X-men 2099UG #41

Halo City

Welcome to Halo City. The place Doom promised the disenfranchised of America as a home. Hundreds of thousands of humans, mutants, degens and other lost souls flocked here for a new start. Some came with no more than the rags draped on their backs.

This is where the X-Men live. The city's Protectorate. Under the leadership of Timothy Fitzgerald--Skullfire, they have pledged to make this city work as best they can. They are here to make sure the chaos of a crazy world filled with even crazier people does not penetrate the outer walls. The former outlaws try to keep order so all can have an equal opportunity here.

Let us turn our attention to Screamtown, part of the Edge of Halo. Here, the lost youths have decided to dismiss the natural and primal need for the care of adults. Here, they thrive without homes on their own. They don't need to fear or answer to anyone, except for the Wild Boys. The Wild Boys are group of young mutants who go where they want and do what they please without a thought of which they may hurt. Here in Screamtown, no one messes with the Wild Boys. They are feared.

Following the heritage that comes with being a mutant, they have grouped together to protect themselves by protecting and fighting for one another. However, they twist the original image of a team of mutants fighting for a common goal. These mutants fight to create conflict and show superiority over everyone else. Not many have challenged them and not regretted it later.

There is a near-completed warehouse in Screamtown where the Wild Boys have decided to call home. The project was abandoned some time ago, like many other construction jobs in the Edge of Halo City. The Boys saw it as the perfect place to live, since no one used it and it had plenty of space to keep their cycles and other things. It is late in the evening here in Halo and most of the Boys sleep. The only one awake is Dorian.

Dorian is the self-proclaimed leader of the gang. He calls the shots, and that is fine with the rest of them. Some of the Boys are stronger or more powerful than Dorian, but he is the cruelest. Besides, with the title of 'leader' comes the understood concept of responsibility. 'Follower' meant you didn't have to do anything. This doesn't mean that Dorian has any real responsibility over the Boys, save keeping them in line as he sees fit. However, deep down, every leader feels some kind responsibility over those who would follow him. Or at least he should, shouldn't he?

He stands in a doorway leading out into the streets, just absorbing the night. Dorian is silent, occupied with his private thoughts. He stares at a peculiar color on a wall of another building some distance away. He focuses on this color and loses himself in his thoughts. 'Staring into space', they use to call it. But no one has had any need for that phrase since man's curiosity of space has disappeared almost completely. He doesn't look away, until he hears the shuffling of feet and a few low whispers. He shakes his head slightly and turns toward the noises.

Two boys, twelve, maybe thirteen, years old walking quickly past the warehouse. Dorian purses his lips as he realizes that they are trying not to be noticed. They are puny for their age. They are defenseless, but they certainly have brass for walking by this particular warehouse. Everyone knows this is the Wild Boys' place, and these two boys are respectfully walking past without causing any trouble. Their pace is hurried, as anybody's would be, but it seems they are also nervous and disturbed. And just what are they whispering about?

In the darkness, they don't see him approach until it is too late. He grabs hold of a wrist of each of them and tells them to shut up before they can even scream. He felt them jump at his touch and he knew they were scared of him. He wouldn't hurt these kids unless he had a very good reason. Of course, they didn't know that.

"Look, just chill. What's going on?" he asks quickly.

The boy with the blonde hair and a cowlick in the back immediately answers, "Vid this. We saw some old dude walking through Screamtown, talking to some other kids. He's been here for the last few hours."

"Did you talk to him? What does want?"

"No way. I don't know what he wants 'cept that he is looking for some 'gifted' kids. He was freaking us out so we're trying to stay away from him," the blonde-haired boy answers. His friend, in Dorian's left-handed grip, stays silent with his eyes shut.

Dorian notices this and asks, "What's with him?" After a moment, he follows up, "Never mind. Now get out of here." He releases his grip and pushes them along. They get a few yards before he calls to them. "Hey! Thanks, kid." The blonde-haired boy looks over his shoulder, smiles and nods his head to Dorian to acknowledge the thanks.

Dorian turns and heads back to the warehouse, now with a devilish grin on his face. He would need the Boys - all of them.

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Interlude

Alaskan Complex

His name is Shaw. This is his place of business. With four hundred under his employ, he oversees the goings-on of the people and the progress they make. He sits behind his desk in his private office, his legs up and resting comfortably on the edge of it. He impatiently waits for a call from someone in particular. He leans back in his chair, thinking about events of the past. He flashes to an image of a tall, brown-haired man standing across from his desk.

He wears a simple gray shirt tucked into black pants. He is saying something to Shaw.

"You didn't tell me that was what the project was designed for."

Shaw responds to the statement, "Moss, there are many things you are always going to be unaware of, especially here."

The man--Alex Moss--shakes his head and shifts his weight onto his right foot. "It's not just this, Shaw. It's been everything, recently. I haven't been given full knowledge of what has been going here."

The other man--Alexander Shaw--raises an eyebrow and asks, "Do you really think you had full access before? You don't know the half of what goes on over your head."

"I don't think I want to," Moss mutters quietly.

"You'd better not. Now why don't you get back to your work and leave me to mine?"

A long sigh and then, "Look, this has been great, sir, but I don't think this is going to work out any longer. I think it's time for me to go back..."

"NO ONE leaves us here, Moss. You KNEW that when you signed on. I've kept you on because of your hard work and talents. Don't throw it all away by being foolish. Besides, I'd hate to lose you. We need more people like you." Shaw shows an obvious fake smile and leans back in his chair.

"Are you threatening me, Shaw?"

"Are you giving me reason to?" The two men stare at each other. Shaw has the control here. He could crush Moss at any time. No one could stop him and no one would challenge him. He holds all the cards. The strange thing is Moss knows all this and still chooses to defy him. That is probably the only thing that scares Shaw.

"Don't make me," answers Moss as he turns on his heel and walks out the door of Shaw's office.

That was months ago. Since that meeting, Moss acquired some information he shouldn't have and somehow managed to slip out of the Complex. Shaw also found out that Moss was hiding a small secret -- that he was a mutant. No one has ever been able to escape from the Complex. Well, not many have even dared, for that matter. Now Moss has spent the last few months running from Shaw and always managed to stay a step ahead of him. The defiance and strong will of this man astonishes Shaw.

A beep signals Shaw has an incoming call. He puts it on audio-only and answers, "Yes. Talk to me."

The voice on the other end follows Shaw's directions, "Well, sir. There hasn't been any progress."

"You're telling me Gage is no closer to Moss?"

A hesitant response, "Yes, sir."

"Fine. I will contact Gage at my convenience and see if I cannot speed up his progress. Thank you."

"Yes, sir. You are welcome, sir." The communication is disconnected and Shaw once again sits in silence. His thoughts are his only company.

'One day Moss and I will speak again. He will regret defying us.'

End Interlude

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Screamtown

"Come on, get up. Get your bikes," Dorian told them ten minutes ago when he walked into the bunk.

"Why? What's going on?" Trash asked, lifting his head.

With a grin they could not see in the dark Dorian answered, "There is an oldie loose in our territory. Let's go hunting."

And now they ride low to the ground, searching for the old Howler trespassing into Wild Boy territory. Warbird doesn't have his bike, though. He's taken flight and keeps an eye on his mates and is able to get a good view of what lies blocks ahead of them.

They ride for ten minutes without stopping. They haven't found the adult, yet. The Wild Boys all have thoughts of hate and violence on their minds. It really has been awhile since they could really 'let loose' on someone.

Suddenly, the air doesn't seem right. Dorian feels it; something is wrong. He turns his head slightly and sees Trash struck by a blast of energy from the air and he watches his friend fly through the air and then bounce against the wall of a building and land on the ground with a yelp. Dorian and the rest of the Wild Boys halt their bikes and glance at each other with looks of shock.

"Trash!!" Dorian shouts as he gets off his bike. He doesn't notice the other Boys remain on their bikes with their attention turned to the sky as he runs over to their fallen comrade.

"Dorian, watch out!"

He turns his head and looks at the source of the warning. His eyes meet with Watson's, and then her eyes look above him. Dorian looks up and sees Warbird plummeting straight toward him. He has no time to react and Warbird limply falls on top of Dorian. Unfortunately, Warbird wasn't conscious and had no control over his fall and the sharp talons on his right hand dig deep into Dorian's left shoulder. He holds back a scream and starts to push Warbird off of him.

The rest of the Boys get off their bikes, their eyes still facing the sky. Dorian manages to roll Warbird off him and then he sees what caught their attention. It is a man draped completely in black hovering twenty feet in the air. They can make out his long, dark hair and his eyes have an eerie glow to them.

"I knew you were coming for me. I could smell the hate on you all," the man says.
The standing Wild Boys look at each other, each with the same question on their minds. This was the Oldie they were looking for?? Dorian stands up, his right hand clutching his shoulder, and joins the other Boys.

"Don't worry, guys. He can't take all of us," Dorian assures them. He reaches into a compartment on his bike and withdraws his gamma club. "We can handle this guy."

The man in black lowers himself and hovers only two or three feet above the ground, completely silent. Watson whispers to herself with a stunning realization, "It's the 'Evil One' that the oldies have been talking about."

"I've been called that many times before, girl," the Evil One responds coolly.

"They won't be calling you much of anything in a minute, pal," Dorian threatens.

Restraining a laugh, the Evil One says, "You are no match for me, child."

Dorian raises his gamma club and jumps at the Evil One. Before he can follow through with his swing, the Evil One backhands Dorian and sends him flying through the air to collide against a wall. He drops his gamma club on impact and lands on the ground with a grunt. He groggily rolls onto his stomach and looks back at the Evil One. The Wild Boys have engaged him.

Shiv throws a dozen energy blades at the Evil One while Crick leaps with his own gamma club in hand. The Evil One's hands glow and he takes over control of the blades. He sends half of them flying directly into Crick's side and head, and the other half reverse direction and sail straight back towards Shiv. Crick screams aloud and falls to the ground while Shiv tries to leap out of the way of the blades. They explode on contact with the ground and the force of the blast pushes Shiv to the ground.

Dorian cannot tell what happened to Shiv, but he immediately knows Crick's status. Crick is dead. Watson yells something he cannot make out and he sees her jump right at the Evil One. He grabs her by the wrists and they both are absorbed in a ball of green light. He lets go of her moments later and she falls to the ground with a thud. Dorian knows that now two Wild Boys are dead. Is that laughter he hears?

Trash and Warbird have gotten back up and they join the fight. Trash quickly approaches the Evil One and strikes him across the jaw. Then he does it again. Those punches could break down walls, but the Evil One remains unfazed. He lifts Trash up by his shirt and tosses him twenty feet as though Trash were a ragdoll. Warbird descends from the air, his talons ready to cut through the mysterious and powerful Evil One. And just before he can strike, with blinding quickness the Evil One extends his hand and blasts Warbird on the chest with some kind of energy. Warbird is knocked to the ground without protest. Dorian is sure he hears laughter, now.

But suddenly, the Evil One's entire torso is covered in techno-organic metal and Watson's bike flies through the air and strikes the Evil One in the head. Dorian looks to see Nostromo and Metalsmith of X-Nation now engaged in the battle. He immediately notices Clarion straddling Crick's bike, revving the engine. Dorian has seen this trick before.

The Evil One grabs the techno-organic mesh and throws Nostromo over his shoulder onto the ground. And before he can attack Metalsmith, the Evil One falls to the ground as he is struck by Clarion's force energy. Nostromo is already back up.

Dorian has been trying to get up all this time, but he has been too weak. All he could do is watch.

The three members of X-Nation regroup and stand over the Evil One. He flies high into the air and laughs again. He shouts to all the mutants he has laid out this evening, "I part with you now because I have already found what I am looking for. I have found the mutant messiah, and soon he will die by my hands." And those few words echoing into their ears, he flies off and disappears from sight.

Moments later, Clarion helps Dorian stand. Nostromo and Metalsmith are checking on the other Wild Boys. "What the shock are you guys doing here?" Dorian demands.

Clarion is shocked by the question and tries to answer, "Wha-? We were-"

"Never mind! Just get the shock out of here!" he yells at Clarion. Smith and Nostromo don't hear it.

"These guys have to get to hospital, or something, as soon as possible!" Nostromo calls over to Clarion.

"Leave them alone," Dorian shouts as he walks over to Nostromo standing over Shiv. Shiv is unconscious with blood all over his clothes and the ground. Clarion and Metalsmith join them, both curious of Dorian's behavior. "Just what do you think you're doing here?" Dorian asks them.

Clarion tries to answer, "We've got to protect our own, no matter wh-"

"Look around you, tough guy," Dorian interrupts. "These are the alleys of Screamtown. You're not one of us. We're definitely not one of you! We live in different worlds, pal," he says, still clutching his injured shoulder.

"But. . . but we were trying to help..." Nostromo mutters quietly.

With bitter sarcasm, Dorian remarks, "Yeah, you sure helped us."

"You'd probably all be dead, you son of a glitch!" yells Smith with his fists clenched hard at his sides.

Dorian steps closer to the three members of X-Nation with a look of anger mixed with contempt on his face. "To Hel with you all! If not for that damn 'Messiah-Quest' all the oldies are on, none of this would have happened tonight! And you, 'X-Nation', were handpicked together because probably one of you is the big 'Mutant Messiah'. Congratulations, then. Now thanks for all the 'help', and everything, but get the shock out of here and let us bury our dead."

He turns away from them quickly and walks over to Trash and helps him stand up. The three X-Nation kids stand looking at him. Smith takes a step and begins to say something but Clarion grabs hold of his arm and shakes his head. "Don't. They have lost enough. Let's get back to Xavier's. They don't want our help." Smith and Clarion sigh, turn and begin to walk away.

Nostromo takes an extra moment to study the Wild Boys. Before turning and joining his friends, he calls to Dorian, "Just get to polyclinic or something tonight!" Dorian acknowledges Nostromo's advice with an impatient wave and he and Trash help Shiv stand.

Does a leader take responsibility for his followers, especially if they blindly follow him into a battle they could not possibly win? Dorian only knows now that a leader should. The Wild Boys are now two less and now the question is exactly whose fault is it?

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Elsewhere

The mysterious man known only as Dust knows of the events of this evening. He knows that the Evil One attacked the Wild Boys and even killed two of them. He knows the Evil One is after the Mutant Messiah. He also knows that he must find the Messiah before the Evil One does.

"I will find you," he whispers to no one. He sits on the floor of the dark room he has been in for hours. He relaxes his mind as he has hundreds of times before and lets his mind go free. Dust allows his mind to separate from his body, making his thoughts smoother and clearer. Suddenly, his mind is filled with many different images, each only lasting a few moments.

Dust sees his reflection. It's not a reflection, but another person looking at him. His twin??

He sees an expressionless, chalk-white face staring at him. The face's long black hair flows across it and then he sees a woman. When he sees her face, Dust is reminded of an emotion he hasn't felt in a very long time. It is love. He loved this woman.

Then there is another woman. She has long, flowing red hair. She is mouthing something to him. She repeats it over and over. And he finally hears her say it quietly once, "You are my maker."

One more image emerges - the image of Charles Xavier. The creator of a dream that still exists long after his passing. Dust immediately recognizes Xavier's face and his concentration is broken. His body was in a relaxed position, but when his mind reconnects, his heart beats a little faster and his palms begin to sweat.

Some of those images he has not seen in quite some time. But he does not have time to worry about them right now. Now he must find the messiah, before the Evil One does. There is something familiar about the Evil One, and Dust knows that if the Evil One gets to the messiah first, all Hel is going to break loose.

NEXT ISSUE: What all of you have been waiting for-- the return of the Lawless! Yep, we get to check out Xi'an;s old gang as they are all called to the town of Saba'Ur by a mysterious force. Find out why the Lawless disbanded after the last time they came to this city.