Black Ice

To Red Witch: Hey there, Red Witch! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! Yeah, the battle is going to be amped up! Enjoy the new chapter!

To Aaron: Hey there, Aaron! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! Right now, Robert Drake is very emotionally complicated. He doesn't want to ever get hurt again, so he's trying to shut everyone out. I do think you may be right about it being too late to save Bobby. Bobby probably joined Freedom Force for a lot of reasons. Maybe to use them to get his hands on the X-Men…but maybe he subconsciously desires friendship again, knowing he can't find it again in the X-Men. Virus's new power is logical considering what he's up to. Shiro is taking Gina under his wing. He sees something in her. They're more alike than you realize. Enjoy the new chapter!

To todd fan: Hey there, todd fan! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! Yeah, Bobby's really distancing himself. He's got a lot of issues right now, and he's looking to take his anger out on someone. You'll love what Virus has up his sleeves. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Gifts and Curses"!

Disclaimer: "My cat's breath smells like cat food." - Ralph Wiggum, the Simpsons

Chapter 28: Blizzard Brawl!

Inside the scientific complex, Seattle, Washington

Bobby Drake sneered at the sight. Virus held up his hand. The hole that Bobby's icicle had created was quickly growing smaller.

"I used some of the nanites I stole in meself." Virus explained smirk. "Instant healing factor."

"Cute trick." Bobby sneered. "One of my old teachers had that."

"I like to be prepared, mate." Virus chuckled. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to continue with me divine mission."

"I wonder…" Bobby's eyes and fists started to glow blue. "How will you do that when I make you FREEZE!" Iceman quickly pointed his arms forward and opened his hands. A blizzard erupted from his hands, smashing Virus into a wall. Bobby's icy armor appeared around him as he charged the mad young inventor, roaring like an enraged animal. "I AM GOING TO KILL YOU!" With a BOOM, Bobby smashed into Virus with a shoulder tackle like a football player. The mad English mutant's Battle Pack had created a protective chest plate for him. The rest of Freedom Force caught up with him.

"Oh, my God!" Karma exclaimed. Virus's Battle Pack formed a jetpack, allowing the crazed Brit to easily take to the air, leaving Bobby to fall.

"So long, human!" Virus cackled at a falling Bobby. He flew towards the organic steel generator. Bobby snarled.

"No…not again…NO!" Bobby howled in indignation. He was not going to let that arrogant snot Virus get the better of him again. Bobby was more powerful. He was stronger. He was going to crush Virus! The crazed ice-maker twisted his body in mid-air, and pointed his hands at the ground. He created an ice column/slide to catch his fall. "EAT ICICLE!" Bobby fired a swarm of icicles from his hands at the flying Virus. The Brit easily dodged them and flew inside the building.

"What?" Virus stopped when he saw Freedom Force standing around the organic steel generator, ready for him.

"You're not getting this machine, Virus!" Lila snapped, pointing her crossbow at Virus. The Brit snarled.

"NO!" Bobby roared. "HE'S MINE!" He fired a blizzard into the room, blowing a screaming Virus and Freedom Force about.

"BOBBY!" Fontaine yelled. "STOP!" Bobby stopped the blizzard, causing Freedom Force to be scattered everywhere, and Virus to be knocked through a wall.

"You crazy or something?" John snapped at the ice-maker. Bobby glared at the Apache powerhouse.

"Don't interfere." The ice-maker growled. "I'm not going to let him get away again."

"Hey, we're a team, man!" Terrell snapped.

"No, you're a team!" Bobby yelled. "I'm not weak like you! I DON'T NEED HELP!" With that, Bobby blasted Freedom Force, freezing them to the ground.

"Hey!" Lila exclaimed.

"You are nuts!" John realized. Bobby ignored the remark. He pointed at Virus, eyes glowing a demonic blue. He didn't notice Shiro using his powers to try and free himself.

"What're you doing?" Gina whispered to the plasma generator.

"Bobby has snapped." Shiro muttered. "He has got to be calmed down somehow."

"You're mine!" Bobby snarled at a recovering Virus. He sounded like a psychotic demon. He charged Virus with a yell. He smashed Virus into the ground and started pounding on the screaming Brit.

"Whoa." Kyle watched the beatdown. "The Thunderbolt says that he's seen great white sharks that're less vicious than Iceman!"

"Why'd he attack us, man?" A confused Terrell exclaimed.

"Evidently, Bobby is undergoing some kind of psychotic break." Shiro muttered.

"So, you're saying that Bobby's mind has cracked in two?" Ace blinked. Shiro nodded. The Japanese mutant looked at Gina.

"That could've been you, young plant-manipulator." Shiro whispered at a shocked Gina.

Mio Dio… Gina mentally mumbled. Could that be me? Could Shiro be right?

"Listen!" Lila shushed. Bobby was screaming as he was pounding away at Virus.

"How do you like that, Cannonball?" Bobby yelled as he pounded Virus with another icy punch. "Huh? I'm talking to you, Sam! You punk! You smug son of a-!" He punched Virus again. Evidently, Bobby's anger was pushed so far, he was starting to see things. "You betrayed me! You betrayed me! I was your friend, man! Why'd you betray me?"

"What's he talking about? Who's Sam?" John wondered.

Oh, no! Karma mentally realized. He's having a breakdown! He's gone delusional!

Bobby has definitely become a major risk. Fontaine realized. I think we'll need to call Fury about this. Get him some help.

What happened between him and Sam? Lila mentally tried to reason Bobby's ranting. He told me about Sam, but it seemed that he had done something horrible to Bobby. What happened between them to make Bobby so hateful toward him? Meanwhile, Bobby pulled Virus up to his feet.

"I didn't mean to, Sam!" Bobby screamed as he smashed Virus through another wall. "Just listen to me! Let me explain! WHY WON'TYOU LISTEN TO ME?" Shiro managed to free John and Terrell.

"Hey babe, this is better than ECW!" Kyle quipped at Gina. Gina groaned.

"Bobby, calm down!" John and Terrell tried to hold back the crazed ice-maker. "Geez, he's freezing!"

"I can't get a real grip on him!" John groused. "Stupid ice!"

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" Bobby screamed, throwing the powerhouse and speedster off him. The distraction was all Virus needed. The nanites in his bloodstream were already working to heal his wounds.

Bloody flesh…so weak…Virus growled as he got to his feet. Bobby paced towards him, but Virus blinded him with the same light trick he had used. "Suckers!" Virus cackled as he raced away. He ran into the room with the rest of Freedom Force. His Battle Pack formed a gas mask and goggles for him, and he threw a few smoke bombs. The smoke blew all over the room, disabling the heroes. Virus grabbed the organic steel generator and raced off, Bobby trying to pursue him. His Battle Pack went into its jetpack configuration, and he flew off. Bobby screamed in rage.

"NOT AGAIN! NOT AGAIN!" The mentally-frayed ice-maker screeched. Terrell and John raced in, and Velocity used his aerokinetic powers to push the gas outside. He then used his speed to free the others. He looked at a fuming Bobby.

"Yo Iceman, you alright?" Terrell looked at Bobby. Iceman's eyes and body started glowing blue. "Uh oh!"

"RUN!" Kyle yelled. The rest of Freedom Force made like bananas and split as Bobby screamed and fired ice beams, freezing the building solid. With one final scream, Bobby iced up his fist and punched a wall, causing the frozen building to tumble all around him.

"I think we're in big trouble." Karma gulped.

Next: Iceman's Fall! Virus does a little plotting, and Freedom Force deals with the aftermath of Bobby's breakdown.