First Strike part IV of VI: The Regicide

Seven Years Ago

Warren Worthington Jr. walked with hurry, almost running through the empty halls of his uptown manor, jiggling the large bundle of keys in his hands, trying to find the correct one. His brow was sweaty and his expression bewildered. The bell rang again. He almost dropped the keys at the terrible echoing sound reverberating through the entire manor. He tried to calm himself, when thunder broke in the distance, and lightning filled the dark hallway through the window.

"The worst night in history," he mumbled as he looked outside, at the terrible storm raging upon them. He kept walking and reached the door, as the bell rang once more.

"William," said Warren Worthington, as he finally opened the door.

"It is not common for you to call me at such hours, my old friend. I can see now you are as distressed as your voice was when you called me. Will you now tell me what is the purpose of this late meeting?" asked William Stryker, entering the manor and removing his drenched coat as he did.

"You… you have to see it… I mean… I've seen it… and… I don't believe it… it's… it's a sign William… a sign from the Lord. You said the other day, the Lord gives signs to those faithful when they need it the most and… come… you have to see him," said Warren Worthington Jr. his voice stuttering and his sweat falling down his forehead.

"Warren I know you haven't been the same since Katherine died, and that faith is the only thing keeping you and your son sane but…" said the Reverend William Stryker as he followed his old friend into the depths of the mansion.

"William, please. Refrain from making judgments until you've seen him. It's… it's Warren…" he said, leading his friend up a staircase. In silence they walked through empty wooden halls, the only sound echoing was their feet and the large bundle of ever-moving keys. At last they reached a door, and very carefully, Warren Worthington Jr. put the key to the lock, but before turning it he spoke.

"William, what I am about to show you is something that will reshape the entire catholic world. I trust you with this secret, and I trust you will not divulge it," he said, warningly.

"Of course William. I am not only your shepherd I am your friend. This is between us," said William Stryker, trying to hide his enthusiasm.

Warren Worthington Jr. slowly opened the door to his son's room. As he did, his best friend's eyes opened with surprise.

William Stryker took two steps, and then he fell to his knees, his eyes not believing what he was seeing. "My Lord… it is a sign… an angel walks among us," he said in a whisper.

Warren Worthington III lowered his head, and as he did, his two massive white-feathered wings enveloped him, showing its extension for a second. "Reverend," said the young ten-year-old, "have you come to explain me what I am?"

"You… my child, are a sign of the Lord, one of his chosen angels, his messenger, and you will bring his word to the philistines," said the Reverend, tears falling from his eyes as he stood up, opening his arms, inviting Warren into an embrace.

The angel-child got jumped down from his bed, and hugged the Reverend, embracing him with his wings.

"This is the signal I was expecting. The Lord has blessed me with a mission, and together we will accomplish it," ended the Reverend with a broad smile on his lips.

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One hour and a few minutes ago.

"I am bored," said Alex Summers, dropping his guitar on the nearest bed.

"Patience Summers boy, I trust our benefactor will grant us with things to do soon. Am I right, Remy?" asked Kurt, his long tail moving behind him as he crouched atop the bed's headboard.

Remy LeBeau did not answer. His eyes were fixed on the raging rain outside. His hand gently caressed the cold glass, his gaze lost, looking at the rain, the clouds, the lightning, the wind, looking at everything and nothing at the same time.

"Remy… hey!" said Alex Summers, throwing a pillow at his roommate.

Remy LeBeau jumped from his seat as he felt the pillow draw clear. As he did he landed in a crouching position, while three cards glowed in his right hand. "You want to play mon ami? Let's play," he said smiling. With incredible accuracy he threw his cards, one hit Alex in the face, which made him fall backwards. The second one singed Kurt's moving tail, making him teleport, and the third was aimed at the door, which opened right as the card was about to hit it.

Scott Summers entered the room and as he did he saw a flying exploding card aimed to his head. Without smiling he lazily lifted his red sunglasses, and a beam of pure concussive force erupted from his eyes, evaporating the card in mid-air. "Stop playing," he said as Kurt Wagner teleported himself back into the room. "There's work for you LeBeau, Mr. Essex want to see you in his office. Right now."

"Anything for me?" asked Alex, slowly rising from behind his bed.

"Just LeBeau, you want a job? Clean this mess, this room looks like a pig sty," said Scott, leaving the room.

"Always the cheerful one my brother…" mumbled Alex frowning his brow.

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Now.

"Are you sure this is wise, isn't it like too late? We will get caught," said Jennifer Stavros, the girl known as Roulette.

"Don't be silly, Jen. Nothing will happen if they don't catch us," replied Angelo Unuscione with a smile on his lips, reassuring his girlfriend as he led her towards the lake house.

Jennifer Stavros did not smile back. Something was amiss, she felt edgy and scared, and she didn't know exactly why. It was a beautiful night, not even hot or cold, and the moon shone brightly above them. Not even the owls were disturbing the night with their hooting. And that's when she realized something was very wrong indeed. "Angelo... the birds… listen, there is no sound. Nothing…"

"Just because we're walking down this trail and they're not used to it, it's nothing," he said dismissively, grabbing her hand a bit tighter as they walked down the path.

The mutant girl known as Roulette was not reassured. She knew a thing or two about bad luck, and that's what she felt was upon them. She stopped walking, forcing her boyfriend to stop. "Nyet, we should go back to the mansion. I am serious Angelo."

"Honey…" he said, grabbing her waist. "It's ok, everything is ok, don't be scared."

"I am, we go back. Now," she said, feeling the woods around them darken somehow.

Angelo Unuscione pressed his lips against her, kissing her passionately, trying to calm her. And that's when he felt it. A bullet straight to his neck. His mutant power, a personal force field that rendered him untouchable came to life, preventing the bullet from touching him. He instinctively touched the back of his neck, turning around as he let go of his girl.

"Who's out there?" he asked, but was unable to see anything.

"See? I told you…" said Roulette, closing her eyes and concentrating. A white disc of light appeared on her right hand and she threw it further down the path. The white disc exploded as it touched the ground, and suddenly a wind of great strength began to blow, luckily moving the trees away, allowing the moonlight to better illuminate their path. However there was nothing there.

Jennifer screamed, feeling a sting in her neck, and she began to fall. "Angelo… we must… go back…" she said, as her eyes closed and she fell on his arms.

"Jen!" he said, and then felt several bullets fly at him, which were all stopped by his untouchable force field. "JEN!" he screamed, trying to shield his girl from the bullets which seemed to fly from everywhere at once.

"Stop. It is pointless," said a voice, and the bullets stopped. "I will deal with the mutant," said Warren Worthington III, descending from the skies, his white wings reflecting the moonlight.

"What… what are you?" asked Unus, holding Jennifer in his arms.

"The angel of death, who will take your kind back to hell, where it belongs," said Warren, lifting a massive blue sword, and moving it with great speed, faster than what Unus could see, piercing his stomach with it.

Angelo Unuscione could not utter a single sound, as he slowly fell to the ground, his only thought was why didn't his mutant power had activated as he fell into unconsciousness and blood fell from his stomach.

"Put an inhibitor collar on both of them, and make sure they reach father Stryker alive, he wants to execute as many of this monstrosities as he can on live tv," said Warren, cleaning his sword with his victim's clothes. "And hurry up, we have plenty of slaying to do tonight," he said, looking down the trail towards the school.

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"You do realize, children, that we never expected something of this nature to occur," said Professor Xavier, sitting on a comfortable armchair in the downstairs study. His eyes scanned the seven children before him, showing neither displeasure or elation. "The point of this school is to teach you the proper use of your powers, and how to use them to help your fellow man, but living normal, ordinary lives. In fact there are several of our former students out there, doing exactly that."

"I disagree Xavier. The best way to use our powers is by saving mankind from those that dare harm them. In Africa I saved many villages from being pillaged, and many mortals from being captured into slavery. It is the best way for our powers to be used," said Ororo, crossing her arms, she was only one standing, next to her companions.

"And what if I told you that with the proper application of your powers you could stop global warming, or the greenhouse effect, or maybe even heal the hole in the ozone layer?" said Xavier inquiringly, resting his elbows on the armchair and crossing his fingers before him.

"Then I would do it, but then I would go back to keep saving people, it's our destiny," she said proudly.

Jean nodded brightly as she heard Ororo's words, with such emphasis that most of her teammates looked at her sideways.

"I see this is a resolution, are you all of the same mind? Is this your wish? To go out into the world trying to save as many lives as you can?" asked Xavier, his eyes moved towards Piotr Rasputin, almost divining his thoughts before he even had them.

And that's when it happened. The lights went out, and suddenly they were bathed in red light, and a loud horn sounded all over the school.

"An alarm?" asked Jean Paul surprised. In all his years at Xavier's he had never seen anything of the sort.

"Remain calm," said Professor Xavier closing his eyes, expanding his mind.

"It's the birds, isn't it? They came for me! They came for all of us! We're going to die!" said Jean standing up suddenly.

"No Jean, no one is going to die here tonight. Whoever has come to harm us, we will meet them in battle," said Ororo, holding her friends hands.

Professor Xavier tried to find out what has happening on the grounds, but he could not get a reading, somehow, whoever had activated the alarms could shield his thoughts perfectly. He changed his way, moving his astral form out of his body, rising like a ghost and moving itself outside.

"Is there a protocol for this kind of thing?" asked Ororo, still holding Jean.

"Yes, we are supposed to head towards the Danger Room, which is the most secure area of the school," said Beast, looking at Xavier's astral form leave the room.

"Well, Henry, take Katherine and Jean there, try to see if you can help the teachers get the other children downstairs. Jean Paul, can you take a quick look outside? Try to find out whatever it is stalking the school. Piotr we need to cover the Professor's body while his mind is elsewhere. Wanda, you come with me," said Ororo, gently moving Jean towards Beast.

"Is this wise? To separate us?" asked Kitty as she stood up, her tail slowly wrapping itself around her leg.

"There is little choice, kitten," added Storm.

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Professor Xavier could not see anything. His astral form moved through the grounds at great speed, trying to find what might have a tripped the alarms. He knew that Forge had designed the security around the school only to alert them of an impending attack, and that no mere robber would create such an alert. His eyes moved sideways, looking everywhere at once, trying to perceive other minds, but he could not see anything. And then, a huge explosion came from the third floor, from the boy's dormitories.

"No…" he whispered, his greatest fears coming true at last, his mind thinking of Erik and his departure, and what was it that was threatening them.

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"What was that?" asked Wanda, covering her eyes as she ran next to Storm, through a sea of students who came running down the stairs, clearly panicked.

"Explosion, something just blew up," said Storm simply, with anger on her eyes.

"Where are we going?" asked Wanda, following her friend.

"Front door. We meet our enemies head on," said Ororo simply.

"Ororo! Wanda! What are you doing! Go downstairs with the rest of the students!" said Amelia Voght, as she changed from her mist form in front of them.

"Something threatens our home, we will defend it," said Ororo simply.

"You are children, leave this to the teachers!" said Amelia with despair. A second explosion roared above them.

"We don't have time to argue! Our powers can make a difference!" said Wanda pleading.

"What a glory hound you've become little sister, you think you are the only one that can save the school?" asked Lorna Lensherr, gently walking down the stairs, dressed in her battle uniform, closely followed by the rest of the Brotherhood.

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Professor Xavier saw movement at last. Five men moving through the darkness, through the campus, heavily armed and dressed entirely in black. He allowed his mutant powers to flow, trying to enter their minds, but he was unable to do so. He saw them moving towards the mansion, towards the front door, and then he saw several other men moving down from the roof into the holes created by the twin explosions on the third and fourth floors. His astral form flew at topmost speed, knowing full well he could certainly not fight them, when suddenly he felt a terrible pain.

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Warren Worthington III pierced the ghost with his sword, his powerful wings keeping him in mid-air. "Father warned me about your evil kind, mutant. He said you came in the forms of ghosts and spirits, who could enter our minds and force us to do what they pleased," he said, almost in a whisper, while he moved the sword, which was deeply sunk in Professor Xavier's chest. "That is why we shield our minds with technology, and why my sword can hurt you, even if you are nothing more than a spirit."

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Professor Xavier could not move, could not think, the sword was scrambling his astral form. Slowly he dissipated, trying with all the power of his mind to return to his body, wondering if he was going to be able to.

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"Professor?" asked Piotr Rasputin, clearly worried as he saw the eyes of his teacher rolling upwards, turning blank, and his head moving backwards at the same time, his gaze lost and with a expression of sheer terror on his face.

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"Gather here! All of you!" shouted Amelia Voght, moving her hands with hurry, beckoning the last students in the second floor. She glanced down the stairs as the five remaining kids got closer to her, watching Storm and Polaris opening the front door with their powers, bypassing the locks that had been set by the security measures.

"Are we going to be all right, Professor?" asked Bobby Drake, worried.

"I hope so, Bobby," she said, slowly turning to mist, teleporting the students to the safety of the Danger Room.

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"This is wrong," said Kitty Pryde, standing on the door of the Danger Room. "I… I gotta go help," she said, turning backwards.

"What can you do little cat? Please, just… just get inside," said Beast, holding Jean and grabbing Kitty's arm.

"We can't let our friends alone, we are a team!" she said, and she got loose from his grip. With a last look at Jean's green eyes, she turned around and began to run.

"She is right… I… we… have to be strong," said Jean, slowly moving away from Beast.

"If that is what you want, then we will go too," smiled Henry, following her.

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Jean Paul Beaubier stopped behind the lake cottage. He had counted at least thirty men hidden in the bushes, and plenty more had already entered the building. He wondered what to do, when a familiar wind blew next to him.

"So? We take out the guns from their hands before they even realize it?" asked Pietro Lensherr, hiding next to him.

"How many did you count?" asked Jean Paul.

"Thirty-six, hidden, waiting, aiming their guns at the school," replied Pietro.

"Hmph I counted thirty, must've going too fast to see properly," Jean Paul replied with a smile. "Their bullets won't enter the mansion unless the security measures are compromised and if they are waiting it means they can bypass them somehow, so yes, removing their guns is a good idea."

"Great, looser pays the beers," said Pietro, running away.

"I'm still mad at you!" shouted Jean Paul, beginning to run as well.

"You've been mad before, you always forgive me easily," said Pietro with a smile, running faster.

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The front doors of the school exploded and Storm and Polaris began to fly, their eyes searching for enemies. John Proudstar, Blob and Toad moved with speed, closely followed by Wanda, but they could see nothing outside.

"It is too dark, we should've brought Alison with us," said Wanda, looking sideways.

"The skies will lighten our way," said Storm, her eyes turning white as clouds formed above the entire mansion, lightning erupting among them, and thunder roared.

"I… I can sense no strange metals around the school, no guns, nothing," said Lorna Lensherr.

"Clearly this unseen enemies have come well prepared," said Toad, squinting his eyes. "There!" he said, jumping at great speed towards the lane which led to the grates.

"Mort!" said John, following him.

"Stay together!" shouted Polaris, flying behind them.

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Alison Blaire hugged the kid known only as Caliban, praying they would not be found.

"I am scared AlisonBlairefriend, very scared," he said, trying to hide his face between his arms.

"Me too kid, but the Profs will save us, they… they know what to do," she said, trying to reassure him.

"What is going on? It is really scary," he said.

"I don't know, no one did on my room either, they just ran away and I was too scared to run," she said. And then the door opened and a soldier pointed his gun at them.

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"Should we call 911?"

"Are you sure this isn't a drill?"

"Ewww Bobby that was uncalled for."

"It's hot in here."

"It's probably another Brotherhood prank."

"Could you please be quiet!?" shouted Amelia Voght, hovering over the students, the lower half of her body turned to mist. "I can't count you if you're all talking and distracting me!"

"Who is it Forge? Is it that Black Death dude we fought in the old days?" asked Sean Cassidy, looking into Forge's computer.

"It's some sort of army, and I saw a shadow of what can be a winged person outside the mansion," said Forge, his eyes fixed on the small monitor of his hand-held device.

"We have to go out, we have to do something," said Eileen Hairsaw, the literature teacher.

"I count at least five students missing, without counting Xavier's and Magneto's children," said Amelia Voght, forming herself next to her fellow educators.

"What do you say Irene? What should we do?" asked Sage, crossing her arms.

"There is nothing you can do, the pieces are already far into the game. The end has already been written," said the old seer, donning her hood.

"See? It's pointless let's just stay here where it's safe," said Jason Wyngarde sporting a smile.

As one, the rest of the staff looked at him, their stares colder than ice, and after a brief awkward silence he lifted his arms. "Fine, let's go and die on the lines," he said.

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Another explosion rocked the building. Colossus, in his armored form tried to cover the body of Professor Xavier as best as he could, he didn't know if his teacher was alive or dead. A gigantic cloud of dust covered him, with shrapnel and debris falling all around. And when the dust settled he looked at where the wall used to be, and he saw an Angel, carrying a sword.

"So the ghost had a body of its own, I have to kill it like I did his evil spirit," he said, moving slowly inside.

"You hurt the Professor?" asked Colossus, clearly showing anger in his eyes.

"Spawn of the devil, you will meet the same fate of the elder one," said Angel, lifting his sword and lunging towards his foe.

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"See? That's how they came here!" said Toad, pointing at two large black trucks, parked in front of the mansion.

"Let's make sure they can't get away," said Polaris, her eyes flashing as she flew atop the grates. She lifted her arms and the trucks began to slowly rise, the drivers jumping from them to the sides. Lorna lifted her arms higher, lifting the trucks in the air with her magnetic powers. And as she put her hands together so did the trucks, crushing themselves. And she released them, turned into nothing more than scrap metal.

"I like her," said Ororo with a smile.

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"So? What are we waiting for?" said a soldier, hiding behind several bushes.

"It's not gonna be long now. We protect the evacuation at all costs, those mutants have to be hanged," said his companion, aiming his gun at the school.

A sudden wind blew from out of nowhere and both their rifles were stolen from their hands, leaving them with nothing but a blank bewildered expression on their faces.

"You heard that? They're going to evacuate…" said Pietro, moving his hands fast and disassembling the weapon in his hands.

"Yes, let's grab one and beat him until he tells us how they're going to do it," said Jean Paul, repeating his friends' moves.

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"That's five, it's not nearly enough, the Reverend wanted twelve at least," said one of the soldiers, looking at the stacked bodies of the students they had captured.

"This one is bleeding pretty badly, we shout go right now, where is our leader?" said another one, staring at Angelo Unuscione.

"Damn this one is really pretty, who would've thought she was a mutie?" said another soldier, crouching next to Alison Blaire and removing her hair from her face.

"Yeah but look at this freak, he's like a giant, it took three of us to get him from upstairs," said yet another one, looking at Caliban.

"And are sure this isn't just a cat?" said the first one, looking at the young Catseye, who was unconscious in her pink cat form.

"She isn't a cat, she's one of my children," said Amelia Voght, assuming human form in front of the soldier. Without hesitation she punched him hard in the face, as she teleported several of the teachers into the main hall, where the soldiers were.

Forge aimed his guns and began to shoot, trying to get the men away from the children.

"Freaks!" shouted one of the soldiers, firing his gun at Amelia, who was unable to see what was happening, and soon fell to the ground, her hands touching the paralyzing dart he had shot at her.

"No!" shouted Eileen Hairsaw as she saw Amelia fall. She concentrated, turning into her electromagnetic form and releasing a pulse, rendering the guns of the soldiers unusable.

"Great, now we use our fists," said Sean Cassidy smiling, jumping towards the nearest soldier.

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"Cover that flank!" shouted Polaris, creating a force field. Several soldiers had been protecting the trucks, and after watching their destruction had jumped from their hiding places and where shooting at them.

"Stay in the middle! Wanda do something!" shouted Storm, her back to the others, looking in the opposite direction than Polaris, creating vast winds to stop the bullets coming their way.

Wanda Lensherr concentrated, trying hard to create a very specific hex, but her mind was too confused, too worried, she couldn't really think of anything.

Ororo kept concentrating, it wasn't easy to stop the bullets, and the wall of winds she had created could not be used to strike at her foes unless she changed its direction, which would allow the bullets to pass. She concentrated, thunder roaring in the distance, trying to call lightning, when she saw several glowing objects fly towards the soldiers. And when the objects hit them a small explosion occurred and the soldiers fell to the ground. In seconds, all five soldiers firing at them from that side had fallen unconscious, and she saw a figure emerging from the shadows, and she felt her breath taken away suddenly, her eyes opened in wide surprise.

"It looked like you needed a hand, ma petite, hope you don't mind me butting in," said Remy Lebeau smiling as he walked forward.

Warren Worthington easily avoided Colossus's attack, moving to one side. His left wing moved with grace, hitting the metallic boy in the face and sending him backwards, into the ground. He lifted his sword and quickly inserted it through his shoulder.

"My sword can inhibit a mutant's powers. You see, my father has many people working for him, there are many who see what you truly are, spawn of Satan. You will all die," he said, as Colossus's organic metal faded.

"Piotr!" shouted Katherine Pryde as she entered the room, clearly surprised.

"Get him out of here," said Beast, following her.

Kitty ran at her topmost speed, jumping through the furniture. For the first time since Shaman's spell she truly appreciated her new form, she was far faster in it. She concentrated hard, phasing her body, and as he did she jumped through Warren, trying hard to disrupt his electric system, and she touched Piotr and used the momentum to phase him as well through the ground.

Warren screamed as Kitty phased through him, and he fell to one knee, but he didn't loose consciousness, and he leaned on his sword to regain his balance. "Beasts, you take the form of the Lord's children, of the Lord's creations, but you are the children of Satan," he said, his eyes red with fury.

"Dude, look at you, you have wings, do you honestly believe God sent you? I don't to burst your bubble, but there isn't a God. You're one of us, you're just another freak," said Beast assuming a defense position.

"Blasphemer!" shouted Angel, lifting his sword high and lunging towards Beast.

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"Hum Storm?" asked Wanda, her eyes looking towards the mansion.

"Yes?" said Ororo, her stare fixed on Remy as he smiled at her.

"I think we're going to need to get back," she said.

Ororo slowly looked up at the mansion and saw three large helicopters landing on the grounds.

"Guys, that's their evacuation, they're going to take any kids they captured and kill them on tv, as a sign to all mutants worldwide," said Jean Paul, stopping next to his friends.

"We cannot allow that, we fight, and we will prevail," said Storm, rising from the ground, leading them towards the school once more.