Chapter 12

Welcome To

The Dead Zone

Disclaimer: The OCs seen in this chapter are ones I've used in the WWE games over the years. Malarious was actually inspired by real life Indy Wrestler Delirious as well.

Elkmont Town, The Smoky Mountains

"Well, this is a charming place." Quipped Lance after he and several others arrived in the ghost town of Elkmont in the Smoky Mountains.

"Give it time, kid. Murphy's probably still deciding how best to screw with us." Grunted Low Light off to the side of the 18 year old.

Low Light, along with Lance, Fred, Todd, Althea, and Eden had been sent to the Ghost Town to check for suspicious activity in the area that was possibly Cobra related. "Or maybe he decided to take the day off, ya know?" Joked Todd as Lance snickered.

Whom prior to arriving, had asked the question of 'what's the worst that could happen?' after Hawk had briefed them on the mission. "Alright, fan out everyone. Quicker we're done here the quicker we can get back to base."

"You got it, Low Light, come on, Toddles!" Declared Althea as she grabbed Todd by the hand and took off for one of the structures.

"Given this place does have some traffic, it'll make any attempts at tracking a little difficult."

But Eden didn't mind as he liked a challenge from time to time as he went off in one direction as the others did as well. "I bet its some pranksters up to no good." Muttered Fred to himself.

Now preferring to go by the codename of 'Blockade' since he felt it was a less demeaning codename thanks to all his time with Psyche Out. As the group began their search for any signs of Cobra or other signs of unwanted activity, none of them were aware that they were being watched. "More visitors, what fun!"

As the search went on, Toad eventually found himself alone in one of the structures as Wavedancer looked into another one. Even if she would've preferred some alone time with her boyfriend but unfortunately there was a time and place for such things. And this wasn't one of those times or places. Well, not right now while on mission anyway. "I think we shoulda just sent in Pietro since it woulda been easier and faster." Muttered Toad to himself as he looked around the inside of the structure.

One that had clearly seen some better days in his view! Growling however made the young man stop short and then gulp when he saw some glowing red eyes. "Oh boy…"

"You… Not… Wanted here!" Growled out a menacing voice that seemed to come from where the glowing red eye was.

Chuckling nervously, Toad decided to make his exit. "Yeah, I'll uhh… I'll just be on my way then!"

Another growl came from the mystery figure and Toad hauled ass with a yell but it seemed the mystery figure wasn't content to leave things be. "AL!" Screamed the teen in a panic.

His scream alerted the others and they all came running and couldn't help but widen their eyes at the sight of the figure chasing Toad. As the figure stood at 7'8 with a well built and dark colors wearing body, was deathly pale with a number of scars seen on his sleeveless arms, had what looked to be horns on top of his head but were actually double ended spikes, some very sharp looking claws in place of nails on his grey fingerless gloves, and his face looked like it had dark red face paint on it. His knees oddly enough had orange knee bracers on them. "Blockade!"

"Don't gotta tell me twice, Low Light!" Fred yelled and intercepted the huge figure before he could reach his little buddy.

Getting a growl in return and the two were soon duking it out as a feminine laugh rang through out the area. "Your friend's a big one, but I doubt he can really handle Arius!"

The non fighters looked to see where the female voice came from and saw to their surprise, a red skinned woman in red tights, blue boots, and a black zipped up vest with eyes like Gambit's. Her hair was as dark as midnight with red streaks in it, and she also had on black fingerless gloves. While she looked small, she had some muscle tone to her. "I dunno, Xiara, I think the big one could handle him pretty well." Came a foreign voice nearby.

Said voice belonging to a man in a dark red sleeveless outfit with baggy shorts instead of pants and an equally dark red mask with tassels coming out of the back. But unlike the other two, he didn't wear gloves but did have wrist gauntlets and elbow bads. He himself had a fair amount of muscle tone but looked like he'd fit right in with a Cruiserweight division for a Wrestling company. Next to him was a very thin shirtless figure in baggy shorts and blue and white shoes. His hair was long and white and half his face looked to be rotten. "Hah, if you had anything to wager I would make a bet with you on that, Malarious!" Scoffed the red skinned woman.

Low Light aimed his gun at Malarious as Manifold prepped his spear in Xiara's direction as Avalanche, Toad, and Wavedancer made themselves ready to battle with serious looks on their faces. "Are you guys with Cobra!? Because if you are, you're about to have a bad day!" Demanded to know Wavedancer before Low Light could.

Derisive laughter came from both Xiara and Malarious and it'd be Xiara who spoke up first. "No, we sent those fools packing when they came here thinking they could use this place as a base of operations!"

"A few of them probably are dead now too thanks to my powers." Added in Malarious with a smirk on his lips.

Making for Low Light to ask him what said powers were. "Oh, the ability to infect someone with Malaria. My Mutation activated when several Mosquitoes in Honduras bit me and gave me Malaria and thus, I was born."

Our heroes had to quickly duck when some debris from the nearby fight went in their direction. "Man… And people think I'M a walking disaster!" Lance said in shock.

"Well cutie, they won't be thinking it for long because we're the Death Squad!" Declared Xiara as she jumped down from her perch on the roof she'd been on.

But before anything could happen between the two groups as Fred kept on fighting Arius, a loud but deep voice rang out. "ENOUGH!"

Said voice was enough to make Arius pause and allow for Blockade to get in a hit on him much to the bigger man's irritation. But when Blockade got a look at the newest figure, he couldn't help but do a double take. "Uncle Adam!?"

"OOF!" Cried out the large teenager when Arius slugged him seconds later.

"Arius, I said ENOUGH!" Roared the 6'2 heavy set man with some muscle.

Clad in black tights, a buttoned up Hawaiian print top, brown eyes, brown hair that was shaved on the sides and a ponytail at the back. He also had a goatee and was shoeless thanks to his Mutation making him invulnerable. Arius growled but obeyed the man as Xiara mock groaned. "Aww, just when we were about to have fun!"

A Little Bit Later

"Wow, its wild to meet another of Freddy's family, yo!" Todd said in disbelief after the fight and Adam Brown-Dukes had explained the history of the Elkmont group.

"Of course he focuses on that." Moaned Lance as Althea looked on fondly at her boyfriend and kissed him on the cheek.

Adam, as he explained, had been in Japan for a number of years for his wrestling career before finally returning to America. His Mutation being declared by those he worked for as unfair to other talent and a difficulty for certain types of matches. Arius had once been an Enforcer for a crime family but had been cruelly tortured and murdered by a rival of the family's. His X-Gene had actually activated shortly after he had died and thanks to the spikes in his head, had a limited amount of intelligence and amnesia and had been given the name Arius by Xiara herself. His face had been cut off and then set on fire, which was why it looked like he had red face paint on. Xiara, like Adam, had been someone working on a wrestling career in Japan but when her X-Gene activated, had been forced to leave. And not because it was thought to be an unfair advantage but because her family had found her change to be dishonorable and ran her out of town.

Malarious had actually been a Doctor in Honduras until Malaria and his until then dormant X-Gene interacted. Making him the man he is today and somewhat unhinged thanks to how he had become a Mutant. And as for the thin man with half a rotting face they had taken to calling Bob as a tribute to Rob Zombie, he'd been an unfortunate victim in an experiment and had managed to escape. He didn't talk and while he was as slow as a Zombie was in the older films, could move fast when he wanted too. "How come you never told anyone you were back from Japan, Uncle Adam? We'd have loved to have had you back!"

Adam sighed. "I wasn't sure I'd be welcomed back, Freddy. Plus, a lot of the family is all over the place now so getting in contact is kinda hard these days as well."

"Oh, yeah, good point." Muttered Fred a little sadly.

As being so spread out sucked in his view since it made it harder for family reunions and all! "And so you guys decided to stick it out here in this place?" Althea asked curiously.

"Pretty much, kid. Its out of the way and nobody bothers us. Just how we like it."

"Until those Cobra jerks showed up." Xiara said with a scowl.

Low Light and the others frowned as this could mean potential trouble for the small group. "I know you guys like it here but its probably for the best if you re-located as Cobra might try and come back for all of you."

And only God knows what they'd do with them if they managed to capture them and that was the last thing the Joe Soldier wanted to see happen. "And what? We'd be safer with you Army types?" Malarious asked with a scoff.

Sure, he knew the score thanks to being told about the Misfits program but the man still had his doubts. "Well, ya don't hafta join us, we know a couple places you guys could probably make a home at." Todd told him.

Gaining several agreeing nods as well. "One of which is an island with some larger than life animals." Lance threw in.

Adam frowned thoughtfully as he looked at his small group. "I think we'll stay here for the time being but if push comes to shove, we'll take you up on the offer."

"I'll personally see to safe travels for you and yours if you do take us up on the offer." A mostly quiet Eden promised.

A nod came from the large man as the kids and Low Light all looked unhappy at the decision. Several days later would see Eden living up to his promise after the Elkmont group were attacked by Cobra forces and effectively demolished the whole area during the fight and angering not only the National Park Service, but Historians as well over the destruction. The Eloi had unfortunately been a little much for the small group and Oak Plain's location was a bit too out in the wilderness but they would find a home on the island where the Misfits had met Kima once upon a time. Which was also now home to a number of folks that the Bratva had intended to sell off or place in Slavery. "Ya know, maybe we oughta set up a town or something for folks like them to have a place to live in." Mused Pietro thoughtfully sometime after getting the self declared Death Squad situated on the island.

"Yes, that way we're not having to put more on the Eloi or Kima's island." Added Xi.

Their words, heard by Hawk, would nicely enough, get the ball rolling on getting something like that looked into with a little help from General Whithalf.

Author's Notes: Not sure the Death Squad will show up again but never know.