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CHAPTER FOUR
The rumours of attacks on mutants were all around the city, of course. And people had tut-tutted and talked about how terrible it was. But since the victims were all mutants and they weren't, they had assumed they were safe.
They were wrong.
The armoured figure, towering over anyone else in the street at seven feet tall, came smashing through a brick wall. The nearest people scattered. The attacker raised metallic arms and began smashing everything in its path. Those who got in the way of its destruction were sent flying.
Police cars came streaming down the street, providing a cordon while ushering people to safety. Officers armed with standard issue weaponary made an optimistic attempt to block the rampaging figure's path, their bullets clanging uselessly against the metal. "What is that thing?"one of them demanded.
"Call me Tribune,"came the reply, before the police cars were tossed aside.
Professor X stood at the front of the group of X-Men as they watched the image on the TV screen: Wolverine, Storm, Rogue, Bobby, Kitty, Warren, Gambit, Jubilee, Cable, Bishop and Dazzler. "What is that?"Jubilee asked, unknowingly echoing the policeman's question.
"He, she or it is using the name Tribune,"Professor X answered.
"Is it a mutant?"asked Dazzler.
"No. Cerebros is detecting no mutants present."
"A robot then,"Bishop suggested.
"Or a human in battle armour,"Cable offered.
"Both of those are possibilities,"Xavier agreed.
"Then what do we do about it?"Gambit asked.
A thin smile spread across the Professor's face. He turned to face them, his tone almost conversational. "Logan, Storm, I think you should go and introduce yourselves."
Wolverine smiled and turned to the assembled group. "Rogue, Bobby, Cable, Bishop, you're with us."
The man called Ritchings was unaware of the chaos going on on the other side of the city. At that moment, he was standing in front of a hall filled with his fellow mutants. He had sent word to his friends, who had sent word to their friends, and so on until a sizeable gathering had formed. He felt it was important to reassure people.
"I'm sure we're all concerned about what we see going on around us,"he told them. "The violence and the speeches. But we have to remember that things are getting better. Even now, a conference is about to take place that will finally see the world leaders accept us. Accept that we mutants are as much free citizens as anyone else, put an end to us being treated as outcasts."
"And what a fine ideal that is,"came a sneering voice from the rear of the room.
Ritchings looked at the figures silhouetted at the rear, as did everyone else present: Donovan and a group of other Friends of Humanity followers. "This is a peaceful gathering,"he told them. "We don't want any trouble."
"A peaceful gathering,"Donovan sneered. "Isn't that sweet? A whole bunch of little mutants just sitting here. There's one problem with all that. You know what I always want to do to a group of mutants who dare to think they have the right to have peaceful gatherings?"
There was an explosion behind him, the detonation of an incendiary bomb planted in the room's entrance. The whole wall caught fire, leaving those gathered in the hall retreating desperately from the spreading blaze.
"Burn them."
Professor X gave a gasp of shock and sank to his knees. Kitty ran to his side and crouched next to him. "Professor, what's wrong?"
"Pain…and fear. Great fear. A sudden psychic spike. A group of mutants, in danger. Very near here."
"How near?"Warren asked.
"The X-Jet would get you there in minutes."
Warren was shocked by the declaration. "Us?"
"Wolverine and the others are busy. You must go."
"Pretty much all our key players are on that team,"Jubilee argued. "What are we going to do without them?"
The Professor looked over the group, pain showing in his eyes. "Gambit?"
Gambit met the gaze, then stood up straight. "The Professor is right. If we cannot help out now, then we have no right to call ourselves X-Men." He looked round at Warren, Kitty and Jubilee. "I trust all of you to live up to that name."
"Perhaps you do not have to go alone,"Professor X suggested, his gaze drifting to the other person present. "Dazzler?"
Dazzler looked at him, shocked. "You want me to go with them?"
"I am asking you to help."
For a moment, Dazzler was stunned. Then she nodded.
"Thank you. Kitty, get her a uniform."
A few minutes later, Kitty was standing outside Dazzler's room, tapping her foot impatiently. "Come on, Dazzler, the X-Jet's waiting for us!" She paused but there was no answer. "Dazzler?"she asked again and entered the room.
Dazzler was sat on the bed. She was wearing the uniform but was making no effort to move. Kitty went in and sat beside her. "Ali, what's wrong?"
"When those men came into the performance hall,"Dazzler said carefully,"I was scared. I mean, really scared. I thought I was going to die. I came here because I thought you'd protect me from them. Instead, you want me to go back out there and meet them again? Fight them? I'm a singer, not a superhero. I never meant to join the X-Men."
"Ali…no-one's going to force you to do this, but we need to go now, with or without you."
"Stay behind?" Dazzler shook her head. "What's that going to make me look like, if I'm only interested in protecting myself?"
Kitty took her hand. "Then…trust me on this, okay? And the others. You're part of the team now, we won't let anything happen to you."
Dazzler nodded and they hurried out.
