AUG 2002 - #19

When Weapon X attacks . . . Part Four: Killing Field by Paul Hahn

"Good," David said. He pulled the trigger. The bullet shot off through the silencer and hit the target. "Let's get outta here."

The chopper swung in low and fast.

"It's a simple mission," said the lead operative of Weapon X. His name was Lucas Bishop. He was a mysterious man with an M tattoo over one eye. He had the ability to absorb and rechannel different forms of energy.

"That's what you always say," Neurotap frowned. Her real name was Michelle Balters. Her powers were psionic in nature, allowing her to take control of someone else's mind, gather information from them, or send an intense psychic shock through their nervous system.

Bishop frowned. "It's a small complex funded by Department H," he continued.

"Department H?" asked Audrey Spears. Her code-name was Daze, and she was able to absorb light and rechannel it as hard energy. "They're the government. They fund Alpha Flight."

"They do," Bishop answered. "And Weapon X is what led to Department H and the formation of Alpha Flight. But in recent years, well, the two divisions have fallen from each other. Mister Strong says Weapon X may lose funding if Alpha's success continues. So we're going to give them a setback."

"Whatever," Tabitha Smith said as she popped a pink bubble of gum. Her code-name was Meltdown, and she could create and control time-bombs. "So long as I get to blow stuff up."

Everyone on the team wore black leather jumpsuits and black glasses. They carried no weapons; no identification; no way of tracing them. They were black ops, all the way. Living weapons.

"We land, we cause as much damage as possible, and we move out," Bishop concluded. "Any questions from our newest member?"

"New? I was here way before any o' you kids, bub."

"Good," Bishop said. "Then we shouldn't expect any problems from you . . . Wolverine?"

"Not so long as you kids do your jobs," the man named Logan replied. "Those Alpha suckers are gonna wish they never heard the name o' Weapon X."

"We're coming up on it," the Chopper's co-pilot said. "Cloak's operating at one hundred percent. Preparing to launch opening missile salvo."

"Do it," Bishop nodded.

The military helicopter launched a pair of missiles at the small, three-story building. They impacted head on, causing a massive amount of destruction to the West face. The chopper sped forward, slowing just long enough for the five mutants in black to jump out and land on the soft grass.

"Look," Neurotap pointed.

A group of ground troops armed with rifles were running out from the building.

"Meltdown, Daze," Bishop said.

"Gotcha, chief," Meltdown said. She created a half dozen medium-sized orbs that emitted an orange glow. Controlling them telekinetically, she hurled them at the oncoming soldiers. "Three . . . two . . . one . . . "

The bombs exploded, taking out some soldiers while knocking others around. Daze turned her right and left hands into guns, using her thumbs and index fingers. From them she fired blasts of solid light energy, knocking down other troops.

Bishop fired energy from both of his fists, tearing into the rest of the soldiers still standing. He looked up to see the chopper providing cover fire from its machine-gun turrets.

"Wolverine, Neurotap," he called, "you're on!"

Wolverine popped his claws and charged forward. Michelle stuck close behind him as they got closer to the building.

"Gotta find the director," Neurotap said. "Drain some brain."

"You do the locatin' and drainin'," Logan frowned. "I'll keep these bozo's offa ya."

"Freeze!" a troop yelled, aiming his gun and Wolverine.

Logan charged forward. The man managed to fire off a pair of shots before Wolverine dug his claws into the him. Logan's healing factor began to instantly repair the wounds.

"This way," Balters yelled, signaling Logan after her.

As the two charged up a staircase inside, the other three outside continued to deal with more troops charging at them.

"Too easy," Meltdown said as kept sending off time-bombs to deal with opponents.

"Watch out!" Daze exclaimed. "Automated defenses!"

Bishop turned in time to see a gun turret pop out of the ground. It hit him head on with a laser beam, knocking him off his feet. But Lucas just smiled, rechanneled the energy and sent it right back at the gun one-hundred fold!

Daze turned and used her powers to take out another turret. "This was a stupid idea . . . we all know I'm totally less powerful at night . . . and we're attacking at night!"

"'Least it's not raining," Bishop said, taking down another turret.

She frowned. "Those two better hurry up inside."

"They'll get the job done," Bishop said. "Help Meltdown with that squad of troops over there."

Logan's claws tore through another pair of soldiers and Neurotap mind-fried a third.

"He's through this door," Neurotap said, motioning towards a door.

Logan used his claws to tear it apart. Two guards on the inside instantly started shooting at him, but he didn't falter. He took down one with ease, and used his gun to take out the second.

The director raised a gun in horror.

"Who . . . who are you?" he asked. He looked to be in his mid-fifties.

"Weapon X," Neurotap replied. "Now, be quiet."

Her eyes went a dark pink as she did a complete mind-scan and download of nearly everything the nameless director knew. It was over in a matter of seconds. She then flash-fried his brain.

"Piece o' cake," she said with a wicked grin.

"Now let's go," Wolverine frowned, turning back towards the door. The hallway was filling with armed men. Logan turned back towards Michelle. "Change o' plans . . . "

"What?" she asked as Logan grabbed her by the arm.

"You might wanna give a little prayer," Logan said. Forcing her to run forward, the two of them crashed through the large window at the back of the room. They both fell down from the third floor to the ground, with glass landing all around them. Logan positioned his body to land underneath her in order to break her fall.

Michelle screamed in pain upon landing. Logan had broken most of the fall, but the impact still hurt her, and the shards of glass cut into her through the leather jumpsuit.

"Gotta move, girlie," Logan said. He knew that, any second, those troops would be at the window, firing down on them.

It was then that the chopper swung around, lowered itself to the window and opened fire with its machine-gun turrets again, tearing into the Department troops.

Logan picked up Michelle and ran back towards the others.

"Status?" Bishop asked.

"Mission accomplished," Logan yelled back. "She should live. Here."

He handed Michelle off. He turned to the others.

"Down!" he yelled to Daze. He tackled the girl, knocking her out of the way of another automated gun turret.

She rolled with the tackle and fired light energy from both hands, taking it out.

"You saved my life," she said.

"Teammates watch each other's backs," Logan said.

"Huh," Daze said. "Makes sense . . . but no one in this Weapon X has ever looked out for anyone else like that before."

"No one in the old Weapon X did either," Logan replied. "Wonder where I learned anything about teamwork . . . "

"Move it, people," Bishop said. "Chopper's swingin' by low, let's get on board. Meltdown's positioning some last time bombs, and then we're all going."

The chopper lowered, and soon everyone was onboard.

"Firing closing volley," the co-pilot said.

Two more missiles fired from the chopper, tearing apart the rest of the building. Most of it collapsed upon itself.

Meltdown then mentally controlled her time-bombs, calling for them to move in low to the ground and by the base. She then detonated them with a huge force, knocking down the rest of the building and burning apart a big piece of the basement.

The chopper let off two more volleys into the ground, being sure to decimate anyone and anything in the basement of the complex. It then took up slightly higher and poured on the speed, heading back to the Weapon X home base, just east of Salluit, Quebec.

"That &@#$ing maniac," Michelle said. "Threw me through the *@#$ing window!"

"It was either that or see how many bullets you could dodge," Wolverine frowned. "I chose the one that was the safest option. And you're alive to bitch about it, ain't'cha?"

"And then he saved my life," Audrey replied. "So shove it."

"All of you, quiet," Bishop frowned. "We'll be back at base shortly. We'll get Michelle medical treatment and then conduct a debriefing. But I believe Mister Strong will be more than pleased with our work here today."

"Better be," Meltdown said. "And then he better send us on more missions like this. I like blowin' stuff up."

Logan shook his head. "Kids these days . . . "

The X-Jet had been flying for a decent amount of time, scanning the Canadian airways and ground, looking for any sign of Wolverine.

Inside it were four members of the Uncanny X-Men:

Clark Kent, Superman: Faster than a speeding bullet, able to leap buildings with a single bound, bend steel with his bare hands . . . and lots of other tricks, he was the leader of the team.

Jean Grey: A telepath and telekinetic of incredible power.

Hank McCoy, the Beast: A genius with a body that made him extra strong and incredibly agile.

Bobby Drake, Iceman: Able to control temperature and moisture, with the main function of creating and controlling ice. He could even cover his body in ice.

Warren Worthington III, a.k.a. Angel, was at home recovering from injuries. And Logan, the final member of the team was missing, thus the reason for their search.

"You do know that he's probably fine," Clark said. "He said he had private business to take care of . . . "

"I know he did," Jean sighed. "But I can't help being a little worried. And besides that, we all needed some time away from the mansion after what happened with the Morlocks."

"I'll agree with that," Bobby frowned. "I never thought I'd say this, after what we saw in those tunnels, but I'm itchin' for some action. Y'know, just something to do?"

"Hmm," Hank pondered loudly.

"What is it?" Clark asked.

"Take a look at this," Hank said, pointing to a computer screen. "Seems a Department H military complex was totally decimated last night by unknown assailants, who may have been mutants."

"Mutants?" Jean asked with surprise.

"They're got absolutely no leads, however," Hank paused. "However, with the advanced equipment we have on this jet, we may be able to track whatever vehicle they traveled in back to its source."

"Is Logan involved?" Jean asked.

"There's no way of knowing," Hank shrugged. "But we are supposed to be heroes, of the mutant variety. If this is a cell of mutant terrorists, like the Brotherhood . . . ?"

"Then it's our responsibility to look into it," Clark nodded. "Alright . . . Hank, get to work on that. We'll get to the bottom of it."