Episode Two

Episode 2 Part 1

Across oceans and oceans of blue, over the Pacific, the X-craft jetted smoothly, quietly. It was a small craft that could seat no more than seven people. It looked like a minivan come aircraft -- a very sleek , epic-looking, aerodynamic minivan.

The craft now had one more person than usual, five X-gents. All very quiet and pensive. Alisa Tager , code name Cipher, was piloting. The co-piloting seat was empty. Behind her, in the next row of two, was Lorna Lehnsherr (Polaris) and Alex Lehnsherr (Havok). Behind Alex, to his displeasure, was Jeremy Howlett (Just Howlett) and in the single seat centred at the back, was Victor Borkowski (mostly called Anole).

“Alisa,” a warm voice called from the crafts intercom; it was Commander X. “once within a fifty mile radius you will slow down and go into Cipher-stealth mode.”

“Roger.” Cipher answered. “Now in ‘Cipher mode’ , though I think its ridiculous that we call it that.”

Alisa had the mutant ability to go invisible, intangible and completely off the radar. She could extend her power to who and what she touches, even the entire X-craft. The X-craft, of course had its own stealth settings, but nothing compared to Cipher, stealth extraordinaire.

“We don’t know what surveillance for the island is like. For now this is best. The later they discover us the better. When you land keep the machine in its built-in stealth mode and submerged.” said X.

“We’re approaching T minus ten. I’m gonna slow down now and switch to mechanical stealth as we submerge.” said Ali.

The X-craft began to slow down and all the  X-gents felt as it halted, hovering above the water some ways offshore the island. It gently landed on the water and then began to submerge itself.

“This thing doubles as a sub? I should get me one of these.” said Howlett. Nobody responded.

The craft hit ground about forty feet underwater. A few panel windows opened automatically. Enough light filtered from above to reveal several colorful sea creatures swimming about the machine.

“Best of luck agents.” said the voice over the intercom. “And if needs be I can have the Junior team there along with The Captains in minutes.”

“Thanks X. That won’t be necessary.” said Lorna as she unbuckled her seat belt.

All the X-gents were already in their wet suits. Their dry uniforms, as well as all their equipment, were all packed in backpacks lying in a corner of the X-craft.  Ali handed out small masks that would cover the nose and mouth. The masks had small yellow tanks, about four inch longer cylinders, attached on either side at the nose portion. She also handed out goggles.

“Forges masks will last a maximum of 30 minutes underwater. He’s still developing them.” Said Ali.

“If only some people’s masks would spontaneously fail.” said Alex, obviously meaning Howlett’s.

“Good thing it would take tons more than that to take me out.” said Howlett.

Lorna gave Alex a cross look but didn’t comment. “The exit chamber fits only two at a time. Me and Alex go first, then Howlett and Anole then Ali will come after she’s secured the X-craft.” said Lorna.

With that Lorna and Alex put their mask and goggles on. They entered an airtight chamber at the back-left of the craft. Water began to slowly flood in as she hit the release button. Once the chamber was filled the exit door opened and Lorna and Alex swam out and up towards the Savage Island shore.

Within ten minutes they all were dragging their feet through the water onto the shore ; A white sandy beach with dense forestry just behind it.

When they got to the shore Howlett looked at Ali, whose head and suit was dry down to her knees. “You’re dry.” He pointed out; it was more of a question than a statement.

“These suits don’t cover your head, and even if it did, with all this hair I could fit it all in.” Ali responded, lifting a few of her locks that hung almost down to her waist. She had her hair held up in a ponytail, but that didn't do much to contain the thick locks.

“So?”

“You have no Idea how heavy three feet long dreadlocks can be when it’s wet.”

“Exaggerating.”

“I just don’t like getting it wet unnecessarily. I phased through the water.”

“You look great in a body suit.” said Howlett with a menacing smile as he begun to unzip his suit, revealing well defined chest and abs and tossing his bag pack on the sand.

Alisa turned and ignored him, taking off her bag pack.

Pulling strong arms from the sleeves of his wet suit Howlett addressed the group, “Remember our first objective is not to take on Magneto but to take out the anti-mutant weaponry.”

The entire team stopped to look at Howlett with surprised and disapproving eyes. Lorna’s face looked as cross as it could have ever been. “Can it Howlett. I’m leader. Re-briefing is my job.” She grunted. She slicked her wet, short blonde hair back as she walked inshore towards the forest still with her backpack on. “We can’t be exposing ourselves out here in the open and not just to be prudent. We’re a lot less likely to be seen in the forest. Howlett can expose himself all he wants.”

Soon they were all fully suited and among a tight fitting clearing in the forest, still near the beach. The sound of the beating waves could be heard in the distance, along with chirping birds and wind through the forest trees. Their backpacks were a little deflated and back on their backs. They stood in a circle as Lorna said –

“It'll take a while through all this so we can't really stop much once we get going. This is unfamiliar terrain.”

“Shouldn't Anole know this place?” asked Howlett. He was standing opposite Lorna and Alex with Anole and Ali on either side of him.

The whole team paused again and gave him the same scolding look as before. Anole looked particularly displeased.

“Not everyone who looks like me is a Morlock.” He said.

“You don't know much about the mutant life and story, do you?” said Ali.

“Oh. Sorry.” said Howlett, for the first time looking abashed.

Anole shook his head and Lorna continued, “Let’s move out agents.”

The team made their way through the forest towards the hilly interior of the island. They trod their way through a mesh of trees and bushes. Lorna and Alex leading ahead with a digital map on  her holographic wristwatch. Anole  was walking close behind them, his long, enhanced, hellboy-ish arms swinging at his side. Ali was behind him and Howlett was a short ways behind at the back.

As they made their way, breaking and trampling hindering plant life as they went along, Anole spoke, for the second time, to Howlett’s surprise.

“I really wouldn’t want to have to need backup on this one. Not the Junior team and especially not The Captains.” said Anole.

“Don’t you mean ‘not The Captains and especially not the Junior team’ Anole?” said Alex, with a smirk on his face that no-one behind could see.

“Let’s just not let it come to that.” said Anole.

Ali slowed down to walk beside Howlett, wanting to relieve some of the tension that was among the group. Not particularly fond of the lad, she didn’t want him ostracized either. It was bad for the team dynamic. “So what made you leave your father's side. Is it the natural rebelliousness from being son of The Wolverine?” she asked.

Howlett focused pensively on the siblings walking ahead. “Same reason as Alex and Lorna left.” He said. “ I didn't want to die, plus I realized pops was mad.”

Ali’s eyebrows rose in a bit of surprise and questioning.

“Back in the day The Wolverine, Magneto and X were partners - agents of the government.” Howlett continued. “They were in charge of dealing with mutant affairs. The new an exponential emergence of born-superpowered humans did not go unnoticed by the government and they needed a group to take care of the troubles that might come with it. If a mutant was too dangerous or endangered others, they had to be taken in or taken out.”


At this, Anole back-flipped and landed astride Ali and Howlett, right between the two. “Take them out?” he asked curiously

“Enhanced hearing?... I see.” said Howlett a-matter-of-factly, realizing he hadn’t been speaking loud enough for a regular person to have heard him from Anoles prior distance.  “Yes some mutants were too dangerous to live and that's where my father would come in.” He continued.

“You said they were a team. Well, what happened? What changed and why do you say you're father's mad?” asked Ali.

“Well, from what I gather, an explosion happened.” He said.

Just then Lorna stopped, looking around with an alert and an alarmed expression on her face.

“Oh my God. Did you feel that?” she exclaimed.

An intense look came over Anole’s face. “I hear it, he said.”

In a short time they all could hear thuds coming towards them from a distance. It kept getting closer and closer, and what Lorna had felt became more evident as stones on the ground started to rattle and jump over the quaking earth.

“Now I feel it.” said Alex.

Before anyone could figure out what was happening a giant T-Rex emerged from among the tall trees. It’s head almost at the top of the trees and its millions of teeth glistening in the sunlight. It peered intently at them, looking ready to strike.

---

Episode 2 Part 2

Standing twenty feet above ground, just below the tree tops, the beady blue eyes of the monster glistened down on them, its reddish-brown scales, and razor sharp claws on its large feet serving only to magnify the intimidating features of its teeth.

The agents all braced themselves, they were poised ready to defend themselves if - when - the situation arose. No one seemed to move, or breathe as the beast lowered its head slightly, opened its mouth and gave an eerie, long  cracking sound. “crrrrrrrkkkkkkk!!!”

Alex was the first one to break the silence, seeming to forget for that second the danger that loomed over them. “It croaks?”

“Did you expect it to roar?” answered Cipher.

All eyes remained on the beast, the team waiting for either it or Lorna to call them to action. A worse situation could not have arisen, this supposing to be a stealthy mission, may garner unwanted attention. A fight, even with just a beast, could cause a commotion that might expose their presence on the island to the very ones they sought to avoid - for now.

When one would have thought the situation couldn't get any worse, a rustling was heard from the bushes. Movement. More rustling. It got louder and the rustling continued to increase. Something or some things were coming towards them. The beast didn’t flinch;it just remained staring at them.

As the rustlings got closer and closer Lorna spotted the first man to emerge from the bushes. He wasn't very tall or built, but was no doubt fit and ready for battle. Short blonde hair and barely clothed excepting a loin cloth, and bone jewelry, the man came into the small clearing with a spear, fight on his face and nothing in his eyes. He had eyes white as though neither iris nor pupil was present.

Seconds later about twenty or thirty similar men- no, identical men - emerged, surrounding them in the clearing. All were carrying different primitive weapons - clubs, spears and stone knives - and staring intently. Lorna noticed that they seemed as unafraid or perturbed by the presence of the beast as it was of them.

She stood straight, relaxed and unintimidating - as opposed to as intimidating as one may seem to an army and a dinosaur. The rest of the team remained poised to fight regardless of Lorna’s change in body language.

Lorna looked at the first on the men to arrive, assuming he was leader somehow. “You're a mutant?” she asked.

The man continued staring at her, unchanged in his appearance, still seeming hostile.

“We're not here to harm you.... or your pet.” she continued, glancing at the beast.

“I thought this side of the island was mostly uninhabited. Didn't wanna have to gut anybody.” said Howlett. Three small glistening spikes were at the knuckles of his fist. He hadn’t as yet popped his claws.

Lorna scowled at him, glaring at him out of the side of her eyes while she still stood facing the strange multiple-man. She instructed under her breath , “There will be no gutting. If they attack Alex and Anole take the beast and Cipher, Howlett and I take the "multiple man"”.

No sooner had she finished her instruction than the “leader” with the spear uttered a loud war cry of some sort. Whether it was a language or just some form of exclamation, what he uttered was not literally understood by any on the team, but it was clear what it meant. The identical men all charged towards them weapons geared.

In a green blur Anole instinctively leaped an entire twenty feet, landing on the head of the dinosaur. It thrashed while Anole beat its head trying to take it out.

“Why did I have to get the behemoth?!” grunted Alex. His eyes and fists aglow, he fought his way through three of the men to the dinosaur and began blasting it with his plasma at the belly and legs while anole fought with its other half.

“I don’t see Anole complaining.” said Cipher.

Alex and Anole keeping the monster occupied had given Cipher, Howlett and Lorna the chance to battle with the strange men. Cipher was busy fist fighting with about five of them who were cautious of her as she quickly and expertly phased their weapons out of their hands and into the ground. She was difficult to lay a hand on but brutally laid fists and feet on them.

The men were very resilient. Even the banshee factory guards proved less troublesome as they didn’t keep getting up and coming back after being blasted by Lorna’s high tech stun ray gun. But as Lorna and Howlett fought with fist and fury, the men kept coming back. They would fall down and stagger right back to their feet, a little more beaten every time, but never staying down.

“I don't see why I can't just gut these savages.” said Howlett, very disgruntled as he sent two of the men flying with a quick jab and kick. As soon as they were propelled another, who’d previously been knocked down, was heading back towards him. He gave this one a powerful high kick to the head and turned towards Lorna who was slightly overburdened by a group of seven.

“They keep coming out of nowhere” he said. “and they smell funny. It’s like they're not even -”

“Human.” Cipher finished his sentence. She was looking at the man Howlett just beheaded. “They’re not human! Look!”

While Howllett was busy helping Lorna from the group in which she was ensnared, Anole and Alex still beast bashing, and Cipher just having knocked down her batch for the third time - they were slowly rising again- ,they all could see what Cipher was talking about. Sparks and wires flailed from the neck of the beheaded savage; it was surprisingly still standing.

Lorna put down the headless savage with a lethal, amplified blast from her gun and started at the rest of them. “You got your wish, Howlett.”

“Finally some ‘guttage’! Though I prefer the meaty kind.” Howlett charged off and began slicing the still resilient robots. “Their insides is all metals and wires. You can take ‘em out multiply with your ‘magneta bolts’.”

“She cant you idiot.” said Alex. He was now switching his direction from the beast and charged towards the men. “The minute she uses her powers Magneto is gonna sense it. Ciph-”

“Way ahead of you.” said Cipher.

While Alex ran towards the jungle army that Cipher was handling, Cipher took off towards the dinosaur before it could start moving from the spot Alex and Anole back it in. Alex began blasting at the men, rays of plasma passed right through Cipher before she ran right through Alex.

“Why aren’t you blasting that beast?!” yelled Howlett.

Alex hissed in response. Still blasting robot after robot, eyes aglow, not just with power but with despise for Howlett.

“You’ve a lot to learn about stealth and finesse, bub.” said Cipher. She’d arrived at the foot of the dinosaur and jumped into and began phasing up it’s belly. Soon she was emerging from the head, where Anole was, while the beast twitched fittishly. “Phasing through machines shorts and damages them. It’s much cleaner and won’t, always, cause a bang. You're free to go smash, Anole.”

One by one they took out the army of savage jungle-caveman-robots till only a few remained. A spear, out of nowhere, pinned one of the robots to a tree. The group turned around shocked, as another man, looking much similar to the robots, but rather tall and muscular, jumped into the fight from the bushes. He was accompanied by a gigantic sabertooth tiger and began taking out the rest of the robots. When he clubbed the final one with the spear he dragged from a tree, the X-agents all stood, looking baffled at the newest savage.

He had shoulder length blond hair and wore a key necklace. Tall and strapping his godlike figure stood, nearly naked save for a loincloth, as he scrutinized them. Eyes furrowed, lips purse he was evidently displeased with them.

He looked at Lorna. “That’s the last of them.” he said-- a language they could understand. “What are you doing here?”

“This place keeps getting weirder and weirder.” expressed Alex in disbelief.