CHAPTER NINTY:
AN: You wanna know what's really SUPER ANNOYING!? Now that you can't copy and paste on Fanfiction-net, and since I lost my memory-chip-thingymajigger, I manually have to retype probably fifty (50) chapters by HAND! ERG! Curse my non-existant organizational skills! If anyone can figure out a way around this, PLEASE TELL ME!
…..onto the story….(whimpers and holds aching wrist)
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LAST TIME:
….the great green hulk let out a low grown that practically shook the walls.
"&*$#(!" Logan cursed. "EVERYONE GET OUT OF HERE NOW!"
Victor, however, smirked calmly as the Hulk (all eight feet and over one-thousand pounds of him) slowly rose to his feet. "He knows who's alpha now."
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NOW:
Despite his older brothers assurances, Logan wasn't so sure. After all, he had seen The Hulk in his rages before. Entire cities had literally been crushed (and hadn't that put a dent in the country's budget. Someone, and Logan had guessed it was Nick Fury, had to pull a lot of strings to get the money needed to rebuild and calm the public).
The Wolverine pushed his assorted pack behind him protectively, adamantium claws unfurled, snarling in warning.
The great green rage monster seemed to come out of his daze and let out an enraged roar that shook the building.
Clarisse ducked and covered her head, eyes clenched shut while Jubilee stepped infront of her protectively though fear shone from her own eyes and colored sparks darted from her fingers.
When his own mate cringed in pain against his chest covering her ears, the Sabretooth decided enough was enough. He stepped infront of the green giant (who was definitely NOT jolly) and barred his teeth in a low, warning growl. That was all, and the Hulk hunkered down and moved his neck to the side, a clear sign of submission.
The Wolverine nearly fell on his butt in shock.
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BOBBY DRAKE/ICEMAN
The first three (3) hours of his flight from the mansion had been absolutely terrifying. The seventeen (17) year old ice-mutant spent the time running and being almost CERTAIN that at any moment he would hear the enraged roar of an infuriated Sabretooth; feel claws piercing his back.
Training in the danger-room had left him in peak physical condition and he ran on, keeping his breathing rhythmic, his blood pumping.
Finally, when he reached a bus-stop, he chanced a pause, leaning over, hands on his knees to catch his breath, looking over his shoulder.
`Maybe my tutor was wrong…..` Bobby thought, slowly straightening. `…..Maybe they haven't found me out.'
The flash of pain that slammed through his head was immediate and brutal.
*Do not get impertinent with me, boy. You have been found out and have only just escaped because of MY power to mask your scent and the ferals overpowering instincts.*
Overpowering instincts?
What the heck did that mean!?
Bobby shook his head. That didn't matter right now. He was safe…..if only for the moment.
*Now board the next bus and meet me at our rendezvous point immediately.*
Bobby bit back a mental retort at the barking order; he didn't want another telepathic
attack on his head. Still breathing hard, he went to the bus stop bench and took a seat next to an old lady with a big purse and a bundle of knitting in her lap.
Trying to look like he HADN'T just been running for his life, Bobby leaned back on the bench and tried to think.
If it HAD been found out that he had had ANYTHING to do with the theft of Nick Furys Infinity Serum, he would have to leave IMMEDIATELY and make plans. Well, yes, he had already left the mansion, but it was still a good idea to put as much space between him and the feral fleabags as possible.
"Are you alright, dear? You look out of breath."
The old-ladys kindly asked question made him jump a little and he mentally kicked himself. `Way to act like a fugitive. Come on, you're the ice-man, be cool!`
Bobby plastered on his patented chivalrous and, dagnabit, innocent 'boy-next-door' face and smiled at the old woman. That smile was a smile that just screamed `Trust me. I'm just a good, all-around American boy with nothing to hide' even though he had tons to hide…..TONS.
Still, the smile fooled almost everyone, even the Professor, and this old woman was no exception.
"I'm fine, ma'm." he assured the old lady. "I was just practicing for cross-country. I thought I'd try out this year."
The old woman smiled and put down one of her knitting needles to pat his knee in a maternal manner. "That's nice, dear. From the way you were running it looks like you'll do just fine."
…..Fine indeed…..
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BACK IN THE DECIMATED DANGER ROOM;
VICTOR/LOGAN/THE AVENGERS/CASSIE/RODDY/ROGUE/JONESY/CLARISSE/JUBILEE
Victor smirked proudly at the obvious sign of the Hulks submission, even though the others seemed pretty much shell-shocked.
The Sabretooth, however, had known that this would be the outcome.
Bruce Banner, the mild-mannered scientist, may be human, but Victor knew that his 'alter ego' the Hulk was basically a feral and, like most ferals, he respected the animal hierarchy.
Now that he (Sabretooth) had beaten him (the Hulk) the Hulk recognized him as his alpha and would follow his orders.
"Alright ya green lug" Victor growled out, even though he was still smirking. "Let's see how much human intelligence you still have in this form; pick up the tin-can over there—" he motioned to the Iron Man whos suit was still emitting sparks "—and Mr. Goody-two-shoes" he meant Captain America "—and get'em to the med bay. Then I expect you to give the control back to Bruce Banner, got it?"
No-one really knew what to think when the Hulk actually NODDED then moved (his gigantic weight making the floor shake) to the fallen Captain America, picking him up as if he weighed no more than a doll, doing the same to Tony Stark. When he reached the exit to the danger room, however, there was a little problem…..he was too big to fit through the door.
The green giant was just about to slam a meaty green fist the size of a tire through the door (Iron Man in his grasp included) when Victor let out another low and rumbling warning growl.
The Hulk actually paused and looked back at him as if to say 'What?'
Victor rolled his eyes. "Don't punch a hole in the wall, dumbass. Revert back to Banner form just a little, I know ya can do that."
The Wolverine was positively stunned. "He can do that!?"
It was already happening. The Hulks form was shrinking—just a little!—as if he was reverting back to Banner form, but then the transformation stopped. He was still green and huge but now he was just barely able to squeeze through the large doors to the Danger Room, Iron Man and Captain America still in his arms.
"Well I'll be….." Logan said quietly, awed as he retracted his adamantium 'claws'.
Victor rolled his eyes and stalked after the green giant, Thor and the Black Widow still in his arms, Roddy and Cassie at his heels. "Come on, runt. Let's get these guys to the med bay and start hunt'n. We've already wasted enough time."
"You're the one who decided to fight them in the first place." Logan pointed out sensibly, following him. "Come on, kids," he gruffly ordered the others, jerking his head in a beckoning gesture. "Let's get move'n."
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THE INFINITY LAB
STEVE ASWELL / NICK FURY ::
NOTE: any Steve mentioned in the chapter will be Steve Aswell and not Steve Rogers.
While Victor had been conducting his 'battle of dominance' and Bobby Drake had been running for his life, Steve Aswell had remained at Nick Furys Infinity Lab to speak to him about the whole situation.
The Super Spy Nick Fury was NOT taking the situation well. The man was pacing the floor infront of a calmly sitting Steve Aswell, hands gripping each other behind his back, jaw clenched and trench-coat flapping at the speed of his walk. Steve could almost see steam coming out of the mans ears.
"So you're telling me that some upstart mutant brat from Xaviers has managed to steal my infinity serum!?"
Steve laced his fingers together calmly and sighed. Why did the man insist on repeating the obvious!? It wasn't going to help him get his precious serum back. "Yes, a boy called Bobby Drake."
"A shapeshifter? The one who infiltrated my lab?" Fury demanded.
"No, sources tell me Bobby Drakes mutation is ice-related, not shape-shifting." Steve answered. "I believe, however, that he is working with the Shapeshifter, partners in crime, if you will. But this is not helping us retrieve your serum. I believe you should organize some search parties and use your considerable technology to find Mr. Drake as soon as possible."
Nick Fury did another sharp turn, still pacing. "And what about the Sabretooth?"
Steve made a slightly disgusted face as if he smelled something rotten. "I believe the feral will be doing the same thing, if he does not allow his instincts to over-rule him."
"How do you mean?" Fury asked.
"That's a topic for another time." Steve Aswell said calmly. "I suggest you get started."
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VOCABULARY:
DECIMATED: Destroyed
INFILTRATED: to break into
RETRIEVE: to get back
IMPERTINANT: insolent (and since that needs another definition;)
INSOLENT: showing disrespect