There are forces in this world, both mutant and human alike, who believe that a war is coming. Some have already tried to start one. And there have been casualties. Losses on both sides.

The fragile peace between mutants and humans has nearly been shattered. I have seen a future with mutants and humans at war… the war does not end, and it destroys everything we hold dear.

xxxx

X-Men 4: The Once and Future King

xxxx

The War Has Begun

The car was excessively luxurious. As a former businesswoman, Emma Frost would normally recognize this as a ploy meant to impress and distract a potential associate, but she had no reason to suspect that motive from the person who had sent it for her. Besides: he knew her well enough to know it wouldn't work.

Emma was not dressed for a business meeting; neither was the man who accompanied her out of the car, but for him that distinction merely meant his attire was perhaps too casual. Emma was never dressed casually; she was always dressed to impress.

The Worthington Industries building was an immense skyscraper – also potentially dazzling to an inexperienced businessperson. But the lackey sent to guide them moved them quickly past the public face of the corporation, and they found themselves almost immediately at the CEO's office. Emma sighed with relief; they wouldn't be forced to dance through the ridiculous motions of corporate life.

Warren stood behind the desk; Emma blinked in surprise upon seeing his appearance. He was wearing some kind of uniform, but that was not what really got her attention. The white feathery wings he had previously possessed would have made it difficult enough for him to look the part of a mundane corporate titan; blue skin and metal wings made it almost impossible.

"Hello, Miss Frost," Warren greeted without a trace of emotion.

Emma didn't waste any time on pleasantries; not trivial ones, anyway. "Darling, not that I disapprove – blue is such a flattering color for you, after all," and here she was not referring to his clothes, which were mostly white, "but what ever happened to you?"

Warren did not even try to force a smile in return, and Emma felt the first traces of trepidation. She glanced at her companion, Alex, who showed more overt signs of tension than Emma herself ever would.

"So," Emma went on, seeing that Warren was oddly not talkative despite having summoned them. "Your father dies under suspicious circumstances, leaving you in charge of the company. Thoroughly unoriginal, but effective. I didn't ever get the impression you were interested in corporate life. Why the sudden change of heart?"

"The same reason we need you, Miss Frost," a familiar voice called from behind them. Emma and Alex whirled around to see Magneto striding confidently towards them. "Resources."

"It can't be safe for you to be in public like this," Emma pointed out, recovering from her surprise quickly.

Magneto smiled thinly. "I'll worry about that, my dear. You just worry about my offer."

Emma glanced from the seemingly emotionless Angel to Magneto. No, she determined quickly. Magneto couldn't have lobotomized him; even if he had the capability to do so, it's not his style. She was already running through the list of psychics capable of such an action in her head as she asked, "What offer?" as much to cover her mental processing of the situation as anything else.

"To be on the right side in this war."

Emma crossed her arms. "I won't be one of your pawns, Magneto."

"Don't be naïve, Emma. Your school has been closed. Your former students are flocking to Xavier's glorified high school. What do you intend to do?"

"Undignified, guiltless indulgence," Emma answered honestly, with a trace of pride that did not match her words. "I have enough money left to do whatever I want wherever I want with whomever I want, after all."

"And what of revenge?" Warren re-entered the conversation.

Ah. There was that. "What precisely did you have in mind?"

"Why don't you join us on a little trip?" Magneto suggested pleasantly