Chapter Nine:
In the cold morning air, Mystique stood along the edge of the dock, waiting patiently for the last Brother to arrive. The boat was small, but powerful, able to move as fast as most land-bound vehicles while carrying a great weight. Considering the immensity of its operator, the need for such durability was obvious.
Mystique smiled darkly as Victor Creed, known to the Brotherhood as Sabertooth, stepped off the boat and walked toward her down the dock. She stood with her arms folded, seeming as aloof and untouchable as a Greek goddess, and did not look the least bit intimidated by the large mutant's presence.
Sabertooth stood nearly seven feet tall, the long hair on his head and face unkempt, making him look ferial and dangerous. His eyes were dark, almost black, even in the bright morning light, and his haggard clothes gave testament to his year-long hiatus from Magneto's service. Mystique had no idea where it was he went when he left the Island (which he had always done more frequently than the rest of the Brotherhood), but he always returned when Magneto sent for him.
Mystique wondered how loyal Sabertooth still was to their cause. He had, after all, not returned to the Island after Magneto's capture, but disappeared into the wilderness. He had been difficult to find, but not so difficult to coerce him back to the Brotherhood. He, after all, as most of them did, had a vendetta to settle with their mutual enemies.
Sabertooth walked up to her, his face brooding and vicious, and grumbled in a deep voice.
"Where's Magneto?"
Mystique tilted her head slightly to look up at him.
"Inside," she replied, "We've been waiting for you..."
Sabertooth moved past her quickly, and Mystique looked after him with quiet contempt.
Nice to see you too, she thought and followed him towards the compound.
***
Pyro and Toad reached the entrance of the circular tunnel that lead to Magneto's office, and Toad paused as he dropped his tool pack. Pyro took a few steps inside, and stopped. He could not see Toad from where he stood, and wondered if he should wait or continue onward.
He leaned again the round wall and drew out his lighter.
Snap...hiss...
The clicking echoed down the long passageway, and Pyro looked toward the exit of the tunnel. The lights from the office were dim, and he wondered if anyone else was in there yet.
Snap...hiss...
After a few minutes, Pyro sighed in boredom and twirled his lighter in his hands. He hated waiting, it had been months since he had any real excitement and the prospect of an end to the monotony of the Island was more than welcome.
Pyro heard a noise from behind him, and turned around, expecting to see Toad walking up the passage.
Instead, he suddenly found himself face to face with a giant bear of a man. Well, not quite face to face, more like face to elbow...
Sabertooth glared down at the boy, who was unknowingly blocking the broad mutant's way down the hall. Pyro stammered a moment, and gaped up at Sabertooth in surprised fear.
"Move," the large mutant said in a growl and Pyro stepped quickly out of his way.
Sabertooth took a step forward, still looming over the boy, and snarled warningly. Pyro took the hint; keep out of this guy's way. Got it.
He glanced down the hall as he heard someone laugh softly. Toad was crouching close to the entrance, and grinning wickedly.
"See, kid," Toad said, "Told you the pussy was coming home."
Pyro's eyes widened as Sabertooth turned back and growled at the green mutant with renewed ferocity. Toad met the vicious glare and his smile widened.
Sabertooth turned back toward the office, and gave Pyro a rough, passing shove. The boy hit the wall and winced. Hearing Toad chuckle again, Pyro glared back at him.
"As in cat?" he said angrily and Toad shrugged.
"It was a joke, mate," he replied and walked past the boy, "Ya'know...a joke."
Toad paused and looked back at him, waiting for the boy to follow. Pyro stood up and straightened his coat with a brisk tug, not sharing a bit of his Brother's amusement.
However, the expression on Toad's face changed and he looked somber as Pyro walked up to him. What was the look, Pyro could not decide...resentment or concern?
"You wanna watch yourself around that one," Toad said darkly, "Take it from me, kid. He's not one to piss off unless you're sure you can get away fast...got it?"
Pyro nodded, and Toad walked on without another word.
As Sabertooth reached Magneto's main chamber, he found himself facing yet another stranger.
Deathstrike stood by the tunnel's exit, hands behind her back, looking up at the new arrival with silent caution. She assumed this was the mutant Magneto had told her they were waiting for, but she took no chances. She waited, patiently, for her commander to give the all clear.
"Ah, my Brother," Magneto said from behind his metallic desk, "Many welcomes on your return."
Sabertooth nodded once to the man of power, and glanced down at the dark haired woman again. She did not react to his typically overpowering presence, and made no effort to move out of his way. Sabertooth glared at her for a moment, narrowing his eyes in scrutiny of the much smaller woman. He inhaled once, deeply through his nose, and seemed to regard her curiously.
After a moment, he stood to his full height, and grumbled deep in his throat. He moved further in the room, stepping around Deathstrike instead of forcing past her, as he had with the smaller mutant in the corridor.
A predator always knew another predator, and this was not the place to call challenge to her.
Toad and Pyro also entered the chamber, followed in short time by Mystique. Each member of the Brotherhood took their proper place, forming a loose circle around their leader.
Magneto looked around at the five mutants, leveling a short gaze on each before he spoke. A smile touched his face and his eyes shone with a mixture of pride and expectation. They were all here, all those who declared their loyalty to him. They were ready to act, ready to follow his orders, as Magneto was finally ready to begin the next step in his preparation for the war to come.
Though they were few in number, they were strong, they were superior, even the boy with his youth and inexperience would learn to be a soldier. There were mutants in the world of incredible power and he would find them, make them see their true enemies. As he drew more mutants to his cause, Magneto would create an army which no force, be it human or mutant, could stand against.
Superior…dominating…the only way to ensure the survival of his people would be to make them indestructible.
"So…my Brothers," Magneto said, his smile honest but lined with shadow, "Time for our work to begin…"