psinex@yahoo.com Fires of Tomorrow 3/60 by Phil Hartman DISCLAIMER: Everyone is Marvel's, except for the Xlings and Aidan, who're mine. Please don't sue. -------------------------------------------------------- X-Mansion: 1/9/2004: 08:00 hrs EST: War Room: -------------------------------------------------------- Blue eyes regarded the myriad remaining New Mutants, and Frank Richards nodded as his team entered the room. "Thanks for coming so quick, guys - I know it's a Saturday," he smiled faintly. "But we hafta decide what to do about Erik." "He's our teammate, we go help him," Tom nodded. "And my granddad - still kinda weird to think of him like that -" "We have to be careful, though," Frank noted. "Erik's basically suffering from multiple-personality disorder, I guess. He's got two minds fighting for control of one body." The boy turned back to the holotank and called up a global hologram, pointing at a small X in the Pacific. "As near as Cerebro can tell, Erik's still on that island base that belonged to Sinister," he said. "Why he's still there, I'm not sure. But as long as he's alone, we could chance going after him." "As long as he's alone," Joe frowned. "Frank, we oughta get the teachers and -" "And what've THEY done for us lately ?" Nicole frowned back. "Claudette is still stuck inside my head, Erik is schizoid, Danny quit, the Guthries were mauled, and Gail and Bill are still dead. Whose fault is that ?" "I THINK what Joe's saying is, we need to be careful before we just go jumping into this," Frank said. "We need to prepare for the worst." "You mean, we treat Erik like the enemy," Alexa growled. "No, I mean we have Leech damp him - AND ME - when I talk to him," Frank replied. The other kids looked at him in disbelief, and Ray gasped. "You're not chancing that alone," she insisted, holding Aidan to her. "I may not be able to go, Scrap, but -" "The others'll be there," Frank replied, sitting beside her and kissing her hand. "I'm not that risky, Red. I just want to give Erik a chance to talk before we go and beat the crap outta him." "Nice to see at least one of our leaders showing some sense," Alexa said sheepishly. "No offense, Ray - you've sort of falled off the seniority list ..." "And onto the disabled list," Ray smirked, giving Aidan to Frank. The baby burbled, looking at Frank as the teen hugged him and gave him back to Ray.. "You keep your mom company while we're out, OK ?" Frank asked. "Speaking of whom ... Leong, Nga, you guys agree about what we were talking about earlier ?" "Oui, Frank," Leong nodded. "Our healing powers are more useful here." "And we're thankful for a reason to avoid a fight," Nga smiled. "Perhaps, Ray, we can study ?" "Sounds good to me. Let me put the rugrat down for a nap," Ray agreed, standing. She kissed Frank's cheek and headed upstairs, while Nate looked nervously at Frank. "Uhm ... Frank, I ... I dunno if I should go," Nate muttered while the others prepared to leave. "I got this weird feelin' ... like somethin' bad's comin'." "Maybe you should stay. I want someone with some firepower to watch Ray and Aid, anyhow," Frank agreed quietly. "Leong and Nga can be badasses, but only if they're together." "Gotcha. No one'll get to any of 'em while you guys're out," Nate agreed. He joined Ray and Aidan in the elevator, and Frank turned to count the number of New Mutants coming with him. "Lew, Naomi, Luna, Artie, Leech, Alexa, Nicoletta, Joe, Dee, Sarah, Tom, and me," he nodded. "You guys ready to roll ?" "We're gone," Claudette called, opening a transportal. The kids departed, but Leong shook his head at Nga. "I feel an ill wind coming," he said, following his twin up the lift. "Take some Bean-o," Nga deadpanned. -------------------------------------------------------- Aforementioned unnamed island near Tahiti: 00:03 hrs local: -------------------------------------------------------- He repressed a scream, another lash slamming into his naked body as it hung from shackles in the dungeon. "SURRENDER !" Scalphunter roared, physically backhanding Erik. The boy's head snapped back, sending bloody spittle flying across the weaponeer's face. "Scalphunter, leave," Sinister ordered, entering the cell with a frown. Scalphunter did so, muttering and wiping his face, as Sinister held Erik by the hair and glared into his eyes. "The original Magnus is still in control," Essex nodded. "Good. I look forward to breaking you." "Rot ... in hell ..." Magnus whispered between swollen lips. #I will NOT yield -# He grunted as a psionic blast slammed against his mindshield, chipping away at his mental defenses. #And without my powers, that shield is weakening,# Magnus realized with a sick feeling. #Sinister could -# Then shadow tendrils pierced his soul, and he felt his stomach churn. ~At LAST,~ Sinister mocked, digging around the memory shards. ~Fare thee well, Magnus - once I erase your alterself, all you will have left is your own sordid past for a defense !~ #Not ... necessarily,# Magnus thought. #If I ... sacrifice myself ...# He shielded his innermost thoughts as best he could, dragging the teenaged Erik before him with a frown. ~Listen to me, boy !~ he yelled at the frightened teen. ~I am going to try and get rid of Sinister on our terms. You must reaccess our telepathy and try to get ahold of some help. I probably will not survive.~ ~You're gonna - LOOK OUT !~ Erik yelled as Sinister slashed the elder Magnus with a psi-sword. Magneto turned, countering Sinister's next blow and yelling, ~GO !~ ~Go WHERE ?~ Erik thought, racing away fearfully as Essex and Magnus clashed. ~A brilliant stratagem,~ Sinister admitted, pressing his attack. ~You think the boy will find help ?~ ~He can try,~ Magnus sneered, forcing Sinister to back off. ~And in the meantime, I owe you pain ...~ -------------------------------------------------------- "This is such a pain," Scrambler muttered to Prism as they kept midnight watch at the front entrance. "I mean, the place is a rat-" He fell over as a lightning bolt struck him down. "What the - GYURK -" Prism screamed as a coconut slammed his body, shattering him and leaving the entrance to the base open to attack. "Gross," Joe winced as the Mutants picked their way forward. "Didn't mean to do THAT ..." "After what he did to Mr. Corsi ? Leech says it was justice," Leech growled. "Where're the other Marauders ?" "New plan, guys," Frank said, calling them to a halt at a corridor intersection. "The Marauders alive mean Sinister's alive. He's probably tryin' to brainwash Erik, which means we hafta move. Arclight and Scalphunter are the two biggest threats 'cause they're so vicions and well-trained." "Plan ?" Tom asked, grinning. "Plan," Frank agreed. "Without Scrambler, we don't hafta worry about our powers getting whacked. What WE do is hit from a distance. Harpoon, Scalphunter and Arclight are our main problems. Riptide needs to aim to hit, even with his shuriken spray. Blockbuster just needs a good kick in the nuts - Nicky ?" "My pleasure," Nicole grinned evilly. "Vertigo goes down first," Frank continued, "then Harpoon. If we can take out the Marauders' means of taking US off balance, they go off balance. Remember, tag-team and keep 'em from teaming up on us." "Got it," Tom nodded. "Splitting up ?" "I'm going after Erik - Dee, Alexa, Tom, Joe and Leech, go left," Frank said. "Lew, take the rest right. Meet back here in 10." "You're not going alone," Claudette demanded. "Trust me," Frank grinned. "I owe Sinister ..." -------------------------------------------------------- X-Mansion: -------------------------------------------------------- #Why do I still have that gut feelin' ... ?# Nate looked out from the library and reached out across the lawn telepathically, frowning. #Something ... ugly out there,# he thought. "Ray, you pickin' up anything with your tepe ?" he asked. "Not a thing," Ray replied from over her algebra. "Leong, Nga - you guys' aura sense ... ?" "Non," Nga replied. "Perhaps you're just jumpy, Nathan." "I'm gonna go check it out," Nate replied. He pulled on a coat and stepped outside, walking a few feet into the yard - - and yelling when claws raked his side. "Damnit," Sabretooth snarled, rising from the snow over the still Nate. "Now I gotta -" He yowled when a TK-blast sent him falling backwards. "You gotta go through ME to get Ray or Aidan, hairball !" Nate yelled. #Even if he's gonna mince me ...# -------------------------------------------------------- Tahiti: -------------------------------------------------------- "FRY !" "What the - YOU !" Scalphunter roared as Lew, Sarah, Luna, Naomi, Artie and Nicoletta took battle stances at the other end of the hall from the weaponeer, Blockbuster, and Vertigo. "Time to - AIIIEEE !" Vertigo screamed, as a giant lizard seemed to swallow her whole. Artie giggled, and smiled when Scalphunter found his weapon modules scattered across the floor. "How - OWOWOWOWOW -" THUD. "ILOVEbeingme," Luna grinned as Grey Crow hit the floor, multiple bruises across his face from hyperspeed punches. "Ahem - time to - GHURK -" Blockbuster grunted as a bone knife jutted from his side. A vine ensnared his feet, and a lightning blast slammed into his head. "We are BAD !" Naomi whooped. "Wish it was Arclight, tho' - ah owe her f' hurtin' ya, Lew." "We'll get there," Lew winked. "C'mon - we gotta get back t' th' meetin' point." -------------------------------------------------------- "YOU-" CRAK "SCUMSUCKING-" WHAM "JERKBAG !" Riptide hit the floor, bleeding, as Alexa finished teleporting around him and punching him. She grinned as Joe teke-grabbed Arclight, restraining her, and Leech damped Harpoon's powers. "And THIS is for my mom, you sonuvabitch !" Deanna howled, going hypermassive and punching Harpoon out hard. "GOD, that felt good !" "We are getting too good at this," Leech chuckled. "Should we go ?" "What, and miss the fun ?" Tom smirked. "Leave 'em - " The kids screamed as a blue glow washed over them, and Joe looked sick. "C'mon - it's Erik," he moaned, leading the way. -------------------------------------------------------- "Oh my GOD -" Frank burst into the holding cell, seeing Erik and Sinister locked into position by a magnetic field which was pulsing sickly-blue-green. ~'Rik - ?~ Frank sent, trying to pierce the psi-interference. He brushed his friend's mind - - and screamed as it imploded. Sinister was thrown back, cursing, and grunted when Frank slammed him against a wall. "WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO TO HIM !?" the boy roared. "I wish I knew," Sinister sneered. "All I know is that I was fighting him psionically, and he vanished - the adult Magnus' astral form, that is." Frank looked at the still-breathing Erik's body, then at Sinister, and snarled, "Stay here." Sinister screamed as white fire lanced between them - - and he slumped to the floor, human. "Never tried that before. Not bad," Frank grunted. He freed Erik and tried a psi-probe, sending, ~C'mon, man ...~ "Frank ... ?" Erik mumbled in a teenaged voice. They stood, and he leaned on Frank as they left the cell. "He's ... GONE," Erik gasped, standing on his own. Frank's eyes went wide when Erik yelled, "HE'S GONE !" "Who, 'Rik ?" Frank asked. "The old me - all of HIM is - GONE," Erik slowly smiled. "I can't remember anything about my past as Magneto - I'M FREE !" -------------------------------------------------------- X-Mansion: -------------------------------------------------------- Nate ducked another clawswipe and ran for the house, praying, #Lordpleaselathimslip-# "YOU'RE MINE, MEAT !" Creed roared. Nate stopped short of the steps, spinning around with an infuriated glare, and psi-blasted Sabretooth as hard as he dared. #Did I - ?# He screamed when Creed's "comatose" form leapt up, grabbing his jacket front and swinging claws for his throat - - and freezing amidst a green glow. "Cripes, we can't leave you alone for a single minute," a good-natured girlish voice teased. Creed slumped to the ground, releasing Nate, who looked up with grateful and surprised eyes. "YOU ... ?" "Who were you expecting," a green-haired girl smiled as her blond-haired younger brother looked at Creed fearfully, "the Man-Thing ?" -------------------------------------------------------- NEXT: Mysteries, magnets, and more wild animals ! -------------------------------------------------------- end _________________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com