Red Witch: Yes, Harvey is truly wonderful. And big trouble is more accurate than you know.
RogueFanKC: I think my pride in that gag is justifiable. As for Piotr and the Baroness, I have some plans for them in coming chapters. For now, I hope you like what's coming.
Goofn1: Big trouble indeed, though not the kind you're thinking of. I wrote some Lance parts just for you.
Everyone: Thank you for your reviews. I hope you continue to read after this chapter, but I have to warn you: Starting now, I'm going to do a major split with Misfit canon. Very major. It will become better, but we have some rough times ahead. Just a warning.
Chapter 9: "We Have to Stop the Bill!"
Lord Zartan chuckled menacingly. Zanya looked at him. "What's so funny?"
"Oh," he replied, "they should have discovered by now that I've used Cobra's resources to ensure that the Mutant Registration Bill will pass. And when it does, there will be no changing the past, and my enemies will once more have to endure twenty years of Hell on Earth!" He laughed menacingly.
Zanya rolled her eyes, and went back to her book.
"We have to stop the Bill!" cried Quake. "If it passes, there'll be war, and we'll all be wiped out again!"
"We mustn't allow this to happen," hissed Cobra Commander. "We are at risk, too. What do you recommend?"
"We'll need more support than we've got now, that's for sure," Xavier told them.
An intercom buzzed. "Baroness, quit trying to seduce the brat and get up here! We have an urgent situation!"
"What is it?" The Baroness did not look pleased. However, her expression changed when she heard the news. "We must stop this!"
"We agree," said Roadblock. He addressed the three time travelers. "Do you have any advice, anything you can remember?"
"Yes," said XI. "But we must all go to Washington, DC as soon as possible. We must also ask General Hawk to alert the Jugglers."
"How do you-" started Roadblock, then stopped. "Never mind. Let's just go gather the kids. By now the Cobras are flipping their lids."
The adults gathered their two teams, and the combined group met back outside the Cobra compound.
"How are we going to get there in time?" asked Cobra Commander. The Joes looked at each other.
"We'll have to teleport," said Quake.
The Joes were understandably reluctant, but there was no apparent alternative. They instructed each member of the Misfits to grab on to as many X-Men and Cobra troopers as they could. They did the same.
The group transported out, leaving the base deserted behind them.
"Too late now!" chortled Lord Zartan as he watched them via a few adapted "bugs". "That useful idiot Kelly has already succeeded with calling for a closed session. The only way they can succeed now is if they can get the President to interfere!"
"That's the situation, Mr. President," Hawk reported. "We need to stop the Bill from passing!"
"I see," replied the President. "But I can't go solely on the testimony of a few individuals who may or may not be from the future. Without more evidence, I can't stop the session. I'm sorry."
"I understand, Sir," sighed Hawk. "Hawk out."
There was only one more venue open to him, one he had desperately hoped he wouldn't have to take.
"Hello? Get me General Blue."
With a slight pop of displaced air, the Misfits and co. arrived in downtown Washington, DC.
"We need to get to Capitol Hill, so we can stop them passing that Bill," cried Block.
"Why do we need the Cobras for this, again," Lance asked Quake quietly.
Quake replied as quietly, "Because Zartan will have planned for this. If he tries anything, we'll need their support. Believe me, I don't like it any more than you. You can trust me on that. But it's necessary."
Even as he spoke, about thirty troops suddenly poured out of a couple nearby alleys and opened fire on them. Civilians screamed and, caught in a sudden deadly crossfire, began trying desperately to run. One woman caught a bullet in her shoulder and was twisted into mid air, where several more punched through her torso, spraying blood everywhere.
"Protect the civilians," cried Roadblock.
"YO JOE!" yelled the Joes.
"COBRA!" screamed Cobra Commander and his forces.
The Misfits and X-Men tried to get the civilians safely away from the fire fight. While Jean used her telekinesis to keep the bullets whining at them from hitting anyone, Lance and Quake used their combined powers to send a sheet of earth to throw the civilians out of the way. Althea broke a few water mains and sent the water to wash out their attackers. Fred waded into their midst, grabbing and twisting guns and limbs.
They appeared to be winning, until the helicopters appeared. Literally hundreds of attackers appeared from surrounding streets, armed with machine guns, bazookas, and even a few tanks. The helicopters sprayed them with thousands of rounds of ammunition a minute, and fired missile after missile at them.
They were holding their own, but barely. Cobra troopers and civilians screamed and died under the relentless assault. It was all the heroes could do to save themselves.
"Avalanche!" screamed Wanda over the din of battle. "Look out!" Lance turned, and found several men behind him, ready to fire. He threw up the earth without thinking as their bullets whizzed at him. He grunted as one hit him in the arm, but used his powers to encase his attackers in solid earth.
Roadblock and Block were leading a team of Joes, including Low Light, Cover Girl, and Bazooka, against a group of attackers who were trying to get through their right flank. "Yo Joe!" they yelled, firing into the mass and killing most of their enemies.
Cobra Commander was slashing at close enemies with long claws attached to his gloves. Not far away, Destro and the Baroness were back to back, firing randomly into the mass trying to get at them. A little beyond that, Blob and an armored Colossus were tossing attackers through the air to land in crumpled agony yards away. Beside them, Cyclops was using his eye blasts to strategically crumble walls to block more troops from coming at them.
Logan was protecting Xavier, who couldn't penetrate the helmets the attackers were wearing. He slashed at those foolish enough to get too close, disemboweling some, ripping out the throats of others. Xavier wanted to protest the slaughter, but for once, he realized his morals would not be enough to stop what was going on.
Lord Zartan watched the news coverage with a huge grin.
"In Washington, DC," said the buxom blonde reporter, "a massive street fight is still underway. While one side remains unknown, the other has been identified as being comprised of the terrorist organization Cobra and certain members of the vigilantes who call themselves the X-Men. It is believed that they have joined forces to attack the city, and we urge everyone watching to support the anonymous heroes trying to stop them."
Lord Zartan threw back his head and laughed.
"This is better than I had even dreamed!" he cackled. "Not only are my troops keeping them from stopping the Bill from passing, but these stupid news crews think that they're the enemy!"
"It is working out well," observed Zanya. "You must be proud."
"Oh, I am," Lord Zartan told her, not taking his eyes from the screen for a second. "I am."
"We have to get to a sheltered area!" Xavier called to Logan. "We need to be able to stop them long enough for help to get here!"
"We can't!" Logan called back. "There's too many of them! They've blocked off all our escape routes!"
Lance and Scott were working side by side, using their powers in concert to knock their attackers off their feet, then blast them through the air. Near them, Althea and Jean were using their powers to sweep away vast numbers of their anonymous enemy. Kurt was teleporting Todd throughout the enemy ranks, allowing Todd to cover them with paralyzing acid behind leaving as bullets whizzed through the air where they had been a moment before. Piotr and Fred were acting as a shield to allow Logan a respite to recover from his numerous wounds. Xi and Pietro were working to keep the attackers confused and off balance so that Wanda could throw them away with her hex bolts. Cobra Commander and Roadblock were fighting back to back, as were Destro and Low Light. Enmities were forgotten as they all struggled to survive this onslaught of death.
"We need to 'port out of here!" Quake called as his small army of animated earthen figures plowed through a group of troop that was trying to close in on them. "We need to regroup!"
The others agreed. The Misfits and Joes grabbed whoever they could, and activated their watches. They disappeared.
They reappeared at the Pit, where Lifeline and a team of medics was standing by to take care of the wounded.
"We're alive," gasped Lance, his energy spent.
"We made it," gasped Scott, next to him.
Todd's face was white. Althea noticed. "What is it?" she asked him.
He wordlessly took his hands off his chest, where they had been resting. There, right in the center, was a quickly spreading dark crimson stain.
"TODD!" screamed Althea.
Next time: Thoroughly routed, the Misfits have lost greatly. But they don't have time to mourn, as their base itself comes under attack! Tune in again, for chapter ten of Misfits In Time!