The Plaguebearers - Log Four

[x-dominion.livejournal.com]

The X-Men have their first contact with Death Adder and find themselves facing the mutants that freed him in the first place.



The smell of Death Adder wasn’t hard to track. It was acidic, chemical, like a burst battery. Even through the filth of the sewer, it led obviously further into the system, where the major water systems from the reservoirs interconnected with the sewage system. Ahead, they could hear the sounds of combat, and as they drew close, saw a bizarre melee taking place.

There was a figure in a water basin, coming up from the water to fight and splashing back down, only to re-emerge at another location. It was covered in horny interlocking plates, like a lobster and a tail with an impressively large barb at the end flicked out at the pair trying to contain him. One man was clad in a suit of ballistic armor plates, taking the lead by landing thunderous blows on the creature when it emerged. The other was smashing his hand down on the water, causing it to momentarily boil and then flash to steam, scalding him.

"Well, guess we found our creature." Logan wasn't sure what the other two were doing. Making sure he stayed a secret but whether by exterminating him or subduing him Logan couldn't tell. "Looks like we need to tackle the two big uglies." He unsheathed his claws and moved forward. With the focus and the noise they were making they should get pretty close without being noticed.

Julian's eyes were glowing by this point- the stench of the sewer so much a part of his being he doubted that he'd ever smell fresh air again. Stepping into the reservoir, he felt the adrenaline surge he always got from doing this. "I've got the one of the left!" he shouted, sending a wave of telekinetic force toward the mutant who was making the water boil. It impacted just shy of the man, sending a plume of water into the air and drawing his attention- while a pipe wrenched from the wall behind him and smacked him soundly in the back. Brashly, Julian rushed forward.

"Not nice, you two." She called out as she surveyed the fights. "You're leaving nothing for me." Getting her hands on the pipe, she took aim of her own, sending it spinning towards the head of the ugly thing Logan was engaging and clanging it on the side of his head.

"Snooze ya lose," Logan called back as he ducked away from a splash of boiling water and the falling pipe. He landed a punch directly into the chest of the ballistic armor plates. The clang from adamantium laced bones meeting armor plates was thunderous in the echo chamber of the sewer tunnels. He managed to land another punch, the armor crinkling in response but not breaking. It definitely wasn't standard regulation armor plating the guy was wearing.

Julian was a few feet away from the hydro-manipulator when he stopped, pulling up telekinetic shields around himself. His disoriented opponent seemed to regain his footing, and sent a plume of scalding water at Julian, which harmlessly lapped off the shields. Internally, Julian was screaming, he could feel the temperature of the water and even if he didn't have any scaring physically, that pain was going to leave a mark...but it also dumped another helping of adrenaline into his system. With a smirk and a chuckle, Julian sent a focused spike of telekinetic energy at his opponent's face, smacking him squarely in the jaw with a resounding- and satisfying- crack.

As the water, throwing up steam in the cold air, came her way, Sharon immediately lept up, grabbing a conduit that hung there. "Oi, watch what you are doing!" She called out as she hung there for a moment. Hand by hand she moved over till she was square above one of the opponents and waited for her chance.

When that came, she let go, landing on the shoulder of the armored dude. Her legs clamped around his neck and she brought her fists down, firmly boxing his ears.

There wasn't much Logan could do. The water all around them was boiling to some degree or another, which meant his skin under the suit was continually seared into blisters and rapidly healing. That was a whole new level of continual pain he hadn't dealt with before now. He grit his teeth, focused on trying to put one of them down before someone other than him got really hurt. He charged at the middle of the one distracted by Sharon being on his head, slamming crushing punches into them. "C'mon, c'mon, go down already, ya big lug," Logan muttered.

Julian's brow was furrowed with concentration. The Living Steam Engine wasn't down like he'd hoped...he was only angry and now actively targeting the team. And explosion of steam erupted near him, sending scalding droplets against the flickering green barrier he was barely holding together. Julian heard the clang from where the armored guy had fallen from something Sharon had done to him. Not taking much time to line up the shot, he picked up the prone armored figure and sent him hurling across the chamber at their remaining attacker.

As her target went flying, Sharon managed an awkward flip to avoid the still scalding water and she even managed to get back to her conduit. Swinging back and forth, she let go and tucked herself a somersault before landing. "Tell me those two are down?" She asked the two men with her.

Logan rolled himself clear at the sudden wallop of air movement. He shook scalding water off as he wound back up on his feet and looked in the direction of their attackers. He hoped the rumbling thump-splash he'd heard was the two of them slamming hard into a nearby wall. "I'm gettin' real tired of all this if they aren't."

Both men had staggered back, completely unprepared for the ferocity of the X-Men attack. As if telepathically linked, both faded back, fleeing down the tunnels to get aware from the mutant.