Forces Gather

"So what happened?" Scott asked one of the two surviving police officers who had gone into Morlock territory.

"Well, we were going down, as we were ordered, when we ran across a couple of Morlocks. They weren't real friendly which was understandable, and Jim, well he got right in their faces, called them slime, and filth. He said they'd better pay up if they knew what was good for them. Then one of them turned into some sort of dinosaur, and bit Jim's leg off."

Scott nodded, "And they let you and your partner go?"

The cop nodded, "The boss lady, you said her name was Callisto, right?"

"That's right. Callisto's the leader of the Morlocks. She was there?"

"Yeah. Her. She came up to us, and said, 'take him and go. And take this message with you. The Morlocks claim the sewers as their own. Any statics that come into our tunnels will be regarded as hostile invaders, and will be treated as such. No treaties will be accepted, and no quarter will be given. Now go. You have twenty minutes.' Or something like that."

"This is serious," said Lance, "The Morlocks have taken the sewers, and I have a feeling that the mayor is going to be pissed off."

"You bet I am!" Snapped the mayor. He turned to his secretary, "call the police chief, and tell him to get a swat team together. The Morlocks want a war, they've got one."

"Sir, I must protest," said Xavier, "By sending armed police into Morlock territory you're starting a war that no one will win.

"That's what you think," snarled the mayor, "or that's what you'd like me to think. But here's what I do think. Those mutie freaks will turn and run at the first sight of our guns."

"Retreat!" Yelled the leader of the swat team. What was left of the swat team fled the sewers, dragging and carrying several unconscious or wounded men with them.

"So the Morlocks decided to make a stand," said Toad. "I can't say that I blame them all that much. Have they made any demands?"

"Just that everybody and anybody stay out of the sewers," replied Althea who was briefing the Misfits on the current situation in Bayville. "But it gets worse."

"How much worse?" Asked Lance.

"Much worse. No less then twenty people currently staying in various hotels in Bayville are known members of FoH, and suspected militants."

"Can't Hawk just arrest them?" Asked Spyder.

"First of all, there's not enough proof to justify arresting them," said Althea, "secondly, even if there was, it would be the Bayville Police Department that would go after them."

"And most of the Bayville Police aren't exactly friendly towards mutants, especially right now" said Toad, "Chances are they'd 'forget' to read them their rights, blunder through procedure, and they'd be back on the street within days."

"In other words," finished Althea, "our hands are tied. All we can do is watch them, and intercede if they try anything."

"Tell me that Hawk at least has people in the hotels," said Lance.

"Officially no," said Althea, "but several new janitors and maids have recently joined the staff of each of Bayville's hotels recently."

"That's a relief," said Blob. Everybody looked at him, "because, you know how dirty those hotel rooms get."

"How is my plan going?" Asked Cobra Commander.

"It goes well," said Destro, "The FoH cells the shape shifters infiltrated are in position. The sleeper cells need only to hear the ultra sonic vibration. All is ready, and awaits your command."

"Good. At midnight tonight we strike. I want you to personally supervise this one. As soon as it starts we'll drop you in by chopper."

Destro gulped, thinking of the man in silver armor who had been stalking him.

"Is there a problem with that?" Asked Cobra Commander.

"No sir," said Destro. He somehow suspected that Cobra Commander would not be sympathetic to his plight. In fact he wouldn't put it past him to have hired the man to assassinate him, in which case, if he confronted him, Cobra Commander might well simply shoot him on the spot.

Zartan watched from a corner of the room and smiled to himself as he saw Cobra Commander ordering Destro to Bayville.

"Eight o' clock at night, and there's nothing on!" Growled Sabretooth, and threw the remote through the television screen. The Acolyte sitting next to him gave a splutter of protest, which was suddenly cut off. Sabretooth spun towards him, intending to terrify him so that he would never cross him again, when he saw a crossbow bolt sticking out of his neck. Sure enough, part of the window had been propped open. Sabretooth growled and leapt towards it. A large figure crashed through the glass, and barreled into Creed.

They struggled for a few moments, and then Creed was bodily hurled into the wall. The figure drew a crossbow and fired into Creed's neck. He reloaded the crossbow and fired again, this time into Creed's heart. Then he drew a knife and stuck in into Creed's stomach. Sabretooth sank to the ground and the figure smiled and walked away, saying, "As you die, know this. You served as prey for Kraven the hunter. In six hours another such as you shall do likewise." With that he was gone. Time passed. Then Sabretooth stirred. He moved his hand to his neck and yanked out the crossbow bolt. He also pulled out the other crossbow bolt, and the knife. When he was done healing he glanced at the clock. It read nine forty five. He grunted and spoke out loud.

"Not much time. This ought to be good. I'll just pick off whoever wins." He ran towards the jets.

"I've spoke to Xavier," said Hawk, "you'll be staying at the Institute for a while."

"How long?" Asked Toad.

"At least three days, after that we'll keep at least one person over there at all times."

"Are the FoH that dangerous?" Asked Lance.

"There's more danger than just the FoH," replied Hawk gravely, "Agent Faces, our infiltration expert, and Mathew Burke both confirm our suspicions. Something big is going down in the next few days, and it's going to be centered on Bayville."

Darkshadow held a device in his hand. It resembled a golden helmet. He smiled to himself as he envisioned his plan coming together.

"Prepare the chopper, I'm going to Bayville. This little game ends tonight."

"Yes sir!" One of his flunkies ran to do his bidding.

Hammerhead scowled as he handed a check to the final man he had hired. Elektra had failed, and was now in the custody of G.I. Joe. He had been forced to take drastic measures to keep from failing the assignment that the Kingpin had given him. And if there was one thing he'd learned in all these years in the business, it was that you did not fail an assignment that someone like the Kingpin gave you. As a result he had been forced to improvise, hiring multiple thugs to go after the Misfits and X-men. He'd be lucky to make as much as two dollars profit at this point. Soon after the man left a red blur crashed through the window. It was a, man dressed in a red costume, with a double D on his chest.

Hammerhead gulped. He had heard of this man. He was called Daredevil, the man without fear, a vigilante crime fighter. Hammerhead went for the gun he kept stashed under his desk. He was fast. The man in red was faster. He knocked Hammerhead's chair back, and jumped over it, landing behind Hammerhead and pressed a hidden button on his cane, splitting into two sections connected by a rope. He wrapped the rope around Hammerhead's neck.

"How can I hurt the Kingpin?" He asked.

"I-I don't know," stammered Hammerhead. Daredevil tightened the rope around his neck.

"Try again."

"He calls me on my cell phone, it's an untraceable line, I've never met with him face to face, I swear!" Daredevil pulled the rope tighter still.

"Then I have no use for you."

"Wait," choked Hammerhead, "I don't know how you can hurt him, but I know who might be able to tell you."

Daredevil loosened the rope slightly, and said, "Tell me."

"I hired a man called Electro, he's a thug for hire. He's supposed to take out a group called the Misfits. He's thinking they're going to be in Bayville tonight. He's taken some jobs directly from the Kingpin. He might be able to tell you how you can hurt him.

"Good. Thank you for your help." Hammerhead felt a blunt object strike the top of his head, and he collapsed.

"The so-called Friends of Humanity are amassing in Bayville," said Magneto. "I believe it is high time that they learned a lesson about why it is not wise to provoke mutants. Pyro, you will be leading the team. Pick ten mutants to go with you, and leave immediately."

"Yes sir." Pyro saluted and ran off.

The man in silver armor stepped out of the specially chartered plane. A few minutes later a suitcase with a parachute attached fell from the sky. It contained a single piece of paper with one word on it. Bayville.

The man in silver armor handed the pilot a thick wad of bills and set off running.

"What do you mean you've been selling information to someone trying to kill Destro?!" Shouted Zanya.

"It's a dangerous game, I know," said Zartan, "But one with far greater potential then you realize."

"And far greater risk then you seem to. If Cobra Commander finds out that we've compromised his missions, you won't be able to spend any of the money the Silver Samurai pays."

"But he won't find out. I've taken precautions. Not even the Silver Samurai, that's what he's calling himself by the way, knows where the information originates. And again you assume that the gain is entirely monetary. It's not. It's about power."

"Power?

"It's simple. Destro eventually runs out of luck. Cobra Commander is furious that someone's selling out Cobra officers. We plant some fake evidence and Cobra Commander finds out that it's the Baroness. He executes her. That leaves the immediate line of succession to the throne missing. At that point we find some way to get to Mindbender. Blackmail maybe. Or bribery. It doesn't matter. Mindbender creates some kind of mind control drug, which we use on Cobra Commander. With his two main officers missing, no one notices he's acting odd. And Cobra is ours."

"Impressive, but the Silver Samurai hasn't killed Destro yet."

"No, but he will kill him in Bayville."

"What makes you so sure?"

"Let me put it this way. The boys are going to be taking a little vacation to Bayville."

Zanya scowled, "I hope your confidence in this plan is not misplaced. For all of our sakes."

The Kingpin spoke to the man known in the underworld of New York City as Mr. Big.

"I want them dead! They've stuck they're heads into my business ventures one to many times! Kill Xavier and the redhead first, but bring Toad, Cyclops, and Wolverine to me!

Mr. Big nodded, a smile playing about his face at the thought of the Kingpin actually getting his hands dirty and killing the three he had mentioned himself. He nodded and left.

Cobra Commander spoke into the videophone, "very well Cane, we have freed you from jail, and now it is time you repay your dept. I want you to destroy the Xavier Institute's top levels. Wreak as much havoc as you like in the basements, but I want you to specifically concentrate on destroying the above ground levels."

"I got it," said Juggernaut, "but what about Xavier."

"Kill him if possible, but try not to endanger yourself unduly. You may prove useful to us again in the future."

The Leader sat in his underground lair.

"I obviously cannot defeat the Hulk myself" he mused, "and the mutants who call themselves the Misfits have also proved ineffective,"

"Sir, may I suggest the X-men?" Asked Gargoyle.

"Quiet! I'm thinking! Of course! I'll use the X-men, but how to bring them into battle against the Hulk? Wait, Betsy Ross! Of course, I'll kidnap her and use her to lure the Hulk to Bayville."

Does it ever seem to you that the entire world is lined up against our heroes? No? Well, let's recap. The Morlocks have seized the sewers, and the FoH is gathering in Bayville. That alone is an explosive situation. Throw in Cobra, Electro, Kaven, Creed, Mr. Big, (who won't be alone) the Silver Samurai, the Dreadknocks, Juggernaut, and Hulk, Daredevil, Darkshadow, and whoever else I decide to throw into the mix, and things don't look so good for our heroes. Next, the FoH attack, and Cobra makes their move.