X-Men: Past, Present, Future
"I wish they would only take me as I am." - Vincent Van Gogh
Past Chapter 35: Mutant Children
At the X-Mansion, everybody was gathered in the living room with the Cuckoo family. It had been a few hours since the X-Men and the Cuckoo family escaped the Hellfire Club and returned to the school grounds. Mr. and Mrs. Cuckoo were frazzled and worried.
"I'm sorry," said Mr. Cuckoo. "We're just not ready for something like this. We're still simple farming folk."
"We understand," said Charles.
"What did they want?" asked Mrs. Cuckoo.
"The Hellfire Club believe there's a powerful being in the world known as 'the force'," replied Charles. "They want to find the force and use it as a weapon to push their own agenda."
"So, our girls are the force?" asked Mrs. Cuckoo.
The X-Men looked at Tessa who had her eyes closed, trying to sense the force. Tessa opened her eyes and shook her head.
"It appears that your daughters are not the force," said Charles. "But they are powerful psychics. Together their powers are so strong, that they could easily be mistaken for the force."
"They're all Class 5 mutants," said Tessa.
"I can't believe this," said Mrs. Cuckoo. "I thought giving birth to five babies at once was hard enough, but now to find that they're powerful mutants..."
"It's going to be ok," said Mr. Cuckoo as he comforted his wife. "What do you think we should do? The Hellfire Club could want to kidnap our daughters again."
"They'll eventually realize that your daughters aren't the force," said Emma. "But you're right. They could want revenge on you or still kidnap them because of their immense power."
"What should we do then?" asked Mr. Cuckoo.
"You should live here in New York so we can protect you," said Sean.
"Yeah, that's a good idea," added Shiro.
Mr. and Mrs. Cuckoo looked at each other and frowned.
"I'm sorry, but we can't do that," said Mrs. Cuckoo. "Our lives are in Phoenix. We're not made for the city life of New York."
"Maybe your children can stay," suggested Moira. "We can help them develop and control their powers."
"I don't think we can take in children that young," said Charles. "And away from their mother and father."
"At least take some time to think about it," said Moira to the parents. "We have to protect your daughters."
Everybody left Mr. and Mrs. Cuckoo alone to think about the decision. The X-Men knew it would be a difficult decision for them to make. After an half hour, the X-Men returned to the living room.
"So, what have you decided?" asked Charles.
"After talking it over," replied Mrs. Cuckoo. "We believe that it would be best for you to raise our girls and protect them from danger."
"After all, we have no idea on how to raise mutant children," said Mr. Cuckoo.
"Well, if that's what you want then I guess we'll have to do as you wish," said Charles.
"Why don't we just assign someone to the girls?" asked Hank.
"Who did you have in mind?" asked Jono.
"Emma should raise them," suggested Hank. "She's a powerful telepath who could raise the girls."
Everyone looked at Emma, who had a stunned face.
"Sugar, you got to be kidding," said Emma.
"Hank's right, Emma," said Charles. "You still have your mansion. You could raise the girls there."
"It's the best option," said Moira.
Emma sighed and then shrugged.
"Why not?" said Emma. "I'll raise the girls." Everyone cheered. Mrs. Cuckoo hugged Emma. "You can visit them anytime. I'll pay for your tickets. And I'll pay for their air fare to visit you two on the ranch."
"We are so grateful," said Mrs. Cuckoo.
"Yes, you are our savior," said Mr. Cuckoo.
At the other side of the city, Erik made his way down an apartment hallway and knocked on an apartment door. The door opened to reveal Maggie to be the occupant of the apartment.
"Erik!" exclaimed Maggie. Erik pushed himself into the apartment and slammed the door shut.
"So, this is where you have been," said Erik.
"Erik, I'm sorry, I-I-,"
"You've been hiding from me. I meet you, we make love, we live together at your parent's old house, then all of sudden you leave without any warning. You made me worried sick for you. I fell in love with you, Maggie and you just disappear from my life."
"You were in love with my mother, Magda...you just wanted a replacement."
"That's not true! I love you for who you are! You're the one who didn't love me. Is it because I'm what you fear?"
"I don't fear mutants! I support them completely."
"Then why did you leave?"
"I left because..."
"Because why?"
"Because..."
"Tell me!" Erik screamed as metal pots and pans rattled in the kitchen.
"Because I was pregnant with your child!"
"What?"
"I was pregnant! And I was scared! I didn't want a child! I didn't want to be a mother...I left so you wouldn't know...then I gave her away...the adopted parents named her Lorna. She has a better life now...I just couldn't..."
"You couldn't bear to raise a mutant."
"No, that's not it!"
"Of course it is! It's always down to race, skin colour...mutation!"
"No, it's not true! I just wasn't ready for a baby!"
"You gave away my only family!" Erik screamed as he reached his hand out towards the kitchen to move a knife that stabbed Maggie in her heart. Maggie fell to the ground and bled to death. Erik shed a tear and then left the apartment as Maggie's eyes closed.
Present Chapter 35: Magneto's Great Escape
"Hey, Rob!" said a prison ward officer to Rob, another prison ward officer.
"Hey!" greeted Rob as he walked into the mutant prison facility.
Rob was the regular average Joe. He wasn't attractive or fit, but he was a fun loving guy who enjoyed his job of taunting and tormenting imprisoned mutants. Rob walked into an office and greeted his boss, Sally.
"Morning, Sally," greeted Rob as he made himself a cup of coffee.
"Morning, Rob," said Sally. "You got the island today."
"Shit, the island?" said Rob as he took a sip of his coffee. "That place is such a pain in the ass. One building on an island just for one mutant."
"One dangerous mutant," replied Sally. "You should be honored we trust you with such an important mutant. Now get on the ferry and bring him his breakfast."
Rob grabbed a tray of food placed in a plastic container. Rob went through a metal detector before getting on a ferry that made its way to a small island. On the island had a plastic building. Rob had to be examined through another metal detector before the guards on the island allowed him into the building. Rob went into the building and once again went through another metal detector. Rob finally made it to the plastic walkway that led into the plastic prison that Magneto was kept in. Rob placed the tray of food on the plastic table as Magneto got up from his bed and looked at Rob in the eyes. Rob's eyes suddenly flashed yellow.
"Finally," said Magneto. "What took you so long?"
"I got caught up in a Sisterhood," said Rob as he transformed into Mystique. "Of course, to get into the X-Mansion to find out where exactly you were being held."
"So, what's the plan?" asked Magneto.
"Follow behind me slowly," said Mystique. "I'll get rid of the guards."
Mystique ran out of the plastic cell and knocked the guards out. Magneto slowly followed behind. The two mutants found themselves outside of the building, looking across the lake.
"Ah, the scent of metal," said Magneto. "I've been truly deprived. How many mutants are being held in the prison across from us?"
"72," said Mystique.
"Great," said Magneto. "Let's begin building our army."
Magneto used his magnetic powers to lift himself from the ground and to break a piece of the main prison building off. The metal pieces of the building floated across the lake and Magneto and Mystique got on. The pieces floated back to the mainland and the building began to break. The jail metal bars broke and the mutants ran out of their cells. Mystique spotted Sally running away in fear.
"You're right, Sally," said Mystique as she grabbed Sally and pushed her to the ground. "It is an honour to work for such an important mutant." Sally's eyes widen as she realized Mystique impersonated Rob.
"Where's Rob?" asked Sally.
"He's dead in his apartment," said Mystique. Mystique then snapped Sally's neck, killing the innocent woman.
All 72 mutants walked outside and stopped in front of Magneto and Mystique. In the crowd was Sabertooth and Avalanche.
"What took you so long?" asked Sabertooth.
"Don't complain," replied Mystique as she smiled at Sabertooth.
"Brothers!" Magneto yelled out. "I have freed you! You must now repay me by joining my Brotherhood and becoming an army. We mutants must rise against the humans that try to control us. We must start a war in which we are the victors!" The mutants cheered.
Half an hour later, police cars surrounded the destroyed prison. The X-Jet landed near the rubble and Professor X, Angel and Colossus walked out.
"Professor X," said a man in a black suit.
"Secretary Walters," said Professor X. "What happened?"
"Magneto escaped and he took the prisoners with him," replied Walters.
"That's what Mystique probably went into the mansion for," said Angel. "To find out where Magneto was being held."
"I can't sense him," said Professor X.
"He must have his helmet back," responded Colossus. "What do we do now?"
"We wait for his next move," said Professor X.
Future Story 35: Escape from Alaska
The X-Jet landed on the frozen tundra of Alaska and the X-Men made their way to the prison that held the captured mutants of Utopia. Hellion used his telekinesis to remove the doors to allow the X-Men to enter the building. Havok, Sunspot, Erg, Northstar and Gambit took out the guards that got in the way. Cipher turned invisible to sneak into the control room. She knocked out three guards and then went on the main computer to open the prison cell doors.
In the prisons, the mutants ran out of the cells and saw the Beast, Nightcrawler, Lil' Bro, Melter and Pixie. The other X-Men quickly joined.
"How are we going to get away from here?" asked Cyclops.
"We saw a few helicopters and small private jets in the landing zones," said Beast. "Pixie is going to make portals for us to go through."
Pixie created three portals and directed the mutants to jump into the portals.
"One at a time," said Pixie. "Quill and Rogue are on the other side. Just stand there and wait for us."
"Nightcrawler," said Beast to Nightcrawler. "Help speed the process along."
"You got it!" said Nightcrawler as he teleported mutants away and then teleported back to teleport more.
Jubilee and Polaris helped some of the weaker mutants into the portals. One of the mutants sneezed on Polaris.
"I'm sorry," said the mutant.
"It's ok," said Polaris. "Just walk over here and jump into the portal."
"Some of these mutants seem sick," said Jubilee.
"It's probably just a cold. They were on the ocean for a while before they were all cramped into here."
Emma, Mystique, Cyclops, Storm, Beast and Colossus gathered in a corner to discuss the plans.
"Where do we go from here?" asked Emma.
"My hideout is the best place," said Beast. "We can build a few homes in the forest to house the mutants."
"Let's just hope DAM doesn't find out where we are," said Storm.
"We better hurry," said Colossus. "They must be on their way soon."
"We should start preparing the helicopters and jets then," said Mystique. Mystique took a few steps towards a portal but her knees gave in and she fell towards the ground. Colossus grabbed her before she hit the floor.
"Mystique, you're weak," cried Colossus.
"I'm fine," said Mystique. Suddenly, the shape-shifter vomited.
"You have to rest," said Emma. "Get Nightcrawler over here."
At the other side of the portals, Rogue and Quill helped the mutants get onto the helicopters and jets. Polaris made her way through a portal and fainted on the ground. Rogue ran up to Polaris to aid her.
"Honey, are you alright?" asked Rogue. Havok and Northstar went through the portals and saw the unconscious Polaris in Rogue's arms.
"What's going on?" asked a worried Havok as he took Polaris into his arms.
"She just fainted," replied Rogue. Northstar placed his hand on Polaris' forehead.
"She has a fever," stated Northstar. "We have to get her some medical attention."
To be continued...