Broken Codes, Broken Hearts

Horns preened in the mirror of his dressing room. "You are the best my man," He crowed. "You are going places!"

"Oh you're going places all right!" Rocker shouted as he threw a long chain around the horn on his head.

"All the way down!" Ivich shouted as she whipped another chain around his neck. They dragged him down to the floor.

"Hey! You can't do this to me!" Horns shouted as he tried to break free. "What the hell is your problem?"

"The problem Horns is that you've been breaking the code!" Ivich shouted. "We have rules here! No backstabbing, no infighting and no killing!"

"This all about Crabs? That fool…" Horns choked.

"Was our friend!" Rocker shouted as he yanked on the chain. "He was one of us! He lived by the code!"

"Who cares about your stupid code?" Horns choked. "It's not like you all are so innocent you know! I've got more death notches in my belt than anyone! If I have to I can make it on the outside!"

"How?" Rocker snarled. "What are you gonna do? Walk into a bank and apply for a job?"

"You forgot how you came to us Horns," Ivich snarled. "Remember you have a face that even your own mother couldn't love! Let's see how long you last on the outside! We ought to kick you out now, if it wasn't for Hugo sticking up for you. Right now he's the only friend you got here!"

"Cause he knows I'm the one who makes him the most cash!" Horns shouted.

"Face it Horns the only place you are gonna get by is by staying in here," Rocker snarled. "This place is all you got! So no more sleazy tactics! No more grandstanding and most important of all, NO KILLING!"

"And if this doesn't teach you…" Rocker nodded. Four other mutants appeared out of the shadows and started beating on him.

"Okay! Okay!" Horns pleaded. "Stop! Stop!" The mutants pulled away. Horns was slightly battered and bruised but nothing was broken.

"He's had enough," Rocker nodded his head. They removed the chains from him. "Consider this a warning of what would happen if you keep breaking the code. Next time you won't be so lucky! Capice?"

"Yeah…yeah I got it," Horns gasped.

Rocker and the other mutants left the dressing room. There was a large audience of mutants that had assembled to watch, including Alison and X23. "Jerk," X23 spat at Horns.

"Was that necessary?" Alison asked.

"Sorry you two had to see that," Ivich said. "But you both have to understand. We have rules here. No matter what Hugo says, killing is not tolerated here."

"Unless in extreme circumstances," Rocker snarled at Horn's figure. "Our show's supposed to be a sport. But it can be a battle of life and death. Without the code, none of us can survive."

"Makes sense to me," X23 nodded. "He got what he deserved. No killing. I understand."

"I guess you're right," Alison shivered. "Your rules do make sense. They're brutal, but necessary." They left him alone.

Almost alone. "Well that was a bit rough," Alexander made his presence known. "You've gotten yourself quite a few enemies."

"Think they're so special," Horns snarled. "Well after tonight they're gonna be singing a different tune!"

"That's right Horns," Alexander nodded. "Stick with me and you will go places. And you can kill anyone you want."

"Yeah, starting with horse face and the green witch," Horns growled. "And then the Dazzler."

"You just leave her to me all right," Alexander told him.

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"I can't believe that bimbo ran out on us like that!" Jubilee grumbled back at Heartbreak Hotel. "After all we did for her!"

"Don't be so hard on the girl," Kate sighed. "Out here a lot of mutants are desperate to fit in anywhere, no matter what the cost. Sometimes when the world treats you like garbage long enough you believe the things people say. You see yourself as a monster. You become too confused, too scared or in many cases too selfish to do anything else."

"Well selfishness seems to be a trait Alison has picked up," Hank grunted. "I feel like such a fool. Running after…Never mind. It's over now. I just want to go home."

"Look you may have given up on the Lightbulb," Logan growled. "But the kid's another story! I ain't leaving her here!"

"And I wouldn't discount Alison just yet," Xi remarked. "Something tells me that her loss of control over her powers is not accidental."

"What do you mean?" Sam asked.

"When I touch people I can read their DNA codes," Xi told her. "I can also sense of those codes are altered or being affected by drugs. This is true in Alison's case. I touched her hand while you were administering the sedative Beast just to confirm my suspicions."

"Are you sure?" Logan asked. Xi nodded. "You mean those jerks are drugging her?"

"Yes and I suspect she may not be the only one," Xi frowned. "If she believes she cannot control her powers outside the arena or is led to believe that…"

"No wonder they were so eager to shove those pills down her throat," Wanda snarled.

"Quite a nice little racket," Todd growled. "Drug 'em up to keep mutants under your control so they won't leave. Make 'em fight for rich folks and watch the dough pour in."

"That means Alison and the others aren't thinking clearly," Hank blinked. "We have to rescue them!"

"Yeah and I got a hunch that drugs ain't the only means of keeping mutants under control," Logan frowned. "Something tells me that fat jerk Longride ain't the brains of the outfit. Call up Charles. I think we're gonna need some backup here."

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"Sounds like they got quite a crowd tonight," Logan grunted as he and Hank searched the bowels of the Arena. The roar of the crowd could be heard from above. It was night and the show was going on.

"I still say we should have taken one or two of the others," Hank grunted. "Even Xi with his invisibility would have been most valuable."

"He's watching out for our hides up front," Logan said. "In case we don't make it out of here it's his job to get the calvary. Well look what we have here. A locked door." He sliced it open. "Now it's unlocked."

"Let's see what's behind door number three," Hank said. He turned on the light and saw a strange sight. Several bottles and test tubes as well as other drug paraphernalia.

"Bingo!" Logan growled. "I knew it!"

"I don't like the looks of this place," Hank grumbled. "Or this lab."

"Can you figure out what they're making in this dump?" Logan asked.

"I think I can surmise what's been going on," Hank looked over the contents. "Distillation equipment for synthesizing pure compounds. Some heavy duty stuff here. Oh god no!"

"What?" Logan asked. "What is it?"

"This beaker," Hank held it up. "It's labeled." The label said DAZZLER. "What have they been pumping into her?"

"This one worries me more," Logan pointed to a vial labeled LADY X.

"I knew it," Hank growled. "Xi was right! By carefully regulating the doses these drugs are used to control not only a mutant's powers, but their emotions as well. They it reacts to a mutant's adrenaline system and can be regulated to a specific mutant's system!"

"Meaning?"

"The more excited and emotional a mutant becomes, the more violent and out of control they become!" Hank growled. "We have to…"

Suddenly the room started to fill up with gas. "The room's booby trapped!" Logan roared I'm gonna…" But then something shot out of nowhere and zapped him.

"Logan!" Hank growled and saw five men wearing gas masks and tasers pointed at them. He leapt at them but was zapped. He fell to the ground stunned.

"Good work," Hugo grinned behind his mask. "I had a feeling some of those freaks would come snooping around here. I got an idea." He took out a syringe. "Bring the blue one first. There's enough stuff in here to make him lose all control, and then we're really going to have a show!"

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"But why do I have to go out now?" Alison asked. She was wearing a long pink dress. "We didn't rehearse this! I'm not ready for another fight so soon."

"Just go out there honey," Alexander spoke in her ear. "Remember…You're a star!"

"You're right," Alison blinked. "I'm a star. And these are my fans…"

"Don't keep them waiting," Alexander grinned.

Alison walked into the arena. It had been transformed into a beautiful garden. Music played as the spotlight showcased her. Then the door opened on the other side of the arena. Alison's eyes widened in shock as she saw her opponent.

"H-Hank?" Alison blinked.

Disheveled, wearing only his usual briefs Hank lumbered into the arena on all fours. He snarled menacingly. "Hank? What's going on? What are you doing here?" Alison was frightened. "Something about this isn't right! HANK!"

She then heard Hugo's voice over the speaker and her entire body chilled in terror at what she heard. "LADIES AND GENTLEMEN…TONIGHT OUR SPECIAL ATTRACTION! THE BATTLE OF THE BEAUTY AND THE BEAST!"

What will happen next? Will Hank snap out of his spell? Will Beauty destroy the Beast? Stay tuned to find out!