First Mutant
By David D. Amaya
Chapter 28
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Capital Hill Plaza, Washington, DC 1441 EDT. Day 21
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"Sheepskin to Candlestick, WHERE THE HELL IS THAT HORSEHIDE!!!" Agent Frank blared into her wrist com-unit. "WE'RE CODE 99, WE HAVE A MAN DOWN!!
Dr. McCoy leaned over Agent Block's body to examine the gunshot wound that struck the mutant Secret Service agent.
"The bullet appears to have remained lodged in his upper torso, near his left clavicle," he reported. "There is no exit wound. We must get him some medical attention as soon as possible."
"Come on! This way." Agent McKey's right hand straddled the Sig Sower inside his jacket and with his left coaxed Jean to push the professor's wheelchair, when a woman from the crowd noticed the wounded man, threw her head back and screamed a shriek of terror no one there ever will forget.
The piercing shrill turned dozens of heads and startled the crowd in a panic, fearful of being shot themselves, in all directions from the area.
Jean, Xavier telepathically called out to his student. Use your powers to create a force field around Hank and Agent Block. I shall scan the area for thoughts of the shooters.
"Agent Block!" Dr. McCoy shouted to the injured man. "Can you hear me!? You must hang in there! An ambulance in on the way!"
"Cit... Citi... Citadel."
"Citadel? Agent Frank! What does 'Citadel' mean? Agent Block keeps repeating the word, 'Citadel?'"
Letting his psi-abilities gently flow through the chaos, Professor Xavier extended his ability to locate the thoughts of his would-be assassin...
Past a crying 8-year-old being pulled by his mother, franticly running blindly through the crowd....
Past a 21-year-old rookie Capital Hill Police Equestrian Officer, using her mutant powers to calm her startled mount...
Past a 17-year-old FOH supporter, paranoid into thinking mutants are responsible....
Time to die, mutie lover.
Adjusting the scope to counter the effect of the mutant-created gust, Viper again placed the crosshairs on Professor Xavier.
"Time to die, mutie lover," He slid his index finger to the trigger. "Viper, Firing!"
X-Men! The perpetrators are located atop....
"The Supreme Court Building! Candlestick this is Sheepskin!" Agent Frank roared into her com-unit. "Positive location on shooter! Atop Citadel, repeat, Sniper nested..."
...atop the Supreme Court Building! Protecting the protesters is the main objective. Neutralize the shooter before he can do more damage. Use caution my X-Men!
"Sheepskin, this is Candlestick Command, ETA on Horsehide to your 10-20 two minutes, repeat two minutes, Hercules is en route. Get Sheepskin off the deck and hold on, over."
"Roger, Candlestick. Sheepskin out. SHIT! Were exposed like this! Get Dr. Xavier under some cover...."
///BANG!!!\\\
Agent Frank's statement was cut off by a second bullet, striking Jean's force field loudly, startling, yet still protecting, them all. The slug, flattening like a lead 50-cent piece, hanging only 5 feet over their heads.
McKey and Frank both draw their sidearms simultaneously at the noise and momentary stare at the slug, as it slides to the ground.
"Candlestick, we are under attack!"
"Confirmed. Shot blocked. Appears to be mutant interference."
"Zombie," Viper reports, "second shot blocked, repeat, second shot blocked. Suspected mutie interference."
"Viper, switch to sonic rifle, repeat, switch to sonic rifle. We are moving in to assist, Fire at will!"
Wincing at the slug's impact, Cyclops telepathically feels the strain his wife is feeling through her psi-shield. Jean, are you all right!
Yes, Cyclops, the shield held up, but hurry, Agent Block is badly hurt!
Without breaking stride the X-Men's field leader pressed the com-link to call his team.
"X-Men, status report!"
"Cyclops, I can see the Court building," Storm reported. "but I cannot see a shooter. They may be inside the building, I am on my way."
"Adjust the crosswind before they get another shot off!"
"Cyclops, there's a fight breaking out here. It's getting ugly and the police can't handle it without help."
"Stay there and help the cops, Bishop. Gambit were are you!?"
"Gambit, be in front' o' de Capital, mon amie. Be dere wit you right quick, homme."
"Well, then you better put yer ass in fourth gear, Gumbo! I'm already inside! If ya want ta get what's left, then ya have ta wait 'til I'm done playin' with 'em!"
"Have fun, Sugah, but save some fo' me and Leprechaun, we're right behind ya."
"Aye, Lad. Watch yerself, we're almost there."
Be careful, Wolverine, Phoenix urged telepathically. The Secret Service is also sending their SWAT team, they'll be there soon.
They're the ones that better be careful, Red. Or there'll be more for me ta play with!
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Sniper's Nest, atop the Supreme Court Building, Capital Hill,
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"Range unchanged," Viper's observer spotted. "Wind velocity increased to 15 miles, 4 o'clock shift."
"Roger," Viper adjusts his weapon accordingly. "Wind 15, 4 o'clock shift."
"Set narrow beam, 4 meters width."
"Roger, Set for narrow, 4 meters wide."
Viper places the crosshairs in the center of the group near the Longworth Building and prepares to fire, as a woman with a shock of white hair suddenly fills Vipers riflescope.
Blocking the shot, Rogue places her hands on her hips in the classic super hero pose.
"Didn't yer mamma ever teach ya'll it's impolite to point?" she asks the would-be shooter.
Despite his Special Forces training and spoon-fed anti-mutant propaganda, Viper is too stunned to fire, as he's never seen a 'real life' mutant before this close (to his knowledge) and stares at the X-Woman.
"Don't just lie there stupid! SHOOT THE MUTIE BITCH!!!"
Viper snaps out of his stupor. "Viper FIREING!!" He pulls the trigger.
The burst of the weapon hits her square in the stomach and sends her heels over head backwards, the effects of the weapon disrupting her equilibrium, until Storm catches her, about 100 feet away.
"Are you all right, child?" the Wind-Rider asked her friend.
"Yea," Rogue weakly replies. "but y'all better get the license plate of the truck that hit me. Ah feel like a basset hound that just caught its tail."
"Recalibrate!" the Observer barks, drawing his sidearm. "Prep to fire! I'll fend these bitches off!"
"Didn't yer pa teach you punks never to hit no lady?" A tobacco-roughened, dangerous voice behind them growls. "I guess someone gots to teach ya a little lesson on manners!" Claws extending to expound the pending lesson they will learn. "We'll see just who the 'bitches' gonna be!"
"Zombie we are under attack!" the Observer whispers into his throat mike as he fires his sidearm . "Level 3, 1-2 corner!"
"Viper, retire Amoebae at ALL COST!" Zombie orders into their LASH units. "Zombie unit, full-auto. Tac 1, dynamic breech. Clear level 3 and protect Viper. Tac 2, clear level 1, side 1 entrance, no mutie gets out alive!"
"Roger, Zombie," more simi-auto fire discharges in Wolverine's direction, who found refuge behind an air conditioning unit. "Set your zero! I'll take out the mutie trash!"
With the eternal patience of the hunter, Wolverine only shouts single word retorts.
"....Seven! .... Eight!..." The X-Man called out after each pistol round. Then, sniffing the air and listening hard he noticed the faintest traces of gun oil, and the soft footfalls of six boots, stealthily commanding the staircase.
"Cyke, heads up!" Wolverine's voice fills the X-Men's comms. "I got three more assholes trying to sneak up here. An' from the smell o' their gats, they ain't the good guys, so you can bet they'll got more holed-up in the lobby."
"Copy, Wolverine. Storm, Banshee, help Wolverine and be careful of that sniper's rifles! Gambit, Rogue, met me in front entrance, we'll have to draw their fire away from the plaza! Bishop when the police have control of the situation, cover the professor and the others!"
"You girls done playin' with that over-powered slingshot, or am I gonna have ta take it away from ya?"
"Take this Gene Joke!" one more shot fired, harmlessly bounces off a wall.
"Fifteen!" Wolverine yells, then calmly availing himself, stalking towards the sniper nest. "Here I am, rookie! Give me yer best shot!"
"You asked for it, Mutie!" A single shot to the head finds its mark. "Sixteen!" The body it is attached to falls. "Your unlucky number, asshole!"
Wolverine quickly jumps back to his feet, claws extended, and spits out the fatal slug as the wound is instantly repaired.
"I don't think so, bub."
"PUT YOUR HANDS IN THE AIR, GENE JOKE!" A voice behind him bellows. "Maybe you'll live long enough to regret being born." The unmistaken oiled click of gun slides being retracted, rang in the feral mutant's ears.
Well, it's like I told the G-Man, Wolverine reflected, as a faint smile crept on his face. Taking the kiddie gloves off is the only way you can put on the brass knuckles!
Then he turned and attacked the three-man assault team.
End of Chapter twenty-eight
© David D. Amaya 2007