GI Joe/Marvel universe crossover.
I don't own Marvel or Hasbro.
Silence
Chapter 12: A Long Night in Manhattan, Part I
Time: 15:40 Zulu, Friday; 19:40 local time, Friday
Location: The Xavier Institute of Higher Learning
Storm Shadow lay quietly on the infirmary bed, trying to force himself to sleep. Despite being exhausted, however, his mind wouldn't stop working. The incident at the mall rather troubled him and the knowledge of what Cobra had done to him terrified him. He hid it as best as he could, but Logan seemed to sense it. The mutant had barely left his side, even though Tommy was still a stranger to him. Other X-Men floated in and out as well, though Kurt, Storm, and young Jubilee tended to stay the longest. Professor Xavier and Jean Grey periodically visited as well, though via telepathy.
"Good thing Chuck told me to wait a couple of days," Logan finally muttered to himself. "Better for this to have happened now than later." Tommy slightly turned his head to look over at the other man.
"Don't worry," Wolverine said, noticing the movement. "I know it's hard Kid, but stop worrying. You've got Hank McCoy and Reed Richards working on it. You couldn't ask for a better team."
Tommy sighed, knowing there was absolutely nothing he could do but trust a perfect stranger and a man he barely knew. Perhaps that's what bothered him the most. He was helpless to do anything himself. He closed his eyes again and forced himself to meditate. If he couldn't sleep, he could at least do that. With the secret help of Jean Grey, the ninja fell into a deep sleep a few minutes later.
Elsewhere in the mansion, Professor Charles Xavier was currently in telepathic contact with General Clayton Abernathy. The telepath had immediately contacted the general and was keeping him updated on Storm Shadow's condition.
"We're doing the best we can, Hawk," Professor Xavier reassured the man. "I can't think of anyone better equipped to handle this than Dr. McCoy and Dr. Richards."
"Thank you," Hawk said. After a moment, he added, "For everything. I can't express how grateful I am to you and your team…and Mr. Richards."
"You're welcome," Charles said. "It's my pleasure. Thomas is a fine man."
"Yes, he is," the general responded. There was a pause.
"Have you told Snake Eyes yet?" Xavier asked.
"No," Hawk replied. He hesitated a moment before adding, "He really wants to see him."
"Can you let him come?" Charles asked. He felt a short burst of surprise from the man. Xavier 'listened' as Clayton Abernathy considered that.
"I could give him a temporary pass and consider this a family emergency," the general finally said. "Or…" Xavier felt a flash of amusement from him. "I could suggest that if my back was turned, I wouldn't see anything if he left…so long as he was back in time for morning PT."
Charles smiled at that. Clayton Abernathy wasn't afraid of bending or breaking a few rules for the men and women under his command. The fact that he was taking great pains to keep his superiors from finding out about the two mutants in GI Joe was testament to that. There was a strong movement growing in Congress to go on a witch-hunt and remove all mutants in any kind of government position, including the military.
Nick Fury had also given Hawk his stamp of approval, which Charles took as further evidence of the man's character.
"I think Thomas would appreciate it if he could make it out here tonight," the professor thought quietly. "He is currently under great emotional distress. We're doing what we can to keep him calmed down. Wolverine is also keeping an eye on him."
"I'll talk to him now," Hawk promised. "I'll see if I can also talk Lifeline and Beach Head into going along to meet you."
"I would like that," Charles said. "Though I wish it could have been under better circumstances."
"We make do with what we have," Hawk replied. "That's the best any of us can do… Good night professor."
"Good night."
Time: 16:02 Zulu, Friday; 20:02 local time, Friday
Location: The GI Joe Pit
Snake Eyes and Jinx listened silently as General Hawk somberly related what had happened to Storm Shadow. The Silent Master held at bay the rage that threatened to spill over. Cobra and the Crimson Twins could wait. Right now, Storm Shadow's well being and safety was more important.
"Can we go see him?" Jinx asked, voicing her sensei's thoughts.
"I could give you two emergency leave with the excuse of a family emergency," Hawk said. "However…I am concerned with leaving a paper trail from you to the X-Men. The last thing I need is the Jugglers asking questions. They're already going to be asking enough."
Snake Eyes tightened his fists. Hawk noticed that and gave him a wry smile.
"Of course, I couldn't stop either of you from leaving," the general continued slyly. "There would of course be punishments if you were caught." Jinx and Snake Eyes looked at each other. There was a tiny smirk on the female ninja's face.
"That would be bad wouldn't it?" she asked. "Getting caught, I mean." Hawk grinned.
"Yes, I'm afraid. The poor souls had better be back by breakfast time to avoid detection. They had also better get enough sleep to function in their duties as well."
*But of course,* Snake Eyes signed. Hawk's lips twitched.
"You'd have to move quickly though, you might need some superspeed to get it done quickly," the general added, looking at the ninja pointedly.
*Understood," Snake Eyes signed. Hawk obviously wanted them to have Lifeline take them. Such a thing wouldn't be a bad idea anyway, as he'd get a chance to meet the X-Men.
*Theoretically if such a thing were to happen,* the ninja signed. *It might be difficult to sneak out four people…unless they were the right four,* He added. It was unfair to take Lifeline and not Beach Head. Though the question was, would the ranger be willing to break a few rules and sneak out, even with Hawk's unofficial consent.
"I suppose so," Hawk said evenly. "Though this 'theoretical' four should be careful, seeing as one of them gets cranky if he misses his beauty sleep." Beach Head. He definitely meant Beach Head.
*Then I guess we'll have to make sure that doesn't happen,* Snake Eyes signed.
"Make sure it doesn't," the general answered, his eyes twinkling. "I of course don't know anything about this and will deny any knowledge of it. But if I did…I would say good luck and say hello to Storm Shadow for me."
With that, the two ninjas exited the general's office.
Time: 16:20 Zulu, Friday; 20:20 local time, Friday
Location: The GI Joe Pit
Snake Eyes and Jinx went to Lifeline first, knowing he would be the easier to convince of the two mutants. The medic was also more crucial to the plan. Even so, however, Edwin Steen was somewhat reluctant to sneak off base without permission. It took Snake Eyes some persuasion to convince the doctor to go along with them.
Edwin Steen also pointed out a possible difficulty.
"I can only carry two people," Lifeline pointed out. "It's not a matter of strength; it's a matter that I only have two hands. If Beach comes we'll need to come up with something."
Snake Eyes thought about how to get around that. It was the medic, however, who had a solution a few seconds later.
"I'll handle it, you go talk to Beach Head," the medic said. He turned to Jinx, who was standing by his office door. "Jinx…I'll need three harnesses from some parachutes…just the harnesses."
"What're you going to do?" she asked. Lifeline smiled.
"You'll see," he answered. He thought another second before looking over at Snake Eyes.
"Where should we all meet at?" he asked. "It'll have to be someplace where no one will stumble across us, plus be a place we can easily leave."
*How about the dojo?* Snake Eyes asked. The doctor nodded.
"Okay, meet you there." With that, the medic vanished. The two ninjas looked at each other.
*Now for the hard part,* the Silent Master signed. *Beach Head.*
Jinx gave him the sign for good luck.
Time: 16:35 Zulu, Friday; 20:35 local time, Friday
Location: The GI Joe Pit
Courtney Kreiger was sitting outside with her boyfriend, enjoying the fresh, evening air when a sudden voice made both her and Shipwreck jump. She looked over in surprise to see that Lifeline had somehow snuck up on them.
"Sorry," the medic apologized.
"Sorry?" Shipwreck asked. "You scare the livin' daylights out of us and you're sorry?" He couldn't help being grumpy. It was supposed to be a 'date,' or at least as close as they could get without leaving the base.
"I'm sorry," Lifeline apologized again. He looked over at Courtney. "Sorry to interrupt, but I need to talk to Cover Girl. I need a quick favor."
"Ask her later," Shipwreck said grumpily. "We're busy."
"What is it?" Courtney asked, sending Hector a glare. Lifeline wouldn't be interrupting them like this unless it was important. The medic fidgeted slightly before motioning away from Shipwreck.
"Can I talk to you alone?" he asked. She gave him a confused look. Shipwreck swore at her side.
"It won't take long," the medic added. "I promise."
"Alright," Cover Girl finally said. She got up to follow the doctor out of Shipwreck's ear shot.
"Hey!" Shipwreck shouted. She shot her boyfriend another glare.
"Can it Hector. He said it won't take long," she shot at him. Her boyfriend looked taken a back, but he wisely shut his mouth. Hector Delgado crossed his arms and sulked grumpily as she and the doctor walked away.
"What is it?" she asked. The doctor looked like he was in a hurry.
"I just have a quick question," he said. "I need a long piece of metal pipe that's strong enough to carry a lot of weight...at least 600-700 pounds."
"How long?" she asked, not quite understanding what this was all about.
"About twelve to eighteen feet," he answered. "Is there anything like that in the shop?"
"I suppose…" she thought. "Maybe the drive shaft off of one of the cargo trucks..."
"Are there any spares?" Lifeline asked, trying to hurry her up. Cover Girl felt her temper flare up slightly.
"What the heck do you need this for anyway?" she asked. The man looked slightly sheepish.
"Sorry, I can't say," he added. "But I need one now. Are there any?" However, Courtney crossed her arms and glared at him. The medic sighed.
"You can't say because you're under orders or you can't say for another reason?" she asked suspiciously.
"Please Courtney," Edwin pleaded. "It's important. I wouldn't be asking if it wasn't." Cover Girl relented at that. If someone else were asking, she'd probably turn around and walk back to Shipwreck.
"There should be one in the store room," she answered. "On the far, back left wall. You'll have to sign a release form to get it."
"Okay," Lifeline said. "Thanks. I'll get to it." He thanked her and walked away. Cover Girl watched him suspiciously. Something about the way he'd said 'okay' made her think that he wasn't planning to sign a form. Of course, this was Lifeline of all people. He wouldn't steal something, much less from the Motor Pool.
She shook her head at that idea as she walked back to Shipwreck. Lifeline? Steal? As if that were likely to happen. Besides the drive shaft he wanted was long and heavy. There was no way he could get it out without being noticed.
"What'd he want?" Shipwreck scowled. Courtney paused. Edwin wouldn't have dragged her away if he'd been okay with the sailor hearing his question.
"Relationship advice," she lied, instantly regretting what she'd come up with. She felt bad about lying to her boyfriend and even worse for potentially causing a rumor about Lifeline. Things like that spread fast in the Pit. Considering the sailor's mouth, the word by tomorrow would be that the medic had a girlfriend.
"Relationship advice, huh?" Shipwreck grinned. "He's got a girlfriend? Or maybe she's not his girlfriend yet…" There was a sly look in his eyes. Yep, she had single handedly and quite accidentally created a rumor. Of course, maybe that was just punishment for Lifeline not letting her in on the secret.
That didn't stop her from feeling a little bit guilty though.
Time: 16:40 Zulu, Friday; 20:40 local time, Friday
Location: The GI Joe Pit
"You want me to what?"
Yep, as to be expected, Sergeant Major Wayne Sneeden was the least keen on the whole scheme. Snake Eyes had also caught him at a bad time as well. The ranger had just finished with a shower and very obviously just wanted to crash and go to bed, rather than break a few rules and risk a dishonorable discharge to go off base to the X-Men's school.
"Why do you need me?" he asked sourly.
Oh yeah, he was definitely cross.
"You don't have to come," Snake Eyes said, emphasizing the word 'come.' "But you could meet the X-Men."
"Ah can wait for dang leave or a weekend pass to meet them," the ranger replied. "There's absolutely no reason for me to go tramping around tonight." Snake Eyes glowered at him. He was in a hurry to go see his best friend and arguing with the stubborn man was slowing him down.
"Look, I understand you and Jinx going," Beach Head said, reading his thoughts. "I can even understand Lifeline, but why me?"
"Don't you want to meet Charles Xavier?" Snake Eyes asked. The ranger paused at that before answering.
"Sure I do. But I'm fourth in command. I can't be pulling stunts like this…I could get kicked out if we're caught."
"Hawk wants you to go," the ninja pointed out. "And we won't be caught." The ranger sighed and rubbed his eyes. He looked longingly at his bed for a moment. Snake Eyes knew that he was starting to break.
"I'll get you some brownies," the ninja promised, knowing that the ranger secretly loved sweets. A little bribery at this point couldn't hurt.
"Yew tryin' to bribe me Snakes?" the other man asked, his accent deepening from disbelief. The ninja shrugged.
"I'm keeping you up past your bedtime. Think of it as an apology gift," he said.
"Yew really want me to go, don't yew?" Beach Head asked. The ninja nodded.
"Oh Lord…" he groaned. "Ah can't believe Ah'm seriously considerin' this."
"We'll just be gone for a few hours," Snake Eyes promised. "We'll be back long before breakfast."
"That had better be a promise."
"I promise," the ninja said. Beach Head gave his bed one last look.
"Fine," he finally muttered. "Ah suppose someone needs to go along to keep yew pogues out of trouble. Ah'm already involved anyway, knowin' that yew three are goin' to go regardless of what Ah say." Snake Eyes felt himself grin triumphantly.
"Get dressed and meet us down in the dojo."
"Ah'd better see some brownies tomorrow for this."
Time: 16:55 Zulu, Friday; 20:55 local time, Friday
Location: The GI Joe Pit
Jinx watched in amazement as Lifeline easily twisted two long, heavy metals rods together. The medic had decided to swipe an additional one from underneath one of the trucks, just in case a single one wasn't strong enough. He then bent them into a narrow triangle shape. Lifeline floated up into the air and tested his grip on it. As he continued to float, he twisted the top point of the triangle to form a handle for himself.
"I really hope this supports the three of you," he said. "Especially at the speed we'll be going." After a moment, he groaned, "I can't believe I'm doing this. I'll be doing KP until I'm eighty if I don't get kicked out." He flew around the inside of the dojo, making sure he was able to hold on to the strange, metal triangle.
The female ninja watched him curiously. She was still adjusting to the fact that Lifeline and Beach Head were mutants, having accidentally found out about them when the ranger had stormed into the dojo to scream bloody murder at her sensei.
"Hand me the harnesses," the medic said, now floating just above her. Jinx silently handed over the parachute harnesses. Within a few seconds, he had all three securely attached to the bottom of the triangle.
"Where'd you get those?" she finally asked.
"The Motor Pool," he answered. "Hopefully Cover Girl won't be too pissed that I took them."
"She knows?" Jinx asked in surprise. "This is all supposed to be secret."
"I needed something that could bear your guys' weight and be easy to handle," the medic apologized. "I'll take the fall for it if she makes a stink."
"You shouldn't have to do that," the ninja frowned. "We're all in this together. You don't even have to go. You could wait for leave."
"I know," the medic said simply. "The plan though is to have everything put back just the way I found them and not have anyone know they were ever taken." He didn't say anything else as they waited for Snake Eyes and Beach Head to show up. Lifeline continued to float in the air as he rechecked the harnesses. He was wearing a medic pack on his back, either out of habit or just in case something happened. After a while, Jinx couldn't contain her curiosity.
"What's it like being a mutant?" she asked. Edwin nearly dropped the metal contraption in surprise.
"What do you mean?" he asked in confusion.
"Well…you've got special powers," Jinx pointed out. "You can fly and everything. That must be awesome."
Lifeline was silent for a long time.
"It's not as great as you think," he finally said quietly. "Especially when you're as strong as me."
"But," she protested. "You can do all sorts of things. I'd love to be able to fly. Isn't that worth something?"
"People hate us," the medic said bluntly. Jinx froze at the pain in his voice. "To them, we're not even human. Flying doesn't allow me to escape that," he added bitterly. There was a long, awkward silence.
"I don't hate you," Jinx told him quietly. "You or Beach Head."
There was a pause.
"I know," Lifeline answered. He turned his head towards the door as he heard their two companions approaching. Beach Head and Snake Eyes silently slipped into the dojo a couple of minutes later.
The ranger eyed the twisted metal pipe and the harnesses doubtfully.
"Is that thing safe?" he asked. Lifeline shrugged.
"Gawd…this night just gets better and better," Beach Head groaned.
"Don't worry, I'll catch you if you fall," the medic promised.
"You danged well better. Snakes is bribing me with brownies and I don't wanna die before I get them."
"We'd better hurry," Lifeline said. "I hear someone coming and it sounds like Scarlett." The ranger closed his eyes a moment and felt for her mind before nodding in agreement. Snake Eyes swore under his breath. His fiancée had no idea any of this was going on and he didn't want to have to explain what the four of them were doing.
*Let's go,* Snake Eyes ordered. *We'll strap in when we get outside. Jinx and I will head out and meet you two about six hundred meters outside the west perimeter.* The other two men nodded. Lifeline grabbed the harnesses with one hand and a protesting ranger with the other. In a few seconds, they were gone. Within a few more seconds, the two ninja had vanished into the ceiling.
Scarlett walked in to find an empty dojo.
Time: 17:13 Zulu, Friday; 21:13 local time, Friday
Location: Somewhere over New York City
Snakes Eyes hid a groan and closed his eyes as they soared over the night lights of New York City. He'd never been particularly fond of heights, especially if there was nothing under his feet. Even though he was strapped securely in the parachute harness, his arms gripped the metal bar in front of him. Jinx had been strapped in the middle and Beach Head to the right in order to distribute the weight more equally. Lifeline flew slightly above the trio, holding the metal underneath him.
"Lifeline wants to know if he's going too fast," Beach Head asked him telepathically. Vocal communication was practically impossible at the height and speed they were traveling at.
"It's fine," Snake Eyes answered. "The air's a little thing thin though. The next time we try this we should grab some air tanks." If there was a next time. Personally, the ninja would be quite happy never to repeat this stunt.
Jinx and Beach Head, on the other hand, actually seemed to be enjoying it. The ranger had stopped growling about being dragged away from bed and breaking regulations in order to happily admire the scene below them.
They were all insane.
Fortunately, the ride didn't last too long. After the medic rechecked the tiny GPS he was wearing, he gently circled around to avoid having his three passengers crash in to each other and they slowly began their descent. The four Joes soon found themselves standing on a large lawn in front of the largest mansion Snake Eyes had ever seen.
"Welcome," a voice suddenly said in their minds. "I'm Professor Charles Xavier, please come in. I was told to expect you."
"His telepathy is better than yours Beach," Snake Eyes couldn't help saying. The ranger glared at him.
"Of course it is. He's Charles Xavier."
The group unstrapped themselves and walked up into the mansion. A bald man in a wheel chair and a beautiful woman with red hair were waiting for them just inside. Snake Eyes watched as Beach Head pulled off his balaclava and briefly ran a hand through his disheveled hair. Lifeline held a hand out towards the wheelchair bound man.
"It's an honor to meet you, Sir," he said. Charles Xavier smiled as he shook the medic's hand.
"Likewise, Dr. Steen," he replied. "I only wish it could have been under better circumstances."
"We do the best we can, Sir," Beach Head said. The professor's lips twitched at that.
"Your general told me the very same thing, Mr. Sneeden," he said. He and the ranger shook hands. Snake Eyes watched as Beach Head's eyes widened in surprise and he wondered if something was being said telepathically.
Then his turn came as the famous mutant rights leader shook his hand and then Jinx's. The professor introduced them to the woman at his side, who was named Jean Grey. After the introductions were finished, the two X-Men led them to the infirmary. Snake Eyes' heart skipped a beat when he saw Thomas Arashikage laying quite still on one of the beds. A short, grizzled man sat on one side of his friend while a blue mutant with yellow eyes sat on the opposite side.
"He's just sleeping," Jean Grey told him. "We can wake him up, if you like." Snake Eyes nodded at that. The ninja removed his mask and knelt next to the bed, near the short mutant. Storm Shadow's eyes opened and blinked.
"Your friend's here Kid," the hairy mutant said. Storm Shadow's eyes immediately became alert and darted towards the silent, blonde man smiling at him. Thomas Arashikage's face froze for a few seconds before breaking into a wide smile.
"Brother!" he cried. Tommy immediately sat up and Snake Eyes pulled him into a hug. The Silent Master felt something wet drip down his face and he immediately realized that he was crying.
"Thank you for coming," Tommy said quietly. Snake Eyes pulled away and signed to his best friend.
*What else could I do?* he asked. His friend smiled, tears also in his eyes. Both men wiped their faces, somewhat embarrassed at the display of emotion. Storm Shadow motioned to the two men sitting by him.
"This is Logan," he said, motioning towards the man on his right. "Also known as Wolverine." Snake Eyes nodded at him and extended a hand. He received a strong handshake in return. The ninja was fairly certain the mutant could snap his hand off at the wrist if he wanted to.
"I've heard about you," Wolverine grunted. "Glad you could come." Snake Eyes nodded silently again before turning towards the blue mutant watching him. The ninja expertly hid a look of surprise when he saw that a tail swinging out behind the mutant.
"And this is Kurt Wagner," Tommy grinned. "Or Nightcrawler. I think he's half ninja."
"Half?" the blue mutant echoed, grinning. "Which half? The bottom or the top? I rather like to think that the top half belongs to Errol Flynn."
"God, you're obsessed," Tommy groaned. "If you're Errol Flynn's son then I'm Bruce Lee's bastard child."
*Impossible,* Snake Eyes signed, smirking. *Bruce Lee was much better looking.* Storm Shadow grinned at him and the Silent Master found himself grinning back. He was glad that his sword brother hadn't lost his sense of humor.
"What'd he say?" Kurt Wagner asked. Wolverine repeated what Snake Eyes had said, apparently knowing ASL as well. Nightcrawler grinned when he heard it and the ninja found himself liking the blue mutant. Snake Eyes stepped aside and motioned towards the other three Joes watching them.
"Who else did you drag along?" Tommy asked in shock. "I'd have expected Jinx, but Beach Head and Lifeline?"
"Lifeline gave us a ride," Jinx smirked, hugging her cousin. "Beach came to keep us all in line." The ranger snorted at that.
"A ride?" Storm Shadow asked.
*They're both mutants,* Snake Eyes signed. *Lifeline can fly. Beach Head can read minds.* Thomas Arashikage gaped at the other two Joes before erupting into laughter. Beach Head glared down at the ninja in the infirmary bed.
"You got a problem Arashikage?" he barked. The ninja shook his head, smiling.
"Nope," he answered cheekily. "Just never figured that you could read minds. No wonder you always knew when people were causing trouble. Clutch and Shipwreck could never figure out how you always knew when they were involved."
"It doesn't take mutant powers to figure that out," Beach Head drawled. "Those two and Ace are always the prime suspects."
"What's the current betting pool?" Storm Shadow asked curiously, eager to hear new from the Pit. Lifeline chuckled a bit at that.
"The current betting pool is how long Tony Stark will survive in the Pit," the medic answered. "So far, the bets are at $326 that he won't last more than two days."
"Stark?" Wolverine asked, listening to them. "He's at the Pit?" The others nodded and the mutant smirked at them.
"Six hundred dollars says that he surprises you all," the mutant smirked. "He'll last longer than two days."
"Oh yeah?" Beach Head drawled, clearly intrigued. "I guess we'll have to wait and see."
Beach Head and Lifeline stuck around a few more minutes to talk with Storm Shadow before they left to give the ninjas some privacy. The two other mutants, Wolverine and Nightcrawler, also stood up and left as well.
"We'll be back in a few minutes," Kurt Wagner promised. "Try not to get into too much trouble.'
"Speak for yourself," Tommy shot back cheerfully. His mood had greatly improved with the arrival of the four Joes.
With that, the three ninjas were alone. They sat in companionable silence for a while before Thomas Arashikage began to relate what had happened since the X-Men had helped him to escape from Cobra.
Time: 17:45 Zulu, Friday; 21:45 local time, Friday
Location: GI Joe Pit
Psyche-Out scratched his head in confusion as he walked out of the infirmary. He couldn't find Lifeline anywhere, having also knocked on the door to his personal quarters. Kenneth had even tried calling the medic's cell phone. The two men had found what they believed to be the telepathic blocker in Major Bludd's mind, but the soldier wanted to discuss it with the medic some more before they presented their report to Duke in the morning.
He finally decided to try finding Beach Head, as the ranger would know where the medic was. If Beach Head wasn't asleep then the two men were probably together anyway. If he was asleep, Kenneth Rich faced possible death in PT the next day for waking him. A knock on the man's door, however, yielded the same results.
Either Beach Head was fast asleep or he wasn't there. Psyche Out figured that it was the latter, as the ranger was a light sleeper.
"Where the hell are they?" he muttered. Slightly irritated now, he made his way towards the recreation room to check there.
Time: 17:53 Zulu, Friday; 21:53 local time, Friday
Location: The Xavier Institute of Higher Learning
Professor Xavier waited patiently as the army ranger and the medic exited the infirmary, followed soon after by Logan and Kurt. The professor was very pleased that the four soldiers had come. Thomas Arashikage's demeanor had totally changed the moment he saw his 'brother' kneeling next to him. The appearance of his cousin, as well as the unexpected arrival of the other two Joes, had set the ninja's mind at ease.
The man named Wayne Sneeden looked at him and the two men locked eyes. Charles Xavier telepathically motioned for the man to follow him. The ranger gave him another look of surprise, unused to interacting with another telepath.
"Come on Lifeline," the ranger said to his companion. "The professor wants us to follow him." Wolverine and Nightcrawler joined them as well and Charles led them towards his office.
"How're Hank and Reed comin' along?" Logan finally asked. Charles telepathically sent them all a burst of information, finding it easier and quicker than explaining it. Mr. Fantastic and Beast were currently working in shifts, planning to work through the night. The professor also sensed that Richards wanted to move Thomas to the Fantastic Four compound to use his equipment there.
"Nanomachines?" Lifeline asked. "That's not the first time Cobra's used them," the medic said. The professor looked over at him.
"According to information we have, Destro's son had once infected the Cobra leadership with it," Lifeline added. "We don't have much info on the nanos themselves."
"General Hawk already passed on what information GI Joe has on it," Charles told them. They also had information in their own databases, as well as from S.H.I.E.L.D., the Avengers, and the Fantastic Four available on the subject as well.
"You're a doctor, right?" Logan asked, looking at the medic. Edwin nodded. "Maybe Hank and Reed could use a hand," the mutant said.
"I'd like to help," Lifeline said. "Nanomachines aren't exactly an area I'm familiar with, but I'll help in any way I can." Logan looked over at the professor and Charles nodded back at him. The Canadian motioned for the medic to follow him and the two men headed off in the opposite direction.
"We can't stay too long," Wayne Sneeden apologized, looking at Charles. "We don't exactly have official permission to be here."
"I understand," Charles Xavier replied. "Thomas needs his rest anyway. I wouldn't advice staying more than two hours, as our good doctors undoubtedly will wish to run more tests on him." The ranger nodded at that. He and Kurt silently followed the professor until they came to his office.
"I suppose I should introduce you," the professor said, motioning towards the other mutant. "This is Kurt Wagner." The two men shook hands a moment before Kurt pointed towards the door.
"I'll be back later, Professor," Kurt said. "I'll let you two talk a bit." With that, the man vanished with a 'bamft', leaving the ranger to blink in surprise. The smell of brimstone didn't seem to faze him in the least.
"Please," Professor Xavier said telepathically, "Have a seat." The other man sat, studying him with polite intensity. The professor could feel the curiosity in his mind. Charles touched his mind, feeling the other man mentally jump. He opened his own mind and waited patiently for him. After a long moment of hesitation, Wayne Sneeden telepathically reached out towards the older mutant.
Charles allowed the younger man to sift and search through his mind, often guiding him when he stumbled. At the same time, Xavier allowed himself to absorb information from the ranger's own mind regarding his past. Beach Head resisted when the professor came to highly personal or classified information and Charles held back so as not to invade those areas of his mind.
"Wow," Wayne muttered after a while, rubbing his head. He was pretty sure he had just done the mental equivalent of jumping into the internet and absorbing information directly into his brain. There were of course many things Charles had held back, but he'd shown the man enough for him to get a better grasp of the X-Men and their past battles, his own powers, as well as the current state of mutant relations. It would take him a little longer to sift through the new information and analyze it.
"Your powers need training," Charles pointed out, though the other man clearly knew that. "I've also found that there are mental blocks that you've set up in your mind."
"Mental blocks?" the ranger asked. What the heck was that? Charles telepathically explained how they often impeded a mutant's powers, if they existed. After some sifting, the professor came to the conclusion that Beach Head had unconsciously placed them just after his powers had fully manifested themselves. It wasn't uncommon for such things to happen, as Jean had placed blocks in her own mind as a teenager. It seemed to be a phenomenon more common among mutants with psionic powers.
"So my powers could be stronger?" he asked in surprise. Charles nodded.
"It is impossible to say how much," the professor explained. "It may not even affect all your abilities. It may only strengthen your empathic or telekinetic abilities if removed."
"Can you…" the ranger hesitated, "…can you remove them?"
"Yes," Charles told him. "However, I am concerned that you will have difficulty controlling your powers once I remove them. I think it would be wiser to remove them a little at a time in order to allow you to adjust to the change."
The ranger thought about that for a few minutes. Charles withdrew from his mind to allow the other man the privacy of his own thoughts. As he considered it, the professor thought about what he'd learned from Beach Head's mind. The vision that Charlie Iron-Knife had seen intrigued him. The professor wouldn't mind directly scanning the shaman's mind to learn what exactly he'd seen.
"All right," Beach Head finally agreed. "That makes sense."
Charles went into his mind and removed a small section of the mental blocks. The ranger blinked and closed his eyes a moment before opening them.
"I don't feel any different," he thought.
"Try your telekinesis," Charles suggested. The ranger looked around the room before looking at an empty chair next to him. The professor smiled as the man effortlessly lifted the chair to the ceiling and then added another chair.
"Yer right," Beach Head drawled aloud in surprise. "Ah wouldn't have been able to lift both of them before, especially not as easily as this."
"I'd like you to practice while you're here," Charles Xavier said. "As it may be a while before I see you again." The other man nodded and the professor spent the next hour teaching him how to more easily scan minds, letting the ranger practice on him. After that, he had the man practice his telekinesis until it was time for them to leave.
Time: 20:30 Zulu, Friday; 00:30 local time, Friday
Location: The Xavier Institute of Higher Learning
Lifeline found himself sitting at a table near Hank McCoy and Reed Richards. The two men had immediately welcomed the doctor, even though he had no where near the expertise level they possessed. Fortunately, however, the doctor's speed proved an asset. The medic sat and speed read through all the files they possessed on nanotechnology and tried to commit them to memory.
"Dr. Steen," Mr. Fantastic suddenly said, turning towards him. "Storm Shadow's cells look as if they were regenerated at one point. Was he ever dead?" The medic searched his memory.
"Several years ago there were rumors he'd been shot and killed by the Baroness when he'd tried to escape Cobra Island," Edwin answered. "But then he turned out to be alive. I have no idea what really happened."
"Perhaps the professor can scan Thomas's mind again," Hank McCoy suggested. Reed Richards nodded as he turned back to studying something under a microscope. Lifeline thought about what Mr. Fantastic had said.
"I wouldn't put it past Dr. Mindbender to find a way to revive him if he really was shot," the medic mused. Reed looked over at him a moment before readjusting the focus on the microscope.
"Tell me about Mindbender," Mr. Fantastic said. "I've heard the name before."
As the two other men continued to study the nanomachines, Lifeline told them everything he knew about the Cobra scientist. Both Reed Richards and Hank McCoy were frowning by the end of it, especially after hearing about Serpentor's creation.
"I'm concerned about this Dr. Mindbender," Reed Richards finally said. "The more I find out about him the more it worries me."
"Me as well," Dr. McCoy agreed.
Lifeline peeked at his watch and saw that it was already past midnight. They should all be heading back soon. Before the medic left to check on Storm Shadow, he exchanged contact numbers with the two men and promised to keep in touch. Edwin Steen shook the two scientists' hands and left the room.
Time: 20:47 Zulu, Friday; 00:47 local time, Friday
Location: The Xavier Institute of Higher Learning
It was nearly one o'clock in the morning when Beach Head and Lifeline returned to the infirmary. Snake Eyes could tell that both men were ready to leave, though he was reluctant to do so.
"We gotta get goin'," Beach Head told him. "We promised Hawk we'd be back before anyone noticed." Snake Eyes shook his head.
"You go on ahead," he told the ranger. "I want to stay a little longer."
"Like hell you are," Beach Head barked, his temper rising. "We all go together."
"Dr. Richards wants to move him to the Fantastic Four headquarters," Lifeline added. "He'll be fine." Snake Eyes sighed internally, knowing that both men were right. That didn't change the fact that he wanted to stay with Storm Shadow.
"It's okay," Tommy smiled. "I'm in good hands here." The Silent Master looked at him a long moment before reaching out to squeeze his friend's good shoulder. The ninja stood up and bowed towards Wolverine, who had returned half an hour earlier.
*Thank you,* he signed. The gruff mutant nodded his head before waving towards the door.
"You're welcome," Wolverine said. "Now get yer asses out of here and get back to base."
The four Joes said their goodbyes and headed outside. Lifeline waited as they strapped in to the harnesses before taking off. As they headed back to base, Snake Eyes thought back on the evening. He knew that the X-Men were taking care of his friend, though that didn't erase his sense of helplessness.
They were about three klicks from the Pit when Lifeline suddenly swore and swerved. Snake Eyes banged painfully into Jinx as the medic narrowly avoided being hit by several hot energy beams. The ninja looked to his lower left to see that two, towering robots were following them. Their eyes glowed yellow in the dark as they continued to fire on the group. With a sudden chill, Snake Eyes recognized them from photographs, though he'd never seen any in person before.
A loud, booming robotic voice called after them.
"HALT. MUTANTS."
Sentinels. They'd been spotted by damned Sentinels. Where the hell had they come from?
"Aww hell…." He heard Beach Head swear. "Ah'd better get some damned good brownies tomorrow, Snakes."
If they lived until tomorrow, Snake Eyes silently promised to buy the man the best damned brownies he could find.
Next time: "A Long Night in Manhattan, Part II"
Our four Joes battle Sentinels and get a little help. Will they make it back to the Pit without being discovered? Will Beach Head get any beauty sleep or get his brownies? Will Beast and Mr. Fantastic find a way to destroy the nanomachines? Stay tuned and find out!
Yo Joe!