Tom's note: I would just like to apologize for the bad shape the writing of this issue is. I don't know why but I'm sick when I come to writing the Operation Zero Tolerance x-over. That should teach me not to have them anymore. I will apologize fully in XMGB #12 but meanwhile I'm sorry this is so terrible, thanks to anyone who still reads it.

All of these characters belong to Marvel and are borrowed without permission with no profit made.

NOTE: Continued from "XMGB" #11

April 1998

Vision Comics presents Gen. X and X-Men in: "STRIKING BACK"

"Operation Zero Tolerance" Part 5 Writer: Tom Editor: Tom

Betsy woke up. She hated this place. They were locked up in there for about two days from what they could tell. Their powers were negated and they were chained to the wall all in one big room, which could have holed a hulk. For the last two days they were trying to get out. They tried everything that came to their mind and yet they were unsuccessful. She slowly rose curling up in the corner, trying not to awake anyone. Warren was right next to her, sleeping. Ever since the Christmas dinner she could see there was something wrong with him. At first she thought it was just one of his moods and that it would pass away. Unfortunately it didn't. He started lashing out at her for no practically reason and when she tried to comfort him he turned away.  One night when they were sleeping she read his mind found out what was wrong. He was tired. Tired of being a X-Man. Because of X-Men his family died, because of X-Men he lost his original wings, because of X-Men he lost most of his money. The list just went on. Knowing that Betsy told him she understood and that they could leave if he wanted to but he just said there was no problem with him at all and that she made it all up. ^Not a way to treat your love, is it Warren ?^  She had to admit it too she was tired. Ever since the Siege Perilous she has been running trying to figure out who she really was. She was tired of living in a body that wasn't hers, enough of not knowing for sure if she really was the real Betsy Braddock. Sure Matuso, Spiral they all confirmed that she indeed was Betsy Braddock trapped in Kwannon's body but could she trust them ? Could there be anything behind it. Other thing that tired her was the Crimson Dawn problem. She was bearing a red mark on her face, what did that mean ? Ever since the transformation she had been feeling weird but what did that tell ? When didn't she feel weird ? Yes she was tired. And she was close to giving up. ^And unless there is a quick change in my life then I'm going to go nuts. I need a change^
 
Somewhere near...

As she slowly paced around the room her companion looked at her. "C'mon chica there is nothing we can do."

"Angelo stop it. We have to break free, unless you want to root all your life in jail."

"Paige that would be the last thing I'd want to do but we have to believe that the X-Men will help us out"

"Angelo shut up ! I'm tired of being rescued by someone ! As the leader of the team I have the responsibility to break us out. We can't count on someone else to save us all the time."

"Well how are we going to get out then ?!"

"I... I... I don't know."

Somewhere under Xavier's Institute for Higher Learning
 
Forge slowly followed Cable up the stairs. They seemed to be made long ago with some strange material that kept them together for many long years. When he was about to look up and ask Cable to the hundredth time how he knew this place he almost bumped into him. He was holding a finger over his lips mentioning him to be quiet. Quickly Forge understood it was a question for later and followed Cable silently.

#We are now directly under the War Room. I have checked and there are only five guards in there. No sign of Bastion either#

#Well I guess he took a break# mumbled Forge back telephaticaly

#On my count we are going to blow the floor under them and then we have to storm in and close the doors#

#Cable I'm a solider I know how to fight#

Cable didn't answer instead he pointed his gun at the ceiling and mentioned for Forge to do so as well. Seconds later they fired and the ceiling above them came to pieces and started falling down Forge felt Cable lifting him up with his telekinesis and mere moments later they were in the War Room. The guards were still lying in the ground confused. Cable wasted no time as he attacked them. The nearest one, who was the first on the stand up was sent flying back into a wall as Cable fired at him.
Forge cursed as a shot from one of the guards got to close to his bionic leg ^Last thing I need now is something going wrong with it^. He quickly rolled over and fired at the soldiers, knocking him back. He got up to his feet and saw a guard running for him. Quickly he lifted up a chair and threw it at the guard. He looked around and saw that all of the guards had been defeated. ^This was too easy^ he thought as they dragged the unconscious guards outside the door. As Forge worked with the lock he heard men approaching, fast. Quickly the andamitium laced door closed and he sat down beside the computers with Cable.
Forge worked with few buttons and placed a empty CD in the disk drive. The screen informed them that the information was being copied. "That was too easy." Cable muttered.

"I agree. Do you think Bastion is setting us up ?"

"No, he didn't suspect we would come."

"That doesn't make sense." Forge mumbled as he heard a beeping noise. "The recording is finished." he mumbled as he got up and placed the CD inside his bionic arm.

"What good is that going to do ?" asked Cable.

"If someone wasn't to get it, they'll have to kill me first."

"Forge, what are you doing ?" Cable shouted as Forge kneeled over the door system and began opening it. He grabbed his arm and pulled him away. "The guards are on the other side right now, can't you hear them ?"

"I can hear perfectly Cable." Forge said while he yanked his arm away. "I'm going to rescue Ororo and others. You don't have to come."

"Are you crazy ? You won't even make it past the first group of guards. We've completed our mission now let's go."

"Is it always like that Cable ? It's the mission that counts ? No matter what costs ?" Forge spat out.

"Forge... I know you want to save Ororo, but you can't." Cable spoke in last attempt to keep the situation calm.

"I will !" Forge shouted as he pushed Cable out of the way.

Being the big man he is Cable only moved few inches but his arm slammed into the door control pressing the open button. "Now look what you've done !" shouted Cable as the door began to open.

"Duck !" Forge shouted as he threw himself at Cable. Before Nathan could figure out what was happening he saw a giant ray of plasma coming his way. If it wasn't for Forge he would have gotten hit. Instead the shot hit the computer system and everything blew up. When the dust settled, Cable was already disappearing down the hole.

#C'mon Forge ! We've done our job#

#But, Ororo....#

#We can't..."

"Arrrrghhhhh." Cable heard Forge scream. He quickly stopped and lifted himself back up again. He shielded himself from the guards and saw Forge lying on the ground his bionic arm totally gone. Forge himself was lying on ground his face full of pain, his body trying to move to the hole in the floor.

Quickly Cable grabbed Forge by his shirt and pulled him towards the hole while the guards shot at him. Having no more time he jumped into the hole dragging Forge behind him. Once he was in the Morlock tunnels he fired at the old walls. They gave way and soon their escape venue was cut of by a pile of bricks. ^That should keep them away^ Cable thought. He turned around to see Forge sitting on the footpath staring at the water. "Are you okay ?" he asked seeing how his face was pale white.

"Yeah.... it's only a bionic arm...."

"Then why are you shaking ?" Cable asked half jokingly.

"The.... the disk.... I put it in my arm..... now my arm is gone." Forge mumbled and now it came to him with full force. "Oh God
what have I done ?!"

Cable's eyes went wide as he hard the news. They had failed. That was all he could think of.

In "Home"
 
Joseph played with his cup while staring at the table. They had been sitting here for few hours now, awaiting a call from Cable and Forge. This all had been very hard to follow for him. They get rescued by two Morlocks, not that he knew what Morlocks were, and while one of them almost dies the other almost cuts Gambit's throat open calling him a traitor. He saw Bobby sit down opposite him. Sam was sitting outside talking with Jubilee and Elizabeth, while Remy had disappeared to somewhere.

"Robert, may I ask you a question ?" asked Joseph keeping his voice down so Sarah wouldn't hear him.

"Go on bucket head." Bobby muttered while he looked at Sarah who was sitting beside Calisto's bed watching her chest rise and fall in a unsteady rhythm.

Joseph frowned at Bobby's comment but didn't say anything. "How did the Morlocks die ?"

Bobby turned around at the sound of the question and looked him straight in the eyes. After few seconds he turned away and
started explaining. "Sinister sent in his Marauders to wipe them all clean. A bastard he was. They did a good job on it, killing most of them. Back then you were the headmaster of New Mutants. We all got involved. I was on X-Factor then. That was when.... when Warren lost his wings." Bobby started of to space as he thought about his friend. Where could he be now ? "Anyhow the Marauders killed most of the Morlocks, only some survived. They again were killed by Mikhail Rasputin, when he went nuts. In fact it turned out that they were teleported to another dimension where they lived until Storm freed them. Most of them were sent to Africa by Ororo, but Sarah here and Calisto stayed." Bobby finished his speech and looked at his cup in front of him leaving Joseph to his own thoughts.

^Dear god all this happened while I was around ? So many innocent people died and I didn't do anything about it ?^ he thought. ^So this is how it was ? Even when I was on the side of angels, I didn't change much did I ?^

In that moment Remy walked into the room out of nowhere. "We need t' g' now. Cable call'"

Everyone started gathering up. Marrow sat there by the bed paying a little attention to them. When everyone was ready she was still there. Sam took his chances and walked up to her. "Um, Sarah miss it's time to go now."

"Get lost I'm not going." she replied without even looking back.

"Are you sure ?..."

"Of course I'm sure X-Man ! Now get out of here before I cut your throat open."

"Sarah..." a weak voice called behind them. Sarah turned around to face Calisto.

"Don't worry Calisto I won't leave you here alone."

"Damn... it Sarah... don't you ever learn ?"

"But..."

"I said, go ! Go, fight make the Morlocks proud. Then you can come back."

Sarah's eyes filled with anger as she looked over the X-Men. She didn't want to go with them. Especially Wemy. But she had to obey Calisto.  She got up, tucked the covers over the her sick mentor and looked at her. "I don't like this Calisto but if you insist I will go with the X-Men. I will return as soon as possible."

"Now that's my girl. Now go and fight like a Morlock."

Sarah got up and left without another word. When she was at the door she stopped and looked back at Calisto. She was still staring at Sarah, her eyes dull yet happy. Sarah sighed and walked out with the rest of the X-Men.

While the room grew silent and empty Calisto stared at the ceiling. ^Oh god please keep her safe.^

Hulkbuster Base

Hank McCoy also known as Beast looked around his cell with blurry eyes. ^It must be night, the sun is gone.^ he thought. ^There is hardly any light.^ He sighed.. ^Is this the end ? No way out, no hope of being released. I imagined a better end for myself^ As he thought that he felt a strange feeling in his belt. He looked down and saw that he had a pen stuck in there. Somehow it had been there all the time, just sitting there unnoticed.

"Fear not my companions I think I have found a way to get out of this dump." Hank announced in a excited voice. Everyone looked his way with tired eyes.

"What is it Hank ?" asked Warren.

"I've found a pen." Hank announced with joy. He had to hide his grin as he thought about what he just said.

"Great. Now if only Gambit was here..." sighed Psylocke. "He was the one who opened the locks this what in Genosha. But he's....gone."

"Don' be too sure on that lass." Banshee pointed out. "Besides I think I can match your Cajun's abilities. I was a thief once."

"Well said Sean." Hank grinned. He grabbed the pen with his teeth and threw it towards Sean. Banshee picked it up and started picking the lock with his free fingers.

Everyone remained quiet for the next five minutes as Banshee played with the pen. Sweat entered his face as he saw it wasn't as easy as he thought. Then suddenly the pen clicked and the power neutralizers gave way. Sean looked at them with a grin. "I may not be as good as the Cajun, but I've got some qualities, naye ?"

TBC...

NEXT PART OF THE STORY: "XMGB" #12, online in two weeks:
"The End."
"Operation Zero Tolerance" The Conclusion.
This is it. After four months of torture the X-Men decide to stand up to Bastion. They attack the mansion full force, but can get through the army of Prime Sentinels ? And how can Prof. Charles Xavier help them ? And at what costs ? What will happen to Team Alpha now that they are free ? Who will die, who won't, who  will turn out to be the ultimate weapon against Bastion ? The answers are all here in the 12th issue of X-Men Gold and Blue.

NEXT ISSUE:
"The After Effects"
Continuing from XMGB #12: "Operation Zero Tolerance" Epilogue (of sorts)
Team Alpha and Gen. X get home only to find out few things they won't be too happy about. Plus don't miss the first paragraph. Believe me it matters.