A/N: This chapter is based on Season 2 Episode 4 of X-Men: The Animated Series. I've never been Moscow, so I apologize if anything is wrong in relation to each other in the first few sentences. I just googled the information. As always, thanks for the follow, fav, and alerts.
Chapter 2: Russian Roulette
The trouble in Moscow, Russia with Omega Red had taken longer than anticipated. The villainous mutant had been able to put together a small army of his own and attacked the Moscow Kremlin which was only feet away from Senate Square. The Tverskoy District was near the center of the city and saw major civilian traffic. Omega Red had rounded up those unable to flee and took them hostage. By the time Cyclops had landed the Blackbird and the team entered the fray, the city was quiet and barren. Buildings were smoking, rubble filled the streets, and small fires had broken out everywhere. There was an overturned tank in the middle of the square which had been completely engulfed. It was a war zone. Storm flew over the square, calling down the rains to extinguish the flames. We had fanned out into groups; Cyclops led Jean, Rogue, Angel, and a new trainee called Jubilee, while Storm led Logan, Beast, Peter, and me.
Peter had been rightfully distraught when we approached the heavily fortified complex. Omega Red had nearly destroyed the heart of the city. Peter had grown up just outside of Moscow and had a great love for his country. Peter transformed into Colossus, growling in anger when he saw one of Omega Red's guards hit a civilian over the head with his gun. Storm had tried to reassure him that we'd help the people, but Colossus ran ahead, ripping the front security gate on the wall surrounding the Kremlin off its hinges. Colossus raged ahead as the guards fired rounds of bullets at him, each bouncing off his strong metal form. Storm called after our friend, bringing forth a heavy fog to cover us as we raced in after Colossus. I heard an ear-shattering groan as a tank was lifted off the ground and thrown back in our direction. Logan leaped towards me, pulling me down as the tank soared over the wall and exploded against the ground on impact. Up in the watch tower, Omega Red's guards had discovered that their bullets were no good against Colossus. They turned their fire towards me, Storm, Logan, and Beast. Using Colossus as a shield, I threw my hands up in the air, hurtling a ball of gaseous poison towards them. As soon as the last guard let out his final choke of air, I released it and Storm's winds dissipated the poison, preventing anyone from breathing it in. Back at the ruined gate, Beast and Logan were ushering the terrified civilians out to safety.
Colossus, Storm, and I managed to make it up the front steps when Colossus was struck in the stomach by a long metal whip. He went flying, landing at the bottom of the cement stairs with a loud CRACK! I made to move towards him, but a deep laughter stopped me. Omega Red sneered as he sauntered out of the front doors of the Kremlin. I clenched my fists as the Russian mutant started monologuing. Storm, having enough, send a bolt of lightning down on his head. The powerful hit brought the mutant to his knees. But he just laughed as he stood once more. Together, Storm and I attacked. My friend managed to get some good hits in before she too was struck by one of Omega Red's whips. I had looked away for a moment and that was my mistake. Omega Red's other metal whip coiled around my stomach like an octopus tentacle, twisting and squeezing painfully. Logan roared the villain's name as he rushed forward, claws first. Suddenly, I screamed in pain, it felt like my insides were being squashed and squeezed out a tiny tube. Logan backed off as Omega Red began draining my life force with his deadly coil.
My body jolted back to life and I noticed the rest of the team had arrived. Omega Red was fighting off Jean, Logan, and now Beast while still carrying me. I wriggled in his grasp. The coils tightened painfully again. Omega Red was laughing maniacally, saying that because of me, because of my healing ability, his own healing capabilities were increased and no one could touch him. My foot shot out and whacked him in the ribs. He didn't even notice. I'm fairly certain I hurt myself more than I hurt him.
It was a standoff. One against nine. Colossus was standing close to another flaming tank and I suddenly had an idea. Never said it was a good idea, though. I reached out to Jean though our Psionic Link, telling her my godawful plan. She was only a few feet away from me, but I still felt drained, like I'd just run a 10k. I saw Colossus' silver eyes flick to the tank. In one swift motion, he picked it up as if it were a Tonka Truck, and threw it at us. Flames licked my face as the tank slammed into Omega Red, making him fly back against the doors of the Kremlin with me still locked in his metal embrace. And, just as I had hoped, Omega Red's coil tightened, and I felt my life force drain once more to heal his injuries. But this time, I let all the toxicity I could muster seep out of my body…and into Omega Red's. His lethal grip loosened as he sank to his knees, gasping for air. I scrambled away, feeling two arms loop under mine. I thanked Angel as he pulled me away from the crippled Omega Red. When I was able to stand, I noticed that it had started to snow. Storm was hovering above, her all-white eyes trained on the evil Russian mutant.
He grunted deeply and started to rise. Jubilee let out an adorable war cry and blasted him with her pyrotechnic plasmoids. This distracted him enough for Colossus and Beast to grab him, strong-arming him back into a kneeling position. Right before Storm called upon a snowstorm to imprison Omega Red in ice, his whips exploded out of him, throwing Storm back. Rogue dashed into the air to catch her as she tumbled towards the ground. Cyclops hit Omega Red in the chest with a powerful optic blast, making him stumble back into Colossus' arms. Metal crunched as my friend squeezed his fellow countryman's arms behind his back. With all the strength she had left, Storm sent a volley of ice and rain and wind at Omega Red. He thrashed against Colossus, screaming threats and obscenities. Both he and Peter were beginning to be covered in ice.
I screamed for her to stop. Peter was shaking and his metal teeth grinding together from the cold. Angel wrapped his wings around me, caging me so I wouldn't interfere. Peter warned Storm not to stop her barrage. And she didn't. The snow and ice grew so thick around their legs that the two were trapped in place. I barely heard Jean shout at Cyclops when she turned her attention to Omega Red. He struggled against her powers which were keeping him still. A jet of red energy zoomed by her as one of Cyclops' optic blasts hit Peter's feet, breaking the ice which caused him to fall over. He crawled away from Omega Red who was now chest deep in ice. I pushed through Angel's wings, running to Peter's side. He was shivering from the light coating of frost still clinging to his legs. There was nothing I could do to help him, but he still accepted the arm I placed around his exposed metal shoulders. Omega Red's screaming was cut short as he was finally fully engulfed in ice. Storm ceased the snow flurry and the sky cleared once again.
I hadn't realized I'd been crying until Peter placed a hand on my cheek and wiped away a stray tear. Then he pulled me into a hug which I had missed so much. He laid his cheek on top of my head and murmured how he was okay and that I shouldn't be crying. To anyone, this moment would seem like two lovers comforting each other. But that wasn't this type of moment. Peter was with Kitty and he and I were just friends; as we would always be. I always felt like Peter's hugs were a breath of fresh air, be he Colossus or not. But now, being in his arms was like sinking to the bottom of a deep, dark sea.
As I helped Peter stand up, someone called my name. I turned to see Agent Sitwell, flanked by Rumlow and the STRIKE Team, coming up the steps of the Kremlin. He informed me that SHIELD had arrived not too long after we'd engaged with Omega Red and were able to clear the area of civilians. I thanked Sitwell but informed him that he should be talking to Cyclops or Storm. I wasn't team captain, nor did I want to be, if I was being honest. Sitwell nodded and called for some other SHIELD agents to take Omega Red away. They'd make sure he'd be nice and comfortable in a specialized cell at the Vault; a SHIELD maximum security prison designed specifically for "superhuman criminals". Mutants. It was meant for Mutants.
Neither Storm nor Cyclops argued with the decision.
But maybe they would have if we'd really known what Sitwell and the STRIKE Team were up too. Omega Red had been a distraction. But for what? That I'd find out soon enough.