CHAPTER 26: PLANS IN MOTION
Bolivar Trask a tall well built man with dark hair and mustache was in the control room as he watched his first operational Sentinel at work. He was in the control room overlooking a very large empty metal room where the robot was being tested.
With Osborn back he now had all the supplies and parts needed to finish his project to save humanity from the mutant scourge. He couldn't understand why those fools in SHIELD couldn't see that mutants were a threat to the entire world to the entire human race.
He watched as his one hundred foot fall red and black behemoth moved through the training area. It's movements were still a bit too sluggish but his people told him that they would be able to get it faster by the end of the week. The weapons were being calibrated even now as the Sentinel targeted several targets they put up.
The weapons came on-line as multiple energy based weapons came out of the massive machine. Trask was watching a monitor that showed the targeting HUD of the Sentinel as he locked onto the targets. He was timing to see how long from lock on to firing as well as accuracy.
The titan fired its weapons shooting the targets to pieces, well most of them it had missed three of the targets and Trask looked over the data. "I want the left canons recalibrated and double check the connections to the processors." He spoke to a technician.
"Yes sir," Came the snapped replay. He nodded it had taken time to find good people for this project and it wasn't easy keeping this all under SHIELD's radar but he had been with them long enough to know how to slip past them.
Besides he had some pretty powerful backers and they knew how to get certain things for him. It was because of them that he had the funds for his base, and to contract Osborn for this and so far the work was very promising.
He was pleased with the results so far the Sentinel project was finally moving smoothly and efficiently. It wouldn't be long until it was fully ready. He had his troops rounding up certain mutants that wouldn't be missed to be used against this Sentinel and they were getting better. But they needed someone better someone more dangerous.
In the control room everyone was busy as they looked over system readouts and everyone looked like it was going well. At the far wall a door hissed open and a soldier rushed in, "Sir we may have something."
Trask looked at the man as he waited for him to speak, "Sir we've been getting sightings of a mutant not too far from here. We've manage to get an ID from a surveillance system we've been setting up in areas where mutants could hide out."
The soldier handed him black and white images a few were a bit blurred but he stopped at a clear one. He knew this mutant alright, while at SHIELD he learned of several major mutant threats and this one was nearly on the top of the list. Sabertooth, a man that was known to be linked to Magneto an extremely dangerous mutant.
He looked up sharply at the man in front of him, "Has there been any pattern to his behavior?"
"I'm sorry sir not at the moment but I have men staking out the areas he was seen."
"Good I want you to keep me posted and watch out for this one," Trask warned him the last thing he needed was for him to start losing men because they got careless. "He's extremely dangerous so watch out for him, take no changes."
The man saluted and turned on his heel and left the room. Trask looked at the images and grinned Sabertooth would be a most welcome and valued specimen for the Sentinel with him he could really help make it a much more efficient killing machine.
He turned back to the large windows seeing the Sentinel walk back into a massive work bay where technicians and engineers were looking it over. "When they finish with the recalibrations send out the last of the specimens. Let's see what it can do then."
-Bayville High-
Peter was talking with Hobie a friend he made this year at school. He was like a smarter version of Evan well that and more mature with no blond heir dye as well. He was also like Peter kind of an 'outsider' that being the polite term meaning geek or something else like it. So it stood to reason they got alone well because of that shared social standing in high school.
"So you ready for finals?" Hobie asked Peter he had to admit he himself was already studying it. Well as much as he could without cutting into his nocturnal activities. Sure he was learning still but as Prowler he felt for the first time he was doing something worth doing.
Already he had heard people talking about the strange vigilante in Bayville and sure it was a nice ego boost. But he tried not to let it get to him he still remembered how he just barely made it away that one night he helped Spider-Man. Some guy in a helmet and cape with this butt ugly dude that looked part cat were there.
Lately he had been keeping a bit more of a lower profile until he could get a few more adjustments to his suit. But anyway things were good and it was nice having a friend like Peter along too. Although he got the feeling there was something odd with Peter's life or maybe just off but he couldn't place it.
Peter was thinking about finals he couldn't believe the year was nearly over all ready. It didn't seem that long ago since he started at this school but boy had things changed. And for the better he felt, he found people that could understand him, he no longer had to lie to his aunt. Found a 'little sister' in Spyder made more friends then he ever had. And to top it all off one hell of a girlfriend.
For the first time he felt things were going his way, "Oh yeah trust me we got a lot of studying going on at the mansion we even get groups together to help out."
"Uh huh," Hobie smirked at him for a moment, "Any of those are private 'tutoring' sessions with a certain goth?"
"Yeah right Rogue would kill me if she thought I was cheating on her with Wanda," He smirked turning that around on him. Hobie rolled his eyes he hadn't met Wanda something about her being in a hospital for a long time and needed home schooling to catch up. Or so that's what he was told.
Unfortunately Hobie wasn't looking where he was going and bummed into someone, "oh hey there sorry man." He looked but only saw a pair of overalls and looked up, and up, and up some more into the face of Fred Dukes.
'Ah hell,' were the twins thoughts of the two but Peter noticed he wasn't alone. Max was also there with the new girl Sandra as well. 'Well this is going to suck.' Peter quickly tried to think up an exit strategy for this.
"Hey watch where you're going," Fred crossed his arms glaring at the smaller dark skinned teen.
"I think he should apologies," Sandra grinned at this scene. She looked at Peter daring him to try something given this was the boyfriend of her 'sister' she really didn't like him. In fact she knew Max had issues with him as well and saw him smile at this as well.
"Hey Fred maybe you should make him peg for forgiveness," Max added in now Fred was catching on to what they were doing. He may have not been the smartest guy but he did catch on fast sometimes.
Fred grinned down at him, "Well go on beg me, and maybe if you throw in your lunch money and maybe I'll let you go with just a wedgie."
"What? No freaking way," Hobie said defiantly to the extremely large boy in front of him.
Peter stepped in, "Come on guys we don't have to do this."
"Oh I think we do," Max grinned at him knowing full well Peter was outnumbered and couldn't use his powers with his friend there with him.
Peter tried to think of something quickly, "Well then I guess you guys forgot about him. Hey Principal Kelly." He smiled and waved to him behind the three teens. They turned to look knowing their fun was spoiled but they didn't see Kelly.
They did hear some fast pacing shoes and quickly turned back to see the two of them ran past a corner in the halls. Being tricked like that wasn't something they were about to take laying down and quickly went after them. Well Max and Sandra did Fred just kind of tried to go as fast as he could to keep up with them.
After the three ran past a supply closet door opened up and out stepped the two teens, Peter checked with his spider-sense and so far things were okay. "Man I can't believe this old trick worked."
"Hey I'm not knocking it," Hobie said grinned back stepping and feeling someone up against his back. He quickly turned as did Peter when his spider-sense went off. Now they turned to see Hobie walked into their old pal Duncan Mathews and a few of his goon squad.
"Well look what we got here," The blond quarterback said with a malicious grin on his face. Hobie palmed his face, this just wasn't his day.
Peter looked at the other teen with a deadpan expression on his face, "You're a jinx today aren't you?"
-Elsewhere in the School-
It was between glasses and Rogue and Scott were walking the halls together, they were going to meet up with a few of the others outside. Scott couldn't help but still after these last few months look around, living a life mostly blind or seeing one color really made you appreciate things when you got it.
There were times that while walking he would just get a small smile on his face as he just took in the view. It's amazing how you can actually forget how many different shades of green there is in the world when you don't see it. He also had a habit of checking his watch now and then but it was more for the power levels of the nullifier built into it.
"So Scott you still up for that game on Friday?" Rogue asked him with a hint of a grin she really wanted to try out her new physical abilities against him on the court.
He flashed her that smile that once made her feel weak in the knees but now was just charming. She had her own guy that made her feel that, and she was glad he was finally with Jean two. She had to admit those two did deserve one another. "Sure thing but just take it easy on me."
"Ah promise nothin'."
"Hey guys," Came Jean's voice as she was walking with Taryn and Paul with her. Those two were really starting to feel a lot more natural around other mutants. In fact they were starting to think of it as 'normal' now. Plus the fact that certain things now made sense about their friends and they felt closer after being trusted with this secret.
Scott's face instantly lit up as he saw Jean and went to her, "Hey how's it going?"
Jean smiled at him with a smile and look in her eyes that only Scott got out of her, "Not bad so far."
Rogue rolled her eyes seeing how they acted with each other although Paul and Taryn were just grinning at the site. "So you guys want to go to the mall after school?" Paul asked all of them and He even looked to Rogue which surprised her.
"What ya want meh?" She asked him surprised.
"Sure why not?" Paul shrugged his shoulders he really was a nice guy not like a few other people Rogue could name. "I mean might as well get to know Scott's friends as well right?"
At this point Taryn jumped in, "Yeah come on, you can even bring your boyfriend Peter along as well. I hear he's an interesting guy to hang out with and he seemed nice the few times we met."
Rogue was a bit glad but then her face fell a bit, "Ah can't ah got my extra trainin' after school."
Both humans were at a loss at that they knew about the kind of training they all went through but not because of any other personal training. Jean saw this and started to explain about how Rogue's powers had developed. Well she gave them a short version they didn't have time to go into all the details. "So basically Rogue has been having personal training sessions to learn to control her ability With luck she could get total control one day." Jean finished it off.
"Oh man I bet you're looking forward to that," Taryn blurted out and then mentally smack herself for her less then tactful approach. "Sorry I meant it to come out better."
Rogue just shrugged it off, "It's okay so far ah only got ta hold a person for a minute before ah lose concentration." She sighed it was a long hard road.
"Well I think you're doing great," Scott encouraged her placing a hand on her shoulder. "I mean when you started you only could do it for a few seconds."
"Yeah Rogue you shouldn't give up, I know this has been your dream to touch all on your own and you're closer now then ever," Jean was trying to be supportive of Rogue she had been through a lot in life and her mutation hadn't made it any easier.
This all made Rogue genuinely smile at the support, she felt a small pang of regret in how she had viewed Jean earlier this year but she really was a good person. If still a little too 'Miss Perfect' at times but you can't like someone all the time. But she did now and was glad for having nice friends.
Paul and Taryn shared a small glance at each other this was just another side that they had never been able to see in Jean and Scott. Not knowing the full story helped them to see just how their two friends were like the pillars of the team they were on. They helped to keep everyone uplifted and be there for them.
But they were learning all the time about just what the lives of their friends and the people they lived with were like. "Well maybe anther time then Rogue and I hope that this works out for you," Paul said to her.
"Thanks and maybe ah will one day." She shrugged but it was nice of him to still offer.
-Later that Day-
Logan wasn't happy, but then he usually wasn't but this was worse. Xavier had been picking up Sabertooth a lot lately in fact he was doing a lot of activity which was strange given how ever since he started working with Magneto he had been pretty much staying under the radar.
So here he was trying to track his oldest enemy a man he had been fighting as far back as he literally could remember. He didn't know how it all started but the only thing he did know was that they hated each other as much as two people could. One day they would throw down one final time and only one of them would walk away.
But now wasn't that time he had a job to do and that was to find out what Sabertooth was doing. Logan was now in his light brown and black uniform and of course of all the places for Creed to go through it had to be the sewers.
Logan hated sewers they were filled with things that his sensitive nose didn't like, and it made tracking harder when your nose hairs were burning or trying not to get sick from the smells. There was also all the sights that made him glad he had a strong stomach.
Like a rat that was floating belly up in the water and not to mention what was in that water.
He had been looking for over two hours and he was getting pissed at this. He could be spending his time putting the kids through training or taking his bike apart and giving it a nice once over. But this wasn't what he liked to do on his days. He just hoped this was all worth it.
It was then the finally caught a fresh scent from Creed, it was faint but it was there. He ran off down the dark tunnel as he let his senses lead him the way. He came into a large square section that looked like a junction area of some sort. The scent was here that was for sure but where?
He stalked the area being mindful of all the shadows since he knew Creed like to jump his prey. He loved to smell their fear well he wasn't afraid of Creed. Just then his hearing picked up a small sound, the sound of a heavy boot slightly adjusting on a pipe.
The Wolverine threw himself to the side and Sabertooth tried to pounce onto him from a pipe from the shadow above. "Hello runt I figured sooner or later you'd showed up, took ya long enough."
"What are ya doin' here Creed!" Logan snarled out unleashing his claws.
"Just setting up the pieces for the big show," he grinned at his enemy jumped at him slashing with his claws. The two began the old feud once more, Sabertooth knew he was just to keep him busy and lead him to those others but that didn't mean he couldn't have some fun while he was at it as well.
Sabertooth managed to punch him hard in the cut given that the ribs only would hurt his hand from that damn metal over his bones. Logan grunted with the blow and felt himself being lifted and then thrown through the air.
He managed to roll when he landed and slashed out with his claws knowing full well Creed would go in for the kill and Logan managed to swipe him with the claws racking them across the larger man's chest. Sabertooth roared out in pain and anguish.
He jumped onto Logan slamming him against a wall but Logan kicked him off himself. Creed was about to lose himself in his bloodlust but his ears picked up a small sound from down the tunnels. He knew that Logan may or may not have noticed it but then Creed was still listening for those others.
"You want to finish this runt then you'll have to catch me." Sabertooth quickly fled down one of the tunnels Logan growled out in frustration. He quickly ran after him wondering what was up with this and where he was going. He kept on Sabertooth's trail until he saw him climb through a maintenance tunnel or something.
He got under it and was about to go up when he felt a large pull on his bones and he was slammed into the ground. He looked up to see metal warping around behind Sabertooth cutting off access. Logan knew Magneto was somewhere close he had to be and he also knew that Magneto couldn't hold him down forever.
When he felt the pull end he shot up ready to chase after him, his claws would take care of the metal but then he heard something. He stopped for a moment listening there were footsteps many of them in fact. He looked behind him wondering what was going on, why there were so many people down here.
There couldn't be that many work people down here but there was more wrong with this. They were running in unison, tight formation. He could hear equipment rattling as well lots of it and in combat boots. He knew that sound anywhere they were different from work boots.
He turned around to see a few shadowy figures with glowing eyes he knew those were night vision or even thermal goggles they were wearing. "Mutant target you know the drill."
They fired gas canisters that filled up the room quickly Logan tried to move quickly but the smoke blocked his sense in fact there was a hint of a knockout gas in it. The next thing he felt were several stings over his body as they fired tasers into his body.
He felt the electrical current shoot through his body as he roared out in pain. But eventually the world went dark.
After the smoke cleared the soldiers walked around him in a circle. "This wasn't the target we were looking for is he?" One of them asked the squad leader.
"No it's not but at least we're not coming out of this empty handed." The leader put away his weapon as he started to give orders. "Okay put the restraints on him and keep him out, let's take no chances and radio the other squads to keep looking for the other one."
"Yes sir," They said as they got to work to take in the mutant for Trask.
NEXT UP CHAPTER 27: COUNTDOWN TO ZERO HOUR