“I just don’t feel like we’re qualified to be doing this.” Peepers nervously spoke as he and Weasel stepped over the bodies of various slaughtered guards.
“You’ve made that abundantly clear in the three minutes we’ve spent walking down this hallway.” His best friend replied. “God, how did you ever make it as a supervillain?”
“Hey, I used to be ruthless back in the day.” Peepers objected, “I almost killed U. S. Agent until he electrocuted me.”
“Yeah, that sounds pretty cutthroat.” Weasel snarked before stopping at a door that had clearly been broken off its hinges. “I think this might be the place.”
The room doubled as both a changing room for the guards and a barracks. Lockers lined the walls, some of them dented from collisions with soldiers, who lay dead on the ground. The gun racks had been toppled over in the skirmish and in the corner a locker had been broken open. Inside, Weasel could see the two katanas that were the pride and joy of Wade Wilson.
“I found Wade’s stuff, look around and see if you can find Cable’s,” Weasel instructed as he attempted to put on a holster.
“All of these are locked, Jack. How are we gonna open them?” It was a question Peepers immediately got an answer to.
“Step back,” Weasel ordered as he fired a pistol at the locker, aiming for the lock but hitting the door itself. “Keep back,” Weasel commanded again, this time with a little extra anxiousness. He fired one more time and managed to hit the lock, causing it to clang to the floor as the door opened.
“Yeah, this is definitely Cable’s stuff.” Peepers marveled at the collection of guns, all varying sizes with the smallest simply being “big” for most people. It slowly dawned on Peepers that neither he nor his partner in this endeavor would be capable of moving these on their own. “Uh…is there a cart or something.”
“Come on, man, how many could there possibly-“ Weasel fell silent once he finally walked over and gazed upon the assortment of weapons. “How did he carry all of these? He should have back problems, and leg problems, and probably arm problems too.”
While it took longer than expected, the duo finally emerged from the barracks with their teammate’s weapons. Weasel held Deadpool’s katanas in his hands, still in their sheaves. All the guns had been piled onto a flat moving cart that Peepers pushed down the hall, swerving occasionally to avoid one of the corpses.
“Heh, you know we did pretty good for ourselves back there.” Weasel said, genuine pleasure emanating from him for the first time in years. “And to think you were all worried about guards and shit.” It was then that Weasel noticed that Peepers had abruptly stopped, and it soon became clear why.
Standing before them was the familiar sight of a man in a, currently battered, golden gas mask. He was flanked on both sides by around a dozen soldiers, also donning gas masks and pointing their weapons at the duo.
“Yes, guards are the least of your worries now.” Steinhoff replied with a laugh.
“You’ve made that abundantly clear in the three minutes we’ve spent walking down this hallway.” His best friend replied. “God, how did you ever make it as a supervillain?”
“Hey, I used to be ruthless back in the day.” Peepers objected, “I almost killed U. S. Agent until he electrocuted me.”
“Yeah, that sounds pretty cutthroat.” Weasel snarked before stopping at a door that had clearly been broken off its hinges. “I think this might be the place.”
The room doubled as both a changing room for the guards and a barracks. Lockers lined the walls, some of them dented from collisions with soldiers, who lay dead on the ground. The gun racks had been toppled over in the skirmish and in the corner a locker had been broken open. Inside, Weasel could see the two katanas that were the pride and joy of Wade Wilson.
“I found Wade’s stuff, look around and see if you can find Cable’s,” Weasel instructed as he attempted to put on a holster.
“All of these are locked, Jack. How are we gonna open them?” It was a question Peepers immediately got an answer to.
“Step back,” Weasel ordered as he fired a pistol at the locker, aiming for the lock but hitting the door itself. “Keep back,” Weasel commanded again, this time with a little extra anxiousness. He fired one more time and managed to hit the lock, causing it to clang to the floor as the door opened.
“Yeah, this is definitely Cable’s stuff.” Peepers marveled at the collection of guns, all varying sizes with the smallest simply being “big” for most people. It slowly dawned on Peepers that neither he nor his partner in this endeavor would be capable of moving these on their own. “Uh…is there a cart or something.”
“Come on, man, how many could there possibly-“ Weasel fell silent once he finally walked over and gazed upon the assortment of weapons. “How did he carry all of these? He should have back problems, and leg problems, and probably arm problems too.”
While it took longer than expected, the duo finally emerged from the barracks with their teammate’s weapons. Weasel held Deadpool’s katanas in his hands, still in their sheaves. All the guns had been piled onto a flat moving cart that Peepers pushed down the hall, swerving occasionally to avoid one of the corpses.
“Heh, you know we did pretty good for ourselves back there.” Weasel said, genuine pleasure emanating from him for the first time in years. “And to think you were all worried about guards and shit.” It was then that Weasel noticed that Peepers had abruptly stopped, and it soon became clear why.
Standing before them was the familiar sight of a man in a, currently battered, golden gas mask. He was flanked on both sides by around a dozen soldiers, also donning gas masks and pointing their weapons at the duo.
“Yes, guards are the least of your worries now.” Steinhoff replied with a laugh.
Issue #10
by Liam Goncet July 2023 Deadpool
Cable
Weasel
Peepers
Peter Wisdom
Siryn
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"What Hell You've Wrought"“And then we decided to come after you and the others went ahead.” Wisdom said, concluding his rundown on what Siryn had missed before they reunited.
“It’s sweet and all, but I had it under control.” The Irish mutant replied. “I needed to make sure you were safe. We’re…teammates,” Wisdom said, correcting himself before continuing. “And I never leave a fellow mate behind.” “Ditto,” Deadpool added absent-mindedly. His head was still swirling with a barrage of thoughts. Siryn and Wisdom? A couple? Sure, Wisdom was handsome, and he had the whole English thing going for him, but why Siryn? Why did he have to pick the one person Wade had made a connection with through the years. The trio had made it back to their escaped cells when Deadpool finally spoke up. “You know, you two don’t have to keep doing this?” Their confused glances were enough for him to continue. “I know you and Wisdom are dating, Theresa. He told me about it on the way to help you.” Siryn looked to Wisdom, a mixture of confusion and anger in her expression. “Pete, we talked about this.” Wisdom, meanwhile, stared in disbelief at Wade, who shrugged back. “Pete said it himself, ‘No time for hurt feelings on a mission like this.’” Deadpool sighed, “Maybe I shouldn’t have said anything, but it feels better to clear the air. Honestly, I’m happy for you crazy kids. Love is hard to find and all that jazz.” He bluffed, moving past the other two, who both looked on in shock. “So, you’re fine with this?” Siryn asked. “Why wouldn’t I be? You two seem like a great match. You’re both mutants and…uh…European.” “Well, glad that’s settled.” Wisdom added, still clearly angry by this turn of events. “Unless you have some other personal matter you’d like to discuss while we’re still inside a bloody prison?” “None that I can think of.” Deadpool answered as the trio continued forward. ##### Eventually, the three mutants made their way up to the ground floor noticing the trail of dead and unconscious guards leading them in the right direction. “Heads up, I hear voices,” Deadpool warned as they made their way into the hallway. “I mean, I hear people talking. You know, not like voices in my head. That would be…” he trailed off. “Yeah, we knew what you meant.” Wisdom tersely replied. “Maybe I should scout ahead and see what’s up?” Deadpool asked, moving forward before either of his compatriots could tell him not to. Moving forward the mouthy mutant saw the masked hitman known as Steinhoff along with his cronies, holding Weasel and Peepers at gunpoint. Unsure how to act he briefly looked back at his annoyed teammates and gave them a thumbs up, immediately questioning why that was his first choice of hand signal after. It was then that he noticed his katanas, firmly held in the hands of Weasel. “Now, we just wait for your friends to arrive.” Steinhoff gloated over his captives. “I can’t believe they sent you two to gather their weapons.” “Think again loser,” Deadpool proclaimed as he ran and tackled one of the soldiers near him. “Weaz, katana me!” “Shit!” Weasel swore as the guards pointed their guns and prepared to fire. In a fit of panic, he haphazardly threw one of the katanas in Deadpool’s direction as it clumsily clanged onto the floor near the merc. Peepers, also sensing the imminent danger they were now in, pushed the cart forward with his foot, knocking a few of the guards off balance. “We need to go, Jack. We’re not cut out for this type of stuff.” Weasel shook his head to his friend’s dismay, “Maybe it’s time we tried.” Weasel said, holding the remaining katana with two hands, “I’ve learned a thing or two from watching Wade all these years.” He pushed up his glasses and charged toward the nearest guard, running through them with the blade to both his and Peepers’ surprise. Deadpool laid into the guard he tackled before grabbing his katana and finishing the job. Quickly rolling away as the others opened fire, taking a shot in the shoulder as he maneuvered for what little cover there was. “Oh boy, I definitely didn’t remember about the power dampening until just now. God, gunshots really hurt when you don’t just heal from them.” Weasel struggled to pull the blade out of the soldier’s body as he noticed the remaining guards prepare to unload on him, pulling the katana out just as a barrage of gunfire was let loose. Fortunately, the gunfire was not intended for him, Wisdom sent the guards scattering as he unloaded with a gun taken from the fresh corpse Deadpool had provided. “Got to know how to think on your toes when you can’t use powers.” He nodded to Weasel before throwing the empty gun aside and moving to incapacitate the nearest guard. Siryn soon joined in and blindsided two guards attempting to shoot at Wisdom. Taking one of the masked assailants down with a leg sweep before chopping the other in the throat. Deadpool also rejoined the fray, quickly dispatching the last of the guards with his sole katana, slicing them in the legs and stabbing their bodies as they hit the ground. As the battle ended, Weasel was the first to notice, “I think the gas mask guy got away again.” “I’m starting to understand why people hate teleporters.” Deadpool replied, taking back his other katana and grabbing his guns off the pile that mostly belonged to Cable. “Let’s go while the getting is good.” ##### “A tank?! You’ve got to be joking!” Taskmaster shouted, surveying the situation and not exactly loving the odds. Still, he had been in worse spots and this time he wasn’t alone. “It looks like we’ve got the same targets for once.” Over three dozen soldiers and a heavily modified tank, that was the fight they were up against and with the prison’s power dampening still in effect. Cable didn’t love the odds, but figured he could hold on until the others arrived. “If you can distract his men, I can dismantle the weapons on that thing.” It was a long shot, but Cable knew his way around advanced technology. How hard could this old tank be? “Lucky for you, I like to show off.” The masked mercenary took to action, bringing his shield up to block oncoming fire and deftly moving through the crowd of goons. With each slash of his sword another body fell, there was nothing that could dampen Taskmaster’s photographic reflexes. Raising his metal arm to block any shots aimed in his direction, Cable moved towards the tank. He wasn’t nearly as quick as his reluctant partner, but made up for it in brute strength. A lone soldier made the dire mistake of getting close, which led to Cable grabbing his machine gun and bashing him in the face with it. He briefly contemplated finishing the job, but there was other work to be done. A slow hum rung out from the tank’s cannon reminding the silver-haired mutant of the urgency this task required. “Protect the tank!” Plunderer shouted as Cable ripped off a side panel. He could feel all the attention turn his way and decided to throw caution to the wind. Cable grabbed a fistful of wires and pulled with all his might. While it didn’t end the hum, the tank’s treads did stop moving. There was little time to celebrate as a hail of gunfire rang out. Cable hit the ground expecting to catch a few shots during his fall, but instead of gunfire a familiar voice called out. “The cavalry has arrived!” Deadpool, Wisdom, and Siryn were all sporting some of Cable’s heavy artillery as they fired back at the remaining soldiers, catching them off guard. Noticing his friend on the ground, Deadpool ditched the gun and unsheathed his blades. As he began to cut his way to Cable, his eyes met with Taskmaster’s as the two struck the same poor soul with their weapons. “Don’t worry, ‘Pool, I’ve got this. Help your buddy take care of that tank.” With that, the trained assassin returned to his work, quickly dispatching another soldier. “For once, I sincerely hope you’re right.” There would be time later to figure out what the ulterior motive was behind Taskmaster’s assistance. By the time Deadpool reached Cable he was already back on his feet and moving back towards the tank, which pivoted its cannon over to where Wisdom and Siryn were. “We need to destroy the cannon,” Cable commanded upon seeing his friend. “I think I’ve got the perfect idea.” Before Cable could inquire further the merc was off, dodging the occasional burst of gunfire and making his way over to Weasel and Peepers, who had been dutifully watching the cart that still contained a good number of Cable’s seemingly endless pouches. “I’ll be taking this boys, thank you for your service.” Grabbing the cart, Deadpool began to move back towards the tank. “I don’t know who you are, but since you like capturing people and blowing up their boats, why don’t you blow on this.” The humming had reached a fever pitch and the mouthy mutant’s words caught Plunderer’s attention as he whirled the tank’s cannon in the direction of the cart. “Hah! I will not be bested by such a cheap ploy. Fire!” From the cannon shot a beam of crackling energy that obliterated the cart, setting off the myriad of explosives still on it. The entire courtyard soon became covered in a thick fog of smoke adding an extra layer of difficulty as the cannon began to recharge for another blast. As for Deadpool, while his healing factor may have currently been dampened, his reflexes were still sharp. A theory immediately put to the test as he grabbed one of Cable’s bandolier and jumped off the cart right as the cannon fired. If not for the explosion behind him, Deadpool would have likely landed on his feet. Instead, he landed front first onto the concrete. Dazed, but not out, he stood back up reaching into a pouch and producing a grenade. “You take the rest big guy, can’t have you completely weaponless.” Deadpool had hoped that the bandolier would be able to meet the short distance between the two. Instead, it quickly fell back down, landing a few inches away from where it once was. “I guess that’s why strength is your thing.” Cable grunted and moved toward the fallen arsenal. The smoke provided more than enough cover, but it wouldn’t last long in an open area like this. With his friend farther away from the tank, Deadpool ran towards the cannon. He could hear the low hum of the weapon’s recharge and took advantage, launching the grenade into the cannon and shouting, “slam dunk!” Deadpool jumped off the side of the tank using the momentum to roll as far away as he could as another explosion rang out destroying the front of the vehicle and leaving Plunderer exposed. “You think you have bested me, but The Plunderer always gets the last laugh!” Sirens began to ring out and as the smoke cleared, Deadpool could see more henchmen exiting the building. “Prison self destruct engaged. Prison self destruct engaged. Please exit at your earliest convenience.” The automated message played out again and again. “Don’t let them escape!” Plunderer shouted at the newly arrived henchmen as a hail of gunfire erupted. Deadpool and Cable to shelter behind the remains of the tank. He could see Plunderer making a break to what looked to be a bunker. He also saw the rest of his allies pinned down with a literal doomsday clock playing over the speakers. To make matters worse, Taskmaster was nowhere in site. “Alright Nate, you’re the strategist here. I came up with that pretty sick bomb trick, but I’ve got nothing for this.” “Normally, I’d use you as a distraction while the others escaped.” Cable took another look around the soon-to-be destroyed compound. “This prison is pretty big, it could be almost half of the island. I don’t think this guy is foolish enough to sink the whole thing. He’s blowing up the surface level stuff. If we make it far enough away then we can avoid any potential harm. We have to act now though.” “Okay then, distraction it is. With no healing and the threat of permanent death, what’s the worst that could happen?” Deadpool sprinted out from behind the tank, katanas drawn and quickly sliced into a few nearby guards. The mercenary zigzagged throughout the field as he avoided the bullets fired in his direction. He was almost as amazed as the men firing at him by his superhumanly sharp reflexes. To his delight, Wade found that his allies had held their own pretty well, even as more henchmen came out. “Never fear, Deadpool is here! I can hold these bastards off, you guys go with Cable and find a way out of here.” “No offense, Wade, but that plan is awful.” Weasel said, doing surprisingly well with returning fire on the enemies. “Yeah, we can’t have you do this by yourself. You’ll get killed!” Siryn chimed in. “He won’t be by himself.” Wisdom announced, “We’ll hold them off long enough for you guys to go ahead.” Wisdom gave Siryn a nod in an attempt to reassure her. A tender moment that did not go unnoticed by Deadpool. “You heard the man. He’s the boss, get to it!” Siryn led the others away as Deadpool and Wisdom began to return fire on the henchmen. The duo fell into a rhythm that worked exceptionally well for them. Wisdom would lay down covering fire and Deadpool would use his quick reflexes to cut them down. In a matter of minutes they had managed to buy their allies time to escape and potentially, a getaway of their own. “I’m empty, cover me while I take one of the guard’s guns.” Silence. Wisdom looked around, fearing that Wade had been hit, but the reality was worse. He was nowhere in sight. It took a few moments to sink in, but the bastard had left him high and dry. “Son of a-” To Be Continued.. |