Ch. 12 – Escape
Well, it wasn't really an
"explosion." Slash had thrown what the
SEALS call a "Flash-Bang" grenade. It
doesn't explode. It's more a non-life-threatening
weapon. It fires out five blinding
pulses of light, accompanied by a loud noise, more ear splitting than Banshee
and Ruckus together.
The grenade had its desired
effect. While Rogue freed everyone,
Slash flew over to Sinister, who was cursing. He had temporarily blinded him, but still had some hearing left. Vertigo and Ruckus, who were in that room
with Sinister, were down for the count. Slash leaned over Sinister.
"So it's me you want, eh? Well little man, it seems you've found
me. Now what are you going to do to
me?"
"I wanted your genes. You mutant powers are quite valuable to
me. But I hold a deeper secret
Lieutenant Matthew Kerns, USN, Special Warfare concerning your wife." Slash began to fill with rage. He brought the gun to below Sinister's nose.
"Talk or die."
"I don't die, but I will talk. Your wife, ah, it was such a pity. I was there when the FOH set your home on
fire. Actually, I caused it."
"WHAT?"
"Yes, it was me who tipped the FOH
off that you are a mutant…what, no kisses?" Slash got upset and pulled the trigger. A three round burst blew up half of Sinister's head. But Sinister just laughed as if nothing
happened. "You fool! You can't destroy me! You never will! HA HA! HA HA!"
"I'll find a way, and I will
personally kill you with my bare hands."
"Slash, we gotta jet!" yelled Wolverine. Slash grabbed Sinister's collar.
"I'll finish you later. This isn't over. Oh no. This had only just
begun." He grabbed his MP-5 and flew
out the corridor. He passed the rest of
the team, and made it outside before everyone else. Then he toggled his Motorola radio, and told everyone:
"Rogue, join me on Blackbird
Blue. Everyone else, hop on with Cyke's
crew. I gotta bad feeling Sinister may
have some anti-aircraft batteries on this hunk a rock. We'll take them out and meet up with you
later." Rogue acknowledged and met him
at the plane. Slash fired up the plane,
and headed back to the base. They were
just reaching the Blackbird Gold and getting everyone aboard.
Just as Slash feared, Airbag and
Slap (who were not affected in the room when the Flash-Bang grenade went off
were busy manning a pair of laser gun turrets. Slash didn't know the weapon systems of the Blackbirds yet.
"Rogue, what kind of weapon systems
we got on this thing?"
"Leave it to me sugah. You worry 'bout flyin." She pushed a button at the co-pilots
position, and a weapon control system came up. On the bottom of the aircraft, a pair of Shi'ar laser machine guns
popped out. Airbag aimed for the
Blackbird that was taking off, and scored a hit.
"I thought you were gonna take some
heat off us?" Came an irritated Cyclops
over the radio.
"Hold yer horses Cyke!" Rogue targeted the gun turret Airbag was
in. She fired a quick burst. The gun barrel was bent and crooked. Airbag was hurrying out of the turret when
Rogue fired off another burst. He
rolled down over the side and into the water as it exploded. "Over there!" pointed Rogue as Slap aimed and shot at them. Slash skillfully avoided the shot, and Rogue
fired off a third burst. By now, the
Blackbird Gold had swung clear of the battle, and was headed back to the
X-Mansion. Rogue turned the guns around
as Slash got them out of there. Slap
scored a hit on the plane's tail. Rogue
fired off a wild spread to cover them. Slash quickly changed from hover to conventional flight and sped to join
with the Blackbird Gold.
Sinister had regenerated by that
point. Slash's 9mm bullets had no
permanent effect on him. He was only
upset at not being able to get Slash's DNA. Slap came down.
"They got away Sinister. Airbag and I did all we could. They just had a real sharpshooter flying one
of those birds." Sinister slammed his
fist.
"Curses! His DNA would have made the final piece of the puzzle. If only the X-Men hadn't gotten to him
first. Well, we shall have to work with
the DNA we have." Sinister went back to
work on the computer. "Soon, Nucleus
shall rule the world, and not even the mighty X-Men will be able to stop him.
HA HA HA!"
Slash sat silently as he flew the
plane. Rogue went to the back for a
moment. A single tear came down his
face. He stared blankly out at the sky
ahead of them. Suddenly, he turned the
plane around.
"Woah sugah. Whaddya think yer doin?" Cyclops also scorned him on the radio.
"Slash, get back in formation. Slash? Slash! I order you to change
your course." He turned to his wife
sitting next to him. "What could have
gotten into him?"
"He learned the truth." Responded Jean as she read his mind.
"About what?"
"His wife." Meanwhile, back on Blackbird Blue, Rogue was
trying to coax Slash into turning back around.
"You can't kill Sinister with what
we got on bord. There just ain't no
way. He's probly already made himself
like his old self right now. You aren't
gonna get any more damage now than you could have earlier." She walked over to him. "Now sugah, I know you are angry and mad,
but you need to turn this plane around, and return to base. Please don't make me use my powers." At this she pulled off a glove, and waited
for his response. He shed another tear,
and then turned the plane back around. "Now that's mah Slash." She put
the glove back on, and returned to the co-pilots' seat. "You wanna talk about it?"
"Not really. I don't know what I feel right now; anger,
relief, vengeance, hatred, peace. I'm
so mixed up over that news." He
paused. "It's traumatizing."
"I know sugah. I know."
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