February 2001 - #2
| February 2001 - #2 |
*(see Spider-Man #7) "And, now, the orb will tell us a story," Clea announced. "A vision from another possible world."
Hank McCoy started barking out orders to his section of the resistance. His brown hair was unruly and his Caucasian face was red from running. Not only did he command one of the small groups, but he controlled the whole company in battle. "Retreat!" he shouted into his mini-radio.
"Sir? Hank?" Sam Guthrie ran up to his commander, his voice thick with a country accent. The country boy's strong, muscular build showed through his ripped shirt and his blond hair was wind-tossed. "I jus' hear on de radio. Base jus' gave us a new miss'n. I ran over as fast as I could to tell ya."
"New mission? Can this wait for a few minutes? At least until we finish our retreat?"
"Sure, Hank."
The Nazi Resistance began to move back. The Nazis themselves gradually stopped their advance, then lifted their arms in the air, tossed their weapons aside and cheered. The Resistance scattered.
Hank, Sam, and Logan ducked behind a tree.
"What was the mission, Sam?" Hank asked.
"Somethin' 'bout how we s'pose to search the past fo' clues."
"Clues to what?"
"Dunno. Woonna saih. Top secret."
"A top secret mission? Then we better move!"
Hank's team stood up and stealthily moved back to Logan's mansion.
They walked onto the porch and Logan punched in a thirteen digit numerical code. Hank and Sam's eyes followed his fingers across the keypad: 13248466651998. After that had successfully been entered, the keypad swung out. Behind it was a infrared handprint scanner. Logan placed his hand on the scanner. His handprint was accepted. This caused a retina scanner to pop out of the door frame. Logan stepped up.
"Retina scan complete. Please give voice ID," the computer ordered in a dull, monotone voice.
"Logan, Agent 1439-5. Codename: Wolverine."
"ID accepted. You may enter."
"You could've just used a key," Hank muttered.
"Hasn't been installed yet," Logan answered.
"All this technology, and he doesn't have a simple lock and key," Sam blurted.
"We were talking about a DNA key," Hank said.
"Oh."
The trio walked through the foyer and into the study. It was dark and musty. There was very little
light. three of the walls had bookcases built in. There were no windows at all in the room. In the middle of the walking area were three chairs, two tables, and a sofa.
Logan walked over to one of the bookshelves on the far wall. He pulled out a copy of "War and Peace". Behind it was a keypad. Hank and Sam watched as he typed in another number: 5934111141999. The bookcase slowly slid aside. Behind it was a passage that led to darkness.
"After you," Logan said to his partners. Sam went in first, followed by Hank, with Logan bringing up the rear. As the three walked down, the bookcase slid back over the passage. No one would be able to tell that they were there at all. Logan was never an agent of the Canadian government, so he never received an Adamantium skeleton nor did he ever find out about the claws that pop out of his hands. He has a mysterious healing factor, which he doesn't understand.
Hank McCoy is usually agile, but never thought of it as being a mutation, so he never tried to cure himself of mutant powers, therefore never growing blue fur.
When he was born, Sam Guthrie underwent huge amounts of genetic testing, which robbed him of his x-factor.
Why do these men not know that they are mutants? It is because circumstances never allowed Charles Xavier to gather the X-Men.
This is not the Age of Wonders. This is the Age of Hitler. "Agent 1320-9. Codename: Beast. Identification: McCoy, Henry," the computer said. "Agent
1439-5. Codename: Wolverine. Identification: Logan, no known first name. Agent 2148-0.
Codename: Cannonball. Identification: Guthrie, Samuel.
"Access granted. Stand by for your mission briefing."
A screen with the picture of the Resistance leader Steve Rogers (a.k.a. Captain America) came up.
At the bottom, an icon saying 'Top secret recording' flashed. Steve started speaking.
"Hank, Logan, Sam. We need your help. Only you three can help us. It is theorized that there are
other timelines out there, many of which don't have Nazi supremacy. It is your mission to
somehow search history and find turning points. Times at which if someone could go back and
change, it would eliminate the Nazis.
"Good luck. Cap out."
The image of Steve Rogers, who had long since abandoned his Captain America identity, flickered
off, replaced by one with a message that read "Briefing complete."
"Sounds like the bigwigs wanna use that new technology that they just made," Logan whispered.
He was referring to the announcement they had read on the network about the Resistance's new
tool: a time machine.
"Do you know where to begin, Hank?" Sam asked.
"I imagine it would be sometime during the Civil War," Logan added.
Hank logged off of the NRN* and opened up his own history program. This allowed him and his
partners to view past events as they happened. He pulled up July 1-3, 1863.
*(Nazi Resistance Network)
"It all started here," he began. "The Battle of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania was the bloodiest battle of
the Civil War. The North might have won this battle, but the South took them in a moment of
weakness. You see, they stood between the Northern Army and Washington. They could have
taken Washington, but they waited."
"Lee commanded Pickett to charge with Longstreet to back him up," Logan said. "Right," Hank continued. "The artillery had thought that the Union artillery was gone, but they
weren't sure. Really, the guns were reloading. Pickett, who had tried to flank them twice before
and failed, got his men ready. They charged, making the loudest noise on the continent up to that
time. The Union army could have blown them all up with cannons, and they tried. However,
Longstreet's army was backing them up. When one man fell, another took his place. Meanwhile,
the Confederate artillery wiped out the Union's Lee then sent the rest of his men to Washington to
get the Union to follow."
"And that's when the Union destroyed their own capital, Washington," Logan interjected. "Exactly. Grant's forces had taken Vicksburg just shortly before, but they were called back to
Washington. However, the Confederates were still more powerful than the Union. The Battle of
Washington was so fierce that the Union gave up. They surrendered their capital to the
Confederates, after they had destroyed it during the battle, as you said Logan. The war ended
then, as Meade surrendered."
"Wha' happened ta Lincoln?" Sam asked.
"What do they teach you in them Yankee schools, boy? Lincoln escaped to Columbus, Ohio,
where they set up a new capital," Logan answered.
"Because the South won the war, in what might have been one country has now become four,"
Hank said. "The territories joined together to make Dakota, and the Pacific States became their
own country."
"Ah still don' see wha' this gotta do wit' Nazis," Sam said.
"Everythin', boy," Logan replied. "In the second World War, back in the forties, there wasn't no
country strong enough to oppose that dictator, Adolf Hitler. The Japanese had taken over the
Pacific States rather quickly, and were comin' closer. We were able to stop them, but not without
casualities."
"The CSA and the USA then lost some of their world power. Germany became the world's
super-power. We never stood a chance. That's why we lost," Hank added.
"But what about Captain America?" Sam asked. "He didn't help?"
"Not as much as you think," Logan replied.
"He never had much of a chance," Hank said. "Cap never had backup."
"What about Bucky?" Sam interjected.
"The kid got killed on one of his first missions," Logan answered. "Got too deep undercover while
in the Pacific States. After that, Cap lost some of his morale. He didn't concentrate on as much on
the rest of his missions."
"That nearly got himself killed on his last mission," Hank added. "He was captured by the
Germans and placed in suspended animation. The Germans hoped to be able to turn Captain
America into Captain Germany, but failed. Why they didn't kill him after that is still a mystery. He
wasn't rescued until 1963, when a joint army of the USA, CSA, and Dakota invaded parts of
Germany. Shortly after he was revived, he disappeared. Only members of the Nazi Resistance
know where he went."
All Sam Guthrie could say was "Wow." "Shoot!" he cried.
"Vhat?" the first one whispered.
"I stubbed my toe!"
"Stooped American."
"Ve con't get in," the second man said. "Ve need a 13 digit code. I might be able to dust to see
vhich key are used, but zat von't tell us much."
He quickly dusted, but cursed when he saw that all of the keys had been touched.
"Ve must try to disable eet."
"Zand back," the first man said. He stepped back, pulled out his gun, and fired. He looked at the
keypad, now sparking from the gaping hole he had made, and reached in to rip out the wires. Then
the alarms sounded.
"Not good!" "Nazis must be here," Logan said.
"I'll log off now, so if they do succeed in getting in, they're going to have a hard time learning our
secrets," Hank said. He typed in his logoff code and shut down the computer. He then bolted up
out of his chair and to the wall farthest from him.
"Whare ya goin', Hank?" Sam asked, his thick accent becoming thicker.
"Behind this wall is a secret exit. We'll sneak up behind them. Let's go!" Hank said, grabbing a
radio. "All teams," he said into the radio. "Get ready to attack on my cue." Up in the trees above some of the soldiers, several members of the NR were hiding. They were
listening to their radios for orders. The battle plan was foolproof. When Hank would give the
word, they would drop down and attack. Meanwhile, Hank's team would attach from their secret
underground hiding place.
"Alpha team," Hank's voice cracked through the radio, "this is team leader. Prepare to attack in 5 .
. . 4 . . . 3 . . . 2 . . . 1 . . . NOW!!!!!!"
All over the yard, NR members dropped out of trees, came out of corners, and ran out from any
place possible. The Nazis were totally surprised, and were unable to overcome the powerful
Resistance.
"Ve Zurrender!" They walked back to the house. Logan was able to kick down the door.
"Should be enough men to guard," he said. "In case we have another attack," he added with a
smile.
Again the trio went through the same routine they had earlier that night. Logan again walked over
and pulled back "War and Peace." They walked back down to the annex where Hank rebooted the
computer.
"Now, let's go to May 2, 1992," he said, in a lecture-type voice. "I was a student at Virginia Tech,
studying to become an engineer. I had a promising future. May second was the day that Tech was
holding an anti-Nazi rally. It was one of the biggest ever held. I went to it, for sake of curiosity. I
was just a normal 18-year-old, not posing a real threat to the Nazis. Well, they found out about
the rally and blew the school up. I escaped with a few minor injuries, but most of my classmates
weren't so fortunate. I was one of 120 student survivors. I joined the Nazi Resistance as soon as I
learned of it on July 4, 1993."
"Wow, Hank," Logan exclaimed. "I didn't realize how tragic your life has been."
"But wha does this have t'd'wit' the clues?" Sam asked.
"Virginia Tech was one of the biggest anti-Nazi centers around. A lot of evidence against the
Nazis was housed there. Plans for weapons to be used against them were there. If it hadn't been
blown up, the Nazis may have been defeated a couple years ago," Hank answered.
"As soon as Hitler is gone, though," Logan added, "we have a chance of winning by taking
advantage of the confusion. That SOB must be 110 years old by now."
"How does he stay alive?" Sam asked.
"Another mystery of the Third Reich," Hank replied. "We think he has a secret formula stolen
from Captain America."
"Wha'd' ya mean by stol'n from Cap?"
"We think that Hitler's men created a special formula from the Super Soldier formula that Captain
America took to give him his strength," Hank said. "And now for another crucial date. October
13, 1978 was when the Nazis attacked Richmond. They almost destroyed the CSA. But, the good
ol' US came in and saved our butts."
Just then, the computer started talking.
"When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political
bonds which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the
separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent
respect to the opinions of mankind required that they should declare the causes which impel them
to the separation.
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by
their Creator with certian unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of
Happiness. . . . "
There was a moment of silence. Finally, Hank spoke up.
"The Declaration of Independence. This was supposed to happen, and we cannot change that.
They were right. And the South's cause in the Civil War was justified right here." "Yeah, I guess we still have, and always will have life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,"
Logan responded.
"We have that now," Hank added. "We are alive. The Nazis will never take the US or CS, and this
war is our struggle to pursue happiness."
After another moment of silence, Logan said, "Maybe it would have been a better world if the
Yankees had won Gettysburg. Then we would only have one country here, and we would have
been able to win the war."
"Just shows how one day can change the entire course of time," Hank replied. "One victory," Logan said. "Just one victory, and now we are feeling the repercussions." "Is this a possible timeline?"
"Nothing that we must worry about," Hourman replied. "This timeline stems from changes so far in the past, it was before the age of heroics began."
Clea bent her head down. "Sketch?"
"I have all of the pictures right here, Clea," the young mutant girl replied. "This is one vision that can return."
"But why would we want it to return?" Aron asked. "That world looks so depressing."
"If I want it to return, then it will - or at least we now have the option," Clea replied. "Is that understood?"
Aron looked down. "Yes, ma'am," he mumbled.
"Good. All of you may go. This session is over."
"Move it! Move it, people! The whole blasted Nazi brigade is comin' this way!" Logan hollered across the battlefield. All alone on the mile wide piece of grassland, the Nazi Resistance was
moving back slowly.
In another time and place, these three men would have been members of the mutant group X-Men. However, in the here-and-now, they are just normal people.
Hank McCoy sat down in front of the big mainframe computer. He immediately took out his own
computer off of his belt and hooked it up. He punched a few keys and soon was into the Nazi
Resistance network. He clicked on the icon that said "Assignments." A list appeared. He quickly
scrolled down until he saw his group. He clicked on it. A new screen came up. This was their
mission briefing.
Meanwhile, up on Logan's porch, three Nazis stood there. They were trying to find a way in. It
was dark, and they had little light, so as not to disturb anyone who might be in the house. The last
one came up on the porch.
Meanwhile, in the secret control room, alarms were sounding like crazy. Lights everywhere were
flashing and blinking.
The Nazis' backup was all around the perimeter of Logan's property. They all had futuristic guns
in their hands. All targets were locked on the house. But the Resistance didn't come from the
house.
"Take these . . . these . . . " Hank couldn't think of a word horrible enough to describe the
captured Nazis. "These people to the prison in Richmond," Hank finally said to his company.
"Logan, Sam, we must return to our search."
The orb dimmed, and then closed. The Visionaries sat. Clea turned to Hourman.
He'd heard about the mysterious man known as the Shade before, but they'd had no encounters with each other. Logan hadn't given the Shade a second thought. He was a big shot super villain, and usually the Justice Society of America dealt with him. When several underworld punks over the last few days told Logan that the Shade wanted to meet him and would be waiting for him in the lobby of the Grand Hyatt of Maine, he was rather surprised. What did the Shade want from him?
Logan entered the hotel cautiously. He was ready for anything. All his acute senses were at full alert for any sign of an ambush. He couldn't spot anything threatening, and that made him feel even more uneasy. He continued to study the lobby. There were about a dozen people loitering in the lobby, and a few others passing through. He examined them all.
He spotted the man who just had to be the Shade. No one else would dress like that. He'd heard about the Shade's fancy, Victorian fashion sense and the Shade didn't disappoint. He was attired like and 1890's English upper-class gentleman. The Shade saw him too, and nodded at the suspicious mutant. Logan took one more glance around the room and then walked over to the Shade. The Shade was seated in the biggest, most comfortable looking chair. Logan sat in the smaller chair next to that one.
"Good evening, Mr. Logan," The Shade said, with an elegant British accent. The Shade was lighting a cigarette in a holder.
"I guess it's a safe bet that you're the guy who's been looking for me," Logan responded, pulling out a cigar.
"Light?" The Shade asked politely.
"Got one," Logan said, lighting his cigar.
"In response to your previous comment, yes, I've been looking for you," The Shade said. "I must admit, I was doubtful that you'd come. You no doubt suspected a trap."
"What am I, stupid?" Logan said, "Of course I did. But I hadda know what the great Shade wanted from me."
"You flatter me, sir," The Shade replied, "And I never meant to imply that you were stupid. If you were, I wouldn't have asked you to come here tonight."
"Okay, Mr. English prettyboy," Logan began, "Let's cut the crap. No more mutual admiration or polite conversation. You got something to say, then say it so I can get outta here."
"Your manners may be lacking but your directness is refreshing," The Shade commented, "Very well. To business. I've come upon some information that rather surprised me. I chose at first to ignore it, but upon reflection, I think this news must be acted upon."
"You're putting me to sleep," Logan said.
"Perhaps this will wake you up," The Shade responded. "Captain America is going to be killed."
The Shade now had Logan's full attention, although Logan tried his best to appear disinterested. "That so. And who's gonna do the dirty?"
"That's the interesting part," The Shade said. "The mastermind is not going to do the deed himself. You see, I found out that the Nazi criminal known as Master Man has escaped from the federal prison that Captain America placed him in. Captain America has been hunting him for over a week and the trail is getting warm. However, it's getting warm intentionally."
"You're saying that this Master Man guy wants Cap America to catch up with him? Sounds pretty stupid to me." Logan said.
"Not necessarily," The Shade continued. "He plans to bait the good Captain to a certain spot and engage him in what the Captain believes will be a fair fight. It won't be. The Nazis have sent several assassins to assist Master Man. Four of them to the best of my knowledge. They'll shoot the Captain from hiding. Captain America will either die from the bullet wound or at the very least, the wound will leave him vulnerable to Master Man's vengeance."
Logan didn't like what he was hearing. "How come you know all this?"
"I know things," The Shade said. "Many criminals come to me for aid or advice, and they talk too much. Also, when you can blend in with the shadows, you can eavesdrop easily."
"You say a lot of thugs go to you for help. That's cause you're one bad-ass villain," Logan commented.
The Shade nodded.
Logan continued, "In that case, why are you tellin' me this? Why do you care if Cap get's waxed?"
"The purpose for killing the leader of the Justice Society is to cause the ruination of that group," The Shade said. "Captain America is considered the glue that holds the team together, their inspiration, their master planner, the embodiment of their country. If he is killed, the Nazis believe that the JSA will be disheartened and disorganized. Generally weakened. That's what Hitler wants. The JSA have prevented his super powered henchmen and magic talisman from tilting the war into his favor. If he weakens the Justice Society, he feels he can win the war."
"And why do you care?" Logan asked.
"Opal is part of the USA," The Shade said. "I've taken a . . . liking to Opal City. It's my home. If the United States falls, so does my Opal. I don't want that to happen."
"So why not do something about it?" Logan asked.
"I am not a hero," The Shade answered with a polite smile, "I will not earn the ire of the fraternity which I have chosen to ally myself with. If I did, then I would have enemies on both sides of the law. I'm risking enough by telling you this."
"One more question. Why me?" Logan asked. "Why not warn Cap himself? Or one of the JSA?"
"I'm keeping a low profile," The Shade answered, "So I'm keeping clear of high profile heroes. You're low profile. You work in the shadows, just as I do. You're an outsider to the super-hero fraternity. You're not even an American super hero."
"I'm no super-hero!" Logan stated.
"Exactly!" The Shade said. "You're perfect. You can do this without anyone knowing. That's my condition for telling you where the assassination will take place. No one must ever know!"
Logan shrugged, then nodded. The Shade smiled again.
"The assassination will take place on the roof of the Macy's on 34th Street in Manhattan, tomorrow night at midnight," The Shade said. "It's all on your plate now. Do what you want. Good night."
A shadow enveloped the Shade and he was suddenly gone. Logan wasn't impressed, but he was thinking hard about what the Shade had said. For whatever reason, Logan found himself believing the Shade's story. And it is logical that's Cap's death could hurt the JSA's war efforts. And the ides of the Nazi's ruling the world was not a pleasant prospect. The full impact of it suddenly hit Logan. He has to save the world!
Captain America had spent almost a week tracking down the escaped Master Man. He had finally narrowed down his search to Manhattan. Today, he had managed to find Master Man's contact, the guy who was arranging Master Man's passage to Europe. Cap treated the Nazi sympathizer very roughly.
Cap's fist smashed into Flannagan's face. Flannagan was sent flying about 5 feet.
"Where is he?!" Cap roared. "Where is Master Man?!"
Cap yanked the traitor to his feet and was about to strike him again.
"No more!" Flannagan yelled, "Please, I'll talk! I'm meeting him at midnight on the roof of Macy's on 34th!"
"Thank you," Cap said, and then punched Flannagan again. "I hate traitors!"
"Master Man!" A powerful voice said.
Master Man turned and saw Captain America standing there. Stupid American! Too foolishly noble to attack from behind.
"At last!" Master Man said, "Time for all the issues between us to be settled at last!"
"Then let's not wait!" Cap said.
Without any further delay, the two enemies locked in combat. Cap was normally more cautious than this, more aware of his surroundings. But Master Man had a way of getting under the star spangled hero's skin. Also, Cap didn't realize that Master Man had so many allies in the US. And so, Captain America was totally unaware of the four assassins.
They were on four nearby taller buildings, overlooking Macy's . . . The team of expert mercenaries called the Killer Quartet--Sniper, Cowboy, Darkshot and Gunn. Each one was armed with a rifle and was taking aim at the Captain. They were having a hard time getting a clear shot at the American hero as he wrestled with the Nazi. But sooner or later, an opening would appear.
Gunn was the first one to see an opening. He smiled and was about to pull the trigger, but something blocked his sights. He looked up and saw a stocky, hairy man standing there.
"Hiya bud," Logan said, "I'm bad news."
Gunn tried to swing the rifle around towards Logan, but Logan grabbed the muzzle of the weapon and yanked it, pulling it--and Gunn--toward him. He then let loose with a series of devastating blows that took down the mercenary very quickly.
One down.
The second building was smaller, and right next door. Logan looked down at the second hitman, Cowboy, and leaped!
While Cap gained the upper hand in his battle against Master Man, he was unaware that the Man named Logan had just taken out a second assassin.
Two down.
The third building was quite a ways away, a very long jump and Logan wouldn't survive the fall if he missed. But he could tell by Darkshot's body language that he was about to fire. No time to waste, no time to think...Logan leaped across the chasm!
He stretched out with his fingers and just barely managed to grab hold of the ledge. As he pulled himself up, he deliberately let out a roar. Darkshot was startled, and turned to see who was there. He saw Logan pulling himself up to the roof. He spun the rifle around to fire at Logan. Logan leaped forward.
Master Man was getting battered by Captain America. While on a nearby roof . . .
Three down.
The fourth and final assassin, Sniper, was on the roof across the street. Logan couldn't reach him in time. Logan looked down. He saw Cap finish off Master Man. With the fight over, Sniper had a clear shot at Captain America. He stood up, took slow aim, and was about to pull the trigger . . .
Logan looked around. He saw the knife in Sniper's belt. He quickly grabbed the knife, turned and threw it. The distance was impossible for a normal man to throw a knife across but Logan was a mutant and quite strong. He was fairly sure he could make the distance but would he hit the target? And would he hit it in time?
The knife flashed across the street. Sniper pulled the trigger and . . .
And the knife pierced Sniper's chest before he got a shot off. Sniper fell, dead.
Four down.
Logan sighed, and sat on the ledge. He looked down and saw Captain America dragging the unconscious Master Man away. Logan lit up a cigar.
A shadow appeared and a hand reached out of it. The hand dropped a note, withdrew into the shadow and the shadow vanished. Logan picked up the note. It said...
‘Nicely done. I knew I picked the right man. I'm sure we'll meet again. Goodbye. Yours truly, S.'
Logan crumbled up the note. Yeah, he had the feeling he'd be meeting the Shade again. In the meantime, at least Captain America and the JSA were still going strong. For right now, he just wanted to get back to Canada and have a rest. It's been a long day. He looked down at the unmoving forms of the four gunmen.
"A good night's work."