New Mutants Unlimited 35

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New Mutants Unlimited #35
Post by Chord on Jan 22, 2007, 12:19am

A join fic by me and Hav

Title: Wrong doings

Cover Description: Dillan shaking hands with a stunning red head over the body of Gerald Stryker

The night after NM 111…

Dillan had just laid down to sleep when suddenly, he felt like he was awake again. The room around him was odd…done in a very high tech style, with the walls covered with odd circuits, displays, and panels. However, all of the furniture seemed to belong in a Victorian era study. Sitting in an arm chair was Gerald Stryker, looking as he did when the team had formed…mostly. There was something odd about him that Dillan couldn't quite put his finger on.

"Good evening Dillan, and welcome to the astral plane, where you'll discover your powers won't do much for you. My powers, on the other hand…"

Gerald stood, and strode toward him.

"This place is where I can use them the best, and away from certain prying eyes. I will be honest with you, Dillan. It took me a long time to decide on this course of action, but I feel it is necessary. I've recently…learned…of your plans to change the future. And I can't say as I approve."

Dillan grinned at Gerald.

"And yet, I can't say that I care. As much as it pains me, you won't be around to see the world's the glory that will be tomorrow."

He didn't know what the hell he was doing. Gerald basically controled the game, but Dillan was feeling over confident. There was no way Gerald could get away with something like this without the Professor knowing…but then again, Dillan had gotten away with murder.

"May I ask, why you disapprove of my plan? If you take a peek in my head you'll see it's all sound. Plus, I'm not doing this for me Gerald, I'm doing it for everyone else. Just read my mind, do you sense malice or powerlust? I'm truly trying to make the world a better place."

The sound of a game show buzzer, indicating the wrong answer, sounded. "Oh, and you were so close too. I wanted to give you points for that one, but you veered away at the end."

Gerald stood and paced. "The problem with this glorious world of tomorrow is that it's missing a critical element. And you almost realized what it was until you segued into other topics and nonsense about purity of the soul or whatever."

Gerald rounded on Dillan. "Simply put, that element is me. You can save me, I'm sure of it. Yet you haven't even tried. Why? Remember, this one is for all the apples. If I don't like your response, well, let's just say you're not the only one who can exact lasting change, if you get my drift. And don't think Xavier can save you now. The Virus has put me as far beyond him as his powers are beyond you."

Dillan thinks for a moment. Why hadn't he attempted to save Gerald? He jumped through hoops for Almond, even sold his soul so that he could be ressurected…but he hadn't even ever considerd helping his sick teammate. Hell, he had even told Sephula he couldn't take him into the future to find a cure for the Legacy Virus.

"I guess it's because…shit man, I really don't know. Honestly, it's never even crossed my mind. There, you happy?"

Gerald sighed in response. "No, I'm decidedly NOT happy that you haven't even considered it. I thought we were friends. After all, we've both shot Wolverine, and that has to count for something."

Gerald had a slight wistful look, and briefly smiled before continuing more seriously than before.

"But now, you're considering it. You could save me. You could prevent the virus from happening, or find a cure. Will you?"

Dillan shakes his head. "I'm most defintely not preventing it from happening. People may think I'm crazy for trying to change the future, but I refuse to alter the present. Now finding a cure, I think I can do that."

Gerald got slightly in Dillan's face again. "But you haven't. You haven't even thought about it. Christ, what, do you only care about people once they die? You take some floozy into the future for ice cream, but it takes me dragging you into the Astral Plane to make you even think about helping a friend."

More intensely, he continued. "I think there's more to this than you are letting on. Which is why you'll now find it quite impossible to try to harm me in any way."

"It's Cable." spat Dillan. "God damn Cable. That bastard has had the nerve to threaten me against trying to alter the course of history, which is pretty damned funny coming from him. He claims to have the tech to be able to monitor temporal anomalies so making a jump backwards is too risky, but I've still found a way to alter the future."

"Happy now?"

Gerald thought about it. "Happy? No. Understanding? Yes. So you can still view the past, but not alter it, is that correct? Because that may be all we need…"

The time-traveller eyed Gerald closely. "How could the cure to your sickness (which I'm pretty sure originated in the future) lay in the past? What do you know that the rest of us don't Gerald?"

Gerald, again, considered for a moment before responding. "There is one case I have found of someone very similar to myself managing to survive the disease. Psylocke somehow transferred her psyche from one body to another, and the original body died of Legacy Virus afterwards. This was facilitated by the undead ninjas known as The Hand for the benefit of the Mandarin. I know it was done, but I'm not completely sure how it was done. If I knew how to switch bodies, then I could transcend the disease. Once I found someone willing to take my place, that is."

"I think this can be arranged, easily. If you just tell me when and where this was done, I can find it all out for you. I just have one condition." He raised his hand at Gerald and pointed at the psychic, in an oddly dramatic fashion. "I want to pick your new body."

Gerald laughed slightly. "I suppose beggars can't be choosers, but I must know that you do not intend to give me a body with any significant impairments or ailments. I do not wish to transcend this existence to become a 90 year old cripple. I require you to present the body to me in advance. As to when and where…"

A screen blinks into life on the wall, giving technical readout of an island off the coast of Japan. "Secret Hand installation. A few years ago. I don't have an exact date, but I have it within a month or so."

While Gerald may have been controlling the game, it was going exactly how Dillan wanted.

"Very well. I'm going to need some time to chat with your new body first (personal reasons) but just give me the location of this hand installation and we can beam right there."

The screen changes to a lattitude/longitude display overlay. "Good enough? I'm not sure exactly where in the island, but there it is. And make sure the new body is familiar with what they're getting into." Gerald said the last part as an afterthought, almost.

"Doesn't seem like it'll be that hard." muses Dillan, examining the map. "But you've got to come with me, because I probably won't even be able to recognize what I'm looking at."

"Of course." The telepath nodded crisply. "I can't imagine that you would be able to understand it, either. Then, I suppose, it's time to bid the Astral Plane farewell."

The room vanishes into nothingness, and Dillan awakes in his bed. The grin he's got on his face would reveal to anyone that could see him how pleased he was with himself.

Gerald had all but laid Cable's head out to him on a silver platter. He'd been looking for a way to get rid of the soldier of fortune for months and now it was all so clear. Sure it'd probably be a pain to get Cable restrained enough for Gerald to pull the old switeroo but he was sure he could pull it off.

*CLICK*

"Oh Cable. You really need to find better things to do with your time." spat Dillan, sarcastically, not bothering to turn his head.

"Check again, Mr.McFly." replied a distinctly female voice. "Cable didn't look like this sexy the last time I saw him."

Dillan had always hated the phrase "history repeats itself," but seeing the red-headed beauty, Addison, standing next his bed, weapon cocked and loaded, made him hate it even more.

The last time he had seen the girl she was passed out on a park bench, having been lobotomized by Cable. Either they had found a way to reverse such a thing or Cable hadn't done as good a job as he thought.

"Weren't you supposed to be a rest home somewhere?" he questioned, feeling uneasy at the smirk on her face.

"Are you stupid or something Dillan? Did you really think Cable would just go around and do something as extreme as lobotomize someone?" she mocked. "No. His plan was simply to keep you from getting to me…to stop you from becoming the monster you were in the future I've seen."

"Don't really need you for your powers now, y'know." laughed Dillan, appearing behind Addison in a flash of blue light. One vicious punch later and she lay sprawled out on his floor, blodd trickling from where she had smashed her forhead against the frame of his bed.

He considered killing her. Considered it for a long while, but in the end he couldn't bring himself to it. Instead he modified part of his plan.

"Gerald." he said aloud, also attempting to broadcast the message mentally. "Got someone here I'd like you to meet before we head off to secret Ninja-ville."

The door quickly opens, and in walks Gerald, looking very different than he did in the Astral Plane. Emaciated, covered in lesions, eyes glassed over, and just generally unkempt. "But honey, I didn't have time to do my hair," he says.

"Don't worry. You'll have an amazing new doo soon enough Gerald. Meet your new soul house." said Dillan, hiding back the regret in his voice and pointing a finger at Addison. "You like?"

"You're not serious about making me a chick? You don't have some kind of crazy unrequited lust for me or something, do you?"

"Oh yeah, you totally get my motor running. Seriously though, she used to be a friend that's now turned into a major thorn in my side, she also works for Cable. Maybe if you get in her body you can infiltrate his little organization. It'll all work out for everyone."

Gerald thought for a minute. "I sort of wanted something a little more…anonymous. But, I guess, any port in a storm, and my time is running out." He shrugged. "At least I know what I'll be doing for the first week or so."

Maybe Dillan's mind was just stuck in the gutter but he sincerely hoped that Gerald wasn't talking about what he thought he was talking about.

"Whatever. Do something to keep her knocked out. If I overshoot my jump on the way back I don't want her lying in wait here with a shank or something. Once you handle that we can get to the time travel."

"Yeah, sure," replied Stryker. Just keep in mind…I will know if you try to give me roofies." He concentrated, and Addison went into a deep sleep. "We're set. Let's go."

Before Gerald even knows it Dillan has already sent the two of them cascading backwards through time. The trip is very short and uneventful (at least as far as Gerald notices) and soon the two of them are hovering over what Dillan assumes in the secret Hand base.

"This is the place right?" he asks, lowering them donward into the complex.

"This is it." Gerald looks at the facility thoughtfully. "Now I guess it's just a question of when and exactly where. Can people see us right now?"

Dillan shook his head. "Didn't you listen to me before that whole situation with Timmy? We're out of phase with time right now, which means that no one without powers similar to mine can see or hear us…it also lets us levitate, which is awesome."

"Excellent."

The two mutants descended through the Hand base, finally coming to a room that appeared to have witnessed some form of explosion. The remnants of two large tanks, obviously large enough for people to fit in, dominated the room. Around them stood several computer consoles and other technological gear…about five stories worth.

Stryker knelt down, looking at the wreckage intently. "It was here. I know it."

Obviously the pair was in the right place, but Dillan had overshot his jump and he was pretty worried about having to make another one.

"Think any of these computers could help us figure out what's going on if they still work, or could you do some wonky psychic thing and play back the events that happened here with your powers?"

"These computers look decidedly like they aren't working. But maybe…"

Gerald looks around. They didn't get here at the right time, but…

"Hey, Dillan. Looks like we hit the jackpot."

A scientist was sprawled against a wall, barely breathing, obviously grievously injured. Gerald walked directly over to him, and held his hand over the man's head for a moment.

"I've got good news and bad news," the telepath said as he finished. "The good news is that most of this set-up was to reprogram Psylocke. The actual body switch was pretty low tech. So we don't need massive tanks or whatnot. The bad news is, I have only this guy's memory of what they were monitoring for and what happened. I THINK it'll work, but I'm not certain. So, how afraid are you of rewinding another six hours?"

Dillan sighs. "Feudal Japan here we come." he laughs, grabbing Gerald and propelling them back in time. Things seemed to go pretty well, seeing as the room was filled with scientists and there was a naked Psylocke strapped to a table.

"Sweets. Mission perks."

"Not one, but two. Bonus." Both the original and extra tasty crispy Psylocke were there, naked, and strapped to tables.

The two mutants watched as the ceremony unfolded. It all seemed like mumbo jumbo to Dillan, but at least there were two naked chicks in tanks, eventually. As the tank containing Psylocke exploded, killing almost everyone in the room with the psychic backlash, Stryker nodded. "Yes. I can do this. Thank you."

"Uh huh, yeah sure." mumbled Dil as naked Psylocke fell out of her tube. "Okay, we can go now." he whispered bringing the pair back into Dillan's room in the present. "Two questions: 1) None of that will hurt Addison will it? 2) We won't die from the backlash will we?"

Gerald considered for a moment. "If you don't consider getting stuck in a disease ravaged body hurting, then no, it won't hurt Addison. And I don't believe you'll die from the backlash, but to play it safe, I should probably do it somewhere alone. Maybe the Danger Room…after all, Lex and Sephula are making a good distraction tonight."

Dil looked at his teammate for a moment. "I'd prefer it if you…put her out of her misery once the switch was done." he whimpered, kneeling down towards her body. "Good bye." The words passed from his lips quickly, and as soon as they were said he turned back to Gerald. "I trust that I'll have your complete cooperation in my future endeavors if I find myself needing them, right? With you on my side murder might never have to be an option."

Stryker shrugging, seemingly nonchalantly. "I can't put her totally out of her misery…last time I tried that, it got messy. But I can put her in a persistent vegetative state, and make a convenient note to the Professor that I wish to not be kept artificially alive."

Almost as an afterthought, he said, "Oh. Sure. Your future endeavors. Yeah, just give a shout. So, you think Danger Room? Or woods? Danger Room's safer for collateral damage, and Lex and Sephula ARE going wild, but the woods is less chance of being caught/recorded."

"The woods." Dillan replies. "There's this cave near the end of the property. You won't be bothered there."

"By the way. If you're going to trick everyone into believing you're dead, where are you going to go with Addison's body? You going to try and rejoin the team or are you leaving?"

"Well, first, I'm hoping you can provide transportation to the cave, since I'm not up to carrying anything. As for what I'm going to do with the body…well, like I said, I already have the first week or so planned out." Stryker grins somewhat lecherously. "Beyond that, I dunno. Might come back. Might split. I'll probably be gone for a little while at least, to minimize the 'isn't that convenient' factor."

Dillan tried not to bat an eye at Gerald's "plans" for Addison's body and teleported them to the cave with ease. He then returned to his room, to, of all things, sob himself to sleep. He knew he didn't have any other choice. Addison was only going to get in his way if he allowed her to live, and by allowing Gerald to take over her body he gained himself a powerful ally…but lost himself a loved one.

With Dillan gone, Gerald found himself alone in the cave with Addison. He didn't know much about her, or what history she had with his teammate, but he could tell from a quick scan of her mind that at some point she had been in love him.

"Please…please don't do this Gerald," cried out Addison's voice mentally as Gerald approached her body.

"I'm sorry," replied Gerald, "but I can't go on like this. Neither can you. This is what's best…for both of us."

Gerald began the ritual, transferring his psyche into another. When it was complete, Addison opened her eyes, and mentally communicated to Dillan. "Dillan? I'm going to need you to pick up the trash. Just tell Xavier I collapsed on you. I've installed enough psychic blocks in you both to make that cover story work."

Then, Addison walked out of the cave and into the night, smiling to herself.

He didn't want to do it, but Dillan made the teleport out to the cavern and approached Gerald…Addison…then he sent out a mental distress signal.

"Professor…oh God it's bad. I was out walking with Gerald and he just…he just…I don't think he's gonna make it! I'll teleport him back into the mansion but Beast needs to be ready for him!" Before he could make the jump, Dillan felt a strong hand grab his wrist.

"I'm so sorry Dillan!" cried out Addison in Gerald's hoarse and sickly voice. "

"You don't have anything to apologize for." he whimpered through his tears.

"I do." she stated, blood gushing past her lips. "I really do. You should've let me put an end to you Dillan. It would've been quick…quiet. They won't be so kind to you when they find out what you've done. You'll wish you had taken that bullet." she coughed one final time as Dillan made the teleport into the mansion's medbay.

No one would question him on why it took him so long to get Gerald into the mansion after his mental transmission to Xavier. He would just chalk it all up to overshooting with his powers.

"I tried to get him here as soon as I could Dr. McCoy." he cried. "Is there anything you can do for him?"

Beast quickly got Gerald on the table, and hooked him up to various devices. After minutes of looking at various read-outs, he sadly shook his head.

"Mr. Drummond…it pains me to say this, but it looks like your comrade in arms is in what we call a persistent vegetative state. A state I think it is highly unlikely for him to awake from. Quite simply, his mind has deteriorated from the Virus to a point where it can no longer control his body."

He shrugged sadly.

"There is nothing we can do for him but pray."

"We're not going to leave him like that are we?" questioned Dil, his face buried in his hands.

"I know it's hard to see a friend in such a state, but unless the Professor has expressed written word from Gerald himself that he didn't wish to be kept in such a state…well like I said before, praying would be a good idea."

Dillan crept back up into his room, ignoring all the damage that had been caused by Lex and Sephula's fight. He wanted to contact Gerald and let him know that their plan had gone off without a hitch, but there was nothing worth celebrating.

He was now the monster that Addison and Cable believed he was going to become…he was the monster that he himself had feared he might one day become…but it didn't matter anymore. Everything he was doing was for his dream of a better world, and he'd keep fighting for it even if at the very end he didn't deserve to be there.

As tried to fight past the feelings of disgust he felt within himself, he closed his eyes and whispered a prayer.

"O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all my sins, because I dread the loss of Heaven…"


Re: New Mutants Unlimited #35
Post by Armando "Army" Rosewell on Jan 22, 2007, 12:23am

I won't lie, I'm rather busy at the moment and will be all night getting ready for tomorrow, so I won't be able to read this (along with a lot of other things) until the mission's over, most likely. However, I read enough to get the overall gist, for damn sure. Good stuff, and I look forward to seeing where it leads.


Re: New Mutants Unlimited #35
Post by Chord on Jan 22, 2007, 12:25am

Jan 22, 2007, 12:23am, Armando "Army" Rosewell wrote:I look forward to seeing where it leads.

Thanks for the kind words on the fic. Maybe we should make some sort of Around the mansion topic about it, I mean even if they kept it quiet for a few days they can't hide that "Gerald" is in a vegetable forever.


Re: New Mutants Unlimited #35
Post by Amelia "Heaven" Chow on Jan 22, 2007, 12:26am

It'll be the next NM mission.


Re: New Mutants Unlimited #35
Post by Protoman on Jan 22, 2007, 12:45am

Christ….I don't even know what to say to that.


Re: New Mutants Unlimited #35
Post by Kelly Alecia "Star" Lisa on Jan 22, 2007, 6:35pm

Poor Addison…


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