It Was a Dark and Stormy Night

"I can't believe we're actually helping this creep," Wanda hissed. The Misfits were in positions around the Power 8 warehouse two evenings later. They had been secretly watching the plant on orders from General Hawk.

"I don't like it either Scarlet Witch," Low Light told her. He was put in charge of the operation. "But those are our orders. Besides in a few days it won't matter anyway what he does."

"You really think Beast and Lifeline will be able to make an antidote that fast?" Pietro asked.

"Well they've got Airtight, Trinity, and six other scientists who are friends of ours working on it," Low Light grunted. "If anyone can do it, they can."

"Well they can't do it soon enough," Wanda grunted.

"Amen to that," Pietro spoke on his communicator from his position. "We've been standing around here for two days and nothing's happened."

"Well keep watching," Althea told him. "Maybe we'll get lucky and Spears will shoot somebody. Hang on…" She looked through her binoculars. "Who's that coming out the front door?"

"I can't see his face," Low Light looked through his lens. "Firestar, you have the camera. Take a few shots won't you?"

"On it," Angelica did so. "Never thought I'd actually be part of a real stake out. Hey he's wearing some kind of stocking over his head. He's getting into a van…Black Ford…license plates are a little blurry. Can't read them from here."

"Well isn't that interesting. We'll have Arcade try and identify them back at the lab. Has Spears left the building yet?" Low Light asked.

"No," Angelica told him. "Still there as far as we know."

"We should have bugged that building," Todd grumbled.

"No time," Low Light said. His communicator beeped. "Yeah?"

"Low Light this is Dragonfly," Lina's voice came on the intercom. "Good news. They've come up with an antidote. Shots will be ready by morning."

"Well that's a relief," Low Light sighed.

"Yeah well it would have been done sooner if Trinity didn't keep arguing amongst themselves," Lina groaned. "Something about a lost toy or something. Good thing you left Nightcrawler back here or else we'd have had a real problem. He managed to get 'em calmed down."

"It figures," Low Light said. "I'll contact the others. Low Light out." He shut off the communicator.

"Don't bother," Logan approached them. "We just heard." Jean and Scott were with him.

"I just told them telepathically," Jean remarked. Then she frowned. "Ugh…You don't want to know what Toad was thinking of just now!"

"Was it the coconut and bananas fantasy?" Althea asked.

"How did you know?" Jean blinked.

"Well the two of us have been experimenting with love letters lately and…" Althea shrugged.

"Never mind!" Jean winced. "Don't tell us any more!"

"Please!" Scott groaned. "I almost wish the Morlocks were attacking now!"

Low Light told them. "Jean see if you can contact Evan or any one of the Morlocks telepathically. Tell 'em we found a cure and that they don't need to…" An explosion could be heard. "Attack…"

"You just had to open your big mouth didn't you Cyclops?" Wanda growled. "Good thing we snuck some of our guys into the lower levels of the plant in case they tunneled in. Who's in there?"

"Shadowcat, Berzerker and Magma were stationed in the lower levels with Blob and Xi," Althea told her.

The X-Men and Misfits moved in. They saw Callisto leading the charge of several Morlocks. Some of them were shooting laser rifles. "They're armed?" Logan roared. "Since when do Morlocks pack heat?" He sliced one rifle in two.

Several security agents raced in and started firing on all the mutants. "Hey some of us are on your side!" Angelica flew in and melted their weapons. "Well temporarily…"

Ororo created a wind and blew the security agents back. Then she saw Callisto. "WHERE'S EVAN?" She roared as she charged at her and attacked with a kick.

"Taking care of our problem permanently!" Callisto fought back.

"What do you mean…?" Ororo began when a loud rumble could be heard.

"I don't like the sound of that," Todd gulped.

"Shadowcat! Xi! See if you can find Spears and get him to safety!" Logan ordered.

"Got it!" Kitty grabbed Xi's hand and they phased through the walls.

Something exploded behind them. To their horror the mutants noticed a huge tidal wave of familiar purple liquid coming towards them. "Power 8!" Callisto screamed.

"Spears must have set the vats to explode!" Lance shouted.

"We're gonna melt yo!" Todd whined.

"We're not gonna melt!" Jean snapped at him. "Everyone gather around!" The mutants, X-Men, Misfits and Morlocks alike ran towards Jean. She barely had time enough to create a force field that kept it out.

"That won't hold it back forever!" Callisto shouted as the Power 8 swirled all around them.

"What do we do?" Lucid shouted.

"Storm! Make it rain in here as much as possible!" Althea shouted. "Maybe if you dilute it with enough water. I can maneuver the stuff."

"It shall be done," Ororo concentrated and created a small rain cloud. Soon it began to pour inside the building.

"Great just what I need! More pressure!" Jean groaned.

"Keep going!" Althea shouted. "I can feel it! A little more water…"

"Hurry…" Jean groaned. "I can't hold it back much longer!"

"If as much as a few drops get in…" Cybelle whined.

"BINGO!" Althea's eyes flashed. Using her powers she manipulated the formula all around them, pulling it away from the force field.

Jean let the force field down as soon as it was safe. "Cyclops!" She pointed to the wall nearby.

"I'm on it!" Scott used his optic beams to create a large hole in the wall. Althea directed the liquid out of the building.

"Everybody all right?" Logan asked.

"I think so," Magma nodded. She then noticed the Morlocks making a break for it. "They're getting away!"

"Let 'em go," Low Light told her. "Well at least we got rid of the stuff."

"Until Spears makes his next batch," Scott said.

"Hard to believe the Morlocks backed down so quickly though," Logan frowned. "We'd better search the building!" They all ran deeper into the plant.

They heard a loud scream from above. "That's Kitty!" Lance said. He ran towards the scream.

"Wait for me!" Peter shouted following him.

"Oh brother…" Low Light groaned. "Storm I'm gonna need your help here." They followed the sound of screaming. "It's coming from Spear's office!"

"If he's hurt her…" Lance growled.

"Oh god!" Kitty stumbled out of the room. She looked pale and was shaking. "Ohgodohgodohgod…"

"Kitty!" Lance got to her first and put his arms around him. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?" He looked at her.

"He's dead!" Kitty wailed.

"Who? Xi?" Lance felt a wave of fear wash over him.

"No," Xi walked out. "I am fine. However…" He pointed.

Low Light and Ororo walked into the office, leaving Lance and Peter to comfort a shaken Kitty. Xi explained. "He was like this when we found him." The office was a mess, as if it had been torn apart. Spears was in his chair which had been thrown back to the left wall. They tried not to look too much at the pale contorted face of Spears, frozen in a horrible death grimace.

But the one thing they couldn't overlook was a familiar bone spike protruding from his chest. "Evan…no…" Ororo put her hand to her mouth in shock.

Low Light swore and clicked on his communicator. "Hawk…It just got worse."