Black Ice
To Aaron: Hey there, Aaron! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! The rope thing is kind of Bobby's idea of a prank nowadays. Nothing like putting someone else's life at risk. I think Bobby did say that remark about liking Virus partially to get a rise out of John, and because he may genuinely feel that way. Keep in mind, Bobby is not quite all there. I think Val would have to report to Nick every so often about Freedom Force's progress. As for Bobby's classification, Val said he may be an Omega-class mutant. He may not. He may just be a very powerful Alpha-class. Bobby's true power has yet to be seen, so he may very well be an Omega-class mutant. I agree, Bobby is a ticking time-bomb. Bobby probably helped John up because Thunderbird hasn't done anything yet to anger Bobby. As for Bobby's reaction to the mission, it may vary, but I don't think it will be as bad as the reaction to the mission with Sidney. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait to hear more from you!
To Raliena: Hey there, Rae! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait to hear more from you.
To todd fan: Hey there, todd fan! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! Yeah, Bobby just can't get a break. He's just is wallowing in his dark place. Anyway, he's going to go through a little change here. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Slugs and Snails" and "Random Tales of the Magic Roundabout"!
To Red Witch: Hey there, Red Witch! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! I read the new chapter of "Evolution XMJ" and I loved it! Man, the Thing would make a very strange substitute teacher. What inspired all this? Too bad those toys are broken. You'd fetch a pretty penny. Aw well. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Evolution XMJ"!
To RogueFanKC: Hey there, Rogue Fan! Nice to hear from you again! I'm glad you liked the last chapter! Yeah, Bobby said it. I think he just said it to get a rise out of John Proudstar. Not to mention that Bobby may see a little bit of himself in the crazed English mutant. They're both vengeful. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Apokolips Deferred"!
Disclaimer: "When the going gets tough, the tough get going."
Chapter 20: A Minor Change and a New Mission!
Freedom Force HQ, the next morning
"Ohh…" Bobby Drake moaned as he sat up on his bed. His room was rather plainly decorated. He had no pictures of the X-Men on his bedside. He never really got around to going out and decorating it anyway. One day had passed since Bobby's 'prank' on his teammate, the super-athletic Apache mutant John Proudstar, codename Thunderbird. Bobby had gone to bed that night with a bit of a headache.
A Cliffside, Yesterday
"Your rope snapped." Fontaine said as she examined John's rope after he and Bobby reached the cliff.
"I'm fine." John grumbled. He shot a glare at Bobby, who only sneered back.
Freedom Force HQ, present day
"God…" Bobby grumbled, rubbing his eyes. He was dressed in a blue t-shirt and black shorts. "My eyes are so sore…" He lumbered out of bed and pulled back the curtain. "Ah!" He covered his eyes to prevent himself from being blinded by the sudden onslaught of light from the California sun. "I'll never get used to that." He heard a pounding at his door.
"Drake!" A familiar voice yelled. "Get your butt up and open this door! I want to talk to you!"
"Oh great, the big bad Thunderbird is mad." Bobby grumbled. He pressed a button on the side of his door, causing it to slide open. A very unhappy John Proudstar stood on the other side, arms crossed. The big muscular Apache was dressed in a pair of black boxers and an undershirt. "What do you want?"
"What do you think?" John growled. "I want some answers."
"What is Mongolia? There's an answer for you." Bobby remarked smarmily.
"You know what I mean, you punk." John growled. "What was going through your head yesterday, man? Freezing my rope and leaving me to fall like that?"
"Oh, don't be such a baby." Bobby grumbled, pinching his nose. "I helped you up, didn't I? What's the matter? The big bad Apache can't take a joke?"
"There's a difference between a joke and that stunt you pulled." John growled.
"Am I supposed to care?" Bobby growled back. "I'm not in the mood right now to deal with your garbage, okay? I just want to go and get me some breakfast ACK!" Before Bobby could react, John had grabbed him by the throat and slammed him against the wall. "What is your problem?"
"My problem?" John snarled. "I don't like getting stunts like that pulled on me." He got in Bobby's face. "I got a good mind to…" John blinked and backed off when he noticed something odd.
"What?" Bobby smirked. "Can't follow through on your threats?"
"Bobby, I think you may want to look in a mirror." John blinked. "I think something's wrong with your eyes."
"What about my eyes?" Bobby grumbled, rubbing his neck. "You like them or something?"
"Look in a mirror!" John snapped. Bobby snorted and looked in a wall-mounted body-length mirror in his room.
"What?" Bobby shrugged impatiently. "I don't see anything wrong with my…eyes…" Bobby looked closer. He noticed his eyes appeared to have changed color. "What happened to my eyes? They're supposed to be brown."
"That's what I thought. Looks like you got blue eyes now." John noted. He took a closer look at Bobby's reflection. "Not just blue…your eyes are ice blue."
Freedom Force HQ, later that day
Ace Starr was in the Freedom Force headquarters' garage. He was whistling a classic rock tune while polishing his beloved blue Ferrari.
"Smokin' in the boys' room, smokin' in the boys' room…" Ace sang out. The feral then sighed. "Why'd you have to leave us, Cubby Koda?" He then went back to his happy humming and polishing. His strong feral senses picked up someone approaching. "Hey, Bobby." Bobby walked up to Ace. The ice-maker was dressed in his usual wares: T-shirt, jeans, and a black trenchcoat. He had on sunglasses. "You don't need sunglasses in here, man. It's not that bright."
"I think something's wrong with my eyes, Ace." Bobby said simply.
"If they're bloodshot, start sleeping more." Ace smirked. "I sleep a lot myself, being catlike and all." Ace snickered. "Why do you think I'm so into the nightlife in this town?"
"Just look." Bobby grumbled, ripping off his glasses. Ace looked at Bobby.
"Bobby, your…your eyes…they're blue."
"Ice blue." Bobby corrected. "I went to bed with a headache and brown eyes, and I woke up with blue eyes. The others have ben making comments all freakin' morning."
"Maybe it's a side effect." Ace shrugged. "See this?" Ace pointed to the blue 8-pointed star-shaped birthmark over his right eye. "I got this since the day since I was born. Came with the X-Gene and the claws, and the fangs, brother. Sometimes, the X-Gene gives its owners some side-effects. In your case, the X-Gene must have turned your eyes blue. Can you still see?"
"Just fine." Bobby grumbled.
"Then don't worry about it. Besides, I think ice blue suits you anyway." Ace chuckled.
"All Freedom Force members, please report to the Common Room." Fontaine's voice came over the PA.
"Ah, never enough time for fun." Ace sighed with faux disappointment, throwing the cloth inside the car.
"Everything's a joke to you." Bobby said to the lion-like feral.
"And everything's so depressing to you." Ace shot back jokingly with a smile.
The Freedom Force HQ Common Room
"So, what's happenin', cap'n?" Ace grinned as he and Bobby walked into the common room.
"Oh look, Anakin has arrived." Kyle joked with a smirk.
"Shut up, Thunderbolt." Bobby grumbled.
"Like the new eye color." Lila snickered. "Ice blue is really you."
"Yeah, yeah." Bobby muttered darkly as he took a seat.
"You alright, Drake?" Fontaine blinked.
"Yeah, I just wish everyone would leave me alone about my freakin' eyes." Bobby grumbled. "They changed color. Big deal."
"It's kind of unusual, jabroni." Kyle rolled his eyes.
"Coming from a guy who can make electricity into solid constructs?" Bobby groaned.
"Alright, we'll worry about your eyes later." Karma reassured.
"No big deal. I can still see just fine." Bobby groaned.
"Anyway, I have been told of a new invention done by the Stark Industries subsidiary in Los Angeles." Fontaine explained. She pointed a remote at the big-screen TV. It displayed a picture of a tiny six-legged robot.
"What's that, the next Christmas sensation?" John crossed his arms.
"No, it's a nanite." Fontaine answered.
"Looks like something from Star Wars." Kyle snickered. "Hey Anakin, you got the Empire building droids like that?" Kyle teased at Bobby.
"Shut up!" The ice-maker snapped.
"A nanite is a very small robot. So small, they cannot be seen with a microscope." Karma explained.
"I've seen some planets that use stuff like that." Lila nodded.
Next: Viral Attack