Date: Sat, 30 Mar 2002 12:27:58 -0800 (PST)
From: James Geckler <jmsotc1@yahoo.com>
Subject: Punisher 7

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.

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 jmsotc1@yahoo.com

Thank you and enjoy.

Chapter 7 Assault

	Ty and Tandy pulled into the warehouse.  As they climbed out, Blade
approached.
	"There are three mutants from the school you contacted, Ty.  They
are here for the students."
	"Really?" Ty replied rather excitedly.  "Where?"
	"Over by your shield.  One of them is communicating with the
students telepathically.  She's trying to calm them down."
	Blade, Tandy and Ty walked over to the three X-MEN.
	"Did you want to eat first?" Blade asked.  "The foods here."
	"That may help calm them," Emma replied.
	"I'll help unload the food," Bobby offered.  He, Blade, Harris and
Ty went to the car.
	"So you're mutants?" Tandy asked.
	"Yep," Jubilee answered.
	"Me, too."
	"What can you do?"
	"I throw these light daggers.  If they hit a human, the person is
paralyzed.  If they hit a demon, it can harm them more physically."
	"You fight demons, too?"
	"What do you mean 'too'?"
	"We know someone, actually several someones who fight demons.  One
is a mutant.  Another is a Vampire Slayer."
	"Oh," Tandy said excitedly.  "That's what I am!  I'm a Vampire
Slayer."
	Jubilee raised an eyebrow at Tandy's excitation.  Then, she
grinned.  "That's great."
	"What can you do?" Tandy asked.
	"I create blasts of energy with my hands and control them with my
mind."
	"This is so cool.  I've never had another girl to talk to about my
powers."

	"So you're a mutant, too?" Ty asked Bobby as they unloaded the car.
	"Yep."
	"What are your powers?"
	"I can lower temperature on the inside and outside of me.  Everyone
calls me Iceman."
	"Cool."
	"You're a mutant?"
	"Yeah."
	"What are your powers?"
	"I become a portal to some dark dimension.  I can phase through
objects and move around from place to place by entering the dark dimension
and opening a portal in another part of the world."
	"Sounds cool."  Bobby looked at Blade.  "Are you a mutant?"
	Blade looked at Bobby straight-faced and said, "No," then continued
on with unloading the car.
	The four men carried the food over to the energy shield.
	"We have lots of fruits and vegetables," Ty said, "and a bunch of
deli sandwiches.  I didn't think it would be practical to get a bunch of
food we would have to cook."
	Ty walked up to the shield and placed a hand on it.  "Expositus,"
Ty said in Latin.  The shield wavered and a small opening appeared.
	Emma grabbed a bag of food and headed toward the opening.
	"Let me go in," Blade said, grabbing for the bag of food.
	"No."
	"Why not?"
	"They don't trust you.  I've been able to calm them."
	"Fair enough." Blade turned and walked away.

	Everyone sat eating sandwiches and drinking soda.  Harris sat off
to one side feeling out of place among the super-powered.  Sure he no
longer fit in with his parents, especially since they agree with the
Friends of Humanity, but he doesn't truly fit in here.  "Sometimes," Harris
thinks often, "I don't feel like I fit in anywhere."

	Davey looked over and watched Harris for a moment.  Harris turned
and looked at the group of mutants, then turned back to his sandwich.  He
spoke not a word to anyone, yet he still helps.  "I wonder what he's
thinking," Davey thought to himself.  He decided to do the only thing he
could do.  Ask.
	Davey stood up and walked over to Harris, taking his food with him.
"Hey," he greeted.
	"Hi," Harris replied.
	"Can I sit here?"
	Harris turned and looked up at Davey, making eye contact with him.
"What?"
	"I see there is an extra spot by you.  Can I sit here with you?"
	"Um...sure."
	Davey sat down next to Harris.  He took a bite of his sandwich and
chewed.
	"Is there something you wanted?" Harris asked.
	Davey chewed his food in his mouth, took a sip of his soda, and
then looked at Harris.  His eyes fell right on Harris's eyes and he was
lost.  He looked deeply and saw something he never thought he'd ever see.
He could almost see Harris's soul.
	"Is something wrong?" Harris asked.
	Davey was almost scared.  It wasn't like his mutant ability going
into action.  It was something deeper inside him, something that was part
of him.  The only way he could describe it was his soul touching Harris's
soul.  He was dumbfounded.  He was overwhelmed with the feelings he was
experiencing.  He felt vulnerable.  Never had he felt vulnerable before.
He was secure in his gifts.  He was confident in his looks and popularity.
He never wanted for anything.  Yet at this moment he felt something he
never experienced before, something that was lacking in his life.

	Harris couldn't believe what he felt with Davey.  It was like Davey
was opening himself up.  Davey was expressing something Harris had only
dreamed someone would feel toward him.  But it couldn't be real, could it?
Davey was so popular and attractive.  Davey could have anyone he wanted.
Why would he want Harris who was overweight and not that attractive?
	A loud sound outside grabbed Harris's attention, as well as Davey's
and everyone else's.  Harris decided it was just his imagination.
	"What the hell was that?" Ty exclaimed.
	Emma closed her eyes a moment.  Quickly they snapped open.  "We've
got company."
	"The Friends of Humanity," Blade stated.
	"But how?" Bobby asked.
	Blade turned and looked at Harris.  Harris realized the Friends of
Humanity people at his parents' home traced his phone call.  He led them
here.
	"No time to fret about it," Emma said.  "It won't do any good
helping us now."
	Davey looked back to Harris and touched his arm as if to say
everything was okay and that no one blamed him.  Davey put his sandwich
down and ran over to Blade.  "What do we do?"
	"Get ready for a fight."
	"Harris," Davey called out.  "Get down."
	Harris ducked down behind a nearby container.  A rumbling was heard
outside again.  Tandy held up her hands, which glowed red.  Ty's hands
glowed green.  Bobby's hands steamed as they cooled.  Blade readied himself
for a fight.
	"Ty," Emma called out.  "I need you to lower the shield and help me
get the students out!  You!" she said pointing to Harris.  "Come help.
Jubilee, you help Blade and Tandy!"
	Jubilee nodded as she stepped up beside Tandy.  "I guess we get to
fight side-by-side, too."
	"I wish Punisher were here," Tandy said.  "I'm a little worried."
	"He has no special powers and you wish him here?" Blade asked.  He
shook his head.  "Kids."
	The door erupted in a great flurry of smoke.  Bobby threw his hand
forward and a wall of ice formed in front of everyone, shielding them from
the debris.  Harris took advantage of the chaos and ran over to Emma.
	"What can I do?" he asked.
	"I want you to escort the students to the X-Jet.  It's out back.
Ty, you will lower the shield for a few moments, enough time to let five
students out.  When five are out, close the shield.  I don't want anyone
hurt if we can help it."
	Ty nodded, held up his hand and said, "Expositus."  An opening
formed and Emma motioned for five students to come out.  "Termino."  The
shield closed.  Emma and Harris led the first group of students to the
other end of the warehouse.
	"Wait," Emma said.  "There are commandos on the other side awaiting
us to make an escape."
	"W-w-what do we do?" Harris asked.
	"Ty, can you make us appear invisible?"
	"Sure."  Ty closed his and calmed himself.  Rotating his hands as
if a ball were in between his palms, a white energy formed.  He opened his
eyes, thrust out his hands and said, "Amiculum".  The white energy flew out
through the doorway.

	A light dagger met the first commando who lifted their head up.
The person shook for a moment then collapsed, paralyzed.
	"Good work," Jubilee complimented.
	"Thanks," Tandy replied.
	"Less talk.  More action," Blade said.  He ran up to two commandos
and punched one.  He went down immediately.  The other one swung the butt
of his gun at Blade's face.  Blade moved an inch and it missed him
completely.  He brought his elbow up and hit the commando in the face.
Down he fell.
	Davey ran up to a group of commandos.  One swung his gun at Davey.
Davey jumped into the air over the gun and, as he came down, kicked two of
the guards.
	"Naughty, naughty.  It's not nice to play rough."
	Davey swung his fist out and punched the commando who swung the
gun.  She went flying into the air and slammed up against the wall.  Down
she slid unconscious.
	Davey grabbed two more commandos, lifted them into the air and
slammed their heads together.  They relaxed unconscious in his hands.  He
released them and they dropped to the floor.
	Bobby threw his hand out as three commandos took aim.  Ice flew
around the ends of the gun as they pulled the triggers.  The pressure built
up and the guns exploded in their hands.  They screamed in pain.  The
corner of Bobby's lips curled into a smile.

	"Did it work?" Harris asked Ty.
	"There's only one way to find out."
	Ty stepped forward toward the door.
	"Wait," Emma called out.  She turned to Harris.  "Open the door."
	"But..."
	"No 'but's.  Just do it."
	"Yes," Harris replied.  He slowly stepped over to the door, head
bowed like he was just whipped.  Taking a deep breath, he grasped the door
handle and opened the door.  The commandos just stood there looking at the
doorway weapons aimed.
	Harris waved his hand out the door.  None of the commandos moved.
He stepped back inside.  "They aren't doing a thing."
	Emma stepped up to the door and poked her head out.  She saw the
commandos and touched one's mind with her own.  All she sensed was
preparedness, anticipation.  They were waiting for someone to open the
door.  All they saw, however, was the door still closed.
	Emma came back in.  "Yep.  They can't see us.  Let's move, kids."
	Emma moved out the door and the first five kids followed.  Harris
followed her as well so he would know where to take the next group.  He
followed around the corner and saw behind a large pile of metal a sleek
black jet.  The bottom opened up into a ramp as Emma approached.  The
students looked on in amazement.
	"Come on," Emma called out.  "We haven't got all day."
	The students rushed onboard quickly.  Emma turned to Harris.  "Do
you think you can get the rest?"
	"Yes," he replied.  He turned and ran back to the warehouse.  "It
shouldn't be too difficult.  There are only ten more students.  That's two
more trips.  If they are all like that, it should be a cake walk."

	Jubilee shot out sparks at a barrel a commando was hiding behind.
The barrel exploded and knocked the commando out of the warehouse.
	Tandy ran up and tackled a commando.  She punched the commando and
knocked her out.
	"How many more?" Bobby asked.
	"Not that many," Blade replied as he rammed his knee into a
commando's face.

	Harris took another group out the back.  The commandos still didn't
move.  He watched as his classmates ran to the jet and climbed on board.
He picked out all the ones who made fun of him.  Who would have thought
that he would be helping to save their lives?  If anyone would have told
him a few days ago he would be helping a group of mutants save mutant
students from his high school, he would have thought the person telling him
was crazy.  Now he's surrounded by mutants and mutant-haters living an
adventure that most comic book and movie-writers could only dream of.
	Harris returned to the warehouse.  Ty lowered the shield and ran
with Harris and the group to the X-Jet.  They climbed onboard.
	"This is awesome!" Ty exclaimed.
	"Thank you," Emma replied.  "Now get the hell off and tell Bobby
and Jubilee to get their asses in here."
	Ty nodded and ran down the ramp, followed by Harris.  "She's
awfully bitchy," Ty commented to Harris.  "I wonder if it's her time of the
month."
	"Some women don't need to be menstruating in order to be a bitch,"
Harris replied.
	"Too true."
	"Neither do some men."
	Ty smiled at Harris.  They rounded the corner into the warehouse
and pulled the door shut.  They made their way to the group fight.  A
sniper, hiding behind a stack of crates, took aim.  Ty walked up behind him
and used his mutant ability, sucking the sniper into him, it appeared.
After a few moments, Ty released him, unconscious.
	Harris's eyes widened in shock.  Ty smiled.  "That's my mutant
ability."
	"Remind me not to get you mad at me."
	Ty laughed.
	A commando tackled Ty to the ground, pinning Ty's arms down so he
couldn't move.  "Let's see you use your magic now, mutant."
	Harris grabbed a metal rod lying on the ground and swung it full
force hitting the commando in the head.  The commando fell off Ty
unconscious.
	"Thanks," Ty replied.
	"Don't mention it."
	Harris reached down and Ty took his hand.  Harris helped him up.
The two headed into the battle that was quickly coming to an end.
	"Bobby!" Ty yelled.  "Jubilee!  Emma is waiting for you in the
jet!"
	Bobby and Jubilee nodded.  "Are you going to be able to get out of
here?" Bobby asked.
	"Yes," Blade answered.  "Now get out of here!  We can finish this!"
	Bobby nodded again, fired a blast of ice at a commando, and ran
toward the back of the warehouse.  Jubilee shot a blast of energy as well
and followed Bobby.  Ty watched as they opened the door and disappeared
around the corner.
	"Let's keep them distracted until our friends get away!" Blade
called out.
	Tandy threw several light daggers at a group of commandos.  They
fell, paralyzed.  Davey jumped and spun, kicking several commandos in the
face.  He didn't see one taking aim at him from behind some crates.
	"Davey!" Harris warned.  "Get down!"
	Davey dropped as the sniper pulled the trigger.  The bullet missed
Davey but traveled across the warehouse and hit Tandy in the
shoulder. "Ouch!" she exclaimed.  "That hurt!"
	Davey crawled over to the crates and kicked hard.  With his
augmented strength, the crates flew back, pinning the sniper against the
wall.  Davey stood, walked over to him and punched him.
	Ty ran over to Tandy and checked her shoulder. "Are you okay?"
	"Yeah.  If we get the bullet out, I should be able to heal up no
problem."
	"Extract," Ty said placing his hand over the wound.  The bullet
came to the opening and he grabbed it and tossed it aside.
	"Thanks."
	"You're welcome."
	Blade picked a commando up by the material on the chest of his
jumpsuit.  The vampire-man threw him high up against the wall, knocking him
unconscious.  He turned to see all the commandos strung throughout the
warehouse.  "Is everyone okay?" he asked his friends.
	Tandy, Ty, Davey and Harris came from their places and gathered by
Blade.
	"We need to get out of here.  Our hideout has been compromised."
	"I'm so sorry about this," Harris said.
	"You don't have to apologize," Davey replied.  "It wasn't your
fault."
	"Yes it was.  If I hadn't called my parents, the Friends of
Humanity wouldn't have been able to trace the call."
	"This is all moot now," Blade said.  "The important thing is that
everyone is safe.  Gather everything together.  We need to find a new
hideout."
	"What will we use to carry everything?" Tandy asked.
	"We have Punisher's Suburban.  Load it up as full as you can, along
with the car.  We'll leave the motorcycle for Punisher.  Ty, can you use
your magics and gather the commandos together up and bind them up?"
	"Sure, can."
	"Do it.  Then gather what you can in the car and take Tandy with
you.  I'll take Davey and Harris in the Suburban.  Let's move."

To Be Continued...

Harris no longer can talk to his family.  They side with the Friends of
Humanity.  Harris has found his place among society's outcasts.  And among
them, he's still an outcast.

The gang's hideout is now compromised.  Where will they go?  What will they
do?  And how will Punisher find them?

Please email me with your questions and comments.  I would enjoy hearing
from you.