Mazes and Monsters
Part 7
The heavy hooves of spiked beast kept mauling the fallen Tracker Sentinel, too enraged pay attention to its shots.
TRACKER UNIT #85099 REPORTING. DAMAGE IS SEVERE. SYSTEM EFFICIENCY: 28%.
Crimson Dynamo established the contact with the damaged Sentinel.
MANUAL CONTROL – CAPTURE MODE IS ENGAGED.
Two metallic hands firmly clenched on the monster's legs, holding the beast in place. The furious beast was struggling, trying to break free from the robot’s iron grip, he was howling like the incarnation of blind rage, but the machine couldn’t feel pain. The rest of the robots simultaneously started the assault on the trapped creature.
Crimson Dynamo noticed with satisfaction that the monster's strength had its limits, and the pulse cannons considerably weakened his resolve. He was losing spikes that served as his main protection opening the way to vulnerable flesh. His legs finally gave out and he fell heavily. Switching to infrared, Yelena could see the life living the giant body,
"Two down, one more to go".
TRACKER UNIT #85099 REPORTING. DAMAGE IS CRITICAL. SHUTDOWN INITIATED.
The woman frowned. The victory certainly wasn’t cheap - two Prowlers were now a metal scrap, and now she lost Tracker.
While she was finishing off the spiked monster, the giant snail got dangerously close to the positions where Razorback's troops were stationed. A small group of Morlocks led by Rockman tried to slow down the snail’s progress), but their rifles were useless against its armored shell. Yelena saw that they could as well throw stones at the beast. Two long tentacles on the monster's forehead lashed forward, knocking everybody who stood on the monster’s path. Rockman lost his gun, but dodged the living whips, and was looking around for something that can be used as a weapon.
Yelena calculated that as slow as the snail was, her Sentinels simply couldn't be fast enough to prevent it from reaching Razorback's.
ALL UNITS – STAND BY.
When the Sentinels stood still, Crimson Dynamo was already in mid-flight.
Rockman spotted her when she was hovering in air between the snail and Morlock soldiers, looking down and going through the best options to attack the monster.
"Dynamo!"
"Yes?"
"I know how to stop it, but you must cover me! Aim for the tentacles - they are vulnerable!"
I hope it’s a good plan, thought Yelena. The armor-piercing rounds from her machine gun, combined with setting the tentacles on fire, caught the monster attention. It stopped; the tentacles rose up again, trying to catch the annoying red insect, but she was floating out of reach. And unlike the lizard monster, the snail couldn't spit acid.
It quickly dawned on her what he was up to, when Rockman started the drill machine.
The snail was caught in attempts to grab Crimson Dynamo. Before it could raise the tentacles and defend itself, the drill car rammed into the monster's less protected underbelly at full speed. Designe d to make the tunnels in the hardest rock, Roxxon drill machine was able to do what energy cannons couldn't. The wide breach in the shell was opened and the dark foul-smelling blood started oozing from the wound. The tentacles wiggled trying to get rid of the foreign object, but it was stuck firmly in the shell.
Rockman left the drill car through the emergency hatch. His face was covered with a gas mask.
Crimson Dynamo signaled ‘get back and take cover’. When all the Moloids were safe, she used flamethrower again to burn the way through the chaotic movement of the tentacles and landed close to the wound.
WEAPON OF CHOICE – SMART BOMB.
Crimson Dynamo fired the bomb into the emergency hatch, aiming it to make sure it reaches the pilot's cabin. Then she took off and activated the detonator. The result was overwhelming – the snail monster seemed to suddenly expand, imploding then exploding, its blood and gore went flying everywhere.
Yelena cringed when she saw the splashes of dark blood on her armor, but it was nothing in comparison to the victory.
"Good job, Rockman".
"It was my pleasure," the underground hero already removed the mask and she saw one of the rare smiles on his rough face, "Though I can’t get the credit for the kill. You killed that thing; I just softened it for you".
"I guess my little bomb was a bitter pill to swallow," she glanced at the remains of the monster, "Sorry if you had plans for that machine".
"Don’t worry. After I used the drill as a battering ram, it wasn’t salvageable anyway".
"That's a relief. Well. I think the monster hunting season is officially over. It’s time find out what we missed".
* * *
Possibly for the first time in his miserable life, Mole Man could feel the sweet taste of revenge, coursing in his veins like red vine. Nightblade beneath his feet, unarmed and helpless, and the queen of Morlocks looking down, lost any shred of hope she could feet before – the picture was worth everything he sacrificed so far.
"Clever, isn’t it?" the dwarf asked with a slightly too smug look and tone. "I’ve got you exactly where I wanted you, mutie. Without a leader your army is nothing - and I just neutralized a leader. Or should I say "neutered"?"
The sight of Nightblade’s skin losing its color, from blue to pale white, filled Mole Man with twisted delight.
Mutants and their sense of superiority! They can live in the sewers, eat garbage and still think you are beneath them. Who is Homo Superior now?
"You thought X-Men destroyed all the samples of the Cure? WRONG!" Killing Nightblade was too easy now, but Mole Man didn’t want him to die before he understands the part that made him special was just destroyed. "You are dying as a human, as one of them!" He waited to see Jason’s reaction. But the mutant was motionless, his face betrayed nothing. "What, no bold farewell speeches? Are you sure you have nothing to say before I kill you?" More silence. "I guess that means "no". Mole Man nodded to one of his soldiers. "Finish him!"
Moloid soldier made a step forward to stab Nightblade with a spear. But the strangest thing happened. Jason’s left hand turned into a blade and he sliced Moloid across the stomach.
WHAT?
It was impossible, but Nightblade was slowly got up, leaning on the spear. Part of his face became a metal, with the glowing artificial eye.
Mole Man gaped shockingly, trying to grasp the reality of the situation.
Nightblade can’t be a cyborg! It’s impossible!
"Boy, what a moron!"
Mole Man quickly turned and saw the very unusual trio standing in front of him. A muscular man covered from head to toe in red/blue spandex with black spider emblem, bald big-headed mutant in a violet costume, and… another Nightblade, who was holding a bloodstained knife in each hand, yellow eyes glowing dangerously.
"Darwin, is he really so thick and I have to spell it for him?" asked the man in a spandex suit. "Well, genius, congratulations - you shot the wrong Nightblade!"
Not allowing the words to finally sink in, the Nightblade impostor hurled the spear, aiming at Mole Man.
* * *
Raza Longknife was mildly disappointed by the turn of events. He agreed to play a part in Razorback’s plan to deceive Mole Man and to convince him that Nightblade is with his army. At first their little deception worked like a charm. The dwarf suspected nothing, even used his anti-mutant weapon on him. Obliviously, The Cure wasn’t working on aliens, but Raza played along, hoping to catch Mole Man off guard. But in the end he wasn’t able to deliver the killing blow - Mole Man was too far to stab him, and the spear he hurled killed one of the Moloid bodyguards instead.
So much for solving the problem with a single strike.
Darwin helped Raza to get up.
"I thought you might need this," Captain Spider handed him the sword he left in the dead monster’s eye when the final blow of the dying lizard sent them both flying.
"I most certainly do".
They had no time to chat, for the battle continued on. Moloids rushed forward in the last desperate attempt to attack. The mutant in boar mask and his troops were stoically holding off the attackers.
Dave Landers grinded his teeth in annoyance - his shotgun jammed. Porcupine's body exploded with darts, stopping those who tried to sneak on Landers. Nodding gratefully, Dave pulled his modified Colts out of the holsters.
Litterbug gathered a group of ex-brainwashed Morlocks. Together they were making the way to join Razorback's forces. Caliban and Scaleface covered them from the back, fending off the Moloids.
Healer pressed his palms to the forehead of the wounded mutant, with a look of intense concentration on his face. Five armed Morlocks formed a protective circle around him. Nico joined them. She could barely stand - Mass Mind Cleansing from the Book of Vishanti was one of the most powerful and complicated spells in her grimoire. It freed Morlocks from the drug-induced submission, but drained her inner resources like a giant vacuum cleaner, so Nico was almost as defenseless as the old man. She regretted that the Purge spell in her staff was wasted when Runaways fought Cloak impostor.
But Nico forgot how incredibly exhausted she was as soon as she saw Nigthblade and Raza Longknife.
Nightblade… danced; she couldn’t think of better word to describe his economic movements. He was striking with surgical precision; Moloids were too sloppy to match him. Jason blocked the weapon of one of them and sliced his throat of the other in a smooth arc. Raza stabbed the third with a sharp end of his sword. Slash across the face, busted kneecap, elbow crushing the windpipe – and the fourth Moloid was down. Mutant soldier and alien cyborg, they only meet a few hours ago, but they fought together like they’d done it a thousand times before.
Seeing Rockman surrounded by Moloids, Raza let out Starjammer’s war cry and rushed forward to help his teammate, Nightblade not far behind. A part of Moloids turned to meet the new enemy, some tried to escape, but none of them succeeded. With all the monsters out of the chessboard, Crimson Dynamo brought her robots to the battlefield just in time. Sentinels devastated the ranks of Mole Man’s army with deadly accuracy.
The last Moloid was sent flying by the fist of Flash Thompson.
Razorback lowered the rifle and saluted his commander, then gave Darwin and Captain Spider a quick nod of acknowledgement.
"Where’s Mole Man? I have a score to settle with him".
"Dunno. Haven’t seen him; too busy with these clowns".
Razorback grabbed Jason’s shoulder. Nightblade looked in the direction alien’s finger was pointing at, and gasped. Mole Man looked dishelmed, his mantle was torn and he lost his staff. He was looming t hreateningly over semi conscious figure of Callisto, with ray gun at ready.
"Come closer, and your precious queen is dead!"
* * *
Mole Man realization that he was on verge of losing the battle hit him hard. His brilliant plan to take down Nightblade failed; three monsters that seemed to be invincible were dead. His Moloids were running or dying, the band of killer robots was eliminating them. And the mutants he spent eight months to capture were now out of control.
At least I have Callisto; she is an ultimate bargaining chip. And I can always kill her when she is no longer needed as a hostage.
He saw Nightblade, looking at him with a mix of disgust and powerless anger, and the cyborg impostor. The unnatural gleam in his dead eye mocked Mole Man.
Pressing a gun to the woman’s head, he demanded, "I want to get out of there; nobody follows me. When I’m safe, I’ll release her".
"No".
"You are not in position to bargain, mutie".
Nightblade replied, "No matter what I do, you are not going to let her live. The hatred in your eyes betrays you, Mole Man. I have another offer – let her go, and we’ll let you escape. Unlike you, I know how to keep my end of the bargain. Kill her and I promise you a very slow and painful death".
Mole Man knew that Nightblade intends to keep his promises. And he was enraged beyond belief and recognition.
That’s not how it was supposed to be! You ruined my day of triumph, and now you expect me to run like a scalded dog?
"I need NO FAVORS from you!!!" Nigthtblade’s blood turned into ice when he saw that the dwarf is going to pull the trigger.
"SWAP!"
Mole Man fired a shot; Nico Minory fell to the ground, unconscious and bleeding from the nose.
The ray passed harmlessly through the Darwin’s head. The mutant, still dizzy after Nico’s spell, grabbed Mole Man’s throat with both hands and squeezed, building up the strength until he heard the bone snap.
* * *
The Worm got away when the collective nerve of the remaining Moloids broke and they ran.
The life wasn’t generous to him in many ways. Little Winston Hobbes was born with a mutation so extreme that he his parents abandoned him, and he had to grow up in a foster care for mutant children, an outcast among outcasts. When he was sixteen, he escaped to the sewers, forced to dwell in the darkness because the light was too painful for his ultra-sensitive eyes. Winston Hobbes found where his parents lived, and murdered them, but their blood wasn’t enough to satiate his rage.
He felt the kindred spirit in Mole Man, the same thirst for revenge. The Worm was offered a chance to make the whole world pay, and willingly offered his servitude. He helped to catch Morlocks so his master could build the army. He killed Nightblade’s scouts. Now, looking at a prone form of failed dictator, The Worm felt like he was cheated again. He couldn’t make the world suffer; all he has left is to avenge his master.
"Spider-sense..!" Captain Spider’s warning was late, as always; with the guttural roar of rage The Worm lunged at Callisto, killing two Morlocks on his way. Jason tried to intercept him when the tentacles of supposedly dead snail monster raised and enveloped the blue mutant. Everybody heard his ribs cracking with a sickening crunch. Coughing the blood, he cut the tentacles with the vibranium blades.
At the same moment Rockman blocked The Worm’s lunge, part of the broken Sentinel’s chest plate served him as an improvised shield. The Worm grabbed the shield with his claws and was pushing Rockman backwards. The hero took a deep breath, summoning all his strength, and pushed back. Then he stumbled upon something and fell. The Worm growled and pulled the shield out of his arms. Callisto was already forgotten, all he wanted now was the death of Rockman. The hero was struggling to get up when his fingers brushed the wooden handle.
When The Worm attacked, tearing the hero with his claws, Rockman swung the pickaxe in a wide arc, plunging it into the enemy’s head. He kept swinging his weapon, half-blind from the poison, until the force of The Worm’s blow sent it spinning out of his hands.
The mist covering his eyes dissipated, and Rockman saw that The Worm was dying, with pickaxe buried inside of his skull, and the look full of hatred to the entire world in his dying eyes.
Rockman couldn’t remember where he got the pickaxe. Blood was oozing out of the numerous claw marks all over his body. A woman’s voice whispered into his ear, "It's over. You must rest now". He felt gentle hands his face.
Rockman smiled. Of course, my queen came back to me to tend to my wounds. And my little princess too; I can’t see her, but she must be here somewhere. And my warriors; why do they look so worried? Everything is as it should be. My long journey was over. The king of the Abyssia came back to his kingdom.
Rockman was blissfully smiling when the last bits of strength left his body and the darkness claimed him.
* * *
A purple portal opened in the air and the Exiles appeared out of it.
"Dammit! Couldn't Timebroker warn us before teleportation?"
"He decided that we overstayed our welcome, " Nico was pale; she barely regained consciousness when they were teleported.
"What’s our status?" Crimson Dynamo was able to slow the fall using thrusters. "Darwin? Did we win? Any news from your bracelet? "
"I believe I can answer your question, Ms. Belova," Timebroker said, appearing as a hologram from Tallus. O ld man was wearing a tux with boutonniere. "Your mission was accomplished, you saved Callisto’s life. Congratulations!"
Yelena said, "To be frank, I was too busy fighting the monsters and almost forgot about the mission. I can speak for everybody…" Darwin nodded, accepting what she said. I am the leader of the Exiles. It’s my duty to see that they can separate forest from the trees next time.
"It’s your first mission, Ms. Belova. You’ll learn".
Captain Spider asked, "Hey, where's Rockman?"
Timebroker’s face saddened, "The claws of The Worm were poisoned. Rockman is in coma. Morlocks will take care of him. If he lives, he’ll be able to find a new life with Morlocks. If he dies, he’ll be given a hero’s funeral. Anyway, it’s not your concern anymore. You must concentrate on your next mission".
"It's easy for you to say! We are one man short! " Captain Spider lamented . "Great! Six little Indian boys playing with a hive; a bumblebee stung one, and then there were five! What’s next, Goth girl taking a leave of absence?"
Nico glared at him, "Why don't YOU take a leave of absence, Spider-Fake?"
Timebroker smiled, "Don’t be so impatient, Mr. Thompson. I was jut coming to it".
A new portal opened again and a male figure stepped out of it.
Nico involuntary licked her lips when she saw tall and broad-shouldered mad in his twenties clad in a white gi with a golden dragon on its chest, yellow bandana covering the upper half of his face.
"Let me introduce a newest member of your team".
The stranger made a gracious bow, "Iron Fist, at your service".
To be continued...
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