The Wild Pack
Issue #13 – Demon Storm – Part Five
Beam of Fire – What used to be Bergsville, PA
Madison sat their rocking his wife as she held their baby girl. He glanced and saw pieces of metal and scrap that he had used lying all around them in the grass, smoking and still red with heat. He was exhausted and still couldn't believe he had pulled it off. He was sure he and his family were dead. By great chance and will, they weren't, they had survived.
When the tremors started he knew something bad was coming. As he reached his wife, he called forth his powers and pushed them to their limits and beyond. He pulled everything within his house together and formed a giant sphere around them and projected them up and out. As the beam of fire shot up, his powers combined with the force of the upward explosion propelled the sphere up and then over and out of the city. They had made it out before the fire had eaten away the last layer.
He felt the thunk onto the ground and knew what was left of the sphere was becoming an oven. With the last bit of his strength he pushed and the sphere ripped apart and flew away from them. He sat there next to his wife, thanking God they were alive. Then he gasped with horror as he saw, straight in front of him, where Bergsville used to be was a giant beam of fire.
He glanced and saw people who had stopped from getting into the city and others who had made it out in time. He knew that as many who had survived, thousands had died. He didn't even know if his team, the Wild Pack had made it out. Right now, he had no way of contacting them or finding out where they were. For now, he would sit here and hold his family in his arms and be thankful.
"I don't understand, what happened?" Mindy said trying to calm a screaming Jessi.
"I don't know, Mindy," Madison said as he looked up ad saw the sky was turning red.
"What do we do now?" Mindy asked.
"We're going to get you to your parents. You should be safe there," Madison said.
"What about you?" Mindy asked as he eyes widened with fear.
"I need to find out what caused this. I need to get to New York and make those who did this pay," Madison said.
"No, I want you to stay with us," Mindy said.
"I want to, but I can't. If I ignore this, a lot more people could be in danger or even die. I have to do this to secure the safety of you and little Jessi Marie. Can't you see that?" Madison pleaded with his wife.
"Yes, but I don't have to like it," Mindy said.
"Mr. Jeffries?" A voice asked with tears and sobs behind it.
"Jayson?" Madison asked as he saw their neighbor boy slowly walking towards them.
"Jayson, how did you get out? Where are your parents?" Mindy asked.
"I think they're dead," Jayson cried.
"Were you not with them?" Mindy asked taking the boy in her arms.
"What happened, Jayson? Did any of the others make it?" Madison asked.
"I don't know. Black Crow screamed for us to get out as the warehouse began to come down on all of us. I lost track of everyone and then the fire came. As my suit started to burn away I phased. I was scared because I knew if I went solid I would die.
"So I pushed myself and tried to find the next thing to enter. Eventually I made it out the beam of fire and into a car. It took me awhile but I was able to phase out but lay on the ground unable to move for a long time. I then heard Jessi's cry and slowly made it to my feet and to you guys," Jayson said.
"Phased, what do you mean?" Mindy asked.
"He has powers, Mindy. Jayson, I'm so sorry about your parents," Madison said.
"What do I do now?" Jayson asked.
"Don't worry, honey. We'll figure it out," Mindy said holding both kids as Madison suddenly ran off towards a car on the road near them.
After a few minutes Madison returned. "I just paid off that cab. He'll take you straight to your parent's house and will not stop for no one till you get there."
"I wish you would come with us," Mindy said.
"I can't, but you'll be okay. Jayson, you can go with her," Madison said.
"No, I'm coming with you. I want to find out who ever did this and make them pay for killing my parents," Jayson said.
Madison nodded as he kissed his wife and daughter and reluctantly sent them off in the cab. He then looked around at all the abandoned cars and material and in moments Madison called upon his powers and was incased in a giant red and silver suit of armor. When he was done, he made another Predator suit for Jayson.
"So I suppose you're Predator again?" Jayson asked.
"No, in this armor you can call me Box. You have earned the name Predator," Madison said as Jayson phased and took over the suit of armor.
"Okay, Box. What now?" Predator asked.
"We look for signs of the others, and then we go to New York," Box said as he started to scan the area.
As Madison started to look around he heard a loud crackling noise erupt from the beam of fire. He turned to see a giant sphere made of bioelectricity shoot out and hit the ground. The electricity vanished as its maker collapsed to the ground and a giant orange beast dips down and picks her up in his arms. A woman in white and green leaned against the beast sighing with relief.
"Dragoness, is she okay?" Madison asks as he runs towards Asp and Sasquatch, who is holding a barely conscious Dragoness.
"She'll live. I see you're sporting your old look again," Sasquatch said.
"Glad to see you too, old friend," Madison says to the great orange beast.
"What happened?" Asp asked looking back at the beam of fire.
"We don't know, we're assuming it has to do with Power Inc," Madison said.
"A whole city perished in that fire. How did you guys survive?" Jayson asked.
"As the warehouse began to fall apart I lost track of everyone. I then sensed the fire coming and shouted a warning. Before I could get my bearings the fire shot up. I thought I was a goner until I saw a bioelectrical shield deflect the fire from me," Sasquatch said.
"Dragoness had managed to throw up a shield but had only enough time to pull it around me, Sasquatch and herself. She cried the whole time that she was not able to save the others," Asp said.
"She was very brave. She did all she could to generate the electricity faster than the fire could burn through. I was afraid how long she would last," Sasquatch said.
"As was I, so I focused on one point and send out my blasts hoping it would be enough to help propel us sideways and clear of the fire. Of course, we knew it was false hope but glad it worked," Asp said.
"Any sign of the others?" Sasquatch asks.
"Not yet, but we can only hope," Predator said.
"What about?" Sasquatch begins to ask.
"Yes, I was able to save Mindy and my little girl. Unfortunately, Predator lost his parents," Box said.
"Sorry to hear that," Sasquatch nods to Predator.
"It's okay. Did you guys lose anyone?" Predator says holding back his tears.
"No, just my students," Sasquatch says.
"I had no here," Asp whispers.
"Neither did I," Dragoness says as she places her head in her hand.
"Welcome back," Box says.
"Who are you?" Dragoness asked as Sasquatch puts her down and helps steady her on her feet.
"It's me, Cyber-Worm, but you can call me," Madison starts to say.
"Box, should have guessed from how chummy you and Sasquatch were right off the bat. I had read a dossier on Alpha Flight once," Dragoness finished.
"I see," Box said knowing from her profile he had found that she would have done a lot of reading on mutant based teams as part of the Mutant Liberation Front. It was something he had chosen never to bring up since he knew she was trying hard at a new start.
"I feel so bad. I tried so hard but I couldn't get to the others in time," Dragoness said as her eyes began to water.
"You did your best," Sasquatch said squeezing her shoulder.
Box turned to the sky as his suit began to pick up a strange reading. He could feel it before it approached. A few minutes later, a large lightening bolt struck the ground near them. When the smoke and dust cleared they saw the form of the Black Crow standing there holding the Black Cat. He set her down as they all ran towards them.
"Crow, you're okay," Dragoness smiled.
"Yes, a little drained but I'll be just fine," Black Crow said.
"I can't believe I'm alive," Black Cat said.
"How?" Box asked as he quickly informed them of who he was.
"I felt the fire coming as I fell through the floor. I glanced and there was no one around me and I knew I had to become a bolt and flew to survive. Just as I was making the transformation I saw Black Cat fall and land right by me. I had never done it before and knew I had to risk it.
"I used my powers and latched on to her spirit and drew her into my power. I then forced myself to create the lightening bolt merging the two of us. It worked and we shot right up and out of harms way, but the strain was so great I couldn't come back or separate the two of us.
"I was afraid of losing the two f us when I sensed all of your spirits alive and together. The strength in that acted as a beacon for me to focus on and was soon able to pull us back towards you and separate the two of us from the bolt," Black Crow said.
"It was weird. Last thing I remember was falling and then nothing until now," Black Cat said.
"We are lucky. It was something I've never tried and will never attempt again," Black Crow said.
"I'm just grateful you saved my life, and to see that all of the Pack made it," Black Cat said as Dragoness winced with sudden jealousy.
"Not everyone," Crow said stiffening a little.
"Yes, a lot of people didn't make it out of the city," Sasquatch said.
"That's not what you meant was it?" Dragoness asked as she reached out for his arm.
"I'm afraid Giles didn't make it. I felt his spirit briefly and then it faded," Black Crow said.
"I'm so sorry," Dragoness said as she truly felt the loss of her fellow friend and coworker.
"Giles?" Predator asked.
"A dear friend of mine," Black Crow said as everyone acknowledged his loss.
"So, what now?" Asp asked.
"I'm heading to New York to demand some answers from a mister Lust Powers," Box said.
"Count us in," everyone chimed in.
Box used his powers and soon created a craft that everyone could ride on to New York. As they flew across the red sky they could see the rain of fire was happening everywhere. They didn't know what was causing it but it couldn't be good. As they got closer to New York they saw another beam of fire clear off in the distance. They all looked at each other as the feeling that this was much bigger than they had thought dug into their guts.
They made it to Power Inc and landed on the roof. The Wild Pack stared as they heard the chaos all around them as people screamed. What could only be Manhattan was sporting a beam of fire also as they saw off in another direction a second beam of fire. According to his reading, it was somewhere near what he knew to be the home of the X-Men.
"I've got a very bad feeling about this," Black Cat said staring with wide eyes.
"Should we go help?" Black Crow asked.
"No, we need to go into this building and make whoever did this pay," Predator said with grief.
"I think I just saw a few heroes I knew running around down there," Black Cat said glancing off the roof top.
"They're right. There are plenty of heroes out there to help. What ever caused this might be in this building ands we could be the only ones that know this and can stop it," Box said.
"Yes and no. I may have orchestrated the control and sacrifice of a whole city, but I did not cause all this. This is the work of Semaj and there is no way you can stop it or his Demon Storm," a man said stepping out a doorway and onto the rooftop.
"Lust Powers, I presume?" Box spat matching the face with the image he had saw from online.
"Oh, not any more," the blond man in a black three piece suit.
As Lust Power walked closer he became to scream and change shape. Once he reached about five feet from the Wild Pack he stopped and stared at them. The man was gone and in his pale was now a six foot tall and very muscular demon. He had giant horns and his skin glowed red with fire. Fire danced from his fingernails. The demon that had once been Lust Powers roared with great power and then smiled at the group of heroes.
"I am Lustorax, one of the Horsemen of Hell. And when I'm done devouring you all, I will head to the great iron lady to welcome the coming of Semaj," the demon snarled.
"You think you can stop all of us?" Black Cat asked forcing a laugh.
"Oh yes, let me introduce you to my staff," Lustorax laughed as eight figures erupted from the floor of the roof and landing beside their great master. Each demon glowed a different color of fire.
"This can't be good," Asp said as the demons launched themselves at the Wild Pack.
Next: Issue #14 – Demon Storm – Part Thirteen – Final battle with Lustorax and the Final Issue
Check out the following issues as the other Horsemen of Hell make their move:
Salem-X #17 & 18 – Demon Storm Part Ten
New Exiles #16 & 17 – Demon Storm Part Three & Eleven
Power Pack #13 & 14 – Demon Storm Part Four & Twelve
Wild Pack #13 & 14 – Demon Storm Part Five & Thirteen (Final Issue)
Alpha Squads #13 & 14 – Demon Storm Part Six & Fourteen (Final Issue)
Mutant Generation Force #14 & 15 – Demon Storm Part Seven & Fifteen
X-Calibur # 13 & 14 – Demon Storm Part Eight & Sixteen
Sensational X-Men # 13 & 14 – Demon Storm Part Nine & Seventeen
Then Read: Demon Storm #2 – Demon Storm – Part Eighteen – The Conclusion