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JUDGEMENT written by Richard 'Kurogo' Palmer
Warning: This Fan-fiction deals with mature matters such as substance abuse, profanity and violence.
Cavalry walked into the dimmed hallway with the White Queen. Emma couldn't see much but she recognized Leveque and Anthony among the military personnel. She said nothing, and for the first time in her life didn't try to use her powers as a means to escape. Leveque had seen to it that she couldn't. The high tech collar around her neck was also probably booby-trapped to react on any sort of aggression.
"Ms. Frost, how good of you to join us." Leveque smiled. He wasn't wearing his usual black suit; instead he was outfitted in a white bodysuit with blue markings and a long black robe of some kind. "Ms. Frost consider yourself lucky, you are to be a witness to a new era. And a fulfillment of a dream. A shared dream. Although Xavier himself may disagree, he and I are not that different…"
"You're nothing like Xavier." Emma replied, her voice dripping with venom, "Xavier wouldn't attempt to mind control the entire world to see his dream realized."
Leveque Laughed, "Of course not, Xavier is one of those who still believes in the system." Leveque's voice grew solemn, "That's where I went wrong. I'm not a man without my faults, Emma. Other's may fight for the dream without compromising their moral integrity, but I take the greatest strides in maintaining things, Emma, like control." He began to walk down the darkened hallway, Calvary pressed the gun into Emma's back forcing her to move forward with him, "Human's fear change and many mutants are simply too power hungry to accept there role as equals. Even a forced reasoning into their psyche to accept things as they are will need to be maintained for years to come. I'm simply doing what is necessary."
"There is nothing nece…"
"My dear Emma Frost do you have any idea the horrors that exist in this world?!" Canon raged as he turned back to her, "There is a war going on out there! A World War! And this is not a war that can be won by who has the most power, physical or political, it is cannot be won by who has the most weapons, it can only be one by those who control the information, what we think, Emma." He smiled, "And I'm about to end this war."
"And what about those on you're extermination lists?"
"Potential rebels and Glitches in the system, they would disrupt the Utopia." Leveque said as he turned down the hall again.
"It's that sort of thinking that makes us hated, Leveque!"
"Hate breeds hate, Emma!" Canon said as he stepped into a larger darkened room; "I lost more than most could bear to lose in my life for the sake of a dream, my wife, my daughter, and eventually my humanity. But still I work towards the dream even though my actions make me condemned by both sides in the battle. But not for much longer, soon there is only one side, the Utopia project. And despite what you may think this is not the entirely dehumanizing project you make it out to be. Every man woman and child will be left with their freedom to choose. They will just be incapable of making that decision of racial hatred, no more senseless bigotry and genocide."
"And naturally no one will have the ability to defy you." Emma responded.
Leveque smiled, "If you have a gift, use it to the absolute best of your ability." Leveque turned around into the darkened room, "That is exactly what this entire operation is founded on, expanding my abilities to make me undeniable and rid the world of the atrocity's that destroyed the man I once was. The long awaited catalyst of the new era for mankind and mutantkind alike. Eloise!"
With that, the lights turned on and the machine started up. Generators hummed to life and computer terminal's turned on, the operators ready to do their job and fulfil their role. The room was set up in a giant circular pattern with large walls of hardware stationed around a large cylinder of three-foot thick bulletproof glass. Surrounding the entire complex were several steel structures curving over the main room. Presumably a satellite transmission antennae of some sort.. "Beautiful isn't she? The machine to alter humanity was never to be built in Genosha, that was merely a ploy set in motion to distract the more able rebels to my cause. The machine to shed the light onto closed eyes… named after my daughter." Canon stopped. "She never had a chance, Emma, to know what peace meant." Leveque stepped into he cylinder and placed the equipment on his head, "Pure and simple Emma I will reshape this decrepit world into what it should have been. And there is no one who could dare stop me."
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"North East Three," Kevin said as he peered through a pair of binoculars.
Paige checked the printout of the blueprints they'd made after they made their discovery only eight hours ago. "Um, that one's no good. It's a toxic gas vent."
They were able to pilot a plane here to this remote island in the Mediterranean to try and stop Canon. For all they knew they might be the only one's aside from Canon's group that knew the true location of the Machine. Kevin scanned the side of the construct again looking for any signs of entry. "North East Six."
"That's a heating duct." Paige reported. Kevin looked at her. "It'll lead straight to a furnace." Kevin turned back to the binoculars.
"This is all kinda pointless anyway you guys." Jubilee said as she popped her bubblegum. "The X-Men ought to show up any minute to take care of this."
"I doubt it." Kevin said.
"What?" Jubilee questioned him.
"I know the man. I know how he works. He's probably got a fake machine down in Genosha that is under real military guard." Kevin adjusted the binoculars; "It'll look real down to the patsy taking his place. North West Two."
"So this is it," Jubilee responded, "we're really alone on this one."
"It's not that bad is it? We're just gonna die is all." Kevin smirked.
"That one may work," Paige said, "It's a drainage pipe, it seems to connect to most of the military accommodation facilities. Kevin, you may think it's funny but the rest of us are a little scared. We don't come back to life after all."
"I'm not asking you to be here," Kevin said, "I'll go it alone. Hell there's no way I could ask any of you to join me."
"Don't give us the deranged Martyr bit Kevin," Monet responded, "It's almost as annoying as Jubilee's constant reminder that she was once an X-Man."
Kevin lit a cigarette, "Hey, I resent that remark Money! It's ten times more annoying and you damn well know it!"
"At Any rate, this is what we've been training for, isn't it?" Husk said, "Kevin's pointed it out pretty well, the X-Men can't be everywhere." She looked at Kevin, "I think we're all in."
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Banshee continued his sonic scream, he had stopped checking to see if he was making any progress with the window, every time he headed to that area of his cell he felt like it was about to plummet into the ocean. He just had to hope that that wall would give way before the whole cell did. Suddenly the ground shifted. Sean stopped, this wasn't good. He grabbed onto the bars to the cell door as the whole cell seemed to angle to the ocean below. He heard a creaking noise, like bending metal. Looking up at the ceiling he realized it was the cell breaking away from the main complex. Banshee held his breath; waiting for what he was sure was coming next.
Finally the cell ripped of from the complex it was attached to, only being held on by a thin sheet of metal. Banshee slammed into the window as the cell dangled over the cliff. He looked up to see that when the cell had ripped from it's foundation two or three of the bars had been taken off the cell door. Banshee used his powers to fly up to the door to see if he could wedge his way through, unfortunately, that extra bit of force ripped the cell entirely from the complex. It now plummeted into the ocean.
Banshee struggled in between the bars. Trying to fit through before he hit the water below. Finally he burst out of the cell's opening, just seconds before the cell hit the water and sank into the ocean. Banshee took a second to catch his breath and then flew off towards the complex.
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Christina led them through the tunnels using her enhanced senses to make sure they weren't ambushed. Kevin and Paige followed close behind, Paige carrying the computer printout of the map. This might have been the most tension built point of these teens lives, except that Jubilee had picked this time to ask Kevin about his numerous deaths. "Car Crash?"
"Done it."
"Acid or toxic waste?"
"Done it."
"Over fifty foot fall?"
"Done it."
Spontaneous combustion?"
"Not yet Jubes, but I'm working on it." Kevin grinned.
"Here we are." Paige interrupted as she pointed to a grating above, "This leads to the shower room in their military bunker, from here we can get into the main building."
Kevin climbed up and pushed the grating aside slightly. He looked around. The place seemed deserted. Kevin hopped back down into the drainage tunnels. "Okay, game plan." Kevin announced. "I'm going into the air vent's to get to this spot here." Kevin pointed on the map. "This seems to be a large surge protector of some kind. If I get rid of that the whole thing should overload. Now the thing is going to be pretty heavily guarded so I'd like Money and Ev to come with. Paige, you'll lead the frontal assault. If we screw up, you cover our asses, and if you screw up we'll cover your asses."
"And if we both screw up?"
"Then we're both fucked." Kevin responded. He looked around and stopped when he was facing Christy, she was looking a little nervous. Kevin leaned forward and kissed her, "Don't worry kitty, nothing's going to happen. I promise I'm not going to leave you this time." he smiled.
Kevin climbed up out of the drainage grating and started to head down the hallway.
"How about this Kevin?" Jubilee asked.
"What?"
"Dyin' to save the world?"
"Hell Jubes, that's a new one on me."
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Emma sighed, she couldn't just stand here and watch this, "Leveque, I'm sorry for your loss, I truly am… But that does not give you the right to corrupt the world to your view of perfection."
Canon chuckled, "My dear Emma, you are beginning to sound as closed minded as the Baselines you're trying to live amongst. It most certainly gives me the right. My loss opened my eyes to the possibilities, possibilities of countless losses, much like my own, until the mutant race withers and dies from humankind's antipathy."
The last technician gave the thumbs up and the machine began to hum and glow with Erie intensity. "This is not an option to be discussed. It is not a case of overkill. It is what humanity has driven us to." Leveque threw his head back and concentrated. Even without her telepathic powers functioning Emma could feel his powers probing into her head.
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"Okay, Synch, M, this is it." Kevin said from inside the air vents, "Just be prepared, this is a blind attack run, just like at the end of 'Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid'." Kevin said as he pulled out two revolvers.
"Um, Kevin?" Synch started.
"Yes?"
"Didn't Butch and Sundance die at the end of that film?"
"Hey I never said it was a perfect plan; but we have one thing they didn't."
"And what's that?"
"A near invulnerable Chick like Money on our side."
"Seeing as how this is a suicide mission I'll ignore your chauvinism Dallas." Monet replied. "But he is right," Monet said as she turned to Everett, "All you have to do is Synch up with me."
"And how about you?" Synch said as he turned to Kevin.
Kevin clicked his revolvers shut, "Duck and weave!" Kevin smiled as he kicked the air vent's grating open. He shot out into the hallway and took out two of the guard on the terrace with the concussion rounds in the revolvers. Monet and Synch shot out after him, taking care of the ground opposition.
Kevin reached the Surge protection unit and bent down he pulled out makeshift explosive with an adhesive backing. Quickly he stuck the explosive to the Surge unit. Kevin backed up and pressed a button on a remote in his hand… nothing happened. Kevin shrugged, "To hell with the flash and bang." He muttered. He kicked open the access panel and grabbed a small device in the middle of the mechanics and wires. The electricity shot through Kevin's body as he yanked on the device. Finally ripping it out in a burst of sparks. He collapsed, "that… w…wasn't that… bad." He muttered.
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The guard took aim at the young Mutants below. The one with the psionic energy powers was causing quite a bit of havoc down on the first floor. He would have to be taken out first. Suddenly, something collided into him from behind. He dropped his energy weapon and it fell to the floor below. He looked up to see a young cat-girl balancing herself on the railing. She held a large boomerang. The guard pulled out a blade and swung at her a couple of times. Balam jumped, avoiding the blade and laded on the railing behind him. He turned around and just barely missed being hit by her boomerang. The guard jabbed at her again. Balam leapt and landed on his head. She grew by a couple of feet to add to the momentum and the man sailed off the balcony. Balam dashed off to deal with more of the guards.
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Canon Expression grew to one of Rage and a look of impending doom as sparks flew from the device on his head. He looked down a corridor to an old man in a gray bodysuit. Eon nodded his head. Then there was an explosion in the bulletproof chamber Canon was in, ash covered the glass.
Chamber watched the explosion occur in the center of the complex. Apparently Sequel's plan had been successful. Now it was just a matter of getting out alive. Another blade leapt out of the Shadows, giving Chamber little time to dodge. He was being attacked by a young lady who appeared to have complete control over the shadows, including the ability to make them living matter. Paige seemed to be winning over Kubrin, who was mainly blocking whatever blows she threw at him. She seemed to have gotten the upper hand already, whereas he was still struggling against his assailant. Chamber shot another burst of energy at Shroud, who used the shadows around her to block it. She was keeping her distance and paying careful attention. She wasn't going to be easy to beat.
Anthony recovered from the tackle attack Husk had use on him in her iron form. "I'm really not in the mood for this, young lady." Kubrin said as he moved around, "I'm not one for confrontation and I don't like to hit girls." Paige threw a punch and Anthony dodged, "But you're giving me very little choice." He threw a punch, and Paige took it. The blow looked to be very weak; barely enough to phase anybody, let alone an iron-bodied metamorph like Husk. The blow was a crushing one though and she hit the floor and slid to a halt at the adjacent wall. "My mutant power absorbs and collects kinetic energy, even from my just walkin' on the floor. Then it adds it to my own attack. Makes me a heavy hitter even when I don't intend it."
::I've been known to be a heavy hitter m'self:: came a Psionic voice from behind him. Kubrin turned to see Chamber, fully charged, sending a burst of psionic energy his way. The burst knocked Kubrin down. Another Shadow blade burst up in front of Chamber. He dodged nimbly. Kubrin Began to stand as Shroud attacked the team. Suddenly another armed guard fell from the balcony above and knocked Kubrin to the ground.
Jubilee jumped in front of Shroud, "That's an interesting power you have there." She Remarked as Shroud prepared to attack. "But you've got a problem with it."
"What's that?" Shroud Remarked.
"It's weakness is light… and that's my strength!" Jubilee fired off her pyrotechnics. Shroud looked around nervously, she had a moment to realize that the shadows were gone before Paige landed a right hook and rendered her unconscious. Before Husk could recover from her attack, however, she was hit from behind by Kubrin, who had just recovered himself.
Chamber dashed to Husk's aid, when a balding, bearded man in a gray bodysuit Stepped in front of him. Before Chamber could react the man split into four clones of himself, and as Chamber assessed the situation those clones split into several clones as well. "Oh, shit this is not good." Skin remarked as the clones closed in on them.
Kubrin had Husk in a Headlock punch maneuver, and she was finding it difficult to escape. Canon's men were trained well. Even without Equilibrium with them they were getting the upper hand on the group. Skin entangled Kubrin, hoping in the very least it would buy Husk some time to get away from the diminutive powerhouse. It did momentarily, until Kubrin knocked Skin away and tackled Husk again. He performed a German suplex on the metamorph and then stood up and prepared to finish the job. Suddenly, with a high pitched wail, Banshee flew into the fray and blasted Kubrin with his sonic scream. Kubrin slammed back into the wall. He stood to face Sean. "Leave the children be!" Cassidy said as he launched another scream at Kubrin. This one knocked Kubrin through the wall. As small chunks fell on Kubrin from the ceiling it was obvious that he was out cold.
Before Banshee could celebrate one of Cavalry's clones grabbed him in a chokehold. Chamber launched a burst of Psionic energy at the clone knocking him away from his teacher and the clone hit the floor and dissipated into the air around him.
"Keep steady, kids," Banshee advised, "They're nae hard ta take down, it's jus' the shear number o' them that's the problem."
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Monet was busy handling all the guards in her sector. As long as she and Synch stayed close together they wouldn't have much of a problem. The guards powerful energy weapon's only stung her momentarily. But Dallas on the other hand, he was pretty much just human. Monet didn't know if his 'Duck and weave' plan would work very long. In fact she hadn't seen him since the rushed into the corridor on their blind attack run. Suddenly Monet tripped over something. As she stood up she realized it Was Kevin. "Sequel!" she said astonished, he was in pretty bad shape, he was burned pretty much everywhere, and his hair was more frizzy than normal. Monet shook him to make sure he was alive. "Kevin, speak to me!"
"Now I… know what… microwave popcorn feels like." Kevin muttered. Monet smiled weakly as Synch approached.
"Kevin…" Synch started.
M turned to him, see if you can find the other's I'll see what I can do for him."
Synch nodded and dashed off.
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Skin attacked one of Cavalry's clones by extending his fingers around the man's torso and then reeling him into another one of Cavalry's duplicates. As the clones hit the ground they disappeared. Two more clones appeared behind him and grabbed his arms as another clone attacked from the front. Skin flipped out of the two clones' grip and kicked the third one in the jaw. As he landed he shouted, "these hombres are copying just as fast as we're takin' them out!"
Jubilee nodded in response to Skin's report as she blasted at the clones left and right. Finally the sheer number of them was just too much and they closed in on her, Skin Chamber, Husk and Banshee. They were soon swallowed up in a mass of Cavalry's duplicates.
Three Guards over in a corner kept watch over Emma Frost, ready to take on anything that approached them. Catching a momentary opportunity Emma kneed one of them in the gut and ran down a corridor. If she could find some way to get the collar off of her neck she could then retaliate. A small concussion grenade went off behind her and knocked her to the ground. The guards were closing in on her guns ready when Emma noticed a fourth figure towering over the guards. Before the guards knew what was happening two had been rendered unconscious as the third was held against the wall in a compromising hold by a fifteen foot tall Balam. With an astounding force she slammed the guard into the floor knocking him out as well. She searched the man's pockets until she found a small set of keys. Then she turned and walked toward her teacher.
"Thank you." The White Queen said as Balam disarmed her collar with the one of the keys, "Now…" Emma said as she focussed her attention to the battle going on in the main room. The army of Cavalry's clones screamed in pain as they all simultaneously disappeared. Cavalry was left alone, a look of shock on his face as he fell to the floor, unconscious.
Emma walked up to her students as the machinery of the Eloise machine continued to explode in random places throughout the complex. "Although I would have preferred you had tried to contact the X-men or another group to handle this situation, I have to admit You children did amazingly well." she looked around as Synch approached "Where's Kevin and Monet?" she asked. Before Synch could answer Balam dashed off towards a figure approaching through the smoke and dust emanating from the machine. Monet flew, carrying Kevin towards them. He was burned and his hair was standing on end. If he was still alive he had to be in unbelievable pain.
"Oh god!" Banshee said as he saw Kevin's battered body. In the back of his mind, just like many times before he worried that this was it. Kevin may just have used up his last life.
To be concluded…
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The legal stuff: The Characters from Generation X and the concept of Mutants and are a product of Marvel comics and it's employees and are used without permission. Christina Laine is based off of the Samurai Spirits character Cham-Cham, Beyond that she's a character of my own creation. Kevin Dallas, Canon, and his Emissaries are all characters of my own creation, all rights reserved.
"Would you like fries with you fan-fiction sir?"
