Morlock Tunnels
London, England

“Protect the children!”

The order comes from Callisto, the leader of the Morlocks. In her hands is a staff that she uses to slam Scalphunter’s gun from his hand. She moves in and shoves the staff against his chest. He grabs it and pulls it away from her snapping it in two. Scalphunter reaches for the components attached to his vest and quickly assembles a small firearm. Callisto charges forward to pull it away from him, but he knees her in the stomach and fires two bullets into her chest.

“Berzerker, take Caliban, find the children,” says Sunder. Berzerker nods and helps Caliban move deeper into the tunnels. Sunder turns back towards the Marauders and sees Blockbuster coming towards him.

“What about you?” asks Berzerker.

“Don’t worry about me, lad,” replies Sunder. “These tossers are mine.”

Sunder hurls his fist towards Blockbuster. Blockbuster stands his ground and grabs Sunder’s fist in the palm of his massive hand. He smiles as he crushes Sunder’s fist, and the Morlock cries out in pain. Blockbuster pulls Sunder towards him and slams him against the wall. He recoils his fist, and with all his strength, slams it against Sunder’s head, putting it through the brick wall.

Tommy, using her powers to displace her mass to another dimension, becomes as thin as a sheet of paper. She attempts to move by sliding through the cracks in the sewer walls. Arclight steps forward and places her hands on the wall. Seismic vibrations channel from her hands into the wall, causing it to collapse with Tommy still inside.

Harpoon hurls one of his energy javelins at Lightning Bug. Erg jumps in front of her, taking the javelin in his chest. His body absorbs the energy and transmutes it. He lifts the eye-patch covering his left eye and a bolt of electrical energy flies out and strikes Harpoon.

Vertigo moves forward and unleashes her powers on the pair of Morlocks, disorienting them. For Erg and Lightning Bug, up becomes down, black becomes white, and their entire equilibrium is lost. She increases the effect on the entire area, disorienting the remaining Morlocks in the first part of the tunnels.

Riptide steps up next, while the Morlocks are disoriented and nauseous. He begins spinning around, and calcified skin secretions launch out from his whirlwind in the form of razor-sharp shurikens and spikes that impale the Morlocks.

Scalphunter steps forward, admiring the handiwork of his crew. He smiles as he looks down at the lifeless bodies of the Morlocks, and he turns to the rest of the Marauders.

“Not bad, not bad at all,” he says.

“Slim pickings,” says Riptide. “I was hoping for more of a challenge.”

“Oh, don’t worry about that, my friend – we’re not through just yet,” says Scalphunter. “From what our employers have told us, there are plenty more Morlocks where these came from – we’ve just gotta seek them out.”

Scalphunter turns towards the tunnels.

“Come on, there’s more where these freaks came from.”

MUTANT MASSACRE

Part II: Bloodbath

By Dino Pollard

He tips the glass back and the Guinness flows down into his mouth and down his throat. Once the glass is drained, he sets it down on the bar.

“Fill ‘er up,” he says. The bartender looks at him and takes the glass.

“Y’sure about that, friend?” he asks. “You’ve ‘ad about nine pints so far.”

“Trust me, I can hold my own, ‘mate,’” replies the customer.

The bartender places the glass under the tap and fills it to the brim as the customer puffs on his cigar. The bartender puts the glass down in front of the man.

“There y’ are,” he says. “But if y’ start t’ get rowdy, I’m gonna ‘ave t’ ask you t’leave.”

“Deal,” says the customer. He sets his cigar down on the ashtray and begins to drink down his tenth pint. His keen hearing perks up the sound of approaching footsteps and he turns his head. He sees a young woman with long, brown hair approaching him.

“How’s it goin’, kitten?” he asks. “Want a beer?”

Kitty Pryde lifts her hand and slaps it across Logan’s face. He recoils, not from pain, but from shock. He turns and looks at her.

“Pig,” she mutters. She spins on her heel and walks right back out of the bar, rubbing her hand from the impact of striking a face with an adamantium skull beneath it. The bartender leans over to Logan.

“Well… that’s one way of sayin’ ‘no thanks,’” he says.

“No shit,” mutters Logan.

He turns back to his drink and takes another puff on his cigar. He hears footsteps once more, although these are heavier. The bartender looks up and slowly backs away. Logan feels a finger tapping him on his shoulder. He turns and sees Peter Rasputin, fully armored, standing behind him.

“Way t’ be subtle, Petey,” he says. “Y’know we’re supposed t’ be travelin’ incognito, ri—“

Before Logan can finish his sentence, Peter’s metal-covered fist connects with his jaw and sends him flying across the bar. Logan sits up and shakes his head, rubbing it. He stands up and sees Peter already walking out of the bar. Logan moves back to his seat and drains the last of the Guinness from the glass. He slides it back towards the bartender, who’s looking around nervously.

“Mind a refill?” asks Logan. The bartender takes the pint glass and puts it by the sink.

“What are you doin’?” asks Logan.

The bartender takes out a whiskey glass and places it on the countertop. He also puts down a bottle of whiskey.

“Right now, I think this is more your speed,” he says.

“Good call,” says Logan as the bartender begins pouring whiskey into the glass.

“Come here, children, come,” says Annalee, gathering her four children and the young Artie. She looks up and sees Berzerker entering her sanctum, helping Caliban in. He lays Caliban up against the wall.

“Annalee, where’s Bouncer?” asks Berzerker.

“What’s happening?” asks Annalee.

“We’re under attack,” replies Berzerker.

“Attack… by who?” asks Annalee. “Humans?”

“No, they had powers,” replies Berzerker.

“Mutants?” asks Annalee. “But why would mutants hunt their own kind?”

“Dunno, but we need Bouncer to get as many people out as possible,” replies Berzerker. “Caliban’s already very weak. His healing gifts are the only thing helping him so far.”

“How many are there?” asks Annalee.

“Six,” replies Berzerker. “They killed Callisto and Leech.”

“What of the Healer?” asks Annalee. Berzerker simply shakes his head and Annalee sighs.

“Bouncer is our only hope,” says Berzerker.

“I’m here, Berzerker.”

Berzerker looks up and Bouncer steps into the room, followed by Feral, Tarbaby, Blow-Hard, Cybelle, and Ape.

“Ah good, now we have to get moving,” says Berzerker.

“I know,” says Bouncer. “Feral, Ape – stay with Ever, protect him.”

“How many can you teleport at once?” asks Annalee.

“Four plus myself.”

“Then send four of the little ones ahead of us and come back for the rest,” says Berzerker. “We have to mount some sort of a defense.”

“Are you insane, lad?!” exclaims Annalee. “We have to escape! Get help!”

“And who will help us?” asks Berzerker. “I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but we’re mutants, Annalee! The humans want nothing to do with us!”

“Watch your tongue, lad,” replies Annalee.

“Both of you, shut up,” says Bouncer. “I’ll send the children ahead and we’ll follow. The strongest of us will stay behind until I can get us all out safely.”

“That’s the only choice we ha—“

Berzerker’s words are cut off by seismic vibrations. The wall before them crumbles and the Marauders step in.

“Knock knock,” says Scalphunter. He holds a pair of semi-automatic weapons in his hands and begins unloading rounds into the Morlocks. Annalee, Blow-Hard, and Cybelle are the first to fall. Bullets strike Bouncer as well. Berzerker looks at Scalphunter with rage burning in his eyes and unleashes electrical energy at the six Marauders.

“MURDERERS!”

Vertigo unleashes her powers and disorients Berzerker. The moment is all Harpoon needs to rush forward and impale the Morlock on his javelin. Harpoon moves towards Annalee’s four children cowering in the corner and suddenly, claws tear into his back. He turns and sees Caliban standing there, his wounds slowly healing.

“Stay… back…” he mutters with a low growl.

“Now isn’t that sweet,” says Arclight. “Look at how he tries to protect the little pretties.”

Tarbaby moves towards the Marauders, attempting to encase them in the tar secreted by his pores. Riptide beings whipping around, freeing himself from the tar and hurling spikes into Tarbaby’s throat.

“Nice shot,” says Harpoon. He turns back to Caliban, but finds him and Annalee’s four children gone.

“Go after them,” Scalphunter says to Arclight. Arclight nods and runs off into the tunnels.

Bouncer pulls his body closer to Artie, the mute child who sits in the corner, tears welling up in his eyes. Bouncer puts his hand on Artie’s knee and smiles at him.

“No tears, lad,” he says. “It’s time for us to go.”

Bouncer wraps his bony fingers around Artie’s knee and the two vanish from the tunnels in a flash of light.

“Let them go,” says Scalphunter.

“Two of them went out this way,” says Riptide, motioning in the direction Feral and Ape went.

“Good, maybe they’ll lead us to more,” says Scalphunter, reloading his guns. “Vertigo – you’re with me. Riptide, Blockbuster, Harpoon – see who else you can find wandering around the tunnels.”

“Words escape me,” mutters Hank as he walks down the sidewalk, holding a pair of grocery bags.

“Oh c’mon,” says John, moving to keep pace with Hank, and also carrying a pair of grocery bags.

“I have never been so embarrassed,” says Hank.

“Bullshit, Hank,” says John.

Hank stops and turns to look at John.

“You got into a fight over a frozen pizza,” he says.

“I put my hand on it, first!” says John.

“With a woman!”

“Oh bullshit – if she was a woman, I wanna see some papers!” exclaims John. “Did you see that mustache?!”

“You’re sick, you know that?” asks Hank.

“Oh c’mon, it’s not like I did anything bad!”

“You punched her!”

“I pulled my punches!”

“You have superhuman strength – even a pulled punch from you hits like a phonebook!”

“Hey, she seemed to recover pretty quickly,” says John. “Just get off my back, okay?”

“Next time, I’m definitely bringing Colossus with…” mutters Hank. “Either that, or I’m going to tell Logan to do the grocery shopping on his own.”

“Yeah, like you’d have the guts to say no to Wolve—“

A bright, flash of light appears in the middle of the sidewalk before them. Once the light fades, Hank and John see a young mutant with pink skin and no mouth sitting on the ground. Lying by the boy’s side is an older mutant, blood pouring out from fresh bullet wounds. Hank and John instantly rush to his side. The man looks up at Hank and smiles.

“Beast…” he mutters. “Morlocks… need help…”

“You know this guy?” asks John.

“He’s one of the Morlocks,” replies Hank. “Bouncer, what happened?”

Bouncer opens his mouth to speak, but before a sound can escape his throat, the life fades from his body and he falls limp. Hank looks up at Artie and puts his hand on the young mutant’s shoulder.

“Artie, what happened?” asks Hank.

Artie rubs the tears from his eyes and then closes them. Artie Maddicks is a mute young boy, with the mutant ability to create images from his mind for others to see. Hank and John watch as a mysterious gunman fires off round after round into Artie’s fellow Morlocks.

“Holy crap…” mutters John.

“Take Artie back to the hotel, get the others,” says Hank.

“Where are you going?”

“Down there,” replies Hank.

“Not by yourself you’re not,” says John. “I should go down there, I’m stronger and faster than you.”

“Exactly, you’re faster,” says Hank. “Which means you can get to the hotel faster than I can.”

“Not gonna happen, pal,” says John. “You’re not going down there alone.”

“This isn’t up for debate,” says Hank. “Take Artie and get…”

Hank stops and looks around.

“Artie…?”

“Damn…” mutters John. “He’s gone.”

“I’m going after him, he’s probably gone back to the tunnels,” says Hank. “John – go now. I’m not going to say it again. The longer we argue about this, the more lives that could be lost.”

“Alright, fine,” says John. He races towards the hotel as fast as he can, and Hank runs off to find the nearest entrance to the tunnels.

Artie Maddicks finds himself wandering around the tunnels of the sewers, trying to find his way back to his friends and family. He knows the bad men have come down, but he hopes they have left by now and he can return to his life the way it was. He looks around a corner and slowly steps out. Then he hears footsteps coming from behind him.

“Looks like we missed one,” comes the voice of Blockbuster. Riptide and Harpoon come up beside their teammate.

“This was the one who teleported away, huh?” asks Riptide. “You’re definitely one of the stupid ones, aren’t you? You had a way out and still you come back down here.”

Harpoon readies one of his spears and smiles.

“Leave him alone.”

The three Marauders turn around and see a stocky man with long, black hair worn in a ponytail and a pair of tinted glasses. His hands and feet are enormous, granting him an almost simian-like appearence.

“And who’s gonna stop us, fatboy?” asks Harpoon. “You?”

“Indubitably,” replies the Beast as he cracks his knuckles. “Artie — run!”

Beast leaps forward when he says those words, slamming his feet into Blockbuster’s chest. He swings his fist and slams Harpoon back and he turns to face Riptide, but finds the Marauder is no longer there. He feels a huge gust of wind, and Riptide is suddenly standing in front of him. Blockbuster’s massive hand gribs the Beast’s shoulder.

“This had nothing to do with you,” says Blockbuster. “You just signed your death warrant, pal.”