-------------------
Nathan's lab...
As he monitored the fight, Nathan's normally pale face darkened. "Well, young Summers," he murmered to himself. "It appears you have returned. And despite what you've been through, you still dominate the battlefield. Indeed, you look to be the deciding factor in the fight..." For a moment, Nathan stared longingly at the monitors. "...You've become everything I ever dreamed you'd be..."
Nathan sighed and stood up. "Alas, you stand firm in your allegiance to Xavier..."
Reluctantly, Nathan approached a large computer console. He gazed at the console for another moment, contemplating the repercussions of what he was about to do. At length, he placed his hand on a security pad. "Computer. Commence temporary shut-down. Authorization: Essex."
"Voice-print, confirmed," responded the computer. "Gene-scan, confirmed. Commencing shut down." As the steady hum of the computer began slowing down, Nathan dejectedly walked away.
"...More's the pity..."
-------------------
The X-Mansion...
Professor Xavier sat at the Cerebro console, his face lined with thought. Suddenly, his eyes sot open. For some reason, the static around Newark was beginning to dissipate. With renewed enthusiasm, Xavier wheeled closer to the console and began manipulating the controls.
Slowly, Cerebro managed to pick out the mutant signatures present in Newark. Xavier caught his breath as Cerebro started displaying its readings. In one concentrated area, Cerebro detected fourteen mutants. However, just over half that number showed any active readings. The other half were unconscious.
Xavier bit his lip as Cerebro began listing off the identified the mutants. "Searching files for matching mutant signature," began Cerebro in its mechanical voice. "Matching signatures found for: Evan Daniels, Jean Grey, Logan, Ororo Munroe, Katherine Pryde, Rogue, Scott Summers, Erin Valchek, and Kurt Wagner. New mutants signatures: "Alec Cranston, George Dawson, Bas Hill, and Jason Thompson. Files for the final mutant signature are unavailable." As it listed each name, a small icon of the mutant's head appeared along the top of the screen.
But by that point, Xavier wasn't paying any attention to Cerebro's report. Instead, he was double checking the list of mutants already on file. "Scott..." Xavier repeated aloud. "They did it! They found Scott!" Abruptly, his voice soon went from triumphant to concerned. "...But, if only half of the mutants are conscious..."
Xavier was interrupted by an emergency klaxon from Cerebro. Scanning beyond the confines of the battlefield, it had detected another mutant in Newark. A chill fell over Xavier as he recognized the meaning of the klaxon.
"No! It can't be--There are only three mutants in the world who would trigger that! And they--They..." Xavier's voice faltered, and the blood drained from his face.
"Additional mutant signature matched to files. Mutant designate: Nathaniel Essex--Alpha level mutant. Initiating priority-one alert."
Xavier shook his head, as the reality of the situation finally sunk in. "It is him... He's--He's back... I--I have to--Have to call them back! I HAVE TO GET THEM OUT OF THERE!"
Panicking, Xavier hurriedly switched Cerebro from scanning to broadcast mode. With Cerebro amplifying his message, Xavier frantically called out to his students in Newark. 'X-Men! Retreat! I repeat: Break off and retreat. Gather our team and get to the Blackbird as soon as you can. Get out of there! You must get out of Newark! Quickly!'
Xavier repeated his orders, only praying that they would be obeyed... In time...
-------------------
Newark...
Ruckus was on the ropes. The gash on his forehead was still open, sending blooding gushing down his face. He had to constantly fight to keep his vision clear. Spyke saw this, and was taking advantage of it to the fullest.
Another punch sent Ruckus spinning to the ground. Ruckus saw movement, and rolled to the side. As he did, a staff-like spike pinned his trenchcoat to the ground. As quickly as he could, Ruckus grabbed the spike with one hand, and drove his other elbow into the base of the spike. The bottom of the staff shattered, freeing Ruckus. Ruckus rolled again, and flung the remainder of the bone back at his attacker.
Spyke easily dodged the projectile, but it gave Ruckus enough time to get back to his feet and charge his opponent. In the condition that he was in, Ruckus couldn't control his breathing well enough to activate his power, and thus had been fighting physically for some time. Ignoring the pain it caused, Ruckus used his near-injured forearm to chop down at Spyke.
Spyke whirled back around and raised his arms to block the incoming blow. Nonetheless, Spyke was driven back a step. Ruckus too was forced back, but he instantly sprung forward again. Ruckus quickly drove his knee into Spyke's side. The follow-through carried Ruckus around his opponent, and once he got his footing, Ruckus again lashed out.
The blow caught Spyke off-guard and sent him spinning. But even as he spun, Spyke was regaining his senses. Instead of halting the spin as soon as he could, Spyke controlled the spin. As he did, armor plates sprouted along the back of his fist. Spyke planted his foot, and let his momentum carry his armored knuckles straight into Ruckus.
Ruckus took the blow in the jaw. Pain shot through him as he was knocked to the ground. With his senses reeling, he tried to get back up as quickly as he could, stumbling away from Spyke in the process. Once he finally regained his footing, he glared at Spyke, slowly backing away in a haphazard stance.
As Ruckus backed away, Spyke strode forward with slow, measured steps. "Not so cocky now, are ya, Ruckus?! Heck, form the looks of things, you can barely stand! And if you take a look around, you'll see the rest of your team ain't faring any better..."
Ruckus refused to take the bait, keeping his eyes locked on Spyke's. "Yeah," he managed to spit out. "Maybe, but neither's your side. I should know... I took out two of 'em... Or have you forgotten that?"
Spyke's face darkened. "Trust me, man, I haven't forgotten! And there's no way I'm letting you walk away from here without paying for that..."
Reflexively lowing his stance, Ruckus continued to back away. In the back of his mind, Ruckus noted that Spyke was probably right. Ruckus was in no condition to continue the fight. He had lost a lot of blood from the gash in his forehead, as well as through a multitude of other cuts. His arm had gone numb. And his breathing continued to be ragged. Ruckus was running out of options, and was getting desperate.
Meanwhile, Spyke continued his relentless advance, taunting all the way. "You're going down... And there's no way you ca--" Spyke abruptly broke off. For a moment, he got a faraway look in his eyes and his expression contorted in disbelief. "What?! No way! We've got them on the ropes! We can win this thing! We can--"
Ruckus saw the opening, and took it. While Spyke was distracted, Ruckus darted forward and delivered a sidekick to the gut of Spyke. Ruckus quickly followed up with a punch to the face. The tandem blows left Spyke doubled over. Using every ounce of strength he had, Ruckus grabbed Spyke by his costume, and threw him into a nearby wall.
However, Spyke quickly regained his footing and skid to a stop before crashing into the wall. Spyke stood up and glared at the exhausted Ruckus. The determined scowl on his face showed that whatever had distracted him earlier was over. Ruckus saw--almost in slow motion--two fistfuls of bones grow out of Spyke's hands, and knew that the fight was over.
Desperation breeds strength...
Even as the words flew unbidden through his mind, Ruckus felt himself inhale. Fighting through the pain, Ruckus' posture straightened, and he screamed. The sonic burst took Spyke off his feet and sent him flying into the wall he had just avoided. The wall gave way, and Spyke fell through it, landing with a strangled grunt.
Breathing hard, Ruckus wiped the blood from his eyes and glanced around the battlefield. There was little left to be seen, and the fight between 'Lith and Wolverine instantly caught his attention.
Delivering blow after blow, Wolverine was driving 'Lith across the battlefield. There was no strategy to his attack: just a steady stream of punches. Punches that seemed to reverberate across the field. And though he struggled valiantly, 'Lith was being staggered by each blow. As Ruckus watched, a haymaker punch sent 'Lith reeling backwards, and put some distance between the two combatants.
It also gave Ruckus a clear shot. Again fighting through the pain, Ruckus steadied himself and let out a concentrated pinpoint blast. The air between Ruckus and Wolverine rippled as the shockwave pulsed toward their target. Simultaneously, a red streak lanced through the darkness, intersecting the sonic blast and striking 'Lith in the chest. Both Wolverine and 'Lith were knocked aside by the tandem blasts.
With a scowl on his face, Ruckus turned toward the origin of the red blast. What he saw didn't surprise him.
"...Summers..."
"...Alec..."
-------------------
Rubbing the back of her head, Shadowcat slowly pushed herself back up to a crouch. "Oooohhh.... I am going to need so much aspirin after this night..." As her headache began fading away, Shadowcat tried to take a look around the field. Many of the field's sparse lights had been destroyed in the fight, leaving the battlefield dark and severely limiting visibility.
As Kitty fought off the last of her headache, the sound of shallow breathing floated through the air. It was followed by a voice.
"Give it up, Summers! You won't... You can't win! You just... Just don't have it in you!"
"Summers? Scott--Scott's here?! But--If he's..." Whispering to herself, Shadowcat frantically turned to face the voices. In the shadows, she could make out two silhouettes. On figure was on the ground. The other silhouette was standing beside the first, apparently glaring down. "Oh no..."
Scott's hollow voice floated through the air. "Say it again, Bas. You just might convince somebody..." Kitty had to shield her eyes from the sudden flash of red. When she looked back, the figure on the ground lay still.
"Scott?" Kitty tried to dash towards her teammate, but nearly stumbled as she tried to stand upright.
"Kitty..." Scott's voice regained some of its character as he rushed to Kitty's side. "Almost forgot about you... Wha--What are you doing here?"
With a lopsided grin on her face, Shadowcat managed to stand upright. "Trying to rescue you, ironically enough..." In the dim light, Kitty couldn't see much of her friend. Nonetheless, the fact that he was there, alive, reassured her. "So, like, are you alright?"
"Yeah, I'm..." Scott's voice wavered, almost imperceptibly. "...I'll live. How is..." Scott trailed off as the air began to brighten. "Look out!"
Scott abruptly shoved Shadowcat to the side. Reflexively, Shadowcat phased intangible to avoid landing on the ground. An instant later, the eerie glow of Vertigo's power enveloped Scott. The attack staggered Scott, but he managed to stay upright.
Still intangible, Shadowcat traced the blast to its source. Vertigo was perched on a nearby rise in the ground, practically pouring the blast onto Scott. Because of the light given off by her power, Vertigo's expression was plainly visible. From Kitty's perspective, she looked furious, and more than a little unhinged.
"Valcheck..." Grinding his teeth, Scott fought to keep his balance.
With a scowl on her face, Vertigo continued her assault. "So, Scotty came back... Dumb move on your part! You should have learned from your mistakes, Summers. We pounded you once, and we can do it again. And don't think you can stop me alone," growled Vertigo. "Your telepath couldn't handle me, your rogue couldn't handle me, and neither will you!" To emphasize her point, Vertigo let her power momentarily spike.
Kitty watched helplessly, as Scott seemed to buckle under the intensified assault. But after a moment, Scott steadied himself. In what looked to be an agonizingly slow process, Scott hardened his stance, and began to face his attacker.
In response, Vertigo poured more energy into her attack. "Oh no you don't! You're going to fall, Summers! Ruckus may buy into that crap about you being some kinda ultimate warrior, but I don't! Your just a regular mutant, no better than the rest of us! And you're... Going... To FALL!" Now all but screaming, Vertigo poured every ounce of strength she had into the attack.
Under the renewed assault, Scott did. As Vertigo's powers peaked, Scott cried out, and dropped down to his knees. As she watched, Kitty realized that Scott wasn't going to overcome this assault. A second later, she realized that she was doing absolutely nothing to stop it. In an instant, Kitty was back on her feet and charging.
"Hey Valcheck!" Yelled Kitty, in a voice she barely recognized as her own. "Why don't you shut up for a second and try actually fighting someone!" To emphasize her point, Shadowcat sprang into the air.
Vertigo's blast struck her mid-air, causing Kitty to land in a disoriented heap. "You actually thought that would work?" Spat out Vertigo as she blasted Shadowcat a second time. "'Yell at her then charge?' Even Rogue put up a better fight than--" Vertigo cut herself short and spun around. "--Oh shi--"
Kitty couldn't help but smile as she saw a red flash out of the corner of her eye. As her disorientation lifted, Kitty quickly sat up. She looked over at Scott, and saw him crouched on one knee, with his hand still clutching the controls of his visor. But even as Kitty watched, Scott's adrenaline gave out, and Scott began to waver.
"Scott!" Kitty instantly sprang forward to help steady her friend.
Leaning on Shadowcat's shoulder, it took Scott a minute to catch his breath. "Uhh... Thanks Kitty," Scott finally managed. "Guess Erin almost got me there..."
"Its alright, Scott," Kitty reassured. "You'll be fine in just a minute. I know you'll--"
Shadowcat was interrupted by a psionic broadcast from Salem Center. 'X-Men! Retreat! I repeat: Break off and retreat. Gather our team and get to the Blackbird as soon as you can. Get out of there! You must get out of Newark! Quickly!'
With a concerned expression on her face, Kitty looked up at her companion. "Scott, are you hearing--Is that the Professor?"
'Retreat immediately! Break off! Forget about Erin and the others, just gather our team and get out of Newark! Just... ...Out of..." Xavier's voice seemed to drift away, and soon disappeared all together.
Shadowcat paused for a moment longer, waiting for the professor's voice to come back. It didn't. "Scott, did you hear that?"
"I heard it..." As always, Scott's expression was unreadable, but a note of hopelessness had crept into his voice. "So we're retreating... We're giving up..."
Shadowcat looked up at Scott with stark disbelief on her face. "Giving up on what, Scott?! We came here to get you! You're here, you're alive, that's all that matters!"
Scott shook his head and steadied himself. As he looked down at Shadowcat, his voice regained its authority. "You're right... Okay, Kitty, get the others. Find every one on our team, and make sure they get back to the Blackbird. And when you get there, make sure the engines are hot."
As Scott began walking away, Kitty looked at him with a forlorn expression on her face. "Scott--Scott, wait! What are you--Where are you going?"
"To play rearguard." Scott didn't look back. "I'm going to watch our backs, and make sure the retreat doesn't turn into a rout. Now get moving..."
-------------------
"Now get moving!"
Kitty didn't know much about sounding authoritative. She had never been in a position where she had needed to give orders. Until just now, when Scott all but ordered her to oversee the retreat. For that, she needed to be authoritative. And the best way to do that, she quickly concluded, was to imitate Scott.
"...And it looks like its working," Kitty mumbled as she watched Rogue carry Jean off the filed. Wringing her hands together nervously, Kitty turned her attention back to the field. "Okay... They're safe. Now I need... Scott wanted the engines ready, so I need someone who knows the Blackbird. That'd be Kurt or Wolverine... And I saw Kurt over there, so..."
Kitty trailed off as she noticed something on her glove. "Blood. Probably mine. This is just great..."
Forcing that thought from her mind, Shadowcat dashed off to where she had seen Kurt earlier. She stopped quickly, and glanced back and forth between Nightcrawler and Storm. Nightcrawler looked hurt, but Storm...
Catching her breath, Kitty knelt down next to Kurt. "Come on, Kurt, wake up. I know your still here, so just--Just wake up..." Nightcrawler moved slightly, but other than that, he made no reaction. On the verge of becoming very concerned, Shadowcat lost control of her voice. "KURT!!!"
Abruptly, Nightcrawler's yellow eyes shot open. "Gah! Vat--Oww!" As he snapped back into consciousness, Kurt tried to sit up. It hurt.
Kitty steadied him. "I knew you were still there, you little elf. You okay?"
"No..."
Kitty bit her lip. "Well, neither are the rest of us... Look Kurt, we've found Scott. Now we're leaving." As she spoke, Shadowcat helped Nightcrawler to his feet. "Scott wants you back at the Blackbird. He wants, like, the engines hot or something. Can you teleport there?"
"Not in vone jump," replied Nightcrawler, rubbing his head. His mind was still reeling and the full meaning of Kitty's words weren't quite sinking in. "But I think I can make it. But... Vat about--"
Kitty didn't let him complete his sentence. "Good. Storm's hurt, so grab her and go."
Nightcrawler blinked, still trying to comprehend the situation. "But--"
"Jean and Rogue are already on their way. Now Go!" For further emphasis Kitty shot out her arm. "Scott's orders! Now move it!"
After sparing her one last befuddled glance, Nightcrawler bounded away. As he did, Kitty breathed a sigh of relief. Even when imitating Scott, she could only be authoritative for short periods of time. After that, she started sounding like her usual, ditzy self...
"I'll have to work on that," she muttered. "But not right now..." Shaking her head, Shadowcat dashed off once again.
-------------------
As the last of his bones reset themselves, Wolverine began coming around. The first thing he noticed, aside from a dull ache throughout his body, was a ringing in his ears. Grunting, he tried to sit up. As he did, his sense of smell kicked in and he noticed two people near him. He groggily identified them as Shadowcat and Spyke.
"...I sure hope he doesn't go berserk again..."
Wolverine grunted again and looked at the two kids crouching near him. "Don't worry kid... My head hurts too much to do that right now..." Still regaining his senses, Wolverine slowly got to his feet.
"Funny how that works..." Quipped Spyke. "Now hurry up Logan. We've got to get back to the Blackbird!"
"...Blackbird?"
"We got a call from Xavier," informed Kitty. "We're supposed to get out of here as soon as we can. Now come on!" With this last statement, Shadowcat started sprinting away with Spyke beside her.
Instinctively, Wolverine followed. In short order, he caught up with the duo. As he did, his nose picked up a new, oddly familiar scent. However, his brain dismissed the scent, as it was still working on figuring out just what was going on. "Wait--If we're leavin', that means..."
"Means we found Scott!" Confirmed Spyke, enthusiastically.
Wolverine breathed a sigh of relief. "Good. So he's already at the Blackbird?"
"No," Kitty automatically replied. "He's playing rearguard. Covering our--Heh!"
Wolverine had violently skid to a stop. At Kitty's comment, his mind had finally put two and two together, and he was now running in the opposite direction. "Keep going!" He yelled out. "I'll meet you at the 'Bird!" Without even looking back, Wolverine sprinted toward the battlefield.
"Scott, you idiot..." He growled. "You're taking the fall again..."
-------------------
Battered and bloodied, Scott stood tall, motionless on the battlefield. Holding his injured arm off to his side, he stared balefully at Ruckus. "You set me up, Alec..." Though quiet, his voice was dripping with rage. "You set up me, and you set up my friends. Why, Alec?! Was it just so you could start a fight? Just so you could prove something?!"
"No." In contrast to Scott, Ruckus was crouched over, heaving visibly. With sporadic movements, he began walking around Scott in a wide arc. The action gave him an almost feral air. "No, Scott. This was never a set-up. This... Was never meant to happen at all. All we were doing... All we wanted was to keep a low profile... And to wait. We weren't supposed to be noticed..."
"You have a funny definition of keeping a low profile, Alec," spat out Scott.
"It was what we wanted!" Growled Ruckus. "But when you showed up... You and your bloody 'Institute...' You blew all that! We had to react..."
"Don't give me that!" Yelled Scott, keeping his eyes on Ruckus. "Being noticed hardly justifies this kind of attack! SO WHAT DID?!"
Ruckus snorted in response. As he continued his maneuvering, he wiped some blood out of his eyes, and flicked it disdainfully in Scott's direction.
Scott's scowl deepened. "So it was me... I showed up, and Mr. Essex just couldn't resist... So he had you string me along, then spring the trap. You put together this whole thing, just because Essex thinks I'm some kind of 'ultimate warrior.' All this... Just for another soldier?"
"'Another soldier?!'" A sick, haggard laugh escaped Ruckus. "Just another soldier? Scott... The fact that you're still standing... After all that you've been through... Proves you're so much more than that..." As blood dripped back down his brow, Ruckus looked back up at Scott. "But Scotty... What you are now... Is nothing compared to what you can create. You are the key to the future! The blood that runs through your veins--
Scott snapped. "The blood in my veins? You mean the blood on my face! The blood on my hands! The blood I left on the pavement!" With his teeth clenched, Scott glared at Ruckus for another moment. "...If Essex thinks I'm so important... Then why's he want me dead?"
"'Cause ya went rogue, mate. You're to dangerous to let loose..."
Scott stayed silent for a moment, keeping his eyes focused on Ruckus. At length, he spoke again. "And your part in all of this... Why have you been you always been the one explaining things? What does Essex want with you?"
A pained smirk formed on Ruckus' face. "Same thing 'e wants with you, mate. I'm just the next best thing..."
"And I'll bet it was your job was to keep me from getting away..." Scott's face became grimmer than before. "I'd say you failed Ruckus. I took everything you threw at me, and I'm still standing here!"
Though he continued his circling, Ruckus visibly tensed up. "Not everything," he said quietly.
Scott ignored Ruckus' remark. "So if this was all about me, why the fight? Why'd you try to nail my friends?"
Ruckus replied in an ominous voice. "We didn't, mate. I already told you, they weren't part of the plan... Y'see, we didn't try to nail them... They tried to nail us!"
"You expect me to believe that..." Slowly, the malice had begun to fade from Scott's voice. It was being replaced by the cold, calculating tones of his combat voice. "Well Alec, I don't. But right now, I really don't care why it happened... You lost, Alec. That's all that matters... Now leave. Go back to Essex! And then you tell him that if he ever--"
"No can do, Summers," cut in Ruckus. "Not until this fight is over... Y'see, before it even started, I gave your friends a chance to walk away from this. But they chose to fight... They wanted this!" Ruckus halted his circling, and stood upright. "That was their only chance, Scott. It was your only chance... This fight ain't over, 'til only one of us can walk away..."
Scott stared hard at Ruckus. "You know it'll be me, Alec. You admitted it yourself. You're the 'next best' thing... If you really believe all this, you know you don't stand a chance..."
Ruckus chuckled, softly. "You're right... Nate says you're unbeatable... But tonight... Tonight I've been on fire!" A grin came over Ruckus' bloody face. "I think I may just prove Nate wrong..."
"You can try..." Scott's hand darted up to his visor's controls. "But I wouldn't bet on it!"
Before Ruckus could react, the optic blast struck him in the shoulder. The shot spun him around and knocked him off he feet. Ruckus landed on his knees, facing Scott. In retaliation, Ruckus raised his head and screamed.
The shockwave hit Scott and staggered him. His ears began ringing, and he was driven back a step. Nonetheless, the blast didn't have enough force to take him down. After several seconds, the scream faded, leaving Scott still standing.
Taking his hands away from his ears, Scott looked down at his opponent. Completely drained, Ruckus remained on his hands and knees, with his head bent down, and hair falling over his face. With a grim expression on his face, Scott reached up to the controls for his visor.
"What?" Scott tapped the firing mechanism again. There was a click from his visor, but nothing else. Grinding his teeth in frustration, he hit the button several times in succession. The result was the same. "No... Not here... Not now... Not after all this!" Scott clenched his fist in anger. "After everything its been through, my visor get jammed by a blasted SHOCKWAVE!"
Furious, and deprived of any ranged attack, Scott charged Ruckus. Still breathing heavily, Ruckus remained on all fours, watching Scott's approach. As Scott came into striking range, he took a half-leap toward Ruckus. He landed on his left foot, and through all his weight and momentum into a finishing kick.
The kick never landed. As soon as Scott's first foot hit the ground, Ruckus lunged forward. Ruckus drove his shoulder into Scott's chest, taking Scott off his feet. Assisted by Scott's momentum, Ruckus whirled around and slammed Scott into the ground. The force of the dual impacts knocked the wind out of Scott.
Ruckus, however, was just as winded, and unable to follow up on the attack. After slamming Scott to the ground, Ruckus bounced back a step and tried to catch his breath. However, he didn't bounce far enough back. After only a few seconds, Scott regained his wits and kicked out his feet. Ruckus was hit in calves, and dropped to his knees. Scott quickly followed up by rolling to a crouch and delivering an uppercut punch.
The punch knocked Ruckus backwards, but he quickly rolled to his feet. Once he regained his footing, he took a step back to get some space, then launched himself at Scott. Scott ducked, and Ruckus' flying roundhouse went over his head. Ruckus landed, and before Scott react, he reversed his spin and drove a the palm of his hand into Scott's forehead.
Pressing his advantage, Ruckus threw a punch at Scott's midsection. The blow connected, and Scott doubled over pain. Ruckus tried to follow up with a backhand chop, but Scott somehow saw the blow coming and raised his injured arm to block the chop. Nonetheless, the pain created by blocking the blow sent Scott back a step.
"I got ya reelin,'" whispered a haggard Ruckus. "...Just need ta get ya off your feet, and its over..."
With Scott still doubled over, Ruckus stepped forward and feinted a kick at Scott's ribs. Scott tried to move to block the kick, but before he could, Ruckus dropped to one knee and aimed his kick at the base of Scott's legs.
With his reflexes working faster than they had a right to, Scott jumped just high enough to clear Ruckus' foot. As Ruckus' foot swept underneath him, Scott swiveled in midair and threw his fist down in the kick's path. The back of Scott's knuckle rebounded painfully off of Ruckus' boot. However, the counterattack served it purpose, hurting Ruckus enough to prevent him from quickly regaining his footing.
Scott landed on his hands and knees, and immediately glanced up at Ruckus. As he suspected, his blow had stung Ruckus, and prevented him from regaining his footing. Pressing his advantage, Scott lashed out at his opponent. Ruckus took the blow in the face and was knocked backward. As Ruckus tried to backpedal away, Scott hopped to his feet and landed another blow.
The second punch sent Ruckus sprawling over, leaving him on his hands and knees. From there he quickly stood up, only to receive another fist to the face. The punch drove him back a step, but didn't knock him down. As he saw Scott moving in for another attack, Ruckus hunched over and braced himself. Scott's arm reared back, giving Ruckus the opening he was looking for.
Putting his whole weight into the thrust, Ruckus shot both of his arms straight into Scott's injured chest. Scott yelled out and immediately bent over, clutching his stomach. Completely staggered, Scott fell back several steps, his pain not receding in the least. Seeing his opportunity, Ruckus reared up, and prepared to deliver the finishing blow.
However, Ruckus over-choreographed the move, and Scott saw it coming. Fighting through the pain, Scott darted toward Ruckus. Before Ruckus could fully react, Scott shot up and wrapped his arms around Ruckus' head, with Scott's own head positioned right below Ruckus' jaw. Once his grip was secure, Scott dropped to his knees, pulling down Ruckus' head in the process. As the fall came to an abrupt stop, Ruckus' jaw cracked against the top of Scott's head.
Ruckus rebounded backwards, barely keeping himself upright. Scott too, quickly sprung back up to his feet. Still off balance, Ruckus staggered forward slightly, putting himself back in range. Seizing the moment, Scott stepped up and attacked. Futily, Ruckus attempted to block the move. But his mind was too dazed, and his senses too scattered for him to succeed. Before Ruckus could react, Scott had planted his foot, spun, and delivered a devastating roundhouse kick.
The kick landed on Ruckus' jaw. The blow destroyed what was left of Ruckus' balance, and sent him spinning across the ground. After only a second, his back slammed against a concrete column. Too hurt to move, Ruckus leaned there, breathing heavily through his open mouth, with his unfocused eyes staring into nothing.
Scott, however, had also been hurt by the move. In delivering the roundhouse, he had extended his entire body, in particular stretching the muscles in his torso. Only an instant after he delivered the kick, his already injured muscles spasmed violently, causing Scott to once more double over in pain. Scott wrapped his arms around his chest, and slowly tried to fight his way back to his feat.
At length, Scott succeeded in standing upright. Still clutching his chest, he stared defiantly at Ruckus. Somehow, Ruckus caught Scott's gaze, and his eyes regained their focus. Ruckus seemed to unbalance himself and lurched away from the column. Ruckus took a step forward and then fell into a haggard battle stance.
Grinding his teeth, Scott responded. His scowl deepened, and he pulled his good arm away from his chest. Forcing his way through the pain, Scott straitened his stance, and stared down at Ruckus.
For a moment, Ruckus held his position, staring defiantly at Scott. Then, his breathing began to slow. Simultaneously, his hands faltered, and fell to his side. With a strangled gasp, Ruckus fell to his knees. For a brief moment, he looked up at Scott, and despair flickered across his eyes. Dejectedly, Ruckus lowered his head, and collapsed down to his hands and knees. With his hair obscuring his face, he was the picture of defeat.
"Go back..." Ordered Scott, in a voice devoid of all emotion. "Go back to Essex. And tell him... Tell him that I'll be watching... And if he ever--EVER--messes with my team again... He... Will deal... With me... ...Personally!"
With that, Scott turned away, and staggered off into the darkness.
-------------------
Just outside the Hyde construction complex...
With the fight over, Scott's remaining strength quickly faded away. With his adrenaline no longer pumping, his head began throbbing again. The pain from his numerous injuries threatened to overwhelm him, and Scott quickly lost all sense of balance and direction.
Abruptly, he stumbled, and fell. But before he hit the ground, something--someone--broke his fall.
"Don't worry kid," reassured a gruff voice. "I got'cha."
With a dazed look on his face, Scott groggily identified the voice. "Wlvr... Wolverine?"
A smirk played across Wolverine's unmasked face. "Like I said, Scott, I got'cha."
Completely exhausted, Scott began to slump into Logan's arms. "Wh... What 'bout th'others?"
"In the Blackbird, kid. They're just waitin' on you." With that, Wolverine readjusted his grip and picked Scott off his feet.
"I don't nd hlp..." Protested Scott. "...I cn wlk..."
"Sure ya can, kid. Sure ya can..." Cradling Scott as best he could, Wolverine ran to the Blackbird.
-------------------
The Blackbird...
Straining her eyes, Rogue stood anxiously at the door of the blackbird. She wasn't sure how long she had been standing watch, but it had felt like hours. Kitty and Spyke had been the last ones in. When they had arrived, they had said something about Wolverine going back for--
"Stand clear!" Came the shout from the cockpit. "Vire in za hole!" Rogue had time only to step back and cover her ears before the Blackbirds engines came to life. They revved up several times before easing down to a standby position. "Voo-Yeah! Engines hot and locked in vertical launch position. Zis bird is ready to fly!" To emphasize his point, Nightcrawler revved the engines again.
Still covering her ears, Rogue grabbed a comm unit. "Keep it down, Kurt!" She yelled back. "We've still got two people out there. An' Scott's one of 'em! We can't leave 'till they--"
"Out of the way!"
Startled, Rogue dropped the comm unit and whirled toward the doorway. As her eyes readjusted to the darkness, she saw Wolverine sprinting toward the Blackbird. He was carrying something, and running faster than she had ever seen him run.
"Out of the way!" He repeated angrily. Rogue threw herself to the side as Wolverine bolted up the stairs and into the plane.
"Wolverine--" She called out. "--Is that--"
"Yeah!" Yelled Wolverine, still hustling to the back of the jet. "Why are we still on the ground?!"
Rouge instantly keyed in the code to close the hatch, then picked up the comm unit. "Kurt! They made it! We're all here! Take off, already!"
The renewed roaring of the engines instantly answered Rogue. "Okay, everyvone--SEATBELTS!"
The Blackbird lurched violently and began its vertical ascent. Before the jet was even a hundred feet off the ground, the rear jets kicked in. The Jet surged forward, throwing its passengers backwards. Rogue, who was still standing at the time, lost her balance and fell into a bulkhead. Groaning inaudibly, she clasped her head and took the nearest seat.
In another part of the plane, Kitty was putting the final bandage on Storm's arm. "'Kay, Storm, that looks like it..." Nervously, Shadowcat ran her fingers through her hair. "I think I'd better go check on Scott an' Logan, now..."
Storm, with Spyke sitting next to her, smiled. "Yes... Thank you, child..."
Kitty grinned weakly in response, then picked up the first aid kit and headed toward the back of the plane. "Okay, Logan," she began, "I know you probably don't need anything, but how's Scott? He's got to be pretty... Pretty..."
Slipping through Kitty's hands, the first aid kit crashed noisily to the floor.
Exhaling loudly, Logan looked at Kitty, then back at Scott. Scott had long since lost consciousness, and was laid out over a pair of seats. In the clear lighting of the Blackbird, the blood caked on his sweater and face were painfully obvious. Even unconsciously, he cradled his right arm over his chest. His breathing was ragged, and red puddles were already pooling at the base of the seats.
Wolverine exhaled again. "Just... Just give it here, Half-pint. ...And tell Xavier to get the infirmary ready once we land..."
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The X-Mansion...
Xavier sat limply in his wheelchair, his head weighed down by the Cerebro helmet. The static covering Newark had returned. Cerebro could no longer detect the mutant signatures, and worse still, could not even broadcast into Newark. Weary, and feeling more helpless than he had ever felt in his life, Xavier closed his eyes in resignation.
"Charles..." A soft voice came through the Cerebro console. Defeated, Xavier didn't even open his eyes to find the origin of the transmission. He knew all too well who was sending the signal. "Oh Clarr-lles... Can you hear me, Charles?"
The voice chuckled. "Oh, I'm sure you can hear me. You wouldn't give up your vigil this early. Why if I know you, you'll be sitting there in that wheelchair of yours... Eyes closed, lips pursed in frustration... Praying your students made it out in time. Am I right, Charles?"
Xavier slouched farther into his chair.
"Its been a long time hasn't it Charles," continued the voice. "Why, it couldn't have been any less than six years since we last crossed paths. Now what were we doing then..." Waxing nostalgic, the voice paused. "...Oh, yes, I remember. I was running that little orphanage down in Missouri. A cozy little place, that... Just outside of St. Louis, if I recall...
"Ah those were the days... I had everything I needed back then. Besides running the orphanage, I had my research. My research, which was just coming into fruition! And... And I had another project, one which I was prepared to devote the rest of my life to. A child, there in the orphanage. A young, bright eyed--though you'd never know it--lad who had found his way into my care. I had such hopes for him...
"You know who I'm talking about, Charles. Scott Summers. A mutant. An incredible mutant. The gateway to the phase of mutant evolution! I've tested the genetic material of that child, Charles. I never found its limits... In his lifetime, the young Summers will only achieve a fraction of what he is capable of... To truly utilize his power, I would have to wait for the next generation..."
A menacing undertone crept into the voice. "But that generation never came, did it Charles? Instead, you did. You came, and right under my nose, flitted Summers away to your own little school. I let my guard down for only a moment, and I lost the greatest prize I could imagine...
"It was my own fault, Charles. I fully understand that. I also understand, that I will never have another chance to get him back. He... And the rest of his companions... Are yours.
"But understand, Charles, that Scott was not my sole ambition. Like you, like Magnus, I have gathered my own flock. My own charges, whom shall carry my standard into the next generation! I have watched you and Magnus, Charles. I have watched your clashes over the allegiance of your students. I had no desire to a part of your petty squabbles. I wished to be alone with my charges... Unnoticed, and unmolested.
"And then... You came recruiting... You once again attempted to sway one of my charges to your side... And in a move of poetic irony, you chose to do so using Summers himself." The voiced paused a long moment before continuing. "So close... Charles, I will readily admit that in a moment of weakness, I believed I might still have a chance to gain Scott's allegiance. I was wrong... And both of our charges have paid the price for my impetuousness...
"Fortunately, my readings tell me that all of our charges shall live to fight another day. I'm sure you are as relieved by that news as I am.
"But Charles--You tried to take what is mine! I allowed that once. I will not allow it to happen again! You now know where I am, Charles, and what I am doing. You get but one warning: Stay out of my business. If you--or any of your charges--attempt to interfere with me, I will deal with them. And if I do that, Charles, I will deal with them personally!"
With the threat hanging in the air, the voice faded out, leaving Xavier once again alone in his mansion...
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