Chapter 28

"Uh oh," Ron said as he eyed the spreading white dot of radiation overhead - above Metropolis Tower.

"Stop here!" Electrix shouted.

The bus screeched to a halt.

"It will not harm us supers but it will harm you, " Electrix explained. "Thanks for the ride though."

He slid down the bus with Kara in his arms. Jubilee and Layla stumbling after him.

"How do we get up there?" Jubilee said. And we need to do it fast.

"Stairs this way!" Electrix cried. And they followed him.

--

As soon as two teenage pyrokinetics appeared scrambling out of the hole, white radiation engulfed them.

Mystique and Magneto readied themselves for the final battle while Royal Pain was bent over in her work.

"Three against two," said Magneto crisply. "You are outnumbered."

"And me," came Battle's voice as he appeared from the hole.

Magneto laughed. The man was panting from stair climbing. He was in no shape to fight.

Angered, Warren began throwing a few fire balls at Magneto, who dodged them like they were only feathers. Magneto only had eyes for Battle.

"Battle, old friend, we meet again," said Magneto.

"Yes," said Battle. "And probably… for the last time."

At once, Battle began shooting out fire from his fingers and Warren was beside him throwing fire balls.

"Warren take Royal Pain down!" screamed Battle.

Warren shook his head. But the white light was rapidly spreading. They could not allow her to finish making the machine.

"Do it Warren!"

Reluctantly, Warren nodded and started throwing fire balls at Royal Pain.

--

"This will take too long to climb!" cried Jubilee as she stared at the winding staircase, which seemed to reached the sky.

Then a small voice said. "I… can get us up there."

Electrix looked down at Kara's pale body and hugged it tightly. "No."

She opened her eyes. "We.. can't give up now."

Electrix' eyes seemed moist.

"Pyro… he's up there," she whispered.

Electrix swallowed. He wanted to scream but instead he nodded.

Kara continued. "I can levitate us all up to the top. I'll keep us close to the stairs… that way… if we do fall, you can grab them and save yourselves."

Everyone nodded.

--

Mystique flipped and almost kicked Pyro!

Pyro dodged just in time.

He flipped open his lighter and summoned the fire on his palm.

--

Royal Pain screamed as a fire hit her metal armor. She spun around and aimed a stun gun at Warren.

The white light stopped expanding.

But millions of needles, like a shower of bullets from a rifle, arched in the air towards Warren.

Warren scrambled backwards and barely stopped himself before he realized he had reached the edge. Stitches responded with mocking laughter.

He snarled as he realized he was being cornered by Royal Pain.

Royal Pain skipped merrily towards Warren and laughed. Despite his fire balls, he was her dart board now.

--

Meanwhile, Magneto lifted a car from the ground as a shield. Huge rods of metal screeched as they were ripped from balcony fence - for use as his instruments of execution.

Levitating into the air, Magneto towered over Baron Battle. "Do you think you can destroy me?"

A car hung in mid-air above Battle. Ready to crush its victim underneath.

Realising the death trap, Battle tried to flee.

Out of the corner of his eye, Warren saw the car drop out of the sky, his father a tiny figure beneath it. He screamed as the car hit the lower half of his father's body. Then was still.

Warren ran in his father's direction.

Magneto laughed rather sadistically. His cape was flying in the wind as he commanded metal rods to swing in Warren's direction.

Warren ducked and jumped.

Suddenly Warren could feel his metal necklace tightening around his neck… choking him. Just enough to weaken him, but not enough to kill… Magneto ordering Royal Pain to stop killing him…

He wanted to scream and run to his father but he was dropping to his knees.

Dimly, he saw Magneto kneel beside Battle's head.

He roughly grabbed Battle's chin, "Later I will kill you slowly… or I can just leave you to die for betraying me…"

Magneto's voice seemed to trail off… he was raising a metal rod. Warren wanted to scream but his air was cut off.

Baron was screaming. Warren felt like he was screaming with him…

Violently, with Warren watching, Magneto impaled Baron in the chest, causing blood to spill.

--

Meanwhile, Royal Pain gave a squeal of joy.

"It is done!" screamed Royal Pain. She rose triumphantly to admire her finished work.

The white ball of radiation suddenly collapsed. Instead, a red column shot towards the sky then liquefied into an expanding sphere. It was casting a red hue over the battling supers.

Seeing an opportunity, Pyro sent a fire disc flying Royal Pain's way. It smashed into her helmet. The heat from the fire entering through the cracks.

She screams clutching her head where her eyes would have been and collapsed with Stitches beside her squealing in fright beside her.

"Warren!" Pyro yelled as he watched his friend struggled for breath. He needed to get the necklace off… and fast.

Immediately, John was hit with a kick to the head from Mystique.

John grunted in pain and staggered.

"Not so fast!" said Jubilee sending fireworks over her head.

Layla was also calling up a mass of winding ivys at Mystique's feet.

But Mystique was ready and leapt away.

Electrix was there too, immediately electrocuted Stitches, which gave a last squeal before laying still.

"Layla? Persuasion?" Pyro screamed over the noise of the battle as their heads appeared from the opening.

"I have to do this," Persuasion said firmly in reply with a focused look on her face. Noticing Warren's struggle, she focused her thoughts to free him.

Suddenly, Warren felt his necklace snap and fall to the ground. He breath was returning. Slowly, he realised his father's blood was pooling on the ground… and Kara was telekinetically lifting the car away to free him.

"Kara you fool!" Magneto said and sent a piece of metal flying Kara's way.

"Watch out!" screamed Electrix, pushing her away with the metal sailing past them.

Warren was rising too. Magneto eyed him and gave a mocking smile. "You can't kill me."

Then he eyed Oblivion and said, "And you have other things to worry about…"

The red light was rapidly increasing now. The whole of the top of Metropolis Tower was engulfed in it. They could not allow people to be exposed to it!

"Warren, you can deal with Magneto!" Pyro yelled. Then turning to the others he said, "Hurry Kara! We don't have much time!"

"We'll keep Mystique occupied!" Layla shouted. "Do what you have to do!"

--

Warily, Magneto and Warren circled each other.

Magneto taunted Warren as Warren threw fireballs gave an onslaught of fire balls.

"Are you going to try and kill me?" Seeing those fire balls sail in the air towards him, he laughed. "So like your father you know. The killer instinct."

Warren's face was contorted in rage. He denied it vehemently.

"Prove it to me Warren," said Magneto temptingly.

"I don't want to," Warren gritted his teeth. Magneto was as elusive as an eel in water.

"Then this ends," Magneto responded.

Wham! A metal rod struck Warren on the head causing him to scream in pain. Before he could react Magneto had hit him again.

Someone was calling out his name, but he could not hear as Magneto grabbed at his throat.

"Goodbye," Magneto whispered.

Without warning, Warren sent a fireball flying into Magneto's face who turned around too late.

Warren was dropped to the ground while Magneto staggered away half-blind, with half of his face was singed beyond recognition.

For once Magneto was silent, he only turned to glare at Warren with his normal gray eye.

Warren's arms were still aflame with fire. But his face was one of shock and… pity.

A huge bolt of lightning flashed in the skies. Magneto quickly turned on his heel and staggered towards the exit, leaving Mystique behind.

"Don't you escape!" Electrix voice was ringing as he blocked the entrance.

Magneto froze.

Electrix glared at the half-blind Magneto.

"You've tried to kill Kara two times tonight," he said through gritted teeth. "You will pay for that."

Electrix' eyes flashed blue. His hands were sizzling with electricity as bolts of lightning flashed around him.

"Electrix!" Warren cried. "No!"

Magneto did not have to time to scream. Only to form his face into an expression of surprise.

A bolt of lightning electrocuted him and he crumpled to the ground.