= Chapter 160. Hunting in the Wilderness. =
Commentary on Chapter 160. Hunting in the Wilderness. If anyone wants to support your favourite and invaluable author by deed rather than word (though I appreciate comments with your detailed opinion no less), you are welcome: 5469980470822129 - Sber At this time.
Manchester's secret research lab, K-Ozor.
- Communications check," the yellow-eyed mutantess spoke, activating her communicator.
- I hear you fine, sunshine," Creed growled in agreement.
- Do you remember our mission, Sabretooth? - Raven frowned at that tone of voice.
- You're playing a dangerous game behind our 'leader's' back, little girl," the feral regenerator continued to say, also amused, knowing that on the other end of the wire, Mystique was clenching her fists in frustration. - But that's why it's fun, don't worry, I'll bring the bird to the right moment, - Victor reassured his mistress at the end.
- Then we work, - the redhead nodded to herself, changing her appearance.
In a few minutes.
Wild Earth.
On a small tropical verdant edge, where before there hadn't been a single living soul except for a few clouds of insects, a large black plane with a red looking glass appeared in a bluish-white-gold flash.
- Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for using the spider airlines," the hero in the white and blue suit spoke.
Only the lower edge of the red mask could give away the appearance resembling the famous hero of New York, Spider-Man.
- Enough clowning around," the mutant in the red and purple helmet responded collectedly. - Are we there?
In response, Spider only pointed invitingly towards the exit.
The X-Men descended to the green grass of the wilderness lost in Antarctica.
- It's very beautiful here," Anne-Marie said.
- And it smells like manure to the west.
- You're as charming as ever, Logan," Rogue rolled her eyes at Wolverine's remark.
- If you're done admiring the scenery, I suggest we move toward the strange energy currents I'm sensing," Lensherr commanded with a wave of his cloak.
- We may have declared a truce, but don't forget that the X-Men don't take orders from you, Magneto," Summers said irritably.
- I'm extremely impressed by that, Cyclops," the Master of Magnetism scoffed. - Why don't you ask your team members who can sense magnetic fields to determine the direction we need to go? Oh yeah, there aren't any," Magnus said.
Scott grinned in disapproval and was about to reply, but I beat him to it.
- In theory, Ororo could sense those fields," I interjected, stroking my chin thoughtfully. - Oh, and I felt the vibrations myself as soon as we got here, so no need for bravado, Eric.
- Really? - Max asked, while the rest of the team stared at me in surprise, especially the youngsters, Thunderstorm and Hank.
- Skills, all that stuff," I said, clenching my hand. - But we're distracted. Let's go.
At this time.
Sauron's castle.
Mr Sinister's laboratory.
Dr Essex stood at the flasks filled with a clear green solution and watched the development of the bandaged bodies closely.
Nathaniel was a scientist, no exaggeration, a brilliantly gifted geneticist. He devoted his life to the study of living organisms and their hidden secrets. Eventually, this field led him to mutation, linking him to this path forever. And then to cloning.
And right now, he was paying attention to his most intriguing project.
The brunet was distracted by the sound of the door opening before he could start collating the figures.
- Sorry to interrupt, Master," the large-chested brunette in the leather suit said in an apologetic tone.
The bald, three-metre tall, pumped-up man standing next to her only nodded.
- Nothing," the red-eyed man sighed. - What brings you here, Arclight?
- A pompous lizard demands to see you," the mad assassin folded her arms under her voluminous breasts.
Blockbuster only snorted.
- No need to be so disrespectful," the man with the red stone in his forehead said, removing his gloves, "after all, Sauron is our partner," Nathaniel adjusted the collar of his suit and removed his lab coat.
- I'm sorry, doctor," the mutant woman averted her eyes.
- 'We won't,' Doc turned to his subordinates. - Let's go.
The trio left the laboratory complex and quickly made their way through the gloomy corridors, where silence and loneliness prevailed. Only the sound of their own footsteps reminded the castle guests that this place was not completely extinct.
The bald clone stepped forward and opened the massive double doors.
- What's taking so long! - The pteranodon shrieked hysterically, raising himself up in his chair.
Arclight frowned and was about to give the insolent lizard a few words of affection when a cautionary palm was placed on her shoulder.
- I apologise, Sauron, your domain is vast, but we are not so fast," Nathaniel said in a low voice.
Flattery works best with this reptile.
- Well, then, next time, don't keep me waiting, Evil One!" the mutant clawed his clawed fingers into the scratched upholstery of the chair with satisfaction.
- So, to what do we owe your summons? - Essex grinned, baring his fangs, letting the mangled nickname pass his ears.
- The cars you sent to patrol the area, they passed it on.
Mutual aid was the guarantee of co-operation between Mr Sinister and Sauron's team. The dinosaur provided the room, and the scientist the technical upgrade and the promise of defence of the pteranodon's domain.
Though Essex didn't know what had caused the mutant to become so paranoid.
A wide screen dropped down from the ceiling and began broadcasting a recording.
A squad of extraordinary individuals in multi-coloured suits were wandering through the jungle. People, so to speak, that the scientist had dealt with in the past. Although one of the representatives of this curious group was not familiar to Zlydnya.
- Interesting, - the geneticist smoothed his clean pale chin. - And what among you forgot Magneto?
- I'm more concerned about the blue and white one," Sauron shrieked. - He has a very unpleasant look.
- Don't worry, my friend, we will take care of the uninvited guests, - the scientist hastened to calm the cowardly reptile.
- Do your best! - Sauron shouted before the mad geneticist and his minions left the throne room.
- I don't understand why you continue to tolerate that bastard, Master? - The dark-haired girl asked a question.
However, the man did not answer and disappeared into his thoughts.
Interesting, he hadn't expected the X-Men to arrive so early. And especially that Magneto would be among them.
Lensherr was expected to arrive alone, in his hubris and desire to find out what was going on. Then it wouldn't be difficult to disarm him with the reverse field inductor. And then it would be possible to lure the X's out to complete his grand plan, which had been interrupted at such a bad time...
- Too bad the rest of the Marauders are in Nebraska," Essex sighed.
- Lord?
- Don't worry, Arclight," the man smiled again. - We'll just have to use the clones.
* At the same time.
The jungle.
Spider-Man.
- So, Mr Sinister, huh? - I was wondering, approaching a certain famous telepath. - What's your history with him?
I could have approached anyone but Jean, but Scott and Eric are always bickering, with Remy and Anne-Marie getting in on the action. What's funny is that Rogue doesn't support his leader, but stands united with Magneto. Apparently the extraordinary guys have a very complicated history going on.
I'll have to ask Cain, see if he knows.
Hank or Ororo would be more likely to talk to me about outside things, like the bracelets or my confidence in Thunderstorm's enhanced powers. The younger guys are not likely to know all the details, Logan would just snap, I know how he gets on missions, and Petya would be more likely to want to keep conversations in our language, in his homesickness.
That's why I like to work alone.
Because you're the only one who can talk non-stop? - the Klingon teased me.
That's right, Raj.
So much for the redheaded Miss Grey.
- It's a long story, Peter," the girl replied as she telekinesed away the large leafy formations of the wild jungle.
- What's the short of it? - I could sense that Ginny was uncomfortable with the subject.
- Briefly," Wonder Girl exhaled. - "Briefly, Essex once captured me and Cyclops, wanting, in his words, to breed a 'super mutant of the future,'" the redhead pursed her lips. - As he said, Scott and I are genetically perfectly compatible... that was before Cain and I started dating! - The telepath turned to me sharply, clearly wanting to clarify this point.
- Calm down, Ginny, I'm not going to ask you for anything because of some nutcase's ideas," I replied with a smile, removing the natural landscape obstacles with my own telekinesis.
- Yeah, sorry, Pete," Jean fluffed up her hair. - I don't know why I suddenly...
I put my hand on the girl's shoulder.
- Because you're worried about your relationship with my brother," I smiled, "and that's very sweet, by the way.
In response, the telepath only snorted also smiling.
- Do you think Zliden created some high-tech underground bunker for himself, among all this greenery, or something like that? - Kurt questioned the whole team, moving through the trees as our reconnaissance.
- Maybe, Night Serpent, stay focused," Cyclops commanded.
- Understood, boss," the son of Mystique saluted.
'By the way, I haven't discussed this question with anyone, have I... does Wagner know whose son he is?
Also, looking at Shelma, are half-brother and half-sister in my world German and Southerner?
Yeah, that's why I wanted to stay away.
As Spider-Man myself, I have a fucking confusing and rich history, and here the guys are the number two most confusing in this universe. If not the number one.
I was snapped out of my reverie by the Spidey Sense signal.
- Danger, people! - warning the team as I flew a few metres up in the air.
Only the X-Men heard the horde of dinosaurs jumping out at us from all sides, mostly velociraptors, but also an unpleasant surprise were triceratops and ankylosaurs.
At first I didn't even understand what could make the usually non-aggressive herbivores attack us (although maybe my knowledge of species considered extinct is just lame?) and then I noticed some chips on their heads.
- People, I'm not an expert, but maybe dinos attack us because of chips on their heads, - I put the question on the discussion, raising several herbivores in the air.
- I think it's better to eliminate the threat at the root," Logan growled, slicing one raptor open and releasing its insides.
- Hank? - I appealed to the voice of reason.
- I agree, we need to destroy the chips," nodded the X-team scientist.
The other mutants agree with the plan not to kill the animals.
And even though the representatives of the dinosaurs were really a lot: no less than five dozen individuals who want to interrupt our existence, the squad dealt with them really quickly. Even without my space abilities.
In the end, the point in the confrontation was made by Magneto, who ripped all the devices from the prehistoric animals with one magnetic jolt.
- Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, Eric, easy! - I can barely fly up and snatch the last surviving mechanism from the hands of the Master of Magnetism.
- What's the matter? - The Genosha leader frowned incomprehensibly.
- I realise that you have a sense of direction and all, but don't you think it would be a good idea to track the signal from the raptors that attacked us?
- Essex sent them, that's obvious," the helmeted anti-hero folded his arms across his chest. - Most likely, he noticed our approach through the hidden surveillance systems in this jungle and sent the lizards after us.
- Brilliant conclusion, Holmes, - I roll my eyes under the mask. - But not complete. This little fellow," I point to the chip. - could give us a lot more information. Hank!
McCoy's approaching with a scanner ready.
- You want to hack it or help me? - I raise my palm with golden cosmic energy swirling on it.
- Give me three minutes.
The Beast had two.
Until the intruders arrived.
- All right, people, battle stations! - I shouted as the sensors went off.
- X-Men, formation X-17! - Summers commanded.
The squad stood in a small circle, back to back, waiting for the next dinosaurs to attack. But something more dangerous was waiting for us.
- Well, well, well, well, here come the intruders! - loudly shouted a dark-haired girl in a purple uniform, appearing from the bushes... in the company of seven more of them.
No sooner was I surprised by the clones' sharp attack than at least a dozen pumped-up bald men appeared on the other side.
Well, of course, if it's Essex, it's clones...
Bearer, how about sending the pale one after the Jackal?
Sound idea," I reply to the symbiote. - Except that with him, there's a high probability of finding a capsule with a spare body on the other side of the planet.
Because of the sharp attackers' pressure, our defence was broken through and almost every human-X was confronted by two or three clones at the same time.
There are fourteen mutants in our squad, including me. And the attackers keep coming!
Before my eyes, Ororo was knocked into the air by an energy volley.
- Thunderstorm! - I approach sharply and pick up my partner.
- "Help the children," the Elemental Lord asks. - I can do it.
I nod and dive towards the youngsters dealing with the attacking clones. Colossus has my back, but there's a lot of those bastards.
- All right, let's dance!
I fire energy volleys of cosmic energy and throw off three jocks and five maidens.
I accumulate bioelectricity and, habitually framing natural lightning with telekinesis, sword the energy at my opponents like a real Sith. It works on girls, but not so much on jocks.
No problem, there's enough tricks for everyone!
I fly up and grab the clones by the necks, and those who don't have enough hands, with telekinesis and fly with them into the air for a good kilometre.
- Nice view, huh? - I turn to the dummies, and then tear their heads off with cosmic energy, throwing their bodies to different ends of the Wild Jungle.
With Ixes, you can afford a little more swagger.
Besides, they're not real people.
Oh, I wish your clones could hear you.
You know what I mean, Raj!
I return to the battlefield and see that team X is closing in on the enemy.
- Retreat! - screams the brunette and all her copies explode in an energy burst.
Wow, even I was blinded.
- Is everyone okay? - I hear Magneto's voice.
- I'm fine," I blink, "I just need to clear my eyes.
- Um, guys, Kurt started looking around frantically. - Where's Gene and Scott?!
And yes, the rest of the mutants looked around as well, the redhead and Slim were nowhere to be found.
- They've been captured, really?! - When did they do that?!
- On the trail, quickly," Logan ordered, sniffing around.
- Who said you were the leader? - Lensherr arched an eyebrow.
Howlett grinned back.
- There's no time for that now! - to cool the hotheads down.
They'll be dragged to Sinister's lab a hundred per cent of the time. I could teleport the team, but then there's a risk we'd arrive too early for interception, which could endanger our lost partners. Or we could leave it as it is and follow the trail picked up by our tracker, but then maybe Sinister will have time to do what he needs to do.
On the other hand, knowing the clonemaker...
I don't care, we'll take our chances!
- Everyone stand together, quickly!
No arguments or clarifications.
Ani, tune in Gene and Scott, we need to teleport with minimal risk.
In a minute, Peter," the redhead replied.
Concentrating.
- Um, Spider, what are we waiting for? - Bobby scratched the back of his head.
- For me to get us safely into Essex's lab, and if you're distracted, there's a good chance one of us is going to be smashed against the wall, so give me a minute.
After that comment, there were no further words.
I raise my palms and a golden glow begins to spread from them. A flash and we're in a high-tech lab.
I turn my head and see several surprised copies of our recent opponents, and another pale scientist and his equally surprised partners.
- Here we are! - I clownishly spread my arms out to the side. - All right, let's get this over with quickly.
I point my palm at my enemies, but before my eyes, the space suit begins to ooze.
Seriously, Ani?!
Deadlines, Bearer, you know what I mean," the space entity shrugged guiltily.
- Spider? - The Beast came up to me.
- It's cool, Hank, with powers would be too easy, eh? - I'm trying to cover up my personal fiasco.
The silence coming from everyone in the room is a little stressful.
- That's right, bro, let everyone have fun! - Logan backed me up with his claws.
- Hold them off! - gave orders to Arclight and Blockbuster Nathaniel.
The battle raged with renewed vigour.
Eh, the old-fashioned way...
I release the metal manipulators from my backpack and form several thickened symbiotic harnesses at my sides.
- How about some tentacles, sweetheart? - One of the big-breasted brunette clones. - You look like you like that sort of thing.
All I get in response is an angry grin.
- What, no remark about killing me? - I'm dodging the punch. - Rip out your heart, let your guts out," I dodge the energy-filled fist, "really, nothing?
- SHUT UP! - shouted Arclight, starting to literally glow with purple energy.
And why is it so necessary for you to piss off your enemies, Bearer?
It's part of my charm, Raj.
Whiskers snake tightly around the mutant clone, which she successfully fights off. However, if she had Spidey Sense, the girl would realise it's not that simple...
Meanwhile, the mutants are fighting the other copies that Sinister has decided to densely fill the lab with. Even Eric went into "KILL-KILL-KILL-KILL!" mode, so many clones were there.
Closing in on my opponent, who was distracted and didn't notice the tendril wrapped around her ankle. Metal manipulators pierce her sides, giving her internal organs a session of acupuncture. Fatal. With a ragged exhalation, the brunette starts coughing up blood. I increase the pressure until she stops breathing. I toss the mutant's body aside and take a quick look around.
Everyone's in business, and Kurt has managed to get to Jean and Scott, who've been stuffed into some, even by our standards, futuristic capsules. Except where is Sinister...
In the bacchanalia of the whole battle, I notice a glimpse of a black cloak with a scarlet lining.
Bingo.
- I'm here for the good doctor! - I shout warningly, not addressing anyone in particular. Maybe they'll understand.
I hook myself with organic thread and fly through the battle.
I kick the secret metal door built into the wall. My gut is silent.
I move forward and, for better momentum, climb up, starting to run along the ceiling. Secret tunnels... Maybe I should have secret tunnels in my hideout for sudden evacuation too? Nah... too villainously rational a precaution.
And now I've managed to catch up with the scientist.
I snag two strands and slingshot myself forward, landing smoothly in front of the brunet.
- It's over, Essex, give it up," I aimed both palms at the enemy, preparing to release the web.
Peter, something's wrong," Ani suddenly broadcasts crumpled.
I take her words to heart, becoming more focused.
- I didn't expect to see you here, Spider, and even in that strange form of yours, - the red-eyed one stroked his chin thoughtfully.
- Hands, and drop the flask," I ordered, looking at my opponent.
- Willingly," Nathaniel raised his hands in the air.
- Put the flask down! - I repeated with pressure.
- Alas, I can't," the geneticist sighed. - You see, I've been trying to get samples of Miss Grey and Mr Summers for too long... you see, their genotypic compatibility is amazing," he said with a spiritual, scientific fanaticism.
- I have to disappoint you, when I get you to the Cube, there will be no time for scientific research, - I'm preparing to release the symbiotic tissue and swaddle the enemy.
MAMA! - Ani's joyous shriek disrupts the plans.
Mum?" Raj and I broadcast, surprised by the cry.
What happened next, I'm sure, surprised Essex as much as it did me.
It began with a rumbling whistle that came closer and closer. And eventually it reached its target.
Which was me.
A stream of blue-white energy surged through the roof as if it hadn't even existed.
It was so damn familiar.