The Vault - REVIEW THIS STORY

Written by NicoPony
Last updated: 08/15/2007 08:57:57 AM

Chapter 15

The X-Jet roared over the open ocean, close enough to the waves to cause a wake in passing. The Velocity helicopter followed close behind. In the cockpit of the X-Jet, Cerebro continued to track the mutant signatures it had detected the previous day. Alarmingly, the mutant signatures had disappeared during the night. They reappeared early in the morning, and the X-Jet had to change its trajectory. Overnight, the mutants’ location had moved several miles toward the African coastline. Most disturbingly, Jean’s signature had appeared briefly, only to disappear an hour later. It was midday, and with luck they still had several hours before the signatures would disappear again. They were fast closing in on Jean’s last reported location.

Cyclops was in the pilot’s seat, with Nightcrawler as co-pilot. Storm stood between the two younger X-Men, her hand braced on the headrest of Nightcrawler’s seat. She preferred to remain in the cockpit, looking out the large windscreen, rather than remain in the close quarters of the passenger cabin. Behind her, Rogue sat in the first row of passenger seats, staring fixedly forward. Her finger tapped impatiently on the armrest. The rest of the cabin was empty.

“We’re approaching a large land mass,” Cyclops said, looking at the radar. “According to the aeronautical chart, there shouldn’t be anything out here.”

“We should have visual in a moment,” replied Wolverine through the radio. He was piloting the Velocity helicopter, and was accompanied by Shadowcat and Colossus.

“Right,” Cyclops replied. “If Cerebro’s readouts are correct, then we should be approaching the unregistered mutants’ location. Wolverine, I’m going to pass over the island and come back around. I want you to scout ahead. Maintain a holding pattern over the island.”

“Roger,” Wolverine replied.

Cyclops gained altitude, pressing everyone back into their seats. Storm continued to grip the back of Nightcrawler’s chair. A green speck appeared on the horizon and quickly grew into a sizable island. The island was surrounded by rocky shorelines and covered in verdant green jungle. Forceful waves crashed along the coast, which rose up out of the waves like the prow of a ship. As the X-Jet passed, the passengers peered out of the windows for a better look. The island appeared largely uninhabited.

“Registered Mutant Signature Detected,” Cerebro chimed. “Lance Alvers.”

Cyclops looked at the mini-Cerebro unit, then tapped it with his fingers as if it were broken.

“Registered Mutant Signature Detected,” Cerebro said again. “Wanda Maximoff.”

“Registered Mutant Signature Detected: Pietro Maximoff.”

Cyclops and Nightcrawler shared a look. “What the heck are those jokers doing here?” Cyclops asked.

“Registered Mutant Signature Detected: Remy LeBeau.”

Rogue unfastened her safety belt and moved toward the cockpit. “What’s goin’ on?” she asked. “Cerebro found the Brotherhood? And Remy?”

Cyclops turned the X-Jet in a steady curve over the island. In passing, they spotted a glimmer of brightness amongst the trees.

“Wolverine, do you see that?” Cyclops asked.

“Yeah, looks like a few buildings...I think I see a landing strip.”

“Cerebro is pulling up multiple mutant signatures. Something is going on down there,” Cyclops continued.

“We’re approaching the base now,” Wolverine said. “Looks like there’s some people down below, running out of the buildings.”

Cyclops turned the X-Jet around a second time. They could now see the Velocity approaching the encampment, its rotors whirring as it banked over the trees.

“Looks like we’ve got a coupla bogeys,” Wolverine said.

“Uh oh,” they could hear Kitty say through the radio.

Two forms shot out from one of the low buildings. They both aimed themselves at the Velocity.

“Logan!” Storm cried. “Incoming!”

“I got ’em, Storm,” Wolverine growled.

“What are those things!?” Nightcrawler exclaimed. “Rockets?”

“No, I---,” Cyclops began, before gasping. The two forms slowed their ascent and flanked the Velocity. At first appearance, the main body of the projectiles seemed torpedo shaped. When the forms slowed, limb-like structures became evident. The arm-like shapes resolved into twin cannons and they aimed at the Velocity. “Sentinels!” Cyclops cried.

The Velocity performed an evasive maneuver, avoiding the first barrage of enemy fire. The second Sentinel discharged a yellow-white energy pulse. This time, the Velocity was unable to avoid the blast. The rear rotor was struck, and the body of the Velocity swung around.

The passengers in the X-Jet shared a collective cry of dismay. The radio crackled, and Cyclops jabbed at the controls, crying: “Logan, Logan!” The Velocity continued a downward spiral towards the forest. One of the Sentinels turned in the air, setting its sights on the X-Jet.

“We’ve got to get down there,” Cyclops said grimly, turning the X-Jet away from the encampment and the encroaching Sentinel.

“But how,” Rogue asked, “with those things on our tail?”

“I’ve got to draw fire away from those people in the base,” Cyclops said. “Nightcrawler, I need you to ’port Rogue and Storm down.”

“What?!” Nightcrawler cried. “You’re crazy! We’re going too fast. We’ll totally splat!”

“Listen to me,” Cyclops said, his stoic calm a contrast to Nightcrawler’s overreaction. “’Port about fifty yards or so above the encampment. Storm will use her winds to slow your descent. Storm?”

Storm nodded. “I can do this,” she replied.

“You sound more like you’re tryin’ to reassure yourself,” Rogue said cryptically.

“I’m going over again,” Cyclops said. “Get ready.”

Nightcrawler stood and took his teammates’ hands. “Hold on tight,” he said nervously.

“Go!” Cyclops shouted.

Nightcrawler, Rogue and Storm vanished in a flash of light and puff of brimstone. Then the Sentinel appeared before the windscreen, its arms held out, rockets loading into place. Cyclops flipped open the guard covering the X-Jet’s missile firing mechanism. He held his finger over the switch.

“Eat heat-seeking missiles, jerkface,” Cyclops said, then fired.

“How did you know where we were?” Gambit asked. They were picking their way down the darkened hallway of the prison, heading for the exit.

“We saw you pulled in here by that guard, when we were hiding in the trees,” Avalanche replied, as they turned a corner.

“That was yesterday!” Pyro exclaimed. “What took you so long?”

“We had to go back and find Pietro,” Avalanche said. He didn’t sound happy about it.

At the end of the hallway was an open door. Afternoon light slanted through it.

“Where’s Dukes, and the kid...Tolansky?” Gambit asked.

“I was hoping you knew,” replied Avalanche.

“What, you mean the little bug-eyed slimeball?” Pyro asked suddenly. “I’ve seen him. He’s long gone.”

Avalanche turned at the door. “Where’d he go?”

“Into the jungle, mate,” Pyro pointed out the door towards the trees. “No doubt he’s been gobbled by the natives by now.”

Avalanche looked at Pyro, dumbstruck. “What natives? We’ve been out in the jungle all this time, and we haven’t seen a soul.”

“Consider yourselves lucky, then,” Pyro said. “Wot goes in, does not come back out.”

“We’ll worry about him later,” Gambit said. “Right now, we’ve got to find Jean and get someplace safe so we can figure out a gameplan.”

“I saw Jean,” Avalanche said. “She’s working with Trask!”

Pyro rolled his eyes. “No, ya drongo. We’re all prisoners!” He held up the inhibitor locked around his wrist. “We’ve got no powers. Well, save Gambit here. How’d you do it, by the way?”

Gambit shook his head, his eyes fixed on the sky. “We’ll have a chit-chat later. Look!”

He pointed skyward. A black winged-helicopter was spiraling down out of the sky, trailing smoke.

“Isn’t that your bird?” Avalanche asked. “The Velocity?”

“It’s not exactly your average helicopter-slash-jet thingy, now is it?” Gambit replied.

“Lookout!” Pyro cried.

A vaguely human-shaped robot rocketed over the building, soaring toward the descending Velocity.

“What the---,” Gambit began. “Oh, now what?”

“C’mon,” Avalanche said, grabbing hold of Gambit’s arm. “I’ve got to ’rend-ay-voo’ with Wanda. Or whatever.”

He began to run toward the tree line. Gambit followed.

“I’m not going in there!” Pyro cried.

“Don’t be such a pussy!” Avalanche yelled over his shoulder. “There’s nothing to be afraid of!”

“What about those guys?” Gambit asked, pointing towards the forest. “Should we be afraid of them?” A line of strange looking creatures had appeared, standing sentry at the edge of the forest. They looked as though they were made out of sticks and bark.

Avalanche came to a screeching halt. “Run away!” he cried, then ran in the opposite direction.

“You need to work on your leadership skills,” Gambit said, shaking his head. “Cyclops would never scream: ’Run Away!’” The three young men ran back toward the encampment and down an alley between two of the buildings. The were met by a group of mutants heading toward them. The female prisoners were rounding the corner at the end of the alley. Wanda and two other girls were at the head of the group.

“Avalanche!” Wanda cried. “Where’s Pietro?”

A silvery-blue form streaked around from behind. It zipped past Avalanche, Gambit and Pyro and came to an abrupt halt before the female prisoners. “Hello ladies,” Quicksilver said, tipping an imaginary hat.

Wanda shoved her brother.

“Did you free the male prisoners?” a feline mutant asked Quicksilver.

“Uh, well, yeah,” Pietro said, jerking his thumb over his shoulder. “No sign of Toad, though.”

A second group of prisoners appeared. They trotted out from behind the building, looking both confused and frightened.

“We’re going to turn off the inhibitors,” the feline mutant continued. “You lot, follow the speed-freak. Head toward the back of the compound. Hide in the hangar until we get these things turned off.” She gestured to several of the milling prisoners. “You two,” she pointed at a dark-skinned woman and an enormous hulk of a man. “Head toward that downed helicopter. Wanda, go with them.”

Gambit was moving through the mass of gathered bodies. He found Betsy amongst them. “Where’s Jean?” he asked her. “Red hair, green eyes...Real pretty.”

Betsy shook her head. “Jean ran into the jungle,” she said sadly. “Moxie thinks she knows where we can find her, though.”

Gambit turned to look at the girl Betsy was referring to. The feline mutant was approaching him. “Betsy, Lorna...you three...come with me.”

“Why should we follow you?” Avalanche griped.

“I know where the controls to the inhibitors are,” Moxie replied. “We need our powers if we’re going to defend ourselves.”

Gambit gave Moxie a scrutinizing look. “Who are you?”

“Introductions can wait, I think,” Pyro said, tugging at Gambit’s sleeve.

A figure appeared at the end of the alley.

“The Executioner!” Gambit cried.

“Wait! I thought we just got rid of that guy!” Pyro cried.

“There’s two of them!” Gambit replied.

The Executioner was joined by four familiar figures. The black-garbed mutant guards proceeded down the alleyway towards them.

“Look,” Gambit said, turning to Moxie. “You girls find the controls for the inhibitors. We’ll stay and hold off the guards.”

“Excuse me?” Betsy said, putting her hands on her slim hips. “Us ’girls’?”

Moxie nodded. “Fine,” she said before trotting off, the green-haired girl called Lorna followed timidly after.

“I’m staying,” Betsy announced.

“Suit yourself,” Gambit shrugged as he turned to face the guards.

Pyro smirked and twirled his pilfered staff. He took aim at Blockbuster. “Looks like it’ll be a hot time in the old town tonight!” The weapon discharged, striking the brute in the chest. Seeing her comrade fall, the snake-like woman shrieked in fury and raised her arms. Then the world turned upside-down.