Captain America 2099UG - The Deadpool #2

The New England landscape remains largely untouched in the year 2099. It is a place with a natural beauty mutated by large levels of fall out over the last century. Now it is the last frontier. A place where a man can hide from the things that trouble him. Here birds sing, the sun shines, wildlife thrives. It is peaceful.

Then that peace is shattered. From a golden valley stretches a black scar across the landscape. For 50 years it has been unused, but in it's prime it was an Interstate highway. Nature had began to reclaim it, but today meets a setback. The roar of a motor bike destroys the serenity, as the rider growls in frustration. He pushes his vehicle well beyond the suggested safeguards and the engine whines in protest, and still he pushes for more. His friend needs him, and promises or the laws of physics be damned.

He passes a rod sticking out of the ground with some faded green metal sheet hanging askew upon it. He allows a glance at it and reads the words there…
WASHINGTON D.C.
70 miles

The tachometer exceeds 200 MPH as the bike slices through the air. The rider now seems a man possessed as he expertly avoids every road hazard. The wildlife scatters as the bike blasts by. By the time the smell of sweat and adamantium fades, the rider has arrived at his destination.

*********************************
(Meanwhile at DOME Headquarters)

Doctor Jameson rubed his eyes. For the last few days he had spent most of his waking hours in front of this computer screen trying to get his affairs in order. His vision clears, and as he looks at the screen again, he sighs. It is an injustice that all of his years of work would end like this. When he was young, he was a dreamer that believed the ancient writings of another doctor of another time… Dr. Charles Xavier. That notable painted a picture of a dream where the human race stood united, homo sapien and homo superior. In his small way Jameson had made a positive difference, but everything he had gained was undermined by his employer, DOME.

Like many, he had believed the hype that was DOME's propoganda. He thought that he was helping mutants, and it was not until his research that he discovered the unthinkable… that he too was a mutant. DOME decided to forgive him this sin because of his usefulness to the cause. That is when they brought him young Nicholas Page for classification.

Doctor Jameson had made great strides in the technology used to detect and locate mutants when DOME had dicovered the ruins of Muir Island, and the infamous base of the British mutant team Excalibur. There were the remnants of a technology they called Cerebro that he was able to research and improve on. Once he had a working model, DOME wanted every mutant on the planet found and classified, and that has been Dr. Jameson's job.

He discovered the boy was a Class C mutant due to his relation to the Captain America of the Twen Cen. He also saw that the boy had already fostered a great hatred for Homo Superior. At the advice of Timothy Waters he kept Nicholas' genetic quirk a secret from the boy.

Soon after this, Dr. Jameson was promoted to head psychiatrist of the Department of Mutant Ethnics. He did not see the boy again until years later when at the request of Waters again, Jameson have a session with an operative that had left the DOME family to become a hired Mercenary for a group called only the Deadpool. From that session he discovered that the operative was none other than Nicholas Page, now little more than a modified killing machine. The pair found that they liked each other and more sessions followed, allowing the pair to forge a friendship. But that was before he became Captain America.

Now Captain America has gone rouge, mainly because Dr. Jameson revealed to Page that he was a mutant after all these years. Because of this, the atmosphere has been getting progressively more ominous at DOME for the doctor and he knows what is coming. But Dr. Jameson is not a fool, and he is getting prepared.
Most computers in the year 2099 have a voice interaction program that allows for a "Hands off" approach when using them. Dr. Jameson however had never really trusted a machine to completely understand the proper nuances of his vocabulary. As a result, he went through considerable expense at DOME to modify his terminal to allow for the use of a keyboard. Tonight, his fingers stroke the keys of said keyboard with such speed and accuracy that it emits a sound not unlike rain upon a tin roof.

Two days ago, the doctor called his long time patient and friend Nicholas Page and told him that the situation at DOME was suddenly turning ugly for him. The reasons were obvious to both of them. After all DOME was an organization that could not forgive genetic impurities and Dr. Jameson is a mutant. But more that that, the doctor is the most likely to know the current location of the only man to dare turn his back on DOME… Nicholas Page, also know as Captain America.

At first the activities of Jameson's co-workers were covert and barely noticable by someone not versed in the arts of espionage. However in the last 3 days the inquiries have become bolder, and there is no doubt that the time he has left is quite short indeed. That is why he is here in his office, several hours after the standard curfew at DOME, to finish his work and escape the coming doom. With each keystroke on his keyboard he gets closer to completeing his task, the transfer and destruction of DOME's data base on known mutant threats to national security.

Then suddenly he nearly jumps out of his skin! There is a bump outside his office! There is no security on this floor and all others are long since at home. His killers have arrived!

"No!", he curses under his breath. " I am not done yet!" His typing takes on the added desparation of a dead man.

*******************************
(Outside Dr. Jameson's office)

The mercenary named Glitterspike enters the office adjacent to that of Dr. Jameson. He knows that there will be noone here to interfere with his job and he struts with a cocky air. Glitterspike had been waiting for this day for a very long time… today he takes the first step in bringing down that SOG Nicholas Page. Both of them had joined the ultra secret DEADPOOL about the same time by assasinating their predecessors. They rubbed each other wrong from day one and every contract became a contest between them. Over the years that competitive spirit had festered into a hatred between the two.

The side effect of this hatred was that the pair had spent a vast amount of time evaluating each other and finding out about each other's private ties and past. The ultimate line was crossed between the two when Nicholas Page helped Glitterspike's girl friend Rosa escape him. That day he had sworn to kill Nicholas Page.

Unlike most of the assasins of the DEADPOOL, the illuminated mercenary knew of Page's friendship with a shrink at his employer's offices… Dome. It was just a stroke of luck that DOME had issued a contract on Jameson about the same time they hired the DEADPOOL to eliminate Captain America. So he grabbed the contract and now he is here.

First off he wanted his prey to know fear so he deliberately bumped against a table and let the lamp there teeter noisily. From inside the office Glitterspike can hear the doctor scurrying around. He knows that the doctor is probably in a panic and that makes him smile. It is time to move in. Glitterspike looks down at himself and as it happens each time his fury and anger builds. Over all he is a powerful and handsome man, with well chisled muscles and attractive face, but one major handicap is all that the mercenary sees of himself, his missing left arm, which was lost in a battle with some worthless alien life form. With a thought the void that once was his arm is replaced by a brilliant simulation made of solid light. The room fills instantly with the white light as he flexes his artificial appendage.

The mercenary marches up to the door leading to the office of Doctor Jameson and arrogantly he knocks. When now answear is forthcoming, save for a rustling of movement inside Glitterspike calls out to his prey.

" Special Delivery for a Doctor Jameson!"

And with that he reaches down and places his hand on the pad that would allow him entrance.

****************************
( Elsewhere)

The atmosphere was tense and showed no sign of getting any better. There seemed to be two camps. One included the remaining members of the outlaw team called the Raiders sitting in tense silence and included Venus, Pulse and Square. The other camp included their leader Austin, who unlike his companion Swansong, is oblivious to the resentment emminating from the others. There is another here, trapped between the two groups. She is a little girl who never asked to be here, and her name is Maria.

The little girl looks around with a curiosity that can only be experienced by the young. She has never been away from her home until recently. For a short time she had moved with her daddy to a cabin in the mountains. She had liked that but like always, it never lasted. When her "uncle" William Jameson called her daddy he had left right away and brought her here to stay with these people. Although many of them were nice she had found herself missing her sire more and more all the time.

Maria's attention is then drawn to one of the men who is sitting in the corner working on a machine. He had grabbed a battery and was arching an energy pulse to the posts, and filling the girls eyes with wonder. Slowly she stands and begins to move toward the man.

" What is your name?" Maria begins once she is close enough to see what he is doing.

Pulse looks up and sees the girl and his expression which already showed irritation contorted in impatience with the small invader in his personnal space. " Huh?, Oh, uh… they call me Pulse."

" Hehe. That is a funny name."

" Yeah, I guess it is. Hey, don't you have someone else you would rather bother?"

" No."

Pulse looks at the girl and realizes the difficulty in arguing such an answer so he did not. He merely turned back to his work and arched to the battery again.

" How do you do that?" Maria asked.

" I'm a mutant little girl."

Suddenly the little girl looks uncomfortable around the irratable man. " I'm sorry."

Pulse stops his work and for the first time really looks at the girl. " What do you mean by that? What are you sorry about?"

" That you are a mutant, silly."

" Why? I like being a mutant."

" My Daddy says that mutants are a skerge."

Pulse huffs. " You mean scourge… and yeah, that sounds like something that self serving hippocrite would say."

" What is a hip-krit?"

" Never mind. Go away little girl. I don't like your father and I don't like you!"

Tears fill Maria's eyes. " Why don't you like my Daddy?"

In a rage Pulse finnally spins and Maria looses her balance and falls on her butt. Pulse gets in her face and yells at the top of his lungs at her. " BECAUSE YOUR DADDY KILLED MY FRIENDS!!! NEXT TIME YOU SEE HIM ASK HIM ABOUT TUBBS, OR GIVENS!!! YOUR DADDY IS A BAD BAD MAN AND I HATE HIM!!!!!"

Somewhere during the outrage, little Maria had started sobbing uncontrollably and Austin had arrived with Swansong who immediately picked up the girl and tried to quiet her. Austin had a look of anger on his face. " You are out of line Pulse."

" Go shock yourself Austin! You can try to make nice nice with Captain America and his brat if you want to, but every night I see Tubbs and Givens murdered by him. If anyone is out of line it is you! We followed you because you were a visionary. You knew where we were coming from. Well I don't know you any more! For Thor's sake Austin… Givens has been your friend since you were kids! Doesn't that mean anything to you?"

"Yes, but everyone deserves a second chance Pulse…"

" Not him Austin! He is not a victum! He is a murderer that hunted our kind and killed them for money. And the only reason he is playing our side of the fence is because he found out he is a stinkin mutie too!"

" That's enough!"

Pulse stops and looks into Austin's eyes. He sees nothing that he wanted to. " Yes, I guess it is. I need some air and some time to think."

He turns to leave and Square calls out to him. Pulse turns to see the man split into two exact copies. One of the two speaks. " You shouldn't go alone. Let me go with you."

He nods. " Thanks Square."

And with that they leave with only the sobs of a little girl to cover their footfalls.

*************************************
(Back at the offices of Dr. Jameson)

As the door to Dr. Jameson's office opens the blinding light from Glitterspike's arm pours in. William Jameson looks up at the intruder with a look of determination and just a little fear. " You are too late, whoever you are. I have already wiped the mutant data base from my files."

Glitterspike huffs. " I care nothing about your files you stupid little man. I want Nicholas Page."

The doctor looks really confused. " Nicholas? I don't know where he is?"

Glitterspike just slowly shakes his head and his left hand, made of mutable white light becomes a large mace like weapon. " That is really too bad for you then, because then you are useless to me. I will just kill you and take what I need from any files you may have missed."

William Jameson looks visibly appalled. " You are a monster!"

" Yes, I know."

In an instant Glitterspike is leaping and bringing his arm around in a lethal arch at Jameson's head. Glitterspike is prepared to to feel the rich "Thunk" of a shattered skull. It never comes and he is thrown a little off balance. He spins amazed that the puny man could have dodged him. " You can make this quick and easy or long and painful… either way I don't care."

" You can't hurt me mercenary, and you are already too late. You will not find Nicholas Page today."

Again the mace like arm archs toward his prey, but when it comes time for contact… the weapon passes through the Doctor! Glitterspike lets out a gutteral primal cry! " No! I have been duped by a hologram!!!!" His rage builds for several seconds as the hologram fades from view. When finally it is released he brings his weapon down on a nearby table. It breaks.

For a long moment he just stands there breathing in loud huffs. Then from out in the other office he hears a very familiar voice. " Dr. Jameson! William! Are you alright?"

Immediately Glitterspike snuffs out the light that is his arm. Then quietly beneath his breath he speaks. " Looks as if you were wrong good Doctor. I think I will indeed find Nicholas Page today."

********************************
( Elsewhere)

" What is with him lately?" Rants Austin. " Pulse has been on edge and now he is affecting the whole team!"

" You don't think he has reason?" Asks Swansong.

Austin seems suddenly angry. " Whose side are you on anyway?"

" Yours Austin, but there is no denying that Pulse and the other's have been adversely affected with their encounters with Captain America and my former team mates the Unsung. They are apt to feel animosity even during the best of circumstances, and the last month could never be described as the best of circumstances. You have not been spending much time with them and you have invited the daughter of the man who killed their friends into your den. I agree with your decisions but they may not."

Austin growls his response. " I don't need their agreement. Just their obedience."

Swansong watches as Austin gets up and walks away in deep thought. She is sad. She speaks softer than he can hear. " Oh Austin. If you don't have their respect, you will never really get their obedience. I just hope you figure that out before it is too late."

******************************************
(Office of Dr. Jameson)

At first Nicholas Page had feared he was too late. When first arriving in Washington D.C. he went directly to Dr. Jameson's apartment but his home was empty… completely. Although he knew the dangers of approtching his former employer, the man known as Captain America decided to look for his friend at the Department of Mutant Ethnics or DOME Headquarters.

He knew security would be lax at this time of night, at least by his standards, it the offices so he decided to look there first. When he arrived his keen senses noted that the door had recently been entered and left ajar. Page's blood suddenly ran cold with fear for his friend's life. He knew whoever was inside was a professional, but he had to know the fate of his friend. After a long breath, Captain America adjusted his cog shaped shield and took the bait deliberately, trusting to his own reaction time for whatever he would find within.

" Dr. Jameson! William! Are you alright?" called the Captain as he entered. All he saw before the attack came from his flank was a flash of light. It has been said that Nicholas Cage is one of the fastest men ever to be born on this planet but even he cannot outrun light itself. Out of the shadows came a blinding ram made of pure light. It landed on the jaw of Nicholas Page with such force that he feared his adamantium laced bones would break. Before he hit the ground he knew who it was he faced.

The Captain hit the floor in a spin that saved his life as he rolled just ahead of deadly blasts of light. The floor shatters closer and closer until Nicholas Page can feel the heat of the emissions. Altering his roll, the man known as Captain America comes to a hand stand and the next barrage misses him. He begins an acrobatic routine that does not end until he is safely behind a metallic statue. Breathing heavily and cursing himself for not figuring it out earlier, Nicholas hazards a look around the corner and calls out.

" Long time no see Alexi. Is this personal or business?"

The reply comes from everywhere and no where in the darkness. " You will not bait me into revealing my position this time Captain. I learned my lesson last time we met."

The Captain nodded, " Figures."

By this time it had become obvious to Nicholas that he faced his old nemesis Glitterspike. The two have studied each other and this would not be a fight easily won by either. The Captain's ability to absorb damage could be matched by Alexi's ability to inflict it. The two were also master martial artists. Nicholas would have to play it smart.

His great tactical mind began to work on the problem at hand as he reviewed Glitterspike's abilities. First was his genetic mutation, which gave him the ability to absorb light and replace his need for air, food, and water. Next, he was able to convert that light to solid weapons or deadly blasts of light. Finally he used a harness that combined 0-G technology with magnetic propulsion. Combined with his physical prowess and his intimate knowledge of Nicholas Page, that was a pretty powerful package. Nicholas decided that the advantage he had to keep was the darkness. He had to keep Alexi from focusing on the obvious.

" So when was the last time I saw you Alexi?"

" You know shockin well the last time we met, Nicholas." Came the reply.

" Oh yes! Now I remember. I was helping Rosa escape you and you could do nothing but watch."

No response. That is not good. Apparently Glitterspike HAD learned since their last encounter. Usually that would have been enough to send him into a rage. More was needed.

" I hear she is happy now, what with that big strong mutant friend of hers making love to her every night, and bouncing your baby on his knee every day huh?"

Suddenly the air oxidizes and every fiber in his body yells at Nicholas to dodge to the right. Such instincts had saved his life a thousand thousand times so of course he does so. The statue he was standing by explodes out peppering him with rubble as he moves. As he expects, Glitterspikes deadly blast begin to follow his movement but each one only manages to pierce the air he just vacated. Nicholas ran like a man possesed, and knew he had the mercenary where he wanted him. Nicholas runs by the mother panel for this floor's lighting system and grins when he hears Alexi's assault tear through it robbin his foe of any chance of using the precious light they would emit against him. Alexi curses when he realizes what he had done.

The resulting explosion did however have one effect that Captain America had not forseen, that being thrown across the room. Years of training had taught Captain America much and like his Grandfather before him, the star spangled champion is the best there is at what he does. In mid air he shifts his weight forward and twists, riding the blast out to full effect then landing feet first just short of the wall. Now flanking his opponent, Nicholas opens up all of his senses. He can smell Alexi's surprise, he can hear the mercenary's heart quicken, he can taste the ozone in the air. Then somehow he knew. With a mighty heave he throws his deadly cog shaped shield at what he believes is his foe. He is rewarded by a stifled yelp of pain and another curse.

Nicholas reaches out his hand knowing that his uncanny accuracy will bring the shield back to his hand. But just before his fingers find their grip, a bolt of light again tears through the darkness, striking the shield with only enough force to knock the shield's trajectory off a few millimeters. Captain America stretches out just enough to catch it, then realizes his mistake. Only a millimeter or two off center, the speed of the shield would lock down his muscles. That instant is when Glitterspike chose to strike. From the darkness he barely appears. His left arm a blazing construct of light, he can still only be barely seen as his suit is black as night and not much different that gazing at the stars. His hand is raised high to bring down a telling blow on his long time nemesis. The blow falls and the sound cracks like thunder. The noise is deafening but Nicholas is surprised when the blow is harmlessly deflected by his armor.

Now finding himself in melee range, but slightly off balance, Nicholas sets to counter attack. Glitterspike takes a step back but to no avail, when the icon of America begins his assault it is with the fury of all the lies he was ever told, the pain of a life without any truth, and the fear that a dear friend may be suffering for their friendship. Blow after blow falls and Nicholas can taste victory. But suddenly the room flashes into brilliance and caught by surprise, Captain America is blinded. He raises his hands to sheild his eyes when his is hit in a tackle of the midsection. The pair stumbles backward and Captain hits a barrier that quickly shatters. He can feel himself falling but can see nothing. He feels Glitterspike kick off and hears his anti grave harness kick in. Rubbing his eyes, Nicholas opens them just in time to see the floor of the lighted 4 story lobby rush up at him. He twists to absorb the fall in the style of Aikido. He hits hard. On his back he feels the wind forced from his lungs. Then looking up, barely able to move, Captain America sees Glitterspike hovering above him. He awaits the gloating. But then, nervousness creeps in, Alexi is not gloating, he is smiling. The mercenary known as Glitterspike wastes no time as he raises his hand to fire a deadly blow. This is not at all like him. Something has changed Nicholas needs to find out what that is.

" So tell me Alexi, have you finally come to admit that my style is better than yours? There is a lot to be said about kill now, gloat later.. huh?"

" In your case yes Page, I agree. You are too dangerous to take chances with. Nothing personal, just business."

" This isn't gonna bring Rosa back to you Alexi. She left you for good reason. If I hadn't of helped her she would have eventually left on her own."

" This isn't about Rosa, Nicholas."

That surprised him. " It's not? Then why now? Why like this?"

Glitterspike smiles as he hovers over Captain America's prone form. His luminescent arm begins to glow brighter, nearly painfully so. " Like I said, this is business. Deadpool buisiness."

Nicholas' blood runs cold. For about a year of his life, before he was Captain America, Nicholas was a member of that elite mercenary group. If what Alexi was saying was true, then Glitterspike is only the first of 99 other members that will be out for Nicholas' head. His breathing now coming easier and time may already be running out.

"FREEZE!!!!!!!!!!!" They both turn to see a night guard standing on the second story of the open lobby with a pistol. Not hesitating, Alexi destroys the guard and turns back to fire at his quarry but the distraction had been enough.

The light lances out and for Nicholas time slows down. Deliberately his stomach muscles tense and he begins to move. The light blast finds it's mark, but just barely, tearing a flesh wound in America's side. The next instant Captain America is poised in a single arm handstand before the guard's body hits the ground.

The handstand then becomes a series of back flips until he reached the wall. Behind him Alexi let's out a gutteral cry. Nicholas hears the 0-G harness kick in as his foe begins to pursue. Not looking back he begins to climb a 2 story drape as fast as he can. When he reached the top, he finally hazarded a look back and saw his enemy flying in at break-neck speed. Then with a mighty heave he ripped the rod supporting it from the wall, and did a backflip off the wall before gravity claimed him.

Like the cape of the legendary Cloak of the heroic age the thick drape arches behind Captain America. To late to change his trajectory, Glitterspike was unable to avoid the dark mass of cloth and it claimed him. Still falling to the ground Captain America twists and lands in time to guide his would be killer toward the nearest wall. Glitterspike hits with a sickening crunch and falls to the ground.

For a moment Captain America stands there, with only the sound of his own breathing in his ears. Glitterspike, hidden by the thick drape, lay still. Nicholas knows that the man beneath the cloth is probably his most deadly opponent and he should take the time to kill him now, but then his thoughts go to his friend Dr. Jameson. In an instant he is running again, back toward Jameson's office. He sprints the first floor in seconds and then on the second slows only to leap over the dead guard that inadvertently saved his life. He busts into the office and calls for his friend.

" Jameson! It's Nicholas! Come out."

Nothing…

After a quick search of the room, to his great relief, Nicholas also discovers that his friend's body was also not here. Allowing himself a little hope that his old commrade had escaped, Nicholas made his way to Jameson's computer. The screen flashed on and had but a simple message.

STATE NAME:

Hmmmnn. That had Nicholas stumped. He typed his reply.

NICHOLAS PAGE <Return>

Then, the screen changes, giving him only a single phrase.

WEAPON X

***********

In the main lobby a killer begins to move. Glitterspike groans as he slowly crawls from the curtains. His face bloodied he tries to stand. " I am going to kill that stripped SOG."

" I think not Glitterspike. Now that you have worn him down, I plan to claim the Deadpool on Captain America."

Glitterspike's eyes grew large " Shock you Shadowdeath! He is my mark!" He flared his light to blinding intensity, but to no avail. He could hear only laughter when the darkness fell.