Children of the Atom

Season One

Episode Four, 'Baptism of Fire

Part One

Nate, Rachel, TJ, Oliver, Mike, and Sarah all sat around the breakfast table, picking at and eating their bowls of cereal. No one said anything, for the atmosphere was too uncertain between them. Nate was biting his lip as he traced a milk stain with his spoon, and TJ twirled her spoon with her three fingers like a baton in a marching band. Then, all of a sudden, they heard a noise coming from the living room.

"…and his rampage is, so far, unhalted. Police efforts have failed up to now, and the citizens have fled in terror. The authorities for superhuman containment have been notified, but so far no one has responded."

They all walked in, and saw Beast, Wolverine, and X-23 sitting on the main couch and watching the television, drinking in the content. On the screen, they saw a reporter speaking out on a local news channel. However, for the background, there were scenes of destruction: cars overturned, streets cracked, and small fires blazing up. In the background, a hulking figure was in shadow, leaving more destruction in his wake. Then, he turned to the camera, and it was an enormous figure in armor and a helmet, grinning mockingly. He smashed what must have been recording him, and the picture behind the reporter went to black.

"Who's that?" Nate asked, drawing the adult's attention for the first time. They turned around, seeing the group standing behind them.

"The Juggernaut." Beast said. "The closest thing on Earth you'll find to an indestructible force – and our original founder's step-brother. Your parents fought him multiple times."

"How did they beat him, then?"

"His mind. Although his helmet protects him from telepathic attacks, if removed, he's vulnerable to-" Beast stopped his automatic lecture, coughing. "You aren't going to-you aren't thinking you will fight him, right?"

None of the teenagers said anything, but Beast could tell he'd hit on their thoughts. "He's dangerous, and you have very little training. You are not ready for him."

"Aren't you supposed to inspire us?" Rachel asked, a little accusing. "Tell us not to let people down, even when we know we might fail? People are suffering, Hank!" she pleaded.

Hank paused a little, clearly thinking out the right answer that could not undermine his morality. "The authorities will get to this. You need to stay here and stay safe."

"How long will it be before they get to this?" TJ asked, her questions hanging in the air like haunting music. "How many people will die before it's over?"

"That's enough!" Beast snapped, trying to escape her question. "Stay here." He looked at all of their faces, grim. "That's an order."

Later that night, the TV still played as Beast and Wolverine were settling down for sleep. X-23 had gone into the backyard, and the silent teens still watched the TV, which still showed scenes of the Juggernauts trail, now leading into other towns nearby the first. "Doesn't this guy ever get tired?" Mike asked, hoping to diffuse the tension.

"Apparently not." Marrow said, then paused for a minute, hoping to get her words right. "Look, I know you all wanna be big damn heroes and run off, but Beast has a point. We need to stay safe. If your parents had done that, they might still be alive-"

"They made their choice." Nate said, interrupting her, then he grabbed her shoulders firmly. "It's time you made yours. If you're with us, then be with us!"

She looked down at the floor, helpless.

Break

All of the teens were dressed in clothes such as T-Shirts, jeans, and sweatpants – clothes that they could move around in. They snuck out of the front door and down the front steps, Nate leading the way, holding up a finger to his lips to remind them to be quiet. Then Mike stepped wrong, making a creeak and they all turned around at him accusingly.

"That step always creaks." A voice from the front yard said, making the teens whirl around, seeing X-23 leaning against the van, dressed in jeans and a T-Shirt. She seemed causal enough, but the fact she was in a pose of normality was a sign that she was tense. The group all stared at her, none of them saying anything. Finally, she had to break the silence, an unusual habit for the former weapon to make. "I promised Beast I wouldn't let you get hurt."

"Then come with us." Oliver said simply.

The edges of a smile played around her face. Out of her pocket, she took a pair of keys, jingled them, and tossed them to Nate, who caught them easily. He ran up to the driver's side, pulled open the door, and sat down in the car. Rachel, TJ, Mike, Oliver, and Sarah all piled in the back, while X-23 grabbed a nearby duffel bag, putting it around her shoulders as she sat down in the passenger seat. She patted the bag. "I brought guns."

"Wonderful." Nate said, grinning the grin that only danger and adrenaline could really bring on.

They all drove out of the driveway, and started down the long road. X-23, luckily, had also brought a GPS system. Even though you couldn't really type in 'scene of terror and destruction' on it, Mike had remembered where the last scene they had seen on the TV had been and typed it in, giving Nate the directions.

Rachel was worried, though – not about the fight so much, which was making them all tense, but about her brother's driving. "Nate, do you know how to drive a car any better than a plane."

"A little. I've got a theory about driving now." He said.

"Which is?" Rachel asked skeptically.

"'Ignore everything but the wheel and the pedals and you'll be fine'", he said, and then drove faster before they could change their minds.

Break

They drove for long hours, each of them silent, lost in their own thoughts and feelings. Finally, they reached the town where Juggernaut was – it wasn't hard to tell that a giant unstoppable force was running wild. They all got out of the car, and, for a moment, just stared at the destruction around them.

AN: And so these young people begin their first fight against an enemy! Parts Two and Three – they are gonna be ACTION GALORE!

I wrote this already, because I wanted to write this part, but I didn't want to publish until I had more reviews (that's the kind of writer I am). So, maybe that'll help convince you to do more reviews.