Professor trains Metalloy's secondary ability (less than a year prior to X-Men)

Now that Matthew's secondary ability was known to the whole team, Professor Xavier thought it was a good idea to try to train it. Matthew had trained this ability back when he used to spar with Alloy. But the Professor had a different idea of training.

"Now"

"Yes, but who"

"You, Professor."

His warning sense when off again.

"You, Professor, no wait, that one was Jean."

To an outsider it much have looked very strange. Matthew was in a chair with Jean Grey sitting in front of him, her hands on his temples. To his left Professor Xavier sat in his wheel chair. The two of them took turns attempting to probe Matthew's mind, and he was supposed to figure out which of the two it was.

"That one was definitely Jean."

"How do you know?"

"Jean is less subtle."

"Actually Matthew that one was me. I tried to make my probe seem like Jean's."

"Then how am I supposed to tell the difference?"

"You say your ability can predict all different types of information on an attack."

"Yes, I know the direction, whether it's a cutting surface or a blunt object, and even the force of an attack. Not that I can quantify it, but I know it."

"I think just as you can tell a knife from a bullet, you will be able to tell one mind apart from another, with enough training."

"Will I then learn how to fight off a telepathic attack?"

"No, I am afraid not. You are not actually a telepath, but your warning sense can somehow perceive telepathic activity and considers it a threat. While you can't stop a telepath from accessing your brain, at least you will know when and who is in your mind."

"Do you anticipate that I will encounter another telepath?"

"I am not aware of any telepaths amongst our enemies at the moment, but it is always a possibility. I think that is enough for one day."

Matthew was relieved, but as he rose up from his chair a new thought came to mind. No telepaths among known enemies!

"Professor, just what enemies are you aware of?"

Enter the Mutant Brotherhood (six months prior to X-Men)

Henry Guyrich was driving on a back road in upstate New York. He enjoyed getting away from the office every now and then. While he completely supported his boss, Senator Kelly, he just needed to get away once and a while.

Things were getting pretty exciting at the office. The creation of the DAMF, caused quite a bit of stir, but Henry knew that Senator Kelly's next project, the Mutant Registration Act, would be even bigger. Finally we will get a handle on this mutant problem.

As he went around a bend in the trees Henry saw standing in the middle of the road a man wearing a strange red cape and helmet. "What in the world?" Henry said as he moved his foot to the brake.

Suddenly his whole car lifted in the air as though an invisible hand grabbed it and hoisted it high. Henry panicked as he tried to get out of the car. He got his seat belt off just as he heard a thump on his car roof. The car was now at least ten feet in the air and rotated so the driver's side door faced down. Henry was thinking of jumping when the door he was standing on suddenly opened, and he fell.

Something wrapped around his leg and stopped his fall just a foot above the ground. Then it released him, dropping none too gently onto the road. Something landed next to him. It was a man with slightly green skin, sitting on his haunches with his extremely long tongue returning to his mouth.

Behind this man was an even larger man with wild hair, long finger claws and canine teeth. Henry thought he hear a lion like rumble from this man.

Then Henry noticed his car. It had made its way over to the caped man he had seen earlier. He was an older man whose white hair could be seen under his helmet. This man with his hand extended was clearly controlling the car somehow, and it landed gently behind him. A strange blue skinned, red headed, yellow eyed, naked woman was standing beside him.

"Mr. Guyrich, we've been waiting for you," said the old man.

"Who are you?!"

"We're mutants, Mr. Guyrich; very dangerous mutants. I am Magneto. Toad behind you was kind enough to soften your fall, and Sabretooth is here to make sure you behave. We are the Mutant Brotherhood."

"What do you want from me?"

"Oh, just a bit of information concerning your boss, the good Senator Kelly."

"I won't tell you a thing, mutant! And when they find that I'm missing…"

"Missing! My dear Mr. Guyrich, no one will miss you."

Even as Henry tried to figure out he meant by that, Magneto turned to blue woman. And amazingly before his eyes the woman transformed into a prefect image of him, suit jacket and all.

"Mystique, here will be covering all your duties during your stay with us."

"Do not worry about the Senator. I will take good care of him." Henry couldn't do anything but stare with his mouth open. She not only looked like him, but she sounded like him. She even mastered his walk as she went over to the car, got in, and drove away.

"Now, Mr. Guyrich, Sabretooth will make you comfortable for the rest of your journey."

Before Henry could turn around to see Sabretooth he felt a hard blow to his head, and he remembered no more.

The DAMF and the X-Men (two months prior to X-Men)

The DAMF was fully functional within a month of the signing of the bill. And so the hunt began. Within a few months after that, fueled by federal funding, the DAMF sought and captured a number of very dangerous mutants: murders, terrorists, members of organized crime. But in the mix of these 1st class criminals were also petty thieves and victims of false accusations. In addition their tactics were extremely violent, and there were a few cases in which their use of lethal force was questionable.

At first there was some public outrage, but overtime and with a few misleading facts the public became use to the new agency. But it never stopped weighing heavy on the powerful mind of Professor Charles Xavier.

The Professor sat as usual in his office, he was deep in thought when the X-Men entered. First came in Scott, then Jean and Ororo, and finally Matthew. Jean and Ororo immediately took seats, but Scott and Matthew remained standing. Professor Xavier knew Scott well enough to know that the same issue was on his mind. Matthew was more relaxed, but the Professor knew that the DAMF worried him as well.

"I think we all know why I called this meeting."

Scott spoke from his position, "It can only be two things. Either news on Magneto or the DAMF."

"I haven't any new news on Magneto or his Mutant Brotherhood, and that is a worrisome enough fact as it is. But it is the second, Scott, that I wish to address."

"I don't care what good comes out of arresting dangerous fugitives," said Storm with a not too subtle hint of anger in her voice. "Nothing good can come out of an organization whose only job is to hunt mutants. It's pure discrimination."

"Has Hank made any head way from his end?" asked Jean.

"No," the Professor answer, "I am afraid that no one is interested in hearing the arguments that are seen as in favor of mutant fugitives."

"But this is only the beginning, Professor," retorted Scott. "Once the people agree to this they will add something new, and then something new again, until all mutants are entirely subjected to institutions."

Scott's point was most certainly on the Professor's mind. "Yes, Scott, I agree. But right now we must first consider what we need to do about this DAMF."

"Who is behind this; who is leading it?"

Before Professor Xavier could answer Matthew jumped in. "Director Richard Sten is a rising star in the law enforcement world who has a track record of excessive force against mutants. He was a detective in Chicago where he became captain of a precinct. Then he was a key member in the U.S. Marshall's mutant task force, but this was clearly not good enough for him. The DAMF was his brainchild not Senator Kelly's."

"You seem to know a lot about this man," said Jean.

"It is best for the hunted to know his hunter."

The comment was not without effect on the X-Men. Professor Xavier knew that Matthew had not yet shared his whole story with the X-Men, and that bothered each of them to different extents, Scott most of all.

"What Matthew said is true. Director Sten will not be our friend, nor can we trust him not to extend his reach beyond the limits. Unfortunately there is little the X-Men can do about it. Direct confrontation will only fuel their arguments."

"Then perhaps we need to be indirect, maybe even clandestine."

"What are you proposing, Scott?" Now it was time for Scott to reveal his thoughts. Of course the Professor could read them anyway, but he respected the right of privacy.

"We need more information. I say we sneak into DAMF headquarters or perhaps Sten's own office. We have the technology to access his computer without anyone knowing we've done so."

"Yes, but how do we get into his office in the first place?" The question came from Storm.

"Well, we'll need a little atmospheric cover." Scott nodded at Storm. "And we will need someone who can keep track of the guards." He nodded at Jean. "And then we would just need the electronics to hack the security and the computer."

Scott had clearly been thinking about this for a while. The Professor thought about his plan. It was simple and doable. "But what if the door to his office is simply dead bolted instead of an electronic lock?"

Scott pause, "then I could just blast the lock."

"And give up on trying to hide the break in?"

Scott paused again, but before he could try another answer Matthew spoke up. "I can pick a lock."

Scott answered, "Sure you can, but can you do so in the time we need?"

"Most likely, I make my own custom picks."

"But even picking a lock will give away the break in."

"Sorry, let me be more clear. I make custom picks for every lock I pick, and I can do so without scoring the lock much more that a key would."

"You are well practiced at this I assume."

If Matthew had detected Scott's little dig at his mysterious past, he didn't show it. "Yes, well practiced, but that doesn't mean I couldn't practice more. Get me as many different locks as you can find, and I will demonstrate my skill."

Now the Professor decided to speak up. "This is a very possible plan, but we must be very cautious. Continue working on the details, and we will see if this is a route which we can take."

Spies (about a month prior to X-Men)

The plan eventually came together. Storm had been working on the weather for a week prior such that the meteorologists were predicting the heavy fog that she was going to lay outside the DAMF's New York headquarters. Jean and Metalloy were going to be the ones who would enter the building itself and get in the office. Cyclopes did not easily agree to this part of the plan. He seemed uncomfortable with the idea of not being there when members of the team were doing dangerous activity. Metalloy suspected that he also did not like leaving Jean in the protection of a rookie. But he was persuaded that he was more needed along with Storm as an emergency exfiltration plan.

When they arrived Storm had already covered the place in fog, but she intensified it as the three other X-Men approached. "You're clear to move under cover," came Storm's voice through the headset.

Metalloy felt both exhilaration and nervousness in his first operation as an X-Man. He silently brought up the rear of the group lead by Cyclopes with Jean between them. As they got to the building Cyclopes indicated the way to the side door. Metalloy now took the lead as Cyclopes remained behind. They got to the door, and Jean immediately began to work an electronic door decoder. After a light went green Metalloy began to pick the lock. He had it open in less than 30 seconds. And in they went.

"We're in," reported Jean silently to her headset. "There's no one around. That way."

Metalloy again led. He went down many hallways and turned many corners. He was beginning to get a bit too comfortable when Jean grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back. It was clear that she could telepathically sense the presence of another person. Metalloy gently pushed aside her arm and peered around the corner. Sure enough there was a guard. He continued to walk until he was out of sight. Metalloy looked at Jean who gave him the 'all clear,' and they continued on their way.

They finally arrived to the Sten's office. It was down a long hallway with only one way in and out. Part way down the hall was a security office that was sure to have guards. Metalloy looked at Jean, and saw her raise two fingers. Two guards, not bad. Then a sign of great effort came on to Jean's face. This was the hard part. She not only needed to sense the presence of these guards but analyze their alertness. After a bit she gave him the 'go ahead.'

It wasn't reassuring to Metalloy but he moved as quickly as silence would allow him down the hallway. He got to the door and found there was only a dead bolt. Panic and adrenaline pumped through his veins, but he didn't allow it to hinder him. He was careful not to score the lock too much as he picked the lock. It took him a full 60 seconds, which seemed like an eternity. But he opened the door, and he was in.

Just as he was about to radio his success Jean's voice came over the headset. "There's someone in Sten's office."

Sure enough standing near the computer was Richard Sten himself. Metalloy, knowing that a fight was likely, sized up the man. He was tall and strong, but something about the way he moved as he walked around the desk didn't match his physique.

"Who are you? What are you doing in my office?"

Metalloy stood their silently trying to decide what to do.

"So you're the new X-Man."

Metalloy looked with surprise at his opponent, and saw that he was smiling. Then suddenly his appearance changed. It was like his skin was turning inside out and the true blue color of it was revealed. When the transformation was done there before Metalloy was a blue skinned, red headed woman.

"You must be Metalloy whom I hear so much about."

Her voice had a strange tone to it, as though her vocal cords were meant to do other voices. And how she knew who he was Metalloy couldn't figure out. "So you know who I am. Might I ask who are you? You are clearly not Richard Sten."

"I am Mystique of the Mutant Brotherhood." She moved closer to him seductively, but before she got within arm reach Metalloy had a knife in his hand. At that she backed up looking a bit scorned. "Magneto and I have been looking for recruits, and you and your brother were considered possibilities."

"I don't think you will succeed with either of us."

"But you have all the reasons to join. A human beat your mother and threaten your life, humans falsely accused you of murder, and now humans hunt you like a wild animal. Why do you defend them? They will return the favor with bars or death."

"Jean, is Metalloy all right? What's going on?" Metalloy found it hard to focus with Cyclopes' voice in the headset.

"Metalloy seems find, but I don't know what's going on. Metalloy, what's going on, who's there with you?"

"Metalloy, do you need help?"

Here Metalloy stood in the office of an enemy only to find another enemy. The situation was complex, and he didn't know what to do. "Cyclopes, I'm fine, but stay ready."

Mystique smiled. "Not ready to bring in the cavalry?"

"The point in this operation was to leave no evidence of a break in. But if you or any other of the Brotherhood tries anything know that you will find trouble."

"I am the only member of the Brotherhood here."

"Forgive me if I don't trust you on that, but know that I am not the only X-Man here."

"But for now it appears that we are both content with the situation. Perhaps we have a little time to talk. I have so much to tell you." Mystique sat on Sten's desk and crossed her legs. The seductive voice was there again, as was Metalloy's knife. Try as she might she could not move Metalloy in that way. There was only one woman who could do that.

"Go ahead, tell on."

"You think that you are safe in your little mansion, that they will never find you. You're wrong. They are already closer than you think."

"Metalloy, we need an update. What's going on in there?"

"Give me a minute, Cyclopes."

"You came for the computer, right?" Mystique pointed to the electronic hacking equipment on his belt. "I already opened the box. Care to peak at what's inside?" Mystique stood up and indicated the computer with her arm.

Metalloy approached the computer. Mystique also closed distance, but Metalloy forced her away with the knife. He inserted the drive that began copying the files.

"Take a look at the most wanted list."

"It will be on the drive."

"But there is something that you should see there."

Metalloy opened the most wanted folder. What in the world!

"Startling isn't it."

Metalloy was looking at a wanted image of himself. He was on the top of the list! And his brother was second.

"This makes no sense. We are wanted for only one crime, and it was years ago. How could we possibly be number one and two?" Metalloy continued to scan the file. The last known sighting of his brother was up in the Canadian Rockies a couple of months ago. The suspected location on his file was New England or New York. That's too close.

"It changes things doesn't it?"

"You put this here."

"Why would I do that? I didn't even know you were with the X-Men till now."

"You seem to when I entered."

"The suit was a giveaway." She then transformed into the image of Magneto and with his voice she said. "When will you people learn to disguise yourselves? Besides I had already read your file."

She then switched back to herself. "These humans will not be like local cops. They will hunt you, and the X-Men will not be able to protect you. You will be forced to defend yourself, but they will be relentless. There is only one way to beat them. Join us, Metalloy. We could use someone of your skill. If you and Magneto fight side by side no one could stop us."

"There is one."

At this Mystique's poker face fell. She had caught the reference to Professor Xavier, but her reaction was not fear. Metalloy got the sense that she knew the Professor. Magneto and the Professor were friends once, maybe she was too.

Mystique regained her posture. "There are some who foolishly stand with the humans, but they cannot stop the war that is coming."

"Whether they can or they cannot, I stand with them."

"If you won't stand for yourself, won't you stand for the other mutants, those who can't defend themselves?" Then she began to change again. "Won't you do it for me?" And suddenly Mystique had taken the form of Lily wearing the very wedding dress that she had once worn for him!

While Metalloy knew that the woman before was not Lily, Mystique's trick was not without effect. How did she know what Lily looks like or her dress? In the time of his confusion, Mystique had closed the distance between them. Metalloy snapped out of his stupor and gave Mystique a good hard push. She fell to the ground and had a hurt look on her face. But as she lay there she transformed back to herself and had a strange smile. I think she enjoyed that. This lady is crazy.

"I've had enough of this." He removed the drive from the computer and said into the headset, "Jean, am I clear to come out?"

"Yes."

"The X-Men can't save you, Metalloy." Mystique said as he walked to the door. "The Mutant Brotherhood will soon make our move. And when we do, do not oppose us."

Metalloy ignored her. He left the room, and even locked it behind him. Jean was at the end of the hall waving at him. He hurried down the hall, and he was just about at the end when the security office opened. Metalloy turned around to give fight, but the guard had his back to him and was talking to Mystique who once again looked like Sten.

"Director Sten, what are you doing here?"

"I needed to come back to the office for something. Now I don't like my movements broadcasted. Do you understand?"

Metalloy didn't wait. He grabbed Jean by the arm and the two of them hurried down the hall.

"Cyclopes, I have Metalloy, we are on our way out. I think we need emergency exfiltration."

"Negative on that Cyclopes. We can still make a silent escape."

"But that was Sten." Jean said to Metalloy.

"No, it wasn't. I will explain later."

"Metalloy, did you get the data?" came Cyclopes' voice over the head set.

"Yes"

Jean asked no more questions. They got through the building without incident. Cyclopes had questions, but Metalloy convinced him to wait. They found Storm and left.

The mission was accomplished, but Metalloy felt no joy and no ease. He had learned a terrible truth, and now he had some decisions to make.

Metalloy reveals his past to the X-Men

"Mystique, son of a…," Cyclopes stopped himself from finishing. Matthew had just finished his debriefing.

"Yes indeed. I think that woman is crazy." Matthew was still trying to rid the image of Mystique as Lily from his mind. That was the one part that he didn't tell the team about.

"What does this mean?" Storm was thinking out loud. "If the mutant brotherhood is spying on the DAMF, what are they planning on doing?"

"Perhaps they are going to attack the DAMF," said Cyclopes.

"If they do that do we defend the DAMF?" questioned Jean.

"That's not something I want to do," Matthew responded.

"I am not too sure that the DAMF is Magneto's target." Professor Xavier had been looking at the files they had copied from Sten's office. Now he was moving in his power chair to the gathering of the X-Men. "If Mystique was telling the truth to Metalloy, then the Brotherhood is almost ready to begin something they have long planed. The DAMF has not yet been in existence for a whole year."

"Then what was Mystique's purpose there?" came the question from Jean.

"Perhaps it was egotistical. Maybe she just wanted to see where she and Magneto landed on the most wanted list." There was a bitter sound to Cyclopes' voice.

"Or maybe they hoped to turn the most wanted list into a recruitment list. Mystique was quick to try and recruit me."

"And you are number one on that list. What did you do to earn that?" Matthew could tell that Cyclopes had been wanting to ask that question for some time, and now he did.

Matthew took a deep breath. He didn't want to share this story. He looked over at Professor Xavier. "Maybe it's time you told them, Matthew," said the Professor's voice in his head. Yeah maybe it is, Professor.

"I am wanted for murder back in Chicago."

"Did you commit murder?"

"No, Scott, I did not. My father was an evil man. He worked late, then came home and beat my mother. It happened so often, and it got worse and worse. Then one day I realized that he was going to kill my mother. So my brother and I stood up for her. He fought us, but with our new found mutant abilities we bested him. We pushed him over the edge of a second floor loft, and he landed on a glass coffee table.

"Our mother screamed bloody murder, and we ran in terror. The cops found out we were mutants, and just like that we were wanted for murder. They didn't see it as self-defense."

"How old were you?" Jean's face was full of surprise.

"Twelve years old."

The room was silent. The X-Men were all pondering this new story. Matthew wondered what they were thinking. Do they think I have blood on my hands? Will they think differently about me now that they know I killed my own father?

Cyclopes spoke first. "Murder is a big charge, but not nearly big enough to merit the number one spot on the DAMF's list."

"That has been puzzling me more than you know." Matthew did not miss the fact that Cyclopes focused the discussion off his story and on to the DAMF. He has been wanting that story for a year now, but once he gets it, he goes and changes the subject. Then Matthew realized that it was not the criminal history that bothered Cyclopes, but the secret keeping. I should have told them earlier. Metalloy, you need to learn to trust these people. The thought of Lily came to mind, his last secret. I don't know about that one.

"Do you have any enemies that might want to target you?" Jean's question shook him out of his thoughts.

"No, not that I know of. I can't think of anyone who would deliberately try to hurt me. The fact is that I don't know anyone well enough to make a personal enemy."

"Maybe Mystique modified it," said Storm.

"The data indicates that it wasn't recently modified," said Cyclopes. "I don't think she could have done such a good job of hiding her changes, especially if she didn't know we were coming."

"Well these are all things we must consider. For now let us rest, it has been a long night for all of us." With these words from the Professor all began to leave. "Matthew, stay here for a bit longer. I want to talk about these new events."

When everyone else left Matthew spoke. "Professor, I had no idea…"

"I know you didn't, and neither did I. But now that we both know your status with the DAMF we have new matters to discuss. But first I want to show you something I didn't show the others."

Matthew leaned in close to see the Professor's computer screen. There was a picture there. What the…? That's Lily and me, on our wedding day. "How in the world did they get that picture?"

"Probably from the marriage chapel where you two were wed."

"That's how Mystique knew…"

"Knew what? Did she transform into your wife?"

"Yes, wedding dress and all. Do they know where she is?"

"They do not seem to know who she is much less where she is. I think she is safe for now. But you on the other hand may not be safe."

"They have my presence narrowed down to New England or New York. That is a little close for comfort."

"We are not here to be comfortable, Matthew."

"But I can't risk the DAMF discovering this place. If I must flee in order to hide this place, then that is what I will do."

"Let us not get so dramatic yet, Matthew. I will keep an eye on the situation. Perhaps things will quite down. Nonetheless I appreciate your desire to keep our secret."

"I am good at secrets when I need to be, as you know."

The Plan of the Brotherhood (a week prior to X-Men)

Living as Henry Guyrich was not too hard, but escaping the Senator Kelly's presence to report back to the Brotherhood was hard. But Mystique was good at what she did.

Mystique drove Guyrich's car out to the forest that Guyrich had once frequented. There she met Magneto.

"It is good to see you again, Mystique." With him as always was Sabretooth. "Were you able to get anything from Sten's office?"

"Yes, the computer was easy to hack, Sten uses a voice recognition passcode."

"Did you find the mutant we were looking for?"

"Yes, the DAMF has tracked the mutant to the Canadian border. They won't pursue her up there."

"Excellent. We will have to send Sabretooth up north to retrieve this mutant."

"There's something else. I wasn't the only one spying on the DAMF."

Magneto's face changed. He knew there was only one other group that would be able to pull off an operation like this. "So Charles' X-Men were there."

"I only saw one of them, a new member. He goes by the name Metalloy. His body produces metal and he somehow landed the top spot on the DAMF's wanted list, although his crime was not that great."

"Interesting."

"He could be valuable."

"But we do not have the time to recruit, my dear. You had better return. We need you to keep your eyes on the Senator."