Abe stared up at the ceiling of the chamber he found himself in, massive stalactites dripping a black fluid down onto the floor of the cave. Getting to his feet he activated all his armours luminescent panels and stared into the darkness that surrounded him, half imagined shapes moving in the darkness fleeing from the light he was shining. Walking along Abe stopped and scanned the walls taking note of the monstrous creatures etched onto the bare rock as well as avoiding the areas where the black water from the roof of the cave had pooled together to form dark flowing streams of foul smelling fluid. Apart from the occasional drip the cave was silent but as Abe walked on he could swear he heard voices, smell spices being scattered over food, even see people moving ahead of him. Toggling his grenade launcher Abe found a recon orb, a small camera covered ball that documented areas and relayed them back to his HUD, and fired the projectile rolling away before coming to a stop against a flat rock. Watching the images Abe saw the remains of an old fire as well as buildings jutting out of the rock, the Populus of the sunken town staring with dead eyes out into the centre of the chamber.
"This is amazing." Abe whispered, his voice amplified as his words echoed around the necropolis. As his words faded a new sound echoed back, the sound of a woman crying and unlike the other noises the recon orb was picking it up too. In other words there was somebody else alive down here. Slowly moving through the town Abe swivelled his head looking for signs of the living, even toggling his vision to an infa-red mode to pick up his 'companion' more easily. Eventually he found her, locked in a tiny hut connected to the ceiling with no visible opening, running his hand across the rock Abe could almost feel the desperation of the prisoner trapped inside.
"Hello is anybody there." Abe called.
"Thank god can you get me out of here." a female voice answered, "The siren used her abilities to phase me down here and I'm trapped and can't get out."
"Storm?" Abe asked. "Hang on I need to find something to cut the rock away."
"Use you're powers." Storm answered, "Hurry I can't breathe."
"I don't have any powers." Abe answered, "Just an unfinished suit of prototype armor."
"You are one of the people who were holding Sage hostage." Storm stated. "I'd rather suffocate in here then let somebody like you help me."
"I didn't kidnap her." Abe answered, "She is a friend that's all. Listen my name is…" he paused, "MACH V, you may have heard of me. I have a plan to get you out, just get to the back of the room and close you're eyes." Abe ordered as he removed all the grenades from his launcher and placed them at the base of the wall as his armor scanned for the weakest point of the structure. "Are you ready?"
"I can't breath it's too narrow." Storm gulped.
"It isn't, close you're eyes and imagine you are sailing over the ocean, there's nothing around you but the water and the blue sky with nothing on the horizon." Abe told her as he fingered the detonator. Silently he counted to five and pressed the button for the manual detonation of the bombs, the explosion ripping a hole in the stone to reveal the trapped X-Man sitting with her eyes closed in the corner. "And poof you're free." Abe stated, his voice causing Storm to open her eyes, blinking at the sudden increase of light. "Anybody who wants to get out of here should leave now." he added as he stepped away from the hole and let her fly out. "I am so going to regret this I know It." he moaned as he followed her down into the main camp.
Melissa soared around the Scorpion Goddess raining a hail of sonic daggers into the monster's hide although the creature didn't seem to care much about her attacks and was more concerned in hunkering down and letting the golden light from the orbs it carried bathe her body in their power. Down on the ground Chris and Diana were attempting to melt away a section of the ground in the hope that destabilizing the creature might do some damage. The X Men were huddled away from the Goddess simply staring up at it in awe, something that made Melissa's blood boil, they either didn't care or didn't understand the danger the creature represented or as she guessed a mixture of both. A shot rang out and a glowing blue spear whizzed past her and Melissa dived soaring past the creature's face to see Jimenez clutching a three barrelled Ion Atlatl Launcher as he tracked her getting ready to fire again. Diving to the deck Melissa touched down next to the X-Men using the Scorpion Goddess as a living barrier between her and the shooter.
"Mind sharing what you're discussing." Melissa stated, "Because no offence but whatever it is it's not as important as the massive Scorpion Goddess and whatever she is doing."
"Actually you obtuse thug." Emma snapped, "We were discussing how we are going to take down the creature when you interrupted."
"Then by all means take it out." Melissa announced stepping aside. "Chris, Diana back off the X-Men say they can handle it." Chris and Diana exchanged glances before staring at Melissa in disbelief.
"You can't be serious." Diana hissed.
"Not even close." Melissa replied, "Stay on it while I take Jimenez's toy away." she ordered before taking to the air and darting over the Scorpion Goddess before slamming feet first into the Commeasure knocking him to the floor. Removing the power core and ammo back from the rifle Melissa turned to see Backlash and Whiplash crack their whips and advance on her. "Call off you're BSDM cronies." Melissa ordered pressing her foot on Jimenez's windpipe a little harder.
"Drop you're weapons." Jimenez croaked. Sharing a worried look the Lash Twins dropped their whips and pistols before backing off. "My love," he yelled up to the Scorpion Goddess, "I bring you offerings but I need you're power to aid Me." he yelled up at the Goddess. Melissa turned and saw the creature shift to face Jimenez and light up its tail with the same golden energy emanating from the orbs before plunging the stinger down towards her. Leaping off the Commeasure Melissa watched as the barb pierced Jimenez's heart, wisps of golden energy bubbling from the wound before sealing up the entry hole completely.
"Now rise my most loyal priest." the Scorpion Goddess commanded. In an instant Jimenez's body expanded, armoured legs splitting his suit as his skin hardened whilst his hands transformed into scorpion like pincers and finally a long barbed stinger erupted from his spine. While his head remained human the rest of the Commeasure's body had transformed into that of a giant scorpion clad in golden armor. Taking a step back Melissa realized that Backlash and Whiplash were reaching for their weapons, worried looks spread across their faces.
"Boss?" Backlash asked, "You're orders?"
"I have no further use for the two of you." Jimenez screeched, "But you both will make beautiful sacrifices."
"This is where you either help us or run for the hills." Melissa told them. Seconds later both of the villains had turned tail leaving Melissa alone with the abomination that the Scorpion Goddess had created. "No honour among thieves I guess." Wreathing her hand in sonic armor Melissa smacked Jimenez in the face only to see the protection shatter on the hybrids thick magical armor. Even worse there now appeared to be a tattoo of a scorpion on her hand and a strange itching that grew worse every time that she dodged the newly transformed Jimenez's blows until her skin split open and a black armoured scorpion emerged before quickly being flung off by quick sonic pulse. Landing on the ground the scorpion swelled to the size of a large dog and swung its new claws and stingers causing her to leap out of the way only to brush up against Jimenez, a whole new wave of itching spreading across her back. Screaming in pain Melissa staggered away as Chris and Diana rushed forward only to be blocked as the Scorpion Goddess fired a pulse of energy from one of her orbs and burning a golden trench between them and Melissa. Watching in disgust the Thunderbolts saw the first of the scorpions emerge followed by more ripping through Melissa's costume all of them scurrying down her and swelling as they hit the ground before surrounding the fallen Thunderbolt and slashing at her with their claws.
Diana turned to glare at the X-Men before leaping through the fire, her skin burning as she transformed her arm into an electrified pellet gun opening fire on the scorpions and causing many to pop open spraying green blood over to the floor. Reaching Melissa she saw Jimenez scuttle towards her and slam his stinger through her shoulder shredding her arm before smacking her in the face, his blow leaving a large scorpion tattoo on her cheek.
"My mistress, the first two sacrifices for you." he hissed as he opened his claws and held Diana and Melissa up by the neck so that the Goddess could clearly see them. With a scream of rage Chris followed Diana's lead and landed hands first on Jimenez's back, the armor bubbling and causing the Scorpion Man to buck and thrash throwing his team mates to the floor before knocking the Melter to the floor, burning handprints scorched into his carapace. Howling with rage he scuttled towards Chris only to be punched in the face by the young mutant, his flesh bubbling and causing the wretched creature to back off. Behind him Chris heard Diana scream and saw a scorpion wiggle out of her head before striking with it's stinger into her eye before being removed by Melissa and crushed in her hand.
"So much for wine tasting." Melissa sighed, "Thank god we didn't take the brewery tour."
"You're hands." Diana told Chris, "They didn't get marked by the Scorpion Tattoo. Something about you is immune to the fiend's abilities; you could touch him and avoid infection."
"Cool but that only accounts for the little ones, the big momma is still outside my weight class." Chris announced as Jimenez came running at them again followed by the remaining scorpion brood. Behind the Thunderbolts came a bellow and they turned to see Colossus on an intercept course with the freak before slamming into him and knocking him flying.
"It's about time." Diana commented, "Listen we need to find a way to defeat the creature before it finishes charging up, once it had sucked those orbs dry it will be a lot harder to kill.
"It's already very powerful." Magik announced helping Diana to her feet, "It is getting ready to unleash its destructive power, once it is ready it will send out a shockwave that will destroy anything in a fifteen mile radius."
"Fifteen miles shit." Chris commented, "And we stop it how?"
"I suggest that you hit it." Magneto sighed stretching out with his powers and balling the wire into a massive ball and throwing it at the Scorpion Goddess, the metal projectile slamming into one of the orbs and melting into a rain of molten slurry.
"Brute Force won't cut it." Emma announced, "I had a look inside its mind and the boasts it made about being invincible, while false come from the knowledge that most physical attacks will be repelled by her armor.
"Then we play it smart." Melissa replied, "Abe and I met a woman called Rosa, Jimenez's wife before he became an eight legged freak, she knew about the Scorpion Tree, told us about it but I think maybe she knew more then she was letting on. If I am right then she might have an answer."
"Then we have a plan, the majority of us will stay and keep the creature from charging up. Illyana take Teresa's friend up to the manor and find out what Rosa knows. Magneto go get some ammo, there is a motel nearby so there should be plenty of metal for you to use. Emma get us some reinforcements, I don't care who turns up just get me somebody." Cyclops ordered, "If what we know is true then we don't have much time."
Abe walked through the Necropolis as Storm trudged behind looking anxiously at the cave walls. Her claustrophobia was pretty bad, Abe thought, to him the area was narrow but not overbearingly so. Picking up the recon orb he threw it down a chamber and watched on his HUD as it came to a stop on the edge of a subterranean lake.
"Storm I have good news." Abe deadpanned, "We have a lake up ahead which hopefully will lead to an underground river that we can used to escape this place." Something hit him on the back of the head and Abe looked down to see the recon orb lying at his feet. Picking it up he looked down to the lake to see a Native American woman sitting by the shore watching him with granite grey eyes. Picking up the orb he threw it again and watched it land on his HUD, the video not picking up the new contact before seemingly levitating into the air as the woman picked it up and threw it back. "Storm do you see anything down there?" Abe asked as he pointed at the lake.
"There is a woman down there." Storm replied as she squinted in the darkness. "I sense strong magic emanating from that woman. Whether she is benevolent or not is beyond my powers to comprehend however."
"Any port in the well you." Abe replied as he picked up the recon orb and walked towards the woman. "Howdy." he stated, "So who are you?"
"That is no way to address somebody like this." Storm reprimanded him. "We humbly beseech you to aid us." she told the woman. The native just blinked before pointing to the Recon Orb that Abe held. Smiling Abe gave it to her and she threw it up in the air before catching it.
"You speak in an unusual tongue." she eventually announced. "It took my magic a while to translate it. I assume you have come because of my daughter just like those before you."
"You're daughter?" Storm asked, "Tell me about her."
"I don't have to, you're husband knows about what I speak."
"Hold you're horses." Abe yelled throwing his hands up, "We are not married, not even betrothed."
"Then you are at least friends." the woman announced.
"More like acquaintances." Abe told her, "Actually that is a lie we just met."
"Yet you both seek to stop my daughter from completing her conquest as the Chumash and Conquistadors before you did? They sent a husband and a wife, one from each tribe to beseech me how to contain my child back in the Scorpion Tree"
"How long have you been here?" Storm asked, "If you met such people who are long since extinct or have long since abandoned this land."
"I have been here since my death; my people came here after our race was destroyed. I was the last to fall shortly after I hid my daughter in the bowels of an oak tree. After my death I awaited her here but she never came, her isolation twisting her into a hideous abomination. When she arose last time she declared revenge on all the descendants of those who had murdered my tribe and claimed this land as her own by rite of heritage and conquest."
"So how did they beat here?" Abe asked.
"They bound her back into the tree and scratched a warning on the bark so all knew what had been imprisoned inside." the woman answered. "Through a combination of herbs, glyphs and chanting the portal was sealed permanently or at least it should have been."
"It still is." Abe told her, "But an idiot copied the symbol and put it on another tree. Before I left the plant itself was fighting us off when we were trying to destroy it."
"You were fools to do so, only dark magic could breach the prison and only the most devout sorcerer would try to do so." the woman answered. "But alas one has freed my child albeit by accident when he destroyed the tree. But I have given you the answers you seek; now fly before my child finally makes her dreams come true." As she spoke the last words her form erupted into mist filling the cave before being dissipated by Storm revealing a hole above them leading to the surface, starlight twinkling high above them guiding them back to the land of the living.
Cyclops opened fire, the beam of energy hitting the Scorpion Goddess blackening her armor as she scuttled around, her feet causing tremors strong enough to knock her prey onto the ground. Off to the right Teresa, or as the Thunderbolts were calling her Diana, fired a wide range of ordinance; ranging from micro rockets, electrified pellets and blasts of energy up at the creature but all seemed to bounce off the god's carapace. Looking towards the Manor house Scott saw Emma engaged in combat with the mutated land owner, his claws leaving black scorpion tattoos on her diamond skin causing monstrous crystal skinned arachnids to emerge from her body leaving patches of human flesh behind where they had spawned. He had a feeling that the battle was going to be over very soon and while he usually didn't doubt that his Extinction Team wouldn't fail there was something more unsettling about the foe they faced. At least Colossus seemed to be having a good time if nothing else, his punches and kicks at the Scorpion Goddess's legs the only thing that caused the monstrous creature to flinch.
Chris opened fire with a rapid volley of punches and blows on the first of the diamond clad scorpions as Emma retreated throwing telekinetic blasts at Jimenez to slow his charge. With a burning punch he eventually destroyed the first but it had taken a lot out of him, the whole fight was draining him, more so then the bout with the Scarecrow, silently he wondered how long it was until the Goddess unleashed her destructive powers. Looking down he saw a Scorpion scurry up to his leg, diamond tipped stinger ready to strike. Quickly he kicked it away and saw an armoured hand sticking out of the ground, one that he recognized as Abe's reaching down he hauled his armoured team mate and the X Man that Melissa had buried out of the earth.
"Damm it boss, you had to convince us to go after that fucking tree." Chris yelled, "If it wasn't for us meddling kids that would have stayed buried." he added jabbing a finger at the towering Scorpion Goddess.
"It's bigger then I thought it would be." Abe stated, "Storm we need to find the tree so that we can imprison that monstrosity back inside."
"That might be a problem." Chris replied sulkily, "Colossus knocked it down." he added before being thrown out the way by Jimenez who thrust one of his claws down at Abe. Panicking Abe blocked the blow and activated the Taser function in his gauntlet sending electricity along the hybrid's arm and causing it to back off its hand aflame.
"Check you're palm." Chris warned, "Any marks?"
"None." Abe replied as Storm threw lightning bolts at the monster causing it to flee up towards the manor house.
"Huh heat or energy must destroy the incubating hatchlings." Chris commented. "Speaking of which watch you're feet." he warned as a dozen diamond shelled scorpions scurried towards them. Before the crystalline arachnids could reach them however a wave of cars slammed down all around the clearing, the majority exploding on the Scorpion Goddess hide but those that made it past her ignited her brood causing them to detonate into puddles of green puss. Abe groaned one of the thrown vehicles had been the Thunderbolt's Mercedes, his insurance policy was sure to go through the roof thanks to Magneto. Looking around he saw the majority of the X-Men and Thunderbolts regrouping, focusing their attacks on the Scorpion Goddess's head attempting to crack the creature's thick armor. One figure was conspicuous by her absence, grapping Chris, Abe stared into his eyes and asked the question he always hated the answerer to. "Where's Melissa?"
Melissa reappeared ashen face at what she had seen in the brief trip through Limbo with Magik. While she had been on several less then stellar trips the one she had just taken was defiantly on the list of things she would never do again. The manor house was deserted, the staff and guard if there had been any to begin with were absent and the place seemed too quiet. Amplifying the sound Melissa heard the sound of panicking and feet running for their life on the second floor. Soaring up and into the house she joined the pursuit until the sounds of running were replaced by that of pleading and begging. Nodding to Magik she ran her hand over the door and flooded the structure with sonic energy causing the room to explode with bright blue light which quickly dissipated to reveal Rosa thrashing as she was suspended from the roof beams. Standing on the other end of the 'hangman's rope' was Backlash while his partner in crime kept a pistol levelled at Ms. Jimenez's head.
"Backlash and company." Melissa snarled, "I though you were running for you're lives?"
"We were." Whiplash answered, "But then we figured we may as well walk away from this job with something. Weapons, money, artefacts maybe a few bottles of the 09 for our summer home in Catalan."
"So it's a simple case of greed." Melissa spat, "You both disgust me." she added illuminating her hands with sonic energy.
"Enough with the powers." Backlash snarled, "Do anything like that again and the hostage dies do you understand me."
"I understand you, oh so well." Melissa replied.
"Screw the bitch isn't going to give up the account codes." Whiplash hissed, "Sorry honey but that only gets a bullet in the brain." she warned squeezing the trigger. Melissa screamed and the whole room was tinted pink as shots rang out and the sounds of a body hitting the floor sounded before being silenced by the all consuming sound of power.
New Thunderbolts #15
What will the Thunderbolts and X-Men have to do to stop the Scorpion Goddess? And more importantly what will they loose in the process? Find out in the arc finale as the Curse of the Scorpion Tree is about to be truly unleashed.