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| Issue #2 November 2004 |
"The Gathering" Part 2 of 3 Written By Gary Jones and Doug Bookey |
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The X-Jet tore away from the X-Corps base at such a speed that the very air itself seemed to scream.
Inside the plane were the X-Treme X-Men: Nightcrawler, Wolverine, Gambit, Rachel Summers, Siphon, Warpath and Jesse Aaronson, although he often went by the surname of Bedlam.
They had been forced to flee by the overwhelming force that had been sent against them and were all now battered and bruised from the experience.
Even the indomitable Wolverine and his mutant healing factor had been overwhelmed, and the feral mutant now lay slumped in the rear of the jet, fast asleep.
To Rachel Summers, the jet seemed quiet, but that was to be expected after all they had just been through, and she herself was resting in her seat, just staring out the window.
Perhaps it was the mental fatigue of being forced to fight so many old allies that caused Rachel not to notice what was occurring.until the moment she startlingly gasped, "the birds aren't moving, Kurt-the birds are frozen still."
Her head snapped forward, looking for her former Excalibur team-mate. "Elf, are you ok?" Her eyes widened as she saw that everyone in the cabin wasn't moving. "What the hell is going on in here?" she whispered.
"I think this could be because of Roma's old pause time trick. Sorry if it caused you to freak out there a bit," coming from the rear of the plane was a powerful voice that Rachel had heard many times before.
"Brian!" Rachel shouted with glee as she leapt from her seat and into the hug that was waiting for her.
"Sorry for just dropping in like this, but I've got a problem, and I could use your help," Brian said as he released the young woman from his embrace.
"You know I would, but the team." Rachel gestured around at the other people on the plane. "I just can't leave them after all we've just been through," she protested to her old friend.
"I wouldn't expect you to either," Brian comforted. "Roma can place you back here at the exact same moment, if you choose to help us out of course."
"Well, in that case, how could I pass up an Excalibur reunion? Mind filling me in on who else is being picked up for this trip?" Rachel looked again to the front of the plane where Kurt was sitting at the controls. "I would have thought that the elf would have been on Roma's list as well."
"Roma tells me that all the people she has selected will be of great assistance to me, whatever that is supposed to mean, and while I'd rather have Nightcrawler along than any of the others she's selected, it unfortunately isn't my choice to make."
"So, when do we leave?" Rachel gave a longing look toward Nightcrawler, sorry to be leaving the man, and the team, who had saved her from imprisonment by Ahab.
"Judging by the voice in my head that would be right now."
***
"The X-Men have gone through much recently. I appreciate your willlllinnnngnesssss tttttoooooo hhhhheeeelppppp."
"Professor Xavier what ails you?" Shiro Yashida, the Japanese mutant known as Sunfire, was sitting in the opulently decorated study of Charles Xavier, on the opposite side of the desk to the founder of the X-Men.
The speech of Xavier had grown progressively slower and in a moment had just stopped, much like the man himself. Shiro's trained eyes scanned for any sign of movement from the elder man but could detect none.
He rose from his chair and walked around the desk to grasp Xavier's right wrist and feel for a pulse, only to find none. He released Xavier wrist and hurried from the room to summon the other X-Men.
He passed several other people who were also frozen in mid-movement by some mysterious force, eventually coming to a stop in a room where three X-Men-Havok, Multiple Man and Iceman-were frozen in the middle of what appeared to be a very animated conversation. 'Probably Drake whining that Madrox has been selected for a tour of duty with the Avengers,' Shiro thought to himself.
He was about to leave the room and his three frozen comrades when he found his attention grabbed by a bright flash of light through the room's window. Shiro moved swiftly to the window and found himself looking at the small wooded hill that held the graveyard where many of the X-Men, who had lost their lives in service of the dream, were buried.
"So, they seek to launch an attack from where our honoured dead are buried." Shiro ignited his atomic flame; a corona of fire surrounded his body. "Well, whoever they are, they will find Sunfire ready to counter their assault."
***
"It's been a while since we talked now, hasn't it, sis?" Captain Britain kneeled down on the grass in front of the grave of his sister, Elisabeth 'Betsy' Braddock, the heroine once known as Psylocke.
Standing to one side of him was Roma, the Guardian of the Multi-Verse, her raven black hair hanging loose to her shoulders, as her gossamer-white robes blew gently like there was a breeze even with time frozen.
To his other side was his old friend and Excalibur team-mate, Rachel Summers, currently a member of a rogue X-Men strike force.
"Captain Britain, I understand your need to visit your sister, but even my ability to step between the moments will soon be rendered useless, if the vortex is allowed to continue to grow."
"Just give him a moment more." Rachel's thoughts moved back to the early days of Excalibur: the team had been formed a short while after the X-Men were believed killed in Dallas , while Brian fell into an alcoholic stupor.
"I know what you're both thinking, and you needn't worry." Brian rose from the grass and fixed his cowl back into place. "This time, I won't be crawling into a bottle, but after this mission is over, I am going to have a few words with the X-Men about--" Before Brian could finish, a bolt of flame hit the ground in front of him.
"Ah, I believe our recruit has arrived." Roma smiled as a burst of flame, intended to strike her, instead bent around her body and struck a tree in a burst of flame that froze in place. "Although I certainly hope he can show more inventiveness while on the mission."
"Let me just pound some sense into him, and maybe he'll listen to reason," Brian could feel the old rage burning up inside his gut.
"Let me handle this." Rachel rested a hand on Brian's chest. "A little telepathic communication should do the trick."
Rachel lifted herself from the ground, her telekinetic power signature manifesting as a Phoenix Raptor. "I know you may feel a little threatened by us just showing up like this, but if you'd just stop and listen for a moment, all will be explained." As well as speaking into the mind of Sunfire, Rachel stimulated certain endorphins in his brain to induce a calming sensation.
Sunfire lowered himself slowly to the ground and stood in front of the other three. "I know of you, Rachel Summers, and the reputation of Captain Britain , but speak quickly." Sunfire took a step forward, his arms crossed against his chest, a menacing look on his face. ".for I am swiftly losing my patience."
"If we don't shut a vortex that is connecting two realities together, ours is going to collapse, ending existence as we know it." Captain Britain stepped forward and looked Sunfire in the eyes. "Is that quick enough for you?"
"Captain Britain has expressed the danger, and I can assure you that we would not be here at this moment, if your aid was not absolutely necessary." Roma moved forward and stood next to CB. "Should you choose to join us, you will be returned to the exact moment that time stopped; no-one will know anything that has occurred."
"How do I know you speak the truth?" Sunfire looked at Roma and, despite his usual passionless demeanour; found his pulse quickened by the elfin beauty of the woman.
"Your question is valid, and while I can offer you no proof before the mission begins, I can offer you proof afterward, if that is acceptable to you."
"It may be; you will tell me what form this proof will take."
"About twenty years ago, Earth-456 was destroyed by that dimensions Galactus; it was a world where the Empire of Japan had spread throughout the world." Roma paused for a moment, her mind slipping back to that day. 'Captain Nippon was such a loss to the Corps,' she thought before continuing.
"I managed to save several people from that world-many of whom now occupy high ranking positions within the Japanese government. I would be willing to get them to put in a good word for you."
"If I aid you in this mission you speak of."
"If you aid me."
"Then, I agree to your terms, Madam; anything I can do to regain face and return home is worth my effort."
"Good. We have but two more recruits so pick up." Roma waved her hand and the group was transported away.
***
"Fascinating. Instead of acting as a perpetual motion machine as I had hoped, the device appears to have caused a disruption in the space/time continuum that has resulted in time itself pausing."
Forge, the maker, had barely left the dockside warehouse he had called home since he had found the lost X-Man known as Havok, Alex Summers.
"Sorry, if I'm interrupting your work, Forge, but I have a problem and could really use your help." Captain Britain appeared out of a portal just in front of Forge; Sunfire and Rachel Summers could be seen on the other side of the portal.
"Okay, give me a minute to gather my tools, and we can be on our way." Forge walked to his work-bench and began to put a selection of exotic looking tools into a rather tattered US Army rucksack.
"I must confess I was expecting this to be a lot harder." Captain Britain looked around the warehouse and the collection of machinery-most of which was only partially completed. "I thought I'd have to drag you away from your inventions," Cap said with a slightly stunned tone.
"Well, in all honestly, I'm in kind of a rut at the moment. I start a new project and then lose the enthusiasm to continue it. Perhaps whatever you need me for will spark the old grey matter back into action again." Forge swung the rucksack over one shoulder and walked over to Captain Britain . "I'm guessing this is the standard 'help out and get returned at the exact moment you left' kind of thing."
"Not if you don't want it to be." Cap smiled in return. "Knowing Roma and her family, this mission won't be the last we get sent on."
***
"Hey, toots, how 'bout another cuppa Joe over here?" Max Carter hated the food at The Plaice, and he was yet to decide of the coffee was nats or cats. There was, however, one very good reason that kept him coming back for more. "Hey, Martinique , get your tight little buns over here."
"Yes.Sir." Martinique bit her bottom lip and grabbed the coffee pot off of the heater and walked over to the table where Max was seated and poured him a fresh cup. "Would you like anything else.Sir?"
"Nah, I still have to finish this wonderful soup." Max ran his eyes up and down the stunning figure that Martinique had poured into the red and white gingham dress that served as The Plaice's uniform. One in Martinique's size was on order, the owner had assured her, but for now she was having to work in one that was a size too small, so it pulled too tightly across her chest, and a couple of inches too short, so the hem of the dress was dangerously close to the top of her thigh.
All this, of course, could have been easily sorted because, like her father, Jason Wyngarde, Martinique was in possession of the power to create auditory and olfactory hallucinations of such intricate detail that they were indistinguishable from reality.
"Hey, darlin', I got me a fly in my soup," Max called over at Martinique as soon as she reached the counter to rest.
She sighed at his words. He always did this. There was never anything in his soup; it was just a reason to cop yet another feel of her ass. Now, however, she had finally had enough.
"A fly in your soup you say? Yes, I think you're right." A flash of yellow passed over Martinique 's eyes, signalling the activation of her powers.
"Hey, pal, stop eyeing the lady up and try messing around with me," a small voice with a thick New York accent came from the table in front of Max, he looked down to see.
"A FLY!" Max almost fell out of his chair as he saw that there was indeed now a fly in his soup. A fly that a cigar clamped into the corner of its mouth and a brown derby hat that rested at a jaunty angle on its head.
"Yeah, I'm a fly. Wanna make something of it, ya jerk?" The fly perched itself up on the rim of the soup bowl with one set of arms, while the other set pounded a fist into an open palm.
"YAAARRGGGHHHHH," the shout that Max let out caused all the other diners to turn around in their seats to stare at him. Many had confused looks on their faces as to what his shout had been about, for Max was the only one who could see the fly.
Max shot from his seat like a man possessed. He pulled his wallet from his pocket and slapped a fifty dollar bill on the table. "Keep the change," he muttered in Martinique 's direction, as he rushed out the door.
"Truth be told: when Roma told me who your father was, I expected you to deal with that guy a lot harsher." Captain Britain leant back against the far wall, his arms crossed against his chest. Standing on his right were Forge and Sunfire; to his left was Rachel.
To say that Martinique was a little freaked out would have been an understatement. While she wasn't telepathic in the strictest sense of the word, her illusion powers did allow her to sense when some one was trying to hide from her.
"W-What are you all doing here?" Martinique managed to stammer out as she back slowly toward the door. "You guys do know there are no warrants for my arrest in this country, don't you?"
"I do not understand why we require this criminal in our group; she obviously exists in a moral vacuum that allows her to perpetrate her crimes." Sunfire looked at Martinique with distain. "We do not need this trickster; the abilities of those we have will be sufficient to end the crisis we face."
"Don't be such a jerk, Sunfire. So what if she's done some criminal things in the past? It's not like your record is completely spotless," Rachel spoke up in defence.
"Child, I have never tried to disguise the fact that I have done myself dishonour, but at least I try to redeem myself and my family name, while this woman hides in shame."
"Quiet, you two," Captain Britain snapped back at his team-mates. "If Roma says we need Mastermind for this, then we need her."
"Hey, how about letting me have a say in all of this?" Martinique 's shock at the sudden arrival of super-heroes had been overridden by a surge of anger. "All my life, I've had decisions made for me: how to act, how to speak. It wasn't even my choice to get these done!" She raised her hands and grasped her chest. "This job may be the pits, but it's good, honest work, and that's something daddy dearest never managed in his life."
"Then, come with us and do something else your father never did." Captain Britain extended a hand out to Martinique , the palm facing upward.
"Just what might that be?"
"You could risk life and limb, chance almost certain death for no other reason than it is the right thing to do." Captain Britain kept his hand extended. "So, what do you say? Want to be a super-hero and help save the world?"
"Certain death or another shift here." Martinique looked around the diner. "Do I look like an idiot?"
"I'm sorry to hear that." Cap's arm fell to his side, and he began to turn around to return to the others.
"Hey, wait a minute." Martinique grabbed his shoulder "I'm coming with you guys; if I have to put up with greasy truckers slapping my ass for eight hours a day again, I swear I'll become a super-villain."
A portal formed behind Forge, Sunfire and Rachel. They all stepped through, and Captain Britain moved toward it with Martinique at his side. "I wouldn't mind, if you kept that outfit as your new uniform," he joked.
"Not on your life, pal," Lady Mastermind smiled back, as they passed though the portal and back to Otherworld.
***
The four team-members, who stepped through the portal with Captain Britain , reappeared in a place that resembled a futuristic train station. Sitting behind a desk on the platform was an elderly man in a tall top hat; the piece of white card that was tucked into the banding that went around the base of the hat was marked with the words 'Immigration Inspector'.
"Ah, yes, it's about time you four arrived." The elderly man hefted open the large book in front of him, dust flying from the pages as it opened with a thump. "I have a busy enough day as it is without having to issue you with inter-dimensional transport visas." The man shook his head and started scribbling in his book. "Would the first person please step forward?"
"I don't think all this is needed, do you?" a sultry female voice broke the silence-the words spoken in a tone that showed the woman was used to getting her own way.
"Opal Luna-Saturnyne." Rachel's telekinetic powers formed the Phoenix avatar that was her power signature as she locked eyes with the Omniversal Majestrix. "If Brian had mentioned you would be here, I would have turned him down."
"It's a pleasure to see you again, Miss Summers." From underneath her flowing white cloak, she produced a small amount of documentation and placed it on the desk. "At least this time, you will not have to raid Ms. Pryde's wardrobe to pass through customs."
The immigration inspector examined the paperwork that had been laid before him. "Hmm, all this seems to be in order, all signed by Guardian Roma; you are all cleared to pass into Otherworld."
"Now if you would all care to follow me, I will take you to some rooms where you can rest until Brian returns with the last member of your little group." Saturnyne looked curiously at the dress that Martinique was wearing. "I'll also summon the place seamstress to provide you with a more suitable garb."
***
The thought that was running through Joseph's head as he pulled the small plough through the tough Columbian dirt was: Why did the horse choose the hottest day of the year to fall ill?
He stared up into the sky, the hot midday sun beating down on him. "I shall have to see if the same idea will work for me," he laughed as he continued to pull the plough.
Joseph reached the end of the field, dropped handles of the plough, and wiped the sweat from his brow with his forearm, then smiled.
Even though his whole body ached-each muscle searing with pain-he had never felt so alive.
He had not for a second regretted his return to the small Columbian ministry where his life had truly begun. He had not regretted travelling to the United States and fighting alongside the X-Men, but putting himself into the situations that the X-Men often found themselves in brought too much of Magneto out in him for his liking.
No, this was where he belonged, and he swore to himself that as soon as the Earth's magnetic field was repaired completely he would never use his powers again; one Magneto in the world was far too much as it was.
"Joseph, I have brought you some water," Sister Maria, the nun who ran the ministry farm-cum-orphanage, walked across the freshly tilled field, carrying a bucket of fresh water from the well. The plain white cotton dress she wore was only decorated by the crucifix that hung from her neck.
"Many thanks, Sister; this is thirsty work," Joseph pulled the ladle from the bucket and poured a cooling flush of water on his face, soaking his hair and beard, cursing his luck that this woman, to whom he had grown so close, had pledged her life to God.
"Joseph, would this task not be easier with the use of your mutant gift?"
"Sister, something in your voice makes me believe that is true."
"It is indeed a gift, Joseph." Sister Maria dropped the water pail and spun around with her arms open wide, before coming to a stop and looking Joseph in the eyes. "Since your arrival here, you have built us a new home, the fields grow more produce than ever, and what would we have done without your powers when the well ran dry? It was that gift that allowed you to find us a fresh source of water."
Joseph heard his friend's words, but he wasn't truly listening; instead he was focusing his mind on the disruption in the local EM field. "Sister, I suggest you run. Someone might be coming to attack me."
"I will not abandon you to a threat, Joseph; I will remain by your side."
"No one needs to run, and I most definitely am not here for a fight." Brian stepped out into the field in front of Joseph and Sister Maria, his cowl pulled down to reveal his face, his arms held wide in a non-aggressive manner. "I just need to talk to Joseph."
The flare of his power signature came up around Joseph's body, and Captain Britain could feel the hairs on the back of his neck begin to stand on end from the static energy generated.
"I have nothing to discuss with you," Joseph said as he locked eyes with Brian. "I have no need to or desire to leave my home here." Joseph broke his gaze with Brian for just a moment to look at Sister Maria, before returning his eyes to Brian.
"You can't repair the last piece of the magnetic field can you?" Brian smiled slightly at Joseph's look of surprise. "That's the reason I'm here; the problem I have is what is stopping you from finishing up your work."
"Go on," Joseph coaxed, intrigued by what Captain Britain was saying. His magnetic force-field remained in place around Sister Maria and himself however, in case of treachery.
"The reason you can't make that final repair is because something is connecting our world to another alternate earth, and that something is eventually going to cause the demise of both worlds."
"What does this have to do with me?" Joseph quizzed. "Why do you not take care of this problem since you are aware of it? Why does it require me?"
"The person I work for, Roma, didn't tell me why you were needed for this mission, just that you were. She's kind of annoying like that," Brian sighed.
Joseph pressed his hands together and rested them under his nose, and he thought on Captain Britain 's words. He had no reason to distrust this man; indeed, the information he had read about Captain Britain during his time at the Xavier Institute had show him to be a man of honour and courage. It was also true that he could not finish his repair of the damage done to the Earth's magnetic field; he would close one fluctuation, only for another one to appear in another corner of the globe. If by helping Captain Britain and this Roma he could finally rid the world of the damage done by his ' father ,' it would be worthwhile.
"Very well, I agree to join you," Joseph stated.
"That's great news! I had expected this to turn into one of those hero ver--" Brian was cut off from speaking.
"There is one condition however, and that is: you make a sizable donation to this mission, so that they may continue to help the people of this area."
"Joseph, how dare you?" Sister Maria chastised. "This man came to you for help, and you try to blackmail him. You should be ashamed of yourself."
"But, Sister, all I want to do is make sure that you and the children are all cared for while I am gone."
"And its okay; this is exactly the kind of place my money should be helping. As soon as I get back to England , I'll be sure to arrange for supplies and financial aid to be sent out." Brian suppressed a small laugh; the Sister reminded him a lot of Meggan-both women were more than willing to slap a super-hero down when they needed it.
"Your help would be most appreciated, but please do not feel obligated to do so." Sister Maria turned from Brian to Joseph. "And be sure to return to us when this is done."
Joseph looked first at Sister Maria, then at Captain Britain , and finally at the portal that had reappeared behind him. "I would have liked time to bathe, but it looks as if I must leave straight away."
"I'm afraid so," Brian said as he pulled his cowl back over his face. "The quicker this thing is resolved, the better it will be for all of us." When he finished speaking, Captain Britain stepped backward and through the portal.
"Then let us leave," Joseph leant down slightly and kissed Maria on the cheek. "I will return as soon as I am able."
Sister Maria watched as Joseph stepped through the portal; only when it had closed did she shed a tear, "Oh, my dear Joseph, I fear, with this second time you leave us, you will never return." She wiped the tear from her eyes; a large smile grew on her face as she snatched up the water bucket and began to dream up the story of Joseph, the super-hero, she would tell the children.
***
"Now, this is certainly an improvement." Martinique Jason stood in front of one of the reflective wall panels in the conference room she and the others had been summoned to. It was grandiose, with orate marble carvings decorating its white stone walls, along with tapestries that told the history of Otherworld and the reflective panels, in which Martinique admired the figure-hugging black cat suit she had been given.
Her head turned to the door, a huge thing made of oak, and she saw Forge entered; when he saw she was alone in the room, he quickly checked that no one was about to enter and shut the door behind him.
"I never said anything in the diner because it wasn't the time, and I didn't want to say anything in front of the others." Forge walked down the two steps that led to the slightly sunken floor and walked around the carved marble table, taking a seat opposite where Martinique was standing. "I know you tried to kill Daredevil and the lawyer Franklin Nelson. I also know you were involved in the plan to kill Senator Kelly. While Brian and Roma may trust you to help on this, I don't."
Martinique took a seat. "Look, I didn't ask to come here. You heroes wanted my help. If this is the type of stuff I'm going to be getting, I'll leave."
"Then go. I will be much happier going into a unknown situation not wondering if I have to watch my own team-mates as well," Forge retorted, calling her bluff.
Martinique crossed her arms over her chest and stared at Forge. "I'm not going to go anywhere. If you heroes let murderous little psychos like Wolverine onto your teams, then I should be a shoe-in; after all despite my criminal past, I haven't actually killed anyone." She placed her elbows on the table and rested her chin in her hands. "Have you, Forge?" She smile sweetly at him, already knowing the answer-that he had previously sacrificed nine soldiers in the Vietnam War for a spell, as well as using the same spell to rob eight X-Men and Madelyne Pryor of their lives.
"That was a completely different situation, and you know it," Forge barked back, knowing to what Martinique referred. "If I hadn't taken their lives, the Adversary would have taken over the Earth. It was a completely.different.thing.," Forge's words trailed off as he finished speaking, and Martinique 's smile broadened even further.
***
After a short while spent in an uncomfortable silence, Martinique and Forge were joined by the others, including Joseph, who had been able to use the washroom facilities and the barber of the royal palace.
No one could be sure when Roma appeared. She was just suddenly there.
"I would like to thank you all for coming. I know it was not the most conventional means of soliciting your aid, but it was the quickest, so to begin, I apologize." Roma looked around at the hastily assembled team, making eye contact with each of them before continuing her speech. "The image that you can see above the centre of the table is a representation of what is occurring in an artificial void that had been created between the dimension of your birth and a unknown other."
"I thought it was impossible for your vision into other realities to be blocked," Rachel stated.
"It should be," Roma sighed. "Which is why this is extremely frustrating for me, even more so when I must go outside the Captain Britain Corps for aid."
"I do not understand why that is so," Joseph said.
"Because the influx of matter from any dimension except that which the void bridges could cause a cataclysmic implosion of both realities," Forge was speaking mostly to himself, but the answer had just come to him as he was observing the holographic display of the worlds.
"Your knowledge is indeed great, Maker, and unfortunately accurate. This small group is all we dare risk sending, and we can chance no further delay. You must all leave immediately."
"If your power is so great, how come you don't come along and lend a hand?" Martinique asked as she rose to her feet.
"I must remain here in case you fail. If you do, it will take the combined skills of the Omniversal Majestrix and me to make sure the collapse of two realities does not cause the surrounding dimensions to suffer as well."
Roma turned to face away from the group and focused to create a portal to the void. "The transit through this portal will be rougher than your previous journeys. It has been significantly de-powered to minimise disruption to the voids interfaces with the realties." She turned back to face the group. "I trust the uniforms supplied to you who needed them are suitable."
"Best outfit I've ever worn; fits like a second skin." Martinique put her hands behind her head and stretched, pushing her chest out.
"I'm married and she's evil, I'm married and she's evil, I'm married and she's evil.," Brian repeated over in his head.
"My uniform is also suitable, but I'm not too fond of the colour scheme chosen." Joseph's uniform was modelled on the standard X-Men uniform, but with the yellow and blue replaced with purple and dark red, respectively.
"Okay, team, let's get out of here and get the job finished before my wife kills me." Captain Britain walked up to the portal, and the others quickly joined him.
"So what are we going to call ourselves? We can hardly go into a fight with a name," Rachel notef as she edged Martinique out of the way to stand next to Brian.
"How about Excalibur?" Brian smiled as he took a step into the portal.
***
"Man, I know she said it was going to be rough, but I didn't expect it to be that bad," Martinique held her stomach and groaned.
"Just be thankful you're not that guy." Rachel pointed toward a figure in the distance around whom reality seemed to warp.
"Rachel, snag our non-flying members in a T.K. field, and let's get over there. This job has to be finished quickly." Brian took into the air and flew toward the reality warp, Joseph and Sunfire following swiftly behind him. Rachel took Forge and Martinique in her mental grip and carried them along with her
The flight took longer than any of them expected. Without any landmarks it was impossible to tell how far they had travelled, but when they arrived.
"That is Mikhail Rasputin," Martinique gasped in surprise as she saw the unconscious man suspended in the air by the twisted strands of reality.
"How do you know that?" Rachel asked her.
"I have had access to Arcade 's files on super-heroes; you would be surprised by how comprehensive they are. They even include data on your families."
None of the others seemed overly happy by her revelation, but before any of them could comment, Brian spoke up. "Rachel, can you mind link with Mikhail and bring him around from the trance he seems to be in?"
"I can try, but I may need Martinique 's help."
"My help?" Martinique asked with surprise. "What can I do? I'm not even a full telepath."
"Well, from the expressions on his face, Mikhail seems to be pretty happy where he is. Your knack for finding and bringing out the nasty things from a person's mind might just be the jump he needs to come around."
"You say such sweet things to me." Martinique grinned. "Let's do it then, sweetie."
***
"This is unacceptable. UNEXCEPTABLE!" Someplace else, a man raged as he watched a view screen depict the events occurring in the void he had created. "I have waited too long to rid myself of the nuisance of that particular time period to be thwarted now."
The figure rose from his chair and walked to a control panel where, with some swift hand movements, an agent was sent to the void. "No one defies the will of.KANG!"
