. Cheekbones, eye color and slight height changes, though in Namorita's case, her skin tone changed from blue to black.
Then, like clock work, they left. They took a special elevator down to a subbasement and parted ways. Tarene and Bobby entered a passageway that emerged into an abandoned office, Mirage emerged from an always-empty broom closet in a privately owned Law firm and on it went. Slowly, unassumingly, the team met up an empty alley across the street from an abandoned housing project. After checking to make sure no one was around, Dani activated a pager she's been given by Dr. Trekker, and a familiar yellow tear in space appeared.
"The conquering heroes have returned," the Doorman sneered. "And you've brought friends. Wonderful, really."
"Wow, you'd think by now that you could have teleported that stick out from your ass," Dani replied. "Don't worry, we're just here to have a good time, like everyone else."
Doorman stepped aside, and motioned for Force Works to enter. "Of course. It is my pleasure to inform you that drinks are on the house for you and your friends," Doorman's tone hardly conveyed the spirit of his words. "And that we have reserved a couch for you near the dance floor."
"Go V.I.P treatment!" Robbie exclaimed as Doorman escorted to their couch. It was ideally situated between the bar and the dance floor, but was out of the way of the majority of foot traffic.
"Enjoy yourselves." Doorman turned and left without another word.
"I'll order the drinks. Who wants what?" Nova asked.
"That won't be necessary, sir." A young woman, with white scales and pupil- less eyes stated as she approached with a full tray. "Who wanted the Rolling Rock?"
"That'd be me," Dani said without missing a beat.
"Umm, someone want to explain?"
"Obviously, they have a telepathic bartender, Rich," Taki explained. "I'll take the Root Beer."
"Actually, we employ a psychic to predict orders." The waitress explained. "Now who ordered the Millar Lite?"
"I guess that'd be mine. I thought I'd order a coke, though," Arsenal said as he took the drink. "It's healthier than Beer, at any rate.
"Well, I wouldn't say that. Coke is used by State Troopers to remove blood stains on state high ways, after all," Taki explained.
"I think I'll have a beer then."
Dani took a gulp of her beer. "I'm gonna hit the dance floor. Who's joining me?"
"Me and my boytoy are," Kymaera stated as she grabbed Richard Rider by his belt and pulled him onto the dance floor.
"Bobby?" Dani asked
"I'll be there in a sec," he answered. "I need a few seconds to build up the courage to dance."
Dani shrugged with a slight trace of disappointment. "Suit yourself."
Bobby watched her walk away and join the crowd on the dance floor. He wanted to go out there, but he wasn't sure if Dani wanted him out there for the same reasons he wanted to be out there.
"So, you've just defeated your arch foe, destroy his evil medical future via nifty hand piercings, what are you going to do next?"
Bobby looked towards Speedball. "What'd you say? Sorry, my mind was else where."
Robbie looked at Dani's gyrating form. "Lemme guess where. Never mind. She likes you, you know."
"Dani? What makes you think that? I doubt she even has time for sexuality."
"She's had her eye on your for a while, dude. That's why she sent you after Sublime," Speedball explained. "Because she knows you're not a cold blooded killer, man. I say go for it. Or if you're not gonna take a shot, give me a recommendation." Robbie winked.
Bobby took a shot of liquid courage and stood up. "What the hell. Not like she can do much worse on this team."
"That's the spirit!" Robbie proclaimed. "Hey, wait a minute!"
Bobby maneuvered between the bodies on the dance floor until he was standing three feet away from Dani. "Mind if I have this dance?"
"This isn't dancing, it's free style moving," Dani commented. "You did good today, Bobby. I'm surprised, though."
"I was," Bobby stated as he moved with the rhythm of the band. "I mean, Sublime did some horrible things to a lot of innocent people..."
"But?" Arsenal gave Dani and odd look. "Thought I'd save you the time."
"As greedy as it sounds, I really wasn't one of those people. His experiments helped me, enabled to do things and see places I never would have otherwise. I know it's wrong, but I can only hate him so much. And it doesn't include murder."
"It's not wrong," Dani shrugged. "It's human. Just do the best you can every day with the hand you were dealt. It's all anyone really can do."
Doug politely opened the door for Rahne. Rahne gracefully entered and set her purse down on the coffee table. She was about to suggest a movie that they would enjoy, but as soon as she turned around Doug began kissing her on the neck and slowly working his way up.
"I just hope it'll be enough," Arsenal sighed. "You know, I almost didn't recognize you out here?"
Rahne didn't resist at first, both because it felt good and Doug was her boyfriend, but she started to protest when his left hand started to grope her breast. Doug ignored her, and while his left hand groped her breast, his right hand moved down to the leg shit on Rahne's dress. As soon as she felt this, Rahne pushed Doug away.
"How so?" Dani asked with a raised eyebrow. She never stopped dancing.
"Bitch!" Doug roared as he slapped her across the face. "Whore!" A punch to her stomach. "Tramp!" Another slap across the face. "Teasing slut!"
"You're smiling. It's a wonderful thing I, I mean we, don't see enough of." Dani let out a loud laugh. "Yeah, ain't that the truth. Leading Force Works is hard, dealing with the press and media is even harder. But you know what?"
Finally, after several minutes of abuse, Rahne had fallen to the ground, quaking as she wept; but Doug didn't want to stop. He kicked her in the stomach twice before saying. "Look what you made me do! This is your fault, if you weren't such a tramp, this wouldn't have happened!"
"What?"
Doug left Rahne crying on his floor as he entered his bathroom. His legs were suddenly made of lead and he had to steady himself against the sink for a moment. Doug took several deep breaths to calm himself, his heart pumping a hundred miles per hour. "Damn, what a rush!" He thought to himself. "At this rate, I don't care if I never bag this bitch, she's still the best I ever had!"
"I've decided to forget that for today. We stopped a dangerous threat before it even got started, the media loves us, it's been weeks and no major injures and lastly..."
Doug waited a few minutes for his heart beat to resume its normal pattern. He then reached into the medicine cabinet and pulled out eye drops. With practiced ease, he rubbed his eyes and put the drops in. To the untrained eye, it looked like he'd been crying.
"Yeah?"
Doug came out of the bathroom and saw Rahne sitting on the couch, true to form. Before she could say a word, he began to apologize profusely, promising it would never happen again and asking for another chance. "Help me be a better man," Doug said. It seemed to strike a chord the first time.
"Despite my initial fears, everything's working just fine. Force Works is doing fine, as a whole."
After Rahne had been convinced to give Doug one more chance, again, the two decided on a movie to watch. Doug put the DVD in, and plopped down next to Rahne on the couch. He put his arm around her, and she feared to cautiously reciprocate. Doug smiled, and instinctively knew the rush he got from their next date would be even better.
"Everything's perfect, if you think about it. I know it won't last, and I don't expect it to; but I intend to enjoy it while it lasts," Dani smiled. Bobby nodded, and they continued dancing. Dani danced long into the night, having the best time she could remember in as long as she could remember.
The End
***
Next Issue: It's stoplight on Nova and Arsenal as a sin from Nova's war past comes back to haunt him in the form of a certain SuperSkrull! Arsenal's the only Worker who can help him, but why doesn't Nova want his help?
***
In the secret bowels underneath Mother of Hope Mental Rehabilitation Clinic
"That nose of yours pick up anything, One?" John Borne, otherwise known as the fire-projecting member of Eugenix called Nine, asked. He was standing over a map of the facility with his fellow members of Eugenix.
"Nope, I can't smell any odd scents, and the sensors haven't picked anything up, One replied. "But that most likely means he don't have a scent or hasn't set off any alarms." Like all of Eugenix, he was wearing a gray and blue body suit. His hair was pure white, and his powers were largely physical.
"That means we have to do this the hard way," a blond haired female stated. Her designation was Four, and was gifted with super speed.
"Are you sure that's a wise idea?" Twelve asked. "What if he gets past us and to Genecide?"
"She's in the holding area with Seven, Ten and Eleven, along with Sublime. She'll be safe in there, at least for now. Now, let's get hunting!" Four shouted before speeding away.
The other nine members of Eugenix reluctantly scattered, each given an assigned area of the base to search.
"Hunting, eh?" X-Treme whispered from his vantage point, hanging comfortably on the steel pipes above where Eugenix had planned their search. "Shame they don't know who's really the prey."
***
The Holding Area
"A super charged human, a quantum reinforced mutant, a genetic redundancy, a extra dimensional energy manipulator, a shape shifter limited by her own fear, a modern day Frankenstein, a super strong weather manipulator and an overachieving techno morph," Genecide clucked her tongue. Force Works was imprisoned before her in transparent tubes, stasis tubes specially designed by A.I.M specifically to keep Force Works captive. The entire team was lined up like trophies. "It takes so little these days to become a celebrity, I guess."
"You say that like it's a bad thing," Speedball quipped. "and we prefer the term, social activists."
"You'll all make fine compliments to Eugenix, regardless," she replied.
"Assuming they take to your...gift," Sublime added from a chair in the far corner.
"About that," Taki stated. "I've read about you and your team. Why are you allied with Sublime, a man whose experiments run directly against nature? And how did you recruit so many mutants to your team?"
"I suppose there's no harm in telling you, since you'll be members of our ranks soon enough. What do you know about this hospital?"
"Nothing really," Kymaera confessed.
"Obviously. This place is, or was, hardly a mental hospital. It's an institution where rich parents send their mutant children for 'behavior modification', by in large. Mutant children are enrolled, and then drugged until they forget the fact that they are mutants. My parents sent me here when my powers, the abilities to see and understand anyone's genetic code with but a glance, surfaced.
I was able to resist the drugs at first, but soon I realized something. Not only could I see my own genetic code, but that I could change it to however I wanted. In a short amount of time, I killed the director of this institute and assumed control. After a little experimentation, I learned that I could 'gift' people with my powers, to a certain degree," Genecide motioned towards Ten, Seven and Eleven. "After doing so, they joined my campaign."
"Effectively brainwashing them," Mirage deadpanned.
"I prefer to think of it as drafting. With some of my fellow mutants at my side, my crusade to repair our evolution will be that much easier."
"What's Sublime got to do with your twisted agenda?" Arsenal spat. "Or have you forgotten how he chopped up mutants to empower me?"
"I forget nothing, Mr. Greggs. As you are aware, Sublime has done something almost no other meta-scientist, in twenty years of trying, has done. He's created and transplanted an artificial healing factor. So..."
"So you're going to use him to create a virus that acts similar in function to a healing factor, only applied to the genetic level. Those with 'good genes' won't be bothered in the least, but those with poor genes would be killed by their own immune system," Wiz Kid finished.
A pause.
"Wow, is that what our faces look like when you villains explain your schemes? Because that look is just priceless," Taki stated. "No wonder you do it so often."
"Great minds..."Sublime muttered. "Yes, well, you know what they say," Sublime smiled. "Soldiers pay for their war crimes, scientists simply commit more for different masters."
***
"You ordered X-Treme away, didn't you?" Dani whispered to Nova, their tubes adjoining one another.
"Yup," he replied simply.
"And after all that bull about how to play things straight for the media," Dani snapped.
"Hey, you got deniability." Richard Rider smirked. "The media barely talks to us, only to you, remember? Besides, shouldn't we be worrying about getting out of here?"
"I'm waiting for X-Treme," Dani explained. "but don't worry, I won't let Genecide try anything."
Nova opened his mouth to reply before a realization came over him. He remained silent, but kept a smirk on his face as Genecide detailed exactly how she would break Force Works to her will.
***
"Whereisthatspikeyfreak?" Four asked aloud as she searched room after room at super speed. She finished searching one hall, and moved onto another. However, she streaked down the hall, she failed to see a boot made of alien leather shoot out of a formerly closed doorway until it was too late. Four was sent tumbling down the hallway at nearly sixty miles per hour.
"Roosha, I feel dirty," Adam Sol muttered as he stepped out. He didn't like fighting women and he hated fighting slaves even more. But Adam was a practical man, and always did what he had to. Recriminations could always come later.
"Too bad it didn't work..." Four stated as she rushed by, striking X-Treme with a one hundred mile per hour haymaker. "I got super speed reflexes, which means I'm fast enough to react properly during a fall."
X-Treme, on his hands and knees, spat out a small gob of blood and stated. "Duly noted. What's your top speed, if I may ask?"
"Speed of sound," Four said proudly as she waited for X-Treme to make his next move. She could easily defeat him now, but this way she could prove her superiority to him. "Why?"
"What happens if you hit something at top speed?"
"Umm..." Before she could find an adequate answer, X-Treme pushed himself up into the air, like a startled jungle cat, and unleashed several blades. None of them were aimed at Four, but rather at every light bulb in the hallway. They scattered as one, throwing the hall into utter darkness normally reserved for the bottom of the ocean.
And Four, fearful of hitting something at super speed now thanks to X- Treme, was easy prey for a chop to the back of the neck.
***
"Can't believe I'm wasting my time like this," Nine muttered as his hands cackled with flame. He was in the kitchen, taking a quick rest from the search for a beer break. So far, no member of Eugenix had found a single shred of evidence that X-Treme had been with Force Works today, and Nine was an impatient man. If he wasn't cleansing the world of the worthless, well, he just wasn't happy. He popped the beer open and took a deep gulp.
"So you burn people?"
Nine tossed the beer away and spun around, spying the object of his search.
"I used to do that too, until my leader asked me to stop. Something about health effects and lawsuits. You should be careful too, I guess," X-Treme said conversationally. "You wanna do this, or would you like to surrender?" X-Treme paused. "Please?"
Nine increased his body temperature two hundred degrees and smiled. "Go right ahead, bitch. I know all about you, you're a close range fighter. You can't touch me, you can't hurt me."
"I wouldn't be so sure about that," X-Treme's left hand became a blur, and Nine heard a whizzing sound moments before he felt steel slash against his forehead, just above his eyebrows. The resultant blood lost, besides being incredibly painful, blinded Nine completely.
"Arrgh!" Nine lost his concentration on his flame powers and tried to wipe the blood out of his eyes. He wiped once, enough to see X-Treme's foot crashing towards his chest.
Twelve failed to see X-Treme approach him from behind until X-Treme's garret was secured around his throat.
Three, with the power of acid touch and searching the personal quarters, didn't see X-Treme balanced on the top of the doorsill until it was too late.
Five, empowered with a voice that controls anyone who hears it, was defeated with a chop to the throat and punch to the stomach.
And on it went, until there were only two hunters left. One was currently stalking X-Treme, and had been doing so since he'd defeated Six. The hunter and prey were in the Broiler Room, with X-Treme standing over the prone form of Two, rubbing his chin.
"This is all of them, I think," X-Treme mused aloud.
"Heh, poor bastard doesn't even know he's missed me. Well, when I'm done with him, he'll never forget me." One thought to himself. He lined himself up so that he faced X-Treme's exposed back, and pounced, his clawed hands out.
"Oh yes," X-Treme stated as he, without looking backwards, reached behind his back, grabbed One by his wrists and flipped him over onto the cement floor. "One more to go."
One's vision spun wildly as X-Treme carefully regarded him for a long moment. Then, casually, X-Treme plopped down on One's chest. X-Treme withdrew a dagger and pressed it against One's throat. "Here's how it's going to be. I want to know about every single trap, back up plan and dirty little ideas Genecide has regarding Force Works. If I have to hurt you to find out, then I'm sorry, but so be it."
In response, One swiped both his claws at X-Treme. X-Treme caught them and held them in place despite One's protest.
"Go to hell, you won't make me talk," One spat.
"I may not, but nature will," X -Treme flexed his muscles, and cleanly snapped the bones in One's arm, who howled like a banshee.
"Gonna...have to do better than that!" One snarled thru gritted teeth.
"I may not have to. See, I know about your healing factor." The alien warrior explained with a flat expression. "See, bones are funny things. They don't heal correctly, they don't set, you see. If they are out of place and are left there, well, they'll heal there," X -Treme squeezed One's wrists ever so slightly. "That's what I'm doing now. Now, unless you want me to cripple you for life, you'll give me what I want. If you don't," X-Treme squeezed harder on One's wrist, sending dagger of pain shooting thru his body. "I'll stop playing nice, and get really ugly."
One gulped hard, and began singing like a canary.
***
The Holding Area
"One, come in! Twelve, come in! Anyone report, what's your status?" Genecide shouted over her comm. unit, worry seeping into her voice. "Why aren't those idiots responding?"
"Duh, maybe they be keepin' the radio silence on," the hulking form of Seven suggested.
"Or maybe they just turned their comm. units off?" Sublime proposed. "Perhaps they didn't want someone to accidentally give them away?"
"Or maybe X-Treme's just that damn good," Arsenal stated from his stasis tube. "But let me tell you something, Sublime, not even X-Treme will stop me from gutting you."
"My, such outrage, Bobby. But answer me this, how much of it is truly yours?" Sublime asked.
"All of it."
"Oh? I've given you power beyond your wildest dreams. You never would be where you are right now if it weren't for me. Tell me Bobby, have you ever attempted to see if my handiwork can be undone?"
Arsenal glared at Sublime, never saying a word.
"Of course not, because not so deep down, you like the power," Sublime explained with a very smug expression. "You're only angry because you think you should be. Yes, some of your outrage is genuine, no doubt regarding the mutants that I experimented with, but let's be honest Bobby, that's where the hatred ends."
"Don't call me Bobby, Sublime, we're not friends," Arsenal growled.
"But we will be soon," Sublime said with an easy smile. No sooner had he said that than the entire room was thrown into utter darkness. The back up lights quickly came on, bathing everyone in red emergency light.
"Dammit," Genecide quickly pulled out a small remote from her belt.
"Nervous, Genecide?" a voice boomed, filled with casual confidence. Eleven fired ice in the direction that she heard the voice, but hit only the wall. "Perhaps an earth psalm will calm you."
Seven cracked his knuckles, ready for attack. "For yea though a walk thru the valley of the shadow of death..."
Ten swirled about in his gas form, unable to discern where the voice was coming from.
"...I will fear no evil..."
A blade shot out from the shadows, slicing into Genecide's hand and forcing her to drop the remote,
"Because I'm the baddest mother fucker there is," X -Treme finished as he finally stepped into the light. To the horror of Sublime and the Eugenix, X- Treme looked as fresh as a daisy, not like someone who'd just defeated an entire team of super humans. X-Treme slowly unsheathed his sword from his back and held it straight in front.
"You're out numbered, and out classed," X -Treme stated. "Surrender, please."
"Out numbered? I count four of us, blondie," Ten replied.
"But there are nine of us," a voice declared. Eugenix turned as one, and saw Mirage. Only she wasn't inside the stasis tube where they had placed her, rather she was outside, leaning back against it.
"I'm called Mirage, remember? What do you think the chances are that I just stood around with my thumb up my ass, waiting for X-Treme?"
Force Works freed themselves with an almost dismissive ease from the now ordinary glass tubes, glass particles littering the ground. Wolfsbane growled as she regarded her foes, Tarene's war mallet glowed with power in anticipation, Arsenals eyes glowed red while Taki created an high tech weapon in his hand.
"Now, lets try this again, only without the element of surprise," Taki stated as he struck Ten with an electrical blast that sent the gas creature into unconsciousness. Genecide and Sublime took off into a dead sprint, albeit in separate directions as Seven and Eleven stepped forward to meet Force Works.
"Genecide's mine! Arsenal, get Sublime!" Mirage shouted as she started to chase the two masterminds
"Take your best shots, losers!" Seven declared as he charged forward. "Whatever you hit me with, I'll shove it back down your throat!"
"Oh really?" the human rocket asked as he zipped under Seven's legs and came up, wrapping his arm around Seven's throat. "I actually figured out that you absorb kinetic energy from our last fight, you putz. But that don't mean I can't choke you into submission."
Before Nova could fully strangle Seven into submission, the huge, balking man began to shrink down at an incredible rate. Within moments, the formerly hulking man was only four feet tall.
"Sorry baldy, but I'm taking back what's mine. Gimme!" Speedball explained as he drained the kinetic energy out of him. Seven was then defeated with the flick of Nova's wrist.
Eleven, for her part, attempted an attack that had been successful before. She lunged at Tarene with her hands out, again attempting to freeze the blood in her veins. Tarene however, had other plans. Moving as swift as lightning and with a sneer, Tarene grabbed Eleven's wrists and snapped them like twigs. Tarene then cast Eleven aside like a rag doll, but she wasn't content to stop there.
With blood red eyes and anger hotter than the stars above, Tarene stalked towards Eleven and raised her war mallet. "You hurt me!"
"Tarene, stop!" Wolfsbane tackled the mystery godling at the knees while Kymaera tackled her from the front.
"Tarene! What the hell are you doing?" Kymaera demanded. Fear shot down the princess' spine as she saw Tarene's face. Her face was snarled, ugly, like the vampires on "Buffy" but somehow still the same young woman Force Works had taken in. Her eyes were blood red, with no evidence of pupils whatsoever. It was a look of rage rarely seen on any living creature outside of the Hulk, and it scared Kymaera deeply. Thankfully, some part of Tarene recognized her friends. She blinked several times, and seemingly unaware of how she came to be tackled by her teammates, asked the obvious question. "What?"
Genecide sprinted down the corridor that led to Eugenix's aircraft. Her team was defeated, her resources compromised and her long-term plans derailed. She knew that if she didn't escape, she would be up shit creek without a paddle. Genecide's hands flew a small control panel on her wrist, a remote activator for the preflight procedures for her aircraft. She hadn't a moment to lose. Once she was in the clear, she could plan to rescue or recruit another Eugenix, start over. As she burst into the hangar, she expected to be met with the sounds of a roaring jet engine, hovering several feet off the ground and ready for take off.
Instead, she found that her plane was still ground bound and deathly still. Genecide began pounding on her remote as she made her way towards the plane, desperate to activate her only real means of escape.
"If I had to guess, I'd say that X-Treme disabled your aircraft," a voice explained.
Genecide took a moment to steel herself for the confrontation. "So, it comes down to this. A cat fight between two opposing leaders."
Genecide spun around, and was met with nearly a half dozen arrows. One arrow struck each lung, another two struck Genecide's kidneys and a final one struck her liver.
"Sorry about the harsh treatment, but I was informed that you have something of a healing factor," the young illusion caster explained as Genecide slumped to the floor.
With fire in her eyes, Genecide forced herself to stand. She ripped the arrows out and before allowing her healing factor to repair her badly damaged body, and lunged at Moonstar.
"And about that comment about a 'cat fight'?" the mutant Cheyenne deflected Genecide's attack with her left arm and struck the woman squarely in the jaw with her right. Dani followed up with a knee to the gut and finished with a roundhouse kick that sent Genecide tumbling into near unconsciousness. "I've been trained by Wolverine, know four forms of karate and SHIELD trained to boot, but I don't know how to cat fight."
"Should have killed you when I had the chance," Genecide muttered as she fell unconscious.
"Yeah, you should have. Because, while we're not as powerful as the Avengers or as experienced as the X-Men, but most of us grew up doing this shit," Dani explained, her expression blank.
***
Sublime ran thru the corridors like the hounds of hell were baying at his feet, and that wasn't far from the truth. Sublime turned another corner, and nearly soiled himself in relief. Not twenty feet away was an old emergency exit. And from there, freedom. Sublime began sprinting, his eyes wet with relief.
But his escape was not to be. An optic blast, aimed expertly at the ceiling, transformed the exit into a dead end of rubble. Sublime whirled around, and saw Arsenal's steel form strolling towards him.
"I...I helped you! I made you better! If it weren't for me, you'd be a nobody!" Sublime exclaimed as he fearfully backpedaled into the rubble. Arsenal said nothing as he stalked towards Sublime in his steel for, silent as death.
"I...I can undo what I did! Please, think about all I can do for science!"
Arsenal looked down at the pathetic, quivering scientist, and couldn't bring himself to say anything. The silence ended when bone slided past bone, quickly followed by a long, shrieking scream.
In one act, one horrible man was stripped of everything he held dear.
***
Later, The Work Place
After several hours of police reports, impromptu interviews and briefings, Force Works were on finally home after a very long day. X-Treme's, as always, landed the Stealth Wing into the hangar with expert ease and the team stepped out.
"You can't believe how glad I am this day is almost over," Dani said as she stepped down the walkway of the Stealth Wing. "At least we did some good, though I doubt we'll beat out X-Corp on today's news."
"We're nae in competition, ye knew," Rahne reminded her.
"We were here first," Dani grumbled.
"Moonstar, you there?" The familiar voice of Malcolm Hearte, asked over her comm. unit.
"How'd you get on this frequency, Hearte? You're our P.R director; you don't need to have our comm. frequency," Dani spat.
"For the record, Parvenue's people all but crawled up my ass when they performed a background check, so you don't need to worry. Look, about today's mission..." Mirage listened with interest, and then, startling everyone, jumped up and down hollering like her football team had just scored an impossible touchdown. After several confusing seconds, she composed herself.
"Care to share the good news?" Taki inquired
"The F.B.I's and the Justice Department launched an civil rights investigation into the institution Genecide was using. C.N.N, Sixty Minutes, Dateline all want interviews! We're front page for at least a week!" Dani pumped her fist into the air. "But that'll come later. To celebrate our continued popularity, I'm going to go to a club, and probably get shit faced. Anyone else want to join me?"
"Sounds good to me," Nova shrugged.
"Me too," Arsenal added
"What's shit faced?" Tarene asked
"We'll explain it when we're older," Namorita smiled.
"I think we're all up for that," Speedball said.
"But only those of legal age will get shit faced, Robbie," Dani quickly stated as she pulled her yellow mask down.
"You mean I'll have to watch, fully coherent, while you guys make an ass of yourselves?" Speedball asked. "Damn," Speedball snapped his fingers, then nudged Wiz Kid with his elbow. "You got a camera on that thing, right?"
Wiz Kid converted his tech-pack back into a wheel chair and smirked. "With live web feed, if I wanted to."
Robbie turned towards Rahne. "You wanna join us red? A party's not as much fun without a wet blanket."
"Umm, I have a date with Doug," Rahne said meekly. "Unless you would like me tae come wit' ye."
"Sure! We need all team babes there!" Robbie implored
"Robbie, quite. You go have a good time with Doug, firetop. That's an order," Dani said. She already knew Rahne was no fan of clubs, so she didn't feel like dragging her into something she wouldn't enjoy over a date with her boyfriend. "Nova, go grab the image inducers, we're going to hit Nature's Gift."
"Aye, aye, chief." Nova did a mock salute, and was gone in the blink of an eye at superspeed. He zipped down to the lower levels, designated for storage. The room was filled with almost piece every survival equipment imaginable for the well-equipped super team. Night vision goggles, specially designed parkas made of unstable molecules and at least a dozen spare uniforms. After several seconds searching, Nova found the locker that kept the image inducers. He was about to speed away when he realized that he'd grabbed all but one of them, and he only had seven (X-Treme had already pulled his damn vanishing act. God forbid he act social). There were supposed to be nine always at the ready, at least.
"Ten bucks says Speedy's swiped one to look like Leo and pick up chicks," the human rocket smirked. He rejoined his teammates and handed out the inducers. One by one, the members of Force Works activated them. The changes the inducers caused were subtle, things that might have been missed by Force Works' friends and family. Cheekbones, eye color and slight height changes, though in Namorita's case, her skin tone changed from blue to black.
Then, like clock work, they left. They took a special elevator down to a subbasement and parted ways. Tarene and Bobby entered a passageway that emerged into an abandoned office, Mirage emerged from an always-empty broom closet in a privately owned Law firm and on it went. Slowly, unassumingly, the team met up an empty alley across the street from an abandoned housing project. After checking to make sure no one was around, Dani activated a pager she's been given by Dr. Trekker, and a familiar yellow tear in space appeared.
"The conquering heroes have returned," the Doorman sneered. "And you've brought friends. Wonderful, really."
"Wow, you'd think by now that you could have teleported that stick out from your ass," Dani replied. "Don't worry, we're just here to have a good time, like everyone else."
Doorman stepped aside, and motioned for Force Works to enter. "Of course. It is my pleasure to inform you that drinks are on the house for you and your friends," Doorman's tone hardly conveyed the spirit of his words. "And that we have reserved a couch for you near the dance floor."
"Go V.I.P treatment!" Robbie exclaimed as Doorman escorted to their couch. It was ideally situated between the bar and the dance floor, but was out of the way of the majority of foot traffic.
"Enjoy yourselves." Doorman turned and left without another word.
"I'll order the drinks. Who wants what?" Nova asked.
"That won't be necessary, sir." A young woman, with white scales and pupil- less eyes stated as she approached with a full tray. "Who wanted the Rolling Rock?"
"That'd be me," Dani said without missing a beat.
"Umm, someone want to explain?"
"Obviously, they have a telepathic bartender, Rich," Taki explained. "I'll take the Root Beer."
"Actually, we employ a psychic to predict orders." The waitress explained. "Now who ordered the Millar Lite?"
"I guess that'd be mine. I thought I'd order a coke, though," Arsenal said as he took the drink. "It's healthier than Beer, at any rate.
"Well, I wouldn't say that. Coke is used by State Troopers to remove blood stains on state high ways, after all," Taki explained.
"I think I'll have a beer then."
Dani took a gulp of her beer. "I'm gonna hit the dance floor. Who's joining me?"
"Me and my boytoy are," Kymaera stated as she grabbed Richard Rider by his belt and pulled him onto the dance floor.
"Bobby?" Dani asked
"I'll be there in a sec," he answered. "I need a few seconds to build up the courage to dance."
Dani shrugged with a slight trace of disappointment. "Suit yourself."
Bobby watched her walk away and join the crowd on the dance floor. He wanted to go out there, but he wasn't sure if Dani wanted him out there for the same reasons he wanted to be out there.
"So, you've just defeated your arch foe, destroy his evil medical future via nifty hand piercings, what are you going to do next?"
Bobby looked towards Speedball. "What'd you say? Sorry, my mind was else where."
Robbie looked at Dani's gyrating form. "Lemme guess where. Never mind. She likes you, you know."
"Dani? What makes you think that? I doubt she even has time for sexuality."
"She's had her eye on your for a while, dude. That's why she sent you after Sublime," Speedball explained. "Because she knows you're not a cold blooded killer, man. I say go for it. Or if you're not gonna take a shot, give me a recommendation." Robbie winked.
Bobby took a shot of liquid courage and stood up. "What the hell. Not like she can do much worse on this team."
"That's the spirit!" Robbie proclaimed. "Hey, wait a minute!"
Bobby maneuvered between the bodies on the dance floor until he was standing three feet away from Dani. "Mind if I have this dance?"
"This isn't dancing, it's free style moving," Dani commented. "You did good today, Bobby. I'm surprised, though."
"I was," Bobby stated as he moved with the rhythm of the band. "I mean, Sublime did some horrible things to a lot of innocent people..."
"But?" Arsenal gave Dani and odd look. "Thought I'd save you the time."
"As greedy as it sounds, I really wasn't one of those people. His experiments helped me, enabled to do things and see places I never would have otherwise. I know it's wrong, but I can only hate him so much. And it doesn't include murder."
"It's not wrong," Dani shrugged. "It's human. Just do the best you can every day with the hand you were dealt. It's all anyone really can do."
Doug politely opened the door for Rahne. Rahne gracefully entered and set her purse down on the coffee table. She was about to suggest a movie that they would enjoy, but as soon as she turned around Doug began kissing her on the neck and slowly working his way up.
"I just hope it'll be enough," Arsenal sighed. "You know, I almost didn't recognize you out here?"
Rahne didn't resist at first, both because it felt good and Doug was her boyfriend, but she started to protest when his left hand started to grope her breast. Doug ignored her, and while his left hand groped her breast, his right hand moved down to the leg shit on Rahne's dress. As soon as she felt this, Rahne pushed Doug away.
"How so?" Dani asked with a raised eyebrow. She never stopped dancing.
"Bitch!" Doug roared as he slapped her across the face. "Whore!" A punch to her stomach. "Tramp!" Another slap across the face. "Teasing slut!"
"You're smiling. It's a wonderful thing I, I mean we, don't see enough of." Dani let out a loud laugh. "Yeah, ain't that the truth. Leading Force Works is hard, dealing with the press and media is even harder. But you know what?"
Finally, after several minutes of abuse, Rahne had fallen to the ground, quaking as she wept; but Doug didn't want to stop. He kicked her in the stomach twice before saying. "Look what you made me do! This is your fault, if you weren't such a tramp, this wouldn't have happened!"
"What?"
Doug left Rahne crying on his floor as he entered his bathroom. His legs were suddenly made of lead and he had to steady himself against the sink for a moment. Doug took several deep breaths to calm himself, his heart pumping a hundred miles per hour. "Damn, what a rush!" He thought to himself. "At this rate, I don't care if I never bag this bitch, she's still the best I ever had!"
"I've decided to forget that for today. We stopped a dangerous threat before it even got started, the media loves us, it's been weeks and no major injures and lastly..."
Doug waited a few minutes for his heart beat to resume its normal pattern. He then reached into the medicine cabinet and pulled out eye drops. With practiced ease, he rubbed his eyes and put the drops in. To the untrained eye, it looked like he'd been crying.
"Yeah?"
Doug came out of the bathroom and saw Rahne sitting on the couch, true to form. Before she could say a word, he began to apologize profusely, promising it would never happen again and asking for another chance. "Help me be a better man," Doug said. It seemed to strike a chord the first time.
"Despite my initial fears, everything's working just fine. Force Works is doing fine, as a whole."
After Rahne had been convinced to give Doug one more chance, again, the two decided on a movie to watch. Doug put the DVD in, and plopped down next to Rahne on the couch. He put his arm around her, and she feared to cautiously reciprocate. Doug smiled, and instinctively knew the rush he got from their next date would be even better.
"Everything's perfect, if you think about it. I know it won't last, and I don't expect it to; but I intend to enjoy it while it lasts," Dani smiled. Bobby nodded, and they continued dancing. Dani danced long into the night, having the best time she could remember in as long as she could remember.
The End
***
Next Issue: It's stoplight on Nova and Arsenal as a sin from Nova's war past comes back to haunt him in the form of a certain SuperSkrull! Arsenal's the only Worker who can help him, but why doesn't Nova want his help?