The Secret Of Genosha
"This is the island of Genosha," Logan showed a thee dimensional map in the war room to the assembled teams. "It's located between Madagascar and the Seychelles Islands in the Indian Ocean. It's roughly half the size of Rhode Island and filled with mountains and caves and one fairly sized jungle. For centuries it was a haven for pirates because of it's location and the odd trade winds that surround the island in fog banks. During the end of the Second World War the Allied armies turned it into a secret base. After the war it became a research station. During the Eighties it became more secretive and autonomous. What little intelligence was gathered in on it has been varied. Some say it was a hiding place for many powerful Communist defectors. Others say it was a super secret scientific laboratory. Others say it's a haven for rich former spies and super criminals. No one knows for sure. It has some kind of shielding around the island so it is impossible to monitor by satellites."
"In other words a perfect spot for people to be doing stuff they don't want anyone else to know about," Todd said.
"We do know there are two main habited areas," Logan put up the map. "The first one is a huge building on top of Dark Mountain to the north. The mines are underground. The second appears to be some kind of resort in the area known as Hammer Bay. This is where Cyclops' and Goblyn's signatures were located."
"Resort?" Wanda asked as pictures of a well manicured area filled with large mansions and a street with some shops were shown. "This is a super secret base that exploits mutants?"
"More like a super secret base that exploits child labor and minimum wage laws," Sam whistled.
"Where are the mutant slaves? Behind the counter at Lacy's?" Pietro asked.
"More likely in the mines," Rogue shrugged. "Underground where no one can see them."
"This was taken a few years ago by a freelance spy trying to make a quick buck on SHIELD," Logan said. "It seems those rumors of ex-spies and super criminals in retirement might be true."
"Might be true?" Alex asked as he pointed to the picture. "Is that a amusement park?"
"No, it's just an outdoor mall with a Ferris wheel and a roller coaster," Logan looked. "Oh wait, it also has a merry go round."
"And one of those bumper car things," Fred poitned out.
"It looks like it has some good restaurants too," Kitty said. "Oooh! That's a Mordstrom's store! They're so fashionable and exclusive!"
"Look at those tennis courts," Bobby whistled. "And a golf course!"
"It's beautiful." Danielle said.
"Let's not forget that this was all done on the backs of mutant slaves," Pietro growled. "And the rest of the world conveniently forgets that it exists for it's own purposes."
"To be fair, most of the world doesn't even know it exists," Althea pointed out.
"Hell a lot of high school students don't even know where their own country is on a map," Wanda snorted.
"But a lot of governments do know about it!" Lance bristled. "Including SHIELD!"
"Why doesn't SHIELD do anything to shut it down?" Jubilee asked.
"Because years ago SHIELD made some kind of bargain with the head honchos down there," Logan explained bitterly. "They get to experiment on mutants and make super soldiers. SHIELD and the governments of the free world get biological weapons and technology to use against their enemies. In fact half the mutant and genetic research done in the twentieth century was done on Genosha."
"That's sick!" Alex spat.
"That's how the world works," Logan growled. "There's more, Genosha's main export is adamantium. It's one of only two places in the world where it's naturally found."
"Now that makes more sense," Lance said. "And we all know how SHIELD and every other government loves a rare metal that's almost impossible to destroy."
"And Fury allows it?" Kitty was shocked.
"To be fair it wasn't Fury's call but he doesn't exactly fight the system very hard," Logan grunted. "In case you have a question, yeah that was another reason I left SHIELD."
No one responded to that. The thought of Logan's adamantium skeleton being mined by mutant slaves would be a shock to anyone. No one doubted that Logan probably was repulsed at the irony.
"I always meant to take a trip to Genosha," Logan growled. "But well, even I can't take on a whole flamin' island alone and things came up."
"Seems like now is as good a time as any to take it on," Pietro smirked. "So how are we getting there?"
"We're using the Mass Device to infiltrate the island as quickly as possible," Althea said. "It's that important. Just try not to get captured and let the enemy steal our secrets."
"Team A will go infiltrate the lab," Logan pointed to the map. "Maybe we can shut down this mutant slave trade?"
"Or at the very least give the miners some time off," Wanda said.
"Who's going to be in Team A?" Lance asked.
"I'm leading the team," Logan said. "Team A will consist of Wavedancer, Rogue, Beast, Nightcrawler, Toad, X-23, Xi, Jubilee, Quicksilver, Blob, Boom Boom, Avalanche and Pyro."
"In other words you're taking the people who can do the most damage," Lance smirked.
"And turn that lab into rubble," Logan growled.
"I like it," Lance grinned.
"Oh yeah the Toad is finally getting some action!" Todd whooped.
"Team B will investigate this area where Cyclops and Gobyln's signatures were last located," Emma pointed. "It's hidden in this dome. I can't scan much but I was able to locate their signatures."
"I'll lead Team B," Ororo said. "Team B will consist of Emma, Iceman, Shadowcat, Havok, Gambit, Colossus and the Scarlet Witch."
"Cannonball, Mirage, Penny, Doctor Reyes and Trinity will remain behind and prepare the medical facilities," Ororo ordered. "Something tells me we will need them."
"And if something goes wrong you guys can contact the Joes and the rest of the Misfits back in Japan," Althea said. She held up her hand before Sam could protest. "I know Paige is your sister Cannonball and it's likely that she is on that island. But we need someone with a level head here just in case."
"I get what you're saying," Sam nodded.
"I have a question," Fred raised his hand. "If there's like some kind of scanner blocking thing, how are we able to know where we are going to go? I mean, won't it block the Mass Device?"
"Thanks to Trinity we upgraded the power on these babies," Logan said. "We don't know a hundred percent about the layout but we know enough where we can drop in. Besides, we're not teleporting directly to the island from here."
"We're not?" Pietro asked.
"There's a cargo ship called the Eastwestern Territory dropping off some equipment at Hammer Bay," Logan said. "We're going to teleport there first and once it docs our two teams will split up. Team A will teleport directly to the lab and find a way inside. Team B will go to the resort area to search for Scott and the others. If Team B finds the others before we do, they are to teleport the missing mutants immediately off the island and come back for us if we can. If not we'll rendezvous back at Hammer Bay. Any questions?"
"Yeah one," Pyro said. "You really think this plan is gonna work?"
"Okay Trinity triangulated the position of the freighter and the coordinates are in your Mass Device devices," Althea went on. "It's time we went on board and to Genosha!"
"All right! I finally go on a mission!" Todd whooped. "I've been going stir crazy just hanging out here training!"
"Gee I wonder why they don't let you out?" Emma groaned. Having no watch she held hands with Ororo.
They teleported away. "Great, we get left behind," Danielle grumbled.
"You know…It might not be a bad idea to give the Japan base a heads up?" Sam smirked. "Just in case of course."
"Of course," Trinity nodded as one, knowing exactly what Sam had in mind.
"I love traveling by sea," Pyro quipped as the team of combined mutants sat in the cargo hold. "Although I prefer going first class."
"Not exactly the most comfortable accommodations," Pietro remarked. "How are we gonna get in the lab?"
"Probably do some recon," Logan grunted.
"Or we could just hide in these crates that are marked Lab Use," Xi pointed to them.
"That would work," Pietro said.
"We're almost there," Emma focused. "So I suggest Team A get into their private quarters."
"Oh goody," Pietro quipped as he opened up a box and threw out the stuff inside. "We get upgraded to first class."
"Don't forget to hide the stuff that's inside the boxes," Althea told her team.
"Yes, mother," Lance said sarcastically as he fit himself into a good size box.
"Uh Wavedancer?" Fred blinked, he was halfway stuck in a large box that wasn't large enough. "I'm stuck."
"Oh for crying out loud," Logan grunted as he and Peter pulled him out. "Blob couldn't you find a larger box?"
"There is no larger box!" Fred pouted. "I don't think I can fit into any of these!"
"That is a problem," Emma frowned.
"Great," Remy grumbled.
"It's not my fault I'm this size you know?" Fred gave him a look. "I mean that's like blaming you for the color of your eyes!"
"Hold on!" Pietro popped out of his box. "I have an idea!" He zoomed out of the cargo hold. A minute later he ran back with a trucker's hat and a an extra large jacket. "Put these on."
"I get it," Kitty said. "Blob can pretend to be one of the delivery men."
"But won't someone notice that they just got a double extra large guy on the payroll?" Tabitha asked.
"Not if I implant the idea that he's been with them the whole time," Emma smirked. "I have to use my telepathy to keep the rest of us shielded anyway."
"Where did you get a jacket big enough to fit him?" Todd asked Pietro as Fred put on the jacket.
"I made it out of another jacket and the curtains in the captain's bedroom," Pietro said. "I think we're about to dock!"
"Time to get this show on the road," Logan said as he got into a box.
Fortunately it wasn't that hard for Emma to convince the other workers that Fred was one of them. Many of the men hauling crates were as large as he was. Using Kitty and Emma's powers, Team B made their way undetected past the docs and through a large gate. Soon they were in a large, well manicured community.
"For a bunch of evil dictators they picked a nice place to live," Kitty said.
"Hey guys! I found something! Take a look at these signs," Alex pointed to the street signs. "White Pawn Lane? Black Rook Drive? And that's…"
"The symbol of the Hellfire Club," Ororo frowned as she saw several flags lining the street.
"Guess Sinister is still working for the creeps," Kitty said. "This explains a lot. He's probably the one who is in charge of the slave labor force."
"Breeding mutants to create more powerful DNA and turning them into obedient drones sounds just like his style," Remy growled.
"Be on the lookout for hidden cameras. I can telepathically shield us from minds but not technology," Emma told them. "This way."
"Whoa," Bobby said as they ended up on a well manicured street with several lovely buildings. Several well dressed and oddly dressed people were walking and going about their business. "This place is fancy."
"It looks like one of those gated communities my father always wanted to retire to," Emma was surprised. "Complete with a golf course."
"A beautiful paradise built on the backs of slave labor," Remy growled.
"There's one now," Emma pointed. A man in a colorful green outfit was making flowers bloom.
"Greetings folks!" The plant manipulator grinned a strange happy grin. "It's a lovely day in Genosha!"
"Yes, lovely…" Emma nodded and they walked by.
"It's a lovely, lovely day in Genosha," Another mutant in a colorful costume spoke to them as he rode by on a lawnmower on someone's lawn.
They walked through the park. "It's a beautiful day in Genosha," A mutant with green hair in a green and pink dress twittered as she stood behind an ice cream stand. "Free ice cream?"
"No, thank you," Emma said as they walked by. "I'm watching my weight."
"You know for slaves they're pretty cheerful," Kitty blinked.
"Annoyingly cheerful," Wanda winced.
"These are mostly low level mutants," Emma concentrated. "They are completely subservient and obnoxiously cheerful as they've been programmed to be."
"Programmed?" Ororo asked.
"From what I can delve from their empty little minds they receive some kind of treatment designed to make them happy, docile and obedient servants," Emma snarled in disgust. "They're also the eyes and ears of whoever is in charge. Fortunately they are remarkably easy to fool. The brainwashing they received makes them more susceptible to my powers."
"Brainwashing, why does that not surprise me?" Remy grumbled.
"Hello there friends," A blond mutant female in a colorful pink and white uniform said cheerfully behind a visitors center. "How can I help you on this happy, happy day?"
"We're new residents and we need an extra map of the town," Emma improvised.
"That's wonderful! Here in Genosha we always love to make new friends! Here you go!" The counter girl smiled and gave them a map. "If you need anything else just ask! Here at Genosha we live to serve!"
"My god…" Emma groaned as they walked away. "They're even more annoyingly cheerful than Disney World Employees!"
"I swear we must shut this place down," Ororo said.
"I agree," Emma said. "If I had known this place existed when I was in the Hellfire Club I would have turned against them long ago. We must save these mutants from a fate worse than death! And I don't just mean the slavery part!"
"I guess for you being nice and cheerful is a fate worse than death," Kitty quipped.
"I'd rather be shot," Emma shuddered. "This way."
They went to a large house on the lane. A family was walking down the street. "Hey! Does that guy look familiar to you?" Remy did a double take at the man in the family.
"It can't be!" Ororo gasped.
"Is that…Scott?" Kitty gasped. "His eyes…" True enough, it was Scott but without his glasses.
"His powers are somehow being blocked," Emma concentrated. "It's worse…He doesn't know who he is! He's been brainwashed."
"Brainwashed?" Ororo asked.
"He believes he's a pilot for a private company," Emma concentrated. "His name is Scott Pryor and he doesn't even know mutants exist. He also…Oh dear."
"What?" Kitty asked. Then she saw it. "I don't believe it!"
"That can't be!" Ororo gasped as she saw Scott hug a familiar looking red haired woman. "Jean?"
"No…" Emma frowned. "Madelyne…"
It was a complete copy of Jean kissing Scott. There was no doubt that it was Madelyne. And what was worse, she had a baby in a stroller near her. "Frost…" Remy saw this. "Please tell me that those two are babysitting."
"I'm afraid not…" Emma groaned.
"What do you mean? What does that baby…?" Bobby then put two and two together. "No way!"
"Way," Kitty blinked as she saw Scott dote on his new son. "Totally way."
"I knew Sinister was sick and twisted but I had no idea how far he'd go…" Ororo was horrified.
"This is going to be more difficult than I thought," Emma sighed.
"What you can't…?" Alex began.
"Oh I can fix their minds but I can't undo the damage if you get my drift," Emma pointed to the baby carriage.
"In other words we have to shatter Scott's perfect little life and destroy it in order to get him back," Kitty spat.
"Sinister is a cruel, cruel man…" Peter frowned as they watched Scott and Madelyne take their baby inside a large house with a white picket fence.
"I think we just figured out who the head honcho for this island is," Wanda growled. "So how are we going to do this? Believe me, I know how hard it is when you find out your memories are all a lie!"
"Yes but you didn't have a child when you discovered the truth," Emma told her. "We are going to have to be very careful."
"Uh Frost," Bobby pointed to the sky. "We have bigger problems."
"Oh crap…" Emma swore as she saw what was coming. "This is going to get messy…"
"I almost wish were gonna fight Sentinels," Remy moaned. "In fact, they'd be a lot easier to fight than this!"
"It's not as if she wasn't going to show up sooner or later," Wanda winced as a familiar figure landed.
"Why the hell couldn't it have been later?" Remy moaned.
"This rescue mission just went to hell didn't it?" Bobby groaned.
"Oh yeah," Remy said as Phoenix landed on the front lawn. "One big fiery bird of hell…"
It was easier than Fred thought to slip away from the rest of the workers when the boxes was delivered into the cargo hold of the lab. "Hey guys! We're in!" He banged on one of the boxes.
"All right," Lance smirked as he got out. "Finally some action."
"Quicksilver, Xi…Do some scouting," Logan ordered. The two mutants used their powers to check the building out. "This way…" He motioned to the rest of the team.
It didn't take long before the team heard human screams. They saw a lab where several scientists were surrounding a mutant wearing an orange jumpsuit strapped to a lab table and something was on his head. Several more mutants of varying sizes and shapes were chained against a wall with a glassy look on their faces.
"This next batch is ready for transport," The head scientist smirked. "Tell the supervisor…"
He didn't get to finish. Before anyone realized it the team broke in and easily knocked him out along with the other scientists. "This must be the brainwashing room," Tabitha growled.
"These guys are out cold," Rogue looked at the mutant prisoners. "What did they do to them?"
"They shut their brains down in order to make perfect slaves out of 'em," Logan growled.
"There is something about this that is just not right," Xi frowned.
"Making mutant slaves and erasing their minds is never right," Kurt said.
"No, I mean something besides that," Xi corrected. He went over to one of the unconscious mutants and touched her. "Hmmm…"
Pietro zoomed in. "Hey guys! Look at this! I got some reading material in one of the offices!" Pietro showed them a folder. "It's full of invoice slips! These guys are selling mutants on the black market! Some are to Hydra. A couple to Cobra. North Korea. Some other people I don't know about…And check out where most of them are headed!"
"Madripoor?" Logan looked at the slip.
"Yeah according to what I saw ninety percent of the mutants processed here are sent to Madripoor," Pietro said. "And get this, most of them are turned into plant manipulators or psychics! A couple other ones deal with lightning and stuff but other than that…"
"Plant manipulators? Why would Madripoor order a whole bunch of gardeners?" Todd asked.
"Because Madripoor is the main location where Jump is grown and made," Althea explained.
"Oh right," Todd nodded.
"Guess the rest of these guys are like foot soldiers in Madripoor's mutant army," Pietro said. "But why would Genosha send so many mutants to Madripoor?"
"We have a problem," Xi told them. "The slaves. They're not mutants."
"They're not? Could have fooled me," Todd snorted.
"I'm telling you they're not mutants," Xi said. "They're mutates."
"Mutates? You mean normal people injected with artificial X genes?" Rogue asked.
"That's right," Xi nodded.
"Are you sure?" Kurt asked.
"I touched every mutant in this room," Xi said. "Their mutations are artificial. All of them were humans before this."
"You didn't touch every mutant…" The head scientist managed to stand up and his body turned to fire. "Burn with the Purity of the Hellfire!"
"Pyro…" Logan sighed.
Pyro used his powers to force the fire scientist to hit himself repeatedly in the face. "OW! OW! OW! OW! WHAT THE HELL?"
"Stop hitting yourself," Pyro mocked. "Stop hitting yourself."
"Ah a sink," Althea said as she turned the water on. "Move out of the way guys."
"Okey dokey," Pyro grinned.
"What…?" The fire scientist turned and looked at her in time to get doused by water.
"You know for a mutant scientist this guy's all wet," Todd snickered.
"Start talking slime ball," Logan shot his claws out as he grabbed the scientist. "What does Hellfire have to do with this?"
"I will tell you…" The scientist began. Logan shoved his claws closer. "Anything you want to know. The Hellfire Club owns this island! Everything and every…"
Suddenly the scientist twitched and passed out. "What the heck did you do to him?" Rogue asked.
"Wasn't me," Logan frowned. "Hold it…I smell…Some part of his brain has been fried! Still alive. But out cold."
"I've seen this before," Rina said. "Sometimes operatives and scientists at Hydra were given implants in their brains in order to make sure they did not give information if they were captured. If they tried to talk, a trigger goes off…"
"And makes sure they don't talk," Logan growled. "Xi this guy fake mutant or real mutant?"
Xi touched him. "Real mutant," Xi growled. Then Xi touched a few of the other scientists. "These are also real mutants."
"Real mutants? So the Hellfire Club is running this joint?" Jubilee asked. "I should have known!"
"But SHIELD didn't," Logan realized. "And if they did I can guarantee you that this operation wouldn't have gone on as long as it has!"
"But the Hellfire Club is made of mutants! How can mutants enslave their own kind?" Kurt asked.
"Please!" Althea grunted. "I know people who would sell their own parents for medical experiments, besides me of course."
"Besides technically mutates aren't mutants," Tabitha reminded them. "Just humans turned into freaks against their will."
"Wait a minute," Fred thought. "If the people in charge of Genosha are really the Hellfire Club and they're all mutants…And all the slaves on this island were originally humans…."
"Oh boy," Jubilee realized. "This is bad."
"So instead of an island of humans turning mutants into slaves…" Kurt realized.
"Genosha is an island of mutants that turn humans into mutant slaves," Xi finished.
"Holy crap," Lance swore.
"Something tells me if this ever gets out the rest of the world wouldn't turn such a blind eye to what's going on down here," Rogue growled.
"You think things are bad for mutants now?" Althea said. "Wait until people learn about this place!"
"It would be their worst nightmares come true," Jubilee agreed. "And give them even more reasons to hate and fear mutants."
"Don't worry Jubilee," Monet strode through the door of the lab wearing a red and black uniform that left very little to the imagination. "It's not like you are going to be able to tell anyone about this."
"Monet!" Jubilee turned around.
"Look what we have here," Paige sneered as she walked in wearing the same type of uniform. Behind her was Banshee and his daughter Siryn, Rahne, Skin, Thornn and a few other mutants taken from Muir Island.
"Rahne! It's you!" Tabitha said going over to her friend.
"Uh oh…" Althea realized the situation. "Tabitha! Stay back!"
"Why? What…?" Tabitha stopped as Rahne transformed into a huge wolf, much larger than anything she had ever changed into before. "Rahne…"
"You will make wonderful presents for our Mistress," Monet sneered. "Surrender and submit to Hellfire!"