HI there fellow readers. Here is the next chapter. Here I will bring yet another team, yes that's right, ANOTHER team, into my story. And it won't be the last one either! In addition, I will include some other characters that were not in the Evolution Series. So get ready for some major additions and some major changes in characters from the X-Men Evolution universe, as well as those from the main marvel universe! I know I'm brining in a lot of characters other than my OC, but remember friends, characters are the #1 most important part of any story! Remember, this is an AU where I can do anything I want, so expect the unexpected! Also, the fic will get a little stronger here. This chapter will have some strong language, which will be in fair amount later on in the fic as well. I hope you don't mind it too much.
AN: As you may have noticed before, I have changed my OC's codename to Raiden. For those of you still wondering on that, just look at the last chapter where he got it. This name was suggested to me by Agent-G, and I would like to give him my biggest thanks and gratitude for helping me out. I personally believe that it's a lot better than the last one I gave my character, and it was one I wouldn't have thought of myself if he hadn't suggested it. This story wouldn't be the same without all the advice and inspiration he has given me. Thank you, Agent-G!
Chapter 11
Sinister and Shadow Hunters
DNA. The blueprint of all life. The core essence of all biological potential and evolution. So small, so mysterious, so BEAUTIFUL. That was how it looked to the man who looked closely at the screen before him. The twisted ladder, the double helix, of the strand was almost hypnotic to him. So many other people in the world would not see it like he did, for few could. Even most others like him couldn't have the hope of accomplishing what DNA could be used for. But he could do it, and so much more. He knew the human, and the mutant, genome like the back of his own hand. And only a scientist with that kind of knowledge could do what he had planned. So few others could, if such people were even alive.
The image of the DNA molecule's double helix spiraled as the computer program made it turn and spin. Symbols that represented the individual nucleotides of each base pair in each section flew across the bottom of the screen with lightning speed. It was so much information. But it was what made life life. And it was all on this infinitely small molecule.
"Soon," the man said, still immersed by what he was looking at, "soon I will have all the pieces of the puzzle that I need. And when I do, I'll be able to create the race I was so determined to engineer since the dawn of time. What fate chose for me."
Mr. Sinister's heart was filled with the lifeblood that was always circulated around his body, but now, with all his eagerness and comprehension, it was also filled with energizing adrenaline that now surged through him, and also with excitement. He'd waited for this for so long that if this wouldn't work out, he was certain that he would explode from sheer rage. Nothing could mess this up. Nothing could after all this time.
Decades of work. Not hours, days, weeks, months, or even years. Decades. Year after year of painstaking work and calculating, of matching, rewriting, fixing, planning, and so much more. It wasn't that Sinister was not satisfied with his work. In fact, right now he was more pleased with himself that he ever had been. But this only not the time when the work was completed. There was still so much to do. Only after that was done would be he feel totally satisfied.
All the generations ago in Victorian England, where he had been one of Royal Society's number one scientists. He had been a genius then. And he still was a genius, only more intelligent than before. No, not a mere genius. A super-genius. One who was never truly appreciated for his undeniably truthful theories.
Sinister's original name, Dr. Nathanial Essex, was about as widely known in Victorian England as the name Charles Darwin. But for the complete opposite reasons. Darwin, that fool, had gotten all the credit and praise. True, Darwin had made theories on the origins of species and evolution that were accurate, and correct, as modern science had proven. But yet, it was not enough. Unlike the famous Charles Darwin, the infamous Nathanial Essex had gone further, explaining the inevitable evolution of humans into a race of superhuman mutants with powers unlike anything though of before. As Essex, Sinister had seen it in the making. His own son, brought into the world by his late wife Rebecca, had shown unrecognized biological problems, yet he was not sick with any virus or bacterial infection.
It was mutation. Of the harmful kind. Mutations were of all sorts, some of the helpful kind, others of disfiguring and deadly results. That kind was responsible for so many genetic illnesses and disorders that were previously believed to be the work of Satan in the days of Nathanial Essex. Essex's son had died because the mutations had created such a strain on his body's systems and organs, genetic codes and cellular structures that they had all shattered and collapsed under the pressure. He'd tried to explain his theories, but yet, he was still shunned and hated for he brilliant man he was, even by his own wife, whom he loved more than anything else. Except of course, for science. Now he saw that he was unworthy of her. Or in better words, she was unworthy of him. She didn't see what a chance he could have given her. To be the Adam and Eve of a new race of creatures. But her fear had blinded her, as fear so often did in the weak-minded. How foolish humans could be. On the day Sinister had ceased to be Nathanial Essex and become Mr. Sinister, he saw humanity for what it was. A weak-minded species that thought, in all its arrogance, was the most highly evolved species on Earth and let ethics and totally unrealistic religious beliefs stand in the way of understanding where the true power lay. How sickening that was.
Anger started to form in Sinister's mind as he thought these things, but he quickly pushed it back down. He'd come so far ever since he had left those things behind him. Now he was better than ever, and ever so much closer to his goal. He'd met others like him along the way. Being the inhuman mutant scientist he was, not human or even entirely mutant in s certain sense, he'd seen others who, like him, were the one who knew the real ways that made the world itself tick and grow with life. Even if some of those people had to steal life to prolong their own.
Sinister pushed a button on the keyboard of the large terminal and the image of the DNA strand vanished. He then swerved around on his large, revolving chair to his large metallic desk where he had spent hour after hour going through files and records he had acquired over the years. Most especially the calculations of the timeline that he was so desperately trying to shape in order to fit his goals, and the goals of he who had employed him to begin with. Without his main employer, Sinister wouldn't have been able to do this, for the tools provided by the brilliant mastermind were far beyond what the world of present day Earth had to offer. But his founder had given him what he had always wanted, a chance to genetically engineer the perfect race of beings, the ultimate race of mutants with power or omnipotent levels and unstoppable strength. It was so great he couldn't pass it up. And of course, there had been the changes done to his own body. Sinister was no longer human at all, but a being with an altered cellular structure. In the process, he had gained telepathy and complete control over every single molecule in his body. His strength was now increased as well, and his resistance to injury, disease, and poison was of immortal levels. And he no longer aged either. That granted him what he always wanted, and needed to do this work. Technology provided by the founder as well were what allowed him to do calculate and observe the timeline. Once everything was in place, Sinister would be granted the ultimate prize.
Sinister picked up a large folder and opened it. He was about to start going through the contents when he heard the sound of the large metal doors on the far side of the room opening. He looked up, his red eyes glowing. Not from anger, but with an evil happiness. Even without using his thought powers, he knew who it was. Most of those who worked under Sinister would never dare enter his laboratory without permission, unless they had a death wish, or the desire to be used in one of his experiments. But one person was never concerned about that, for he had taken a strong liking to her and visa versa.
"Who dares enter my room?" asked Sinister in a deep, dark voice with a tease and evil chuckle. The scientist locked his fingers under his chin, his thin black lips curved in a smile that matched his name perfectly.
"My darling Sinister," came a evil, sultry Roman-accented voice belonging to a woman, "Do you not trust me? Do you not care for me? Do you mean to threaten me?" the mock concern and hurt in her voice was so mocking that Sinister actually cackled at it, not that it would hurt her feelings if he did.
A tall form emerged from the shadows behind the door. A tall, slender, beautiful woman with long raven black hair and features that told point-blank of her Roman ancestry and heritage emerged stepped into the light. Her night black eyes were hard and cold, like chips of black onyx. They held no warmth, kindness, or any sort of emotion other than evil, hatred, and malicious glee. The tight, formfitting latex tights with built in high-heeled boots, and black latex top that left her flat stomach exposed gave her shapely, elegant figure a real touch.
The woman smiled at Sinister with her vermillion red lips with an evil that matched his. "My darling, Selene," said Sinister in a gentle, yet commanding manner, grinning to show his shark-like teeth, "How courteous of you to grace my presence with your beauty."
The raven-haired woman's smile only grew. She paraded towards Sinister's desk, swaying her flaring hips in a way she knew attracted the attention of any man. Often she would do this to get a man with her so she could drink and drain that man's life force energy, replenishing her own youth and beauty with the essence as her prey was left a lifeless shell of flesh. "You do know how to make a woman feel like she has beauty on her," Selene purred, "But then again, that was always saved for me was it not?"
Gazing at the evil life-drinking sorceress made Sinister feel like all his problems were far away. Sure, he had loved his wife Rebecca, but with Selene, he was more than happy to forget about her. After all, Selene was everything he wanted in a mate. Her beauty and elegance were awe-inspiring to any red-blooded male. Her mastery of magic and dark power as well as her unparalleled knowledge of the occult, mysticism, and ceremonies were the perfect thing to go along with his brilliance in genetics and robotics.
Science with magic was an impossible combination to beat. But perhaps the most attractive part of all was her ruthless and evil nature. Selene, as Sinister knew was 100 evil with no good in her at all. Morality, ethics, justice, peace, prosperity, and all other words and concepts similar had no meaning to her whatsoever. For her, the end always justified the means, regardless of what that end was. Maintaining her youth and beauty justified killing others. Trying to reach a goal of importance to her justified murdering those who got in her way in cold blood. And the reason why Sinister loved those qualities about her so much is that it was exactly the same way he was. Exactly the same way.
And of course, being both immortal, they literally had all the time in the world to be as evilly romantic as they wanted to. As Sinister looked at her, sitting there in a ready-to-strike position, in her tight latex garments, evil eyes and cruel smile, and blood red lips framing a mouth filled with perfect white teeth, she looked as sleek, as dangerous, and as sinister as a black viper. And when one added her powers of the dark forces of magic and heartless will, she seemed more venomous than even the most poisonous serpent. But that only made her more attractive to Sinister.
"Sinister, darling," Selene smiled at him with a viper kiss on her lips, "You have been so immersed in your work, I was beginning to think that you were becoming a victim of your own experiments."
Sinister started laughing at that. "Become a guinea pig in my own laboratory?" he asked, "A scientist never lets his experiments control him. He always controls his experiments. I'm certain I've proven that to you by now?"
"More of less, give or take," Selene replied. Selene sat down on the edge of Sinister's large desk, crossing her legs to give them a sexy look and teasingly placed her black-gloved hand over Sinister's, which had reached out to touch her. Selene loved toying with men using her beauty to get them away form other people so she could simply drain their lives dry. Being beautiful and powerful, as well as evil and bloodthirsty was something she always wanted to be. Sinister, the current man of her affections was practically the only man in the world she wouldn't drain if she got the chance. As a centuries old sorceress, Selene had sometimes wondered if she'd ever find a man to settle down with, but every time it had seemed impossible. If Selene had wanted a man, he would have to be every bit as dark, deadly, dangerous, evil, and merciless as herself. But, chance had smiled down on her, as well as circumstance. Sinister was her perfect mate. They were like the two deadly vipers of evil meant to give birth the next generation's evil race of beings. And if this major plan of their employer went as it should, they would be the new Adam and Eve of a whole new world, filled with chaos and evil. A most delightful thought.
"I was hoping you would come by," said Sinister, gazing lovingly at Selene, "Our little observers should be arriving back soon to give me the report on the calculation of the timeline I made several months ago. If everything is as I formulated, then it will be a good omen. With that, we can then move forward with our plans."
The words made Selene smile with wicked joy. "Well, if you're pleased, I am too. I'm getting mighty tired of simply waiting for the right moment to strike."
Sinister climbed out of his chair and walked over to his love interest so that he was face-to-face with her. "Believe me," said Sinister, "I don't like this 'waiting' any more than you do. But unfortunately, my calculations and measurements of the timeline, and the level of interference we've been inducing to it over the years simply have limits to ho much we can speed them up. Any more and events would be dramatically altered. That would result in less than optimal conditions for all the pieces to be in place, and not to mention, the state the pieces would be in."
A gloved hand reached out to caress Sinister's paper white face in a lover's touch. Sinister didn't mind Selene's touching him. Normally, he would have knocked whoever did that to him without his permission with one of the energy bolts he could fire from his hands. But with Selene, he didn't mind it at all.
"Well," said the sorceress, "I for one, am not too concerned with the waiting. It's those shit-brained mercenary fools that you hired and molded to benefit from. Frankly, I don't understand it why you would surround yourself with such lower forms of life.
"Honestly," said Sinister, "I think that few on this planet are more arrogant, foolish, and not to mention, impudent, as they are. But that really doesn't matter. After all, they're simply assets, Selene, expendable assets that have their usefulness, to one degree or another. Good assets are so hard to find these days, so I have to use what resources I have at my disposal."
"I can understand that," said Selene, continuing to stroke Sinister's cheek with her hand, "Its such a shameful condition that ones like you and me must live life in this world where all but a select couple of individuals have what it takes to tap into where the real power is."
"I now remember why I find you so enchanting," said the scientist, "You're above money and politics, and of course, you're like me."
Selene only grinned like a wolf ready to rip apart its prey. "We're the strong type. We're fit to survive and continue on. In fact, we're the future."
"Our operation's super secret founder knew that about us before we even knew it ourselves," said Sinister in great pride, "In fact, I do believe that that was the reason he employed us to begin with."
The words seemed to deflate Selene's happy mood. "Honestly, I don't like working under someone."
"I can relate," assured Sinister, "But I'm afraid that maybe if we tried to overthrow him, the results could be less than desirable." Still seeing the discouraged look in the woman's eyes, he chose to try to uplift it. "But maybe we could do some 'improvising' when the time is right."
Evil ambition twinkled in Sinister's crimson eyes, and Selene saw it clearly. "I'd like that," she smirked. With that, she leaned over seductively and kissed the thin black lips of the scientist, crushing her own against them. Sinister responded by running a hand through her long hair while stroking her face with the other. The kiss was deep and filled with dark passion, which only the two of them could appreciate.
When the two separated, they smiled at each other. "So," said Selene, "I would like to know when those two telepathic errand boys we sent out are coming back here."
"You know telepaths," said Sinister, "They're unreliable. But the others I've recruited for our little game of cat-and-mouse with our prey are even less so. So I had to go for them. But not to worry, I'm sure we'll hear from them soon enough."
"We got delayed," came a voice from one of the sides of Sinister's lab. Sinister and Selene looked over in the direction, for the voice had not come from either of them. Two cloaked figures, one tall and in black, the other shorter and in purple, were gliding towards them.
"There you are," said Sinister in greeting, "I trust your task wasn't too difficult to handle?"
"'Easy' would be an exaggeration," said Shadow King, "It was almost an insult for us to do such a simple task. It was almost trivial seeming."
"I do hope you realize how important this is, Farouk," said Selene, giving the hooded demonic figure a glare of thin-concealed distaste, "Things are not always as 'trivial' or as 'frivolous' as they appear to be."
Shadow King removed his cowl, bringing his alien, blue-scaled visage into clear sight. His dark blue lips curled over his fangs in an angry growl. "I grow tiresome of reminding you, Selene," he said coldly, "Amahl Farouk is DEAD. I'm the Shadow King now!" With those words, Shadow King slipped out of his top garment, bringing more of his new body into view to prove his point. Like his face, the rest of him was not human looking, nor did it look anything like the previous slow, inefficient, repulsively obese lump of blubber that was his original human form. The Shadow King, now naked from the waist up, had a firm, muscular physic, complete with a good six-pack and pectorals. Like his face, his skin was covered with the rough navy blue scales, while a series of short curving spines extending from his shoulders and forearms.
Selene however, was far from intimidated by the Shadow King's act. She herself had provided that body to begin with, so why even be scared? "Don't think your new flesh vessel can scare me," she hissed in a dangerous tone, "I gave it to you remember? I can take it away just as easily and leave you as mere shadow and vapor like you were before."
And it was true. One of the Shadow King's most hindering problems was that after that battle 20 years ago with Xavier on the Astral Plane years ago in Cairo, his physical body had been destroyed. As a result, with no other body to inhabit in the vast, endless emptiness of the Astral Plane and no way for him to reach out beyond to the physical world in order to inhabit another host, Amahl Farouk had been in the worst possible example of a rock and a hard place.
After being freed from the imprisonment by some bizarre unknown force, his psychic essence had discovered that Selene herself had helped free him and participate in a large scale-project. And, to assure him a place in the world, she had summoned up the body he now used as his corporal being. It had belonged to a demon, but Farouk had used his powerful telepathy to drain the demon's mind, leaving the demon's body an empty shell that could be inhabited by his spirit as easily as hermit crab inhabits the empty shell of a snail. As a result, he gained a new body, even if it wasn't human, and the absorbed evil had made his psychic energies stronger than before. So it was two benefits, which he believed were far greater than the one disadvantage of looking supernaturally bizarre.
"All I ask is that I'm not to be called by my pitiful human identity and be called what I rightfully am, the SHADOW KING!" Shadow King almost roared that last part out.
Sinister remained unfazed by the Shadow King's outburst. "Please, Shadow King," he said calmly, "Why this sudden outburst? All it is is a name. Besides, shouldn't you show a little gratitude for Selene's giving you that body to call your own, and not to mention, increase your hatred to grow stronger?" That last part was spoken with a touch of exasperation.
"All I want to is to be called what I am!" Shadow King snapped at Sinister, "I'm not that miserable blob of fat I was while I was the crime lord of Cairo!"
During this exchange Mesmero, who had taken off his hood and had let his head have full access to the atmosphere of the room, was shaking his head. "Honestly," said the tattooed telepath, "I'd think you would want Sinister to recreate your old body."
Shadow King looked at the other telepath, a look of surprise in his demonic eyes. "Don't make me laugh!" he told Mesmero, "This body is far preferable! I finally look the same on the outside as I do inside."
"Please," groaned Selene, "I find this gibberish of having a new body totally laughable, Farouk."
Shadow King snapped his head at the immortal sorceress. "Well, you have your goals, Selene, I have mine! And for the last time, call me--," he tried to make himself clear by pointing one of his long clawed fingers right at Selene's face. However, he didn't get the chance to finish his words before Selene interpreted him.
"If you finish that sentence," Selene threatened, "I'll make my next life-force feeding victim you!"
Shadow King glared at her. "You wouldn't dare!" he bellowed, "I have this body because you required my powers to aid you in this plan you and Sinister have concocted. You cannot afford to lose someone with telepathic powers as formidable as mine!"
"Please, you two," Sinister calmly intervened, "Let us not lose our tempers over small matters and focus on what lies ahead."
"Well," reported Mesmero, getting to the matter at hand, "We spied out on Magneto and Mystique, as well as on Xavier. Magneto is planning to use Trask's sentinel project to expose Mutants to world and have them see his views as the right, logical ones. As for Xavier, he as retrieved that new student of his. I must admit, I was not expecting your calculations of tonight's events to be so precise."
"Nor I," Shadow King added.
"Indeed," Sinister smiled, "There are times when I even amaze myself." After finishing that sentence, he looked at the muscular blue form of the Shadow King. "I hope you were able to keep yourself in check while spying on your long-hated rival, Shadow King. You didn't attack him did you?" The tone in Sinister's voice as he said that sentence was disproving and non-trusting.
Shadow King shook his head. "No," he answered, a sniff in his voice, "But I was extremely temped to."
"You really must concentrate on your current assignments, Shadow King, and leave your little quarrel with Xavier for later," Selene reprimanded him.
"Need I remind you, Sorceress, that I agreed to help you and Sinister do this plan, which you so often refer it as, because you agreed to let me have my revenge on Xavier? I've spent the better part of a decade on the cold, endless emptiness of the Astral Plane's void. That is where I will send Xavier's mind to return the favor of what he did to me so long ago."
"Yes, we agreed to that," said Sinister, "And, as a man of my word, I will let you get your revenge on Xavier. But not until we are done with our plan."
"As you wish," responded Shadow King in a slow and sarcastic manner that clearly said he was fed up with waiting.
"Now," Sinister spoke up, looking at the three faces around him, one tattooed, one blue, scaly and fanged, one of a beautiful woman of pure unrelenting evil and cruelty, "I do believe we should discuss this matter further with the muscle of this operation. Come."
In another part of the base, not too far from Sinister's laboratory, but separated by security systems and doors that would stop an army in its tracks, was a large room, containing a large oblong table with chairs all around it and a large screen on one wall for displaying important information. Seated at the table were five people, conversing. Some of them were excited, some acting with their own personal idiosyncrasies regardless of who others thought of them, and some, just plain brooding because they didn't have what they so greatly wanted, which was to tear their hated enemies apart limb from limb.
"What I would like to know," said one of the figures, a young woman of twenty-six, "Why do we have to wait? We've been preparing for this forever. I want to do something before my fuckin' bones go all out overgrowing on me again!"
She was named Sarah Rushman, once a member of the lowly Morlocks who lived far beneath the streets of the cities, but everyone called her the codename "Marrow." Marrow had light purple skin, deep red/violet hair and also purplish eyes that went along well with her skin. However, she had long spiny growths of bone protruding from her shoulders, knees, and elbows that were as lethal as spears and each of her fingers had a long bony claw extruding from it. Unlike the others present, she wasn't leaning back on her chair. The reason was that she had six, long bladed bones protruding from her back, and her spinal column was now half inside her body and half outside, and was as spiny as the dorsal ridge of an iguana. Her entire skeleton was also four times more durable and sturdy that any human's, due to it having an excessive amount of calcium in its compact tissue, created by one of the mutations in her X-Gene.
Sarah had known only misery and suffering while she was in the Morlocks. At the time, she was thin, starving, and in constant pain. Her bone-growing mutation, out of control, was causing her bones to poke and pierce through her skin and organs. The agony was never ending. It was the only thing she ever noticed. But then, Sinister had offered her an answer.
As a Morlock, Sarah was wary of surface dwellers, as all Morlocks were. But the offer to end her pain was something she couldn't ignore. Sinister had said he could restore her body and end her pain, making her a more powerful, more fit mutant. In exchange, she would serve as one of his warriors. Anxious for relief and new life, Marrow agreed. The process had made her bone-growing mutation controllable, and now she was not ugly as before, but almost beautiful. And with her powers under control, she was a fierce fighter, a role she had come to relish in every way. Life was so much better now.
"Well, Bony Pony," said one of the three men, a muscular figure wearing a red and black suit, complete with a mask that covered every part of his face, even his eyes, "Maybe we could go out a little. You know, to pass the time in a sweet sense?" The man's voice was as obnoxious as ever, which was pretty damn obnoxious to anyone who even heard it once.
Marrow looked at the man, bearing her sharp teeth in a snarl. "If you suggest me being involved with you, Deadpool," she hissed venomously, "I'll stick so many of my bone knives into you that you'll look more like a pincushion that a human being!"
Wade "Deadpool" Wilson, whom everyone called "merc with a mouth,"placed his hands over his heart, acting like he was heart broken. But if there was one thing Deadpool could never be, it was heartbroken, for he had no heart to break. "Oh, sweetie, you hurt me!" he said stupidly, "You wouldn't say that if you knew me better. Besides, my healing factor will fix me up in jiff!" The last part was spoken with a more serious tone, for it was true. Deadpool was not a mutant himself, like Marrow was, but a genetically enhanced human. He'd been cured of a lethal strain of cancer, courtesy of Hydra's genetic branch, in exchange for his services as mercenary. The induced healing ability was so advanced that Deadpool could regenerated any wound from a deep bullet injury tosevered limbs and destroyed organs, even his heart. It allowed him to recover from any kind of injury. Now, thanks to his employer, who happened to be the big boss lady in charge of Hydra itself, he was in the services of Sinister. The reason why, he didn't know, nor did he care. As long as he was paid enough money.
The masked mercenary leaned over and reached out his arms to Marrow, as if trying to hug her. "Come ere," he said, "Give me a kiss and we'll call it even."
At that, Marrow leaped up from her chair and seized Deadpool around the neck in her clawed hand. With her free hand, she yanked one of the sharp, dagger-shaped bones from her back and held it so that the point was aimed directly at Deadpool's eye.
"One more word, ONE MORE, and I'll gouge out that piece of shit mud you call an eye!"
The others around the table merely sighed. Marrow had an explosive temper, and Deadpool had a knack for getting on other people's nerves, so this was not unexpected. However, Marrow felt a hand, with some incredibly long metallic claws on it,on her shoulder.
"Marrow," said the possessor of the hand, "Leave him to reap the rewards of his incompatance so he will learn when he is killed beyond ressurection."
Marrow knew who it was for more than one reason. She tuned her head to facea sinisterly lovely Japanese woman with short jet black hair and molten black eyes filled with fiery anger,who was seated on the same side of the table as she. Yuriko Oyama, who called herself "Lady Deathstrike," was looking at Deadpool who hung helplessly in Marrow's strong grasp."You waste your energy on someone as useless as him, you'll be acting on trival impulses."
Yuriko "Deathstrike" Oyama had once been an ordinary human. She was of a ruthless nature, and was among the most skilled martial artists and combatants in the world of assassins. However, due to revenge that she wanted on someone, which was more valuable to her than her life sometimes, she had agreed to be enhanced uning the latest in technology to make her more than a match for her future prey. She had been enhanced by cellular-enhancing nanites that now filled her tissues, granting her almost instantanious healing from injury. And of course, the adamantium talons were the most lethal weapons in her arsenal. She could use them more skillfully now than a samurai could wield a sword.
Marrow let go of Deadpool's neck. Over the time they had served in this personal combat unit of Mr. Sinister's, which he called his "Shadow Hunters," Deathstrike and Marrow had grown fairly tolerant of each other, even though they were not friendsin any way. Why Sinister ever included Deadpool in the game was beyond them. The most likely reason was that he was a good combatant and fierce fighter. Other than that, he was like gum on a shoe.
"Useless?" asked Deapool, his attention now on Deathstrike, "Oh, Sweetite! If you just let me, I'll show you how NOT useless I am!"
"Hold your tongue!" spat Deathstrike, pointing at Deadpool with a clawed finger, "Or I'll gouge out both your miserable eyes so you will never see my killing blow fall!"
All Deadpool did was cock his head to one side. Since he was wearing his mask, neither Marrow norDeathstrike could tell what his expression was. But then, they didn't have to, as he started talking again. "All three of us could do real well together."
Marrow and Deathstrike had looks of sheer aggression on their faces, and both were ready to strike Deadpool for his behavior, Marrow with her bone blades and claws, Deathstrike with her deadly adamantim talons. But neither got the chance, for someone really didn't want to see Deadpool get gutted and then hear him complain for days and days as he healed, refusing to acknowladge it was a result of his own stupidity. Deadpool suddenly felt what felt like a fifty-pound metal lump smashing into the upper part of his back at 100 mph.
The force from the blow sent the masked mercenary into the metal table so hard, Deadpool felt himself leave an impression on the table, and then, he was pulled back and flung to the floor by whoever had hit him. If Deadpool had been an ordinary human, his spine would never heal. But it already was, and it was only after a few moments he was up and feeling better, but pissed off as hell at whoever did that.
He looked up to see Marrow smiling in gratitude at the individual who was staring at him with two different eyes. "Thank you, Kane," said Marrow, smiling at Deadpool's predicament.
Kanewinked at her, with the eye of his that could and then turned back to Deadpool.
"What the hell was that about?" demanded Deadpool angrily.
"Your acting like some hormone-crazed mating fuck was getting very disgusting," Kane replied in his tough, quiet, and daring voice, a dangerous tone in it, as was normal with him, "I'd appreciate it if you kept your words to yourself, otherwise, next time I'll use plasma and burn your vocal cords out."
Garrison Kane was a tall, black-haired Canadian man. Kane was not a mutant, nor was he a genetically enhanced human. Like Deathstrike, he was a cyborg. Years ago, Kane had once been affiliated with Hydra, like Deadpool. He was fully human then, and was a skilled martial artist and weapons marksman, one of Hydra's best assassins. However, during a mission to retrieve some important tactical information on S.H.I.E.L.D., something had gone wrong and he was caught in an explosion. As a result, both his arms were blown off in the accident, and a spinal injury lost him use of his legs. In addition, head trauma had crushed the right side of his skull, and his right eye had been lost as a result.
But then, Sinister had approached him in the guise of a doctor while Kane was recuperating in hospital for superhuman criminals after S.H.E.I.L.D. agents had dug him out of the wreckage and incarcerated him. He offered to bust Kane out and upgrade him to be an even more deadly assassin than before, in exchange for his services. Kane had accepted only too gladly. Even Lady Viper herself granted him approval to work with the crazed geneticist.
What Sinister had done to Kane to "upgrade" him was what most would call mutilation. Kane's ruined and destroyed arms and legs had been amputated and replaced with state-of-the-art cybernetic appendages. His new arms, armored with adamantium plating, were powerful enough to punch through even the thickest wall, and each arm was equipped with built-in, long-range weapons. His new robotic adamantium armored legs allowed him immense jumping prowess and foot speeds. The right side of his skull was replaced with an admantium plate while his right eye socket was fitted with a special optic implant that gave him infrared vision as well as a specialized targeting system to aim his built-in weapons with lethal accuracy.
While most would be disgusted, Kane was thrilled beyond words at what he had become. Kane was always looking for ways to improve himself and push his abilities beyond their limits. What more could he have asked of? Besides, having all these new systems made him feel like a true assassin, something his time in Hydra had never done for him, at least not as much as he had wanted. Not even Hydra would have been able to give him these upgrades. Kane couldn't care less on how he looked now. All that mattered to him was what it granted and how formidable it made him.
"Kane!" Deadpool stomped over to the cyborg assassin, "You do that again and I'll kill you outright!"
Kane merely laughed with indifference at Deadpool's threat. "Please, Wilson, don't let that healing factor of yours go to your skull. That enhancement you got must have rotted your thinking centers."
Marrow started laughing. Deadpool was about to tell Kane to stuff it when the doors opened and four figures stepped through. Sinister and Selene both entered, strolling arm-in-arm, like they were king and queen strolling about their subjects. Behind them came Shadow King and Mesmero, the two telepaths walking side-by-side stoically and like two shadows. Shadow King still was not wearing a top, which had become a habit of his ever since Selene had granted him his new blue demon body. When Shadow King did wear his top, it was when he prowled the outside world at night. He wore his cloak to help conceal his form from the view of civilians. But that were the times when he scouted the areas in the flesh. Usually, he did it by sending his psychic essence out of his body, scouring the places like an invisible ghost.
Sinister looked at Deadpool, who had his fist raised at Kane. The scientist also noticed that the table had huge dent in it that hadn't been there before. And it was in the shape of a human torso with head and arms. "May I ask why there is a large dent in this table?" asked Sinister quietly, narrowing his eyes at the two assassins.
"Ask him!" Deadpool all but shouted the words, pointing to Kane.
"Marrow and Deathstrike were about to gut him anyway," said Kane simply, "I just wanted to shut this big-headed scab up before he got disemboweled. Again."
"Yeah?" demanded Deadpool, the aggression evident in his voice, "You with your cybernetics! You must've lost a huge chunk of grey matter when you lost your limbs, Mr. Robo-Man!"
Sinister was about to tell Deadpool to stop talking and just shut up, but Kane, with lightning fast speed, seized Deadpool by the neck with his left hand. As he held the masked Canadian out in front of him, his right arm transformed into the plasma cannon it could change into, the transmission head of the weapon glowing with an intense blue flare, plasma energy heating up and blindingly bright. Selene actually smirked at the scene before her. Seeing Deadpool in a tight fix was a great way to forget all the annoyance he caused.
Kane pointed his plasma weapon right at Deadpool's head, the cannon charged and ready to fire. "I'd appreciate it if you didn't insult me," Kane threatened at him, "Or else I'll blow your head off." In truth, if Kane fired his plasma weapon, Deadpool's head would actually be blown to bits right off his neck, unless the blast vaporized it first.
"Kane, Deadpool," Sinister sighed, "Why must you two be so quarrelsome? Sometimes I think you two spend more time fighting each other than you do your enemies."
Kane merely looked at his boss with a blank expression. "Sorry, Boss. I'm just sick of hearing this guy whine and wisecrack all day every day. And of course his pitiful attempts to be a lady's man when he's the worst nightmare of any member of the fairer sex."
"You said it, Kane,"Marrow chimed in, "He's got an ego the size of Texas!" A couple of the others laughed at that. But it was ture, Deadpool had an ego that was incalculable in size. So when it was hurt, it hurt worse for him that being shot.
"Who are ya callin'---," Deadpool was about to launch another comeback, but Selene stepped in.
"Alright," she snapped, "Just put your weapon away, Kane, and let that one go. He's not worth the time of an assassin like you." She looked at Deadpool with angry fierce eyes. But whenever she looked at Kane her expression was less threatening.
Kane let out a breath and nodded. But his neutral expression remained. His plasma cannon retracted into his arm and his robotic hand reformed at the end of the appendage. He then let Deadpool merely fall to the floor. "Fine," he said, and went back to his seat.
Deadpool's gaze traveled from his assailant to Selene. "Hey, Honey!" he demanded, "Why are so nicer to him than to me? It's almost like you like him more than me! Why would a good lookin' chick like you favor a hunk of plastic like him. I'm more a man the he is! Hell, he's less human than toaster oven!"
Red magical light started to flare in Selene's eyes, fiery evil burning in her orbs. "I'd keep your comments to yourself," she warned him, scathingly, "Or else I'll drain you of your life! And that, you little shit of a man, will be something that not even your healing abilities will be able to compensate for."
The act of actually doing what she threatened was only a hair's breath away. Selene was so god-damned sick of Wade Wilson and all the cracks he made, not to mention the attempts of flirting with all the women who came into ten miles of his being. The fact was, she did like Kane a thousand times more than Deadpool. As evil as she was, Selene didn't really LIKE him as most would apply it. It was just he was so much more tolerable than Wilson. Unlike Wade Wilson, Garrison Kane was an assassin who never really let his testosterone go to his head, nor did he make a joke about every other thing a person remarked on. He was the strong silent type, and was always ready for tougher assignments to prove his better. But perhaps the best part of all was that he followed their orders with question or complaint. That last part was the best quality of him. As long as Kane followed her rules without asking why, she could stand him, even if he was less man than machine.
"Wilson,"Marrow commented, "Kane is half machine, but he's ten times a MAN than you'll ever be! That shows how little of a man you are!"
"Enough!" Sinister announced emphatically, "You're all wasting precious time, which we do not have a lot of!" These Shadow Hunters of his were great assassins and warriors, but the quarreling between them seemed to just get out of hand each and every time he turned around.
With Sinister's words, the five Shadow Hunters quieted down, all of their eyes on the scientist and the sorceress by his side. Sinister looked over each and every one of them, trying to gauge if they would launch an argument with either another Shadow Hunter of even himself. When he got no further interruptions, he decided to go ahead with his intended speech.
"Now, let's get to the matter I called you all here to discuss," said Sinister, "I know you've all been waiting for the time when your services to us would be needed and I am pleased to say that that time is not too far away. Shadow King and Mesmero have been out spying tonight on Magneto's Acolytes and Xavier's students, and just as I predicated when I made calculations on how the current timeline would unfold, the events that would work in our favor are unfolding as we speak."
"What I would like to know is 'how the hell can you calculated anything with time?'" asked Kane, skeptically, "You may have better equipment that anyone else in the world, but since when is time-measuring technology available to anyone?"
Sinister only smirked at Kane's skepticism. Normally, Kane was a man of action rather than words, so when he showed he was curious it was a sign he was also wondering as well. That was fine with Sinister, as long as it wasn't about anything he shouldn't poke his nose into.
Rather than responding to Kane's question himself, Sinister let Selene answer for him. "Our organization's founder has 'resources,' Kane," Selene told him, "It's he who has given us the means of seeing into the future and past so that we can make sure all the events that occur concerning our targets happen in the right order, bringing them right into our grasp."
"So who is this so-called 'founder?'" asked Deadpool, "I for one would like to know who the big boss man I'm working for is."
"That's for us to know and you to find out," said Sinister, "He has instructions to remain anomalous for now. I'm sure you can understand."
"Now, there are current events that you must know," Sinister continued, "Right now, I'm sure you've all been familiarizing yourselves with the X-Men, Acolytes, and Brotherhood."
"Yes we have, but what I would like to know is, why are you so interested in them?" asked the cold voice of Deathstrike. Sinister merely looked at her, pleased at the cruel hardness and anger in her voice.
"The reasons why I am so interested in these three mutant teams, is that they are the core essence of all our planning, Deathstrike. They are who the four of us," he motioned to himself, Selene, Mesmero, and Shadow King, "have been watching, observing and studying for the past two decades. They are extremely important to our founder's plans for the world, and for himself. In addition, he has also promised us the opportunity to seek revenge on those of them we so desire. I'm sure you know what I am referring to."
Deathstrike felt her lips curl over her teeth in a fierce snarl, her long adamantium talons raking the table as she dragged her hands back over it, leaving deep scratches on the surface. Logan. Wolverine. That was who Sinister was talking about, andeveryone knew it. Ever since Deathstrike had been transformed into a cyborg with adamantium talons on her hands, she had been seeking for a way to get revenge on Logan. Sinister knew the reason, but to him it was less that worrisome. Yuriko Oyama was a skilled martial artist and deadly assassin, much like the others seated around the table. In fact, she was one of the more lethal and skilled assassins. She had agreed to be a member of Sinister's Shadow Hunters out of the price of making Wolverine suffer like never before. The offer of money was meaningless to her. Sinister just had to be sure that once she found Logan, she didn't kill him, for Wolverine, like the rest of the X-Men were needed for what he had planned. "I will work with you," said Deathstrike, "But I don't want to remind you that I was promised a chance of making that freak animal Wolverine suffer for the misery he has caused me."
Selene stepped forward towards Deathstrike, an evil smile of approval on her face. "Oh, you'll get your chance to see that animal suffer, enough," she told the clawed, half-cyborg woman, "in fact, once we get our hands on him, as we will do with the rest of the X-Men, you'll be able to continually gut and slice and cut him as much as you please without killing him."
Deathstrike didn't seem satisfied with the answer. "That animal is not even worthy of living!" she insisted, "I want to cut that skeleton of his out of his body on millimeter at a time slowly!"
"Oh, I think making him suffer for all time is a much worse thing than death. After all, being in so much agony to wish for death is better than death, for death only ends the agony. Wouldn't you agree, Omega Red?" Selene asked the last person in the room.
The last person in the room, who hadn't even spoken a word until now, was a man sitting at one of the far corners of the table, calmly, yet looking very dangerous at the same time. He wore a shimmering red suit of armor on his body, red armored guantlets and gloves on his hands and forearms, and a red headband with the Greek letter "Omega" on the front. His name was Arkady Rossovich a.k.a. Omega Red. Long flowing locks of blond hair flowed past his shoulders, his skin as white as chalk and his eyes blood red. He was an extraordinarily big man, standing 6' 11" tall, and weighing 425 pounds. And his musculature was greater than that of most bodybuilding champions.
Omega Red was a Russian mutant, possessing superhuman strength and the ability to release lethal toxic chemicals, called the "death factor,"from his body. From times long back, Arkady Rossovich was one of Russia's most notorious serial killers before he became Omega Red. Merciless, cunning, and deadly, he was selected to be the perfect super-soldier to protect the Soviet Union from enemies. As part of the process, he was armored with carbonadium plating and had prehensile carbonadium tentacles implanted in his arms that could squeeze with enough force to mash solid steel. But the need for his services were gone before they even arose. To make matters worse for the newly created super soldier, the carbonadium syntheisizer, the device that allowed him to control his mutant death factor, was lost during a conflict with Weapon X and Omega Red was placed in suspended animation, which was also a precautionary measure, for he couldn't control his mutant powers, which required him to drain the life energy from victims to sustain himself. But years ago, Hydra had illegally smuggled him out of the holding lab in Russia and recruited him. And to help him control his powers, he had been implanted with a replacement carbonadium synthesizer. Now, his new employer at Hydra had sent him to work for Sinister for a time. Omega Red was more than willing, for he wanted to get back at those bastard X-Agents, Sabertooth, Wolverine and Maverick, who were members of Weapon-X, the organization who defeated him during a conflict in Russia and left him broken.
"I would like nothing more than to simply crush Sabertooth and Wolverine in my tentacles like insects," said the over-sized Russian mutant, "Them and all of their Weapon-X comrades. Leave them broken, and seeing them suffer would be most entertaining."
"As in kill?"demanded Deathstrike, sounding like she was ready to slash with her claws, "Wolverine is mine!"
"I deserve to extract my revenge on that little man too," Omega Red said in calm and dangerous voice, "But I can live with seeing him suffer for a long time. Death only ends the agony, I say crush him and leave him broken and bleeding. All the time I sent on ice due to his interference on my country's golden age, he must know the fury of my people." Omega Red's dangerous mind, filled with his serial killer impulses, were what made the Russian-born murderer truly dangerous. And that was what Sinister liked about him the most.
But Sinister decided to continue on. "I assure you Deathstrike, and you Omega Red, will get your chances for revenge as I promised. But for now, we must wait. As we speak, Dr. Bolivar Trask, a former employee of S.H.I.E.L.D., is secretly constructing a warrior robot designated the 'Sentinel." Which he hoped to use to patrol humanity and destroy mutants. It is still underway right now, but when it is completed in approximately four weeks time, Magneto is going to use it to expose mutants to the world in the hopes of making the X-Men see that his miserable belief of mutants ruling the Earth is the right philosophy."
Everyone in the room was staring at Sinister as he spoke. Even Deathstrike and Omega Red were listening closely. While some were merely staring blankly forward, Marrow looked surprised.
"Expose mutants?" she asked incredulously, "That's crazy! It'll be like placing 'kill me' signs on the back of each and every mutant out there!"
"Indeed," said Sinister, "But we will be able to use that event to our advantage."
"How will that work?" asked Kane, "I fail to see how you can use that in your operation."
"What that event will grant us," said Selene, taking over for a second, "is the opportunity to seize the X-Men."
"Why?" asked Deadpool, "anytime's as good as another!"
"Because that will be when the X-Men will be in such confusion from terror of the public that they will be the most vulnerable to a surprise attack on them. As will the Brotherhood and Acolytes," said Sinister, "We must attack them when the time is right."
"Trust me, my Shadow Hunters," said Sinister, "the time for our plans is nearing. But we must prepare for it now and be ready for it. Too long have we been preparing for this for it to fail. And you will all be rewarded in the end. Another reason why we have waited so long is that all the pieces of the puzzle were not in place. However, now they are." He turned to Shadow King. "Tell them, Shadow King," said Sinister.
Shadow King stepped forward and began speaking. "Earlier tonight, Xavier got a new student in his team of X-Men. We've been carefully waiting for all the mutants we need to be in the right place at the right time. This new student of Xavier's was the last remaining candidate for our plans. Now that all the mutants we are searching for are in those three teams, and with those three teams in locations that we know well and can easily access. All we need to do is wait for the right time to attack."
"But what is the whole reason for this?" asked Deathstrike again, impatient as always for her revenge, "Why are you so interested in these three teams? And of course, what we supposed to do?"
"I was wondering that myself," said Omega Red, crossing his enormous arms over the massive carbonadium chest plate of his armor.
Sinister smiled at the Japanese woman, then at the large armored Russian. He could go on and on with his plans, but he couldn't tell them everything. If they knew too much, he could lose their cooperation. He couldn't risk that yet. "I've said all I can for now. When I have more information, I can tell you what steps will be next. All of you will be key parts in our plans, and if all goes well, you'll all be rewarded."
With that last sentence, Sinister looked at Selene, who was smiling with blatant zeal and sadistic excitement. Yes. If all went well, all of them would be rewarded for their troubles. But the biggest reward of all would be Sinister and Selene's. And nothing would stand between them and that reward.
More villains! Sinister and Selene are here! And the Shadow King and Mesmero have teamed up with them! And Sinister's "Shadow Hunters" are here as well! What do you think of the "alterations" I made on a couple of them? Sorry to all you "Nasty Boys" fans out there, but I wanted to try something different with this fic! So tell me, is this getting SINISTER enough for you (pun intended)? This is only the beginning of the fic friends. Simon is now with the X-Men, the Acolytes are in town, and there's an evil group lurking in the shadows, who have their eyes on all the mutants in Bayville! What's next? This fic is far from over! The main reason for this chapter was to bring in Sinister and Selene, introduce the Shadow Hunters and to let you all know something big is planned. If you're wonderng what the hell it is, that's the idea! I want you all to be kept in suspense. Not to worry, it will be revealed in time. And there will be even morenon-original characters down the road. I'm sorry if this dragged on, but that was how my fingers worked at the keyboard. I make mistakes. Anyhow, Review! Please Review! Please, oh please, oh please, review!