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.
The Vampire Chronicles and all related characters created by Anne Rice. Copyright Anne O'Brien Rice.
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 authorjames2002@yahoo.com
Thank you and enjoy.
Chapter 1 Contacts
The group returned to the mansion and settled in. Weatherby, however, was very distant from the rest.
"I want Apocalypse dead," he replied.
"We don't know anything about Apocalypse," Whistler replied. "My background is in the supernatural, not in human biological mutations. He's a mutant." "Too bad I don't know how to contact Batman," Weatherby said. "He's a mutant. Maybe he knows what to do or can point me in the right direction."
"Who?" Tandy asked.
"Batman. A guy I ran into on my way after Exeter when he fled to Columbus."
"Is it the same Batman the Watchers' Council called on a few months ago to help with the situation in England?"
"He didn't say," Weatherby answered.
"What situation?" Blade asked.
"Almost a year ago, a fallen angel which is now a pure demon was released from his cell, a book that most of the original demons were captured. The Watchers' Council contacted him along with three Slayers to help take the demon out. Eventually, they were able to seal the demon back in the book. Batman nearly gave his life."
"Do you know how to contact him?"
"No, I don't."
"Do you think the Watchers' Council could help?"
"I don't think they can at the moment. I just received word while you were out that war has been declared on the Watchers' Council and Vampire Slayers by vampires. Several Slayers and Watchers have been murdered throughout the world already."
"Oh great!" Tandy replied.
"That's not important to me," Weatherby finally said. All eyes went to him. "I want to find Johnny. He is my number one priority right now."
"We'll find him," Davey said.
"How?"
"I can try to contact the X-MEN," Ty replied. "They might know something about Apocalypse."
"Get on it," Weatherby ordered. "I want to know everything they have."
Ty nodded and went downstairs to the computer. Harris went with him to help him navigate the complex system.
"What do we do about the war?" Blade asked.
"We can either split the team up if the X-MEN have information. One group can go after Apocalypse and the other can stay in Columbus to help deal with the vampire threat."
"What is the vampire threat?"
"Details are still sketchy about what they want. Most likely they want to take over the world. Vampires are so damn dramatic. In any case, we will just have to do what we can to quell the vampire attacks that are heading this way."
"What are we to expect with this declaration of war?" Tandy asked.
"I don't know. Obviously more vampires will be attacking. And not just the kind you are used to battling. We will probably have to deal with the ones that actually turn into bat-like creatures. Their skin is very tough. Their only weakness is to cut off their heads or puncture vital arteries. They look normal until they are ready to feed. When that happens, they transform into large bat-like creatures."
"Are you serious?" Tandy said with shock. "We are definitely going to have to fight those gross things?"
"I don't know what vampires we will be up against. There are many different species of vampire. The Council is still not sure what species declared war. It is a frightful notion, but it could be all of the known species."
"All!"
"We have to take it slow. There is no reason to figure out right now what is going on. We need to be cautious until more information becomes available to us."
Ty and Harris came back.
"I just finished communicating with Emma Frost, the lady who came and helped us rescue the mutant students the Friends of Humanity incarcerated. She said they have quite a bit of information on Apocalypse, too much to hand over to us at the moment."
"Did you share with them why we needed the info?" Davey asked.
"Yes. And the response I got was that we should go to New York to discuss it with them."
"They want us to travel to New York so they can tell me where I can find the mother fucker who took my boyfriend?" Weatherby said. "Why the fuck couldn't they tell you?"
"They didn't say. The sound of her voice seemed rather serious. I think they want to know about Ghost Rider, too."
"Aw, hell," Weatherby said standing and going to the window.
"Maybe you should all go," Whistler said. "It sounds important."
"What about you and the vampire attacks?" Tandy asked.
"I can handle things until you get back. I spoke with several nearby Watchers and they are willing to help out. I can probably get the Council to send another Slayer this way if necessary. You should go and find out what you can."
"We will have to be back by the time school starts," Davey replied, "at least Tandy, Ty and I."
"Very well. I'll hold the fort until you three get back. But hopefully all of you will come back to us."
The earliest flight Whistler could get was for September 7th. Labor Day weekend was busy, too busy for them to get the same flights. The three youths started school, but their attention was on their missing friend and the threat of the vampire war. Their nightly patrols didn't change much so far, but Whistler said it was only a matter of time before the vampires began.
The morning of their flight, Whistler handed the three youths their round trip tickets. He extended Blade and Weatherby's tickets for a few days so they could get as much information as possible for getting Johnny back.
The airplane landed at Kennedy National Airport and the team disembarked. Whistler had called ahead to have a van to pick them up and take them to Xavier's Institute for Gifted Youngsters. No one had to pay for the trip since Whistler had unlimited funds to aid in their quests.
The van turned into the gate and drove down the driveway. Students were out on the grounds, some eating lunch, some having fun playing football or tossing Frisbees. Ty looked on the students and wondered what it would have been like to grow up around so many mutants.
Their transportation pulled up to the front door and they climbed out grabbing their luggage. A red haired woman approached the group.
"Hello," she replied. "My name is Dr. Jean Grey."
"Blade," Blade replied. "These are my colleagues Tandy, Ty, Davey and Weatherby."
"Nice to meet you. We've been expecting you. Please, come this way."
The group followed her into the school foyer. A familiar girl in a yellow jacket and large earrings came up to her.
"Jubilee!" Tandy replied.
"Hi, Tandy," Jubilee replied. Then she turned to Jean. "You wanted to see me, Jean."
"Jubilee, could you please show our guests to their rooms. Then bring them to the conference room."
"Sure thing," Jubilee replied. "Come on."
Tandy approached Jubilee and told her all the things that she has been through. The group headed up the stairs.
Jean looked on and then headed to Professor X's office.
'Come in, Jean,' Professor X thought to her.
The doctor acknowledged and opened the door.
"Well, what do you think?" the Professor asked.
"They are very sincere about their desire to find their friend. I sense no subterfuge with them. One of them, Weatherby, seems very angry, which isn't surprising. If his partner was kidnapped, it is no wonder he is so angry."
"Very well. Let's get Bobby, Scott, Emma and Hank with us in the conference room when we talk with them. It might help ease them if there are familiar faces to speak to."
Jean nodded and left the office to get the mutants Professor Xavier requested.
"It was really weird," Tandy said to Jubilee as she was shown her room.
"You get to bunk with me," Jubilee said.
"Cool," Tandy replied.
As Tandy put her things away, Jubilee showed the others to their rooms. Ty and Davey were sharing a room and Blade and Weatherby shared a room. They quickly unpacked and met with Jubilee and Tandy in Jubilee's room and then headed down to the conference room.
When they entered the room, they found Bobby Drake and Emma Frost, as well as some faces they did not know.
"Please, have a seat," Professor Xavier invited. "I'm glad you were able to come."
"Where can I find the bastard who took Johnny?" Weatherby asked abruptly.
Blade sat down ignoring Weatherby's outburst.
"I understand your impatience, Mr. Weatherby. But we must learn all that we can from each other in order to help your friend."
"BOYfriend," Weatherby corrected.
"Of course," Xavier said.
Weatherby pulled up a chair and sat down.
"I know you've met Emma Frost, Bobby Drake and Jubilee before. The students you rescued are doing very well here."
"That's good to hear," Blade replied.
"I would like to introduce you to Scott Summers, Dr. Henry Mccoy."
"Please, call me Hank," the blue-haired beast man said with a smile.
"You've met Dr. Jean Grey. I'm Charles Xavier and welcome to my school. Tell us about your friend. What about him would make Apocalypse want him?"
"He is possessed by a very ancient spirit," Ty answered. "At times, he transforms into a being called Ghost Rider, a being of incredible strength. His mystical abilities haven't been tapped yet, but I think he has great potential to use very powerful and ancient magics."
Professor Xavier nodded with the information.
"Now," Weatherby said. "Tell us about Apocalypse."
"We are still gathering the information together. What we know already is that he is a very old, very powerful mutant. The records are very sketchy."
"This is why you wanted us to come out here?" Weatherby said in anger standing up from his seat. "You wanted us to come out here, tell you about Johnny, and then listen to you say he is a very old, very powerful mutant?! We already knew that simply by the way we couldn't do anything to stop him in Columbus a few days ago! This is bullshit!"
"Mr. Weatherby, please, calm down," Professor Xavier said.
Jean turned from Weatherby to Blade sensing something.
Hank stood up ready to contain Weatherby if he became violent.
"I want my lover back any way I can. Find him. Get your information and give it to me. If I have to, I'll hunt down this bastard called Apocalypse and make him wish he never stepped foot in Columbus."
Weatherby stormed out of the room.
Jean looked over at Blade again. Then she looked back at Professor Xavier.
"Sorry for that outburst," Blade said standing up. "Weatherby is really upset about what happened to Johnny."
"With good reason," Professor Xavier said.
"We appreciate anything and everything you can do."
"Of course," Professor Xavier said. "Please, give us time. We would be happy to help you, especially after what you did for the students in Columbus."
Blade nodded.
"Dinner will be served soon. Feel free to eat with us in the dining hall or in your room, whichever you prefer. Have a look around. We can give you a tour of the facilities if you wish."
The group stood and walked out. Bobby walked up to Ty and Davey and agreed to show them around the school grounds.
Jubilee went up to Tandy. "Want to look around?"
"Sure. I want to talk with Blade for a minute."
"Okay. I'll meet you out front."
Jubilee went ahead through the front doors.
"Blade," Tandy said when she saw where her mentor went. She ran up to him. "We will have to be going back to Columbus the day after tomorrow. If it is going to take them time to get the information, we are going to have to get back to Columbus to help with the vampire threat. Not to mention school."
Blade nodded in agreement.
"Are you okay?" Tandy asked. "You seem quieter than normal. Is it because of how Weatherby reacted? You can't really blame him. What would you do if your boyfriend or girlfriend were taken by a crazy mutant?"
"I would be just as upset," Blade replied coldly.
"Are you headed up to your room?"
"No. I think I'm going to have a look around."
"You don't want to leave Weatherby alone for long. He might decide to punish the room for what happened."
Blade didn't respond.
"Gee, I thought that was funny," she replied. "You are really upset about what happened. You weren't like this until Weatherby got upset. One would think you have the hots for him or something."
Blade stopped walking for a split second then continued on. Tandy stopped, brought her hand up to her mouth, and looked at her mentor, realizing she hit the nail on the head.
To Be Continued...
What do you think of this new revelation about Blade's feelings for the Punisher? Interesting twist now that Weatherby is involved with somebody. Blade is helping with the kidnapping, as well. What do you think this has to do to him?
I hope you noticed the date of their flight. Remember, this happens in 2001, so you know what happens the following day.