Upcoming Doom
Westchester, New York, October 14, 1991
Charles Xavier waited patiently in his office, only a few minutes ago, all of the X-Men returned to the Mansion’s underground hanger. His six remaining student’s, and all seven of the new recruit’s he had gathered the day before. All of them were alive, all were safe, he had no more reason to worry now.
Xavier looked out to the window, it was night, a full moon was out as the star’s lit the black sky above. It scared him, it reminded him to much of all too recent dreams. Xavier closed the curtain to the office window and stared at his desk. He did another quick psychic scan of the mansion and searched for all thirteen of the X-Men. Scott, Jean, Bobby, Warren, Alex, Lorna, Kurt, Logan, Ororo, Sean, Leyu, Piotr, and John were all situated inside or leaving the locker room’s.
Scott must have told them all to take a shower and change out of their costume’s like every difficult mission the old team had. Xavier remembered those day’s, the battles against the Brotherhood, Juggenraut, the Sentinels, Factor 3. All vicious war’s that took everything out of his student’s to overcome.
He was sure Krakoa was no different.
Now these thirteen young men and woman were heading to his office. He would congratulate them for their success, thank them for their help, and finally ask if they stay.
He knew not all of the new recruits he’d gathered would stay, Kurt, Logan, and John had nowhere to go, but that did not mean they had no reason to look for somewhere else to belong. Ororo was a goddess living in the African plains, Leyu was certain to become Japan's second greatest Superhero at the very least, Sean was soon to be middle aged and might be looking to find an easier life after his decade as an Interpol agent, and Piotr was the only one amongst them who had a family waiting for them back home.
His old student’s he was sure would stay though, true it seemed like they were ready to leave the mansion and even the X-Men, the past year had been quite uneventful after the defeat of Z’Nox, only a few encounters against the like’s of Magneto to call them to action, usually allying themselves with other teams like the Avengers and the Defender’s against the dwindling forces of the Brotherhood.
After Magneto’s final defeat and the hand’s of his own creation, that curious being known as Alpha, it seemed as though the adventures of the X-Men stopped. No dangerous mutant presence, no threat’s against their entire species, nothing.
With that, his students grew bored, it seemed that there were no more mutant’s appearing across the world at that. Hank, goodness Hank had already left the Mansion and the X-Men. He finally got his dream job as a research scientist before joining the Avengers.
But now, with the vast upgrade’s to Cerebro, Xavier had implemented, allowing the computer to scan for mutant’s worldwide, and what now must a spike the growing mutant population he’s discovered. This can mean only good thing’s for the X-Men, for his team, his student’s, his dream.
Scott was the first to enter Xavier’s office, he was silent and stone faced, the only sign of emotion he had was the tight grip he had on Jean’s hand as she followed him. The remaining X-Men, both new and old followed behind, squeezing themselves into Xavier’s office to do so.
Xavier looked upon them all, a large smile on his face, before he began to speak. “I...I’m so happy to see you all safe and sound. Jean, Bobby, Warren, Alex, Lorna, I’m so glad your all alright. Kurt, Piotr, Ororo, Logan, Sean, Leyu, John, each of you I must thank from the bottom of my heart for rescuing my students. You all have my eternal gratitude for what you’ve done. You have faced off against an enemy that never could have imagined you contending with, and you defeated it with nary a wound on all of you.”
“Thank you Professor Xavier.” Ororo said, making a small bow to the man.
“Not to hard Charlie, honestly compared to the Hulk, Krakoa was a walk in the park.” Wolverine said.
“What the hell was Krakoa, anyway?” John asked.
Xavier pondered for a moment. “We may never no for sure, an irradiated animal that began absorbing everything around perhaps?”
“With Krakoa at the bottom of the ocean we’ll never get the chance to learn.” Scott replied.
“Ach, Let’s hope we never do.” Kurt said driving the conversation away from Krakoa.
“Well said, Kurt,” Xavier replied, “Now onto more pressing matters. I have thanked you all for joining the X-Men on this day, but now I ask you all if you will stay this night? If my feeling’s are correct then there is a spike in the rise of recent mutations. The X-Gene is spreading throughout the populace of the world. There will be more challenges and enemies ahead of you if stay in this mansion, if you continue your life as a member of the X-Men. I will not begrudge you if you wish to leave, it will be a difficult and perilous journey. But I ask you take a few more steps with me on it.”
Xavier looked into the crowd around him waiting for the first answer to his question. It didn’t take him long to get one.
“Yeah, sure. Beats sittin’ around at the Omega all day.” Wolverine said, opening a can of bear. Xavier was wondering just when he had time to grab one.
“I am very intrigued by this ‘civilized’ world you brought me to, Xavier. I wish to experience it more.” Ororo answered.
“I still want to know if this dream of peace between Human and Mutant’s of yours is possible Herr Xavier.”
“I’ve barely left my home, it’s still to early to return it.”
“Hell, I got nowhere else to go.”
With Wolverine, Ororo, Kurt, Leyu, and John’s answer’s that left only two more.
“Well Sean, Piotr, how about you?”
“Well Professor,” Sean began, “I won’t lie to you, I like the idea o’ bein’ an X-Man, but I can’ lie to meself either. I aint a young man anymore, I’m nearing forty, I’ve lived my life. It may be time to just settle down a let time pass me by.”
“Sean,” Scott interrupted, the man’s monologue. “You may be the oldest one here, but that just mean’s you have the most experience out of all of us. You’ve been saving lives for nearly two decade’s now. It’s just that here you won’t need to hide who you are. I wanted you on the team ever since we first met. I think you belong here.”
Sean looked at Scott, touched by what the young man had told him. “I belong here eh? All right then, I’m sold.” Sean stretched out a hand to the professor. “Professor you’ve got yourself an X-Man.”
“Excellent, excellent, Now Piotr how about you?”
The young Russian didn’t immediately respond, instead he seemed to struggle with his answer. “I...do not know, Gospodin Xavier…”
“Do not worry my young friend, it is a tough decision. You can sleep on it if you wish.” Xavier said. “Well then, since some of you are probably concerned about your lack uniform’s and code name's-”
“Professor, Professor…” Warren stopped the older man.
“Yes, Warren what is it?” Xavier asked, unaware of the coming storm.
“I’m afraid everything isn’t settled here...I’m sorry Professor, there’s no easy way to tell you.” Warren let out a sigh before he looked Xavier deeply in the air, the man slowly realizing what was about to be said. “Me and the other’s, all of us original’s, we’re pulling out, we decided that Krakoa would be our last mission as X-Men before we even boarded the plane for the first time.”
“Wha-” Xavier was truly at a loss for words. “What do you mean? Warren, Jean, Scott, all of you?”
“Yes, Xavier.” Jean said, tears beginning to well up in her eyes. “All of us. When you took us in we were children scared of our powers and what we could do with them, but now thing’s are different. We’re adult’s, Alex and Lorna are getting married soon, Warren’s taking control of his family’s company, Bobby’s finally heading to college, and Scott and I,” Jean turned to her her lover, she expected him to behind her, but instead he was in the middle of the room, the dividing line between the new and old X-Men. “Scott and I are-”
“Oh for goodness sake’s, Red!” Wolverine snapped. “Listen if you guy’s want out so bad then head out and hit the road you ain’t children anymore right? Just skip the damn sob story, this aint a damn soap opera!”
“Wolverine!” Scott snapped back.
“What did you just say you little fuck!” Bobby fired out, the young man who had been brewing in the corner was now charging straight into the middle of thing’s, covering himself into ice as he did so. “One more word out of you, you ungrateful midget and you’re gonna hope that healing factor you’ve got work’s on frostbite!”
“Bobby!” Scott said getting in front of his friend.
“All right bub! You want some action, I’ll give you plenty.” Wolverine popped out all six of his claws. “Come on I wanna try my hand at ice sculpting!”
“That’s Enough!” Scott roared out, “Wolverine, you’re out of line. Put those claw’s away, Now!”
Wolverine stared at Scott, scowling back at the man. “Big talk, Boss-Man.” With another snikt, the claw’s receded back into his arm’s. “But just big enough.”
Scott turned his eye’s to the ice cold breath flowing right behind him. “Bobby.” He commanded, before turning to look at Bobby in the eye’s. “Bobby!” He snapped.
Bobby stared at Scott in shock, surprised by the anger he was throwing at him, but he too relented, the ice covering his body melting off of him.
“Everyone, everyone.” Xavier cried, getting the entire room’s attention. “I believe some fresh air will do you all some good. So I call this meeting over. I wish you all a good night sleep. John, Ororo, Leyu. Piotr, and Kurt, take these pieces of paper with you and design some uniform’s for yourselves if you wish. As for everyone else, I hope to see you all in the morning.”
Scott was in his room, looking at his desk, looking at the finished report on the new team’s confrontation with Krakoa, but he couldn’t focus on it, now matter how hard he tried. All he could think about was his future with Jean. The Future he desperately wanted, yet feared he would never have. Yet now that it was in his his grasp, he was too afraid to hold onto it.
What he wanted was have a normal life with Jean, like his brother had with Lorna. But he was forced to face the fact’s, out of the remaining X-Men. He was the only one who still needed to hide what he was, the one who was to dangerous to never be a threat, the only one whose power he couldn’t control.
At some point Scott needed to face fact’s and realize he would never, even in a society of mutants, ever be normal.
Jean had entered Scott’s room unannounced, he had given her a key a year ago, and looked to Scott, finding the man once more brooding over his desk, no doubt in deep thought’s about their previous mission.
It was just like old time’s, and that worried her.
“Hey gorgeous,” Jean said walking over to Scott, before planting a kiss on his cheek. “Still jotting down about the Mission?”
“Jean!” Scot said in surprise, before calming down. “Oh, oh yeah..It’s just...that victory…”
“What about it?”
“It was luck. The only reason why the new team was able to beat Krakoa was from Wolverine finding Krakoa’s brain while tearing through his skull. If he didn’t who knows how long that could have gone on, how many of them could have been lost in that time.”
Jean smiled at her love. “Scott, please, you were tearing Krakoa apart, if Wolverine hadn’t found Krakoa’s brain I’m sure you would have blown his head to bit’s only a few minute’s later.”
“A lot can happen in a few minutes.” Scott said morbidly. “Besides you all shouldn’t have been captured in the first place.”
“Scott don’t think like that, it’s happened before and it wasn’t your fault. We didn’t know what we were up against. Even then we put up a good fight against Krakoa, it took it an entire day to capture the five of us and you still got away.”
“But the problem is I don’t even remember it!” Scott snapped, jumping from his chair and glaring at Jean.
The scene was tense, Jean simply starred in shock at Scott, she hadn’t realized just how much stress the man had been under. The stress of them leaving the mansion, the stress of what should have been their last mission, the stress of them starting a new life, the stress of losing his family, the stress of creating a team, and the stress of leaving what made Scott Summers, Scott Summers.
“Jean, I...I’m sorry. I don’t-”
It’s okay Scott.” Jean interrupted. “I understand, you’re going through a lot right now. Let’s just go relax out in the living room. It’ll do you some good.”
“Yeah,’ Scott took jean’s hand and walked to the door with her. “Yeah you’re right.”
Sean’s finger’s danced around on they keyboard of the grand piano, pounding out some roadhouse jazz on the often ignored instrument. Behind him Kurt and Leyu made small talk, going on about the movies the two watched as children, as Piotr sat in a chair drawing on a piece of paper, far away from the others. As soon as Jean and Scott walked into the room Sean quickly made their presence known.
“Scottie, Jeannie, sit down, sit down, it’s been fa’ to long since I’ve had the chance to play some Ray Charles.”
“It’s lovely Sean.” Jean said as she walked past Piotr at his chair, quickly noticing the drawing he was making. The picture was of the X-Men, the new team specifically, Scott out in front, hand resting on his visor, Piotr and John standing tall right behind him, Kurt crouched in darkness by Piotr’s leg, Wolverine ready to pounce beside John, and finally Sean, Ororo, and Leyu, swooping from the sky above them. Jean had to admit together they made quite a group. “That’s a great drawing Piotr. Are you an artist?”
Piotr’s eye’s bulged in surprise. “Ah no, Jean. I simply draw in my off time, when there nothing to do on the farm. Usually just to entertain my little sister Illyana.”
“You have sibling’s too Piotr?” Leyu asked. “How old is she?”
“Illyana? She’s only four.” Piotr answered. “I had an older brother but…” Piotr’s throat clamped shut, an anxiousness spread throughout his body.
“You need not explain my friend.” Kurt said, “My older brother is no longer with us anymore as well, same as our mother.”
“I’m sorry to hear that Kurt,”Leyu replied, “I think nearly every X-Man, old and new have lost some member of their family.”
“Tragedy brings other’s closer together it seems.” Kurt wistfully said as he thought about times long since lost. Then with a quick leap, Kurt jumped from the couch he sat on and landed right next to Piotr’s chair. “Not bad Mein Freund.” Kurt said leering at Piotr’s drawing. “You should give yourself more credit.”
“You know there’s a bunch of art schools around here, Piotr I’m sure if you decide to stick around the professor will let you join one.” Jean said sitting down at another couch beside Leyu, Scott sitting down beside her.
“I...still do not know.” the youngest X-Man said.
“Follow your passion, Piotr.” Kurt said as he walked back to his seat. “I remember when I told my mother I wanted to be the greatest acrobat in the world and she held me to those words. I’d say I accomplished as much if I’m honest.”
“You were ‘n acrobat? Like in th’ circus?” Sean questioned.
“Why yes, yes.” Kurt said with a beam of pride. “I was known all throughout Germany as the incredible Nightcrawler, the flying demon.”
“Great just what the X-Men needed a pompous showoff.”
Everyone turned their head towards the entrance of the living room, their once more brooding in the dark, was one Bobby Drake.
Kurt gave bobby a sly smile. “What can I say herr Iceman, I was born to be shown off to the world.”
“Yeah in a freakshow.” Bobby spat.
“Bobby!” Jean said, shocked. “What is wrong with you?”
Bobby ignored the dirty looks he was getting from everyone in the room. “I just don’t think this group of rejects have what it takes to be X-Men, Jean.”
“If I’m not mistaken it’s us who saved you buster. Or did Krakoa make you forget about that?” Leyu fired back.
“The only reason why we lost was because we were a man down, if Hank was with us we wouldn’t have gotten captured.” Bobby sputtered out before ranting on some more. “And the only reason why you were able to ‘save’ us in the first place was because we softened Krakoa up for you.”
“Bobby!” Scott shouted out, getting the attention of everyone in the room, and stopping Sean and Kurt from continuing the argument. “Number one, Hank is gone, I don’t like it either, but he’s not coming back anytime soon. Two, this team took Krakoa on by their own when we couldn’t, were their more of them yes, are they more powerful than us power for power, yes, but we had the edge in experience and teamwork, and that should brought us the win on that mission in the first place. Do you understand me Bobby?”
Bobby glared at Scoot, angry at the man he once aspired to be, at the man he wished he was as good as, at the man he thought was his friend. “I don’t believe this, you’re on there side Scott?! These clowns waltz into the mansion and try take our place, and you’re just letting them, like we don’t matter.”
“We’re na trying to take your place Bobby, we just looking for a place to belong just like you did you when you arrived. D’ ye not think we deserve the chance you were given?” Sean asked.
“I didn’t say that!” Bobby roared. “You’re putting word’s in my mouth.”
“No you’re spewing venom out of anger.” Kurt said, much calmer than one would expect.
“Kurt’s right, Bobby. Just calm down, and think. We’ve been through a lot these past few day’s and I’m sure you’re confused about what we’re gonna do with out lives. You’re worried for the Professor and the Mansion but-”
“Oh fuck this!” Bobby screamed as he turned away and grabbed the door to the living. “If you all can’t see where I’m coming than I don’t think I even know you people anymore!” with a thunderous slam, Bobby was gone, and the argument was over.
“Bobby! Ah shit...Scott come on we need to talk with him.” Jean pleaded.
“No.”
“What?” Jean said baffled.
“Bobby’s an adult like the rest of us. He’s made up his mind. I think we all have.” Scott turned away and walked to the back door of the house. “I’m going to get some fresh air. I’d like to be alone.”
“Scott...” Jean said in a soft voice as she watched him walk away without a second look.
Lorna sat across from Alex, the two were sitting at the kitchen table, having just finished up a makeshift dinner for the two of them. “So,” Lorna said, staring at the modest engagement ring on her right hand. “What’s the plan?”
“Well I was thinking we buy a house in Honolulu, I go back to my parent’s shipping company, while you finish up your last year in college. You try to find a geology job, and see where we go from there.” Alex said, a small smile crawling on his lips.
“What about our marriage?”
“Well I guess we can do that before or after you head into college. Whichever one’s fine with you.”
Lorna, stared at the table, deep in thought before giving Alex her answer. “I think after is best. It’ll give us and everyone else a chance to settle into our new lives.”
“Yeah, that’ll be for the best.” Alex chuckled. “If we get married first chance we get, maybe we’ll get attacked by a new Brotherhood or something.”
“Yeah,” Lorna laughed a little to hard. “Don’t wanna jinx it.”
The two then turned their head’s as they heard the kitchen door open. There they saw Jean, her eye’s and red and tear’s and falling down her cheeks, the woman glanced at the pair and looked shock.
“Oh sorry, I’ll leave.”
“No Jean, no!’ Lorna cried, rising from her chair and grabbing her friend by the arm, pulling her to the table. “What’s wrong honey.”
“It’s Scott, isn’t it.” Alex, said, giving Jean a knowing look.
Jean gave Alex one of her own, “Yeah.”
“He’s staying I take it.”
“Oh no.” Lorna said. “He can’t have said that.”
“He, hasn’t. Not yet.” Jean admitted.
“Did you read his mind? Is he planning on staying?”
“No I haven’t Lorna, I’d-I’d never do that to him. He know if I did anyway.” Jean, began to wipe her tear’s from her eye’s. “But, it’s just…I know him, I know how much he wanted the X-Men to succeed. And I think he want’s to try again with this new team.”
John looked at the collage of photo’s in front of him. In the first, five teenager’s, a lanky boy with ruby red glasses, a redheaded girl, a tall boy in a very expensive suit, a bulky and hairy boy with a book in his hand’s, and a short boy, pulling a pair bunny ears behind the bulky kid, all stood together posing for a photo. To the right of that photo, those same teenager’s, now each wearing their costume, Cyclops with his glowing visor, Phoenix floating above the air, Angel’s wing’s spread out touching the end’s of the photo, Beast hanging upside down from a pole, Phoenix was probably carrying with her mind, and finally Iceman covered head to toe in a chunk of frost.
Below those two picture’s was a portrait shot of Professor Xavier, below him was a photo of a tanned boy with blond hair, next to him a pudgy girl with green hair. Next to those was an updated picture of the XMmen in their new costumes, Beast now blue and furry, and Iceman living up to his name, with Havok standing next to Cyclops, and Polaris hovering in the air next to Jean.
Below those two picture’s were of two X-Men John couldn’t recognize. One was a middle aged man in a blue and purple outfit and a strange helmet, the other was a boy around Angel’s age, looking like a combo of the X-Men, Cyclops’ visor, Beast’s proportion’s, Angel’s wing’s, Ice on his limb’s, and floating just above the ground.
John reckoned that the X-Men had a lot oh history he didn’t know about, had a lot to be proud of. John wondered if he could live up to them, to live up to being a team like them. He wondered if he and his old squad had a chance of being like them. John grit his teeth at the bad memories, but ignored it like he always did.
John took a deep breath and told himself that it was time for a change in his life. He heard the sound of footsteps coming close to him. John turned his head and saw Iceman, his head down, not paying attention. Good time to start John reckoned. “Heya Iceman! Uh Bobby right? This Mansion’s pretty big, how ‘bout givin’ me a tour of the place?”
Bobby’s eye’s snapped at John, “You want to explore go ahead! Every room’s labeled, assuming you can read!”
John glared back at Bobby, but bit his tongue instead of snapping back at the young man. “Just tryin’ to be friendly hombre. Look I just want some-”
“I’m not interested in what you fuckers have to say!” Bobby snapped, covering himself in a layer of ice once again. “Understand this one thing ya punk. I don’t want any one of you bastard’s in the mansion, not as X-Men, not as friend’s!”
“What the hell are you bitchin’ about?” John fired back. “Your ass is leaving aint it?!”
“This is our house, our lives you’re horning in on!” Bobby pointed both hand’s at John, ice erupted from his hand’s and collided with John’s chest. A sheet of ice covered the former soldier, toppling him over on his back. “You don’t belong here, so take the hint and leave!”
“Motherfucker!” John cried out. With quick flex of his arm’s he cracked the ice on his body and charged right at Bobby getting up close and personal with him. He readied a punch, as did Bobby but right before John threw the second blow, he let out a deep breath and lowered his arm’s.
“You wanna know why belong here kid. The Professor asked us here. Because playtime’s over. Because he need’s us, because you and your pal’s couldn’t cut the mustard as X-Men and needed to be replaced.” John shoved past Bobby and walked. “So take the hint Xavier gave ya, and get out of our house.”
Scott stood right by a tall oak tree, right on the edge of where the forest outside the mansion began. He was alone once again, alone with his thoughts. Why was Bobby so angry, him and the others had all agreed to leave the X-Men, they didn’t want to stay, so why wasn’t Bobby just happy that Xavier had found a team to replace them? Hell why wasn’t he?
Why did he have to see all the faults the new team had? All the personalities that will butt heads in the future as the team tries to gel. How Xavier will have trouble trying to rein a group of dependant adult’s looking for a place to belong instead of impressionable teens looking for answers. Why did he see that they needed a leader to band them all together into a well oiled machine?
Why! Scott internally cried as he slammed a fist into the tree as hard as he could. Scott pulled his hand back and looked at his bleeding knuckles. Now he stewed in his anger.
“Not havin’ a good time eh, Slim?” Scott turned his head and stared at Wolverine, the short man, who had kept his real name a secret to his new allies, was smoking a cigar, and had a pair of beer bottles in hand. Wolverine looked at Scott’s hand. “Guess not.”
“What are you doing here?”
“Came to offer you a brew.” Wolverine offered the beer to Scott.
“No thanks.”
“Suit yourself.” Wolverine a popped a claw, and used it to open one of the bottles, before drinking the amber liquid inside. “So why are you out here? Shouldn’t you be packing with your buddies.”
“No I…” Scott was at a loss for word’s. He didn’t know what to say, really he didn’t know why he was even outside right now. He should be packing with jean, and planning on finding a new apartment with her. Maybe even a house.
“I don’t know.” Scott admitted.
Wolverine looked at Scott. “Slim, take my advice as little as you want, but you got two path’s. It’s either you choose your family or you choose us.”
“I know that!” Scott snapped. “You think I don’t want to live my life with Jean! I love her damn it! I love her like my brother does Lorna, and I want the life their gonna have!”
Wolverine leaned to Scott, puffing his cigar in his face. “So why the hell aren’t you with her right now?”
The sky here is far different than the one Ororo is used to, it’s colder, thicker, and a strange aura fills it. It’s odd, the sky is not as easy to soar and fly through as she did back in Sahara, but Ororo enjoys it strangely enough. There’s a challenge to it, something pushes against her as she makes every movement in the sky. A left, a right, rushing downward, rising upward, rolling, spinning, looping, it’s harder here, more of a struggle, she feel’s almost empowered as she take’s hold of it with her powers.
Then something click’s for Ororo, the air is clogged with something, like smoke from a bush fire, there’s something inside the air. Just before another click could come, Ororo spot’s a brilliant pair of white Wing’s flap right beside her.
“Hey there gorgeous, how do you like your new flight zone.” Warren said as he smiled to Ororo.
“It is...different.” Ororo says trying to find the right words, “It’s more of a task to fly here, but I think I’ll get used to it.”
“Don’t tell me you’re already getting homesick.” Angel laughed, “I know the Mansion’s a bit stuffy but it’s not that bad.”
“Yes the mansion,” Ororo look’s back to it, the building was large and the bedroom she was given was spacious but... “It will take getting used, living inside of an actual house instead of wandering from hut to hut.”
“Yeah well with almost ten people living in the Mansion I’m sure it’ll feel crowded real quick.”
Ororo, looked back at the Mansion when Warren said those word’s.
“Beautiful place yeah,” Warren said noticing Ororo’s stare, “I wanted to get a house like that now that I’m moving in with my girl Candy but she convinced me to-” Something caught Warren’s eye. Warren immediately twirled his body around and darted forward towards some of the trees near the Mansion. “Damn it, I knew that little creep was gonna be nothing but trouble!”
“Warren!” Ororo cried. “Angel, what’s wrong?” Ororo pushed herself and began following Warren, it took her a moment to see what had made the man so angry. There was Wolverine and Scott the two looked like they were about to brawl.
“Listen just stay out of my personal life, Wolverine!” Scott snapped.
“Slim, I don’t know what to tell ya,” Wolverine leaned in real close “But right now your personal life is the X-Men, right now your choice is-” Wolverine snapped his head to the right, Scott wondered just what he was doing when he saw Warren slam full force into Wolverine.
“Back off shrimp!” Warren shouted as he sent Wolverine straight to the ground. “Scott are you-”
“Warren what the hell are you doing?” Scott cried, Warren was startled by his friends response. “Well? Answer me!”
Warren looked at Scott in shock before pointing a finger at Wolverine. “This little nut was about to attack you and-”
A sickening pair of snikt’s hit both Warren and Scott’s ear’s. The two looked at Wolverine, his claw’s out and ready. “Not fair to hit a man when he aint looking, I like that wings.” Wolverine snarled. “But next time you make damn sure to keep hitting me when I’m down!” Wolverine leapt at Warren, looking like a crazed animal, Warren was to shocked by what he was seeing to make a move.
Scott gripped his glasses and lifted them up from his closed eye’s, for a split second he opened them, letting out a small optic blast. He heard impact and put his glasses back on, when he reopened his eye’s he saw both Wolverine and Warren having been sent flying, but both were getting up.
Wolverine was glaring at Warren poised for another strike, Warren for his part, was ready for a fight, his fist’s were both up and he was ready for Wolverine’s next attack. Before Scott could scream at both of them, a soft rain began pouring down, and a bolt of thunder slammed to the ground right between both men.
“What is going on here!” Ororo cried.
“This guy’s a nut!” Warren screamed, turning to Scott. “Scott we need to tell the Professor to throw him out, he’s ready to tear us apart and-”
“You condemn easily for someone who threw the first blow!” Ororo, touching the ground beside Wolverine, she tried to help him up but he turned her down and rose to his feet himself, sheathing his claws.
Warren glared at Ororo, angry that she did have a point. “Miss, when someone tries to kill I’m only giving them one chance.”
“One more than I’d give.” Warren glared at Wolverine.
“All right, all of you, back inside.” Scott ordered.
“Scott-”
“You to, Warren.” Scott stared at Warren, his friend wanted to plead his case some more, but he realized Scott wasn’t going to listen.
“Fine, fine.” Warren said before flying back off towards the house.
“So,” Scott turned to Wolverine once he spoke.
“So what?”
“You gonna keep me Slim? Fly Boy’s right, I’m a dangerous man, more of an animal really.”
“I’m not afraid of you Wolverine.” Scott said.
“You should be.”
“We’ll see about that.” Scott started walking back to the Mansion, right as he past both Wolverine and Ororo he looked back at them. “Oh, and welcome to the X-Men.”
“Oh no.” Leyu said as she looked out from the living room window. “I believe Wolverine and Angel just had a fight.”
“What?” Sean said, heading right next to her by the window. “Wha’ in gods name happened?”
“I don’t know, at first it looked like Scott and Wolverine were having an argument, then Warren flew in and slammed into Wolverine, now it looks like Scott and Ororo are putting a stop to it.”
“This was all a mistake.” Everyone turned to Piotr, he was standing in the middle of the room, staring at the floor.
“Piotr what are you saying?” Leyu asked.
“We will never be accepted here. None of the original X-Men want us, I fear even Xavier will grow tired of us.” Piotr looked to John, the man had walked into the living room, shivering and wiping himself off with a towel, screaming about Bobby being a little shit. John didn’t say anything in response, he just grit his teeth, not liking that he was being used as an example.
“I’ve decided to return home.”
“Piotr,” Kurt said, walking up to Piotr, “my young friend, we will always be outcast’s, even amongst our mutant brethren, that may still be true. You may run to where you think you are safe amongst your family, but that isn’t true, think about the past’s you’ve heard from the rest of us, you know that a home, a family can be taken away so easily.”
Piotr looked to Kurt, staring at the man’s face, it was one that knew first hand about the tragedy life can hand you. “I am done running, Piotr. If we keep fleeing from those who fear us, who hate us, nothing will ever change. You can hide if you wish, but someone like me isn’t good at hiding for too long. I intend to stay here Piotr.”
“I see,” Piotr was silent just staring straight at Kurt. “Then I won’t run away either. It may be for the best.”
Kurt placed a hand on Piotr’s shoulder. “We’re welcome to have you.”
October 15
The next morning was a somber on for each member of the original X-Men. Warren, Bobby, Lorna, and Alex stood near the front door of the mansion, their bag’s packed and sitting near them, waiting for their final two membere to arrive. All of them were quiet, simply waiting in silence until they could all leave together, none had spoken to the new team, they had tried to meet with Xavier but had found the door to his room locked tight, and none of them had it in them to wake the man just so he could watch them leave.
Jean and Scott were the last to arrive at the front door, both solemnly walking down the stair case, Jean carrying a pair of suitcase’s, both their face’s grim. Warren noticed them first, he looked to them shaking his head a little, he expected the two of them to be taking this hardest, Jean had first met the Professor as a child as he helped her control her powers, while Scott was taken in at the age of thirteen, and had lived in the mansion the longest.
“You hurt your arm Scott?” Warren asked, surprised that Jean was carrying both their suitcases. “Come here I’ll heal you up real quick.” Warren outstretched his hand, ready to use his secondary ability to help his friend.
“No-no Warren these are just my bags.” Jean said, her voice faltering.
“Oh? Scott going to pick his things up later or-”
“I’m staying Warren.” Scott flatly said.
A mix of reactions hit the others, a look of disappointment hit Alex, pinch of fear on lorna, bottled anger for Bobby, while Warren was left in a state of shock.
“What!” He cried. “Scott what are you talking about?!”
“This team needs a leader. I’m the only one who can fit the role. I have to stay here until they don’t need me.” Scott said, no hint of emotion in his voice.
“Bu-but how long will that take?!”
“I don’t know Warren!” Scott snapped out to everyone’s surprise, barring Jean. “But I have to.”
Jean took the final few steps off the staircase and made her way to the front door, she opened it up and motioned for everyone to go outside. One by one they went through with their own luggage, Warren was the last to go, leaning to Jean just as he arrived.
“Jean you can’t let him-”
“I can’t change his mind. Not anymore than he can change mine.” She answered back, trying to muster some confidence back in her voice.
Defeated, Warren walked through the door, Jean looked back to Scott, their eye’s, blocked once again by a ruby wall.
“I love you.”
“I know.”
Scott watched as the original team headed into the limo Warren had gotten, and began driving off, headed toward each of their destination’s. One by one, the new team entered the living room where, Scott sat on a chair, watching the original’s leave through the window. Ororo, Sean, Kurt, Leyu, Piotr, Logan, and finally John, all arrived at different times, some of them trying to speak with Scott, none of them succeeding, eventually they joined Scott as he silently watched the Limo leave the mansion’s driveway.
“You’ve had breakfast, right?” Scott spoke the second the limo was out of view, surprising everyone.
“Yeah, laddie, just some bacon, eggs, n’ toast I whipped up.” Sean replied.
“Good.” Scott rose from his chair. “All of you, get into uniform, and meet me in the basement, Sean will show you the hidden buttons on the elevator. Your training begins now.”
Cyclops eyed the new X-Men, all of them were wearing copies of the original X-Men uniform, Wolverine and Banshee included. Both men’s old costume’s had bee damaged beyond repair during their battle with Krakoa and the two men had decided to get a pair of updates on their outfit’s.
The group had followed his order’s and had arrived to the third sub basement of the mansion, the second lowest open and had arrived at a thick metallic door. Above said door was a small sign reading ‘Danger Room’.
“X-Men” Scott said in a commanding voice, “Today is your first training session, it’s a simple one, but it always has another challenge just around the corner.”
“And wha’ exactly is that lesson Slim?” Wolverine asked.
“How to survive.” Cyclops answered. “In this room you will learn how to take the single second given to you by an opponent or a threat, just before they kill you. You’ll learn to save yourself, protect your teammates, and to counteract said opponents and threats in that single second, because if you don’t you won’t remain and X-Men for long.”
Cyclops pressed a button on a keypad next to the door. “X-Men, say hello to the Danger Room.”
The large metal door’s slid apart, sliding into the wall’s they were embedded in. Each of the X-Men stared into the danger room, in awe at what they were seeing.
“An...empty room, will do all that?” Monroe questioned, looking blankly at the large and spacious, yet barren room metal room.
“That’s right.” Cyclops answered. “Your first objective with the Danger Room is to make it across to the other side of the room, and head out that exit.” Cyclops pointed to the other side of the room, where a door similar to the one he opened lay on the other side, the word ‘Exit’ written above it.
“Ya gotta fuckin’ kiddin’ One-Eye.” Proudstar walked up to the open door, before turning his head to the other’s. “See ya at the exit troops.” Proudstar headed into the room, casually walking through it, the other X-Men peered into the room, crowding the door way, wondering if anything was going to happen.
Once Proudstar had made it halfway across the room however, he heard a mechanical sound above him, almost like a swiftly opening hatch. Before Proudstar could even look up to see what caused the sound, he toppled backwards as a large figure landed to the ground in front of him. Proudstar, shook his head to regain his senses but the opened his eyes wide in shock at what he saw. Before him was what looked like a large metal barrel, twice the size of him.
“The hell?” Proudstar said, just before the top of the barrel rose upwards by a few inches, in the middle of the extension was a red glowing dot, almost looking like an eye, glaring down at Proudstar. Then from below the barrel, a quartet of tube-like appendages, shot out in an x, the appendages hit the ground and rose the barrel upwards, rising it into the air. From the side’s of the barrel two more appendage’s shot out, these one’s much thicker and longer than the lower leg’s. From the end’s of these new arm’s sprung a trio of claw-like fingers.
“The Fuck?!” Proudstar shouted as the robot before him grasped at his arm’s and lifted him up, the man struggling to break free of the robot’s grip. As Proudstar failed to free himself the robot threw him forward in a swift manner, the man colliding the wall behind him with a heavy thud.
“Had fun their Proudstar?”
Proudstar opened his eye’s and glared to Cyclops, as the man walked into the Danger Room. “Ladies and gentleman, I’d like to introduce you all to Danger.”
“Hello everyone. Pleasure to try and kill you all for the foreseeable future.” A voice cried out from above them, female yet mechanical.
“Danger’s the AI program in charge of the danger room, and every obstacle inside it, she find’s our weaknesses, our fault’s, and our mistake’s, and is programmed to capitalize on them to keep us on our toes.”
“A I?” Monroe asked, confused.
“Artificial Intelligence.” Leyu answered. “Like a robot but inside of a computer, designed to replicate a living person. I heard of some prototype’s being developed by the Japanese government but I didn’t know they had gotten this advanced.”
“Interesting, saw something like this in a movie once, but one tiny question,” Wagner asked, hiding from behind the door frame. “What exactly did she mean by try and kill us?”
“I am programmed with the direct order to try and kill you with every device installed into me. Sadly I’m also programmed to be unable to deliver a possible fatal blow.”
“If Danger’s about to kill anyone, her sensor’s will catch it, and she’ll enter an automatic shutdown mode. Protecting us from any real danger, so don’t worry about it.”
“It’s a shame, I really wish to kill you.”
“I don’t remember her being able to talk las’ time I visited.” Banshee noted.
“She got an upgrade right around we last met you actually. Iceman and Beast set up her personality. They thought it’d bring a little levity to her.”
“Ta be honest with ya Slim, it doesn’t.” Wolverine snapped.
“I agree.” Cyclops noted, before looking to Proudstar, the man was rubbing his back while sitting on the floor of the danger room. “On your feet Proudstar, everyone else inside, and be ready to brace yourselves, because we’ll be dealing with more than just one robot today.”
“Ah,” Wagner said in a disappointed tone. “How lovely.”
October 18
Blaster fire once more echoes across the Danger Room, the sound of the stun blast’s were permanently etched into the mind’s of the seven new X-Men. Cyclops wasn’t lying when he said that they would have more to deal with than just one large robot. On their first day that truly was all they had to deal with, but once they were able to soundly defeat the machine and pass through the other side of the door, Danger quickly upped the ante.
The next day, four drones were added to the course, all resembling miniature tank’s, firing stun blasts at the X-Men. Non-lethal yes, pleasant no, as the stun blasts had the effect completely neutralizing whatever limb or body part they hit, causing it to go completely numb for up to ten minutes straight, and whenever one of them was hit by a blast they were dead, and were meant to act as such.
The brute robot and the four tank drones were still easy to beat compared to Krakoa, and once more the X-Men all passed the exit door in under two hours.
The next day though took them almost four as Danger added another two tank drones as well as four other drones, these resembling miniature helicopters, patrolled tank drones as well as the brute, always getting a good shot on an X-Men just when they weren’t looking.
Still though the X-Men did complete that course, even if it did cost them all their afternoon.
Now though, most of the new X-Men were feeling that their training session were getting ridiculous, the rest were starting to regret their enrollment at the mansion.
Another pair of tank drones, now making eight of them, several walls acting as barricades and cover for them were situated at the second half of the danger room, acting as shields for said drones, as well as a pair of turret drone’s stationed at the ceiling of the room. With the brute and copter still around, the danger room felt more like a war room.
After five hours of the team failing to break through Danger’s latest course, much to the AI’s delight, the group had finally created a strategy that would allow them to take out all of Danger’s drone’s and get them through that exit door. Now all they needed was for all of them to make it out alive.
Monroe and Yoshida both took to the air and focused purely on the airborne drone’s takeing them down one by one. Wagner was next, bamfing his way to the two turrets on the ceiling and destroying them alone. Cyclops and Banshee, focused on suppressive fire against the tank drone’s, forcing them hiding behind the wall’s they used for shield’s and taking out any unlucky enough caught without one. Rasputin meanwhile went toe to toe with the Brute, taking it’s attention away from all the other’s and trying to pin it down to keep it in place. Finally Proudstar and Wolverine made their way to the wall’s taking out the tanks one by one.
It was a good plan, and most importantly, after nearly three hours, they were finally having a good run. What wasn’t so good was that the X-Men were starting to tire out, they were starting to get distracted by their tired bodies, and they were starting to become easy prey.
Proudstar crushed another of the tanks drone’s with the remains of another, this had to be what the 26th one he had destroyed over all, exactly how many of these things did Xavier had he wondered to himself. Proudstar looked at the remains of the tank in his hand’s, what was once a full turret now lay a short bent pipe. He dropped and went to heave the recently destroyed drone in his hand’s, lifting it high above his head.
Once he had done so, he realized something was behind him, something on treads.
Proudstar twisted his body around, and glared at the drone that had snuck up behind him. His eyes met the barrel of the drone’s cannon, just as it began to glow red. Proudstar prepared to throw the broken drone full force at his new opponent but just before his hand’s let go of the wreck, the drone fire, hitting Proudstar in the right arm.
Proudstar swore as he was hit, just as he lost his hold on the wreck, the chunk of metal hitting his left shoulder hard, a piece of jagged metal piercing his skin. Proudstar fell on his back, hitting the floor just as hard as the wreck hit him, the full weight of the drone crumpling on him.
“Injury! Injury! Danger Shutting down!”
“What happened?” Cyclops shouted out as he watched the numerous barricades made by Danger, recede into the floor, the multiple remaining drone’s all swarming back to the corners of the danger room, waiting to be put back to their garages.
“It’s Proudstar!” Bashee replied, the man swooping down to injured man. “Piotr help me pull this hunk a’ metal off him.”
The young Russian ran up to help, grabbing the wrecked drone and lifting it off John’s body with ease. Sean went to help him up.
“Easy lad, that’s a nasty wound you got there, let me take you to infirmary and help patch you up.”
John swiped as the man tried to help him up. “Back off Shamrock!” the man scrambled to his feet, applying as much pressure as he could to his wounded shoulder. “I don’t need any Help! Not from you, not from anybody!”
“Proudstar!” Scott snapped, walking right up to the boiling veteran.
“I said I’m okay One-Eye…” John said through gritted teeth.
“The name is Cyclops mister, and your not okay.” He shot back, “I’ve got news for you tough guy, if this were real combat, a real battle, those drone’s wouldn’t have fallen back, you would been blasted to ash, crippled at best. Don’t be so damn careless or you will be-”
“You think I haven’t seen real combat!” John roared back. “Listen buddy I’ve seen men die! Men lose limbs, lose their siblings, crying for their mothers, and begging god to send them home alive! So lay off me or so help me-”
“Cyclops! Proudstar!” The voice of Professor Xavier shouted inside the head’s of all of the X-Men. “Cease this squabble immediately! Proudstar head to the infirmary! Cyclops I’ll see you in my office.”
The room was silent, no one made a move or a sound after Xavier’s psychic interruption. John was the first to move, slowly making his way to the infirmary, with a scowl on his face.
“Session over everyone.” Scott said to the others, “Tomorrow’s an off day, light exercise only. Leyu?”
“Yes?” the woman said surprised at the call.
“You’ve had some medical practice right?”
“Only a bit of nurse training a year or two ago.”
“Best we have right now, go make sure John gets patched up. Everyone else dismissed.”
Rocky Mountain Region, Colorado
Valhalla Mountain, one of the many structure’s that makes up the Colorado Rockies. Large, imposing, treacherous, yet hollow, it’s innards carved out to make room for an almost impenetrable outpost. Hidden from any enemy, secure from even nuclear weapons lies the NORAD War Room, home to possibly the most powerful war machine ever created.
The ultimate weapon and the ultimate target, but as of right now, it is nothing but the sight of a massacre.
Corpses spread across the landscape of the war room, burnt, crushed, electrocuted, bloated, and some even reduced to ash. Five men remain from the carnage, the five who initiated it.
Crucible, was the leader of these of five men, he a middle-aged man with a thin face and long flowing white hair, dressed in a simple red bodysuit with a black trench coat, he grabbed a cigarette from one of his pockets, and after igniting it with the tip of his finger sizzling from flame, he brought it to his mouth, and took a deep breath at a job well done. He walked to nearby radar technician desk, and threw the aflame corpse siting at it’s chair to the ground and took the seat for himself. With another puff of his cigarette he looked to each of his compatriots.
First off was the man known as Paralyzer, he was a wild man with a buzz cut and a purple jump suit always ready to find a new target. Randall’s arm’s was what got Crucible to notice him, he got a good look at them when Randall tried to mug him for his wallet back in Washington. They were insect-like, real creepy, big red plate’s covering them, and instead of hand’s the guy had a pair of pincer’s like a scorpion. The interesting thing was that Randall was able to shoot electricity out of his arm’s, strong as a lightning bolt. Right now the guy was searching every nook and cranny of the War Room for any survivor’s to shock, little nut was always looking for something he could fry, it’s why Crucible liked him.
Next was Meteorite, he was a giant with a thick brown beard and intense eyes. He was their muscle, not because of he had super strength, no, no that’d be to simple. Meteorite had the power to make anything he grabbed with all five of his finger’s weightless to him. The man could wield a bulldozer like it was a baseball bat. Crucible found him jacking car’s bare handed back in Florida. Right now the big lug was barricading the door to the war room with whatever he could find, man was always paranoid.
Next is Occult, a bald midget with big ol’ eye’s bugling out of his head. Those eye’s were what was important about little Occult, for one they had all sort’s of different type’s of vision's for Occult to see in, night, infra-red, even x-ray. On the more dangerous side, Occult’s eye’s could fire a wicked blast of searing light, turning whatever was in Occult’s vision to ash. Came at a cost though, man’s eye’s stung like hell after he used them, little man was still sitting down after he used them five minute’s ago. Crucible found him living in a homeless shelter in Idaho.
Finally was Slither, he was more of a snake than man, if he was actually a man Crucible doubted it. Covered head to tail in green scales, those split eye’s, snake head, tongue constantly shooting out, the work’s. His arm’s were even all serpentine like an actual snake, and instead of a pair of leg’s he had a tail three times the length of Crucible. Guy had a wicked bite though, plus enough venom to kill about an army of elephants. Crucible found him terrorizing a forest in California. Right now the freak was in the middle of the room, shooting his tongue, Crucible wondered if he had eaten anyone, he probably did.
Crucible heard the sound of a whirlwind behind his back and turned his chair to it. He stared at what him allowed him and his crew to enter Valhalla’s War Room in the first place, the giant orange portal floating in the air.
One lone figure walked out it, a middle aged Italian guy, wearing and old gray tux with a blue cape over the get up. In his hand was a cane, Crucible was sure was their for look’s.
“Well done my dear Crucible, well done indeed!” The man Said with a small applaud.
“Thanks boss man, it was a pleasure.” Crucible replied with a smirk.
Count Luchino Nefaria, let out a laugh in response, Crucible knew this guy was a high ranking member of the Maggia, Europe’s largest crime syndicate, but still he found this guy to be a loon. Like he came out of a kids cartoon.
“But now the time for pleasure is over, back to business.” Nefaria brought out a cigar and brought the tip to Crucible, who lit it in response. “The War Room is ours, how is that other mutant doing.”
“The blue broad?” Crucible said, recalling the blue skinned woman Nefaria had given him. He couldn’t recall her name just the gal’s body, definitely not her face. “Pretty sure she ran off just as the fight started like you said she would. Pretty sure she got out, the door’s to the room are on lock down, you said she was gonna do that right?”
“Yes, yes. She came assigned from your own employer, doing personal work for him I’m told. Not any of my business though, for now.”
“Hey, Nefaria!’” Crucible and Nefaria turned to Meterorite, as he stood away from the main opening of the War Room. I can hear them trying to break in, and there's no way that just the five of us can stand against an entire army, so now what?”
“Don’t worry, I didn’t expect you to.” Nefaria said as he took a breath of his cigar. He walked over to the largest computer in the room, the one Crucible and his men had strict order’s to not touch, and began tapping away at it with one hand. Crucible was impressed, the man’s finger’s were dashing fast then a gun full of speeding bullet’s. “And with that simple command, the entirety of this mountain has gone into it’s last stand protocol, it’s now completely barricaded, no way through any door in this facility with out destroying the way through.” Nefaria tapped some commands once more on the computer. “And now with enough toxic gas to take out a small city, I have neutralized the army you fear some much my dear Meteroite.”
“Damn!” Paralyzer said as he walked to the two men. “You sure know a lot about this place.”
“Information already gathered month’s ago through various means, blackmail, bribery, whatever it took.” Nefaria said as he watched the other members of Mutant Force gather around him.
“My Associates, if that woman is wearing the gas mask I had given her than we seven are the sole surviving human’s still alive in Valhalla. And now we are in control of its unlimited arsenal, its countless information, and of its untapped power! Gentleman, at this very moment we have become the rulers of the world!”
Xavier Mansion
“Why’d you do that?” Leyu said, once more piercing John’s skin with her needle.
“Do what?” John said, cringing from the feeling of his the stitches thread running through him.
“Antagonize him. Last few day’s every time every time Scott got on your case you tried to start an argument. Finally did it today.”
“And all it took was a droping a three hundred pound robot on top of me.”
“I’m serious!” Leyu snapped. She made the last pull on her needle before grabbing a pair of scissors. “He’s our leader, and all he’s trying to do is get us up into shape. He doesn’t even rag on you more than anyone else either.”
“Never was much of a fan of authority, ask my parents, hell ask my superior’s in the army.” John spat, his eye’s going to the floor as he mentioned his past.
“You fought in the Gulf War right?” Leyu grabbed some numbing salve and began applying it to John’s shoulder.
“Ain’t that obvious.”
“Every time you mention your military career, you clamp up rather quickly.” Leyu looked to John, the man was still staring at the ground, but now he was boiling with rage. “You mentioned seeing men die.”
“Shut up.” John spat as he hopped to his feet and off the operating table he sat on.
“Those men friends of yours?”
“Shut Up!” John roared as he jumped into Leyu’s face, Leyu barely reared back but she stopped herself. She could see the hint of tears begin to well up in John’s eyes.
“Why the hell do you even care anyway!” John roared again.
“You remind of my brother.” Leyu answered. “Distant, cold, closed off, you’re just way more of a hothead than he is.”
John snorted at Leyu’s little pun. “Well listen lady, I ain’t your brother, so step off.”
“To me my X-Men! I request your presence in the briefing room immediately. We have a distress call coming in!” Xavier’s word’s rang through the pair’s head’s, along with everyone else inside the mansion.
“We’ll continue this later.” Leyu said.
“No we ain’t.” John replied, walking to the door, steeling himself for his next mission.
Hank McCoy, looked upon the screen of his computer, waiting for the Professor to gather the X-Men as fast as he could. Finally after what felt like days the screen turned on and showed the familiar inside of the mansion’s briefing room, but to Hank’s shock, there were many unfamiliar faces inside it.
“Oh my?” The blue furred man said in shock, he quickly scanned the several people huddled inside the room, recognizing a scant three, Xavier and Scott of course, as well as Banshee. “Professor, Scott? What’s happened to the X-Men?”
“There’s been some change’s to the team Hank.” Xavier answered. “I tried to contact you and the Avenger for aid a few days earlier, but I was forced to look elsewhere.”
“I understand,” Hank said in a soft voice, numerous thoughts running through his head. “Believe it or not the team was in space, The Stranger, and…”
“It’s, okay Hank, you don’t need to explain it.” Scott answered him.
“Thank you Scott, but where is Jean and the other’s?”
“They’ve left Hank, I’ll tell you about it later, you said you had some urgent info for us?” Scott answered to quickly for Hank’s comfort.
“Yes, yes, I understand.” Hank didn’t but now was the time ask question’s, he’ll have to get them later. “The Avenger’s just got a call from the Air Force, apparently a Military base in Colorado called Valhalla’s been taken over by a group of super villains.”
“So why you tellin’ us Furball.” One of the new X-Men said.
Hank eyed the short man with the Canadian accent. “Because the Avenger’s are unable to deal with this threat. Wasp’s injured, Hawkeye’s missing, and Iron Man and Moondragon are investigating his disappearance, it’s just me and Yellowjacket at Avenger’s HQ, and we have to hold the fort here until we can call in some reserves. Therefore I’ve decided that the best course to deal with this said threat is to ask for your help.”
The short man huffed. “You guy’s are never around when we need you huh?”
“Can it Wolverine!” Scott snapped at him. “Beast we’re happy to help, how much info do you have about this.”
“All I have is this message sent to the UN. Take a look, it has a familiar face on it.”
The X-Men watched as the giant screen inside their briefing room switched from the Beast’s face to another. This one to a much older man, older than Banshee, slicked black hair on his head, and a trim goatee.
“Ladies and gentleman of the United Nations” the man spoke a thick Italian accent. “I Count Luchino Nefaria have conquered the United States own Valhalla Base, their secret NORAD Command Center. Inside this base lies the Doomsmith Command System, and I have already activated it and therefore have seized control of America’s entire missile force.”
“With this I demand a ransom from each nation on Earth, the amount has already been determined for each of their ability to fund my further enterprises. If my demand’s are not met, I shall launch America's Entire Inventory of Nuclear missiles at every nation who has not fulfilled my wishes!”
“Send the Avengers! Send the Fantastic Four! Send whoever you dare choose to die by the hand’s of my new Mutant Force, a team formed from the most powerful Mutant’s all over the world under my command. All who oppose me shall suffer the same fate as those who defy me, Death!” The clip ended on Nefaria’s screaming face.
“Lunatic…” Wagner spat.
“Wonder what he does for an encore?” Wolverine said.
“That’s all we have, the Air Force said they would give us more info when we reached Valhalla.” Beast said as he returned to the screen.
“I’ve seen this Nefaria guy before,” Proudstar said. “He’s a big time Mafia leader who tried playing super villain right.”
“I take it he’s done playing, if what he said was true.” Monroe replied.
“He’s a part of the Maggia actually.” Banshee said, taking a pipe out of his mouth. “Europe wide criminal organization, usually in illegal substances and weaponry. Heard they were dabbling in the super trade before I left Interpol.”
“You heard right, few years ago, me and the original X-Men had a tango with him and a couple of low level villains he gathered, when he tried to hold the White House.” Cyclops, said taking attention of the room. “Speaking of low level villains, Beast, a new info on Mutant Force?”
“Not much, I’m afraid. Just some rumblings of a group of mutant mercenaries acting as thug’s to various criminal organizations in third world countries I’m not sure if they have any new members or not.”
“All right then. Everyone we’ve heard all we’re getting, let’s get going, all of you into costume, their done, Yoshida, Wagner, Monroe, Rasputin, I’ve hoped you’ve picked your code names because you’ll need them.” Cyclops turned to Proudstar the man, annoyed that his leader had seemingly forgotten to name him. “Proudstar you’re staying here while you’re injured.”
“Injured!” Proudstar roared. “You call a scratch and a bruise, injured!”
“Proudstar that’s an order and you will-”
“Cyclops!” Xavier interrupted the leader of the X-Men with one swift word. “There’s no time to argue right now. Proudstar should be able to keep up with rest of you even with his injury. But now you must go!”
Cyclops looked to the Professor, angry that the man was undercutting his order’s to his team. “Fine.” He spat. “I want all you at the Blackbird in two minutes, we leave in three.”
Cyclops had to admit, as he watched each member of the X-Men leave the locker rooms and head down to the underground hanger, he saw that all of them had some nice costume’s on.
Wolverine and Banshee had made minor modifications to their original costumes, Scott noted to himself. Wolverine for one had remade his mask, adding a large black piece in front of his eyes that resembled his hair, other than that, he now had larger blue shoulder pads, yellow sleeves to his outfit, and finally a standard X-Men utilities belt, just like his.
Banshee meanwhile had removed his costumes flared collar, making it now run smoothly around his neck. He too also sported an X-Men utilites belt, but more importantly he now sported a pair of light goggles, as well as pilot’s oxygen mask, designed to help him control himself as he reached higher speeds. Both were yellow with a green trim.
Monroe’s new outfit consisted of a black legless and sleeveless bodysuit, with a yellow trim around them. A similar pair of thigh high boots were around her leg’s while a short cape hung on her back, the two end’s of them attached to a pair of gold bracelet’s on her wrist’s, on the back of the cape was a yellow X. Around her waist was an X belt, while the utilities were stored on a small pack on her back and underneath her cape, while a black tiara rested on her forehead with a black sleeve covering her mouth attached to it. She took the name Storm, Cyclops admitted the name made sense, she was formerly the god of them only a few days ago.
Proudstar meanwhile, had taken a dark blue, short sleeve suit. A pair of red boot’s, gloves, and shoulder pad’s added to his look, all with red and blue fraying on the trim. He wore an X belt, and had a large red X on his chest as well a blue mask over his eyes. He had taken the name Warpath, which caused Scott to think he should get him a therapist once this mission was over, the man clearly had some issues relating to his service that needed to be resovled.
Rasputin meanwhile wore a red short legged suit without sleeves. He wore a pair of thick red boots with a yellow outline, as well a pair of gauntlets much the same. Finally he wore an X belt and a pair of red shoulder pad’s, both of them had a yellow X etched on them. He had taken the name Colossus, according to him his older brother had called him that when he was younger, the young man’s family was very important to Piotr, he’ll have to check in on them from time to time just to be safe.
Yoshida had a bright red bodysuit, gloves, and boots. Around her ankles, thighs, wrists, and elbows was a pattern of flames printed on her suit. She wore a thick red mask that resembled a motorcycle helmet and encased her entire head and a had bright orange visor that allowed her to see, over her mouth. On the helmet was an orange X while an X Belt was around her waist. She had taken the name Sunpyre to more resemble her brother, she was trying so hard to separate herself from him, but she still kept reminders of him.
Finally Wagner was wearing an all black bodysuit, with white finger and toe less gloves, that let his claws visible and usable. On both of his gloves was a black X, while on his chest was a red design that wrapped below his crotch on to his back before merging to his white shoulder pads. He to wore an X belt but had his utilities stored on a pair straps around his thighs. He had taken the name Nightcrawler, clearly he still felt like the same showman he was in the circus.
The Blackbird soared through the skies, nearly reaching Mach 4 as it sliced it’s way through the air towards Valhalla. Inside the prototype aircraft, the anxiety of the new X-Men was palpable and had caused them all to be quieter than a church mouse. At least until Wolverine through out an icebreaker.
“So, anyone wanna tell me how far far is to far before we get there?” Wolverine asked aloud.
“No killing, X-Men rule.” Cyclops responded from the pilots seat.
“Ye kid’s thought of everything back when ye started huh laddie?” Banshee said.
“No, it just got instated. Wasn’t official until as of right now actually.”
“Wasn’t a problem until now I take it?” Nightcrawler questioned.
“Keep talking elf, you’ll see just how many rules I can make for this team.” Wolverine shot back.
“Understood.” Nightcrawler quickly turned away from Wolverine and spotted Storm. “Well then Storm, I must say I quite enjoy your costume.”
“Thank you Nightcrawler. I very much like yours as well.” Storm replied. “But I must say I am somewhat disappointed, Xavier rejected my first costume.”
“Why’s that?” Colossus said, butting into their conversation, easily done as his seat was in between both Nightcrawler and Storm’s.”
“Oh, the Professor said that it left too little to the imagination.”
“Oh.” Colossus said, a blush on the young man’s cheeks.
“Really.” a very excited Nightcrawler responded. “Shame I didn’t get to see it.”
“Okay everyone stay calm right now, we got visitor’s.”
“What kind?” Sunpyre asked.
“The US Air Force.”
“That happen often?”
“Surprisingly little.”
“Unidentified Blackbird from Alpha Leader. You are in restricted Airspace. Respond or we will open fire. Over.”
Cyclops grabbed at his radio. “We are responding to an Avengers call. Alpha, Victor, Romeo. I repeat we have been sent by the Avengers. Alpha, Victor, Romeo. Over.”
“Understood. Contact General Fredricks on Tac Ten. Over.”
“Tac Ten, Roger. Over.” Cyclops changed his radio’s frequency to to Tac Ten and quickly made his presence known once again.
“General Fredericks. Calling General Fredericks, respond. Over.”
“This is General Fredericks, which Avenger am I speaking to?”
Cyclops quickly recalled the name and voice, he had met Fredericks before in person once before.
“This is Cyclops of the X-Men, General. The Avengers sent us. I repeat this is the X-Men.”
“X-Men?!” Fredericks, got quiet before responding again. “Yeah, yeah we’ve met before, when you dealt with the Sentinels. Still don’t trust ya, but you’re all I got right now.”
“What’s the current situation, General?”
“Nefaria controls Valhalla and has armed it’s defenses, taken out every living person inside, and has armed the Defense system. SAM’s, lasers, sonic cutters, name a weapon and he’s got it primed to fire. But that’s the least of our worries, the fool’s already armed the Doomsmith System.”
“And what exactly is the Doomsmith System?”
“The US’s Ultimate Weapon, ultimate as in final. It’s the last resort, to be used when there’s is no chance of survival, and all of the American people are already or set to die.”
“What?” Cyclops flatly questioned.
“The Doomsmith System gives Nefaria complete control of the US Missile Arsenal, but that’s not the whole picture. The point of the Doomsmith System is to select a series of target, anywhere around the world or in it’s orbit, and obliterate it.”
“You gotta be kidding me.” Warpath said. “This thing’s designed so if we’re so screwed all we can do is take out all our enemies with us.”
“I go down, I take you with me.” Wolverine said. “Clever.”
“I understand the magnitude of the situation, General. How long has Nefaria given us until he activates the system.”
“That doesn’t matter Cyclops. The Doomsmith System will automatically fire one hour after it’s activated and given targets. Nefaria doesn’t have any real control over it now, he doesn’t even have the access code’s to initiate the shutdown.”
“Mein Gott…” Nightcrawler whispered.
“I see. General, what are the codes to shutdown the Doomsmith System.”
“There located inside the Valhalla base, inside the main computer room. It’s right next to the command room, but you’ll never be able to hack into the system quick enough to find them. The only hope you have is to destroy the entirety of the Valhalla Command Room. That way you can trick the Doomsmith System into believing it was activated on accident and cause it to go into a sleep mode where it can be shut off manually by our computer team’s once you’ve ran off Nefaria and whatever goon squad he’s brought here.”
“Understood General, and don’t worry, we’ve dealt with Nefaria before. We’ve beat him once, we’ll beat him again.”
“I hope so son, I hope so.”
Paralyzer, looked down at the radar screen below, he didn’t know much about the device but he knew that a dot appearing on the screening and moving quickly to the center was a problem. “Hey boss man!” He shouted, electricity buzzing on his claws. “We got company!”
Nefaria removed the half done cigar from his mouth and made his way to the large view screen in the middle of the room. With a few commands he activated the numerous security camera’s stationed around Valhalla, and began searching for whatever opponents the governments of the world were sending against him. “Ah, so the fools are sending another futile attack against, My, impenetrable fortress I see.”
“Looks like one of those blackbird’s.” Occult said as he eyed the screen.
“Thought those were stealth jet’s.” Crucible lit another cigarette for himself, “Why’s it charging at us? Distraction or something?”
“No…” Nefaria said, his eye’s widened, a coarse smile grew on his lips. “I know this aircraft. Yes! This is the X-Men’s personal air fighter!”
Nefaria rushed to the weapon’s station of the command room, pushing Crucible out of the way. “By heaven this is too rich a jest my friends! My most hated foes walking directly into my parlor. Like Lambs to a Slaughter!”
Crucible stared baffled at Nefaria as the man once more typed at the controls of the monitor. He turned to Meteorite as the large man walked up behind him.
“I swear this guy walked out of a movie my grandpa watched as a kid or something.” He whispered.
“And slaughter them I shall Crucible!” Nefaria snapped out, Crucible turned to the man’s his mad eye’s, glaring in glee at him, before quickly returning to the monitor. “Without Pity! Without Mercy! These fools sought victory here today, but instead all they shall gain is their own doom!”
“Cyclops!” Nightcrawler shouted out as he pointed out the window of the Blackbird. “We have missiles incoming.”
“I see them. Hold on people because you’re about to feel a lot of turbulence real soon.” Cyclops said as he gripped the controls of the Blackbird, forcing it into a tight turn.
The three missiles fired by Nefaria raced towards them, the Blackbird just able to dodge them in the nick of time. Cyclops eyed his radar panel, and saw that the missiles were stopping in their tracks, probably repositioning themselves he guessed. Before he could give them their chance, he fired off a rocket of his own.
From the back of the Blackbird a pair of missiles shot out out, their targets the three missiles quickly firing back towards them. Both hit their targets, the party on board the Blackbird felt the force of two pairs of explosions slamming into each other.
“One left.” Cyclops said. “Time for some evasive recklessness.”
With that the Blackbird surged towards the hilly ground below it, the missile just behind them. The Blackbird, graced ever closer to rocks below, it’s bottom almost scrapping along the earth, as it shot towards another hill scraping into the sky.
“Hold onto your seat belts.” with a twist of his arm’s, Cyclops rolled the Blackbird away from the oncoming hill, just barely dodging it, the missile was not so lucky.”
Wolverine whistled as he watched the weapon explode into the hill. “Gotta say Slim, you’re a hell of a pilot.”
“Thank you, it’s always good to have a back up career just in case. All right everyone, here’s the good new’s, thanks to those missiles I know how we’re getting inside Valhalla.”
“Nooo!!!” Nefaria roared as he gazed the monitor, the members of Mutant Force, startled by his rage. “By all that’s unholy! The X-Men continue to live! How many times must one attempt to kill them to finally succeed at the deed!”
“We’re also out missile’s now to.” Crucuible said, looking at the monitor that tallied their supply of weaponry. “Shouldn’t have made such a big display against the army before they got here.”
“Very well then, but I cannot allow the continued existence of the X-Men to proceed.” Nefaria said as he once more went for the defense systems controls. “If artillery is no match for the X-Men, then how do they fare against Valhalla’s prototype Sonic Cutting Laser!”
“And what do you mean by that Cyclops?”
“Simple Stor-” before the reply could leave his mouth, Cyclops watched as a wave of sound, shot from the inside of Valhalla itself, sliced it’s way through the Blackbird. A silent gasp escaped Cyclops’ lips as the Blackbird split in two. The front half containing the main compartment of the Blackbird, the back, everything else.
Just then, all of the X-Men, felt the same sensation one has on a roller coaster, just as they begin to rush down the first slope. In an instant they realized they were plummeting to their deaths.