The whisper-quiet rotors of the stealth-copter cut the balmy florida air like a hot knife through butter. Avalon piloted the ship with an ease and confidence that belied his youth. Having designed a great number of the systems incorporated into this state-of-the-art flying machine, Avalon knew well what it was capable of. As The Black King sat in the somewhat lavishly appointed passenger's cabin, the young scribe watched the instruments on the console searching for any other hints of the two anomalous presences that had brought them to this space above Florida's keys.
"Mr. Silver, the second reading has gone from being air-borne to being aquatic. I can't explain it." said Avalon.
"And the first," questioned Silver.
"No longer present," returned Avalon. "We are however approaching our landing site."
Silver looked out the viewing window of the cabin. Below them lay Key Trofeo and hopefully the answers to the mysterious readings. He motioned for the lad to bring them down on the beach. The helicopter came to a gentle rest several yards away from the placid blue waters of the ocean. Silver and Avalon waited for the spinning blades to stop, then made their way out of the sleek craft. Just as Avalon's eyes began to become accustomed to the bright glaring light of Key Trofeo, he saw two four wheeled ATV's approaching. The lead vehicle was being driven by Nem, and the other by Harbinger, the latest Black Mage.
The Black Queen came to a stop in front of the two newest arrivals to her island. She swung her gracefully arched leg over the side of the ATV and dismounted. The Harbinger remained seated on his vehicle and scowled openly at Avalon.
"Your skills are growing everyday, Avalon," said the Black Queen as she placed her hand on the young lad's shoulder. "I didn't detect the presence of visitors until you left the helicopter. New psi-baffles?"
"Yes, my queen," said Avalon as he felt his face blush. "Just something I've been toying with."
Avalon's eyes seemed to refuse to move from the Black Queen's body. Her bathing suit wasn't a bikini, but revealed more flesh than even the most french cut two piece could. It seemed to be composed of two strips of lycra fabric strategically placed over the shoulder and V'ing down to cover only the barest of essentials. The suit was obviously custom designed and what areas it did cover could well have been mistaken for a second skin if the jet black of the fabric had not stood out so plainly against the Black Queen's alabaster skin.
"My dear scribe," said the Black Queen as she moved her hand from Avalon's shoulder to his cheek. "Has something disturbed you? You look positively stricken."
Silver, noticing the boy's discomfort under the Black Queen's lascivious gaze, spoke up.
"My Black Queen, readings taken from the BHC compound indicate that two power signatures of unrecognizable origin are approaching this island. We came to investigate and insure your safety." said Silver in a business-like manner trying not to stare at Nem's exposed flesh.
"As you can see, Silver. There's nothing here but sun, fun and now three of my favorite men," cooed Nemesis. "Now let's get back up to the beach-house and get you out of those stuffy uniforms........and into something more comfortable."
With that, the Black Queen took Avalon's hand and pulled him on the back of her ATV and motioned for Silver to mount up behind Harbinger. Silver did so uncomfortably and they were off.
"Now hold on tight," said the Black Queen placing Avalon's hands along her creamy waist. "I wouldn't want you to fall if the ride gets bumpy."
The White Queen, Nytshade, sat deep in thought in her sunlit atrium. The light filtered in through the glass of the dome and sparkled off the glimmering white and crystal surfaces of the futuristic looking furniture and surfaces. The readings picked up by Avalon and Silver had also been intercepted by her own mutant tracking devices. She listened carefully to her spy's report.
"Data indicates that not only are both the Black King and Queen present at the site of the readings, but two other key members of the BHC's inner circle as well. Shall I send more operatives to try and discover the source of the power signature that you didn't recognize," the spy droned.
"No......I think not," said Jon as she thoughtfully ran her fingers up and down the white leather riding crop in her hand. "This matter must be handled delicately, and with a more personal touch."
She dismissed her spy and reclined in her deeply padded white leather chair.
"And with any luck if this new mutant is as powerful as the readings indicate, I'll gain control of a resource that will give me the ability to not only get Ryan out of my affairs, but perhaps to set myself up as supreme ruler of all the Hellfire Clubs." Jon thought.
Morph splashed along through the waves until he saw the approaching land. He then leaped from the water and once again took the form of a sea gull. He sailed through the blue skies until he reached the shore of Key Trofeo. He looked down and saw four "Earthers" riding vehicles back towards an expansive structure set just off the beach. He was going to follow them, when his entire body was riddled with excruciating pain. He tried to cry out, but his voice was only the wail of a mournful gull. Morph plummeted to the earth and landed in a clump of beach scrub still writhing in pain as his body once again took it's default shape. Only one thought rolled through his mind, and as he lost consciousness.
"SOON, NEMESIS.....SOON...YOU'LL PAY FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE"
The young alien shape shifter struggled to understand these foreign thoughts as his mind faded to black.