X-MEN – THE DREAM
PART TWO: FRAYED EDGES
DISCLAIMER:X-Men is the property of Marvel Entertainment Group. This story is written for non-profit reasons and for entertainment purposes only.
Previously:
For no apparent reason, the Marauders attacked an up-scale Los Angeles restaurant, killing or injuring cops, celebrities, Hollywood executives, and normal humans. The X-Men investigated the attack, eventually learning from Mistress Sinister that the Marauders have become mercenaries for hire. Who hired them was a mystery to the X-Men.
Meanwhile, Val Cooper of the Office of National Emergency (aka O*N*E) found her way into a secret government program called 'Project: Protect the Home.' This project has joined with the Sublime Corporation in creating a new way of eliminating the Mutant threat. Under control by Sublime and his forces (including Bastian and Agent Brent Jackson, formerly of Weapon X), Val Cooper authorized a strike on the Hellfire Club. She announced that it was Shaw and his associates who were responsible for hiring the Marauders. No one has been able to confirm this.
In addition, a genetic research company has announced that humanity will become extinct in four generations. Between the attack in Los Angeles and this announcement, anti-Mutant sentiment has gone to an all-time high.
Finally, the Phoenix has returned and has been tasked with wiping out humanity before they have a chance to destroy Mutantkind once and for all. Jean, feeling this goes against everything she has ever been taught, has gone to Magneto to help him make a stand against Sublime and O*N*E.
Also . . . over three hundred humans have gone missing. X-Factor is looking into it. Oh, and Chamber was recently captured by Ozymadias and the Dark Riders.
It's a lot. And there's a lot coming. But don't worry. It comes together soon.
Issue One: Rising Tensions
Ancient technology from the Celestials fused with technology from the 31st century, creating impossible machines. It was one such a machine that Jonothon Starsmore found himself trapped in and struggling against.
"You need to stop fighting the future, young man," Ozymadias advised. "Your destiny awaits. The great genetic war is about to begin. Apocalypse must be there to watch over it and play his role. The strongest will survive, of course. This is evolution in progress. You must be the one to herald his return."
At the moment, Tusk and Gauntlet arrived with a girl whom Jono recognized immediately. Gaia, the Mutant rescued from Universal Amalgamator during his Generation X days. She was unconscious as she was placed into a machine across from Jono.
"Very good. Here is your payment."
Jono watched as the money exchanged hands. The two mercenaries took a quick look around at the chamber, then walked out.
"And now . . . we begin . . ."
Jono felt the helmet on his head tightened. There was a sizzle of energy as something clicked on behind him. He felt needles puncture his skin. He wanted to scream, but didn't give Ozymadias the pleasure. He looked over at Gaia, who had a similar device placed on her head. Ozymadias flipped a few switches and Gaia awoke with a loud, agonizing scream.
Jono struggled against the machines, but they energized fast and his struggle was rendered useless.
Scott marched down the southernmost hallway of Utopia, listening to the report from Rogue and Gambit in Memphis.
"Blockbuster is definitely dead," Rogue stated. "Gunshot to the heart and head. Whoever did it was good."
"Understood," Scott replied, climbing up a set of stairs to the meeting room. "That's everyone, then, except Scalphunter."
Other than Scalphunter and Blockbuster, the other Marauders were killed as a direct result of Scott's haywire optic blast. He didn't give it much of a thought – and part of him wondered why his coldness to their deaths at his hands didn't bother him.
"I want some good news, Rogue," Scott said.
"We're hot on the trail of Scalphunter. Gambit says he has a lead on him down in Miami. He might be trying to leave the country."
"Stay on his tail, Rogue. I know you guys can do this. We need to find out who was responsible for the attack."
"Are y'all sure it wasn't Shaw?"
"Absolutely. And just in case I'm wrong, John Graycrow is the key evidence linking them. I want the X-Men to be ones that bring that in."
"Gotcha. We're gone then."
"Good luck."
The comm-line closed and Scott continued his walk into the meeting room. Bobby and Warren were waiting for him, along with Monet, Sam, Bobby (the "Other Bobby" or "Hot Bobby," as Sunspot was called around the complex), Nori, Megan, and Jean-Paul. The Cuckoos joined them shortly, followed by Santo and Ben Hammill.
"Blockbuster is confirmed dead. Rogue and Gambit are going after Scalphunter and should have some answers for us soon. I want everyone here on stand-by. Storm and I are going to have a conference call this afternoon and figure out what we're going to do from here."
"Excuse me, Mr. Summers - " said Irma
"We're detecting a massive telepathic spike," said Celeste.
"It's coming from . . ." Phoebe looked to her sisters for confirmation.
"Who?"
"Mr. Summers!" Three-in-One shouted.
Scott suddenly felt like a hot knife was shoved into his brain. He cried out in shock and pain as his mind was attacked; his learned psychic defenses were meaningless.
Less than a second later, Warren felt the same attack. He felt telepathic claws tearing through his thoughts and memories, ripping away something hidden and deep within his mind.
These two were not the only ones that were affected in such a way. In Japan, Sunfire found himself on the floor of his bedroom, his flames spurting from his body as he tried to contain the massive pisonic attack. On Muir Island, Wolverine punched the wall of his cabin, cracking it with his blows.
In the X-Jet heading to Miami, Rogue leapt to side of her lover as Gambit succumbed to the same pain as the other X-Men.
On a Shi'ar starship nearing Earth, Majestrix Deathbird held out as long as she could as her own alien mind was invaded. Light-years beyond the Shi'ar vessel, but also on a course for Earth, Polaris caused the Starjammer to come to a stop as her pain-fueled powers made the ship malfunction.
Gaia's mind was wiped away clean as she channeled and focused the essences of Apocalypse into her own brain. Ozymadias grinned and adjusted the machines.
"I am sorry, child, but the master must return." He turned to Jono. "So it has been that the essence of Apocalypse has been gathered. We take the tinder and prepare it for a fire. And we light that fire now."
Ozymadias activated the final sequence of the vast machine. Jono felt his entire body catch flame with psionic energy. A secret hidden in his genetic code came to life. Jonothon Starsmore was lost in the vast mind that was Apocalypse. There was no escape as En Sabah Nur overcame Jono, eating him alive, altering his body, and bonding with him. Jono became the new vessel for Apocalypse.
"Apocalypse."
Scott looked over at Warren, the two of them more than certain of whom it was who attacked them. Already, calls were coming in from the others. All of the telepaths sensed the massive spike.
"Are you sure?" questioned Iceman.
"Absolutely," Scott answered, standing up. "Whatever influence was still locked in my mind after the Twelve incident, it's gone now. Dragged back to . . ."
"Mr. Summers, excuse us, but we have identified who generated the spike."
"Who?"
"Jonothon Starsmore."
Monet stirred. "Jono? Are you sure?"
"Yes, certainly."
All eyes fell on her. Scott took in a deep breath. "I need to talk to Emma."
Three hours later, in Miami, Gambit and Rogue picked out a spot on a fire escape across from Scalphunter's motel room. Tucked away in the evening shadows, they kept an eye on Gambit's old associate. Gambit rubbed his forehead again; Rogue studied him worriedly.
"Are yeh sure yeh okay?"
"Fine, chere, just fine." He flexed his back muscles. "Ready to get tis over with."
She nodded and took his hand. He squeezed it. "Same here, sugah. How do yeh want ta do this?"
"You get in there first, hit 'im hard. I'll follow through and block off his escape routes. And then . . ." He let his sentence fade off. Rogue looked down at her knees.
"And then I touch 'im, right? Figure out who hired 'im?"
"Chere . . . Anna . . . if it's goin' be an issue, I could call in some help from Orleans. I still got friends that can - "
"No, it's fine, Remy. I can handle it." She wondered if he understood why she didn't want to absorb the memories of Scalphunter. If he understood that what she was afraid of was not the personality she would get . . . but memories of John Graycrow being brought in by Remy to kill the Morlocks.
He was about to say something – when a gunshot echoed out from the room. There was a flash of light to accompany it. A second shot was fired. Without a thought, Rogue was in motion. She sailed across the street, smashed though the window and landed in center of the messy motel room.
John Graycrow was splayed out on the floor, a bullet hole in his head, blood gushing out of it. Rogue saw the second wound, this one on his chest.
Gambit charged through the window a few seconds later, just as Rogue turned around and saw the assassin.
"Hey X-Men! Funny bumping into you here!"
"Deadpool?" exclaimed both Gambit and Rogue.
"The one and only!" he said, twirling his gun. "Well, except for the Deadpool Corps . . ."
"Wade, what is going on here?" Gambit demanded.
"REVENGE! MY FAVORITE CELEBRITY COUPLE WAS KILLED BY SCALLLLLPHUNTERRRRRR!"
"That's not funny, Wade," Rogue chided, crossing her arms across her chest.
"Yeah, I know. I'm really not feeling very funny today, to be honest. I mean, it's not my fault. The guy who is writing this fanfic just has a hard time figuring out how to write me. Not that I blame him, I mean, I'm such an outstanding individual and - "
"Wade! Enough! You're rambling!" Rogue shouted.
Gambit charged his cards. "Why did you kill him?"
Deadpool sighed. "The same reason I kill anyone. I was hired to."
"By who?"
"Isn't 'by whom?'"
Gambit fired three cards Deadpool's abdomen. Deadpool went flying back, flipping over the bed and crashing onto the floor. Rogue flew after him, grabbed him and slammed him onto the bed.
"Who hired you?"
"Jack something or other . . ."
"WHO?"
"Jack Grime? No . . . maybe . . . Jim Slime? Something like that."
Gambit blinked. "John Sublime?"
"Yeah, that's it!"
Rogue sighed and pulled off her gloves.
"I'm gonna regret this . . ."
Gambit winced as Rogue yanked off Deadpool's mask and touched his cheeks. Rogue activated her power and absorbed Wade Wilson's power, personality, and memory. She filtered through most of it (although some of it couldn't be helped; her face suddenly looked like a sack of rotting meat).
Rogue released her touch and shook her head.
"John Sublime hired Deadpool to kill both Scalphunter and Blockbuster to silence them."
Gambit nodded. "Sublime hired the Marauders."
"It's more than that, Remy. Wade's secretary, Sandi Brandenberg, did some checking. John Sublime is in bed with O*N*E."
"Yep! And I'm in bed with you!" Deadpool shouted, sitting up, now fully recovered from Rogue's touch. "Oh holy tacos, you look like crap now! You could be my sister!"
Rogue punched him right out.
Gambit looked outside. Police squad cars were starting to line up. "We need to go."
"Yeah, this place is about to blow up," Deadpool announced, lifting up a bomb that was hidden under the bed.
Rogue grabbed Gambit and the two smashed through the ceiling seconds before the evacuated building exploded.
Later that evening . . .
M, Psylocke, Three-in-One, Emma Frost, and Shaman joined their powers. Four metal walls appeared. Along one was a stage with a podium and four chairs; a giant metal 'X' sat behind it. In front of the stage were several chairs. The opposite wall contained a door.
The telepaths then reached out with their minds and summoned the psychic avatars of the X-Men. From X-Men West: Cannonball, Archangel, Sunspot, M, Rogue, Gambit, Northstar, Iceman, Surge, Rockslide, Pixie, Three-in-One and Match. From X-Men East: Shaman, Colossus, Shadowcat, Psylocke, Darwin Warlock, Cypher, Warpath, Armor, Dust, Anole, Indra, Loa, Mercury, and Trance. From Xavier's School, Husk, and Hope. Finally, from Mutantes Sans Frontières and the X-Club, Doctor Nemesis, Doctor Rao, and Maddison Jefferies.
Cyclops, Storm, Doctor Reyes, and Emma Frost sat on the stage.
Cyclops and Storm took their place at the podium.
"X-Men, we are facing a crisis. After speaking with Storm, we have agreed to take action," Cyclops announced. "First and foremost, we have unconfirmed reports that Apocalypse has returned and using Jonothon Starsmore as his current host. This could not come at a worst time." Cyclops made it a point not to look at M or Husk. "Cannonball . . . one of the reasons the New Mutants were reformed into X-Force was to confront Apocalypse. You guys never had that chance, but you'll get it now. Recruit anyone you want, specifically from the old New Mutants and X-Force teams."
"We want in on that too, Sam," Husk jumped in.
"Sean, Everett, and Angelo are all gone," M stated. "We will not let another member go. Jubilee and Penance are both on their way to Utopia already."
Cannonball considered it, then nodded. "Alright, ah guess."
Cyclops nodded a little. "Good. Storm?"
"Doctor Reyes is opening the doors of Mutantes Sans Frontières to any Mutant who feels threatened by the current situation. The Sentinels in New York City will only be the beginning. It is only a matter of time before they start attacking Hellfire Club branches in other cities and countries. It is also worth noting that two former members of the Hellfire Club are among our ranks – and Lady Mastermind, a former Marauder, was a member of the X-Men, traitorous as that was. My point is that the X-Men could be targeted next. All teams are hereby on full alert. We have decided that the Secondary Teams will remain at Xavier's School in Snow Valley in order to help protect it. We have also put a call to any and all former X-Men or allies for volunteer help."
Storm relented the podium to Cyclops. "On top of all this, the X-Men must hold out. We know now that John Sublime was behind the Marauder attack and is currently working with O*N*E. Unfortunately, it's become next to impossible to find any evidence of that. The information found by Deadpool's associate was destroyed immediately after it was discovered. And, let's be honest, the word of an assassin-for-hire won't go far in a court of law."
Cyclops looked over at Storm, then out across the X-Men seated before him. "We got through the Decimation. We fought hard to save our species. We need to continue to maintain it. Sublime, Sentinels, O*N*E . . . this is just another challenge. We can win out the day. X-Men, to your stations."