The Age of M


Lennon sat in a chair in Chris' two room apartment. She quietly sipped her
coffee as Chris tied Earth to his bed. Lennon looked up at him as he muttered
a curse word.

"Trouble?" She questioned before taking another sip of coffee.

Chris looked over at her and shrugged. "No, I just cut my finger on a chain.
Tell me why she wants to kill me."

"She doesn't want to kill you,Chris. She was told to kill you by some guy
named Vast,"

"Vast works for M."

"Okay, so anyway she was told to kill you. However, that wasn't her plan. Her
plan was to have you kill her. She thought that if she beat you around a bit,
you'd get pissed and kill her. See, this girl doesn't want to go back to New
York. This girl wants to get as far from New York as she can. She wants to
die, Chris."

Chris was quiet for a moment as he looked down at Earth, who was still
knocked out. This girl was a slave that wanted to die. He knew he just had to
help her anyway he could. He looked back at Lennon. He'd help the goth,as
well. Chris knew were he'd have to take them.

"Lennon, do have anything that is really important to you?"

"Yeah, a few things. Why?"

"Go get them and then hurry back here. I'm going to take you and Earth to
Free Europe. I have a friend there, he'll help us out. Ok?"

Lennon nodded. "Ok, I'll be right back. Watch yourself." She stood up and
left.

Chris nodded to himself before sitting in a chair.

*
Lennon didn't have a place she called home. Hell, the girl didn't even have a
place to stay at night. Lennon kept everything that was really important to
her in a hollow wall inside an old nightclub. The young mutant took the back
way, and walked in the back on the club.

Lennon didn't even bother looking around the place. She knew it was bear and
that it was dirty. She walked up the broken stairs and into the main dressing
room. The wall on the far right was the hollow one. Lennon went over to it
and pulled 20 bricks from the wall. She pulled out a guitar case and an iron
lunchbox with the cast of the children's cartoon X-Men Evolution on it.

Lennon sat down on the ground and opened the luchbox. She made sure
everything was in it;the picture of her mother and older brother, a little
red book and a pink pen, an extra pair of black gloves, a CD player, a CD,
and a necklace with a iron key on it.
Lennon then closed the lunchbox and opened the case. A black, electric guitar
lay in the case. It was covered with a see-through black dress of some kind.
Lennon closed the case, stood and picked up the case and lunchbox.

She walked down the stairs and out the door. Lennon headed back to Chris'
place.

*
Earth moaned softly and opened her eyes. She stared at the mirror above her,
looking at herself. Finally, she turned her head to look at Chris, who was
still sitting in his chair.

"A mirror above the bed? Kinky. I like it." She looked at the chains that had
been put around her stomach. She sighed. "You thought these could hold me?"

Chris stood up and walked over to stand beside the bed. "No,but I didn't
think you'd try and hurt me."

"Oh, yeah? Why wouldn't I hurt you?"

"Because you, want to die. Killing me,would mean you'd have to go back to New
York and you'd still be alive." Chris folded his arms. "Am I right?"

"Maybe."

"Maybe?"

"That's what I said, maybe." Earth looked at Chris closely. "Only, I was
selfish. I should have known that I can't leave Sorrow behind."

Chris raised an eyebrow. "You a big fun of sorrow? Come on, you can leave
sorrow behind."

"No I can't! Your such a loser, Sorrow is a person. I can't leave her in New
York. And I can't leave the fuz ball, either."

"Sorrow is a person? Let me guess, the fuz ball is a person, to?"

"Yep. Sorrow and Kurt are both still in New York and I-"

"Kurt?" Chris cut-in. A X-Man had been named Kurt and he was also fuzzy. Were
they the same person? Nah, it couldn't be. Or could it? "Kurt has blue fuz?"

Earth gave Chris a look. "Yeah, I named him after his Dad."

"Kurt's your son?"

"Tsk, no! Kurt is fifteen years old, I'd have been two when I had him! I had
to name him, because he didn't have a name. Not that any of this is any of
your business." Earth turned away and faced the wall. "Kill me, don't kill
me. I really don't care."

"What if I help you?"

Earth turned her head and stared at Chris. "What did you say?"

"I'll help you get your friends. Then, you three can do whatever you guys
want."

She couldn't believe her ears. "You'd do that?" He nodded. "You are a
loser,Summers."

Chris smiled. "Thanks."

*
Lennon walked into Chris' place only to find Earth sitting in the bed-untied!
Lennon moved back. "Whoa, how'd you get free? Oh, man...you touch me and I'll
kill ya."

"Chill, Lennon." Chris said as he came from the other room. "I untied her."

Lennon folded her arms over her chest. "Thinking with your brain or something
else." She muttered to herself.

"Hey, your the one that said she wanted to die. We're going to help her free
Sorrow and Kurt."

Lennon looked at Earth. "What's a Sorrow?"

"A little girl."

"Oh-k. And Kurt's a boy,right?"

"Yes." Earth gave her a look.

"Just seeing, 'cause if someone named a kid Sorrow, I was making sure Kurt
wasn't a dog or something. So, how are we going to help free the two people?"

"We have to go to M's place and get them out of their cells." Earth filled it.

"M's place?! No way. No way. No. That place is very bad for muts. I'm a mut,
Chris is a mut, your a mut. We're all muts. I'm not going."

Chris shrugged. "You can stay here,then. We'll come back for you."

"Nope, sorry can't let you do that. I'm not letting you two stay alone
together. I'm coming."

Earth stood up. "Fine,who cares? Can we please get going?"

Lennon nodded. "Sure,just tell me how we're going to get to New York?"

"I have a jet." Earth said. Chris and Lennon just looked at her. "It's one of
Vast's jets. He gave it to me so I could get here faster. We'll take that,it
should only take us about half an hour. I left it outside of town."

"Okay, then. Lennon bring your stuff. Let's move ladies."

*

Earth landed the jet about eight miles into the woods that were just outside
of M's place. She looked to Chris and Lennon. "You two go on, I'll cover the
jet up."

"You want any help?" Lennon questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"Nope, you two go ahead. I'll be there in a few minutes." Earth waved a hand
at them. "Go on."

"Lennon, you heard the lady. Let's go."


Chris and Lennon stood on a cliff and looked down at the M mansion. Chris
couldn't believe that this place had once been the home of his parents and
his friends. He saw Lennon shutter when a scream echoed through the
woods;someone was screaming inside the mansion. They heard footsteps coming
from behind them. They both turned to see Earth walking toward them, her
hands behind her back.

"Hey, guys. Okay, so I was thinking that we'd go in through the air ducks."
Lennon and Chris turned toward the mansion. Just as they did this, Earth put
a control collar on each of their necks! "You two are so stupid."

Lennon pulled at her collar. "You bitch! Chris, your a telepath, didn't you
know?"

Chris shook his head. "I thought we could trust you! I thought you wanted to
save your friends?"

Earth but a collar on herself. "Save them from what?" She turned around and
eight people dressed all in red came from the trees. "Let's bring them to Mr.
M. Hurry up."

The eight people walked over to Chris and Lennon. Each mutant got four guards
and they were lead down the cliff and into the M mansion.


The group was lead to what had once been Xavier's office. Mr. M was there and
covered in shadows;no one could see who it was and his voice sounded strange.
Earth bowed low and then stood as a solider would, in front of a upper
officer.

"Sir, X and a friend. I thought I should bring them both. Is that all right,
sir?"

"Yes, more then all right. You've done well."

"Thank you, sir."

Chris and Lennon exchanged a look. Chris hated M for killing the X-Men and
enslaving half the world,but he got the feeling that Lennon hated him just as
much.

"Take them to the third floor and lock them in room two." Mr. M told the
guards.

The guards all nodded and lead Chris and Lennon away. Earth stood there
silent, till they were gone.

"Sir, I've grown tried because of my mission. I know that Vast would like me
home,but I was hoping I could spent the night here. Then I could be returned
home tomorrow."

Mr. M seemed to think about it for a moment. "Yes, you may stay here tonight.
I'll inform Vast. Take your collar off when you get to my rooms. You'll stay
there."

Earth bowed again. "Yes, sir. Thank you,sir."

*
The room that Lennon and Chris had been put in was big,but only had a desk in
it. The window was boarded up and the light was broken. Lennon sat on the
desk and crossed her legs. Chris leaned against a wall and folded his arms.
He stared at Lennon's back as she stared at a wall.

"You really weren't thinking with your brains, Chris." Lennon muttered after
ten minutes of silence.

"I thought I could trust her. I trust you and you tried to kill me." He
reminded her.

"Tsk, I wasn't going to kill you. I was just going to-" she sighed. "-maybe
kill you. Okay, but I don't work for M. You should have know this was a very
bad idea."

"Your right. I thought it was a good idea, I was wrong. We're stuck here. No
way out and no powers to help us. I can't believe I'm stuck here, about to
die with a beautiful young girl who doesn't even want to throw herself in my
arms." Lennon laughed. "Are you laughing at me,Len?" She nodded her head.
Chris started to laugh as well.

"When I woke up today,I didn't think I'd be here. Kind of wish I stayed in
bed this morning." She jumped over the desk and walked over to Chris. "If I
were to touch you, I wouldn't hurt you." She told him softly. "May I touch
you,please? It's been so long, since I've touched someone without hurting
them."

The way she was looking up at him,made Chris think that Lennon wanted him to
kiss her. Chris smiled sadly at her.

"Lennon," Chris put a hand on her face. "I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have let
you come. You have soft skin, you know that?"

"I use lotion." Lennon looked toward the door. "We'll have to form a plan to
get us outta here." She looked back to Chris. "Any ideas?"

"No, none." Chris leaned down and kissed Lennon's forehead. "How about you?"

Lennon was frozen for a second. Chris had *kissed* her. A tear fell from her
left eye, she sniffed. She shook her head, to clear it. "No, that's why I
asked you. Are you really that stupid?" Lennon moved away and sat at the end
on the desk and crossed her legs again. "So, let's think."

They were both very quiet as they thought about ways to get out. Chris
crossed his arms over his chest and closed his eyes. Lennon kicked the desk
with her feet. Neither of them was sure how long it was before they heard the
knock at the iron door. Both opened their eyes and turned toward the door.

"Did you order a pizza?" Lennon asked Chris.

"Nope, wonder who that could be at this hour."

The iron door opened and both mutants gasped to see Earth standing in the
door way, two guards at her feet. Earth grinned at the two of them.

"Earth?" Chris asked.

"Duh, it's her. Only, she's on our side now. Can't you just pick one side and
stay on it?"

Earth shrugged. "Sorry, guys. This was the only way I could get you two in
and have time to find Sorrow and Kurt." She pulled a key from her pocket.
"Here," She tossed it to Chris. "take those collars off, and put up shields
so no telepaths can hear your or Lennon's thoughts."

Chris nodded. He put his collar off and then Lennon's. Lennon looked down at
her collar. Chris tossed his away. Lennon held on to hers. She wanted to keep
it, maybe she'd use it again someday.

"Sorrow is on this floor. And Kurt's on the one above that. Move those
butts, kids. We only got a few minutes till they know I'm gone." Earth turned
and started down the hall.

Chris and Lennon exchanged a look before following her.



Earth moved slowly down the hall, she turned to make sure Chris and Lennon
were following close behind. She stopped at the conor and bent down in front
of a cage. Chris and Lennon stopped a few feet away;shocked that even M would
keep a girl in a tiny cage. Earth put her hand through the cage and spoke
very softly. She turned to Lennon and told her to go and get a red trench
coat from one of the guards. Earth started working on the computer padlock.

"It was 1999-C. I hope it still is." Earth tried the code and was happy to
find that it worked. Earth opened the door and Sorrow came crawling out.
Chris was shocked to see that she looked like she was about eleven-fourteen.
Just a little girl.

Sorrow took one look at Earth and hugged the older girl as tight as she
could. Her spikes stuck Earth in her skin,but Earth didn't seem to care. She
shhed Sorrow and told her to put the spikes in. Sorrow let her spikes and
wings into her body. Chris looked at the two of them, they looked like a
mother and her child. Just then, Lennon came running back with the coat. She
handed it to Earth. Earth put it on Sorrow and buttoned it up all the way.

Earth made sure that Sorrow could see her lips. "Shadow, I'm going to go and
get Kurt. You're going to go with Lennon, that's the girl, and you're going
to go to the woods with her. She'll protect you and you'll protect her. Okay?
Kurt and I shall be there very soon. Can you lead Lennon to the woods and
watch her for me?" Sorrow nodded. "Okay." Earth looked up at Lennon. "She'll
show you the way. Watch her. Make sure you hold her hand the whole time."
Earth up Sorrow's hand in Lennon's. "Go, hurry. Wait for us at the jet. If
we're not there in ten minutes, go on without us."

"Sure." Lennon helped Sorrow up and the two girls started running down the
hall. Chris and Earth watched them, till they got to the stairs.

Earth looked at Chris. "And we're off to get Kurt."

*
Lennon and Sorrow walked down the stairs and stopped in front of a wall.
Sorrow put her hand on it, and the wall opened up. It was a passage way to
the outside. Sorrow nodded at Lennon and walked into the passage. It was dark
and dirty,but Sorrow seemed to know her way around.

They got to the end of the passage way, and Sorrow touched the wall. This
wall opened and Lennon was surprised to see that it lead to a garden.

"I'll be damned, we're out." The goth muttered.

*
Earth and Chris were in the elevator, leading to the next floor. Both seemed
ready for a fight.

"You know this Kurt guy, really well?" Chris asked.

"Yep, me and Sorrow and Kurt. We get along great." The elevator stopped and
the doors opened. The two of them stepped out and walked on. "Third door on
the right." Earth muttered.

They stopped at the third door and Earth had to curse to see a coded lock on
the door. She pressed a button and then pressed in the code- 1999-A. The door
opened.

This room was also very big and empty. There was nothing in it; just a boy,
chained to a wall. The boy was short, with blue fuzzy skin, sharp teeth and
strange eyes. He was only dressed in jean pants. The boy was also wearing a
control collar. He looked up at Earth, smiled and spoke to her in a German
accent.

"Streaks, is that you? I thought you were at Vast's house of pain?"

Earth shrugged as she and Chris walked in. "Nah, Fuz ball I had to come get
you and the shadow. Couldn't leave you two behind." She went over to him and
took the collar, then the chains.

"Oh, thanks. Hey, who's the guy?"

Earth turned and remembered Chris. "Oh, him? Chris Summers. He's going to
help us get out. He's ok."

"Oh, I see. I thought he was your new boyfriend. Hey, why are you dressed
like a hooker?"

"I am not dressed like a hooker."

"The pants are way to tight. Can you even sit?"

"Yes, I can sit. Keep this up, Fuz and I'm leaving you here."

"Yeah, right. Fac it, baby you can't live without me."

"Agh, your such a child."

"I'm not."

"Are to."

"I'M NOT!"

"ARE TOOOO!"

Chris cut in then. "Um, people I hat to stop this second grade fight,but we
have to get going. We've got three minutes to get to the jet."

Earth and Kurt looked at Chris and both shrugged. "Right." The both answered.

Kurt looked at Chris. "Okay, come put your hand on my shoulder. Streaks will
put her hand on my other shoulder and I'll teleport us out."

Chris and Earth did as they were told. With a poof of smoke, they were gone.

*
The three of them reappeared in the middle of the woods.

"That was so great." Chris muttered.

Kurt smiled. "I get that a lot."

"Since when, Fuz?"

"Since..a long time."

The two of them would have fought longer,but a gun went off. They all turned
toward the school to see six soldiers coming after them.

"Run." Chris told them. He looked at a tree and his left eye began to glow a
bright red. A red energy blot shot from his eye and the tree fell to the
ground.

"Damn, Summers."

"Earth, Kurt I said run!" Chris took off toward the plane. Kurt and Earth
followed as fast as they could go.


Lennon had strapped Sorrow into the jet and was now waiting outside of it.
She spotted three people running toward her. One was fuzzy, the other was a
girl and the last had a glowing red eye. That was her gang. She jumped into
the jet and started the engine.

Kurt teleported into the jet and sat next to Sorrow. "Hello, pretty girl." He
said with a fangy grin to Lennon.

"Yes, hi. Are they coming?"

Chris and Earth both jumped in the jet. Earth sat in the ploit seat and took
off. She turned to Chris. "Were to?"

"Free France."

Kurt woke Sorrow up. "Hey, Shadow." He hugged her a little. "We're free."

Earth smiled. "We are free, guys. We're free. Finally free."


TBC