Alternate X-Men #50
Michael Triggs at TRIGGS_M@bentley.edu
===================

Cover : Front --> Profile of Psylocke trapped in an hourglass, with
                  sand plummeting over her slender figure..

        Logo  --> "Sands In The Hourglass"

        Back  --> The Face Of Scott Summers, Overlayed With Half The
                  Face Of Sinister..

        Logo  --> "As One Man Runs Out Of Time!"
        
===================        

Title : The Zombie And The Meat Shell

===================

===========================================================================
Prelude:
===========================================================================

Scene: The Genetech Research Facility - Sayville, Long Island..

The glint of moonlight, just over the horizon, is blocked by the low skyline,
consisting of the rooftops of several factory buildings.. On this sort of
night, often couples can be seen getting romantic on top of the rooftops,
doing their best to stray out of the sight of the cops who patrol this area
heavily..

Tonight, a different form graces itself on the edge of one of the buildings..
If one were to look closely from the ground up, he or she could swear that
he saw two red eyes glinting back..

Infrared Goggles.. He holds  them up to his forehead.. A mini-microphone 
swerves around the side of his jointy-mouth.. This microphone is suddenly
put to use.. He speaks in a harsh tone, as he pushes brownish amber hair out
of his face..

"The Goggle Guy" : Hey, tell the Misses that this'll be a cakewalk..
                   The chickens we're hunting don't seem to be around, but
                   that means there's nothing to peck at us.. Beside's who
                   needs the chickens, when they left their eggs around??

<Microphone> : Riot, son, I'd watch your back. That place is heavily 
               guarded.

Riot clutches a large gun from being his back, snapping the cock back.. 

Riot : Don't worry about me, Control.. I'm on a chicken hunt, and if any of
       these rent-a-cop rejects get in my way, they're cold turkey.. Friend
       Of An Enemy is No Friend Of Mine..

<From the ground below, one can almost see two red sinister eyes staring
 back at him>

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Scene : Somewhere Else.. 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

He can almost feel two Sinister eyes staring at him..

He feels cold.. There is a certain dampness in the air.. A moldy, mildewy 
smell.. Scott Summers is only vaguely aware of it.. The last thing he
remembers is the whole cavern coming down on him.. He suddenly is aware
of what Ororo must have went through way back when.. You never can know
somebody else's fears until you've lived them yourself..

Once the cavern went black, everything went black with it, including him..
Struggling to move or see, he finds that he can't do either.. Something is
restraining him.. He can here breathing.. A very familiar breathing.. 
Suddenly, Scott Summers becomes well aware that he is -anything- but
alone..

"Welcome, Scott.. I apologize.. I never meant for this to happen.."

A voice Scott has heard many times before.. A Sinister voice that brings
new meanings to the term "Evil."

Scott : <groggily> "Sinister.. You never intended to kidnap me? How can
                    you accidentally kidnap somebody?"

Sinister responds, his voice somewhat more scratchy than normal..

Sinister : No, you misunderstand, Scott.. 

Scott <raising his voice> : Exactly what did you never mean to happen?..

Sinister : Life, son.. Life.. It's amazing how well life goes, until
           something unexpected happens.. How ironic that the very
           thing that makes your life interesting can be your downfall..

Scott <annoyedly> : Quit talking in riddles, Sinister.. What do you
                    want with me? Where are the others??

Sinister : Come now, Scott.. Is it really a riddle? There are no guesses.. 
           And only one answer.. Chance.. Chance ruined me.. And now you're
           going to give me a second chance, whether you like it or not..

An evil laugh eminates through the air.. A state away, one can almost hear
this laugh if he listens closely:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
New Mexico
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sandy plains.. A Cactus.. A barren road.. All quite normal features for 
the American Southwest.. However, the desert sun reflects off something
which looks out of place.. The sleek glint of an aircraft of some sort..
Almost alien in appearance, the featureless craft could be mistaken for a
mirage, if it weren't for the more than obvious signs of human activity
apparent, upon closer inspection..

She runs for the cockpit of the vessel, dodging through corridors, in and 
out of countless portals.. Betsy Braddock runs for her life, from something
that seemingly doesn't exist.. As a child, she feared the imaginary
monsters that lived under her bed and in her closet.. 

An intense rumbling.. With an obvious trace of fear in her eyes, she reaches
for a microphone on the control panel.. Another sudden shake,, The microphone
falls to the floor, our of her reach.. Betsy suddenly turns around, with
an inner terror eminating from every ounce of her being.. As she has grown
up, time and time again, Ms. Braddock has learned that these imaginary
monsters are not as imaginary as she thought! 

A voice eminates from all around Psylocke. It is the voice of insanity.

Voice [heavy Spanish Accent] 
 
 "How can you escape me? I'm everything there is. I'm the top,
  the bottom." 
  
Psylocke stares in horror, as the earth begins crushing the very ship  
around her.

Psylocke : Why are you doing this? What did you do with Warren?
  
Voice [even harsher, as the earth begins to close Psylocke in]
  
  "I'm where angels fear to tread." 
  
<fade to a bright glint of a wing, almost totally covered in dirt outside>

  "I was the dirt under somebody's feet, and now I'm the dirt over 
   everybody's head!"

Psylocke makes one last attempt to reach for the microphone, managing to 
finger it.. Before she can utter even a syllable, an endless stream of dirt 
comes towering down on her.. The last thing she knows, she can feel her
thoughts merging with those of her attacker.. 

"My God, the earth has truely gone insane.." <.>

Visibly shaking, she keels over, succumbing to the intense weight of the
dirt.. The microphone falls with a KLUNK, broadcasting nothing but dead 
air.. An intense crunching noise.. And a scream..

  "And you, know like all the rest, are gone and dead."

<fade out, centering on the microphone>

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Scene : The X-Mansion 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Nothing but dead air.."

Professor Charles Xavier sits, head down, in his ready room. He is alone with
his own thoughts. His attempts to contact Scott and the others in New
Mexico has been in vain.. Holding his hand to his head, Charles is not
sure whether to be overjoyed or concerned.. 

"What can I tell him? How do I know he won't leave too?"

Scott Summers and several of the other X-Men have been noticeably absent during
the last two and a half weeks. At the request of Xavier himself, Scott, Betsy,
Warren, Gambit, and Rogue were asked to travel to New Mexico to investigate a
particularly strong mutant signature. 

"What can I possibly tell him when he gets back? 'Welcome Back, Scott. Oh, BTW,
your brother, and his fiance are both dead?'"

He scorns at having to be forced to do this over again. It almost feels like 
Deja Vu - Just over a year ago, Charles Xavier was given the burden of having 
to tell one Piotr Rasputin that his sister was gone. He still regrets the way
he handled the task. Charles prays that the deja vu ends now. Suddenly,
Charles' mind goes completely blank. For a split second, he thinks nothing. He
suddenly comes to:

"Could this be some side-effect of the medicine the doctors have me on?"*

(* As of last issue)

Suddenly, Charles hears a voice pound inside his head. Jean's tender, yet
stubborn voice vibrates back in forth in his mind. She stands at the Ready Room
door, engulfed in thought.

Charles [thinking back] : Please Jean, allow me a little privacy in my own
head. Isn't that what I taught you?

Jean [rather annoyedly, and orally] : Sorry, Professor, but I'd rather see you
mad at me for invading your privacy now than dead later. The almighty doctors 
have spoken : If you don't quit worrying, you're going to blow a gasket. I 
don't feel like seeing any more dead bodies, when I can do something about 
it. Didn't you also teach me that?

Charles makes a ssighing noise under his breath, almost nasally, dropping his
head like a child being yelled at by a parent. There is a brief pause, and then
Jean speaks up.

Jean [head raised] : I fear for Scott. Have you been able to get through to
him?

Charles [with a brief pause] : No.. 

Jean : What could Sinister possibly be up to this time? This isn't like him.
I mean, he does like working through other people, instead of doing things
himself, but he would at least come and bail his grunt-people out when they got
in over their heads. There was no sign of him.

Charles : I wish I could tell you. Sinister has always been an enigma to us.
The only person here who might know anything about him isn't being very
cooperative.

<fade>

Scene: Sabretooth sits in his cell. He lies in a corner, looking through
several monitors. Forge, at Xavier's authorization, installed these monitors so
that Sabretooth could have a window on the world. Everything in the room has
been ripped to shreds, except for these monitors. And if Victor Creed hasn't
felt the need to obliterate something in particular, that means it is something
important to him. That's what kept him from killing off Birdie all these years.
However, his "not killing" of Birdie wasn't enough to keep her alive.

What could Victor see in these monitors that makes them so special? The answer
lies right in front of us. Through one of the monitors, the shape of Wolverine
can be seen. Victor stares at this shape with interest.

<fade>

=============================================================================
Scene : Back To New Mexico
=============================================================================

The white walls reflect the inner depression of the hospital.. One wouldn't
know of the blistering heat outside by the cold emotion lying within the
hospital's walls.. However, as cold as this emotion is, it is nothing 
compared to the coldness eminating from the insides of a young woman 
without a name.. It has been so long since her true name has been uttered
aloud, that she has practically forgotten it herself.. Now she is only
known as Rogue, a cruel reminder of the deck of cards she was born with..
A winning hand, seen through the eyes of some.. To Rogue, her mutant powers
make her feel as if she were dealt four jokers.. A cruel joke indeed.. Right
when her life was truely supposed to begin, the first kiss.. Everything went
wrong.. And so the trend continues..

Rogue stares down at the young man strewn out before her on the bed, 
heavily bandaged, and devoid of even the slightest hint of consciousness..
He had been given a winning deck, which had lead him to win upon win.. And
then, as quickly as he had advanced, his luck had turned sour.. Life can
be so cruel.. 

Rogue stares down at the form of man, Remy Lebeau.. Somewhere deep inside
her, she can feel an overwhelming sympathy.. She hopes that this feeling
is genuine, but both knows and fears that it is the product of somebody
else.. The ghost of one of her many "contacts" with other individuals..

Rogue looks down where it matters the most, within what she perceives as
being herself, and finds none.. Of course, she ponders how she can tell
what is "herself", and what isn't.. The lines aren't quite so clear
anymore.. How can she know that any of her thoughts are her own? There are
times that Rogue thinks that the real person who inhabited this body died
long ago.. "Perhaps all I am is a scrambled egg, with a little bit of a 
million different souls.. Where did the real me ever go? Was I ever the real
me?".. These thoughts passing through the mind of Rogue, like a liquid 
quicksilver, will not be answered today.. Perhaps not ever..

-*-

"We're almost ready to operate.. We just have to get him prepped up with
 the right chemicals miss.." 

A doctor shouts from outside the door.. Rogue knows that that's her cue
to leave.. As she passes by the short, portly doctor, he pauses, putting his
hand on her soldier..

"Don't worry.. He'll be fine.. He's one lucky chap.. We're talking at most
 a body cast for maybe a few weeks.. There seems to be no permanent damage..
 It's just a matter of getting him loaded with anastesia, and then we're
 ready to go.. As soon as that lazy excuse for a nurse gets around to it..
 I hate it when she takes these extended coffee breaks.."

<fade out>

<fade in on a nurse, holding a cup of coffee>

She's late again.. Marge Joiner has always had a knack for being unpunctual.
Heck, it's not her fault.. I mean, she always hated wearing watches, and she
was too timid to ask people for the time.. Damn, she wishes she could were
in bed.. She's been up for the last 36 hours, with only coffee to keep her
going.. Damn, a nice nap would be great about now..

- She's about to get her wish ..

A sudden fist comes flying out from behind her, moving with the grace of
a butterfly, and apparently the sting of a bee.. A really big-bee.. One
of the elephant-hybrid-type bees.. Marge joiner falls over, knocking her
head against the floor, behind her is another person, dressed in a nurse
uniform.. A brunette.. She speaks through her watch to somebody..

- "This is going to be easier than I thought!"

Watch : [Have you drugged him yet?]

- "All in good time.. The Ragin' Cajun always wanted to go out with a bang.."

The brunette holds a long needle, pumping some of the liquid out the top by
pressing tightly with her hand on the bottom.. A sadistic grin appears on her
face..

- "Well, tonight, he's gonna get his wish.."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Scene : The X-Mansion --> The Medical Room
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

It almost looks like your typical doctor's office. You have a doctor
examining a patient. Very ordinary..

Except for the fact that the "doctor" is a huge guy with blue hair, the size
of a bear.. And the "patient" is a short guy, with an expression apparently
etched onto his face with a razor, and large bone claws extending for what 
seems to be miles from his knuckles.. 

The Beast, the fitting nickname for one, Hank McCoy, observes the claws
of one, Logan, using a large mechanical "scope" of sort.. As he stares with
interest, Logan speaks up, in a low growl..

Logan : Was acting weird.. It kept on popping in and out without my tellin
        it.. I think the "shrinker" somehow got in there, but it hasn't
        done it to me since me and Red's run-in..

Hank takes a strange-looking device, something out of Star Trek, and waves
it above the arm..

Hank : Welp, my short friend, there is no reading of any sort of life, or
       any foreign organic material.. So, that means our little shrinking
       friend must have jumped ship..

Suddenly.. With the ears on Logan perk up oddly.. With a growl, he twists
around quickly..

Hank : Logan?

Logan : Nevermind me. Thought I heard something.. I've been a little jumpy
        lately..

[In the background, a monitor fades out.. And a female form comes over the
 screen, along with a wave of static..)

<fade>

==========================================================================

[In the background, a television set can be seen and heard, playing
 Beavis&Butthead. Beavis laughs with typical Beavis-like exuberance. 
 Periodically, a wave of static piles over the speaker.


Scene : An abandoned factory. It currently is being used as a place of
        residence of one by the name of Sinister.

Wires pile everywhere. He stands in the midst of the chaos, being the only
point of order in the room. The tall pale form of Mr. Sinister seems all
the more pale today.. After countless centuries of existence, perhaps
age is finally starting to catch up with him?

Sinister's laughs echo over those of Beavis. He walks up to some sort of
containment unit.. In a rather hoarse voice, he speaks to the casket..

Sinister : Ah, poor Ruckus.. This damn animated character has always been
           your role-model, hasn't it?? What a shame.. One would think that
           somebody with your intellect would be beyond this mindless
           grovel.. But, I'm not a bad a person.. 

Sinister makes a motion with his hand from the casket over to the television.

Sinister : Feel free to watch. This is what you were. 

Sinister changes channels, switching over to the Discovery Channel, which
is having some documentary on the stars and planets..

Sinister : And this is what you will soon be!

With a sweep of his hand, Sinister clasps a vial of some sort, linking it to
an IV tube connecting to the containment unit.. He then turns to an isolated
area to his right.. "Come Threnody, come and watch the fireworks as they
happen.."

>From Threnody's chamber, Sinister has gotten used to her holographic form 
popping up instantaneously.. However, this time, nothing happens..
The holographic form that is all that's left of the women self-titled
Threnody is gone..

The speakers, where Threnody has argued with Sinister on so many occassions,
remain silent..

Sinister : So, Threnody, you've finally managed to escape.. No matter..
           It just means the new game begins a little early.. And where
           time is of the essence, not a moment too soon..

Sinister pulls out a wine bottle, smashing it over the containment unit..

Sinister : Cheers Ruckus.. All three of my wishes are coming true..

"To you, for being the result of centuries of work.."

"To Threnody, for keeping everybody else from spoiling the fun, whether
 she wants to or not.."

"And To Scott, for giving me the chance to enjoy my success!"

============================================================================
 Interlude 
============================================================================

Genetech.. It's founder was looking to utilize superpowered individuals for
the good of humanity.. He turned out super-dead.. And his program turned out
to be a super-flop.. For the last six months, the assistant head of the 
operations, Walter Rosen, with the aid of the Taylor Foundation, has been
trying to rehabilitate a group of superpowered youth known as the Psionex..

The process has had its good and bad days.. Today is one of the better days..

Walter Rosen, sits in front of a computer screen, examining it through a pair
of holographic goggles..

Rosen <in awe> : This is fascinating.. Not only have the behavioral patterns
                 of most of the Psionex progressed to more socially 
                 acceptable levels, but the genetic therapy on Coronary's
                 evolved form has been going better than I've expected..

                 And, on top of that, there hasn't been any property damage
                 this week.. (Well, except for the refrigerator, but that
                 doesn't coun-..)

Suddenly, an explosion rocks the computer screen, burning it out, and
causing it to shatter.. Dr. Rosen, in aggravation, kicking himself for
tempting the fates, snaps his pencil in half, removing his goggles..

A tall, slender chap, with a geeky look going for him, walks up, scratching
his head.. He is known as the Mathemaniac..

Mathemaniac : Damn, that should have worked.. I rechecked all the 
              calculations in my head.. However, the end result certainly
              was intriguing..

Rosen : Thomas, what have I told you about testing your inventions indoors!
        If you want to go and do something disruptive or destructive, at
        least go outside..

Mathemaniac : Well, this effect certainly wasn't in my plans.. It was merely
              supposed to produce a kaleidoscope effect of raytraced light..
              Perhaps I'm using too much power..

Rosen swings the door open, pointing out with his finger..

Rosen : When you're done testing that godawful device, I'll let you back in..
        Just knock..

(The Mathemaniac tromps out, in a depressed manner, like a child who has been
 scorned.. The minute he is out, Rosen uses what's left of his computer to
 seal the door, with a clink..)

Rosen : <sighing> I guess I'll have to do the rest of my journal on paper..
         Lucky I remembered to put my computer journal on backup..

Suddenly, a loud thud erupts against the door.. The door blows wide open..
Dr. Rosen leaps to his feet, examining the wreckage.. The remains of the
solid iron door has been pulverized into powder..

Rosen <calling out> : Thomas, I -don't- find this amusing.. Look, I'm sorry
if I hurt your feelings, but this sort of behavior is unacceptable..

A Voice <Hollow> : Oh, don't give him all the credit.. Us humans are just
                   as good at causing massive damage.. See?

Suddenly, a blast of energy pours into the ruin, incinerating the body of
Rosen, who is reduced to ashes in seconds.. A slim man, in his early 
thirties, armed to the teeth with guns, wearing a red headband, walks
in, followed by several forms in dark-colored mechanical armor.. The slim man,
devoid of any armor, speaks up, blowing on the end of his gun..

Man : Sorry, Mr. Rosen.. We're having a feast here tonight, and you're
      not the main course.. Come on, boys, gather as much of the genetic
      stuff here as you can get your hands on.. The Psionex living quarters
      seem to be empty, so that'll have to suffice.. 

He steps down, looking at the pile of gore where Dr. Rosen once stood.. He
incinerates it with his gun, until there is nothing but gas left, which
begins rising to the ceiling..

Man : I don't want to leave a mess.. That's wouldn't be gentlemanly of me..

One of the armoured forms walks up to him, handing him some eccentric device.

Armoured Form : I found this in the rubble over there..

<grabbing the device>

Man : Where's the kid that had it?? We didn't go and disarm every alarm
      system here just to have some snotnosed teen give us away.. Go find
      the bugger!

As the armoured form walks away, the man puts on a pair of strange looking 
goggles, magnifying his pupils by several times, and eyeballs the odd
device.. A deep grin comes over his face.. Carefully, he drops the device
into a buckle hanging from his side..

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
End Interlude 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Scene : A factory. Scott Summers can feel wires being strapped to him, 
        nearly strangling him. Suddenly, an intense shredding sound, like
        none he has ever heard before, can be heard coming from the same
        spot where the breaths of Sinister is eminating from.. His shrill
        voice speaks with difficulty:

Sinister : Now is the time.. What better place to begin at the end than
           at the beginning? This is the beginning of the end, yet it
           is a new beginning! And all my work in my last life will be
           saved with me! Don't you see?

Scott : Sinister, I have no idea what you're talking about. You're not making
        any sense at all.

Sinister : Dear Scott, sense is relative. There was a time when I felt I
           didn't make sense, and now I know it's not me, but the world
           that doesn't make sense. Anyways, don't try to think too hard.
           The less you think, the less this will hurt. Farewell, Scott..

Outside the factory, if anybody were around at this time of night, they
might be able to see an intense light shining out all the windows enough,
with enough intensity to rival the sun. Even through the visor blocking
his vision, Scott can see it. He has seen the light, and he suddenly knows
that nothing will ever be the same again.. In a millisecond, he can suddenly
feel thoughts in his mind that aren't his own..

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Scene : The X-Mansion
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Cerebero unit.. Jean searches for signs of Scott's mutant signature
across the psychic plane.. And, a minute later, she'll have wished she never 
found it.. An intense charge goes coursing through the headgear, putting
Jean in excruciating pain.. She screams in a high-pitched shriek, and
suddenly it all stops.. The pain is replaced with the sound of gunshots..

What seems like an eternity later, Jean comes to, with the faces of Bishop,
Hank, Logan, and Xavier staring down at her.. Wolverine lets out
a puff of smoke away from Jean, and speaks half-concerned..

Logan : You gave us quite a scare Red..

Xavier : I'm sorry Jean.. I should have had Forge double check the grounding
         on Cerebero..

Jean : I felt him.. For a second.. I sensed Scott.. He's in trouble..
       
Bishop [a little warn out] : Did you get a fix on his location?

Jean <sighing> : No. It all happened too quickly.

Beast <to Xavier> : Normal usage of Cerebero, even carelessly grounded
                    shouldn't have produced such a charge.. We gaged the
                    amoung of energy Bishop drained from that thing, and
                    if Bobby were here, he would describe it as a "Wammy".

A voice calls out, from somewhere else. It seems to come from everywhere,       
yet nowhere, all at once..

Voice [feminine] : I'm sorry, the charge came from me. I'm still not
                   used to this "upgrade" I've gone through.

Bishop <pulling out his rifle> : Who's there?!?!

Logan <unsheathing his claws> : I'm not getting any scent or anything..

Xavier <holding his hands to his head> : Nor am I getting any Psychic pickup.

Bishop <shouting> : Show Yourself!

Voice : Oh, I'm not visible, am I? I knew I forgot to do something. Sorry.

A figure appears, blurry white. A ghost? In the purest sense of the word, it
is since this is all that's left of someone whose physical body is dead and
gone. Beast's eyes open wide, as he runs up to the form.

Hank <astounded> : Threnody?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

The white form becomes more clarified..

Threnody <fading in and out> : In the flesh.. Okay, bad choice of words..

Hank McCoy pensively remembers giving up this poor soul to Mr. Sinister*. 
Looking to what has become of this young woman, the Beast can't help but
think that perhaps letting Sinister have her wasn't a good idea afterall..

(* X-Men #28)

Threnody : Look, Hank, will please stop feeling sorry for me? I can be
           miserable about my current condition later. Right now, we have
           bigger problems to worry about. I didn't come out all this way
           for nothing, you know? 

Threnody <facing Jean> : Look, we have to get to your main squeeze fast..
                         Sinister's doing some cooking, and Scotty-poo's
                         the main ingredient..

<TO BE CONTINUED>

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