The X-Project

X-Force meets back with Vazhin to discuss what they have discovered.



Remy sat at the head of the table, Betsy and Marie-Ange to either side and a truly frightening stacks of files arrayed around them. Surprisingly, Vazhin arrived with the rest of the team, shuffling past them to take a seat. One of the attendants passed around tea, in the glass cups with the metal holders. Vazhin had a touch of old Russian manners in him, Remy had learned over the last day or so.

"I hope everyone has had fun." Remy said, earning a series of scowls from the team and at least one rude gesture from Amanda. "Bein, because it's time to go to work. Let's go 'round de table, see what we have 'bout all dis."

"Well, it's not sodding magical," Amanda said, breathing in steam from the tea gratefully - she still had a headache from days of research. "Wanda and me checked out everything we could think of and some other things besides. Nothing occult could do this, not without giving every sensitive this side of the Atlantic the screaming heebie jeebies, which we would have word of."

"Doug found a pattern to the attacks," Mark chimed in, sounding like a proud child who wanted to show off something that would make other people envious. "Apparently, updating ancient Russian technology invokes Badness with a capital B. Uh, Doug, you explain it better."

Doug rolled his eyes and leaned forward. "Gee, thanks, Mark. Great lead-in there." He folded his hands over some printouts. "Basically, as far as we were able to get is that whoever's behind this has been targeting companies that are in the business of updating infrastructure. Specifically old power cabling. I don't understand the motive, but all of the places that were attacked fit the pattern."

"There are many such companies now, salvaging old Soviet infrastructure and replacing it with newer modern networks. It's one of our few success stories. I can't imagine why someone would want to target them, even if their true goal was to harm the state." Vazhin said, flipping over the files Remy had left for him. LeBeau shrugged.

"Motive right now is de least of our worries." He said, and looked back down the table. "Nice work Doug, Mark. Who's next?"

Sarah looked up from the table. "So I know I -lived- with dead bodies for a good year of my life, but if I could never see a body again like the one we just got to visit, I will be eternally grateful. That wasn't human, it was... just flesh. Something."

Sliding forward a neat folder, Sofia rapped her pen against the edge of the table, the only outward indication of her discomfort. "Cause of death obviously a shot to the head, but they were dead anyway. They were being destroyed from the inside out. Stress fractures, muscle deterioration, internal organ consumption. No teeth marks, though, almost as if they were dissolved."

"Dat have anything to do wit' dis implant thing you mentioned?" Remy said sharply, looking at the pictures she forwarded. "So dis thing could have been de key to de strange mutations?" It hadn't looked like much of anything, but it was both organic and wholly foreign, wrapped around the top of the spinal cord and the hindbrain of the victims.

At Remy's look, Wanda shrugged one shoulder lightly. "I am not sure where else to go," she admitted. "Like Amanda said, the magic angle has turned up nothing. I contacted Stephen and he was unable to unearth anything, either. I think the research party has hit an incredibly large dead end."

"You've both done all you can. Since we're positive that these transformations do not have any obscure origins in magic," Betsy interjected, leaning forward. "I think it'd be best if we get started, shall we?" Her gaze pointed at Vazhin. "We won't learn much else staying here and I for one would prefer to get to the heart of the matter."

"Thanks to you all, I think dat we can assume it not terrorists. Something from the days of Soviet experimentation has woken up." Remy said finally. "Marie-Ange and I visited a Doctor Evdikimov, who had be one of de researchers at de facility in Chernyakhoskoye, where de first victim was from. He says dat his experiment failed, but considering dat it was weaponizing a mutant wit' specific powers to control people through bio-mechanical means, I don't think any other explanation is likely. De files on dis thing are long gone, but de targets make sense. A Cold War facility would have deep earth power links, so in de event of attack, it could use several conduits to bring in power if one or two are cut. Both of dose companies are involved in salvaging parts such as dose and replacing dem with newly, more easily reached and maintained systems. Dey threatening to cut off de power of de facility, and dat means if de experiment is still active, cutting off her."

Vazhin scowled darkly at the table. "Time bombs, all of those damn places. Natasha, get your team together. Yelizaveta, your team has done excellent work, but I must request a further favour. You must go with Natasha's team to Chernyakhoskoye, and determine whether or not this experiment is truly active."

"Non," Remy broke in. "Betts, you stay here wit' Vazhin, and make sure de whole of de Russian army doesn't end up on our backs. If you want dis done quietly, you'll need her help." And Betsy could start putting into place some of the connections that Vazhin had promised them. Her raised eyebrow communicated easily that she was on the same page. "Rest of you, get what you need and get moving. We going to make sure dat Chernyakhoskoye is clear. I don't like de idea of anything dat can do what she does getting more powerful."