Led by the flares, the large band of mutates clear the hill where the Vanisher and Mountjoy made their delivery. The mutates have spread out, and watch the surrounding area as if they expect an attack. In Genosha, it’s not a bad thought.

One of the mutates, a tall and lanky man with an almost totally bald head, dares to approach the crates. None of his fellow mutates follow. Mutate 665 has made them uneasy for the past half hour, with his ravings that Genosha is about to be swallowed into the ground, even after he admitted that there is no fault line near Genosha.

Licking his lips nervously, mutate 665 approaches the crates. He looks around, probing at the earth for any sign of an ambush. Two individuals were here earlier, he knows, but they left suddenly, vanishing. There is nobody else besides himself and the other mutates.

Creeping up towards the crates, 665 places his hand on the side of one crate. Beneath his feet, the earth shifts slightly, bits of earth sifting through the cracks underneath the crate. 665 remains still for a moment, as though he is feeling through the earth itself. At last, he snatches his hand back, the wall of the crate falling forward.

Circled around the crates, the other mutates watch 665’s reaction to what he found. 665 stands silent for a moment, a small smile forming on his face. Reaching down into the crate, 665 stands back into full view, and the mutates gasp.

In each hand, mutate 665 holds a firearm. Holding the guns high into the air for all to see, 665 speaks loudly. “We have the power! We have the numbers! Now we have the guns!”

In a flood, the mutates surge towards the crates, eager for the weapons of destruction. They don’t know the weapons are experimental, US military plasma rifles. They don’t

know the destructive power of the weapons they now clamor over. They only know somebody has delivered them a large cache of weapons.

665, surrounded by his fellow gun wielding mutates, knows that today is their day. The arrival of these weapons and the shifting of the earth near Hammer Bay is no coincidence. Some unknown benefactor means to help the mutates. Far be it from them not to take advantage.

Rifles held high, 665 addresses the other mutates. “Now is the time to attack! Now is the time to win our freedom, and make the humans suffer as we have!”

665 is answered by a rousing chorus of cheers.

“Death to the magistrates!”

“Death to Genosha!”

“Death to the humans!”

The magistrate falls to the ground silently. He tried to scream, but only black smoke came from his mouth, the air in his lungs blazing.

Pyro spat on the smoldering body as he stepped over it. “Tis easy as pie gel. These wankers ain’t a match fer ol’ Pyro here, aye?”

Unuscione snorts as she follows Pyro. “Not at the moment, no. But you’re getting to creative. In you condition, I can’t let you lose control.”

Pyro grimaces as he feels the force field around him tighten, limiting his access to air. “Would you mind laying off a little? I need to breath ye know!”

“You still can,” Unuscione replies. “I’ll loosen it up if we run into more trouble. This way.” Unuscione jerks her head down a corridor Pyro had passed. She’s even kind enough to let him go ahead of her, so she can keep an eye on him.

Pyro mumbles angrily under his breath. He’s got years on the girl, and she’s treating him like a prisoner instead of a teammate. Sure, his infection of the Legacy Virus makes him a liability, but that’s no excuse. He’d like to see her complete the objective herself.

They continued along the corridor, Pyro in the lead with Unuscione behind. “Shucks, it looks like there’s nobody else to get in our way,” Pyro says with a smirk.

Unuscione glares at his back. “The more you talk, the more air you use up,” she states icily. Pyro’s smirk vanishes and he seems to more just a bit faster.

Rounding a corner, Pyro nods his head at the solid steel door far at the end. “That’s what we’re after. Lower the field so I can get us through.”

Unuscione does no such thing. “I’d better take a shot at if first.”

Pushing out with her powers, Unuscione presses against the thick, solid door. She concentrates for several moments, getting a feel for it. Finally she relents. “No good. It’s too strong for me-“

Pyro’s smirk returns. “Gimme a go at it then. I can melt through that door in no time at all.”

“-And too strong for you too,” Unuscione continues. “The metal’s too strong. We don’t have the time for you to slowly burn a hole in the thing.” She smiles, however, and points to a pair of keyholes. “It should only take a few minutes to melt the locks though. Then I can bust it down in no time.”

Pyro nods. “Gimme room to work.”

Unuscione accedes and weakens the force field a tad. Grinning weakly, Pyro points two fingers at the door. With a sudden blaze, two gouts of flame erupt from his fingers into the two keyholes. The metal around those keyholes grow a light red, yet there is no visible sign of the metal softening. After a moment, the flames weaken and die, and Pyro drops his hand in exhaustion.

“Th-tha-that was harder than I thought,” Pyro wheezes. It is clearly evident that the simple task required a lot of control and weakened the ill mutant severely.

As though Unuscione didn’t notice this, she shoved him out of the way with her exoskeleton. “Watch a real mutant at work,” she boasted. In one powerful push, Unuscione rams her exoskeleton against the metal door, swinging it open.

“G-goo-good work th-there, gel,” Pyro stammered weakly, trying to get back to his feet. He made it to one knee before a coughing fit overtook him, sending him crashing back to the floor.

Unable to keep from shivering, Unuscione kept her exoskeleton grip on Pyro and lifted him to his feet. “You alright?”

Pyro fixes an exasperated look on Unuscione. “Yeah, I’m right as rain. Unless you count this bloody virus that’s eating me from the inside out! Now quit yer lolly-gagging and let’s get what we came fer!”

Leaning on the wall for support, Pyro shoulders past Unuscione into the chamber on the other side of the door. A bead of nervous sweat on her forehead, Unuscione followed.

Inside, there were nothing but three things: shelves, desks, and computers. Of course, vials filled with blood and chemicals lined the shelves, papers littered the desks and desk drawers, and there was no doubt that the computers were full of data. Wheezing, Pyro managed to let out a jubilant chuckle, while Unuscione just searched the room over with her eyes.

“W-we found it,” Pyro cried out softly. “All of Genosha’s samples and information on the Legacy Virus laid out before us. All ours for the taki-Gakkkkk!” One hand against the wall, Pyro coughed viciously, nearly doubled over.

Unuscione was thankful that she’d made the exo-skeleton keep the germs in. Slapping Pyro on the back with an extension of her exo-skeleton, she couldn’t help but feel pleased herself. “You stay here by the door. I’ll gather what we came for.”

Stepping past Pyro and into the room, Unuscione takes out a CD and slides it into one of the computers. Quickly she types in several commands, including the password she was given, and the download begins.

Turning away from the computer, Unuscione opened up the small leather bag strapped to her shoulder and started towards the papers. After leafing through several stacks, she apparently found what she was looking for and placed the papers into the sack. Then she looked up at the beakers. “Pyro, what numbers are we looking for?”

“56, 9071, 122 and 24601,” Pyro rasped.

Unuscione extracts the vials from their containers and slips them into a small metal box. “24601? That sounds so familiar.”

Patting the bag, Unuscione turns back to the computer. “Okay, download is complete.” Unuscione removes the CD and puts it safely away. Done, she turns to face Pyro. “That’s everything. We’d better get out of here before the tremors get…”

Sprawled on the floor, steam rises off of Pyro’s body. Unuscione can make out the outline of her force field, and becomes deathly aware of the extreme temperature. Of Pyro himself, there is only a sickly, defeated look on his face.

“It’s getting bad,” Pyro softly whispers. “You better get out of here, keep the data safe. What are you waiting for! Run Unus-“

Unuscione had heard all she needed to hear. She was already rushing past Pyro and down the corridor as fast as she could. Clutching the bag to her chest, Unuscione wraps her exo-skeleton around her tightly, praying that it’ll be enough.

She became aware of the excruciating heat behind her. Suddenly, an explosion blows her off her feet.

“Rrraaaarrgggggggghhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!” Clamping one immense blue hand over the Toad’s face, the Beast slammed the back of the skinny villain’s head into the asphalt. Growling low in his throat, the Beast pressed down, either unaware or uncaring that he was about to kill a man.

Behind the struggling mutants, a great explosion is heard. The entire base of a building bursts outwards, fire erupting from the doors and windows.

Thankfully, the Beast has not fully lost his humanity. Startled by the explosion, and fearful of lives, the blue Avenger jerks his head upward to view the source.

Grinning wide despite the pain, Toad brings his knee up into the Beast’s sternum, driving the bouncing blue ball off. Leaping to his feet, the blood-streaked face of Toad just grins wider. “Oopsy! Looks like Pyro just lost what little control he has left. But don’t worry; I’m sure everybody that could have been killed was already dead. Unuscione doesn’t like leaving loose ends.”

Realizing what Toad is saying, the Beast and lunges forward, one hand thrown back for a swipe. All of this was merely a distraction!

Astonishingly, Toad stands still as the Beast bears down on him, all trace of rationality gone. Instead, Toad waits till the last possible moment before he kicks out. The heel of his foot slams into the Beast jaw, the impact so great that the Beast does a full back flip before crashing to the ground.

Toad skips around the Beast, laughing like a child. “I don’t know why you’re so upset,” he mocks in a singsong voice. “All we’re doing is stealing the Genoshan government’s research on the Legacy Virus. Why should they be trusted with it, so they can save mutants only to enslave them again?”

At his feet, the Beast groans, his head starting to rise. Toad responds by kicking him in the side of the ribs. The Beast slides along the street, crying out in agony. Toad hops along after him. All around them, the bits of rock and debris littering the area start to shake.

“I’m sorry, what were you saying?” Toad mocks. “I couldn’t make it out, what with all this shaking that’s just started. I suppose Avalanche was getting impatient.”

Grasping the Beast by the hair, Toad brings his ear near to the Beast’s mouth, as though listening. When the Beast tries to lunge forward, possibly to rip off Toad’s ear, Toad just pulls back and knees the Beast in the throat. The Beast writhes on the ground, clutching his throat, while Toad laughs.

“I see. You’re wondering why I want the Legacy research.” Toad assumes a sad, pitiful expression. “Why, to help my dear friend Pyro, of course.” Throwing his head back, Toad breaks out in laughter. “Not!”

Toad starts to dance around Beast, singing loudly. “I’m gonna cure all mutants! I’m gonna cure all mutants! Then they’ll all respect me! An’ none will ever laugh at me!” After each verse, Toad gives the Beast a quick kick to the legs and to the chest, obviously enjoying his opponent’s torment.

Leaping several feet into the air, Toad lands on the Beast’s chest. Pinning the Beast’s arms down, Toad goes nose-to-nose with the original X-Man. “Or is the burning question on your mind why I raped your slut reporter friend? Three reasons actually. One, I had to provide a sufficient distraction while the more important things got done. Two, she gave an uncorroborated, morally wrong news story, escalating mutant/human relations, all so she could get paid the big bucks like Babs and Chung. And three,” Toad smirked and licked Beast’s furry blue face. “I just couldn’t resist the chance to kick your ass in more than one competition.”

His grin vanishing, Toad head butts the Beast, making his head bounce off the asphalt. Leaping off Beast’s chest, Toad back flips away, landing with a bow. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I must be off. Avalanche managed to get the ball rolling, and I’d prefer not to drown when this goddamned city collapses into the ocean.”

Cackling, Toad hops away, scampering up the building he’d originally leaped out of. Meanwhile, the Beast, blood-matted fur and all, attempts to crawl to his feet with a groan. Inside, his ribs move with a life of their own, and the heavy shaking from the ground isn’t making it any easier. With a cry of pain, the Beast collapses back to the ground, spent.

“Dr. McCoy!” Rushing to the Beast, not easy under the present conditions, Dr. Wies grabs his colleague, helping him to his feet. Dr. Wies nearly collapses from the weight, but he surprisingly manages to stand firm. “Come doctor, we need to get away from here. It sounds impossible I know, but we’re being hit with an ear-“

Dr. Wies is cut off by a terrific crash behind him, a building toppling against the street. Deciding that it’s best to keep his mouth shut and get moving, Dr. Wies hurries as best he can, half carrying the large frame of the Beast.

“Trish…” Beast mutters weakly.

“Yes, yes, Ms. Tilby is fine,” Dr. Wies says quickly. “Now get yourself together. Hammer Bay is crashing around us, and it’ll be too late to find a safe place if I have to drag you there.”

Dr. Wies does his best, helping the Beast along the shattering city of Hammer Bay. Meanwhile, off in the distance, wild shouting can be heard, mingled with the sound of heavy fire.

The mutate rebels have picked a hell of a time to attack.

Epilogue

Andy Russell stands outside the office, the small package in his hand. The lowly intern had knocked, but perhaps Mr. Brightson hadn’t heard. Considering how he’d been for the past week, maybe it was for the best.

Andy stepped aside as the door suddenly burst open, and Ed Wasneek ducked out. A rather smart thing to do, considering a whole bundle of scripts went flying over his head. “Christ Jupiter! At least listen to reason! If we don’t cover the events in Genosha, then what’s the point of calling ourselves the Super-Channel Network!”

“I said no!” Jupiter Brightson roared from inside his office. “Genosha is a warzone Ed! Let the serious networks deal with it, because I’m leaving our network out of it!” The door slammed shut, the window shattering.

Muttering angrily, Ed stooped over to pick up the scripts. Despite Andy’s best efforts, Ed managed to notice him. “Hey kid! Get over here and help me with these! And what’s that you’re holding!?”

Visibly nervous, Andy sidled over to Mr. Wasneek. “Uh, it’s a package for Mr. Brightson. I was about to give it to him, but...”

Mr. Wasneek nodded. “Yeah, he’s been like that since Trish was attacked. Here, you might as well give it to me.” The two exchange the package and scripts. “Now, pick the rest of these up and get them to the producers.”

Andy gives a wry smile and nods. “Sure thing Mr. Wasneek.”

Package in hand, Ed left the intern to his job and rushed for his office. Closing the door behind him, Ed looked down at the package, figured ‘what the heck?’, and ripped it open.

Inside was a videotape and a small note. Intrigued, Ed scanned through the note. Immediately his face paled, as though he’d lost several pints of blood. Weak-kneed, Ed opened the door and motioned the intern. “Andy, one more thing.”

All the scripts bundled under his arm, Andy rushed to Mr. Wasneek’s office. Mr. Wasneek handed him the tape. “Get this to Claremont immediately. Tell him to lead Mighty World with it. And hurry.”

Andy nodded. “You got it sir.” And he was off.

Several minutes later, the tape was delivered, and just in time for the broadcast. The producer, Mr. Claremont, cursed silently as he slid the tape in and hit play. He didn’t have any time to review the material, but if Mr. Wasneek said to run it...

Looking at the screen, Mr. Claremont’s mouth dropped as he watched the image that was being broadcast worldwide.

It was the Toad, stretched out on the beach with a drink in his hand. Removing the little umbrella, Toad took a light sipped, the turned to face the camera as he licked his lips with his horribly long tongue. He grinned widely, and set the drink down.

“Hello, people of the world. I do hope a large number of you are watching this. I’m not up on the SCN’s ratings, but I suppose other networks will acquire access to this material for their own use soon enough, so its no matter.”

Toad leaned forward, his smile even wider. “By now, Genosha is almost as much of a hellhole as it was a few years ago. Hammer Bay is flooded, all of the Legacy Virus research there is destroyed, and the rebels have been wreaking havoc all over the country. And who do you pathetic flatscans have to thank for it?”

Toad taps himself on the chest with both hands. “That’s right, yours truly. The Terrible Toad. Sure, I didn’t personally commit these atrocities, but I did get the required personal together and told them what to do. And hey, what I actually did was pretty awful in it’s own right, wouldn’t you think?”

Toad’s toothy mouth opens slightly, and that icky, slimy tongue leaps out and slides along the screen, sending a streak of greenish fluid across the image. “I, the great and powerful Toad, brought the ultimate smack down on the great Avenger/Defender/X-Man known as the Beast. That’s right, me. The weak, sniveling Toad that has been laughed at and ridiculed by the superhuman community for close to ten years. I destroyed a city, sent a nation spiraling into chaos, pushed back research on a deadly virus by years. And all the while, I even kept a genuine superhero from stopping any of it.”

Still smiling, Toad raises his hand and wags his finger at the screen. “Now, let that be a lesson to you, people of the world. Oh, I’m sure there’s some lesson here about not picking on those weaker than you and such, but I really don’t care about that. The big lesson is this.”

Toad’s grin slides away, and he leans into the camera. “Don’t fuck with Toad! Cause when you mess with me, you mess with my whole Brotherhood.” The grin returns. “Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, that is.”

Toad waves at the camera. “Ta-ta for now.”

Author’s Note:

So, what did you all think? Are you thinking something along the lines of “Why didn’t the heroes win? The heroes always win!”? Well, they don’t always win, and they most certainly shouldn’t win at Super-Villain Team-Up. This is the villain’s title, and they deserve a break here.

Now, I’ve got a little letter here from David Tumpkin, and it reads:

Hello Mr. Crosby,

Believe me Dave, it’s been a pleasure. A character like the Toad should be written as he is: A little psycho with more power than the average little psycho. And it would seem that Toad is not getting overlooked in the MV1 universe. He’s appeared in the pages of Marvel Fanfare and Champions. Go check ‘em out.

Hehehehehe. I kind of like the sound of that. Mr. Crosby.

Well, until then, I remain...

Mr. Stephen Crosby