X-Men: Past, Present, Future
"Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it," - Helen Keller
Past Chapter 25: The New Hellfire Club
"Our favourite place to conduct business was at Devil's Nightclub," said Emma. Charles, Erik, Emma and Tessa walked into the jet's garage.
"Good, hopefully they will be there and we can have peaceful interactions with them," said Charles.
"I doubt that would happen," responded Erik.
"Wait!" Raven yelled out before the adults boarded the X-Jet. "We want to come with you." The young students were wearing their team uniforms and had determine looks on their faces.
"It's too dangerous," said Charles.
"We've been training for something like this," said Shiro. "Let us help you." Charles looked down at the ground and let out a sigh.
"Fine, get on the jet," said Charles. The students cheered and ran onto the jet.
"Doesn't Beast have to come with us to fly the jet?" asked Alison.
"Nope," said Tessa. "He taught me how to fly it."
The jet landed on the rooftop of an apartment building. The X-Men walked off the jet and made their way down into the back of alley of the apartment. They walked through the back alleys until they made to the backdoor of a nightclub. Tessa telekinetically unlocked and open the backdoor and the X-Men made their way in. After a series of mazes they entered a room called "The Red Room." The name was fitting for the room since the furniture was red, it had red curtains, red walls and red floors. Inside the room was Riptide, a Latin woman, a man with white hair and Selene in a black dress and black cape.
"So, you found us," greeted Selene.
"Selene, I haven't seen you in ages," said Tessa.
"Oh, Tessa, not serving Shaw anymore?" asked Selene with mockery. "I always laughed of the thought of you being forced to serve Shaw. He was such a weak man."
"What are you doing here?" asked an enraged Tessa.
"I was assigned with the task to help restart the American Hellfire Club," answered Selene. "I think you all met Riptide. His powers just blow me away." Selene then pointed to the Latin woman. "This is Angel Salvador." The woman revealed her insect like wings as she smiled a devilish smile. Selene then pointed to the man with the white hair. "This is Benedict Kine. He's able to mentally control the nervous system of others. Don't get on his bad side or you'll feel pain like you never felt before."
"Thanks for the introductions, but darling, you're wasting our time," said Emma.
"Oh, Emma," said Selene. "We've only met once haven't we? Such a shame you betrayed us. You were going to be ranked as Queen of the American branch. Shaw asked for your promotion a few years back. Then you went around and killed him."
"Shaw was a horrible man!" Emma yelled.
"Or maybe you're just a horrible woman," said Selene.
"So, you've come to lead the Hellfire Club?" asked Tessa. "We don't want the Hellfire Club back here, so we're going to have to stop you."
"Oh, I'm not the leader," said Selene.
"Then who is?" asked Erik.
"I think you've met him before," Selene said as she turned a chair around to reveal a man sitting in the chair. The man was Jason Wyngaurd, the former member of the Hellfire Club under Sebastian Shaw's control three decades ago. The right side of his face was covered by a mask. He wore a purple suit and a black cape.
"Jason?" Emma asked.
"Impossible!" Erik yelled out. Jason chuckled.
"You thought I died in that explosion didn't you?" Jason said. "Luckily, I didn't. Shaw and Herald didn't survive, but I was strong enough to. I was meant to live because I was meant to lead the new Hellfire Club. I am now the king!"
"What are your intentions here?" Charles asked.
"Well, revenge upon you is one. As well as starting the mutant versus human war that all branches of the Hellfire Club must do...and looking for 'the force'."
"What's the force?" asked Erik.
"The force is something beyond mutant," answered Jason. "Power beyond we can even comprehend." Erik, Charles and Emma looked at Tessa.
"You've been sensing the force haven't you?" asked Selene. "So have I."
"What is it?" asked Tessa.
"We mutants evolved to survive on our planet," explained Selene. "The force is evolving to survive in the universe."
"We'll find the force and use it as a weapon for the war," said Angel.
"The Hellfire Club and mutants will rule the planet," said Riptide.
"Humans and mutants must coexist peacefully," Charles yelled out.
"Impossible! Absolutely ridiculous!" Benedict yelled.
"Enough with this!" Emma cried out. "We won't let you carry on!"
Emma tried to telepathically attack the Hellfire Club but Selene blocked the attack with her own telepathic attack. Emma fell to her knees as she endured the pain in her head. Erik magnetically lifted a table and threw it at Selene. Angel released a ball of fire from her mouth that broke the table before it hit Selene. Azazel teleported next to Angel and punched her in the stomach before teleporting to the other side of the room. Sean screamed at Benedict who covered his ears in pain. Benedict then used his powers to stop Sean from screaming. Alison released a powerful light that was blinding Jason. Tessa used her telekinesis to pin Riptide to a wall. Selene used her telekinesis to stop Fred from charging at her.
Shiro released a fireball at Angel, but missed and hit a curtain instead, which set it on fire. Selene used her powers to clear the fire. She then turned around to see Angel, who began attacking Selene. After a fist fight between the women, Angel transformed into Raven, revealing it was Raven in disguise. The real Angel then punched Tessa, which made her release Riptide from the wall. Riptide then released a twister that caught Tessa, Shiro, Jono and Alison and sent them across the room. Jason then created an illusion that made the X-Men believe they were in the dark. Suddenly, Selene released black smoke and the Hellfire Club teleported away within the smoke.
"What's going on?" Sean yelled out.
"It's an illusion," Charles said. "I'm going to calm everybody's mind. Just relax." After releasing everyone's mind from the illusion, the X-Men found themselves in the Red Room alone.
"They got away!" Fred said.
"It's okay," said Charles. "I think tonight was a successful night. Let's go home."
Present Chapter 25: Stopping Magneto
The X-Men approached the machine that Magneto was in. The machine was giving off a radiating light that blinded the X-Men as they got closer. Suddenly, a magnetic wave coming from the machine pushed the X-Men a few feet back.
"The machine is amplifying his power!" Beast stated.
"How do we stop it?" asked Cannonball.
"I don't think we can," said Beast.
"I'm going to blast it!" yelled Cyclops.
"No, that could kill him!" Beast said. "The Professor wants him alive."
Suddenly, Mystique appeared from the shadows and flipped Jean onto her back and kicked Wolverine. Beast tried to grab Mystique, but missed. Mystique then kicked Beast and jumped over Colossus and landed on Cyclops' back and pushed him onto the ground.
Storm flew into the sky and began summoning a powerful wind. However, a power blast of psychic energy hit her and sent her flying towards the ground. Cannonball caught Storm right before she hit the ground. Psylocke appeared and released another psychic blast at the X-Men. The blast hit Colossus, Cannonball, Storm and Angel.
"We won't let you get in our way!" Psylocke yelled. She tried to release another attack but nothing appeared.
"You're weak from powering the machine!" Beast yelled out. Beast then tried to grab Psylocke, but Mystique appeared and kicked Beast again. Jean then used her telekinesis to lift Psylocke and Mystique off the ground.
"I may not have psychic energy but I can use others!" Psylocke yelled out. Suddenly, Jean's psychic energy was being absorbed by Psylocke. Jean released her hold on Mystique and Psylocke and fell to her knees. Psylocke then released a powerful blast of energy that hit Wolverine, Cyclops and Beast. Colossus ran towards Psylocke, but was stopped by her telekinesis. She then released another blast of energy that hit Colossus and Angel and sent them flying several feet into the air. "I've never felt such powerful psychic energy before! This power is amazing!"
Suddenly, Magneto's machine emitted a powerful light. Tanks and fighter jets approached, and Magneto could sense the metal coming closer. Magneto released a wave of magnetic energy that destroyed a row of tanks approaching and sent fighter jets crashing towards the ground.
Back on the field, Mystique had transformed into Wolverine and was engaging in hand-to-hand combat with Storm and Wolverine. Storm kept confusing Wolverine for Mystique and would accidently attack the real Wolverine.
Cyclops released an optic blast at Psylocke who counter attack with a psychic blast. Jean then tried to subdue Psylocke. Jean felt her power growing stronger as she attacked Psylocke with psychic energy. Psylocke screamed in pain and then lost all the power she absorbed from Jean.
Mystique flipped Wolverine on his back and then tackled Storm to the ground. Mystique got up and was about to hit a final blow to Storm but was grabbed by Beast and thrown into the air. Angel caught the flying Mystique and threw her across the field.
"We have to go stop Magneto now!" Cyclops yelled out. The X-Men ran over to the machine but were blast with another magnetic wave.
"We can't get close!" Storm yelled out.
"I'm going to blast it!" Cyclops screamed.
"Scott, wait!" said Jean. "I think I can absorb the psychic energy that's powering the machine."
"Are you sure you can do that?" Angel asked.
"I have to try," said Jean. Jean then focused her power and began absorbing the psychic energy from the machine. The machine began to slowly shut down before the light from the machine completely turned off. Magneto fell to his knees and was gasping for air.
"You did it!" Colossus yelled. The X-Men approached the drained Magneto.
"When will you people ever learn that I'm trying to help mutantkind?" Magneto said under his breath.
"It's over, Magneto," said Cyclops.
"No, it's not," said Magneto as he stretched out his arms. The metal parts in the machine broke off and was thrown at the X-Men. Cyclops used his optics blast to hit the parts. Then Angel punched Magneto, knocking him out.
The elderly mutant laid on the ground, motionless as the X-Men approached his body. Military officials appeared as the X-Men looked over the unconscious body of their greatest enemy.
Future Chapter 25: Abassi's Terror
"We have an emergency!" Emma said to the X-Men. "Toad accidently released the Nigerian prisoners. They are now somewhere on the island."
"Shit!" Wolverine yelled out. "Who gave that idiot the key!"
"That doesn't matter now," said Mystique. "We need to find them and put them back in jail!"
"We'll pair up and look around the island," said Storm.
"Good idea," said Angel.
"We have to be careful," warned Emma. "These men are angry and they'll want their revenge."
Polaris and Sunspot walked on the downtown streets looking for the escaped prisoners. Polaris and Sunspot have never been together, but they had a mutual understanding and respect for each other because of their respective lovers' friendship.
"Havok thinks Northstar is angry at him," said Polaris.
"Strange, Northstar hasn't said anything about being angry at Havok," replied Sunspot.
"I thought so," stated Polaris. "Alex always thinks Jean-Paul is mad at him for some reason. He's more concern about how he feels than how I feel!"
"Trouble with the relationship?" Sunspot asked. Suddenly, a shadow from the alley caught Sunspot's eye. Sunspot ran over to the alley, only to be hit by a trash can. One of the escaped prisoners ran out of the alley and tried to punch Sunspot. Polaris used her magnetic power to trap the prisoner in the trash can.
On the highest cliff of Utopia, Quill and Cipher were chasing two prisoners. The prisoners stopped at the cliff and turned around.
"Nowhere else to run," said Quill. "Now come with us and we'll take you back to the prison."
"You think we want to stay here?" responded one of the prisoners. "We'd rather die!" The prisoners then turned around and jumped off the cliff, falling to their deaths.
"Quill!" Cipher yelled out. "Don't talk to them, just grab them!"
"Sorry!"
Rogue released her hand on the faces of two prisoners, allowing their drained bodies to fall to the ground. Rogue put back on her gloves and looked over at her husband, Gambit who was smoking a cigarette.
"Good job, honey," said Gambit.
"You know I don't like to be called that," said Rogue.
"Sorry," said Gambit. "I just think you're sweet as honey." Suddenly, they heard a scream from a few blocks away.
Rogue and Gambit ran towards the scream to see the body of a Chinese mutant lying on the ground in a pool of blood. Dust and Multiple Man were trying to attend to the victim.
"It was Abassi!" Dust said as Oya, Nightcrawler, Shadowcat and Hellion appeared. "He stabbed her and ran away!"
"That bastard!" Oya yelled. "I'm going to kill him!" Oya ran with no clear direction or clue where Abassi was.
"Idie, wait!" Multiple Man yelled as he followed the angry mutant.
"She's dead," Dust said as she took the victim's pulse.
"Some of the prisoners are back in the cell," stated Hellion.
"Abassi is the real one we have to capture," said Nightcrawler. "He's truly a monster."
"You guys!" Shadowcat yelled. "Don't you think some of us should follow Oya. She might do something crazy!"
Multiple Man turned the corner and realized he lost sight of Oya. Suddenly, two of the prisoners came out from the shadows and began beating up Multiple Man. A spurt of lava came from the sky and killed two of the men. Then a jolt of electricity electrocuted the remaining prisoner to death. Magma and Jubilee appeared and tried to help Multiple Man who was severely beaten.
"Jamie!" Magma cried out. "Stay with us. We'll get you the hospital."
"Find, Oya," said Multiple Man.
Storm and Angel were in the sky, trying to find more prisoners. Wind Dancer flew up into the sky to talk to them.
"Bobby and I just captured two more prisoners," said Wind Dancer.
"Good," said Angel. "Storm and I will keep looking for Abassi."
"I heard Oya was chasing him," said Wind Dancer.
"What?" Storm said in shocked. "We can't let her do anything crazy!" Storm then saw Oya on the ground chasing Abassi into the woods. "There they are!" The three flying mutants quickly swooped down into the woods.
Oya stood facing her Abassi who was holding a knife stained with the Chinese mutant's blood on the blade. Oya was furious and she was unable to control her emotions.
"It has come down to me and you!" said Abassi. "I will slit your throat and you will die knowing that I have won."
"You are wrong," said Oya. "I am the one who will win. You will die in my hands and I will be free from your grip on me."
"You will never be free, Idie. I am the one who took your virginity, your mother and everything you loved. Even if you managed to kill me, I will continue to take the things you love away from you."
"You are a monster!" Oya screamed and released her powers.
Half of the area caught on fire and the other half became frozen in ice. Abassi jumped onto the ice side and slipped on the ground. Oya grabbed Abassi's neck and released her power on him. Half of Abassi's body was burning hot while the other half freezing cold. Storm, Angel and Wind Dancer appeared, only to see the angry Oya killing Abassi.
"Oya, no!" Storm screamed. But it was too late. Abassi was killed and thrown onto the ground. The temperature returned to normal as Oya looked at Abassi's dead body and smiled.
The mutants returned to city hall, where Emma and Mystique addressed the issues.
"Some of them died," said Emma. "But we have managed to returned seven back to the prison. Unfortunately, we lost one of the mutants from the concentration camps. She was a mother of two toddlers."
"What about Jamie?" Iceman asked.
"Magma and Jubilee are at the hospital right now," said Emma. "Jamie is in serious conditions right now."
Out in the hall way, Storm and Oya were talking.
"I was afraid this would happen," said Storm.
"I was afraid too," said Oya. "But now I am happy. I am free." Emma appeared with a disappointed look on her face.
"She's learning," Storm said trying to protect Oya.
"I just telepathically asked Dr. Reyes how Jamie was doing," said Emma.
"And?" Oya asked.
"He's died from his injuries."
Oya's heart sank as she collapsed to her knees. Jamie, her classmate and friend for years is now dead. All Oya could think about was the voice of Abassi telling her that "he will continue to take away everything she loves." Oya cried and cried as Storm tried to comfort her. Oya's tears would not stop flowing and continued to flow throughout the whole night.
To be continued...