Are You Ready For The Summer?
"So this is camping?" Shane looked around the cabin where the Misfit boys were staying. "No computers, no technology and an outhouse in the back. Okay everyone who thinks this sucks raise their hands!" He raised his.
"No computer…" Arcade twitched as he lay on his bed. "No computer…The horror...The horror..."
"What's wrong with him?" Pietro asked.
"He's just going through a little withdrawal," Todd waved. He patted Arcade on the shoulder. "Come on Arcade, cheer up! There's lots of fun stuff to do at this camp. You still have your digital camera right?"
"Yeah," Arcade blinked. "And about a gazillion batteries."
"Who needs all those batteries when we have the human battery charger living in the next cabin?" Pietro snorted. "I get what Toad's saying. You can take pictures of nature's natural beauty and put them on the web or make scrap books."
"I guess that's not so bad," Arcade thought. "It would be nice to take pictures of birds and sunsets and…"
"No when I said 'nature's beauty' I meant me!" Pietro said impatiently. He took out a mirror and gazed into it. "I mean even in the woods I look fabulous!"
"You were right Shooter, this does suck," Lance groaned. "Hey where's Larry Boy?"
"He's got his own special bed in the hospital cabin," Todd said. "They brought in all this machinery so he camp with the rest of us during the day. I love camping!"
"Not to mention all the bugs you eat while camping," Lance quipped.
"You got it! And the best part is that we're away from that spy that's been sneaking around us," Todd nodded.
"Toad for the last time there was no spy at either Misfit Manor or at the Institute!" Lance groaned. "And even if there was one at the Institute, it's rubble now! There's no way he could have survived!"
"He could have if he was very small," Todd told him. "And he could have captured one of those Sentinel Hamsters and used it like a horse. He's probably there now, searching for intelligence…"
"Good thing he's not looking over here," Shane gave him a look. "He'd never find it."
"No I mean information! Papers!" Todd kept going. "Then he'll probably sell them to our enemies for the highest bidder. So he can buy a fancy condo somewhere in the Bahamas and run his own elephant plantation or something."
"Where do you get this stuff?" Pietro asked. "Does anybody know where he gets these ideas from?"
"Creepy isn't it?" Lance asked. "Like he's channeling dead crazy people."
"Or the Venture Brothers," Pyro remarked. "Actually that's weird even for me! Elephant plantation? Come on Toad!"
"Listen to Pyro, Toad," Lance nodded.
"It's probably a killer pineapple plantation," Pyro went on. "Where he'll grow experimental mutant pineapples with huge mouths and six arms and laser eyes!"
"Don't listen to Pyro, Toad," Lance put his head into his hands.
"Well which is it?" Todd mocked. "Make up my mind!"
"I wouldn't touch your mind with a ten foot pole," Lance gave him a look.
"They do make eleven foot poles," Xi said.
"Why do I always feel like I'm the straight man in a dumb comedy movie?" Lance groaned.
"Speaking of straight, did you hear that the women moved into Harvey's cabin since theirs got blown up?" Pietro remarked as he organized his moisturizing kit. "And then he moved into the men's cabin and started knitting doilies! How much you wanna bet Logan loses it within a week?"
"You're one to talk," Pyro said. "I swear you are the only guy I know that organizes his skin moisturizing kit every night!"
"I do not organize it every night! I organize it every week!" Pietro huffed.
"Oh I am sooooo sorry," Pyro mocked. "I mean that's a huge difference! I mean how could I have made such a horrible mistake?"
"Pyro how could you?" Lance over dramatized his words. "How could you not recognize the difference between a weekly skin moisturizing organization and a daily skin moisturizing organization? I am shocked! Shocked I tell you! Shame! Shame on you!"
"This is a disturbing turn of events," Shane shook his head. "Disturbing I say!"
"Oh! Oh! I think I feel faint!" Arcade dramatically put his arm to his forehead. "Someone catch be before I fall! Oh I'm falling!" He fell back on his bed. "I've fallen and I can't get up!"
"Oh the shame of it all!" Fred hammed it up. "Are there no more morals any more? Has society sunk so low that no one even cares about moisturizing kit maintenance any more? What's next? Going lax on lip gloss? Missing mascara? Or heaven forbid…neglecting nail polish! What is this world coming to? Truly the barbarians are at the gate and the fall of western civilization has begun! Run! Run! Run to your bomb shelters and grab your curling irons to protect your families from the horrors of the evils of split ends! The horror! The horror!"
"You guys are mocking me aren't you?" Pietro gave them a look.
"Oh yes," Fred nodded energetically.
"As if you couldn't tell," Shane rolled his eyes.
"Yes," Xi nodded. He looked at Lance "We were, weren't we?"
"Oh the next month is just going to fly by," Lance groaned. "Come on it's getting late."
"Why what time is it?" Xi asked.
"It's time for Burt Reynold's mustache!" Pyro chimed. "It's time for Burt Reynold's mustache!"
"We have got to get him off the I Love The Decade series," Lance groaned. "It's time for the campfire. We have to meet the others."
"Campfire! I love a good campfire!" Pyro clapped his hands excitedly. "Well what are we waiting for? Come on! Come on! Come on!" He rushed out the door. "COME ON!"
Then he stuck his head back in. "Well come on already! That fire isn't going to just burn itself you know? Are you coming or what? Come on! OH I CAN'T WAIT!" He ran off. "WHOO HOO!"
"Okay who wants to start a pool for how long it will be before the forest burns down?" Lance sighed. "Anybody? Put me down for two weeks. Max!"
"I don't think it will even last that long," Pietro remarked.
Soon the gang were all outside. The students were sitting around the campfire. Rahne and Doug were laughing and roasting marshmallows. So were Amara and Roberto. Everyone was laughing and having a good time.
"Hey where's Shipwreck and the other Misfit adults?" Lance looked around as the Misfit boys finally made it to the fire pit.
"Some kind of meeting," Althea shrugged. "No big deal."
"Yeah but the rest of us are here," Logan gave Rogue and Remy a look. Rogue was wearing a black and green suit but no gloves. Her bare hand was on Remy's. "So watch it Gumbo."
"Wolverine, you wound me," Remy mocked.
"I will if you don't watch your step!" Logan snapped.
"Hey!" Pyro blinked as he noticed Rogue and Remy were touching. "Since when could Rogue touch someone?"
"The one time you don't notice anything but a fire," Remy grumbled.
"Rogue you have your suit on!" Kitty remarked. "I thought it got destroyed in the mansion?"
"Well most of it was," Rogue said. "This is a back up Lifeline kept at the Pit."
"Her suit?" Pyro blinked.
"That's right you were still with Bucket Head when it all went down," Rogue remembered. "Long story short Trinity and the Joes were able to come up with something that I could wear so my body would learn how to control my powers."
"Well that's pretty cool," Pyro blinked.
"Yeah but I can only wear it a couple of times a week for short periods of time," Rogue groaned. "It'll be years before I can do it on my own. Still it's better than nothing."
"If anyone deserves happiness it's you Rogue," Pyro said. "You've been screwed over more times than Paris Hilton."
"I will not kill him…" Rogue closed her eyes and tried to focus on her anger. "I will not kill him. I don't know why I should not kill him but I will not kill him."
"Isn't this wonderful?" Harvey clapped his hands. "Everyone should be so happy and grateful for a night like this!"
"Happy and grateful that our home and most of our possessions were destroyed by giant insects controlled by a race of snake people who wanted to take over the world?" Roberto raised an eyebrow.
"To be stuck in this camp with the Misfits for a month?" Ray asked.
"To be stuck in this camp with the X-Men for a month?" Todd gave him a look.
"Don't forget about the world still hating our guts and a lot of people blaming us for the recent alien invasions," Kitty added.
"There are a lot of troubles in the world," Harvey sighed. "And you know what I do when life gets me down?"
"Please say it involves a shot of bourbon," Logan groaned. Ororo hit him in the gut with her elbow. "OW! What was that for?"
"For acting like Shipwreck," Ororo gave him a look.
"Please! I could do a better imitation of Shipwreck in my sleep," Fred overheard the conversation. "You wanna see it?"
"NO!" Both Ororo and Logan told him.
"Getting back to the subject at hand," Harvey said. "I always find singing cheers me up in no time!"
"Now I'm starting to wish for that shot of bourbon," Warren groaned.
"Singing songs by the campfire is a great experience!" Harvey said cheerfully. "Any requests?"
"How about Michael Buble's 'Home'?" Rogue quipped.
"I have a song!" Pyro raised his hand. "I made it up myself. Well not completely. I kind of took that song from that show Salute Your Shorts and made a parody. Would you like to hear it?"
"Would you track us down if we tried to make a break for it?" Ray asked.
"Yes," Pyro gave him a look.
"Then sing away," Ray sighed, resigning himself to his fate.
"Ooooohhhh!" Pyro cleared his throat and stood up. "Camp Mutant-Wana we're so happy to be here! Camp Mutant-Wana watch out for the killer deer!"
"Killer deer?" Rogue blinked.
"Camp Mutant-Wana, we hold you in our hearts! But when we think about you it makes me want to fart!" Pyro sang.
"Isn't it supposed to be 'I hope we never part'?" Kitty asked.
"No, Pyro's version makes a lot more sense," Scott told her.
"You really want to stay with these people forever?" Bobby asked.
"Point taken," Kitty groaned.
"Now we will share a lifetime of fond memories," Pyro went on. "Setting the lake on fire! And scratching all our fleas!"
"The scary part is with our luck that will actually happen," Bobby groaned.
"Half right anyway," Kurt scratched at his fur. "I think it's already happening!"
"Camp Mutant-Wana! Where mutants love to play! Camp Mutant-Wanaaaaa! Where's there's explosions every day! And fires, and fights, and more fires and fights…and did I say there were explosions? And…" Pyro went on.
"Thank you Pyro," Hank stopped him. "And by thank you I mean please stop singing!"
"Does anybody else have a song they'd like to sing?" Ororo asked.
"Or better yet does anybody have some alcohol around here?" Logan looked around.
"Shipwreck-itis is contagious isn't it?" Scott asked Althea.
"How did you ever guess?" Althea asked sarcastically.
"Most of us don't know any campfire songs," Tabitha said.
"I know some!" Fred raised his hand. "I can teach you!"
"You can?" Remy gave him a look.
"What songs do you know?" Peter asked.
"Oh a lot of them," Fred said enthusiastically. "My family used to sing them all the time around the campfire, or the barbecue or if someone's house burned down. There's 'The Night of the Cow', 'I Never Knew I Could Grow a Hair There', 'There's a Bunny Stuck to My Butt', 'Vampires Don't Square Dance', 'The Farmer in the Well..'"
"Fred don't you mean the Farmer in the Dell?" Jean interrupted.
"No the Farmer in the Well," Fred corrected. "It's about this lady who marries a lot of men and goes through all their different occupations. You know, farmer, doctor, milkman, judge…"
"Are you kidding?" Harvey asked. "I thought I was the only one who knew that song?"
"What?" Jean blinked.
"Well my Aunt Mabel Mae taught me that song," Fred told him. "It was a big hit in the town she lived in. A place called Apamatachobie."
"You gotta be kidding me!" Harvey said. "I grew up in Apamatachobie!"
"No!" Fred said.
"Yes!" Harvey said excitedly. "Down on Drummond Lane. My house was two doors down from the house of the lady that song was inspired by! I remember going to the weddings and being the ring bearer twice!"
"Well I'll be hog tied and feathered," Fred said. "Then you must have known my Aunt Mabel and my cousins Jethro and Tull. She used to work down at the library!"
"Was that before or after the incident with the Mayor, the donkey and the town seal?" Harvey asked.
"After," Fred nodded.
"Oh that's right! Now I remember! She was the one that got the town seal off the donkey," Harvey said.
"How did she get it off anyway?" Fred asked. "Did she have to use a hose or something?"
"Nah it didn't work," Harvey shook his head. "In the end she had to lure him off with some catfish! That did the trick!"
"Wait a minute, you're talking about an actual seal?" Peter blinked.
"He was very popular," Harvey said. "His name was Sam. He could balance a little ball on his nose and play 'This Old Man' on the horns."
"You're lucky," Fred shook his head. "All ours could do was stand on his flippers and dance around. And even then only when he got drunk on pickled herring."
"What the hell is going on?" Logan's jaw dropped. "Could somebody please tell me what the hell is going on?"
"Even with my powers I have no idea," Xavier was stunned.
"It's like an episode of the Twilight Zone," Hank blinked. "Somehow we took a detour and ended up in the Blob's brain."
"You really thought this was a good idea huh?" Scott gave Xavier a look. "Spending a month camping with these people? A whole month. Alone. With them?"
"It seemed so at the time," Xavier admitted.
"I have a good idea," Logan grumbled. "We get some alcohol and drink it! Fast!"
"All right Logan you have convinced me," Ororo nodded in agreement. "Maybe a little shot of bourbon wouldn't hurt."
Just then Penny scampered by with at dead squirrel in her mouth. "Well I see Penny's not wasting any time making sure the squirrel population is under control," Hank observed.
"GET THAT DEAD SQUIRREL AWAY FROM ME!" Kitty screamed. "I MEAN IT PENNY!"
"Wanna see what I can make with fire?" Pyro got a gleam in his eye and started to make shapes.
"NO!" Everyone shouted. Various people tackled Pyro in order to get him to stop using his powers.
"Yeah bring Pyro to a campfire, great idea!" Logan said sarcastically.
"And to think we have a whole month of this!" Rogue groaned. "Listening to insane stories, having crazy people come after us, dealing wtih the Misfits, trying to keep the forest from burning down..."
SQUEEEEEK!
"Listening to the sounds of squirrels being decapitated all night," Rogue groaned. "I hate camping!"
"At least the adults are stuck with us too," Jamie shrugged. "So it can't be that bad."
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Meanwhile at the Adult living quarters…
"What do you mean you're leaving?" Shipwreck shouted at the Blind Master. The Misfit Handlers were having a private meeting in the living room.
"I've already told Xavier and the others that I will return as soon as possible," The Blind Master calmly informed them.
"But why the hell are you going to Japan now of all times?" Shipwreck asked. "You can't just leave us in the lurch like this!"
"You are so clueless," Low Light glared at him.
"What? What do you mean?" Shipwreck looked around.
"Now is an excellent time to consult the Ancient Masters," Storm Shadow the white clad spoke as he and Jinx stepped out of the shadows. Jinx was wearing a black and gold ninja outfit and her face was uncovered. Her normally short hair had grown slightly longer and was now in a ponytail.
"Huh? Storm Shadow? Jinx? When the hell did you guys get here?" Shipwreck asked. "And who the hell are the Ancient Masters?"
"For crying out loud Shipwreck we must have told you about them ten times over the years," Jinx groaned.
"Uhhh…" Shipwreck scratched his head, trying to remember.
"As if the idiot would actually listen to anything you say," Cover Girl rolled her eyes. "Why don't you fill him in again?"
"The Ancient Masters are a group of skilled ninja masters who work outside their clan in order to oversee and in some cases govern all the ninja clans," Storm Shadow sighed. "They also teach and advise ninjas in extreme cases and unusual circumstances. And I would say that the possessors of both the Destiny Stone and the Phoenix Force becoming more powerful qualify don't you?"
"Oh," Shipwreck blinked. "But Storm Shadow why don't you go see these guys? You're a master too aren't you?"
"I am going," Storm Shadow explained. "I'm accompanying the Blind Master."
"I may be a skilled ninja master but even I can't drive blind," The Blind Master shrugged. "Well technically I can but the police and pedestrians tend to get a bit nervous when I do."
"Can't you just use the Mass Device and teleport there?" Roadblock asked. "I know for a fact Trinity finally fixed it."
"How could they fix it when the machine is back at the Pit and we're over here?" Low Light asked.
"The problem was in the watches not the machine itself," Roadblock explained.
"What? Did they get bubble gum in them or something?" Low Light asked.
"Let's just say that orange juice fights are not as safe as you would think they would be," Shipwreck said. "But that is a good point. Why are you not using the Mass device?"
"We're using it to teleport to Japan but the rest of the way we have to go by more conventional means," The Blind Master explained. "It's a protocol thing."
"So what exactly do you expect these all knowing ninja guys to do?" Cover Girl asked.
"These 'all knowing ninja guys' are going to help us contain the Phoenix Force and keep it under control," The Blind Master told her. "Not to mention teach us techniques to assist certain holders of the Destiny Stone on how to hone their own skills."
"Teach you? Aren't you guys already like the top in your field?" Shipwreck was stunned.
"Life is a continuous lesson unto itself," Spirit told him. "There are no true masters, only students."
"Huh?" Shipwreck blinked. "I don't get it."
"I did not expect a man who flunked every lesson except how to drink himself into oblivion to understand it," Spirit gave him a look.
"There is one thing I don't understand though," Low Light said. "I mean Xavier already bound the Phoenix Force into Jean. Couldn't he just keep changing the mental locks or whatever?"
"He could but it would not be as effective," Storm Shadow shook his head. "Xavier may be a master of the mind, but the Phoenix is a creature of the heart. It is ruled by passions not logic. Psychic dampeners and techniques are effective to a degree, but they are not always the strongest or most powerful when dealing with cosmic forces."
"To put it in terms even Shipwreck can understand," Jinx said. "Think of the psychic barriers as a powerful dam. Now think of the Phoenix Force as the ocean during Hurricane Katrina. Now think of the Destiny Stone as another powerful hurricane coming right on the heels of Katrina. All it takes is just the right situation and…"
"Okay I get the picture," Shipwreck interrupted. "So you're saying that these all knowing ninja masters know how to handle stuff like this?"
"Oh yes," Jinx nodded. "Stuff like this is pretty common for them."
"Some of them have even raised people from the dead," Storm Shadow agreed.
"That would be helpful," Shipwreck blinked.
"So try to hold down the fort and prevent the end of the world just long enough until we return," The Blind Master sighed. "We'll be back within a week."
"Until then I'll be taking the Blind Master's place," Jinx explained.
"No wonder Wolverine took it so well," Roadblock laughed. "The plan sounds more than okay. For once maybe things will go our way."
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Meanwhile at on a certain Greek island…
"AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Bursting from the ground, covered in mud and dirt was Selene. She staggered out from her underground prison. Her eye twitched as she saw the destruction around her. Her beautiful palace was gone. Her cherished works of art were gone. There was nothing but rubble left and she knew exactly who was responsible.
"Avalanche…" She growled. "I am going to… KILL YOU! I'LL KILL YOU AND YOUR LITTLE TOAD TOO!"
Thunder and lightning cracked and roared in the sky as Selene screamed to the heavens. "I WILL DESTROY EVERY SINGLE MISFIT AND ANYONE CONNECTED WITH THE MISFITS IF IT'S THE LAST THING I DO! THEY WILL RUE THE DAY THEY CROSSED THE MISTRESS OF MAGIC! THE QUEEN OF DARKNESS! THE BLACK QUEEN OF HELLFIRE AND DESPAIR! THEY WILL ALL PERISH BEFORE ME!"
Selene then sniffed. "But first…" She grumbled. "I am going to my nearest palace and take a very, very long shower!"
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The sound of the guard's neck snapping in his hands was music to Sabertooth's ears. He roared with pure fury as his claws sliced through the jugular of another one.
"And another human bites the dust," Solitaire decapitated another guard. "Fools."
"Tell me about it," Sabertooth grunted. "Not only are these FOH idiots stupid enough to have a Mutant Research lab without even bothering to cover it up, but my idiot son practically brags about it in the newspaper!"
"You would think he would have learned some discretion," Solitaire cleaned his blade on the clothes of a dead guard. "And not to tell the Fox network that he had a team of researchers working night and day on curing the mutant problem right in the middle of Denver, Colorado!"
"Brains was never that boy's strong suit," Sabertooth grunted. "I got a scent. Mutant. This one's definitely alive. Down that way."
"And more prey to play with," Solitaire grinned as three more guards appeared.
"Save some for me," Sabertooth went down the hall. "I'll be right back."
He found only one cell at the end and the room was dark. He broke down the door and turned on the light. Of all the sights he expected he didn't count on what he saw.
Sabertooth was stunned. Inside was a little girl, about eight years old with pink hair, lavender skin and pure green eyes clutching a battered teddy bear. She had a torn green dress on. She had a chain around her bare right leg and it was clearly cutting into her skin.
"You won't make me cry no more," The little girl sniffed as her eyes adjusted to the light. Then she saw Sabertooth. "Hello. Are you a mutant like me?"
Sabertooth was stunned. "Yeah kid I am."
"Be careful, the bad people could hurt you too," She said.
"Yeah but I can hurt them!" Sabertooth snapped the chain off of her leg with his strength. "What's your name kid?"
"Clarice," She said. "This is Bonkers," She indicated the bear. "I've been down here a long time."
"Looks like it," Sabertooth grunted. "Solitaire! Get in here!"
"I couldn't save one for you," Solitaire walked in. He looked at the girl and frowned. "This will not hurt little one," He touched her arm.
"Well, what can she do?" Sabertooth asked.
"Nothing yet. She's going to be a teleporter," Solitaire said. "And there's something else too. I'm not sure what."
"This is Solitaire and I'm Sabertooth," Sabertooth told her. "Among other things he can tell what kind of powers a mutant has."
"Have you seen any other mutants?" Solitaire asked.
"I'm the only one left," Clarice said softly. "My little brother died yesterday. He was seven. I'm eight."
Solitaire's face turned into one of cold rage. "I am sorry we could not save your brother. But we will save you."
"Yeah kid and those humans are gonna pay for what they did," Sabertooth told her. "That I promise!"
Both Sabertooth and Solitaire heard more guards coming. "Looks like there's more of them for me to play with after all," Sabertooth grinned.
"Let us go then," Solitaire turned invisible and went out to kill the remaining guards.
"You stay here kid, it's gonna get messy out there," Sabertooth told her. "I'll be right back when it's safe."
"Please Mister, don't leave me alone," Clarice whimpered.
"I'll be right back to get ya kid," Sabertooth growled as he heard the last of the security men and scientist panicking as Solitaire tore into them. "Me and my pal are just gotta take out the garbage. Then we can go."
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Graydon Creed sat down in front of the visitor's table in front of him. Next to him was a man in a white coat and red hair. The Reverend Stryker was brought out in shackles but allowed to sit down as well at the table.
"Reverend," Creed said briskly. "This is Dr. Baleful. He's the FOH's top geneticist." He nervously eyed the guard.
"Don't worry about Daniel," Stryker grinned at the guard who grinned back. "He's one of my many converts to the cause. We can speak freely. So?"
"Half an hour ago Lab Five was infiltrated and destroyed," Dr. Baleful told him. "We were able to identify that two mutants, Sabertooth and Solitaire were responsible."
"How many casualties?" Stryker asked.
"Human or mutant?" Dr. Baleful asked.
"Human obviously!" Creed snapped.
"There were twenty five people stationed at Lab Five," Dr. Baleful said. "Six of them were scientists. None of them survived."
"Bastards," Stryker snarled.
"And they got the girl," Dr. Baleful said.
"Alive? They took the pink girl?" Stryker asked.
"Yes," Dr. Baleful nodded.
"Excellent," Stryker grinned. "A pity it wasn't the X-Men who found her."
"We'll get them soon enough," Creed said. "Personally this turn of events suits me just fine. We all knew if we set out enough signals one of those mutie groups would find the girl. As far as I'm concerned Magneto and Sabertooth are perfect for the job!"
"I agree," Stryker said. "When will the virus activate?"
"Incubation is about three months," Dr. Baleful said. "But the girl and the other one we just let loose in Mutant Town will still be able to pass it along with minimal detection within one month before the first symptoms start. By the end of the year at least ninety percent of the mutant population of the world will be infected."
"And then humanity shall be cleansed once and for all," Stryker grinned.
"It's still not fast enough for me," Creed grumbled.
"You must have patience Creed," Stryker said. "That is the lesson I have learned during my incarceration. A pity you did not learn it during your experiences."
"And a pity you didn't learn how to follow through on your plans," Creed sneered. "You made more mutants than you ever killed!"
"It was my fault that I failed but it was God's will that…" Stryker began.
"God's will my ass!" Creed snapped. "It was your failure…"
"Gentlemen! Please!" Dr. Baleful stopped them. "This bickering is pointless! What's done is done. What we must focus on now is the future and what we need to do."
"He's right," Stryker coughed. "Forgive me for my outburst. We all want those demons destroyed. We should work together, not fight each other."
"Agreed," Creed grumbled.
"It's time to go sir," The guard said.
"Very well. Just out of curiosity," Stryker stopped before he left. "Who was the other mutant you infected with the virus? Anyone we know?"
"I don't believe so," Dr. Baleful loosened his collar. "It was an unusual young mutant named Lisa Lizer. She's quite unique for her powers inhibit telepathy."
"Inhibit, you mean…?" Stryker raised an eyebrow.
"No telepath can read minds while they are in her presence," Dr. Baleful grinned. "It took me a while to track her down but once I did I merely knocked her unconscious, infected her with the virus and then set her loose in front of the Mutant Town shelter. I have a contact that will make sure she stays in the area long enough for the virus to do it's job."
"All those mutants on that one block…" Stryker grinned.
"And more are flocking to that block every day from around the world," Dr. Baleful nodded. "New York is becoming quite the breeding ground for the mutant community."
"Which will soon become their graveyard," Stryker said.
"And the best part is Xavier can't find her," Creed put it together. "I gotta admit Doc, you're a genius."
"It was nothing, she was merely a piece of the puzzle I found," Dr. Baleful shrugged. "Thanks to a friend of a friend from Neverland."
"Excellent, until next time gentlemen," Stryker nodded as he was led back into his cell.
Creed and Dr. Baleful soon left the prison. "As much as I hate to admit it Stryker has been helpful to the FOH," Creed grumbled. "My name doesn't go as far as it used to."
"That's not exactly your fault," Dr. Baleful went to his limo with tinted shades.
"No, but he is right," Creed said. "We do have a common goal. You don't know what this means to me Doctor."
"Oh yes I do," Dr. Baleful told him. "Rest assured soon everyone will know exactly what the Legacy Virus will mean to the planet."
"Legacy Virus, interesting name," Creed snorted.
"I thought it had a poetic ring to it," Dr. Baleful said as he got into his limo. "Now if you'll excuse me I have to get back to work."
"Fine," Creed nodded. "I'll meet you at Headquarters next week. I know you're a busy man."
"You have no idea how busy," Dr. Baleful grinned. "See you later."
Creed waved and went into his own limo as the doctor went into his. Dr. Baleful turned on his cell phone as his limo pulled away. "Report…" The voice on the other end spoke.
"Everything has gone perfectly according to plan," Dr. Baleful's features began to shift. "They've all taken the bait, Apocalypse."
"Excellent work Sinister," Apocalypse told him. "They really believe this virus will destroy mutant kind?"
"Technically it will only kill one or two mutants," Sinister told him as he shapeshifted into his original form. "But it's a necessary sacrifice in order for the virus to develop to it's second and true purpose."
"And from one will come many," Apocalypse spoke. "Excellent work. Now here is what I need you to do next…"
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"Looks like you found her just in time," Mender told Sabertooth back at the base. She was giving Clarice a check up. "She's underfed but I've seen worse cases since the North Korea operation."
"Yeah well," Sabertooth grunted. He was stunned as Clarice grabbed his arm.
"Thank you Mister Sabertooth," Clarice grinned at him. "Bonkers says thank you too. You're very brave."
"Just doing my job kid," Sabertooth shrugged. Something about this girl was getting under his skin but for once not in a bad way. "She'll be okay then?"
"Don't worry," Mender nodded. "I'll send her to Orphan's Hollow." She was referring to the orphanage section of Magneto's base, where abandoned mutant children too young to fight were cared for. "She'll be fine."
"I still think you should do some more tests on her," Solitaire said. "There's something about her genes…I'm not sure."
Sabertooth saw Clarice's eyes widen. "No more tests!" He ordered. "The kid's been through enough. Besides we all know she's going to be a teleporter and you didn't sense anything dangerous did you?"
Solitaire decided to hold his tongue. "Not really no."
"Sabertooth, Solitaire," Mastermind walked in. "Good you're back. We need you in the conference room."
"Okay, okay," Sabertooth bent down to Clarice's level. "You be good now. You're gonna go to a nice room and meet a couple other kids your age. Got it."
Clarice nodded. She gave him a hug. "Bye Mr. Sabertooth! And Mr. Bonkers says good bye too!"
"Yeah uh," Sabertooth gulped and put the girl down and left. "Bye kid, by Bonkers."
"What was that about?" Mastermind asked as they walked out of the medical facility and into the long corridor. "Normally you'd slit someone's throat if they even look at you wrong!"
"She's just a freaking kid. Even I'm not that ruthless," Sabertooth grunted.
"Since when?" Mastermind snorted. "Magneto needs to see you and Solitaire right away."
"What does Bucket Head want us to do this time?" Sabertooth growled as he followed Mastermind with Solitaire. "I don't mind the action but I was hoping to get something to eat first."
"Chomping down on those FOH scientists didn't satisfy you?" Solitaire asked.
"The only way I'll be satisfied is if I get my hands on my so called son," Sabertooth growled. "Just when I thought I couldn't think up any more reasons to split Graydon's head open like a ripe watermelon…"
If Sabertooth wasn't shocked before, he was certainly was shocked when he saw the state of the conference room. There was metal everywhere in odd positions. Hanging upside down suspended by metal was Cortez. "Oooohh…Monkeys…" Cortez moaned.
"Magneto," Sabertooth looked around at all the oddly formed metal. "What the hell happened? Besides Cortez screwing up again?"
"We…had a little incident," Magneto sighed. "I'm afraid I need you two to get right back out in the field and track down a few people."
He then used his powers to release Cortez so that he dropped to the floor. "And could someone please take Cortez to the infirmary…Again!"
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Back at Camp Whispering Pines the day was relatively peaceful. "I can't believe we went a whole day without some alien or maniac attacking," Roberto groaned as he and the other X-Men Boys made their way back to camp from the lake at sunset. "It's like some kind of record."
"Unless you count the Blob attacking the breakfast buffet," Bobby joked. "Oh man I forgot my towel. You guys go ahead! I'll catch up."
"Don't be late," Ray waved as they went ahead.
Bobby ran back and found it on the beach. "I can't believe I forgot it," He picked it up. Then he heard a rustling in the bushes. "Who's there? Toad? Are you eating more bugs or something?"
Bobby felt he was being watched. He prepared to ice up and attack but to his shock he saw Lorna stumble out of the woods. Her green uniform was torn and there was a cut on her cheek. She looked frightened and dazed.
"Polaris?" Bobby gasped. "What are you doing here?"
"Help me," Lorna whimpered. "Help me…" She passed out in his arms.
"Oh boy," Bobby blinked. "This is…really getting weird here."
You have no idea Bobby! Next: Find out what Polaris is doing at the camp and what happens next will really be a blast!