THE CAST

Storm- Weather manipulator. Former member of the X-men.

Ozymandias- A former servant of Apocalypse. Due to manipulation by Onset he has been granted a powerful prophetic slight.

Dania- Bursts of super-speed, mutant detection, and able to heighten mutant abilities. With Storm to find her brother.

Ramirez- Body growth and wind manipulation. Friend of Dania.

Genzo- Body chemistry manipulation, incest creation. Friend of Dania.

Red Lotus- Mutant ability allows him to best anyone in hand-to-hand combat. Ally of Yukio.

Yukio- A ronin samurai. Longtime friend of Storm.

Mario DaVingi- Mutant slave trader.

Somnus- Bodyguard of DaVingi. Able to emit nocturnal gas and has superstrength.

Noveau- Bodyguard of DaVingi. Healing factor, skilled fighter and able to sense danger.

Triad- Bodyguard of DaVingi. Able to split herself into three people and each always has different abilities.

Jadianna- Alternate reality daughter of Storm and Wolverine.

N24- A creation of Sinister. The genetic son of Deadpool and Storm.

Z12- A creation of Sinister. The genetic daughter of Iceman and Vertigo.

---

Somewhere in Japan

“This is where Ozymandias wanted us to intercept him,” Jadianna said to her two companions, N24 and Z12.

N24 looked at the surroundings and said, “Looks to be a bit barren if you ask me.”

Jadianna rolled her eyes.  Genetically speaking, N24 was her half-brother, but she honestly could give a shit less.  “That’s probably why he’s picking this spot to escape from.  An out of sight area allows for easier escape than downtown Tokyo.”

“He didn’t mean it like that,” Z12 said.  “Its just there is no visible point of exit for DaVingi.”

Pity.  Jadianna hated the sound of it.  She had been a general and conqueror of worlds.  Many had begged for mercy from her and none had ever received it.  Hearing any soul pity another only reminded her of all those that she had destroyed.  She never regretted anything she did, but she would always remain haunted by it.

Shrugging, the daughter of an alternate Storm said, “Ozymandias said that we were to wait here until DaVingi showed himself.  He will at sometime.  Let’s worry about the details once that happens.”

N24 gave his sister a displeased look.  “You may be use to living on the edge, but that doesn’t mean we are.  Running from Sinister didn’t leave much room for error.”

“I am actually quite impressed you were able to hide from him as long as you did.  If Sinister would have sent me for you though believe that you would have been found,” Jadianna said with a smile that portrayed no kindness.

Z12 looked at the weather manipulator with icy eyes and said, “And we would have laid your ass out flat!  Believe that!”

“You couldn’t even stand up to Sinister and he actually had some affection for you.  I’d have ripped your cold little hair from that precious head,” Jadianna replied.

“Enough!” N24 said as he stood between the two ladies.  “Ozymandias said us acting as one would be crucial to our success.  All this bullshit bickering won’t contribute to that.  So both of you let it go!”

Lightning trickled at the corner of Jadianna’s eyes.  “Fine, but understand that I am in charge here.  My experience is vastly superior to any of yours.”

---

“Man, a nice, cold Coke would be great right now,” a heavily-clad, but slightly overweight security guard said as he worked the control console that would open up the wormhole vortex DaVingi was using to transport his guests.  The man hadn’t had a drink of his liquid sugar all day.  Caffeine withdrawals were soon to follow.

The overweight guard was one among many posted at the vortex.  They were DaVingi’s muscle in case something happened out of the ordinary.  Knowing the potency of mutants and other members of the superhuman community, DaVingi had the guards armed with laser rifles, electric batons, explosives, and handguns that had the nasty advantage of radioactive bullets.  In addition to that, their Kevlar was able to absorb three times the impact of the normal equipment.  The guards were being headed by Somnus, one of DaVingi’s personal bodyguards.  He had other superhuman company in the form of Ngozi, the leader of The Disciples of the Shadow.

“Why is your boss so insistent on funneling his guests through a portal?” Ngozi asked with a sense of dread as he imagined things going haywire and people emerging from the portal horrifically deformed.

“Between you and me, Mario DaVingi is one of the most paranoid men I know,” Somnus said as the portal opened up in the shape of a swirling aqua blue circle.

Ngozi laughed at Somnus’s assessment.  “I think that can be said of most men heavily involved in the criminal element.  Adama is not much different I’m afraid.”

“I’ll give them credit for one thing,” Somnus said.  “I don’t think I could pretend to be interested in the drivel of these rich people for too long.” 

Just as they expected that first person to step from the vortex, they were instead greeted by a volley of lightning bolts.   Ngozi instantly cried out to the guards, “Take cover!”

His warning came too late for many of the guards as they were electrified and thrown back by the power of the lightning.  Ngozi sunk Somnus and himself into the shadows to avoid the attack.  They rose up from another shadow far enough away to watch the security guards ripped apart by the elemental assault.  Ngozi gave Somnus a grim stare and said, “I have the feeling we have an X-Man on our hands.” 

“She’s the least of your problems!” Dania said as she ran into Ngozi with one of her short bursts of super-speed and knocked him out cold.  Somnus attempted to chop her down with a well-placed fist from behind, but she was gone before he was able to land it.

He looked to Ngozi for a moment and lamented the fact he had been taken out.  His abilities might have made things easier for Somnus plus he seemed to have an idea who had launched this attack in the first place.  DaVingi was not going to be pleased, but the faster this was quelled the less temper he would have to deal with later.

Somnus moved back towards the portal and saw that four more intruders had made their way through the portal. They were battling DaVingi’s security forces and one was even making use of their own weaponry.  Pulling a gun out from his leather trench coat, Somnus took aim at the petite Asian woman.  He never saw the wind funnel slam in the chest, lift him into the air, and fling him into the wall right on top of Ngozi.

Storm floated out of the portal with the hard stare of a general about to send her troops to battle.  “This ends today!  Freedom for our fellow brethren is at hand!”

---

Adama had thought he would be here alone because that’s what he had been promised, but he should have known to look harder at the one giving him that guarantee.  The System did not take kindly to deception and Adama did not want to put himself into a position where he would find himself at odds with them.  He would have to be very careful in how he carried himself around Lenka and Bemidji.   Especially Lenka because he could smell a rat like a lion smelt blood.

He had his perfect opportunity now because they were alone in the room that DaVingi had provided for them.  The slaver was too busy to potentially interfere and throw a kink into their conversation.  If Adama was going to save himself then it would have to be now.  He took no time to knock and simply entered into their room.

“Adama! Show more courtesy and knock next time,” Lenka said as he pulled his long silver hair back into a ponytail.  He had a sleek body, much like Adama’s except his back was more pronounced and his legs wider.  Long dragon tattoos crawled down both of The System member’s arms and you could see the tongue of another one creeping through on his neck. 

“And you should be more prepared next time,” Adama said.  “If I had been an intruder you would have both been dead.”

Bemidji laughed and his slight belly jiggled along with it.  “You amuse me Adama.  If we felt as if we were in a hostile environment then we would have been prepared.  DaVingi has enough guards crawling around this place to lock Madripoor down if he wanted.”

“Maybe, but I don’t trust him,” Adama said.  He needed to do a classic deflection he was going to avoid a grilling by The System members in the near future.

Bemidji’s belly stopped shaking.  He buttoned up his long oriental cloak from the chest up (to let his stomach breath) and said, “He has never been shady in previous dealings with him.”

“He trades mutants.   We’re mutants.  He’s a mutant.  Yet, he cares nothing for our kind,” Adama said.  “Something about that bothers me a great deal.   Besides, he’s only dealing with us to increase his own standing in the global underworld.  I don’t want to be a step ladder for anyone.”

Lenka’s eyes narrowed and he stepped a bit closer to the Egyptian mutant.  “If you’re so dead set against the man then why are you even here?”

Adama had backed himself up into this question and he cursed himself for it.  “I came to see the extent of DaVingi’s inventory.  While I despise the man I do want to know what he might be handing out to our competitors.”

Folding his arms across his chest, Lenka said, “The System never agreed to spy on DaVingi.”

“Are we not allowed to conduct our activities?” Adama asked harshly.  “Besides, I don’t remember The System agreeing on making any other purchases from DaVingi either.”

“Our current enforcers are inadequate.  We need better protection,” Bemidji said as tiny beads of sweat began to form on his brow.  Adama smiled inwardly at the sight.  It was good to know he wasn’t the only one nervous in this exchange.

Lenka added to what his fellow System member said.  “After what Shiva* did to Alonso we can’t afford not to have better protection.  You may have your Disciples, but some of us have only hired thugs to work with and you know the woman has it out for all of us.”

(*Check out recent issues of EXCALIBUR to see Shiva at work)

“She’s one person,” Adama said.  “I won’t be running scared from her and do you think anything DaVingi’s selling could honestly match a trained killer?”

“No, but in time we could build someone to withstand her,” Lenka answered.  “She murdered two contracted assassins that The System put up the money for.  Revenge isn’t even a question.”

“Then I hope you find what you’re looking for gentleman,” Adama said as he walked out of the room, but before closing the door he added.  “Don’t stay too long in the mirror Lenka.  I’m sure you want front row seats.”

---

Lightning flowed from Storm’s fingertips and grew in power before striking DaVingi’s security guards down.  They were flung across the room like rag dolls while Dania sped through the room stomping guards on the throat.  Genzo flooded the room with bees that covered the faceplates of the guards and stung them in their exposed flesh. 

“They are enjoying this,” Genzo said as he opened up his mouth and more bees poured from it.

“Just keep them on their toes,” Storm said as she gently landed on the ground. “We need to find the mutants.  They must be freed before DaVingi begins his sick spectacle.”

The battle was going in the favor of Storm and her allies.  Red Lotus was making short work of the guards.  He had deprived one of his electric batons and was using it to batter the other guards.  Yukio skillfully dodged their attacks and brutally battered them in kind.  An elbow to the head and knees to the gut were knocking already dazed guards out.  Storm’s lightning had been a potent opening salvo in the conflict.  Storm stuck to the lightning attacks since Ramirez was able to control the air in the room to create funnels that tossed guards from one end of the staging area to the other. 

Genzo approached Storm just as she had created a funnel underneath a security guard and sent him crashing into the roof.  “Their bugs have found the prisoners.”

Storm took to the air immediately and yelled to Dania, “Follow Genzo’s bugs!”

Dania had been busy kicking in the sides of one guard, but immediately burst towards the direction of her friend’s creatures.  She expected smooth sailing, but ran face first into something that made a loud pinging noise as it knocked her on her back.  Storm had seen the entire affair and was shocked.  Dania had not run into a pole or an unseen obstacle, but into the metal palm of a man with malice etched across his face.

Ororo had watched the man materialize out of thin air and she had been unable to deliver a warning to Dania.  She quickly flew to Yukio’s location and landed next to her.  “By the Goddess, who is that?”

“A dead man by all accounts,” Yukio said as she looked at him standing over Dania’s bloody face. “His name is Cyber.  An old foe of Logan’s.  Very nasty guy apparently.  Arms made entirely from adamantium.  We’ll need to be careful with him ‘Ro.”

“PUNK!”

Both women look over to see a twelve-foot tall Ramirez tackling Cyber through the nearest wall.  Yukio laughed, “So much for being careful.”

“Genzo!  Help him,” Storm ordered as she turned to Yukio. “Take Red Lotus and free the prisoners.”

Yukio ran to Red Lotus, grabbed his wrist, and said, “Let’s go kid” right as Genzo rushed by them to help his friend battle Cyber. 

Ororo almost wished that she had Logan with her now.  Maybe she had been wrong in trying to strike out on her own.  Things might be going more smoothly if she had the X-Men backing her up right now, but this was the path she chosen.  Besides, Ozymandias had not purposely put her in harm’s way yet.  If he felt the situation called for it, Storm had no doubt he would have told her to ask for assistance.  Still, she couldn’t help but to be spoiled by her friends’ efficiency.  She trusted Yukio and her partner, but Dania’s crew was an untested element.  They were raw and untrained and that wasn’t something she had dealt with since Marrow had joined the X-Men.**

(**-Storm’s rocky relationship with Marrow on the X-Men first started in issue 70)

She regretted not being able to push aside her own feelings for the young Morlock to help her, but there wasn’t time to think about that.  DaVingi needed to be found and his atrocity needed to be put to an end.  Storm was about to take to the air when she felt a large prick in her back.  It was a large weapon and only one person had displayed such in the fight thus far.

“Ngozi, I’d suggest you put your sword down,” Storm said.

The Kenyan smiled.  “Not a chance.  I think you owe me another dance.”