BLACK AIR RISING

Part II: You Call It Madness

By David Wheatley

Pete Wisdom was in trouble. Big trouble.

He’d been out-manoeuvred by Black Air who had captured his sister Romany, his father Harold and two other people he’d never heard of. He’ played it out as best he could but it hadn’t worked out as he’d planned it.

Scicluna and Threadgold had captured him; now he was without his mutant powers and was in the middle of a lecture from Scicluna about what was happening to him.

“You see, Peter, you are your people are in a position which Black Air have engineered, from the destruction of Muir Island, to your little adventure on Otherworld.”

“Hold it,” said Pete. “Alistaire shut Strickland down…”

“Yes,” said Threadgold. “Except Excalibur and WHO only got the revival of Black Air. Ever since Excalibur stopped the demon from destroying the UK, we went underground. Black Air was badly wounded but not destroyed. We’ve been around a long time, Pete, you know that.”

“Get to the point,” said Pete, focusing tightly on his body hoping that he could summon the will to undo the damage done by the chemicals that had been put in to him which negated his mutant power. It was only a small shot but he didn’t know what kind of stuff Black Air were using these days. If he could just burn through the binding that held him…

“There have been elements to the things you and Excalibur have done since that have weakened the barriers between the dimension,” said Gracie Gamble, from on high, where she her sister Kay and Romany and Harold were bound to the walls. “They needed doing, but the damage couldn’t be helped.”

“Yes,” said Scicluna, “except we planned it all. Thanks to the data we obtained on Proteus and the Proteus Room on Muir Isle and the data on the experimentation that was done on Meggan when we captured her, we learnt a great deal more than we had known about the structure of reality. Then we engineered it so that Excalibur would weaken the doorways between the dimensions, all for the greater good, of course. You see, old friend, we have planned everything accordingly, from our last defeat at the hands of Excalibur.”

“Impossible,” said Pete, knowing there were forces at work they had no control over.

“Actually no,” said Romany. “You see all that stuff with the Crimson Dragons attacking Captain Britain alerted WHO and they researched it.”

“And after that we were attacked by agents of Black Air,” said Pete. “Oh, bloody hell. They had agents in WHO?”

“Naturally,” said Scicluna. “We used the data WHO gathered and kept you and your fellows distracted. Arcade, Sari St Hubbins, and eventually the Sidri were all a means to an end to keep Excalibur occupied. We had plans for Kitty Pryde as well, except SHIELD got in the way. All done with one purpose in mind.”

“To keep us occupied while you helped Sat-Yr-Nine escape from Earth 616,” said Pete. “You gave her a push in the right direction, and let the rest of it all just happen.”

“Precisely,” said Threadgold. “We knew she would wreak havoc on the Omniverse and that Excalibur would deal with her. All we had to do was bring you all back together. Which we did.”

“So that’s what’s been going on?” said Pete. “This doesn’t seem to fit with you pillocks, though.”

“A means to an end, dear boy,” said Threadgold as his fist came crashing down on Pete’s face.

“Actually we realised we were setting our sights too low with control over the UK, the Earth and eventually the galaxy,” said Scicluna. “What we are working for now is nothing less than domination over all that is.”

“The Omniverse?” said Pete. “I think you’ll find that there are two really powerful wizards who won’t allow that.”

“You’re thinking in the wrong direction,” said Scicluna. “The Omniverse and the Captain Britain Corps have been dealt with. We knew what Sat-Yr-Nine and Ghath would do. Granted Excalibur stopped her a little sooner than we planned but we had a contingency plan. You see we were manipulating others to bring about this event as well.”

“Who else have you dragged in to this?” demanded Pete.

“Why, the family Destine,” said Threadgold looking up at Gracie Gamble and Kay Cera. “To ensure that Sat Yr Nine could escape and the cracks in the walls of reality were broadened even further we arranged for a sorcerer named Chen Yu to capture Adam Destine, something which benefited everyone other than Chen Yu. Thanks to the work done by WHO on the Crimson Dragons we knew what the possibilities were.”

“Wolverine met Elektra,” said Pete. “They fell in love, there’s a wedding and you send Sabretooth after them.” The surprise registered on his captors’ faces. “I knew we had the adamantium, I know about McLeish and how you sent him after Logan and I know that there were designs on Sabretooth as well. What I never understood was what you had against Wolverine to do that to him.”

“You wouldn’t understand,” said Scicluna and Pete noticed a flash of pain in her eyes. Whatever Logan had done to her was personal. “And now we have you, the final piece of the puzzle.”

“What?” asked Pete, only now seeing the true depths to which they had all been played by Black Air. Threadgold smiled.

“We have the two Destine children most noted in the occult, both of them the children of a genie and an immortal. We have your sister, whose knowledge of the arcane makes her more receptive than most to the dark arts and we have your father, a man touched by evil when his arm was turned to stone. To complete the puzzle we needed someone else who had been touched by demons, by sorcery and the occult. You, Peter Wisdom, are that person. You will be the focal point for the ceremony, as the dark forces are channelled through you and in to the others. Their live forces will be drained as a doorway in to Eternity itself is opened.”

“We know the ritual, we know the means and we will be undetected by the defenders of this reality,” said Scicluna. “Before anyone has a chance to react, Black Air will have become a fundamental aspect of reality itself. On the stroke of midnight, it begins.”

Meanwhile, in a small village north of London called Ravenscroft, a man sat outside the country house owned by the Destine family. A man called Adam.

He looked at the headstones of the graves and thought back as he remembered the faces of each of those whom he had buried. His children. Though they were possessed of longer lives than most, they were still mortal and could still go the way of all flesh, either by injury or old age.

There were still a lot of his children still left in the world and he knew there would be others to come in the future, for he was immortal and his wife was a genie whom he had freed in the year 1189. Now it was the year 2000 and he had not aged a day since that time, remaining constantly the physical age of 21. The only truth of his age could be seen in his eyes, containing a light within them that seemed to say they had seen more than anyone could possibly see.

He felt her presence in his mind a moment before he was transported to the limbo-esque realm where they consummated their relationship. His senses were overwhelmed by her presence but he knew she wasn’t there for the two of them; she was there for the children.

:::What is it my love?::: he asked of her as he embraced her. :::What is happening?:::

:::Gracie… Kay… They are both in danger… Their lives are being used to undo what is:::

:::But how?::: asked Adam.

:::They have a link to time and reality through your blood and mine, a link that can be used in certain rituals to break down barriers, barriers that have already been weakened:::

:::No::: said Adam, knowing that the plan that he, the Chaste and Gomurr had set in motion years ago for Logan and the downfall of Chen Yu was now being used against him. The plan had borne fruit, and the sorcerer had been killed and the Hand dealt a major blow, but there had been a cost.

When the Crimson Dawn had overloaded with mystical energy and expanded rapidly after Adam had been retrieved from his state as a living sacrifice, it’s effects had echoed across the dimensions, eldritch energy seeping through the minute cracks. To stop the Dawn from killing everyone the Logan from the past had touched the energy and the adamantium within his body had stopped it, a process that Adam did not fully understand, but his son Newton had assured him of. The backlash of everything being pushed back in to place had caused the minute cracks to widen.

Now someone was trying to turn the cracks in to breaks and they were using his children to do so.

:::This was unexpected, my love::: he said with fierce determination. :::The plan was sound, but we did not look far enough ahead:::

:::You do not have much time::: she replied. :::You must reach them before the stroke of midnight of else they will die:::

:::Not while I live::: swore Adam and they kissed in part because it transferred her knowledge of the children to him and also because their brief time together ended and, suddenly, he was once again alone once more. Adam quickly thought of who was available to help him in this.

They were not an experienced fighting unit like the X-Men but they did have a certain flair and style that they had been developing over the years, even more so with the events of recent times. Rory and Pandora were with Newton on the far side of the galaxy, Dominic was with Will in Australia and so were too far away to be reached at such short notice so that only left Walter and Sam.

He sighed, thinking that they could really do with some help and he went to get the others.

In the offices of the Weird Happenings Organisation, based in the Tower of London on the banks of the River Thames, the rest of Excalibur, who had been joined by Psylocke, watched the news as the main headline was still the revelation of Excalibur’s identities on air by themselves. They had made their announcement at around 9, there had been several hours of questioning and then they had come back to the Tower of London. Now that the deed was done, it was time to relax.

“Now that went very well,” said Brian. “What the rest of the superhero community will say about it, I’m not sure, but it went well.”

“The questions were a little pressing,” admitted Martinique, “but that was to be expected.”

“I thought you all did marvellously,” said Betsy as she put her arms around Brian’s neck and giving him a hug. “Especially when they pressed you on your personal failings.”

“I was an alcoholic,” said Brian. “I still am, but I fight it. One day at a time.”

“And with a little love and help,” said Meggan giving him a kiss. “Shame Pete couldn’t make it though.”

“Couldn’t be helped,” said Alistaire as he sat down in his leather armchair. “He’s hunting for his family, and the last I heard from him he was on his way to finish up a lead.”

“I’ll bet,” said Brian. “So what do you guys fancy doing now?”

“You do realise we can’t go anywhere without the paparazzi following us now,” said Betsy.

“Yes,” said Meggan. “Going out for a pizza is out of the question for a while.”

“We could always go somewhere where there are no crowds,” said Martinique with a sly grin.

“Where?” asked Kylun and Meggan.

“The Millennium Dome.”

“Ha ha ha,” said Betsy. “I’ve visited it and it’s a very good place. There was an odd feeing about the place though, something at the edge of my perceptions.”

“May have been an exhibit,” said Meggan. “They’re supposed to be very interesting. Still, we can’t go out anywhere for a while. Not while we’re such hot news.”

“Then, how about we go over to Guernsey?” suggested Brian. “We catch a boat down the Thames and head to one of the Channel Islands.”

“Seems a long way to go for a night out,” said Kylun.

“Actually,” said Alistaire as he picked up the telephone, “I have something that may help us out. WHO’s technicians have been working on some faster transportation for us, including a new Hydrofoil.”

“How special?” asked Brian.

“Imagine the Midnight Runner on water.”

“Bold claim,” said Brian, thinking back to the aircraft he had built for Excalibur when they were at Muir.

“Only one way to find out,” chuckled Alistair as he quickly tapped in the extension. “Sapphire? It’s Alistair. Excalibur and I will be taking the Alysdane out for a test run. Could you have her outside the jetty in ten minutes? Thanks, love.” He put the telephone down. “We’ve got ten minutes.”

“Great,” said Brian. “That reminds me.” He turned to look at Betsy. “How did Tangerine go on today?”

“The specialist is keeping her in for tests and such. They think that a psionically-powered brace might help her walk again. If it works, I want to suggest it to Charles. With his powers heightened by the Legacy Virus he might be able to walk again. I spoke with Moira the other day. She and Charles still haven’t found anything yet.”

“They’ll find a cure,” said Brian. “Then maybe Kurt will come back.”

“You know Feron’s gone back to Ireland?” said Meggan.

“Why?” asked Kylun. “I thought he had settled.”

“I think he decided he wasn’t cut out for this kind of thing and went home,” said Martinique. “He never really seemed comfortable at the mansion.”

“True,” said Brian. “When his pre-ordained destiny didn’t happen he didn’t really have much of a need to push himself anymore. The only person who really understood was Rachel and he was jealous of her for having claimed his birthright.”

“I used to think that about you,” said Betsy. “I often wanted to be Captain Britain. I got my chance and I wasn’t good enough.”

“You were,” said Brian. “You just needed training. The X-Men gave you that.”

“As well as the realisation I wasn’t going to be Captain Britain, that I didn’t want to be. I just wanted to be me. Never really happened though.”

“As much fun as all this maudlin talk is,” said Kylun, “I think today is a day for celebrating. We took a step forward in mutant relations. We did a good thing here today.”

“Here, here,” said Martinique. “By the time we get down to the jetty, the boat’ll be here. The point of today is we are who we are; we are what we are. Now let’s go for a cruise.”

As they got on the boat, further down the river were the three family members of the ClanDestine on their way to rescue the captured members of their family.

No words were spoken between them as they made their way down. Walter was in his regular form to allow a clandestine approach to the place where Kay and Gracie were being held, while Sam was armoured up in her metallic ectoplasm. Adam as dressed as normal, being invulnerable meant he needed no special protection and over the last few years he had been trying to develop his feelings better than he had done once upon a time.

He checked his watch and saw it was around 11.45. They had fifteen minutes to save their family and save reality from being manipulated. It was an awesome responsibility. As they made their way to the antechamber where they were being held they were all concerned about the obvious lack of guards and such around the place, almost as if they were expected, but how could they be when nobody knew they were coming?

As they entered the chamber they saw two figures – a man and a woman – dressed in ceremonial garb waiting, body parts scattered around. They saw Kay and Gracie bound to the walls, along with two others in a similar predicament; all four of them had their eyes closed and seemed to be sleeping. Another man suspended in the middle of the room, above a large pit. The man was struggling like mad and he seemed familiar to them.

“You are not Excalibur,” said the man pointing at them. “You were not expected, however you will be dealt with just as easily. He clicked his fingers and troops entered. Sam was first in, Adam next and Walter powered up to his monster-like form and they began to attack. Time was running out and they were being delayed.

As the boat made it’s way down the Thames, Brian collared Alistaire.

“I thought you said this thing was fast,” he said.

“It is, but there is a speed limit on the river,” reminded Alistaire. “When we hit the open waters then you’ll see some serious stuff.”

“Yeah,” said Brian as he looked out at the night skyline. He could fly faster than this he thought to himself as he went down from the bridge to the deck where the other members of the team were. And Elisabeth, he reminded himself. She wasn’t part of the team, though Brian wished she were. Fighting alongside her hadn’t happened in a very long time and he missed her. They had been apart for so long.

“We could still go,” said Martinique as they passed by the Dome. “They’d be practically begging us to come in now we’re media darlings.”

“Maybe another time,” chuckled Brian and started to walk over to Betsy who smiled then fell to the floor as Martinique screamed in pain. “BETSY!” he shouted and rushed over to her as the other came to check on Martinique as well.

“Stop the boat,” she said. “We have to get in there,” and she pointed at the Dome. “Now.” She looked at her brother and he knew what she was saying to him.

“ALISTAIRE!” called Brian. “We need light!” The Director of WHO flipped a switch and the lights came on, casting shadows across the boat and everyone held hands as Psylocke took them through the shadows in to the bowels of the Dome.

“About bloody time you lot showed up,” shouted Pete from where he was. They looked around to see three strangers fighting with Black Air troops, and they all knew instantly who were friends and who were foes.

The most normal looking of them was wrestling with Threadgold as Scicluna was chanting, and Meggan clutched her sides in agony as the ritual began to take effect.

“Brian,” she cried. “Stop her!”

Brian flew up and across as the others ran to help the strangers.

“Stuff them!” shouted Pete. “Bloody well get me down!” Brian arrived just as Scicluna stopped chanting, and he grabbed her by the throat.

“You are too late, Captain!” she said. “It has begun!” A green light began to emanate from the pit and reach up through Pete who cried out. His arms stretched out, as if his fingers were trying to touch the very walls and mystical hot knives flew from his fingers in to the four people on the walls.

Adam cried out as he felt the pain in the mind of his wife and Threadgold seized on the distraction to throw him down the pit.

“ADAM!” cried Walter, running through the troops. There had been just too many and since the battle in the Danger Room of the X-Men he was not as ferocious as he had been.

“Kylun!” called Brian and his friend threw one of the mystic blades he wielded up towards the chain holding Peter. It passed through Pete, disrupting the mystical connection and he fell down in to the pit after Adam. Brian released Scicluna and flew towards the pit, but both men had vanished.

Then there was a roaring from the pit as the mystical forces that had been at work reacted to the disturbance and then reality shattered around them…

NEXT ISSUE: Excalibur and ClanDestine are trapped in a London that shouldn’t exist, a London, an England, a planet under the control of Black Air. It’s a handful of people against a world. And what has happened to Pete and Adam?