X-Men: Red "New Enemies"

Part 4 of 4

by Chris Delaney 

This uses Marvel characters who are tm and copyright to Marvel Comics.

This issue is really a set-up for a fight issue.  We see no less than 4
separate fights being set up, and the good guys weren't going to win them
all (although Hydra's attack was going to be a real fiasco for them).    

The scene with the Marauders is nicer the way it is here, IMHO.  It uses
clones of a few characters that have appeared elsewhwere, but then Mr.
Sinister was always famous for using clones.  

The mutantion with Luna is meant to be ironic and not anything else -- the
idea that if Quicksilver had actually exposed her so long ago then she
wouldn't have been affected by the virus.  What seemed a good idea at the
time is now fatal for her.  Of course, this, like with Moira, is a clear
movement of the Legacy virus into the human population.  Dr. von Doom's
predictions about 10 more mutations needed are hollow as he didn't know
about Moira when he over-estimated the time for the virus to mutate enough
to effet normal people.  






	Scanner walked into the sterile, white room and stared at the man 
in the bed.  A network of tubes and machines were focused on enabling 
this middle aged man to survive.  The smell was rank with everything 
reeking of rotting flesh.  The man himself was criss-crossed with pockets 
of infection and dead flesh.  His breath rattled as he forced air 
through fluid-filled lungs.

	"What's wrong with him?" Scott asked as he walked in behind 
Scanner.  

	"Leprosy." she replied.

	"What?  In this day and age?"

	"A mutant strain.  Incurable and much more painful than the original 
type."

	The man on the bed began to gasp and claw at the bedsheets with 
his remaining hand.  A tear rolled out of one of his eyes as he saw his 
daughter standing before him.  

	"Why have we never heard about it..."

	"It is artifical.  This is deliberate.  You see Dad is a mutant 
and a message was being sent."

	"What!  Who did this.  This is awful.  I mean..."

	"Shut up Summers and leave us alone."

	"But..."

	"Do it god-damn you!  Do it!"  Scanner sat next to the bed and 
began to cry as she watched her father in his torment.  Scott stood there 
for a few minutes feeling awkward and then walked out to get a cup of 
coffee. He couldn't stand being helpless and unable to do anything.  It
was just like with Jean all over again.





	Baron von Strucker looked at the assembled inner council of Hydra 
with a look of glowing triumph in his eyes.  To his right was his son, 
Andreas and to his left his daughter Andrea.  Together they comprised the 
mutant force known as Fenris.  Around the table were arrayed his greatest 
lieutenants; the elite cream of HIS organization.

	"Today is the beginning of tomorrow!  Our oldest adversary, 
Colonel Nick Fury, is slain and there is nobody of his caliber to replace 
him.  I have waited long for this triumph and it is sweet indeed.  My 
only regret is that I was not the one to struck the final, fatal blow!  
But not all is lost.  I have received word that my oldest foes, the first 
men to ever oppose Hydra, are coming here, to New York city.  The 
grand-daughter of one of them is dying of a fatal disease and the fool 
seeks to succor her.  He will find his own death instead.  Silver Fox, 
New York is your fiefdom.  Have your men assembled for this assult!"

	"As you wish, glorious leader.  Heil Hydra"  she replied.  Fool, 
she thought, to pit us against THEM.  What was he, suicidal?

	"Excellent!" Strucker replied, uneasy at the woman's ethnic 
appearance.  Who had approved her for such a post?  It would have to be 
looked into.  "The rest of you can join in this glorious assult with your 
own personal elite bodyguards.  We will see who is fit to be a master of 
the earth!  This is our target!"  He pointed to a picture on a computer 
screen.  "Only the Fanstic Four and a couple of feeble old mutants stand 
between us and vengence.  We will be victorious.  The glory of Hydra is 
upon us and the coming of the Fourth Reich is near.  I have only now 
returned from Latervaria, good german soil stolen from the 
Greater Fatherland of Adolph Hitler and his Third Reich, 
and learned that Flynn von Doom will lend us unconditional support.  He 
will assist in the coming of our glory.  This time, we will do it right 
and the bodies of our enemies will litter the ground of Europe.  We are 
invincible!  HEIL HYDRA!  HEIL HYDRA!  HEIL HYDRA!"  The room 
reverberated with the cry as dozens of seated hydra leaders rose to give 
their support.  

	But one of them, by the name of Silver Fox, nursed hidden 
ambition.  She had with-held vital information, for it was not just the 
Fantasic Four at Four Freedoms Plaza, the Avengers were there as well.  
It was time for Hydra to grow great, she thought, and for the weak to be 
culled.  And when Strucker fell in battle, who better than she to lead 
Hydra to greatness and glory?  If Strucker no longer wished to live than 
so be it!





	Magneto wheeled Charles Xavier out in front of the synagogue 
steps and then sat down.  This had been the only pay-phone they could find 
in the area and it was good to get out of the car after the trial of New 
York traffic.  It didn't help that none of them were good drivers and 
that none of them held currently valid drivers licences.  Charles 
couldn't use his legs and both Rachel and Magnus tended to fly places.  
Charles mopped his brow and sighed heavily.  He wanted a drink quite 
badly.  

	"Hello there.  Do you need some help getting into the synogogue?" 
a young man asked, noting Charles in a wheelchair and Magnus leaning 
heavily on a cane.  He was a short man who seemed even shorter as he 
approached Magnus (who stood a good ten inches above him).  He had tan 
skin and black hair and seemed quite friendly.

	"No." Magneto replied curtly.

	"Forgive my friend, he lacks a little in the social graces 
department.  My name is Charles Xavier.  You are?" Xavier said extending 
his hand.

	"Jacob Michaels.  I was just here touring Four Freedoms Plaza; 
fantasic place.  Hey, you aren't the expert on Mutant Affairs are you?  
The one who is always debating Graydon Creed?"

	"Yes I am.  Glad to know somebody is watching."

	"I am just glad to see that sort of anti-semetitic bastard being 
properly debated.  You know he endorsed Buccannon's idea that the Jews 
might be causing mutants?  Sick!"

	"If you are worried about that sort of thing why are you wearing 
the Star of David?" Magneto asked.  

	"Because I'm Jewish and proud of it."

	"I have heard this rhetoric before.  How long til that becomes a 
way to identify you when they come to take you away?  If you would be a 
safe Jew then either go to Israel and fight for your freedom or hide in 
the shaodws.  So long as you are different they will fear you; and humans 
hate what they fear."

	"You are a strange one.  This is the USA!  What makes you think 
that anything like that could ever happen here?"

	Magneto ripped the sleeve of his suit to reveal a tattoo.  "I 
thought the same thing about Germany once."  Jacob blinked in confusion, 
this man couldn't be more than thirty!

	"And I know it will happen!" a stunning and tastefully dressed 
redhead interjected.  "Although you are lucky, it won't be the Jews they 
are coming for this time.  I spoke to Richards, Magnus, and we can go on 
in.  He says he has no objections so long as you promise to behave."

	Jacob looked closely at Magneto and went pale.  "You're Magneto 
aren't you?  The famous mutant terrorist?  That's why you are so young..."

	"Heed my warning, young man.  Today the world looks calm and 
pleasant with no sign of strife.  But do not relax your vigilance or else 
you might wake one day to find the world a very different place indeed."

	"My friend is too pessimistic." Xavier added.

	"No, it is you who are too naive!"

	"Alright boys.  That is enough.  It was nice meeting you, Jacob, but we 
really have to go."  Jacob watched in surprise as the three figures rose 
into the air and flew towards Four Freedoms Plaza.  He started shaking 
his head in disbelief and then stopped.  "How in blazes did she know my 
name" he wondered aloud.  Then he shrugged and started walking.  He would 
have an interesting anecdote to tell, that was for certain.  Whether 
anyone would believe him, that was another matter.  
 




	Flynn von Doom sat on his throne and brooded.  The time was 
coming for his destiny to be fulfilled once and for all.  The aid he was 
given y Apocalypse had been merely a stepping stone, a small piece of 
assistance in what would have been his anyway given time.  For that tiny 
service, and despite his treatemnt at En Saba Nuhr's hands, he had 
fulfilled his promise and culled the weak.  Those who were too old, too 
stupid, too weak or of weak blood were being rounded up and slaughtered.  
It would be a new Latervaria that would rise from the ashes.

	He pondered the suit of armour that was standing next to his 
throne.  Empty but awaitng his command to be of service.  How had his 
thrice damned father stood it wearing that hellish thing all the time.  
He laughed, but then given his father's face maybe he had no choice.  He 
looked sideways into a mirror and admired his own good looks.  He was a 
great man, of this he had no doubt.

	He pondered the words of Nathaniel Richards who had come to visit 
him in the name of the organization Hydra.  He had been skeptical at 
first, after all a ruler had to be, but had barely restained his 
enthusiasm as the old man had explained the logical result of these 
plans.  So what if Apocalypse had told him to be patient and prepare; 
this old man and his friends could ensure victory without that creature.  
He felt a shiver of fear as he remembered being thrown about like a rag 
doll by the abomidable creature.  He smothered his fear with a brooding 
hatred and vowed vengence.

	He pressed a buttone and spoke into an intercom.  "Send in 
Nathaniel Richads!" he ordered.  The old cyborg's offer was tempting and 
it would only serve to increase his glory.  Who cared if he betrayed 
Apocalypse in the process?  After the way Apocalypse had refused to 
acknowledge his natural supremacy he deserved to be betrayed.  Flynn 
smiled as visions of future glory danced before his eyes.   





	Gambit led the way up the stairs dragging a heavy bag of luggage 
behind.  Rogue was carrying two such bags and didn't even seem to notice 
the weight.  He thought about Rogue and couldn't help feeling like Judas; 
the dinner he had just feed her being the last supper.

	"Come on, Remy!  Ah wanna see the surprise ya got waitin'!"

	"No you don't!" he thought and then choked the thought off.  He felt 
guilt curdle in his gut and slowly changed his mind.  This wasn't worth 
it and he wouldn't do it.  Perhaps he had softened but it was just this 
sort of thing that had made him leave the Marauders.  He started to cry 
out when an arm slipped around his neck and he felt himself being pulled 
tightly to a woman's body.  An intoxicating perfume filled his nostrails 
and green tresses fell down to cover his face.  He started to cry out but 
his call for Rogue was smothered by a kiss.  He looked into the crazy 
eyes of Malice, leader of the Marauders, and felt fear.  "Hi, honey-buns, 
miss me?"

	Rogue entered the room where Sinister waited.  "Come on, let's 
join them, honeybuns!" Malice whispered.  "And don't even think of trying 
anything against the mistress of magnetism.  Believe me, you wouldn't 
like the results."

	Gambit walked along the corridor, arm in arm with Malice.  "I 
thought dat you was dead?"

	"Stupid aren't you?  Sinister made a point to me, that he could 
kill me at anytime and the only way back was through service to him.  As 
for the bod, well Sinister is a master of cloning and the original would 
have been too much work to acquire.  So he made me another one, a new and 
improved me.   Isn't it nice?"   

	Gambit swallowed the insult that he was about to mutter and 
allowed himself to be led into the room.





	Psilord stood over the corpse of the man called Cable.  Nature 
had largely reclaimed the organic part of him but the metallic part 
remained.  He considered for a moment and them popped claws out of his 
armour.  Razor sharp adamantium, they had been taken off of the corpse of 
Wolverine and were practically holy relics in his day.  Slashing at the 
carrion feeders he cleared the corpse and carried it towards a hill.  
Cable deserved a warrior's funeral.





	"They have entered the building, glorious leader.  It is all going 
according to plan.  Heil Hydra."

	Baron Strucker smiled and glanced around at his companions, 
allies old and new.  The Red Skull, the Mandarian, the Master of the 
Hand, Nathanial Richards and Baron Mordo.  He smiled and and rose from 
his chair.  "The moment of our glory is at hand.  Silver Fox, are your 
men ready?"

	"Yes, Glorious Leader.  Is the word given?"

	"The word is given!  We attack!  Heil Hydra!"


 


	Rogue whirled to see Gambit entering with Lorna Dane of X-factor 
on his arm.  That sleazebag, where did he find her and when.  Her seventh 
sense began to blare warning her of danger.  

	"Hello, Rogue, it is good to see you again."  came a voice as 
cold as death issued from the throat of one of the greatest geneticists 
ever to blight the face of this planet.  

	"Sinister!  What in blazes..."  She struggled as a web of 
magnetic force enveloped her.  Figures issued forth into the room.  They 
were Sinister's deadlist henchmen;  The Marauders.  Malice (possessing 
a clone of Lorna Dane).  Arclight.  Blockbuster.  Harpoon.  Prism.  
Riptide.  Sabertooth.  Scalphunter.  Scrambler.  Vertigo.  As she 
struggled she suddenly became dizzy.  She saw Scrambler approach her and 
renewed her effort to overcome her bonds.  The Korean mutant reached over 
and touched her.  Their powers cancelled instantly, leaving Rogue 
powerless.   

	"Want me to waste the chippie?" Scalphunter asked.  "After all, 
killing mutants is what we do best."

	"No.  I have other plans for poor little Rogue.  Congradulations 
Gambit, you have repaid my faith in you fully.  Now it is time to go 
ahead with the greater plan."  Sinister said.

	"Gambit, you bastard, how could you do this?  You bloody sleazebag, 
ah'm gonna kill you when ah get mah hands on your hide!"

	"That will be enough of that." Sinister ordered.  "I have 
business elsewhere at the present time and Rogue will 
have to wait.  You have your orders, now carry them out."

	"Right boss!  This Comcast character is as good as dead and this 
lil' hussy will wish she were."  Scalphunter replied.  Sinister vanished 
as he activated a device on his belt.

	"Hey Cajun, nice to see you haven't lost the knack of treachery.  
For a moment there I was hoping you would make a play so I could taste 
yer sweet, spicy blood.  But you were a good little boy and did what 
Sinister ordered.  And here I was thinking you cared about the little 
tramp!"  Sabertooth mocked.

	"You don't even wan' ta go there, Creed."

	"Ah, is the poor widdle Cajun upset that his lady love is meat 
for Sinister.  LIVE WITH IT BOY!"  Sabertooth backhanded Gambit sending him 
spinning backwards.  Gambit's eyes lit up in rage and he reached for a 
card.  "That's it, go for it, Cajun.  Show me me you have the guts.  But 
remember, I heal and you don't."  Gambit hesistated and slowy let the 
card slide back into his pocket.  "You've gone soft, Boy.  Not worthy to 
run with us anymore.  Be a kindness if I put you outta yer misery..."

	"Enough, Creed." Malice commanded. "Sinister said we were to let 
him go and that's how it's gonna be.  Unless you think you can take me?"  
Creed looked at her for a couple of heartbeats and slowly shrank before her 
gaze.  "Didn't think so." she mocked.

	Rogue fought and struggled as they chained her and dragged her 
out of the room.  Gambit stood there quietly smoking a cigarette until 
the last echo of her last frantic scream had faded.  Then he got up and 
left to return to the X-men.  To his friends.    




	Scanner knelt beside the rotting man who was her father, dying of 
a disease that had been inflicted on him by an old enemy.  *I came back, 
Dad, I couldn't stay away.*

	*Been better if you did, girl.  You're the only family I have left 
and I'd rather not lose you like I did the others...*  Images rose in 
Scanners mind of the night her family was massacred and how she had lain 
there for hours afterwards replaying each death over and over again in 
her mind.  *I'm sorry, girl.  I thought by leaving the States and 
returning to my native soil I could avoid the consequences of my 
actions.  But enough of that.  What has happened to you lately?*

	*I was a member of the Acolytes for a while.  The group of heroes 
gathered together by Magneto.  But Xavier mind-fried him and we were left 
under the control of a lunatic by the name of Exodus.  Another lunatic 
came and destroyed our home and now I am here.  There is other stuff but 
it isn't all that important.*

	*That young man belong to you?*

	*Scott?  No, he is a member of my team that's all.*

	*I gotta favor to ask you girl.*

	*What is it Dad?*	

	*I want you to finish putting something to rights for me as I can 
no longer do so myself.  And I want you to kill me.*

	*KILL YOU!  Are you crazy?*

	*No, the pain is worse every day and the disease is incurable.  
They made sure of that.  Let me die, girl, I don't want to keep suffering 
this way!*  Scanner could feel his suffering through the psionic rapport 
she had established.  

	*I don't want to...*

	*Do it, girl.  But first, let me tell you about something that 
happened when you were younger...*

- - - - - - - - - - - -


	Scanner walked out of the room and into the hallway as the life 
support equipment blared.  *We are going now.* she projected to Scott.

	"What are you talking about?  Isn't that your Dad's room?"

	*Yes.*

	"But he's dying!"

	*Yes.  I did it.  Now let's go.*  Scott stared at the young woman,
her sorrow clear across the telepathic probe no matter how steely her
exterior.  She turned and left, leaving her last relative behind.  

	Scott waited for a moment and followed Scanner out of the hospital 
and right into the ambush Pierce had waiting.  Only his quick reflexes 
and extensive combat experience prevented then both from being chopped in 
half by a machinegun.





	Franklin Richards, aka Psilord, watched as the flames comsumed 
Cable's remains.  "Damn you Cable, why did you die now when we need you 
so much.  I'm not a warrior, not really.  I am much more my father's 
child; a scientist and a thinker.  This blood and thunder stuff was 
always your specialty, Nathan.  How will be we survive without you?"

	"Very easily I assume."  Franklin spun to face an East Indian 
woman.  She was tall and statuesque with some strange form of armour on.  
"You see I know of the future and I know that it is better without him.  
There is a golden age coming and my child has told me what must be done 
to bring it about.  I was so blind, thinking that mankind could stay as 
it was."

	"Who are you?"  He furiously scanned the area and noticed the 
exception strength of her shields.  She had managed to fool his armour 
and he had been distracted.  'Careless will get you dead.' Cable had always 
said.  He was right.

	"I am called Haven.  You are an impediment to the future, 
Psilord, and so you have to die."  

	"Really?  Think you can take me?" Franklin inquired as he 
summoned his blasters.  He was the most powerful psi alive but he prefered 
to use weapons in combat.   Using his power to kill or injure sickened him.  
	
	"Do your best but it won't matter.  In the end I will kill you.  
Your sense of morality and responsibility cannot be allowed to infect the 
others.  Not when I am so close to bringing about their fall."  Franklin 
opened fire with his blasters as Haven faded from view, only to reappear 
and strike.  The battle raged and only one remained standing at the end.





	"... so as far as I can tell the activation of her inhuman genes 
by the terrigan mist enabled her mutant ability to manifest.  The stress 
caused by the transformation was analogous to that suffered at puberty 
and activated her mutant power."  Reed Richards commented.

	"The phenomenal rate of growth is her body optimizing itself to 
the maximal growth of this phenotype.  The stresses on her must be 
incredible and coupled with the Legacy Virus I fear the prognosis is 
not good."  Banner commented.

	"It is better than it would have been without any intervention on 
the part of Quicksilver.  If nothing else, seeing how the Viriod reacts 
to the multi-level attack may provide clues to a cure."  Doom commented 
from the view screen.

	"That is cold!"  Brian interjected.

	"Just because you don't have the vision to see what must be 
done..."  Doom began.

	"Uh, guys.  What is her inhuman power anyway?" Dane asked.  

	"She has acquired a hyper-active healing factor and contol of her 
body at the level of individual cells.  Maybe even lower, we aren't 
sure.  The scan revealed no feral regression like with most healing 
factors and she seems to have had no overt physiological changes.  Were 
she to survive, it is highly unlikely she could ever carry a child to 
term however as her healing factor would most certainly attack and 
destroy it.  The healing factor is attempting to restore her body to 
optimum which means that of a human at full growth; approximately age 
twenty-six.  Her power is attacking the viriod and destroying it at a 
local level and there is literally, and astonishingly, DNA repair taking 
place.  However, the trauma of attempting to grow this quickly will 
likely kill her.  Plus, her mutant power does lead to some non-overt 
changes.  She has inherited the magnetic abilities of her Grandfather and 
these genes are fighting for expression.  She is literally being torn 
apart by the internal stress."  Reed explained.

	"But if we can keep that for happening then she will be 
alright?"  Dane asked hopefully.

	"I dinna think so.  The viriod is too widespread and the degree 
of responce from her healing factor, while fighting the viriod, is not 
enough to eradicate it.  This will only prolong her suffering I'm 
afraid.  In the natural course of events the lass could conceivably have 
lived for milennia.  Now she will be lucky to see next week!"  Moira said 
with sorrow dripping from her voice.

	"I am trying to determine if a mystical type of intervention is 
possible but I have not had encouraging results.   The girl is confused 
and fighting me and in horrible pain."  Dr. Strange explained.  

	"Bah, stop mourning for the already dead.  We need to seize this 
oppurtunity to find a weakness in the viriod which we can exploit..."  As 
Doom droned on and began to develop a battery of tests to do on the 
girl,  Reed Richards wondered how he could ever have been friends with a 
man so callous and insensitive.  How could Doom not care that the girl 
was dying and they could do nothing!  Like most of the world he misjudged 
Doom because Doom thought far larger thoughts.  Richards could only see a 
girl dying while Doom saw a planet dying.  To him, the girl was one 
possible key to an elusive cure.  As for Luna, she cared nothing for 
possible cures and hopeful treatments.  She merely continued screaming.   


Epiogue 



	The Hydra attack helicopters approached under a cloud of jamming 
that the US defence establishment was unable to pierce.  At the base of 
Four Freedoms Plaza the last of the infiltrators walked into the 
building.  They were able to see three figures flying in mid-air landing 
on the roof and reported that the primary targets had landed.  

	On the 2nd floor a hydra technician made a minute slip and an 
alarm went of silently elsewhere.  Silver Fox, unaware of his slip, 
watched with pleasure as the bombs were planted.  How many survivors 
would there be after the entire building came down?  Grateful for a 
respite the Black Widow headed down to take a look at what was wrong 
accompanied by the her fellow Russian, Darkstar.  They walked right into 
the ambush set by the Ninjas of the Hand.

	Rachel flew into the lab bearing two of the greatest mutants on 
the planet.  While Xavier was warmly greeted as an assest by everybody, 
Magneto was pointedly ignored.  He walked over to Luna an placed his 
hands on the shoulders of the weeping Cystal (she had forced her way in 
earlier).  He just stood there and stared at the terrific amount of 
damage the terrigan mist had done to his grand-daughter.  Then, slowly, 
he added his tears to hers.



Chris Delaney   Department of Mathematics- Lakehead University
"Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent" - I. Asimov

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