Alpha Squads
Issue #13 – Demon Storm – Part Six
.Beam of Fire, Canada – Former Headquarters of Team Alpha
The beam of fire shot up into the great Canadian sky turning it red upon contact. All over Canada the news reported the beam as mysterious phenomenon. Once the sky turned red and reports of beams all over the world were popping up, many feared the end of the world was near. To all the Canadians, they just didn't know what had caused this beam of fire. What they also didn't know, was that in the center of the beam was where the secret headquarters of Team Alpha used to be.
Just on the northeast side of the beam, millions of little lights appeared and began to dance and flicker intensely. After a few seconds, the little lights began to merge and become more solid and stable. After another few seconds, the solid light began to take shape. With the same speed that they had appeared the light vanished leaving to figures standing in its place. Protector and Commander shook off the effects of the teleporters and turned to face the beam of fire.
"What did she do?" Commander asked looking up to the red sky.
"I don't know, I'm just glad we activated the emergency teleporters in time," Protector said as he glanced at Kara.
"You think the others made it out in time, besides that traitor Rebound?" Kara asked looking around.
"I hope so. Even though it's no excuse, I think Rebound had her reason for doing what she did and that reason is Director X," Mac said using his visor to scan for life forms.
"Are we going for payback?" Kara asked.
"Yes, if he is behind this than Heather and the others are not safe," Mac said as he saw something.
James flew around the perimeter of the beam with Commander in pursuit. As they rounded the bend, they saw Snowbird sitting on the ground cradling Silver. They both landed and approached the two members of Team Alpha. Narya looked up and smiled when she saw James and Kara.
"Is she okay?" James asked.
"Yes and no," Narya said.
"What happened to her? How did you two get out?" Kara asked.
"I was already out when you had set off the alarm. I had sensed the evil and foresaw the fire so I fled. I also foresaw the five of us standing here so I knew it was okay to flee," Snowbird said.
"Then what happened to them?" Protector said touching Silver's face.
"This is what I saw and was told by Jimon. I sat on the tree as a bird waiting when Silver teleported outside. Unfortunately she was not far enough out when the fire erupted. At the last second, Hedison forced himself to take control and was consumed by the fire. He scarified his life so she would live," Snowbird said as she continued to rock a crying Silver.
"If Hedison died then how is she here?" Kara asked.
"Like with the death of Auric, the body died but then reformed with the other. Before he died he made Jimon aware and to prepare. Not to make his sacrifice in vain, she ignited her powers instantly and formed an ice shield around her self. It took al she had to hold it up till she moved a few feet more and cleared the beam," Narya said finishing her narration.
"Oh, Jimon," James whispered.
"Once again, I'm all alone. I feel so empty," Jimon cried as James helped her to her feet.
"It'll be okay," James said to Silver.
"Wait, if you said we all make it then where's Switch?" Kara asked as her helmet retracted revealing her purple face.
"Right here," the woman in blue leather said running up to them from behind.
"Glad to see you made it out safely," James said to Switch as she stepped up to them.
"Yes," was all Switch said as she tried to suppress the memory of hearing the alarm, looking out her window and then finding herself standing in a tree house next to a very powerful telescope.
"What caused this?" Silver asked.
"It was Rebound," Commander said.
"Then she must pay," Switch said.
"Hold off, I believe that she was forced by the Director. I got the feeling she was being blackmailed," Protector said.
"Either way, we have to go after her," Snowbird said.
"Yes, it's time we head to Department H and have a chat with the good Director," Protector said as he rounded up his team.
Department H – Secret Laboratory of Dark Beast
Heather saw Dark Beast coming at her with great speed. She powered up her suit but knew she wouldn't be fast enough. She prepared for the impact but was surprised when it didn't come. Her skin tingled as she looked over to see Dark Beast against the wall with smoke and burnt hair coming from him. Heather glanced over and saw Spark and the rest of Beta Flight standing in the doorway.
"Thanks, Marie," Heather said to the girl known as Spark. "Now you four get the others out of those cages while I finish him off."
Heather turned and saw Dark Beast getting to his feet. She quickly fired off dozens of blasts, hitting the creature and forcing him to stay down. She looked and saw a small form go large instantly. The giant, hairy and muscular form of Mastodon lifted the Dark Beast with one arm while placing him in a cell and crushing the door permanently shut. He turned and smile at Heather as he became the scrawny, smooth, blond teen that he was.
"Way to go Mark," Lilli cheered.
"Quite the young team you got here, Heather," Groundhog said as he and Switch walked up to her.
"Long time, Sean, Jodi. What is going on here? This creature shredded the rest of their team," Heather said.
"Actually, it was one of his experiments that got lose but Dark Beast put it down," Jodi said.
"Where are we?" Nemessis asked as she helped Radius drag Major Mapleleaf out of his cell.
"It appears to be a secret lab underneath Department H," Heather said as she looked around.
"Department H? What are you guys running here?" Sean asked growing angry.
"Trust me, I didn't know this was down here," Heather said as she gave them a recap of the New Department H and Alpha Flight. She also told him of Team Alpha when he asked about Mac.
"Well, what ever is going on with this Director, we found my brother down here along with a bunch of others. Dark Beast called them Zodiac before they captured us," Radius said as they told Heather of their mission.
"Are you sure? The Director just introduced your brother and all the others to us not too long ago as the new Z Flight team," Heather said very puzzled.
"You silly people, you have no idea what your Director really is or what's going on right under your own noses," Dark Beast laughed.
"You better tell us what you know. What did you do to my brother?" Radius shouted.
"I was on the run from Genosha when I ran into the Director. We made a deal, he provided me with subjects while I experimented on them in return for creating his new army. I don't know anything else and I don't care to," the Dark Beast laughed.
"I need to talk to Eugene and then pay our Director a visit," Heather said as she moved toward the steps.
"What do we do with him?" Jodi asked nodding at the Dark Beast.
"Kill the creature," Nemessis snarled.
"No, we don't resort to their level," Heather declared.
"Glad to see some things haven't changed," Sean smiled.
"We'll leave him here. He isn't going anywhere. Lilli, you and the rest of Beta Flight get Lou upstairs to the Med Center and call Diamond Lil. Tell her what's going on and stay with her. The rest of you," Heather said starting to give out orders.
"Are coming with you," Radius said.
"But," Heather started to say.
"But nothing. Something big is going on here and we're coming with you," Groundhog said as Heather nodded and they headed off to look for Puck.
Department H – Puck's Room
"I knew you were up to no good," Eugene swore at Director X.
Eugene for months has had suspicions and was acting as the eyes and ears for his old friend James "Mac" Hudson. What got him in trouble was when he discovered that was a traitor on Team Alpha and it was his daughter, Rebound. Moments after warning Mac, the Director had walked in and pinned him against the wall with some kind of power. Puck, unable to move awaited his fate.
"Yes, and I knew you were just as trust worthy," Director X laughed.
"Then why invite me to join Alpha Flight?" Puck asked.
"I knew it was a risk, but it allowed me to keep you here under my thumb while I used your daughter," Director X laughed as he flicked his wrist causing Puck to hit the ceiling and then the floor hard before being pinned back up against the wall.
"What have you done to my daughter?" Puck shouted.
"I've done nothing, except convince her to kill Team Alpha," Director X laughed.
"She would never do that. You're full of lies," Puck shouted.
"Oh, am I?" Director X smiled as he pushed a remote that lowered a screen and switched it on.
"…out of nowhere this beam of fire has erupted from the ground and has ignited the sky red. Canada is not the only location affected by this phenomenon. Reports form all over the world show these beams of fire appearing resulting in a massive number of deaths. It has not been confirmed if anyone had died from the beam here in Canada…" the television reported as the Director smiled and then shut it off.
"Recognize the location?" The Director laughed.
"It can't be," Pucks whispered.
"Why yes, it is. I believe that is the location of where Team Alpha's headquarters are, or should I say used to be?" The Director laughed.
"You killed them you monster," Puck shouted with tears forming in his eyes.
"No, your daughter did. Just as I'm going to kill you know," Director X smiled.
"No, you promised if I did what you asked you wouldn't hurt him," Rebound said breaking down the door.
"Stay out of this, Zuzha or you know what will happen," Director X said using his other hand to pin Rebound to the other wall.
"Why did you do it?" Puck pleaded as his daughter.
"I had no choice. He said he would kill you," Rebound said.
"Zuzha, you shouldn't have," Puck began to say to his daughter.
"It's not that, he said he knows who my mom is and would have her killed if I didn't do it," Zuzha said showing tears for the first time.
"You're mom?" Puck asked growing quit, fully understanding where this man had placed his daughter.
"All mute now, I'm just going to kill the whole family," Director X said as he tightened his hold on the two.
"It seems Mac was right about you," Vindicator shouted as she sent a blast into the Director's back sending him into the wall, releasing Puck and Rebound.
"Heather?" Puck asked as he saw Vindicator step into his room followed by Radius, Nemessis and what appeared to be old First Flight members, Groundhog and Stitch.
"It seems our good Director here kidnapped the members of Z Flight and had Doc Brown, AKA Dark Beast experiment on them," Heather said as she filled in Puck on what had happened down in the secret lab.
"I thought they looked a bit robotic. It's not all he's been up to. Mac's dead," Puck said as he told them what he had found out about Director X, his daughter, the beam of fire and Team Alpha.
"Mac, no," Vindicator said trying to control her tears.
"You fools, you have no idea what you're about to face," Director X laughed as he stood up and screamed.
They stood there as the man known as Director X began to change form. In a matter of seconds Director X had transformed into some kind of demon. He had sprouted giant wings and his skin had turned red. His eyes and finger nails burned with fire. With a trust of his hands and a loud roar power erupted from hi causing the wall and ceiling behind him to explode. When the dust cleared Heather could see outside and the dreadful red sky and falling fire in the distance.
"I'm getting too old for this," Groundhog said squeezing his wife's arm.
"What are you?" Vindicator asked as Puck got to his feet and helped his daughter up.
"Department H was a nice hiding place for me, but the time has come. I, Zorak one of the Horsemen of Hell shall kill you all and to pave the way for the coming of Semaj and his Demon Storm," Zorak laughed with a voice that shook what was left of this side of Department H.
"What is going on here?" Feedback asked as he and Epsilon Flight came swarming from above on jetpacks as the alarms began to sound.
"Our Director is a Demon in disguise," Puck shouted up to the leader of Epsilon Flight.
"Good, my forces are here," Zorak said sending off a wave of fire from his hands.
Feedback shifted just in time to avoid the blast but the rest of Epsilon Flight was caught by the fire. When the fire cleared they noticed that the members of Epsilon Flight had not been killed but transformed into winged demons. Heather was ready to call those around her into action when she caught sight of some familiar faces. Guardian, Aurora and Earthmover came flying up behind the Horseman of Hell.
"Reinforcements!" Radius shouted.
Heather was about to speak when the next event left her speechless. Two powers blast hit Aurora and Earthmover sending them to the ground really hard. Heather paused as twelve figures advanced upon Guardian. Heather saw it was Z Flight and she took flight to Guardian's defense.
"James, Director X is a demon and Z Flight isn't what they seem to be," Vindicator said as she reached Guardian's side.
"No kidding," Guardian said as his left arm became a cybernetic blade and he stabbed her in the side.
"What?" Heather gasped as he held her wound and slowly descended to the ground below.
"Glad to see General Cybok and Hell's Zodiac could make it," Zorak laughed as Guardian reverted to his true form, half robot, half demon.
"Finally I can quit pretending to be that stupid clone. Zodiac attack!" General Cybok commanded as the twelve members of Z Flight's stone began to glow and they too began to transform into something else.
"Heather!" Puck screamed as he leapt for his falling friend.
Groundhog and the others watched in shock at what they had just witnessed. Radius screamed his brother's name as he saw him and the others transform. Their costumes stayed the same and the stones remained in their foreheads but their bodies changed. Their skin turned red and took on various shapes.
Northstar had the head of a demon-like goat with flaming horns. Plato's skin now looked like red water that was on fire. Windshear had the head of a demon-like ram with horns of fire. Double Trouble now merged into one being with two heads, four arms and legs. Wild Child had the head of a demon-like lion. Highbrow's head and arms looked like a fiery scale. Marrina's head shifted to a more fish-like form.
Killspree's right arm became an arrow while his left arm became a bow as fire danced in his eyes. Wyre grew a large tail with a pointer on the end has his hands became pinchers. Apeman now had the head of a demon-like bull while Radius screamed at what had become of Murmur and his brother.
Murmur may have had red skin but her body burned with pure white fire. As evil as she was now, she projected a vibe and aura of pure innocence. His brother, Flex now had the head of a demon-like crab and his hands had become giant claws. Radius only had a moment to take this in as Hell's Zodiac charged at them with murder in their fiery eyes.
Next: Issue #14 – Demon Storm – Part Fourteen – Final battle with Zorak 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