Chapter Six: Omega Red[]
Wolverine scowled as he descended a staircase leading to the underground facility. The entire place stank of a variety of things, namely blood, sweat and feces. Dark bloodstains adorned the filthy walls, remnants of sickening experiments performed within the chambers. Foul-smelling liquid oozed from cracks in a large transparent tube that had apparently not been used for decades.
"I've got no idea where the sentinels are being made, so let's split up. We'll be able to find the sentinels more quickly." Storm commented as they reached a laboratory. Two corridors led away into the filthy darkness. Reaching to a pouch on her belt, Storm pulled out four small earpieces. "Put these on, so we can keep in contact," she said.
"I'll take the left," stated Wolverine as he dashed down one of the corridors.
The other X-Men went down the other corridor, and soon emerged on a catwalk above a colossal factory. Half-finished sentinel parts rolled along conveyor belts to be worked on by machines. Though the factory was larger than several houses put together, there was not a person in sight. Merely automatic appendages constructing, altering, fixing or enhancing various bits of sentinel.
However, from a steel doorway on the other side of the room emerged a man with long, dirty blond hair tied back in a messy topknot. He wore a lightweight crimson color armor and his skin was a sickly light gray color.
"Looks like that's our target!" Storm whispered to Nightcrawler and Iceman.
"Should we attack? Wait for Wolverine to get back?" asked Iceman.
"Not yet. We have to find out what he's up to."
"I'll do it," volunteered Nightcrawler. He leapt off the catwalk, vanishing in a puff of purple smoke halfway down. He reappeared in front of the man.
"Guten tag, mister! May I ask -"
Nightcrawler was cut off as a metallic tentacle erupted from one of the man's wrists, wrapped around his throat and threw him across the room. The man, who Storm now realized was a mutant, strode forward and lifted Nightcrawler with another tentacle from his other wrist, dangling him upside-down. The mutant taunted in a booming Russian voice,
"You thought you could negotiate with Omega Red? You will die for your audacity!"
With that, Omega Red slammed him against the wall and concentrated, bunching up his fists. Nightcrawler was overcome by the painful sensation of having his life force drained. Veins bulged in both mutants as Omega Red slowly sucked Nightcrawler's life energy dry. Storm and Iceman sprang into action, launching into battle with the other mutant. Iceman slid along a freezing path, preparing to assault Omega Red with a barrage of cold - only for Omega Red to anticipate his attack, grab his foot with a carbonadium tentacle and hurl him into a vat of green liquid. Storm took to the air and summoned a bolt of lightning. The white-hot strike of energy shot from her fingertips and caught Omega Red in the chest. He doubled over for a moment, then lashed out, spinning his gleaming silvery tentacles into a blur, flinging Nightcrawler into Storm.
"Don't bother! I have a healing factor too! All that will do is make me mad!"
Ignoring his threats, Iceman generated three knives made of ice. He threw them in his opponent's direction with great accuracy. The icicles pierced Omega Red's abdomen, sending a trickle of blood down his armor. Omega Red grunted as he pulled them out, then crushed them into shards in a vice-like grip. He spun his tentacles as he walked forward and moved in for the kill.
Meanwhile, Wolverine had made his way to an old staircase. He cautiously descended, glancing at the walls, wary of traps or tripwires. When he reached the bottom a rusty door led to another corridor. Wolverine casually slashed the door apart and walked inside.