Chapter 13
Amanda and Jubilee made their way down the corridors carefully. They walked past other guardswomen, without having anyone give them a second glance. Warily they listened to distant conversation, and followed the line of conversation and the clues that Douglock had given them.
In cellblock 4B, they turned the corner to see two women guards trading conversation. A glowing tank of liquid surged as the figure drifted inside it, shackled and bonded and thrashing. "Whoa, major weird…" Jubilee whispered.
"That's Captain Britain," said Amanda. "And there in that cell is Megan… we must get to them…"
"Leave that to me," said Jubilee. She strode out, bold as brass, and towards the cellblock.
"You authorized to be here, ensign?"
"We're your relief, girls," said Jubilee brightly. "I'm SURE you must be tired sitting here watching these two all day…"
"It IS time for your shift to change," Amanda said, swallowing her trepidation and joining her.
"ON who's order?"
"Maxima," said Amanda. "Who else?"
"You wanna piss her off? You KNOW what she's like when she…" Jubilee started.
"Okay, all right, you win," said the red headed guard, whose badge said Felina. "We could use a break, right Genera?"
"Yeah, we've been here for too damn long enough. Have fun, girls," said Genera.
"Wait, I'm not so sure," Felina mumbled.
"C'mon, let's GO," Genera hissed. "Here you go, Sintara and Jules… you two must be new…"
"We just came from earth," Amanda said, as she caught the key. Both guards wandered off towards the door. Jubilee glanced around as Amanda slowly shoved the key into the lock, and punched buttons.
"Damn how does…"
"Keep it down," said Jubilee. "That was too easy…"
"Thank our fortunes," said Amanda, finally turning the key and slipping in the right sequence as she looked into her wrist com. The bars crackling over Meggan's cell fizzled out, and she stepped in.
"RARRWWW!" Meggan roared.
"Easy, it's me," she urged. "Amanda…"
"RROOOARRRR…" Meggan snarled, pinning Amanda under her paws. She had shifted to lupine form, her batlike ears pointing out under tufted hair, and red beady eyes gleaming. Why had she reverted to her previous form? No time to question it thought Amanda.
"Shhh, easy…"
"Ohhhh Amanda… thank fate," Meggan whined and bumped her head under the sorceress's hand.
"We're here to get you out…"
"The others…"
"I've got help… now I need your help freeing Brian," said Amanda, helping her to stand. Meggan moved out, bat membranes under her arms rippling. Seeing Brian in the large tank, she hissed.
"Those horrible cows will pay," she snarled. Amanda pressed the key into her inhibitor collar, and it dropped off.
"Easy lady, take a chill pill," Jubilee hissed. Meggan's question was answered with a raise of Amanda's hand.
"I can't get him out," Amanda mumbled, punching in the code. It beeped frustratedly, and she slammed her fist against it.
"Let me," Meggan pushed her away. Claws shot out from her fingertips and she started scraping at the plastic.
"Whoa, she's just like Wolvie," said Jubilee.
"Whoever this Wolvie is, he must know how frustrating this is!" Meggan panted, scraping away the glass. Features blurred as she bulked up on muscle, and suddenly became her old self. Raising her hand, she aimed a mystical blast that shattered the glass. Liquid gushed to the floor, spilling out as Brian topped out.
"That was subtle," said Jubilee. "We got company…"
"Stop, where you are! You're not authorized!" barked a female voice.
A sizzling PAFF caused a scream, as multicolored lights crackled into the source. Soon other shouts echoed and red rods of light streaked past Meggan's hair. She snarled.
"Damn," mumbled Amanda. "We gotta go!"
"I'll get Brian," Meggan said as she picked him up easily in her arms. "Which way?"
"This way…" said Amanda.
"Uh guys, we gotta problem," Jubilee said, her fingers blazing as she paffed two guards that were barreling down on them.
"Shit, this isn't good,' Amanda hissed. She fired her gun in the other direction.
"Bloody perfect," Wisdom cursed as he and Khaos heard the klaxon.
"Let's go…"
"Guys, we got a problem… we're under attack… they know we're here…" came Amanda's voice.
"Have you…"
"We have Meggan and the Captain, but we're barely holding off… we need help… where is Wolverine?"
"I'm almost in the main power block," said Wolverine. "What's going down?"
"We're under siege…"
"I'll come and help you…" wolverine said.
"No, you have to complete your mission," Jubilee called. "Wolvie, we can handle it."
"Kid you're crazy… get outta there!" Logan snapped.
"No, I'll go, blast it," Wisdom said. "You spring the featherhead, Khaos. I'll help the ladies. Wolverine, get your bloody bum down an' help them. I'll ram a whole lot of hotknives into that damn generator an' knock it out."
"But I'm almost…"
"Don't argue," said Wisdom. "Pryde will be all right! Either of us will come back for her…"
Khaos nodded and peeled off, rushing away down the corridor where Cerise's cell was. All hell broke loose seconds later. Wisdom snarled under his breath and took off towards the power room. Knowing Wolverine, he'd probably risk his butt and try and help the others out, because he liked to scrap.
"Stupid jerk," Logan mumbled. "I can handle the generator!"
"Yes, you're right! Wisdom, help him…" Amanda's voice called. "We're beating them back…"
"Right!" Wolverine called as he rushed off down the corridors. His nose told him the source of the power, and he was oh so close.
A female guard burst on the scene, and he rushed towards them claws extended. "Get outta my way, broads!" he snarled.
"Get him!" Maxima hissed, firing towards Wolverine. He tumbled and flipped overtop, his claws swiping. Guns clattered in useless pieces as the lady guards saw him disappear down the corridor.
From the other direction, a fellow tall guard burst through. "Which way did that animal go?" she barked.
"That way… it has claws… we didn't know…"
"I'm onto it," Wisdom said, rushing by. "They're trying to spring the prisoners… that way!"
"Right, lieutenant," they nodded. Wisdom glanced at his wristcom, noticing the life trace which Douglock had clued him on. Headed in the same direction.
"Forgive me kitty, but I'll get ya out after we kill the lights…"
Someone was growling and snarling as he scraped the wall. Adamantium claws bit into the metal, as Wolverine took swing after swing. A pile of lady guards lay huddled together, their guns in pieces and their costumes intact.
"What are you doing?" Wisdom yelled.
"Tryin' to get through, what does it look like, Brit!" he snarled.
"Lemmie have a go!" Wisdom shouted. Wolverine smelled sizzling air, and saw long spikes of heat forming on Wisdom's fingertips. He moved wisely out of the way as the streaks of hotknives sizzled and cut through to lodge in the weakened opening he'd made. Fire exploded, and Logan rolled Wisdom out of the way of the blast.
"Nice trick, pal," Logan grunted. "Now let's pull the plug…"
"With ya, old man," Wisdom nodded. They burst through the hole, and saw the surging field crackling. A generator pulsed and hummed, essentially a mass of crystal flanked by a forcefield of gleaming bars of energy, and two large conical shapes above and below.
"One question, you first, or me?" Logan asked, popping his claws.
"Together, onna count of three," Wisdom nodded, hotknives spearing from his fingertips. Grunting, both men surge ahead. Adamantium arched and bit into the cables, while hotknives sizzled into metal and laid it bare like butter.
"Guys, go!" Jubilee cried. "I'll hold 'em off!"
"You can't…" said Amanda.
"Teleport 'em away… they can't take much more!" Jubilee yelled, her fireworks sizzling.
Just then the power flickered, and the lights dimmed. Sirens clanged, and only Jubilee's light bursts lit the way. Amanda looked to Meggan, who summoned a sphere of energy. "This way…"
"Teleport 'em wherever, I'll catch up," Jubilee said, as lasers sizzled around them.
"You stupid kid…" said Amanda, gesturing.
"They can't take much more, you see!" Jubilee pointed to Meggan and Captain Britain, who were bleeding profusely from wounds all over their bodies. Even in the darkness of the red emergency lights they saw the injuries were grave.
"I will be all right," Meggan said.
"No you won't," Amanda said. "Khaos, where are you?"
"I'm almost to Cerise's cell… but I've been cut off…"
"Douglock…" Amanda cried.
"Recommend extraction to safety zone pronto," Douglock called. "Friend Wisdom and friend Wolverine are headed back this way… it will take them too long. Reinforcements outnumber you ten to one…"
"But Kitty…"
"Recommend Kitty is safer where she is," Douglock said. "Teleport now! Wolverine and Wisdom can be directed to assist Jubilee…"
"Go!" Jubilee yelled, her pyro slamming into soldier after soldier. "I'll be okay…"
"All right," Amanda sighed as she gestured. A quick snatch of power and Jubilee was left alone.
"Now jerks, get ready to really get nailed," she said brightly, trying to stop her knees from knocking. She kicked and punched, her fireworks blazing madly around the place. Guards dared not fire because of the plasma hurtling towards them. Unfortunately she did not notice the flickering power as the lights suddenly flared back on.
"Oops," she said as she saw ten troopers in plain sighed. She backed against the wall, noplace to go.
"Surrender immediately," a loudspeaker echoed. "We know you are there, intruder. And your little plan has failed…"
"You heard the lady, I surrender," said Jubilee holding her hands up. "I blew it…"
"You're a tough little firecracker… too bad that you blew it… and your friends left you…"
"Hey, what can I say?" Jubilee asked.
"Take her to the Mastrex…" said Maxima as she strode up, and snapped an inhibitor collar on her. She was yanked forwards and shoved away.
"Jubilee!" Logan roared as he rounded the corner.
"Stop mate, there ain't anything you can do!" Wisdom snapped as he yanked him back.
"Dammit, you Brit. lemmie go!" Wolverine snarled.
"Stow it mate… she'll only get killed… we gotta think of something else…" Wisdom hissed.
"Jubilee's been captured!" Wolverine growled. "Goddamn it… what the hell was…"
"Wolverine, we can't help 'em if we're dead," Wisdom hissed, grabbing and hoping the claws wouldn't skewer him. Angrily Logan cursed as he backed away, into the shaft of an elevator, and the doors clanged shut.
"Goddamn it what went WRONG? I thought we NAILED the sucker," Wolverine snarled.
"That was only the auxiliary…" Douglock's voice crackled. "I suggest you wait till Jubilee is interred. They will not hurt her, only interrogate, according to the transmissions read…"
"What about kitty?" Logan and Wisdom growled.
"She's unharmed. And in Saturnyne's cell. Khaos is attempting to free Cerise. Apparently they are taking Jubilee to the same cell…"
"Shit," Wolverine mumbled. "This is sloppy work… lemmie know where that is… you go get Pryde, Wisdom. An' don't let me see yer mug till ya get her OUT! Got it?"
"I don't advise…"
"Shut up an' lead me to Jubes. An' don't' stop me… and tell that misfit he'd better back me up… cause no more games…" said Wolverine into his belt com.
"I'm with the old man, Douglock, point me towards Pryde…" said Wisdom.
Jubilee moaned as she came round. Something was being torn off her, and she was shackled next to a violet haired woman. "Lemmie go!" she groaned.
"Remove that uniform," Maxima barked. Jubilee kicked and spat sparks flying from her hands as they tried to chain her up.
"You sicko, let me GO!"
"Such spunk. Maybe you could join us, when you learn manners," said Maxima. "Restrain her!"
"You bitches, wait till Wolvie gets ya!" she yelled. A collar was snapped around her neck, and her costume was ripped off her in shreds.
Jubilee felt a hand slap across her face, and she saw stars. Stunned, she felt the room swirl around her. "Don't fight them, just relax," came a voice from beside her.
"Shut up, bird brain," Maxima leered, slapping Cerise. Blood dribbled down her chest.
"What are you…" Jubilee groaned, tasting blood.
"Since you were stupid enough to get caught, we'll have some fun. But first, who are you working with?"
"Bite my ass," Jubilee spat in Maxima's face, as she saw two or three figures swirling.
"Bitch, you will speak to her with respect," Gayle hissed back, slapping Jubilee's head again.
"Enough, show her what we do to those who don't obey…" said Maxima. Long sizzling knives were drawn, and Jubilee closed her eyes as they whispered towards her. Ripping and tearing all over her body as they cut into her.
She blinked, feeling only the slightest of scratches as she was stripped down to her underwear. "Huh, is THAT all?" she joked.
"No, it is worse," Cerise whispered.
"You had this coming too, birdbitch…" Maxima laughed, rubbing her hands together. Knives descended to Cerise, slicing and cutting her clothes, ripping them off. Jubilee gasped as she saw the tall massive muscular woman stripped of all her clothes. She averted her gaze seeing a naked avian shiar dangling there. Squeezing her eyes shut she felt cold air seeping around her body.
"Sicko dweebs… I won't talk," Jubilee mumbled.
"You will soon enough…" said Maxima. "Get the girdles. We can't let our prisoners be altogether without clothes…"
Cerise moaned softly as tinkling bits of metal were brought over, and fastened around her breasts, thighs, and waist. Jubilee felt something being drawn over to clothe her nakedness, something metallic and cold. IT bit into her skin, and she felt slight warmth of power coming from something around her neck, breasts, and hips. IT tingled remotely, leaving her belly and arms and feet bare. Squinting she saw Cerise dangling there with the chain mail bikini of glittering gold that covered her just enough for modesty's sake.
"Now the fun begins. If you try and escape, the pain will be exquisite…" laughed Maxima.
"I don't get you…"
"Demonstrate," said Maxima, as she barked towards the women. One of them pushed Cerise, having her swing back and forth. She screamed in anger as sparks arched around her body, and over her skin.
"What are you doing to her…"
"These clothes are designed to give pleasure or pain. IN very sensitive places. Move wrong, or attempt to escape without the proper means of removal, and you can receive anything from a jolt, to something worse. Now we shall leave you two. If you see fit to tell us where your compatriots are, we will remove them… but till then… enjoy."
"So, who are you?" Jubilee murmured.
"Cerise of the Grand Jhar, genestock of Sabruki and Kuli ka," the Shi'ar murmured.
"Jubilation Lee, X man," Jubilee murmured. "I guess you're a Shi'ar, huh?"
"Yes," nodded Cerise. "But I am a prisoner like you… and my powers are unable to activate…"
"That sucks," Jubilee mumbled.
"You were brave, little one… you must be a friend of Kurt's…"
"You mean Nightcrawler? Where is he?"
"I cannot say. But I am betrayed. My crew and ship have left us behind…"
"Shit," mumbled Jubilee. "So… you or I gonna try and get out of here first…"
"You cannot use your powers, small one. These bands are inhibitory to light generated powers. You are as I, a plasma producer. My powers enable me to generate fields of malleable light that conform to my will… while yours are concusive explosions…"
"I guess. Look, what is going on here… and what ARE these things…"
"Some sort of punishment device. I have seen them on Idsar 7, the world of pleasure and pain. Most devious…"
"Um, I hate to ask… but what do they do?" jubilee asked, slowly swinging back and forth.
"Don't do that…" Cerise urged. Jubilee felt a tingling in her chest, and then it slowly increased. She twisted her wrists, and felt the tingling turn into a burn. It spread through her entire body, and she screamed as a thousand needles coursed over her small body.
"YAAIII!" Jubilee screamed, biting her lips. "Oh god…"
"Little one, don't struggle," Cerise urged as Jubilee bit her lip, trying not to cry. "No doubt our friends are conspiring now to liberate us…"
"How do you know? God…"
"Your friends will come for you. If you are an X man, then they will. As for me…"
"Your boyfriend will come for you…but I don't know how in HELL they can get this crap offa us," Jubilee whimpered.