Disclaimers par normal.
Continuity note: I forgot until after I'd posted, but I have Paige in two places at once. MY apologies. To clear things up, Paige is currently unconscious, with the wounded and Jono. Thanks.
To Lynxie and Acetal. Thanks, guys, I love you, but I'm not writing 400 chapters.
The Rise and Fall of the House of DeZorga
Chapter Twelve: Two Chord Cool in the Head
by Suzy DeZorga
The Sentinels hit New York before we did. Not that I was too surprised, they'd already been there when we started back. Sentinels were programmed to hunt and kill mutants. But their current master was a mutant himself. That worried me. Badly.
I dove out of the Blackbird on reaching Central Park and tossed something over my shoulder about getting the wounded to Four Freedoms Plaza. We'd brought Emma and the rest with us, since the Fantastic Four could better care for them. I needed to find the Sentinels and Excalibur. Now. #Ray? Betsy?#
#Yo.# Ray sounded vaguely strained. #We're on Sentinel destruction duty.#
#Keep talking, I need a fix.#
#Right. Anyway, they came ouf of nowhere. Weird thing, though. They're going after regular humans like there's no tomorrow.#
#Got it. Shit.# "Computer, body slide by--" I glanced at the group that was following me. Wanda, Vision and Steve. "Four, to coordinates @$@."
"Acknowledged."
"Hang on."
The park dissolved around us. And a street in lower Manhatton reformed around us. Something shattered nearby and the four of us dove into cover. Sentinels. There had to have been thirty of them tromping through the streets, indiscriminantly killing humans. I could feel the deaths all around me. "Shitshitshit. You three, start stopping them. Now."
Steve just nodded and hopped over a bit of rubble. Wanda followed him as Vision took to the air.
I lost track of everyone in the fight. It was destroy a robot and move on, praying that you could stop them all before they finished off the populace and moved on. Occassionally, you would find one or two people alive. Mutants. I knew Ray and Betsy were around somewhere. I could sense them coordinating things.
Suddenly, a flash came to me and I turned into the coffee shop I was standing next to. The people inside weren't even paying attention to the battle raging outside. They didn't *care*. I felt sickened. The memory fragment pushed at me again and I stared at the counter. The young clerk there was being harrangued by a woman.
"Do you KNOW who I am?" She demanded imperiously. "I am Donna--"
I shoved her out of my way and vaulted the counter, grabbing the boy and dropping us to the floor. "Computer, body slide two to Central Park. NOW!"
The front window of the 'cafe crashed inwards as a Sentinel--dead, but still moving--entered. As the 'Cafe dissolved, I saw an edge of metal shear off the woman's head.
---
Domino
I can't believe they did this to me. Baby-sitting duty. Flonqing pissant asses. I can't say they're incompetent. Much. The kids are just as pleased as I am, of course.
"I can't believe this." Meltdown growled and kicked a piece of debris. It skittered off over the defunct kitchen's floor. "Stuck HERE when we could be THERE doing something."
Unfortunately, though I agreed with her, Nate had left us to watch the brat for a reason. I growled softly. Dez owed me now. Bigtime.
Before I could say anything, Caliban wandered up to me, looking disconsolate, "Patch-Eye, Caliban wants to kill not-CableNathan and go find real CableNathan."
That sounded like a plan to me. And maybe I could kick Nate's ass, too. "Good idea. Why?"
"Not-CableNathan smells wrong." Cal's lip twitched up suspiciously in what was almost a sneer.
"He... smells wrong. What do you mean by that?"
"Not-CableNathan doesn't smell like CableNathan who smells like Patch-Eye." Cal sniffed a bit. "And Patch-Eye smell like CableNathan."
I knew I hadn't wanted to know as around me the kids hooted with laughter.
"Cal!" Meltdown pounced the mutant. "What does Terry smell like?"
"Tabitha--" Siryn began indignantly.
"Caliban want CableNathan." He set his jaw and sat down.
"People." I announced calmly. "Let's get things packed into the Mansion, find lunch, relax."
"Relax? While on baby-sitting duty for HIM?" Meltdown snorted and kicked another piece of rubble. This time, though, it failed to move and she began hopping up and down, yelping.
I refrained from laughing and turned to Caliban. "Cal, please guard the back and let no one but us in."
He saluted me, his agitation with the brat forgotten. "Yes, Patch-Eye. Caliban let no one in but you."
I was turning away, when a thought occurred to me, "Oh, and Cal, I'll have James bring down your teddy-bear."
He smiled happily, "Thank you, Patch-Eye."
"You're welcome." I muttered under my breath as I wandered into the partially destroyed mansion.
The brat looked up at me, his mouth in a perpetual pout. "I wanted to go with them." He whined.
"You and me both. Kid, got a piece of advice for you. Don't whine. It gets on my nerves."
He looked at me for a moment, rebellion warring with something else. "Whatever." He muttered finally and turned away to lean against the wall and look forlorn.
Fuck it. The kid could bitch and moan over against the wall. If he came and did it at me, I'd slap him. I looked around for the rest of the team and spotted James and Terry carefully tugging chairs around a table in the dining room.
Me, I was really craving coffee. And the kitchen was totalled. I decided to try accessing the main computer, since at least then, I could have the sensors sweeping the grounds.
"Terry."
"Yes?"
"I'm going to find a terminal, you're in charge."
She nodded. "We'll be on the lookout fer the boy."
The terminal I finally found in the semi-destroyed mansion--that worked--was a floor up and several rooms over. I wasn't happy about it, but I needed those systems.
Nate had given me passwords to the subsytems he'd set up. So I quickly bypassed the main ones and snorted. Xavier had taken them down on his way out. No surprise. I ended up having to do some creative rebooting...
Computer systems: online.
C:\
I pondered for a moment, then typed several commands in and waited.
Commands received and acknowledged.
Please wait.
The computer beeped and gave me another system online message, then beeped again in alarm.
AI detects intruder in lower level.
Destroy Y/N?
Not yet, I decided. I needed to see who it was first, and the security cameras had gotten blasted when Bishop and Grey took out a large part of the mansion's ass.
Further instructions?
Yeah. Give me a remote unit to control you with in case destruction is needed.
Remote unit constructed. Retrieving.
A small panel opened on the wall, I reached into it and pulled out what looked like a Sega controller. Great. A joystick to save the world with.
I didn't quibble, just logged in with it, checked that it worked and ascertained the location of the intruder. She--or he--was now in the dining room. And none of the kids had called.
A babysitter's work is never done. I crept down the stairs, silently wishing I'd been able to find a terminal closer to the kids. I began hearing voices as I slipped down the hall. The kids, the Brat, and... Sinister. I'd recognise that oily, know-it-all voice anywhere. The self-assured bastard had knocked me unconscious last time. Well, this time, it wouldn't be that simple.
Terry screamed, her voice roaring outward. I used the sound as cover to run down the hall and peek into the kitchen. Sinister was casually ignoring Terry's assault and stalking the unconscious brat.
Wonderful. Just wonderful. I reached down the psilink to Nate. #Nate, I'm blowing the mansion. Sinister is here.#
I stepped into the kitchen and grabbed Roberto, who was slumped against the wall. "Kid, you need to get up and move. Now."
"Ma'am?" He looked at me groggily.
"Get the fuck out of here. Grab Tabitha, too." The others were more or less still on their feet. And were looking at me for orders.
The brat was awake, but not moving. He looked pretty dazed. I sighed and dodged around Terry and Ric who were combining their powers and keeping Sinister off his feet. "Get up, kid. Now."
"What?"
"Kid, get up." I remembered something Nate had done once and began to grin. He was slowly responding to my not-so-gentle tugs. "Kid, can you project a mental clone of yourself?"
"Can I what?" He stood and swayed slightly, wincing.
"We don't have time for this." I shoved him towards the back. "Move. Now."
Terry's voice suddenly faltered and Sinister surged towards us.
And then something roared. Something grey and angry and full of rage. And it streaked into the room and tackled Sinister. I blinked. "Caliban...."
"My God." Terry leaned against Ric as we slowly made ourselves around the fight. "Cal's gone nuts."
"Don't gawk. MOVE."
The rubble outside was a bit of impediment, as were the wounded. We didn't stop. I ran my eyes over the kids, checking that all were there. All but Caliban. I closed my eyes. If Sinister got his hands on the kid all would not be good.
I pulled out the remote pad and typed a few keys, then hit enter.
Self-destruct sequence initiated. Thirty second countdown commences.
From inside the Mansion a roar rang out, feral and full of rage. "Caliban shall NOT let you hurt Patch-eye and CableNathan!"
The clock was ticking, I turned and glared at the kids. "Move!"
They jumped and began moving further away from the Mansion.
Ten. Nine. Eight.
We'd cleared the pool deck. Not far enough. NATE had layed the charges on the Mansion.
Five. Four. Three.
"X-Force! Fire in the hole!" The kids dropped like rocks, scrabbling for cover.
One.
And the world went white. The sound never even registered. The shockwave after it, did. I felt myself picked up and flung several feet. With my luck, I landed fine. A second shockwave, less powerful, rippled through the area. And then the debris began flying.
Nate never does things by half, I'll give him that. When the shit stopped falling around me, I slowly got up. Ouch. Lots of things hurt from being battered.
Concrete, wood, metal and other things that went into the construction of something as complex as the X-Mansion lay scattered around us. I couldn't immediately see the others, but I could see the large steal beam that sat next to me. Two inches more and I wouldn't have a left leg.
"Everyone respond." I called. "Domino here, anybody?"
A muffled voice from my right. "Siryn here."
"Shatterstar here. Rictor's unconscious."
"Meltdown."
"Proudstar. And Roberto's here. I think his arm is broken. But I can't tell, because he's buried in the rubble."
That left everyone but the brat. "Kid? You there?"
"He was next to me when we fell. I don't see him now." Meltdown's blonde head popped into sight. "I can only see you, though, so..."
"He might just be unconscious." I sighed. Great. The little brat was causing us even more trouble than he was worth.
"Dom..." Meltdown looked at me, suddenly uncertain. "Cal was still in there--when you blew it."
"He'll be mourned." I responded curtly. Dammit, I wasn't supposed to get all mushy for a bunch of kids and a stupid mutant who didn't know better than to roast marshmallows on the kitchen table. "Right now, our priority is getting everyone out from under the rubble."
"That'd be nice." Terry noted from her pile of rubble.
In short order a bedraggled and rock dust-covered Terry crawled out, wincing and cradling her left wrist protectively to her chest.
"Let me see."
"Nae. It's just a bloody sprain."
I narrowed my eyes and put on my best Intimidate Look. "Let me see."
Terry's eyes flashed stubbornly. "After we get th' rest out."
"I'll hold you to that."
She nodded.
Half an hour later we had uncovered everyone but the kid. There was no sign of him, not even where we'd last seen him. Roberto's arm was snapped, Terry's wrist was sprained and Rictor had a concussion. All in all, we'd gotten off lightly. As opposed to Caliban who was dead.
#Nate.#
#What is it Dom? I'm sort of busy.# the psi-link was very faint. As if he was expending a lot of energy and not replenishing it.
I cursed, #Nate, the boy's gone.#
He was silent for a moment, then, #I'll tell Susanna.#
#Oh. And, I, um, blew up the Mansion.#
Laughter floated down the link, cut off as he suddenly winced in pain. #Nate? What are you doing?#
#Having a discussion with Banner.# And then the link cut off.
#NATE!# Silence answered my sudden cry. Which meant he was too busy to answer. Not good, not good at all. The kids were still searching for the brat. If Xavier found the kid he'd have a ready psionic power source. Logically, I'd known that was why we were left to guard him. I frowned. Wonder if that was why Sinister had wanted him?
"Hey! Boss-lady, I found something!"
Meltdown's voice pulled me from my reverie. "What?"
"Some sort of mini-tranceiver. I think. Anyway, it's close to where the kid would've ended up." She sauntered over to me and held it out.
As my hand closed around it, I felt an odd tingle. Instinct had me throwing the thing and knocking Meltdown to the ground. "GET DOWN!"
The explosion sprayed more dirt and concrete into the air. I winced as something hit my back. And then I heard it. A soft cackle, then a voice. "Stupid woman, you led them right into a trap. Good work, lucky lady."
Debris rained down and something slammed into the back of my head. Darkness took me.
---
Marya
Central Park appeared around me again and I stumbled, wincing. I'd almost not survived the latest explosion. My ribs ached from being smashed by a Sentinel. The battle was going fairly well, though. The Sentinels were programmed to not harm mutants--even those attacking them. Although, the one who'd attempted to cave in my ribs had been malfunctioning.
I sighed. The problem was that people weren't doing anything but panicking, and then *attacking* those of us trying to help. Ah, the world was such a lovely place these days, what with people left, right and center not giving a shit. But they were perfectly willing to cause pain and suffering.
I shook my head. I had better things to think about. Like, why Elisa's friends were worried about something supernatural especially since we'd stopped the dude from creating Hell on Earth. Although, there was Xavier. He had a lot of power, even without his Sentinels. And there was a general feeling that we were in the calm before the storm. Well, as calm as you can get with the Sentinels destroying New York.
My watch time was two-thirty. My internal time said EAT! I compromised and body slid to a nearby 'cafe, grabbed a sandwich and called Elisa's flat. There was no answer, so I rescheduled our meeting.
My next call, as I munched a sub, was to Edward, who also wasn't there. Great, I was batting a thousand, today. I didn't bother leaving a message.
I left a tip at the counter and headed back to the battlefield. I felt obscurely wierd for taking a break and eating. But I needed the energy.
Central Park had become our nominal headquarters, with several people trading off to man the Blackbird and coordinate. I reported back there and found out that there'd been no word from Nate--not after he'd gone haring off to inspect the wreckage of some ship out in New York Harbour. I had a bad feeling about that, but other things to do.
"What's the news, Scott?" Summers had been handed the post of coordinating, since he was dead on his feet. He was good at it, too.
"About half of the Sentinels have been destroyed. Vision and Mr. Fantastic are working on a way to send out a shutdown program to the damned robots." he replied. Meanwhile, the rest of us were destroying them as they came along.
"Good. Any trouble spots?" My main task was body sliding to the worst attack points and beating some Sentinel ass.
"Some of the GenX kids are being attacked at a school."
I blinked. "You said that with such a straight face. Any Sentinel spots where they aren't currently being taken down?"
"Yeah." He tapped the map on the screen. "There, there and there."
"Right." I nodded, "I'll be there if anyone needs me."
"Wait!" Madelyne dashed into the room and grabbed my arm. "We have to find Nathan. Now."
"What?"
"I was keeping in mental contact with him--he just disappeared." She looked a bit upset, "He was fighting some--Post, I think it was. Onslaught's Herald."
"Onslaught? Herald?" I blinked. "Xavvy's calling himself Onslaught AND he's got a Herald?" I snickered. "Can we say 'over-compansation'?"
Maddie snorted. "Yeah. Anyway, can you get us to Nathan's last known location?"
"Where was it?"
"Here." Scott pointed at a point near the harbour. He looked at me, "Please don't let him die."
"Wasn't planning on it." I grabbed Maddie's arm, "Let's go."
---
Madelyne
A mother's work is never done. You carry the little buggers for nine months, give painful birth in the middle of the kitchen--all by yourself, no less. Try to sacrifice them once or twice, finally give them up and then die. And they still drag you back as psionic entities and need you to save their asses.
Okay, so, technically, it was my son's alternate twin from another dimension that brought me back. But it amounted to the same, in my book.
"I *said* stay. DOWN." I snapped at the green man that had, until two seconds ago, been beating the life out of the previously mentioned son. The dense son that didn't bother to call for help, just let himself get nearly killed. Twice.
"Hulk smash."
"No, Hulk *get* smashed." A TK fist slammed the thing back into the wall. "A new vocabulary would be good, too."
"He has no brain, well, Banner's in there, somewhere." my companion mumbled as she tried to knit my son's injuries back together.
"No excuse for poor manners." I replied and absently slammed the man against the wall again. He slumped, finally unconscious. "How's Nathan?"
#Dying.# She replied shortly.
#That bad?# I raised an eyebrow. #Need any help?#
#Not yet.# She snorted grimly. #Your son has this bad tendency of getting himself mostly dead, then letting the rest of us pull his grits out of the fire.#
#He takes after his father that way.# I replied dryly.
She was silent after that.
---
Marya
Nate's mind had retreated incredibly far to get away from the trauma his body was in. I didn't like that fact. I also didn't like the fact that he'd been beaten on more than once. That meant there was someone else out there powerful enough to KO Cable. And it wasn't Xavier.
I floated the pathways in Nate's mind and tried to heal the physical damage. Well, not tried. I actually succeeded. But Nate was fighting me every time I tried to keep the TO virus in check. He was doing it himself, but it wasn't enough.
#Nate, you annoying bastard, LET. ME. IN.#
For a moment, there was nothing. And then I heard a soft, sardonic chuckle. #That won't work, dear.#
I whirled in the mindscape and stared. He looked like Nate would have if the TO virus had never gotten him. #Who the fuck are you?#
#I'm hurt. My 'brother' never told you about me? Even his cow-girlfriend, Domino, knows.# The man slowly stood in the mindscape and extended a hand. #I, my dear, am Stryfe.#
#Stryfe.# I stared at the hand he held out and snorted, #Boy, you really think he hadn't mentioned you on occassion? Nate gets drunk faster than a virgin on her wedding night.#
He threw back his head and laughed. #I like you. My brother was ever one for amusing women.#
#That's nice.# I smiled sweetly. #So, what're you doing here?#
#Squatting, I believe, is the applicably dirty term.# He wrinkled his nose. #It sounds so... base and boring, really.#
#Ahhh... So, you're hanging about, hoping to find a new body.#
#That's about it.# He flashed me a charming grin. #And you're here to heal the body I'm in, so I'll let you get on with that.#
My lips twitched. #Not so fast, hon, I need some help.#
He blinked at me. #What?#
#I need some extra energy. I think killing you ought to release enough to finish the job I'm doing.#
His mouth dropped open and he stared at me for an instant, then, #You wouldn't.#
#Wanna bet?# I turned slightly outwards, #Maddie?#
#Bored, bored--oh, it's you. What?#
#Wanna come help smite someone?#
#Huh?#
#Stryfe is squatting in your son's body.# She was there faster than I could snap my fingers.
#Oh, isn't this sweet. Mommy come to make Natey all better?# Stryfe had recovered his sangfroid.
#No, mommy come to kill Stryfe.# Maddie corrected him calmly. #I'd rather not have evil influences in my son's life. Especially you.#
I smiled sweetly at Stryfe. #I really wouldn't try that, if I were you.#
#Try what?# He tried to look innocent.
#Hide in Banner's mind.# I lashed out at him, catching him with my mind and holding him in place. #Maddie?#
#Thank you.# For an instant, nothing. And then Maddie's mind slammed into Stryfe and tore him to shreds. He screamed as she did it, desperately trying to get away. I didn't let him. He fought back then, tried to stop us. I'll admit that if we hadn't double teamed him, he might've won.
But he didn't. Madelyne Pryor pried his mind apart like a candy wrapper, then crumpled it up and killed it. Stryfe's death expounded rather a lot of energy, suddenly. He must've had a store of it, because the magnitude knocked Maddie backwards. I'd been waiting, though, for energy. No such thing as too much, I thought grimly.
#Maddie?#
#I'm fine. Finish the damned job.# And she left to go back to torturing Hulk.
I wove through Nate's brain, healing the pieces of it that Stryfe had shattered at various times. Pulling the mindscape together and filling the correct reserves with energy. His body mended, his mind mended, but still no flicker of life from the part that was HIM.
#Nate?# I called tentatively, floating in a serene center. #Nate, I know you're out there. It's safe, you can come out now.#
Nothing answered me. I snorted. #Nathan Summers, get your ass out here. We need your help to defeat Xavier. Besides, we've lost contact with Domino and the kids.#
That got a response. If a sleepy one. #Marya? I'm tired. Go 'way.#
#No. You are going to wake your ass up and we're going to join your mother, the psionic entity out there beating up on the green thing, and we're going to go rescue your lover and the kids.#
He was silent for a moment then answered petulantly, #Do I have to?#
#Yes.#
#Bitch.#
#I know, but you like me anyway. Now, wake up, Nate!#
With a gasp we both snapped back into the real-world plain, awake. I groaned as a headache slammed into my brain. "Nate, you get to heal yourself next time."
"Susanna..." He was silent for a moment as he sat up. "What did you do?"
I contrived to look innocent. "Healed you. That's all."
"And got rid of that nasty parasite." Maddie inserted sweetly.
Nate looked between the two of us, then groaned. "I was keeping him around to gain the secret to Legacy."
"Oh." I coughed and looked down, "Um, sorry...."
"Never mind, let's go save Domino--I like her, by the way, son."
"Thanks, Mom. Your approval of my girlfriend was just what I wanted." He looked suddenly very worried.
I fought back a snicker and contacted the computer. "Body slide three to the X-Mansion."
End Chapter Twelve
=====
'I stood at the kitchen sink, my radio playing songs like "Tainted Love" and "Love is Strange"...'
__________________________________________________
© 2000 Suzy DeZorga
Continuity note: I forgot until after I'd posted, but I have Paige in two places at once. MY apologies. To clear things up, Paige is currently unconscious, with the wounded and Jono. Thanks.
To Lynxie and Acetal. Thanks, guys, I love you, but I'm not writing 400 chapters.
The Rise and Fall of the House of DeZorga
Chapter Twelve: Two Chord Cool in the Head
by Suzy DeZorga
The Sentinels hit New York before we did. Not that I was too surprised, they'd already been there when we started back. Sentinels were programmed to hunt and kill mutants. But their current master was a mutant himself. That worried me. Badly.
I dove out of the Blackbird on reaching Central Park and tossed something over my shoulder about getting the wounded to Four Freedoms Plaza. We'd brought Emma and the rest with us, since the Fantastic Four could better care for them. I needed to find the Sentinels and Excalibur. Now. #Ray? Betsy?#
#Yo.# Ray sounded vaguely strained. #We're on Sentinel destruction duty.#
#Keep talking, I need a fix.#
#Right. Anyway, they came ouf of nowhere. Weird thing, though. They're going after regular humans like there's no tomorrow.#
#Got it. Shit.# "Computer, body slide by--" I glanced at the group that was following me. Wanda, Vision and Steve. "Four, to coordinates @$@."
"Acknowledged."
"Hang on."
The park dissolved around us. And a street in lower Manhatton reformed around us. Something shattered nearby and the four of us dove into cover. Sentinels. There had to have been thirty of them tromping through the streets, indiscriminantly killing humans. I could feel the deaths all around me. "Shitshitshit. You three, start stopping them. Now."
Steve just nodded and hopped over a bit of rubble. Wanda followed him as Vision took to the air.
I lost track of everyone in the fight. It was destroy a robot and move on, praying that you could stop them all before they finished off the populace and moved on. Occassionally, you would find one or two people alive. Mutants. I knew Ray and Betsy were around somewhere. I could sense them coordinating things.
Suddenly, a flash came to me and I turned into the coffee shop I was standing next to. The people inside weren't even paying attention to the battle raging outside. They didn't *care*. I felt sickened. The memory fragment pushed at me again and I stared at the counter. The young clerk there was being harrangued by a woman.
"Do you KNOW who I am?" She demanded imperiously. "I am Donna--"
I shoved her out of my way and vaulted the counter, grabbing the boy and dropping us to the floor. "Computer, body slide two to Central Park. NOW!"
The front window of the 'cafe crashed inwards as a Sentinel--dead, but still moving--entered. As the 'Cafe dissolved, I saw an edge of metal shear off the woman's head.
---
Domino
I can't believe they did this to me. Baby-sitting duty. Flonqing pissant asses. I can't say they're incompetent. Much. The kids are just as pleased as I am, of course.
"I can't believe this." Meltdown growled and kicked a piece of debris. It skittered off over the defunct kitchen's floor. "Stuck HERE when we could be THERE doing something."
Unfortunately, though I agreed with her, Nate had left us to watch the brat for a reason. I growled softly. Dez owed me now. Bigtime.
Before I could say anything, Caliban wandered up to me, looking disconsolate, "Patch-Eye, Caliban wants to kill not-CableNathan and go find real CableNathan."
That sounded like a plan to me. And maybe I could kick Nate's ass, too. "Good idea. Why?"
"Not-CableNathan smells wrong." Cal's lip twitched up suspiciously in what was almost a sneer.
"He... smells wrong. What do you mean by that?"
"Not-CableNathan doesn't smell like CableNathan who smells like Patch-Eye." Cal sniffed a bit. "And Patch-Eye smell like CableNathan."
I knew I hadn't wanted to know as around me the kids hooted with laughter.
"Cal!" Meltdown pounced the mutant. "What does Terry smell like?"
"Tabitha--" Siryn began indignantly.
"Caliban want CableNathan." He set his jaw and sat down.
"People." I announced calmly. "Let's get things packed into the Mansion, find lunch, relax."
"Relax? While on baby-sitting duty for HIM?" Meltdown snorted and kicked another piece of rubble. This time, though, it failed to move and she began hopping up and down, yelping.
I refrained from laughing and turned to Caliban. "Cal, please guard the back and let no one but us in."
He saluted me, his agitation with the brat forgotten. "Yes, Patch-Eye. Caliban let no one in but you."
I was turning away, when a thought occurred to me, "Oh, and Cal, I'll have James bring down your teddy-bear."
He smiled happily, "Thank you, Patch-Eye."
"You're welcome." I muttered under my breath as I wandered into the partially destroyed mansion.
The brat looked up at me, his mouth in a perpetual pout. "I wanted to go with them." He whined.
"You and me both. Kid, got a piece of advice for you. Don't whine. It gets on my nerves."
He looked at me for a moment, rebellion warring with something else. "Whatever." He muttered finally and turned away to lean against the wall and look forlorn.
Fuck it. The kid could bitch and moan over against the wall. If he came and did it at me, I'd slap him. I looked around for the rest of the team and spotted James and Terry carefully tugging chairs around a table in the dining room.
Me, I was really craving coffee. And the kitchen was totalled. I decided to try accessing the main computer, since at least then, I could have the sensors sweeping the grounds.
"Terry."
"Yes?"
"I'm going to find a terminal, you're in charge."
She nodded. "We'll be on the lookout fer the boy."
The terminal I finally found in the semi-destroyed mansion--that worked--was a floor up and several rooms over. I wasn't happy about it, but I needed those systems.
Nate had given me passwords to the subsytems he'd set up. So I quickly bypassed the main ones and snorted. Xavier had taken them down on his way out. No surprise. I ended up having to do some creative rebooting...
Computer systems: online.
C:\
I pondered for a moment, then typed several commands in and waited.
Commands received and acknowledged.
Please wait.
The computer beeped and gave me another system online message, then beeped again in alarm.
AI detects intruder in lower level.
Destroy Y/N?
Not yet, I decided. I needed to see who it was first, and the security cameras had gotten blasted when Bishop and Grey took out a large part of the mansion's ass.
Further instructions?
Yeah. Give me a remote unit to control you with in case destruction is needed.
Remote unit constructed. Retrieving.
A small panel opened on the wall, I reached into it and pulled out what looked like a Sega controller. Great. A joystick to save the world with.
I didn't quibble, just logged in with it, checked that it worked and ascertained the location of the intruder. She--or he--was now in the dining room. And none of the kids had called.
A babysitter's work is never done. I crept down the stairs, silently wishing I'd been able to find a terminal closer to the kids. I began hearing voices as I slipped down the hall. The kids, the Brat, and... Sinister. I'd recognise that oily, know-it-all voice anywhere. The self-assured bastard had knocked me unconscious last time. Well, this time, it wouldn't be that simple.
Terry screamed, her voice roaring outward. I used the sound as cover to run down the hall and peek into the kitchen. Sinister was casually ignoring Terry's assault and stalking the unconscious brat.
Wonderful. Just wonderful. I reached down the psilink to Nate. #Nate, I'm blowing the mansion. Sinister is here.#
I stepped into the kitchen and grabbed Roberto, who was slumped against the wall. "Kid, you need to get up and move. Now."
"Ma'am?" He looked at me groggily.
"Get the fuck out of here. Grab Tabitha, too." The others were more or less still on their feet. And were looking at me for orders.
The brat was awake, but not moving. He looked pretty dazed. I sighed and dodged around Terry and Ric who were combining their powers and keeping Sinister off his feet. "Get up, kid. Now."
"What?"
"Kid, get up." I remembered something Nate had done once and began to grin. He was slowly responding to my not-so-gentle tugs. "Kid, can you project a mental clone of yourself?"
"Can I what?" He stood and swayed slightly, wincing.
"We don't have time for this." I shoved him towards the back. "Move. Now."
Terry's voice suddenly faltered and Sinister surged towards us.
And then something roared. Something grey and angry and full of rage. And it streaked into the room and tackled Sinister. I blinked. "Caliban...."
"My God." Terry leaned against Ric as we slowly made ourselves around the fight. "Cal's gone nuts."
"Don't gawk. MOVE."
The rubble outside was a bit of impediment, as were the wounded. We didn't stop. I ran my eyes over the kids, checking that all were there. All but Caliban. I closed my eyes. If Sinister got his hands on the kid all would not be good.
I pulled out the remote pad and typed a few keys, then hit enter.
Self-destruct sequence initiated. Thirty second countdown commences.
From inside the Mansion a roar rang out, feral and full of rage. "Caliban shall NOT let you hurt Patch-eye and CableNathan!"
The clock was ticking, I turned and glared at the kids. "Move!"
They jumped and began moving further away from the Mansion.
Ten. Nine. Eight.
We'd cleared the pool deck. Not far enough. NATE had layed the charges on the Mansion.
Five. Four. Three.
"X-Force! Fire in the hole!" The kids dropped like rocks, scrabbling for cover.
One.
And the world went white. The sound never even registered. The shockwave after it, did. I felt myself picked up and flung several feet. With my luck, I landed fine. A second shockwave, less powerful, rippled through the area. And then the debris began flying.
Nate never does things by half, I'll give him that. When the shit stopped falling around me, I slowly got up. Ouch. Lots of things hurt from being battered.
Concrete, wood, metal and other things that went into the construction of something as complex as the X-Mansion lay scattered around us. I couldn't immediately see the others, but I could see the large steal beam that sat next to me. Two inches more and I wouldn't have a left leg.
"Everyone respond." I called. "Domino here, anybody?"
A muffled voice from my right. "Siryn here."
"Shatterstar here. Rictor's unconscious."
"Meltdown."
"Proudstar. And Roberto's here. I think his arm is broken. But I can't tell, because he's buried in the rubble."
That left everyone but the brat. "Kid? You there?"
"He was next to me when we fell. I don't see him now." Meltdown's blonde head popped into sight. "I can only see you, though, so..."
"He might just be unconscious." I sighed. Great. The little brat was causing us even more trouble than he was worth.
"Dom..." Meltdown looked at me, suddenly uncertain. "Cal was still in there--when you blew it."
"He'll be mourned." I responded curtly. Dammit, I wasn't supposed to get all mushy for a bunch of kids and a stupid mutant who didn't know better than to roast marshmallows on the kitchen table. "Right now, our priority is getting everyone out from under the rubble."
"That'd be nice." Terry noted from her pile of rubble.
In short order a bedraggled and rock dust-covered Terry crawled out, wincing and cradling her left wrist protectively to her chest.
"Let me see."
"Nae. It's just a bloody sprain."
I narrowed my eyes and put on my best Intimidate Look. "Let me see."
Terry's eyes flashed stubbornly. "After we get th' rest out."
"I'll hold you to that."
She nodded.
Half an hour later we had uncovered everyone but the kid. There was no sign of him, not even where we'd last seen him. Roberto's arm was snapped, Terry's wrist was sprained and Rictor had a concussion. All in all, we'd gotten off lightly. As opposed to Caliban who was dead.
#Nate.#
#What is it Dom? I'm sort of busy.# the psi-link was very faint. As if he was expending a lot of energy and not replenishing it.
I cursed, #Nate, the boy's gone.#
He was silent for a moment, then, #I'll tell Susanna.#
#Oh. And, I, um, blew up the Mansion.#
Laughter floated down the link, cut off as he suddenly winced in pain. #Nate? What are you doing?#
#Having a discussion with Banner.# And then the link cut off.
#NATE!# Silence answered my sudden cry. Which meant he was too busy to answer. Not good, not good at all. The kids were still searching for the brat. If Xavier found the kid he'd have a ready psionic power source. Logically, I'd known that was why we were left to guard him. I frowned. Wonder if that was why Sinister had wanted him?
"Hey! Boss-lady, I found something!"
Meltdown's voice pulled me from my reverie. "What?"
"Some sort of mini-tranceiver. I think. Anyway, it's close to where the kid would've ended up." She sauntered over to me and held it out.
As my hand closed around it, I felt an odd tingle. Instinct had me throwing the thing and knocking Meltdown to the ground. "GET DOWN!"
The explosion sprayed more dirt and concrete into the air. I winced as something hit my back. And then I heard it. A soft cackle, then a voice. "Stupid woman, you led them right into a trap. Good work, lucky lady."
Debris rained down and something slammed into the back of my head. Darkness took me.
---
Marya
Central Park appeared around me again and I stumbled, wincing. I'd almost not survived the latest explosion. My ribs ached from being smashed by a Sentinel. The battle was going fairly well, though. The Sentinels were programmed to not harm mutants--even those attacking them. Although, the one who'd attempted to cave in my ribs had been malfunctioning.
I sighed. The problem was that people weren't doing anything but panicking, and then *attacking* those of us trying to help. Ah, the world was such a lovely place these days, what with people left, right and center not giving a shit. But they were perfectly willing to cause pain and suffering.
I shook my head. I had better things to think about. Like, why Elisa's friends were worried about something supernatural especially since we'd stopped the dude from creating Hell on Earth. Although, there was Xavier. He had a lot of power, even without his Sentinels. And there was a general feeling that we were in the calm before the storm. Well, as calm as you can get with the Sentinels destroying New York.
My watch time was two-thirty. My internal time said EAT! I compromised and body slid to a nearby 'cafe, grabbed a sandwich and called Elisa's flat. There was no answer, so I rescheduled our meeting.
My next call, as I munched a sub, was to Edward, who also wasn't there. Great, I was batting a thousand, today. I didn't bother leaving a message.
I left a tip at the counter and headed back to the battlefield. I felt obscurely wierd for taking a break and eating. But I needed the energy.
Central Park had become our nominal headquarters, with several people trading off to man the Blackbird and coordinate. I reported back there and found out that there'd been no word from Nate--not after he'd gone haring off to inspect the wreckage of some ship out in New York Harbour. I had a bad feeling about that, but other things to do.
"What's the news, Scott?" Summers had been handed the post of coordinating, since he was dead on his feet. He was good at it, too.
"About half of the Sentinels have been destroyed. Vision and Mr. Fantastic are working on a way to send out a shutdown program to the damned robots." he replied. Meanwhile, the rest of us were destroying them as they came along.
"Good. Any trouble spots?" My main task was body sliding to the worst attack points and beating some Sentinel ass.
"Some of the GenX kids are being attacked at a school."
I blinked. "You said that with such a straight face. Any Sentinel spots where they aren't currently being taken down?"
"Yeah." He tapped the map on the screen. "There, there and there."
"Right." I nodded, "I'll be there if anyone needs me."
"Wait!" Madelyne dashed into the room and grabbed my arm. "We have to find Nathan. Now."
"What?"
"I was keeping in mental contact with him--he just disappeared." She looked a bit upset, "He was fighting some--Post, I think it was. Onslaught's Herald."
"Onslaught? Herald?" I blinked. "Xavvy's calling himself Onslaught AND he's got a Herald?" I snickered. "Can we say 'over-compansation'?"
Maddie snorted. "Yeah. Anyway, can you get us to Nathan's last known location?"
"Where was it?"
"Here." Scott pointed at a point near the harbour. He looked at me, "Please don't let him die."
"Wasn't planning on it." I grabbed Maddie's arm, "Let's go."
---
Madelyne
A mother's work is never done. You carry the little buggers for nine months, give painful birth in the middle of the kitchen--all by yourself, no less. Try to sacrifice them once or twice, finally give them up and then die. And they still drag you back as psionic entities and need you to save their asses.
Okay, so, technically, it was my son's alternate twin from another dimension that brought me back. But it amounted to the same, in my book.
"I *said* stay. DOWN." I snapped at the green man that had, until two seconds ago, been beating the life out of the previously mentioned son. The dense son that didn't bother to call for help, just let himself get nearly killed. Twice.
"Hulk smash."
"No, Hulk *get* smashed." A TK fist slammed the thing back into the wall. "A new vocabulary would be good, too."
"He has no brain, well, Banner's in there, somewhere." my companion mumbled as she tried to knit my son's injuries back together.
"No excuse for poor manners." I replied and absently slammed the man against the wall again. He slumped, finally unconscious. "How's Nathan?"
#Dying.# She replied shortly.
#That bad?# I raised an eyebrow. #Need any help?#
#Not yet.# She snorted grimly. #Your son has this bad tendency of getting himself mostly dead, then letting the rest of us pull his grits out of the fire.#
#He takes after his father that way.# I replied dryly.
She was silent after that.
---
Marya
Nate's mind had retreated incredibly far to get away from the trauma his body was in. I didn't like that fact. I also didn't like the fact that he'd been beaten on more than once. That meant there was someone else out there powerful enough to KO Cable. And it wasn't Xavier.
I floated the pathways in Nate's mind and tried to heal the physical damage. Well, not tried. I actually succeeded. But Nate was fighting me every time I tried to keep the TO virus in check. He was doing it himself, but it wasn't enough.
#Nate, you annoying bastard, LET. ME. IN.#
For a moment, there was nothing. And then I heard a soft, sardonic chuckle. #That won't work, dear.#
I whirled in the mindscape and stared. He looked like Nate would have if the TO virus had never gotten him. #Who the fuck are you?#
#I'm hurt. My 'brother' never told you about me? Even his cow-girlfriend, Domino, knows.# The man slowly stood in the mindscape and extended a hand. #I, my dear, am Stryfe.#
#Stryfe.# I stared at the hand he held out and snorted, #Boy, you really think he hadn't mentioned you on occassion? Nate gets drunk faster than a virgin on her wedding night.#
He threw back his head and laughed. #I like you. My brother was ever one for amusing women.#
#That's nice.# I smiled sweetly. #So, what're you doing here?#
#Squatting, I believe, is the applicably dirty term.# He wrinkled his nose. #It sounds so... base and boring, really.#
#Ahhh... So, you're hanging about, hoping to find a new body.#
#That's about it.# He flashed me a charming grin. #And you're here to heal the body I'm in, so I'll let you get on with that.#
My lips twitched. #Not so fast, hon, I need some help.#
He blinked at me. #What?#
#I need some extra energy. I think killing you ought to release enough to finish the job I'm doing.#
His mouth dropped open and he stared at me for an instant, then, #You wouldn't.#
#Wanna bet?# I turned slightly outwards, #Maddie?#
#Bored, bored--oh, it's you. What?#
#Wanna come help smite someone?#
#Huh?#
#Stryfe is squatting in your son's body.# She was there faster than I could snap my fingers.
#Oh, isn't this sweet. Mommy come to make Natey all better?# Stryfe had recovered his sangfroid.
#No, mommy come to kill Stryfe.# Maddie corrected him calmly. #I'd rather not have evil influences in my son's life. Especially you.#
I smiled sweetly at Stryfe. #I really wouldn't try that, if I were you.#
#Try what?# He tried to look innocent.
#Hide in Banner's mind.# I lashed out at him, catching him with my mind and holding him in place. #Maddie?#
#Thank you.# For an instant, nothing. And then Maddie's mind slammed into Stryfe and tore him to shreds. He screamed as she did it, desperately trying to get away. I didn't let him. He fought back then, tried to stop us. I'll admit that if we hadn't double teamed him, he might've won.
But he didn't. Madelyne Pryor pried his mind apart like a candy wrapper, then crumpled it up and killed it. Stryfe's death expounded rather a lot of energy, suddenly. He must've had a store of it, because the magnitude knocked Maddie backwards. I'd been waiting, though, for energy. No such thing as too much, I thought grimly.
#Maddie?#
#I'm fine. Finish the damned job.# And she left to go back to torturing Hulk.
I wove through Nate's brain, healing the pieces of it that Stryfe had shattered at various times. Pulling the mindscape together and filling the correct reserves with energy. His body mended, his mind mended, but still no flicker of life from the part that was HIM.
#Nate?# I called tentatively, floating in a serene center. #Nate, I know you're out there. It's safe, you can come out now.#
Nothing answered me. I snorted. #Nathan Summers, get your ass out here. We need your help to defeat Xavier. Besides, we've lost contact with Domino and the kids.#
That got a response. If a sleepy one. #Marya? I'm tired. Go 'way.#
#No. You are going to wake your ass up and we're going to join your mother, the psionic entity out there beating up on the green thing, and we're going to go rescue your lover and the kids.#
He was silent for a moment then answered petulantly, #Do I have to?#
#Yes.#
#Bitch.#
#I know, but you like me anyway. Now, wake up, Nate!#
With a gasp we both snapped back into the real-world plain, awake. I groaned as a headache slammed into my brain. "Nate, you get to heal yourself next time."
"Susanna..." He was silent for a moment as he sat up. "What did you do?"
I contrived to look innocent. "Healed you. That's all."
"And got rid of that nasty parasite." Maddie inserted sweetly.
Nate looked between the two of us, then groaned. "I was keeping him around to gain the secret to Legacy."
"Oh." I coughed and looked down, "Um, sorry...."
"Never mind, let's go save Domino--I like her, by the way, son."
"Thanks, Mom. Your approval of my girlfriend was just what I wanted." He looked suddenly very worried.
I fought back a snicker and contacted the computer. "Body slide three to the X-Mansion."
End Chapter Twelve
=====
'I stood at the kitchen sink, my radio playing songs like "Tainted Love" and "Love is Strange"...'
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© 2000 Suzy DeZorga