Second X
Chapter 9: Assault Part 2
In the aftermath of M-Day, many have taken drastic steps to ensure humanity's survival. Mutants across the globe are being hunted. Anti-mutant groups have banded together, determined to exterminate those mutants who still possess their powers. Tension between humans and mutants is greater than ever. Clarity, a mutant with the gift of foresight, has recently had a vision predicting the deaths of the X-Men and a war between the species. Now, she gathers other displaced mutants in the hopes of preventing her vision from being fulfilled.
Previously: Bastion has leashed his Sentinel hordes against the Xavier Institute. For a brief moment, it looked as if the X-Men and Second X would be victorious. Then, he revealed a secret. Somehow, Bastion had gained access to Phalanx technology. Combined with his own Sentinel technology, it is now uncertain what will happen to the X-men.
Disclaimer: The X-men characters either mentioned or appearing in this story are owned and copyrighted by Marvel Comics. All characters of Second X are of my creation. Please contact before using these characters.
Chapter 9: Assault Part 2
January 16, 5:23 pm
Xavier Institute
"X-Men regroup!" Scott commanded, as his optic blast made quick work of a Hunter Sentinel lunging toward him. "Shadowcat! Mystique! Guide the refugees through the Morelock tunnels! The rest of us will hold the line against the Sentinel forces! Move!"
"What about us?" yelled Clarity. The sound of explosions across the estate made it difficult to hear anything. "We're here for a reason! You need to let us help!"
Cyclops didn't hesitate in his answer. "You fight with us! Now, X-Men attack!"
Clarity could feel the pride of her teammates as they rushed toward the approaching wave of machines. Only she felt doubt in her heart. The attack was too soon. Her team, for all their valor, were still novices. Her vision, just before the battle began, was chaotic as always. She wasn't sure how the battle would end, but she knew one thing. Second X would fail to save the life of one X-Man this day.
"Christina!" Jinx yelled to Clarity. "Get your head in the game!" He gestured toward her as he let his power loose. A Prime Sentinel had let loose a barrage of plasma discharges in her direction. Jinx used his ability to repel the discharges away from his teammate. At the same time, creating a gravity well around the Sentinel. The Sentinel let loose a robotic scream as it was destroyed by its own attack.
"Thanks!" Clarity yelled over the noise. "Second X!" Clarity spoke into her communications headset, "Stay near as many of the X-Men as possible! One of them is in danger! I don't know which!"
"Understood." All replied.
Each split off with their respective groups. Jinx followed Rogue and Cannonball against their attack on the giant Sentinels. Explode and Clarity ran with Wolverine, Forge, Colossus and Cable against the main Sentinel offense. Fracture and Circuit joined Beast, Emma and Cyclops to protect the refugees as they fled to the tunnels.
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"You may be too big for me to move very far," Jinx said as he flew between two of the giants. Both fired missiles at him as he passed. "But I still have a few tricks up my sleeve." Creating another gravity field around the missiles, he guided them toward the warship's hangar bay. The explosion collapsed the bay, making it impossible for the ship to send more reinforcements.
"Good job, sugah," said Rogue as she pummeled a Sentinel to the ground. "That'll buy us some time to clean up here." She grabbed the Sentinel's head and ripped it from its shoulders. "Catch!" she yelled as she threw it at the next robot approaching.
"You really have too much fun fighting girl!" Cannonball exclaimed as he punched a hole through his opponent."
"Y'know me," Rogue replied as she evaded a missile attack. "Ah'm just a brawler at heart! Now c'mon, there are some other Sentinels making their way to Cyclops's group!"
"You lead, we'll follow," said Cannonball.
The three flew off back to the mansion.
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On the main assault, Wolverine and his team were having a bit more difficulty with their opponents. The Hunter class Sentinels were not much of a problem. Their design was mainly for stealth and tracking. Although still deadly, they were still no match for Wolverines adamantium rage.
The Prime class Sentinels were a little more difficult. More adaptive, the team had to constantly change their attack patterns. Explode allowed them near her before exploding herself, overloading their senses. Colossus and Forge attacked while they were vulnerable.
The real threat were the new Phalanx class. Clarity could do little but evade them. Every counter attack made, they adapted. Her swords did little to no damage. Cable encountered the same problem. His guns would damage the Phalanx, but they healed almost instantly. His telekinesis pushed them back, but not long enough before they adapted once again.
Against the Hunter and Prime Sentinels, the team stood a chance. Combined with the firepower and technology of the Phalanx, Wolverine's team was slowly being pushed back.
"We need to buy more time!" Cable yelled to the team. "Wolverine, Colossus, Clarity! Pull back behind me and Forge! Explode, when I push them back, I want you to give them everything you've got!" He concentrated and let loose a massive telekinetic wave. The Sentinels launched backward as he fell to his knees. "Now!" he yelled.
Explode flung herself into the midst of the Sentinel horde. "Trust me when I say this will hurt me more than it will hurt you," she said. As they lunged toward her, she exploded.
The fire engulfed the entire front offensive. If not for Cable using his telekinesis as a shield, his team would have been killed by the massive explosion. As the dust cleared, Explode stepped through the cloud.
"That hurt," she said as she collapsed into Colossus's arms. "We have to go," she said weakly. "That blast destroyed most of them, but the Phalanx bots are reforming. I don't think I can do another."
"Don't worry, you won't have to," Cable said to her. "You did good, now fall back to the tunnels! The others are in trouble."
As they ran toward the tunnels, Bastion's figure revealed itself through the dust. Behind him, a much larger figure appeared. "They are doing well thus far," he said.
"So it would seem," Bastion replied. "They think the Morelock tunnels will provide them with escape."
"I assume the trap has been set?" the man asked.
Bastion smiled. "Even the precog will never see what's coming."
Around the man, the pieces of the Phalanx squirmed toward him, absorbing into his body as they made contact. His voice thundered, "Then let us harvest the crop!"
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In the warship, a young mutant girl was regaining consciousness. She looked around the room, her eyes weak and her vision blurred. "Where? Where am I?" she asked herself. She could hear the sounds of explosions nearby. As she sat up, she realized she was on a medical bed. Tubes were connected to patches of organic technology on her body.
"No!" she screamed as she ripped the tubes from her. She held her head as her memory flooded back into her mind. A ship. A man made of machines. Another man screaming her name.
She scanned the room. "Empty," she thought. "What's that in the corner? Security monitor?" She stood and walked toward it. Images showed of a battle happening. Mutants fighting machines. Most were Sentinel. The others, she recognized instantly. "Phalanx," she said.
She walked toward the door and pushed against it. "Locked," she thought. As she stepped back, she raised her hands toward the door. Her hands glowed with purple energy as her powers activated.
As soon as she did so, the security intercom activated an alarm. "Warning!" it stated, "Mutagenic energies detected on deck 12! Spatial shearing in progress! Security needed on deck 12!"
"You have no idea how much you're going to need it," the young girl said. As she stepped through the door, she saw two Phalanx Sentinels marching toward her. "I don't know how I got back here or what's been done to me, but I made a promise to stop you monsters," she spoke as she raised her hands once more. "Here and now--and forever!"
The security intercom activated. "Warning! Spatial shearing in progress!"
End Chapter 9