A note from dad: Thanks for these awesome reviews, including some constructive criticism. I never thought this would have the popularity it does. I do need to clarify a couple of things, though: 1) Rogue is not out of charatcer at this time. Someone extremely distraught over a situation may react like this. I don't own Batman or DC Comics, either, but the Joker said one time, "All it takes is one bad day to drive the sanest man alive to lunacy." We're all one step away from there. 2) Logan didn't give a hug to Storm. He put his arm around her shoulder. There's a difference. It's like a pat on the back.

Stick with me. Here's chapter seven. It's the longest so far. I hope to update this weekend. ENJOY!

"Hey, Storm." Scott returned the hug. She pulled away and said, "Let me look at you," then scanned over him with her eyes. "You look like you've been through a war."

"Yeah, well," he shrugged, "it feels worse than it looks."

She laughed at that. Storm took him by the hand and led him to an examination table. "Come on, Scott, with me. You know the procedure for an injured X-Man."

He followed her, shuffling his feet and kicking the air. "Awe, Ma," he said teasingly.

Ororo smiled again. "Now behave young man or no ice cream after dinner."

Scott whined. "But I don't like the doctor," he said, hopping up on the table. "She's mean. She always pinches my cheek."

Logan stood with arms crossed leaning against an opposite table. "Daddy's got a belt, son, if you don't be good."

The happiness left Scott's face. There was no love lost between these two. "Oh. Hi, Logan," he deadpanned, shifting around on the table.

Storm tried to continue her examination. She slapped his leg, getting a loud "OW!" for her trouble. "Sit still," she commanded. "I'm almost through." A few more scans with the medical scanner and she pronounced, "Well, you seem to be somewhat in one piece. Except for the scratches and bruises, you seem to be okay."

"Well, that's good news, because I feel like hell."

"That'll pass," Logan chimed in, "and then you'll be the obnoxious leader again."

Storm cut him a glare then returned her attention to Cyclops. "He's right, but not about the obnoxious part," she reassured him.

"Speak for yourself," Logan snorted.

Scott shook his head. "Same old Logan," he said in the same deadpan voice he used to greet Wolverine.

Logan shrugged his shoulders now. "Why change? I'm so lovable now."

Scott grinned while still shaking his head.

Ororo stopped the game before it got started. "Okay!" she exclaimed. "You're fit for duty if you think you can handle it."

"I can," he answered, hopping off the table.

Storm couldn't resist turning to him and pinching his cheek. "And you were so good. You get two scoops of ice cream after dinner," she said with a smile.

Scott clapped his hands together a couple of times in front of himself and said, "Yay, me!"

Logan groaned at the gesture, rolling his eyes up and his head to the right, saying, "Oh, god."

Scott ignored him. "Hey, where'd you guys put my stuff? My room's been taken over by some Roberto dude. I'm kinda in need of my visor, plus I need my cash stash. I owe a young lady upstairs some money."

Storm walked over to a row of cabinets. "We'll take care of your 'loan officer' later. I remember the Professor kept a spare set or two of visors down here, Scott," she said, opening one or two cabinets at a time. She searched drawers at the same time, finding two visors in the third drawer she looked in. "Ah, yes, here we are." She handed one to Scott. He clipped it in place.

He let out a relaxing breath. "Boy, that's better. I haven't had my eyes open for days."

"Speaking of which," Storm started to ask, "how did you find your way back?"

"It wasn't easy," he replied. "I was fortunate on knowing the area and compass directions. The Professor taught us well for when we get separated and initially lose our bearings. By the way, where is he? I need to talk to him. Also, I'm looking for Jean. She's alive somehow. Isn't that great? Is she here?"

Logan and Storm both turned heads to each other when he mentioned the names. Logan averted his eyes from Cyclops' stare. Storm, as tender as she could, said, "Scott," touching his arm and sounding very sympathetic.

"What's wrong?"

Storm took him by the hand again. "Perhaps you should come with me," she declared, walking out of the infirmary. Logan reluctantly followed them.

They took him to the garden. He gazed solemnly at each one. Jean and the Professor both dead? he thought.

Pointing and nodding at his stone, he said, "I think you can take this one down."

"Definitely," Storm said quietly.

"How did it happen, Storm? Who or what caused their deaths?"

Here comes the bad news, Wolverine said to himself. Knowing discretion is the better part of valor, he kept silent and let Storm do the talking. That wasn't much help to Storm, because she wasn't sure where to begin. Scott was going to blow a fuse when he found out all the details, especially about Jean and her death.

In a soft voice, her eyes lowered, Storm said, "Jean killed the Professor."

They were standing in front of Jean's monument, Scott just to Ororo's left, Wolverine to her right. Disbelief crossed Scott's face. Surely he had heard her wrong. Jean would never kill a friend; an enemy, maybe; someone threatening her life, yes, definitely. But the Professor? Never. Storm had to be wrong. It was a mistake. It must have been someone posing as Jean.

But something about the way Storm said it and the way she hung her head showed that she knew it was true, even though she didn't want to.

"Tell me you're kidding," he replied. She didn't respond. He placed a hand on her shoulder. "Please, Storm. Tell me you're pulling my leg." He glanced at Logan.

"She's telling you the truth, kid. Jean . . . killed the Professor." The blank stare on Scott's face said it all. He only asked a one word question.

"How?"

Storm was gathering words in her mind, collecting her thoughts and assembling them to be able to tell Scott about Jean and how she killed Xavier. It wasn't going to be easy, she knew, but she started the attempt.

With a deep breath, she looked Scott in the eyes and said, "Jean had a split personality, Scott. It was that split personality that killed Charles Xavier."

Scott just stared at her. His mind was trying to comprehend all this. The woman he loved had a split personality? A personality capable of killing friends? Anyone?

"No," he said softly, vaguely shaking his head, not wanting to believe it.

She became stern with him, at least in the way in what she said next. The tenderness in her touch on his arm told him she still sympathized with him and understood his incapacity for accepting all this. "Yes, Scott, it's true. The Professor knew of it. He had kept it subdued subconsciously for years. He knew what she was capable of and tried to keep the other entity dormant inside her. She wasn't ready for the full power she was capable of. It was like a child of five with a loaded shotgun. She didn't know how to handle it."

"Then how did this 'other entity' come out?"

"Something happened at Alkali Lake. Instinct for survival on Phoenix's part must have come out and didn't let her die."

"Phoenix?" he questioned.

Ororo had moved away from Scott, casually walking back and forth. She turned to face him again. "That's the name the other personality gave itself."

Scott looked as though he had a question that he didn't know how to ask. He raised his eyes toward heaven as if the question would form better looking up there. "Why didn't the Professor just help her control it? Why bury it in the subconscious? Jean was bright enough to handle it?" The last statement was more of a question because he was sure of the fact, even if no one else was.

"No, Scott," Storm continued. "She wasn't. The Professor knew from almost when they first met that she had a gift, a power, far greater than any mutant he had ever met. She was a class five mutant, Scott. A class five in the mind of someone of a class two or three stage."

"So now you're telling me that she was becoming more powerful? Is it possible for mutants to do that?"

She half-grinned at his suggestion. "It's very possible, especially among those with telepathic and telekinetic powers. There seems to be no limit to the mind's power."

"But the Professor couldn't stop her?"

Ororo shook her head. "No," she answered.

"How did it happen?" he asked. How did she . . ." His words trailed off.

"The Professor felt she would go back to familiar territory. He felt she would go home, and he was right. That's where we found her. At her parents' home. Along with Magneto."

"Magneto?" Scott interrupted. "What the hell was he doing there?"

She breathed a sigh. "The same thing we were," she said. "Looking for Jean."

"So she never came here?"

"Yeah, she did." This time Logan did the talking. "We found her at Alkali Lake unconscious. It was uncanny, Scott. It seemed like everything out there was floating in the air, even the water in the lake. I found your glasses out there, floating in the air with no owner around." He paused to let that sink in before continuing. "We brought her back here to the infirmary. The Professor stayed with her almost the entire time. That's when we were told of her personality split."

Storm picked up from there. "She threw Wolverine telekinetically into one of the stainless steel walls so hard that she knocked him unconscious." Scott looked at Logan and knew how difficult that would have been for anyone else, but he knew the power of her telekinetic ability. He had been thrown around by her when she was under Stryker's control before her first death. "Then she ripped the infirmary doors off their hinges and left.

"As I said before, we traveled to her parents' house where we found Magneto and some of his people there looking for her also. The Professor and Magneto went in alone while the rest of us waited outside.

"We heard a commotion inside and Wolverine wanted to go in, with or without me. We got in, but were so occupied with fighting Magneto's goons that we weren't able to get to the Professor."

"She took him apart, Cyclops." Logan was speaking again. "I saw the last part of it. She had thrown Magneto into the kitchen. He was helpless to stop her and he had that helmet on. Her incredible power went right through. On top of that, she manipulated every molecule and atom around her. But it wasn't Jean. It was this 'Phoenix.'" He stopped and looked down at the ground, gathering together the next thought. He raised his eyes and looked at the man. "She disintegrated him into his base molecules, Scott. I saw it and I couldn't believe it. I saw the look on Magneto's face and he was shocked by it. She had the house floating in the air and when she concluded with the Professor, the house dropped to the ground. We looked around and she was gone that quick. We didn't have our eyes off her for a second and she was gone."

Scott was silent, absorbing all the information he had just been given, trying to make sense of it all. His next question was the one they both feared.

"How did Jean die?" he asked solemnly.

Neither Ororo nor Logan spoke. Scott looked at Logan, then Storm. "Well, is anybody gonna say anything?"

Storm and Logan exchanged glances. "I think Logan needs to tell you this," she said resolutely.

Scott turned to face him. Logan glanced at Scott then back to Storm. "Thanks," he told her dryly, then looked back at Scott. Storm started to walk away. "I think I'll leave you two alone to talk," she said, turning to leave. She shot a backward glance. "Try not to kill each other while I'm gone, okay?"

The air grew deathly quiet as the two men just stood and stared at each other. A person could have cut the tension Wolverine was feeling with a knife. How do you tell someone that you killed someone that they cared about? Scott broke the long silence with a word.

"Well?"

Logan moved to one of the benches in the garden. "Let's have a seat, shall we?" he asked, sitting down, crossing his legs and resting his arms on his knee.

Cyclops eyed him suspiciously. He folded his arms across his chest and asked, "And why would I want to do that?"

"Because," Logan stated, "I don't think you can knock me on my ass if I'm already sitting down."

He asked the same question, which frustrated Logan. "And why would I want to do that?"

"Because you're not gonna like the answer about Jean."

There was a pause, and Scott reluctantly came and sat down next to Logan. He didn't look at the man, just stared at the ground in front of himself with his arms resting on his legs, his hands clasped together, ready for the worst.

"How did it happen, Logan? What killed her?"

There was no answer. Neither changed their seated positions. Scott rephrased the question.

"Who killed her?"

Logan took a moment to swallow hard, knowing what might happen next.

"I did."


Jack Stover was not a happy man. Many of his friends had died in that attack on Alcatraz when Magneto decided to show humans what they thought of the "cure." He still remembered Magneto's words to the Juggernaut, "In chess the pawns always go first." He thought of after that ill-fated attack and the disruption of their bodies into base molecules by the Phoenix. Luckily, Callisto, Pyro, and himself escaped before the total destruction started. As they ran for their very lives, they saw the X-Men's Blackbird leaving the area. None of them knew what had become of Magneto. The last time Jack saw Magneto, the one called Beast, Dr. Henry McCoy, had plunged four of the immunization darts into his chest. In an instant he was no longer the Master of Magnetism. He was only Eric Magnus Lensherr, a human.

Every time he thought back on that day it angered him. So many had lost their lives for nothing. Mutant rights seemed non-existent. They were looked upon still as a disease by many, and that made matters difficult in job searching. Even mutants needed to eat. They needed a place to call home. And many of them, though few would admit it, desired not only acceptance, but love, too.

Angel had found that love that seemed to be lost in his father. Jack recalled how the boy had swooped down from seemingly out of nowhere, like he came straight out of heaven itself, to rescue his father from a terrible death on the rocky precipice that surrounded Alcatraz Island. Why can't everyone be accepted for who they are, no matter if they appear different on the outside? Jack remembered what his mother used to tell him, "It's not the outside, boy, that counts. It's what's inside a person that matters."

She had died not long after her son had begun his mutations. His tattoos moved and changed, thus he got the name "Illustrated Man." He became alone in the world after that. His father wasn't like his mother. Father saw an animal before him, not the son his wife had given birth to. He was put out on the streets to fend for himself.

He survived okay, met a woman who was gutsy, brave, and fast, and took crap from no one. Callisto ran the Marauders, at least when it came to decision-making. Jack didn't mind taking a back seat to her, or with her for that matter. He enjoyed the lime-light when she wasn't around but preferred to make decisions for the group with his wife in private.

Today was a big day. They were meeting with all the mutants in San Francisco in a large old Army Quonset hut with some federal government officials to talk of mutant rights. Word had it that Dr. Hank McCoy, the U. N. Ambassador of Mutant Affairs was going to be there. Jack looked forward to the meeting. It was to be a major conference, with satellite links around the world. One of the questions on Jack's mind is what happened to the so-called "cure?" Why were mutant powers returning? So many were upset that they would never have "normal" lives. He knew many that had taken their lives because they were so distraught over this development that they could not live with it. Some of those that did had been his friends. That's why he wasn't a happy man. He wanted answers.

The Quonset hut was nearly packed with mutants. The hut had been used as a storage facility for all sorts of things over the years, the last of which required cool to cold temperatures so a huge air conditioning system had been installed at great expense by the previous owners. Steel beams reinforced the old metal skeleton and sheet metal siding and roof. The thick insulation that covered the walls and ceiling helped keep the old place very cool in the hot months. The new owners used it as a meeting hall for various groups now. Today the New Brotherhood of Mutants Worldwide was meeting with the government in the old place. It would soon prove to be an historic day.

Outside a crowd was gathering. Some held picket signs protesting the conference for mutant rights. Another group held signs in favor of it. All in all, it was a typical conference. Some would always oppose and some agree. The San Francisco P. D. were handling the crowd at this time, but the governor wanted to play it safe, so he sent extra reinforcements in the form of the National Guard.

Several motorcades brought dignitaries from all over the globe. Security was very tight because of the various high-ranking government officials attending the meeting. The last motorcade was the one carrying Dr. Henry McCoy. Jack waited by the front door to greet him. Hank smiled as he shook the man's hand. Jack felt like they were old friends the way McCoy treated him, though they had never really officially met. They walked together to the podium, Jack chuckling at some little pun Hank was making. Each took a seat on the dais, Hank McCoy seated to the left of the center microphone and Jack two chairs to the right. The president of the New Brotherhood was Callisto. She held the first chair to the right of the microphone. Once everyone was seated at the dais, Callisto got up to speak. Some mutants were still coming in as the conference started.

"Welcome, everyone," she started, "to the first annual conference on mutant affairs and civil rights." Loud whistles, shouts and applause echoed throughout the auditorium. She waited for the din to die down, but the people kept it going. There were some dissidents in the crowd and they shouted obscenities at the ones on the dais. The majority, though, appeared to want the conference. Security attempted to keep the peace as much as possible.

Callisto smiled at the way the crowd was reacting. Not long ago she had been one of the dissidents who had joined Magneto to bring the world to order under the Brotherhood. Over the months since, Hank McCoy had convinced her to lead the Brotherhood in a new, more challeng-ing direction. She had consented and the MBMW was born. She served as the U. S. diplomat to the international conference. Her husband was special envoy. Over the last couple of months they had made great strides in formulating bills which would go before congresses, parliaments, and councils worldwide to help mutants of all ages and abilities. This was the first such annual conference and she was proud that it was being held in her home country.

She tapped the microphone causing that high-pitched sound that no one likes to hear called back feed. "May I have your attention, please?" she stated loudly. "I know everyone is excited about this first conference, but we must get started. We have several people to hear from, including our distinguished U. N. Ambassador, Dr. Henry McCoy."

No sooner did she get the words out of her mouth than the crowd went wild again. Cheers of "Atta boy, Henry," and "McCoy for President!" were heard from all over the room. Hank half stood and acknowledged their appreciation of him with a wave and a smile.

The day went well. Caliisto had introduced the four speakers before McCoy and the crowd listened intently to their every word. Rousing applause went up during their speeches and afterwards. Each was given standing ovations by mutants and humans. Callisto was standing at the podium getting ready to introduce Hank.

"Well," she said, smiling, "I suppose you know who's next."

The crowd erupted in extreme applause for him. The din they sent up was nearly deafening. Over it all, Callisto managed to shout through the microphone, "Ladies and gentlemen, DR. HENRY MCCOY!" The crowd drowned her out. McCoy rose and took his place behind the microphone, but not without a handshake and a hug for Callisto. They mouthed their pleasantries to one another, for no one could hear anything but the roar of the crowd. All eyes were focused on the dais.

No one saw the shadowy figure descending from a skylight in the back of the room.

Finally the crowd settled down. Humbly, McCoy said, "Thank you." He adjusted his notes and began to speak.

"We have all had encounters with those who do not necessarily care for mutants. We have been put down, held back, turned away, and in more than a few instances, threatened, beaten, and even killed."

Throughout the crowd were heard "Amens" and "That's right." McCoy continued.

"Today starts a new beginning for mutants the world over. Today we will be recognized by every government as a powerful voice, a voice that will not be silent. Today marks the day of a new allegiance. An allegiance where all mutants can speak, where all mutants can vote, and where all mutants can walk without fear of anyone."

The crowd erupted in another volley of loud cheering and applause. Once they settled down, he continued.

"This allegiance is not just for mutants. We have normal humans among us who support us in this. Many of them have been persecuted over the years, also. Many have not. The ones who have not are decent folk. They do not wish to see abuse in any form. It is this element of human compassion that I now salute."

Another interruption of loud applause, this time not for McCoy's words, but for his gesture as he stood at attention and saluted the audience. Throughout the audience, mutants shook the hands of plain humans around them. Some were even given embraces. It was turning into a totally good conference. Once the people settled into their chairs again, Hank picked up where he left off.

"Today," he started only to be interrupted by a voice from the back of the room, a voice all too familiar to him.

"Come now, Dr. McCoy," the voice said as its owner slowly walked the aisle to the front. Everyone recognized him immediately. Magneto. Or who used to be Magneto. McCoy eyed him suspiciously. "Do you really expect us to believe these lies propagated by these governmental pawns?"

Several on the dais moved toward him. Hank waved them off. "Let him speak," he said. "This is for all mutants, including former ones." A round of laughter followed that remark. All thought it funny that Lensherr would attempt such a bold move with no powers. He had opposition, though. Pyro and Stover met him at the bottom of the steps to the dais. McCoy shook his head and they allowed him access. He calmly walked onto the dais with Pyro and Jack right behind him. Hank relinquished the microphone to him.

"Thank you, Ambassador," he said curtly. Hank did not sit. Instead, he stood just to Eric's left with his hands folded together in front of him. The look on his face showed that he conceded the floor but was offended at this blatant interruption by someone who had no business here. However, diplomacy had to win out. If McCoy had stopped him, it would have been a black eye on all they were trying to accomplish for mutants. The better part of valor this time was to let Eric speak his peace.

The audience had a different agenda however. They started booing and hissing at Magneto and tried their best to stifle him. He tolerated it for a moment or two, then raised his voice so all could hear with or without the use of the mic.

"Are you so blind that you cannot see this as another ploy to satiate us? To pat us on the head like obedient pets? To keep us subdued? This is no different that that so-called cure they tried to feed us!"

"Shut up old man!"

"Get him down off the podium!"

"Throw him out of here!"

Eric stared at the crowd with a grin. "Do you all really feel that way?"

The crowd erupted with more boos and whistles. Someone on the front row stepped forward and said, "You in particular don't belong here. You tried to get us all killed!" There were shouts of agreement among the crowd.

Pyro and Jack Stover approached him. Pyro spoke first. "It's over, old man. There's no one that wants you here. You're finished." Eric noticed a habit that even today Pyro still had.

"Still flicking that lighter, eh, boy?" he grinned. "You admired me once."

"And I'm not that stupid anymore. We've got it better now." He pushed Eric backwards a step or two. "So why don't you leave? You're nothing more than a useless, doddering old fool."

Eric's expression had gone from one of nonchalant ness to slight anger when Pyro pushed him. Regaining his composure, his features softened somewhat and he smiled wide.

"Useless, am I" he said approaching the microphone once again. "A doddering old fool?" Something in his voice made John and Jack back away from him. "Perhaps I should show you what a 'doddering old fool' is capable of."

He stepped back from the podium and raised his hands. His right hand was held outstretched above his head while his left hand was palm up at about eye level. The building started to tremble. The people gasped in surprise. Overhead two of the main support beams groaned. People looked up and saw the rounded ceiling buckling. Many screamed and started running for the doors. Others stood as if in shock.

Eric made a slow twisting motion with his right hand. The nuts on the bolts holding those two main support beams began turning. Soon the bolts were floating in mid-air. It wasn't long and the beams joined them. McCoy made a move toward Magneto.

Eric simply smiled and said, "I wouldn't try anything, Beast," using the term that he knew Hank objected to, "I might lose my concentration." He let the beams slip to just above the head of the tallest mutant there who just happened to be ducking down at the time. The area around him cleared in case the beams fell completely. Eric decide to drop them and they hit the floor with a loud crashing sound which brought another round of screams from the room. He lowered his right hand. His left hand apparently was holding the building together.

Outside the protestors, both pro and con, grew silent. They had heard the applause all day and the jovial attitude that wafted outside to them. But now the tone was different. Now there were screams and people running from the building. Several were screaming, "Magneto is back!" "Magneto is trying to kill everybody in there!" Not even the police or the national guardsman moved. All stayed where they were positioned. Inside, Magneto was sounding more angry.

"As you can see, my powers are back. And they're stronger. With a single thought I could wipe out every one of you, especially you good-for-nothing bureaucrats who don't give a damn about anyone but yourselves. But I have a proposition. All who want to join me may come forward and stand before the dais."

Nobody moved.

Beast approached him. "Magneto," he said.

"I prefer Lord Magnus, sir," Eric shot back. "And I also prefer not to speak to you." With a gesture from his right hand, he upended one of the conference tables spilling its contents every-where and flung it Hank McCoy. It caught him off guard and he was sent flying backwards into the opposite wall. Callisto and Jack hurried to Hank's side to see if he was okay.

Eric's tone was deadpan. "He'll live. He's too much of a brute for that to damage him.' He turned back to the crowd. "No takers? Very well, then." He lowered his left hand and the ceiling began collapsing in on itself. The people panicked and nearly trampled each other to get to an exit. Magneto smiled incessantly. Suddenly the creaking and groaning of metal stopped. "I'm in a good mood today. I'll give you people one more chance. The government cares nothing about you. They want you subdued. They don't care if you live or die. I, on the other, will make certain that every mutant will have a place in society. I offer you what these assembled here only promise you. They are empty promises, brothers and sisters. Those bills will be tied up in committees until your great-great-great grandchildren run around on this planet."

Some stepped forward, but it was far fewer than Eric expected. Too many remembered what recently happened. They were not willing to sacrifice civil rights for civil war. And it would have been a civil war, not unlike the one in the eighteen hundreds. True, that one pitted north against south but it was still brother against brother. This would be, too. Most of these mutants assembled here had families. Some rejected them, others did not. The only thing about this civil war was that it would be happening in each country, not just the United States.

"If we want change then we have to make it happen, starting with the destruction of those who try to keep us down. It starts here, but it is each state and the federal government that is holding us back. It is the government of foreign countries that hold us back. I call for a world- wide takeover of these governments and the extermination of the present leaders who hold office."

Several more had joined those at the front. They appeared to be from all nationalities. Magneto smiled. "No others?" No one else moved.

"Suit yourselves," he declared. "Come, my small band of warriors. Let us depart."

His hand was still raised as he left through the back door followed closely by his entourage. Once outside, he dropped his hand. The building started falling in on itself. He could hear the screams inside as the door closed.

The people on the street in front gasped as they saw what was taking place. The entire building was collapsing. Many tried to run to help but they were too late to do any good.

Inside, Hank McCoy was just coming around when Magneto let go of the building. Quickly he grabbed Callisto and Pyro and made a mad run for the door. Jack Stover was hot on his heels, but he didn't make it. Beast crashed through the door carrying Callisto and the little hothead just as the building completely fell in. He heard Jack's screams as the building crushed him. Callisto screamed out for her husband but all she could do was watch in horror as he was crushed to death. Hank let go of her and she collapsed crying on the sidewalk, screaming her husband's name. Pyro hung his head in sorrow over their loss.


The news media pounced on the story. It hit every news service in the world. Every radio station, every television network, every newspaper carried the story and some of the most vivid pictures of any story anywhere. Governments were up in arms over the tragedy. Many top level government officials had been killed that day. Special sessions of parliaments and the like were taking place burning midnight oil to handle the situation and trying to formulate some sort of retaliation. Cool heads did not prevail this night, not even in the White House.

Boliver Trask had the President's ear.

"B, we've tried that," the President was saying. "That was William Stryker's idea and it went sour."

"Very true, Mr. President," Trask replied. "But look what just happened in California. We have a mutant element that's about to go world-wide to take over this planet. And Magneto has threatened to wipe out every government official and dignitary in the world. That includes you, Mr. President."

David Cockrum rubbed his hand over his head. "I know. I know. What do you propose?"

"A scaled down version of what we had. Nothing so huge that one build bankrupts us. We need protection. The public needs protection from renegade mutants like this. I'm your homeland security chief, boss, and I see these renegades as nothing but terrorists. That's all they are, plain and simple."

President Cockrum rose from his chair in the oval office and paced back and forth, hands behind his back, staring at the floor. When he stopped, he looked directly in Bolivar Trask's eyes.

"Have a proposal on my desk in the morning."