EDITOR’S NOTE: This issue takes place before X-Corps 2009 Annual.

IRRATIONAL CHOICES

Part VIII: All Things End

By Brent Lambert

Polaris was pissed and there wasn’t anyone in this facility that wasn’t going to know it by the end of the night. Her immense anger was indicated by the waves of green energy coming off of her body. In the aftermath of each wave, metal was crushed and bent like it was paper. The guns of the armed guards were nothing more than ragged balls of steel and high-density plastic. Bonds that had once held her teammates captive were ripped asunder.

Shard took advantage of Polaris’ rage and began to pull out the needles that had been plugged into her teammates. She had only gotten through Mongoose and Ruby Claw when Dr. Osman stepped into the room. Polaris turned on him like an angry wolf and said, “Don’t come near me.”

Osman gave a cold smile and snapped his fingers. “I won’t have to.”

Vertigo overtook Polaris. The world began to slip and slide around her as greens became blues and reds turned to black. She collapsed to the ground but was caught by Shard. Looking up at Osman, she said, “What did you do to her?”

“Only what was necessary.”

Jacob and Susan Dane walked up behind Osman neither one looking pleased. Jacob spoke for both of them when he said, “Our daughter is not to be harmed Osman. We made that clear.”

“And I will not jeopardize my experiment for your failure to convince her of the truth.”

Susan was flush. “She was beginning to listen to us until you stepped in.”

Mongoose leaped over his table and punched Osman in the back of the head. The scientist collided with the Danes and slammed face first into the linoleum floor. Teeth and blood were released as result. Jacob and Susan were thrown apart from each other with Jacob hitting his head on a metal table. He slid into unconsciousness.

“Oh that was the wrong thing to do,” Susan said as she stood to her feet and her eyes quickly went pink.

Mongoose began to clutch at his throat unable to breath. Ruby Claw pushed past him and charged towards Susan. As she reached back to the punch the woman all she heard was a loud popping noise. The world around her went black for only a split second and then she found herself in the midst of the Gobi Desert.

Suddenly standing outside of the facility that she was just in, Ruby Claw cursed under breath. Hearing a tremendous roar, she looked upward and saw a jet caught in a firefight with the gun turrets lining the roof of the facility. She knew the jet well.

This can either be really good or really bad.

Just then her powers switched over.

Mongoose fell to the ground clutching his throat and gasping for air. Shard quickly pointed both her first at the woman claiming to be Lorna’s mother and fired off photonic blasts. The orange energy struck the well-dressed woman, but it seemed to have no effect. It was as if the energy had been sucked into her body like a sponge. Shard cradled Lorna close to her and said, “Leave her alone! You can’t have her.”

“She’s my daughter,” Susan said as she shot green optic blasts right at Shard’s forehead. The woman was knocked away from her daughter and sent spinning to the feet of the Polaris clone. Susan walked over to Lorna and scooped her into her arms with ease unusual for a woman her size. She was easily the same build as her daughter and didn’t appear the least bit stresses by the load.

Jacob woke up from the blow that Mongoose had given him. The first sight he saw was the very same man unconscious on the floor not far from him. Looking up, he saw his wife cradling their daughter. “We need to leave. The hangar bay isn’t far from here. Lorna isn’t going to listen to us here.”

Susan regretted using her teleportation on Ruby Claw because now she would need to recharge. Otherwise, the hangar would have only been an instant away. Only when they were away from here would Lorna listen. She was sure of it and then they could be a family again.

“Lets go honey! Before anymore of these people wake up,” Jacob said as he took in a sprint with his wife past the unarmed guards who knew better than to say anything to a Durklan board member. You’d quickly find yourself fired.

As they ran, a tesseract portal opened not far from where Susan had taken her daughter in her arms. Four mutants stepped through the swirling purple portal and the one leading them smiled triumphantly at what he thought was Polaris.

“Looks like our job is being made easy for us gentlemen,” Ch’Vayre said to the three Marauders that had been given to him as back up. The Prelate questioned why more had not been provided, but Sinister’s mind operated on a different level. While Ch’Vayre was confident in himself he wasn’t quite sure if he had ready to take on Essex. The man thought in a thousand directions and always seemed to be prepared. Not to mention those in his service were lethally loyal.

Spynal stood around 6’6 and was literally a walking block of bone. His entire body was made of the substance. There were two read eyes that provided the mutant with sight, but they were just as hard as the rest of his body. He was the reason children closed their closets at night.

Bloodhack had hair as bleached as Spynal’s body and eyes to match. His skin was a dusty gray that seemed to complement his little figure well. Red boots and fingerless gloves lined up with his blue pants and midriff shirt. The only thing that really made him appear threatening were the two machetes always twirling casually in his hands.

Standing next to him was Bugout, who was just as freakishly scary as Spynal. His body was a dark green carapace from the next down and his blue eyes were like those of a fly. Bugs from this world and others freely crawled across his body. A large five-foot millipede was wrapped across his chest. The lime green incest seemed to pulsate with Bugout’s every breath. If Spynal scared children then Bugout scared everyone.

“Grab Polaris and throw her into the portal. Then we’ll free these weaklings,” Ch’Vayre said as he began to unplug Will O’ Wisp from the machinery that was keeping him unconscious. There was much more work to be done.

Forge pulled the jet tight to the right and said, “Their defenses are too hard to penetrate. We’re not getting in there.”

“Whelp, looks like your guys are on their own. Lets go back home,” Madrox said earning glares from both Rahne and Forge. He shrugged. “It was an idea.”

“One we can’t even consider ye dolt,” Wolfsbane said. “Lorna is down there and I’m not leaving without her.”

“Unless you know how to walk through bullets I don’t see how that’s happening,” Madrox replied.

Strong Guy unstrapped himself from his chair and stood up. “Pull back around Forge. I have an idea.”

Instantly not liking the sound of it, Rahne asked, “Just what are ye up to Guido?”

Guido winked at his longtime friend. “Trust me.”

“Even so, the gunfire is just too heavy. We’d be swiss cheese before you have a chance to try anything,” Forge said.

Madrox looked out his window and laughed to himself at their luck. “You might want to go ahead and pull around. Some lady just climbed on the roof and is turning the gun turrets to slag.”

Forge pulled up a visual of this woman n a screen sitting in between his various gauges. The jet had twelve intricately placed cameras to allow for maximum strategic vision. That advantage was proving all but useless against the heavy gunfire. Seeing who it was giving them aid, Forge smiled. “That’s Ruby Claw. She must have recognized us!”

Guido was firm. “Good so turn us around and I’ll finish it.”

Rahne frowned up. “That could kill you.”

He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder and said, “Things are different now. I can’t explain, but I will later.”

Forge looked back from the pilot’s seat. “Whatever you’re going to do you’re gonna have to do it now.”

Guido walked to the back of the plane as its maw began to spread open. Wind rushed across him and through the plane. He stepped to the edge of the mouth and without a moment’s hesitation leaped forward. Things were too far along for second thoughts and he needed to show Rahne that he was fine. Better than he had felt in years. There hadn’t been time to explain everything but for the first time in his life since his powers manifested he didn’t feel pain anymore.

It was as free a feeling as the air rushing across his face. With every inch that he fell, Strong Guy absorbed more and more kinetic energy into himself. He did so without fear of consequences and was soon a falling behemoth. When he finally reached the roof he hit with all the force of a small comet. Concrete and metal buckled under his impact. The gun turrets that hadn’t been turned to slag by Ruby Claw’s intense fire were sucked into the cave-in. As for Claw herself, she thrust herself upward like a fiery rocket away from the carnage.

Using the energy he had absorbed in his fall, Guido blasted away all dangerous debris. Burst after burst of golden kinetic energy came forth from his palms until he had nearly released all that he had taken in. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that there was some explaining to be done. Now wasn’t the time. Lorna was being held somewhere in this facility and he was determined to find her.

Forge’s buzz came in through his issued earpiece. “Good job. We’re moving for a landing now.”

“What about your friend?” Guido asked. He didn’t think to provide the woman any kind of warning and hoped she wasn’t lost somewhere amongst the rubble.

“She’s fine. Not too far behind us. Be careful down there.”

Jacob walked through the door and beckoned his wife to hurry up. “We need to move. The rest of Lorna’s friends have arrived.”

The M-Core Virus had unlocked all of Jacob Dane’s latent mutant abilities and among these had been a sixth sense altering him to the presence of other mutants. He could only assume the new mutant signatures her felt were here for Lorna. His daughter had just as many friends as she did enemies. The faster they could remove her from this environment then the sooner they could rebuild themselves as a family. It was time for him to do right by his daughter.

“Did you feel that tremor? It sounded like someone took out half the complex, Susan said as she sprinted alongside her husband with Lorna in her arms. She hated leaving Osman behind only because he was such a valuable resource for Durklan. They would need a very good explanation for why things had gone south. Their fellow board members were an inquisitive bunch and they would prod relentlessly until they had the answers they wanted.

Dane urged his wife onward. “We can’t worry about that. Lorna’s friends could be on our tail.”

“We’re right in front of you,” The Shroud said as he rose up from the shadows with Red Lotus at his side. The two had escaped Osman’s electrical attack and had been waiting for the right moment to make their presence known.

Red Lotus rocked back and forth on his legs like an anxious kick boxer. “Put Lorna down now.”

Jacob was furious because an easy escape had been so close. “No one tells me what to do with my child!”

Black tendrils of Darkforce shot out from The Shroud’s back and wrapped around the Danes’ escape plane. The tendrils coiled and dug into the aircraft like ink being poured over it. The Shroud folded his arms across his chest and said, “Drop her and I’ll spare your aircraft.”

Susan staved back thoughts of ripping the man limb from limb. “What business is this of yours? Step aside now!”

Lorna’s eyes cracked open and a wave of green magnetic energy erupted from her body. Susan was flung backwards and Lorna hovered in the air. Gently landing on her feet, she looked at the man claiming to be her father and said, “Take your wife and leave. I’m not coming with you.”

Jacob was crushed. “Lorna, we’re trying to make up for a mistake we made a long time ago.”

“Then start now by letting me make my own choice.”

Susan, unaffected by her daughter’s attack, walked to her husband’s side and took his hand. “Ok baby. We’ll leave, but please don’t let this be our last time seeing you. Me and your father love you.”

For the first time since meeting them, Lorna spoke to them gently. “It won’t be the last time. Promise.”

Unexpectedly and instinctually, Susan reached out and hugged her daughter. “Be careful honey. Osman is no joke.”

“He’s a mid-level reality manipulator,” Jacob said looking over to The Shroud and Red Lotus to make sure they heard the information. “This facility is crawling with his guards as well. My suggestion would be to kill first and don’t worry about questions.”

Red Lotus seemed uncomfortable with that prospect. He had told Forge that he was afraid of releasing his old self. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

Susan hugged Lorna one more time and the Danes were gone. They left behind one very confused and hurt child.

“Let’s find Shard and the others.”

Guido charged forward like a raging bull and knocked aside the attacking guards with elbows and fists. “Couldn’t ya have chosen a route with less resistance, Forge?”

The X-Factor leader was blasting the emerald armored guards with a gun ray that completely shut down their armor’s computer system. Forge found the armor completely unimpressive and felt he was doing the men a favor by relieving them of their weaponry. In his mind, there was no resistance at all. “This is small time, Guido. Don’t tell me being on the sidelines made you soft.”

Strong Guy lifted one guard up by his neck and flung him into the roof. “Naw. Just anxious to find Lorna.”

Rahne scrambled to Guido’s side and said, “Ye shouldn’t be complaining after knocking down half the building.”

Guido felt the question that Rahne and everyone else wanted to ask. He wasn’t going to be the one to bring it up. When they were ready to ask then they would ask. “I just make sure I eat plenty of Wheaties in the morning.”

Another squad of Durklan guards moved into the wide hallway and began firing on the mutants. Ruby Claw stepped in front of everyone and created a wall of fire that disrupted the energy blasts. She pushed the fire wall forward and it consumed the Durklan guards. Their armor began to melt under the intense inferno and the screams started to come.

“Stop!” Rahne yelled as she ran forward and tackled the Chinese woman to the ground. Ruby Claw’s concentration was broken and the flames stopped. “Were ye trying to kill them?”

Forge ran forward and lifted Ruby Claw to her feet. “What are you doing Rahne?!”

“She was going to kill them!”

Cutting his eyes at her, Forge said, “Lets keep moving.”

Rahne was seething at Forge’s reaction. He had looked at her like a parent staring down a child. When did doing the right thing become a problem on X-Factor? She was starting to see why Val had come to them for assistance. Things on this team were headed down a darker path if Forge cared nothing for the life of another. He had once been a man of great compassion and caring. He had battle plans were run through test after test to make sure there was every precaution to preserve lives. Now things were different and that stare had been enough.

“Things may not quite be as you remember,” Ruby Claw said as she stepped over the burned guards.

Wolfsbane didn’t sense any malice in Ruby Claw’s tone. It was just a simple admission of fact and there was even some degree of bitterness in it. More and more Rahne was beginning to wonder just what this team had endured. What darkness had crept in?

Seeing his friend’s concern, Guido walked up behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Don’t worry. I don’t think she was trying to bite.”

She shook her head. Guido sometimes had a problem grasping the more subtle points about people. “She’s disenchanted. So is Forge.”

“That’s not really our problem is it? We’re just here on a favor for Val.”

“Forge is our friend, if something is bothering him then I want to know what it is.”

“He’s a grown man, Rahne. You need to leave him be.”

Rahne’s blood pressure began to rise. “Don’t talk to me like I’m some meddling old lady!”

“We found them!”

The two ran after Forge’s voice.

Fontanelle looked at the encoded text that she ha just received on her Blackberry and grinned. Department K’s global role was going to finally be expanded. The necessary events were now being put into motion. There were many who had written Department K off as barely a blip on the power player radar. That was swiftly about to change in the coming weeks. Euphoria washed over her at the thought of the power that she was about to acquire.

Mother I hope you’re proud, Fontanelle thought bitterly to herself. The woman had given birth to her, but she had never been much of a mother. Black Womb had been her child and her passion. Gloria had always been a secondary priority. Knowing that reality as a child was a burden that Gloria still bore to the present day. Some things did not wash away.

There would forever be a hole in Gloria’s soul because she was never able to show her mother just how much she had been able to achieve on her won. Amanda Mueller had been cut down in the height of her glory. Fontanelle intended to track down every person responsible for her mother’ assassination. They would pay and pay slowly. It wouldn’t be something that she could do immediately, but it would happen. Department K would be her sword.

That sword’s sharpest edge walked into her office with a pleased look. Quiet Bill rarely looked anything but stoic. “POTUS has given the authorization.”

“I know. The message was delivered,” Fontanelle said as she looked behind Quiet Bill at the open door. “You could learn to knock.”

“Do you think Cooper is going to accept the position?”

Gloria laughed. “Cooper would eat her young if it meant getting ahead. She’ll accept.”

Shard was helping Mongoose to his feet as best as she could when Forge and the others burst through the door. They had been lucky that she had fought back instinct because otherwise someone may have found themselves with a hole in their chest. “Am I glad to see you Forge! See you brought the cavalry.”

Forge smiled. “Didn’t have much choice. A lone bionic man wasn’t going to save anyone.”

“Where’s Lorna?” Guido asked. He was happy for Shard and Forge’s reunion, but his primary concern laid with Lorna. Her welfare was paramount to him. It was his whole reason for dragging himself to Mongolia.

“I’m here Guido. Don’t sound so concerned,” Lorna laughed with The Shroud to her left and Red Lotus to her right.

Guido couldn’t help himself. “Polaris!”

Everyone ran forward and crowded around Dane. She couldn’t help but to laugh at the show of affection. “Okay guys. Okay! I’m alright!”

“Don’t ever pull any shit like that again!” Jamie said. “Don’t think I could handle you being hurt.”

That sparked back memory of her parents’ warning. “We need to move before we have to deal with Osman. I rather not.”

Forge nodded. “Agreed. Everyone lets get to the jet and leave this hellhole!”

It was the reunion that Forge had been hoping for since the moment New Son kidnapped Lorna. She was their friend and he couldn’t imagine what he would have done if something happened to her. X-Factor was back together though and that was how it needed to stay.

Valerie sat at her desk typing diligently on her computer. She was trying to finish up reports on mission progress and how much X-Factor was actually achieving. They were an expensive team and the government wanted to see that they were actually getting things done. Valerie was doing her best word fudging to make it seem that way. She wanted her team to stand as it was and not have to deal with anymore bureaucratic red tape.

That was when her computer screen began to scramble and it was replaced by a foggy image of none other than—

“Sinister! What the hell is this?” Valerie exploded.

“It’s a warning Valerie. Things are beginning to swarm around you and your so-called heroes. Things are beginning to grow out of control, but soon I’ll be there to put the nails in the coffin. The scientists who insultingly imitate me will be the first that I destroy and then it shall be the wretches who consistently fail to understand my greatness.”

Valerie’s nose turned up at the arrogance exhibited. “You’re sick Sinister. You’ll never get me or anyone else to believe your garbage.”

“Hence why I will destroy you. But only after you and the others have played your part. There are those who want to be the masterminds of the world. I shall be their undoing. Now this Valerie.”

Then the computer screen exploded.

“Do you think she bought it?” Vulcan asked as he stood behind his “father”.

“She’ll tell who she has to tell. That will be enough,” Sinister said as he turned away from the large monitor that he had been using to hack into Cooper’s computer.

“And does our hunt continue for the dissident Black Womb scientists?” Vulcan asked.

Sinister smiled. “Of course it does. And we will do what we have to do to make sure that all necessary components are in place for the coming conflict. I will not be made to be a bit player in the global game.”

Author’s Notes

This is the premature end for a series that I really and truly enjoyed working on, but unfortunately negative circumstances kept me from doing what I wanted to do with it. There are a lot of things left unresolved, but there was simply no way I could tie everything up in just one issue. You’d be looking at a novel. I have always been a plotter in the long-term and that means a lot of seeds being planted at once for a bigger pay-off in the future.

I had much planned for X-Factor, but shitty things happen to all of us in life and that’s just the way the cookie crumbles. If you wanted to see what I would have done with X-Factor just hit me up. I got all my plots and notes still. It’d be fun to at least let a few folks see what X-Factor would have worked out to be.

As for my plot dangler here? Part of me feels like the chances of them being resolved with any form of dignity are pretty much zero, but that is the case with most danglers in serialized fiction nowadays. So I’m sorry if anyone wanted to see any of these plots resolves themselves to a satisfying conclusion. I won’t be able to provide that.

But if you’re looking for me and my writing you can check out MARVEL ANTHOLOGY. I will be continuing working with the X characters there. I love the environment, the people, and most of all I love the stories I’m writing.

That’s the address for it and I will be writing X-FORCE & X-FACTOR there. Definitely check them out. I see blue skies ahead in my fanfic future so I hope anyone who was a fan of this title will follow me there.

Thanks for being supportive with your comments and reviews over the years. They were always much appreciated.

-Brent