Prologue

Xavier Institute

It was a warm day in Winchester New York, Charles Xavier thought, as he was being wheeled around the facilities by Scott Summers.

'Scott'

'Yes Professor'

'When is the last time there were no pressing matters here at the Institute?'

Scott took a moment to think. His mind was blank.

'Not sure – things have been busy recently.'

'They have.'

They continued to stroll along, enjoying a moment of relaxation in a world of chaos.

GOVERNMENT HOLDING CELL

Magneto was incarcerated inside aPlastic Prisonas he had been for the last seven days. No metal was allowed within a mile radius, and he was injected with powerful sedatives every four hours, just in case.

The doors opened, andGuard Poe(a bulbous man in his early 60s) entered, carrying a Plastic Box.

'Have your brought me lunch?'

'Not today Eric.'

'Eric is my slave-name.'

'You see equal opportunities here? Shut up, and don't make this worse on yourself than usual.'

Magneto sighed, weak and beaten.

Guard Poe opened the box, and pulled out a syringe. He approached Magneto, and as he did he leaned down, whispering in his ear – the voice changing to that of:

'Don't worry Eric. The day of reckoning is at hand' said Mystique.

Magneto smiled. He knew she'd come, and some days it was the only thing that sustained him.

She injected a compound into his system. Almost instantly Magneto felt a surge of energy, his strength coming back to him. Okay, he couldn't manipulate metal… but he could put up a fight if anyone got in his way.

Then – two soldiers appeared. They started banging on the door, frantically trying to open it.

'That was quicker than I expected' said Mystique, somewhat ruefully.

'I'll die before I let them take me again' said Magneto, ready to go medieval on their behinds.

'It won't have to come to that.'

Mystique grabbed another item from the plastic box. It was a small black disc, like a miniature CD.

She started to recite an incarnation in Latin.

Magneto looked at her, eyebrows raised.

'Well, this can't be good.'

With a flash, they disappeared –

New York

Finding themselves inNew York City– but a different New York. One destroyed and decimated. They took it in.

'This is going to be interesting' said Magneto.

'Define interesting' said Mystique, who nearly cracked up, remembering that the quote was from the film about the space cowboys.

AFuturistic Car appeared, anddrove towards Magneto. He clicked his fingers, and it flipped into the air, spinning an inhuman amount of times before smashing against a wall, thebonnet crumblingand the owner screaming his lungs out as he jumped out, breaking his ankle on the ground.

'Define interesting do you say?' said Magneto, crinkling his brow. 'How about that?'

'That was overkill' replied Mystique, off Magneto's gaze.