"How is he?" Althea asked Bree as the Misfits sat in the waiting room of the Joes infirmary…one of the few buildings in the Pit left standing after Red Nova's insane assault barely an hour prior. The X-Men were waiting with them.

"Shipwreck's injuries were minor." Bree sighed in exhaustion. There were so many injuries…fortunately most of them were minor.

"What about the Blind Master and General Hawk?" Lance asked.

Most.

Bree sighed again, this time in general unhappiness.

"The Blind Master bruised several vertebrae and came within in inch of breaking his spine. Still, he's strong and is expected to make a full recovery."

"And Hawk?" Logan asked.

"Alive…barely." Bree answered, looking down at the floor. "If he survives the next hour or two, he'll probably make it."

" 'Probably.' " Althea repeated numbly. Althea glared at Yvonne—she and Sharon had been brought along to the Pit when news of the attack reached the Institute. "I don't know who I'm madder at: Vlad for what he did here, you for what you did to Vlad in the first place, or me for not taking you both down earlier."

"This isn't the time." Amira insisted. "We have to save Vlad and the others before Cobra kills them!"

"Yeah, that's our job." Todd muttered angrily as he looked through the window into the infirmary, where the hospital beds were full of wounded Joes, including Roadblock.

"It isn't his fault." Lina said as conciliatorily as she could. "Remember, I was with the Hellions for a month. Off the battlefield, when their…conditioning wasn't in effect, they were not that different from us."

"I'm no medic but even I've heard of the term 'Stockholm Syndrome.'" Xi told her. "I think your judgment may be impaired."

"Lina knows what she's talking about." Fred said defending her.

"Look, if we want to save the Omegas we have to go…now." Scott put in. "Althea if you want to stay with your father…" But Althea shook her head.

"My dad's got a hard head, he'll be fine. If anything he'd want me to go out and bust some Cobras if he can't."

"Umm, question?" Kurt asked, raising his hand. "How do we know where they'll be?"

"If it's Cobra, there's only one place they'll feel safe enough to set up an ambush." Althea said darkly. "The Terror-Drome."

00000000

"The Terror-Drome?" Phelan asked. "Why would we be ordered to report to Cobra headquarters?"

"Who cares?" Vladimir retorted, not without a touch of bitterness. He had gone to the Pit to look for Amira, Naomi, and Lina. He found nothing. And then…he didn't remember. "If the chief snake wants us to go, we'll go. He just better hope he doesn't annoy me." Vlad growled.

"I'm not in a good mood."

0000000000000

"Is everything ready?" Cobra Commander demanded. Destro nodded.

"As soon as the Omega Hellions arrive, the Dreadnoks will take them down. They've been smarting ever since the Hellions made them look bad at Dakota City and have been spoiling for the opportunity to take them down. And with our knowledge of the Hellions' strengths and weaknesses…"

"Destroying them will be a piece of cake." Cobra Commander laughed. "And my path to the Inner Circle is assured! When will they arrive?"

"Soon, Cobra Commander. Soon."