X-Men: Come the Apocalypse (pt. 12) Author: Nathan Summers Date: 1997/11/20 Forum: alt.comics.fan-fiction The roar of the X-Men's SR 71 couldn't be heard by anyone, as it was flying over the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, just skimming the water. The X-Men didn't even know where exactly they were headed, but they knew that they had to push it to maximum velocity. {Cable}: You picking anything else up, Jean? {Phoenix}: I'm still getting a lot of stacic, but the psychic channel gets clearer as we get closer. {Beast}: What's their condition? {Phoenix}: Caliban is hanging in there. Scott's only conscious because I'm telepathically keeping his mind active. If I slip, he'll lose consciousness and die quickly. I can't quite determine Betsy's condition. She keeps fading in and out. That sand storm isn't letting up any. I would think it would keep her out for good. {Gambit}: Well dere's a refreshing thought. {Rogue}: Remy, your sarcasm ain't appreciated! {Gambit}: Girl, a moment ago, you woulda smiled at the sound o' my voice. That's wit dis? {Rogue}: A moment ago, ah was glad you was alive. Now I-- {Gambit}: Now ya hate me again? Is dat it? {Rogue}: Ah feel sorry for you. {Gambit}: Why's dat? {Rogue}: Don't take this personally or anything, but its because you're so stupid! Ya tried ta stop the Marauders from killin' all the Morlocks an all you saved was Marrow! Ya claim ya didn't know what they was up to, but ah don't see how anyone could be that dumb. Ah hope for your sake you are, because otherwise ah don't see how ah could forgive you. If you knew, it don't matter that ya betrayed them. The fact is, ya still went down there. And y-- {Storm}: Stop this, immediately! If Remy says that he did not know what was doing on, then he did not know! We will drop the subject now. {Rogue}: Don't tell me you belive him? {Storm}: We have no other evidence to prove him otherwise. The surviving Morlocks know nothing of him and we will take their word for it. We will discuss this matter later. {Wolverine}: Jean? You look worried. And somethin' tells me it ain't just Scott. {Phoenix}: I- I saw Nate cut loose on Hazard back there. {Wolverine}: Yeah, me too. {Phoenix}: Didn't you notice? {Wolverine}: Huh? {Phoenix}: I saw the Phoenix silhouette around him. Brighter than ever. {Wolverine}: You don't think-- {Phoenix}: I do, Logan. {Wolverine}: How's that possible? {Phoenix}: I'm not sure. But I will find out. {Nate Grey}: Uhhhhh... {Wolverine}: Speak of the devil. {Phoenix}: Nate? How do you feel? {Nate Grey}: Lousy. {Phoenix}: You stopped hemorrhaging after you passed out. It was a pain to get all that blood cleaned up. {Nate Grey}: That's never happened before. I've bled before when using my power but not like that. I really lost it back there. And I don't even know why. I wasn't really pissed off like I usually am. I just wanted to kill Hazard. I didn't even burn myself out. The power just kept coming. Then I got nailed. {Phoenix}: How's your head? You might have a concusion. {Nate Grey}: Nope, not even a mild one. All I've got is a painful bump on the back of my head. {Phoenix}: Nate, was anything going on in your head while you were cutting loose on Hazard? Were you thinking about anything in particular? {Nate Grey}: No... just wanted to kill him. {Phoenix}: Oh. I'd advise you to hold back on using your powers for a while. You might seriously injure yourself. {Nate Grey}: I'll try to remember that. Most of the time, I use my powers sunconsciously without even realizing it. Like a reflex. {Beast}: Jean! Sorry to interupt, but we're coming in on Egypt. Now would be a good time to tell me where we're going. {Phoenix}: I'll communicate the coordinates to you telepathically. Hopefully, you'll know where to go. You're the pilot, not me. A man wearing a fine Italian suit, leather boots, an expensive overcoat, with jet-black hair and a waxed down mustache walks across a street in Hell's Kitchen. His destination isn't the type of place you'd associate with a seemingly wealthy man like this. One of the various alleys, home to alcoholics, junkies, homeless, diseased, and others with no other place to go. The man was seeking such an individual. One, Calvin Rankin, who was warming himself by a flaming trash barrel. {Man}: I'm looking for Calvin Rankin! Take me to Calvin Rankin! {Calvin Rankin}: No need to scream, I'm right here. Whaddya want? {Man}: You may call me Mr. Sabenur. I've come to make you an offer... Mimic! {Mimic}: Shhhh! They might know who the Mimic is. Keep your voice down. {Sabenur}: So? {Mimic}: They're probably all prejudiced against mutants. {Sabenur}: But you aren't a mutant. {Mimic}: Like anyone cares! I fit the bill rather nicely. {Sabenur}: This isn't the life for you. Join me. {Mimic}: That's what Sledge said too. He increased my powers, Blob's too, when he was workin for Onslaught. He said we's be unbeatable, yet those chicks from X-Force still beat us. Then Sledge dumped us. Onslaught could care less about us to, 'cause I never heard from him again. I came here, Blob is... I dunno. {Sabenur}: I can reunite you and Mr. Dukes. {Mimic}: Me and my old buddy, fred? Whaddya want me to do? {Sabenur}: Join my Dark Riders. That is all. {Mimic}: No smashing the X-Men? Like in the good old days with Factor Three? {Sabenur}: Actually, you may destroy the X-Men that... don't work out for me. {Mimic}: Huh? {Sabenur}: Just tell me you're in. {Mimic}: I'm in! {Sabenur}: Excellent. Only moments ago, the Blackbird touched down on the sands of Egypt. It's passengers prepare to scout the area for their comrades... {Caliban}: Nathan! Nathan! Over here. Quickly! {Cable}: C'mon I can see Caliban waving to us over there. {Angel}: You can see in this mess? {Cable}: Bionic eye. Has it's advantages. Luckily Caliban's in his "smart mode" and he knows what's going on. Soon, the sixteen mutants have made their way to Scott, Betsy, and Caliban and are anxious to check their condition. {Domino}: Man.. its a bitch moving through this sand-- WHOA! Ouch! {Havok}: Ouch? {Domino}: I fell on something hard. Almost like steel. {Storm}: I shall investigate. Storm throws her hands into the sky and summons a gale-force wind from literally nowhere. The sand around them is blown away to reveal a great rectangular steel strip. {Phoenix}: Scott, take this canteen. You're probably dehydrated. {Cyclops}: Thanks-- ah-- now... what is that-- The sides of the strip suddenly give out and the X-Men are all dropped into a chasm... Lightyears away, near the Shi'ar galaxy... {Bishop}: Wha-- Huh? Oh. Mainframe. {Mainframe}: Sorry to disturb your slumber. {Bishop}: Why are you holding us prisoner?!? {Mainframe}: Why, indeed. When I detected several X-Men aboard that Royal Cruiser, I was afraid that if you discovered me, you would interfere with my plans. I was sure that all of you were killed when I caught you in my wake. Seems I was mistaken. It was all too convenient that you came back to me. I would've killed you, but capturing you was more favorable. Once I had you, it was only a matter of time before Deathbird came looking. And now I have you both. Once I make it back to the moon, I will be initiated back into Apocalypse' service once he returns. And you two will make excellent slaves. {Bishop}: What makes you so sure Apocalypse will be back? {Mainframe}: I am positive. Now excuse me, I have preparations to make. {Bishop}: Wait! Manframe, stop! Blast, he did it again! Back at Egypt... {Storm}: We have no time to waste here. Quickly, those who can fly, help the non-flyers. Hurry! Storm glides on the air currents down the shaft and grabs Cyclops by both arms. He closes his hands around her arms as well, and was out of danger. Rogue swiftly gathered up Maggott too. Joseph severs the gravitational lines of force surrounding himself, defying gravity and catching Psylocke. Iceman freezes the moisture in the air below him and attaches his feet to the sheet of ice formed. His arms become waves of ice which continue to build the slide and propel it forward. Domino lands stomach-first on the icy trail behind him with a thud. Nate goes against Phoenix's advice and uses his powers. He wraps himself and Caliban in a telekinetic web, just as Jean does the same with Logan. Angel has difficulty getting his wings out because of his injuries, but he manages to save Gambit once he does. Cannonball rockets down the shaft and scoops up Cable, who notices that Beast is still in trouble. {Cable}: Sam, get me down farther! I can save McCoy. {Beast}: No! Save your strength in case someone else needs it. I can survive this fall. (thinking) That is, as long as its no more than three stories and I land on my feet! Once the others were safely grounded, Beast prepared to land, not knowing how deep the shaft was. He straightened his body and tilted into a forty-five degree angle. He bent his feet back and prepared to land. As anticipated, his heels hit the ground first and the rest of his feet followed. Once he was upright again, the weight of his upper body forced Beast to bend down on his knees. He came down rather hard but, was otherwise unharmed. {Cable}: You okay? {Beast}: Yeah, just a little shook up. I havn't pulled a stunt like that in a while. {Iceman}: Hey, where's Cecilia? {Cecilia}: HEELLLLLPPP!!!!!! The flailing Cecilia Reyes falls right into Hank's arms. {Cecilai}: You- you-- {Cyclops}: Wait, Alex isn't here either! {Havok}: Since _nobody_ saved me, I had to get a little creative. Havok was coming down rather slowly since he was using his plasma blasts to cushion the fall. He had both arms down at each side, blasting full power in concentrated blasts. The heat was overwhelming. {Cyclops}: Using your blasts as retro-rockets? Wish I could do that. {Beast}: Everbody's alive. Now that's team work! {Cecilia}: Hmp. As a one of the newest X-Men, you sure aren't looking out for me very well. I could've been killed! {Beast}: If you thought that was a dangerous situation, wait'll you meet Apocalypse. {Cecilia}: I just think that-- {Cable}: Chill. We knew you were missing the second we were all down here. One of us would've saved you if Beast hadn't caught you. {Beast}: Well, it was more like "fell into my arms." I didn't mind though. And I think... what's that noise? A blinding flash of white light smothers and illuminates the room, stunning everyone unconscious. It fades out as quickly as it came. Within a hay wagon being pulled by an eighteen wheeler heading from Kentucky to Tennessee. "Mr. Sabenur" is looking for someone here as well. {Man}: <*SNORT*> Hey? What's the big idea? I was asleep! {Sabenur}: Frederick J. Dukes. Alias, The Blob. {Blob}: How's you know that? And how'd you get here? This thing was empty when I snuck in! {Sabenur}: I know many things. And I have my own secrets. Tell me, what have you been up to lately? {Blob}: Ain't you that guy from "Star Trek?" Jonathan Frakes or somethin'? {Sabenur}: What-- NO! I am-- {Blob}: Wait, don't tell me, Tony Stark? {Sabenur}: Not quite, I'm-- {Blob}: I've seen your face before... hold on... you're famous, right? {Sabenur}: I just have that kind of face. You may call me Mr. Sabenur. {Blob}: I must be dreamin.' {Sabenur}: You are not dreaming. I want to know something. {Blob}: Spill it. I got no secrets. {Sabenur}: How did you get here? {Blob}: This little weird guy named Sledge was working for Onslaught and he made me and Mimic more powerful. We got beat by X-Force and Sledge forgot about us. I dunno where Mimic is, but I just started wanderin' around. I hitched rides on long hauls like this and stay wherever I end up. {Sabenur}: Is Mimic considered... a friend? {Blob}: Yeah, I guess me an' Cal are old buddies. {Sabenur}: Would you like to see him again? {Blob}: What the hell? Just tell me what I have to do. {Sabenur}: Join the Dark Riders and crush your enemies! {Blob}: Sounds interstin.' An' I ain't got 'nothin' else better to do. Let's go check this thing out. In a pitch-black cell back at Egypt... {Cyclops}: Can't see a blasted thing. Wait... there's a light. Another. Another. More lights. Well, this place isn't exactly a prison. More like catacombs. Now to get out of this cell. Hopefully my optic blasts will work. Yes! Pulverized that door. Huh? My old blue and yellow X-Factor uniform. I did kinda like that thing. Too bad I only got to wear it for a short time. But what am I doing in it. Wait... the other doors opening around me... Jean! Logan! {Phoenix}: Scott, you're uniform... {Wolverine}: Yer's too, Red. Old green and yellow X-Factor thing. It... um, really brings out your hair. {Cyclops}: Well, you're wearing your tan and brown uniform. {Wolverine}: Had that one for years. Look! There's Warren. {Angel}: How did I get into the uniform I wore when I first became Archangel? It brings back some bad memories. And it looks bad with my feather wings. {Wolverine}: Just be glad you didn't get stuck with that bucket-helmet. {Storm}: I am in my former leather-clad costume. I do not understand. {Wolverine]: Well, it looks interesting with yer new hair style. {Havok}: Someone put me in my containment suit. Why? I don't need this thing anymore. {Rogue}: Okay, where's my leather jacket! And my belt! I look ridiculous. {Gambit}: Relax, chere, you look fine. In fact... {Rogue}: _You_ look ridiculous, cajun. Yellow and blue was never your style. And do something with that coat. {Iceman}: Am I the only one not sporting new duds? Or old ones, whatever. Course, I've always looked the same iced up. Or somewhat similiar. {Beast}: I'm wearing the same old thing. Then again, all I've ever really wore in this form are these Speedo things. {Angel}: Even Betsy is in her ninja outfit. What's the deal here? {Ozymandias}: You must prepare for the challenge. It is only fitting that you battle in the attire that you were most worthy in. Prepare yourselves! {Cyclops}: On that monitor! Ozymandias! {Angel}: What's he talking about? What challenge? And where are the others? {Ozymandias}: The others do not need to participate. You eleven mutants are the core of the X-Men. The others couldn't last without you. Let's see how you perform against the Hounds! A gate was opened and Hemingway, Ever, Sack, and Vessel step out to face the X-Men. {Angel}: Oh. That challenge. Elsewhere within the structure... {Man}: RRRAAAAAGGGGHHHHH!!!!!! What the fuck is going on here? Where am I? Why am I standing here naked? Why don't I remember getting here? I want some questions answered, damnit! {Ozymandias}: You must calm down, Mr. Stone. Your questions will soon be answered. {Man}: How do you know me? {Oymandias}: What is the last thing you remember? {Man}: Fighting... with X-Factor. And Havok... he... blew me apart? Melted me? Something. {Ozymandias}: That's right. Its all coming back to you now isn't it... RANDOM! Whew, that's a wrap for this week! See you back here on A.C.F.F. next Wednesday!