Chapter 3
Case of the 'X'
"Tres? Clayton?" I heard Ororo say, concerned. But my mind was elsewhere. My tracking power had picked up a trio of giants landing close by. Even as I was turning to look in that direction, the ceiling was being torn off the restaurant.
The roof sort of lifted up and fell in at the same time as large robotic fingers pried it away from the walls. There was a terrific crash as the structural integrity of the ceiling gave way and the clear night sky became visible. And then staring down upon us, like we were just insects or lab rats, were three of the largest things I'd ever seen. They had to have been at least a fifty feet tall, maybe more. Their red eyes seemed to glow with an unnatural hatred. I 'felt' them scanning the entire crowd before settling their gaze upon me.
[Mutant X - targeted. Acquisition imminent,] the deep mechanical voice of the 'leader' declared. I flashed suddenly on Europe.four years ago. I shook my head to clear the ominous vision from my sight as I tried to focus on the present. A pit of dread formed in my stomach and I couldn't suppress a shiver. They were after me.
"By the Goddess," I heard Ororo state behind me in that instant of stunned silence.
Then everything erupted in chaos.
People began screaming, running in terror, trying to hide from the five story-tall robots. At the same time, the sky darkened ominously and the wind picked up.
They looked almost like giant transformers. Purple and red and definitely menacing. I knew they were after me. They'd said 'mutant X' and 'acquisition' two terms I definitely did not want to associate together. I started to reach out with my power preparatory to getting the heck out of there, when Professor Xavier began issuing orders.
"Storm, Colossus - we must not allow them to capture Mr. Darkmoon or harm the public. I will summon the other X-Men. Mr. Darkmoon - remain here," he said to me over the cacophony. I shook my head in disbelief. I simply could not comprehend the fact that this was happening. However, I had little time to dwell on that - too many other things were going on.
Ororo changed. As I said - the winds had picked up considerably. And they were all but howling around our little group. Ororo's clothing, her modest blouse and full length skirt, were replaced by black thigh-high boots and combat-ready spandex. Her headwrap was gone too, revealing a full mane of lustrous white hair that was whipping around in the sudden breeze. She lifted off into the air, her eyes fading from blue to pure white.
Peter, too, had changed. A crackle of energy made me look in his direction. The tall good-natured Russian was replaced by a big living metallic being. And I mean big. He gave me a quick nod, before he followed Ororo into the fray, punching a huge hole through the wall and striding confidently out into the street.
"They're after me," I said aloud, but only the Professor was left to listen to me. And I doubt even he could have heard me over the crackle of lightning and the boom of thunder that sounded or the crashing of dishes and the panicked screams.
[I apologize for the interruption,] Professor Xavier replied. [As Storm - Ororo - was saying her abilities extend to the realm of weather control; she can create any naturally occurring meteorological phenomenon. As you no doubt can witness,] he thought to me, indicating the pitch black clouds overhead. [Colossus - Peter's - abilities are just as obvious. We are all mutants - hated.feared by the general populace for a small genetic difference. We recognize your newly acquired mutant powers and have come to invite you to study in environment where your talents can be used to benefit all of mankind,] he thought calmly. As if the world weren't being turned upside down only a few feet from us.
[My powers aren't new,] I stated coolly while the battle began in earnest in the street. I watched in amazement as Ororo - Storm - hurled lightning from her airborne vantage at one of the mechanical monstrosities. White bolts of jagged energy leapt from her hands, burning and melting internal circuitry and felling the thing. Peter - Colossus - was having equal success with his foe; he tore the foot off of a second, crippling it. But even as two fell, a second team of four landed. One aimed a hand-blaster at Ororo and fired. Her back was to the thing, her attention was focused on one its metallic brothers. She didn't see it -
"No! Ororo!" I shouted, once again flashing back in time to... I snapped back to the present, the parallelism of the two scenarios had struck me like a physical blow. But today was not to be a repeat of that haunting scene. At the last possible second, Ororo turned aside, dodging the blow that might have killed her. She managed to use her powers to destroy another of our attackers. But that still left four fully operational ones, and one damaged one on the street.
The X-Men were outnumbered.
I'd only been in a few fights like this before. So to say I had little combat experience was an understatement. Still, that didn't mean I couldn't help.
[You must remain here, Mr. Darkmoon. For your own safety.] the Professor said, or thought rather, to me.
[I can take care of myself,] I snapped at him, lifting off the ground. Ororo, Peter - what if they got hurt? It was just the two of them against five. At least if I joined in, I might be able to help them. Together, the three of us... I paused. That situation was all too familiar.three against overwhelming odds. I blanched, trying to keep my dinner down.
[But what of the people that do not have your abilities? What of the non- mutants?] he asked, his hands steepled in front of him. He regarded me with a speculative glance. I realized he meant the people trapped in the remnants of the restaurant, that were going to be hurt or killed by the collapsing ceiling. But I wouldn't - I couldn't let Ororo and Peter fight alone.? But then what of Professor Xavier? His telepathy was, as far as I knew, a non-physical form of mutant powers. I doubted he would survive a fight or capture.
[I understand, Professor.] Perhaps the X-Men could handle themselves. But they couldn't worry about the people, Professor Xavier included, and trying to stop those robots.
[Very good, Mr. Darkmoon,] Professor Xavier said, pleased with my action. I had little time to appreciate his praise.
[But what about Ororo and Peter?] I asked, concerned. He communicated to me that Storm and Colossus would be able to handle themselves until the rest of the team arrived. Specifically guys named Wolverine, Nightcrawler, and Angel. He reassured me that the situation was well under control, but that didn't make me any less anxious.
I watched as Ororo finished off another one - this time, freezing the behemoth in a micro-blizzard. Meanwhile Colossus hurled a VW Bug at a second foe with such force that the car went partially into its chest. The collision knocked his combatant over, toppling a power line in the process. There was a large *ZAP* of electricity and then the entire block shorted out and was dark.
That was two more down, but three were still left. I was just starting to think we'd do all right when another team of robots landed nearby. This squad consisted of a half a dozen of the things. Okay.now we're definitely in over our head. However, they ignored Colossus and Storm, whose teamwork had kept the rest of the robots occupied for the time being. They instead turned to face the restaurant.
[Target, Mutant X, in sight. Acquisition imminent. Initiating stun protocol,] one of them said. It lifted it hands slowly, palms pointed at me and prepared to fire twin laser blasts. I 'sensed' rather than saw the lasers before they left its hands.
I didn't know what those stun rays would feel like and frankly, I didn't really want to find out so . . . I turned and ran, taking my remaining dinner guest with me. I lifted the Professor right out of his wheel chair and together we flew away from the blast. Pretty, heroic, right? Right.I told myself. I darted away from our table, making a run right back towards our attacker. I felt the Professor's hands instinctively grab my arms in a tight grip.
We zipped through the battle and away leaving Storm and Colossus to deal with the group. With my scanning power I essentially had eyes in the back of my head, so I knew we were being pursued. Even if I wanted to make a stand, I couldn't. Not burdened with the Professor in my arms.
"What about the rest of the X-Men?" I asked, shifting suddenly to the right, evading an energy blast. I turned and headed skyward, trying to put a few buildings between me and the death-bots.
"They have arrived. Angel, Wolverine, and Nightcrawler are acting on our behalf. If you would be so kind as to ferry me to the Blackbird. From there, I can supervise the proceedings and guide the X-Men," he said calmly. [I will relay the location of the Blackbird,] he thought. He transmitted mental images of the sleek black jet to me and a map of sorts; he used his telepathy like I used my scanning ability. I locked very quickly onto the plane's location and made a beeline for it.
Only a few more laser blasts kept me from making a direct route to the X- Men's plane. It had been set down at the corner of Murray and Forbes Avenue, several blocks away from the main conflict. There were no passengers on board when we landed but the port door was left open. I flew through it, carrying the Professor to the pilot's seat and helping him into the chair. "Are they doing okay?" I asked after he had gotten comfortable in the seat.
"My X-Men are outnumbered 2 - to - 1," he said. His attention was obviously focused on the pitched battle the mutant team of outlaws was waging with these so-called-Sentinels. His brow furrowed in mild confusion. "The Sentinels seem to be, for the most part, ignoring the X- Men, which makes it easier for them to be destroyed. It isn't until the X- Men become an obstacle that the Sentinels are targeting them."
"Okay." I didn't need an clarification on that statement. If the Sentinels were ignoring the X-Men.then they were most certainly after me.
"Storm and the others are doing their best to keep them from us." he said. He had a far-off look in his eyes, one I'd seen before. There was another far off *BOOM*, as if something heavy were falling, followed by the tinkle of glass and car alarms. I took it to mean another Sentinel was down. Professor Xavier smiled - more out of than pleasure. "They are slowly evening the odds," he explained. "Storm has erected a corral of sorts," he said after another minute. I tried to imagine the X-Men forming a defensive line against their fifty-foot opponents in something resembling a football game. The thought would have actually been funny had the situation not been dire. Another *BOOM*, this one closer to us, jarred me back to the present.
"They are slowly moving near to us." Professor Xavier confirmed my suspicion. Several more earth-moving booms corroborated that the X-Men were doing well against the mutant-hunting robots. But the last one was close enough that the windows had rattled in the building across the street. "They are quite close," Professor Xavier said, before the loud rumble of thunder drowned us out for a moment. That's when I decided to take a peek myself.
I reached out with my scanning power then, to get my own perspective on the battle. They were right on top of us.less than two blocks away. At this rate, the X-Men and the Sentinels would be here in a matter of minutes.assuming there was anyone left from the latter group.
I was more than a little concerned for the X-Men. I guess they do this kind of thing all the time.but not me. I'm just a college student. Their whole world . . . the fighting, people out to 'acquire' you, it was all pretty alien to me. It was just so unbelievable that mutant "crime- fighters" were acting on my behalf. I looked down at the Professor sitting in the pilot's seat.
His thoughts were elsewhere.he was paying little attention to the goings-on in his immediate vicinity. You won't notice if I sneak away, will you? I wondered, lifting a few inches off the ground. It wasn't fair for me to put him or the X-Men in danger. The Sentinels were, after all, looking for me. Before he could register my thoughts, I was out the door and heading back to the fight.
I felt his presence in my mind again, but I concentrated and forced myself not to listen to the telepathic summons. I made my way back to the battle scene. My plan was a simple one. I'd have to get the attention of the remaining Sentinels long enough to get them away from the X-Men. No one else would be hurt because of my inability to act.
I didn't have too long to wait. The fray was indeed quite close to the Blackbird. Once I began flying back towards the remains of the restaurant, the Sentinels had no further need to track me down. I was coming to them.
There were at least a half-a-dozen pairs of lifeless blood-red eyes on me as I came into view. I made sure to fly low - about 40 feet up - so I would be seen by all. I flew right into the center of the melee, deliberately baiting the Sentinels. I suppose I should have had some witty rejoinder to make but I was pretty new to all this.Instead, I let out a bright sun burst - sort of a 'Hey - Come and get me!' - and then shot straight up into the air.
The Sentinel's program was to find me. Once presented with their target on a silver platter, so to speak, they forgot all about the X-Men. En masse, they lifted off and began to give chase. Whoever made them, made these things well, because before I knew it, they were upon me. However, this time, they only had one target to focus on.Me.
I reached out with my scanning power, ready to move at the slightest indication of fire. I even managed to dodge the first few blasts. But there were five of the things following in my wake - each one armed with its own weapons system. Soon the air was full of enemy fire and I was twisting and turning as best I could. Quickly enough, though, my luck ran out and I caught a blast in the side.
I was quite surprised when I felt the beam go.not really through me, but into me. I felt a sudden burst of adrenaline and clarity of thought as my senses were brought to heightened level of awareness. But while I was reveling in my newfound immunity, one of them caught up with me and snatched me out of the air.
Cold metallic fingers wrapped around my body. And began to squeeze. I freaked - just plain wigged out - when that giant hand formed a cage around me. All charged up from the blast and the chase, I overreacted.
Over the past few nights, I'd begun to wonder if my powers and my emotions were linked. Tonight, I no longer had cause to doubt; there was definitely a correlation between emotional intensity and the power level I exhibited. With my powers on, I generated a powerful close-to-the-skin heat shield. By consciously reinforcing it, I can make the shield thicken at a controlled rate. However, in the heat of moment, and under duress, I didn't try to control it, I just released.
The hand and part of the forearm burned clear off the Sentinel. Fingers flew away from me as I tried to 'shrug' off the hand, instead spattering slag onto the city below. I thought I heard someone calling to me from far away, but the wind carried away the voice. I hung there in mid-air, dumbfounded for an instant. It was a critical moment that I should have used to make a hasty escape . . .
My lack of combat experienced showed itself right then as I watched the Sentinel numbly. The Sentinel, probably designed to respond with the appropriate amount of force to detain its target mutant, swung at me with its good hand. *THWAP* It swatted me out of the air like a fly!
I went tumbling head over heels into the ground . . . far, far below. My radar sense kept me from experiencing true vertigo, but I had a hard time getting my bearings and then slowing my momentum. And while I was easily a mile above the ground, I'd been hit with enough force to cover that distance in a matter of seconds.
I tore through a small building, leaving a smoking hole as I burned/broke through the ceiling and then one more floor to come crashing down into the basement. I lay there stunned for a moment by the sheer absurdity of it all. A large one handed robot had knocked me from the sky and I'd landed in the basement of some little office building. Good.what next? I kicked a mop off me, pushed a bucket away, and got unsteadily to my feet. I shook my head to clear the cob webs, thankful, that I'd have a moment to breathe.
As fate would have it, my breathing room was about as long as a New York minute. Several pairs of sonic booms alerted me to my plight even before my radar sense picked up on them. Large *thump thump* noises indicated their landing nearby and I realized I was cornered. Again.
Per their M.O., the Sentinels tore the building apart, decimating the squat office to get at me. I lifted off the ground, intending to fly right by them, but I was surrounded and they were too fast for me. This time, instead of an open palm, a solid metal fist connected with me. *WHAM* The world exploded in pain. I rolled through the air, darkness threatening to overtake my senses. I can't lose consciousness now, I thought.
I impacted a wall, leaving a body-shaped imprint in the hard, rough brick before falling to the ground below. Luckily, the force of the collisions jolted me back to semi-consciousness. I tried to push myself back to a half-standing position but collapsed back onto my knees, breathing hard. I will not let these things beat me, I thought. "I won't!" Just have to get away - breathe normally.I thought, summoning the power to lift me to the sky. I faltered a moment and slipped back to a half-kneeling position. Perfect timing to run proverbially out of 'gas'.
Just then, Ororo came winging in to the fight, like a glowing guardian angel. She landed next to me with the gentlest of breezes. "Come, Tres," she said reassuringly. "You need not face the Sentinels alone." She reached down, and with a strength that belied her slender form, pulled me to my feet.
I shook my head. "Run Ororo. Get out of here," I panted. I was still struggling to force air back into my lungs.
"The X-Men are your allies, Tres," she said firmly. "Come. Together we can overcome --" Whatever she was going to say was suddenly lost as the wall behind us exploded, showering cement and debris everywhere. I coughed and hacked, trying to clear the dust from my throat. But then a light wind rose, blowing it away - probably Storm's doing, I thought, between wheezes.
[Surrender, mutants. Acquisition protocol level 2 initiated,] one of the Sentinels declared. It was surrounded by its four robotic brethren. Ororo and I both looked up, yet she remained decidedly neutral about the obvious threat they posed. Ororo, half supported me with one hand, then raised her free arm to the lead robot. At the same time she shoved me backwards and away from danger. I tripped and stumbled, rolled a few feet, then lay still.
I propped myself up on my elbows in a half laying position. Spots were dancing before my eyes and I could barely concentrate enough to stay awake, let alone mount a defense. I observed Storm through heavily lidded eyes as she prepared to defend us both. She pointed her hands at the first of the Sentinels, calling upon the Bright Lady to preserve us both - or something to that effect. The heavens seemed to open up above us and there was a flash of lightning that I could feel more than see. Then inky blackness swallowed me for a second.
I awoke to the hissing *zap zap* of laser fire. A grunt of pain and the *thunk* sound of a body impacting the ground beside me brought me back to consciousness. I saw Ororo lying face down on the ground, a few feet away. No, I thought in denial, fear and anger giving me the strength to push on. I dragged myself over to her, my mouth full of dust. I wrinkled my nose at the scent of ozone and singed flesh. My vision swam out of focus, an old memory overlaying the present. And . . . I saw . . . the charred remains of her clothes, the singed hair that was now curling to black. I fumbled around trying to find a pulse.She was lying so still.I couldn't feel her heart beating.Prickly bile began to rise in my throat.
I sat back on my hands and knees as memories began to rise unbidden to my mind. [Surrender mutant. Termination protocols have been initiated,] a cold automated voice declared. Echoes of the past reached up from the grave, twisting the words. I looked at her still, battered form, one more time and then slowly turned my gaze upon the Sentinels.
* * * * *
This story © 2001 Sherman L Taylor, II
Clayton "Tres" Darkmoon © 2001 Sherman L Taylor, II
The X-Men, Professor Charles Xavier, and all constituent
characters © 2001 Marvel Comics Group.
This story is not for sale and is not to be distributed without
permission of the author.
Please electronically mail comments to CommanderInChf@aol.com.
All constructive criticism is appreciated.
Case of the 'X'
"Tres? Clayton?" I heard Ororo say, concerned. But my mind was elsewhere. My tracking power had picked up a trio of giants landing close by. Even as I was turning to look in that direction, the ceiling was being torn off the restaurant.
The roof sort of lifted up and fell in at the same time as large robotic fingers pried it away from the walls. There was a terrific crash as the structural integrity of the ceiling gave way and the clear night sky became visible. And then staring down upon us, like we were just insects or lab rats, were three of the largest things I'd ever seen. They had to have been at least a fifty feet tall, maybe more. Their red eyes seemed to glow with an unnatural hatred. I 'felt' them scanning the entire crowd before settling their gaze upon me.
[Mutant X - targeted. Acquisition imminent,] the deep mechanical voice of the 'leader' declared. I flashed suddenly on Europe.four years ago. I shook my head to clear the ominous vision from my sight as I tried to focus on the present. A pit of dread formed in my stomach and I couldn't suppress a shiver. They were after me.
"By the Goddess," I heard Ororo state behind me in that instant of stunned silence.
Then everything erupted in chaos.
People began screaming, running in terror, trying to hide from the five story-tall robots. At the same time, the sky darkened ominously and the wind picked up.
They looked almost like giant transformers. Purple and red and definitely menacing. I knew they were after me. They'd said 'mutant X' and 'acquisition' two terms I definitely did not want to associate together. I started to reach out with my power preparatory to getting the heck out of there, when Professor Xavier began issuing orders.
"Storm, Colossus - we must not allow them to capture Mr. Darkmoon or harm the public. I will summon the other X-Men. Mr. Darkmoon - remain here," he said to me over the cacophony. I shook my head in disbelief. I simply could not comprehend the fact that this was happening. However, I had little time to dwell on that - too many other things were going on.
Ororo changed. As I said - the winds had picked up considerably. And they were all but howling around our little group. Ororo's clothing, her modest blouse and full length skirt, were replaced by black thigh-high boots and combat-ready spandex. Her headwrap was gone too, revealing a full mane of lustrous white hair that was whipping around in the sudden breeze. She lifted off into the air, her eyes fading from blue to pure white.
Peter, too, had changed. A crackle of energy made me look in his direction. The tall good-natured Russian was replaced by a big living metallic being. And I mean big. He gave me a quick nod, before he followed Ororo into the fray, punching a huge hole through the wall and striding confidently out into the street.
"They're after me," I said aloud, but only the Professor was left to listen to me. And I doubt even he could have heard me over the crackle of lightning and the boom of thunder that sounded or the crashing of dishes and the panicked screams.
[I apologize for the interruption,] Professor Xavier replied. [As Storm - Ororo - was saying her abilities extend to the realm of weather control; she can create any naturally occurring meteorological phenomenon. As you no doubt can witness,] he thought to me, indicating the pitch black clouds overhead. [Colossus - Peter's - abilities are just as obvious. We are all mutants - hated.feared by the general populace for a small genetic difference. We recognize your newly acquired mutant powers and have come to invite you to study in environment where your talents can be used to benefit all of mankind,] he thought calmly. As if the world weren't being turned upside down only a few feet from us.
[My powers aren't new,] I stated coolly while the battle began in earnest in the street. I watched in amazement as Ororo - Storm - hurled lightning from her airborne vantage at one of the mechanical monstrosities. White bolts of jagged energy leapt from her hands, burning and melting internal circuitry and felling the thing. Peter - Colossus - was having equal success with his foe; he tore the foot off of a second, crippling it. But even as two fell, a second team of four landed. One aimed a hand-blaster at Ororo and fired. Her back was to the thing, her attention was focused on one its metallic brothers. She didn't see it -
"No! Ororo!" I shouted, once again flashing back in time to... I snapped back to the present, the parallelism of the two scenarios had struck me like a physical blow. But today was not to be a repeat of that haunting scene. At the last possible second, Ororo turned aside, dodging the blow that might have killed her. She managed to use her powers to destroy another of our attackers. But that still left four fully operational ones, and one damaged one on the street.
The X-Men were outnumbered.
I'd only been in a few fights like this before. So to say I had little combat experience was an understatement. Still, that didn't mean I couldn't help.
[You must remain here, Mr. Darkmoon. For your own safety.] the Professor said, or thought rather, to me.
[I can take care of myself,] I snapped at him, lifting off the ground. Ororo, Peter - what if they got hurt? It was just the two of them against five. At least if I joined in, I might be able to help them. Together, the three of us... I paused. That situation was all too familiar.three against overwhelming odds. I blanched, trying to keep my dinner down.
[But what of the people that do not have your abilities? What of the non- mutants?] he asked, his hands steepled in front of him. He regarded me with a speculative glance. I realized he meant the people trapped in the remnants of the restaurant, that were going to be hurt or killed by the collapsing ceiling. But I wouldn't - I couldn't let Ororo and Peter fight alone.? But then what of Professor Xavier? His telepathy was, as far as I knew, a non-physical form of mutant powers. I doubted he would survive a fight or capture.
[I understand, Professor.] Perhaps the X-Men could handle themselves. But they couldn't worry about the people, Professor Xavier included, and trying to stop those robots.
[Very good, Mr. Darkmoon,] Professor Xavier said, pleased with my action. I had little time to appreciate his praise.
[But what about Ororo and Peter?] I asked, concerned. He communicated to me that Storm and Colossus would be able to handle themselves until the rest of the team arrived. Specifically guys named Wolverine, Nightcrawler, and Angel. He reassured me that the situation was well under control, but that didn't make me any less anxious.
I watched as Ororo finished off another one - this time, freezing the behemoth in a micro-blizzard. Meanwhile Colossus hurled a VW Bug at a second foe with such force that the car went partially into its chest. The collision knocked his combatant over, toppling a power line in the process. There was a large *ZAP* of electricity and then the entire block shorted out and was dark.
That was two more down, but three were still left. I was just starting to think we'd do all right when another team of robots landed nearby. This squad consisted of a half a dozen of the things. Okay.now we're definitely in over our head. However, they ignored Colossus and Storm, whose teamwork had kept the rest of the robots occupied for the time being. They instead turned to face the restaurant.
[Target, Mutant X, in sight. Acquisition imminent. Initiating stun protocol,] one of them said. It lifted it hands slowly, palms pointed at me and prepared to fire twin laser blasts. I 'sensed' rather than saw the lasers before they left its hands.
I didn't know what those stun rays would feel like and frankly, I didn't really want to find out so . . . I turned and ran, taking my remaining dinner guest with me. I lifted the Professor right out of his wheel chair and together we flew away from the blast. Pretty, heroic, right? Right.I told myself. I darted away from our table, making a run right back towards our attacker. I felt the Professor's hands instinctively grab my arms in a tight grip.
We zipped through the battle and away leaving Storm and Colossus to deal with the group. With my scanning power I essentially had eyes in the back of my head, so I knew we were being pursued. Even if I wanted to make a stand, I couldn't. Not burdened with the Professor in my arms.
"What about the rest of the X-Men?" I asked, shifting suddenly to the right, evading an energy blast. I turned and headed skyward, trying to put a few buildings between me and the death-bots.
"They have arrived. Angel, Wolverine, and Nightcrawler are acting on our behalf. If you would be so kind as to ferry me to the Blackbird. From there, I can supervise the proceedings and guide the X-Men," he said calmly. [I will relay the location of the Blackbird,] he thought. He transmitted mental images of the sleek black jet to me and a map of sorts; he used his telepathy like I used my scanning ability. I locked very quickly onto the plane's location and made a beeline for it.
Only a few more laser blasts kept me from making a direct route to the X- Men's plane. It had been set down at the corner of Murray and Forbes Avenue, several blocks away from the main conflict. There were no passengers on board when we landed but the port door was left open. I flew through it, carrying the Professor to the pilot's seat and helping him into the chair. "Are they doing okay?" I asked after he had gotten comfortable in the seat.
"My X-Men are outnumbered 2 - to - 1," he said. His attention was obviously focused on the pitched battle the mutant team of outlaws was waging with these so-called-Sentinels. His brow furrowed in mild confusion. "The Sentinels seem to be, for the most part, ignoring the X- Men, which makes it easier for them to be destroyed. It isn't until the X- Men become an obstacle that the Sentinels are targeting them."
"Okay." I didn't need an clarification on that statement. If the Sentinels were ignoring the X-Men.then they were most certainly after me.
"Storm and the others are doing their best to keep them from us." he said. He had a far-off look in his eyes, one I'd seen before. There was another far off *BOOM*, as if something heavy were falling, followed by the tinkle of glass and car alarms. I took it to mean another Sentinel was down. Professor Xavier smiled - more out of than pleasure. "They are slowly evening the odds," he explained. "Storm has erected a corral of sorts," he said after another minute. I tried to imagine the X-Men forming a defensive line against their fifty-foot opponents in something resembling a football game. The thought would have actually been funny had the situation not been dire. Another *BOOM*, this one closer to us, jarred me back to the present.
"They are slowly moving near to us." Professor Xavier confirmed my suspicion. Several more earth-moving booms corroborated that the X-Men were doing well against the mutant-hunting robots. But the last one was close enough that the windows had rattled in the building across the street. "They are quite close," Professor Xavier said, before the loud rumble of thunder drowned us out for a moment. That's when I decided to take a peek myself.
I reached out with my scanning power then, to get my own perspective on the battle. They were right on top of us.less than two blocks away. At this rate, the X-Men and the Sentinels would be here in a matter of minutes.assuming there was anyone left from the latter group.
I was more than a little concerned for the X-Men. I guess they do this kind of thing all the time.but not me. I'm just a college student. Their whole world . . . the fighting, people out to 'acquire' you, it was all pretty alien to me. It was just so unbelievable that mutant "crime- fighters" were acting on my behalf. I looked down at the Professor sitting in the pilot's seat.
His thoughts were elsewhere.he was paying little attention to the goings-on in his immediate vicinity. You won't notice if I sneak away, will you? I wondered, lifting a few inches off the ground. It wasn't fair for me to put him or the X-Men in danger. The Sentinels were, after all, looking for me. Before he could register my thoughts, I was out the door and heading back to the fight.
I felt his presence in my mind again, but I concentrated and forced myself not to listen to the telepathic summons. I made my way back to the battle scene. My plan was a simple one. I'd have to get the attention of the remaining Sentinels long enough to get them away from the X-Men. No one else would be hurt because of my inability to act.
I didn't have too long to wait. The fray was indeed quite close to the Blackbird. Once I began flying back towards the remains of the restaurant, the Sentinels had no further need to track me down. I was coming to them.
There were at least a half-a-dozen pairs of lifeless blood-red eyes on me as I came into view. I made sure to fly low - about 40 feet up - so I would be seen by all. I flew right into the center of the melee, deliberately baiting the Sentinels. I suppose I should have had some witty rejoinder to make but I was pretty new to all this.Instead, I let out a bright sun burst - sort of a 'Hey - Come and get me!' - and then shot straight up into the air.
The Sentinel's program was to find me. Once presented with their target on a silver platter, so to speak, they forgot all about the X-Men. En masse, they lifted off and began to give chase. Whoever made them, made these things well, because before I knew it, they were upon me. However, this time, they only had one target to focus on.Me.
I reached out with my scanning power, ready to move at the slightest indication of fire. I even managed to dodge the first few blasts. But there were five of the things following in my wake - each one armed with its own weapons system. Soon the air was full of enemy fire and I was twisting and turning as best I could. Quickly enough, though, my luck ran out and I caught a blast in the side.
I was quite surprised when I felt the beam go.not really through me, but into me. I felt a sudden burst of adrenaline and clarity of thought as my senses were brought to heightened level of awareness. But while I was reveling in my newfound immunity, one of them caught up with me and snatched me out of the air.
Cold metallic fingers wrapped around my body. And began to squeeze. I freaked - just plain wigged out - when that giant hand formed a cage around me. All charged up from the blast and the chase, I overreacted.
Over the past few nights, I'd begun to wonder if my powers and my emotions were linked. Tonight, I no longer had cause to doubt; there was definitely a correlation between emotional intensity and the power level I exhibited. With my powers on, I generated a powerful close-to-the-skin heat shield. By consciously reinforcing it, I can make the shield thicken at a controlled rate. However, in the heat of moment, and under duress, I didn't try to control it, I just released.
The hand and part of the forearm burned clear off the Sentinel. Fingers flew away from me as I tried to 'shrug' off the hand, instead spattering slag onto the city below. I thought I heard someone calling to me from far away, but the wind carried away the voice. I hung there in mid-air, dumbfounded for an instant. It was a critical moment that I should have used to make a hasty escape . . .
My lack of combat experienced showed itself right then as I watched the Sentinel numbly. The Sentinel, probably designed to respond with the appropriate amount of force to detain its target mutant, swung at me with its good hand. *THWAP* It swatted me out of the air like a fly!
I went tumbling head over heels into the ground . . . far, far below. My radar sense kept me from experiencing true vertigo, but I had a hard time getting my bearings and then slowing my momentum. And while I was easily a mile above the ground, I'd been hit with enough force to cover that distance in a matter of seconds.
I tore through a small building, leaving a smoking hole as I burned/broke through the ceiling and then one more floor to come crashing down into the basement. I lay there stunned for a moment by the sheer absurdity of it all. A large one handed robot had knocked me from the sky and I'd landed in the basement of some little office building. Good.what next? I kicked a mop off me, pushed a bucket away, and got unsteadily to my feet. I shook my head to clear the cob webs, thankful, that I'd have a moment to breathe.
As fate would have it, my breathing room was about as long as a New York minute. Several pairs of sonic booms alerted me to my plight even before my radar sense picked up on them. Large *thump thump* noises indicated their landing nearby and I realized I was cornered. Again.
Per their M.O., the Sentinels tore the building apart, decimating the squat office to get at me. I lifted off the ground, intending to fly right by them, but I was surrounded and they were too fast for me. This time, instead of an open palm, a solid metal fist connected with me. *WHAM* The world exploded in pain. I rolled through the air, darkness threatening to overtake my senses. I can't lose consciousness now, I thought.
I impacted a wall, leaving a body-shaped imprint in the hard, rough brick before falling to the ground below. Luckily, the force of the collisions jolted me back to semi-consciousness. I tried to push myself back to a half-standing position but collapsed back onto my knees, breathing hard. I will not let these things beat me, I thought. "I won't!" Just have to get away - breathe normally.I thought, summoning the power to lift me to the sky. I faltered a moment and slipped back to a half-kneeling position. Perfect timing to run proverbially out of 'gas'.
Just then, Ororo came winging in to the fight, like a glowing guardian angel. She landed next to me with the gentlest of breezes. "Come, Tres," she said reassuringly. "You need not face the Sentinels alone." She reached down, and with a strength that belied her slender form, pulled me to my feet.
I shook my head. "Run Ororo. Get out of here," I panted. I was still struggling to force air back into my lungs.
"The X-Men are your allies, Tres," she said firmly. "Come. Together we can overcome --" Whatever she was going to say was suddenly lost as the wall behind us exploded, showering cement and debris everywhere. I coughed and hacked, trying to clear the dust from my throat. But then a light wind rose, blowing it away - probably Storm's doing, I thought, between wheezes.
[Surrender, mutants. Acquisition protocol level 2 initiated,] one of the Sentinels declared. It was surrounded by its four robotic brethren. Ororo and I both looked up, yet she remained decidedly neutral about the obvious threat they posed. Ororo, half supported me with one hand, then raised her free arm to the lead robot. At the same time she shoved me backwards and away from danger. I tripped and stumbled, rolled a few feet, then lay still.
I propped myself up on my elbows in a half laying position. Spots were dancing before my eyes and I could barely concentrate enough to stay awake, let alone mount a defense. I observed Storm through heavily lidded eyes as she prepared to defend us both. She pointed her hands at the first of the Sentinels, calling upon the Bright Lady to preserve us both - or something to that effect. The heavens seemed to open up above us and there was a flash of lightning that I could feel more than see. Then inky blackness swallowed me for a second.
I awoke to the hissing *zap zap* of laser fire. A grunt of pain and the *thunk* sound of a body impacting the ground beside me brought me back to consciousness. I saw Ororo lying face down on the ground, a few feet away. No, I thought in denial, fear and anger giving me the strength to push on. I dragged myself over to her, my mouth full of dust. I wrinkled my nose at the scent of ozone and singed flesh. My vision swam out of focus, an old memory overlaying the present. And . . . I saw . . . the charred remains of her clothes, the singed hair that was now curling to black. I fumbled around trying to find a pulse.She was lying so still.I couldn't feel her heart beating.Prickly bile began to rise in my throat.
I sat back on my hands and knees as memories began to rise unbidden to my mind. [Surrender mutant. Termination protocols have been initiated,] a cold automated voice declared. Echoes of the past reached up from the grave, twisting the words. I looked at her still, battered form, one more time and then slowly turned my gaze upon the Sentinels.
* * * * *
This story © 2001 Sherman L Taylor, II
Clayton "Tres" Darkmoon © 2001 Sherman L Taylor, II
The X-Men, Professor Charles Xavier, and all constituent
characters © 2001 Marvel Comics Group.
This story is not for sale and is not to be distributed without
permission of the author.
Please electronically mail comments to CommanderInChf@aol.com.
All constructive criticism is appreciated.