Prologue part II
Cyclops stopped the tape. He turned to face the other seven X-Men who sat around the table in front of him.
"OK, you've seen the footage," he said. "The President's murder took place less than two hours ago, and nobody has been able to piece together what happened. The real mystery is how the killer managed to smuggle a veritable arsenal past security. The only explanation I can find is that he was a mutant."
"Anyone we know?" asked Wolverine.
"I don't think so. He certainly doesn't resemble anyone we've encountered. It's not immediately obvious what powers he might have. All we know is that he has some way of secreting weaponry, and was seen to climb a sheer wall five stories high."
"Do you think the Brotherhood were behind this?" Storm asked. "We know that they've been planning an attack on the President."
"That seems the most likely answer," Cyclops agreed. "Their motive is obvious: the President seeks peace between mutants and humans, and the Brotherhood don't. The fact that we haven't had any trouble with them for a long time, suggests that they've been building their strength and planning something like this. Unfortunately, we know very little about the current status of the Brotherhood. We've been unable to keep track of their membership, and we've no idea where they are presently based. We don't even know who their leader currently is."
"We do know one thing," Iceman spoke up. "They started the Plague."
Some of the others flinched slightly.
"That's true," said Cyclops. "From what little we've been able to tell, they started the Plague – it's a genetically engineered virus – in an attempt to destroy humanity. As you know, it does not harm mutants in any way. It originated somewhere in South America, and within a week it has become rampant all over that continent. We can't tell how soon it will spread to North America or Europe, but there doesn't seem to be anything to stop it. Medical analysis indicates that it could take months or years to synthesise an effective cure."
"So what's our plan?" asked Wolverine impatiently.
"Our first priority is to track down the Brotherhood, and determine their involvement in this. As I said before, we've no idea where they're based, but there have been rumoured sightings of a group of mutants somewhere in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. One of them matches the description of Pyro. Apart from that, there's nothing to suggest it's the Brotherhood, but it's the only lead we have right now. Logan, Kurt, Ororo – I'd like you to get down there and see what you can find out."
He paused for breath, then continued, "Our second priority is to find out whether or not it was a mutant who killed the President. Marie, Bobby and myself will work on that angle."
"So what about the Plague?" asked Rogue. "What will happen?"
"I can't say for sure. If nothing is done to fight it, the Plague could well wipe out human life in less than three months."
"Isn't there anything we can do about it?"
"Possibly. I'm thinking of calling on an old friend to help us."
"You mean Oculus?"
"Yes. His healing ability may be able to help combat the Plague. Shapeshifter, Shock, I'd like you two to try and get in touch with him. You know where he's currently staying?"
"Well, yeah," replied Shapeshifter. "Whether or not he'll do it is another matter."
"He would do anything to help humanity, no?" Nightcrawler said.
"That isn't what he meant," said Shock. "Oculus has a family. For their sake, he's not willing to put himself at risk. He and Gaia have both sworn never to fight again while they have children to look after."
"All the same, I'd like you to contact him and see what he says," Cyclops told them.
Shock and Shapeshifter exchanged glances, and both of them nodded their assent.
"Leave whenever you're ready," their leader concluded. "Take one of the jets."
Two hours later, having crossed the Atlantic ocean in near-record time, the two youngest X-Men found themselves walking down a quiet Edinburgh street to the address where their former friends resided. Both of them cast their minds back over the years, remembering those times, so long ago, when they had fought alongside Oculus and Gaia. After everything that had happened in the years since, it seemed like several lifetimes ago. For the last sixteen years, Oculus had been unchallenged in his position as the world's most powerful mutant. Afraid that using his power would do more harm than good no matter what his intentions were, he had shut himself away and devoted his life to his wife and children.
Oculus was not like other mutants. He had been born a perfectly ordinary human, of a Czech father and half-Scottish, half-Russian mother, but as a new-born baby he had been subjected to an experimental and highly risky method of artificially implanting mutations in humans. Oculus had survived, but with eight different mutations. Eight separate parts of his body had been targeted for implantation.
As he had grown, he had learned to use his powers, becoming stronger and stronger as he passed out of childhood and into adulthood. More than once his life had been threatened by those who didn't want such a powerful being potentially in their way, but he had kept himself alive, and settled down with his family, with no interest in using his powers for his own selfish benefit. Now his only concern was the welfare of his daughter and son, the inheritors of his mutations.
It was Shock who eventually broke the silence.
"It's been a few years since we saw them, hasn't it?" she said. "How old will their children be now?"
"Sixteen and fourteen, I think. It's been a while," Shapeshifter agreed. "Trouble is, we've been so busy the last few years, we haven't kept in touch with them."
"I just hope they remember us."
"They will. You don't forget people when you've been as close to them as the four of us once were."
"I hope you're right. I hope Oculus is willing to help."
"I can't imagine him refusing to save lives, but still…he's been out of things for years…he may not be willing to let go of the life he has just now."
"This is their house, just here," said Shock.
She pushed open the gate that led into a small, neatly tended garden in front of an attractive single-storey house. The two of them walked down the garden path towards the front door, on which a small plaque bore the name ROSIÇKY.
It's unlocked. Let yourselves in.
Both jumped slightly as they heard the telepathic voice speak into their minds. Shock felt a little smile crossing her lips; it was a voice she hadn't heard for years, but one she knew she would never forget.
"Seems as if he remembers us," Shapeshifter grinned, as he opened the front door, and the two of them stepped inside.
I'm in the front room.
Closing the door behind him, he followed Shock into the front room. The man who rose from his chair to greet them was visibly older than when they had last met; his hair had begun to grey around the temples, but it was undoubtedly Oculus. He smiled warmly, "Chris, Fliss, it's good to see you. How are you both?"
"Quite well, thank you," said Shock. "And you? How are Chloe and the kids?"
"Chloe and I are still as happy as the day we were first married. The children? Well, Annie's fine. As for Gary…"
He hesitated, then smiled, "So what can I do for you? Actually, I already know; I read your minds. But I'll do you the courtesy of listening to you tell me."
"Kind of you," said Shapeshifter. "OK, here's our problem. You no doubt know, unless you've been living in a hole for the last couple of weeks, about the two major events on the news."
"The Plague and the US President's assassination."
"Yes. We think – we suspect – that the Brotherhood are involved in both. We need your help."
"To fight the Brotherhood?"
"We don't know yet. Primarily we'd like you to use your healing power to see if you can fight against the Plague. Saving the lives of those affected is our number one priority. We estimate that almost a hundred thousand people have died already, and millions more are infected. Within a week, those millions could be dead."
"No cure has yet been found," Shock said. "Your power may be the only force on Earth that can stop this virus."
Shapeshifter added, "We don't know anything about the strength or membership of the Brotherhood. If it comes down to a fight between us and them, we may need your help on that front too."
"I see," was Oculus' only response.
For a moment none of them said anything, then Shapeshifter and Shock looked at each other. She said, "So…will you help us?"
"No. I'm afraid not."
"No? What do you mean?"
"I think the word 'no' is self-explanatory enough."
Shock lashed out angrily, "So you're just going to sit there and watch millions of people die when you might be the only one who can save them?"
"I can't save millions of people. It would take months for me to heal all of them, by which time the virus would have spread even further."
"But it's better than doing nothing! Neil, you were an X-Man once; you have a duty to save lives!"
"I also have a duty to my family. If I get killed while fighting the Brotherhood, what's going to happen to my children?"
Shock couldn't think what to say in response to that. Shapeshifter stepped in, "Look, Neil, I know you've been out of the loop for what – sixteen years now? I know you swore you wouldn't let anything get in the way of your family. But this isn't just anything. The entire human race is at risk. We need you. They need you. You have to do something."
"I'm sorry, but Annie and Gary come first. I know I may sound selfish and heartless, but they're my one and only priority. I never knew either of my own parents…I want to make sure neither of my children have to experience what I did."
"But you're the most powerful mutant in the world!" Shock said insistently. "The Brotherhood won't be able to kill you!"
"I'm sorry," he said again. "You don't understand how I feel. You're not parents – nor are any of the others. Nothing comes before my children."
Shock was confused and angry, and was about to bite back a response, when Shapeshifter put a hand on her arm to stop her, and said calmly, "That's exactly the reason why you have to help us. If you don't, God only knows what the Brotherhood will do to the world! You really need to think about the kind of world you want your children to live in."
That got through. Oculus blinked, bit his lip, then began nodding slowly. His eyes slowly drifted out of focus as he sat, deep in thought.
"You're right…" he sighed. "I have to do something. You're right, I do have a duty. For my children's sake, I have to do something."
"So you'll help us?" Shock asked hopefully.
It was a terrible dilemma, both of the others knew. Oculus had two vitally important duties, but couldn't uphold both of them together. The oath he had made, never to endanger himself, for his children's sake, weighed against the possibility of the death of millions. He wanted to do both, but he couldn't. Or could he? Was that slight sparkle in his eyes, that slight change in facial expression, an indication that he had a solution?
Eventually Oculus said, "All right. Providing Chloe agrees, I'll help. On one condition."