I'm telling you right now, I hate writing action sequences. Basically I'm not very good at it. You're gonna have to use your imaginations for some of this!

The Chicago Incident

"THIS IS INTOLERABLE!" Magneto screamed at the Brotherhood. What was left of them.

They tried to avoid his gaze. Except for Wanda. She stared at him in open defiance. "It wasn't our fault," She told him.

Magneto decided to ignore her for now. "You Alvers," He spat. "You had to open your big mouth to that X-Girl didn't you? It's your fault they found out! It's your fault the mission failed!"

"No it wasn't! Blame that on the traitor Gambit!" Pietro spoke up.

Flashback*****

It was early in Chicago. Magneto had taken the entire team. "So this is the place?" Gambit said as they looked over the Chicago Police Armory. "Impressive."

"So was you getting the plans for me," Magneto told him. The entire Brotherhood was assembled on top of a nearby building. "Yes I am pleased."

Pietro frowned. Magneto would rather praise a dead rat over his own son. Well, he'd show Magneto just what he was capable of. The plan was simple, get the weapons from the armory then trash the building. Or that was what he thought.

When they got in immediately Pietro picked up something. It had been too easy to get into the building. There were no guards in sight. And when they went to find the weapons they were gone. Instead they found the X-Men ready for them.

It was easy to take out Spyke with his speed. In fact they were all doing quite well battling them. Until Magneto gave Pietro the order to put the bomb in place and set it off. He did that and saw Magneto had the X-Men all trapped under bits of steel girders. He moved away to tell Magneto that the bomb was set and everything was going to plan.

Then that traitor Gambit disarmed the bomb and set off those playing cards at them. What was worse, Colossus snuck up behind Scarlet Witch and Avalanche and knocked them out before Magneto figured out what was going on. This distracted Magneto enough to allow the X-Men to escape.

Enraged, Magneto attacked the two traitors with all his might. He sent several shards of metal hurling at Gambit. One of them caught him in the shoulder. Colossus attacked him, intending to knock him down, but that proved to be not the brightest move a man with armored skin could make. Magneto used his powers to grab Colossus's body. Colossus screamed in agony as Magneto used his powers on him to rupture and stretch his metal body.

"CHANGE BACK!" Gambit screamed. "HE CAN'T HURT YOU AS MUCH IN YOUR NORMAL FORM! CHANGE BACK!"

Peter did so, but it was too late. He lay at Magneto's feet in a heap. An alarm sounded somewhere. Magneto glared at the X-Men and his two former henchmen. "This is not over fools!" He hissed. "So you still choose to side with the humans? So be it! I'll spare the rest of you for now. If only for you to reflect on the torments I will inflict on you to come!"

He withdrew. Pietro took Wanda, and Fred slung Lance over his shoulder. They retreated back to Bayville in silence. When they returned to the Brotherhood House and the two woke up, Mystique then decided to spill the beans on how Lance was still seeing Kitty. This made him livid.

Pietro knew he was taking a huge risk confronting his father, but he couldn't bear to lose another friend like he had lost Toad. "Think about it! It must have been Gambit who told them of the plans all along! Why do you think they were ready for us? He got the plans in the first place! It must have been him!"

Of course Magneto still needed a scapegoat. "This debacle is partly your fault Quicksilver! As team leader you should have been better prepared!"

"It wasn't my fault!" Pietro shouted. "You recruited them remember? I wouldn't be surprised if Gambit was a traitor all along!"

"Yeah don't blame Lance or Pietro," Wanda snarled. "It's all Gambit's fault! He's the traitor! Along with that backstabber Colossus! They're the ones who told them of our plans. Lance may be an idiot, but he's loyal! Unlike some as we've clearly seen!"

Magneto's temper subsided. "For once Wanda you are correct," He said in an even tone. "There have been far too many defections to the X-Men." He shot a glare at Lance. "It's time we rethink our strategies. You like annoying the X-Men? Here are your new orders. Until further notice I want all of you to harass them at school. I want to hear how at least one of them suffers or is inconvenienced every day. Especially the traitors!"

"I don't think Pete's gonna show up at school anytime soon after the pounding you gave him boss," John sniggered.

"That's nothing compared to what I have planned for all the defectors," Magneto said. "But first I have to leave for a while and do some more recruiting. Mystique, you are in charge until I return. I need to speak to you for a moment. The rest of you get out of my sight!"

They did so. Pietro sighed as they went upstairs. "Thanks," Lance said softly to Pietro.

"You can thank me by getting some brains," Pietro hissed. "Your infatuation with that X-Geek's gonna get you in trouble Lance. Mark my words. Just forget her!"

"Hey look we made the news!" John had snuck a television into his room and they all went to see what was being reported.

"In Chicago today police thwarted a small band of mutants that had threatened to retaliate against the police after last Sunday's shooting of a mutant," The reporter said. "The mutants are now in custody in a secure location."

"What a total load of crap!" Lance spat. "The cops did squat! They just hid like cowards and let the X-Jerks do all the work! And they took the credit!"

"Naturally," Pietro snapped. "Do you really think that they'd let it known publicly that mutants were responsible for protecting humans from other mutants? I have trouble believing it myself!"

"Yeah they want to keep the public thinking that mere humans can keep us freaks under control," John hissed. "So naturally they'd lie about keeping a few mutants in custody."

"Well maybe they did," Fred scratched his head. "Maybe they picked up a few X-Jerks?"

"Fat chance," Wanda snapped.

************************************************************************

Downstairs Magneto was watching the news as well. "Fools," He hissed. "It's a good thing I sent Sabertooth alone on the back up mission. They think they are so safe. Ha! By tomorrow they will see how wrong they really are!"

Mystique looked at him. "You have new orders for me?" She asked.

"Yes," Magneto nodded. "I was hoping to postpone Project Evolution until later. When we were in a more controlled environment. However, considering the circumstances…" He handed her an envelope. You know what to do. Remember they must not know about the experiment. I suggest that you perform the injections while they are asleep."

"With Dukes I'm going to have to feed his to him," Mystique said.

"No," Magneto said. "We will use him as the control. Compare his progress to the rest of theirs. He is the strongest anyway. If the enhancements are successful, we will find a way to use them on him as well."

"When do you want me to start?" Mystique asked. "Tonight?"

"Yes," Magneto told her. "Make sure they are all asleep. Then inject them with the formula. All except Blob of course and this…" He handed her a vial. "Is a special one for Avalanche."

"This one?" She looked at the contents. She looked a little nervous. "Are you sure? It's been untested so far."

"Alvers has the most hidden potential," Magneto told her. "My daughter is already too powerful for her own good, and my son is loyal, but …not as effective as I had hoped. The regular drugs will suffice on them and the others. Just don't lose any more of them Mystique. Do what you have to do or else. Have I made myself clear?"

"Very clear sir."

Uh oh…What is Project Evolution? What will the drugs do to the Brotherhood? What does that special drug do? What will happen to Lance? What happened to Gambit and Colossus? Did they survive? What was Sabertooth's mission? Will the Joes and the Cobras find out Magneto's plans? What will the Brotherhood do when they go back to school? Wait and see.