I"I hold a great deal of pity for anyone who sets foot in that school
looking for trouble." /I- Professor Charles Xavier
"Aaaah! That's not fair! You threw in a cheat code or something! I had you nailed!" Jubilee continued screeching and accusing Peter. That girl just can't take a loss, he thought. Kitty and Theresa watched, both dozing off in the late hour, while John, Bobby, and Rogue ate the pizza that Logan had nicely ordered for them. Another match started, and Jubilee was nearly hysterical.
"Ha! Take that! Megaton Kick! Hey! What happened to the power?"
"Ok everyone, it's getting late."
Everyone looked up. Logan was standing in the entranceway, with Jake to his side. "Thanks Jake for turning off the game console."
"No problem." Jake smiled, gave a wink, which flickered the electricity, and headed off to his room.
"No!" Jubilee cried. "That's not fair! I was beating him! Can't I get one more hour?"
"You've been yelling for the past three! Some of us want to sleep tonight." Jubilee threw her controller down in frustration.
"You win this time," she shrilled at Peter. Peter yawned. She didn't stand a chance.
"So, with the mutant assassin still on the loose, authorities have continued their manhunt, hoping to put an end to the terrorist's plans. Meanwhile, many suspected mutants have been apprehended."
The TV had been set to the news channel. The room became quite. The outside world was starting to become hostile. Peter watched as various mutants were shown getting handcuffed and taken away. It made him wonder if the same would have happened to him at his home.
"Turn it off." John said angrily. He headed out of the room, mumbling to himself. "They come after us, one after the other, and all we do is watch. Xavier needs a backbone to get him off that wheelchair." Logan was about to say something, but John headed away too quickly.
"I'll talk to him later. Come guys, let's catch some Zs."
Peter got up, and felt Theresa tugging at his arm, whispering.
"Peter, do you think my dad might get arrested? He's a mutant too." Peter put his arm on her shoulder.
"Don't worry. Your father hasn't hurt anyone. He'll be fine."
"Do you think they'll come for any of us?"
"What's with the questions? We're in a school, Theresa. They don't want us, they want some crazy mutant."
"Theresa?" Logan interjected. "You better sleep kid. The last thing I need is for you guys to have nightmares about bogymen." She hurried off. Peter went off to bed. He watched as all the other students headed into their dorms. They were fine, he thought. Within seconds, he'd settled in, and had fallen almost instantly asleep from the long day.
################################################################
None of the students were aware of what was happening to their teachers as they all went to bed. Neither did Logan. As their Principal, Charles Xavier, and another teacher, Scott Summers, were being captured, Jean Grey and Ororo Monroe had succeeded in finding the assassin who was a pawn in a plot that would put all mutants in danger of annihilation. The school was located outside New York City, which had a growing number of people starting to act in hostility toward mutants after the recent attempt on the President's life. Anyone running away wouldn't get far before a mob overcame them. It was the perfect plan. General Stryker, the man behind the planning, thought the school would be empty of anyone who could stand against his army. Little did he know that attacking a mutant school was not like attacking an enemy outpost. Despite the outcome of the upcoming events, Stryker should have been more wary of Xavier's warning to Magneto. And Peter Rasputin, who had run away from the prosecution he had faced at home, was about to steam into it head on.
##############################################################
It was earth shattering! The horrible, screeching noise that filled the bowls of the room and the inner-depths of the mind. It vibrated against the membrane of the brain, and shot pain so intense that one was both paralyzed and shaking from the shock. Peter couldn't do anything but lay there as the noise continued without mercy! He could see the tractor heading toward his sister, and then himself jumping in front of it to stop it. But his sister continued to scream. He managed to get both his hands to his ears, but even that wasn't enough to stop the never-ending ring of Theresa's yell.
Theresa?
Peter realized that he had been dreaming, but the yell was not a part of it. Why was she yelling? Peter received his answer when he heard gunshots coming from downstairs, and a yelling Logan. It wasn't till the scream abruptly stopped that Peter was able to process this information. He lay there for a few seconds, too stunned to really think. The leftover echo of Theresa's mutant yell gave way to more sounds. A struggle was occurring downstairs, and Peter breathed a sigh of relief. It meant that Logan hadn't been killed yet. Then, more screaming, but from upstairs. Running footsteps battered along the ceiling, and a sudden thump made Peter realize someone had just gotten hit. Glancing outside, lights from helicopters could be seen pointing at the school. Peter jumped out of bed, his heart racing along so furiously that he was sure it would jump from his chest before whoever was in the mansion tore it out of him.
He didn't know who they were, but whoever it was, they were attacking the school. Peter suddenly felt something swell in him. Could it have been anger? Was this the anger he had seen from John? That utmost hate that clouds the mind? But Peter had reason! Attacking a school? Filled with innocent children? The screams reminded him of his own sister at home. All the kids were someone's son, daughter, sister, or brother. He knew he had to protect them, as he'd protected his own.
As Peter crossed the hall, his skin started to change, becoming shinny and silvery steel that was smooth and nearly impenetrable. He felt his inner organs become hard, and even his eyes became white. He crossed the hall into the next dorm where he knew Theresa had been yelling. He feared the worst since her sonic yell had been interrupted. Opening the door, men in masks and dark clothing met him, pointing their machine guns straight at the towering, metal beast that Peter had become, and fired.
Clang-clang-clang-clang-clang-clang-clang-clang-clang!
Not a single bullet even scratched.
He took a running charge at the two men, and pushed them away from the girl with all his strength. A mighty explosion ensued as both men blew out of the wall into the hallway. He turned around to see Theresa laying on her bed unconscious. Three little spikes were sticking out from her throat, which had been what caused her to lose consciousness. Heading out through the hole with Theresa in his arms, Peter stepped over the fallen soldiers' bodies to find a large group of students huddled at the hall's end. Helicopter lights streamed in, and all the students froze in fear at being spotted. Thinking quickly, Peter recalled a secret exist which Xavier had taught the students to use in case of an emergency.
"This way!" he called to them.
All of them followed. Amid the chaos of helicopters and running feet, Peter grew worried. Where was Jubilee? And John? And Bobby and Rogue? He couldn't stop to look for them. He had to get the kids out before the mansion became fully invaded. And where was Kitty?
Peter received his answer when he almost dropped Theresa from his arms. Kitty came running suddenly out of a wall, and startled him as she ran through him.
"Kitty!"
"Peter! They're all over the school! I saw Logan fighting them off, but I think they already took Jubilee!"
Despair fell on Peter. Why us? Why our school? We're not assassins, we're not terrorists! Why can't they just leave us alone!
"Come on, we're almost at the entrance way!"
More students ran into them as they continued down the stairs. Peter could only hope those he did not see had found safety. Coming upon the entranceway, he gave Theresa for someone to hold as he started to slam into the door. He let his anger unleash, refusing to let the door not open. When it did, it revealed a long dark passage outside.
"Go go go!" The students crowded in, hurrying along down the corridor.
Then, at that moment, he looked up to see Logan, his clothing battered from all the fighting, but he saw traces of his skin already healing from his injuries during the fight to hold the soldiers off. He was running with Jake in his arms, who had also gotten hit by one of the tranquilizer darts. Peter could only imagine how many soldiers he'd taken on.
"Here, take him!"
"I can help you!"
"Help them!"
Peter hesitated for only a second before he flew in through the door and let it shut behind him. He felt a little betrayed by Logan, sending him away like an inexperienced teenager. But he was right. The kids needed someone with better control over their mutant powers to guide them. Peter ran down the dark corridor, heading toward the dim light in the distance, all the other students running and gasping around him, wanting to get out to safety.
#############################################################
The woods were dark, and it was hard to see without a moon. Peter was constantly tripping over logs and rocks that were in his path. He decided to turn his bare feet into steel after he felt the ground was going to mesh his toes into nothing. No one looked back at the mansion, where the echo of helicopters and yelling, as well as explosions could be heard. The mass of students followed him, and he led the way, not knowing himself where to go. He noticed Kitty ahead, phasing herself through trees and brush.
"Kitty! Don't get so far away! Stay back here!" She came back, but with a look of panic.
"Peter, there's some soldiers up ahead!"
Peter stopped. They wanted to capture all of them! It wasn't enough that now Logan could be dead, and Jubilee was caught. They were coming after each mutant until there would be none left! He put down Jake, who was starting to regain consciousness.
"Sam!" he whispered in the dark. A young Hispanic boy with red eyes of about ten approached him. "I need you to use your telepathy to talk to everyone. I can't yell at them or the soldiers will hear them. Just repeat to them what I'm saying." The boy nodded. "Tell them to stay completely quiet. I'm going up ahead to get rid of the guards. Should anything happen, they are to keep going through the woods until they reach the shelter that's in the hillside next to the Highway. Tell them to wait there until someone gets them. Got that?" Once again, Sam nodded. Peter looked up to see all the other kids listen and react. Theresa, now fully awake, ran up to him.
"Don't leave us here, Peter! Please? Who's going to watch us?"
"Don't worry, I'll be alright." He turned his arm into steel to assure her. Then, he finished the transformation and started walking ahead.
He felt more assured of himself as he headed forward. If they had guns, they would merely ricochet off him. However, he wanted to make sure he knew where they all were. He got near enough so that he could see all of them with their flashlights in hand, pointing them into the woods should any mutant suddenly jump out of them.
So ruthless, he thought. I'll show them.
Peter counted about five guards, all handling machine guns. He closed his eyes briefly. Then, he ran down into the clearing, at full throttle. The first guard saw him emerge as his flashlight lit up his steel. He gave out a shout to the other guards, but Peter immediately knocked him in the jaw with his arm. He heard a screeching sound and saw sparks fly from his stomach. Apparently, the guard had tried to knife him, but ended up bending the blade.
Two other guards came running, and started firing. Peter just barreled toward them, a freight train without a conductor, and slammed them down, guns firing everywhere. Where were the other two?
A very loud click came from Peter's right. Before he could do anything, he saw one guard in the distance pointing a bazooka straight at him. Peter braced himself! He'd never been faced with this type of power! He put his arms over his head and almost fainted from the brief second that would end with him either alive or dead.
"Aaaah! That's not fair! You threw in a cheat code or something! I had you nailed!" Jubilee continued screeching and accusing Peter. That girl just can't take a loss, he thought. Kitty and Theresa watched, both dozing off in the late hour, while John, Bobby, and Rogue ate the pizza that Logan had nicely ordered for them. Another match started, and Jubilee was nearly hysterical.
"Ha! Take that! Megaton Kick! Hey! What happened to the power?"
"Ok everyone, it's getting late."
Everyone looked up. Logan was standing in the entranceway, with Jake to his side. "Thanks Jake for turning off the game console."
"No problem." Jake smiled, gave a wink, which flickered the electricity, and headed off to his room.
"No!" Jubilee cried. "That's not fair! I was beating him! Can't I get one more hour?"
"You've been yelling for the past three! Some of us want to sleep tonight." Jubilee threw her controller down in frustration.
"You win this time," she shrilled at Peter. Peter yawned. She didn't stand a chance.
"So, with the mutant assassin still on the loose, authorities have continued their manhunt, hoping to put an end to the terrorist's plans. Meanwhile, many suspected mutants have been apprehended."
The TV had been set to the news channel. The room became quite. The outside world was starting to become hostile. Peter watched as various mutants were shown getting handcuffed and taken away. It made him wonder if the same would have happened to him at his home.
"Turn it off." John said angrily. He headed out of the room, mumbling to himself. "They come after us, one after the other, and all we do is watch. Xavier needs a backbone to get him off that wheelchair." Logan was about to say something, but John headed away too quickly.
"I'll talk to him later. Come guys, let's catch some Zs."
Peter got up, and felt Theresa tugging at his arm, whispering.
"Peter, do you think my dad might get arrested? He's a mutant too." Peter put his arm on her shoulder.
"Don't worry. Your father hasn't hurt anyone. He'll be fine."
"Do you think they'll come for any of us?"
"What's with the questions? We're in a school, Theresa. They don't want us, they want some crazy mutant."
"Theresa?" Logan interjected. "You better sleep kid. The last thing I need is for you guys to have nightmares about bogymen." She hurried off. Peter went off to bed. He watched as all the other students headed into their dorms. They were fine, he thought. Within seconds, he'd settled in, and had fallen almost instantly asleep from the long day.
################################################################
None of the students were aware of what was happening to their teachers as they all went to bed. Neither did Logan. As their Principal, Charles Xavier, and another teacher, Scott Summers, were being captured, Jean Grey and Ororo Monroe had succeeded in finding the assassin who was a pawn in a plot that would put all mutants in danger of annihilation. The school was located outside New York City, which had a growing number of people starting to act in hostility toward mutants after the recent attempt on the President's life. Anyone running away wouldn't get far before a mob overcame them. It was the perfect plan. General Stryker, the man behind the planning, thought the school would be empty of anyone who could stand against his army. Little did he know that attacking a mutant school was not like attacking an enemy outpost. Despite the outcome of the upcoming events, Stryker should have been more wary of Xavier's warning to Magneto. And Peter Rasputin, who had run away from the prosecution he had faced at home, was about to steam into it head on.
##############################################################
It was earth shattering! The horrible, screeching noise that filled the bowls of the room and the inner-depths of the mind. It vibrated against the membrane of the brain, and shot pain so intense that one was both paralyzed and shaking from the shock. Peter couldn't do anything but lay there as the noise continued without mercy! He could see the tractor heading toward his sister, and then himself jumping in front of it to stop it. But his sister continued to scream. He managed to get both his hands to his ears, but even that wasn't enough to stop the never-ending ring of Theresa's yell.
Theresa?
Peter realized that he had been dreaming, but the yell was not a part of it. Why was she yelling? Peter received his answer when he heard gunshots coming from downstairs, and a yelling Logan. It wasn't till the scream abruptly stopped that Peter was able to process this information. He lay there for a few seconds, too stunned to really think. The leftover echo of Theresa's mutant yell gave way to more sounds. A struggle was occurring downstairs, and Peter breathed a sigh of relief. It meant that Logan hadn't been killed yet. Then, more screaming, but from upstairs. Running footsteps battered along the ceiling, and a sudden thump made Peter realize someone had just gotten hit. Glancing outside, lights from helicopters could be seen pointing at the school. Peter jumped out of bed, his heart racing along so furiously that he was sure it would jump from his chest before whoever was in the mansion tore it out of him.
He didn't know who they were, but whoever it was, they were attacking the school. Peter suddenly felt something swell in him. Could it have been anger? Was this the anger he had seen from John? That utmost hate that clouds the mind? But Peter had reason! Attacking a school? Filled with innocent children? The screams reminded him of his own sister at home. All the kids were someone's son, daughter, sister, or brother. He knew he had to protect them, as he'd protected his own.
As Peter crossed the hall, his skin started to change, becoming shinny and silvery steel that was smooth and nearly impenetrable. He felt his inner organs become hard, and even his eyes became white. He crossed the hall into the next dorm where he knew Theresa had been yelling. He feared the worst since her sonic yell had been interrupted. Opening the door, men in masks and dark clothing met him, pointing their machine guns straight at the towering, metal beast that Peter had become, and fired.
Clang-clang-clang-clang-clang-clang-clang-clang-clang!
Not a single bullet even scratched.
He took a running charge at the two men, and pushed them away from the girl with all his strength. A mighty explosion ensued as both men blew out of the wall into the hallway. He turned around to see Theresa laying on her bed unconscious. Three little spikes were sticking out from her throat, which had been what caused her to lose consciousness. Heading out through the hole with Theresa in his arms, Peter stepped over the fallen soldiers' bodies to find a large group of students huddled at the hall's end. Helicopter lights streamed in, and all the students froze in fear at being spotted. Thinking quickly, Peter recalled a secret exist which Xavier had taught the students to use in case of an emergency.
"This way!" he called to them.
All of them followed. Amid the chaos of helicopters and running feet, Peter grew worried. Where was Jubilee? And John? And Bobby and Rogue? He couldn't stop to look for them. He had to get the kids out before the mansion became fully invaded. And where was Kitty?
Peter received his answer when he almost dropped Theresa from his arms. Kitty came running suddenly out of a wall, and startled him as she ran through him.
"Kitty!"
"Peter! They're all over the school! I saw Logan fighting them off, but I think they already took Jubilee!"
Despair fell on Peter. Why us? Why our school? We're not assassins, we're not terrorists! Why can't they just leave us alone!
"Come on, we're almost at the entrance way!"
More students ran into them as they continued down the stairs. Peter could only hope those he did not see had found safety. Coming upon the entranceway, he gave Theresa for someone to hold as he started to slam into the door. He let his anger unleash, refusing to let the door not open. When it did, it revealed a long dark passage outside.
"Go go go!" The students crowded in, hurrying along down the corridor.
Then, at that moment, he looked up to see Logan, his clothing battered from all the fighting, but he saw traces of his skin already healing from his injuries during the fight to hold the soldiers off. He was running with Jake in his arms, who had also gotten hit by one of the tranquilizer darts. Peter could only imagine how many soldiers he'd taken on.
"Here, take him!"
"I can help you!"
"Help them!"
Peter hesitated for only a second before he flew in through the door and let it shut behind him. He felt a little betrayed by Logan, sending him away like an inexperienced teenager. But he was right. The kids needed someone with better control over their mutant powers to guide them. Peter ran down the dark corridor, heading toward the dim light in the distance, all the other students running and gasping around him, wanting to get out to safety.
#############################################################
The woods were dark, and it was hard to see without a moon. Peter was constantly tripping over logs and rocks that were in his path. He decided to turn his bare feet into steel after he felt the ground was going to mesh his toes into nothing. No one looked back at the mansion, where the echo of helicopters and yelling, as well as explosions could be heard. The mass of students followed him, and he led the way, not knowing himself where to go. He noticed Kitty ahead, phasing herself through trees and brush.
"Kitty! Don't get so far away! Stay back here!" She came back, but with a look of panic.
"Peter, there's some soldiers up ahead!"
Peter stopped. They wanted to capture all of them! It wasn't enough that now Logan could be dead, and Jubilee was caught. They were coming after each mutant until there would be none left! He put down Jake, who was starting to regain consciousness.
"Sam!" he whispered in the dark. A young Hispanic boy with red eyes of about ten approached him. "I need you to use your telepathy to talk to everyone. I can't yell at them or the soldiers will hear them. Just repeat to them what I'm saying." The boy nodded. "Tell them to stay completely quiet. I'm going up ahead to get rid of the guards. Should anything happen, they are to keep going through the woods until they reach the shelter that's in the hillside next to the Highway. Tell them to wait there until someone gets them. Got that?" Once again, Sam nodded. Peter looked up to see all the other kids listen and react. Theresa, now fully awake, ran up to him.
"Don't leave us here, Peter! Please? Who's going to watch us?"
"Don't worry, I'll be alright." He turned his arm into steel to assure her. Then, he finished the transformation and started walking ahead.
He felt more assured of himself as he headed forward. If they had guns, they would merely ricochet off him. However, he wanted to make sure he knew where they all were. He got near enough so that he could see all of them with their flashlights in hand, pointing them into the woods should any mutant suddenly jump out of them.
So ruthless, he thought. I'll show them.
Peter counted about five guards, all handling machine guns. He closed his eyes briefly. Then, he ran down into the clearing, at full throttle. The first guard saw him emerge as his flashlight lit up his steel. He gave out a shout to the other guards, but Peter immediately knocked him in the jaw with his arm. He heard a screeching sound and saw sparks fly from his stomach. Apparently, the guard had tried to knife him, but ended up bending the blade.
Two other guards came running, and started firing. Peter just barreled toward them, a freight train without a conductor, and slammed them down, guns firing everywhere. Where were the other two?
A very loud click came from Peter's right. Before he could do anything, he saw one guard in the distance pointing a bazooka straight at him. Peter braced himself! He'd never been faced with this type of power! He put his arms over his head and almost fainted from the brief second that would end with him either alive or dead.