The children stood watching from the edge of the clearing, many of them
disobeying Peter's order to stay far away. Kitty and Theresa stood among
them, hoping that Peter would be ok. All of them gasped when they saw the
guard head toward his humvee truck and take out the long weapon they'd seen
only in war movies, but never expected it to be used on one of their
friends. The force of the explosion was phenomenal. Everyone was knocked
back from the sheer heat of the flames, and all of them gave out a yell
toward their hit comrade.
"Peter!" Theresa yelled.
Silence followed as the explosion died down. The smoke cleared and everyone expected to see a shattered Peter Rasputin, if he even had pieces left. At first, no one could see him. But a figure suddenly stood up from the high grass, heavily covered with soot, but unharmed. A cheer arouse from the students as Peter headed toward the two soldiers without hesitation. The soldier that had shot him threw down his bazooka and ran into the humvee where the other soldier had been. They turned on the engine, and steered their humvee away into the woods. Peter ran toward the vehicle and threw himself in its path. The humvee crashed into him, disintegrating the engine; with one of the guards crashing threw its front window after forgetting to put on his seatbelt.
Peter got up. He looked up toward where the kids stood, and waved to them that it was safe. They all started running across the clearing at once, hurrying to meet their hero. But Peter knew that they had to keep moving. Looking back, it seemed the helicopters were starting to rise and leave the mansion that was now far in the distance. It wouldn't be night for much longer. They needed to reach the shelter soon.
##############################################################
"Peter."
Peter's eyes shot open, and he stood up quickly. It was Kitty.
"What is it Kitty? Soldiers?"
"No. Someone's knocking on the door."
Blinking in confusion, Peter got off the bunk bed, with various students already awake from the knocking that was coming from the shelter's front door.
The trek to the shelter had been uneventful after the guards. They found it just where Professor Xavier had told him. Luckily, the highway was far enough away that motorists didn't see a whole barrage of kids run away from a school field trip piling into the exteriors of a hillside. The shelter had been surprisingly large, providing beds for all the students in the school, and bathrooms that were ready for use. Peter and the other students had been exhausted, and told them that they'd figure out what to do in the morning, after they had some rest.
Peter noticed that it was late morning outside, from the shelter's carefully hidden slits that served as windows. He went to the front door, and looked threw the peephole. A woman stood there, very tall, looking about forty, with blue eyes and short hair.
"What do you want?"
"Peter Rasputin? Is that you?"
"What do you want?" Peter repeated.
"My name is Dr. Moira Mactaggert. I've been sent by Storm to pick you guys up and house you at a residence in New York until the current crisis has died down."
"Moira!" Theresa suddenly cried joyfully.
"You know her?" Peter asked.
"Of course! She's friends with my dad!"
Peter thought for a moment. Storm was Professor Monroe's codename as an X-Men.
"I'll let you in. But just be aware, I've got kids here who can tear your eardrums off or hurl large objects at you." Peter opened the door. Theresa ran toward Moira and gave her a hug. All the other students started to gather around.
"I know that Peter. I assure you, it won't be necessary."
####################################################################
The large bus was comfortable, being a luxury travel bus that apparently Moira had at her disposal. The bus driver hummed softly, as most of the students were quiet and still sleepy from their sudden attack.
"Storm had called me from the X-Jet, you know, the one that usually comes out of your basketball court? She had been informed of the attack by Logan."
Peter jumped up straight in his seat. "Logan? So he's alive?"
"Yes. From what I've heard of him, he's quite hard to kill."
"Well, now I'm more convinced than ever. What else did she tell you?"
"I know your friends Bobby, Rogue, and John are ok. They escaped with Logan. However..." Moira looked behind her to make sure none of the kids were listening. "...They don't know where Xavier is, or Cyclops. We were able to track down more students who managed to use their powers to leave the mansion on their own. But we couldn't find your friend Jubilee among them. The X-Men believe her and five other students have been taken."
Peter looked down. He was becoming distressed. Xavier and Professor Summers couldn't be found, and Jubilee was already captured.
"Dr. Mactaggert, what's happening? Why did they attack us?"
"I think it should be obvious. I've been a colleague of Xavier's for years. I knew the assassination attempt would bring his school under suspicion. The media is already calling it a terrorist training facility."
"A training facility?! Are they crazy?! All we do is read there, and listen to lectures from the teachers!"
"They're frightened Peter. Xavier has told you many times, humans fear what they do not understand."
"They attacked us, Dr. Mactaggert, and we didn't even do anything to them! Some stupid mutant tries to kill the President, and suddenly all of us are guilty without trial or jury, and they expect us to just sit there and take it!" Dr. Mactaggert looked up to the back. Various students had heard Peter's outburst and were starting to become upset. Peter quieted.
"Peter, listen. I'm meeting with Sean to bring him Theresa, his daughter. Come with me. It'll do you good to be away from the kids for a while. Also, we have to call all the kid's parents to let them know they're ok. But please, understand, we're going to be staying in the city. With the protests going on, I can't have the children exposed. You must remain calm."
Peter looked out the window. He reluctantly nodded. "So, you know the Professor, huh?"
"For years. We're both researchers into genetics, which is a passion we share. I was engaged to him once, to be perfectly honest." Peter gave her a surprised look. "Oh, but it was a long time ago, when we were both very young. I'm widowed now. I didn't like the man I had been with. It was a forced marriage that I was glad to have end."
"What's your power?"
"Excuse me?"
"Your power. You know, your mutant genetic ability?"
Dr. Mactaggert turned away, smiling. Looking back, she said, "I'm not a mutant. I'm an ordinary human." This stunned Peter, leaving him without words. "Not all humans shun mutants Peter. We're not all insane protesters without day jobs."
Suddenly, Dr. Mactaggert picked up her ringing cell phone.
"Hello... Sean! What's going on...? What...? WHAT...?! How do you know...? The news? Yes, we're on our way there, we should be there in ten minutes. Ok, bye." Moira put the phone away, and put her hand to her chin, her face filled with concern.
"What? What is it?" Peter asked.
"Magneto. He escaped from his prison. Someone injected iron into one of the guards. He died during the escape, along with two other guards. But something worse came up. Reports came in that a jet was shot down during an aerial battle with a weather-controlling mutant. Sean believes it to be the X-Jet."
Peter's eyes widened in shock. Dr. Mactaggert put her hand on his shoulder.
"Don't worry Peter. There are some powerful mutants on that Jet. If anyone can survive a crash landing, they can."
Peter looked away. He closed his eyes, and turned away from the window. If they passed through the city, he didn't want to see the protesters. The temptation would be too great.
"Peter!" Theresa yelled.
Silence followed as the explosion died down. The smoke cleared and everyone expected to see a shattered Peter Rasputin, if he even had pieces left. At first, no one could see him. But a figure suddenly stood up from the high grass, heavily covered with soot, but unharmed. A cheer arouse from the students as Peter headed toward the two soldiers without hesitation. The soldier that had shot him threw down his bazooka and ran into the humvee where the other soldier had been. They turned on the engine, and steered their humvee away into the woods. Peter ran toward the vehicle and threw himself in its path. The humvee crashed into him, disintegrating the engine; with one of the guards crashing threw its front window after forgetting to put on his seatbelt.
Peter got up. He looked up toward where the kids stood, and waved to them that it was safe. They all started running across the clearing at once, hurrying to meet their hero. But Peter knew that they had to keep moving. Looking back, it seemed the helicopters were starting to rise and leave the mansion that was now far in the distance. It wouldn't be night for much longer. They needed to reach the shelter soon.
##############################################################
"Peter."
Peter's eyes shot open, and he stood up quickly. It was Kitty.
"What is it Kitty? Soldiers?"
"No. Someone's knocking on the door."
Blinking in confusion, Peter got off the bunk bed, with various students already awake from the knocking that was coming from the shelter's front door.
The trek to the shelter had been uneventful after the guards. They found it just where Professor Xavier had told him. Luckily, the highway was far enough away that motorists didn't see a whole barrage of kids run away from a school field trip piling into the exteriors of a hillside. The shelter had been surprisingly large, providing beds for all the students in the school, and bathrooms that were ready for use. Peter and the other students had been exhausted, and told them that they'd figure out what to do in the morning, after they had some rest.
Peter noticed that it was late morning outside, from the shelter's carefully hidden slits that served as windows. He went to the front door, and looked threw the peephole. A woman stood there, very tall, looking about forty, with blue eyes and short hair.
"What do you want?"
"Peter Rasputin? Is that you?"
"What do you want?" Peter repeated.
"My name is Dr. Moira Mactaggert. I've been sent by Storm to pick you guys up and house you at a residence in New York until the current crisis has died down."
"Moira!" Theresa suddenly cried joyfully.
"You know her?" Peter asked.
"Of course! She's friends with my dad!"
Peter thought for a moment. Storm was Professor Monroe's codename as an X-Men.
"I'll let you in. But just be aware, I've got kids here who can tear your eardrums off or hurl large objects at you." Peter opened the door. Theresa ran toward Moira and gave her a hug. All the other students started to gather around.
"I know that Peter. I assure you, it won't be necessary."
####################################################################
The large bus was comfortable, being a luxury travel bus that apparently Moira had at her disposal. The bus driver hummed softly, as most of the students were quiet and still sleepy from their sudden attack.
"Storm had called me from the X-Jet, you know, the one that usually comes out of your basketball court? She had been informed of the attack by Logan."
Peter jumped up straight in his seat. "Logan? So he's alive?"
"Yes. From what I've heard of him, he's quite hard to kill."
"Well, now I'm more convinced than ever. What else did she tell you?"
"I know your friends Bobby, Rogue, and John are ok. They escaped with Logan. However..." Moira looked behind her to make sure none of the kids were listening. "...They don't know where Xavier is, or Cyclops. We were able to track down more students who managed to use their powers to leave the mansion on their own. But we couldn't find your friend Jubilee among them. The X-Men believe her and five other students have been taken."
Peter looked down. He was becoming distressed. Xavier and Professor Summers couldn't be found, and Jubilee was already captured.
"Dr. Mactaggert, what's happening? Why did they attack us?"
"I think it should be obvious. I've been a colleague of Xavier's for years. I knew the assassination attempt would bring his school under suspicion. The media is already calling it a terrorist training facility."
"A training facility?! Are they crazy?! All we do is read there, and listen to lectures from the teachers!"
"They're frightened Peter. Xavier has told you many times, humans fear what they do not understand."
"They attacked us, Dr. Mactaggert, and we didn't even do anything to them! Some stupid mutant tries to kill the President, and suddenly all of us are guilty without trial or jury, and they expect us to just sit there and take it!" Dr. Mactaggert looked up to the back. Various students had heard Peter's outburst and were starting to become upset. Peter quieted.
"Peter, listen. I'm meeting with Sean to bring him Theresa, his daughter. Come with me. It'll do you good to be away from the kids for a while. Also, we have to call all the kid's parents to let them know they're ok. But please, understand, we're going to be staying in the city. With the protests going on, I can't have the children exposed. You must remain calm."
Peter looked out the window. He reluctantly nodded. "So, you know the Professor, huh?"
"For years. We're both researchers into genetics, which is a passion we share. I was engaged to him once, to be perfectly honest." Peter gave her a surprised look. "Oh, but it was a long time ago, when we were both very young. I'm widowed now. I didn't like the man I had been with. It was a forced marriage that I was glad to have end."
"What's your power?"
"Excuse me?"
"Your power. You know, your mutant genetic ability?"
Dr. Mactaggert turned away, smiling. Looking back, she said, "I'm not a mutant. I'm an ordinary human." This stunned Peter, leaving him without words. "Not all humans shun mutants Peter. We're not all insane protesters without day jobs."
Suddenly, Dr. Mactaggert picked up her ringing cell phone.
"Hello... Sean! What's going on...? What...? WHAT...?! How do you know...? The news? Yes, we're on our way there, we should be there in ten minutes. Ok, bye." Moira put the phone away, and put her hand to her chin, her face filled with concern.
"What? What is it?" Peter asked.
"Magneto. He escaped from his prison. Someone injected iron into one of the guards. He died during the escape, along with two other guards. But something worse came up. Reports came in that a jet was shot down during an aerial battle with a weather-controlling mutant. Sean believes it to be the X-Jet."
Peter's eyes widened in shock. Dr. Mactaggert put her hand on his shoulder.
"Don't worry Peter. There are some powerful mutants on that Jet. If anyone can survive a crash landing, they can."
Peter looked away. He closed his eyes, and turned away from the window. If they passed through the city, he didn't want to see the protesters. The temptation would be too great.