"Vitals are normal, sir. Shall we proceed?"

"Of course. We don't have all night, here!!"

"You heard the man!! Let's get him prepped for surgery!!"

The teenage boy looked up at the doctors.

"You're going to be one bad-ass killing machine, boy."

Marvel 2000 Proudly Presents...

"NIGHT"
by Dino Pollard

The mysterious mutant known as Weapon-X awoke with a start.

Bullets of sweat fell from his bald head, striking the already-soaked comforter.

He was the newest, and most mysterious, member of the newly-revamped X-Force. With latent telepathic abilities and a bodysuit that could generate a forcefield which he can mold to his will, he's become a valued member of the team.

Yet he hasn't spoken one word since joining them. To be more accurate, he hasn't spoken one word in over a year.

The team was currently staying at the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning in Westchester, home to the group of mutants known as X-Men Alpha. After the battle with Apocalypse's Horsemen,* it seemed like the best place to stay.

(* Check out the Apocalypse: Ageless Fury Collected Edition—Dino )

That was what Siryn thought. X-Force's leader thought it would be nice to remain in the mansion a bit. Weapon-X thought otherwise, yet he made no objections in any form.

He looked over at the battlesuit, which lay neatly over a chair. The delicate circuitry imbedded inside the fibers of the cloth had turned him into a killer.

He picked it up and looked at the mask. It was black, and it covered his entire face.

He wondered. Is this it? Is this what he had become? Is this what those... things did to him?

He remembered nothing of his past life. He was left questioning himself.

Was it them who changed him?

Or was he a killer before they found him?

"I'm still not too sure about this Weapon-X character..." Theresa Rourke stated in her Irish brogue. With the mutant ability to emit a high-pitched sonic scream, an ability which was passed down from her father, she led X-Force as Siryn.

"Hmmm..." Hank McCoy simply muttered, dressed in a labcoat with a pair of spectacles perched on his nose. In his alternate identity of the Beast, he was one of the original X-Men, as well as a former Avenger and Defender, and a current member of X-Men Alpha.

Theresa simply stared at him as his eyes quickly scanned over the computer print-out. She was amazed at how a thin pair of glasses were able to completely change his appearance. When they were off, he appeared as if he were some sort of creature that belonged in a zoo. When he wore them, he seemed to take on an extremely intelligent quality. It was a bit odd, and she never thought of him any differently. Just a little observation she had noticed.

"What do th' scans read?" she asked.

"You were correct in your assumption," Hank replied. "Our mute ally is indeed a mutant, one with latent telepathic abilities, as you stated in your field report. His physiology has been altered on a genetic level however. Apparently, his DNA contains a synthesized healing factor."

"Synthesized?" Terry asked. "Ye mean like Wa--like Deadpool's?"

Hank nodded in reply before continuing.

"The odd part is this... The scans of his x-factor gene don't reveal any telekinetic, magnetic, or any other sort of force field projection abilities. Nothing of that sort has been added to his DNA, as the healing factor either."

"Then how can he do those things with his forcefield?"

"I'm not positive..." Hank stated. "But I would need to have a look at that suit of his."

Terry sighed as she looked out the window. Whoever this Weapon-X was, he was a mystery. One that had helped them in battle against Sinister and Apocalypse. While she didn't know him well enough to fully trust him yet, she couldn't deny the fact that he was a valuable asset to the team.

Ye can keep yuir secrets, she thought. Ye seem ta be doin' pretty well by us so far.

Robots.

Programmed by the X-Men's sophisticated Danger Room, which comes fully equipped with Shi'ar technology.

Weapon-X cared nothing for the technological wizardry that the X-Men had at their disposal. He never even paid attention to the room itself. All he saw was his opponent.

Block out all distractions.

The voices from his past still resounded loudly in his ears. He had thought that the voices of his combat "teachers" would fade away once he had escaped.

He thought wrong.

The robot delivered a quick energy blast from its palm. The battlesuit's forcefield took the impact with ease. The energy beam was set on low power--big mistake.

Extending his hand, the aura shot out into a long spike, extending across the room and impaling the robot.

Sparks flew as his blade shot through the construct. Once he deactivated the forcefield, the drone fell to the ground with a loud clang.

"Not bad," Terry said from the control booth. "Ye've proven ye can handle one... now let's see how ye can handle a whole bunch o' em."

Five more drones appeared around him. This was it? This was supposed to be a challenge? If he knew how to laugh, he would.

Crouching low, he leapt just as a robot came near him. As he fell, the bottom of the forcefield near his feet extended into a spike as he struck the robot.

Four more. Easily done.

Extending his arms, the forcefield shot out with a wide range. It became an oval-shaped blade, cutting through them.

He stood there for a few seconds, observing the damage. Glancing up to the control booth, he saw Siryn's shocked expression. A mental grin appeared in his mind's eye as he exited.

He had proven himself. In fact, he had excelled.

Belleville, Ontario

Nestled in the Bay of Quinte, at the mouth of the Moira River, Belleville is well-known for its annual Waterfront Festival. A time when people from all over come to experience the myriad of different forms of art.

He didn't come to join in the festivities, though. He has a singular purpose--a mission. An assasination.

The target: Will Short. The government wanted him taken out. The Department wanted him taken out. To do that, they hired the services of the Weapon-X Program, who in turn sent him. He didn't know why Short was to be taken out, all he knew was Short's name and where to find him. The mission, like all the others, had been deemed classified. It was fairly obvious that Short had lit a few fuses and made enemies with the wrong people.

He stealthily moved in-between the boats resting in the harbor, being careful not to cause ripples. As he concentrated on that, he used his telepathy to scan the crowd. It wasn't long before he located the man whom he was sent to kill.

Hidden in the shadows, Weapon-X watched as Short mingled with the crowd. He seemed to be the center of attention. There was only one requirement for this assasination--don't be seen. That was Weapon-X's life. Living in the shadows, constantly ducking for cover.

He pointed his index finger at Short, and the forcefield expanded. He exerted all his control over the battlesuit, forcing the field so thin that only a single atom could fit inside it. The end of it was razor-sharp, and it slowly extended, unseen by anyone. Then, he accelerated it, driving the thin projection through Short's forehead. Immediately, he deactivated the the forcefield to quickly cover it up, and moved back into the shadows.

A crowd formed quicly, and the authorities were called. The cause was never determined.

Mission accomplished.

Wide-awake. Bullets forged from sweat. A soaked comforter. He was back in the mansion again.

It was another dream. One of his missions. Why that one? Why were the memories surfacing? His mind was a vault, locking his memories up, and he didn't have the key. But, he knew where he could find it...

"OH!!!" Dani Moonstar exclaimed as she awoke with a start. She had sensed images of death. And she knew where they were coming from.

She pulled on a robe and made the short walk to the men's dorm hall. The images were strong, the resonances of death heavy.

Her hand wrapped around the door handle. Slowly, she pushed it open, not knowing what to expect. She had just meant to check on Weapon-X. She was concerned about his mental health. No one deserves to experience firsthand what she sensed. It was brutal and inhumane.

The room was empty. The bedsheets tossed about. Weapon-X was nowhere to be found, neither was his mask. She briefly considered the fact that he might be in the Danger Room. Maybe he decided to get some late-night training in. She felt a slight chill in the air.

Then, she noticed the open window.

Canadian wilderness

The black-clad figure dashed through the woods, moving as fast as possible, as if he were more animal than man.

Not far away, another man watched him through a pair of sophisticated binoculars.

{{ We have visual confirmation of the target. }}

{{ Scramblers on. The last thing we need is for this freak to detect us. }}

{{ We're in position, sir. }}

{{Prepared for ambush. }}

{{ Hold your positions, men. Lambert? }}

{{ Target is in the crosshairs. }}

{{ Wait for my mark. }}

{{ General, how do we know his forcefield is deactivated? }}

{{ ..... }}

{{ General? }}

{{ We'll find out soon enough, soldier. }}

{{ Dammit!! }}

{{ What happened? }}

{{ I lost the target. }}

{{ WHAT?! }}

{{ He's too damn fast, General!! }}

{{ You'd better get him back in your crosshairs, Lambert!! If not, your ass will be discharged so fast, your head'll spin!! }}

{{ ~~~~~~~ }}

{{ Lambert? Lambert?! Answer me, soldier!! }}

{{ ~~~~~~~ }}

{{ Short, what the hell's wrong with Lambert?! }}

{{ I--I'm not sure, General. All I'm getting is static. }}

{{ What the hell does that mean?! }}

{{ Shit, where the hell did he go?! }}

{{ I just missed him... }}

{{ Corafa, you're closest to Lambert's post, so get your ass over there! }}

{{ Yes sir. }}

{{ The rest of you continue scanning for the target. }}

{{ HOLY SHIT!! }}

{{ What the hell happened?! Corafa?! }}

{{ I--I've found, Lambert sir... }}

{{ And...? }}

{{ Someone decided to alphabatize his body parts!! }}

{{ It's him!! Gotta be!! Corafa, I want you outta there right no-- }}

{{ GET THE HELL AWAY FROM ME!! }}

{{ *BLAM BLAM* }}

{{ SHORT!! JENT!! STAY ON ALERT!! CORAFA, I WANT YOU T-- }}

{{ ARRGH!!! }}

{{ CORAFA!! }}

{{ ~~~~~~~ }}

{{ General, what now?! }}

{{ ABORT MISSION!!! REPEAT: ABORT MISSION!! }}

{{ What about Corafa?! }}

{{ I SAID ABORT MISSION, DAMMIT!! THAT'S AN ORDER!! }}

{{ ~~~~~~~ }}

{{ SHORT?! SHORT?! }}

{{ Sir... I've lost contact with Short!! }}

{{ GET THE HELL OUTTA THERE, JENT!!! }}

{{ ~~~~~~~ }}

{{ JENT, DO YOU COPY?! }}

{{ ~~~~~~~ }}

{{ SHORT?! }}

{{ ~~~~~~~ }}

{{ ANYONE?! DOES ANYONE COPY?! }}

{{ ~~~~~~~ }}

{{ ~~~~~~~ }}

{{ ~~~~~~~ }}

{{ ~~~~~~~ }}

{{ THIS IS GENERAL RUSS ANDERSON!! DELTA-1 HAS BEEN ELIMINATED!! REPEAT, DELTA-1 HAS BEEN ELIMINATED!! I NEED BACK-UP!! THE TARGET IS LOOSE, AND HE'S RUNNING--UMPH!! }}

Anderson looked down to find the object he tripped over. It was the body of Lieutenant Ryan Jent. The wounds were many, and the blood was still flowing. Perhaps out of some sort of hope, he grabbed Jent's wrist to feel around for a pulse.

Nothing.

Delta-1 was eliminated. He was the last one left. And they were all taken out by one man.

{{ Anderson to base. Do you copy? }}

{{ ~~~~~~~ }}

{{ Anderson to base. Do you copy? }}

{{ ~~~~~~~ }}

{{ Anderson to-- }}

The last thing General Russ Anderson saw was the shape of an energy blade as it cut through the center of his head.

{{ ~~~~~~~ }}

Marvel 2000 Proudly Presents...

"FIRST BLOOD"
by Dino Pollard

The Xavier Institute for Higher Learning. Westchester, New York.

Her name is Danielle Moonstar, Dani to her friends. As Moonstar, she's currently a member of X-Force, a team of young mutants dedicated to insuring that the dream of Charles Xavier is enforced. She possesses the ability to create visual images from the thoughts of others, as well as fire psionic arrows.

Last night, she sensed something was wrong with her new teammate, Weapon-X. When she entered his room, she found nothing, save for an open window.*

She looked to her teammate, the alien being called Warlock. His face was blank and emotionless, his techno-organic arms cascading into different wires, plugging into the large computer. On his head sat Cerebro, the specialized computer designed to pinpoint anyone with an active x-factor gene.

The screen blinked result after result, so fast that she couldn't even have a chance to see it. Yet, she found herself compelled to watch it. And she had no doubt that Warlock was easily registering all this info. For her human brain though, it was too much to comprehend at one time.

A hand clamped her shoulder, and Dani spun around in shock. She relaxed herself when she saw Rahne Sinclair, one of her oldest friends. As Wolfsbane, Rahne could transform into a wolf-like state. Like Dani, Warlock, and Weapon-X, she was also a member of X-Force.

"Any luck yet?" Rahne asked.

Dani shook her head.

"'Lock's been at it for hours..." she stated. "Still nothing. If Weapon-X doesn't use his powers, chances are we won't be able to pinpoint his location."

"Listen Dani, ye shouldnae beat yuirself up over this," Rahne stated. "We know next tae nothin' about him. He DID try t' kill us when we first met him."*

(* Back in X-Force #4—Dino )

"That wasn't his fault, Rahne," Dani said. "If he meant to kill us, he wouldn't have---ARGH!!"

"DANI!!" Rahne exclaimed as her friend collapsed to the ground, clutching her head. Rahne gently cradled Dani's body, stroking her hair.

"Dani, what happened?! Are ye all right?"

"...Blood..."

"What?"

"N-nothing..." Dani replied. "I just know where he is now."

"How?" Rahne asked. "What happened?"

"I just... know," Dani stated. She turned away from Rahne and began to walk out the door.

"Ye're not doing what I think yuir doing, are ye?" Rahne asked.

"Just change into wolf-form and you'll find out," Dani replied.

"Ye're gonna go after him."

"You're right."

"No!" Rahne exclaimed. "Ye cannae go alone!! Lemme get Terry, Em, an' 'Lock. The five o' us'll go together."

"I'm sorry, Rahne..." Dani stated. "But this doesn't concern you guys."

"If it concerns you, then it concerns us--me especially."

"You're right..." Dani sighed. "That's why I'm sorry for doing this."

"Doing wha--"

Before Rahne could finish, Dani struck her with a weak, psionic arrow.

"I'm really sorry, Rahne," Dani said to her fallen friend. "I tried to make it painless as possible. The arrow was pretty weak, but it was strong enough to give me the time I need to get out of here."

Dani Moonstar broke into a run towards the mansion's hangar, just as Warlock's head appeared from the comm room. He saw Rahne unconscious on the ground, and the elevator door closing.

"What the...?"

Blood...

To him, it's nothing. Meaningless.

The blood of Delta-1 was all over, staining the grass and trees.

They had thought that the psi-scramblers would prevent him from detecting their presence. What they didn't realize was that he was on constant alert. Anderson's final thoughts were probably that the scramblers had failed. They didn't. The scramblers DID prevent him from scanning their minds.

Yet, they didn't stop him from scanning the minds of the local wildlife.

A small squirrel watched Lambert from a tree. And Weapon-X saw Lambert through the squirrel's eyes. Then he systematically scanned the minds of other wildlife to gain a location. Department H had one intent--to create the world's most-efficient killing machine.

They had succeeded. Far too well.

"Anything yet?"

"No sir," the comm replied. "Delta-1 can't be reached."

"Delta-1," the man stated, pressing a button on the console. "This is Commander Ryerson, do you copy?"

{{ ~~~~~~~ }}

"Delta-1, this is Commander Ryerson. Do you copy?"

{{ ~~~~~~~ }}

"Contact remaining Delta teams," Ryerson ordered. "Target remains."

The mini-jet touched down in a clearing. Moonstar stepped out from it, looking around. Her eyes wandered across the plain, and she saw nothing.

This is where she last felt Weapon-X's presence. But now, he was gone.

"You're here somewhere... I can feel it..."

Her eyes wandered across the field as she slowly moved across it.

"What's this connection I have with you?"

The scent of death filled her nostrils. She followed it. Spots of blood began to form a trail. Each spot became larger as she ventured further.

The stench was overpowering. It burned inside her nostrils. Her heart raced as she continued to explore, prepared for the inevitable.

She found three inevitables.

Two dead bodies--each one horrible mutilated by some type of weapon. She assumed the scattered body parts belonged to one body as well.

"Nnnngh!!" she groaned, as she felt the pain in her head.

Dani Moonstar took advantage of her birthright, the ability to take the moments of a person's death--and make them into three-dimensional images.

Viewing the last moments of a person's life can be traumatic. Dani watches in horror as Special Operative Brent Lambert holds a sniper rifle in his hands, looking through the scope to try and pinpoint the target. She watches as Weapon-X appears above him.

"No..."

And then, she watches as Weapon-X utilizes his forcefield to literally dismantle Lambert, piece by piece.

She continues to watch as Lieutenant Jay Corafa enters the scene, only to find Lambert's body parts. All organized. It's almost as if Weapon-X was... playing with him?

"Oh no..."

Weapon-X dropped once more from behind. Corafa fired two shots, deflected by the forcefield. Then, the maiming began.

"Stop..." she muttered, the images vanishing. "I--I don't believe it..."

She dropped to her knees, face buried in her palms.

"You are a killer..."

{{ Subject #0047 }}

{{ Status? }}

{{ This is one of the Project's finest accomplishments. Unlike past subjects, this one possesses telepathic abilities. To a lesser extent, anyway. He's also younger than previous Subjects. At age 17, it is our belief that he'll be easier to control. }}

{{ So far, this theory has been proven to be correct in training scenarios. He's been completely obedient. }}

{{ Let's see how he performs in the field. }}

Run.

He was told to run. So he ran. He was told to stop, so he did.

Then, he was told to defend himself by any means possible.

He was to defend himself against a single soldier. The soldier was obviously experienced, standing his ground, not flinching even an inch. He crouched low, recalling his training. His mind reached out, only to be blocked by a psi-scrambler.

The soldier instantly whipped out a pistol and began firing.

The forcefield was activated, deflecting the bullets.

{{ MOVE!! }}

He moved, dodging bullets as he leapt through the air, the forcefield a source of protection.

{{ You have to stop him sometime. }}

Once he landed, he gave himself less than a second to propel himself into the air once more, this time bringing his feet down on the attacker.

The soldier sprung back up, tossing a grenade.

{{ Use your training. Think back to it. }}

The voice rang through his head with the aid of the comm-link he wore underneath his mask.

His hand extended, and the forcefield followed. He concentrated hard. The suit reluctantly replied at first, extending just a bit. His mind began to drown out everything else. There was just him and the target.

The forcefield extended further.

He watched the soldier, standing dumbfounded.

The end of the field became pointed.

The soldier drew out his gun once more. He shouted something, but Weapon-X ignored it.

{{ Come on, what are you waiting for? }}

Nothing...

The blade shot out, impaling the soldier, the massive spike continuing on until it crashed into a tree.

Beneath the mask, his eyes grew wide with terror. He instantly dropped the forcefield, and the man followed.

Upon closer inspection, he found that there was a large hole in the man's midsection, at least three inches in diameter.

Blood was everywhere.

{{ Good job. }}

Blood...

{{ You're to be commended for your work, Dr. Franklin. }}

Blood...

{{ We did it, guys!! }}

Blood...

{{ We've done it. }}

Blood...

{{We've created the perfect killing machine. }}

Blood...

So much blood... So much on his hands.

They will pay. Oh yes, they will pay.

In blood.

Have you ever wondered if you were destined for better things? Have you ever thought that you could be so much more than what you are?

Maybe you might want to go back to school to get your degree. Or maybe you'd call up an old flame, because you've felt bad about the way things turned out.

What if you had done some... questionable things in your life?

Can anything truly be forgiven?

Danielle Moonstar is pondering these questions herself as the mini-jet soars through the Canadian airspace. She looked down at the Cerebro unit attached to the vehicle's onboard computer. His signature was nearby.

After what she knows he has done though, does she really want to find him? She knows that he brutally massacred a small squadron because they were in his way, when he could've easily avoided detection. But, he chose to kill them.* Did she want to risk his wrath?

Yes.

Even if a killer couldn't find redemption, she would insure that he was stopped before any more blood could be spilled.

Marvel 2000 Proudly Presents...

"CONFRONTATION"
by Dino Pollard

"How goes the search?"

"Not good, sir," Commander Ryerson replied. "Delta-1 was eliminated with ease. We actually have a recording of the transmission made during the time of their deaths."

"I want all units searching for him."

"Sir, are y--"

"I said ALL of them, Ryerson!!"

"Understood..." Ryerson stated as he backed away.

{{ BREACH IN SECTOR 5A!!! REPEAT, BREACH IN SECTOR 5A!!! THIS IS NOT A DRILL!!! }}

"What is it now? Did one of the lab rats get outta the cage again?"

"Probably, you know nothing ever happens here."

"Who would've thought working for a top-secret military base would be so dull, eh?"

"Eh... whattaya gonna do. The pay's good and the job's got benefits."

"Don't you think we should go check it out?"

"Nah, let someone else ha--"

"Jer...?"

The guard turned to look at his friend. The front of his uniform had a giant bloodstain on it, and the fabric was pointed, as if something were there. Then, it vanished, and Jerry fell.

The second guard brought up his gun, just as an orange blade drove itself through his midsection.

Weapon-X dropped down from the perch and ran, escaping through the bay doors and out into the wilderness.

Now, he was back.

He never thought he would see this place again. He never wanted to see it again. He just wanted to be alone.

Until the dreams started.

He needed answers. He needed closure. And the Weapon X Program was the best place to find them.

Hidden in the shadows, he watched as the convoy slowly approached. He had been waiting in a stationary position for hours. Once it stopped before the bay doors, he left his hiding place, using his training to remain unseen.

He dove, skidding across the ground and under the truck. Grabbing the pipes that ran underneath it, he pulled himself up, hanging just a few feet from the ground.

The doors opened, and he felt the truck slowly move inside.

People walked about freely to unload the vehicle. He considered using his telepathy to mask his presence, and just walk about freely. But a quick scan revealed that the agents were wearing psi-scramblers. Apparently, they seemed to be standard operating equipment. He could always just kill everyone in the room, but that would mean announcing his presence too early.

Instead, he waited until the footsteps diminished, and the truck seemed to rise, indicating that it was fully unloaded. He dropped down, and slid out.

Looking about, he saw no one and quickly dashed down a corridor.

The mini-jet landed softly.

The cockpit opened up, and Dani Moonstar stepped out of it.

"According to Cerebro... he's inside."

Her psionic bow and arrow formed in her hands as she approached the entrance. There were two guards there.

She crouched low, and unleashed two arrows. The men fell easily, granting her access.

She would find him.

They've changed.

The corridors are different, he notes. A security measure, obviously. How often do they have a transition, though? Every year? Every month? Every week?

More questions. That's all he's finding.

Why was he chosen? Why him? Why did they need to take away everything he had?

But, how does he know if he had anything to be taken away to begin with?

More questions. And few answers.

"Commander Ryerson!!"

"What is it?" Ryerson asked, running over to the soldier sitting at a monitor.

"I don't think we need to send out any more Delta teams..."

"Why's tha--"

Ryerson looked at the monitor. It was him.

Weapon-X.

"He's come back looking for answers."

"You had this planned all along, didn't you?" Ryerson asked.

"Go on, Dr. Franklin. I believe it's time to let the Commander in on all the details."

Franklin adjusted his glasses and looked at Ryerson.

"He receives flashes," Franklin stated. "When he's away for a period of 48 hours, snippets of his past will come to him in his dreams. If that time extends to 72 hours, he'll begin to receive the images more often, and they're usually triggered by something he may find. The whole process triggers a subconscious need for answers, answers which he believes he can only receive here."

"So five of my best men died, needlessly searching for him, when you knew he was going to come back here all along?!"

"Well..."

"Why the fuck did you have me dispatch them?!" Ryerson demanded, gripping Franklin's collar and lifting him slightly off the ground.

"He needed to believe that we were searching for him..." Franklin replied. "By seeing our soldiers, the flashes would be triggered, resulting in a speedy return."

"You sick sonnuva bitch..."

"Put the good doctor down, Commander."

"And you! You made him do this, didn't you?!"

"Put him down, Ryerson. Before I lose my temper."

Ryerson forcefully dropped Franklin onto the ground, then pressed a button on the console.

"This is Commander Ryerson. We have an intruder in the building."

"That's a good soldier."

Ryerson turned away from the Director, focusing on the monitors.

"Get out..." he muttered. "Security personnel only, sir."

"Doctor, I want you to return to your lab," the Director stated. "Inform me once you've captured him."

"Hold it right there."

Weapon-X stopped dead in his tracks. He turned, slowly at first, then quickly, his forcefield shooting out. It stopped an instant before it struck the speaker.

Moonstar.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" she asked.

He continued to walk down the corridor.

"I know what you did to those soldiers."

An image flashed in her mind of a man shooting a deer.

"It doesn't matter if they were hunting you!" she exclaimed. "What you did to them... it was inhuman..."

Another image, this one of a door.

"I'm not leaving. Not without you."

He continued walking, ignoring her pleas.

"I said--"

*CHK*
*CHK*
*CHK*
*CHK*
*CHK*
*CHK*
*CHK*
*CHK*
*CHK*
*CHK*
*CHK*
*CHK*

They both turned to find a dozen soldiers standing there, guns at the ready. The two members of X-Force looked at each other, before leaping into the fray.

Dani unleashed a fury of psionic arrows, which overrode the psi-scramblers the guards wore. Weapon-X relied on his forcefield to plow through them.

She tried to ignore it, and instead focused on eliminated them in a less-lethal method. Her arrows simply stunned, leaving them unconscious, and with a pounding headache once they awoke. It was much more merciful than what Weapon-X would've done had she not been here.

Gunshots went off, and she dodged as best she could. A bullet caught her in the shoulder, yet she bit her lip and ignored the pain, venturing on.

Three remained, and they were quickly eliminated.

She examined her shoulder. The bullet just skimmed her, striking the outside of her arm.

"I hope this isn't the best they can do, eh?"

She didn't expect a response from her silent partner, so she turned.

He was gone.

"Dammit."

Dr. Franklin looked over the results of the field tests done with Weapon-X.

"He's perfect. The ideal killing machine. Nothing could stop him. And judging by the results from his encounter with Delta-1, he can't even stop himself."

Franklin brought up some diagnostics on one of Weapon-X's assignments--the assassination of Will Short.

"Incredible..." Franklin muttered. "His pulse never went above 85. Not even when he delivered the kill..."

*TSSS*

"Yes...?"

No response.

"Who's there? I asked not to be disturbed."

Silence.

"Damn muscle-headed simpletons..." he muttered, pressing a button by the door.

*TSSS*

He sat back in his chair, looking over the diagnostics once more.

*TNK*

Franklin spun around.

"Who's there?"

Nothing. He looked around the room to find no one.

He felt a tap on his shoulder and spun once more.

Still nothing.

"SHOW YOURSELF NOW!!"

He reached inside his desk drawer and pulled out a Glock. He flicked the safety off and hastily aimed it.

"SHOW YOURSELF!!"

"Doctor Franklin..."

"What in Heaven's name?"

Something shoved him forward. Franklin stumbled and fell to the ground, still aiming his gun.

Then, as if out of thin air, he appeared.

Weapon-X.

"Y-you..." Franklin muttered. "H--how did you...?"

The masked killer tapped his temple.

"Your telepathy... of course. I had no idea your control was so focused.

He extended his index finger, and the forcefield appeared around him. The energy around his finger shaped itself into a blade.

Weapon-X knelt down on top of Franklin, placing the blade to his throat.

"P-please don't..."

"Past..."

"Past? What are you... oh. You want to know about your past, don't you?"

He nodded.

"All I know is that you lived in Toronto. Before our people brought you here, that is. Your age made you susceptible to suggestion. You didn't reject the process as much as past subjects had. You were easily influenced due to your young age. We trained you using virtual simulations. It was a new way of doing things, and it was much faster than putting you through actual military training. You were fully prepared in three weeks.

"Your battlesuit was created using technology similar to the circuitry in the battlesuit worn by Alpha Flight's Guardian. It allowed you to emit a forcefield, which you could shape to suit your purposes. We considered adamantium bonding, but the synthesized healing factor we developed wouldn't have been sufficient to allow you to deal with it.

"Test results proved very effective. We had engineered your mind to the point where you were crafted into the perfect killing machine. And your telepathy was increased slightly using advanced technology as well. It still hasn't peaked, though. But you seem to be able to utilize it perfectly."

The blade shrunk, and Weapon-X stood, turning away from Franklin.

"Thank you... I--"

Franklin was cut off once Weapon-X extended his hand. Blades emitted from each of his fingers, and dove into Franklin's head. Then, they shrunk back.

*TSSS*

Dani continued wandering the halls, trying to find Weapon-X. Something grabbed her, and pulled her into a room.

Ryerson covered her mouth with one hand, a gun in the other. He looked out into the corridor to see it empty. Once he was satisfied, he released her.

Dani spun on her heel, and formed a psionic bow and arrow, prepared to unleash it.

"Wait... hold on..."

"Who are you?" she asked.

"Commander Alex Ryerson," he replied. "Well, after this is over, I'll just be Alex Ryerson. You're friends with Weapon-X?"

"We're teammates, why?" Dani asked.

"Then you can help me," Ryerson replied. "The Director of the Weapon X Program is new here. Just like me. He wants to use Weapon-X as a hitman. Put him through more training. It'll warp his mind further."

"Why do you care?"

"I may be a government agent, but I'm not heartless."

"Thought it was one of the requirements..."

"Come on, I think I know where your friend's headed."

*TSSS*

"Weapon-X I presume?"

The Director sat with the back of his chair facing the door. Weapon-X appeared, dropping his telepathy.

"Please, come in."

The suit's forcefield activated as Weapon-X moved forward.

"Welcome home."

The forcefield extended into a blade as he lifted his arm, poised to strike.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you. After all, I'm the only one who has access to your past life."

He stopped, the blade lowering.

"That's a good lad. Now, shall we negotiate? Your memories in exchange for a few, simple kills."

"STOP!!!"

He turned, to see Dani standing there. Ryerson was behind her, pistols in both hands.

The Director's chair turned, and he stood up, slowly stepping forward.

"I'm very disappointed in you, Commander."

"Yeah, well life's a bitch," Ryerson replied.

*BANG*

Dani looked up, expecting to see blood. Instead, she saw sparks. And then, she finally got a look at the Director's face.

"No..." she muttered. "Not you..."

"I suppose I should introduce myself," the Director began. "I'm Donald Pierce, Director of the Weapon X Program."

Although Moonstar has grown over the years in both experience and maturity, she has never found it in her heart to forgive Pierce for what he did. You can imagine her shock, and rage, at discovering that the Director of the Weapon X Program is none other than Pierce himself.

The only one whose rage dwarfs Dani's is the Program's former assassin, Weapon-X. This young man knows next to nothing about his past. The process the late, Dr Franklin used to craft Weapon-X into the perfect assassin left the teen with mental scars. Perhaps this is the reason why Weapon-X doesn't speak. But, now that he has found the man behind the Program, it's all Weapon-X can do to restrain himself... for now.

Moonstar originally followed Weapon-X to prevent him from doing anything brash. To prevent him from killing again. She failed.

There is one other person who is helping them. Commander Alex Ryerson, a former defense officer for the Program. He knows about the process that Weapon-X underwent, and it was enough to make him consider a career change. Rather than following his unholy orders, Ryerson's conscience forced him to rebel - to assist Moonstar and Weapon-X.

They noticed that the gunshot wound in Pierce's abdomen, courtesy of Ryerson,* was repairing itself. Apparently, the circuitry inside Pierce's body was a bit too advanced for their tastes.

Pierce stood up from his chair and folded his arms across his chest.

"Are you quite finished?" he asked. "Good. Now we can get down to business."

Marvel 2000 Proudly Presents...

"CLOSURE"
by Dino Pollard

Pierce's grin was ever-present as he stood before his adversaries. Moonstar knew from experience that he was no push-over, but Ryerson and Weapon-X didn't seem to understand that.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't blow your damn head off," Ryerson muttered.

"Because you can't," Pierce replied. "I'm a cyborg, you imbecile. And I don't think that Weapon-X would want me dead before he hears about his past."

The silent assassin stiffened. His muscles tensed. Every instinct told him to lash out at Pierce with everything he had. But, his mind told him to listen.

"Lower your weapon, Commander," Pierce ordered. Ryerson looked at Moonstar and Weapon-X, then slowly lowered his gun.

"Talk," he ordered. Pierce grinned.

"I recently became the Director of the Weapon X Program," Pierce began. "I researched the Program's past experience with operatives. Logan, Victor Creed, David North, Silver Fox, Garrison Kane, Wade Wilson, all of them failed because of one common factor - age. They were all too old for the Program to fully control them. I came to the conclusion that a younger subject would be more susceptible to suggestion. That subject would have to be a teenager.

"We found this subject by scouting all of Canada for the perfect teenage specimen. We found that in you. A high school athlete, but while you may not have been the greatest, your latent mutant abilities put you over the top. Our agents captured you. It was filed as a missing person's report, until the police found a body we had planted. The coroner's report, as well as DNA tests revealed that it was your body. According to the whole world, you were dead. That left us free to train you in secret.

"You were the perfect operative. Since you were legally dead, there was absolutely no way to unveil your true identity. The bodysuit is made from a new material, resistant to much. The circuitry imbedded in the fibers is well-protected and quite resilient, and the suit draws its energy from your bodyheat. When exposed to other forms of energy, like solar, it stores it in back-up power units. The goggles you wear are equipped with sophisticated technology. They project readings directly into your retina, and they can disguise your eyes to override retinal scans."

Pierce walked forward a bit, joining his hands behind his back.

"There was just one more thing needed to make you perfect," he stated. "Or rather, two things. One of them was to implant a failsafe in your mind. This was done so that if you are away from contact for a long period of time, you will receive flashes that will draw you back to the complex. That's why it was so easy for you to get back in here. The other thing was to insure that you would be remorseless. I personally administered the process that filled your head with hate. The process obviously drove you to become mute, perhaps due to all the violence you were forced to experience at one time. It was because of this that you were molded into the killing machine you are now. And since you've finally returned, it's time for you to begin your work once more."

"Hey, you coming?"

"Naw, I gotta get home. Old man's been sweatin' me lately."

"You're gonna be at the game tomorrow though, right?"

"Damn straight. We're gonna kick some ass."

"Heh. Have a good night, man."

"You too," the young man stated before climbing into his car and driving off.

It was late, and as a result, the roads were quiet. He came to a stoplight and looked down to change the radio station. When he looked up again, the light turned green and he stepped on the accelerator.

Nothing happened.

"What the hell...?"

He stepped on the accelerator again. Still nothing.

"Sonnuva... I just got this car checked out..." he muttered, reaching under the steering column.

*THUNK*

He got out of the car and lifted up the hood. He bent down to look at the engine, but before he could make any sort of diagnosis, something happened.

*THUMP*

The last thing the young man saw was three tall men in black standing over him. Then the world faded away.

It was Pierce...

Pierce ordered that kidnapping of the boy who would become Weapon-X. He engineered it all. Weapon-X's eyes narrowed and filled with rage behind his goggles.

The forcefield shot out from his extended arms, shaping itself into a battering ram. It sent Pierce flying into the far wall.

Weapon-X stood over his creator, the forcefield forming around his fingers in claw-like shapes.

"There's one thing that was a crucial part of your training," Pierce stated, his arm beginning to alter its shape.

*BRATATATATATATA*

The cyborg stood, the machine gun which was his arm emitted smoke.

"Know your opponent before attacking," he finished. "And you shoOOOAAW!!!!!!!!!"

Pierce's head snapped over to Weapon-X's companions. Moonstar held a psionic bow in her hands.

"Back off, Pierce!" she commanded.

"Well, you've certainly matured since last we met," Pierce replied.

"I've been through a lot since then," Dani stated. "I'm no longer the scared little girl you tried to terrorize."

"Vengeance seems like a great motivational skill," Pierce said. "I wouldn't know, all you bloody mutants look alike to me."

*BOOM*

*BOOM*

*BOOM*

"Get back, asshole!!" Ryerson ordered. "Stay away from these kids!"

"Commander, I am simply shocked that a man of your position and power would sacrifice it all simply to help ungrateful gene trash. Do you realize that if you do this, then you will be marked a traitor to your country?"

"Yeah," Ryerson replied. "But I wanna be able to face myself in the mirror!!"

"Truly saddening, Commander," Pierce stated. "Truly."

*BRATATATATATATATATATATA*

"GET DOWN!!!" Moonstar shouted, just as Ryerson was struck with the bullets.

He didn't scream.

"Pity..." Pierce muttered. "Oh well, in his line of work, every day above ground was a special day. Guess this wasn't one of the--"

Circuitry was severed within Pierce's cybernetic body as a giant spike jutted through his chest. He slowly turned as Weapon-X unleashed a hail of miniature spikes from his forcefield.

"ENDGAME!!"

"How bloody daft can you be?" Pierce asked. "I'M A SODDING CYBORG!!! I've taken on the likes of the X-Men and won!! What makes you think you're any different?"

"You made me."

Dani took the brief distraction provided by Weapon-X to check on their latest ally. She looked down to examine Ryerson.

He was losing blood at a massive rate. Pierce nailed him several times in his upper body, but somehow managed to miss his heart. Dani wondered if it was done on purpose, to prolong Ryerson's suffering.

"Damn... *kaff* sonnuva bitch..." he weakly muttered.

"Save your strength," Dani stated. "If we can just get you to a hospital..."

"No hospital... *kaff* around here for... for several miles..."

"There's gotta be something I can do, then."

"There... there is... take m-my gun... end it now..."

"No!" Dani exclaimed. "I'm not going to kill you!!"

"I'm as good as dead... now... just... just end my suffering..."

"I can't... I'm not like that... I won't--won't take another life..."

"Pierce... he purposely did this... the pain is intense... hard to... to speak... please... just do it..."

Dani shut her eyes. Already she could sense Ryerson's pain. She could feel the strong resonance of death. No matter what, she knew that she couldn't save him. She had neither the time nor the resources.

She always believed that all life was sacred, and it puzzled her how people like Pierce or Weapon-X could easily trample on that life without giving it a second thought. She thought she could prevent deaths by following Weapon-X. But instead, she'd been forced to stand idly by while the body count continued to grow. And now, she was being asked to end another life.

Her eyes opened, and her hand reached for the gun. Slowly, she placed it to his temple.

"Th--*koff*--thank you..."

She closed her eyes as her finger slowly began to squeeze the trigger.

*BANG*

He heard the gunshot, yet was too enraged to divert his attention from Pierce. All he saw was red. And he fully intended to see that red seeping from Pierce's body.

He leapt into the air as Pierce unleashed gunshots, and delivered a swift kick to his creator's head. A kick that had increased strength due to his forcefield.

Weapon-X stood over Pierce, his forcefield formed into a sword-like shape.

"You can't stop me," Pierce stated.

No reply came as Weapon-X swiftly sliced off one of Pierce's arms.

"Oh please... I can always get another o--"

The other arm followed.

"That's not--"

The left leg came off next.

"Not... ba--"

Followed by the right.

"Heh... that all you got?" Pierce asked.

Weapon-X kneeled above him, the blade poised mere inches from Pierce's neck.

"No."

"STOP!!!"

He didn't flinch, just pressed the blade slightly against Pierce's hide.

"Did you hear me?" Dani asked. "I said stop!!"

Nothing, just more pressure.

"Look... I know Pierce has done a lot to you," Dani stated. "I know he's turned you into something you hate. But, ending his life won't solve anything. You'll still be a killer. It has to stop here. If you end his life, you'll just be giving him the satisfaction. Why do you think he keeps egging you on? If you kill him, you'll be just as bad as he is."

Thoughts were racing through his head. His instincts told him that he should end Pierce's life right here, right now. After all, Pierce ended his life, his only option was to end Pierce's.

Yet, in his time with X-Force, he'd come to understand that things aren't so black and white. He'd come to accept them, to trust them. He knew that his instincts told him he shouldn't trust them, that he should strike out on his own.

He lifted Pierce's mangled body up, and hurled it against the far wall.

He spared Pierce's life because for the first time, he understood that he couldn't act solely on his instincts.

"The sunrise..." Dani stated as they approached the mini-jet. "We were in there all night."

He lagged a bit, looking at the complex.

"One day, we'll take out the Program," Dani promised. "But now's not the time. We don't have the manpower. You did the right thing, though."

He lowered his head.

"Come on, Weapon-X," Dani stated. "Let's go--"

"Brandon..."

"What?!" she exclaimed, spinning around. "Did you just--"

She saw him slowly pull off the goggled mask he wore to reveal a young man with a shaved head.

"My name is Brandon."