Prologue 8:

            John Allerdyce looked across the snow covered clearing cautiously.  The icy air stirred up by the helicopter's blades whipped past his face, and he squinted slightly.

            From where he stood, he could only vaguely see the two figures sitting at the helicopter's controls, but he had no doubt who they were.

            John had been trying to find his way back to the X-Jet after the attacks, walking away from the charred circle in the forest where he had collapsed in pain. 

Then, he had heard someone shouting.  He followed the noise until it faded away and was replaced by the sound of helicopter's engine.

            At the edge of the trees, he saw Mystique, Magneto and a third mutant he did not recognize climbing aboard and he stood and watched them silently.  He had been thinking about them a lot, thinking about what Magneto had said to him on the jet.  A god among insects...John wondered exactly what Magneto had meant by that.  No one at Xavier's School had ever defined being a mutant like that.

            But, he was no god.  Shouldn't a god be able to create instead of just control?  What kind of fire god is helpless without a match?  He would be better off as an insect.  Even fireflies can turn their own asses on.

            Yet, there had been no doubt in Magneto's face as he spoke.  None of Cyclops's caution or Storm's temperance...none of the Professor's pity.

            Only that confidence, that belief that, despite how the rest of the world viewed them, mutants were better...more than human, closer to gods than men.

            A small smile touched John's face and he stood and took a few steps into the clearing.  The helicopter had not moved, and the three figures inside waited patiently for the boy to make his decision.

            After a moment, John continued toward them, without a thought of looking back.

***     

Magneto looked over at Mystique and smiled, though the warmth on his face did not touch his eyes.

            "Open the door," he said, his voice quiet but hard as steel, "Time to bring another Brother home..."