Vengeance Part 3 - Healing Wounds
Seated around the large round table in the Strategy Room
were several members of Millennium Force; Lightnin, Futura, Axle, Blade,
Guardian, Telek and Koas, all lead by their leader – Edward Davids, to them –
the Professor. No words had been exchanged, the room was silent, as if in
respect for Athena, Blade appeared to be the only one not sharing the mood;
she has not gone, he thought;
“Oh come on – what is with you all, why are we sat here, like this, Athena isn’t
dead, she is waiting for us to come and get her, WHAT are we waiting for!” he
protested.
“Blade – no, be quiet,” Lightnin replied, immediately protecting their leaders
feelings.
“Katina, when will you think for yourself, instead of sticking up for him, he
doesn’t appear to be helping at all,” Blade looked towards the Professor.
“How dare you speak of the Professor like that, after all he has done for us,”
Lightnin replied, immediately stopping as she realised the rest of the team were
looking towards the Professor. The Professor sat, with his eyes closed, his
face was saddened, he then opened his eyes, sensing he was been watched, he had
not heard any of the previous exchanges between Katina and Blade. He had no
choice but to ‘find out’, he read Futura’s mind, finding out what had just been
said, Thank you Marcus, the Professor telepathically told him.
“No Katina, he is right. We have to begin planning how we are going to get her
back, I apologise for my silence back there.” The Professor told the group.
“It’s alright Professor,” Katina smiled, as if to speak for the rest of the
group.
“Let us begin planning how we will…” the Professor was interrupted as the door
flew open;
“Professor, quick, the news, something bad is happening!” Sub-Zero called to the
Professor. Telek focused on the large television, switching it on with her
telepathic powers, the team all faced the television.
They watched as three mutants stood in line, facing the Town Hall. Behind them
were dozens of police officers layed motionless on the ground and burnt out
police cars. The cameras then focused back onto the mutants. The first mutant
was female, a young female – just a teenager, she had long purple hair and wore
a blue and purple costume, firing out at the building, from her hands, were
bright blue bolts of energy, destroying the bricks as they touched them. The
second mutant was a man, wearing a red, orange and brown costume; he was also
attacking the building, throwing balls of fire towards the building. The final
mutant was also male, wearing green jeans, a baseball cap and large boots, but
no top, he did not appear to be attacking the building, he stood, holding a
large sword in his hand watching the building been destroyed.
“Oh my god – NO!” Guardian whispered, as the television camera focused on the
top of a neighbouring building. The group watched as they saw two figures stood
on the building, a man and a woman, they both stood together, the man rested his
hand on the woman’s shoulders, they both watched the three mutants – smiling at
what was happening. The strong, powerful man was recognised as Metalium and the
beautiful long haired woman, was Athena.
Metalium stood alongside Athena, on top of an empty
building, next to the Town Hall. Metalium laughed to himself, Athena stood,
watching the three mutants destroy the Town Hall.
“This is great, do you not agree Athena?” Metalium asked his daughter.
“Yes Father, I believe it is about to get a lot more interesting too,” they
looked in the distance, as the remaining – living, police escaped the scene,
soon to be replaced by tanks and swat teams.
“Time for me to get back to work,” Metalium replied. The first tank begin to
lift off the ground, under Metalium’s control, the tank then fell down onto the
tank below it, exploding as they hit. Before Metalium had chance to destroy any
more tanks, the earth began to shake, Quake stood, holding his sword in the
ground, urging the earth to crumble around the remaining tanks. The tanks
balanced on the edges of the ditches that had been created by Quake.
“I think they require a little shove,” Metalium outstretched his arms and forced
the tanks to topple into the ditches. Athena spotted groups of police officers
aiming their guns at Electia, Ablaze and Quake;
“Father, quick, down there,” Athena warned her father of the police officers.
Metalium immediately removed the guns from the police officers’; he then allowed
the guns to float towards him, out of the officers’ reach.
I think we have made our point, it is now time to return and wait for them to
make to make the next move,” Metalium told Athena, as he flew down to his mutant
allies, she began to follow him. Athena landed and began walking towards the
helicopter; she then heard a voice;
“Athena, over here,” Guardian whispered to her. Athena turned around, to find
she had been joined by three of the Millennium Force, Guardian, Blade and
Lightnin.
“What are you doing here?” Athena shouted.
“We have come to rescue you, from Metalium,” Guardian replied.
Athena laughed, “Rescue me – from my father? Be gone, before I have to make you
go!” Athena shouted, as she picked up one of the guns. Lightnin was about to
call upon a tornado to get rid of Athena’s gun, but before she could, she was
hit in the chest and forced to the ground by a bolt of electricity from Electia.
Blade ran towards Metalium and the others but he suddenly found himself unable
to move his limbs, his skeleton was been held in position by Metalium. Guardian
continued trying to talk Athena round;
“It is me, remember - Joseph, Metalium is using you, he has done something to
your mind,” Guardian reached out for Athena’s hand, but instead of taking his
hand, Athena shot him. Guardian fell to the ground as his chest began to bleed;
Athena looked down at him, watching as he clutched his chest, trying to stop the
blood. Athena froze as she suddenly, began to get images in her mind, confusing
images;
She saw herself stood inside a room, a bright room, like a hospital operating
theatre. In front of her lay a handsome man, with blue skin, the same man she
had just shot. He lay on the bed, bruised and bleeding, he had been attacked by
humans, people who did not like mutants. Athena was then approached by another
familiar face, the woman who had just been attacked by Electia. Athena then saw
herself begin to touch the mans face and chest, the wounds began to heal and the
bruises began to fade.
“Athena – I said now!” Athena’s thoughts were disturbed as Metalium shouted at
her, she looked up at him, “Come on we must go,” Metalium told her. Blade
watched as the group ran towards a helicopter.
Blade finally found himself able to move, he turned to Lightnin who was just
managing to get up;
“Make sure Guardian is Ok, I have to follow them,” Blade told her, not giving
her chance to reply, he ran towards the helicopter, which was just beginning to
take off. He grabbed a bar underneath the helicopter and held on with both
hands, he raised his legs to avoid been noticed.
Lightnin walked towards Guardian slowly, as she still tried to breathe
properly. Guardian lay, still holding onto his chest, he struggled to speak;
“She – she saved my life – when I was – going – to die, but – now, she has –
taken it – back,” he referred to the same event which Athena had just
remembered.
“Joseph, please, SHE did not do this, it wasn’t her. Please do not blame her,”
Lightnin assured him. She contacted the Professor, informing him that Guardian
had been injured and they were returning home. She lifted Guardian and carried
him into the plane.
Metalium and Athena sat alongside, in two metal seats,
which were connected to each other and to a large set of keyboard and monitors.
Sat at the controls was Max, awaiting orders from Metalium.
“Soon I shall be invincible and it will be all thanks to you,” Metalium looked
at Athena.
“No, I am just giving you back a little of the abilities you gave me, father,”
Athena smiled.
“It is time Max…” before Metalium had finished speaking, Blade burst into the
room;
“What are you doing to her!” he shouted, running towards Metalium. Blade was
stopped in his tracks as he was shot with some sort of stun gun; he landed at
Athena’s feet.
“DO IT NOW!” Metalium shouted, “Before any more of them get here.” Max
immediately began pressing buttons – causing the entire room to flash and create
crackling sounds. Within seconds, the flashing stopped.
“Is it done?” Athena asked.
“Yes Ma’am, it is complete,” Max smiled.
“Let me see,” Metalium stood up and reached for a knife, he gently cut his arm;
he placed the knife back onto the table and watched the wound begin to bleed.
The cut did not stop bleeding;
“It has not worked, your pathetic machine did nothing, you idiot,” Metalium
shouted at Max. He began to get angrier and tense his body, all of a sudden, the
skin on his face was starting to transform into a silver metal, slowly spreading
down to his feet, until he was covered in metal. Metalium looked at his arms
and smiled, amazed by the transformation.
“What is wrong father?” Athena asked.
“Nothing, nothing at all,” Metalium laughed, he closed his eyes and focused, the
metal began to turn back into his skin, and he noticed the cut on his arm had
now healed. He looked down at Blade, noticing Blade’s hand was rested on
Athena’s foot, he realised that during the transformation he had not only gained
Athena’s healing powers, but also Blade’s metal element. “I am now the most
powerful mutant in the world, nobody can stop me!” Metalium shouted. The door
once again burst open, stood at the door was Professor Davids, Telek and Kaos.
“What are you doing here?” Max asked. Koas threw a dagger towards Metalium,
before the dagger had chance to touch Metalium, his skin once again turned to
metal, the dagger hit his metal chest and fell to the ground.
“Oh my god, what have you done?” the Professor asked.
“Call it, Athena’s repayment for the powers I gave her,” Metalium laughed, “You
are just in time to feel my strength, to die at my feet.” The Professor had
always vowed never to interfere with others’ minds unless absolutely necessary –
to him, this was one of those necessary times.
“Marcus, join me, link minds,” The Professor quietly told him. They both
entered each others minds; the Professor then linked his mind to Metalium’s.
The Professor began forcing memories into Metalium’s mind, memories of been
bullied as a child, memories of rejection for been a mutant, memories of losing
people he had cared for. It pained the Professor to do such a thing, but it was
the only option.
“Nooo, what are you doing to me? Stop it!” Metalium shouted, holding his head as
he fell to his knees.
“What are you doing to my father?” Athena asked, before she had chance to get
up, she was held in her chair by Blade. Max immediately ran to Metalium’s
rescue, he took his gun and aimed it at the Professor, only to be stopped by
Telek, who used her powers to pull the gun towards her hand.
The memories in Metalium’s mind stopped, he then heard the Professor’s voice,
still in his head, What do you intend to do next, please think twice before
attacking any more innocent people. Metalium looked at the professor;
“I have made the first move, I now wait for their next move,” Metalium smiled,
“Do not try talking me out of this, the only way you can stop me is to kill me.”
“Sounds like a good idea to me Prof,” Blade interrupted.
“No, I refuse. We will be waiting Metalium, when that day comes, I will stop
you again,” the Professor threatened.
“You will never get into my head again, I have ways of preventing that, my guard
will never be let down again,” Metalium smiled, “Now go, while you have the
chance.” Before any more words could be exchanged, Athena began to scream out
in pain, Blade immediately moved away;
“My daughter, what have you done?” Metalium moved towards Athena, who was now
layed on her stomach, a small round metal disk fell from the back of her neck,
followed by blood which began to run down her back. Metalium sat her up, her
eyes opened, the blood immediately stopped as the wound healed.
“Get off me, what are you doing?” Athena shouted, pushing Metalium away from
her. She quickly got up and ran to her team mates.
“Athena? What is wrong? Why are you running from your father?” Metalium asked.
“Because I hate you, you are no father of mine, I told you before, I do not wish
to be how I was,” Athena replied.
“Looks like your plan to take back your daughter has failed,” the
Professor pointed at the metal disk. Athena realised what had happened;
“No decent father would force his daughter to help him create pain and
suffering,” Athena looked at her team mates, “Can we go now?” Metalium watched
as his daughter, the only person he truly loved turned her back on him and
walked away with his nemesis.
“Shall I get her?” Max asked.
“No, leave her, she will return one day, so will Edward and I will be ready next
time!” he vowed.
Guardian lay in his bed, next to him sat Lightnin, watching
him slip in and out of consciousness, as he once again became conscious, he
touched Lightnin’s hand;
“Please, tell Athena, I do not blame her and she will always be a part of my
soul, you will all remain in my soul, the only person to blame is Metalium” He then once again became unconscious,
this time, for some reason, Lightnin sensed this was the last time. Before
her eyes she watched as his body began to turn dry looking, after a few seconds
his body had turned from a sky blue colour to a dull shade of grey, Lightnin
couldn’t believe her eyes, he had turned into stone – he was dead.
“Oh my god - Joseph, no,” Tears began to run down Lightnin’s face; she closed
both eyes and rested her head on Guardians bed.
