Chasing Shadows

Now there's something you don't see every day.

No sooner had the thought crossed his mind than something struck him in the back between the shoulder blades. A blade was placed to the back of his neck.

"Not one inch, tadpole," said Darkshadow, "I can remove the Destiny Stone from you when you're dead just as easily."

"Then please, just kill me now and spare me your gloating," said Todd.

"Not that easy, tadpole. This was just a warning. To let you know that you're never safe. No matter where you are, no matter what you're doing. I can be there at any time. And you'll never see me coming."

The weight on his back vanished, along with the sword point. Toad leapt to his feet and spun around, but Darkshadow was gone.

Beast looked at the contents of the vial under the scope. "Incredible," he murmured. I had no idea they'd come so far."

"What was that?" Asked Althea, trying to sit up. In an instant Beast was by her side.

"Careful," he said, "You lost a lot of blood during your ordeal."

Althea blinked as she remembered what had happened.

"Oh, god. Todd? Is he all right?"

"He went after he returned you here," said Beast, "However, before that he had a heated argument with the good General, after which, he departed the mansion. He appears to have shed his teleported watch, and we have not yet been able to locate him."

"What? Why would he leave?"

It was at that moment that General Hawk entered the room. "Althea," he said, "We need to talk."

"I don't blame him for leaving!" Shouted Althea, "How could you not tell him that?"

"Look, we all know Todd's heart is in the right place, but how do think he would have handled that?"

"He had a right to know! I had a right to know!"

"Damn it, control is not Todd's strong suit! What do you think would happen if he knew he had that sort of power?"

"And why didn't you tell me?"

"Would you have kept it from him? Be honest."

"No," said Althea, "Because he had a right to-"

"Exactly," said Hawk. "You should rest."

"I'm not going to-"

"That's an order," said Hawk.

Althea stormed out of the room. A moment later Shipwreck entered through another door.

Hawk sank down into a chair and rubbed his temple. "How long were you there?"

"The whole time," said Shipwreck. "Are you sure it's a good idea not to tell her?"

"You saw how she reacted to finding out about Toad. If we told her that she had half of the stone in her, there's a good chance that she would have taken off. And I cannot afford to lose any more of my people right now."

Shipwreck shook his head, "You're just putting this off you know. She's going to find out sooner or later."

"As long as it's once the current crisis has passed," replied Hawk.

Logan walked into Hank's lab, just in time to see him inject himself with something.

"What was that?" He asked. Hank spun around, still holding the needle in one hand and the vial in the other.

"That was the stuff Lance sent back with Kitty," said Logan quietly.

"Not quite," said Beast, "It was a separate sample that AIM sent me." He shook his head. "I shouldn't have said that. I'm sorry, I'm not thinking clearly."

"You're working with AIM!" Shouted Logan. He took a few steps forwards, claws out, and then paused

"What the hell is happening to you?" He asked.

Two things were, in fact, happening to Beast. First, his fur was changing from blue to a dark grey, bordering on black. Second, his very frame was changing, from a furry blue ape to something that vaguely resembled a bipedal lion.

"They are never going to stop hunting us!" Shouted Beast, "Mutants are the future! We have to take control, for everyone's sake, mutant and human! AIM is just a means to an end, as is Cobra."

At the mention of Cobra Logan leapt at Beast, claws outstretched. Beast easily caught his wrists and threw him up against a wall. As Logan was climbing to his feet, Beast kicked him in the chest. Wolverine hit another wall. Again, he tried to climb to his feet, but Beast clapped a collar around his neck.

"Nghh," said Beast as his body continued to change. "Another gift from AIM. Power restrainer." He grabbed a scalpel from a table and slashed Wolverine's throat before leaving.

"The Blackbird's launching!" Said Scott. He and some of the other X-men, Misfits, and Joes were in the War Room.

Xavier put a hand to his temple. "I can't get a fix on whose inside. They're using a psionic scrambler."

It was at that point that Logan, hand over his throat, fell through the door. Scott, whatever his faults may be, was capable of assessing this sort of situation at a glance. He put his hand to his visor, and blasted off the collar.

Logan gasped for air as his windpipe began reconstructing itself.

"Doctor McCoy," said Cobra Commander, "Have you done something with your hair?"

"Very funny," growled Beast, "Listen, my cover's blown."

"Of course. You're welcome to stay here doctor. We could always use a man of your capabilities.

"No! I won't do it! It's a violation of everything I-"

"It's quite possibly the only way we're going to hold the world after we take it. If GI Joe, the X-men, even the Brotherhood come at us, you think the shapeshifters are going to help? They've demolished armies before, they can do it again."

"Damn it, that doesn't justify-"

"McCoy, the ends always justify the means. Isn't that why you joined us in the first place? So you could make over this world into a utopia?"

"I will no violate my oath as a physician."

"It will get done either way. If you don't do this, the entire deal is off. You will have betrayed the X-men, the Misfits, and your country for nothing."

Beast hung his head. "What do I have to do?"

"They're already drugged up. All you have to do is implant this microchip in they're head as part of the brainwashing program."

Toad closed his eyes. Footsteps, pounding the roof, growing fainter. Todd leapt halfway up a fire escape, and from there to the roof. He was just in time to see Darkshadow's back as he leapt down the next roof. Toad ran after him, slowly closing the gap. Finally, he tackled Darkshadow, pulled a knife from its sheath on Darkshadow's hip, and placed it to the back of Darkshadow's skull.

"This ends now." He said.

"I wouldn't count on it," said Darkshadow from behind Todd. Todd spun, throwing the knife. Darkshadow snatched out of the air, and easily tossed it back. "No," he said, "Not good enough. Perhaps next time." And then he was gone.

Todd turned to the body double he had tackled, drawing his own knife and putting it to the man's throat. "Where is he!"

"I can't tell you. He'll kill me."

"So will I," said Toad. "And I'm right here. So where is he!"

"Fine! He's got a warehouse. I'll give you the address. Just let me live!"

Todd left the ventilation duct, and sighed. "Why can't these things ever take place in a well lighted warehouse?" He asked.

A moment later he caught a crossbow bolt aimed at his throat.

"Very good," said Darkshadow from somewhere in the warehouse. "I was wondering when you'd arrive."

"You knew I was coming? That's impossible."

Todd focused even as he spoke, trying to find Darkshadow by the sound of his voice.

"Not at all." The voice came from directly behind him. Todd spun around and thrust with his sword, destroying a small speaker. "Did you honestly think he would have given up this location if I hadn't told him to?"

Todd's eyes had adjusted somewhat to the dark, and saw a light switch. He hit it. The warehouse was practically empty, except for a few speakers scattered throughout the room. And Darkshadow.

Darkshadow leapt at Todd, swinging his sword. Todd blocked the blow with his own sword, and the two fought. As fast as Toad was, Darkshadow was a little faster. As strong as Toad was, Darkshadow was a little stronger. He backed Toad against the wall.

"Did you honestly think you were a match for me?" Asked Darkshadow, as Toad barely managed to block a blow that would have cracked his skull open.

"No," said Toad. "I brought help."

Punisher, who had been lurking in the shadows started shooting. Darkshadow dodged the stream of bullets, but just barely. He threw a smoke bomb at the source of the gunfire, and then whirled back to face Todd, just in time to see Todd ram a sword threw his chest.

"Impossible…" said Darkshadow. "I can't lose."

"That's for Al." Said Todd, as Darkshadow collapsed.

And thus ends the exploits of our favorite evil ninja. For now at least.