Dancing with the Devil : Magneto by Mapu
I don't own the seaQuest crew or the Xmen characters - someone else does ,I just play with them. The Mutant series is a crossover between seaquest and X-men. Each story in the series is told from more than one point of view .Thankyou, Caitlin, for all your help..
Warning: I'm never sure when to give a content warning so have decided to err on the side of caution... I don't think its too bad but there is violence and some non-character death here.
"He got away."
Hearing the news Magneto's lips tightened to form a thin line, the only outward sign of the intense frustration he felt. One of his agents had tracked the young mutant he wanted to a small town just a few miles to the south, and then the incompetent fool had lost him. Not for the first time Magneto wished that he wasn't forced to rely on the dubious talents of genetic underachievers. It would make the job of finding the boy a great deal faster.
Magneto looked into the golden eyes of his companion, Mystique, where she sat coiled on the edge of his desk. She sat with one long shapely leg tucked in tight against her chest, resting her chin on the peak of her knee. Mystique glowed with a soft rich blue as the fine scales covering her entire body glinted in the light. A truly magnificent mutant and the only survivor of his inner circle, she was as deadly as she was beautiful. She looked relaxed and comfortable in the nearly impossible position. Magneto smiled warmly at her, she had been a valued convert to his cause.
He turned his attention to the large desk mounted holographic map showing the city in three-dimensional detail.
"He is in the city; there is simply no other possibility. And if he is here we will find him," he told her confidently.
"I still don't see it. What's so important about this one?"
"He's important, because with a little training he could potentially be one of this world's most potent weapons. Make no mistake, my dear, we have lost a battle but the war has just begun. If we do not possess this weapon we must at least be sure the other side does not."
"So how will you convince him to join us, he doesn't seem the type."
"No, he doesn't. So, we must give him no other option. He is a highly intelligent young man, and intelligent young people are predictable."
Mystique frowned, unconvinced.
Magneto smiled, unconcerned by her doubts, he would shortly have his prize and then he would make the world a much better place for mutants. He was certain the young man had gone into hiding as soon as he had arrived, it was the obvious move. In a large city the boy could stay hidden for months, perhaps years, if he didn't bring attention to himself. That wouldn't do. It wouldn't do at all. What was required was a way to flush out the prey. Remove the hiding places and the quarry would be forced into the open, once there, acquiring him would be simple. The boy didn't realize it yet, but he and his power were destined to be the catalyst for the birth of a new age ... the age of mutants.
Magneto stood and tugged straight the already painfully neat grey suit he wore and strode to the communications terminal. He placed his call to the local news services and spoke to a pleasant faced receptionist. It took only moments to report an appropriately fear filled sighting of the infamous genius mutant of the seaQuest and the receptionist connected him to one of the stations reporters. The reporter Magneto spoke to was encouragingly eager to hear the details of his story, details made up on the spot but convincing enough for his purpose. He ended the call pleased with the knowledge that there would now be no where in the city safe for the boy to hide. Magneto allowed himself a small ironic smile at the thought that human fear would bring about their destruction. There wasn't much time, and there was much to do in preparation. With the sweep of his hand Magneto moved out a chair for himself, he sat and began to detail out the logistics of his plan while he waited on news of the boy.
It wasn't a long wait. A few days later Magneto received an urgent call from an informant.
"You're the Magnet guy?" an unshaved man asked, his small dark eyes squinting at the vid-screen skeptically. The transmission angle kept changing and the figure in it rocked slightly ... Magneto recognized it as mobile transmission.
"You have information for me, what is it?" Magneto asked, trying to ignore the other's stupidity. Soon every human, advanced or not, would know the name "Magneto". It would be taught in every school as the name of the man that liberated the true human race... but first he needed this fool's information.
"Yeah... I heard you're looking for that little seaQuest mutie... the one that's been on the news. Well, I know where he is," the man said, smiling smugly into the video pickup.
"Where?"
"Not so fast ... I want my money first. You put it in here, nice and sweet ... then we talk."
A grubby scrap of paper containing an account number replaced the man's face. Magneto fumed silently as he authorized a transfer of funds into the other's account.
"Done. Now where is he?" Magneto said the moment the transfer was completed
The man's face reappeared, his eyes focused elsewhere as he checked his account status. After a moment he smiled, obviously liking what he saw.
"He's running north down Baxter Street ... if you want him you better hurry, we've nearly caught up to him." The man gave Magneto a savage grin and cut the transmission.
Mystique wasted no time getting them to the scene and although they beat the city security Magneto knew they wouldn't be too far behind. Security didn't really bother him but it was a complication he would rather avoid. With graceful care he stepped from his groundcar onto the rain soaked pavement.
"Stay here and keep the engine running. I won't be long," Magneto instructed. Leaving Mystique with the car he calmly approached the noisy scuffle at the end of the alley.
A flash of silver light caught Magneto's eye. Surrounded by a large number of primitive humans Lucas Wolenczak stood glowing in his radiant power. Magneto could sense the mutant's struggle for control and marveled at the child's raw power. What would it be like to see that power fully unleashed?
If all went according to plan a fortunate ... or rather unfortunate few would soon be given exactly that rare opportunity. Magneto doubted any of those witnesses would understand the true beauty of the gift, which was unfortunate since it would almost certainly be the boy's final. After a little training in how to call his power, Magneto planned to arrange a situation, a very public situation where the boy would lose control of his power. The higher the death count from the incident the better.
For the cause it was a win-win scenario, if the young mutant died, as expected, he could serve as a martyr and a symbol for all mutants. The tragic waste of a young mutant by the hands of the mundane would be reason enough for many so far uncommitted mutants to finally take a stand. If he should somehow survive, the war would still begin as the so-called normal humans fought for retribution. The boy would make a powerful and willing ally in the fight. It was perfect.
Magneto smiled, the mutant was perfect. He watched the untrained boy prevent each attack as it came with a possessive pride, but his anger flared as one of the primitives got in a lucky blow to the young mutant's head. The boy fell to his knees; his power fading as it discharged into the ground. Moving quickly, Magneto stepped forward into the now greatly reduced light and brought his own power to bear. As fast as he moved he wasn't in time to prevent another solid blow connecting with the boy's head, rendering him senseless.
Metallic debris from the alley floor lifted and shaped themselves into thousands of weapons. A sudden silence fell over the band of attacking primitive humans as they face the new, more immediate threat. One of the humans stepped forward, his arms held out placating as he walked towards Magneto. Magneto regarded the man calmly, recognizing him as his informant.
"You made it ... don't worry we were just playing with him, just got a bit carried away is all," the man said nervously.
"You tried to betray me," Magneto said coldly.
"Nah, I told ya, we was just having a bit of fun. Here, he's all yours," the man said, backing away from the teenager.
Magneto smiled. "Yes, he is."
With a careless flick of a finger one of the metal daggers he controlled spun and shot ahead at an incredible speed, buying itself deep in the man's chest. The informant fell to the ground, an expression of stunned surprise covering his features. The crowd broke and ran, trying to get passed the danger to the safety beyond. Magneto let them pass before casually sending the remaining blades after the fleeing group.
Magneto went to check on the young mutant's condition, stepping over the body of the primitive, and ignoring the cries of pain behind him as several of his weapons found targets. The young man moaned softly and rolled over, his eyes slowly opened and focused.
"Be still. Let me examine you," Magneto ordered as the boy tried to struggle from his reach.
With fear still shining from his eyes the young mutant did as he was told. Magneto finished his examination and nodded to himself, satisfied.
"You'll be fine. Now, it is time to go. It wouldn't do for the underdeveloped humans to capture you now. Not after all the effort I've been through to find you."
Confusion replaced the fear in the young man's eyes. "Who are you? What do you want with me?" he asked.
"I am Magneto, and I want a great many things from you, my young friend, but there is not time to discuss them at present. We must leave. Can you stand?"
The boy attempted to sit but slumped back into a heap, panting with the effort. "I don't think so," he muttered.
"No matter."
Magneto pointed to the metal fire escape bolted to the wall of a nearby building. With a loud screech the ladder tore itself free from its mounts and flew to the teenager's side. As Magneto stared at it the metal reshaped itself to form a litter. He helped the teenager onto it and stood, the litter lifted from the ground.
Magneto saw the boy's eyes fall to the dead body of the informer then drift up the alley to the slumped forms of several other of his previous attackers.
"W-what happened to them?" he asked in a frightened voice.
"You mean you don't remember?" Magneto asked him, surprise in his voice.
"No."
"You happened to them, my boy. You, and your power, that is. Don't let it bother you, those men were attacking you and you defended yourself. You lost control of your power. It was an accident. It's as simple as that."
"I did this?" A note of panic crept into the teen's voice.
"Yes. I drove the rest of them away. My power, it would seem, is much more controlled than yours appears. I am able to use it as a defense with out causing unintentional harm."
The boy was silent a long time; his eyes fixed on the still form in front of him. Magneto waited until he was sure the teenager had accepted his story as the truth before moving them out of view of the still form.
"I can teach you. Teach you to control your power so that you will not cause unintended harm again. ... Would you like that?" he asked sympathetically.
Blue eyes, spiked with unshed tears turned to him. "Yes. Yes, please help me."
Magneto smoothed the hair from the young forehead. "I will, and you will help me. Together we will each reach our full potential. Rest now," he said, pushing the boy back against the litter.
"I'll take care of everything."
The boy nodded wearily and lay back. His injury quickly rendering him unconscious in moments, his body relaxing deeply onto the stretcher. Sirens sounded in the distance as Magneto strode from the alley, the metal litter and its precious cargo floating obediently behind him.
***
Surrounded once again by the soothing grey metal walls of his compound, Magneto allowed himself a small smile. The surveillance monitor built into the smooth surface of the steel desk showed the image of a sleeping boy. Magneto watched the child sleep for a long time. He had him. After months of searching the boy was his and soon the new age, the age of mutants would begin.
***
AUGUST 2001