Subject: Brotherly Hate 3/14: A tale of the AOA Date: Tue, 27 Aug 1996 22:09:02 +0000 From: Snowlock Organization: Corporate Communications Newsgroups: alt.comics.fan-fiction Here we go, Brotherly Hate Chapter 4: ______________ It is the middle of the night, perhaps early morning. Most of the delegates to the Free Council have fallen into a troubled sleep long ago. But here, in Nick Fury's sparsely appointed room, another meeting is going taking place. The delegates of the European High Council and two of the Russian resistance leaders have gathered together at the request of the old American. They are Peter Wisdom, Baron Von Strucker, Georges Batroc, Sergei Kravenoff, and the mysterious leader from cold Arkangel, Katu. Strucker: So this man, Richards, has been contacted by what you say is another race? Fury: Yeah. They're neither Homo Sapien nor Homo Superior. They call themselves Inhumans. They live in what they call the Great Refuge somewhere in Andes Mountains. Reed says they are willing to help us as well. Kravenoff: They are powerful? Fury: Richards was impressed, and he don't impress easy. Strucker: So why did you not mention them at the council today? Fury: Because they fear the X Men. Apparently, a few of their members met Magneto a couple'a years ago and they didn't get along too well. They want to remain hidden from all mutants, especially Apocalypse and the X Men. Wisdom: Then your telling me this because... ? Fury: We've known each other for quite a few years, Pete. I trust you. Katu: And me? I am a mutant as well. Fury: I've read you dossier. You're well adapted to the kind of cold climates that any group penetrating the mountain range of the Andes would encounter. Your resistance group operates in the arctic circle, primarily. I think you would be a valuable asset to a team sent to talk to these Inhumans. Katu: You place a lot of trust in someone you do not really know. Batroc: Ee's known for zat. Kravenoff: What does this have to do with me? Fury: Nothing. I'm interested in your thoughts on penetrating New York and takin' a whack at Apocalypse. Strucker: I agree with the X Man. That is a suicide run. Kravenoff: I have been on them before. The small group listens as Kravenoff details his plan. It is intelligent, logical. Fury says he will take it under advisement and politely excusing himself, retiring to his bedroom. The five rebels leave. As Nicholas, this ancient warrior, closes his eyes, he cannot stop thinking about the mutant named Katu. There was something not right about him; and in his dossier was the warning that the quiet leader was prone to protracted disappearances. At the meeting he seemed stiff, nervous. He set Fury's old soldier's instincts on edge. Oh well, he'd look into the Russian further tomorrow. There is a knock on his bedroom door. Fury curses to himself and gets up, and opens the door. Fury: What's up, Pete. Wisdom: I've come to say goodbye. Fury rubs his tired eyes: What? Why? Wisdom: I have to go to Moscow. Fury: For what? Wisdom: Well, my master, Nicodemus wants confirmation of your death. Fury takes a shocked step backwards, but his reflexes are not what they used to be. Before he can dive for cover he is ripped apart by Wisdom's hot knives. Fury's shattered body is hurled backwards against the wall. Smoke rises from his savaged chest. Pete Wisdom, who in other circles is know as the prelate Pyre, smiles to himself as we walks over to the old man's blackened corpse. Pyre: That was unpleasant. From behind him he hears a voice: Most definitely. Pyre whirls around and comes face to face with Kraven the Hunter. Kraven: I thought it strange you would double back here, to Nicholas's quarters. Pyre says nothing, he merely extends his hands and his hot knives spew forth. Kraven, his natural razor's edge reflexes enhanced by jungle elixirs, quickly jumps aside. Pyre fires again. Kraven moves away, forced out of the bedroom. Kraven: I have alerted guards, traitor. You cannot escape. Pyre: Is that so. Remind me to be frightened later. Pyre strides into the main room of Fury's quarters. Kraven is gone. He feels a breeze and looks toward the single window. It is open. Pyre: Human coward. Pyre hears the guards running toward the room and decides to make use of Kraven's escape as well. He jumps out the window onto the old fire escape. He looks around. Kraven is nowhere to be seen. The prelate is getting nervous as he decends the fire escape. After years of service to WHO, he instinctively knows when danger is near. He knows when he is being stalked. Without warning, Kraven the Hunter lands on Pyre's back. The prelate lashes out with his mutant ability and hears the Russian's sharp intake of breath as a hot knife finds its mark. He thows Kraven off and over the edge of the fire escape. He then kneels there, waiting to hear the tell-tale thud of a body striking pavement. It never comes. Pyre looks over the railing for some sign of the troublesome hunter: nothing, just an empty alley. He continues down the stairs as the guards above finally look out the window. Pyre looks up, pondering whether to hot knife the guard who has poked his head out the window, scanning for the assassin. It is all the distraction Kraven needs. From out of nowhere the Hunter slams into the mutant, knocking him off his feet. He easily ducks under the barrage of hot knives, drawing his massive hunting knife. Pinning the hands of Apocalypse's servant to the hard metal of the landing, Kraven places his knife under Pyre's chin and draws the blade across his throat. He dies without saying a word, only a look of utter hatred, utter disgust on his face. Approximately five hundred miles west, the Horseman Nicodemus is awakened from his sound slumber. Nicodemus: Yes, Cyber, what is it? Cyber: She's gone. Nicodemus: Romanova?!! Cyber: I'm sorry, sir. She killed four of my best men and then disappeared. Darkstar is organizing a search party as we speak. Nicodemus: Don't bother. I know where she's going, and we'll be seeing her again soon enough. Good night, Prelate. Do not disturb me again. Cyber bows: Yes, sir. Good night. He quietly closes the door behind him. The morning sun barely shines through the polluted air of Kiev. Soldiers have been combing the city all night, looking for any acomplices to the traitorous assassin Peter Wisdom. None have been found. The gathered council members are in a shocked silence on this new day. Bezukhov is in a somber mood as he calls the meeting to order. Bezukhov: As all of you are probably now aware, our esteemed colleage, Nicholas Fury was killed last night. The forces of Apocalypse now know we are here and persumabley for what puropse we meet. I have placed the city on full alert. The Black Sea fleet has been moblized. We are ready. T'Challa: Are we, Comarade Bezukhov? Are any of us ready to decide our course of action today? Mandarin: We must be ready! My offer still stands. Give me two weeks, and I and my forces will pour across Mongolia and into central Russia. The People's army was already in place there as part of national security before I assumed control. Matsu'o: My Hand can also be of aid. We can quickly cross the Sea of Nippon and sack Vladivostok. Kravenoff: Your ninjas are not numerous enough to overcome the Provisional Army troops under command of the mutants stationed there. Matsu'o: Numbers matter little. In as little as a month, rest assured, Vladivostok would be ours. The council doors suddenly boom open, and the delegates nearest the entrance rise to their feet in shock and outrage as a most hated person intrudes on the assembly. Intruder: You don't have a month! At the sound of this eloquent, feminine voice, one very familiar to the Russian delegates, Bezukhov's raised voice of caution is drowned out in the ensuing uproar. Katu: What is _she_ doing here!?!! Kravenoff: Guards! Guards! Val Cooper: Oh my God! Weapon X extends his claws and leaps toward the intruder: Been waiting to meet up with ya, darlin’. You been quite the disappointment. Barton to Gryich: Who is she? Gryich: Quiet, Clint! Bezukhov leaps between Weapon X and the unescorted intruder. Bezukhov: Stay your claws, Weapon X. She is here at my behest, and believe me, she has indeed lived up to your expectations. She is the same person of heroic character you knew back in Madripor. The woman known as Natalia Romanova, president of the Provisional Government nods her head to the elder Russian. Romanova: Thank you, Ivan. Uncle Logan, please, all of you, listen to me! We have little time! Mandarin: Listen to you, who by all reports is a traitor to humanity? Bezukhov: Those reports are false, and necessarily so. Nicholas himself requested Natalia be a part of our undertaking today. Do any of you believe Fury would have asked her to be here if she could not be trusted? Kravenoff: Fury trusted Wisdom, as well. Bezukhov: Very true, Sergei, but you have for the last year or so have put your trust in Natalia as well, though you know her by a different name, the deep operative, the Black Widow. The Russian delegates are too stunned for words. The Black Widow is legendary among the resistance, providing information, arranging the rescue of numerous prisoners, seeing to it they remained well fed and supplied. Weapon X: It ain’t often that I’m wrong, ‘Tasha, but I sure am glad I was this time. Katu: You are the Black Widow, Romanova? I am sorry I have misjudged you. Kravenoff: As have I. The council doors open again and a battered contingent of rebels stride in. At the front of the party is the one eyed leader of the Siberian resistance, Alexi Vahzin. Vahzin: I too, have misjudged you, Natalia. Please forgive me. Natalia: No apologies are necessary, Alexi, Sergei, Katu. You all were supposed to misjudge me, even hate me, to further the cause of freedom from oppression. Cooper: Forgive me, Madam Romanova, but won't your absence from the capital be missed? Natalia: It matters little, Valerie Cooper. The mutant masters in Moscow have been suspiscious of me for weeks now. My position as president is at an end, and so is the provisional government. Bezukhov: So our fears are confirmed, Natalia? Apocalypse has grown tired of this sham of human rule? Natalia: Yes, quite. Where is Nicholas? I must speak with him. Bezukhov: General Fury was assassinated last night. Natalia: Pyre as struck?! Barton stands in rage: You knew!?!! You knew Wisdom was a plant? Why on earth didn't you warn us, lady!?! Gryich: Calm down, Clint. Natalia: I am sorry, bowman. I knew Pyre was here, but I have never met him. I did not know he was Peter Wisdom of the European High Council. They must be warned. Von Strucker: They already have, Romanova. Our entire security network has been compromised. Wisdom was at the very heart of the Council. We are now effectively paralized until we can reorganize. Mandarin: Then we must strike now! Natalia: As I said before, Mandarin. We have not the time. For the past several weeks, I have been trying to uncover the details of a secret project undertaken by Apocalypse called Scimitar. What my spies and I have learned is very scetchy, but we believe Scimitar will enable Apocalypse to overcome his inferiority of numbers; how exactly, we don't know. I am here today to inform all of you that Scimitar, whatever it may be, is on line, and in Russia. T'Challa: Madam President, how can you ask us to assume a course of action based on your revelation without us having full knowledge of it. Bezokhov: She can not. We must learn specifically the details of this project before we can act. Romanova: Exactly. The city of Minsk in Bellarussia has just been cleared of all human personelle, including soldiers. All conventional communications to the city have been severed. All non-military supply convoys have been rerouted. A large contingent of the MLF has just been stationed there. I believe, given these circumstances, this is where Scimitar has arrived. Weapon X: Well then, what yer sayin' is somebody's gotta go there'n take a look see, ain't it? Romanova: Yes. But there is more. The horseman, Nicodemus, has ordered his prelate, Cyber, to gather his forces and attack Kiev. The MLF is on its way here. The room is again thrown into chaos as the delegates to the Free Conference fall into despair. There is, however, a voice of reason amidst this hurricane of panic. Mandarin: Calm down! We can make our stand here! Besokhov, tell me, are your forces strong enough to withstand an attack? Bezokhov: Not nearly, I'm afraid. We will fall quickly. Mandarin: You will not! I possess the ten rings of power! With my matter transferrence ring I can bring my entire royal guard to the city. Bezokhov: Thank, my friend, by I do not think that will be enough. Mandarin: It will have to be! Cole of Australia rises: No, it won't! Gateway, here can transport even more men. We can have a whole bunch'a me men here in no time. Von Struker: I have a large contingent of my Hydra forces hidden in Germany. Can your man bring them here as well? Cole: Not a problem. Renee Majcomb of Genosha: I have a man among my magistrates who can teleport a force here quickly as well. Matsu'o: The Hand are at your disposal as well, Bezokhov. One of Cole's men, Reese, leans over to the dismayed Gateway. Reese: Looks like yer gonna 'ave a busy day, mate. Gateway only nods, sadly. Weapon X shakes his head: What's the point? Even if ya can hold far a couple'a days, its gonna take a strike team at least a week ta move through that hostile territory ta get ta Minsk, and at least another ta get back. Yer all gonna be long dead by then. And don' tell me Gateway can get us there, too. He's gonna be well nigh exhausted. One of the members of Vahzin's party detaches himself from the shadows and faces the diminutive mutant. Mikhail inwardly smiles as he sees his brother's look of shock. Mikhail: I can get you to Minsk, Comrade. Mandarin: Excellent! Enough of this idle discussion. Let us begin planning. The day grows longer as the rest of the delegates begin the ardous task of planning the logistics of their defense, and two strangers, two brothers have walk together from the hall as the sky turns an evening orange. Piotr: It is good to see you again, Mikhi! But where is Illyana and Father? Are they here as well? Mikhail: Illyana is here, Piotr. She is in my quarters. Piotr: And Father? Mikhail: He is dead. Piotr: What?! Mikhail: He sacrificed himself so Vahzin and his lackeys could live. He threw away his life, Piotr. "Threw away his life?!" How could Mikhail say such things? Piotr: Mikhi, take me to Illyana. There reunion is a short sad one. Illyana is overcome by joy and grief all at once at seeing her brother, gone for over three years from their home. She feels he has changed, but she thinks it is a good change. It is Mikhail she is worried about. Illyana: Piotr, we must do something about Mikhi. He is so sad! As we journeyed here, he said hardly anything. When went Uncle Alexi to ask him to take us with him, Mikhi sounded so horrible! I am afraid of him, Piotr. I think Uncle Alexi is too. Piotr: He is going on a short journey with me, Snowflake. I shall talk to him. Illyana: You're going! What of me? Piotr: Your Uncle Alexi will take good care of you. And when we get back we shall all be together again. Illyana: Forever? Piotr: Forever. Morning. There is a knock at the door. Piotr opens it to reveal the man named Sergei Kravenoff standing before him. He is dressed for battle; for the hunt. Kravenoff: Piotr Nikoleivitch, I have been sent for you. The Conference has picked the team to accompany you and your brother to Minsk. We go now to meet with them. Colossus follows Kraven down the hall and is surprised when the Cossack takes a left, heading for the medical wing. In Kurt Darkholmes I/C unit, a group of seven people have gathered. Colossus knows them all. Weapon X, Clint Barton, Henry Peter Gryich, Natalia Romanova, the Austrailians Cole, Macomb and Reese, and Piotr's brother, Mikhail. Weapon X: Yer sure ya can do this, Rasputin. Mikhail: Aye, comrade. All I need to do is rearrange the molecules surrounding the damaged tissue and make it whole again. Piotr: What is going on? Weapon X: Yer bro, here, says he can heal the elf. D'ya think he can. Piotr: I have seen Mikhail exercise his gifts many times, Tovarish. If any can heal Kurt, my brother can. Weapon X nods, satisfied with the testimonial of Colossus. Mikhail closes his eyes and places his hands on Darkholme's savaged neck. The first thing that happens is Nightcrawler snaps out of his coma with a loud, hissing intake of breath. Next, he screams. Nightcrawler: Mien Gott!! The blue furred flesh beneath Mikhail's fingers begins to flow, as the Russian commands it to rearrange, to knit back together. Nightcrawler screams again, and begins thrashing in his bed. Mikhail: Hold him. Piotr reverts to his armored form and grabs Mikhail's patient's right arm. Weapon X takes the left. Gryich has his legs, Barton his shoulders. Nightcrawler, throughly immobilized, continues to quiver and writhe in pain under the sad Russian's tender ministrations. Mikhail moves his hands from Darkholme's neck to his chest. Barton: Holy #@$%! Look at his neck. It is again whole. Weapon X: Pay attention, Bowman! Barton reapplies pressure to Nightcrawler's shoulders, holding him down as Mikhail stips away the dirty bandages from the elf's chest. Again he applies his hands, again the wounds close. He repeats the process over and over, healing bayonet wounds, grazes made by bullets, and assorted broken bones and internal injuries taken during the course of his lone stand against the Provisional Army soldiers. With a sharp gasp for air, Mikhail releases his grip from Nightcrawler and stumbles backward into his brothers waiting arms. Mikhail: It is done. Nightcrawler has stopped moving, stopped breathing altogther. For a few apprehensive moments, the group watches and waits for some sign of the mutant's recovery. It comesin the form of a lound *bamf* as air rushes in to fill the void left by Nightcrawler's sudden teleportation. A second *bamf* signals his reappearence before the exhausted Mikhail. Taking the Russian's hand in his blue one, the healed mutant bows deeply. Nightcrawler: I thank you, mein freund. Yours is a wonderous gift. Mikhail: Unfortunately, it seems to be somewhat limited. I never tried using my mutant ability on another person before. Inanimate objects are infinately less... complicated. I am afraid that once I teleport all of you to Minsk, I will be too exhausted to be of any use. Natalia: Can you teleport us there without having to accompany us? Mikhail: Yes. My abilities work quite different from Nightcrawler's. He moves himself and others with him accross the planes of existence. I merely open portals. I can do this from anyplace to anywhere. I need not join you. Kravinoff: How will you know when we wish to come back? Cole: It don' matter. By the time we're ready Gateway should be up'n around. He'll teleport us back we we're ready. Don' ask me how he'll know, he'll know. Weapon X: Then that's the way its gonna hav'ta be then. Colossus: Logan, I would stay behind with my brother and sister. Weapon X: No. Mags already discussed this with ya, and I agree with him. Mikhial: Stay with me, Piotr. Help me protect our sister. Colossus: I will not sacrifice my family as Magneto has his, Logan. You will not change my mind. Weapon X: Oh yeah? Nightcrawler abruptly teleports between them: Back off, savage! If Piotr wishes to remain behind, I respect him for it. We can accomplish our task without the Rasputins. Let them stay and defend their country. Kravinoff: Enough of this bickering! We have an important task ahead of us, I suggest we attend to it. Cole: Yeah. Let’s get on with it. Mikhail is still sagging in his brother's steel arms as he nods his head. A portal opens right above what was until moments ago, Nightcrawler's death bed. With Weapon X going first, one by once the Minsk strike team steps first on the worn mattress and then through the portal. Barton: Here we go again, Henry Pete. Gryich: Livin' on the edge as always, Barton. Barton: You wanna see livin' on the edge, I'll flip this here mattress over and rip the tag off. One by one they are gone: Weapon X, Natalia Romanova, Kraven the Hunter, Cole, Reese, Macomb, Nightcrawler, Gryich and finally Barton. Not all of them will return. Mikhail closes the protal and quickly, strongly, pulls himself away from his brother. Piotr: Mikhail? Mikhail: No, Brother, I am not debillitated. I just failed to see how our going to Minsk would benefit us. Piotr is in shock at his brother's deception: But, Mikhi, they are my friends! Mikhail: And I, and Illyana, are your family. I have you turned so far from us that you would abandon us? Piotr: No! Of course not. But Apocalypse must be stopped. The world needs to be defended against him. Mikhail: Perhaps it is Apocalypse who is in need of defenders, Tovarish. Remember, you are a mutant as well. Piotr: Surely you do not mean that! Mikhail: I am not sure of anything anymore.