The One With the Whale
Part Two

"He's gorgeous."

"You have no idea. I saw him in the shower and--"

"You didn't!"

"I did. Well, we weren't together in the shower, mind you... I was just peeking."

"Nasty," Lorna replied with a laugh. She and Shevaun Haldane -- Dark Angel -- were seated together in the castle's meeting room, having found that they shared an immediate affection for one another. Shevaun had only been back under the Barrier for an hour or so, but she felt like she and Lorna were old friends. 

"It wasn't quite like that," Shevaun tried to explain, but it was no use. Both women broke down into laughter as Killraven entered the room, flanked by Suzi Endo, who wore a white lab coat over her Cybermancer armor. 

Suzi's eyebrows rose as she wondered what conversation they'd interrupted. Her eyes flicked over to Killraven, who looked at them stoically. Somehow, she mused, I imagine the conversation had to do with our guest. "Just heard from Betsy, everyone. The party they crashed has taken a turn for the strange. Clive Winthrop's just appeared, bearing something called the Horn of Proteus. He's used it to summon a 30 meter long whale with legs."

"Are you serious?" Dan Ketch asked, emerging from the head located just off from the meeting room. He looked pale and somewhat sick, feeling the effects from all the beer he'd ingested at the Slimelight Club earlier in the evening. 

"Very. Gully had already alerted me to some strange seismic activity and it looks like it's related to Giganto."

"To what?" 

Suzi sighed at Dan, wondering what he'd been thinking. As Pendragons, they had to be on alert 24/7. "Giganto. It's the name given to these types of beasts. They've appeared several times in the past, usually ending up in confrontation with the Fantastic Four."

Dark Angel held up a hand, a frown marring her pretty features. "Back up past the whale with legs bit. You said Clive Winthrop showed up?"

"That's what Betsy reported."

"Who is this man?" Killraven asked, growing curious despite himself. He felt a bit ill at ease, wondering why Ravonna had sent him here. It seemed wrong to enjoy the comforts of this era while his fellow Freemen died at the hands of the Martians in his own time.

"According to everything I know, he wasn't a man at all," Dark Angel answered. "He was a false identity assumed by a demon named Blackheart. After the guise had served its purpose, Blackheart abandoned it."

Cybermancer tossed aside her lab coat and flipped a visor down over her eyes. Immediately, the neural networks that connected her to the armor's onboard computers flared to life. "Whatever the case may be, we're needed. Shevaun, you should come with me. Lorna, stay here with Dan and help him dry out, please."

"What?" Dan blinked. "Where in the hell do you--?"

"My scanners indicate that your blood alcohol level is far above legal limits. Perhaps that wouldn't affect Ghost Rider. Perhaps it would. I don't plan to take that chance."

Dan turned to Polaris, but found that she was angry for another reason entirely. "Can't Gully watch over him?"

"He's busy analyzing the last of the Black Mass wards brought to us by Shevaun. He's too busy for babysitting duty. I'm sorry you're the one who's been drafted for it, but you two are friends and I think it's best you stay here."

"Who died and made you Queen?" Dan said angrily. 

Cybermancer ignored him, turning to Killraven. "Feel free to stay here and get some rest. We'll be back soon." Without another word, she exited the lab. 

Dark Angel telepathically said I'll be back soon, Jon. Enjoy yourself.

Killraven watched as she stepped past. The telepathy he'd possessed for so long was useful for little more than controlling Martian minds... but now he realized it could have other uses, as well. I'll be waiting for you, he thought.

"Bitch," Dan whispered, swaying slightly. Lorna caught him under the arm and helped him into a chair. 

Waving a hand to stem the fumes coming from him, the mistress of magnetism said, "Take a rest, Dan." She backed away from her friend, shaking her head. She understood what he was going through, with the death of his former love and all... but it was no excuse to act like an idiot. 

"You were always better than that, Lorna. No matter what happened, you always held on to your strength. I admired that."

Polaris froze in place, the blood freezing in her veins. "No," she whispered. "It can't be... Alex?"

She turned and, just for a second, she saw Alex Summers standing before her. He was wearing the black bodysuit and odd helmet that had marked his original Havok costume. He looked great in it.

And then he was gone, leaving Killraven standing in his place. The timelost warrior was staring at her in concern. "Are you alright?" he asked.

Lorna nodded, putting a hand to her forehead. "I just felt a little dizzy, that's all." She cast a glance back at Dan, whose eyes were closed. "He'll be okay here. Just leave him." She stumbled out into the hall, her mind racing. Was she going crazy? First she thought she saw Magneto's helmet* and now Alex?

(*See issue 81)

Betsy was supposed to give her a deep mental scan at some point but with all the craziness going on with the Hellfire Club, there hadn't been a chance. And I can't afford to wait for her to make time for me. I'm going to have to find some answers myself.

"Human Designate: Killraven is now in this era."

The figure to which this was addressed shifted a bit. His gleaming white armor both increased his natural strength and protected him from the horrible pollutants in the Terran atmosphere. It also made it easy to hide his emotions from subservient. He felt a strange twist of emotion at the words that had been spoken; an intermingling of fury and fear. Aloud, he said, “We knew it was only a matter of time. Is he under this Barrier?” he asked, waving a metal encased hand.

The soldier bowed low, trying to avoid looking directly into the eyes of his commander. “Yes. We have lost all trace of the chronal energy that brought him here.”

“I thought our scientists promised they would be able to track him.”

“They appear to have been in error.”

Dark eyes flashed beneath the metal faceplate. “When we return to our proper time… remind me to punish them.” The armored man rose from his seat, glancing around the dust-covered room. “What was this place? What was its purpose?”

“During a war that took place over 50 cycles ago, this landmass was under siege and daily bombardment. This lair served as a base of operations for one the Terran metahuman groups, one that was devoted to the protection of this place called Britain .”

The High Overlord of the Martian forces grunted, moving to stand behind the face of Big Ben*. He could see out over the city, though none could see him. He liked that. “The Pendragons?”

(*In traditional Marvel continuity, there were rooms located behind the face of Big Ben that were used by the Invaders. In the Collision storyline, we learned that in our altered continuity they served as the World War II-era headquarters for the Pendragons)

“Yes.”

The High Overlord said nothing for a long moment. The reports of Killraven’s disappearance, linked with an unexpected surge in chronal energy in the region where he was last seen, had led him to the conclusion that the rebellion was once again attempting to alter history. He had directed his scientists to guessing which time period into which Killraven had fled… and to get him and his forces there before the rebel leader arrived. They had succeeded, just as all reality began to crumble around them. Somehow, against all odds, Killraven had succeeded… the world of the High Overlord was fading. With several tripods and a score of infantrymen, the High Overlord had jumped into the timestream, arriving months ago… but there was no sign of Killraven, nor any hint of what the High Overlord should do. Attempts to contact his own past self had been blocked by the damned Barrier, which had also wreaked havoc with the tripods’ controls, rendering them nearly useless. “It was me who convinced the council to invade Earth a second time,” he murmured, watching the humans below go about their daily lives. Here and there, some bit of fantastic oddity could be seen: a unicorn prancing down the sidewalk, or a group of ogres entering a pub. “It was me who led the assault. I consider the subjugation of Earth to be a personal accomplishment. But this Jonathan Raven has plagued me; he and his allies have thwarted me at nearly every turn. And now my timeline lies in disarray.”

The soldier shifted uncomfortably, still wary of his master’s mercurial temperament. “Overlord?”

The Martian commander ignored him. “I will kill him in this place. And I will any and all who stand with him… Pendragons included.” He turned back to the kneeling supplicant. “Find me everything there is to know about the Pendragons. I would like to know the men and women whom I will be slaying.”

Joey Chapman, aka Union Jack, felt his stomach drop as the aquatic beast rose from the waters. It walked upright but had the general appearance of a whale. The thing was gigantic, as well, looking like he could easily squash entire building beneath its might footy. The thing opened its mouth and delivered a distinctly un-whale like bellow that shook the balcony upon which he stood.

“Told you the show would become interesting.”

Union Jack turned to stare at the cute redhead next to him. She was one of the Hellfire Club, the corrupt and exclusive organization who had thrown this little party… and which the Pendragons had come undercover to investigate.

“What the hell’s going on here?” he asked, reaching out to grab her arm roughly.

She tried to pull away, her beauty becoming marred by the expression she now wore. “Chaos. It’s all about chaos. When a government can’t keep it’s people safe, it crumbles. And in the aftermath of anarchy, new rulers will emerge.”

“Wait a second. You guys summoned a giant whale with legs to bring about a revolution? That’s pretty crazy.”

“You obviously don’t see the bigger picture. The PM’s power base is eroding. Throw a little chaos into Britain and everyone will see what a farce his office truly is. It takes those with magical ability, proper breeding and a keen intellect to rule in post-Barrier Britain .”

A sudden breeze at their side made Joey’s lips curl up into a smile. Sure enough, his wife was now beside him, having switched into her Spitfire uniform at super speed. She was staring past Joey and the Red Queen, her eyes riveted to the monster lumbering towards them. Giant whales with legs had a tendency to grab one’s attention. “You need to get into costume,” she said. “And Clive Winthrop’s inside.”

“What? Clive Winthrop?!”

“Notimetotalk,” she muttered, almost too fast for him to follow. She was gone in a blur, running straight down the side of the building and hurtling towards the whale-thing. Inside, someone was yelling something about “Giganto” and Joey assumed the monster fit that description.

“You’re with the Pendragons, then? I thought you didn’t quite fit in. I could sense the disdain you held for everyone here.” The Red Queen’s eyes glowed red and Joey dropped her arm, preparing to backhand her before she could launch an attack. He was too slow, however, and eldritch energy shot forth from her eyes. He was engulfed in it, throw backwards into the house. “The Pendragons are here!” she shouted, but Joey couldn’t hear her. Blood was streaming from his ears and nose. His suit lay in tatters, revealing the famous garb of Union Jack underneath.

He opened his eyes, blinking away stars, to see Clive Winthrop staring down at him. “Bugger me. She was right.”

Winthrop snarled, baring his teeth. He drew back a fist, which shifted into a large sledgehammer, and brought it down hard atop Joey. The blow never struck home, however, as an invisible field of energy suddenly surrounded Union Jack.

Winthrop looked up to see Captain Britain headed towards him. Her battlesuit’s force field was extended around Union Jack, but she let it slip away so she could drive her psychic knife into Winthrop ’s midsection. He howled in agony. “You should have stayed buried, Clive,” she whispered. “You’re a part of Britain ’s past that never needed to return.”

“I’m not a part of its past, at all,” he whispered, surprising her by grabbing hold of the blade and pulling her closer to him with it. “I’m part of its future.”

Pain suddenly poured through blade, rushing up into Betsy’s brain. She felt her heart skip a beat and for a second, she wondered if she were about to die. But then Winthrop was yanked away from her by Nocturne’s retractable tendrils. “Be careful,” she wheezed, gasping for air. “He’s a shapeshifter or something.”

“I control every molecule in my body,” Winthrop replied. “And please… when we’re engaged in fisticuffs like this, let me play along by using a codename. You can call me Sinister.” He suddenly phased through the tendrils that were snaked around him, lunging towards Nocturne. He gripped Gray Poldark about the neck, putting intense pressure on the hero’s throat.

“Clive! We need to get out of here!”

Winthrop tossed Nocturne aside, turning to face the Hellfire Club’s Black Queen, Oonagh Mullarkey. “We can kill them here and now.”

“We’re not ready for that! Not with the others off on their own mission! Let’s not ruin this!”

“Too late, you nasty bitch.” Mullarkey felt someone grip her shoulders and spin her about. A second later, Union Jack’s fist crashed into her nose, splintering it. As she hit the floor, Union Jack pulled his mask into place and retrieved his snub-nosed Webley pistol from a pouch on his belt.

There was madness all around them, as terrified party goers flooded towards the exit. Joey saw Captain Britain begin to move after Winthrop , but he waved her away. Through the mental bond she’d put into place for all of them, he said, Go! You stand a better chance of stopping that Giganto bastard than I do! Let me chase after Winthrop ! Take Nocturne with you!

Indecision briefly played across Betsy’s features but she knew Joey was right. She was arguably the most powerful member of the Pendragons – and of the four members who were present, none of them except her stood a chance against Giganto. “C’mon, luv,” she said, grabbing hold of Nocturne around his waist. They flew out of the house together, coming to a hovering rest some forty feet above the roof. Giganto was stomping his way across the beach, moving in a lazy fashion towards London . Smashed homes and screaming beachgoers lined his path. A yellow and red blur was dancing about his legs, but Spitfire was spending most of her time getting people to safety and was unable to focus on stopping the behemoth.

“This could get ugly,” Gray said to her.

“We’ll do our best,” she whispered. “It’s all we can do.”

“It’s a good thing you’re not alone then, isn’t it?”

Betsy turned and felt a grin spread over her face. Dark Angel was hovering nearby, with Cybermancer already streaking towards Giganto. “Shevaun! You’re back!”

Dark Angel gave her friend a quick peck on the cheek. “And better than ever, I’d like to point out.” She glanced at the giant whale. “Shall we?”

“After you, Shevaun,” Betsy replied with a laugh. “God, it’s good to see you again.”

Clive Winthrop ignored the cattle that ran all about him. Even before his rebirth as something born of both both magic and science, he had realized he was better than the rank and file of British life. They were so small in intellect and vision, while he had been blessed (or cursed?) with the ability to think outside the norm. He knew that society needed a stout kick in the arse if it were to get moving in the right direction again... and he had the proper size shoe to deliver that kick.

" Winthrop ! Wait!"

Sinister turned to see the Red Queen running towards him. She looked flushed and frightened. “I thought you were dealing with the Pendragons,” he taunted.

The Red Queen sneered at him. “Like you’re doing? Please. Let’s go,” she said, taking a step towards his car. She was stopped by his hand on her arm. “What’s wrong now?”

“You’re not coming with me. All I wanted out of the Club was access to its membership list and its bank accounts. Beyond that, I don’t give a damn about any of you.”

“Pig!”

Winthrop narrowed his eyes, sending a signal to the nanites in his bloodstream. They shifted and sped up, warming his touch until it burned her arm. She screamed but had no time to formulate a defense. She burst into flames, her eyes staring into his as she passed from one world to the next.

The crack of a gunshot made Winthrop flinch and it was a second before he realized that he had been shot. He looked down to see blood streaming down his right shoulder. Union Jack was standing nearby, his pistol pointed at Winthrop ’s head.

“Stay where you are,” Union Jack warned. “Whether you and Blackheart were in on it from the start or not, you’re just as much of a bastard as he was.”

“My rise to power was interrupted by that demon, Union Jack. He stole my power and my grace from me. He did it all to wound my mentor… it had little to do with me, in fact. That has given me so much anger and fury that nothing short of total retribution will console me.”

“Which means what?”

“I’m going to make the world burn. Just like I did to her.”

Union Jack sprang out of the way of a powerful energy blast that shot forth from Winthrop . It left the ground scorched and smoking. Joey fired his pistol several more times, but Winthrop was a blur. He seemed to be shifting so fast that he was almost invisible and nothing Joey could do would make him come into focus.

When the smoke had cleared, Winthrop was gone and Union Jack was left in his wake, cursing.

Gray Poldark sometimes wondered when and how his life had gotten so strange. Once upon a time, he’d been a filmmaker obsessed with pulp heroes… true, he’d suffered from a sleep malady that meant he was awake about 20 hours a day, but that hardly led one to believe that he’d eventually be wearing spandex and battling a walking whale.

Nocturne cradled a crying little boy to his chest, running full tilt up the beach. “It’s going to be okay,” he promised, though he wasn’t too sure of that. This thing, Giganto it was called, was shrugging off everything that was thrown at him so far. In fact, most of it just seemed to make him angrier.

“Do you have a plan, Betsy?” Cybermancer asked, flying closer to the team’s leader. Suzi had been a bit jealous of Betsy Braddock when they’d first met – how could any woman not be, when Betsy was beautiful, intelligent and sweet? – but over time she’d grown to love her. She was an ideal given human form. She truly was Captain Britain .

“His hide’s too powerful for us to pierce.” Captain Britain looked at Dark Angel, who was blasting Giganto with another energy burst. “Shevaun! You still have access to other dimensions?”

“Of course. That’s how I made it back under the Barrier. What do you have in mind?”

“Open up a rift. The biggest you can manage. Suzi and I will lead Giganto into it. Send him someplace nice.”

Dark Angel looked back at Giganto, doubt playing across her features. “I’ve never transported anything so large… but I’ll give it a try.” She flew forward, using her technomagic abilities to begin opening a rift to another realm.

Giganto lumbered on, his eyes full of fury. He’d been awakened from a deep sleep by the Horn of Proteus and then he’d found himself attacked by these stinging gnats… it made him roar with rage. Two of them buzzed about him now, hurting him with their flashes of light. He swung out at them, but they were too fast for him to hit. One of their blasts hit him in the eyes, blinding him. He staggered onwards, pain making him desperate. He felt a strange sensation along his outer skin, a rippling effect that was almost ticklish….

And then he was somewhere else, with new scents and sounds. His vision cleared to reveal that he stood in the middle of a large ocean that stretched onwards for as far his eyes could see. Giganto looked about but there was no sign of the gnats anymore. It was very peaceful and he could feel sleep calling to him once more…..

Back on the beach, Dark Angel let out a long sigh as the rift closed behind Giganto. It had taken a lot out of her to open a portal so large but it had been worth it. “Now what?” she asked as her teammates flew up next to her.

As usual, Betsy had an answer. “We find out what the rest of the Hellfire Club was up to while we were here… and we get some rest,” she added, seeing how weary Shevaun was. “Good job. And welcome home.”

The Red King stood outside the burning mound of Darkmoor Prison and could scarcely contain his glee. He’d been locked away here once, living like a common criminal. It had taken the reborn Hellfire Club to free him and offer him the kind of life to which he’d once been so accustomed. And now everyone would be free. He nodded at some of the monsters as they fled into the night… Captain Englander, Eddie Brock, Spring Heeled Jack, so many more. The women’s wing was open now, too, meaning that Lady Mandarin, Jack O’Lantern and others were on the loose. Britain was soon to be hit by a plague of villains.

“Chaos.” Lord Pumpkin whispered at his side. The hideous monstrosity was nearly capering with his won sick happiness. “We’re going to drown the whole continent in it. And then we’ll step in and—“

“Don’t buy too much of Winthrop ’s nonsense. I think he’s a worthy addition but only because he has power and vision. He’s also more than willing to sell us all the down the river. I’m going along with his chaos ideas because if we can keep the Pendragons busy with other things, they won’t have any time for us.”

“We’ll make time. Believe me.”

The Red King turned just in time to see a sword swipe cleanly through Lord Pumpkin’s head, sending seeds and orange goo flying. Adam Crown stood there, his bearded face looking handsome and confident. “Care to share your friend’s fate? Or do you wish to surrender?”

The Red King drew his own sword. “I’m twice the swordsman you are.”

“A pity you’re not twice the magician he is,” Adam Crown replied, gesturing upwards.

The Red King looked up to see Wynter floating above them. The pale skinned mage waved a hand, creating a mystic prison around the Red King, who screamed in helpless rage. “We will never be able to retrieve all those who escaped tonight,” the wizard said, landing near Crown.

“You’re right. We’d best warn the Pendragons. They won’t be happy.”

Wynter nodded, thinking over the Red King’s words. Clive Winthrop. Chaos. There will be dark days ahead, he mused. Dark days, indeed.

Next Issue: Killraven learns that his oldest enemy is loose in the 21st century while Polaris seeks out some unusual help for her recent problems. Plus: Remember when the Pendragons made plans to open up branches throughout Europe? Prepare yourself for Pendragons Paris!

AUTHOR'S NOTES

Hope you enjoyed the last couple of issues. Next issue will focus on a couple of subplots that have been simmering just below the surface and then we’ll start gearing up for our long-awaited crossover with the Knights of Avalon series. This will be pending Gary Halpin’s availability, of course. If we have to push back the crossover, you can look forward to Betsy’s testing of her long-awaited plan to bring down the Barrier….

You can reach me at aric_dacia@yahoo.com

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