Dani Moonstar sighed as she leaned on the control panel, watching the icon representing where the 'copter waited. Pushing her black hair back she sighed, "I wish we knew what was going on out there." Rahne nodded glumly, the redhead standing beside her. "We canna use the radios, we might let a enemy know they're there," she agreed. "And Rachel hasn't contacted us telepathically either," Dani scowled. "Grr," Lockheed growled low in his throat, the little dragon pacing restlessly on the large meeting table. "I guess we're just stuck with waiting," Rahne sighed, "however long it takes." A soft clearing of a throat signaled Cecelia's entrance, the dusky skinned doctor looking around in annoyance. "Where is everyone?" she demanded. "Sit yourself down," Dani said, "it's a long story." Meanwhile, the remainder of Excalibur cautiously made their way down the underground tunnel. A small flashlight along with light radiating from Widget gave them dome idea of their surroundings, but not too much. "Do you want me to scout ahead?" Spitfire asked again, the white haired young woman's voice strong and eager. "Hell no," Pete Wisdom answered promptly as they walked along the cavern, his eyes searching into the darkness, "Marvel Girl's telepathy is being blocked by something down here, and there's no way we'd know if something goes wrong." "Right," Jackie sighed, Spitfire pushing her white hair back. "Sorry Pete," Marvel Girl winced, Rachel Summer's short red hair falling into her eyes. "Are you all right, love?" Kate Pryde asked softly, the silver skinned woman called Widget looking at her in alarm. "Just a headache from trying to break through the psionic shields here," Rachel admitted, "they've very tough." "I wonder why Sinister would have a base out here in the middle of nowhere for?" Britannia asked quietly. Lisa Garrison moved at point with the wary confidence of a long time agent, the blonde studying the shadows almost as warily as Pete. "You'd be surprised where he has bases," Pete said with a shrug, "I understand he even had a base beneath New York's Times Square." "I can see something up ahead," Llyan said quietly, the elfen woman's eyes piercing the gloom better than a human's would. Slowing a bit they moved forward, the darkness slowly being lit up by a almost unearthly glow up ahead in the tunnel. Cautiously they moved up until they reached the edge of the tunnel and a larger chamber then peered inside before freezing in surprise. "Bloody Hell," Jackie cured softly in surprise. "Yup, I'd say this confirms it's a Sinister operation," Pete said dryly, blinking as he tried to take all of it in. The chamber pulsed with an eerie green light, long containers of matching fluid strung up throughout the massive hall. Within human figures floated mindlessly, clones waiting to be awakened on order. In the middle of the machinery, control panels and monitors were working constantly as four figures stood to one side. Two of them held a third figure by the arms, the final one looking on curiously. "Can we get closer? I can't hear what they're saying," Rachel said with a scowl. "Your wish is my command," Kate gave her a smile as she extended a hand cautiously around the corner, the metal shifting into a small high powered microphone. Her other hand shifted to form a speaker, familiar voices coming from it. "You've led me a merry chase, Mr. Bjornson," Mr. Sinister said coldly, his red eyes glowing from a pure white face, the gem on his brow shining evilly. "Let me go, you..." Steve snarled back, struggling in the arms of the beings who held him. "That would be foolish," Sinister answered flatly. He reached out to touch the hammer insignia once again, "Now, tell me what you know about the Asgardians." "Didn't the Endtech data have it?" Steve actually looked amused. Sinister reached out swiftly to grab his throat. "Do not trifle with me, boy," he hissed, squeezing with superhuman force. "Do.. It," Steve hissed out defiantly. Sinister cast him aside, visibly gaining control of his temper. "I have access to almost all superhuman data," he said grimly, "but the Asgardian has always escaped my grasp. That was what I wanted from Endtech.. and you." "You've got to be kidding me... you seriously want to clone Thor!" Steve looked up at him in pure disbelief. "The Asgardians are flesh and blood," Sinister replied, "and so I know it can be done. I just need a sample." "And as Bezerker I'm Asgardian enough to serve," Steve realized. "Correct," Sinister nodded. A cold smile, "So will it be a live sample, or cells taken from your corpse?" Everyone exchanged glances once they heard that. "Pete, we can't let him," Kate started urgently. "Let's go," Pete agreed crisply. Just as Spitfire raced from cover... a explosion rattled the entire cavern, throwing everyone off balance. "Now what?" Britannia growled, looking around them wildly even as some of Sinister's creatures hurried towards them. BOOM! The wall to the far side of the cavern exploded inward as several figures emerged from the spreading dust cloud. "We're here for our teammate," Codex said calmly, the blonde in a simple jumpsuit leading her comrades in. "More foes?" Llyan asked, sword held at the ready. "Maybe, maybe not," Pete said, watching the situation unfold. "So," Sinister said with an air of supreme confidence, "you betray me, too?" "I'd say the betrayal is on your end," Sienna Blaize said from where she stood beside Codex, "when you cloned us without permission." Sinister looked amused, "It was allowed in the agreements you signed with me." "Targets acquired," Freelance reported in her mechanical tones as the armored woman took aim, "firing." The first blasts of her long gun took out the two creatures holding Bezerker, then one splashed right into Sinister's body. Surprisingly it barely staggered him. Above them cloning chambers exploded open on some silent signal, various copies of beings who had served Sinister in the past draining down to attack like human guard dogs. Reaper, Thermal, Skids and Shades worked to hold them off, even as Bezerker raced back to their side against the horde. "Pete?" Kate asked with some urgency. "Get to a computer, try to erase any of the data they got from Endtech," Pete ordered then turned to the others, "looks like we're backing up the Marauders."
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