A Quick Disclaimer: All characters and groups presented here are property, ©, and ™ Marvel
Entertainment Group, Inc. and are borrowed without profit except for Jacob Johnson, Susan Weaver,
Maxwell Summers and X-Corps, who are the creation of the author.

VISIONS is proud to present a Alerted Vision maxi series:
X-Corps #2 (of 12)

"The Hunt"
Written by: Jason
Edited by: Tom


The air around him crackled and burned. Flames leapt from his body, a fire without fuel. Yet he felt no pain.
Actually, Johnny Storm felt a rush. A rush of excitement, joy, maybe a hint of fear. But, that's what the job
called for. What's the point in being a hero if you don't get that mixed cocktail of a rush. He sat in the air
above the field surrounded by woods while people gathered beneath him, all of them waiting.

"Here they are," he called, pointing to a cloud of dust making its way down the dirt road cutting a path
through one side of the woods. He streaked off toward it as the rest of the people looked over.

An unmarked military jeep bounced down the makeshift road, kicking dirt and rocks up behind it. The driver
held on tight to the steering wheel while his two passengers gripped the roll-over cage. A flame came down
the road toward them.

"What the . . ." started the driver as the fire streaked by. The passenger sitting beside the driver looked over
his shoulder to follow the flame as the passenger in the back didn't even turn her head. The flame made a
turn and started a second go at the jeep. The flame came up to the jeep and matched it's speed.

"How's the ride?" asked Johnny as he flew parallel with the vehicle.

"It's getting us there, Johnny," said Jacob Johnson from the passenger seat, squinting to look at Johnny even
though he was wearing sunglasses. The Human Torch was a bright one indeed. "Is everyone there?"

"There, ready, and waiting," replied Johnny. "Meet you there," he said and then he streaked off.

"Show off," said Jacob, the lady in the back simply staring forward, the driver hoping he could get out of
here soon.
***

"Lady and gents," said Jacob Johnson as the jeep rumbled back down the dirt road, away from the group
in the field, "this is our S.H.I.E.L.D. liaison for X-Corps, Susan Weaver."

The rest of the group gave their hellos as the woman who had been the other passenger just nodded back.
She was dressed in military fatigues and had a pack on her back and S.H.I.E.L.D. issue firearm over her
shoulder, just like the other two humans in the group.

"Well," said Natasha Romanova, "now that we're all aquatinted, let's set something up. Any idea on what
they'll be coming at us with."

"Basic job," said Susan as she set her pack on the ground and checked her weapon. "They'll probably send
one unit of about five to ten men, each packing about the same standard issue gear."

"Only they're trained on it," said Jacob as he too checked his gear.

"Yes," replied Susan with a click from her gun as she finished placing in a clip, "but they don't have any super
powers either."

"What's a matta, Jake?" said Bobby Drake who just sat doing nothing. "A little scared?"

"Just seeing what we're up against," Jacob replied, also finishing up with a click from his gun.

"Gentlemen," said Natasha as she handed Susan her weapon to be checked, "puff out your chests later.
We've got a job here. Any idea where they're coming from."

"If its Gamma Force like I think it will be," said Susan as she went through Natasha's weapon, "probably the
west so we're sun blind."

"Maybe they think that's what we'll expect," said Jacob as he stood up.

"Cripes, Jay," said Johnny who just stood to the side, "devil's advocate today, eh?"

"Just have to be prepared."

"And he's right," said Natasha as she was handed her gun by Susan. "But, we need to stick together. We'll
head west. If your guess is right, Susan, then we'll run into them. Hopefully before they expect us to. That'll
mean you guys need to stick to the ground, Bobby and Johnny."

"What?!?" yelled both of them.

"I'm useless grounded," said Johnny, but any attempt at changing Natasha's mind was futile.

"You can use your powers, but stay down," she replied, brushing off any complaints. "We don't need to be
spotted before we can do anything. But keep your power use down to a minimum. They probably have
some IR gear."

"Well," said Bobby, jumping up, "we're burning daylight. Anything else, fearless leader?"

"Just watch each other's back," said Natasha as Johnny and Susan readied themselves. "Let's move."
***

They were coming out of the woodwork. Or the trees at least. Bobby Drake looked around desperately
trying to find someone, anyone, friend or foe. But all he found were biting shots tearing through the trees at
him. The ice walls he kept tossing up were working now, but it was only a matter of time.

Somehow the team had gotten separated. It was the first ambush that got them. Susan had led them into a
trap, Bobby knew that now. But now it was too late.

He heard a crack, and, before he could react, his right arm was limp. He checked it quickly and was glad to
see it was still there. They were only firing to stun. That didn't make his arm anymore useful at the moment,
but it was empty comfort.

Then it stopped. Bobby kept his ice wall up, but didn't hear anymore shots.

"Bobby," he heard, lowering his ice to see Natasha, dragging a S.H.I.E.L.D. troop.

"Natasha! I thought they got you!"

"No, but they got Johnny."

"Damn," said Bobby as Natasha stripped the troop for any useful equipment. "What about the others?"

"Not sure," she said, replacing her gun's empty clip with a fresh one from the S.H.I.E.L.D. troop. "I think
they're jamming our com equipment. Either that or Jacob and Susan are out."

"How many of theirs have we gotten?"

"Just this one for me. You?"

"Not a one."

"Well," said Natasha, pocketing a few more clips and tossing Bobby the troop's gun, "we've gotta move."

"You wanna stay low," asked Bobby as he checked him ammo with one arm, "or take the high road?"

"Well, you can't do much with one arm, can you?"

"Guess not . . ." A shot tore through the trees, kicking up dirt in the ground between the two of them.

"Down!" yelled Natasha as both of them jumped behind trees.

"I think there's only . . ." Bobby started, unable to finish as another shot came from the other side, catching
him square in the chest.

Natasha didn't stop to worry about Bobby. He was gone. She bolted through the woods.
***

They watched as Natasha ran.

"Hold steady," said one as the other listened.

"Iceman's down?" asked the other, answered with a nod.

"There they go," said the first as three other troops emerged from the woods and started after Natasha.
***

Just have to keep moving. That's all Natasha Romanova thought as she streaked passed trees. Have to get
up.

Natasha leapt into the air, reaching out for a tree branch. Yet, a shot caught her arm and she lost her grip.
She rolled as she hit the ground, looking for cover behind a thorn bush. Another shot, just inches from the
bush. She peeked through, looking for something, someone.

Then she heard more shots. Instinct told her to get lower, but she soon realized the shots weren't at her.
They where back where she had come from. Then, silence.

Two figures stepped from the woods, dragging three behind them.

"Natasha," said the guy dragging two bodies while the other figure dropped the body they were carrying and
stood ready for a fight.

"Jacob?" said Natasha, lifting herself off the ground.

"Natasha!" said Jacob, dropping the two bodies he was dragging. "I thought we were too late. You all
right?"

"Yeah," she said, rubbing her arm. "They got my arm and I may have bruised my leg on the fall. How many
did you all get?" She used her good arm to lift her gun as she and Jacob looked around for anyone else.

"This makes what, six?" said Jacob, looking over his shoulder to Susan.

"Six, yes," she replied, as she squatted to loot the troops they had gotten. "How many did the rest get?"

"One for me," said Natasha as she tried to check her ammo. Jacob switched guns with her and checked for
her. "Thanks. I don't think the others got any. Johnny went down in the first ambush."

"Yeah, we saw," said Jacob. "So, that should be it, right? Five untrained against seven trained should be
enough, right?"

"Maybe," said Susan, standing back up.

Then they heard it. A roar from above as a huge ship started to cover the sky.

"Maybe they can tell us?" said Natasha.

A helicopter came to hover above the trees, but below the big ship. Four S.H.I.E.L.D. troops repelled from
the copter, white bandannas on their arms.

"My compliments," said Nick Fury as he hit the ground. Two of the other troops went into the woods as one
went over to the three fallen troops by Susan. "You all handled yourselves well, all things considered." Fury
held out a metal capsule and pressed it to Natasha's arm. "This may sting a bit."

Natasha didn't make a sound as a needle shot from the capsule into her immobile arm. Movement returned
to it.

"The other guys here will collect the rest of your team," said Fury, turning to the three fallen troops who were
waking. "We're to rendezvous with a chopper at the field and then we'll debrief in the helicarrier once
everyone's awake," he said shooting a smirk to Jacob and Natasha.

"I guess we won," said Jacob, resting his gun on his shoulder.
***

"It took you all 98 minutes to effectively subdue the enemy," said Fury as he lounged in his chair and
chewed his cigar. "Not bad for rookies."

"Who you callin' a rookie?" said Johnny Storm as he looked up from his coffee. The whole team was seated
around a metal conference table in a room on the helicarrier. Fury and one other man were the only other
one's in the room.

"Colonel Summers," said Fury, turing over the talking to Colonel Maxwell Summers. He was a big man,
built. That's why S.H.I.E.L.D. liked him. That's what made him good.

"Well," he said, sitting forward in his chair, "we came across you guys faster than we expected, but an IR of
Human Torch here gave us ample time to prepare an ambush. We targeted him first because close combat in
woods is not pretty if you've got a guy who can burn everything."

"Sure," said Johnny, "target the good looking one."

"Hey, match stick," said Bobby, "they were targeting you, not me."

"Boys," said Natasha, getting both of theirs attention and a snicker form Fury and Jacob.

Summers continued. "We expected you all to split up like you did, so we split accordingly. We sent four
after Iceman and Black Widow because they were the most experienced of the remaining. We know Ms.
Weaver would be a challenge, but we underestimated you, Mr. Johnson."

"So did I," replied Jacob with a smile. "Susan taught me on the go, though."

"Most of that was you, Jacob," said Susan.

"Needless to say, we lost bad to Weaver and Johnson. Iceman fell after some hard work and we were
having trouble with Widow, but we didn't have time to worry much about her." Summers sat back in his
chair.

"How do they rate?" asked Fury, still chomping on his cigar.

"Of course, with this being heir first training together, they still need a little training," said Summers, "but they
should be set after a couple more. Hell, I think they could handle their own now, but we do need to be safe."

"Agreed," said Natasha, leaning forward in her chair. "We'll get a couple more under our belt and then we'll
be set."

"Well," said Fury, "the training will have to be fast or wait, cause we need you all ready for a heavy run
within two weeks."

The table looked to Fury confused and Johnny summed it up for them all.

"What?"



Join us in 30 as the X-Corps runs their first mission with S.H.I.E.L.D. and hit their first big snag in their
quest for world peace, and oh boy is it a doosey!

And, as always, any and all input/fanmail/hatemail is welcomed (except that hatemail thing. I'll read it, just
don't expect me to like it).

Jason
revel8tion@juno.com