Episode 106: Ar-I Resistance!

Instead of answering White Wolf's question, MJ used her legs to kick him in the crotch. He was so caught off-guard by this that he fell over, which caught Wintersol's attention. This allowed Steve to trip Wintersol and break out of his binding ropes through sheer strength. Steve then karate-chopped Wintersol on the back of the neck, which made him pass out. Next, Steve used Wintersol's knife-like protrusion to cut the ropes on Peter, MJ, Quill, and Gwen.

"Seems like being a Super Human has its perks," Gwen said, rubbing her rope-burned wrists. "But why didn't you break out of your bonds sooner?"

"There were too many threats in the room, and I didn't want to get you guys hurt," Steve responded. "Now I want you to use the ropes to tie up Bucky and Wintersol."

Not questioning him further, Peter and the others did just that. Meanwhile, Steve broke the glass case where the PDBs were and collected his while giving the rest back to their rightful owners.

"We need to go after Betsy," Peter said once he got his PDBs back. "She still has Spidermin, and is probably going to where Erik and Ar-I are."

"No, I'm going after them," Steve insisted. "You four need to stay here."

"And guard these two?" Looking down at the unconscious White Wolf and Wintersol, Quill folded his arms. "That sounds lame!"

"Yeah," Gwen agreed. "If MJ didn't incapacitate White Wolf, we wouldn't be in this situation."

"Did you just compliment me?" MJ remarked.

Realizing she did, Gwen huffed. "Ignore what I said!"

"Guys, we're getting offtrack," Peter stated. "I know you're trying to keep us safe, Steve, but you're not fully recovered."

Blood was pooling on a spot in Steve's chest, causing him to wince in pain. "My personal health isn't important right now. Everyone in this school is in great danger, and I have to save them."

"You don't have to do it alone, though," MJ argued. "Why else did you ask us to accompany you to this place?"

While Steve redressed his chest wound, he said, "I thought since you and Peter handled Ar-I and Bucky before, that's all we would have to deal with on this trip. But as soon as Kraven entered the picture, I realized how much danger I was actually putting you guys in."

"So you're just going to treat us like children because you don't think we can handle that kind of threat?" Quill frowned. "And I used to think you were a cool leader who believed in everyone."

"I lost too many friends during the Second Marémon War, and the Infinity War," Steve replied bitterly. "There's no way I'm going to lose anyone else ever again."

After summoning the turtle-like Capmer, Steve left the infirmary and locked the door by bending the handle so it couldn't be opened. MJ tried to summon Noirspi so he could use Twin Revolver, but Hamder appeared instead.

"Ugh, not now, Hamder!" MJ groaned. "We don't need you!"

Hearing that, Hamder lowered his head in shame.

Remembering what Ororo said about assessing Hamder's needs, MJ apologized, "Sorry. I take back what I said. There must be something you can do to help us."

"Maybe he could try his Spider-Nonsense ability on the door," Peter suggested.

"But I could just as easily explode it with Greengob's Pumpkin Bomb attack," Gwen pointed out.

"Not helping!" Quill complained.

Gwen glared at Quill. "I was only making a suggestion."

Hamder covered his ears to show his dislike for the arguing, which made MJ pull him into a hug.

"Don't listen to them," MJ said assuredly. "They don't know what you're capable of. Now go and prove them wrong!"

This made Hamder look up and nod. He broke from MJ's embrace and ran towards the door with a clown hammer that suddenly appeared in his hand. After taking a few swings at the door with it, the handle wouldn't budge. So Hamder then thought for a moment and took out a stick of dynamite that came from nowhere and placed it next to the door while covering his ears from a distance. Peter and the others did the same as the door exploded, sending shards of wood and debris everywhere.

"Nice work, Hamder!" MJ cheered.

"Yeah," Quill coughed. "But maybe next time, give us a warning before blowing something up."

"We need Noirspi's Spider-Tracer to find Betsy and get Spidermin back," Peter said. "But I think someone should stay to guard White Wolf and Wintersol."

"I'll do it," Gwen said reluctantly. "Greengob and Gwespin should be able to handle them."

"Are you sure?" Quill said. "Because I could stay with you."

Gwen was surprised by Quill's answer. "Didn't you just say guarding these guys would be 'lame' not too long ago?"

"Quill has a tendency to complain a lot," Peter said. "But he'll do what needs to be done."

"Right," Quill blushed.

"Has Charles succumbed to your Brainwash yet?"

Nervously, the floating computer monitor Ar-I shook his head. "Professor Xavier's mind is putting up a strong fight, Erik. I've never encountered this much resistance before."

Standing on a walkway in a big circular room, an elderly man wearing a metallic helmet and magenta-colored cape walked over to Ar-I, who was floating beside Professor Xavier who was slumped in his wheelchair along with Proffix. Behind him was a large computer monitor that had wires attached to a round helmet Anna Marie was wearing, who lay on the floor with her eyes closed, while Tabirog was nowhere to be seen.

"If you can hear me, Charles, you're not going to win this battle," Erik whispered into Xavier's ear. "Your X-Men are too far away to save you, and I've taken everyone in this school hostage including that SHIELD errand boy Steve Rogers. Just operate the Cerebro machine so I can tell every Mutant in the Marvo region to rise against the humans who've repressed us for too long."

A sliding door on the other side of the walkway opened and Betsy appeared with Psylocke and Spidermin accompanying her.

"What are you doing here, Betsy?" Erik demanded. "I told you to stay with White Wolf."

"He insisted on eliminating the prisoners himself," Betsy answered.

"Eliminate?" Glaring at Ar-I, Erik said, "You didn't say anything about killing Steve and those kids he came with."

"Those meddlesome children have foiled me more times than I care to count," Ar-I said coldly. "And with Steve out of the way, that's one less threat for us to handle."

"You fool!" Erik snapped. "Do you want to bring the wrath of SHIELD upon us?"

"Says the Mutant who wants to create a human-free world."

"Plus, the prisoners' deaths might get SHIELD to take the Brotherhood seriously," Betsy added.

Erik clenched his fists. "If we kill Steve Rogers and those children, they can't be used as bargaining chips to assure that SHIELD doesn't attack us."

"SHIELD is stretched thin enough as is, Erik, between investigating the whereabouts of the missing Odinson family members and plugging the leaks in their intelligence. Besides, your magnetic powers should be more than enough to handle them. Unless the stories of how great your Mutant power is are greatly exaggerated."

Betsy frowned and created a blade of purple energy. "How dare you insult my boss! Want me to turn you into scrap metal?"

"Don't, Betsy," Erik insisted and sighed. "Just go back to White Wolf and tell him not to kill our prisoners. But if he already has, we'll dispose of the bodies later."

"Fine." Just as Betsy turned around, the sliding door suddenly burst open.

On the other side stood Steve with Capmer at his side.

To be continued…