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Inside the Valchek house...
Alec moved quickly to Erin's side. "You okay?" He asked, brushing some rubble off her.
Erin blinked, slowly regaining consciousness. "I... I think so... What happened?"
"You got hit by Summers' blast," answered Alec as he helped Erin get up. "Don't worry, now. We've got everything--"
Alec was abruptly cut off by the sound of a massive energy discharge. "Ruckus! Summers is loose! He got George and--" Another discharge ended 'Lith's warning.
Eyes wide, Alec looked through the hole-pocked wall of Erin's living room. Beyond the wall, he saw Scott in his battle stance, with a red blast radiating from his eyes. Scott heard something, and swiveled to face the new sound. To Alec's horror, the blast rotated with him.
"Look out!" Alec dove to the ground, dragging Erin with him. Just as they hit the ground, a red beam strafed across the living room, sending debris flying. The strafing was accompanied by a loud explosion, which caused even more debris to fall from the damaged walls. As soon as the dust cleared, Alec jumped to his feat and rushed to the door. However, he was forced back as water shot through every opening in the wall.
"Ah crap!" Exclaimed Alec as he shielded his face from the water. "He must have taken out the fire hydrant!" Squinting, Alec tried to look past the gushing water. "George! What's going on?!" No reply. "'Lith? Anthro? Anyone!?" There was no response save for the continued sound of rushing water.
Turning up the collar of his trenchcoat, Alec jumped through the spray, into the street. He quickly wiped the water from his eyes and surveyed the scene. Basilisk was sprawled out in the middle of the street, while George was lying in a heap on the sidewalk. Alec looked down the street just in time to see 'Lith running around the corner, obviously in pursuit of someone.
It only took Alec a moment to figure out who. "Oh great..."
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The Xavier Institute, back in Salem Center...
As he often was, Charles Xavier was in his study, reading. Abruptly, his phone rang. Casually, he answered it. "Yes..."
On the other end of the line was near hysterical Rogue. "Professah! Professah, they got Scott!"
"What?" Xavier's voice was suddenly quiet, drained of all emotion save stunned disbelief.
"They ambushed us," continued Rogue, not calming down. "They knew who we were, Professah! They knew who we were and what we were doin'! They set us up, Professah. They set us up, they attacked us, and they took Scott!" Rogue's voice gave way to haggard coughing, as her hysteria began to affect her breathing.
As Rogue spoke, Xavier sent a telepathic message to Cerebro, activating the emergency klaxon. In the back of his mind, Xavier could sense the other members of the Institute drop what they were doing and rush to the War Room.
Meanwhile, Xavier still had to determine what was actually going on. "Rogue, listen to me. You must calm down." Xavier paused briefly as Rogue's coughing subsided. "Now what happened? Who has Scott?"
"Erin does," answered Rogue, her voice still cracking. "Erin, an' Alec, an' George, an' the wolf, all of 'em! They're all mutants, Professah! And they know about us!"
At that point, Storm and Wolverine burst into the study. "Professor!" Cried Storm. "What is the cause for alarm?"
'Trouble in Newark,' Xavier replied telepathically, not wanting to further upset Rogue. 'Rogue and Cyclops have been attacked. Assemble the team in the Blackbird. Take off as soon as possible and rendezvous with Rogue in Newark. I will give you the coordinates and a further briefing once you're in the air.'
"I am on it," replied Storm as she dashed off.
Wolverine, however, was not so quick to leave. "Chuck, why ain't we meeting with Cyke? Wasn't he the one in charge of this little mission?"
Xavier remained silent, failing to meet Wolverine's eyes.
"I hate it when people do that..." Muttered Wolverine as he walked off. "It always means the worst..."
"Professah? Professah! What's goin' on?"
"I am still here, Rogue," replied Xavier, soothingly. "Please stay calm and try not to shout. Now, where are you now?"
"Ah'm in Scott's car. Ah'm at some park... Ah don't know which one..."
"I'll have Cerebro track your signal," Xavier interjected, curtly.
Rogue's breathing was finally slowing to a normal pace. "So, what are we gunna do?"
"Stay where you are, for now. I'm sending the team down to Newark to rendezvous with you. Meanwhile, I'll use Cerebro to track down Scott." Xavier paused. It didn't take telepathic abilities to tell that Rogue needed some reassurance. "Rogue, I'm sending the entire team. Don't worry, we will get Scott back."
"Alright..." Rogue didn't sound fully confident, but she was better than she was a minute ago.
"The team is on its way. Xavier out." With that, Xavier cut off the connection and wheeled over to the Cerebro console. After a few taps of the keyboard, Cerebro located Rouge's cell phone signal, and relayed that information to the Blackbird.
Reflexively, Xavier picked up the Cerebro-helmet, and began putting it on. However, he stopped short as he noticed something alarming. Cerebro picked up Rogue's cell phone, yet it showed no trace of Rogue herself. A disturbed look formed on Xavier's face as he realized the implications of this. Hurriedly, he slipped on the helmet and began manipulating the controls.
As the moments ticked by, Xavier uncovered even more disturbing information. According to Rogue, there had been a fight. Mutant powers were used. Yet Cerebro had recorded no mutant activity whatsoever. Indeed, the only thing Cerebro had ever recorded in the Newark vicinity was Erin's initial 'blip' that was the reason for Rogue's whole mission.
Suddenly, Scott's words sprang back to Xavier's mind.
"From the looks of things, I'd say Erin has known about, and been using her powers for a long time now..."
Initially, Xavier had dismissed this observation, citing that Cerebro would have picked up earlier mutant activity. But if Cerebro wasn't registering any mutant activity in Newark, then Erin could have been using her powers.
"How could this have happened?" Muttered Xavier. "How could Cerebro miss this kind of mutant activity? Its as if the entire city has been shielded from Cerebro's probes..." At this thought, Xavier's heart skipped a beat. "Oh no..." Xavier instantly redoubled his attempts to locate Cyclops.
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Inside what's left of the Valchek house, Newark...
Erin, Bas, and George were recuperating in Erin's kitchen, which had taken relatively little damage. The mood in the room was very somber, as none of the trio spoke. Instead, they sat around, not looking up, save for an occasional nervous glance to the den.
In the den, Alec was attempting to jury rig Erin's computer. While it had not taken any direct damage, the various shock waves and debris from the fight had somehow managed to mess up some of the connections.
Making some final adjustments, Alec took a seat and turned on the console. A series of electronic chimes indicated the computer had started its start up sequence. As he waited for the system to boot up, Alec grabbed a nearby ice pack and put it on his arm. Alec winced at the stinging sensation caused by the contact.
Once the start up was complete, Alec put on the nearby headset and typed in the usual commands. A view of Nathan's lab soon appeared on the screen. Nathan was seated at his desk, staring intently at a series of monitors.
Alec cleared his throat before speaking. When he did speak, it was in a very meek voice. "Uh, Nate..."
"Ah, Ruckus," said Nathan, still keeping his eyes on the screen. "Report."
Alec braced himself for the worst. "Things didn't go well. Summers didn't join. We tried to take 'im down, but... He pounded us. We hurt 'im bad, but he still got away."
Nathan gave the webcam a fleeting glance. "Indeed."
Alec waited, expecting more. However, Nathan remained silent, studying the screens in front of him. "Uh, Nate... You're not mad or anything?"
"Not particularly," answered Nathan. "I expected as much. The mission had a very small chance of success."
Alec gaped at the screen. "But how you have expected that? We outnumbered 'em! We out-powered 'em! They were in our home! We caught 'em completely off guard! And you expected us to loose... Are we that pathetic?"
As Alec asked this last question, Nathan's harsh expression softened. Sighing, he looked deeply into the webcam. "Ruckus, this is not your fault. Scott Summers is a very formidable mutant. There is no shame in loosing to him."
"But, Nate, I was supposed to replace 'im. I'm supposed to be the next best thing!" Alec's voice lost its edge, sounding more defeated with every word. "How am I supposed to be your standard bearer if I can't even beat one man, with the entire team at my back?"
"Ruckus." Nathan's voice was firm, forcing Alec to make eye contact with the screen. "Listen to me. You are young. Far younger than Summers. Your powers are not nearly as developed as his. You have spent the last several years training for battle. He has seen battle. Even at this age, he a veteran."
"But still... He's just one man..."
"Yes," agreed Nathan. "But he was one man backed into a corner. Desperation breeds strength, Ruckus. That is something you will learn in time." In the lab, a computer began beeping, demanding attention. Nathan looked at one of the monitors and scowled. He turned back to the webcam, his voice suddenly serious. "What is the condition of the team? Were there casualties of any sort?"
Nervously, Alec glanced down at his arm and flexed it a few times. It still stung, but he could work through it. "Nothing permanent, I think. Most of 'em here are fine. 'Cept Bas. He seems... Weaker, somehow..."
Nathan rubbed his temples in frustration. "The rogue... I should have warned you about her. Basilisk should be back to normal soon. But everyone else is unharmed?"
"Yeah. Uuuhh!" Ruckus slapped his forehead. "But I don't know about Anthro and 'Lith. They're out chasing Summers..."
Nathan raised an eyebrow. "Chasing Summers?"
"When he ran off, they followed 'im. I haven't contacted 'em yet... Getting to you was first priority. But given what you said, I doubt they'll have any luck catching 'im..."
"Quite likely. I shall call them back. They'll be needed."
"Needed? For what?"
"I've been monitoring the X-Mansion up in Salem Center. An aircraft has just left the center. A preliminary assessment of its course indicates that it is headed this way."
Alec let out a quiet gasp. "Ah, crap... They're comin' for payback..." Alec looked at the screen with a frantic look on his face. "What're we gunna do, Nate?"
Nathan looked calmly at the webcam. "Simple, Ruckus. You will fight them."
"But-- But Nate, we just got our asses handed to us by one of 'em! For all we know, the whole bloody team could be on that jet!" By this point, Alec's voice had gone from stunned to nearly outraged. "Do you honestly think we have a chance against all that!?"
"Yes, Ruckus! I do!" Alec was slightly taken aback by the fierceness of Nathan's voice. "Listen to me. Summers defeated you because he was cornered, and had nothing to loose. The rest of the X-Men are not in that situation. If the fight becomes too vicious, Xavier will pull them out. He will not let any of his students become seriously hurt." Nathan paused, his face darkening. "And neither will I."
"But..."
"Enough. Take the team to the Hyde construction complex to the north of you. You will make your stand there."
Alec looked into the webcam, his brow furrowed. "Nate, it won't end with one fight. Even if they retreat this time, they'll be back..."
"Do not concern yourself with such matters, Ruckus. You need only worry about the fight. I shall handle the rest."
"Alright... If you say so." Reluctantly, Alec broke the connection. Sighing, he got up and walked to the kitchen. The others looked at him anxiously.
"Okay people," he said in his most authoritative voice. "Let's suit up."
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A dark alley in Newark...
As night began to fall, Scott flattened himself against the wall. Covered in shadows, he tried to quiet his breathing. Anthro would soon find him, regardless of where he stood, or how loud he breathed. However, if he was quiet enough, Scott might be able to get in the first shot and even the odds a little.
A little, but only a little. However, Scott no longer cared about the odds. Scott no longer cared about anything. Pain had ravaged his mind, driving out all rational thought. He was acting purely on instinct now. The only thing that mattered now was hurting his pursuers. No matter the cost...
Abruptly, Scott heard the distinctive sound of footsteps approaching the alley. A scowl on his face, he caught his breath, and waited.
"You smell him?" Asked a deep voice.
Echoes of Anthro sniffing the air floated down the alley. "Yeah..." The sniffing continued. The silhouette of a head appeared in the alley entrance. "Yeah, he's right in here..."
Anthro's silhouette was swallowed up by the massive outline of 'Lith. With Anthro leading, the duo slowly began walking down the alley. "Alright, Summers... You ready to give up yet? Or are you thirsting for another beating..." From his tone, it was obvious that 'Lith was hoping for the latter.
Scott was more than ready to oblige him. Without warning, the alley was lit up by Scott's blast. 'Lith was knocked off his feat, and sent flying backwards. The blast quickly cut off, leaving the alley in darkness once again. However, that didn't stop Anthro. Honing in on where he'd last seen Scott, he charged.
Realizing Anthro was moving in fast, Scott readjusted his aim and prepared to fire again. However, by this time, Anthro had reached Scott and roughly batted Scott's arm away from his visor. With guttural snarl, Scott countered with a knee to Anthro's midsection. Anthro was driven back a step, putting him in perfect range for a roundhouse back kick.
"Not so fast!" Snarled Anthro. Acting with inhuman speed, he turned and caught Scott's leg in mid-kick. Just as he caught it, he adjusted his grip and gave the leg a sharp twist. The hold sent more pain though Scott's body, further unhinging him.
Grunting in pain, Scott flailed at Anthro with his good arm. However, Anthro was out of reach. Scott cried out in pain as Anthro gave Scott's leg another twist. Scott briefly considered trying to hit Anthro with an optic blast. But even in his current state, Scott knew that Anthro would see that one coming and avoid it.
Gritting his teeth, Scott realized there was only one way to break the hold. Scott jumped, and kicked out with his other foot. His heel connected with the back of Anthro's head, sending him sprawling. With no vertical base left, Scott fell to the ground, landing heavily on his already injured arm.
With pain shooting through him, Scott lay still on the ground. His breathing slowed, and he hovered at the brink of unconsciousness. Across the alley, Anthro's condition was not much better.
At this point, 'Lith had recovered, and was just reentering the alley. He was cautious this time, wary of the shadows. So dark was the alley that 'Lith didn't notice the limp form of Anthro until he was nearly upon him. With a look of concern, 'Lith knelt beside his friend. "Anthro? Hey pal, you okay?"
Anthro shifted a little in response, but nothing more.
"Aw man... That kid really worked you over..." Further comments were cut off by a metallic chime. 'Lith brought his wrist close to his face and tapped some buttons on his watch. "Yeah, what is it?"
"Ah, 'Lith," replied Nathan through the communicator. "Is Anthro with you?"
"Yeah, he is, Nate. But--"
"I understand the two of you have been chasing Summers," Nathan bluntly stated. "Have you been successful in catching him?"
Anxiously, 'Lith glanced around the alley. He saw nothing but shadows. "No. Look, Nate, Anthro is hurt. Summers trashed him then ran off..."
"Hmmm," said Nathan, almost to himself. "Pity. But not unexpected..." In a louder voice, he continued. "'Lith, a new situation has arisen. You and Anthro are to meet with the rest of the team at the Hyde construction complex. Ruckus will give you further instructions when you arrive."
"Nate, you don't understand. Anthro's hurt real bad..."
"Do not worry," soothed Nathan. "Anthro's healing factor shall kick in shortly. He should be more than ready by the time you get to the complex. Are there any other concerns."
"Uh yeah..." 'Lith considered his word carefully, trying to figure out how not to sound stupid. "I sorta lost track of where we are. How exactly do I get to Hyde?"
Nathan sighed audibly. "Hold on a second. Let me get a fix on your location." There was a short pause. "Okay, head west. Two blocks, then take a right. It should be three blocks after that."
"Alright," grunted 'Lith as he hoisted Anthro over his shoulder. "We'll be there soon." 'Lith cut the connection and walked away.
A moment of silence passed.
Slowly, Scott struggled to his feat and out of the shadows. Inside him, a war was being waged. On one side, his self-preservation instincts were telling him to lurch his way to the nearest hospital. On the other side, the animal inside him hungered for vengeance. At any cost.
Between these two urges, the option of simply falling down and giving up never crossed his logic-deprived mind.
By the time Scott reached the entrance to the alley, the war had been won. With a determined scowl, he turned west and staggered down the street...
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