X-Force #3


Training was all they did for weeks and weeks. Boomer was quickly bored with the whole routine thing, but getting to know the new girl was ok. Boomer smiled to herself. There had been no way the new girl could be as bad as Feral. Siryn's arrival meant she could bunk with someone at least half way human. The stupid little furball was way too much bad vibes for Boomer to handle. She looked down at the scratches on her arms from training. If she roomed with the psycho cat she'd probably never wake up. Sam told her to give Feral a chance, but sunny lil farmboy thought that everyone could be as nice as he was if given a chance. Boomer knew better than that though. Having to survive on the streets taught you things about people. And Boomer could tell that Feral was one of those people who never took kindness well. The kind that would kill and use anyone for their own purposes. She had gotten to know Siryn a little. The flame haired Irish girl was alright. She was the bossy type, but Sam was like that too so she was used to it. "Yo Boomer!" came deep male voice bringing her away from her thoughts. She looked up to see James Proudstar, aka Warpath looking down at her. He was so tall the looking down part was pretty much inevitable, even though she was sitting on a tall stool. "Cable's gonna brief us on a mission, you coming?" Boomer jumped up. "Areyoukidding!I'vebeenwaitingforeverforthis!" Her words slurred togeter the way they always did when she was excited. "I hope I get to blow stuff up. I need to let loose," she added more slowly. "Let loose? You mean that thing with the training computer wasn't loose enough for you?" Boomer cringed as she recalled the incident yesterday with the little computer thingy Cable gave them to field test. "It wasn't my idea to give me the stoopid thing! I can't work those computer things. It went crazy!" "Yeah, and it blew up all the ammo when you threw it in the depot. Cable wasn't too happy." "Well let's go get our mission," said Boomer, quickly changing the subject.

Everyone sat around in the communications bunker waiting for the mission briefing from Cable. Cable was typing away at a computer terminal while Domino looked analiticaly at the young members of X-Force. Theresa and Samuel were watching Cable carefully, wondering what the mission would be. Feral crouched near the table with a scowl on her feline face. Then, James arrived looking his usual intent and serious self. Boomer was right behind him, cracking the gum that seemed to always be in her mouth. Domino knew that the relationship between Terry, Sam, James, and Tabitha was developing nicely. They would make good friends. Seeing as how the team looked to be confrontational, Domino knew that the only friends the youths were likely to have would be each other. She eyed Feral warily. Maria made no effort to befriend her teamates. Indeed she did the opposite. In training she was a loose cannon, liable to injure her teamates. Domino had seen her kind before. They were the type that wanted to take on the world, taking nothing from no one. It was curious indeed that she would decide to join the team at all. She wasn't one to admit to needing help after all. She was a damn good fighter though. If her stuborn hot-headedness could be controled she'd be a formidable member of the team. They could use her, but for now they needed to keep an eye on her. She was prone to violent outbursts against her teammates and could be as much of a danger as an asset.

Cable finished what he was doing on the computer as Warpath and Boomer entered. He turned to his students, and briefly went over their qualities in his mind. Cannonball noble and courageous, alway willing to follow a cause. Siryn beautiful, deadly, a girl whose suferings made her determined to become stronger. Warpath, serious, angry and determined. Boomer, wise cracking and smart mouthed but also caring. Feral, brash, violent, and probably the only one that would accept his way of doing things without question. They were X-Force, his team of superpowered fighters who wouldn't take things sitting down. For a brief second he felt sorry that he was leading them down a path that would not only make them outlaws, but his soldiers as well. But that thought left him as quickly as it ocurred. They were what the world needed now. He had seen that. "So? Where's our action gonna be, boss?" asked Boomer blowing a bubble with her gum, which made her words more unintellegible than usual. "Our mission," he began. "Will be to infiltrate a goverment intelligence center where plans are stored on dealing with the 'mutant crisis' and steal those plans." "Goverment intelligence? Isn't that a contradiction in terms?" whispered Boomer, to which Warpath smiled. "Boomer, please," said Domino. "What?" asked the young blonde defensively. "Excuse me sir, but is this a good idea?" asked Cannonball. "Ah mean, won't it make mutants seem like more o' a threat?" "The time is coming when the goverments plans will be implemented no matter what we do now, Samuel. We need those plans so we can defend peacefull mutants against those plans when that happens." Cannonball cast a dubative look at Siryn. "Are ye sure we won't just be makin things worse for ourselves," asked Siryn in her lovely Irish accent. "X-Force can't act to protect mutant kind unless we now what we are up against," said Cable. "Those soft human burocrats will try to kill us no matter what," growled Feral. "They're afraid of us, as they well should be," she added. "Domino will be leading the mission, and the new combat equipment, such as the headsets and computers will be used on this mission. The stealing of documents will be noticed, but I want X-Force's first mission to be subtle. If we do things right, they won't even know who stole the documents." "Why's Domino leadin us? Aren't you comin boss man?" asked Boomer. "No, I will not be going with you on this mission, but I will monitor your progress." "Why aren't ya comin?" asked Cannonball crossing his arms and giving him a suspicious look. That boy was questioning him too much lately, thought Cable. "Because I will be effecting heavy duty modifications to base camp," said Cable. "Now get your gear, we leave within the hour," said Domino.

The young mutants filed out. Domino could hear Boomer saying that she had better not get stuck with the stupid computer again. Before they were out of earshot she heard Sam tell her not to worry about that, followed by Irish laughter. She turned to Cable. "So you really are going to tech up this place?" she asked. "Among other things," he said. "I also need to go about getting more equipment and ammo to replace the stuff Boomer blew up yesterday." "You really plan on taking this team head to head with the goverment? Even though it would make these kids outlaws?" "We are outlaws." "I don't need you to tell me that, Nathan. But these are just children." "I have a hard time picturing you as an innocent child at that age," said Cable. Domino smiled mischeivously. "But it's not only the goverment we are getting information on. They store information on all mutant activities and terrorist groups at that center. Terrorists are just as much of a threat as the goverment, usualy more so." "So in other words you are pursuing your other interest here, mainly finding and stoping the MLF." Cable smiled at her. "That's what I like about you Dom. I don't need to tell you everything word for word."

Siryn scanned the perimeter. The intel center was heavily guarded, with men patroling everywhere. High security cameras, motion detectors, and sophisticated detection devices were everywhere as well. "I'm in position now," whispered Siryn into the headset that connected her to the rest of the team. "Good," answered Domino's voice. "Everything here is operated from the control bunker to your left. It's the grey building that looks like a restroom." "I can see it. Just give the word." "Wait five more seconds for Feral to get into position." Siryn counted down the five seconds, and then let out a low level sonic scream that scrambled communications equipment and surveilance devices. Cable's headsets were protected against such damages, but the center had no way of knowing what was going on. Siryn kept the scream going until a crackle came over her headset followed by "We're in," from Cannonball. "Siryn you remain behind to cover our exit," came Domino's voice. "Aye" Siryn couldn't see where her teamates slipped past the guards and entered the building, but she did see someone exit the control center and talk to a guard. Siryn's sonic assault on their devices was probably sending them all sorts of funny readings. They'd assume a sistems failure, but check the disturbances out anyway. While they chased false leads, her friends would be inside stealing their secrets.

Cannonball, Boomer, and Warpath had entered the building from the back. Domino and Feral would be coming down the roof. They were covering all the bases here. "Be carefull. Internal security isn't as tough because of what's outside, but it's still there," warned Cannonball. "Yeah, yeah in and out we got it already," said Boomer. Warpath said nothing, but looked down thhe corridor searching for the tiny giveaways to surveilance equipment. "How come we aren't worried about those," said Boomer pointing at the cameras. "Cable said he could patch into the sistems and put it on redundant play back so the cameras only see an empty corridor," answered Cannonball. They proceeded stealthily down a maze of corridors and met up with Domino and Feral outside the door to their objective. "This has been way to easy," said Domino. "The inside setup doesn't quite go with what we saw outside," agreed Warpath. "And we didn't even meet any of those guards," added Boomer. "It smells like someone has already been here before us," hissed Feral. "We might not be the only ones after the information stored here," said Domino. "Be ready," she added. Cannonball, using one of the new tricks gotten out of their recent extensive training enveloped his fist in his kinetic field and punched right through the locking mecanism. Warpath then used his strength to force the door open. "Not exactly the least conspisuous way of doing it," whispered Domino. X-Force burst into the room. A tall dark blonde haired man stood looking through some files. He smiled when he saw them. "Well looks like party crashers. Allow me to introduce myself. I am known as Fatal Force, and you children are about to find out why." Before they could react Fatal Force drew a gun and fired. Warpath tried to use his speed to somehow stop the bullet that rapidly headed toward Domino, but amazingly the bullet changed it's course moving around the Apache and to it's intended target. Domino rolled to avoid the bullet, but it caught her in the arm. The handsome man sighed. "Well I was aiming for the heart and I never miss. Now I'm afraid I'm going to have to make you children suffer." Feral leapt at him, but he just fired another shot. Boomer detonated a bomb that blew up the bullet and sent Feral flying across the room. "So the indian isn't the only one of you that's a mutant!" exclaimed Fatal Force. "This should be an interesting battle then!" He sounded truly pleased.


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