Issue Six: Fall of the Hellfire Club
Ocean waters splashed and crashed against the rocky bank. Seagulls cried out and dove for small snacks on the ground. The sun was setting, casting the sky in heavy reds, oranges, and purples. The water cascaded up the rocks, splashing the naked feet of the island's visitor.
She walked along the rocky edge, allowing herself to feel the firm, solid earth beneath her; the foaming salt water rushing up to her ankles.
He was surprised to see her, of all places, in front of him.
The woman looked up at him, her eyes meeting his with fiery intensity.
"How long have you been here?" he asked.
She smiled. "Good to see you too, Magneto." She tilted her head. "Or Magnus or Erik Lensherr or Max Eisenhardt."
"You dare use that name?"
Her smile widened. "I dare use whatever name I want."
"And what, pray, shall I call you? Jean Grey-Summers? Marvel Girl? Phoenix?"
Jean crossed her arms across her chest. "Whichever you prefer."
"I thought you were dead."
"I was. You killed me."
"I did no such thing. That was Xorn."
Jean rolled her eyes and walked further up the rocky ledge. "That's a long story that you don't even know the half of yet."
"What are you doing here?"
"I came to see you. I came to talk to you."
"And when are the rest of the X-Men coming?"
"They don't know I'm back yet."
Erik perked an eyebrow. "Really now?"
"Really." Jean stepped over next to him. "Do you know what happened in New York City yesterday?"
"I haven't involved myself in the outside world in quite a while."
Jean nodded. "Then let me tell you something that will change that position . . ."
Thirty-two hours ago.
"Excuse me, sir? Would you like to try some of cologne?"
Rick Jerkins shoved past the saleswoman and continued on his way. She dashed after him, her heels clicking as she rushed to his side.
"Here, just try some!"
She squeezed to bottle, the cologne letting out a huge puff that covered chest and neck.
"Damn it, lady, I don't care about your effing cologne! Leave me the hell alone!"
He quickened his pace and the saleswoman sent a text to her boss. 'Delivery successful.'
Thirty hours ago.
Rick stood in the locker room of the Hellfire Club basement. Four other guards were present, each one ready to start their new shift.
"So what are we all doing here?" asked Benny, one of the guards.
"Mister Shaw asked for additional security tonight. I guess they're havin' some kinda emergency meetin' tonight."
"What fer?" asked John, the tallest of the four guards.
"That announcement today that humans are gonna be gone in somethin' like a 100 years or somethin.'"
"150-200," corrected Jerry, cleaning his gun. He looked up at Rick. "You feelin' alright, man?"
"No . . . some bitch sprayed me down with this shitty cologne on my way here. I think I'm . . ."
The word 'allergic' never left his mouth. Instead it burned. For the past two hours, nannites swarmed his body. Nerve clusters were lined with processors. Fusion reactors were installed through his digestive system. A data network were placed on top of his brain.
And it all came on-line.
John, Benny, Jerry, and Al all watched Rick's skin became covered in sweat and his eyes began to glow. His memory – his very life – was gone. His body was converted into a weapon. Cybernetic systems overcame organic ones. His muscle mass increased. His body temperature rocketed. He was no longer a man. No longer human.
"Prime Sentinel Alpha-Three-Alpha activated."
From the circular blaster on his palm, energy beams fired and destroyed the four guards. The Prime Sentinel formerly known as Rick then marched out the locker. Two guards ran to him. Rick opened his mouth and unleashed a spray. Within seconds, two companions joined him.
"Prime Sentinel Alpha-Three-Beta activated."
"Prime Sentinel Alpha-Three-Charlie activated."
"Prime Sentinel Alpha-Three-Alpha to O*N*E headquarters. Phase one complete. Awaiting phase two."
Upstairs, Sebastian Shaw looked over his fellow members of the Inner Circle of the Hellfire Club. Ms. Steed, the Black Queen and formerly of the London branch. Domnia, little more than a thug who had believed that her ilk, the Neo, were one step beyond Mutantkind. She was the latest White Queen. Finally, there was Vargas, the White King and previously a power player in Europe. Has-beens, wash-ups, and generally arrogant bastards.
Sebastian Shaw, Black King of the Hellfire Club, sighed in disappointment and resentment.
"We need to consider the effect this announcement will have on those we have allied ourselves with," Vargas stated.
"You mean our investors? Don't worry about it," Shaw grumbled.
"This is insane!" Domina screamed, punched the heavy wooden table and nearly shattering it.
"Oh?"
"We need to be out there, side-by-side with the Marauders! Killing the statics!"
"Best we don't associate ourselves with known killers, my dear," Shaw suggested. "Our best defense is to remain where we are, tugging the strings, and maintaining our status. We must focus on bringing in more humans and Mutants. Influence the way this affects the world."
"Who cares about the world?" Ms. Steed questioned. "My concern is today, Mr. Shaw. As in, how will this affect our money?"
Shaw had just rolled his eyes when the doors blasted open and three Prime Sentinels marched inside. Shaw was almost happy for the distraction.
That was, until the ceiling was ripped off.
Five three-story Mark VI Sentinels stood above them, red eyes scanning the room.
"SHAW!" yelled out Vargas as energy beams unleashed from both the Primes and the Mark VI Sentinels.
Sebastian Shaw had no chance to appreciate the irony. He had contributed money into constructing these Sentinels. And now, they were hell-bent on destroying everything he had worked for. It was all so clear. Prime Sentinels infiltrated the Hellfire Club. Was it over? Was this the end of it?
Shaw dodged an energy beam from the Mark VIs, rolling underneath a bookcase that was about collapse. He let it smash against his body, absorbing the kinetic energy it gave off.
Vargas, his sword in hand, leapt towards one of the Prime Sentinels. It slashed off the Primes' hand, but blasted Vargas hard with the other. Vargas stumbled, shocked at the intensity of the burst. Two of the Prime Sentinels rushed him, one blasting him in the chest; the other grabbed his hands and tore the sword away from him.
The pair of Prime Sentinels went about pounding Vargas. Vargas was able to get off a few quick blows, sending one of the Primes into the wall. Unfortunately, the Prime recovered quickly and blasted Vargas fully. This, coupled with a physical attack from the other Prime Sentinel, ripped Vargas in two.
Ms. Steed unleashed her psi-knifes at her Prime Sentinel . . . to avail. There was no mind to grab on to. She barely had a second to scream as a repulser blast hit her mid-section, killing her.
Domina screamed as she launched into her attack. Shaw had just picked himself up as he watched her in battle. He had to admit, for all her bravado, she had the skills to back it up. She was able to do more damage than Vargas, ripping the head of the Prime Sentinel that killed Steed right off.
"I will not be broken by human machines!" she screamed, her body resisting the repulser beams of the Mark VI.
"UP-GRADE!" shouted the two Prime Sentinels that just killed Vargas.
Shaw felt the heat of a repulser as he himself was attacked from above. His skin burned as the beam swept through the room. Shaw did not yell out in pain as he pushed against the fireplace, searching for the secret lever that would give him access to one of the many passages in the structure.
There was a burst of light as repulser beams from all the Sentinels intersected Domina. She then joined her husband and child in death.
Shaw would not see her yet.
The Sentinels turned their attention to him.
"Shaw Omega Five!" he shouted at them. "Password: Diamond! Execute override!"
It was a long shot. He had this virus installed back when he had influence on the Sentinel program. It was supposed to hide in the operational standards of all Sentinel programs, passing from generation to generation . . .
"Target: Sebastian Shaw has escaped," all the Sentinels said at once.
Shaw breathed a sigh of relief and tended to his finding of the lever.
Fires burned and alarms sounded inside the structure. He also heard the shouts of humans voice. They were coming. Shaw, still injured, made his escape.
Twenty-Four hours ago.
"Ladies and gentlemen of the press corps, my name is Director Valerie Cooper of the Office of National Emergency. At approximately 10:14 PM last night, we authorized the use of Sentinels on the Inner Circle of the Hellfire Club. We believe it was this organization that was behind the recent attack in Los Angeles. Evidence has been uncovered that Shaw Industries paid the mercenaries to attack Los Angeles as a show of power to many of his competitors in the city.
"Sebastian Shaw, and we can confirm that he was a Mutant, is currently on the run. The Office of National Emergency is currently working with the FBI in shutting down all US-based Hellfire Club branches. We are also pursuing warrants in England, France, Russia, Australia, China, and Japan to shut down branches overseas.
"Despite the effectiveness of last nights attack, Sebastian Shaw was able to evade capture. He is to be considered highly dangerous. We are currently following up on many leads in an attempt to track him down. That being said, be aware that Mister Shaw has considerable influence in the Mutant community. If a Mutant is spotted in your neighborhood or you suspect that a Mutant is acting suspiciously, please report them to your local law enforcement.
"Thank you. There will be no questions."
Now.
Erik listened to Jean tell the story and considered it all. He then turned to Jean fully and took in a deep breath. They sat in a small cabin next to the ocean; devoid of most signs of modern technology except for a small computer that in the corner.
"What does this have to do with me?"
"I came back to Earth because it was time to take action. John Sublime – the same creature that took over your mind and turned you into Xorn – is manipulating humanity into a war with Mutantkind. A war they will win. Sublime, in addition to basically taking over the Office of National Emergency, has every single kind of Sentinel at his disposal. Prime Sentinels can manifest in anyone now. More than that, he's developed a way to turn humans into Mutant-killing Predators by reverse engineering the Brood."
Erik felt a fury of defiance overtake. "Mutantkind can overcome that."
"Erik . . . look into my eyes and see that they can't."
Erik turned to Jean and locked eyes with her. In the span of a second, he watched as armies of Prime Sentinels overcame the X-Men. Executed most of them. He witnessed Predators rushing into homes and killing children that would develop into Mutants. He watched as decades passed by, John Sublime never aging, but his killing methods growing more impressive.
He watched as history repeated itself over and over again until nothing was left but a handful of humans, millions of Sentinels, and John Sublime standing atop the rubble that was once Earth.
"What he has unleashed today is just the beginning of the horrors Sublime will release unless someone stands up to him." She paused and looked down. "I – the Phoenix – was sent back to Earth to burn away humanity before it destroyed both itself and Mutantkind."
Erik grinned. "You? Sent to destroy mankind to save Mutantkind? That sounds . . . very anti-Xavier, if you ask me."
Jean nodded. "Yes, well, that's why I'm here. I need to show the powers-that-be that Mutants can weather this storm. I can't go to the X-Men because it goes against everything that Xavier has taught us. But you . . . you're a symbol for Mutant strength and superiority. I'm giving you the chance to stand against the worst elements of humanity."
Erik listened to her words and looked out the window at the ocean as it crashed against the rocks.
"Erik . . . the power of the Phoenix can break the laws of time and space. I can bring you whoever you want. Whoever you need. Dead or alive."
He looked longingly at the ocean, then to Jean fully. His hand outstretched. A cabinet door opened up and his helmet floated to him.
"Who do you need?" Jean asked.
Erik, the helmet taking its place on his head, gathered his armor. It flowed across his body, replacing the dirty jeans and t-shirt. His old body embraced the strength the magnetized armor gave him. Magneto closed his eyes thoughtfully . . . then opened them and committed to his next act.
"An army," he answered. "Bring me everyone."
END OF PART ONE
CONTINUED IN "THE DREAM – PART TWO: FRAYED EDGES"
