Pietro ran to Exodus. Exodus froze Pietro where he stood. He placed his hand on the speed demon's chest.

"Die," whispered Exodus.

He fired a pyroplasmic blast and blasted Pietro.

"PIETROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" screamed Rogue.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" screamed Lance and Kitty.

Exodus smirked. So did Mastermind.

"No more Quicksilver. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!" laughed Exodus.

Rogue got down on her knees. She cover her mouth with her hands.

"Pietro. . No." She cried.

Kitty buried her face in Lance's chest. Lance held Kitty close and they both cried too.

But when the smoke from the explosion cleared, they saw someone walk over.

"W-what?" asked Mastermind.

"Pa. . Pietro?" said Rogue.

Pietro slowly walked. His left pants leg was ripped from the knee down. His shirt was gone, eyes glowed a silver glow, and his wounds on his body were healing themselves.

"But how?" demanded Exodus. "You should be dead now!"

Pietro smirked. "Hm hm hm. When my powers first came, my father wasn't pleased with them. He thought my super speed was inefficient. So he would would conduct experiments on me. He tried to make me stronger, more powerful, but nothing he did worked. Until now, that is."

(Remember in chapter 12? When Mastermind tried to make Pietro and the others suffer from her illusions she projected into there minds. Pietro was strapped down on a metal table with someone standing over him holding a needle. That was really a memory.)

Pietro vanished, then reappeared behind Exodus. He kicked him, sending Exodus crashing into a wall.

"Did Pietro, like, just port?" asked Kitty.

"No," said Pietro. "I didn't port. I just moved so fast it looked like I did." He looked over at Mastermind. "I can make illusions too."

Pietro ran around Exodus so fast it looked like more than one of him was running.

"An optical illusion," said Mastermind.

"That won't help you!" yelled Exodus. "I'll find you!"

He blasted all the Pietros till they were all gone.

"Where are you!"

"Look up!"

Exodus looked up and saw Pietro coming down. Pietro's hands were lased together and he smashed his fists on top of Exodus head. Then he kicked him far. Pietro jumped on Exodus and punched him at super speed.

After awhile Pietro continued to beat Exodus, but his fist were red from Exodus's blood.

"He's going to kill him!" cried Kitty.

"Pietro, don't do it!" shouted Lance.

"Pietro, stop!" screamed Rogue.

She grabbed Pietro arm before he could punch Exodus again. Pietro looked at her.

"It's okay," Rogue said, softly. "It's over. You won. Don't kill him, Pietro. You're not a killer."

Pietro's eyes were normal and he calmed down.

"I almost. . ." He didn't finish.

"It's going to be okay, Pietro."

"I hope so."

"Mastermind's gone," said Lance.

"We'll get her next time."

BOOM!

They saw a big fire bird appear in the sky. Then a few seconds later, it was gone.

"What the hell was that?" asked Lance.

"Maybe it was Pyro," said Pietro. "Let's go."


When they got to where the big phoenix fire bird came from, they was Scott sitting on the grown holding Jean. Living Diamond and Unus were out cold on the ground.

"What happened?" asked Kitty.

"Diamond and Unus showed up and attacked us," said Scott. "Me and Jean were winning, but then they got the upper hand, then Jean just. . . . She was covered in fire and then this bird made a fire came. The next thing I know, Jean, Diamond and Unus are out cold."

(Also in chapter 12. That was a foreshadowing of the Phoenix Force.)

"Hmm." Jean was waking up.

"Jean! Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Scott. What happened?"

"Scott said you turned into a phoenix," said Pietro.

"I did?"

"Man, first Pietro's power evolves, now Jean's," said Lance.

"Why are the Acolytes attacking us?" asked Kitty.

"Fuck!" shouted Pietro.

"What?" asked Scott.

"We need to get to the mansion now!"


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