psinex@yahoo.com Running with Devils Chapter 2 by Phil Hartman DISCLAIMER: Everyone here is Marvel's, except for Steve/Mindscape, who's mine. Please don't sue. WARNING: More language, violence, sex, drugs and rock and roll. (OK, no R and R yet ...) -------------------------------------------------------- For those coming in late ... 11-year-young Steve Summers is an unfortunate victim of fate: the youngest of Scott and Jean Summers' children, and Nathan Summers' fraternal twin, Steve is an Alpha-class telepath and astral projector whose Omega-class psi-energies threatened to burn him out. But then Mr. Sinister implanted a psionic regulator in the boy's brain, saving his life. If not his soul. Afraid Sinister would use him to harm his family, Steve gave himself to the geneticist to save them. Sinister reshaped Steve's psyche, and he now serves as Sinister's newest Marauder ... -------------------------------------------------------- 08/30/2003: Location unrevealed: 12:13 hrs local time: -------------------------------------------------------- Steve gasped deep inside as he followed Sinister and Scalphunter to the Marauders' "wreck room." #I REMEMBER !# the boy thought, part of himself crying inside at the memories of his family. His real family. #Mom, Dad - Ray, Buffy, 'Rik - Nate,# Steve cried inside. #Nate, man, I miss you, twinner ...# Sinister looked at him, and Steve smiled despite his pain. #But the master cares too,# the boy thought, devotion smothering the grief. #He'll take care of me now ...# "Here we are," Sinister said, opening the door. The other Marauders looked over at Steve, who nodded and smiled shyly. Scalphunter walked over to a purple-haired woman in a silver skinsuit and tweaked her breast, grinning, "How was that London trip ?" "Boring without you," the woman winked. "Scalphunter, handle the introductions," Sinister frowned. "Then, Mindscape, you will begin your combat training. We will work on your psionic training this afternoon." "Yessir," Steve nodded. He looked back at the other Marauders and said, "Uhm ... Hi. I'm Steve Summers - but you c'n call me Mindscape if you want ..." He gasped when a silver-haired man with a miniature cyclone approached with a wide grin and babbled, "Summers ? How quaint - the boss finally got what he wanted from Scotty and his mentat slut." #Leave my mom ALONE !# part of Steve thought. The boy's lip quivered, and he yelled, "Shut UP about my mom !" The other Marauders cackled or clapped when Tornado-Man screeched, falling to the carpet with blood coming out of his ears. Steve vomited, falling into the arms of a green-and-silver-haired woman he recognized as Vertigo. "Nice work, sweetie," the nauseator said, helping Steve clean his face off. "Riptide always needs a little reminder of who's in charge. Lemme introduce you around." She pointed to the purple-haired woman being felt up by Scalphunter and said, "That's Arclight. She's super-strong, able to crank out shockwaves, and super-bitchy. Don't get her mad until you get tougher with those mindshocks." "Like I'm gonna be the dumbass and piss off Sin by pounding the runt," Arclight snorted. Steve swallowed and said, "'M sorry, ma'am ..." "'Ma'am' !?" Arclight cackled. "I like this kid, Scalp - not enough t'ditch you, but go easy on him, OK ?" "For you, love, anything," Scalphunter chuckled. He winked at Steve, who smiled fearfully and thought, #Hope he means it ...# "And here," Vertigo said, leading Steve to the big-screen TV, "are Scrambler - the Asian - Prism, the glass whiny guy who breaks when you tap him, Harpoon - he's got the spears - and Blockbuster." "Hey, kid," a mountain of a man in a light-blue and yellow-striped uniform said, rubbing Steve's buzz-cut head. "You need t'grow that hair out." "Like you can talk," Scrambler teased, playing a car-racing game against Prism. "Oh shut UP, Sung," Prism growled, his voice like marbles rubbing against each other. "The kid wants to have short hair, let him." "You'll get t'know them more later," Vertigo winked. "Want a sandwich - whoops, sorry about that nausea burst." "It's OK," Steve lied. "I feel a l'il better." #They killed the Morlocks ?# he thought, looking at the others with an arched eyebrow. #They seem nice ...# -------------------------------------------------------- Gymnasium: 13:00 hrs: -------------------------------------------------------- "You have to be able to use your body as a weapon before you can hope t'master firearms," Scalphunter told Steve. "Here's a combat-droid - show me what you've got so far." Steve looked at the menacing, vaguely-humanoid shaped robot, and got into a fighting stance. #Try to predict what it'll do,# he told himself, shoving his fear aside. The robot swung one fist, but the boy was able to duck and kick it in the "stomach." The machine staggered back a bit, allowing Steve to leap atop it and pound on its' "face." He yelled when the robot's legs connected around his neck, but Steve kept pounding. Finally, the machine's light went out in its' "head," and the legs released the gasping boy. "You've got persistence," Scalphunter nodded. "That's important. Now, lemme show you a few more moves, and we'll practice drills ..." -------------------------------------------------------- #Man, that's hard work,# Steve thought two hours later. He removed his skinsuit and brief, looking at the bruises across his body as he began to shower. #At least Scalphunter's not bein' a jerk,# he thought, trying not to look directly at the weaponeer as he showered nearby. #Don't want him t'think I'm gay ...# Steve finished showering and dried off, dressing in a uniform he found in his locker. #This's kinda like junior high ... 'cept there, I don't hafta ... I don't wanna kill people ...# ~Steven. Report to my lab at once,~ Sinister sent. ~Yessir,~ Steve replied, swallowing hard. #The master's gonna be mad,# he thought, heading for the door. Sinister turned to look at the boy as he entered, and motioned Steve to a nearby chair. "Steven, I realize you're concerned about killing other people," Sinister began. "But sometimes, in order to bring about a better world, sacrifices have to be made. Such as ..." Steve gulped audibly when a blue-and-grey armored figure materialized before his eyes. "Apocalypse," Sinister said in the closest tone to fear Steve had heard him approach. "En Sabah Nur. A techno-organically enhanced immortal External. His one vulnerability is his mind - for as brilliant as he is, he is susceptible to a psionic attack." Sinister looked at Steve and said, "You could kill him, Steven. You could save us from his vision of a world where only the strong survive. YOU are one of the strong - you could protect the weak. Nathan - oh yes, I know you remember your family now - could have slain him both telepathically and telekinetically, but you have the wisdom to join me." "B-but ... I don't know how to attack with my mind, sir," Steve said fearfully. "I'll show you," Sinister said gently. He entered Steve's mind and sent, ~Repeat my actions. We will work on your mental attacks as well as your physical skills ... and in time none will equal your power.~ -------------------------------------------------------- Hours later, Sinister looked down at his newest servant and carefully ran a fingertip across the sleeping boy's fuzzy scalp. #Magnificent,# Sinister thought. Steve, exhausted by the strain of psionic training, had grown tired and had asked to sleep in Sinister's office. The geneticist had agreed, and looked as Steve snoozed, clad in a black brief, on the couch. #He's still loyal to me despite his memories returning,# Sinister thought. #I almost hate to twist him ... he reminds me of ...# A single memory, of a young woman and a laughing blond toddler, bloomed in Sinister's mind. He crushed it, forcing down his loss, and ran his gaze dispassionately along Steve. #You are truly gifted to make me remember my own family, Steven. I promise you, serve me well, and I will treat you better than I have to date,# Sinister smiled. #You WILL become my soulson - eh ?# Sinister arched an eyebrow at the genescanner and sat behind his desk, calling up a hologlobe of the world. His eyes widened at a bright pinprick of light closing in on Europe, and he chuckled at a smaller, red dot following. "Progueus," Sinister said. "And ... Remy. Oh, Remy, you silly, silly boy. If only you knew the truth of what you pursued." He printed out the scan's coordinates and shut down the holotank, patting Steve's shoulder gently. The boy awoke, looking at Sinister with a small smile, and asked, "Sir ... ?" "I'm sorry to wake you, little one," Sinister sighed. "But you need to observe your fellow Marauders in the field. And we are about to go after the deadliest game ..." -------------------------------------------------------- Edinburgh, Scotland: 23:23 hrs local: -------------------------------------------------------- #WOW,# Steve thought, looking around the darkened streets of Scotland's capital. #Halfway 'round the world in a second !# He shivered a little despite the insulated skinsuit he wore, and huddled close to Sinister as the Marauders fanned out. "Remember, Progueus only needs one touch to drain you," Sinister frowned. "We must overwhelm her-him, and if LeBeau should interfere, take him alive. But not too gently." "I was hopin' you'd say that," Scalphunter grinned. He barked orders, and two by two the adult Marauders fanned out. "Sir ? Who's LeBeau ?" Steve asked, yawning from exhaustion. "I know Progueus's a bad guy who took over that Rogue lady." "Remy LeBeau gathered the Marauders for me, years ago," Sinister said, sitting on a hillock with Steve and providing them light from his hands. "He was a spineless coward who turned on the Marauders when they were sent to kill the Morlocks. I know you don't agree with what the Marauders do, but the Morlocks were waste, Steven. With only a few exceptions, they were needless." #But Leech an' Sarah were nice,# Steve thought sadly. He tried to shield his thoughts like Sinister had begun to teach him, and Sinister seemed not to notice. "Anyhow, LeBeau came across the X-Man Storm - you once called her aunt - when she was deaged and amnesiac," Sinister continued. "He helped her evade a demented mutant cyborg and remained with the X-Men, but during the Muir Island incident he inadvertently unleashed the energy being Proteus. "Proteus merged with Rogue, creating Progueus - what kind of names supervillains come up with these days, it's sad - and has spent the last seven years rampaging across the planet. Not even the Avengers, Fantastic Four or the X-Men have managed to stop Progueus," Sinister concluded. "B-but how c'n we ?" Steve said, swallowing hard. #If he eats souls an' warps reality ...# the boy thought. "We have powerful psionic dampers," Sinister grinned, holding up an inhibitor collar. "These collars are enhanced with extra psi-draining energies. If we can remove Proteus from Rogue, we will have two powerful new allies." "OR AH'LL HAVE DINNAH, 'SUGAH'." Steve whirled about, his eyes bulging, as a glowing, brown-and-white-haired, black-leather-thong-and-bustier-clad, green-eye-glowing woman floated over him and Sinister. Sinister cursed, trying to snap the collar around Progueus's neck, but was sent flying by a massive energy blast. "AH LAHK'M YOUNG 'N SWEET," the possessed Rogue taunted, closing in on Steve. #Can't move - Master, someone, PLEASE -# Steve thought. Bare hands reached for his throat, and Steve screamed - - and Sinister's jaw dropped when a bolt of white psi-fire erupted from the boy, hammering Rogue's form. A shimmering white energy left the young woman, loops of white fire dancing in the night over the Mississippi Marauder's unconscious body and the crying Steve. ~YOU LITTLE FOOL !~ Proteus raged. ~DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'VE DONE !?~ It screamed when Sinister materialized a glass-lined tube in his hands, and trapped Proteus within it. "YESS !!" Sinister cackled, hugging Steve and flipping the tube from one hand to another. "Mindscape, you are a WONDER ! In one stroke, you've given me -" Steve cried out when two glowing streaks slammed into Sinister's back, and the tube fell to the ground in one piece. "Wh-who .. .?" Steve gulped as Sinister turned about in fury. Red on black eyes stared at Sinister, taking Steve in with a curious glance before they locked on Rogue's form and then back on Sinister's face. "Y'r a sick one, Essex," a Cajun voice mocked. "Usin' women 'n chill'ens t'do y'r dirty work. It stops now." "GAMBIT ..." Sinister growled ... -------------------------------------------------------- NEXT: It HAD to happen ... RECKONINGS !!! -------------------------------------------------------- end _________________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com