Munitions

[Risty]

Just outside a military base on the outskirts of town, Raven was walking toward the entrance of a nondescript metallic building. Her blue skin was shimmering in the afternoon sun and her lithe body was slinking in an almost serpentine manner as she walked. As soon as she stepped through the door to the ammunitions building, her skin began to shift and change. Bluish skin became white, shoulders broadened, face changing to reflect a gruff looking elder man with a bushy white moustache and almost shaggy eyebrows framing in steely blue eyes.

Reaching a hand out she set it on the control panel that would verify her identity. “General Alex Decker. Confirmed.” Another set of doors opened with an officious ‘swish’. Dressed up as the General, Mystique entered, her hands clasped behind her back.

“General Decker, sir!” A young boyish looking soldier shouted, clamoring to his feet in haste. Either I am getting old or they are recruiting these children younger and younger!

“At ease soldier.” A rumbling bass of a voice came out. “I’m here to inspect the recent order of munitions.”<br>
The young soldier looked temporarily perplexed. This was obviously not the normal protocol-to have a General come and inspect a shipment of munitions. “Ya-yes sir!” He said and snapped his salute down. Stumbling to the other side of the desk he fumbled with the set of keys that would open the door where the shipment was being held. He finally got it open and swung the door inward.

Mystique nodded at the kid, who saluted her again and when he did she struck out with a chop to his neck. The boy crumbled unconscious to the floor. Her gaze fell on the crates of weaponry and her eyes lit up with a yellowish light as a smile danced across her lips.

[Risty]

She quickly pulled the soldier into the room, took his keys and rifle and stepped back out the door an exact replica of the young man. There has to be others in here. There is no way that they would have that one soldier guarding all of this weaponry. No sooner had she shut the door with a soft click than her thoughts were confirmed.

“Who were you talking to out here Steve?” A voice sounded behind her. She spun around and shrugged.

“Just playin around.” She said with a sheepish smile.

The other soldier didn’t look completely convinced. “I thought I heard the General out here.” His eyes narrowed. “What’s going on here?” His eyes flickered over to the control panel where the General’s name still flashed on the screen. He looked back just in time to get the butt of a rifle shoved into his face, and he crumpled to the floor out cold.

Sighing, Mystique opened the door again and dragged his body through the door. Now how to get these weapons out of here and to the mansion…

[Risty]

A thought occurred to Raven as she began stuffing duffle bags full of rocket launchers and other heavy artillery. I can easily get these off the base in one of the military vehicles, but when word gets out on what’s happened the first thing they’ll look for is the vehicle. Best option is to have someone pick me up from the mansion.

She flipped open her cell phone and punched in a few numbers. “Creator. Arm of defense is strengthened. I need transport.” She gave as much information as she could without revealing too much information to anyone who might be listening in.

Magneto knew her well. Very well. She could tell that he picked up on all of her hints and she hung up the phone with a smile. Even if he has been acting unusual since we came to the mansion, he still is a remarkable man.

With that she began to load up a small jeep with the duffle bags, working in silence with a soft smile on her lips.

[Risty]

Mystique unloaded the various weapons that she had acquired from the military base, taking bag after bag out of the jeep and storing them in the upper recesses of the old warehouse that she had told Magneto she would be waiting in. It had not been difficult in the least to get past the front gate. It’s funny how soldiers react when they see their commanding officer coming through with a scowl on his face.

Out of this little venture she had significantly improved the arsenal that the mutants would have against any attack on the mansion. She had counted three M224 60 mm Lightweight Mortars, half a dozen grenade launchers: M203's mainly, AT-4 rocket launchers, enough ammo for each weapon to last awhile, and a large armload of M15 White Phospherous Grenades, and Mk2A1 Fragmentation Grenades.

After unloading everything she drove the jeep into an adjoining abandoned warehouse and covered it with crates and boxes until it was completely hidden from view. This was an ghostly part of town, but military vehicles usually stirred up a lot of attention, and she knew she could not be safe here for long.

As she walked back over to the other building she changed shapes again, becoming a haggard, bent over and ragged looking old man. A man down on his luck for the better part of his life, given to alcoholic binges and fits of depression.

A man with enough firepower to get the world’s attention. She smiled to herself as she swaggered back into the abandoned warehouse and shut the large metal doors behind her.

[Risty]

After several hours of waiting, Mystique started to get antsy. Magneto must be having problems getting someone to pick me up. She tried calling several times but there was no answer. What could possibly be going on at the mansion that is more important than arming the mutants there to the teeth?

A low rumble shook the building and Mystique knew that it was no ordinary helicopter that was hovering low over the warehouses. Somebody must have tipped off the Army. Her skin changed from the old man to an ashy white as she took on the shape of an old broken statue. The metal doors flew open and several soldiers came in, waving their guns around as they swept around the parameters in search of her. The obviously still had no idea what they were dealing with.

"Blue Command, this is Richard Nixon. This one is clear." The group of young men started to turn when one of them spotted the duffle bags stored up above. For some reason he came back in alone and Mystique took the opportunity to take him by surprise. Before he knew what had happened he was crumpled to the floor and she was standing over him, an exact replica of him-with a smile on her face.

Speaking into the radio affixed to her collar she said. "Blue Command, I think I have found something." She grabbed the duffle bags. I think I found my ride to the mansion.

[Risty]

Within minutes, disguised as the young soldier, she had loaded the last of the duffle bags full of the various weapons onto the chopper and accompanied by the three other soldiers, they were lifting off the ground. She strapped one of the parachutes on nonchalantly.

"Did we ever find the one who took these?" The soldier on her right asked. "Someone said he looks just like the General."

Raven shook her head, keeping her eyes straight ahead. "Nobody was found in the warehouse district."

She leaned back in the seat and tried to figure out exactly what she was going to do next.

[Risty]

Weighing all the options, Raven thought that she had made the best choice. The helicopter had exploded into the hillside with a nice fiery display and she could still see the tendrils of smoke as she floated down to the ground, touching down lightly right next to the other parachute which had the duffle bags attached to it. The men had escaped safely aside from the pilot, and none of the survivors was really sure what had happened-though to say the least they would suspect that it was something quite unusual.

As a man approached her she turned to him, changing into a busty blonde in a green one piece flight suit. The zipper was seductively drawn down, and she saw his eyes fall predictably on the shadow of her cleavage.

“Anything I can do to…help, ma’am?”<br>
Pulling a gun out from her pocket she held it to his face. “Yessir.” She said with a southern drawl. “You can gimme one of those beautiful cars on your lot over there. How bout an SUV?”<br>
The man’s eyes bulged out of their sockets and he finally ripped his gaze from her cleavage to the muzzle pointed at him. He nodded fearfully. “Anything to please a lady.”<br>