Chapter 2
I stood aboard the Blackbird, watchin' out the cockpit
window over the head of Hank McCoy, better known as the Beast. "So
where we headin', Hank?"
"It's a tiny village, actually more of a recon station,
right at the bottom of Mt. Etna, Wolverine. Apparently, this
rapscallion calling himself Hephaetus, after the Greco-Roman god of
fire, is wreaking havoc on the scientists there. Guiseppe Dilano, who
was a friend of the professor's, contacted us as soon as he/she/it
attacked."
"He/she/it?"
"Yes, Logan. Apparently, this mutant appears to be just
a living flame, with no coherent shape or form. Cyclops, Joseph,
Rogue, Cannonball, Ororo, Bishop and Gambit; who, as you know were at
Muir Island at the time of the attack, are already on the scene. And
we should be there shortly as well."
Even as Hank spoke, I could see the approachin'
devastation below me. Fires burned everywhere--ya' couldn't look in
any direction without seeing a blaze somewhere. "What the hell is this
guy, Hank?"
A grimace came across Hank's face. "I don't know, Logan. I don't know."
The Blackbird set down 'bout five miles away from the
apparent epicenter of the attacks. "We'll have to walk from here," the
Beast explained. "It's too dangerous to get any closer with the
Blackbird."
"I can levitate everyone," Jean chimed in. "It would be faster."
McCoy returned, "Yes, but we wouldn't want you to strain yourself. Bobby, why don't you use
your iceslides to get as close as you can. That way, Jean will only have to carry Wolverine
and I."
"Sure thing," Bobby Drake, the Iceman, replied.
"Works for me, Hank," I said, "'cept for the part about
carryin' me. I'd prefer to stick to my own two feet. Besides, I can
get there just as fast."
"If that's what you prefer, Wolverine," Hank responded.
"Let's go, everyone!"
The run from the Blackbird to the scene of the action
wasn't much: I've run longer distances in my sleep. But the carnage I
faced was some of the worst I've ever scene, and, trust me, I've seen
a lot. Bodies everywhere . . . apparently Dilano hadn't called Hank
fast enough. Jeanie, Hank, and Drake had arrived just a head of me,
and were already in on the action.
Hephaetus was lit'rally what Hank said it'd be . . . a
towering eight-foot inferno. There wasn't any physical form to it.
Just a massive ball of flame. It reminded me a bit of Joseph's ole
force field, back when he was still Magneto. But ya couldn't see
anythin' inside: it appeared to be pure flame. But it sure didn't act
like it, though.
The rest of the team was in it deep. Cannonball, Ororo,
and the Cajun were already down; Rogue and Joseph were protecting the
few survivin' scientists; and Cyke and Bishop were takin' on
Hephaetus. Jeanie and Drake were already leapin' in to the fight,
while McCoy hustled over to where Gambit lay and started a quick field
examination.
The recon station had become a warzone. On one side was
me an' the rest of the team, an' on the other was this thing called
Hephaetus. But this was our jobs, to leap into battle at any
second--it's what we do. And, hey, I'm the best at what I do.
I leapt into the fray, just like I always do . . .
taking a leap at the flaming ball. I'd get to the heart of the matter,
right inside of that monstrous ball, no matter what it took.
But I never made it there.
Some kind of invisible force blocked my path, knocking
me to the ground. But it didn't catch me totally off guard--one thing
this job'll teach ya is to never let your guard down, no matter what.
I managed to land on my feet, and was up and runnin' immediately. I
glanced around trying to look for the source of whatever this shield
was. Nothing. I resorted to my other senses. Smell. Nothing but the
other X-Men and the charred smell of flesh. Hearing. Nothing but the
sound of battle around me. Wherever this force was comin' from, I
didn't know.
I tried to move again, but in another direction. Once
again, I slammed into another wall. I knew I was surrounded . . . and
slowly but surely, the walls were closin' in on me. And the air began
to thin. The oxygen supply was being cut off too. That was my last
thought, 'fore everything went black.
[ 1 | 2 | 3 ]
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©Copyright by Alan Quan. This printed article is ©copyrighted
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