Charles Xavier is dead. The X-Men have not assembled in ten years. After Iron Man led a mutant registration campaign, war broke out between man and mutant; there were casualties. Who lived? Who died? Who registered? What happened? The United States is close to WAR with Wakanda, the country's only ruler, Queen Ororo, in opposition with Stark and the U.S. Government. The remaining X-Men wish to make contact with Munroe in hopes to make their agenda her own.
What happens when they do?

X-MEN: RESURGENCE
chapter ten: the iron ball, part one

Susan Richards smiled into the mirror as she pulled her Fantastic Four uniform over her bandaged waist, shooing a few med-bots away from her as she did so.

"I'm fine," she assured them, making her way down to the Wakandan Embassy, knowing full well it should be as empty as the rest of The Baxter Building.

"I'm happy you could make it," Richards nodded as she closed the Embassy's door behind her and took a seat opposite of her two guests.

Benjamin Grimm smiled back at her. "Ahh, Suzie, cut the crap and gimme a hug."

As The Thing pulled Susan from her chair and into his arms, she winced -- her wounds were only nearly healed. After a moment, though, there were other wounds of hers that had healed completely.

STARK TOWER

"They have sixteen more hours," Tony Stark patrolled the room. "Sixteen hours to either give themselves up -- or have us take them."

"You really think it's going to pan out that easily?" Wonder Man arched an eyebrow.

"I don't think Tony's gonna let it go either way, Simon," James Rhodes smiled at his friend. "Are ya, Tony?"

"Failure isn't an option here," Stark replied crisply. "They've managed to attack the Helicarrier several times, they've eliminated one of our assassins..."

"Eliminated?" Simon turned. "You mean..."

"Assassins?" Spider-Woman arched an eyebrow of her own. "That's funny, Tony. You called her an Agent when you and I talked."

"She's dead," Stark ignored them both. "And on top of that, they're responsible for countless billions."

"Your armor?" James asked.

"His pride," Wonder Man mumbled to Spider-Woman, the two looking on unenthusiastically.

"She-Hulk and Justice have both defected," Stark narrated, "and taken with them countless fugitives. Rogue. The Juggernaut. They're working with murderers."

"Stop me if I'm wrong," Jessica Drew stepped forward, pulling her Spider-Woman mask over her face and through her hair, "but didn't you just say that you sent an assassin after them?"

"Yes, Jessica," Stark glared at her, "I sent an assassin after them -- one that you hand-delivered. So if you have any other questions..?"

"I just got one," a voice called from outside of the room. The small group turned, the doors parting and revealing Remy LeBeau.

"Where do I sign up?"

"Ah say we just go in and start blowin' stuff up," Rogue spoke from behind her large cup of coffee.

"Yes," Madrox rolled his eyes, "because that worked so well last time."

"And how would you know?" Rogue glared at him. "Ah barely remember seein' you there."

"I was doing recon."

"Recon this."

"We don't have time to fight," She-Hulk sighed loudly. "Vance will barely talk to us. Whatever Tony did to him he's going to find a way to do to us."

"Or he's already done to Ms. Marvel or Storm," Surge added.

"And Cain, Jennifer? What did Cain say happened?"

"He didn't, Hank," she sighed again. "I can barely get a word out of him, either."

"Uhh," Spider-Man spoke up from the corner, "does anyone remember that red over there put a bullet through someone's stomach?"

Mystique's eyes narrowed. "His name was Forge."

"I've met him," Peter sat forward in his makeshift web-hammock. "So does anyone remember that?"

"While her methods weren't quite... favorable," the Beast began, "they aren't methods we've been given the time to question."

"Are you kidding? She killed somebody!"

"Forge was once a friend of mine," McCoy bit his cheek. "But that was long ago."

"So we're condoning this?"

"No," Mystique pointed her gun at Parker, "but you're still alive because of it."

"I would've been fine."

"Of course," she sheathed her gun again.

"Ah don't like it either -- but Forge pumped the room full'a The Legacy Virus... or somethin' pretty damn close. Ah couldn't even breathe."

"A strain, he said," Hank shook his head. "A gas which temporarily disables mutantkind. A terrifying thought."

"What's terrifying," Jen stood, "is that we don't know what else he and Forge came up with. And that we're giving him time right now to come up with something even worse."

"I would like to run some tests -- I've already run a few on myself," Beast noted. "Especially on you, Jamie."

"Don't say it."

"It's obviously crossed your mind."

"I'm fine, Hank," Jamie sat forward in his chair.

"As fine as ever," Rogue shot Nori a look.

"What? What is it?" Jen looked at the group blankly.

"One of Jamie's duplicates -- dupes, I believe he prefers," McCoy stood, "died of The Legacy Virus some years ago. Any re-introduction of the Virus, strain or not, could potentially--"

"--I said I'm fine," Madrox stood, throwing his chair back as he stood and made his way out of the room.

Surge sighed, charging out after him, the others remaining silent for a moment, unsure of what to do or say.

"Well," Spider-Man laughed uncomfortably, "that was awkward."

Mystique brought her hand to her forehead, shaking her head and closing her eyes. "You just never stop talking."

Carol winced as she pulled at the restraints around her wrists. They were silver, locking her against a thick metal sheet and propping her at an angle as if she were on display.

She sighed, defeated -- she'd only just gotten her powers back, somehow, and now she felt just as powerless. Danvers glanced to her right -- a similar sheet of metal, similar restraints: Storm.

"Ororo," Carol whispered. The room was dimly-lit -- it felt as if the two were alone, but Danvers had no doubt they were being monitored.

No response.

Her eyes were closed. She was breathing.

Wasn't she?

"No sense in struggling, Carol," Tony Stark's voice echoed through the room. "You may have noticed a slight discomfort in the back of your neck -- essentially you've been... well, plugged in."

"Excuse me?"

"There's a tiny cord running from the platform behind you into your brain."

"You and your tiny cords," Carol looked frantically around the room. He wasn't there.

"The feed powers the restraints around your wrists, ankles and waist. The harder you struggle, the stronger they become. It's really best if you just stay still."

"So what clever name did you come up with for this one, Tony?"

"It doesn't need a name," his voice continued to echo. "It's just something that was created to ensure that I win."

Danvers stifled her uncomfortable laughter.

"And I will win, Carol."

"I can't help but feel, Tony," Danvers thrashed her wrists, the restraints reacting accordingly, "that you're really, really, really going to regret this."

Stark's laughter sent chills through Carol's spine.

"We'll see."

"He's holding Carol prisoner," Wonder Man shook his head. "Carol. Ms. Marvel. Carol Danvers. Isn't that registering with you people? He's holding Carol prisoner and we have to go downstairs for some sort of ... dance?"

"Yes, Simon," The Black Widow said from the corner, her eyes trained upon Remy LeBeau. "She is being held prisoner. Carol Danvers, a prisoner. Perhaps you'd like me to remind you why that is."

"So glad you could join us," Williams looked away.

"I'm tired of fightin'," LeBeau nodded.

"Not you," Simon shook his head. "And for the record, I don't trust you half as far as I could throw you."

Spider-Woman and LeBeau exchanged glances as Wonder Man left. "Seems like Tony'll let anyone join his little cause."

"Even dose willin' t'betray dere friends, non?"

"What is it you'd call what you're doing, Gambit?"

"Lookin' out for 'em," LeBeau took a seat. "De keep up de way de are... an' poof, de lose everyt'ing."

"That's the smartest thing I've heard in months," Natasha Romanov took a step closer to him, her long rifle still in her hands. "But I'll be watching you."

"Wouldn't have it any other way," Gambit grinned as Romanov made her leave. War Machine had left several moments before, leaving Gambit and Spider-Woman alone in the room.

"So dis is what it's like, your little meetin's?"

"Yeah," Jessica ran her hand through her hair. "This is what it's like."

As the door sealed shut behind Romanov, Gambit drew a knife from his sleeve, charged it and launched it at Drew.

She flipped through the air, landing on top of him and pinning him to the ground. She grabbed at his own staff, resting it upon his throat with her knees on each of his wrists.

"I thought you'd wait a little longer before a betrayal."

"Wish I could say de same, chere," Gambit winced.

"Wish I could say de same."

Carol's eyes darted forward to Remy LeBeau -- things were looking up... until Spider-Woman entered behind him, the cajun with both a limp and two cuffed wrists.

Drew avoided Carol's eyes. "You have a visitor."

"Good work, Remy," Danvers said lowly. LeBeau shrugged his shoulders.

"Tony's gone -- I'm supposed to hook Gambit up to one of these," Jessica pushed him forward, his wrists still shackled.

"Ororo," Gambit looked at his friend, still unconscious and strapped in next to Ms. Marvel. "Is she alright?"

"She's a claustrophobe, Gambit," Ms. Marvel glared down at him. "She's been locked away for hours, days, I don't know... and now she's attached to whatever-the-hell these things are."

"So dat's a no?"

Spider-Woman pushed Gambit ahead of her again. "Listen," she sighed. "I'm supposed to strap Gambit up to one of these."

"We heard you."

"You're the thief, right?" Drew looked at LeBeau.

Gambit's eyes met Carol's, a tiny grin surfacing on her lips.

"You have about twenty minutes. I've disabled the alarms attached to the systems -- attached to this wing," Drew looked away as she sent a venom blast at LeBeau's shackles.

They broke apart instantly, Gambit rubbing his wrists and turning to Spider-Woman. "I knew you--"

"--save your breath," she interrupted. "Twenty minutes. Hit me."

"What?"

"I can't take on War Machine, The Black Widow, Wonder Man and a shitload of agents, LeBeau. Hit me."

Tony Stark nodded as a slew of guests entered the banquet room of his tower. Ballroom music played softly in the background as he made his way to the podium, nodding to the President and sidestepping several caterers.

"I'd like to thank you all for coming," he spoke into the microphone. "This couldn't be a success without your hopefully-more-generous-than-last-year's contributions."

The crowd laughed amongst themselves as Stark continued. "Our effort in Wakanda is finally coming to an end -- we've struck a deal. And within the next day things should be completely finalized."

Music continued to play.

"Speaking on behalf of her country," Stark stepped aside, "is Queen Ororo Munroe."

The crowd broke into applause as Ororo Munroe seemingly made her way to the podium next to Stark, smiled at him, shook his hand, and began to speak.

"Wakanda is a thriving nation," she began. "And as head of such a thriving culture, Tony and I have decided to combine our efforts -- to take the safety S.H.I.E.L.D. provides the world -- and only enhance it. We aim to create a world, a registered world, that is safe for everyone. Human, mutant --"

"What in the hell?" Susan Richards spoke, her long, soft navy gown flowing down her body with ease.

Ben Grimm leaned into her ear. "I thought we was here t'bust her out?"

"That's what Gambit should be doing now," she replied, pulling away from him as Tony Stark approached the two.

"Ben Grimm," he smiled, his arms outstretched and coming in for a hug. "In the flesh."

"Thanks ta you," Grimm stated uneasily -- Sue looking away with disgust.

Ben ran his hands through his hair. "Still ain't used ta that."

"And Susan," Stark turned. "Happy you could make it.'

"I got the invitation from my sickbed," she smiled at him. "The funniest thing, nearly being gutted."

"All that's behind us," Stark placed his hand on her shoulder, Susan's eyes following it until it rested there. "Have you spoken with Storm?"

"No," she grabbed his hand, throwing it off. "I have not."

"I wish you would've let me do it," Carol watched Spider-Woman hit the ground. "I really would've liked to do it."

"Ain't got time, chere," Gambit moved closer to her, running his hand along the silver restraints which bound her. "'Sides, I t'ink we got plenty a'fightin' t'do yet."

"I agree," Storm spoke up from the next restraint, her loose white hair damp with sweat. "Quite heartily."

"Ororo!"

"I am fine, Carol," Munroe coughed out. "Remy -- get us out of here."

"Glad you dressed for de occasion, 'Ro," Gambit smiled. "Sue's down at de event wit' Ben -- t'ings are goin' nicely, de last I heard."

Munroe nodded.

"Wait," Carol looked at him, Gambit tinkering with the restraints. "Things are going nicely?"

"Oh," LeBeau grinned. "You didn't really tink we didn't have a plan, did you?"

"A plan which went somewhat sour, I'll admit," Ororo struggled, her restraints growing tighter. "But a plan nonetheless."

"Guess I underestimated you," Carol looked over at her friend, then down at Gambit. "And even you."

"De ladies," Remy grinned, "de're always surprised for some reason."

The restraints hissed open, Gambit stepping back as Ms. Marvel broke off the rest of them. Her muscles flexed against the pull -- but Gambit had weakened them enough for her to do something quite Marvel-ous.

Carol flew over to Storm, grabbing at the restraints as electricity surged from Ororo's eyes. Moments later, she was free, Carol helping her to the ground.

Gambit, Ms. Marvel and Storm turned, an unlucky S.H.I.E.L.D. agent standing in the now open doorway. A knife slammed into his gun, exploding seconds later in his face -- the agent falling to the ground.

LeBeau grabbed his ear. "Sue, what's goin' on down dere?"

Richards nodded at Stark. "I'm sure you wouldn't mind if I went to powder my nose, Tony."

"Of course not," he smiled back at her, a watchful eye on the ear piece beneath her hair.

As she moved away, Ben placed his large hand on Stark's shoulder this time. "So it's been awhile... let's catch up, yeah?"

"Sue?" her ear-piece buzzed again as she made her way to the restroom.

"I'm here," she spoke softly. "Is Storm with you?"

"Yeah," it buzzed back. "I got Carol an' Ororo right here."

"That's funny," Richards glanced across the room at Munroe, who was laughing and drinking a glass of champagne. "I'm looking at Ororo right now. Ben has Stark distracted -- but I don't know how much longer I can wear this dress."

"An' you looked so pretty in it," Gambit teased from upstairs.

"Just once," she spoke slowly, "I'd like to wear a dress to an event that I don't have to tear off to break someone's face. Meet me downstairs."

Gambit looked back to Storm and Ms. Marvel. "Did you know Sue Storm, de Invisible Woman, says 'break someone's face?'"

"Gambit, what did she say?"

"Looks like we got an' Ororo up here," he tucked the ear piece behind his hair, "an' an Ororo down dere."

"What has he done?"

"Stark outlawed cloning years ago," Carol tried to comfort Storm. "It's probably robotic. Do we have any idea what's going on downstairs, Gambit?"

"I ain't been here dat long," Remy looked at her, "but--"

"--Stark has organized a fundraiser for his efforts," Ororo stepped forward. "It was his hope that this would draw Wakanda and the United States together in supposed peace, siphoning even more money from the government he's protecting to continue to do so."

"Really?" Carol arched an eyebrow.

"Susan received her invitation last week, as one of Camp Hammond's key investors."

"So who're we looking at here?"

"A lot of de bigwigs," Gambit removed his coat and began to remove his uniform. "De Widow's here -- Wonder Man, War Machine, Stark 'imself, obviously.. Worthington."

"What are you doing?"

"Right now, Stark tinks I'm on his side," Gambit revealed that he was wearing a tuxedo shirt beneath his garb. "I'm gonna go get Sue -- get her outta here, you take Storm an'--"

"No."

Marvel and Gambit turned to Storm, still dressed in her white gown. She pulled her hair back. "This ends now."

"Ororo, de President of de United States is down dere."

"So am I."

"Ororo's right," Carol nodded. "This has gone on long enough."

"Remy," Storm ripped the slit in her leg to her waist, "can you contact the others?"

"I'll give you the security codes -- you'll be patched through to the base," Carol offered.

"Den yeah."

"Tell them they're needed at Stark Tower."

LeBeau looked to the lifeless Spider-Woman on the floor. "Damn. Somet'in tells me we coulda used her."

"So she could've used us," Carol glared at her.

Storm moved forward, grabbing Gambit's communicator. "Susan," she spoke into it urgently. "It's Ororo -- we're going to need a very large forcefield."

Richards smiled as she walked back up to a Stark-less Ben Grimm. "Tell me you won't be naked if you change into The Thing."

"I'm a big guy, Suze," Ben smiled. "I think there'll be somethin' left afterwards. I thought I was here just incase?"

"Things are going to get complicated."

"Big surprise."

Sue nodded with a smile, moving past him and walking towards Stark's Ororo Munroe. "Please don't be Mystique," she thought to herself, wrapping her arms around Storm as her "friend" acknowledged her.

"Excuse me, Mr. President," Storm nodded.

"Ororo," Sue continued to smile. "I wasn't sure if you'd make it. Things went well with Stark?"

Across the room, Stark listened in on their conversation -- he was patched directly into Forge's final creation.

"They went well," he softly moved his lips from behind the punchbowl, Ororo's voice emanating a response to The Invisible Woman. "We've finally reached our agreement."

"That's wonderful," Richards looked to the large staircase in the room's center. "Join me in the ladies room?"

"There is much to do, Susan," Storm replied. "Why don't I meet up with you later?"

"There is no later," Sue smiled warmly as an invisible bubble surrounded Storm's head, cutting off oxygen supply.

Ororo laughed. "And why not?"

Richards narrowed her eyes, moving them across the room to Stark, who was watching intently. If Munroe didn't need oxygen...

Sue glared at Stark, their eyes locking for only a moment.

"Fine."

The force field launched across the room, Storm's neck sizzling with energy as her head left it. The surrounding crowd screamed, Ben Grimm busting from his tux in the middle of the room and transforming into The Thing.

"Everyone, get out of here!" The Invisible Woman screamed, erecting a large force field just below the perimeter of the ceiling. Moments later the lights flickered, electricity crumbling the room's top -- the contents of the floor above spilling into Richards' force field.

Electricity swirled across Storm's body as she lowered herself to the ground, the only music playing: the crowd's screaming as they ran for the nearest exits. The President's security scattered as they removed him from the room, Stark's "sleeper agents" moving through the crowd at Munroe and The Invisible Woman.

"You have gone too far!" Storm's voice boomed over the crowd's screams, her finger outstretched at Stark.

"My God," Stark stood frozen.

The wind picked up, a lightning bolt slamming into Tony and sending him flying backward.

Wonder Man flew through the air toward Stark, The Thing grabbing his leg as he did so. "Hate ta do this to ya, bud!"

The Thing wrapped both of his hands around Wonder Man's ankles, spinning in a circle and finally letting him go in time for him to slam into War Machine, who'd already armored up.

The two flew into the wall next to the base of the steps, a tuxedo-clad Gambit watching with a grin as he left the staircase. "Now why'd ya have Gambit get all fancy if you weren't gonna wait?!"

The Invisible Woman only smiled back at him as she deflected a barrage of bullets from The Black Widow's guns with a force field. Ms. Marvel flew in from the ceiling, having given Storm enough time to make her grand appearance, grabbing at Natasha and sending her flying across the room as well.

The Invisible Woman, Storm, Ms. Marvel, Gambit and The Thing moved closer to one another, standing back-to-back in the center of the room as War Machine, The Black Widow and Wonder Man began to move closer.

Stark's Iron Man armor flew into the room, attaching itself with ease. Tony moved forward alongside his team.

"You've ruined my party."

"If y'ask me," Gambit grinned, "looks like de party's just about t'start."

NEXT: The Iron Ball, part two -- STORM vs. IRON MAN! Make sure you get your invitation -- the reviews keep it comin'! (And thanks!)