Chapter 6
Xander sighed as, once again, he was wondering New York City. Oh I wonder what wonderful superheros or villians I will run into tonight, Xander thought, sarcasum dripping from his mental voice. He looked up at the darkening sky, his eyes searching the night. Money. That is important. Transportation, also important. I have enough high-tech weaponry on me to, temporarily, take over a small country, and I can't get a damn ride. He glared at a car that sped by. Imagine that, a car, speeding by. In New York. Of course, he thought as the water splashed up and soaked him, that only happens when it's been raining. 'Cause, god forbid, people NOT get splashed while standing on a sidewalk.
Thouroughly disgusted now, Xander rubbed his temples as he planned his next move. Alright, I need to get to Texas, and then home. Lets see... hitchhiking, yeah right... in New York? The only people crazy enough to pick up a hitchhiker in this city are the people you really don't want to get into a car with. Alright... I could... steal a car. Oh yea Xander, thats just you're style. What are you gonna do, walk up and do a arnie, "Give me your clothes, your boots, and your keys?" Go back to the mansion? Maybe.
Xander's musings were interupted by a scream. Wow, he thought, this is becoming a theme or something. Despite all that, he headed in the direction of the scream. The scene he saw before him was something he would remember for some time. He counted six vampires being held at bay by a single man. A man who was dressed in all red, wielding what looked like billy club. He was knocking them around pretty good, but he wasn't going for the kills. Sure, the blows he was giving them would kill normal humans, but a vampire could just shrug them off. He obviously had no idea what he was fighting. Xander came up behind him, ready to help out.
"Run, get away." The figure said.
"I'm here to help, pal," Xander said, a growl forming as he spotted the vampires victim, laying in the alley. Blood dripped from her neck where she had been bitten.
"These things aren't human, I don't know how long I can keep them at bay, get the girl and run," The figure said.
"Yea, they aren't, their vampires. Lucky for us, that happens to be my specialty." Xander said, his fist connecting solidly with the nearest demon animated corpse. It was knocked back as it was hit with Xander's full strength, considerably more then its own. Xander extended the blade in his left forearm was he easily ducked the attack from the next vampire. The blade cut across the vampires neck, seperating head from body, a poof, followed by dust settling signified its end.
For his part, Matt Murdoc was having trouble with these new opponents. Since their hearts did not beat, he had trouble keeping tabs on where they were. He had been blind sided more then once, no pun intended. This new ally seemed to know what worked against them, as three of their opponents were now gone. The slight change in the air pressure around his head, combined with the slight sound of the air wafting away from the fist, allowed Matt to duck the blow that now shot harmlessly over his head. He flipped his club around and caught the extended arm at the elbow, he heard a satifying crack as the joint snapped. A moment later he heard the same sound he had heard three times before, the abrupt "poof", that came to signal the end of one of their opponents. He heard clattering feet, two sets, leading away from the fight. He stood down slowly, his posture becoming relaxed.
Xander looked over at the man beside him. He had some amazing reflexes, almost as good as his own, he was more then able to admit. He saw the two D's on his chest now that he looked more closely. Xander retracted the single claw that he had extended while fighting the vampires. It was so easy, he thought with a slight smile. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? He wondered idlely.
"Thanks for the help," The man said.
"No problem, man," Xander said.
"Names Daredevil," he said.
"Xander," was the young mans reply.
"Nice to meet you," Daredevil said.
"Ditto."
"I'm going to get this woman to the hospital, okay?" Daredevil said.
"Sure man," Xander said.
"Sir," a major said, "All of the Sentinel's have been destroyed."
"Why am I not surprised by this, Jones?" Ross said.
"Because we made Alexander too powerful for our own good, Sir?" Major Jones said. He was uncomfortable, none of the staff would even get near General Ross. The older man was livid with anger and it was like it oozed out of his pores.
"Exactly. I want the security on this base trippled, Major. I want every man wearing a uniform to have a gun in his hands at all times, understood?" Ross said.
"But sir, Alexander is bulletproof," Major Jones gulped at the look he recieved.
"No shit, But hopefully the noise will give us enough time to get the hell out of dodge," Ross said.
Xander looked down at the city below him. The night life played on, as if the darkness inherint in it did not exist. He could understand their blindness. Mutants and supernatually enhanced villians, who would take the time to notice vampires and demons? A select few. It was funny how all the forms of darkness had a form of light to battle it. Demons and vampires had hunters and slayers. Mutants and superpowered villians had mutant and superpowered heros. Outlaws and criminals had the police. Unfortunately for Xander, he wasn't quite sure how he fit in. One day at a time, one enemy at a time, he reminded himself. He looked across the street to the Baxter building in front of him. The Baxter Building, home of the Fantastic Four.
"Contemplating asking Reed Richards for assistance in your quest for revenge," Xander heard a voice say. He swung around, his arms coming up in a defensive stance. "Fear not, Defender, I am not here to cause you harm," The voice said. Attached to the voice was a man, a man who wore a purple cloak. Dark hair topped his head with the exception of the grey that spread from his temples. A gotee covered his chin, and his brown eyes pierced into Xanders.
"What's it to you," Xander asked.
"I would think that you would realize that our mutual friend Mr. Richards, would be unlikely to help you exact the revenge you are planning. Well, what you think you are planning, at least." the man said.
"What the hell are you talking about?" Xander asked.
"Nothing," The figure smiled at Xander.
"You are a pain in the ass, you know that?" Xander said.
"Many would say the same of you, my young friend," The figure said.
"You know what, I had enough of this criptic bullshit from Angel, and I am not about to take it from you," Xander growled, turning to stalk away.
"What if I told you I could get you to Texas, and where ever you wished to go after that, in five minutes?" The figure asked.
"I would ask you what you name is," Xander said.
"Strange, Doctor Steven Strange," The figure said.
General Thadeus E. Ross paced his office. The trippled secutirty on the base doing little to ease his dark mood. He wondered for a moment if he should call Walsh and give he a heads up on the situation. He ruled that out with a smirk. She created this problem in the first place, she can deal with it on her own. Disgusted with himself for hiding like a child, he turned to leave his office. He was halfway to the door when the lights flickered and died around him. He refused to panic, knowing the generators would come on in a moment. The lights returned a moment later, however, Ross decided it was a good time to panic.
Standing less then three feet away from him was his worst nightmare. The black-armored man had a glare fixed on him that might make a lesser man wet themselves, For his part, Ross only gulped and stumbled back, falling on his ass. Xander stalked towards him, his eyes gleaming with hatred. His hand closed around the general's collar. He pulled the much older man to his feet and looked him in the eye.
"The files on Walsh. I want them, everything you have. The location of her base of operations, blue prints, background. I want everything you have on her, and I want it now, General." The title with such venom, it almost made Ross ashamed of it. He pointed weakly at the filing cabinate near his desk. Xander threw him back, into the wall farthest from door. He walked over to the filing cabinate and pulled the locked drawer from it. Laying the now broken drawer on the desk he rumaged through it until he found what he was looking for. He turned back to Ross.
"Stay away from me, my friends, and especially the X-men. If you so much as think about hurting any of us, I will know. Where ever you go, what ever you do. I will find you. If I am forced to search for you, Ross, I will not be so polite in our next meeting." With that, the light gave a slight flicker and the young man was gone.
Xander stood quietly in the small lawn in front of the frat house. His dark eyes seaching the facade with a critical eye.
"I found these, I thought they might be useful," Xander heard Strange's voice. He glanced over and saw a box at Stephens feet. He walked over to it and looked in side. He saw a half dozen of the visor's Ross had given him. He looked at it with disgust pulling away, just as Stephen put up a comforting hand.
"Xander, these are tools. Just like the other enhancements you have recieved from these evil people. As long as you use them to help those who would be victims, you are deying the purpose you were created to serve. I say, use them, use everything they give you. Turn it to the purpose of good, for the benefit of our people." Stephen said.
"Why are you helping me, Stephen?" Xander asked.
"Because, Xander, you will fight the forces of darkness, in whatever form they manifest. Be it supernatural, mutant or human. There are few in this world who would choose a life of such hardship. Many would pick a single enemy, and fight that enemy, and endure the hardships inherint in such a battle. You however, have seen the evil in three forms, and you choose to fight all three. It is my opinion that you are aptly named, Alexander. Protector of humanity, even from itself if need be, eh?" Stephen asked with a small smile.
"What if I can't handle all this?" Xander said.
"Then it will kill you, Xander," Stephen said, "But you will die trying. You see Xander, that is the problem with being a good guy. No matter how many times you win, no matter how many plots to destroy or concur earth you thwart, there will always be another. All you can do is fight until you die, and hope that someone will pick up the ball before it shatters. But I have faith in you, my young friend."
"I'm scared," Xander admited.
"And that, my young friend, gives me more hope then you could ever imagine," Stephen said with a small smile, before teleporting himself away.
Xander thought, a length, about what he and Dr. Strange had discussed. Then a smile slowly crept along his lips, he would not be alone, he knew enough about his friends to know that. Even if Buffy would not forgive him for his actions, he knew that Xavier and the X-men wouldn't turn him away. With a renewed sense of self, he stalked towards the frat house with the words "Lowell House" on it.
He didn't pause as he kicked the door open, he didn't pause as the alarm sounded. He didn't pause as the stungun hit is armor with no effect. He didn't pause when the young man with blonde hair rushed him, he continued to walk even as he backhanded the boy. He didn't pause as the door to the lab below was destoryed by the force of his adamantium enforced blows.
"Doctor Walsh, I do believe that Alexander is paying us a visit," A rather calm high-ranking scientist commented, "And I don't think its a social call."
"I want Specimin two released, now." Walsh said, her voice some-what less calm.
"But, we have only been able to install the nanites and physical enhancements, we have no control-" A lower level tech began.
"Do it," Walsh screamed.
"Yes ma'am" The tech said.
Xander knocked another young soldier to the ground, still walking towards his destination. Several low level demons and vampires has been released to hold him off, but Xander had dispatched them with little trouble. He could see the door now. Only a few feet away, so close, but as he would quickly realize, so far away.
"Hello, lover," Xander heard an all too familiar voice from behind him, he paused. He turned slowly, his eyes closed, hoping what he heard and what he saw would not be the same. His eyes opened.
"Did ya miss me, Boy toy?" The female voice asked.
"Faith," Xanders said softly.