"Adam!" Several voices exclaimed.
He smirked. "Oh please, as if you didn't expect this. I'm the first one you expected to turn."
"But I thought you said, in your own strange way, that you care about the team." Taylon said. He didn't sound angry like the others. He was clearly hurt.
"Kid you should know by now that I don't care for anyone but myself."
"He who is full of himself is likely to be quite empty." Luke spoke up.
Adam rolled his eyes. "Don't try that shit with me kid. Besides, self preservation is the first law of nature."
"Too true." Desor agreed. He waved his hand and Adam's cage disappeared. "Oh and in case you think about using your pretty little powers on me, remember what I showed you."
Adam nodded. "You don't have to worry about that. I don't owe these guys anything."
"Then join Quicksilver."
Adam started to walk that way when Taylon pounded at his cage. Adam turned to look at the younger boy, wondering just what he would have to say to get it through the boy's thick skull. And he did turn in to a bull so Adam imagined he had a pretty thick skull.
"What?" Adam growled.
"You know, despite your attitude I always thought you cared about us. About-me." Taylon faltered for a minute then continued. "Now I see you for what you really are. A self absorbed, egotistical, asshole. I hate you, you asshole. Burn in hell with the rest of the traitors."
Adam's emotionless face didn't even flicker, but inside he felt like someone had shoved a knife through him. Taylon's words hurt more than he ever would have expected. Seeing the lone tear trail down the younger boy's cheek hurt even worse. But the thing that really tore him apart was when the hurt faded from Taylon's eyes and was replaced by a deep hatred. That made him have second thoughts about what he was doing. Taylon didn't understand, didn't see.
But then, how could he expect any of them to see. He never showed anything but contempt toward them all. He regretted that, for he knew if things went wrong he'd never have a chance to make it up. And he especially wanted to make it up to Taylon.
"Let's face it kid, I'm headed for Hell whether you condemn me there or not." Please understand Taylon. Forgive me.
Desor turned to look at Adam having clearly heard the young man's thoughts. He thought of calling the boy on it, but decided it would be much better for Adam to think that he was fooled. And to have him suffer over thoughts of his teammates hating him would be punishment enough for the time being.
"Anyone else want to join me?"
"I will, yo." Todd spoke up.
Desor turned to the young mutant. "Hmmm...you I expected. What good is a Toad in war?"
"Cannon fodder." Todd replied simply. "I'm tired of getting beat up and used."
"Be serious Toad, what do you think this guy is going to do?" Lance argued.
"I'm bein' serious. Face it, I'd probably be the first one out of all of us killed. I ain't useful to anyone." Todd said.
"Todd don't. Fighting for what'sss right and dying isss better than not fighting at all." Cody said.
"Sorry Cody." Todd said as Desor dissolved his cage. Without a word Todd hopped over to where the other two traitors were standing.
Desor smirked and looked around at the rest of the group. "Anyone else."
He was met by silence. That didn't surprise Desor. The three he had expected to join him had. He nodded to himself, then turned and left the room taking the three traitors with him. The door closed behind him with a firm click and the silence continued.
"Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." Luke said softly but firmly.
"Amen." Several voices agreed.
"How could he?" Taylon growled. "After everything this team has been through, how could he?"
Chailyn looked across the isle to her younger friend. "Tay...is there something you want to tell us?"
"No." Taylon said quickly. "I just can't believe he would betray us like that."
"I can." Luke replied. "That guy has never cared about anyone but himself. Sorry to break that to you Tay. It's the truth though."
"Yeah, the only love he feels is for himself." Chailyn agreed.
"And no matter how much you care for him you can't change who he isss." Cody added.
The three looked to Brody for him to add his two cents, but the furry mutant was staring at Kyran. The shadow wielder hadn't moved from his position. He was still looking to where Pietro had been. The wound across his torso was still oozing blood and Shadow was trying to get him to do something, but the mutant just wasn't responding.
"Ky...oh Ky...don't do this. Not now." Brody called. "We need you Ky."
"Yeah, what is this, you giving up? What happened to the cocky bastard that could always kick my ass?" Scott added.
Kyran didn't respond. The young man didn't even seem to hear them. His expression was emotionless and void and he hadn't blinked since he was flung back in his cage. It was a disturbing sight for everyone.
"This is great. We've got three traitors, an unresponsive leader, and no way of getting out of here." Lance grumbled. "Could this get any worse."
"Shut up, don't you know you're never supposed to say that." Brody hissed. "You're going to jinx us or something."
"I'd say we're pretty jinxed furball."
"Hey, do you have a problem with fur?" Kurt demanded.
"I wasn't talking to you fuzzbutt." Lance retorted.
"Don't take your frustration at traitorous teammates out on us." Kurt snapped. "It's not our fault."
"Oh everyone just shut up." Chailyn snapped.
And silence reigned.
////
"Hey, you fucking cheater!"
"I don't cheat, I bend the rules."
Pietro, Todd, and Adam followed Desor into a rec room where a group of mutants was doing a variety of activities. Five of them were playing poker at a table across the room, two were playing chess at another table, and the rest were sprawled in different positions in front of a TV.
"Make yourselves at home boys. You can go where you want as long as you don't leave the base." Desor said. "Oh, and don't get on anyone's bad side. This isn't a very forgiving group of mutants."
"That's illegal! Knights don't move like that!"
"You calling me a cheater?"
"Yeah I'm calling you a cheater!"
The two mutants playing chess shot to their feet and the table was shoved to the side. One of the mutants was two feet taller than the other, but the smaller man didn't seem like he was going to let size deter him. They stared at one another for a moment before the smaller guy began glowing a slight red color. The taller guy, the one that had been cheating, growled in pain and then promptly transformed into a white tiger. Things would have gotten bloody if Desor hadn't suddenly stepped in.
"Dark Hunter, Agony, play nice boys."
The white tiger reverted back to human form and the glow ceased around the other guy. They exchanged glares before the cheater stomped over to the TV and plopped down on the floor. The other guy shook his head and began setting up the chess table again.
With the crisis adverted Desor left the rec room and the three new mutants in the presence of strangers. There was a moment when the mutants around the poker table eyed the newcomers with suspicion but they quickly lost interest and returned to the game. The mutants around the TV didn't even bother looking they were so wrapped up in whatever they were doing. The mutant at the table, Agony, glared at the newcomers briefly before he too joined the mutants around the TV.
"Friendly group." Todd mumbled.
"Ha! I knew you would join us Adam." Jordan's voice rang out from somewhere around the TV.
Jordan and Mick both stood up and made their way over to the three traitors. Mick eyed Pietro with a smirk.
"I guess you're not as much of a fool as I took you for." Mick sneered. "Though I half expect this to be some stupid plan to try and free your friends."
"They can rot in there for all I care." Pietro replied.
"Oh no, Prince Desor has plans for them." Jordan said.
Adam's interest was peaked. "Yeah, like what?"
"Gonna frame them for the death of Congressman Yale. That's gonna get the humans riled up and start a war between mutants and humans." Jordan explained.
"And we get to sit back and watch the fun." Mick snickered.
"Sounds great, but why is Desor doing this in the first place?" Adam asked.
"Well, Desor is from another dimension and apparently he has a bet going with his brothers that he can conquer this dimension before they do." Mick said. "He's using the war to weaken the resistance. After the humans and mutants have practically killed each other off, then he'll come in and clean up."
"Then he's going to split the planet up among those of us that helped him and move on to a new planet." Jordan finished.
Adam nodded. "So, this planet doesn't even really mean anything to him? He's just trying to win a bet?"
"Basically."
////
Pietro looked around carefully from where he was leaning against the wall. Everyone was either absorbed in poker or watching TV including Adam and Todd. He double and triple checked to make sure no one was watching him before he zipped out of the room. He zoomed through the halls looking for the exit, which he eventually found a small tunnel that he could barely fit through. He imagined it was probably the only source of air.
He zoomed through the tunnel at a head spinning speed and once he was outside he kept up his quick pace, searching for either the Blackbird or the Velocity. He wasn't sure where exactly he was, but at hyper speed he figured it wouldn't take him that long to find one of them. And it didn't. He found the Velocity which they had carefully concealed with snow and such.
"Perfect." He whispered as if someone was going to hear.
He got himself inside and went to the cockpit. He was fiddling around with things, trying to figure out how to send a message when one of the consoles suddenly beeped. For a moment he panicked, wondering if he had done something. Then it beeped again and looking at the console he realized what it was. He reached over and pushed a few buttons.
"Anyonethere?" Pietro called. "DamnitwhichbuttondoIpush?"
"Quicksilver?"
Pietro felt a rush of relief he never thought he'd feel at that rough voice. "Wolverineeveryone'sbeencapturedandIpretendedtobetraythemsoIcouldgetoutherea nd--."
"Slow down kid." Wolverine growled. "Now, did you say everyone's been captured?"
Pietro explained everything slowly, but still as quickly as he could with Wolverine still understanding him. He could tell he was getting on the older man's nerves, but he really couldn't take a chance of taking too long. Things were taking too long as it was.
"Alright, listen to me carefully. I'm gonna tell you how to program the auto pilot." Wolverine said.
Pietro did everything he was told with ease and then wrote directions to get into the base and where all the security cameras were he had found during his search. Then he pushed the button for the auto pilot to go and zipped out of the Velocity. He zoomed back to the base and was headed back to the rec room when suddenly he felt as though his neck was on fire. The fire seemed to spread down his body to the tips of his toes and with a strangled yell of pain he collapsed to the floor, his momentum causing him to slide into a wall with a hefty thump.
"I knew I couldn't trust you young Quicksilver." Desor said, appearing out of nowhere. "Now you're going to suffer like the traitor you are."
Pietro couldn't control the whimper that escaped him as the evil man approached him. He knew he was in for a lot of pain. But he knew he was the only one that could have done anything to free himself and the rest of the captured mutants. For once he had done something for someone else and now he was going to pay dearly for it.
He smirked. "Oh please, as if you didn't expect this. I'm the first one you expected to turn."
"But I thought you said, in your own strange way, that you care about the team." Taylon said. He didn't sound angry like the others. He was clearly hurt.
"Kid you should know by now that I don't care for anyone but myself."
"He who is full of himself is likely to be quite empty." Luke spoke up.
Adam rolled his eyes. "Don't try that shit with me kid. Besides, self preservation is the first law of nature."
"Too true." Desor agreed. He waved his hand and Adam's cage disappeared. "Oh and in case you think about using your pretty little powers on me, remember what I showed you."
Adam nodded. "You don't have to worry about that. I don't owe these guys anything."
"Then join Quicksilver."
Adam started to walk that way when Taylon pounded at his cage. Adam turned to look at the younger boy, wondering just what he would have to say to get it through the boy's thick skull. And he did turn in to a bull so Adam imagined he had a pretty thick skull.
"What?" Adam growled.
"You know, despite your attitude I always thought you cared about us. About-me." Taylon faltered for a minute then continued. "Now I see you for what you really are. A self absorbed, egotistical, asshole. I hate you, you asshole. Burn in hell with the rest of the traitors."
Adam's emotionless face didn't even flicker, but inside he felt like someone had shoved a knife through him. Taylon's words hurt more than he ever would have expected. Seeing the lone tear trail down the younger boy's cheek hurt even worse. But the thing that really tore him apart was when the hurt faded from Taylon's eyes and was replaced by a deep hatred. That made him have second thoughts about what he was doing. Taylon didn't understand, didn't see.
But then, how could he expect any of them to see. He never showed anything but contempt toward them all. He regretted that, for he knew if things went wrong he'd never have a chance to make it up. And he especially wanted to make it up to Taylon.
"Let's face it kid, I'm headed for Hell whether you condemn me there or not." Please understand Taylon. Forgive me.
Desor turned to look at Adam having clearly heard the young man's thoughts. He thought of calling the boy on it, but decided it would be much better for Adam to think that he was fooled. And to have him suffer over thoughts of his teammates hating him would be punishment enough for the time being.
"Anyone else want to join me?"
"I will, yo." Todd spoke up.
Desor turned to the young mutant. "Hmmm...you I expected. What good is a Toad in war?"
"Cannon fodder." Todd replied simply. "I'm tired of getting beat up and used."
"Be serious Toad, what do you think this guy is going to do?" Lance argued.
"I'm bein' serious. Face it, I'd probably be the first one out of all of us killed. I ain't useful to anyone." Todd said.
"Todd don't. Fighting for what'sss right and dying isss better than not fighting at all." Cody said.
"Sorry Cody." Todd said as Desor dissolved his cage. Without a word Todd hopped over to where the other two traitors were standing.
Desor smirked and looked around at the rest of the group. "Anyone else."
He was met by silence. That didn't surprise Desor. The three he had expected to join him had. He nodded to himself, then turned and left the room taking the three traitors with him. The door closed behind him with a firm click and the silence continued.
"Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." Luke said softly but firmly.
"Amen." Several voices agreed.
"How could he?" Taylon growled. "After everything this team has been through, how could he?"
Chailyn looked across the isle to her younger friend. "Tay...is there something you want to tell us?"
"No." Taylon said quickly. "I just can't believe he would betray us like that."
"I can." Luke replied. "That guy has never cared about anyone but himself. Sorry to break that to you Tay. It's the truth though."
"Yeah, the only love he feels is for himself." Chailyn agreed.
"And no matter how much you care for him you can't change who he isss." Cody added.
The three looked to Brody for him to add his two cents, but the furry mutant was staring at Kyran. The shadow wielder hadn't moved from his position. He was still looking to where Pietro had been. The wound across his torso was still oozing blood and Shadow was trying to get him to do something, but the mutant just wasn't responding.
"Ky...oh Ky...don't do this. Not now." Brody called. "We need you Ky."
"Yeah, what is this, you giving up? What happened to the cocky bastard that could always kick my ass?" Scott added.
Kyran didn't respond. The young man didn't even seem to hear them. His expression was emotionless and void and he hadn't blinked since he was flung back in his cage. It was a disturbing sight for everyone.
"This is great. We've got three traitors, an unresponsive leader, and no way of getting out of here." Lance grumbled. "Could this get any worse."
"Shut up, don't you know you're never supposed to say that." Brody hissed. "You're going to jinx us or something."
"I'd say we're pretty jinxed furball."
"Hey, do you have a problem with fur?" Kurt demanded.
"I wasn't talking to you fuzzbutt." Lance retorted.
"Don't take your frustration at traitorous teammates out on us." Kurt snapped. "It's not our fault."
"Oh everyone just shut up." Chailyn snapped.
And silence reigned.
////
"Hey, you fucking cheater!"
"I don't cheat, I bend the rules."
Pietro, Todd, and Adam followed Desor into a rec room where a group of mutants was doing a variety of activities. Five of them were playing poker at a table across the room, two were playing chess at another table, and the rest were sprawled in different positions in front of a TV.
"Make yourselves at home boys. You can go where you want as long as you don't leave the base." Desor said. "Oh, and don't get on anyone's bad side. This isn't a very forgiving group of mutants."
"That's illegal! Knights don't move like that!"
"You calling me a cheater?"
"Yeah I'm calling you a cheater!"
The two mutants playing chess shot to their feet and the table was shoved to the side. One of the mutants was two feet taller than the other, but the smaller man didn't seem like he was going to let size deter him. They stared at one another for a moment before the smaller guy began glowing a slight red color. The taller guy, the one that had been cheating, growled in pain and then promptly transformed into a white tiger. Things would have gotten bloody if Desor hadn't suddenly stepped in.
"Dark Hunter, Agony, play nice boys."
The white tiger reverted back to human form and the glow ceased around the other guy. They exchanged glares before the cheater stomped over to the TV and plopped down on the floor. The other guy shook his head and began setting up the chess table again.
With the crisis adverted Desor left the rec room and the three new mutants in the presence of strangers. There was a moment when the mutants around the poker table eyed the newcomers with suspicion but they quickly lost interest and returned to the game. The mutants around the TV didn't even bother looking they were so wrapped up in whatever they were doing. The mutant at the table, Agony, glared at the newcomers briefly before he too joined the mutants around the TV.
"Friendly group." Todd mumbled.
"Ha! I knew you would join us Adam." Jordan's voice rang out from somewhere around the TV.
Jordan and Mick both stood up and made their way over to the three traitors. Mick eyed Pietro with a smirk.
"I guess you're not as much of a fool as I took you for." Mick sneered. "Though I half expect this to be some stupid plan to try and free your friends."
"They can rot in there for all I care." Pietro replied.
"Oh no, Prince Desor has plans for them." Jordan said.
Adam's interest was peaked. "Yeah, like what?"
"Gonna frame them for the death of Congressman Yale. That's gonna get the humans riled up and start a war between mutants and humans." Jordan explained.
"And we get to sit back and watch the fun." Mick snickered.
"Sounds great, but why is Desor doing this in the first place?" Adam asked.
"Well, Desor is from another dimension and apparently he has a bet going with his brothers that he can conquer this dimension before they do." Mick said. "He's using the war to weaken the resistance. After the humans and mutants have practically killed each other off, then he'll come in and clean up."
"Then he's going to split the planet up among those of us that helped him and move on to a new planet." Jordan finished.
Adam nodded. "So, this planet doesn't even really mean anything to him? He's just trying to win a bet?"
"Basically."
////
Pietro looked around carefully from where he was leaning against the wall. Everyone was either absorbed in poker or watching TV including Adam and Todd. He double and triple checked to make sure no one was watching him before he zipped out of the room. He zoomed through the halls looking for the exit, which he eventually found a small tunnel that he could barely fit through. He imagined it was probably the only source of air.
He zoomed through the tunnel at a head spinning speed and once he was outside he kept up his quick pace, searching for either the Blackbird or the Velocity. He wasn't sure where exactly he was, but at hyper speed he figured it wouldn't take him that long to find one of them. And it didn't. He found the Velocity which they had carefully concealed with snow and such.
"Perfect." He whispered as if someone was going to hear.
He got himself inside and went to the cockpit. He was fiddling around with things, trying to figure out how to send a message when one of the consoles suddenly beeped. For a moment he panicked, wondering if he had done something. Then it beeped again and looking at the console he realized what it was. He reached over and pushed a few buttons.
"Anyonethere?" Pietro called. "DamnitwhichbuttondoIpush?"
"Quicksilver?"
Pietro felt a rush of relief he never thought he'd feel at that rough voice. "Wolverineeveryone'sbeencapturedandIpretendedtobetraythemsoIcouldgetoutherea nd--."
"Slow down kid." Wolverine growled. "Now, did you say everyone's been captured?"
Pietro explained everything slowly, but still as quickly as he could with Wolverine still understanding him. He could tell he was getting on the older man's nerves, but he really couldn't take a chance of taking too long. Things were taking too long as it was.
"Alright, listen to me carefully. I'm gonna tell you how to program the auto pilot." Wolverine said.
Pietro did everything he was told with ease and then wrote directions to get into the base and where all the security cameras were he had found during his search. Then he pushed the button for the auto pilot to go and zipped out of the Velocity. He zoomed back to the base and was headed back to the rec room when suddenly he felt as though his neck was on fire. The fire seemed to spread down his body to the tips of his toes and with a strangled yell of pain he collapsed to the floor, his momentum causing him to slide into a wall with a hefty thump.
"I knew I couldn't trust you young Quicksilver." Desor said, appearing out of nowhere. "Now you're going to suffer like the traitor you are."
Pietro couldn't control the whimper that escaped him as the evil man approached him. He knew he was in for a lot of pain. But he knew he was the only one that could have done anything to free himself and the rest of the captured mutants. For once he had done something for someone else and now he was going to pay dearly for it.