The troop carrier took them forth into the night. Scott looked over his command staff, considering each face as he tried to judge who he could trust and who would be a problem.
Jean was an easy choice, he and she had been carrying on a secret affair for months and he knew her better than he knew himself. Hank too, was safe, having never shown the kind of outright loyalty to King ArchAngel that everyone else had, and only having been kept around because of his genius and usefulness in combat.
Of the 7 others, Quicksilver, Sunfire, Rogue, Bishop, Gambit, Iceman, and Havoc, he could only possibly trust the newbie, Sunfire, who had just arrived today, and had, through some fast footwork of Scott's not had his "interview" with King ArchAngel yet. And a few conversations, via pen and in person, had established what he wanted from the kid.
Scott felt sorrow and elation mix in him as something inside him broke and he finally after months, was free of King Archangel's influence. He buried his face in his hands mentally reaching for Jean, even as he pretended to go over the final arrangement for troops quietly.
*Jean?*
*surprise--yes, Scott?*
He opened his mind to her and let her see what he now knew; how King Archangel had manipulated him and all of them, and she gasped and then covered it in a cough as Bobby glanced at her. He could feel the same feeling in her mind as whatever control had been there 'broke' and she was free.
*Scott! her mind wrapped warmly around his shocked and dismayed by their long control but filled with love for him anyway*
*you have to keep going as usual, but make sure you get a chance to fall in to My flank when we get to the big show. i am going to try to end this fast, but things could get messy*
*I will Scott*her mind felt joyous and sad as he did, reveling in freedom , yet sad that their friends weren't free and that they were about to go against those who they cared about so much
The jet stopped and they began disembarking. Scott drew himself up and let Captain Drake handle the ordering of the group, only taking Hank, Jean, and Sunfire for his own contingent. His choosing of the rookie was no big thing as he usually chose to take the newbies with him on the first run. He watched as Quicksilver sped off to reconnoiter, and came back almost instantly,reporting noone on the streets and all quiet.
It was dark and quiet outside as the troops drew up, and the formation approached the Village, being as quiet as possible. Thus there was confusion when as they approached the perimeter of the town bright lights came up and threw a glare into their eyes. Scott heard Bobby swearing, and Quicksilver gasping, "but, thats impossible", as a voice long-absent boomed over a mic to address them all.
"Attention X-Treme Forces. I seek no combat with you and wish you no harm . Please remove yourselves from the premises immediately."
Smiling and shaking his head at the Professor's always hopeful side even as he inwardly cheered, he took Jean's hand and threw caution to the winds, casting his mind into the light and darkness.
*Professor!*
*Scott? Jean? You are free? But how?*
*It's not important Professor, what is important is that you get all the innocents away. You can trust Hank and Jean and Sunfire and I but thats all. Quickly he fed the Professor his idea, and was met by warm approval.*
Meanwhile, Bobby had immediately stiffened on hearing the Professors voice and demands and barked furiously back,"You will fall before us, old man. Your ideas were hokey before and they are now! King Archangel will be delighted to cleanse the world of filth like you!"
With an angry wave, he gestured his forces to the attack. Immediately the command team attacked in their various powers, Gambit spinning a charged card into the spotlight, exploding it, and leveling the field so all could see each other. As the field showed up, Scott quickly had Jean channel his mind to Hank and Sunfire and ordered them to attack whoever was closest.
With a suddenness the game changed as Hank slammed into Bishop, slapping his blaster away and pressing a pressure point on the man's neck until he collapsed. Jean made herself felt by levitating Quicksilver's feet just enough to make him spin out of control into Havoc, even as Scott fired off a blast knocking Gambit backward through the side of the jet. Sunfire's flames roared as he let them loose on troops scaring the field soldiers back and driving a wall of fire between them and the villagers. Meanwhile, screaming over the wall came Banshee, his siren wail driving a wedge into the troops and shattering vital instruments, Polaris floated down to confront Iceman, and Legion and Professor appeared around one side of the fire, Legion's flame and telekinesis driving Rogue and Havoc back.
Iceman screamed in betrayal as he hurled curses at Scott and the others and tried to spin past Polaris. She grimaced and he was thrown backward across the field by her magnetic powers. Rogue lifted off, soaring up and then dive-bombed at Legion, trying to take him out, but Legion just smiled and touched her face almost casually, and began to glow.
Scott stiffened even as he fired another shot to drive Quicksilver into one of Iceman's quickly forming blocks, freezing him solid instantly. Scott saw, with horror, a chunk of equipment get hurled across the field and slam through the block shattering it and Quicksilver with it.
Meanwhile, Rogue sank to her knees before Legion, as they seemed locked together in a nimbus of light. She was shuddering and moaning and suddenly her eyes snapped open even as Legion collapsed. She immediately turned to the Professor and, eyes wide embraced him.
"Sir, I cant believe what's happenned! It has been a nightmare and I feel like I am waking up for the first time in months!"
"In a very real way you are, Rogue", he said, returning her embrace then setting her back on her feet.
"Archangel's powers put you into a deep trance where you were imprinted with his wishes and this other you operated without your control."
Just then, she heard Iceman scream in rage and saw with horror, a blast tear into Charles' chest and killing him instantly.
Horrified, Rogue could feel different ideas and thoughts swirl around her mind, the chaos of David's mind forming into one picture. This must not happen! All of this was wrong and they have to change it and make it right!
With a scream she threw out her hands and from her a glow spread outward, a hue that stopped everyone in their tracks and seemed to freeze time. The glow spread outward further and further, reaching the Former mansion sight in seconds, passing over the raging King Archangel and leaving him and his court frozen until the wave encountered a strange form working in a laboratory. the form screamed and shuddered and then vanished!
* * *
Jean was an easy choice, he and she had been carrying on a secret affair for months and he knew her better than he knew himself. Hank too, was safe, having never shown the kind of outright loyalty to King ArchAngel that everyone else had, and only having been kept around because of his genius and usefulness in combat.
Of the 7 others, Quicksilver, Sunfire, Rogue, Bishop, Gambit, Iceman, and Havoc, he could only possibly trust the newbie, Sunfire, who had just arrived today, and had, through some fast footwork of Scott's not had his "interview" with King ArchAngel yet. And a few conversations, via pen and in person, had established what he wanted from the kid.
Scott felt sorrow and elation mix in him as something inside him broke and he finally after months, was free of King Archangel's influence. He buried his face in his hands mentally reaching for Jean, even as he pretended to go over the final arrangement for troops quietly.
*Jean?*
*surprise--yes, Scott?*
He opened his mind to her and let her see what he now knew; how King Archangel had manipulated him and all of them, and she gasped and then covered it in a cough as Bobby glanced at her. He could feel the same feeling in her mind as whatever control had been there 'broke' and she was free.
*Scott! her mind wrapped warmly around his shocked and dismayed by their long control but filled with love for him anyway*
*you have to keep going as usual, but make sure you get a chance to fall in to My flank when we get to the big show. i am going to try to end this fast, but things could get messy*
*I will Scott*her mind felt joyous and sad as he did, reveling in freedom , yet sad that their friends weren't free and that they were about to go against those who they cared about so much
The jet stopped and they began disembarking. Scott drew himself up and let Captain Drake handle the ordering of the group, only taking Hank, Jean, and Sunfire for his own contingent. His choosing of the rookie was no big thing as he usually chose to take the newbies with him on the first run. He watched as Quicksilver sped off to reconnoiter, and came back almost instantly,reporting noone on the streets and all quiet.
It was dark and quiet outside as the troops drew up, and the formation approached the Village, being as quiet as possible. Thus there was confusion when as they approached the perimeter of the town bright lights came up and threw a glare into their eyes. Scott heard Bobby swearing, and Quicksilver gasping, "but, thats impossible", as a voice long-absent boomed over a mic to address them all.
"Attention X-Treme Forces. I seek no combat with you and wish you no harm . Please remove yourselves from the premises immediately."
Smiling and shaking his head at the Professor's always hopeful side even as he inwardly cheered, he took Jean's hand and threw caution to the winds, casting his mind into the light and darkness.
*Professor!*
*Scott? Jean? You are free? But how?*
*It's not important Professor, what is important is that you get all the innocents away. You can trust Hank and Jean and Sunfire and I but thats all. Quickly he fed the Professor his idea, and was met by warm approval.*
Meanwhile, Bobby had immediately stiffened on hearing the Professors voice and demands and barked furiously back,"You will fall before us, old man. Your ideas were hokey before and they are now! King Archangel will be delighted to cleanse the world of filth like you!"
With an angry wave, he gestured his forces to the attack. Immediately the command team attacked in their various powers, Gambit spinning a charged card into the spotlight, exploding it, and leveling the field so all could see each other. As the field showed up, Scott quickly had Jean channel his mind to Hank and Sunfire and ordered them to attack whoever was closest.
With a suddenness the game changed as Hank slammed into Bishop, slapping his blaster away and pressing a pressure point on the man's neck until he collapsed. Jean made herself felt by levitating Quicksilver's feet just enough to make him spin out of control into Havoc, even as Scott fired off a blast knocking Gambit backward through the side of the jet. Sunfire's flames roared as he let them loose on troops scaring the field soldiers back and driving a wall of fire between them and the villagers. Meanwhile, screaming over the wall came Banshee, his siren wail driving a wedge into the troops and shattering vital instruments, Polaris floated down to confront Iceman, and Legion and Professor appeared around one side of the fire, Legion's flame and telekinesis driving Rogue and Havoc back.
Iceman screamed in betrayal as he hurled curses at Scott and the others and tried to spin past Polaris. She grimaced and he was thrown backward across the field by her magnetic powers. Rogue lifted off, soaring up and then dive-bombed at Legion, trying to take him out, but Legion just smiled and touched her face almost casually, and began to glow.
Scott stiffened even as he fired another shot to drive Quicksilver into one of Iceman's quickly forming blocks, freezing him solid instantly. Scott saw, with horror, a chunk of equipment get hurled across the field and slam through the block shattering it and Quicksilver with it.
Meanwhile, Rogue sank to her knees before Legion, as they seemed locked together in a nimbus of light. She was shuddering and moaning and suddenly her eyes snapped open even as Legion collapsed. She immediately turned to the Professor and, eyes wide embraced him.
"Sir, I cant believe what's happenned! It has been a nightmare and I feel like I am waking up for the first time in months!"
"In a very real way you are, Rogue", he said, returning her embrace then setting her back on her feet.
"Archangel's powers put you into a deep trance where you were imprinted with his wishes and this other you operated without your control."
Just then, she heard Iceman scream in rage and saw with horror, a blast tear into Charles' chest and killing him instantly.
Horrified, Rogue could feel different ideas and thoughts swirl around her mind, the chaos of David's mind forming into one picture. This must not happen! All of this was wrong and they have to change it and make it right!
With a scream she threw out her hands and from her a glow spread outward, a hue that stopped everyone in their tracks and seemed to freeze time. The glow spread outward further and further, reaching the Former mansion sight in seconds, passing over the raging King Archangel and leaving him and his court frozen until the wave encountered a strange form working in a laboratory. the form screamed and shuddered and then vanished!
* * *