Chapter 3

Troubles In

The Land

Down Under!

Part 3

Disclaimer: Let's get to it!

50 Miles Outside Of McKinlay

The group consisting of Lance, Spirit, Skymate, Xi, and Low Light appeared in front of the lone house in the Outback courtesy of their teleportation watches. They were all in casual clothing for the time being but each of them were carrying bags that had their uniforms and equipment in them. "Wow, talk about livin' out in the middle of nowhere." Quipped Lance as he looked around the darkened area courtesy of it being nighttime at the moment in Australia.

"I don't see how anyone could wish to do so. Being lonely was not something I enjoyed at all." Murmured Xi as Spirit went up to the door of the house and knocked on it in a pattern of threes.

"Hopefully you'll never have to experience that again thanks to bein' with us." Lance told him softly, gaining a murmur of agreement from Low Light and surprisingly Skymate.

"Bein' alone has its perks, mates, but it don't beat bein' around friends and family. Especially when ya want to have a Barbie!"

Xi looked at him in confusion and Lance couldn't help but grin over it as G.W. Bridge was now seen from the doorway of the lone house, conversing with Spirit. "Why would you want to have a Barbie Doll with friends and family?"

Chuckling came from the Australian Joe. "Ohh, mate! That's just the Aussie way of sayin' 'Bar-Be-Que' around here!"

"Oh, I see. Fascinating"

More chuckling was had as Spirit indicated for them to make their way inside. Revealing a rather homely looking place and another but even older African American male who was in the kitchen and not wearing much of anything save for a loincloth. His long hair and equally long beard were both gray. "That's Gateway in the kitchen and this house is his and he's allowed us to base operations out of here until we've brought down those two Dreadnoks and Jerwin." Declared Bridge.

Gateway turned to look at them briefly before giving a short nod and turning back to his work. "He doesn't talk much. Well, he just don't talk at all."

"Then how do you know he's letting us stay here until we've done what we've came to do? As even while I recognize he's doing Sign Language, its not one I recognize." Wondered Lance curiously.

As Languages, American Sign Language and various other Sign Languages, included, had been included in their lessons for when they inevitably ran into those who didn't speak English or were Deaf. Bridge looked at him for a moment with a chuckle. "That's because its Australian Sign Language, Kid. And that is somethin' I'm still damned glad SHIELD had us all learn back in the day."

"You're a member of SHIELD?" Xi asked of the man as he observed the house and all within it while Lance thought to himself that maybe he should learn it too and wondered if the adults had forgotten about Australian Sign Language.

Something to bring up to Spirit about later when there's time.

"Not anymore. Retired ten years ago to a quieter life out here in the Outback."

A decision he's never regretted as it meant his life expectancy and health in general wasn't at risk in some form or another. Of course, Fury still wasn't happy with his decision to retire but Bridge still couldn't find it in him to care much. "Well now then, mate, and here I was about to wonder why we weren't told SHIELD was involved."

Chuckles came from the older man as Gateway approached Lance with a small cup and offered it to him. Which honestly confused Lance as he took it, allowing for the old man to 'speak' to Bridge with his freed hands. "Huh, he says that's gonna help keep ya from having an attack while you're here."

Lance wasn't the only one looking at the old man in surprise after hearing that. "How does he know of such things? As no one outside of G.I. Joe and a student of Xavier's knows this information!" Demanded to know a curious and alarmed Spirit.

"Ol' Gate's got this way of knowin' things. I don't know if its part of his Mutant ability or just some kinda thing he picked up or what but there ya go."

"Mutant ability?" Low Light asked.

"Gateway can create portals that can allow anyone to go anywhere on Earth. Hence the name 'Gateway'. Which is all anyone's ever known him by."

"That's certainly an impressive ability."

Murmurs of agreements to Xi's statement were quickly had, followed by a short silence until Lance broke it. "Well… Bottoms up, I guess." Muttered Lance and downed the drink.

Causing him to cough and gag. "Ugh! That's nasty!"

Bridge just chuckled as Spirit reprimanded him for drinking something that wasn't tested. "Yeah, his stuff tends to taste that way. Sorry about that, Kid. Now, let's get to plannin'."

Elsewhere In The Outback

"So why'd ya wanna meet up with us for, Reeve?" Wondered Torch curiously as he, Ripper, and Reeve himself made themselves at home around a campfire.

"Yeah! That's what I wanna know too!" Added Ripper and then belched loudly.

"Other then causin' a few thousand dollars in property damage, I wanted to see if you fellas wanted to join me in a little outfit a friend of mine is finally gettin' to put in to action after years of preparation. Its sorta an international thing ya see." Informed Reeve. Who'd been a big game hunter for years with some dabbles in illegal hunting until he chose to allow himself to be experimented on to become a far more efficient hunter. Said experiment causing him to look somewhat like a Crocodile in terms of skin color and the way his skin felt to the touch, in addition to being rather thick skinned. Allowing him some form of protection against most forms of weapons up to a certain point.

Even his teeth were sharper because of the experimental procedure and could even breathe underwater as well because of it. Some believed this experience had warped his mind even more as since then, he'd gone fully into a life of crime and all that it entailed. The two Dreadnoks looked at him before looking at one another and then back at him. "Uhh, Reeve..."

"Dunno if you forgot this, but we're already part of the Dreadnoks." Finished Torch with Ripper nodding agreement.

Reeve spat on the ground before giving his attention back to the two. "Oh, I know, trust me on that, its hard to forget that little detail there, mates. But here's the thing of it, the group I'm part of has managed to make more of a mess of things around the world in the last two weeks then Cobra and your bunch have done in three months. Which means we're far more effective. Plus, you'd get an actual check on a weekly basis thanks to the means me friend went through to ensure that kinda thing."

This got him some annoyed and suspicious looks. "If this group of yours is so popular and done more then us Dreadnoks and Cobra, tell us about one of the things your bunch has done then." Challenged Torch.

"Well… Ya know how Coffee's now on a limited supply until more beans can get grown?"

"Yeah? What about it?"

A grin came from the grey skinned man. "That was my bunch as a test! And you can be part of that kinda thing if you really and truly want too, mates." Enticed the man as both Torch and Ripper stared at him in utter shock.

Which got a laugh from the hunter. "Just think on it, alright, fellas? You'd more than likely get way more respect with us then you've probably ever gotten before."

And with that, Reeve went off to use the restroom somewhere, leaving the two to think on things. The three men completely unaware that they were being spied on the whole time. I'd best report this to Bridge…

Author's Notes: Well now, looks like Reeve and this mystery group are up to no good! But will he get the two to join up? Only time will tell! As for Reeve himself, he's a nice little concept I created for silly Facebook posts a few years ago (and before Steve Irwin's death if I remember right) involving shopping carts and my then job's parking lot. R and R!