SEPT 2002 - #20

The big finale! Part Five: Showdown by Paul Hahn

It's here we find the base of operations to the secret facility called Weapon X. The Weapon X program is devoted to the creation of a mutant army, capable of dealing with any threat.

Unfortunately, the intentions of Martin Henry Strong, the program's current head, are far from noble.

Most mutants recruited to the program are brought against their will and forced into it. They're given mind-implants to ensure obedience. And then they're trained in the art of murder.

The original crew was this: Victor Creed, a.k.a. Sabretooth. David North, a.k.a. Maverick. Stone, or Random. John Wraith. Silver Fox. And Logan, or Wolverine. They were a rough bunch of mutants. Their minds were messed with, eliminating memories, implanting new, false ones, and each one was also given a chemical agent to drastically increase their life spans.

There wasn't much room for good times. Logan did find a loose friendship with David, and an intense romance with Fox. But he also found a terrible rivalry with Creed . . . which eventually resulted in Creed murdering Fox, then fleeing. After that point, Logan fled as well, soon followed by Maverick. Stone stayed for awhile before leaving on good terms, and Wraith is the current Assistant Director to the program.

The new crew was this: Lucas, or Bishop. Audrey Spears, a.k.a. Daze. Michelle Balters, a.k.a. Neurotap. Tabitha Smith, a.k.a. Meltdown. And once again, Logan, or Wolverine.

They hadn't been together for too long. But none of them got along, nor did they trust each other. And they were all working for some twisted personal agenda of Strong's.

And, due to implants in their heads, none of them had a choice in the matter, either. The only things they could remember were the false memories implanted in their brains.

Michelle was recovering from multiple minor injuries sustained during the raid on a Department H complex. The others had 'free time'.

"So . . . " Logan said. "Where d'you guys come from?"

"I was an orphan," Audrey said. "WX took care of me once my mutant powers emerged."

"Some trailer park in St. Louis," Tabitha said, chewing gum thoroughly. "Left my asshole of a dad to find some adventure."

"I don't know," Bishop answered. "Can't remember anything much besides being found and taken care of by the people here. I joined to pay them back for the great debt I owe."

"And you, Mister Logan?" Audrey asked.

"Me?" Logan started. "Well . . . " He's working in a mine somewhere. There's a detonation. He can't be more than sixteen.

Canadian wilderness. He's running. Barely conscious of it. Instincts in total control . . . can't think . . .

Pain. Intense pain. They're bonding Adamantium to his skeletal system. It's more than he can bear.

"I . . . " he struggled.

Vietnam. Mortars falling everywhere. He grabs hold of Fox's hand, they lock eyes . . . they run.

The cabin. Fox dead, on the ground, her head held up by Creed's grip on her long, black hair. The wicked grin . . .

Logan tells the general that it's over. He's quitting. He feels the stabbing pain shoot through his back.

"I . . . "

He's in Canada. On the run . . . someone . . . something . . . is after him. Guns. Military. They won't let him escape.

He's in a jeep. Old, rugged . . . stolen? He's going to America. Clear thoughts. Just . . . thinking. New York City . . . sees a fight . . . recognizes people like him. He . . . joins?

New York. A mansion. A man who can fly . . . one with angel wings . . . one covered in ice. And a redhead . . . so beautiful . . . they're . . . a team?

"Mister Logan?" Audrey asked, standing up. "Are you alright?!"

"I don't . . . " he started, shaking his head. "I'm not . . . sure . . . ?"

Suddenly, an alarm klaxon went off.

"What in the world?" Bishop asked, standing.

"Attention," the voice of Martin Henry Strong came over a loudspeaker. "There is an unidentified jet approaching at incredible speed. Registering four life signs aboard . . . at least three are mutants. Weapon X, prep for a go."

Meltdown grinned. "Action time."

The X-Jet was soaring at an incredible speed. Inside were four members of the Uncanny X-Men:

Clark Kent, team leader as Superman.

Jean Grey, the telepathic and telekinetic wonder.

Hank McCoy, the Beast.

Bobby Drake, Iceman.

They had gone into Canada on Jean's request that they search for their missing teammate Wolverine. While searching, they learned of a possible mutant terrorist organization that had destroyed a government facility. Realizing that it is their duty to protect the world from mutants who would use their powers for evil, the began a pursuit course.

"We're closing in on the location," Hank said.

"Alright," Clark replied. "I want scanners to full . . . be ready for anything."

"I've taken the liberty of alerting the local officials," Hank said. "Should this truly be a terrorist organization, we shall soon have back-up."

"I know you wanted us to find Logan, Jean, but--"

"No need for any explanation, Clark," Jean cut him off. "I'm not dumb. This is one of the main reasons the X-Men exist. We'll find Logan later."

"Whoa," Hank said.

"What?" Bobby asked.

"I just picked up a huge energy output just east of our current heading," he explained. "They were being cloaked from us . . . but I think they want our attention."

"Adjusting course," Clark said. "Hank, take the wheel. I'm gonna get ready to go out and take a look."

"They're activating automated weapons!" Hank exclaimed.

"I'm gone," Clark said. In a blinding flash, he jumped out the door to the jet and streaked into the air. Using his flight, super speed and super strength, he quickly smashed each automated gun, clearing an easy path for the jet. The 'S' symbol on his chest seemed to glisten in the sunlight reflected off the snowy white ground.

As the jet got closer, a part of the ground spread apart, showing an opening to an underground base. Iceman hopped out of the jet, using an ice slide to lower himself down to Superman. Jean carried herself down with telekinesis. Beast began to land the jet slowly.

"Be ready for anything," Superman said, tensed.

"Good plan," Bishop said as he climbed out of the opening. "Too bad it won't work."

Meltdown and Daze followed soon after.

"Bring it on," Bishop said.

Superman, deciding not to try the peaceful approach, shot a blast of his heat vision directly at Bishop, knocking him off his feet. Bishop stood back up quickly, breathing very heavily. His body seemed to pulse with energy.

"Never had this much energy before," Bishop said. "Now's when I give it back!"

He unleashed the total blow of the energy he had absorbed, hitting Clark with something a hundred times more powerful than he had shot. Superman went flying this time.

"Uh, if he can do that to Clark," Iceman said, "we're so out of our league."

"Only with that attitude," Jean said, using her telekinesis to lift herself into the air. She unleashed a TK bolt which knocked all four Weapon Xers off their feet. "We didn't come looking for a fight. But we have reason to believe that you are responsible for the attack on a government complex last night. We're the X-Men. It's our duty and responsibility to take down mutant terrorists."

"We're far from terrorists, Red," Meltdown said. "We're national heroes!"

Meltdown unleashed an intense salvo of time bombs, which more than tested the limits of Jean's TK bubble.

Meanwhile, Daze was absorbing all the sunlight and using it to fire off shot after shot of light energy at Iceman, who dodged as best he could.

Beast leapt out of the jet to the downed Superman.

"Clark?" he asked.

"I'll be okay," he replied. "Soon as I deal with that man . . . !"

Clark started to fly at Bishop, but in the course of the flight, he felt a sharp pain shoot through his abdomen. He looked down to see three metal claws that had just torn into him.

"What . . . ?" he asked. "Wolverine?!"

"Always good to know you've got a fan," Logan grinned. "You punks sure picked a lousy spot fer a picnic."

"Logan?" Jean asked. "What are you doing?"

"You're the ones attackin' Weapon X," he replied. "And how the hell do all o' you ya-hoos know my name?"

Weapon X, Jean thought. The people Logan told me about . . . the ones who messed with his mind . . . !

"X-Men!" Jean yelled. "Weapon X messed with Logan's mind in the past . . . they're probably doing the same to him now, as well as to the other three! But I think I can undo some damage with a deep mind-scan! Just keep them occupied!"

"Easier said than done," Beast said, dodging one of Wolverine's claws.

Iceman surrounded Meltdown with a small, solid ice prison. Her bombs were quickly chipping away at it, though.

Bishop and Daze were taking shots at Superman, who was moving quickly to avoid them, hoping they'd run out of energy.

"Come on, Jean, you can do this," she said to herself, using all of her telepathic know-how. "If only the Professor was still around . . . "

{{Then I'd have to take him down, too,}} the telepathic echo of Michelle Balters called out. {{Name's Neurotap. And whatever you're gonna try, ain't gonna work. 'Cause I'm gonna stop you.}}

{{Quaint}} Jean replied. {{But not hardly.}}

A quick psi-bolt across the astral plane caused Neurotap's interfering to end. She then pressed her telepathic attack against the others.

"Umph!" Beast got caught by a quick, sending him to the floor.

Logan leapt on top of him, his claws drawn. Beast was holding Logan's arms away with everything he had . . . but was losing.

"Jeeean . . . " he called.

" . . . Jean?" Logan asked, hesitating a moment.

Then it hit. A powerful blast of pure psionic energy that tore through the minds of Wolverine, Bishop, Meltdown and Daze. And just like that, the battle ended.

"Hank?" Logan asked as he came to. "What . . . where . . . oh, hell. Weapon X."

"Afraid so," Hank nodded.

Logan stood and helped Hank up. The eight mutants looked each other over.

"Mister Logan?" Audrey asked. "What . . . what happened?"

"Everything you remember since coming to Weapon X . . . maybe even everything before that . . . was a lie," Logan explained. "They put something into our heads to get us to be loyal little soldiers. Jean here, she's one o' my teammates in the X-Men. She just saved us."

"A temporary set-back," John Wraith said as he appeared out of nowhere. Behind him, out of the opening, rose a squadron of helicopters and several squadrons of soldiers. Strong was leading the charge.

"Surrender, mutants," Strong said. "Or suffer the consequences."

"That's the guy in charge," Logan said.

Before any of the X-Men could act, Daze fired a blast of hard light into Strong's chest, knocking him down. Meltdown punched Wraith in the head, knocking him out. Bishop fired intense energy blasts at the troops. Clark's heat vision made quick work of most of the choppers.

Within seconds, Weapon X was suddenly brought to their knees.

"There's a lotta fillin' in ta do," Logan said. "But right now, we need to take these guys down!"

"I believe I've already arranged for that," Hank said.

Just then, from the West, came a huge roar of helicopters, jets, and jeeps, of the Canadian army and air force, who Beast had alerted.

"Maybe we shouldn't stick around too long," Bobby said.

"Right," Clark nodded. "Weapon Xers, you're more than welcome to come with us."

"What about Neurotap?" Bishop asked.

"I didn't free her," Jean frowned. "But there's no time . . . "

"Mister Logan?" Audrey asked.

"Come on, kid," Logan said. "We need to be leavin'!"

The X-Men and company ran aboard their jet, with Strong cursing at them as they went. The military forces were surrounding the Weapon X forces.

The jet took off and blasted away, far faster than anything the military had with them. There was no pursuit.

"Hate to have left someone behind," Logan frowned. "But we'll go back for her. And to make sure that place does get shut down."

"I'm totally confused," Meltdown said.

"And with good reason," Jean replied. "But don't worry . . . there'll be plenty of time to get it all straightened out once we're back to our base. Just sit tight."

Tabitha shrugged. Audrey watched Logan carefully. And Bishop . . . ? Bishop's mind began to open, screaming one word . . . Crisis!