Chapter Eight is up! Yay! I shall now say, moo. Moo. Don't ask me why I
just did that. At this point I would like to clearly state that all blame
for this alternate dimension can go to me watching too many deep space nine
episodes on DVD. Those of you wear Vulcan ears, and memorize the Ferengi
rules of Acquisition will now what I'm talking about.
Now, I have to apologize for the last challenge. I was mistaken when I thought Cyclops had a different codename. He is Cyclops in the age of Apocalypse too. New challenge is; what was Cyclops's relation to Sinister in the Age of Apocalypse?
The Plot Thickens
Fury, Xavier, Hawk, and Spyke sat discussing strategy far into the night. It had been almost a month since the team had stolen the Cobra plane and left for England. Still there had been no word. They had to assume that there was no support forthcoming.
Fury was placing markers on a map of the US. "Cobra has recently placed major bases, here, here, here, and here. Heavily fortified roads go from each of these bases to each other, thus forming a square. We have to assume that there is something important in the middle of this square. But what?"
"We need Arcade in here." Said Hawk, he went to the door, and told one of the guards stationed outside, "Get Arcade. Tell him it's urgent."
The guard nodded and left.
"The only thing I know of in that area that might be of any importance is the old Morlock command center. But we didn't leave anything of value in there. Some food, a few old weapons, nothing that Cobra would find of any value." Mused Spyke thoughtfully.
Arcade arrived, carrying a laptop computer. "This is all I was able to salvage when the Pitt was evacuated." He explained apologetically. "What do you want?"
"We need to know what Cobra might be enclosing within these bases." Said Xavier.
"Got it. I'll run a search." A few moments later he said, "I have it. The only thing of any possible value is the El-" He was cut off when the guard kicked the door open.
Suddenly one of the guard's arms stretched out and wrapped around Arcade's neck, choking him.
"Shapeshifter!" Shouted Hawk. "We've been compromised!"
Fury was on his feet, firing at the shapeshifter. It easily morphed around the shots, then threw out another tentacle, ripping away Fury's gun.
Fury grabbed the tendril, and bit into it. It wrapped around his neck and drew him in.
"Go!" He choked out.
"We're not leaving you!" Shouted Spyke, shooting several fire tipped spikes at the shapeshifter. It easily morphed around them.
"I can take care of it!"
"What?!"
Fury brandished a grenade. He stuffed it into the center of the shapeshifter. Then he pushed himself out of its grip, grabbed Arcade, slung him over his shoulder, and dove for cover behind the table.
The shapeshifter exploded, and lay on the ground all over, little piles of protoplasmic goop. ***********************************************************************
But it was too late. Cobra hit hard and fast. The perimeter guard was rapidly removed, and the house's door was blown clean off.
Cobra troops adapted a firing position around the now open doorway. A figure in a wheelchair rolled up. He surveyed the resistance members, all either disabled or surrendering, and nodded.
Roadblock saw him and sneered. "Bludd. Looks like the doctors were right. You're chance of walking was a dud."
Bludd nodded to one of his men, who brutally clubbed Roadblock on the head. Roadblock whirled around and grabbed the man, and then threw him into another. Blood was streaming down his face from a wound on his head, but he didn't seem to notice. He grabbed the man from the soldier he had just thrown. He fired the gun into the crowd of Cobra soldiers, scattering them. Then he turned on Bludd.
Bludd calmly fired a tranquilizer dart into Roadblock's chest.
"Do what you like with the others, I want this one alive and intact. Break his legs though, so he won't be able to escape."
"Sir, with all due respect," said one of the soldiers, "he's the most dangerous one of the lot. Why are we taking him alive?"
"Vengeance, private. His brat Toad put me in this wheelchair. Roadblock will lure Toad to me, and then I'll have my vengeance."
"Sir, are you sure that Cora Commander will approve of this?"
"I frankly don't care. He won't get rid of me; I'm one of the few officers who's actually loyal to him. Now fall in Private!"
"Yes sir!"
Bludd chuckled. "It's only a matter of time now, Toad. You will come walking right into my trap." ***********************************************************************
The aforementioned mutant was currently trailing a group of Cobra androids through the sewers.
"Yo, metal face!" He shouted.
The androids turned as one. "Amphibian based mutation, threat to this unit's survival, reacting accordingly." Said the lead one.
"Well, that's nice to know." Quipped Toad. He threw a gas bomb.
"Units unable to register optical input. Switching to infra-red."
It was too late. Toad came through the smoke like a thing out of a nightmare. There was the flash of a sword, and then the android's head hit the ground.
"Lead unit neutralized, counter attacking."
"Thanks for the warning," joked Toad, and ran the android through with his sword. It sparked then fell to the ground. Toad retrieved his sword and faced the remaining six androids.
One of them fired a rocket at him. He jumped out of the way, but the rocket turned around and came at him again. Toad ran directly at the one who had launched it then at the last moment slid between its legs. The rocket hit the android.
He ran another android through with his sword, then sliced another two's heads off. The remaining two aimed machine guns at him. At the last minute he jumped up, and the two androids shot each other.
One of the headless androids was still upright. Toad kicked it over, and then leaned against the wall to catch his breath. That's how he was caught unawares when four men attacked him. One of them shoved a rag in his mouth, one grabbed his legs, another his arms. The fourth started punching him.
"You're probably wondering what this is all about," said the man holding the rag in his mouth. "The boss doesn't want you sticking your nose into the espionage thing. Boss doesn't want you dead. Just, disabled."
There was a sickening crack as one of his arms broke, "You see," the man continued, "we figure with two arms broken, you'll stick out like a sore thumb."
Toad snapped his head forward, getting away from the man's hands. He spit the rag out and slimed the man beating him with his acid. The black mask kept most of the acid from contacting his skin, but it did get into his eyes. He staggered back yelling.
Toad jerked his leg, sending the man holding it into the wall, and then stood up. He kicked the man holding his arms in the stomach, and then whirled around to face him. Even with one arm broken, Toad was deadly. The man swung at him, and Toad caught his arm and twisted. The man flipped and landed hard on his back. Toad stomped on his head, knocking him out.
He whirled again. The man he had knocked into the wall, on the one who had been holding the rag in his face were approaching him. Toad turned around, ran up the sloping tunnel wall and landed behind them. He slammed his fist into one of the men's neck, snapping his spinal column. The man fell.
The other man whirled around. Toad kicked his nose, sending bone splinters into his brain. He also fell. There was the click of a hammer. Toad whirled around to see the blinded man holding a gun. He began firing it wildly. The bullets flew through the air and hit the wall, the other men, the ceiling, the floor, but not Toad who had leapt up and landed behind the man. He swiftly disarmed the man and knocked him out. He slung the man over his shoulder and strode to the ladder and climbed up out of the sewers. ***********************************************************************
Quicksilver spun two soldiers around in a tornado until they hit the ground unconscious.
"Two down, only about a hundred to go. I'll be done in no time." He zipped out of the shack he was in, and came face to face with twelve more soldiers. He ran right into them, scattering them, and then taking them out one by one. The last one standing threw a gas bomb at him.
Quicksilver spun around to keep the gas from reaching him, but by the time the gas had dispersed the man was gone.
Quicksilver sighed. "Looks like it's going to be a long day." He ran off in pursuit. From behind him, a figure watched through long-range binoculars. They spoke into a comlink.
"Mister Essex,"
"I told you." Hissed a voice, "Don't use my human name."
"Sorry sir. I don't think that Quicksilver is the one you want."
"What makes you say that?"
"He's cocky, overbearing, but he's not trusting. He'll be hard to manipulate."
"Very well. Perhaps it is time to use Gambit again. Make the necessary arrangements to capture him."
"Yes sir." ***********************************************************************
Storm spread her arms, and rain poured down from the sky. Wavedancer formed it into a serpent, and used it to attack the troops searching the area for them.
Wavedancer, can you hear me? Came Jean's telepathic voice.
"Yeah, how're you holding up?"
Not too well. They've got most of the troops.
"Toad?"
He was away on some mission. I'm not picking him up. But what I need to tell you, I've been reading some of the officer's minds, and I think their primary objective is to capture Xavier. The thing is, they want him alive. Only alive.
"Why Xavier? I mean, he's a powerful telepath, but he's not that powerful without Cerebro."
"That's just it. They're rebuilding Cerebro, I think."
"That's bad. That's really bad."
I know. I think they're setting up some kind of telepathic dampening device. I have to go now.
"Alright. I should go now too."
Well, worse and worse. Not only have shapeshifters infiltrated the resistance, there is a new, and rather sinister, MWAHAHAHA, player on the scene. Who is he? If you're a comic reader, I think you'll know. If not, you'll just have to wait.
Now, I have to apologize for the last challenge. I was mistaken when I thought Cyclops had a different codename. He is Cyclops in the age of Apocalypse too. New challenge is; what was Cyclops's relation to Sinister in the Age of Apocalypse?
The Plot Thickens
Fury, Xavier, Hawk, and Spyke sat discussing strategy far into the night. It had been almost a month since the team had stolen the Cobra plane and left for England. Still there had been no word. They had to assume that there was no support forthcoming.
Fury was placing markers on a map of the US. "Cobra has recently placed major bases, here, here, here, and here. Heavily fortified roads go from each of these bases to each other, thus forming a square. We have to assume that there is something important in the middle of this square. But what?"
"We need Arcade in here." Said Hawk, he went to the door, and told one of the guards stationed outside, "Get Arcade. Tell him it's urgent."
The guard nodded and left.
"The only thing I know of in that area that might be of any importance is the old Morlock command center. But we didn't leave anything of value in there. Some food, a few old weapons, nothing that Cobra would find of any value." Mused Spyke thoughtfully.
Arcade arrived, carrying a laptop computer. "This is all I was able to salvage when the Pitt was evacuated." He explained apologetically. "What do you want?"
"We need to know what Cobra might be enclosing within these bases." Said Xavier.
"Got it. I'll run a search." A few moments later he said, "I have it. The only thing of any possible value is the El-" He was cut off when the guard kicked the door open.
Suddenly one of the guard's arms stretched out and wrapped around Arcade's neck, choking him.
"Shapeshifter!" Shouted Hawk. "We've been compromised!"
Fury was on his feet, firing at the shapeshifter. It easily morphed around the shots, then threw out another tentacle, ripping away Fury's gun.
Fury grabbed the tendril, and bit into it. It wrapped around his neck and drew him in.
"Go!" He choked out.
"We're not leaving you!" Shouted Spyke, shooting several fire tipped spikes at the shapeshifter. It easily morphed around them.
"I can take care of it!"
"What?!"
Fury brandished a grenade. He stuffed it into the center of the shapeshifter. Then he pushed himself out of its grip, grabbed Arcade, slung him over his shoulder, and dove for cover behind the table.
The shapeshifter exploded, and lay on the ground all over, little piles of protoplasmic goop. ***********************************************************************
But it was too late. Cobra hit hard and fast. The perimeter guard was rapidly removed, and the house's door was blown clean off.
Cobra troops adapted a firing position around the now open doorway. A figure in a wheelchair rolled up. He surveyed the resistance members, all either disabled or surrendering, and nodded.
Roadblock saw him and sneered. "Bludd. Looks like the doctors were right. You're chance of walking was a dud."
Bludd nodded to one of his men, who brutally clubbed Roadblock on the head. Roadblock whirled around and grabbed the man, and then threw him into another. Blood was streaming down his face from a wound on his head, but he didn't seem to notice. He grabbed the man from the soldier he had just thrown. He fired the gun into the crowd of Cobra soldiers, scattering them. Then he turned on Bludd.
Bludd calmly fired a tranquilizer dart into Roadblock's chest.
"Do what you like with the others, I want this one alive and intact. Break his legs though, so he won't be able to escape."
"Sir, with all due respect," said one of the soldiers, "he's the most dangerous one of the lot. Why are we taking him alive?"
"Vengeance, private. His brat Toad put me in this wheelchair. Roadblock will lure Toad to me, and then I'll have my vengeance."
"Sir, are you sure that Cora Commander will approve of this?"
"I frankly don't care. He won't get rid of me; I'm one of the few officers who's actually loyal to him. Now fall in Private!"
"Yes sir!"
Bludd chuckled. "It's only a matter of time now, Toad. You will come walking right into my trap." ***********************************************************************
The aforementioned mutant was currently trailing a group of Cobra androids through the sewers.
"Yo, metal face!" He shouted.
The androids turned as one. "Amphibian based mutation, threat to this unit's survival, reacting accordingly." Said the lead one.
"Well, that's nice to know." Quipped Toad. He threw a gas bomb.
"Units unable to register optical input. Switching to infra-red."
It was too late. Toad came through the smoke like a thing out of a nightmare. There was the flash of a sword, and then the android's head hit the ground.
"Lead unit neutralized, counter attacking."
"Thanks for the warning," joked Toad, and ran the android through with his sword. It sparked then fell to the ground. Toad retrieved his sword and faced the remaining six androids.
One of them fired a rocket at him. He jumped out of the way, but the rocket turned around and came at him again. Toad ran directly at the one who had launched it then at the last moment slid between its legs. The rocket hit the android.
He ran another android through with his sword, then sliced another two's heads off. The remaining two aimed machine guns at him. At the last minute he jumped up, and the two androids shot each other.
One of the headless androids was still upright. Toad kicked it over, and then leaned against the wall to catch his breath. That's how he was caught unawares when four men attacked him. One of them shoved a rag in his mouth, one grabbed his legs, another his arms. The fourth started punching him.
"You're probably wondering what this is all about," said the man holding the rag in his mouth. "The boss doesn't want you sticking your nose into the espionage thing. Boss doesn't want you dead. Just, disabled."
There was a sickening crack as one of his arms broke, "You see," the man continued, "we figure with two arms broken, you'll stick out like a sore thumb."
Toad snapped his head forward, getting away from the man's hands. He spit the rag out and slimed the man beating him with his acid. The black mask kept most of the acid from contacting his skin, but it did get into his eyes. He staggered back yelling.
Toad jerked his leg, sending the man holding it into the wall, and then stood up. He kicked the man holding his arms in the stomach, and then whirled around to face him. Even with one arm broken, Toad was deadly. The man swung at him, and Toad caught his arm and twisted. The man flipped and landed hard on his back. Toad stomped on his head, knocking him out.
He whirled again. The man he had knocked into the wall, on the one who had been holding the rag in his face were approaching him. Toad turned around, ran up the sloping tunnel wall and landed behind them. He slammed his fist into one of the men's neck, snapping his spinal column. The man fell.
The other man whirled around. Toad kicked his nose, sending bone splinters into his brain. He also fell. There was the click of a hammer. Toad whirled around to see the blinded man holding a gun. He began firing it wildly. The bullets flew through the air and hit the wall, the other men, the ceiling, the floor, but not Toad who had leapt up and landed behind the man. He swiftly disarmed the man and knocked him out. He slung the man over his shoulder and strode to the ladder and climbed up out of the sewers. ***********************************************************************
Quicksilver spun two soldiers around in a tornado until they hit the ground unconscious.
"Two down, only about a hundred to go. I'll be done in no time." He zipped out of the shack he was in, and came face to face with twelve more soldiers. He ran right into them, scattering them, and then taking them out one by one. The last one standing threw a gas bomb at him.
Quicksilver spun around to keep the gas from reaching him, but by the time the gas had dispersed the man was gone.
Quicksilver sighed. "Looks like it's going to be a long day." He ran off in pursuit. From behind him, a figure watched through long-range binoculars. They spoke into a comlink.
"Mister Essex,"
"I told you." Hissed a voice, "Don't use my human name."
"Sorry sir. I don't think that Quicksilver is the one you want."
"What makes you say that?"
"He's cocky, overbearing, but he's not trusting. He'll be hard to manipulate."
"Very well. Perhaps it is time to use Gambit again. Make the necessary arrangements to capture him."
"Yes sir." ***********************************************************************
Storm spread her arms, and rain poured down from the sky. Wavedancer formed it into a serpent, and used it to attack the troops searching the area for them.
Wavedancer, can you hear me? Came Jean's telepathic voice.
"Yeah, how're you holding up?"
Not too well. They've got most of the troops.
"Toad?"
He was away on some mission. I'm not picking him up. But what I need to tell you, I've been reading some of the officer's minds, and I think their primary objective is to capture Xavier. The thing is, they want him alive. Only alive.
"Why Xavier? I mean, he's a powerful telepath, but he's not that powerful without Cerebro."
"That's just it. They're rebuilding Cerebro, I think."
"That's bad. That's really bad."
I know. I think they're setting up some kind of telepathic dampening device. I have to go now.
"Alright. I should go now too."
Well, worse and worse. Not only have shapeshifters infiltrated the resistance, there is a new, and rather sinister, MWAHAHAHA, player on the scene. Who is he? If you're a comic reader, I think you'll know. If not, you'll just have to wait.