EARLY FEB 2002 - #29

Part V: Bloody Sunday by Paul Hahn with excerpts from Uncanny X-Men #350 by Steve Seagle

Arrowette had already been taken out of the fight, blinded by a strobe blast from Dazzler. The Red Tornado and she worked as medics back at YJ's base of operations, an abandoned resort near the Catskill Mountains. It was Impulse's job to cart back wounded Morlocks for treatment. He was doing a good job, too.

But then he came upon someone new . . .

"God help me . . . I'm the man responsible for this massacre!" he exclaimed. He was bleeding badly, and was injured. He had blue skin and clutched a young girl in his arms. Near him slithered two, metallic, maggots.

"You're the Marauder's boss?" Impulse exclaimed.

"No!" the man exclaimed, then coughed up blood. "No . . . "

"I'm confused."

"I'll explain . . . s'best I can," he said. "My name's Maggott, by the way. And my tale starts in Pittsburgh . . . " he coughed. "I was a member of Magneto's Brotherhood of Mutants . . . but after a fight with the X-Men, he was killed . . . and I, figurin' there was no reason t'stay, bolted."

[[Following the events of X-Men Secret Files #1 - Paul]]

"I was alone . . . an' kinda scared. I needed work . . . something, anything. I learned of a guy who was looking for mutants for some jobs. I got an interview . . . started doin' some work. Then the guy told me he had only one more job to me. I was supposed ta find the Morlock Tunnels, map 'em out, and watch the people inside. At the time, I didn't know what he was talking about . . . but I did it. For weeks, I was in the tunnels."

[[And that he was . . . didja spot him in issues of YJ and X-Men? - Paul]]

"Then he told me that he had a group of people . . . more mutants that I was supposed to lead into the tunnels. I was to show 'em in . . . tell them about the people . . . and then I should leave the east coast."

Impulse listened to the tale, a dumb look on his face.

"I led 'em into the tunnels . . . I was scared then. The people I was leadin' . . . they were big, they were scary, they were mean . . . they were dangerous. I knew something bad was going to happen. I watched as it started . . . there was so much blood . . . I . . . I was horrified! I tried to stop them . . . Rapture slashed me across my gut with her sword. I didn't know . . . I thought it might be something illegal . . . I didn't know it would be something so awful! Didn't take me long to realize I couldn't stop them . . . I was hurting, bad . . . still am. All I managed to do was grab this girl . . . and run. I made it this far . . . collapsed for awhile. Heard you . . . my god, it's all my fault."

"Umm . . . " Bart said. "I didn't really understand what you said."

" . . . Bollocks," Maggott frowned. "Listen . . . take this girl . . . get her to safety! Then get someone else to me who will understand! I know . . . I know who's responsible for this . . . I know where he is . . . and I know that he needs to be stopped."

"Okay," Bart shrugged, picking up the small girl. "I'll be back!"

Impulse burst off towards YJ's HQ. Maggot clutched his mid-section. He looked to his metal slugs. "No worries, girls . . . daddy's . . . daddy's gonna be okay . . . somehow . . . "

The remainder of Young Justice had broken up into two groups. Superboy, Firebird, and the mysterious Rebel went in search of survivors. Nightwing, Wonder Girl, Jade and Jolt went off to find and stop the Marauders.

"Keep alert," Nightwing said.

"Of course," Jolt nodded.

"Hold on, I . . . I think I'm gonna . . . " Jade started. She turned and threw up. "Oh . . . I'm . . . I'm sorry . . . it's the smell. All the . . . the death . . . "

"It's okay," Nightwing said. "None of us have ever encountered anything like this before. God, I never even imagined encountering anything like this . . . "

"We need to find these Marauders," Wonder Girl said. "Make them pay for what they've done."

"I'm wondering if I'm doing the right thing," Nightwing frowned. "By not calling the Avengers League or anyone else . . . this is a major situation. We'll probably need help."

"Maybe," Jolt said. "But we do deserve the chance to prove ourselves."

"Yeah, but this is . . . it's too much," Jade said. "Who could've done this so willingly?"

"Simple," the voice of Dazzler said. She stood with Chaos, Rapture and Landslide behind her. "Us."

A telekinetic pulse from Firebird sent the Grey King back a few feet.

"You'll have to do far better than that," the King said. "Not only am I a telepath of the highest order . . . but I can siphon off the powers of others, leaving me stronger and them defenseless!"

"Big woop," Superboy said. "We'll take you down!"

"Not a chance!" Fatale said, punching at Superboy. Kon-El blocked the blow with his photonic 'S' shield. It absorbed the kinetic energy, and Superboy swung the shield at her as hard as he could.

Rebel followed up the attack with a kick quick to Fatale's spine.

The Grey King began dampening off Firebird's powers. Her super strength and invulnerability began to fade.

I don't understand it . . . I can feel myself getting physically weaker . . . but I can sense my . . . telepathy . . . growing stronger! I can fight him back!

"Umph!" Grey King said, surprised by the sudden psychic assault. "Very nice, birdie . . . but you'll need a lot more than that!"

"I'm sure I've got it!" Linda replied, pressing her attack forward.

Rebel pressed the attack against Fatale. She did not speak; she couldn't, as far as anyone knew. But her ability to read moves before they were made gave her an excellent advantage in the fight. Superboy, on occasion, was able to get in a quick blow or two.

"Backoff!" Fatale exclaimed. She released a small burst of bio-energy, knocking both heroes back.

Linda's thoughts wavered a moment, showing concern for Kon. Grey King took advantage and sucker-punched Firebird across the face.

"Fool," he said. "Now I'll drain Superboy's powers!"

"Oh, great," Superboy said as he felt his powers being drained even more than they already had. It's bad enough my clone has most of my power . . . now this guy's gonna take the ones Graviton gave me?

"And without your powers to protect you . . . " Fatale grinned, "You can die!"

She morphed her fist into a blade and plunged it into Superboy's gut. It broke through his tactile telekinetic field and drew blood.

"Urk!" Superboy exclaimed. Pain . . . I . . . bleeding . . . never . . . bleed . . . ed . . .

"Noooo!!!" Firebird yelled. Her wings appeared bigger and brighter than before. The fiery figure of a bird formed around her. Phoenix had returned. And with it, a psionic assault to such a high degree that it fried every synapse in the brains of the Grey King and Fatale. They were left as nothing more than vegetables. And, as quickly as she had flared up, Linda calmed down again. This time, however, she did not faint. She rushed to Superboy. "Kon!"

He was unconscious.

"Hey!" Impulse exclaimed as he appeared through a wall. "Whoa, what happened to Superboy?"

"Get him back to the med-lab!" Firebird screamed.

"Okay . . . but wait here!" Impulse said. He grabbed Kon and bolted back. Man, Kon . . . I've never seen him hurt before . . . I . . . I hope he'll be okay . . .

Literally moments later, Bart returned to Firebird and Rebel, carrying Maggot back with him. "Kon's in good hands, Linda . . . and I know you're upset, but this is big!"

"Who is this?" she asked, biting back the tears. This time she remembered turning into Phoenix . . . she could feel its persona in the back of her mind, reigning in her emotions.

"His name's Maggott," Impulse said. "And he knows who's behind the Marauders!"

"Yeah, I . . . " Maggott started. His gaze met Rebel's, and his eyes went wide. "I . . . " he turned away. "Yeah. I know where his base is. I can lead you there . . . we can stop him."

"But . . . we can't leave the others," Linda said.

"The Marauders need to be stopped," Bart said. "Chuck and the others can do it. We need to stop their boss!"

"The kid's right," Maggott said. "Please . . . "

"Alright," Linda said. "This okay by you, Rebel?"

The girl nodded.

"Okay," Linda said again. "Bart, carry him . . . listen to his directions. I'll carry Rebel . . . we'll be right behind you."

Bart nodded.

Linda picked up Rebel. "Let's find the bastard responsible for this . . . "

"Duh!" Wonder Girl exclaimed, slamming a punch into Landslide as her body turned into ionic form.

"It's four on four," Jade said. "We can take 'em."

"You can take no one," Rapture said, pulling a sword and approaching Jade.

"A sword, eh?" she asked. With but a thought, she formed a green sword of her own. "Bring it, wings!"

Jolt dodged a solid-light blast from Dazzler with ease. She was super fast with her reflexes, and amazingly agile. Dazzler's aim wasn't perfect, and her firing was too slow to nail her.

"Jade, careful," Nightwing said, dodging a punch from Chaos. "Don't use a sword against her, it's a weapon she's apparently been trained in . . . use your powers and put her d--umph!"

Chuck was caught by surprise as Chaos unleashed a powerful energy blast from his left eye. If not for the body armor he wore with his costume, he might have been killed then and there. As it was, he was knocked onto his back, slightly dizzy.

"Jerks!" Wonder Girl said, slamming another punch into Landslide.

"You ain't gonna hurt me, girly," Landslide said, punching her back. "But I'll hurt you . . . kill you good!"

"Umph!" Jade said, blocking Rapture's sword with her own. "You're pretty strong."

"You're weak," Rapture retorted. "My blade shall cleanse you . . . and send you either to heaven or hell, depending on how you have lived your life."

"Keep dreaming," Jade said, creating a green shield across her left arm for extra protection.

"You don't stand a chance, heroes," Dazzler said. "We'll kill you . . . and then we'll continue on our mission, slaughtering not only every Morlock--but every mutant alive as well!"

"No!" Jade exclaimed. "You'll never get to Sam!"

"You'll never get past us!" Jolt said, planting an electro-shock punch into Dazzler's chest. Dazzler screeched in pain.

"Enough," Rapture said. She began swinging her sword harder and faster. "You cannot stand in our way." The swords clanged. "You are worthless." Contact. "You are pathetic." Again. Harder. "Wannabe heroes and sidekicks." And again. "Foolish children foolishly chasing some noble cause." Jade's sword shattered. She tripped, falling onto her back. "But you . . . " The sword hit the shield. "You . . . " Again. "You are . . . " And again. "Absolutely . . . " It cracks. "Positively . . . " Cracks more. "Worthless!"

Jade's shield shattered. Her eyes widened as Rapture raised the sword above her head.

"And I am doing you a favor." Rapture brought the sword down into Jade's chest with such ease one would think she had done it all her life.

"N . . . no!" Nightwing gasped, suddenly unable to find the air to make words. "NO!"

"Yes," Chaos exclaimed. He turned to Wonder Girl and hit her with a blast. He continued pouring on the energy, enveloping her.

"I'm . . . I'm absorbing it . . . " Cassie said. "But it's . . . too much . . . my god . . . so . . . much..!!"

Wonder Girl blew up. The force sent the Marauders flying one way, and the remaining two YJers back the other. It also caused a large portion of the tunnel to collapse in on itself, sealing the two groups off from each other. Moments later, it was dark and still.

Nightwing and Jolt stirred from beneath the rubble.

"No . . . " was all Chuck could say at first. He was in shock. "Jenn? Cassie? Cassie?!?"

"She . . . she's dead," Hallie said. The tears were welling in her eyes. "They both are . . . "

"No . . . "

"Friend-Robin?"

"Eh?" Nightwing turned.

"It is Caliban!" a Morlock said. "Caliban has . . . some Morlock-Friends with him . . . we are escaping from Marauders. We are lost. Scared. Artie and Leech are children . . . so scared . . . "

"I . . . I . . . " Nightwing started.

"Chuck, we've got . . . we've got to pull it together," Hallie said. "We need to get them out of here . . . to safety. The Marauders could be digging through the rubble right now . . . we need . . . we need to keep moving!"

Chuck nodded, standing slowly. "I . . . you're right. We don't . . . don't have time to mourn. All right, Caliban . . . let's move."

"Friend-Robin . . . will get Caliban to safety?"

"Yeah . . . " Nightwing said. "Everything . . . everything's going to be okay . . . "