Freaks Flashforward, Chapter 4

SOME OF THE CHARACTERS AND SETTINGS ARE THE PROPERTY OF MARVEL, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

The character, Skylar Medley is created and owned by the user, Human X. Skylar appears in the New X-Men (Intersperse) series.

Whoever the X-Men is dealing with here...Must be be some kind of maniac. I wonder who this guy is. But Melissa wouldn't tell me. She may know a lot of things but there some secrets which should be left alone. Maybe Greg couldn't tell me about his past because he was afraid that someone wouldn't accept him. Even though he's my friend, I still care for him. I still care for my friends.

I find myself in the danger room where Wolverine just stepped in. I should say he looks pissed off what's going on here. Maybe Logan fought this Mr. Flesh guy before I came to the X-Mansion. Well, I'm not actually here but I'm still back at the carnival though. Melissa looked weak. She may have old wrinkles like my grandmother used to have. But she's tough and yet she doesn't give up showing these events to me. But I feel sorry for what's happening to her. Including her dark future. If she said was true about her future, then I guess I have no other choice to face it.

Josh: The game starts now, Wolverine. HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! 

Wolverine: Why don't ya come out and face me, you sick animal?

Josh: Heh! Heh! Heh! Look who's talking. You know Wolverine, that animals are fearsome beings who tear each other's flesh apart. You could tear some of my flesh but I'll still come back as good as new.

Wolverine: Heh! I'll make sure that I tear ya down into pieces of fish.

Josh: Sorry, Wolverine. But I only eat human and mutant flesh.

Wolverine: Are ya one of the U-Men? Ya sure don't look like it.

Josh: You're wrong, Wolverine. You wish I was but I would never join ranks with those pesky humans.

Wolverine: Come on out. I don't have all day.

SNIKT! SNIKT!

Josh: How about a game, Wolverine? I think you will like what I have in store for you.

CLANK! CLANK! CLANK!

Wolverine: Heh! Sentinels? You gotta be kidding me. Is that the best ya got?

Josh: I'm just doing my test.

Sentinel 1: Surrender Mutant! 

Wolverine: It looks like old times sake. 

Sentinel 2: Kill him!

POOOOOOWWWWWW!

CRASH! CRASH!

Wolverine: Ya got some nerves bringing this Sentinels here. Maybe you need a better holo program.

POOOOOOWWWWW!

SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH!

zzzzAAAP! ZZZZZAAAP!

BOOOM! BOOOM!

Whoa there! Logan is still slashing those sentinels as if he were a mad animal. Well no offense, but he's what he is and what he can do.

BOOOOM!

Wolverine: Ok, Mr. Flesh. Come on and show yourself.

Josh: Not quite yet.

BLAAAAAAAAM!

Wolverine: AHHHHH!

Qwan: Logan!

Wolverine: Ughh! What?

Jean Grey: Hello Logan.

Wolverine: What? Jean?

Jean: It's me, Logan. I have come back for you.

Qwan: What? I heard Jean Grey was dead a long time ago. Now this Mr. Flesh guy is using her hologram? What is he up to? 

Wolverine: Is this some kind of a sick joke? How do you know about Jean? This can't be real.

Josh: It is real, Logan. Your mind is making it real. Heh! Heh! Heh! I may know a lot about the X-Men but I have ways to beat them. Including you, Wolverine.

Wolverine: Damn it! Are ya some kind of a telepath?

Josh: Not exactly. I wish I were a telepath like Charles Xavier. I'm more than that.

BLAAAAAAM!

Wolverine: AAAARGH!

I can't believe I'm seeing this. Jean is using her Phoenix blasts on Logan that bad. Crap! I could have done something here.

Melissa: This isn't true. We're not in the right place.

Qwan: What are you saying? We're in the X-Mansion.

Melissa: We're still seeing the X-Mansion but someone is playing tricks on the X-Men.

Qwan: What?

Wolverine: This...isn't real. You're...not real, Jean. You're...dead. THE REAL JEAN GREY IS DEAD! RRRRRRAAAAGRH!

SLASH!

Jean: URRRRGH!

Wolverine: Sorry Jean. You ain't real.

Josh: Computer! End Program!

Computer: Program ended.

Josh: Congratulations Wolverine! You're the best there is that you can do. But what you do best isn't very nice. HA! HA! HA! HA! HA!

Wolverine: Get...out of my head.

Josh: HA! HA! HA! What?

Wolverine: Ya heard me. The real Mr. Flesh wouldn't know a damn thing about us. Get out of my head.

CLAP! CLAP! CLAP! CLAP!

Josh: You're right, Logan. All these events are taking place in the meeting room.

Wolverine: What?

Josh: Why don't you come and see for yourself?

Meeting room....

Emma: LOGAN! LOGAN! Snap out of it!

Wolverine: RRRRRRRAAAGH! Why you....

Skylar: Crap! Mr. Logan!

Emma: Uggh! Logan...It's me. It's....Emma.

Cyclops: LOGAN! YOU'RE KILLING HER! STOP IT! 

Crap! I just hope Logan doesn't choke her to death. There are times that Logan went berserk those days. And yet Charles was able to save him even though he couldn't save his mind.

Wolverine: YOU'RE PLAYING TRICKS ON ME!

WRRRRRRRNNNNNN!

Wolverine: Let me go, you old douchebag! 

Magneto: Stop this at once, Logan. She's not playing tricks on you. We have all been tricked.

Wolverine: What did ya just say?

Cyclops: It's true, Logan. I was tricked too. I thought Mr. Flesh had escaped from Hank's lab. But Hank told me he's still caught by the Nullifier effects.

Wolverine: Then...what about Hank? Was he....

Emma: Hank's mind was played too.

Wolverine: Put me down, Erik!

Magneto: As you wish.

WRRRRRNNN!

Cyclops: We need to find out who's behind this. Emma, were you able to find out?

Emma: I'm sorry, Scott. I couldn't scan his mind. 

Wolverine: Damn it!

SNIKT! CRASH!

Wolverine: Sorry for the chair, folks. I'm going to go and relax for a while.

Skylar: I'm coming too.

Cyclops: Skylar, stay here. We need you to discuss our plan.

Skylar: But....

Wolverine: Listen to Scotty, kid. Don't worry about me. I'll be fine.

Skylar: Ok.

CREEEEEAK!

CLICK!

I never seen this Skylar kid before. He must be new here. I wonder he was already dead in Melissa's dark future.

Melissa: I...Ugh!

THUD!

Qwan: Melissa! 

Crap! She's down. I need to tell her to stop showing these events. She's forcing herself too much.

Qwan: Melissa! Melissa! Can you hear me? Melissa!

Melissa: Stefan...is that you?

Qwan: What?

Melissa: I'm sorry, Stefan. I knew what you have done for me. I'm....so sorry. I should have...told you about him.

Flashback.....Hospital 

Stefan: Hey Melissa. I'm going out for work. Someone just hired me. Everything will be fine. Ok?

Melissa: Who...Cough! hired you? 

Stefan: Oh...the guy's name is John Sanders. He said I will be working for him from now on. Isn't that great? 

Melissa: Yeah...but there is...something I don't like here.

Stefan: Like what? Oh I know. You don't like being in the hospital, do you? Well, don't worry about it. You'll be out in no time.

Present....Melissa's tent

Qwan: Melissa? Are you alright?

Melissa: Yeah, I'm fine. I know his name, Qwan.

Qwan: What? Who?

Melissa: It's...John Sanders.

Somewhere in Japan....Yamaguchi Industries

Tony: Hey John! Are you listening to me? How long you're going to strap me like this?

John: You won't be going anywhere, Mr. Stark. Besides, I'm not the one who strapped you on the chair.

Tony: What?

John: You did it yourself, Tony. Well, you can say that I was the one who made you do it.

Tony: This doesn't make any sense.

John: I'm not actually here. It's all in your mind.

Tony: No, I wouldn't believe it.

John: Believe it if you will. But you do have a wonderful mind, you know. Use it to see what is real and what is not.

Tony: Where are you then? 

John: It's a secret which I wouldn't share with a business man like you.

Tony: Damn it, John! 

Cerebro Tower.....

John: Forge, is everything ready?

Forge: Yes, I did it what you asked me.

John: Good. I hate to say this, Forge but you couldn't do anything against me. Could you?

Forge: You know that I would never betray the X-Men.

John: That's true. But you see...It's all in a matter of mind, Mr. Forge. I may not able to control your wonderful mind. But at least I can choke you to death.

Forge: Arrgh! Ugh! Can't...breathe. Urgh!

John: Having trouble to breathe, Mr. Forge? You do have a technical talent for all machinery. I suggest you use it wisely.

Forge: Urggh! Ahh!

John: Do you like opera music, Mr. Forge?

Forge: I don't even have the taste.

John: Tsk! Tsk! You should listen to it. Listen to these words and you will understand the beautiful world of music. Cerebro, start the opera.

Carnival....

I find myself back in the carnival. Man, that was a tough ride there. At least the gypsy lady is fine here. Maybe, I shouldn't have come here in the first place. Anyways, I guess I have seen enough of the events that took place.

Qwan: John Sanders eh? I really want to punch in his face for good.

Melissa: Take time, Qwan.

Qwan: I know. You're right of what you have shown me. Thanks.

Melissa: Your always welcome by my side.

Qwan: Tell me, Melissa. I want to know who's in charge of this carnival.

Melissa: You will meet him in time. Take rest for a while.

Qwan: Yeah, you're right.

Somewhere in the icy mountains....the cave

Josef Huber aka Isolationist: Need some pills. I...Ugh! I'm hearing their thoughts. They won't let go of me. THEY WON'T LET GO!

Nicole: Here are the pills, Josef.   

Josef: Ahh! Thank you! I don't even know what I could have done without you.

Nicole: I'm always there for you, Josef.

Josef: You may be an android but you're still human. The good thing is that you don't have powers. Maybe I should stay with humans permanently. But I can't control these powers all the time. I think it's best to stay here for the time being.

DING! DONG! DING! DONG!

Josef: What is that noise? 

Nicole: Sounds like a bell ringing to me. 

Josef: No. It can't be.

Nicole: What is it, Josef? What's wrong?

Josef: NO! It's a...carnival. I can hear their thoughts. Why are they here? WHY?

Nicole: It's alright, Josef. I'm sure they will go away.

Josef: You don't understand. I don't like being near mutants or freaks around. I don't want their powers. 

Nicole: There must be a way. I'm sure of it.

Josef: You're right, Nicole. There is always a way for the Isolationist.

To be continued in Freaks Flashforward, Chapter 5.  

Phew! Qwan have seen a lot of things lately. So now what? And the Isolationist? Who is he? You may know him from the pages of X-Factor. But he's one crazy dude with all the mutant powers on Earth. He may have returned but he won't like the sound of a carnival. What does this mean for the carnival folks and Qwan? Things won't look pretty. Also, look out for the final Acolyte showdown in Freaks Episode 56: Acolyte War, Part 6 - Season Finale. It's the end of the story arc that you don't want to miss.

Bump.