Black Ice
Disclaimer: "Okay, one of the rules of being President is that you have to be born in the United States. Well, I was born in an English hospital, but Dad is in the Air Force. Am I still eligible?" – Me wondering if I could be President
Chapter 47: Path of Ice
Stokes Maximum Security Facility
From the outside, the facility was quiet. As if nothing ever happened. However, the inside of the facility was ablaze with chaos.
"Ungh!" Bobby Drake, in his watery form, knocked several guards off him. He then fired ice beams to restrain them. He was in no mood to hurt anyone else. He had grown tired of it. He was dressed in his white prison clothes, with his blue trenchcoat over it. His blue sunglasses were resting on his head. He walked up to the huge front door of the facility. Bobby looked it up and down. "Metal. Always metal." Bobby put his hands on the door and started using his powers to freeze the door. Frost started emanating from his hands, covering the door. He then turned his head to the guards. "You see, metal conducts temperature. It conducts heat and cold. If you heat up metals enough, they melt. If you get metal cold enough, like I am, it freezes, and when metal freezes…" He turned into his ice form, and threw a mighty punch at the frozen door. It cracked and shattered like glass. "It becomes as breakable as glass. See you around." He then noticed more guards standing behind the door, their guns pointed at him.
"Alright, weirdo. Put your hands up!" One of the guards called out. Bobby immediately complied, and then his eyes started to glow. "Shoot 'im!" The guards started firing at the ice-maker. However, before he could be hurt, Bobby transformed into his water form. In that state, the bullets just harmlessly went through him.
"Keep trying, fellas." Bobby shook his head sadly. He then fired ice beams at the guards, freezing them up to their necks. "I have to do something very important." He calmly walked away from the facility. "Don't worry, I didn't release any of the other psychos in there." As soon as he got a good distance away, the ice-maker created a slide to get him to his intended destination. His face was blank, but he was deep in thought. I need to do this. Bobby thought to himself. I have to help.
On the outskirts of Bayville, some time later
Bobby Drake stood on the outskirts of the town. He looked in the town's direction, but he wasn't really noticing it. He was still deep in thought.
I used to help people here. Bobby thought. I'm probably not welcome here anymore. I'm probably not welcome here ever again. The guard said to me that I should forgive myself for what I had done. But how can I? Now I've done something stupid again. Wait a minute… Bobby noticed the mall looked like a castle of some kind. A futuristic metal castle. It was visible even from the distance Bobby was at. What is that? It looks like something from a sci-fi movie. It then dawned on him. That's where the mall was. His eyes narrowed. Virus…he did this! If he's there, that means…Freedom Force will be there, too! They're on Virus's turf now! They're going to need help! If I can help them out…I can be forgiven. I can forgive myself. And if I don't make it… His head drooped. So be it. If I have to go, at least I'll go out on a high note. He created another ice slide and headed towards Bayville.
Inside Virus's lair
"AGH!" Thunderbird howled as the metal-skinned Virus nailed him across the jaw with a hard right cross. The Apache mutant was pretty durable thanks to his mutation, but he didn't possess true invulnerability. The blow from the insane English mutant sent him flying into a wall. "Ugh!" John Proudstar hit the wall spine-first, and then slid down to the ground.
"HAAAAAA-HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Virus cackled. He had engaged in a fierce battle with the combined forces of the government-trained mutants called Freedom Force and the team of hermit-like mutants called Nightshift. It seemed that Nightshift member Lorna "Polaris" Dane had the upper hand thanks to her magnetic powers, but Virus's smarts helped him out again. The nanites within his body figured a way to counteract the magnetic fields that Lorna used to throw him around the walls of the building, rendering her powers useless against him. From there, things got brutal. "You bloody fools! You came here, expecting to fight a madman. But instead, you are facing a god!"
"Ah, god this!" Wildstar yelled. "Let's do it, Havok!" The feral and the plasma generator let rip with a blitz of blue lasers and plasma. The lasers and plasma hit Virus hard in the chest, knocking the screaming metal-skinned mutant into a wall.
"Keep it up!" Havok yelled. "Don't stop firing, Ace! Don't stop until he's melted down!" Ace raised an eyebrow.
"Dude, I heard about your brother and his talent for leading. I guess it runs in the family." Ace chuckled, making Havok groan.
"Great! More of the family genes are popping up! Why, God?" Alex whined. Meanwhile, Virus was dealing with a new problem. The insane mutant screamed in pain and rage as he got blasted by sonic attacks from both Siryn and Rictor.
"We got him on the run!" Rictor whooped. Virus snarled.
"Not…argh…yet…you…bloody…organics…." The insane mutant snarled. His metallic arms came to life, growing and changing shape until they formed two halves of a big metal shield. With a scream of effort, he managed to put his arms tighter, putting together the two halves of the shield. He then stretched his arms forward at great speed, causing the shield to slam into Alex and Ace, and then to scrunch them up against the opposing wall. Virus's eyes glowed green, and the pained mutant blasted Rictor and Siryn with electronic green energy beams. "Heh." Virus smirked. "I told you all. You cannot beat me. Here…I…am…a…GOD!"
"You're nae a god, Virus!" Lucas Xavier snarled at the mad mutant. "Ye're just an insane little boy with delusions of grandeur!" His eyes started to glow. "Well, we'll put a stop to that, shall we?" He fired a bolt of mental energy at Virus, making the Brit scream in pain. He put his hands to his head and fell to his knees. "Heh. Ye may think ye're a machine now, but ye're still human, pal. Ye're still vulnerable to me telepathy." Lucas's face formed a mirthful smirk. "And as an Englishman, I'm sure ye know how Scotsmen like meself feel about ye." Virus snarled.
"You…Scots…were…always…BLOODY PLONKERS!" Virus screamed. His eyes erupted in a bright flash of green light, causing Lucas to scream in pain and cover his eyes.
"Me eyes!" Lucas howled. His concentration lapsed, and his mental attack on Virus ceased.
"Heh. Stupid Scot." Virus smirked. "Did you really believe you could beat an Englishman?"
"Maybe he can't, but I sure can!" Velocity used his wind powers and speed to entrap Virus in a tornado. Kyle and Shiro immediately stepped in, firing plasma flame and lighting into it.
"Everyone with projectile powers! Fire into the tornado!" Shiro ordered sharply. The mutants complied. Alex fired plasma, Ace provided lasers, and Rictor and Theresa added sonics. The attacks all hit the tornado in concert, making Virus howl in pain.
"We got 'im!" Karma hooted in delight. "We got 'im!" Virus's eyes glowed as he screamed from within the tornado. The glow could be visible through it.
"Uh oh…" John winced. "This can't be good."
"In the movies I've seen, whenever the bad guy's eyes glow like that, that only means one thing…" Maggott winced.
Downtown Bayville
"GET OUT OF THE WAY!" Bobby Drake snapped as the young mutant fired an ice beam at a rampaging Ferrari. The brown-haired ice-maker then turned into his ice form and smashed his fist through the car's frozen hood, stopping it cold. He then commanded the water in a nearby broken water main to drench the street, sweeping away the crazed electronic devices. "Arrogant little…" The ice-maker scowled. He then heard a noise.
"Heeeeeeelp!" Bobby whipped his head around and heard a woman screaming. She was cowering against a brick wall in an alley. A power drill was bearing on her. A sneer painted the ice-maker's face. Before the woman knew it, she saw a flash of blue light, and an icicle impaled the power drill. The drill fell to the ground, now as harmless as a bread crumb. The woman noticed Bobby standing at the end of the hallway. Without a word, the ice-maker moved to the side.
"Get out of here." He told the woman in an even voice. The woman nodded gratefully.
"Thank you!" She gave Bobby a hug, which the ice-maker accepted, but didn't return.
"Just stay alive. That's all the thanks I need." Bobby answered. The woman ran away, her path cleared by Bobby earlier during his brawl across Bayville with Virus's electrical appliance brigade. Bobby noticed the castle. The young mutant narrowed his blue eyes behind his blue sunglasses.
Virus… He thought. Only Virus could create something like that. If he's there, then my friends cannot be far behind. And knowing Virus…he'll be ready for all of them. But I doubt he'll be ready for me. With me there, Freedom Force can win. They can beat him. I'm coming, you guys. Bobby created an ice slide, and used it to slide towards the castle that was once the Bayville Mall. However, there was a complication. Suddenly, futuristic turrets and missile launchers seemingly grew out of the walls of the castle and started firing at the ice-maker. "Nice try, you psychotic!" The Iceman went on the attack. "CHILL OUT!" Bobby started firing ice beams at the turrets and missile launchers, and creating ice shields to protect himself while attacking.
Inside the mall
"ARGH!" The members of Freedom Force and Nightshift screamed as missiles sent them flying, scattering, and knocking them down to the ground.
"HA!" Virus laughed. "You bloody fools! You have no trick that I can't counter! Me divine mission shall be undertaken! I can adapt to anything in the blink of an eye, whereas you organics require millions of years! Face it, mates…you've all lost." Virus picked up a moaning Lila. "Now all there is to do is to remove the refuse." His arm formed a small cannon, and he put it to Lila's head. "I doubt anyone will miss this organic." The mutants then all noticed something. "Did it just get cold in here?" The mad mutant turned around and noticed that a wall started to freeze.
"Aw, no…" Lucas moaned weakly.
"Hoo boy…" A downed Terrell groaned.
"Huh?" Virus looked up. A part of the frozen wall suddenly exploded out, and a figure stepped through the hole, eyes glowing an intense blue, and holding a mangled cannon barrel. The figure pointed the barrel at the insane Virus.
"Put. Her. Down. Now." The figure demanded.
"Oh, God…" Elizabeth mumbled, looking at the figure.
…Bobby Drake had arrived. And he was not happy.
Next: Sapphire Redemption This is it! Bobby versus Virus. One has everything to gain, and the other has nothing to lose. How will this battle end?