Date: Sat, 30 Mar 2002 12:27:58 -0800 (PST) From: James Geckler Subject: Punisher 7 Disclaimer: This story is a work of fiction. It has no intentions of resembling any real persons dead or alive. This is entirely from my imagination, with a little help from already established sources. This story is based loosely on the comic book character "The Punisher" from Marvel Comics. Other characters may appear from Marvel comics as well as DC Comics. Punisher and all related characters copyright Marvel Comics. Blade and all related characters copyright Marvel Comics. Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel copyright Joss Whedon, United Paramount Network and Warner Bros. Respectively. I have written another story on nifty entitled "Tales of a Real Dark Knight". It is in the Celebrity/Boy Bands section. Batman may appear in this story once or twice, as the Punisher may appear in "Tales of a Real Dark Knight". Any comments may be sent to jmsotc1@yahoo.com Thank you and enjoy. Chapter 7 Assault Ty and Tandy pulled into the warehouse. As they climbed out, Blade approached. "There are three mutants from the school you contacted, Ty. They are here for the students." "Really?" Ty replied rather excitedly. "Where?" "Over by your shield. One of them is communicating with the students telepathically. She's trying to calm them down." Blade, Tandy and Ty walked over to the three X-MEN. "Did you want to eat first?" Blade asked. "The foods here." "That may help calm them," Emma replied. "I'll help unload the food," Bobby offered. He, Blade, Harris and Ty went to the car. "So you're mutants?" Tandy asked. "Yep," Jubilee answered. "Me, too." "What can you do?" "I throw these light daggers. If they hit a human, the person is paralyzed. If they hit a demon, it can harm them more physically." "You fight demons, too?" "What do you mean 'too'?" "We know someone, actually several someones who fight demons. One is a mutant. Another is a Vampire Slayer." "Oh," Tandy said excitedly. "That's what I am! I'm a Vampire Slayer." Jubilee raised an eyebrow at Tandy's excitation. Then, she grinned. "That's great." "What can you do?" Tandy asked. "I create blasts of energy with my hands and control them with my mind." "This is so cool. I've never had another girl to talk to about my powers." "So you're a mutant, too?" Ty asked Bobby as they unloaded the car. "Yep." "What are your powers?" "I can lower temperature on the inside and outside of me. Everyone calls me Iceman." "Cool." "You're a mutant?" "Yeah." "What are your powers?" "I become a portal to some dark dimension. I can phase through objects and move around from place to place by entering the dark dimension and opening a portal in another part of the world." "Sounds cool." Bobby looked at Blade. "Are you a mutant?" Blade looked at Bobby straight-faced and said, "No," then continued on with unloading the car. The four men carried the food over to the energy shield. "We have lots of fruits and vegetables," Ty said, "and a bunch of deli sandwiches. I didn't think it would be practical to get a bunch of food we would have to cook." Ty walked up to the shield and placed a hand on it. "Expositus," Ty said in Latin. The shield wavered and a small opening appeared. Emma grabbed a bag of food and headed toward the opening. "Let me go in," Blade said, grabbing for the bag of food. "No." "Why not?" "They don't trust you. I've been able to calm them." "Fair enough." Blade turned and walked away. Everyone sat eating sandwiches and drinking soda. Harris sat off to one side feeling out of place among the super-powered. Sure he no longer fit in with his parents, especially since they agree with the Friends of Humanity, but he doesn't truly fit in here. "Sometimes," Harris thinks often, "I don't feel like I fit in anywhere." Davey looked over and watched Harris for a moment. Harris turned and looked at the group of mutants, then turned back to his sandwich. He spoke not a word to anyone, yet he still helps. "I wonder what he's thinking," Davey thought to himself. He decided to do the only thing he could do. Ask. Davey stood up and walked over to Harris, taking his food with him. "Hey," he greeted. "Hi," Harris replied. "Can I sit here?" Harris turned and looked up at Davey, making eye contact with him. "What?" "I see there is an extra spot by you. Can I sit here with you?" "Um...sure." Davey sat down next to Harris. He took a bite of his sandwich and chewed. "Is there something you wanted?" Harris asked. Davey chewed his food in his mouth, took a sip of his soda, and then looked at Harris. His eyes fell right on Harris's eyes and he was lost. He looked deeply and saw something he never thought he'd ever see. He could almost see Harris's soul. "Is something wrong?" Harris asked. Davey was almost scared. It wasn't like his mutant ability going into action. It was something deeper inside him, something that was part of him. The only way he could describe it was his soul touching Harris's soul. He was dumbfounded. He was overwhelmed with the feelings he was experiencing. He felt vulnerable. Never had he felt vulnerable before. He was secure in his gifts. He was confident in his looks and popularity. He never wanted for anything. Yet at this moment he felt something he never experienced before, something that was lacking in his life. Harris couldn't believe what he felt with Davey. It was like Davey was opening himself up. Davey was expressing something Harris had only dreamed someone would feel toward him. But it couldn't be real, could it? Davey was so popular and attractive. Davey could have anyone he wanted. Why would he want Harris who was overweight and not that attractive? A loud sound outside grabbed Harris's attention, as well as Davey's and everyone else's. Harris decided it was just his imagination. "What the hell was that?" Ty exclaimed. Emma closed her eyes a moment. Quickly they snapped open. "We've got company." "The Friends of Humanity," Blade stated. "But how?" Bobby asked. Blade turned and looked at Harris. Harris realized the Friends of Humanity people at his parents' home traced his phone call. He led them here. "No time to fret about it," Emma said. "It won't do any good helping us now." Davey looked back to Harris and touched his arm as if to say everything was okay and that no one blamed him. Davey put his sandwich down and ran over to Blade. "What do we do?" "Get ready for a fight." "Harris," Davey called out. "Get down." Harris ducked down behind a nearby container. A rumbling was heard outside again. Tandy held up her hands, which glowed red. Ty's hands glowed green. Bobby's hands steamed as they cooled. Blade readied himself for a fight. "Ty," Emma called out. "I need you to lower the shield and help me get the students out! You!" she said pointing to Harris. "Come help. Jubilee, you help Blade and Tandy!" Jubilee nodded as she stepped up beside Tandy. "I guess we get to fight side-by-side, too." "I wish Punisher were here," Tandy said. "I'm a little worried." "He has no special powers and you wish him here?" Blade asked. He shook his head. "Kids." The door erupted in a great flurry of smoke. Bobby threw his hand forward and a wall of ice formed in front of everyone, shielding them from the debris. Harris took advantage of the chaos and ran over to Emma. "What can I do?" he asked. "I want you to escort the students to the X-Jet. It's out back. Ty, you will lower the shield for a few moments, enough time to let five students out. When five are out, close the shield. I don't want anyone hurt if we can help it." Ty nodded, held up his hand and said, "Expositus." An opening formed and Emma motioned for five students to come out. "Termino." The shield closed. Emma and Harris led the first group of students to the other end of the warehouse. "Wait," Emma said. "There are commandos on the other side awaiting us to make an escape." "W-w-what do we do?" Harris asked. "Ty, can you make us appear invisible?" "Sure." Ty closed his and calmed himself. Rotating his hands as if a ball were in between his palms, a white energy formed. He opened his eyes, thrust out his hands and said, "Amiculum". The white energy flew out through the doorway. A light dagger met the first commando who lifted their head up. The person shook for a moment then collapsed, paralyzed. "Good work," Jubilee complimented. "Thanks," Tandy replied. "Less talk. More action," Blade said. He ran up to two commandos and punched one. He went down immediately. The other one swung the butt of his gun at Blade's face. Blade moved an inch and it missed him completely. He brought his elbow up and hit the commando in the face. Down he fell. Davey ran up to a group of commandos. One swung his gun at Davey. Davey jumped into the air over the gun and, as he came down, kicked two of the guards. "Naughty, naughty. It's not nice to play rough." Davey swung his fist out and punched the commando who swung the gun. She went flying into the air and slammed up against the wall. Down she slid unconscious. Davey grabbed two more commandos, lifted them into the air and slammed their heads together. They relaxed unconscious in his hands. He released them and they dropped to the floor. Bobby threw his hand out as three commandos took aim. Ice flew around the ends of the gun as they pulled the triggers. The pressure built up and the guns exploded in their hands. They screamed in pain. The corner of Bobby's lips curled into a smile. "Did it work?" Harris asked Ty. "There's only one way to find out." Ty stepped forward toward the door. "Wait," Emma called out. She turned to Harris. "Open the door." "But..." "No 'but's. Just do it." "Yes," Harris replied. He slowly stepped over to the door, head bowed like he was just whipped. Taking a deep breath, he grasped the door handle and opened the door. The commandos just stood there looking at the doorway weapons aimed. Harris waved his hand out the door. None of the commandos moved. He stepped back inside. "They aren't doing a thing." Emma stepped up to the door and poked her head out. She saw the commandos and touched one's mind with her own. All she sensed was preparedness, anticipation. They were waiting for someone to open the door. All they saw, however, was the door still closed. Emma came back in. "Yep. They can't see us. Let's move, kids." Emma moved out the door and the first five kids followed. Harris followed her as well so he would know where to take the next group. He followed around the corner and saw behind a large pile of metal a sleek black jet. The bottom opened up into a ramp as Emma approached. The students looked on in amazement. "Come on," Emma called out. "We haven't got all day." The students rushed onboard quickly. Emma turned to Harris. "Do you think you can get the rest?" "Yes," he replied. He turned and ran back to the warehouse. "It shouldn't be too difficult. There are only ten more students. That's two more trips. If they are all like that, it should be a cake walk." Jubilee shot out sparks at a barrel a commando was hiding behind. The barrel exploded and knocked the commando out of the warehouse. Tandy ran up and tackled a commando. She punched the commando and knocked her out. "How many more?" Bobby asked. "Not that many," Blade replied as he rammed his knee into a commando's face. Harris took another group out the back. The commandos still didn't move. He watched as his classmates ran to the jet and climbed on board. He picked out all the ones who made fun of him. Who would have thought that he would be helping to save their lives? If anyone would have told him a few days ago he would be helping a group of mutants save mutant students from his high school, he would have thought the person telling him was crazy. Now he's surrounded by mutants and mutant-haters living an adventure that most comic book and movie-writers could only dream of. Harris returned to the warehouse. Ty lowered the shield and ran with Harris and the group to the X-Jet. They climbed onboard. "This is awesome!" Ty exclaimed. "Thank you," Emma replied. "Now get the hell off and tell Bobby and Jubilee to get their asses in here." Ty nodded and ran down the ramp, followed by Harris. "She's awfully bitchy," Ty commented to Harris. "I wonder if it's her time of the month." "Some women don't need to be menstruating in order to be a bitch," Harris replied. "Too true." "Neither do some men." Ty smiled at Harris. They rounded the corner into the warehouse and pulled the door shut. They made their way to the group fight. A sniper, hiding behind a stack of crates, took aim. Ty walked up behind him and used his mutant ability, sucking the sniper into him, it appeared. After a few moments, Ty released him, unconscious. Harris's eyes widened in shock. Ty smiled. "That's my mutant ability." "Remind me not to get you mad at me." Ty laughed. A commando tackled Ty to the ground, pinning Ty's arms down so he couldn't move. "Let's see you use your magic now, mutant." Harris grabbed a metal rod lying on the ground and swung it full force hitting the commando in the head. The commando fell off Ty unconscious. "Thanks," Ty replied. "Don't mention it." Harris reached down and Ty took his hand. Harris helped him up. The two headed into the battle that was quickly coming to an end. "Bobby!" Ty yelled. "Jubilee! Emma is waiting for you in the jet!" Bobby and Jubilee nodded. "Are you going to be able to get out of here?" Bobby asked. "Yes," Blade answered. "Now get out of here! We can finish this!" Bobby nodded again, fired a blast of ice at a commando, and ran toward the back of the warehouse. Jubilee shot a blast of energy as well and followed Bobby. Ty watched as they opened the door and disappeared around the corner. "Let's keep them distracted until our friends get away!" Blade called out. Tandy threw several light daggers at a group of commandos. They fell, paralyzed. Davey jumped and spun, kicking several commandos in the face. He didn't see one taking aim at him from behind some crates. "Davey!" Harris warned. "Get down!" Davey dropped as the sniper pulled the trigger. The bullet missed Davey but traveled across the warehouse and hit Tandy in the shoulder. "Ouch!" she exclaimed. "That hurt!" Davey crawled over to the crates and kicked hard. With his augmented strength, the crates flew back, pinning the sniper against the wall. Davey stood, walked over to him and punched him. Ty ran over to Tandy and checked her shoulder. "Are you okay?" "Yeah. If we get the bullet out, I should be able to heal up no problem." "Extract," Ty said placing his hand over the wound. The bullet came to the opening and he grabbed it and tossed it aside. "Thanks." "You're welcome." Blade picked a commando up by the material on the chest of his jumpsuit. The vampire-man threw him high up against the wall, knocking him unconscious. He turned to see all the commandos strung throughout the warehouse. "Is everyone okay?" he asked his friends. Tandy, Ty, Davey and Harris came from their places and gathered by Blade. "We need to get out of here. Our hideout has been compromised." "I'm so sorry about this," Harris said. "You don't have to apologize," Davey replied. "It wasn't your fault." "Yes it was. If I hadn't called my parents, the Friends of Humanity wouldn't have been able to trace the call." "This is all moot now," Blade said. "The important thing is that everyone is safe. Gather everything together. We need to find a new hideout." "What will we use to carry everything?" Tandy asked. "We have Punisher's Suburban. Load it up as full as you can, along with the car. We'll leave the motorcycle for Punisher. Ty, can you use your magics and gather the commandos together up and bind them up?" "Sure, can." "Do it. Then gather what you can in the car and take Tandy with you. I'll take Davey and Harris in the Suburban. Let's move." To Be Continued... Harris no longer can talk to his family. They side with the Friends of Humanity. Harris has found his place among society's outcasts. And among them, he's still an outcast. The gang's hideout is now compromised. Where will they go? What will they do? And how will Punisher find them? Please email me with your questions and comments. I would enjoy hearing from you.