Nathan awoke to the soft buzzing noise the Professor always made whenever he had to summon him from a sound sleep. The fact that Professor had woke him at all told Nathan that it must be something serious. "Situation report: what's he up to now?" Cable grumbled before his feet had even hit the floor.
"Nothing good I'm afraid, Nathan," Professor replied, "it seems that Stryfe has decided to move up his time-table a few hours.
Unless he is bluffing."
"Stryfe never bluffs, he and I are that much alike, but what, exactly, did you think might be a bluff?" Cable asked as he took the cup of coffee brought to him by the Bobby-droid.
"I have just detected Stryfe's voice on a known Mutant Liberation Front phone line, one of several that I have tapped into. The conversation is just beginning, if you would like to hear it."
"On audio," Cable replied, already being suited up for combat by the servo-droids.
Stryfe's unmistakable voice suddenly whispered from the house speakers
"...your suspicions are correct Mr. Phillips. We are responsible. We claim credit for the event you are now witnessing."
It had always struck Cable as odd just how different their voices were. Although he was sure that Stryfe could duplicate his voice exactly if he ever had a reason to do so, but, when he was himself, speaking in his natural voice, no one would ever suspect that underneath Stryfe's helmut they were virtually one and the same. One perhaps even cloned of the other.
Cable's thoughts were drawn back to more pressing concerns as the phone conversation resumed. The other mans voice even shook with fear,
"Who...who are you? Wh...what do you want?" It was obvious, to Cable's ears anyway, just how much Stryfe was enjoying this Phillips's fear by the tone of his reply.
"We are the Mutant Liberation Front our demands are simple...free the captive mutants known in the press as Rusty and Skids! For every day they remain in captivity another false symbol of humanity's prosperity and liberty will be ...destroyed!"
"The connection has been broken, Nathan. I thought I had traced the line several times but each time I was led into a dead end. I'm sure the Mutant Liberation Front warehouse where the main line is supposedly from is..."
"Don't bother," Cable interjected, "Stryfe has access to the same technology we do. He could break into any line anywhere at any time and do it all without leaving a trace of his whereabouts." Cable said as he cross-strapped dual holsters across his waist. He then knelt down to secure the "ion blade" in it's boot sheath. He wouldn't want to be without this handy blade that can cut through anything this side of adamantium like a red-hot knife through butter. He shoulder slung two plasma rifles as he gave himself a last look-over to make sure everything was secure.
"Professor, I want you to run that phone trace you just did backwards. Find out who Stryfe was talking to and where they were. Then I want every scanner Graymalkin has to go over the entire area with the purpose of seeking any transporter residue."
"Already online and scanning....and Found. Only enough residue to determine that a transporter was used however, not enough to be able to trace back to source Professor informed him.
"I don't need to track them to their source. I know that Zero is their chief method of transportation. I want you to do high-intensity scans of nuclear and other high energy producing facilities only." "Nathan, such a course might not be advisable considering Stryfe's unpredictable nature. What if he should choose another target while I am only focussing all scans on nuclear and high energy producing facilities"
"He won't. He'll carry out his threat just the way he said he would. It'll be another energy plant or energy research plant. And it'll be soon, Stryfe will want to keep their fear of him fresh in their minds. Just start scanning, be on the lookout for Zero's transporter signature that you picked up at the other site, and the second you pick it up body-slide me over to be waiting for them.
Cable's wait was a short one. Barely ninty minutes had passed when Professor gave the five second warning Cable had ordered, and he was body-sliding to a hidden energy research facility somewhere in the U.S. but he was already too late.
Cable saw the last of the MLF go through the hole in the wall that Strobe had melted. Cable could hear the screams of the guards inside as he pushed himself to run faster. If he could only tag one of them maybe the others would stop and try for vengence. All he needed was one clear shot. How could they be out-distancing him so easily.
"Of course," Cable thought, "I've been a fool. Tempo can make herself and those close to her move in a much faster time frame then normal. Effectively: super-speed for the whole group. I'll never catch up to them and the guards will be dead before they can even react.
Cable finally made it to the hole Strobe had melted and there was even one left alive in their wake. Though he lay in a pool of his own blood.
While unknown to Cable (Due to Tempo speeding up time for the group) they already had the bomb set and the second hand had just flickered from 007 to 006.
Cable ran to the injured soldier, "What happened Sergeant?" Cable asked.
005
"Terrorists...a big guy..four-arms..others. Who ar..?"
004
"I'm Cable. I tracked 'em here. Hoped to stop 'em. Where are they, son?"

003

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