DECLARING ENEMIES

By Brent Lambert

“As of right now we have to consider Fatale a lost cause,” Polaris informed to the rest of X-Factor who were all seated around the round mahogany conference table. Lorna got different facial expressions from everyone once she had made her statement. Vargas didn’t seem the least bit phased by it and Red Lotus carried a smug smile. Elena looked a bit worried and her other teammates had very suspicious looks.

“What exactly do you mean by lost cause?” Forge asked.

“Yea clarify this a little better for us,” Shard added.

“We have risked our lives multiple times now to rescue this woman and some of us have almost paid the ultimate price for it. Hell, if it hadn’t of been for Genemaker we probably would have had some casualties trying to rescue Vargas and Red Lotus. What I’m saying is this. Fatale is a creation of Dark Beast and she was a cold-blooded ruthless killer before she joined this team. We can’t continue to waste valuable time trying to save her anymore,” Polaris explained as best as she could trying her best not to sound cold-blooded, but in truth its how she felt. Why should they be out there trying to save Fatale after all she did to her and Alex? She was someone that set the events in motion that lead to their ultimate separation.

“So you’re saying because of Fatale’s past we should simply abandon her to Dark Beast and Sugar Man. Let those two have their way with her,” Forge said venomously. The thought of what Lorna was suggesting made him want to puke.

“Maybe she has a point Forge. Perhaps Fatale is just paying for all the hurt she’s caused in the past,” Red Lotus commented.

“Then when are you going to start paying for those you’ve killed? Or any of us for that matter? Look, I wasn’t the biggest Fatale around, but I’m also a team player. And when a teammate is in trouble I’m use to helping them out. Not abandoning them,” Shard preached. She could understand some of Lorna’s frustrations, but just deserting a person in need was not how X-Factor operated in her mind.

“I have mixed feelings about all of this, but ultimately what we all think doesn’t really make a damn bit of difference. What does Val have to say about all of this?” Elena inquired.

Lorna sighed before giving her reply, “Valerie is in complete agreement with my stance and me telling all of you was just a formality.”

“I can’t believe this! Valerie will allow Sabretooth on the team, but is scared to take a chance on Fatale. Unbelievable!” Forge exclaimed slamming his Detroit Pistons coffee mug on the table and walking out of the room.

“Lorna if this is about old grudges between you and Fatale this is pretty low. I thought you to be far more mature,” Shard said following behind Forge in exiting the room.

“I don’t blame you Lorna. I would have done the same in your place,” Red Lotus said reassuringly.

“Would you have Red? I’m not sure if you would. You have too much of a heart,” Lorna replied somberly as she walked out of the room holding her head low. Was Shard right? Had she pushed Valerie to this decisions out of anger she still held towards Fatale? Did her own damn selfishness possibly cost someone her life?

“Do you think Lorna made the right decision?” Elena asked as stroked Vargas’ hair gently with her hands. The Spaniard was sprawled out on the couch and his head rested in Ms. Witch’s lap. He would have much preferred to just spend time with Elena and not talk about Fatale, but he should have known the subject would inevitably come up.

“I think she made the right decision under the circumstances. Speaking from personal experience the Dark Beast has his hooks in Fatale so deep that none of us could probably save her anyway,” Vargas replied in a lax manner due to the relaxation Elena’s gentle fingers were giving him.

“But if it had been me, you, or Forge in the same position would Polaris have ever thought about abandoning us?”

This question made Vargas stiffen up a bit, “Maybe not, but Fatale made her bed. Now she has to lie in it.”

“Aren’t we making just as bad a bed by abandoning her?” Elena asked her voice a little more emotional than Vargas had expected. Fatale had always seemed to frighten Elena and now the assassin was someone she was feeling genuine empathy for.

Oh yes you’re making quite the bed indeed Ms. Witch. Quite the bed indeed.

Elena tried her best not to look scared. It was the same voice in her head that she had heard only a day ago. What was happening to her? Why did she keep hearing this voice?

As much as she tried to hide her fright Vargas still picked up on it, “What’s wrong Elena? Your hands are shaking and you look mighty pale. Is Fatale bothering you that much?”

“No! I’m alright. Really don’t worry about me. Just a little tired is all,” Elena said way too quickly earning her an awkward stare from Vargas. The last thing she wanted to do was make him worry about her, but the seed had been planted. She would have to be careful how she acted around him until she figured out where this voice was coming from.

“So what is it you wanted to ask me? I hear you’re a woman with a lot of questions,” Genemaker said as he opened the door to Valerie Cooper’s office and moved to take a seat.

“Indeed I am, but you don’t have to worry I’ll be quick with you. How do you know Elena and why does she hate you so much?” Valerie asked typing away at her computer. She wanted her survey of Genemaker to go quickly because she had many other matters to address.

“Why do you care? Will it help you be able to better manipulate her?” Genemaker asked annoyed at Valerie’s outright rudeness. The woman had the nerve to pry into his private life and wouldn’t even give him the time of day to at least look him in the eye.

“I’m the one asking the questions here. Elena is my friend and I want to know what she has against you so I can decide if I want to lock you up in the Vault or on Riker’s Island,” Valerie replied turning away from her computer to give Genemaker her full attention. She had hoped that this Mandarin look alike wouldn’t give her mouth and just give her the answers she wanted to hear. It seemed he was going to be a bit more difficult.

“Funny lady. If you must know Elena and I were engaged during our college years. She has plenty of reasons to hate me the top being that I disappeared with a Dear John letter a week before we were suppose to get married,” Ricki laughed half at the pathetic threat Valerie had made him and half at how stupid he had been for ever leaving Elena. The combination of astonishment and regret made his laugh a strange one.

“Probably for the best. I couldn’t see her marrying a scumbag like you. So I guess you left to start your mutant growing business,” Valerie said completely disgusted with the man seated across her desk. It took everything she had to keep from punching him. No wonder Elena hated him. He left her at what was suppose to be one of the most important times of her life.

“Among other things. I’m not as bad as you’re painting me to be Ms. Cooper. I can be a valuable ally,” Genemaker replied leaning back in his chair nonchalantly like he didn’t have a care in the world.

“Is that an offer I smell?”

“Glad to see your nose is still top notch. I’m offering you information on a need to know basis and I only want the same from you.”

“So let me get this straight. You give us information when we need and we give you information when you need it?” Valerie asked a bit surprised with Genemaker’s proposition. She had figured after all her harassing that he wouldn’t want to be in the same room with her anymore let alone make deals with her.

“I couldn’t have put it in any simpler terms. So do we have deal?”

“For the time being, but the moment your information proves to be untrustworthy I’ll have SHIELD, the NSA, CIA, FBI, and CSA barreling down on your head,” Valerie threatened each word coming out of her mouth striking Genemaker like venom. Cooper didn’t like to be played and those who tried always got burned severely.

“When you give threats you make sure to go overboard don’t you?”

“Anything to get the point across,” Valerie hissed.

“Just remember I got plenty of resources myself,” Ricki warned leaning forward slightly making sure his point had gotten across.

“Is that the best rebuttal you can muster?” Valerie asked unimpressed.

“On short notice…yea.”

”I had hoped for better,” Valerie sighed.

“I have a few harsher ones, but for a such a gentle lady as yourself I have to be milder than usual,” Genemaker replied seeing the aloft air Valerie was trying to throw around herself. He didn’t give a damn how much the woman despised him the fact was that they were allies now and he was going to have at least some of her respect.

“Cute. Well, if you would excuse me I have other much more important business to attend to.”

“Of course. I’m sure you have enough BS procedures to last you the whole day.”

“Yep and dealing with BS people only makes matters worse.”

“Just make sure you don’t forget who your friends are. Say hi to Elena for me will you?”

“Not if you were the last guy on Earth.”

“Fair enough,” Genemaker said getting up out of his seat and walking out of the door.

Red Lotus put his legs across the table and propped his feet up. He was watching the TV and trying his best to enjoy a bag of Doritos. The former hitman was determined to make Fatale be the last thing on his mind. All he was going to do was enjoy this episode of Stargate SG-1 and have a few junk food items he had stashed in various places throughout his room.

Ripping open the plastic bag with ease Lotus dug his hand into the bag all the while his eyes remained glued on the scene of Air Force officers combating alien warriors. Taking a handful of the orange encrusted chips into his mouth Red Lotus noticed something different about himself. His fingers were gold colored. Looking down the entire length of his arm he saw that the rest of his body was a bright gold color.

“Oh shit!” Red Lotus exclaimed throwing his bag of Doritos off of his lap and sprinting to the bathroom. Quickly he flipped on a light switch and stared at himself in the mirror. His face and arms were gold. Lotus touched his face in a bit of awed shock. The place where the mutate had bit him in Mexico was no longer a scar and had glossed over entirely. The silent shock didn’t last long as Lotus took a peek down his pants and began to scream.

Pulling down Lotus’ eyelid the doctor examined around with his tiny, but bright light. Leaning away from a sec the pudgy Japanese man coughed and said, “From the looks of things you are entirely alright.”

“Alright? Alright! My skin is fucking a different color from what it was this morning! How the hell is that alright?!!”

“What the doctor means to say is that physically you’re perfectly healthy, but your X-Factor has changed extremely,” Valerie Cooper said walking into the office with that arrogant grace that made her such an imposing commander. When she was mad enough even the bravest of men would quiver under her. And right now she was not happy at all just coming off her nasty conversation with Genemaker. Now to add to her already stressful workday she had to worry about one of her charges mutations expanding.

“You care to explain to me how it’s changed before I grow an extra arm or something,” Red Lotus groaned as he stared down at his arm still shocked by his altered skin color.

“After careful analysis of your X-Factor we’ve determined that the mutate that bit you in Mexico sent a powerful mutagen into your blood that didn’t take affect until Fatale took you out with that poison. You seem to have added a few more powers to your repertoire,” Valerie explained handing Red Lotus the chart that detailed the changes that had undergone in his body.

“Enhanced strength and shape-shifting. So you mean I change into Halle Berry and stare at myself naked for hours?”

Valerie rolled her eyes, “Maybe when you get a grip on your powers you’ll be able to. Right now I doubt you could even change your skin back to its normal color. You’re going to have to train in your new abilities so we can make use of them as quick as possible.”

“Would you stop treating me like some guinea pig! I’ll do what I want to do when the fuck I want to do it!” Red Lotus exclaimed growing increasingly agitated with Valerie Cooper’s lack of sympathy for his situation.

“Fine by me. But if that’s the case I’ll have you on a plane back to Hong Kong by tomorrow,” Val replied with a well placed yawn that gave Lotus every indication she didn’t give a damn what happened to him.

“Are you trying to threaten me? Cuz trust me when pushed into a corner I push back,” Red Lotus said getting up very close to Valerie’s face. His skin was noticeably redder than normal.

“You might want to watch your step. I have enough guards around here to put down the Hulk. Don’t think I’ll hesitate to put you down like the rabid dog you are,” Valerie warned.

“Fiesty today aren’t we? I don’t what got your thong caught up your ass, but you definitely made a mistake here today,” Red Lotus replied holding a finger to Val’s nose.

Slapping the finger out of the way Valerie turned and walked out of the room. While her back was to Lotus her eyes began to glow a strange cobalt tint.

Author’s Notes

Well this issue ended off leaving you something to chew on huh? Anyway I’m hoping that X-Factor hasn’t lost any of the momentum its been building up over the past few months. I’ve really been enjoying this title and plan to do so much more with it in the future. Hit me up with some feedback at blambert04@hotmail.com or on the Marvel Omega Message board.

-Brent Lambert