All Aboard
Disclaimer: Same as beforeā¦
---
"Damn, how long am I on light duty?" Mountaineer grumbled.
"At least a week. I really want to make sure your ankle is rested." Lifeline began.
"Woo woo woo woo woo..." Klondike wooed.
"Did you have to bring him in here?" Lifeline asked.
"Sibes can and do outwit security systems all the time." Ted replied.
"Woo woo woo woo woo." Klondike wooed.
"So, how did this happen again?" Lifeline asked.
"Well, I made it the twelve miles to Coyote Canyon, chained my bike off to a nearby scrub tree, tied my climbing rope off to a nearby rocky outcropping, put my climbing harness and helmet on, and then rappeled into the canyon. I stowed my rope and carabiners in my backpack with my climbing harness, hiked about seven miles through the canyon and found another drop, at the nose called 'The Nostril'. I anchored the rope and put my harness on and rappeled down this other unexplored part of the canyon. I was distracted by these very interesting bas reliefs Lance shaped into the walls of that part of the canyon." Ted replied.
"And what were these bas reliefs of?" Lifeline asked.
"Let's just say..." Ted began.
"OW! OW! OW! OW! OW!" Lance shouted.
"LANCE HOW COULD YOU?" Kitty shouted.
"KITTY! OW! MERCY! TAKE IT EASY" Lance's screams could be heard echoing outside the infirmary.
"LANCE! MAKING SCULPTURES OF ME IN NAKED OR NEAR NAKED POSES IS NOT SOMETHING I TAKE EASILY!" Kitty shouted.
"Oh, that's what was in there." Lifeline replied.
"I remember thinking that if Kitty ever saw those, or any of the X-men..." Ted replied.
"I think that's a bit too late? I think I've got more patients en route." Lifeline said, "So continue, what happened next?"
"I rappeled a little too quickly, and hit the canyon hard. Owing to the thirty pounds of stuff in my backpack it was a hard landing. I climbed out, got to my bike, pedaled back to base and checked in here." Ted replied, "And apparently Trinity got a hold of my digital camera and broadcast all the pictures and video camera out to the X-men, who happened to be visiting..."
"And they e-mailed or texted the pictures and videos to every X-man or Misfit?" Lifeline asked.
"Exactly." Ted replied.
"So you fell, staring at those bas reliefs..." Lifeline began.
"They were incredibly lifelike." Ted replied.
"Then you broke your right foot. Climbed out of the canyon by a thin trail..." Lifeline began.
"It wasn't as thin as the Snake Path on Masada, which can accommodate two men, shoulder to shoulder at the widest." Ted replied.
"Whatever." Lifeline replied, with uncharacteristic annoyance, "Then you climbed up to your bike, unlocked it, and pedaled twelve miles back to the pit on a broken foot, carrying forty pounds of gear and water."
"Exactly." Ted replied.
"Mountaineer, you basically broke your foot because of ego. You wanted to beat Alpine in exploring the latest geological feature Avalanche created with his powers." Lifeline said.
"Your powers helped." Ted replied.
"Thank Dragonfly for that." Lifeline replied.
Ted's right foot was wrapped in Dragonfly's healing webs, "Thanks Dragonfly."
"And thanks Cover Girl." Ted added.
"Woo woo woo woo woo."
"Klondike, you were riding in the jeep with Cover Girl when she gave me a ride to the Infirmary, that doesn't count." Ted replied.
"Woo woo woo woo woo."
"Thanks for keeping an eye on this guy." Ted winced.
"You're welcome." Cover Girl replied, "He and I actually had a good time."
Klondike sat up and licked Cover Girl's hand as she petted him, scratching behind the ears as well.
"Got boys drooling all over you as usual, eh Courtney?" Lifeline laughed.
"Woo woo woo." Klondike wooed, coming between Lifeline and Cover Girl.
"It looks like there's a third eligible bachelor contending for the runway model's heart." Ted remarked.
"Woo woo." Klondike wooed, heading over to Ted's bedside and tugging on his sleeve.
"What is it boy?" Ted asked as he sat up.
"Woo woo woo woo woo." Klondike headed over to Ted's backpack and started to drag it with his mouth towards the bedside.
"Sorry boy, I ate everything that I packed in there on the way back from Coyote Canyon." Ted replied.
"Woo woo woo woo woo." Klondike began, as if to say, 'That's not the point.'
Ted heard the buzzing sound just then, "Damn it! That must be Paige..."
"Woo woo woo!" Klondike replied.
"Quiet you!" Ted replied.
"Woo woo woo woo woo!"
Cover Girl laughed and handed Ted his cell phone. "Hi Paige. I know what day it is. It's our six month anniversary..." Ted began.
Klondike let out an almost laughter-like chortling sound. "Quiet you!" Ted began, "No, not you sweetheart."
"Aw..." Cover Girl remarked. I wish I had what Ted has with Paige.
"It depends on what Lifeline says." Ted replied.
After about a three minute pause, interrupted by repeated, "I'm OK" and "I'm still alive" comments, Ted continued, "I had a little rappeling accident."
"How long?" Ted asked.
"You'll be able to walk in a couple hours, but stay off that foot as much as possible." Lifeline replied.
"I'll be about fifteen minutes late." Ted said into the phone, "I just am supposed to stay off my foot for a week."
"Yeah, dinner sounds good...I'll see you in a couple hours, honey. I love you. Bye." Ted replied.
---
"So, how is your production of the Serum coming along?" Syndrome asked Cobra Commander.
"It would be going better if I didn't have the Misfits attacking my production lines all the time." Cobra Commander replied.
"Somebody isn't doing a good job of security." Graydon Creed sniped, "What, somebody can't handle a bunch of mutant teenagers?"
Barillo laughed, despite the fact that his face ached, courtesy of a botched plastic surgery job.
"Yes, I do note that the supply of the Serum is somewhat interrupted by those pesky Misfit raids. And that the FOH aren't providing a good enough distraction." Syndrome replied.
"Those were some of my best operatives in San Francisco that were killed or captured." Creed bristled.
"What of the Orlando operation?" Syndrome asked.
"It's being organized. We'll have Congressman Shale soon enough." Creed replied, "If certain people wouldn't screw things up."
"You can't blame the lion's share of this on me." Cobra Commander replied.
"I don't." Creed replied, "I blame the majority of this on you. What about the weapons you promised?"
"They'll come soon enough." Cobra Commander replied.
"And what of the potency?" Syndrome asked, "To change the subject."
"The Serum is potent, especially if the subjects are bombarded with certain doses of radiation, it can create different variations of Heartless." Dr. Mindbender began, "And some of these variants are especially fast and effective, taking effect in a matter of hours and overcoming the subject's will to succumb to Darkness."
A vulture's gleam shone in Mindbender's eyes, "Yes, and of even greater benefit. If a person with a strong heart succumbs to the Darkness, a second creature is created. A malformed, twisted grayish humanoid of great dexterity and strength. This was discovered at the main facility."
"Where are your main facilities located?" Syndrome asked.
"We have three main labs. One of which we already lost to G.I. Joe many years ago called Moreauseau, the second is just off the Azores, and the third is off the coast of Costa Rica." Cobra Commander replied.
"I think the facility that is least productive of the two is expendable." Syndrome replied.
"Wait just one moment." Cobra Commander replied, "You're not saying I sacrifice a multibillion dollar facility to..."
"The cost is well worth the benefit." Syndrome replied, "I have some technology that will remove the Misfits from the playing field, leaving you gentlemen to carve up the world for yourselves."
"I'm listening." Cobra Commander replied, "And Mindbender, which lab was this discovery you mentioned located?"
"The Costa Rica facility." Mindbender replied.
"Tell our people to maintain a skeleton crew at the Azores facility, but still keep carrying out the tests." Cobra Commander replied, "We'll remove the Misfit menace once and for all."
The other villains began to depart from the auditorium and as the soundproof doors closed, Syndrome let out a hollow laugh.
"Fools." Syndrome laughed, "It was so easy to get them to agree. They were seduced by the baubles of my inventions. They think they are so clever as to distribute the Serum throughout this world with their networks of smuggling and trafficking. They think they're so clever as to discover the Nobodies. They think they are kings, but in all reality they are but pawns..."
The black robed figure appeared before Syndrome, "Do not forget to give credit where credit is due, Buddy Pine."
"I haven't gone by that name in years." Syndrome replied, "Sixteen years to be exact."
"It was we who saved you from the grisly fate that you should have had." The robed figure said, "And it was we who gave you power to control the Heartless. Do not forget that we could just as easily revoke it. The shield around your heart will be taken away, and the Heartless would have yet another heart to feed upon."
"This world will have plenty of hearts for you to harvest." Syndrome replied, "I am upholding my part of the bargain, and dealing with those smug and insufferable fools."
"I must admire your clever plan to send the Misfits to Metroville, right into the middle of the Soviet invasion of your world." A second robed figure began, as it appeared from nowhere, "But this is an awful lot to take revenge on one man."
"Not one man. All those people who mocked me, cursed me, spit on me, broke my inventions...Well now they're under my rule. Those that bullied Buddy Pine when he was a boy, now quiver with fear under the rule of Syndrome!" Syndrome replied, "If they don't fear me, I make them disappear, and I have managed to provoke the Russians into a war with Metroville. The Soviet distrust of Metroville, and me, has played another world into your capable hands."
"Very good, Syndrome." The first robed figure began, "Just remember to give credit where credit is due..."
The robed figures disappeared, leaving Syndrome standing alone in the auditorium.
---
"What drives you to do these things again?" Paige asked.
"I let my ego get in the way." Ted replied, "Alpine and I have had this rivalry for months as to who can explore or climb Lance's sleep terraforming experiments."
"Men..." Paige grumbled.
"Excuse me." Ted replied.
"I'm just saying that seems to be an issue with you." Paige replied, "You guys as a whole seem to be ruled by egos..."
"Paige, it's part of what has driven the human spirit for centuries." Ted chimed in, "Remember Yuri Gagarin, the first Soviet Cosmonaut's words: 'The Earth is the cradle of the mind, but one cannot stay in the cradle forever.'? Or the guy who climbed Everest without any oxygen, and came down nearly dead?"
"Weren't you paying attention to the 'nearly dead' part of that sentence?" Paige asked.
"Of course I was." Ted replied, "It's the human spirit of exploration that drives me to do things like that. And not just me, others as well. The ancient Phoenicians explorers who explored the Mediterranean..."
"...Let's not forget Hernan Cortez." Paige countered.
"That was a slightly different situation. Cortez was driven by greed, I was driven by a desire to explore that canyon." Ted replied.
"Exploration has also caused its share of problems to, genocides, exploitation..." Paige began, "But that's a bit too grim of a subject for dinner. We haven't been able to go out like this for a long time."
"And it's been unusually peaceful for a long time." Ted replied.
"True. I haven't heard of a single Pirate related incident or FOH beating in a month..." Ted replied.
"The former is because Hawk practically twisted Jack Sparrow's arm into counseling with Psyche Out and it seems to be working."
"Yo ho! Yo ho! A Pirate's life for me!" The song echoed as a cable car drove down the road, with Jack Sparrow and the Pirates, and Psyche Out in it. Psyche Out was wearing an eyepatch and a pirate hat and waved a cutlass around.
"You were saying?" Paige replied.
Just then Ted's cell phone rang. Ted answered it, and his face fell.
"Oh no," Paige groaned, "not again."
Ted kissed her lips quickly and clutched her hand with both of his, with a look that conveyed everything he had to say, before he teleported back to the Pit via the Mass Device.
"This is the fifth date with Ted that's been interrupted." Paige replied, "All I need now is..."
Paige felt that familiar jingle that said that there was something wrong at the Magic School. Paige headed for the women's bathroom before orbing out.
---
"So what's the emergency?" Mountaineer asked as he took his seat.
"An island rumored to be similar to Moreauseau was recently discovered near the Azores." Julie Atkins began, as she walked across the stage, to the rustling of her blue Air Force uniform skirt.
At this Roadblock felt his blood run cold, as he remembered the sight of the inmates of Dr. Mindbender's twisted playground. Children younger than Toad when Roadblock had first found him, children with missing limbs. A girl with an eye hanging grotesquely from her head like some weird stalk. A teenager whose breath came in rattling gasps through the hole in his trachea. A vivisected set of twin girls, still alive and in terrible pain...
"When are we attacking it?" Roadblock asked.
"And how?" Shipwreck added.
"By sea obviously." Roadblock answered.
Cover Girl groaned, "I hate water..."
"The sea air is good for you. I'm living proof of that." Shipwreck said.
"Even worse..." Cover Girl replied.
"We will board a passenger liner, the Sovreignty, registered out of Southampton." Julie began, "And we will use two captured COBRA attack speedboats to infiltrate the island."
"We want in on this mission." The X-men said.
"How did you know about this?" Julie replied.
"The same way anyone knows anything about anything that goes on in this asylum." Bobby quipped, "Trinity e-mailed Jamie, Jamie told a couple people, those couple people..."
"We get the picture, Iceman. But you can't go on this mission because it spoils our plan."
"I disagree." Xavier began, "This issue of Mindbender and experimentation affects us all."
"Marvin," Cover Girl began, "I agree with Xavier. And tactically, who knows what genetic experimental monsters Mindbender's cooked up to face us this time."
"Still, it's..."
"I'm aware of your concerns, Mr. Hinton, but I have put together a team of our strongest students to face Cobra." Xavier began.
"So you're proposing a joint operation with us?" Shipwreck replied.
"Yes." Xavier said.
"Hey baby," Shipwreck said, to Storm, "Maybe after this op we can go hit up the Azores on a vacation for two?"
ZZAAAP
"Don't take it as an insult to your famous way with women, Shipwreck." Cover Girl said.
"Hawk wouldn't approve of this operation." Roadblock began.
"Actually he already has approved of our presence. For diplomatic reasons." Xavier began.
Roadblock nodded, despite his disagreement with Hawk's idea, and the briefing continued.
"So where am I during all this?" Multiple asked.
"Sorry kid, you're nowhere near any of this." Wolverine replied.
"What?" Multiple asked, feeling slighted, "I'm the reason you guys know about all this to begin with."
"That doesn't mean your going, squirt." Wolverine replied, "Now we've got some mission planning to do."
Multiple felt sad, and mad. He knew about this island, and knew he was the only reason the X-men even knew about it. Everyone was scrambling around, either attending briefings, preparing equipment, or other things. There was an unmarked shipping crate nearby...
---
Alan Fielder flung himself into a ditch and hoped that the thick reeds would hide him from view. He saw a squad of Russian spetsnazmen patrolling from down the road. Where the hell did they come from? The Command and Control station? Maybe.
No, that wouldn't be smart. They'd want troops there. If a reaction unit was going to go anywhere, they'd want to get to the C2 facility. And the Russians want the intel there, so they wouldn't abandon it. Reinforcements? But from where? Fielder thought.
As the Russians passed by the ditch they peered inside. There wasn't any flashlight use, but the patrol was using a road, so they were obviously somewhat confident about their control of this area.
He checked at his mobile phone when the convoy passed. One new text message. He read it. It was from HQ. Singer was trying to urge him to get the hell out of here. Not without Frank and EmilyFielder thought.
He headed towards the town, and when he was sure he had cover he tried to call Emily. After three rings he hung up. He punched up Frank's number next. No answer. Damn it. Could they be dead? Or captured? In any case Singer wants me to get the hell out of here with whatever intel I have. I know damn well I'm not abandoning my teammates. To hell with Singer's orders. Fielder thought.
The idea was insane. Going straight into the middle of the town of Sheena, the major settled area on the island, which was a hotbed of fighting between the Soviets and Metroville Defense Force personnel was practically suicide. He could hear heavy small arms fire, and the explosion of the more than occasional grenade. But he had to try.
---
Frank Corelli barely felt the rain drenching him on the roof of the library. He had been on his way to the church to rendezvous with Emily and Alan, but the Soviets had hit the town with a lot of force. A small knot of Metroville soldiers had tried to stall the spetsnaz at the diner down the street. It barely slowed the Russians down at all, they smashed into the diner, the rounds from their Kalashnikovs tearing the windows apart. Swiftly they smashed doors down and sprayed automatic fire into rooms before they ran inside.
He had remained hidden on the roof of the library as the Soviets crashed out the back door. Three Metroville Police deputies fired their weapons at the attacking Russians, hitting one soldier in the midsection. The Soviet soldiers took their revenge instantaneously and loosed a murderous volley of gunfire at the Metroville cops, shredding them to ribbons with automatic fire.
More shooting came from the library below him. Horrified, yet unable to tear his eyes away, Frank took the mini-binoculars from his pocket and watched as the Russians converged on the library from three different directions.
Where the hell is Emily? Did she make it? Is she at the church? The questions raced through Frank's head. Oh God, the Russians just went into the church five minutes ago. Is she alright?
Frank fingered the gold engagement band on his right hand. He hoped his fiancee had survived the Russian assault on the church. Brilliant idea, Fielder, arrange a rendezvous in the town right when the Russians are going into the place.
If the Russians found the satellite phone, he was very likely screwed. Especially if the Russians captured him alive, either the spetsnaz would interrogate him, or they'd turn him over to their GRU masters. The GRU, the Soviet Main Intelligence Directorate, one of the most ruthless military intelligence arms in history. Especially if they find out I'm part of ACME, they'll want to know the C5 teleporation system's secrets, and that I was a former C5 tech...
The Russians had already surrounded the building. From nearby rooftops and upstairs windows in the church, movie theater and diner Soviet snipers with telescopic sights zeroed on heads and hearts opened fire, killing anyone careless enough to stand too close to windows. Frank could see assault teams stacking outside of the library's front door, rear door, and the basement doors. Almost simultaneously the Russians used breaching charges to blow open the doors, tossing hand grenades into the open areas and firing bursts of automatic fire from their Kalashnikov rifles before entering.
Frank could tell that some of Metroville's defenders were still alive in the library, because they attempted to fight back, throwing grenades out of windows or down staircases, or shooting from behind barricaded rooms. These gestures would be instantly followed by grenades from the Soviet invaders and long bursts of gunfire.
I'm on the roof. If I run down the stairs I might as well commit suicide, if the Metroville defenders or the Heartless down there don't kill me, the Russians will. Frank thought. Two stories down to the alley below. I'll survive it, but I'd probably be paralyzed by the jump.
The sounds of fighting directly below his feet caused an awful thought to cross Frank's mind. I'm fucked either way. Frank edged his way to the roof, looking down into the alley he saw a dumpster. Talk about being trashed...Frank thought as he jumped down from the roof and landed atop several bags filled with garbage.
Frank climbed out of the dumpster just in time to see a Shadow Heartless directly in front of him. "Oh God! Oh Jesus! Oh God! Oh Jesus!" Frank groaned in terror. He backed up until he felt something brush up against him, he whipped around to see another Shadow standing there.
He was unarmed, there was nothing to use as a weapon, there was...A piece of steel pipe. Frank picked it up off the ground and swung it at the Heartless, connecting with one rather solidly. "Back! Get back!" Frank shouted as he backed up.
CRACK! The impact from behind, to the back of the head came suddenly and Frank felt the world go black as he passed out. Standing behind him was a fellow in the gray uniform of Syndrome's Metroville Army. He called the two Heartless away from the unconscious man, before dragging him down the manhole cover he had climbed out of...
---
Is Frank OK? Emilythought, The Russians already stormed past the diner and theater towards the last place I remember talking to him. I hope they don't find the dead letter box. The dead letter box was the place where the three ACME operatives would exchange messages or coordinate meetings if things looked too dangerous to actually meet in person. The operatives' dead letter boxes were hidden in plain sight, an innocuous potted plant, the inside of an abandoned tire, the bottom of a park bench.
EmilythoughtThe dead letter box was the place where the three ACME operatives would exchange messages or coordinate meetings if things looked too dangerous to actually meet in person. The operatives' dead letter boxes were hidden in plain sight, an innocuous potted plant, the inside of an abandoned tire, the bottom of a park bench.Emily had left a message for Frank at one of the dead letter boxes before she headed to the church. She hoped that the Russians weren't going to find it.
She could see Russian soldiers moving in and out of the church. They had already proned out the civilians and searched each one from head to toe before the herded them back into the main chapel.
Great, how am I going to get out of this church. Emily thought. It wasn't as if she'd designed or knew anything about the ventilation systems that cooled or heated (depending on the season) this particular church.
Not to mention Russians are now occupying the church and are searching it from top to bottom. Emily replied. I'm screwed if I stay here, I'm triple screwed if I try and get out of this building. A classic Catch-22.
Emily really had no choice. She crawled away from the sounds of movement below. Her jeans were getting incredibly dusty as she continued to crawl in a direction that she hoped would lead her outside. She climbed down, putting her feet gently onto the desk, wishing her shoes weren't hard soled. Her heart was hammering, hoping there weren't Russians stacked outside the door, ready to break it down and break inside. A file beneath her right foot caused her to slip and nearly hit the floor with a crash.
Emily replied. Emily really had no choice. She crawled away from the sounds of movement below. Her jeans were getting incredibly dusty as she continued to crawl in a direction that she hoped would lead her outside. She climbed down, putting her feet gently onto the desk, wishing her shoes weren't hard soled. Her heart was hammering, hoping there weren't Russians stacked outside the door, ready to break it down and break inside. A file beneath her right foot caused her to slip and nearly hit the floor with a crash.She caught herself on a file cabinet and stepped down from the desk. She went to see what had caused her to almost fall. She opened the file, which turned out to be the Preacher's diary.
October 7th
A meeting was held today, here in the chapel for all leaders in the town. Here, the island's commander, Dr. Lydexter, warned us of the likelihood of Soviet use of biological or chemical weaponry. A directive from Syndrome himself said that a vaccine known simply as Serum 1A, or simply the Serum, would be issued out to the town's people. Lydexter broke out a case containing faintly luminous green fluid in syringes. We injected ourselves with the needles at the end of the meeting and thereafter were told we would receive daily doses.
October 9th
I felt slightly faint last night at services, and almost passed out from a tightness in my chest. I called Dr. Lydexter at the main laboratory on Sheena Island, and was surprised that the good doctor himself answered. I was expecting an underling or someone similar to answer the phone. Dr. Lydexter explained that the chest contractions are an unavoidable yet harmless side effect. But if it protects me from death from Soviet chemical weapons...
October 10th
I overheard some soldiers in the chapel . They've been trading rumors about the likelihood of Soviet attacks. Some say that the Soviets will come on the 25th of October, on the anniversary of the October Revolution. Some say that these chemical weapons are, for lack of better words, bull excrement. They believe the Russians won't go anywhere near Sheena Island, and if they do, they'll likely try something sneaky and underhanded...
Reverend Galswells was certainly right about a couple things, the Russians would do something sneaky and underhanded and they attacked on the 25th, which it is right now. Emily thought as she peeked at her watch. Dawn was less than three hours away, and the Russians had likely destroyed the Command and Control Facility and were now fighting their way into the town.
The shooting upstairs had since stopped, and Emily got her bearings, she was in the basement of the church. Because of her cover legend she knew that the there was a door into a back alley. She snuck down the narrow wooden hallway, hoping the soles of her shoes wouldn't make any loose boards creak. She ran out into the raining morning, narrowly missing a group of Russian soldiers heading towards the sound of gunfire further up town...Frank, please get out of there...Emily thought.
---
The world was blurry and indistinct for Frank Corelli as he felt consciousness returning. The most pressing feeling was the sharp pain in the back of his head where he assumed some ruffian with a rifle stock had struck him.
"He's awake, sir." came a voice.
Frank noticed a soldier in the gray uniform of Syndrome's forces. Oh shit. Frank thought as adrenaline speeded his wakeful state. He tried to sit up, but felt the rattling of handcuffs holding his hands behind his back.
Standing in front of him were the soldier, a couple civilians carrying rifles, and a bespectacled blonde haired man with round wireframed glasses, wearing a gray uniform with a holstered pistol.
"Ah, Privet tovarich..." The bespectacled officer said, "Lieutenant Stewart, Metroville Defense Forces."
"Wha-?" Frank began.
The soldier standing closest to him kicked him in the right ankle. Frank winced.
"Your buddies certainly made a mess of the C2 facility." Stewart began.
"I don't know what you're talking about." Frank replied.
"Well, how else would the spetsnaz have known to have taken down our facility so quickly and brutally." Stewart replied.
"Hey asshole, three of my buddies died there." The soldier who'd kicked Frank began.
"It appears we've found our spy." Stewart began.
"What? No!" Frank began.
"Somebody had to have informed the Russians on the facility's vulnerabilities." Stewart replied, "And due to recent evidence, the finger points closest to you."
"I swear I have nothing to do with this." Frank protested. Please God don't let them find out that I work for ACME.
"This says otherwise." Stewart replied, holding up a hardened case, the size of a child's lunchpail. Inside it was the satellite phone.
"What would an ordinary citizen need with a satellite phone?" Stewart continued.
"I'm a businessman. I have to work from on the road because I travel a lot. I got stuck on this island when the Russians attacked..." Frank began.
The soldier slammed the butt of his rifle into the pit of Frank's stomach. He gasped in pain. "Liar." Stewart replied, "I ask again, is this what you used to contact your handlers from the GRU..."
"I don't work for the GRU." Frank protested, "I'm innocent..."
"It's impolite to disrupt someone when they're speaking." Stewart replied, and nodded. One of the civilians, a teenaged girl stepped forward.
"Your phone calls killed my brother." she said, and knee kicked Frank violently in the groin.
Tears of pain streamed into Frank's eyes. The civilians and soldiers surrounding Frank had little pity in their eyes, and a detached part of Frank understood why. "I never called anyone in the GRU!"
"Is this corporation you work for a front company for Russian intelligence, i.e. the GRU?" Stewart asked.
"I told you I work for Gray's Exports and Imports..." Frank replied, "It's on my business cards!"
Stewart nodded and a pudgy, bald fellow wearing a flannel shirt and jeans moved a cart forward. On this cart was a car battery and two electrodes. The bald man touched the contacts together after closing the circuit on the battery, shooting blue sparks out.
"I ask you one more time, who do you work for?" Stewart asked.
"I'm not from the GRU! I'm not even Russian!" Frank protested.
"Your tan does suggest someone from a southern republic of the USSR." Stewart replied.
"I'm an Italian from New Jersey!" Frank protested.
Stewart simply nodded and the bald man touched the electrodes to Frank. Frank howled an animal cry of pain as the current coursed through him. The electrodes were drawn away and Frank smelled the acrid stench of burnt clothing and skin just below his chest.
"So, what's a Jersey boy doing working for the GRU?" Stewart replied.
"How much did they pay you, traitor?" The bald man asked.
"I'm not a GRU spy!" Frank replied.
"If that's the case. Who paid you then, the KGB?" Stewart asked.
"I don't work for any Russian intelligence..." Frank began.
The soldier struck Frank with the butt of his rifle, as Stewart nodded to him. The rifle struck Frank in the stomach.
Just then another soldier came in saying, "The Russians are getting close, sir!"
"Let's kill this scum and be done." The first soldier said.
"Wait," Stewart replied, "Let's take him with us. We don't want his colleagues saving him. And we don't want him dead, yet."
"Yes sir." The first soldier said, reluctantly, whispering in Frank's ear, "As soon as you spill your secret's spy bastard, you die..."
The second soldier slipped a canvas bag over Frank's head, before dragging him through the tunnels of the sewers, towards the Kronos Laboratory Facility.
---
Alan Fielder ducked inside the roadside bar just outside of town. It was a favored hangout for soldiers, bikers, and the occasional trucker. He used this place to pass messages, usually to Emily, but occasionally to Frank. He hoped the communication's specialist had enough tradecraft to avoid being captured by the Russians.
Good luck you guys, you're gonna need it. Fielder thought. I'm on my way, I won't leave you two behind.
The corpses of several facility guards who had tried to escape from the Command and Control Facility lay in the middle of the shattered tables. From previous experience, Alan knew that there was something of help to him behind the bar. Alan ducked behind the bar, and felt along underneath. He grinned when he found what he was looking for. A Franchi SPAS-12 pump action riot shotgun with a folding stock and a sling.
Ol' Emilio never took kindly to rowdy drunks tearing the place apart. Fielder thought. He checked the chamber, finding a red plastic shell of Double Aught Buckshot in the chamber and seven more rounds in the tubular magazine.
He hefted the weapon, feeling the solid weight of the weapon in his hands. If the Russians see me with this thing, they'll kill me on sight. If caught unarmed I could at least bullshit some excuse, but I'd rather be armed.
Alan dug underneath the bar, looking for more shells, finding six more of them behind a bottle of Newcastle Brown Ale. Maybe next time. Fielder thought.
Hang in there guys, I'm on my way. Fielder thought as he snuck out of the back of the bar. And why are you doing this again? All logic says you should escape, head for the coastline and try to find a boat to get to the mainland and escape.
Screw logic. Emily and Frank are your friends. You have to try and help them. Fielder thought, as he moved through the forest, Are you sure you're doing this for both of them, or do you have some ulterior motives...
Whether in the woods around Sheena or on the African veldt Alan Fielder knew one thing, whenever the sounds of nature had stopped that meant something predatory was near. Quit musing dammit. Fielder scanned around, feeling that same rush of adrenaline that trailing many a predator through the underbrush brought about.
He heard a sound, light, quick footstepsrunning through the woods with very little to advertise their presence. He felt the familiarfeeling that he felt when patrolling through the brush during the Rhodesian Bush War.
He flicked the safety off the weapon as he turned to see the creature bearing down on him. It leapt from the brush, claws extended, it's yellow eyes glowing in a faceless black head, antenna protruding from it's head. All five feet of the long, limber, Neoshadow sprung from cover.
Bang! Fielder fired the shotgun once. The buckshot intercepted the creature in midair, sending it flying backwards.
The creature smacked against the ground, and rose again, raising the clawed hands to maim and dismember. Ca-chunk. Bang! Fielder chambered another round fired again, blowing a hole through the creature's chest, as its momentum carried it forward. Christ, why won't you die?
Ca-chunk. Bang! Fielder fired another shell, this one striking the Neoshadow with nine pellets of Double Aught Buckshot in the face, practically decapitating it. Finally the creature fell dead to the ground.
Somebody had to have heard those shots. Fielder thought, as he reloaded three more rounds into the shotgun, while running deeper into the woods and towards the town, watching out for three main threats. The Russians. The Heartless. Or Syndrome's forces...
---
"Multiple? What are you doing here?" Shadowcat asked as she saw the thirteen year old X-man.
"Tagging along with you guys." Multiple replied, matter-of-factly.
"We've gotta get the kid back." Wolverine began.
"Aww, you guys let Iceman on this mission and he's less mature than I am." Multiple protested.
"We have a tight timeline." Roadblock said, "By the time we've sent Multiple back, even with the Mass Device, COBRA could move the prisoners on the island."
"We could leave him here, and when the boat turns around the kid can jump ship." Shipwreck replied.
"Absolutely not, Shipwreck." Cover Girl replied. "We can't leave him alone on this strange ship..."
"Why not, the kid's past puberty, and he's certainly wise to the routine aboard cruise ships...Say, you think you can get me some phone numbers?" Shipwreck asked.
"Ow!" Shipwreck said as Cover Girl thwacked him upside the head.
"Half Pint, keep an eye on Squirt here." Wolverine replied.
"What?" Kitty protested.
"No time to argue." Wolverine said, as they boarded the captured Cobra speedboats.
Shipwreck steered the first boat towards the shoreline of the rocky island on the horizon, following the COBRA radio transponder beacon. The facility was an underground facility, like most COBRA labs.
A solitary BAT was guarding the docks and as it registered the passengers on the two boats weren't COBRAs it was decapitated before it could sound the alarm. Xi materialized from thin air, having snuck up on the robot while invisible.
"Fan out." Roadblock began, "Search this place from top to bottom."
The teams did so, engaging the occasional BAT in the tunnels and corridors.
Mr. Incredible smashed a BAT against the walls of the tunnels. "These things are a pain!"
A burst of flame from a BAT's wrist, narrowly missed Helen. "Tell me about it."
Roadblock fired a burst of gunfire from his M240G machinegun, hitting him with several armor piercing bullets.
"Don't you find this strange?" Cover Girl asked, "This is a highly important facility, with computers, genetic manipulation equipment, and everything else and they've only got a few BATS defending in."
"A few?" Shipwreck replied as he fired two fifty caliber Action Express rounds into another BAT, "There are tons of them in the corridors."
"Not to mention the occasional Heartless!" Cyclops began.
"Guys!" Shadowcat shouted, "I hear crying in the next room."
"Are you alright?" Dragonfly called, "Hang in there, we'll get to you."
Pitor smashed against the door, splintering it as Shipwreck, Elastigirl, Dash, Toad, Cover Girl, Roadblock, Cyclops, Shadowcat, Xi, Quicksilver, Mutliple, Iceman, and Nightcrawler smashed through the lab.
There was nothing there but a dummy with a tape recorder on a lab bench. "What the hell is going on?" Elastigirl asked.
Before anyone could answer a recording sounded, a voice the two Incredibles recognized as Syndrome's, echoed into the chamber, "As you've no doubt guessed, this facility is empty. You've only destroyed a few dozen BATS. Now I have a little gift for you all. Remember you've been had by...SYNDROME!"
Just then a flash brighter than an old style camera filled the room. The people in the room felt as if the world fell out from under them, that their stomachs went into their chests, their hearts into their heads, their heads to fly to pieces.
---
Shipwreck heard the familiar sound of waves lapping on a beach. He felt like he'd just had a monster hangover.
"Where the hell are we?" Shipwreck said, as his eyes opened.
"We're not on the Azores anymore, that's for sure." Cover Girl replied as she awoke and sat up.
As Shipwreck's eyes opened, he found himself staring up at Cover Girl, his head in her lap. "As far as awakenings go, this isn't too bad...OW!"
"Shipwreck! Can you turn your hormones off for one second?" Cover Girl asked.
"Knowing Shipwreck, that's quite a feat." Roadblock replied.
"Stop with the rhyming already. I feel like I've got a hangover." Shipwreck replied.
"This should help." Cover Girl replied, seeming to rub Shipwreck's forehead before dumping him into the waves.
"You need to cool off." Cover Girl replied.
"HEY!" Shipwreck sputtered.
As he stood up, Shipwreck noticed a body floating face down in the surf. He dragged the gray uniformed corpse onto the pebble beach.
"What the hell? Where the hell are we?" Cyclops asked as he stood up.
"It's safe to assume not the Azores." Elastigirl replied, "I know exactly where we are."
"So where are we?" Cover Girl asked, annoyed, as she picked up her M-16 and checked it for functionality.
"We're on Sheena Island, about fifty miles off the coast of Metroville." Elastigirl said.
"And who's the dead guy?" Shipwreck asked.
"That's a soldier in Syndrome's Army." Elastigirl replied.
"He owns Metroville now." Dash said, soberly, "And these gray uniformed creeps that we fought earlier, when we thought we beat Syndrome, are now on every street corner."
"So who killed him?" Roadblock asked.
"The Soviets." Elastigirl replied.
"Come again? The Soviet Union no longer exists." Cover Girl replied.
"On your world, no it doesn't. On this world, yes it does." Dash snapped back.
"Apparently Syndrome taking power was something they couldn't stand and they invaded Metroville." Shadowcat replied.
"It looks like this man was killed by an ax or similar projectile thrown at the area between his shoulders." Xi remarked.
"It looks like the Russians own this island." Elastigirl replied.
Bursts of gunfire and explosions could be heard further inland. "Not entirely." Cover Girl replied, "It sounds like they're still fighting."
"What do we do now?" Nightcrawler asked.
"Let's see. We're stranded on a world we don't really know about, stuck between two warring factions, and the Mass Device isn't working. Yup, we're screwed." Pietro replied.
"You're not helping, Quicksilver. Or should I say Slowsilver."
"Shut up!" Pietro replied.
"Make me!" Dash replied.
"With pleasure!" Pietro replied and rushed forward, Dash sped out of the way, laughing.
"The solution to the problem might well be inland." Roadblock said, "So it is the only real chance that we stand."
"You want to go in there?" Nightcrawler asked.
"We can't keep hiding from the Russians on the beach. And from the others it seems we are out of reach." Roadblock said, "So here's the plan, my man. We go inland and find answers, and a way back to our world in a good timespan..."
---
TBC
EmilythoughtThe dead letter box was the place where the three ACME operatives would exchange messages or coordinate meetings if things looked too dangerous to actually meet in person. The operatives' dead letter boxes were hidden in plain sight, an innocuous potted plant, the inside of an abandoned tire, the bottom of a park bench. Emily replied. Emily really had no choice. She crawled away from the sounds of movement below. Her jeans were getting incredibly dusty as she continued to crawl in a direction that she hoped would lead her outside. She climbed down, putting her feet gently onto the desk, wishing her shoes weren't hard soled. Her heart was hammering, hoping there weren't Russians stacked outside the door, ready to break it down and break inside. A file beneath her right foot caused her to slip and nearly hit the floor with a crash. Fielder thought, as he reloaded three more rounds into the shotgun, while running deeper into the woods and towards the town, watching out for three main threats. The Russians. The Heartless. Or Syndrome's forces..."Multiple? What are you doing here?" Shadowcat asked as she saw the thirteen year old X-man.