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From: kielle@aol.com (Kielle)
Newsgroups: alt.comics.fan-fiction
Subject: AOA: Revelations 12/?
Date: 22 Apr 1997 16:29:20 GMT
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I didn't write it -- reply to John Percy (jpercy@clariion.com) if you're
enjoying it. Previous chapters can now be found (yay!) on Scribe's
X-Page at http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/6329
.-=K=-.
~~~~~~~
All known X-Men characters in this story are copyrighted by Marvel
Comics. No permission was obtained, but no profit is to be made
from this story. It is purely for my personal enjoyment and those
of its readers. All other characters, concepts, plots, theories,
technology not seen in Marvel Comics belong to me.
Please don't distribute this without asking me; I probably won't
mind if you did, as long as it wasn't altered in any way. I'd just
like to know where it's going.
Please, enjoy this story, and send me your comments, be they good
or bad, to jpercy@clariion.com. Please note it's changed a little.
Thanks for reading!
John Percy
NOTE: I'm really, really sorry this has taken so long. My second
son was born on 2/23, and there were a few complications before and
after. Throw in a job, graduate assignments, and a midterm, and
I've been a little busy. I hope that the story hasn't suffered
because of it. Please tell me what you think.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Revelations - Chapter 12
By John Percy
(jpercy@clariion.com)
I go back to my quarters and spend the rest of the night
doing what any good soldier does when faced with an impossible
task: find a way to do it anyways.
And it's not just returning Jean Grey to her friends. It's
figuring out how to get as many of these poor creatures as I can
out of here. I can't just run headlong and try to ferret Grey out
of here; it's going to take some preparation, and since that in of
itself is risky enough, I might as well do what needs be done for
any future escape attempts at the same time.
Getting Grey out of here is going to be difficult, if not
impossible. A mass escape even less so. I just don't think I
have enough power or resources to pull it off. I don't have a
chance of getting any outside help, either. Somehow, I don't
think the X-Men, or any other rebel groups for that matter, are
going to trust me. And a mass escape would be impossible
without outside help.
In the end, the only solution is to do exactly what I'm going
to do with Grey; help one prisoner at a time to escape. Not only
that, but it's got to be a prisoner who's in good shape, able to
make it on their own once I get them out of the Pens. I can't help
them beyond that point; they've got to be strong and able enough
to make it on the outside on their own.
I wish it could be more, but I don't have much choice,
really. One prisoner at a time is more feasible and possible to
accomplish given the conditions. It also means less possibility of
discovery, less attention, and is easier to cover up. Hell, with
the way some of the guards perform their duties, they might not
even notice one missing prisoner. If I'm lucky, I can do it for a
long time, maybe even find some sympathizers or help from the
outside.
Armed with this basic plan, all I need to figure out is what
I need in materials and supplies in order to make it work, and the
things I need to do before I start. Fortunately, I won't need much
and me being the commander of the Pens means I can get just
about whatever I want. The same goes for any information I need,
or things to do in order to cover up the escapes, in order to make
my mission easier.
Getting supplies for the escapee is the easy part. Some
food, clothing, maps, flashlight; maybe even a weapon for once
they get out. Anything they'll need to help them make it to a
safe haven, or survive out in the open for at least a little while.
That kind of stuff should be easy to get, either from surplus or
my own stock here in my quarters. Being a elite does have its
advantages.
The things I'll need to make the escapes possible are going
to be a little harder to acquire. Video scramblers, wire taps,
computer bypasses; the kind of things used to temporarily bypass
security devices and procedures. Hopefully, I'll be able to swipe
them from the security supply room. At worst, I'll have to make
some jury-rigged items myself. I'm no expert, but I think I can
manage. Father made me and Alex learn about computer
systems and electronics when we were young, as part of our
military training. I in particular had to have a working knowledge
of electronics, just in case I ever needed to do field repairs on
my visor.
In addition to the electronic items, I'll need to get my
hands on the daily patrol patterns, so I'll know when and where the
guards will be. That shouldn't be too hard, since it's an official
report for high ranking Prelates, like me. Then I'll have to find
out where all the security cameras are; I know where the majority
of them are, but they're the obvious ones. No doubt Alex and his
cronies have dozens hidden away in secret locations. I'll need to
find out about these, so I can avoid any recording devices. If I'm
lucky, no one and no thing will see the escapes. Finally, I'll
have to set some hooks in the computer system that'll warn me of
any alarms I might trip; if I'm discovered, I'll need a head start
if I'm going to make it out of here alive.
Once I had the basics down, I spend the rest of the night
reviewing my mental lists, filling in a few holes and missing
items. I go through dozens of scenarios in my head, creating
contingency plans for everything I can imagine that could go wrong.
As I work out all the problems and situations in my mind, I start
to assemble some of the electronic items and supplies from my
mental lists.
By the time my wake-up alarm goes off, I'm confident that
I can pull this off, at least for a little while. I gather up my
stuff and prepare for the day ahead, somehow feeling fresh and
fully awake after a night of no sleep. Good thing, because I've
got a busy day ahead of me.
******* *******
I head towards security central to complete the first and
most dangerous of my tasks, the placing of my computer tap.
Unfortunately, I'm not very welcome in security, so this will be
one of the more difficult jobs I've got to do. If I can't get this
tap in, the chances of me succeeding for very long aren't too high.
Needless to say, Alex's security goons won't let me just walk
in and openly fiddle with their computer systems. Which means
I'll have to get creative and figure out a way to get the job done.
Spending most of your life trying to stay alive in a war, however,
tends to make one creative. By the time I get to security central,
I've got a plan. Not a great plan, but it is a plan.
I walk into security central confidently, and most of Alex's
minions ignore me, which is normal. I walk into the middle of
the room as the EMF Rooks do their assigned jobs at their work
stations, as they should. They go about their business without a
care in the world, as if nothing could go wrong today.
I intend to change that belief.
I fold my arms across my chest and roar, "Surprise inspection!"
All activity stops and they all look at me dumbly, gawking.
I snarl back at them, "Are you all deaf?! This is a surprise
inspection!" I sweep my hand across the floor in an imaginary
line. "Form up on this line! Now! Move, or I'll let McCoy have
your asses for his experiments!"
My threats spur them into action and they nearly fall over
one another forming onto my imaginary line. In a few seconds,
they are all standing at attention, ramrod straight, eyes forward.
"That's better."
I pretend to look them over for a few moments, walking back
and forth in front of the line, then make a sound of disgust.
"This is pathetic!" Starting at one end of the line, I walk slowly
to the other end, pointing out little things on each trooper. "You,
get a shave! What, didn't someone teach you to button a jacket?
You call that a properly holstered weapon? I don't think Havok
would appreciate your lack of attentiveness!"
I turn away from them and snarl. "All of you, get out of my
sight!" When no one moves, I spin around, and trigger my visor
to flash. "Get out, or I'll fry you all right here and now! Get out!"
After a quick, stunned silence, they all make a break for the
door, stumbling over one another. For effect, I squeeze off a
couple of low-power optic blasts over their heads. I wasn't really
aiming to hit anyone, I just wanted a more realistic effect.
As soon as the door closes on the last trooper, I quickly move
over to one of the computer access panels and remove it. As I
peer into the maze of circuit boards, wires, and cabling, I pull a
small probe from my utility belt, flicking its power switch on with
my thumb. Carefully and quickly, I begin to scan some of the
boards, until the little probe beeps as I pass it over a particular
one. "That's the one..." I murmur to myself.
I put the probe down and pull out the board carefully.
Pulling a small box about the size of a computer chip out of my
utility belt, I quickly take the connectors leading from it and
glance over the board quickly. In a few seconds, I locate the
connection points I need and attach my little invention to the
board using the self-sealing connectors.
Finished, I pick my probe back up and quickly confirm that
the connections are good, and then carefully slide the board back
into place. Replacing the access panel, I stand, put my probe
away, and start to walk towards the door.
It opens just before I get there, revealing Alex's angry face.
"What the hell is going on here, Scott?! There isn't any inspection
scheduled for today!" The hate and anger on his face is plain.
As usual.
I walk up to him, nose to nose. "Your men," I say with a low
tone, "need a hygiene lesson."
As I shove by him, the look on Alex's face is almost comical.
It's all I can do to keep from laughing; hopefully, my little tantrum
will confuse Alex enough, or at least make him think I was just
being vindictive, that he won't look further into my "surprise
inspection." My guess is his hatred of me will be enough to blind
him more than anything.
Which is fine with me, because I've got things to do.
******* *******
I spend the rest of the day finishing the details of my plan.
Compared with the tap I put in the security computer, it's child's
play. A few camera taps, some supplies, records of the prisoners
and patrol routes; nothing a good soldier couldn't do without too
much difficulty.
Once I'm done, I go about my regular duties and activities
for the rest of the day as I normally would. Alex and most of his
security goons give me dirty looks, but I don't care. It's nothing
unusual, anyways. Hopefully it'll remain that way for a long time.
By the end of my shift I'm beginning to feel a little run
down after getting no sleep the night before. I'll have to get
some rest before I attempt to get Grey out. From the looks of the
patrol schedule, though, I won't be able to make a try of it until
after midnight, so I'll at least get a few hours of sleep.
I get back to my quarters without incident and make myself
something to eat while I review my plan and possible routes of
escape for Grey. From my investigations, it looks like the best
way out of the Pens is through the little used sewer and drainage
complex beneath it. It's a maze down there, but if you have a map,
like I do, it has several passages that lead to the outside.
If I time things just right, I should be able to get Grey out
of her room, into the sewers, and out of the Pens before anyone's
the wiser. With the stuff I got for her, and once I get her
inhibitor collar off, she should be able to make her way back
to her X-Men friends.
Then, in the morning, I'll reporter her "missing" and blame
it on Alex, since he's chief of security. Hell, maybe I'll even
blame the Guthries, too, somehow. It couldn't be more perfect.
I finish eating and flop down on the couch, turn the lights
off and set the alarm to go off just before midnight, confident
that nothing can go wrong with my plan. I've covered every
contingency, every problem, everything.
By tomorrow morning, Jean Grey will be a free woman. And
my soul will begin its long journey to redemption.
******** ********
A few hours later my alarm goes off. I blink the sleepiness
out of my eyes, feeling refreshed. I gather the few things I have
for Grey into a small carry pack and recheck my own gear; visor,
utility belt, armor. It looks like everything is ready.
I look over the patrol routes again, scrutinizing the areas
that I'll be traveling in. Hopefully I'll avoid most of the patrols,
and if I do run into any, I can probably either talk or threaten
my way out of any trouble.
I grab the pack for Grey and head towards the door. I stop
and think about what I'm going to be doing one more time.
Betraying my people, my father, my brother. Going against
everything I was taught.
Then images of the prisoners, McCoy's experiments, Alex's
hatred, and the years of war, death, and destruction flash in front
of my eyes and I know I can't go down that path anymore. I have
to do something, even though I realize it's not enough. But it's all
I can do. And it's starts with Jean Grey.
Mind and will set, I head out into the cold, dark night.
**** **** ****
I walk through the back corridors of the complex, keeping to
the shadows, avoiding the patrols and security cameras with
relative ease. Halfway to Grey's quarters, I'm beginning to think
this is too easy; if I weren't breaking her out, I'd be reaming
Alex tomorrow morning on his lack of security. Too bad. I think
I'd enjoy that.
I pause in the shadows at one corner as a pair of guards go
about their assigned routes. So predictable. I'm actually
surprised I haven't noticed how lacking our security procedures
are before. I guess my feelings towards Alex, and his hatred
for me, didn't really inspire me to look to much into it; the less
I had to do with Alex and his cronies, the better. Still, it's a lot
worse than I thought. If I had noticed it a few months ago, I
would have had security whipped into an impenetrable network,
making what I'm doing right now impossible.
I smile at myself. Funny how some things work out in the end.
Alex's two goons pass by without bothering to even do a
cursory look around. I wait for a few moments, not moving.
Satisfied that they aren't doubling back, or that another
unannounced patrol is around, I quickly move on, keeping to
the shadows constantly. A few dozen yards, and I reach the
corner that leads to the corridor to Grey's quarters.
I pause and quickly glance down the corridor; it's empty, as
expected. I wait a few moments, and check again. Still nothing.
Nodding silently to myself, I check my back on last time, and step
quietly into the shadows of the corridor.
A few steps later, I stop. Something's not right; I don't
know what, or how I can tell, but something just feels...wrong.
I quickly scan the area visually, paying close attention to
the shadows, looking for something, anything. Nothing. I mentally
trigger my visor into IR mode, and scan the area. Again, nothing
unusual; just the standard background heat signatures. If
anything, the area is deader than usual.
I frown; it's not like my instincts to be wrong. To be safe,
I crouch back into the shadows and wait, continually scanning the
area with as many modes as my visor has, listening, smelling the
air. After 5 minutes, I still see, hear, and smell nothing.
I shake my head and scowl. Maybe my nerves are just on edge.
Maybe I've just got so much on my mind, that I'm beginning to get
paranoid, seeing things in the shadows. It's never happened
before, but I guess there's always a first time.
Either way, I can't wait any longer. Another patrol is bound
to come by soon, and I've got to get moving. With one last look
down the corridor, I slowly get up and move towards Grey's quarters.
Moving warily, I begin to think of how I'm going to explain
this to Grey in a way that's quiet and quick; I can't afford to
waste time with her, or let things get out of control so that we're
noticed. Hopefully, she'll believe me, or at least want to take the
chance for freedom to give it a try. Who knows, maybe the last
couple of weeks have....
SNIKT! SNIKT!
I spin at the twin metallic sound behind me, dropping the
pack and cursing at myself. Somehow my visor, despite all its
detection ability, and all my combat experience, missed someone in
the corridor. Now I've got to either get rid of or kill...
"Looks like you picked the wrong night for a midnight walk, bub."
For one of the few times in my life I'm stunned. Standing a
few meters away is one of the most deadly living beings on the
planet: Weapon-X! Armed with adamantium claws and bones,
beserker rage, animal instincts, and fighting ability second to
none, he is perhaps the most lethal and ruthless X-Man. We
know from our intelligence reports that he and Grey are an item;
he must have come for her. I should've thought of it before. It
figures that he would eventually come for her. I know I would.
The problem is, he doesn't know that we both want the same
thing now: Jean Grey's freedom. As far as he's concerned, I'm the
enemy commander of the Pens, second in power only to Mr. Sinister
himself. He won't give killing me a second thought. Somehow, I've
got to convince him otherwise.
The X-Man snarls menacingly. "I hadna counted on meetin'
anyone else on this op, but hell, kill two birds with one stone..."
He clenches his fists, grinning ferally, his adamantium claws
gleaming.
I take a step back. "Listen, you've got...." I don't have a
chance to finish as the beserker growls and charges like a raging
bull; God, our reports have nothing on him! His speed, agility,
and quickness are incredible!
He'll be on me in seconds; I don't want to kill him, but I don't
want to die either. Maybe I can last long enough to get a few
words in, convince him I'm on his side now, before it's too late.
Fat chance.
There's no more time for thought as my reflexes take over; I
quickly assume a combat stance and prepare to meet his attack.
I barely manage to dodge his first strike by sidestepping
slightly; his claws barely clip my armor, running three groves
down my bicep. I use my momentum to hammer him as he passes,
but it hardly even fazes him. In fact, my fist now hurts like blazes
after hitting an adamantium-laced bone.
Growling like a mad animal, the killer spins on his heel,
swinging his opposite foot in a perfect roundhouse kick.
Surprised at the elegance of the move, I throw up my arms in a
desperate attempt to save my skull from being shattered. My armor
absorbs most of the force, but I'm forced to stumble backwards.
Weapon-X doesn't give me a chance to recover; he quickly follows up
with slashing forehand and backhand cuts of his claws.
I desperately try to block or dodge each swipe, trying to
keep an eye on both sets of deadly claws. Even if I wanted to, I
don't think I waste the time to fire my optic blasts; the X-Man is
just too damn fast. His unrelenting assault barely gives me a
chance to defend myself, much less press an attack of my own.
I've got to do something quick or I'm a dead man.
Before I get a chance to, though, the killer launches a kick
at my kneecap, trying to shatter it. I barely block it, but I'm so
off-balance, he's got me dead to rights; my neck is entirely exposed.
Instinct makes me jerk my head back and to the right in a
frantic attempt to avoid the deadly slashing claws.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see his left arm slashing
down, claws glinting in the light.
I scream as blinding pain sears my skull and my vision
explodes. As I fall back, blacking out, my own screams are joined
by another.
Mercifully, the agonizing pain drives me into the blackness.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
END OF CHAPTER
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