Dr. Henry McCoy lounges on the plush sofa in front of the large television set in the mansion's sitting room, watching the news. Several others stand throughout the room, glued to the television. The doors in the foyer swing open. "Where is everybody?!" Wolverine roars. "In here," comes the reply from the sitting room. Wolverine storms in, dripping with rain and blood. The Beast leaps to his feet.

"Sweet mother of God, Logan, are you alright?"

"Yeah, it's not my blood."

Everyone turns their attention to the dripping Wolverine, causing a commotion throughout the room.

"A buncha guys with guns wandered in, they said something about Magneto, and I wasted them all," Wolverine says quickly, "Where's the professor? We should take him somewhere safe for a while."

"Sit down, Wolverine." The Beast speaks carefully.

"Don't wanna."

"Then I'll make it quick. There have been several attacks on the Mutant Control agency, equipment and technology has gone missing. Eye witness reports place Magneto at the scene, which should come as no surprise. However, he's been linked back to us somehow, and we're being blamed. Congress is trying to pass a bill that would make the agency government controlled and funded. It would be like the CIA with the main focus being mutants."

"Could that have been the guys I just tore to pieces?"

"Most likely. In fact, I'd bet my ass."

"The day Hank McCoy bets his ass is the day I start worryin'."

"We need to get Charles to a safe place until we can figure this whole thing out."

"Quiet down! Listen!" Cyclops says hastily.

The President steps up to a podium overlooking hundreds of press and concerned citizens. "My dear Citizens, I have to wonder how long we're going to have to live in fear of these so-called mutants. The mutant control agency, which has been designed to help mutants has been attacked and criticized by mutant leaders and advocates since its conception several years ago. The massive Sentinel robots have been called cruel and unusual, and thus, unconstitutional. Mutants say they're sick of being treated like criminals, but I say, stop acting like criminals. Mutant Terrorist leaders such as Magneto have time and again threatened the well-being of the homo-sapiens. How many lives will be lost before we take a stand? When will our country realize that it's not unconstitutional to employ such measures as are necessary to contain these menaces? I'm proposing a bill, which, if passed, will allow the government to fund and control the mutant control agency, to keep men like Magneto from ever hurting another person. Advocate groups like the X-Men must be stopped. They say they are here to protect us, but from what? Mutants? They're mutants themselves. Does that make any sense at all?"

A loud crash rips through the room as the wall behind the president is literally torn off and tossed aside. Magneto floats into the room through the gaping hole. He appears pale, wearing a different costume and helmet. The edges of the helmet are jagged, evil-looking. His clothing is in different shades of black and gray. He steps up to the podium, tossing the President aside. "My fellow citizens, it is time you've learned just how superior we truly are as a race. You will come to know me in time, as the Angel of Death." With the word death, he fires bolts of intense lightning from his hands, causing the sound system to explode in a hail of white hot sparks. The screen goes black.

Cyclops kicks an arm chair across the room. "Damn it all to hell!" Angry, he storms out of the room. "Scott…" The Professor speaks quietly as he walks by in the hallway. He hovers into the room in his massive yellow chair, and parks himself by the door. "I suppose you've all seen the news." Wolverine speaks up. "While they've been seeing the news, I've been outside livin' it. A buncha mutant control freaks broke into the yard, fully armed. Who knows what they were planning? There's probably more just outside."

"Then we have no time, we should leave. If we are public enemy number one, we're in constant danger."

"I agree," says the Beast, unconvincingly. "Though I'm intrigued, he mentioned the Angel of Death, and am I the only one who noticed his not so normal appearance?"

"Hank, you're not suggesting -"

He cut the Professor off mid-sentence. "Apocalypse."

"I should try to see Magneto."

"Charles, I wouldn't recommend it."

"If we truly are dealing with Apocalypse, isn't is just as likely that his Magneto is an impostor?"

"Well, I suppose, but it's a slim chance. We can't allow you to go."

"Henry, as long as I am alive, none of my students will have authority over me."

"Charles, I didn't mean -"

" I know, Henry. But this is something I must do. If Apocalypse is indeed planning something, we need as much help as we can get. The hard fact is, I am no help against him, Magneto and the Brotherhood are."

"Damn it, Professor."

"You know I'm right, Henry, do not fight me on this."

The Professor floats out of the room, and into the elevator halfway down the hall. The large blue animal that is one of the most gentle people one would ever meet finds himself sitting on the love seat, and sighs heavily. Wolverine stalks out of the room silently, like an over sized house cat. The room is nearly empty, except for Betsy Braddock, best known as Psyclocke. She stands, and makes her way around the room behind the love seat. She places her hands on his shoulders.

"Try not to take it so hard, Henry," she says in her sultry British accent.

"It's hard not to. Where would we be without his guidance? Suppose Magneto is being controlled by Apocalypse. There's no way they'd just let the Professor come back to us."

"I know, Henry. But let's assume that the Magneto on television is an impostor, the real Magneto would be a help against Apocalypse."

"He would, but is it a risk worth taking?"

"Personally, no. I wouldn't allow it. But for the world?"

"Point taken, Betsy. I suppose we'll just have to suck it up and see what happens."