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Chapters
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
 
 
 

The Companion Picture - REVIEW THIS STORY

Written by Dandelion
Last updated: 12/03/2009 06:26:08 PM

Chapter 18

03:00 EST:

Miami, Florida: Four people sleep as the darkest hours of the night pass over them. They sleep knowing that paths before them offer new horizons and new beginnings.

Muir Island: A young woman watches the sun rise. She smiles at the new day and thinks fondly of her friends. She is secure in her happiness.

Langley, Virginia: Raven Darkholme sits quietly, eyes closed, in a state of seemingly perfect repose.

Nearby, Forge paces slowly adjusting the wires on a device in his hands. A heaviness hangs in the air between them.

"Finished," Forge set the device down and tapped at the keyboard on the table. "You ready, Raven?"

"Whether I am or not, I'll get done what needs getting done." Her voice was soft, her eyes remained closed.

Forge didn't disturb her further, he knew she was preserving her energy. She would need it. "Okay, this is the situation. We will go in at the same time the files are being backed up, that's in two minutes. During that time, I see five minutes being sufficient, you will pull out everything pertaining to 'virus-L' that you can find that Granger or Lassiter had anything to do with. I have a program that will keep the mainframe busy while you sniff around."

"No one will know I'm there?"

"Only us."

Mystique moved forward, preparing. "And what about this device of yours? What will it do for me?"

"It'll run interference, you stick to the task and let me worry about the technological problems, okay?"

Mystique didn't reply. She sat down at the terminal and set to log in.

"Countdown commencing," Forge's voice was a husky whisper.

Mystique's hair color changed, then her entire physical appearance was altered to mimic James Granger perfectly.

The computer whirred loudly, signifying the back-up procedures. Forge's device was working.

Forge touched Mystique's shoulder. "Now."

Mystique didn't waste any time. Her fingers flew over the keyboards. Documents scrolled by Mystique's eyes quickly. She scanned quickly for anything she thought looked important.

<To: Granger

Re: Black Pyramid

Our files are most extensive regarding

members of X-Factor -->

Mystique banged a key.

<Document printing>

Forge flicked his eyes to the needles gauging Mystique's condition. They flickered slightly, she was under minimal stress.

<To: Lassiter

Re: File availability

File library LL00-2.DD contains pertinent information on the test subjects you suggested. -->

<Document printing>

Mystique found herself enveloped in a soft green cone. She focused, as the system tested her prints. It abruptly disappeared and a buzzing sound made her heart catch in her throat. <What did I do wrong?>

Forge noticed the needles jumping up a notch.

"Relax, Raven, hold it together."

The computer screen flashed brightly and new documents winked onto the screen. Mystique let out a breathy chuckle. "Mother lode," she murmured. Forge's needles decreased slightly.

Mystique's body was beginning to tell under the pressure his inhibitor inflicted on her. The jumper he had attached to the nape of her neck assisted in that she couldn't feel any of the discomfort she normally would have. Still, there would be a point where her body would no longer be able to stand the pressure. Forge hoped his jumper would hold up for the next four minutes.

<Re: Black Pyramid

Summers, Dane, Maximoff. Studies show significant levels of potential and power -->

<Document printing>

Several papers fluttered to the ground as Mystique kept shooting documents through the printer.

"Three minutes, Raven." Forge said, as he watched the needles jump again. Mystique blinked her eyes quickly and frowned, gritting her teeth stubbornly. She had got into Granger's locked files and nothing was

going to take her out before she got everything.

<Re: Testing

Codename: Strong Guy. Mutagenic results on body already stressful. Could be useful in monitoring levels of viral effect...>

<Document printing>

<Re: Black Pyramid>

<Re: File allocations>

<Re: Test results>

<Re: Black Pyramid>

<Re: Dane, Lorna>

<Re: Sinclair, Rahne>

<Document printing....>

Forge wiped his brow as the needles jumped dramatically and rested far into the red on his gauges. "Four fifty-three, Raven," he murmured.

"Pull out."

"Last one," James Granger's voice replied.

Mystique shook her head as her vision blurred. Her image flickered slightly but she steeled herself and regained Granger's appearance.

One more sheet printed out. Mystique exited the programs she was in and pushed away from the console.

Forge was on her in seconds, pressing his fingers against her throat. Wordlessly, he pulled out a syringe and injected a colorless liquid into one of the veins on her neck. As he did, she morphed from a middle-aged bureaucrat into her regular guise of blue skin and russet hair.

"What?" She managed before slumping over in a stupor.

Forge checked her eyes, making sure her pupils weren't dilated. "I know you can hear me, Raven. I gave you a shot to help your body stabilize. The amount of stress you underwent sent your vital signs through the roof. My device kept you from feeling it. So it saved itself up and hit you full force." He picked her up and laid her on a bed against the wall. "You'll be fine in a few minutes, maybe a little cold, but that's better than the alternative. Good work."

"I'm *freezing*!!!"

Forge smiled slightly as he got another blanket. He threw it across Mystique's lap as she sat shivering amid the piles of paper they had been sifting through. "At least you're back to normal. Even if you are so stubborn you won't rest like I asked you to."

"I'm not going to lay down and be quiet, Maker," Mystique hissed. "I am staying here and going through all this with you so stop trying to play doctor." She looked at him, her lids lowering slightly. "Unless it's your feeble attempt at a come-on."

Forge rolled his eyes to the ceiling and thrust a pile of papers at her. "Spare me."

They both fell silent, sifting through several sheets of paper.

"Black Pyramid."

Forge looked up. "Excuse me?"

"Black Pyramid," Mystique tapped a small stack at her side. "All of these reference Black Pyramid."

Forge leaned forward and took the pile, scanning each of the messages. "It seems like a parent structure. It's probable that the funds for whatever experiments they are performing would come from a parent structure like this."

Mystique nodded. "Probable, yes. But I haven't seen any kind of reference to that, yet." She was quiet forseveral minutes. "Has anyone heard from Summers lately?"

Forge pursed his lips together. "No."

She looked up, "That's unusual isn't it?"

He shrugged.

"Summers checks in, Forge. He's a boy-scout, it's something in the genes. Are you saying no one has heard from him? What about Polaris?"

"If she's heard from him she hasn't told me about it," Forge replied, curtly. "Alex is capable of taking care of himself and was in serious need of a secluded break. He hasn't called in, well, it wouldn't be the first time. He disappeared after the ordeal with Haven and Jaime, after all."

Mystique slid a paper across to him.

<Studies have shown that virus-L causes mutagenic effects to fluctuate. Considering the power of many such subj. within department jurisdiction it would be prudent to look into effects that would benefit national security. Class A mutagenic signatures are the priority.>

Forge frowned. "Alex and Lorna are both what the government considers Class A."

Mystique nodded. "So is Victor. And several documents have mentioned Alex and Lorna by name. As well as Maximoff, and other members of the previous X-Factor incarnation."

"There was a significant interest in Lorna not too long ago," Forge mused. "She was the target of an assassination attempt and it was later suggested that she was merely being tested as a weapon to include in the Magneto protocols."

Mystique looked thoughtful, "Lorna has sufficient power, although I certainly don't think she would be any real threat to Magneto, even if she worked up to her potential, which I don't see happening."

"Why not?"

"She doesn't have the same knowledge of the electro-magnetic spectrum as Magneto. Unless he, himself, taught her, she couldn't be that much of a threat."

"Interesting, but at this point, it may be irrelevant --"

"Since Magneto is, what, dead? Again?"

Mystique pulled the blankets around her tighter.

"Uh, no. He's somewhere.." he shook his head. "That's not the point. Reading this, I have a hunch that the Polaris Project was a cover-up."

Mystique was quiet, "You think they were testing her then? A sort of preliminary test to precede their work with the virus?"

Forge nodded.

"An interesting theory, and viable," she conceded. "Which brings us back to Summers. If they've tested Polaris, they're going to try to get their hands on Summers."

Forge was already dialing Alex's pager number on his cel-phone. Moments later he hung up, grim.

"His pager seems to be unresponsive."

"Unresponsive as in..?"

"As in not there."

The dull blue light from the computer monitor cast deep shadows across Forge's face. "Raven, go and wrap up, you're turning blue," he remarked absently.

Mystique monitored the read-outs as Forge worked below the console. "I am blue," was the curt reply. "Keep working."

He connected some wires and turned some knobs.

"I am still getting *nothing*!" Mystique's voice was unforgiving. "Are you sure this thing works?"

"This is honed to Alex's signature. I've got one of these for everyone on the team. It can find them anywhere."

Mystique frowned darkly, gazing at the read-outs. "There is nothing here, Forge. Are you

*sure* this works?"

"I found you."

Silence greeted this statement.

"Let me hone in on this. It may take a while to scan every possible locale. If I could find the kid in the Savage Land, I can find him anywhere."

"What if you can't?"

"Don't say that Raven, don't ever say that!"

She grabbed his arm, "Wake up, Forge! Look at what we're dealing with here. Hints at some experimental genetic wargame with mutants as the testing ground *and* the targets." She let go and stepped back. "Polaris has already been tested, so has Victor. It's only a matter of time before they start calling on the rest of us. We can't find Summers. With the firepower he has at his disposal we cannot risk losing anyone else."

Forge looked resigned, "No, we can't."

"We have to beat these bastards before they beat us, we have *got* to win here. Calibrate that thing for Alex and let's start nailing down people, places and times. Come on, Maker, you're the only one I know who can handle this."

"Besides you."

She nodded.

Forge shut the console cover. "There's nothing we can do for Alex right now, if he's out there, we'll find him." He brushed his hands together. "Let's not lose anyone else."

<Re: {Black Pyramid}

To: Granger, James (Dept. Defense)

Sender: [email protected]

Factor-X shows significant resistance to foreign influence. Mutagenic effects show excessive fluctuation of effect. More research necessary. Class-A testing indispensable. We can not continue without concrete results. What can you do?

Respond immediately>

Forge frowned darkly. His search had still not come up with any hint of Alex's whereabouts. Mystique looked over the contents with a grimace. "It figures," she seethed. "With all the anti-mutant crap that's all over the place? It was only a matter of time before the government turned their mutant lap-dogs into their own twisted version of a chemistry set!!" She kicked at a chair savagely.

"We have to warn the others," Forge rubbed his cybernetic arm absently.

"Warn them?" Mystique shook her head. "I think we have to do a little bit more than that."

The monitor beeped loudly. And a computerized female voice flowed smoothly out of the speakers. "The search for..Alex Summers..Codename Havok..has been completed." Forge and Mystique exchanged glanced and walked slowly to the console. "Computer, what did you search?" Forge asked.

"Search included...seven continents..all charted and uncharted oceanic locations...Savage Land coordinates...all coordinates on the globe."

"Explain procedure and results," Forge crossed his arms over his chest.

Mystique felt a tightening in her chest and cursed herself. She cared nothing for Alex Summers, but she knew a great deal hinged upon whether he had been found or not. The screens gave images of Alex in his civilian and X-Factor depictions. The computer began a detailed report of his genetic structure and his mutagenic vital signs. It explained that these genetic codes, particularly the mutagenic ones, were what the computer and satellites attached to it searched for.

"Results?" Forge prompted.

"Results of search for...Alex Summers..codename Havok:..." the computer whirred. "Not found."

Forge's eyes went wide.

"Closest matches," the computer continued. "Scott Summers...codename Cyclops..Location: Westchester, New York. Nathan Dayspring...codename Cable..Location: Geneva, Switzerland. End report."

"Could it have failed?" Mystique asked quietly.

Forge frowned. "No. Alex Summers no longer exists it seems." His voice effectively covered up the disbelief within him.

"Forge, we have to get the others out of here. They are sitting ducks."

"We won't lose anyone else, Raven. I'll take down this entire organization first." He stormed away from the computer.

Mystique looked up at the screen where Havok's face shone next to the words "Not Found".

She wrapped the blanket around her tighter. But it did nothing to dissuade the coldness she could feel gripping her from the inside.

 

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