The Ultimate X-Men (18 page)

THE UlTinATE X-NEH

“We’ve found what we came for,” Storm said. “Let’s go back and see if Hank was able to locate W
^T
atkins.”

When Bishop and Storm arrived back at the Institute, they found Beast and W
^T
atkins hard at work in the laboratory.

“Who is this person?” Bishop demanded as he eyed Watkins with obvious mistrust.

“Storm, Bishop, may I present to you Dr. Jerome Watkins, the researcher I told you about earlier,” Beast replied.

Bishop’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “The doctor responsible for creating the bacterium the Acolytes are going to use to try and destroy us all?”

Before Beast could confirm the query, Bishop crossed the room, taking Watkins by the lapels and shoving his back against a wall. “How much did the Acolytes pay you?” he demanded.

Watkins struggled ineffectually against Bishop’s iron grip. “Nothing. I wasn’t working for them, I swear it!” His voice came out high, with a note of panic, and he looked pleadingly at Beast. “Get him off of me, Hank, please!” Storm laid her hand over one of Bishop’s. “Let him go, Bishop. I believe he’s telling the truth.”

Beast nodded his agreement. “He came here of his own free will to help me try to find a containing agent.”

Bishop let go of Watkins and stepped back a few paces but still glared at the small man in suspicion. “I don’t like his being in the mansion. How do you know he isn’t just
pretending
to help you—that he’s not really leading you in the wrong direction? How are we to know that we can trust him?” He crossed his arms in front of him as if daring Watkins to prove him wrong.

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drcize

Ever practical, Beast replied, “How are we to know that we can’t? I think I would know if I were being led down the proverbial primrose path, Bishop. Besides, this is the best place for us to work. Surely you are aware of that.”

Bishop relaxed his stance somewhat and moved a few steps farther away from Watkins. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the papers he and Storm had taken from the deserted Acolyte hideout, handing them to Beast. “From all indications, we believe them to be heading to the Bahamas with the bacterial bomb.”

Beast scanned the papers quickly. “We know they have the bacterium, we think we know where they’re taking it. Now Jerome and I must work hard to find a neutralizing agent before they decide to detonate the bomb.”

Storm moved toward the door. “You and Dr. Watkins keep working, Hank. Bishop and I will fly to the Caribbean and check out Cat Island.”

Beast nodded as he turned to continue his lab work. “That would seem the most logical way to proceed. We’ll keep you informed as to our progress.”

Beast and Watkins had little success. When their latest experiment failed, Watkins pounded the table in frustration. “We’ve tried everything I know to do, Hank. I’m all out of ideas.” Watkins removed his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose, “I should never have gotten involved in this project in the first place. I knew what could happen. No matter what they said, or how much money they gave me for research, I should have known better. It’s not worth the consequences.” He paused and closed his eyes for a moment. - ‘Nothing could be worth that price.”

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Beast’s furry blue brow wrinkled in confusion. “What consequences are you talking about, Jerome?”

Watkins blinked rapidly and nervously cleared his throat several times before answering. “The bacterium can do more damage than I’ve told you, Hank.”

“How? Tell me, Jerome. You need to tell me everything.” McCoy’s voice was low, almost soothing, as he sensed Watkins’s fear.

“When the government found out, on its completion, how successful the bacterium was going to be, they commissioned me to make certain ‘improvements’ on it. Purely hypothetical, they said. Just in case. They told me to turn it into a biological weapon—one never to be used, but available for possible use against cybernetic soldiers. That’s a definite concern in this day and age.” Watkins took a deep breath before continuing, and when he spoke, his voice was shaky. “The reproductive rate is phenomenal. It’s highly resistant to conventional antibacterial agents. It maintains integrity when absorbed through the skin or by consumption of contaminated food or water. Frankly, it would be virtually impossible for a society to contain it if released. ’ ’ Beast made a soft, strangled sound of protest. “Jerome, did you stop to think what the consequences of the use of an agent like that would be? Of the millions of innocent lives that would be lost in the panic as their society was destroyed? Noncombatant lives?”

“I didn’t let myself think about it, Hank. I told myself that it would never come to that, that no sane government would ever unleash such a monstrosity. I told myself that the benefits of the bacterium—the ecological benefits—outweighed all other considerations. With modifications, it can

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still be used as I originally designed it. I
told
myself that it was all in the name of research.” Watkins covered his face with his hands, letting self-pity overwhelm him. “I suppose the truth of the matter was that I didn’t want to know what they were going to do with it. I was going to take the additional research funds they promised to give me when this project was finished and go away someplace where I wouldn’t have to deal with the consequences of my creation.”

Both men were silent for several minutes before resuming their work.

To all appearances, Cat Island was picture-postcard perfect. “This is the last place I’d suspect of having a devastating biological weapon on it. It’s almost annoyingly beautiful,” Bishop said sternly.

Storm extended her hands and felt the warm summer tropical breeze flow through her fingers as a wind current gently first lifted, then deposited her on the ground next to Bishop. “The air circulation pattern is unique here. Should the bacteria be released, the wind currents would quickly carry it to all corners of the globe. I seriously doubt any area would remain unaffected for long.”

Bishop started walking up the beach from where they’d landed the
Blackbird.
“I say we start searching for the Acolyte base. It won’t take long, considering how small this island is.”

“I agree,” Storm replied, “but I caution you not to take any action until we hear from Hank and Dr. Watkins. We cannot risk the Acolytes releasing the bacterium until we have an antidote. The danger is too great.”

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For a moment it looked as if Bishop was going to argue the point, but eventually he nodded his agreement and they set off together in search of the enemy. Within a short time they came upon a small bungalow about a mile inland from the X-Men’s landing point on the beach. Storm and Bishop ducked into the cover of the pine wood forest as the Acolytes Katu and Spoor emerged from the bungalow and sprawled out on the sand just outside the door.

“Let’s take them,” Bishop hissed to Storm. “Then we can make them tell us where the bomb is.”

Storm shook her head. “That is too risky. Even if they told us the location of the bomb, it may have a failsafe or dead-man switch on it that they could activate before we could reach it. We cannot risk detonation. I will stay here and watch these two while you search for the bomb.”

After a moment’s silence, Bishop nodded his agreement and headed farther inland, while Storm sat and patiently kept watch over the two Acolytes.

Back at the Institute, Beast and Watkins had re-created the plastic-devouring bacterium, but were having little luck producing a counteragent. Watkins piped a dab of liquid onto a slide treated with the bacterium and looked into the microscope. He shouted and gestured excitedly to Beast, motioning for him to come take a look. “I think we’ve finally hit something here, Hank!”

Seconds later, Beast pulled back and shook his head. “We’re closer, but the agent only slowed the bacteria down. It became active again.”

“We were so close,” Watkins sighed, and cursed under his breath. “But slowing it down isn’t enough. I gave it a

high reproductive rate, so we need to slow it down, yes, but then we need something to move in for the kill.”

“Two different agents,” Beast mused. “Maybe we should try to engineer a virus within these growth-slowing bacteria. As the plastic-converting bacteria consume the slowing agent, the virus w
^?
ould be released.”

Hours later, Watkins w
^r
atched, bleary eyed, as Beast performed the final test on their latest offering. Both scientists held their breath as they waited to see what would happen. Thirty seconds . . . one minute . . . two minutes . . . five minutes . . . there was still no sign of activity from the plastic-consuming bacteria after the initial introduction of the counteragent. Then they saw the color change that marked the deterioration of the plastic consumer, and began to breathe again.

Beast extended his hand, and Watkins took it. As they shook hands on their victory, Beast was already turning to the next phase of the job—creating a large enough quantity to counter the bomb. “W'e’ve got just under a day. Even with accelerants, it will be difficult to produce sufficient counteragent and get it to Cat Island. Let us hope we will have enough time.”

“Hank, I want to ask a favor.”

Beast glanced tow
⁷
ard Watkins, mildly surprised. “What is it, Jerome?”

“I want to go with you to the island.” He held up a hand as Beast began to protest. “I have to see this thing through to the finish, Hank. I’m responsible for this situation; I started it with my research. I have to be there, to make sure that the bacteria is truly destroyed.” He looked ready to plead his case and was slightly surprised when Beast

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did no more than nod his head in agreement. Not knowing what to say, Watkins started gathering the materials they needed to begin creating the new batch of counteragent.

“The United States government, and the goverments of the world, will not give in to demands made by terrorist groups. I’m here to assure you all that the country’s best scientists are now close to a breakthrough which will enable us to counteract any bacteria that the Acolytes might unleash. It is just a matter of time before—”

From behind the bushes screening the path in front of the bungalow, Storm watched as Katu reached over and switched off the portable radio on the patio table in front of him.

“Fools!” Katu shouted. “Do they really think they have a chance of stopping the destruction this will unleash? These are the last whimpers of humanity.” He stood up and began to pace back and forth along the path, pausing just a few feet from Storm without noticing her presence.

“Let them whine,” Spoor replied. “Their days are numbered, and they know it.”

Storm started slightly as she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned to see Bishop directly behind her. A few feet behind him were Beast and Dr. Watkins. Watkins held a large vial in his hands. They retreated out of hearing distance of the bungalow.

“We managed to produce a counteragent for the bacterium, but we had no time for testing on a large scale,” Beast told Storm and Bishop. “I can’t promise that it will work.”

“Now,” Storm said quietly, “all we have to do is find

the bomb and disarm it. If everything goes well, we won’t need the counteragent. Good work, Beast. You, too, Doctor.”

“I’ve searched over the entire island, and there’s no sign of the bomb,” Bishop pointed out. “It’s possible the device is inside the bungalow, but to get to it, we’ll have to go through those two.” Bishop nodded in Katu and Spoor’s direction.

“I have noticed that either Spoor or Katu is with the radio at all times. They have not left it alone for a moment. Now, that could be because they want to keep listening in case their demands are met, but I wonder...” Storm mused.

“An intriguing possibility, Storm,” Beast said.

“We’ll check out the radio as well as the bungalow,” Bishop decided.

“Jerome, you are not equipped or trained to battle with these two,” Beast said not unkindly. “For your own safety, please stay hidden here until we have secured the area. Your part is done.”

“Since our powers share some similarities, I will deal with Katu,” Storm decided. “Spoor and the bomb are up to you two. Are we ready?”

After receiving the nods of agreement, Storm launched herself into the air, propelled by the island winds that were hers to command. Pushed by the gathering winds, the clouds gathered behind her and began to darken.

As soon as he caught sight of Storm, Katu spat out an oath and gathered his powers in opposition. Where Storm controlled specific elements of nature, Katu produced atmospheric anomalies that countered them. Within seconds,

THE ULTIMATE X-MEN

the winds around the island raged, and sand from the nearby beach flayed their skin, while the heavens opened up to pelt them with freezing rains. When Storm called forth thunderstorms, Katu countered with a change in the pressure system to push the storm back. The two were so evenly matched that it was obvious that the victor}' would go to the one who held off exhaustion the longer.

Taking advantage of his distraction as he watched the battle, Bishop stepped into the clearing in front of Spoor, planting his feet and levelling his plasma rifle at his enemy. “Where is the bomb, Acolyte?” he demanded.

A sly smile came to Spoor’s face. “Ah, X-Man. Come to save the human race, have you?” He cackled. “It’s too late. They have only minutes left before the bomb detonates and puts an end to their tyranny over mutants.”

“Using violence to end violence, are you?” Beast leapt into the clearing in front of the bungalow. “Rarely have those tactics succeeded, and never without tremendous cost to all the parties involved.”

Spoor looked from one to another and backed away a few steps. “W
⁷
e gave them their chance. They chose not to take it. On their heads be it. ’ ’ Without warning, he rushed toward Beast, releasing his hallucinogenic pheromones at full strength.

Even the Beast’s phenomenal agility did not enable him to dodge the pheremones, and he crashed to the ground, holding first his head, then his stomach, as waves of sharp pain cascaded over him. Knife after hallucinatory knife stabbed him, and each slice felt as real as if it had been made with cold steel. He lay there, helpless, but struggling to get up and fight back.