I don't own Agent-G's characters. If you want to know more about them read about them in Agent-G's AGU. I would also like to correct a mistake. Shadow's clan is the Kodo clan not the shadow. This story takes place a month and half after school starts. Well onto to the story.
The flash of light disappeared and they found themselves in a dim, dank, corridor. The lighting above was poor and the entire place smelled of chemicals. It was very creepy. Shaking off a wave of nausea they each checked in to make sure they were okay. Mirage tapped the X on her armband. "Jean this is Mirage. Can you hear me? How are the armbands working?"
"This is Jean. I can hear you loud and clear. The armbands are functioning quite adequately. I'm monitoring your vital signs making sure that each of you are okay. So far everything checks out normally. Remember be careful." Jean told them. She looked down at the Danger Room from the control center biting her lip.
What she saw did not fill her with confidence. Black swirls had encased the group and she could barely make them out. Sparks of energy were seen as they worked their way through the nightmare. Switching off the communicator she turned to Forge, "Is there any way to pull them out of there incase of an emergency?"
Forge shook his head. "The only way they get out of there is if they complete the mission. There is a fail-safe, but I rather they not use it seeing as how it hasn't been fully tested. If they removed the armbands they're returned here but I don't know about their minds. They could be lost forever"
"Let's hope that it doesn't come to that. I wish Wanda were here to help them, but she's visiting Steve at SHIELD headquarters and can't be reached. Bobby is sick in bed with a huge cold so he's no use to us either. Can you tell at all what he's dreaming about? Maybe we can offer some helpful suggestions." Jean asked anxiously.
"I've managed to isolate the dream wave patterns and figured out where they are. There stuck in a memory of his past during Project Prodigy. They're going to need every ounce of training to get out of this mess." Forge said
Meanwhile back down on the floor Mirage was leading her team quietly down the corridor. They stuck to the shadows and kept an eye out for any sign of trouble. They had already spotted several security cameras and alarms and didn't want to alert whoever was in charge of this place that they were there. "Shu. We can't be seen or heard. The slightest noise could give away are position so be quite and watch where your going."
"I don't understand why were creeping around like this. I mean this is a dream right? Nothing can hurt us. In fact I bet we can just think were we want to go and we'll be there." Sunspot said starting to pull away from the shadows. He was intent on helping his friends that he was forgetting their warning.
Shadow grabbed him by the back of his uniform and slammed him into the wall. "Remember our warning. This may be a dream, but the danger is very real. I will scout on a head. You stay here with the rest of the group." With a nod of his head he disappeared on ahead.
"I hate all this waiting. I want some action. Besides does anyone have the slightest clue how were supposed to end this nightmare? How do we rescue Vincent and the others anyways? The Professor assumed that we know how and I like to point out we don't." Boom Boom said with edge to her voice as they waited for Shadow to return.
"Well when I have a bad dream there's only one way I wake up. That's if I find someone or something I trust and it helps wakes me up. We have to find Vincent and convince him that all of this is nothing, but a bad dream. That's the only way we can save him." Husk pointed out.
Shadow suddenly reappeared and bowed. "I have scouted the entire level out. I have determined that we are in the Prodigy Lab before SHIELD attacked it. I saw things no person should have to see. Horrors that make my home being attacked seem like a simple attack rather then the slaughter it was. I now understand why Vincent san rarely likes to talk about this place. It is an unspeakable evil."
"No wonder I was getting deja ve. Since these are nightmares were probably going to be facing a whole lot of evil so we better prepare ourselves for the horrors. Where you able to find out where their keeping Vincent?" Magma asked determined to complete her mission.
"Yes. I found a map of the place stating that the holding cells are three floors up. We will most likely find Vincent san there if he isn't there he is somewhere else in the building. It is completely inhuman here. I can't understand how something like this could exist. I can take everyone to the holding cells, but we must be very quiet and be careful to avoid the security system." Shadow replied.
"Maybe I could teleport us there a few at a time. And if I can't at least we know for sure that our powers don't work here." Daytripper pointed out. She placed a hand on Mirage and Husk and concentrated. She waited for the familiar sensation of teleportation to come over her, but nothing happened.
"Okay team it seems that we don't have our powers for the moment. That doesn't mean that we can't get them back. Remember Vincent's in charge here. So we find him and we rescue him. Shadow and I will take the lead. Husk, you and Sunspot take the middle while Boom Boom, Daytripper, and Magma take up the rear. Watch each other's back and be ready for anything." Mirage ordered. Nodding their heads they moved out.
They had only gone a little way when they heard a noise. Quickly each of them hid either against the wall, on the ceiling, or in a supply closet. Two scientists in white lab coats turned the corner. Both were talking adamantly back and forth. "Its amazing how much progress we've made in such a short amount of time. The test subjects that have survived so far have far exceeded our expectations. I can't wait to start the alpha level experiments." A scientist with mousy brown hair said.
"A pity only six subjects remain. I had hoped to create an dozen perfect mutant soldiers fit for combat. Dr. Essex will be most pleased with the progress we're making. I say Prodigy 10 will be ready for the final testing phase in a few days. I'm most anxious to improve upon Prodigy 6 and 7. In fact I'm having my assistant prep them now for testing as we speak." Replied an older man who was almost bald.
Suddenly they both stopped near the supply closet. "I have to get more syrigens for my upcoming experiment. I plan to inject Prodigy 6 with a new growth formula. She's so much smaller then the rest I feel that it's stunting her development of her mutant abilities." Mousy said reaching for the door.
"Good idea. I wouldn't want to have Essex breathing down my neck if anymore of the Projects fail to pass inspection. What are you planning to do with the money you've made off of this anyways? I plan on retiring in the Bahamas. Enough cold weather for me." Baldy said shivering in the cold.
"No clue. One thing for sure, I plan to be as far away from here as possible in the next six months. Nothing is going to ruin my holidays. What the hell? Hey come here you. Look what I have here a little intruder." Mousy said as he dragged a kicking and screaming Husk out of her hiding place.
"Let me go you jerk. I swear if you try anything on me I'll kick you so hard you won't be able to sit down for a week!" Husk swore at them.
"They got Husk! We got to do something before they call for backup!" Magma said urgently.
"We can't come out of hiding just yet. These two might be our ticket to locating Vincent. Didn't you here what they were discussing a moment ago? Prodigy 6 and 7. That's April and Vincent!" Boom Boom said excitedly.
"Yeah and if these two idiots work with them we can pump them for information. Like how to circumnavigate the security and free the prisoners." Sunspot said catching on.
"Good idea. Okay lets do it. Shadow, you and Amanda create a diversion to get the guards attention. Magma get ready to grab Husk. Boom Boom and I will take care of the scientist. Everyone know the plan? Okay get into position and be ready to move on my go." Mirage ordered as they crept out of their hiding places and got into position.
The two scientists were having fun with Husk. They were pulling her hair and poking her hard. Mostly they were interrogating her, "What's a little girl like you doing here anyways? This place is top secret no one is suppose to know about." Mousy said as she continued to struggle in his arms.
"Maybe she's a new test subject or she could be even used for pleasure. I mean look at her. She's very well developed for a kid." Baldy suggested running a hand through her hair.
Husk nearly bit his hand in two. "You two are going to regret this. I'm going to shut down this awful place and when I do I'm going to enjoy seeing you two rot in prison for all the hideous stuff you've done. What you have done to those kids is beyond human. Its pure evil! You're the freaks!"
"Watch your mouth you little lady. There's nothing you or anyone can do to stop us. In fact I think its time you met our boss. Lets see how brave you are when you meet Dr. Essex." Mousy said starting to pull her down the corridor.
That's when they heard the sounds of footsteps racing towards them followed by a crash indicating precious and irreplaceable medical equipment had been broken. Mousy shoved Husk into Baldy's arm and ran ahead to check it out.
He didn't get far before someone tripped him. He fell flat on his face. Before he could get up someone pinned him to the ground and quickly tied and gagged him. "Now that reminds me of when I was a Siren. Rest up boy your going to need it by the time were done with you." Boom Boom whispered leaning in for a kiss before slugging the guy in the face. "Man that felt good."
Meanwhile Baldy was getting nervous. His partner had vanished and he couldn't contact anyone. Also he had a squirming thirteen year old girl who was swearing her mouth off at him. "Shut your trap right now you little bitch. That's it I'm going to have to teach you a lesson." He whispered drawing back his fist ready to pound her.
An arrow zinged through the arrow and tore through the lab coat knocking Husk free. Someone kicked him square in the back slamming his face in the wall causing his jaw to break. Husk was hustled away just as a barrage of arrows tore through the air pinning him to the wall. He tried to break free, but was unable. When he looked up he saw a Native American girl in some sort of uniform with a bow filled with arrows aimed straight at his head. "I stay silent if I were you." Mirage told him icily.
"HELP! HELP! HELP!" Baldy shouted before Husk knocked him unconscious's. "I am not some helpless child. I can't believe I was stupid enough to be caught by these two bozos. So what do we do with them?"
"I have a wicked idea. Hey Shadow you feel up to interrogating a bunch of losers?" Boom asked as the ninja.
Ten minutes later the two scientists woke up with the blood rushing to their heads. That's because they were bound tightly and hanging upside down from the pipes. Glancing around furiously they saw seven teenagers in different uniforms that all had some sort of X on it surrounding them. "What is the meaning of this? Who are you people and what are you planning on doing to us?" demanded Baldy.
"I hold your tongue if I were you. You're not in a position to be demanding anything. You're going to help us rescue our friends and shut down this living nightmare." Daytripper told them.
"What makes you think will tell you anything anyways?" Mousy challenged.
"I don't know maybe if you want to avoid getting an arrow through your head? I have a good aim and this close I can't miss right guys?" Mirage said lazily aiming her bow at them.
"Forget it we don't talk. You're nothing but a bunch of stupid kids. What's the worst you can do? There's no way the police or the government are going to believe a thing you say." Baldy shot at them.
"Tell us how to disarm the security system so that we can get through this place undetected now. You two have to know something. We heard you to talking about the Prodigy Subjects. We want to find them now. So start talking amigos." Sunspot demanded.
"Why do you care about a bunch of test subjects? There not worth anything at all." Mousy asked
"Can't you see what were trying to do here? We're trying to improve the test subjects. If they hadn't been found and brought here they never would have been able to maximize their fullest potential. What's so wrong with that?" Baldy challenged.
"How delusional are you two? Only a complete moron would deny the truth that's going on here!" Husk muttered angrily.
"Those 'test subjects' as you call them are people. They had names; families, lives and you took that away from them. You kidnapped, tortured, and experimented on them. Strip them of their dignity and took away their identity. What you have done is such a heinous crime against humanity there isn't a punishment sever enough for it." Boom Boom snarled.
"You're the freaks. Trying to justify what you've done in the name of science. If you're human at all you'll tell us how to find our friends and rescue them from this terrible place. Now will ask once again how do we disarm the security system and were are the prisoners." Magma said in low tone of voice.
Both scientists looked at the kids one by one. They had never encountered a group like this before. They were well organized, well trained, and had a command and uniform style all their own. Whoever this team was they meant business. But Essex was paying them to ignore their conscience and keep their traps shut so that's what they were going to do.
"We like to help you kiddies we really would. But our hands are tied as you can see and we just can't help you out." Mousy squeaked.
"So why don't you let us go and you can try to find your way around by yourself." Baldy said snippily.
"I rather we didn't have to do this the hard way, but you insist." Mirage said casually. She dropped her bow and motioned for Shadow to come forward. He did holding his katana and making the two scientists sweat like crazy. "There all yours."
"I have no objections to using my blade to get the answers I seek. So I suggest that you answer as truthfully as possible. Otherwise I might just slip and cut your throats." Shadow threatened bringing his blade up to their necks.
"You're bluffing. Your honor won't allow you to harm us!" Mousy squeaked.
"You're confusing me with my samurai friend Vincent san. Now I ask again what I want to know. Where can I find Prodigy 6 and Prodigy 7 and how to my friends and I avoid the security alarms?" Shadow asked pressing the blade against Mousy throat.
"Okay I'll talk just don't slit my throat!" Mousy pleaded.
"Will you shut up! If we talk nothing going to save us from Essex wraith!" Baldy shouted at his friend. He was about to yell more when an arrow whizzed pass his head. He gulped looking Mirage straight in the eye.
"Be quite and let your partner talk. If you talk again without permission again I'll have one of my friends make you regret it. Now you where saying?" Mirage asked sweetly. She was projecting a calm, cool, in control demonor. Inside she was a nervous wreck and was completely unsure of how to deal with this situation.
Shadow cut his blade lighting fast cutting Mousy down. Magma and Sunspot caught him before he hit the floor. Straightening up he pointed his katana at him. "Lead the way. Don't worry about your friend he'll be fine. Let's go." He said shoving him forward. Magma and Sunspot flanked him making sure that he didn't try to escape. The rest of them fell behind the two of them in a quiet march.
"You shouldn't doubt yourself so much." Shadow remarked casually to Mirage as they watched Mousy type in the access code to a restricted area. They were all ready incase they where betrayed.
"What? What do you mean?" Mirage asked being caught off guard. Was it possible that the ninja mutant knew how she felt inside and what was going through her head? He might seeing as how he was going to be the next leader of his clan after his sensei. But that was a long time ago.
"You're doubting yourself and your afraid to look weak in front of others. You also blame yourself for what's going on and that's eating you up. You need to relax and try to concentrate on doing one thing at a time. Trust yourself and everything will work out." Shadow told her reassuringly. The door buzzed open and he bowed to her before slipping through.
"Your crush certainly has a way with words you know that Magma. I'm beginning to see why you like him." Mirage whispered to Magma as they continued on their way. Magma blush, but didn't comment.
It felt like forever before they finally reached the level with the holding cells. What they saw broke their hearts and made them gasp. On the far wall were cells that were dirty, tiny, with no privacy at all with coded doors. There was an operating table with all kinds of surgical equipment nearby. There were all sorts of recording devices and computers lined the room with unbearable lighting. Huddling just outside a cell door where two small children. One was a little girl with long dirty black hair and bright green eyes. She was wearing an orange jumpsuit with a small black 6 on the front. Lying on top of her protecting her from a man with a razor sharp whip was a small boy with long messy black hair and hard blue eyes. His jumpsuit had a 7 on it. It was Vincent and April!
Back in the real world Gale was doing her rounds among the patients. Each patient had someone checking on him or her and talking to them encouraging them to wake up. She could feel the worry and anguish among them, but tried to remain positive. Suddenly she heard angry shouts and turned around.
Warren and Piotr were trying unsuccessfully to hold down a panicked Vincent. He was shouting, "Stop! Don't you hurt her! Leave us alone. Someone help me please!"
Blood began to appear on his right arm and his vitals were off the chart. Some of his old scars had begun to split open and he cried out in pain. "Warren strap him down! Piotr make sure he doesn't start firing energy blast! Beast, get over here. I don't have a clue what to do." Gale ordered about as she tried to get close enough to calm him down. "I can't get him to calm down from this distance. He's to scared."
"Move aside boys let me see what we have here. Hmm I don't want to give him a sedative incase that has some negative side effects. I'm going to try and stabilize him. Gail, could you please heal the wounds that have opened up?" Beast asked
"Sure thing Mr. McCoy. I don't think I can calm him down at all though. My empathic abilities are failing to reach him at all. The others should hurry or he might just die of fright." Gail said as she healed his arm up.
Meanwhile both Jean and Forge where looking frantically at the readouts on the team. The team's armbands have been continuously sending out transmissions on the team. A moment ago all was fine, but now alarms were going off as the armband reported that the team was in trouble.
"This is not good, this is not good at all. According to these diagnostics readouts the team has been injured severally. Sunspot and Magma just received nasty blows to the head. Daytripper's ankle has been twisted and Boom Boom took a blow to the abdomen." Jean said frantically
"Shadow, Husk, and Mirage seem to be holding off the majority attacks, but the stress is becoming to much for their body. I wish there was something we could do to help them, but we can't." Forge said angrily.
"I really hope that no one gets shot. Are you sure you can't manipulate Vincent's dream enough to send them some medical aid?" Jean inquired
"Don't you think I would have done that already if I could? Sorry Jean I shouldn't have yelled at you. The best I can do is try to create a stronger connection so they can convince Vince that it's not real." Forge sighed typing as fast as he could
"You better hurry. I'm receiving the teams thoughts and its not good news at all." Jean replied.
In Vincent dream world things had gone from bad to worse in a blink of an eye. Mousy had managed to wiggle free and hit the alarm. Now hundreds of armed men were pouring in trying to capture them. Daytripper, Boom Boom, Magma, and Sunspot had formed a perimeter around the room trying to keep the guards back. Shadow and Mirage were using their weapons to keep the creep with the whip away from Vincent and April while Husk checked them over.
"Hey its time to go. Come with us where here to set you free. Come on I'm not going to hurt you. Its me Paige, Vincent you and April can trust me." Husk said offering her hand. Vincent slapped her hand away and drew a crying April closer to him.
"Get away from us I don't know who you are or why you call me Vincent. My name is Prodigy 7 and she's 6. You're just here to transfer us to another lab to be experiment on. I won't let you hurt me or six!" Vincent said angrily. It was obvious he didn't know her.
"I'm not lying Vincent. I'm here to help you. You have to believe me. Where you're friends and your having a nightmare. None of this is real. Its your own personal nightmare. The only way we can help you is if you believe in us so we can use our mutant powers to rescue you." Husk insisted
"Why should we believe any thing you say? Your scary looking and your friends too. " April cried. She glared angrily at her then thrust her hands forward as if to push her away. Husk stumbled backwards as a graviton force sent her sprawling into the middle of the attack.
"Nice that you could join the party. Where you able to convince him that where here to help him? More to the point do we have our powers back yet? We can't keep this up much longer." Mirage said shooting out the lights leaving the enemy in confusion.
Emergency lights came back on and that's when the guns started firing. The members of the New Mutants and X Factor team members dove to find cover. Husk crawled over to Mirage. "No go. Vince doesn't even regonicize me at all. He won't listen to me. I can't convince him to trust me so I can't get him to allow us to use our powers."
"Well we have to do something. We can't just sit here waiting to be killed by a stray bullet. We have to take some action now." Boom Boom pointed out. She stood partway up. "Come on where the New Mutants and X Factor. We can do anything. Now lets go kick some butt!" she yelled before charging back into the fight.
"She's insane! What in the world does your brother see in her anyways?" Sunspot asked. Husk shrugged her shoulders before rejoining the fight.
Vincent and April were scrambling for the exit. This was there one chance to get out of here without being caught. They were racing for the door when a sharp crack filled the air and razor edged whip hit April on the back. "Ahh!" she screamed falling to the ground.
"SIX! Leave her alone you big bully!" Vincent yelled speeding at him in a short burst of super speed. The man with the whip just grinned and flicked the whip. He wrapped it around Vincent ankles causing him to trip. "You really think you can beat me? That's a laugh. Your punishment for trying to escape will be most sever." He laughed maniacally stepping closer. He drew back the whip and tossed it forward.
Vincent closed his eyes waiting for the unbearable pain to hit him, but if never did. He heard a sharp gasp of pain and drops of blood fell on him. Opening his eyes he saw the strange girl that the called Husk crouching over him. The man in the gray ninja suit slashed his katana cutting the wicked whip and the girl with long light brown hair chopped the guy down with a movement of her hand.
Vincent gaze fell on Husk who had sunk to her knees in pain. Her exposed midriff had taken the brunt of the assault. There was very deep cut opened with blood dripping down her sides. "You really are trying to help us aren't you?"
"Yes we are and we can beat the bad guys with your help. This is your dream Vincent. What you want to happen happens. If you want us to have our powers then will have them. Together we can end this nightmare once and for all."
Vincent took a look behind her at the desperate plight of the other teenagers who were fighting for him. They where hopelessly outnumbered and outgunned. They needed help if they where to survive. "I believe in you Paige. Help save me and my friend."
Husk felt her powers come rushing back to her. Ripping of her damaged skin she let out a shout of joy seeing an undamaged metallic one underneath. Smiling she watched in delight as the others got their powers back. "Now lets get this party started!"
Daytripper began firing force bolts from her hands taking out soldiers left and right. Magma turned into her fire form and melted the keypads that opened the doors to the room. The rest of the guards couldn't get through. Sunspot was flying all over the room snatching guards off the grounds and hurling them into the cages. He slammed the door locking them inside. "Lets see how much you like being trapped in a cage." He told them angrily.
Shadow was using his increase speed and strength to help him take out the security system that had just turned on. Using his katana to block several laser beams he created ninja throwing star weapons and tossed them at the laser guns successfully taking them out. When a guard tried to sneak up behind him he just became one with the shadows and then attacked him in his shadow form. "We better get out of here fast! The backup system will be operational shortly."
"Then what are we waiting for an invitation? I'll cover us just get Vincent out of here!" Boom Boom yelled as she threw several time bombs to cover their rear ends as they made their way towards the back of the room where a secret door was hidden. Press a tiny switch they descend into the bowels of the Prodigy Lab.
Husk picked up Vincent and Mirage carried April out of the room as they all raced through the maze of secret passageways and endless twist and turns. "Is everyone okay?" Mirage asked as they took a short breather.
"Mostly minor injuries and some deep cuts. Nothing that we can't fix up with the proper medical care and some time to heal. How are you holding up?" Daytripper asked
"I'm fine don't worry. My main concern now is how come were still here. I thought that once we rescued Vincent that the nightmare would be over and we jump into someone else's dream. That hasn't happened why?" Mirage mused.
"Maybe there's still something that we have to do left or maybe we have to get out of the building for this nightmare to end." Sunspot suggested to the group.
"Why don't we ask Vincent if he's ready to wake up." Boom Boom said with attitude.
Husk shifted the little boy in her arms so she could look him straight in the eye. "Hey Vincent you wouldn't know how to get out of the building or be ready to wake up would you?"
"I'm ready to wake up. If I wake up will April be there with me?" Vincent asked innocently.
One by one the looked at each other wondering how they were suppose to answer his question. "Um Vincent the thing is this is your dream and whatever you want happens in here. But in the real world you're not a little boy and your friend April over there. Well she's not there." Husk said carefully
"What do you mean I'm not there? Am I still stuck in this awful place or is there something your not telling me?" April asked hesitantly. She looked over Mirage's shoulder and at Husk. "Please you must tell me."
"April we can't. It would just be wrong." Magma said
"Try to understand will find a different way out if we have to. We won't give up." Shadow quietly added.
"If there is no other way to escape from here without 7 I mean Vincent waking up then tell me now." April screamed starting to kick and screaming like a baby.
"Calm down April. The thing is in our world you died. You died a very horrible and pointless death by the hands of the man who create this place. He used you against Vincent and us. And I'm guessing Vincent has never been able to get over the guilt of feeling he let you down. If we leave here you'll stay because your nothing but a memory of the person Vincent once knew. Do you understand?" Daytripper asked her gently.
Both little kids looked at her with dismay written all over this place. They didn't want to lose each other, but they had to escape this place. "I guess you better get going then. I'll stay here. I can take care of myself." April said bravely sliding out of Mirage's arms.
"Six no! I won't abandon you to this place. You're coming with us. Lets go." Vincent said
Suddenly the air was filled with gunfire and the shouts of angry voices. They had been discovered. When they peeked out of their hiding place they saw to their alarm Sinister leading the charge. They couldn't beat him in the real world there was no way they would here. "Move, move, move! Boom Boom use your powers to block their progress. Lets move people!" Mirage ordered.