Force Works 12
Enter Factor 3!
Metro City, The Workplace
The man called Nova groaned as he wearily pulled the bed sheets off of himself and began another day, luckily not having to spend this day like the few previously. He'd had just spent the last two days searching New York for one single person on the off chance that he might be infected with a bioweapon, the thought that the query of his search might already be dead never far from his mind. Eventually, Nova had managed to find his man, and discovered his concerns were baseless. But that didn't exactly make up for the fact that Rider had had less than four hours sleep in the forty-eight hours leading up to that. But with that out of the way, Nova still had to deal with a familiar and very much annoying problem.
"I'm half tempted to give these damn things up for all the problems they're giving me." Nova mumbled to himself as he entered his bathroom, though he didn't believe that thought for a second. Regardless, he was still concerned about the state of his powers. During a recent battle with a powerful alien warrior known as the Superskrull, Nova demonstrated powers he'd thought lost forever. Which, of course, meant that his powers had changed yet a-fucking gain. Nova took his toothbrush out and looked towards the bed he shared with his lover and teammate, Namorita. The bed was predictably empty, Namorita being an early riser when she wasn't hung over. He finished brushing, and activated his Nova uniform. Like most of Force Works, Rahne being the only real exception, Rich chose to wear his uniform almost all the time when in the tower, like business clothes or uniforms, choosing only to forgo the masks or in Nova's case, helmet. Rider finished brushing his teeth and then made his way down the hall to the kitchen.
(See last issue for the full details to Nova's problems)
"I cannae believe yuir so bloody single minded about this!" Nova heard a voice all but shout from the kitchen as he approached. Rahne and Rider's lover, Namorita, were sitting across the table from one another eating breakfast, and despite common sense, were having yet another heated political discussion. The two women loved each other like sisters, but politically they were like oil and water. Namorita was the feminist's dream while Rahne was the feminist's nightmare. The Corpsman rolled his eyes as he entered and walked over to the coffee machine, pouring himself a cup.
"I'm hardly being single minded about this!" Kymaera snapped back, "I'm just saying that a woman has a right to chose what to do with her body and that others don't have a right to tell her what to do!"
"Choice, choice, choice! Ye act like choice is morality!" Rahne replied sharply after finishing a bite of eggs, "jus' because ye can make a choice, dinnae mean ye shid!"
"Roe vs. Wade again? Can't you two just flip a coin and call it a day?" Nova joked as he took a sip of his coffee, earning him a venomous look from both women.
"Never mind." Nova replied meekly, shirking under their collective glare, "I'm about to head out to Muir for my check up slash errand. Everything's packed, right Rahne?"
"Aye, thank ye kindly, Richie. I really appreciate it." Rahne said.
Nova grabbed two strips of bacon off Namorita's plate, as he said, "No prob, kiddo. I'd have head to Muir anyways it seems, I need a check up PDQ. I'm just here to make sure my two favorite ladies are alright." Nova was speaking to both women, but was eying Namorita.
"I'll catch you two later."
Both women quietly paused as Nova left the room.
"I love Richie, but he's nae verra subtle." Rahne observed after a sip of orange juice.
"I think it's overrated sometimes, Rahney." 'Nita shrugged, "But he did tell me..."
"Bloody hell, a goon gets a lucky shot and suddenly..." the mutant werewolf sighed, "Doug's treating me jus' fine."
"I thought so." Namorita said as she took a sip of her coffee, "but Rich is a little too chivalrous for his own good sometimes. He's just asking because he cares."
"I know, I know."
"Besides, if I thought Doug was mistreating you, I'd rip his arms off and beat him to death with them." The Atlantean princess said matter of factly.
"Aye, nae doubt." Rahne replied, barely suppressing a shiver, "As I was saying, abortion..."
Muir Island, several hours later
"Alright Mr. Rider, ye can sit up now." Moira Mactaggert said she examined the readout of the computer screen before her.
"So, what's the verdict doc?" Asked Nova, his chest bare for the purpose of examination. He swung his legs off the examination table he'd been lying on and stepped down. Moira MacTaggert stepped out from behind an observation panel with a clipboard tucked under one arm.
"You gotta stay her for observation, beefy boy." Illyana remarked. She was hanging around the lab to both stave off boredom and to stare at the fine specimen of man that was Richard Ryder.
"Hush up girl," Moira said sharply, "As fer yuir problems wit' yuir powers, ah actually have good news. They've stopped fluxing, and yuir readings seem more in line wit' readin's from when ye first gained yuir new powers."
"That's what the last guy told me." Richard said wearily, "Taki said..."
Moira rolled her eyes and waved her hand dismissively, "Ye might want t' tell yuir 'Wiz Kid' that bein' a genius don' make ye a doctor. Ah have three separate doctorates, Mr. Rider, an' the X-Men come tae me fer medical treatment and exams. What does that tell ye?"
"Damned if I know," Nova replied honestly, "outside of your daughter and Dani, I barely know any of the X types, remember? So, I got all my old powers back? Gravity wave, Nova blast and energy absorption?"
"Aye, and yuir a wee bit stronger now tae. Near as ah ken tell, yuir powers have finally stabilized. Yuir cells won' process the energy any other way now." Moira explained.
"Guess I'm stuck with them. Damn." Nova smiled sarcastically. He then looked around curiously. "Hey, where'd my shirt go?"
Moira looked at the looker where she'd placed the alien uniform, and saw that he was slightly ajar, but obviously empty, "That's a verra good question."
There was a cough that sounded suspiciously like 'France' and the doctor and former New Warrior looked towards Magik, who was whistled innocently while keeping one eye trained on Nova's bare chest.
"What?"
One mile off Muir's coast
John Maclean held the binoculars against his eyes for several minutes, examining Muir Island as best he could. He was standing on the bridge of The Lovebug, what otherwise appeared to be an old, worn unassuming fishing vessel. But if one examined beneath the deck, they would find the latest technology in communications, scanning arrays and to a lesser degree, firearms. They had been stationed around Muir for three days now, always watching.
"Any change?" Peter Thompson, the second in command of this stakeout, asked, "Is he still there?"
"Yes. You'd better radio in. They're expecting a report before launch."
Peter nodded and went below deck, to where an impressive communication system was waiting. He picked up a specialized walkie-talkie and depressing the talk button, stated, "Lookout 1 reporting to central. The superhero known as Nova is currently on site. Advise terminating the launch."
"Acknowledged, Lookout 1. You are hereby ordered to move out. The attack will be launched as planned, and we don't need you being caught in the crossfire."
"Control, the Force Works member known as Nova is on site." Peter said with a little more urgency, "if you attack, Force Works will likely respond.
"We are aware of this Peter. Please, follow your orders." A new voiced evenly stated over the radio, one Peter recognized as the leader of his organization.
"Sir, I apologize, but I must again recommend that..."
"We heard you the first and second time." The voice said calmly, "Now please. Withdraw. I don't care to repeat myself." The voice was calm, collected and surprisingly patient, like that of a teacher explaining something to a student. There was no fear in Peter's voice as he acknowledged the order and conveyed it to his men. His leader didn't rely on fear at all, rather common sense and intelligence. Peter didn't know why they were still launching the attack, but he had faith in his commander.
Muir Island
"Thanks for the check up, doc. Its good to finally get a clean bill o' health." Nova explained as they walked down the corridors of the facility.
"It was muh pleasure. And thank ye for the care package from Rahne. When ye get back to Metro City, tell her t' bloody call me." Moira ordered
"Rahne doesn't call?" Nova asked, somewhat confused, "I thought..."
"O' course she calls and emails, jus' never on the video phones we have." Moira huffed, "I've nae seen my little girl's face in an age!"
Nova was about to respond, but he doubled over in pain, his energy absorption powers flaring and playing havoc, albeit temporarily, with his nervous system.
"Nova, what's wrong lad?" Moira asked as she grabbed his arm to steady him.
"I think we're about to have guests." Nova said thru gritted teeth, "is there a computer working?"
As fortune would have it, the two had stopped next the security station. Moira rushed inside and began evaluating the computer systems followed by a limping Nova.
"Moira, what's going on? I was surferin' the web when everything just froze!" Magik explained as she teleported into the security station.
"Bloody hell! Everything's frozen!" Moira exclaimed, "Only the communications still work, but how..."
"And monitors." Magik pointed towards the camera stations showing men wearing heavy armor and carrying bigger guns emerging from a portal on the north side of the island, "We got guests."
"Maybe we should get a little help." Illyana said flippantly, "Think X-Corp or X-Force is busy?"
"Screw that. Lets get some real firepower." Nova said as he activated the panic button in his helmet, "I assume you got a vault or somethin' around here doc. Those jerks are probably after your research, or you. You get someplace safe, and me and Blondie will hold them off long enough for Force Works to get here."
"Aye, good luck lad." Moira said as she withdrew a pistol from an emergency lock box and tucked it into her labcoat.
"Well shucks," Illyana deadpanned as she withdrew her soulsword and opened a teleport disc for Moira, "I guess this beats paying for room and board."
Metro City
"Lets go, let go, lets go!" Mirage shouted with enough authority to put any drill sergeant to shame as her team poured into the Stealth Wing and took their seats.
"Dani, the signal's from Muir..." Rahne said fearfully as she quickly entered the plane and buckled up.
"I know, but don't worry. Nova and Moira are more than tough enough to hang on until we get there." Dani promised.
"Man, I get back from LA one day and already back into the insanity." The kinetic hero Speedball remarked as he took his seat, "Not that I even left insanity on my off day. I just exchanged it for something else."
"How was L.A by the way?" Taki asked as he strapped himself in.
"What, you didn't hear? I saved L.A with the Avengers. Well, sorta." Speedball smiled, "It was pretty cool, I'll tell you about it later."
Muir Island
Andrew Taylor, leader of the strike force attacking Muir Island, signaled his men forward into the lobby of the main research facility with a silent hand signal. They were all wearing advanced, bulky armors that looked somewhat like hi tech riot gear with red aiming lasers pointing out of their weapons. They were just about to secure the lobby when a far wall exploded outwards in a flurry of shrapnel and blue and gold. Taylor opened his eyes to see Nova hovering there, his arms crossed disapprovingly.
"Appointment only, fellas." Nova said smugly, "And I don't see your names on the list."
"My H.M.O card." One attacker stated as he leveled his large plasma rifle. A sword seemingly appeared out of nowhere and sliced the rifle in two.
"Goons with a sense of humor, don't see that everyday." Magik commented as she went about disabling the men. A sweep with the flat of her blade, now somewhat altered to be more effective in combat, disabled two in front of her while Nova grabbed another and tossed him into his companions, "Not that it'll help."
Magik teleported behind Nova, and the alien empowered warrior unleashed a mild gravity wave, washing all the soldiers away like leaves caught a whirlwind. Nova and Magik cautiously followed out after the men, ready for any tricks
"I'm almost tempted to say this is too..." Nova wasn't able to finish his sentence before he found himself on the receiving end of a powerful blow that sent him careening thru the air high above Muir Island. Nova blinked stars out of his eyes as he saw his enemy flying towards him. The man was wearing a skintight white uniform with black gloves and boots with a sun emblem on the center of his chest and his hands glowed with power as yellow joggles covered his eyes.
"You're new on the block." Nova said as he ducked under a right hook. Nova struck back with a left hook to the top of the man's head and a right uppercut that staggered the mystery combatant.
"No I'm not, actually. Name's Sundown, kid. I took on both the Avengers and X-Men a long time back." Sundown pointed his hands and orange energy washed out and over Nova, engulfing his body in an inferno of energy. "I've lost a lot of power since then, but I'm still more than you can handle."
"We'll see about that Sunlite." Nova said as he unleashed the energy he'd absorbed from back at Sundown, to no real effect. Nova slammed into him at supersonic speeds and the two powerhouses started grappling in the air, each vying for an advantage. Nova spared a glance down to see two figures, a man covered in a red uniform and what looked like a male Wolfsbane enter the main facility while Magik was being surrounded by some odd characters, which meant to the human rocket, superhumans.
"Damnit Dani, get it in gear!" Nova thought to himself as he struggled with Sundown.
"Five against one? Hello, fair play!" Magik remarked as she regard people before her. She was surrounding by what she figured had to be the oddest team ever. In front of her was a man in a black and white armor that elongated slightly. He'd identified himself as Shoc while demanding her surrender, which Magik was seriously considering. To the left of Shoc was a member of Gen X she recognized as Mondo (Illyana reviewed the Generation X files one day out of boredom, though wasn't he dead?) and to the left of Shoc was a blond woman wearing purple body armor and had bags under her eyes, like she was drunk or drugged out or something. And just to make things more interesting, a man as equally fat as Mondo (though Magik knew perfectly well the fat was likely a display of his powers) was stationed behind her along with a black female escapee from the Movie 'The Fly".
"We don't wanna hurt you." Mondo said evenly.
"Then, ya know, don't." The young sorceress replied.
"Yo blondie! Duck and cover!" A strange hollow voice yelled. Magik immediately teleported away as multi colored bubbles rained from the air and exploded in a wave of kinetic energy. The superhuman attackers moved for cover themselves, but the objective was still achieved. Magik teleported back to where she had been only a moment before and looked up to see her saviors, Force Works, descending from the hovering Stealth Wing. Kymaera was carrying Wolfsbane and Mirage while Arsenal lowered X-Treme and Speedball, while Tarene brought up the rear.
"What's the situation?" Mirage asked as they touched down.
Magik shrugged casually, as if Dani had asked her about her hair, "Don't know. These losers just popped up out of nowhere with attitudes and big guns." she explained, "I don't even know their names!"
"We're Factor 3," Shoc stated, "and we're here for Mrs. Mactaggert's research." Behind him, even men began pouring out of the portal, all heavily armed and ready for action while Factor 3 regrouped, doubtlessly for another attack.
"You'll need her medical expertise in a moment," Dani warned, "Taki, Rahne, X-Treme, get inside! Secure Moira and get the defense systems working! Everyone else, let's get to work!"
"Gin Genie! Wave!" Shoc ordered before Force Works could attack. The blond haired woman groggily pointed towards the ground and unleashed powerful seismic waves, rocking the entire island, bringing everyone ground bound to their knees.
"Genie, cut back!" Shoc ordered angrily as he saw his teammate knock both friend and foe alike to the ground.
Namorita took the air and swatted the young woman aside before she could reign in her quake powers, "Nice coordination, there." Nita smirked to Shoc.
The black and white warrior replied with an elongated fist to Kymaera's stomach and unleashed a torrent of energy at her teammates with his other hand, all of whom managed to avoid it. Force Works and Magik scattered and chose their targets
Mirage charged the soldiers emerging from the portal and fired her arrows like a woman possessed. She knew so long as their enemies had a direct supply line to Muir Island, Force Works would be at a disadvantage. Unfortunately, the Factor 3 operatives knew this too, and stood their ground and returned fire. Mirage ducked behind a small hill to avoid lead death and tried to think of another way to shut down that portal.
Speedball bounded towards the other fat guy and smirked, "Who're you? The Blob's ugly cousin?"
The young man, wearing a blue sweater and very baggy pants replied, "I'm Phat. P.H.A.T, Spazball." Speedball barely had time to duck out of the way before a very fleshy and elongated fist came crashing towards him like a wave, "Figured out why yet?"
"Good lord! I'm fighting one of weight watcher's ten most wanted!" Speedball sprung up into the air and unleashed a torrent of kinetic at Phat. The chubby mutant's large body seemed to just brush it off, easily dispelling the energy. As Speedball fell back towards the earth, Phat slid his manipulative flab underneath Speedball, who landed on it with a wet 'splat'. The mutant fat had far too much give for Speedball to rebound and before Robbie could summon more kinetic energy to leap away, another wave of fat washed over him.
"Not so funny now, are you?" Phat growled as he compacted his mass around Speedball in an attempt to crush him. Phat couldn't hear if Speedball replied, but he quickly felt a powerful force pushing back against his fat, demanding release. Inside of the weight-wielding mutant, Speedball's brow furrowed in concentration as he expanded his force field, trying to force his way out. Phat's brows furrowed in concentration as he attempted to lock speedball down, but finally decided it was too much. He released Speedball, who shot out of the fat like a greased pig.
"Nearly drowned by fat! I'm gonna have nightmares about today for life!" Speedball exclaimed as he ricocheted back, "You must die!"
"Bring it on, Sponge bob." Phat declared as he lashed out with a spongy fist
Mondo pressed his hands against a special belt, given to by his leader that contained minerals and elements that complimented Mondo's ability to absorb the properties of anything he wished. Mondo chose titanium steel as Arsenal rushed towards him with his own steel skin. Mondo braced himself for the impact, but Arsenal suddenly changed tactics. He shifted back to his human form and used his agility to leap over Mondo almost at the last second. As soon as he touched down, Arsenal unleashed his powerful optic blasts at the back of Mondo's head, causing the steel giant to stagger forward and his vision to swim. Before he could press his advantage, Bobby's shoulder exploded in mess of blood and bone. Arsenal crumbled to the ground and in a haze of pain, looked over his shoulder to see a group of men approaching, weapons all trained on him.
"Mondo! You're the swinger, we'll keep him occupied!" One man yelled
Arsenal unsheathed his bone claws and activated his steel skin, thus sealing his shoulder wound, "Not for long, I promise you that." And he went to work.
Wiz Kid rushed inside the Muir Island facility alongside Wolfsbane and X- Treme, though poorly keeping pace with them. In the span of two seconds, he tapped into the main computer, reviewed all the information on what was happening and had happened, and made a decision. Without informing Wolfsbane or X-Treme, who were too far ahead of himself to begin with, he turned on his heels and started back the way he came to join the battle. He'd made it outside when what appeared to be the female version of the human fly, wearing ebony body armor, slammed into him and carried the techno morph into the air.
"Name's Angel, little red riding hood, and we got special orders regarding you." Before Taki could properly react, she vomited a green fluid upon his face, and he felt his entire body go numb.
"That big brain won't help you with your entire body paralyzed, will it?" Angel asked smugly as she dangled Wiz Kid by his wrist, much like a prize catch. So smug with her victory, she didn't notice Wiz Kid form a laser gun in his left hand until he brought it up and ruthless blasted her right wing to shreds.
"Arrgh! You gimp bastard!" Angel started to tumble thru the air, but Wiz Kid, now sporting a jet pack, grabbed her by the wrist and held her tight. Angel nervously looked down, wondering how the tables could have turned so quickly and brutally.
"My 'big brain' has never been limited by my body before." An electronic voice informed Angel. She looked up at Taki to see him clearly talking, though his mouth remained closed.
"Exo-skeleton formed by my tech pack, which is controlled by my mind." The electronic wizard pressed his gun against Angel's cheek, "Now why are you here?"
"Go to hell you little fuck!" She spat. Taki increased the temperature of the gun barrel against Angel's cheek slightly, "Okay, okay! Our leader wants info on that Legacy Virus thing. He thinks that if he creates a disease that don't discriminate and really deadly, it'll bring everyone together."
Taki pressed his gin harder against Angel's face, "You're lying."
"The fuck I am! Eric's always goin' on about how 9/11 helped bring people together." Angel explained. Forgoing further debate, Wiz Kid arced down towards the ground, dropped Angel on her ass and waded into the battle.
"Excuse me, pardon me, coming thru." Tarene said calmly as she swatted heavily armored men aside as easily as one might brush dandruff off their shoulder. The men sought to bar her way to the portal, and despite great courage, were failing utterly. Tarene reached the shimmering yellow tear in space easily, and paused.
"Dani, what do I do now?" She asked. Mirage was too busy dealing with a handful of men to immediately answer.
Mirage jammed her elbow into the neck of one man, "See if you can shut it down," she spun and unleashed two arrows at the men trying to draw a bead on her twenty feet away, "if you can't do that, stop more men from exiting," the Cheyenne warrior slammed her left palm into the neck of another soldier, "but keep it secured, no matter what."
"Okay!" Tarene said cheerfully.
"Excuse me, but who are you?" Tarene heard a new voice inquire from behind her. She whirled around and was met a red armored glove to the face. A booted foot then slammed into her solar plexus, winding her and sending her stumbling back a few feet. For the first time that she could really recall, Tarene hurt. Badly. She saw the man who'd struck her casually stepping out of the portal, garbed in metallic pants, a harness covering his shoulders with straps forming an X reaching from his pants to his harness and sporting a horned helmet, all bright red. Hovering slightly above his left wrist was an energy shield that shimmered brightly, "I'm Eric the Red, you?"
"I'm Tarene, you jerk." The young goddess replied as charged the newest combatant. Eric the Red stood perfectly still until the last moment, then he moved deftly aside and chopped the back of Tarene's neck, bringing her to her knees.
"Yes, but what else are you?" A right cross to the side of her head, "What's your father's name? Your birthday?" Eric swept her legs out from under her, "You're more than just a superpowered girl, aren't you? Or is Tarene all you are?"
"Shut up!" Tarene screamed, unable to answer questions she knew full well she should be able to. Tarene unleashed a powerful lightning blast at Eric's chest from her war mallet. He met it, and reciprocated with a crimson blast of his own that nearly caused Tarene to black out. Thru the stars, Tarene saw Eric the Red approaching.
"I'm sorry for this, but it's for your own good. Now, where were we? Mother's maiden name?" And then Eric the Red began tearing into Tarene, emotionally and physically.
Inside the Muir Island facility
Wolfsbane picked up the soldier who'd foolishly sought to prevent her from reaching her mother, hefted him over her head and threw him towards his companions. She and X-Treme were upon them in seconds, and defeated them in less time than it took to tell.
"How far are we from your mother's safe room?" X-Treme asked as he wiped the blood off his sword.
"Nae that much farther, Adam." Rahne replied as she took off down the hall with X-Treme trailing, "I'm glad yuir here, by the way. Yuir one of the few people I'd want to trust wit' me mum's life."
"Um, thanks." Adam replied quickly, simply because he didn't know how to react to someone actually making conversation, let alone trusting him. Hell, Rahne and Bobby aside, no one on Force Works talked to him outside of need.
He didn't have time to dwell on it as they turned the corner to Moira's safe room and observed a team of technicians examining the vault door, with two people standing guard. One was covered in a red, fleshy suit while the other obviously had powers similar to Rahne, with a werewolf like appearance covered by a (naturally) leather jump suit.
"I'd suggest you people vacate this island right now, before I do something you'll regret." X-Treme warned as he sheathed his sword (not a idle weapon for close quarters combat) and held his fists up, ready for action.
"I must say, these heroes are unduly confident." The werewolf said as he cracked his knuckles, "Don't you agree, Hybrid?"
Long red claws morphed out of the scarlet figure's finger nails, "Oh yeah, Vivisector. Blondie's mine. Gonna take him to school."
"Wolfsbane, the wolf guy's yours. I'll take the other one. I'll be done in a minute if you need backup." X-Treme informed his teammate. Without wasting a moment, both sides lunged for their targets.
"Beauty and the Beast! What a dynamic this batt..."Was about as far as Vivisector got before Rahne's fist slammed into his face. She easily sidestepped Vivisector's counterattack and slammed her fist into his gut, and followed thru with a vicious left hook that dislocated the young man's jaw. Rahne grabbed the back of his suit, and using her incredible strength, lifted him up and hurled him into the technicians attempting to get at her mother. As they went down in a tumbleweed of bodies, Rahne didn't waste a second as she pounced on them. Wolfsbane had no mercy for anyone who would threaten her mother.
"Little cocky, are we?" Hybrid asked as he leaped towards the air at X- Treme, claws extruding from his hands.
"No." X-Treme answered as he fell back and planted a powerful kick on Hybrid's side, like how a soccer player might make a desperate play, the blow sending Hybrid crashing into the metal walls of the facility. X-Treme managed to land on his feet and he shot towards Hybrid like an arrow.
0:03
X-Treme slammed the palms of his hands into Hybrid's kidneys and then let loose dozens of rapid, powerful blows. The alien costume that gave Hybrid his powers instinctively flowed down to his chest, to protect and reinforce the area of X-Treme's attack, just like he knew it would. X-Treme's left foot slammed into Hybrid's knee and twisted it in at an unnatural position
0:17
X-Treme pulled his right hand back, straightened his index and ring finger, and jammed it into Hybrid's throat, just below the Adam's apple. Hybrid made a wet gurgling noise as his air was cut off and X-Treme's left fist slammed into his jaw.
0:25
X-Treme lashed out with a powerful punt that would have put anyone in the NFL to shame, and struck Hybrid a little below his crotch and actually lifted him several inches into the air. As he came down, X-Treme pulled his arms back and then slapped the palms of his hands against both sides of Hybrid's head, boxing his ears.
0:38
Adam grabbed the alien costume around Hybrid's and dragged his head down while leaping up, the effect slamming Hybrid's face into X-Treme's knees at over fifty miles per hour.
0:46
X-Treme released his hold on Hybrid and let him stumble back. Though no words could ever describe Hybrid's pain, Adam could tell he still had some fight left in him. X-Treme nailed Hybrid in the face with a snap kick, which sent the man's head bouncing back off the metal wall and back into X- Treme's speeding foot.
Once.
Twice
And third time's the charm. Hybrid slumped back and fell mercifully unconscious.
0:59
X-Treme joined Rahne as she frantically entered her personal security code into the electronic lock. For a moment, Rahne was afraid the lock was too damaged to work. Thankfully, her fears were put to rest as the large metal doors began to separate once her key code was entered. Rahne rushed inside and nearly tackled Moira to the ground, who was sporting a very nasty looking rifle trained at the doors. Thankfully for Rahne, she was moving too fast and was embracing her mother before Moira even knew what was happening.
"Oh, saints be praised!!" Rahne wept as she embraced her all but biological mother, "Yuir alright!"
"I'm fine luv, I'm fine. These blackhearts ne'er got near me." Moira said reassuringly.
"Ms. Mactaggert, how secure is this location? Can we dig in here?" X-Treme asked as he entered the vault, his eyes wondering around curiously, recognizing a great deal of the technology present from his own Shi'ar background. The vault was lined with all kinds of medical equipment and other types of technology, but that wasn't what attracted X-Treme's attention. X-Treme's eyes latched onto a security screen that displayed the battle raging outside on the grounds.
"I cannae think of a more secure location on Muir, or alla Scotland." Moira answered.
"Default heavy lock, right?" X-Treme inquired as he unsheathed his battleaxe.
"Aye, why?" Moira asked.
X-Treme answered her question by embedding his axe into the controls and leaping thru the metal doors as they slammed shut. X-Treme landed outside the doors and raced towards the exit with murder in his eyes and rage in his heart.
Shoc flew down from the sky and unleashed a blast of black and white energy that drove Dani away from a nest of soldiers who'd surrounded Wiz Kid. Taki, undaunted, created a rail gun around each wrist and let loose with powerful energy bullets that shattered the bones of his foes while his defense protocols protected him with a slight force field. Behind Wiz Kid, Namorita gripped one armored soldier and used his armored body as a flail against his fellows. In the meantime, Arsenal tackled Shoc out of the air from behind and the two slammed into the ground.
"I thought you were a hero!" Arsenal growled as he got up first and unleashed an optic blast at Shoc. Shoc anticipated this, and concentrated, calling forth training given to him by Eric the Red. The red blast passed harmlessly thru him and before Arsenal could register this, Shoc phased thru his steel body like a ghost. Arsenal felt the world swirl around him before he collapsed to the ground unconscious.
"The world has enough heroes, and villains," Shoc stated as he stretched over Arsenal's defeated form, "We're something else. Neither heroes nor villains. The third factor."
A psychic arrow flew thru the air and struck Shoc in the head, sending him to the ground reeling in pain.
"That's good to know, but you're going down all the same." Said Mirage as she readied another arrow. She was about to blast Shoc again when the ground flowed like water around her and she found herself in the earthy and incredibly huge paw of Mondo.
"Sorry, can't let you that, good looking." Mondo, his body formed from Muir Island, said in a rough voice, before his face exploded in a shower of dirt. The grip on Dani disappeared and she landed in a crouch as the dirt body of Mondo's form slumped back into the earth.
"She didn't ask for permission." Wiz Kid spat as he held a smoking laser cannon of his own creation.
"That wasn't very nice, mon!" Mondo roared as a giant hand shot out of the ground with Taki in its giant palm. Taki created two electrified blades in both hands and shoved them into the ground, twisted and spat, "Neither am I." Mondo, and indeed a good portion of Muir Island itself, screamed in pain at the assault on his nervous system.
Dani raced towards Arsenal's unconscious form as quickly as her feet would carry her. Once beside him, she pulled a smelling salt out of her belt, snapped it open and waved it under the unconscious hero's nose. Bobby came around, coughing and hacking a few seconds later.
"Lord that smells nasty." Bobby groaned as he rubbed his nose with one hand and rubbed his head with the other.
"That's the idea, Bobby. Now go give Nova some support." Dani ordered. Arsenal took off into the air and towards Sundown and Nova. No sooner was he out of earshot than the earth under Dani violently shook, throwing her from her feet and on her back. Dani saw that Gin Genie had recovered from Namorita's attack, and was now royally pissed, in both sense of the term.
"Want to see what happens when my powers are turned against human flesh?" The seismic mutant slurred. With no time to aim an arrow, Dani instead reached out to Gin Genies' mind with her illusion powers.
"What the hell are you doing, you little slut?"
Gin Genie whirled around and saw a poorly washed man, wearing sweat pants and a worn wife beater shirt.
"Daddy! Wha...why? Eric promised you were gone!" Gin Genie was almost hysterical at the sight of the man, her heart pounding like a jackhammer, "Don't be mad! Please! I..."
"I'm so sorry." Dani said sincerely as she dropkicked Gin Genie into unconsciousness. Dani had barely touched the ground before weapons fire peppered her general location. Mirage fell forward, rolled and returned fire, hitting her would be snipers.
"This...the...best you got?" Nova demanded as he locked hands with Sundown in a dead heat.
"It's all I need!" Sundown answered.
"Maybe another head, too." Arsenal remarked as he swooped down and struck Sundown in the back of his skull, stunning the solar powered villain. Never one to waste a good shot, Nova slammed his right fist into Sundown's jaw and then cupped his hands together and delivered a powerful jackhammer on the top of Sundown's head. The scientist turned superhuman tumbled down thru the air, and Nova sped his way with some of the energy he'd absorbed from their battle.
"Thanks for the help, though I could have handled it alone." Nova remarked to the hovering Arsenal.
"We don't do things alone here, remember?" Arsenal smiled, "Come on, lets show these guys why we get the big bucks."
"Favorite time of the year?" Eric the Red asked Tarene. Tarene's face by now covered in tears and bruises and her vision obscured, but she refused to back down. Her anger wouldn't let her. She charged forward, but Eric leaped over the enraged Tarene easily. He tucked himself into a ball and then expertly lashed out with his leg, striking her in the back of her head, again bringing Tarene crashing to the ground.
"Brand of ice scream? First kiss, maybe?" Eric inquired as he grabbed Tarene's cape and flipped her over, smashing her face first into the ground. Tarene struggled to her knees, but that was as far as she got. She was spent, both physically and emotionally. Eric the Red, for his part, didn't take advantage of this fact and stood his ground. If Tarene didn't know better, she would also swear that he was giving her a sympathetic look. Eric the Red then turned away to evaluate the battle. Thus far, it was a stalemate, with his regular troops offsetting Force Works' edge in experience against Factor 3.
"Shakari!" A voice screamed in more hatred than humanly possible. Eric the Red turned to see two leather boots smash into his face. X-Treme's kick carried him over his foe and as soon as he landed, he spun around and threw several blades at his enemy, who deftly blocked them with his shield.
"I don't know how it is you're still alive, but I'll send you back to hell where you belong!" X-Treme spat as he withdrew two bundi daggers. He slashed high at Eric, who ducked as anticipated. X-Treme lashed out with a snap kick where Eric's head should have been, but his foe was a fraction too fast, stepping back just quick enough to avoid the shot.
"I'm afraid that you have me mistaken for the last person who wore this armor." Eric explained as he swept Adam's legs out from under him. Adam rolled back slightly and snapped his legs up and out, hoping to catch Eric in the stomach with both feet. Once again, Eric was too fast, and blocked it with his shield. Eric's right hand depressed a button on his belt, and watched in relief as his men began teleporting away and the tear in space that he'd used to invade Muir Island closing. His people were evacuating, and all he had to do now was provide cover. Eric turned from X-Treme and ran towards the battle. Arsenal, who was wrestling Mondo, didn't see Eric the Red until the man's foot struck his jaw.
"Mondo, cover the others retreat." Eric ordered as he stood over Arsenal's stunned form.
"But sir, you can't take them on alone!" Mondo said, fearful for the safety of the man who'd freed him from imprisonment by the villain known as Black Tom.
"I'm not done with you yet!" X-Treme snarled as he tackled Eric the Red.
"Go! Now!" Eric snapped as he grappled with X-Treme. Mondo reluctantly acknowledged the order and melted away to help his teammates. Eric head butted X-Treme and kicked him off. X-Treme was on his feet in a blink, slashing out with his daggers. Despite all his training, all his skill, Eric the Red avoided or blocked every strike with either his shield or free arm. The two warriors sparred full force for a full three minutes, neither side gaining an advantage. Every kick, nerve strike and blow X-Treme unleashed was blocked, dodged or avoided with expert skill by Eric the Red. X-Treme finally slipped up, and left an opening that Eric took full advantage of as he slammed the palm of his hand into the center of Adam's chest, driving all air out of X-Treme's lungs.
X-Treme fell backwards, his body numb, as Eric watched with incredible disinterest, "You're not Shakari." X-Treme rasped after he landed, "He's not that good."
"Glad to see you're paying attention finally." Eric stated.
"You should be paying attention too, Reddy." Nova smirked as he flew down and streaked towards Eric the Red at breakneck speed. Eric stood his ground and with quickness that surprised even Nova, caught Nova's fists in his own and held fast, bring Nova to a very sudden stop.
"Holy shit..."Nova gaped as he felt himself come to a stop faster than almost ever before. Eric the Red backhanded Nova across the face, causing Nova's vision to blur and then casually tossed him away like a child's rag doll. Eric the Red looked around and observed Force Works had now surrounded him, but that his men had successfully escaped.
"Your flunkies may have flown the coup, but if you even think of fleeing we'll may sure you eat your food thru a straw for the next month." Mirage warned.
"Is that a threat? I don't much like..." Eric asked as his eyes went from Worker to Worker before finally stopping on Taki, "...ultimatums."
Taki felt a slight shiver go down his spine as he asked, "Why are you here?"
Eric cocked his head to the side and smiled, a cocky smile like that of a card shark who knows he has the winning hand, "You already know the truth."
"I'd prefer to hear it from you." Taki answered
"I suppose that's part of the hero's..." Eric the Red's gaze moved from Taki to Kymaera as he continued, "...protocol, no? Villain explains plans to an eager audience."
"No more games." Adam sneered as he brandished his sword, "Who are you!? What do you want?"
"Very well, since you'll likely figure it out with the information Taki extracted from Angel." Eric the Red looked back at Taki with a sneer, "You'll pay for that one day, young man."
"Noted." Taki said dismissively, "you were saying?"
"Ah yes. I, Force Works, consider myself a man of the world, one that is needlessly divided. For decades, I have tried to think of something that might remedy this state of affairs. But until recently, I was stymied. Nothing I could think of would work, or had worked. Until what I saw what happened one day in September, and it's effects."
"Nine eleven." Wiz Kid muttered, "Dear God, she wasn't lying."
"Think about it, for a moment, how that single tragedy united so many nations, however briefly." Eric calmly explained, "just imagine another such tragedy, only greater, millions instead of thousands and with more international damage. Why, it would be the beginning of a golden age." Eric said blissfully with outstretched hands.
"And you wanted Moira's information on the Legacy Virus for your doomsday weapon." Dani whispered
"How so very ironic you would be the first person to figure that out, Ms. Moonstar." Eric said with an even smile, "The Legacy Virus, properly altered, could be devastating to humanity, finally uniting this globe against a common enemy. Millions would die, but that's a sacrifice that must be made."
"I think I'm going to be sick." Arsenal stated, "If you think you're getting off this island a free man, you're very much mistaken."
Eric the Red, still smiling, spread his arms out wide and said, "Then take me. I swear I won't resist."
Arsenal and Kymaera traded a glance at one another and began to approach Eric the Red, vigilant for any sign of aggression. Kymaera got within arm's length and reached out for Eric's outstretched wrist, only to have her hand pass right thru like a ghost. Eric the Red laughed happily as he saw Kymaera's confusion as his lower body began to disappear. He crooked his head towards Moonstar.
"A mental virus I implanted in all my people, that you 'caught' when you tapped into Rebecca's, otherwise known as Gin Genie, mind. You've all been listening to a recording for some time now."
Force Works was rendered breathless at the revelation, and they searched their memories for when exactly Eric could have made his escape.
"How...?" Speedball managed to stammer out.
"Did I know what you would ask Speedball, the masked marvel? Because I'm very intelligent, and because, I just do." With that, the image of Eric the Red faded away completely, leaving a team shaken to their core. They'd all dealt with manipulators before, but Eric the Red they all recognized as something different. Deadlier. And more intimate.
"Taki, did you manage to lock down Muir's computers?" Dani asked, finally breaking the silence.
"I suspect the firewalls kept him out, not that it matters that much." Wiz Kid answered.
"Taki, I've about had it with your God damn indifference!" Dani spat as she spun around to face him, rage in her eyes "Did you not just fucking hear what I did? If Eric got his hands on that data, our problems have barely started!"
"The World Health Organization, Center for Disease Control, if Eric the Red really wanted data on the Legacy Virus, there are a dozen softer targets all over the world," Taki explained, "This attack was all about Factor 3. He wanted to test his troops in action, to test their loyalty to him and his cause, and he got what he wanted."
"How do you figure that?" Nova asked as he rejoined the group, rubbing a rather sore jaw.
"One, the Legacy Virus has already failed to bring humanity together for the common good, remember? If anything, it made things worse. Two, I can't think of a better place outside of Avengers Mansion to attack if you wanted to elicit a superhuman response, than Muir Island. X-Corp, X-Men Prime, Exiles, X-Force and Force Works, via Rahne, all have a connection to Muir Island. Moira has friends or has close associates in almost every X team, remember?"
"And where better to attack if you wanted some hero team to come to the rescue?" Kymaera finished.
"Exactly." Taki steepled his hands together, "Why else would the ionic lock used to shut down the security systems not have affected the communications systems? This is one cunning bastard we're dealing with. We barely know of him, and already he's nearly leading us on a wild goose chase."
"And there's another problem, too." Speedball said.
"What's that?" Mirage asked
"If Eric didn't want the data and wanted to put his team thru a trial by fire, then... he already has a plan for a bigger and badder 9/11." Speedball explained
Force Works quietly mulled over the implications of that statement. The quite remained for a few moments before the team heard someone weeping softly. They turned towards the source, and saw Tarene on her knees with her hands in her face, crying.
"Tarene? What's wrong kiddo?" Bobby asked as he rushed to her side. He and Namorita helped her to her feet. Tarene was a little banged up, but no worse than anyone else, at least physically.
"That Eric guy...he...he asked me questions..." Tarene sobbed, "questions I should know the answer to, but don't! I...I don't even know what I am!"
Dani and the rest of Force Works shifted uncomfortable. They'd tried their best to break Tarene's amnesia, to unlock the secrets of her past for the first several weeks that she was a member, but it slid down the priority list as mission after mission came up. Tarene herself never pressed the issue either, seemingly content not to know her past. But that, Dani sighed inwardly, shouldn't have mattered. Helping Tarene should be and should always have been priority number one, rather than exploit her power and hope she someday remembers her life.
"You may not know how you are, but I swear, come Monday, you will." Dani said, "Namorita's going to get you an appointment with a very special doctor, and we're going to get to the bottom of your mystery."
"Promise?"
"I swear it, Tarene." Dani answered
"What, am I gonna set her up with my gynecologist, or what?" Kymaera asked
"I'm referring to a close friend of your cousin's." Dani explained with an annoyed look.
Kymaera slapped her forehead, "Oh, him. Sorry, had a dumb blond attack."
Metro City, hours later
Adam Sol, otherwise known as X-Treme, sat in the middle of his apartment studio Indian style and meditated quietly.
Or rather, he sat in the middle of his studio Indian style and thought. Adam had little interest or schooling in true spirituality, truth be told. His mind was rarely empty of active, relative thought. No, the totality of his spirituality could be summed up as 'sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. No use complaining'.
Adam's thoughts this night however, weren't on his random blackouts that would rob him of hours, and the secret fear that he was losing his mind. No, his thoughts were on the new Eric the Red. X-Treme was convinced this Eric one wasn't the same man who Adam discovered manipulated his entire life since birth. But this new Eric the Red was equally dangerous, if not more so. Somehow, he knew what buttons to push and where his enemies' weakness lay. That would certainly be a problem down the road for Adam, who guarded his secrets religiously, for the sake of his friends.
Another thing that baffled X-Treme was just how exactly he lasted so long against Eric the Red in a straight up fight. Eric had defeated Tarene handily, and dismissed Nova just as easily. Adam, hardly a man of ego, knew both of his two defeated teammates were several levels above him in terms of both power and strength. Yet at the same time, Adam knew that when he fought Eric the Red, neither side held back. Adam's thoughts were interrupted as he heard someone approaching his door from outside. He picked up a dagger and briskly made his way to the door. He half expected some supervillain to be there when he looked thru the peephole. After all, only two members of Force Works knew his address. Only two had asked. What he saw looking thru the peep-hole shocked Adam more than he thought anything could, and he threw the door open.
"Hello, Adam," Rahne said, wearing a purple evening dress, her lower lip cut and her right eye slightly swollen, "I...I need yuir help."
To be continued in Force Works Annual 1
Next Issue: Tarene and friends are off to see the doctor of strange, and an arrest is made regarding who's been killing anti mutant politicians in Metro City, with another special guest star. Warning, the killer who you think he is.
Work Letters
The letter this time is from fanfic legend Barry Reese on issue 5 (bless the glory that is back issues) Go to it Barry!
Very nice! You did a good job making me feel like these new characters are ones that I can empathize with and enjoy. The Rahne/Doug scenes were the ones that really hit home though... from the way he treated her early on (the pat on the butt and her confusion was achingly portrayed) to the way she went to Dani for advice later on but wasn't able to get the help she needed... very chilling! I was very disturbed by their relationship!
Glad you found the issue interesting and disturbing, that's what I was going for. Rahne's relationship with Doug is coming to a close, with Rahne now being a little stronger than she was before. Thanks for the letter, Barry!
Enter Factor 3!
Metro City, The Workplace
The man called Nova groaned as he wearily pulled the bed sheets off of himself and began another day, luckily not having to spend this day like the few previously. He'd had just spent the last two days searching New York for one single person on the off chance that he might be infected with a bioweapon, the thought that the query of his search might already be dead never far from his mind. Eventually, Nova had managed to find his man, and discovered his concerns were baseless. But that didn't exactly make up for the fact that Rider had had less than four hours sleep in the forty-eight hours leading up to that. But with that out of the way, Nova still had to deal with a familiar and very much annoying problem.
"I'm half tempted to give these damn things up for all the problems they're giving me." Nova mumbled to himself as he entered his bathroom, though he didn't believe that thought for a second. Regardless, he was still concerned about the state of his powers. During a recent battle with a powerful alien warrior known as the Superskrull, Nova demonstrated powers he'd thought lost forever. Which, of course, meant that his powers had changed yet a-fucking gain. Nova took his toothbrush out and looked towards the bed he shared with his lover and teammate, Namorita. The bed was predictably empty, Namorita being an early riser when she wasn't hung over. He finished brushing, and activated his Nova uniform. Like most of Force Works, Rahne being the only real exception, Rich chose to wear his uniform almost all the time when in the tower, like business clothes or uniforms, choosing only to forgo the masks or in Nova's case, helmet. Rider finished brushing his teeth and then made his way down the hall to the kitchen.
(See last issue for the full details to Nova's problems)
"I cannae believe yuir so bloody single minded about this!" Nova heard a voice all but shout from the kitchen as he approached. Rahne and Rider's lover, Namorita, were sitting across the table from one another eating breakfast, and despite common sense, were having yet another heated political discussion. The two women loved each other like sisters, but politically they were like oil and water. Namorita was the feminist's dream while Rahne was the feminist's nightmare. The Corpsman rolled his eyes as he entered and walked over to the coffee machine, pouring himself a cup.
"I'm hardly being single minded about this!" Kymaera snapped back, "I'm just saying that a woman has a right to chose what to do with her body and that others don't have a right to tell her what to do!"
"Choice, choice, choice! Ye act like choice is morality!" Rahne replied sharply after finishing a bite of eggs, "jus' because ye can make a choice, dinnae mean ye shid!"
"Roe vs. Wade again? Can't you two just flip a coin and call it a day?" Nova joked as he took a sip of his coffee, earning him a venomous look from both women.
"Never mind." Nova replied meekly, shirking under their collective glare, "I'm about to head out to Muir for my check up slash errand. Everything's packed, right Rahne?"
"Aye, thank ye kindly, Richie. I really appreciate it." Rahne said.
Nova grabbed two strips of bacon off Namorita's plate, as he said, "No prob, kiddo. I'd have head to Muir anyways it seems, I need a check up PDQ. I'm just here to make sure my two favorite ladies are alright." Nova was speaking to both women, but was eying Namorita.
"I'll catch you two later."
Both women quietly paused as Nova left the room.
"I love Richie, but he's nae verra subtle." Rahne observed after a sip of orange juice.
"I think it's overrated sometimes, Rahney." 'Nita shrugged, "But he did tell me..."
"Bloody hell, a goon gets a lucky shot and suddenly..." the mutant werewolf sighed, "Doug's treating me jus' fine."
"I thought so." Namorita said as she took a sip of her coffee, "but Rich is a little too chivalrous for his own good sometimes. He's just asking because he cares."
"I know, I know."
"Besides, if I thought Doug was mistreating you, I'd rip his arms off and beat him to death with them." The Atlantean princess said matter of factly.
"Aye, nae doubt." Rahne replied, barely suppressing a shiver, "As I was saying, abortion..."
Muir Island, several hours later
"Alright Mr. Rider, ye can sit up now." Moira Mactaggert said she examined the readout of the computer screen before her.
"So, what's the verdict doc?" Asked Nova, his chest bare for the purpose of examination. He swung his legs off the examination table he'd been lying on and stepped down. Moira MacTaggert stepped out from behind an observation panel with a clipboard tucked under one arm.
"You gotta stay her for observation, beefy boy." Illyana remarked. She was hanging around the lab to both stave off boredom and to stare at the fine specimen of man that was Richard Ryder.
"Hush up girl," Moira said sharply, "As fer yuir problems wit' yuir powers, ah actually have good news. They've stopped fluxing, and yuir readings seem more in line wit' readin's from when ye first gained yuir new powers."
"That's what the last guy told me." Richard said wearily, "Taki said..."
Moira rolled her eyes and waved her hand dismissively, "Ye might want t' tell yuir 'Wiz Kid' that bein' a genius don' make ye a doctor. Ah have three separate doctorates, Mr. Rider, an' the X-Men come tae me fer medical treatment and exams. What does that tell ye?"
"Damned if I know," Nova replied honestly, "outside of your daughter and Dani, I barely know any of the X types, remember? So, I got all my old powers back? Gravity wave, Nova blast and energy absorption?"
"Aye, and yuir a wee bit stronger now tae. Near as ah ken tell, yuir powers have finally stabilized. Yuir cells won' process the energy any other way now." Moira explained.
"Guess I'm stuck with them. Damn." Nova smiled sarcastically. He then looked around curiously. "Hey, where'd my shirt go?"
Moira looked at the looker where she'd placed the alien uniform, and saw that he was slightly ajar, but obviously empty, "That's a verra good question."
There was a cough that sounded suspiciously like 'France' and the doctor and former New Warrior looked towards Magik, who was whistled innocently while keeping one eye trained on Nova's bare chest.
"What?"
One mile off Muir's coast
John Maclean held the binoculars against his eyes for several minutes, examining Muir Island as best he could. He was standing on the bridge of The Lovebug, what otherwise appeared to be an old, worn unassuming fishing vessel. But if one examined beneath the deck, they would find the latest technology in communications, scanning arrays and to a lesser degree, firearms. They had been stationed around Muir for three days now, always watching.
"Any change?" Peter Thompson, the second in command of this stakeout, asked, "Is he still there?"
"Yes. You'd better radio in. They're expecting a report before launch."
Peter nodded and went below deck, to where an impressive communication system was waiting. He picked up a specialized walkie-talkie and depressing the talk button, stated, "Lookout 1 reporting to central. The superhero known as Nova is currently on site. Advise terminating the launch."
"Acknowledged, Lookout 1. You are hereby ordered to move out. The attack will be launched as planned, and we don't need you being caught in the crossfire."
"Control, the Force Works member known as Nova is on site." Peter said with a little more urgency, "if you attack, Force Works will likely respond.
"We are aware of this Peter. Please, follow your orders." A new voiced evenly stated over the radio, one Peter recognized as the leader of his organization.
"Sir, I apologize, but I must again recommend that..."
"We heard you the first and second time." The voice said calmly, "Now please. Withdraw. I don't care to repeat myself." The voice was calm, collected and surprisingly patient, like that of a teacher explaining something to a student. There was no fear in Peter's voice as he acknowledged the order and conveyed it to his men. His leader didn't rely on fear at all, rather common sense and intelligence. Peter didn't know why they were still launching the attack, but he had faith in his commander.
Muir Island
"Thanks for the check up, doc. Its good to finally get a clean bill o' health." Nova explained as they walked down the corridors of the facility.
"It was muh pleasure. And thank ye for the care package from Rahne. When ye get back to Metro City, tell her t' bloody call me." Moira ordered
"Rahne doesn't call?" Nova asked, somewhat confused, "I thought..."
"O' course she calls and emails, jus' never on the video phones we have." Moira huffed, "I've nae seen my little girl's face in an age!"
Nova was about to respond, but he doubled over in pain, his energy absorption powers flaring and playing havoc, albeit temporarily, with his nervous system.
"Nova, what's wrong lad?" Moira asked as she grabbed his arm to steady him.
"I think we're about to have guests." Nova said thru gritted teeth, "is there a computer working?"
As fortune would have it, the two had stopped next the security station. Moira rushed inside and began evaluating the computer systems followed by a limping Nova.
"Moira, what's going on? I was surferin' the web when everything just froze!" Magik explained as she teleported into the security station.
"Bloody hell! Everything's frozen!" Moira exclaimed, "Only the communications still work, but how..."
"And monitors." Magik pointed towards the camera stations showing men wearing heavy armor and carrying bigger guns emerging from a portal on the north side of the island, "We got guests."
"Maybe we should get a little help." Illyana said flippantly, "Think X-Corp or X-Force is busy?"
"Screw that. Lets get some real firepower." Nova said as he activated the panic button in his helmet, "I assume you got a vault or somethin' around here doc. Those jerks are probably after your research, or you. You get someplace safe, and me and Blondie will hold them off long enough for Force Works to get here."
"Aye, good luck lad." Moira said as she withdrew a pistol from an emergency lock box and tucked it into her labcoat.
"Well shucks," Illyana deadpanned as she withdrew her soulsword and opened a teleport disc for Moira, "I guess this beats paying for room and board."
Metro City
"Lets go, let go, lets go!" Mirage shouted with enough authority to put any drill sergeant to shame as her team poured into the Stealth Wing and took their seats.
"Dani, the signal's from Muir..." Rahne said fearfully as she quickly entered the plane and buckled up.
"I know, but don't worry. Nova and Moira are more than tough enough to hang on until we get there." Dani promised.
"Man, I get back from LA one day and already back into the insanity." The kinetic hero Speedball remarked as he took his seat, "Not that I even left insanity on my off day. I just exchanged it for something else."
"How was L.A by the way?" Taki asked as he strapped himself in.
"What, you didn't hear? I saved L.A with the Avengers. Well, sorta." Speedball smiled, "It was pretty cool, I'll tell you about it later."
Muir Island
Andrew Taylor, leader of the strike force attacking Muir Island, signaled his men forward into the lobby of the main research facility with a silent hand signal. They were all wearing advanced, bulky armors that looked somewhat like hi tech riot gear with red aiming lasers pointing out of their weapons. They were just about to secure the lobby when a far wall exploded outwards in a flurry of shrapnel and blue and gold. Taylor opened his eyes to see Nova hovering there, his arms crossed disapprovingly.
"Appointment only, fellas." Nova said smugly, "And I don't see your names on the list."
"My H.M.O card." One attacker stated as he leveled his large plasma rifle. A sword seemingly appeared out of nowhere and sliced the rifle in two.
"Goons with a sense of humor, don't see that everyday." Magik commented as she went about disabling the men. A sweep with the flat of her blade, now somewhat altered to be more effective in combat, disabled two in front of her while Nova grabbed another and tossed him into his companions, "Not that it'll help."
Magik teleported behind Nova, and the alien empowered warrior unleashed a mild gravity wave, washing all the soldiers away like leaves caught a whirlwind. Nova and Magik cautiously followed out after the men, ready for any tricks
"I'm almost tempted to say this is too..." Nova wasn't able to finish his sentence before he found himself on the receiving end of a powerful blow that sent him careening thru the air high above Muir Island. Nova blinked stars out of his eyes as he saw his enemy flying towards him. The man was wearing a skintight white uniform with black gloves and boots with a sun emblem on the center of his chest and his hands glowed with power as yellow joggles covered his eyes.
"You're new on the block." Nova said as he ducked under a right hook. Nova struck back with a left hook to the top of the man's head and a right uppercut that staggered the mystery combatant.
"No I'm not, actually. Name's Sundown, kid. I took on both the Avengers and X-Men a long time back." Sundown pointed his hands and orange energy washed out and over Nova, engulfing his body in an inferno of energy. "I've lost a lot of power since then, but I'm still more than you can handle."
"We'll see about that Sunlite." Nova said as he unleashed the energy he'd absorbed from back at Sundown, to no real effect. Nova slammed into him at supersonic speeds and the two powerhouses started grappling in the air, each vying for an advantage. Nova spared a glance down to see two figures, a man covered in a red uniform and what looked like a male Wolfsbane enter the main facility while Magik was being surrounded by some odd characters, which meant to the human rocket, superhumans.
"Damnit Dani, get it in gear!" Nova thought to himself as he struggled with Sundown.
"Five against one? Hello, fair play!" Magik remarked as she regard people before her. She was surrounding by what she figured had to be the oddest team ever. In front of her was a man in a black and white armor that elongated slightly. He'd identified himself as Shoc while demanding her surrender, which Magik was seriously considering. To the left of Shoc was a member of Gen X she recognized as Mondo (Illyana reviewed the Generation X files one day out of boredom, though wasn't he dead?) and to the left of Shoc was a blond woman wearing purple body armor and had bags under her eyes, like she was drunk or drugged out or something. And just to make things more interesting, a man as equally fat as Mondo (though Magik knew perfectly well the fat was likely a display of his powers) was stationed behind her along with a black female escapee from the Movie 'The Fly".
"We don't wanna hurt you." Mondo said evenly.
"Then, ya know, don't." The young sorceress replied.
"Yo blondie! Duck and cover!" A strange hollow voice yelled. Magik immediately teleported away as multi colored bubbles rained from the air and exploded in a wave of kinetic energy. The superhuman attackers moved for cover themselves, but the objective was still achieved. Magik teleported back to where she had been only a moment before and looked up to see her saviors, Force Works, descending from the hovering Stealth Wing. Kymaera was carrying Wolfsbane and Mirage while Arsenal lowered X-Treme and Speedball, while Tarene brought up the rear.
"What's the situation?" Mirage asked as they touched down.
Magik shrugged casually, as if Dani had asked her about her hair, "Don't know. These losers just popped up out of nowhere with attitudes and big guns." she explained, "I don't even know their names!"
"We're Factor 3," Shoc stated, "and we're here for Mrs. Mactaggert's research." Behind him, even men began pouring out of the portal, all heavily armed and ready for action while Factor 3 regrouped, doubtlessly for another attack.
"You'll need her medical expertise in a moment," Dani warned, "Taki, Rahne, X-Treme, get inside! Secure Moira and get the defense systems working! Everyone else, let's get to work!"
"Gin Genie! Wave!" Shoc ordered before Force Works could attack. The blond haired woman groggily pointed towards the ground and unleashed powerful seismic waves, rocking the entire island, bringing everyone ground bound to their knees.
"Genie, cut back!" Shoc ordered angrily as he saw his teammate knock both friend and foe alike to the ground.
Namorita took the air and swatted the young woman aside before she could reign in her quake powers, "Nice coordination, there." Nita smirked to Shoc.
The black and white warrior replied with an elongated fist to Kymaera's stomach and unleashed a torrent of energy at her teammates with his other hand, all of whom managed to avoid it. Force Works and Magik scattered and chose their targets
Mirage charged the soldiers emerging from the portal and fired her arrows like a woman possessed. She knew so long as their enemies had a direct supply line to Muir Island, Force Works would be at a disadvantage. Unfortunately, the Factor 3 operatives knew this too, and stood their ground and returned fire. Mirage ducked behind a small hill to avoid lead death and tried to think of another way to shut down that portal.
Speedball bounded towards the other fat guy and smirked, "Who're you? The Blob's ugly cousin?"
The young man, wearing a blue sweater and very baggy pants replied, "I'm Phat. P.H.A.T, Spazball." Speedball barely had time to duck out of the way before a very fleshy and elongated fist came crashing towards him like a wave, "Figured out why yet?"
"Good lord! I'm fighting one of weight watcher's ten most wanted!" Speedball sprung up into the air and unleashed a torrent of kinetic at Phat. The chubby mutant's large body seemed to just brush it off, easily dispelling the energy. As Speedball fell back towards the earth, Phat slid his manipulative flab underneath Speedball, who landed on it with a wet 'splat'. The mutant fat had far too much give for Speedball to rebound and before Robbie could summon more kinetic energy to leap away, another wave of fat washed over him.
"Not so funny now, are you?" Phat growled as he compacted his mass around Speedball in an attempt to crush him. Phat couldn't hear if Speedball replied, but he quickly felt a powerful force pushing back against his fat, demanding release. Inside of the weight-wielding mutant, Speedball's brow furrowed in concentration as he expanded his force field, trying to force his way out. Phat's brows furrowed in concentration as he attempted to lock speedball down, but finally decided it was too much. He released Speedball, who shot out of the fat like a greased pig.
"Nearly drowned by fat! I'm gonna have nightmares about today for life!" Speedball exclaimed as he ricocheted back, "You must die!"
"Bring it on, Sponge bob." Phat declared as he lashed out with a spongy fist
Mondo pressed his hands against a special belt, given to by his leader that contained minerals and elements that complimented Mondo's ability to absorb the properties of anything he wished. Mondo chose titanium steel as Arsenal rushed towards him with his own steel skin. Mondo braced himself for the impact, but Arsenal suddenly changed tactics. He shifted back to his human form and used his agility to leap over Mondo almost at the last second. As soon as he touched down, Arsenal unleashed his powerful optic blasts at the back of Mondo's head, causing the steel giant to stagger forward and his vision to swim. Before he could press his advantage, Bobby's shoulder exploded in mess of blood and bone. Arsenal crumbled to the ground and in a haze of pain, looked over his shoulder to see a group of men approaching, weapons all trained on him.
"Mondo! You're the swinger, we'll keep him occupied!" One man yelled
Arsenal unsheathed his bone claws and activated his steel skin, thus sealing his shoulder wound, "Not for long, I promise you that." And he went to work.
Wiz Kid rushed inside the Muir Island facility alongside Wolfsbane and X- Treme, though poorly keeping pace with them. In the span of two seconds, he tapped into the main computer, reviewed all the information on what was happening and had happened, and made a decision. Without informing Wolfsbane or X-Treme, who were too far ahead of himself to begin with, he turned on his heels and started back the way he came to join the battle. He'd made it outside when what appeared to be the female version of the human fly, wearing ebony body armor, slammed into him and carried the techno morph into the air.
"Name's Angel, little red riding hood, and we got special orders regarding you." Before Taki could properly react, she vomited a green fluid upon his face, and he felt his entire body go numb.
"That big brain won't help you with your entire body paralyzed, will it?" Angel asked smugly as she dangled Wiz Kid by his wrist, much like a prize catch. So smug with her victory, she didn't notice Wiz Kid form a laser gun in his left hand until he brought it up and ruthless blasted her right wing to shreds.
"Arrgh! You gimp bastard!" Angel started to tumble thru the air, but Wiz Kid, now sporting a jet pack, grabbed her by the wrist and held her tight. Angel nervously looked down, wondering how the tables could have turned so quickly and brutally.
"My 'big brain' has never been limited by my body before." An electronic voice informed Angel. She looked up at Taki to see him clearly talking, though his mouth remained closed.
"Exo-skeleton formed by my tech pack, which is controlled by my mind." The electronic wizard pressed his gun against Angel's cheek, "Now why are you here?"
"Go to hell you little fuck!" She spat. Taki increased the temperature of the gun barrel against Angel's cheek slightly, "Okay, okay! Our leader wants info on that Legacy Virus thing. He thinks that if he creates a disease that don't discriminate and really deadly, it'll bring everyone together."
Taki pressed his gin harder against Angel's face, "You're lying."
"The fuck I am! Eric's always goin' on about how 9/11 helped bring people together." Angel explained. Forgoing further debate, Wiz Kid arced down towards the ground, dropped Angel on her ass and waded into the battle.
"Excuse me, pardon me, coming thru." Tarene said calmly as she swatted heavily armored men aside as easily as one might brush dandruff off their shoulder. The men sought to bar her way to the portal, and despite great courage, were failing utterly. Tarene reached the shimmering yellow tear in space easily, and paused.
"Dani, what do I do now?" She asked. Mirage was too busy dealing with a handful of men to immediately answer.
Mirage jammed her elbow into the neck of one man, "See if you can shut it down," she spun and unleashed two arrows at the men trying to draw a bead on her twenty feet away, "if you can't do that, stop more men from exiting," the Cheyenne warrior slammed her left palm into the neck of another soldier, "but keep it secured, no matter what."
"Okay!" Tarene said cheerfully.
"Excuse me, but who are you?" Tarene heard a new voice inquire from behind her. She whirled around and was met a red armored glove to the face. A booted foot then slammed into her solar plexus, winding her and sending her stumbling back a few feet. For the first time that she could really recall, Tarene hurt. Badly. She saw the man who'd struck her casually stepping out of the portal, garbed in metallic pants, a harness covering his shoulders with straps forming an X reaching from his pants to his harness and sporting a horned helmet, all bright red. Hovering slightly above his left wrist was an energy shield that shimmered brightly, "I'm Eric the Red, you?"
"I'm Tarene, you jerk." The young goddess replied as charged the newest combatant. Eric the Red stood perfectly still until the last moment, then he moved deftly aside and chopped the back of Tarene's neck, bringing her to her knees.
"Yes, but what else are you?" A right cross to the side of her head, "What's your father's name? Your birthday?" Eric swept her legs out from under her, "You're more than just a superpowered girl, aren't you? Or is Tarene all you are?"
"Shut up!" Tarene screamed, unable to answer questions she knew full well she should be able to. Tarene unleashed a powerful lightning blast at Eric's chest from her war mallet. He met it, and reciprocated with a crimson blast of his own that nearly caused Tarene to black out. Thru the stars, Tarene saw Eric the Red approaching.
"I'm sorry for this, but it's for your own good. Now, where were we? Mother's maiden name?" And then Eric the Red began tearing into Tarene, emotionally and physically.
Inside the Muir Island facility
Wolfsbane picked up the soldier who'd foolishly sought to prevent her from reaching her mother, hefted him over her head and threw him towards his companions. She and X-Treme were upon them in seconds, and defeated them in less time than it took to tell.
"How far are we from your mother's safe room?" X-Treme asked as he wiped the blood off his sword.
"Nae that much farther, Adam." Rahne replied as she took off down the hall with X-Treme trailing, "I'm glad yuir here, by the way. Yuir one of the few people I'd want to trust wit' me mum's life."
"Um, thanks." Adam replied quickly, simply because he didn't know how to react to someone actually making conversation, let alone trusting him. Hell, Rahne and Bobby aside, no one on Force Works talked to him outside of need.
He didn't have time to dwell on it as they turned the corner to Moira's safe room and observed a team of technicians examining the vault door, with two people standing guard. One was covered in a red, fleshy suit while the other obviously had powers similar to Rahne, with a werewolf like appearance covered by a (naturally) leather jump suit.
"I'd suggest you people vacate this island right now, before I do something you'll regret." X-Treme warned as he sheathed his sword (not a idle weapon for close quarters combat) and held his fists up, ready for action.
"I must say, these heroes are unduly confident." The werewolf said as he cracked his knuckles, "Don't you agree, Hybrid?"
Long red claws morphed out of the scarlet figure's finger nails, "Oh yeah, Vivisector. Blondie's mine. Gonna take him to school."
"Wolfsbane, the wolf guy's yours. I'll take the other one. I'll be done in a minute if you need backup." X-Treme informed his teammate. Without wasting a moment, both sides lunged for their targets.
"Beauty and the Beast! What a dynamic this batt..."Was about as far as Vivisector got before Rahne's fist slammed into his face. She easily sidestepped Vivisector's counterattack and slammed her fist into his gut, and followed thru with a vicious left hook that dislocated the young man's jaw. Rahne grabbed the back of his suit, and using her incredible strength, lifted him up and hurled him into the technicians attempting to get at her mother. As they went down in a tumbleweed of bodies, Rahne didn't waste a second as she pounced on them. Wolfsbane had no mercy for anyone who would threaten her mother.
"Little cocky, are we?" Hybrid asked as he leaped towards the air at X- Treme, claws extruding from his hands.
"No." X-Treme answered as he fell back and planted a powerful kick on Hybrid's side, like how a soccer player might make a desperate play, the blow sending Hybrid crashing into the metal walls of the facility. X-Treme managed to land on his feet and he shot towards Hybrid like an arrow.
0:03
X-Treme slammed the palms of his hands into Hybrid's kidneys and then let loose dozens of rapid, powerful blows. The alien costume that gave Hybrid his powers instinctively flowed down to his chest, to protect and reinforce the area of X-Treme's attack, just like he knew it would. X-Treme's left foot slammed into Hybrid's knee and twisted it in at an unnatural position
0:17
X-Treme pulled his right hand back, straightened his index and ring finger, and jammed it into Hybrid's throat, just below the Adam's apple. Hybrid made a wet gurgling noise as his air was cut off and X-Treme's left fist slammed into his jaw.
0:25
X-Treme lashed out with a powerful punt that would have put anyone in the NFL to shame, and struck Hybrid a little below his crotch and actually lifted him several inches into the air. As he came down, X-Treme pulled his arms back and then slapped the palms of his hands against both sides of Hybrid's head, boxing his ears.
0:38
Adam grabbed the alien costume around Hybrid's and dragged his head down while leaping up, the effect slamming Hybrid's face into X-Treme's knees at over fifty miles per hour.
0:46
X-Treme released his hold on Hybrid and let him stumble back. Though no words could ever describe Hybrid's pain, Adam could tell he still had some fight left in him. X-Treme nailed Hybrid in the face with a snap kick, which sent the man's head bouncing back off the metal wall and back into X- Treme's speeding foot.
Once.
Twice
And third time's the charm. Hybrid slumped back and fell mercifully unconscious.
0:59
X-Treme joined Rahne as she frantically entered her personal security code into the electronic lock. For a moment, Rahne was afraid the lock was too damaged to work. Thankfully, her fears were put to rest as the large metal doors began to separate once her key code was entered. Rahne rushed inside and nearly tackled Moira to the ground, who was sporting a very nasty looking rifle trained at the doors. Thankfully for Rahne, she was moving too fast and was embracing her mother before Moira even knew what was happening.
"Oh, saints be praised!!" Rahne wept as she embraced her all but biological mother, "Yuir alright!"
"I'm fine luv, I'm fine. These blackhearts ne'er got near me." Moira said reassuringly.
"Ms. Mactaggert, how secure is this location? Can we dig in here?" X-Treme asked as he entered the vault, his eyes wondering around curiously, recognizing a great deal of the technology present from his own Shi'ar background. The vault was lined with all kinds of medical equipment and other types of technology, but that wasn't what attracted X-Treme's attention. X-Treme's eyes latched onto a security screen that displayed the battle raging outside on the grounds.
"I cannae think of a more secure location on Muir, or alla Scotland." Moira answered.
"Default heavy lock, right?" X-Treme inquired as he unsheathed his battleaxe.
"Aye, why?" Moira asked.
X-Treme answered her question by embedding his axe into the controls and leaping thru the metal doors as they slammed shut. X-Treme landed outside the doors and raced towards the exit with murder in his eyes and rage in his heart.
Shoc flew down from the sky and unleashed a blast of black and white energy that drove Dani away from a nest of soldiers who'd surrounded Wiz Kid. Taki, undaunted, created a rail gun around each wrist and let loose with powerful energy bullets that shattered the bones of his foes while his defense protocols protected him with a slight force field. Behind Wiz Kid, Namorita gripped one armored soldier and used his armored body as a flail against his fellows. In the meantime, Arsenal tackled Shoc out of the air from behind and the two slammed into the ground.
"I thought you were a hero!" Arsenal growled as he got up first and unleashed an optic blast at Shoc. Shoc anticipated this, and concentrated, calling forth training given to him by Eric the Red. The red blast passed harmlessly thru him and before Arsenal could register this, Shoc phased thru his steel body like a ghost. Arsenal felt the world swirl around him before he collapsed to the ground unconscious.
"The world has enough heroes, and villains," Shoc stated as he stretched over Arsenal's defeated form, "We're something else. Neither heroes nor villains. The third factor."
A psychic arrow flew thru the air and struck Shoc in the head, sending him to the ground reeling in pain.
"That's good to know, but you're going down all the same." Said Mirage as she readied another arrow. She was about to blast Shoc again when the ground flowed like water around her and she found herself in the earthy and incredibly huge paw of Mondo.
"Sorry, can't let you that, good looking." Mondo, his body formed from Muir Island, said in a rough voice, before his face exploded in a shower of dirt. The grip on Dani disappeared and she landed in a crouch as the dirt body of Mondo's form slumped back into the earth.
"She didn't ask for permission." Wiz Kid spat as he held a smoking laser cannon of his own creation.
"That wasn't very nice, mon!" Mondo roared as a giant hand shot out of the ground with Taki in its giant palm. Taki created two electrified blades in both hands and shoved them into the ground, twisted and spat, "Neither am I." Mondo, and indeed a good portion of Muir Island itself, screamed in pain at the assault on his nervous system.
Dani raced towards Arsenal's unconscious form as quickly as her feet would carry her. Once beside him, she pulled a smelling salt out of her belt, snapped it open and waved it under the unconscious hero's nose. Bobby came around, coughing and hacking a few seconds later.
"Lord that smells nasty." Bobby groaned as he rubbed his nose with one hand and rubbed his head with the other.
"That's the idea, Bobby. Now go give Nova some support." Dani ordered. Arsenal took off into the air and towards Sundown and Nova. No sooner was he out of earshot than the earth under Dani violently shook, throwing her from her feet and on her back. Dani saw that Gin Genie had recovered from Namorita's attack, and was now royally pissed, in both sense of the term.
"Want to see what happens when my powers are turned against human flesh?" The seismic mutant slurred. With no time to aim an arrow, Dani instead reached out to Gin Genies' mind with her illusion powers.
"What the hell are you doing, you little slut?"
Gin Genie whirled around and saw a poorly washed man, wearing sweat pants and a worn wife beater shirt.
"Daddy! Wha...why? Eric promised you were gone!" Gin Genie was almost hysterical at the sight of the man, her heart pounding like a jackhammer, "Don't be mad! Please! I..."
"I'm so sorry." Dani said sincerely as she dropkicked Gin Genie into unconsciousness. Dani had barely touched the ground before weapons fire peppered her general location. Mirage fell forward, rolled and returned fire, hitting her would be snipers.
"This...the...best you got?" Nova demanded as he locked hands with Sundown in a dead heat.
"It's all I need!" Sundown answered.
"Maybe another head, too." Arsenal remarked as he swooped down and struck Sundown in the back of his skull, stunning the solar powered villain. Never one to waste a good shot, Nova slammed his right fist into Sundown's jaw and then cupped his hands together and delivered a powerful jackhammer on the top of Sundown's head. The scientist turned superhuman tumbled down thru the air, and Nova sped his way with some of the energy he'd absorbed from their battle.
"Thanks for the help, though I could have handled it alone." Nova remarked to the hovering Arsenal.
"We don't do things alone here, remember?" Arsenal smiled, "Come on, lets show these guys why we get the big bucks."
"Favorite time of the year?" Eric the Red asked Tarene. Tarene's face by now covered in tears and bruises and her vision obscured, but she refused to back down. Her anger wouldn't let her. She charged forward, but Eric leaped over the enraged Tarene easily. He tucked himself into a ball and then expertly lashed out with his leg, striking her in the back of her head, again bringing Tarene crashing to the ground.
"Brand of ice scream? First kiss, maybe?" Eric inquired as he grabbed Tarene's cape and flipped her over, smashing her face first into the ground. Tarene struggled to her knees, but that was as far as she got. She was spent, both physically and emotionally. Eric the Red, for his part, didn't take advantage of this fact and stood his ground. If Tarene didn't know better, she would also swear that he was giving her a sympathetic look. Eric the Red then turned away to evaluate the battle. Thus far, it was a stalemate, with his regular troops offsetting Force Works' edge in experience against Factor 3.
"Shakari!" A voice screamed in more hatred than humanly possible. Eric the Red turned to see two leather boots smash into his face. X-Treme's kick carried him over his foe and as soon as he landed, he spun around and threw several blades at his enemy, who deftly blocked them with his shield.
"I don't know how it is you're still alive, but I'll send you back to hell where you belong!" X-Treme spat as he withdrew two bundi daggers. He slashed high at Eric, who ducked as anticipated. X-Treme lashed out with a snap kick where Eric's head should have been, but his foe was a fraction too fast, stepping back just quick enough to avoid the shot.
"I'm afraid that you have me mistaken for the last person who wore this armor." Eric explained as he swept Adam's legs out from under him. Adam rolled back slightly and snapped his legs up and out, hoping to catch Eric in the stomach with both feet. Once again, Eric was too fast, and blocked it with his shield. Eric's right hand depressed a button on his belt, and watched in relief as his men began teleporting away and the tear in space that he'd used to invade Muir Island closing. His people were evacuating, and all he had to do now was provide cover. Eric turned from X-Treme and ran towards the battle. Arsenal, who was wrestling Mondo, didn't see Eric the Red until the man's foot struck his jaw.
"Mondo, cover the others retreat." Eric ordered as he stood over Arsenal's stunned form.
"But sir, you can't take them on alone!" Mondo said, fearful for the safety of the man who'd freed him from imprisonment by the villain known as Black Tom.
"I'm not done with you yet!" X-Treme snarled as he tackled Eric the Red.
"Go! Now!" Eric snapped as he grappled with X-Treme. Mondo reluctantly acknowledged the order and melted away to help his teammates. Eric head butted X-Treme and kicked him off. X-Treme was on his feet in a blink, slashing out with his daggers. Despite all his training, all his skill, Eric the Red avoided or blocked every strike with either his shield or free arm. The two warriors sparred full force for a full three minutes, neither side gaining an advantage. Every kick, nerve strike and blow X-Treme unleashed was blocked, dodged or avoided with expert skill by Eric the Red. X-Treme finally slipped up, and left an opening that Eric took full advantage of as he slammed the palm of his hand into the center of Adam's chest, driving all air out of X-Treme's lungs.
X-Treme fell backwards, his body numb, as Eric watched with incredible disinterest, "You're not Shakari." X-Treme rasped after he landed, "He's not that good."
"Glad to see you're paying attention finally." Eric stated.
"You should be paying attention too, Reddy." Nova smirked as he flew down and streaked towards Eric the Red at breakneck speed. Eric stood his ground and with quickness that surprised even Nova, caught Nova's fists in his own and held fast, bring Nova to a very sudden stop.
"Holy shit..."Nova gaped as he felt himself come to a stop faster than almost ever before. Eric the Red backhanded Nova across the face, causing Nova's vision to blur and then casually tossed him away like a child's rag doll. Eric the Red looked around and observed Force Works had now surrounded him, but that his men had successfully escaped.
"Your flunkies may have flown the coup, but if you even think of fleeing we'll may sure you eat your food thru a straw for the next month." Mirage warned.
"Is that a threat? I don't much like..." Eric asked as his eyes went from Worker to Worker before finally stopping on Taki, "...ultimatums."
Taki felt a slight shiver go down his spine as he asked, "Why are you here?"
Eric cocked his head to the side and smiled, a cocky smile like that of a card shark who knows he has the winning hand, "You already know the truth."
"I'd prefer to hear it from you." Taki answered
"I suppose that's part of the hero's..." Eric the Red's gaze moved from Taki to Kymaera as he continued, "...protocol, no? Villain explains plans to an eager audience."
"No more games." Adam sneered as he brandished his sword, "Who are you!? What do you want?"
"Very well, since you'll likely figure it out with the information Taki extracted from Angel." Eric the Red looked back at Taki with a sneer, "You'll pay for that one day, young man."
"Noted." Taki said dismissively, "you were saying?"
"Ah yes. I, Force Works, consider myself a man of the world, one that is needlessly divided. For decades, I have tried to think of something that might remedy this state of affairs. But until recently, I was stymied. Nothing I could think of would work, or had worked. Until what I saw what happened one day in September, and it's effects."
"Nine eleven." Wiz Kid muttered, "Dear God, she wasn't lying."
"Think about it, for a moment, how that single tragedy united so many nations, however briefly." Eric calmly explained, "just imagine another such tragedy, only greater, millions instead of thousands and with more international damage. Why, it would be the beginning of a golden age." Eric said blissfully with outstretched hands.
"And you wanted Moira's information on the Legacy Virus for your doomsday weapon." Dani whispered
"How so very ironic you would be the first person to figure that out, Ms. Moonstar." Eric said with an even smile, "The Legacy Virus, properly altered, could be devastating to humanity, finally uniting this globe against a common enemy. Millions would die, but that's a sacrifice that must be made."
"I think I'm going to be sick." Arsenal stated, "If you think you're getting off this island a free man, you're very much mistaken."
Eric the Red, still smiling, spread his arms out wide and said, "Then take me. I swear I won't resist."
Arsenal and Kymaera traded a glance at one another and began to approach Eric the Red, vigilant for any sign of aggression. Kymaera got within arm's length and reached out for Eric's outstretched wrist, only to have her hand pass right thru like a ghost. Eric the Red laughed happily as he saw Kymaera's confusion as his lower body began to disappear. He crooked his head towards Moonstar.
"A mental virus I implanted in all my people, that you 'caught' when you tapped into Rebecca's, otherwise known as Gin Genie, mind. You've all been listening to a recording for some time now."
Force Works was rendered breathless at the revelation, and they searched their memories for when exactly Eric could have made his escape.
"How...?" Speedball managed to stammer out.
"Did I know what you would ask Speedball, the masked marvel? Because I'm very intelligent, and because, I just do." With that, the image of Eric the Red faded away completely, leaving a team shaken to their core. They'd all dealt with manipulators before, but Eric the Red they all recognized as something different. Deadlier. And more intimate.
"Taki, did you manage to lock down Muir's computers?" Dani asked, finally breaking the silence.
"I suspect the firewalls kept him out, not that it matters that much." Wiz Kid answered.
"Taki, I've about had it with your God damn indifference!" Dani spat as she spun around to face him, rage in her eyes "Did you not just fucking hear what I did? If Eric got his hands on that data, our problems have barely started!"
"The World Health Organization, Center for Disease Control, if Eric the Red really wanted data on the Legacy Virus, there are a dozen softer targets all over the world," Taki explained, "This attack was all about Factor 3. He wanted to test his troops in action, to test their loyalty to him and his cause, and he got what he wanted."
"How do you figure that?" Nova asked as he rejoined the group, rubbing a rather sore jaw.
"One, the Legacy Virus has already failed to bring humanity together for the common good, remember? If anything, it made things worse. Two, I can't think of a better place outside of Avengers Mansion to attack if you wanted to elicit a superhuman response, than Muir Island. X-Corp, X-Men Prime, Exiles, X-Force and Force Works, via Rahne, all have a connection to Muir Island. Moira has friends or has close associates in almost every X team, remember?"
"And where better to attack if you wanted some hero team to come to the rescue?" Kymaera finished.
"Exactly." Taki steepled his hands together, "Why else would the ionic lock used to shut down the security systems not have affected the communications systems? This is one cunning bastard we're dealing with. We barely know of him, and already he's nearly leading us on a wild goose chase."
"And there's another problem, too." Speedball said.
"What's that?" Mirage asked
"If Eric didn't want the data and wanted to put his team thru a trial by fire, then... he already has a plan for a bigger and badder 9/11." Speedball explained
Force Works quietly mulled over the implications of that statement. The quite remained for a few moments before the team heard someone weeping softly. They turned towards the source, and saw Tarene on her knees with her hands in her face, crying.
"Tarene? What's wrong kiddo?" Bobby asked as he rushed to her side. He and Namorita helped her to her feet. Tarene was a little banged up, but no worse than anyone else, at least physically.
"That Eric guy...he...he asked me questions..." Tarene sobbed, "questions I should know the answer to, but don't! I...I don't even know what I am!"
Dani and the rest of Force Works shifted uncomfortable. They'd tried their best to break Tarene's amnesia, to unlock the secrets of her past for the first several weeks that she was a member, but it slid down the priority list as mission after mission came up. Tarene herself never pressed the issue either, seemingly content not to know her past. But that, Dani sighed inwardly, shouldn't have mattered. Helping Tarene should be and should always have been priority number one, rather than exploit her power and hope she someday remembers her life.
"You may not know how you are, but I swear, come Monday, you will." Dani said, "Namorita's going to get you an appointment with a very special doctor, and we're going to get to the bottom of your mystery."
"Promise?"
"I swear it, Tarene." Dani answered
"What, am I gonna set her up with my gynecologist, or what?" Kymaera asked
"I'm referring to a close friend of your cousin's." Dani explained with an annoyed look.
Kymaera slapped her forehead, "Oh, him. Sorry, had a dumb blond attack."
Metro City, hours later
Adam Sol, otherwise known as X-Treme, sat in the middle of his apartment studio Indian style and meditated quietly.
Or rather, he sat in the middle of his studio Indian style and thought. Adam had little interest or schooling in true spirituality, truth be told. His mind was rarely empty of active, relative thought. No, the totality of his spirituality could be summed up as 'sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. No use complaining'.
Adam's thoughts this night however, weren't on his random blackouts that would rob him of hours, and the secret fear that he was losing his mind. No, his thoughts were on the new Eric the Red. X-Treme was convinced this Eric one wasn't the same man who Adam discovered manipulated his entire life since birth. But this new Eric the Red was equally dangerous, if not more so. Somehow, he knew what buttons to push and where his enemies' weakness lay. That would certainly be a problem down the road for Adam, who guarded his secrets religiously, for the sake of his friends.
Another thing that baffled X-Treme was just how exactly he lasted so long against Eric the Red in a straight up fight. Eric had defeated Tarene handily, and dismissed Nova just as easily. Adam, hardly a man of ego, knew both of his two defeated teammates were several levels above him in terms of both power and strength. Yet at the same time, Adam knew that when he fought Eric the Red, neither side held back. Adam's thoughts were interrupted as he heard someone approaching his door from outside. He picked up a dagger and briskly made his way to the door. He half expected some supervillain to be there when he looked thru the peephole. After all, only two members of Force Works knew his address. Only two had asked. What he saw looking thru the peep-hole shocked Adam more than he thought anything could, and he threw the door open.
"Hello, Adam," Rahne said, wearing a purple evening dress, her lower lip cut and her right eye slightly swollen, "I...I need yuir help."
To be continued in Force Works Annual 1
Next Issue: Tarene and friends are off to see the doctor of strange, and an arrest is made regarding who's been killing anti mutant politicians in Metro City, with another special guest star. Warning, the killer who you think he is.
Work Letters
The letter this time is from fanfic legend Barry Reese on issue 5 (bless the glory that is back issues) Go to it Barry!
Very nice! You did a good job making me feel like these new characters are ones that I can empathize with and enjoy. The Rahne/Doug scenes were the ones that really hit home though... from the way he treated her early on (the pat on the butt and her confusion was achingly portrayed) to the way she went to Dani for advice later on but wasn't able to get the help she needed... very chilling! I was very disturbed by their relationship!
Glad you found the issue interesting and disturbing, that's what I was going for. Rahne's relationship with Doug is coming to a close, with Rahne now being a little stronger than she was before. Thanks for the letter, Barry!