X-Men 4:
The Rise of the Sentinels
Prologue
Lance Alvers arrived at work thirty minutes early, just as he had every day since he started. It wasn't great work, or even work he was proud of, but it paid most of his bills. Allowed him to keep his lights on and his internet working. The fact of the matter was the bus station was enough to take his mind of things for a while, just long enough to make some cash and go home.
Today it looked worse than it had for a long time. There was a hole in the floor at least fifteen feet in diameter. Broken glass lay on the floor. Several of the lockers had been knocked over. And by the looks of things people were more cautious than normal. Everyone, that was, except an Asian girl in a yellow denim jacket.
Lance tried not to make eye contact. For one thing, she looked under age. He knew he was only twenty-one, but if she were even seventeen that was jailbait. For another thing, he didn't have much luck with women. A date here, a date there, but nothing more. He never called them; they rarely called him. His life was simple, and the last thing he needed was a woman to complicate things.
He continued into the locker room and started to change into his janitor uniform. "You hear bout what happened out there, Alvers?" one of the other janitors asked as he came into the room.
"No," Lance answered. Truthfully he wasn't sure he wanted to know.
"Some mutants got into a brawl out there. A pretty good one, by the looks of things. Stupid mutant, wish they had just killed each other."
Lance chuckled. "Yeah, if things were that easy."
Lance failed to admit his mutant ability of being able to project seismic waves capable of crumbling the entire bus station to little more than a pile of rubble. He had barely come to grips with the fact that he was a mutant himself. How could he ever expect anyone else to understand? And with power as destructive as his, Lance felt that they would reject him even more.
He grabbed a bucket and a mop and proceeded to go into the main lobby. He washed the floor, paying particular attention to spots that had skid marks from skateboarders or sneakers. As Lance worked he noticed that the Asian girl was not watching the bus schedule intently as the other patrons were. She did not check her watch, or the clock on the wall. Every so often she would stand up, but before too long the girl returned to her seat. On two occasions the girl had purchased ice coffees.
Lance turned away from the girl. He tried to think of other things. His dog, Avalanche, the farm that his parents had left him which had been in their family for years, he even let himself just think of nothing, fully concentrating on the task at hand. Lance prided himself on making everything as perfect as it had been when the station purchased it. He was good at cleaning, and enjoyed it.
"Hey pretty, you wanna go for a ride?" Lance heard a guy say behind him.
"Yeah," a second guy started. "You don't have to wait here for a bus. We can take you where you need to go."
Lance turned and saw three teens standing around the Asian girl. One of them had a leg on the bench she sat on; his hand was hovering over his groin. The girl looked as disgusted as Lance felt.
"There a problem here, miss?" Lance asked.
"There ain't no problem here, janitor," the boy nearest Lance started. "Why don't you just go scrub a urinal or something?"
The other two laughed.
"Miss?" Lance asked again.
"No, but thank you," the girl replied. Lance could read her eyes. Don't worry. It's not your fight.
He turned around and the janitors laughed again.
"That's right," the second boy said, putting his hand on her shoulder. "She's fine right with us."
Lance growled. He sent a vibration through the floor, sending the boy nearest to the hole in the floor flying backwards. The other two fell on their butts, but were quick to get on their feet after the rumble.
"Help! Get me up!" the boy who had fallen in the whole screamed. He held onto the edge by his fingertips. Lance knew that the edge would be slick. He turned around to help but the boy's two friends were already pulling their friend back to the ground level.
The girl, Lance noticed, had a wallet in her hand. She removed the cash from it and threw the wallet into the trashcan that had been placed right next to the seat. Lance smiled, then went over to the trashcan and empties it. He looked at her, holding a finger to his lips, and proceeded to the dumpster.
Lance had not spoken to the girl since the boys had bothered her, but she remained in the bus station the entire time. He had checked out already, and carried his small backpack on his shoulder. Lance had covered his auburn hair with a tanned fedora. He wore a vest that matched the color of his hat. When he was halfway across the lobby Lance saw seven officers enter the bus station. The head officer sent two of his men on either side of the lobby, and they slowly closed in on the Asian girl.
The five continued forward, two on either side of the head officer. Just as Lance had suspected, they were heading for the girl. She could see them coming, but there wasn't anywhere to hide. The only exit was in front of her, through the cops. She was trapped.
"Jubilation Lee?" the head officer asked as he approached her. He reached inside his overcoat and pulled out his badge. The officers (who were all in traditional uniforms) were already drawing their guns.
Are they nuts? Lance thought to himself.
The girl nodded.
"My name is Detective Parker, please come with me."
"What's this about?" Jubilation asked.
"Come with him, now!" one of the officers screamed. He pointed his gun directly at Jubilation's head. It wasn't necessarily a threat, he was nervous, maybe even scared.
Jubilation lifted up her arms, and a third cop holstered his weapon. At the same time the officer pulled out a pair of handcuffs and prepared to place the metallic bracelets on her wrists.
"Is there a problem here officers?" Lance asked. He instantly regretted speaking.
"Just move on your way, son," Parker started.
Two of Parker's men already had guns on Lance. Lance took a step back, and heard the metallic crunching as the handcuffs locked into place. The officer's did not take their guns off of him until Jubilation was already halfway to the door.
Lance followed as closely as he could, watching as the officer's escorted her down the stairs. He looked at their cars, irritated that they had treated the girl as they had. He felt angry that those cops had stuck their guns in his face. And scared. Scared for her and himself; that the cops might find out what he was. A mutant.
As the thought of mutant slipped through Lance's mind the ground under the officer's cards began to rumble. Within a few seconds the ground opened up, and the cars fell into the cracks. But the shaking didn't stop there. Lance could see the crack in the ground travel quickly up towards the cops. They screamed, jumping out of the way. And Lance stopped it.
By now people were running and screaming. Some of them had got to their cars and were driving off as fast as they could. Lance decided the best coarse of action would be to act like one of the frightened pedestrians. He gave another look back at the Asian girl, and her eyes locked with his. She knew what he was.
Lance didn't take a second look. He ran for his truck and got in as fast as he could. Something rattled in the bed of the truck. Lance didn't need to look back to know it was the Asian girl making her escape. He didn't slow. He started the truck as fast as he could and drove off. Nothing would stop him until he got home. Not a thing.
It only took Lance forty minutes to return home. Thankfully traffic had been light and the girl had enough sense to keep down. He got out of the truck and stormed to the back. "Alright," Lance started. "Now I've got you away from the cops, get out of here."
"What?" the girl asked.
"Get out of here. Whatever trouble you're in, I don't want any part of it. I've got enough problems of my own, you know."
The girl pushed herself off the truck and held out her hands. "Will you at least help me get out of these before pushing me into the road?"
Lance groaned. She was starting to annoy him already. He grasped the handcuffs and looked at them. His power wouldn't help him here. If he tried to shatter the locks with vibrations he'd most likely break her wrists, then he'd never be rid of the girl.
"Come on inside," Lance started. "But I swear if you so much as look at me funny I'm gonna call the cops."
The girl nodded and followed him inside. As they entered his farm Lance could hear Avalanche barking. The sheepdog lumbered into the room, wagging its tale back and forth frantically. He barked once more joyfully seeing that his master was not alone, and instantly went over to the girl to greet her. Avalanche sniffed at the girl's pants deeply, getting used to the new smell.
"Avalanche, back boy. She's not staying," Lance said to the dog.
Avalanche moved his head towards his master. His mouth hung open and his tongue stuck out. The dog looked particularly stupid when he did that.
"Fine, watch her," Lance started.
The girl started to scratch the dog's head. "Hi there boy. I'm Jubilee," she said as she kneeled down. Avalanche licked the side of her head, and Jubilee laughed.
"Man's best friend unless there's a woman around," Lance grumbled as he went to the tool shed. He walked back to the living room with a chisel in one hand and a hammer in the other. "Alright, sit down over there by the desk."
"You don't have anything a little more. subtle?" Jubilee asked.
"Sorry, I'm not into stuff this kinky. No handcuff keys."
Jubilee sighed. She sat down in the chair opposite the desk, and Lance prepared to break the handcuffs. "So what's your name?" Jubilee asked.
"I don't want to tell you my name."
"Why not?"
"Because when those cops catch you I don't want you to tell them who helped you escape back at the bus station."
Jubilee rolled her eyes. "Oh, yeah, that."
Lance started to hit the chisel.
"You know I didn't do anything," Jubilee continued.
Lance did not speak. He kept on chiseling at the handcuffs. Maybe she'd get the hint.
"I mean I did so some things, but nothing that warranted seven cops to come and pick me up."
"Uh-huh," Lance replied. He hoped that was the end of the story. Another bash at the handcuff's and nothing happened still. He really wished the cops had just held onto her.
"I was saving money to get back to New York. My parents live there. Well, foster parents anyways."
"What happened to your folks?" Lance asked. He didn't really care. It was a question that he would ask on reflex.
"They died," Jubilee replied. Her head ducked low. "When I was ten."
Lance hit the handcuffs again. "I'm sorry to hear that. My folks died a year ago."
"What happened?" Jubilee asked.
"They died," Lance repeated. He thought it was obvious that he didn't want to talk about them the first time. Apparently it was not.
Again the hammer struck the chisel, and the handcuffs broke. Jubilee removed her hand from the desk and rubbed her sore wrists.
"There, all better," Lance started. "You know where the front door is. Now leave."
Jubilee stood up. She extended her arm as if to shake Lance's hand. "Thanks."
"Don't mention it." Lance paused to pick up the handcuffs and started for the tool shed again. "To anyone."
He didn't wait to see her off. He didn't care that she was leaving. In a few minutes his life would return to the normal dull existence it had been before. The way he liked it.
Lance turned from the tool shed, and Jubilee was gone. Avalanche stood at the door, whining softly. Lance knew that the dog didn't have to go to the bathroom; he wanted to get Jubilee back. As Lance walked towards his dog the animal turned. Lance started to scratch the sheepdog's head.
"It's alright boy. We don't need her around."
The sheepdog whined again and walked towards the door, scratching it gently."
Jubilee heard a car approaching. She turned around and stuck out her thumb. To her surprise it was the same truck that she had dove into. The car pulled up and to a halt. Jubilee could smell the exhaust from the cars tailpipe, and taste dirt in her mouth from the unpaved road.
"Lance," the boy started. "My name is Lance."
"Jubilee," the teen replied, sticking her hand through the open window to shake his.
"Get in, Jubilee. We can give your parents a call and they can come down here and get you. At least I won't have to go through a guilt trip when I see your face in the newspaper."
Jubilee smiled and ran around to the other side of the truck. She got in, buckled up, and Lance started to drive back to his house.
The two had returned to the barn, and Lance cooked for them. After eating a few slices of turkey covered in homemade gravy with mashed potatoes and carrots on the side the two had done up the dishes. Now they sat at the kitchen table, about to commence in conversation. Avalanche was lying next to his master, gnawing contently on a bone that Lance had bought for him a while ago.
"So, you gonna tell me what you did, or do I have to guess?" Lance asked. He was quite content to skip all the small talk.
"You mean to attract the attention of those cops?" Jubilee asked, taken off guard by the question.
Lance nodded.
"I don't know. I was just sitting there; pick pocketing when they came in. I thought that a local security guard would arrest me if anyone did. Not seven armed and dangerous police officers."
Lance leaned forward and crossed his arms. "And?"
"And nothing. I don't know why they over reacted like they did."
"What about your mutant ability?"
Jubilee looked at him as if he had said some crude and sarcastic remark. She held up her right hand, palm out. After a second Lance could see it was starting to glow. Soon small sparks bounced from Jubilee's fingertips, extinguishing themselves before touching the table or the carpet. Lance was amazed at the sight. Even Avalanche had stopped gnawing on his bone long enough to admire Jubilee's mutant ability at work.
"Happy?" Jubilee put her hand back down on the table. "Now you know."
"That was cool," Lance said. He knew that the phrase was a little immature for his age, but he couldn't help himself.
"You want me to leave again? 'Kill the mutants' and all that?"
Lance was quiet for a moment, and then began to laugh. He ran his hands through his brown hair, trying to control himself.
"It's not funny. I have to deal with that every time anyone finds out what I am, all right? You try living with it."
"I'm sorry," Lance said, trying to regain his composure. "It's not that. It's not. I- I got to show you something. Wait here, I'll be right back." Lance turned and ran up the stairs. A moment later he returned with a snowboard. "Follow me," he instructed her.
Jubilee did as she was told, although Lance could tell that she didn't like not knowing what they were up to. Lance led her into the field, past the potato field and into what had once been a cornfield. It had been hears since healthy corn husks had grown on the land. Now there were wide gaps between rows, and they were uneven. Some flies buzzed from one plant to the next, taking what nutrients they could from the rotting vegetation.
"Alright," Lance started. "Put your feet in these."
He put the snowboard down on the ground so that the boots were facing upwards.
"I thought you weren't into kinky stuff," Jubilee said.
Lance chuckled. "Just trust me."
Jubilee did as she was told, unlacing one shoe and putting her foot into the snowboard boot. She repeated the first step with her second foot, and then stood up, barely able to keep her balance. Lance stepped behind her and gently touched his fingers to her shoulders.
"Ever go surfing?" he whispered.
"I tried, once," Jubilee chucked.
"This is pretty much like that."
Suddenly there was a rumbling sound. Lance smiled, and the ground beneath them started to rise up. A pure momentous surge of energy pushed them forward, and within seconds Lance and Jubilee were flying through the cornfield. Husks of corn were pushed to either side, spreading only half a second before the two were past them. Jubilee screamed in spite of herself. Lance could tell that she was nervous, but at the same time she was excited.
He could see the pond in front of them, and Lance turned the surge of earth quickly. Small pebbles and particles of dirt fell into the water as they turned and continued on their way.
"Watch out!" Jubilee screamed as a boulder came into view.
"Push your back foot down!" Lance said without thinking twice.
The mound of dirt beneath their feet rose, running to the top of the boulder. Jubilee slid over the other side, although Lance had to run to catch up to the dirt wave. Jubilee laughed and looked back at him. Lance smiled back.
The entire ride only lasted about five minutes, although it seemed like an eternity of fun. As the last of the waves subsided and returned to the earth Lance let go of Jubilee's back and stepped around so that he could face her.
"Now that was cool!"
"Thank you."
"Did you do all that?"
"No, we're on some sort of a fault line. It happens from time to time."
Jubilee laughed.
"Come on, get your shoes on. We can do some more surfing later, okay?"
Jubilee had called her stepparents house, but only reached an answering machine. She had left a message, but knew how they were. Although Jubilee loved both her stepparents dearly, she knew that they were terrible when it came to checking the machine. One year after Jubilee had returned from the Xavier School she had found forty-two messages on her parents answering machine.
She had called the school too, but no one was there. Jubilee had left a message at the school as well, but did not know how long to expect that they'd be gone. Mister McCoy had taken most of the students to a private home that was sponsored by Warren Worthington the third. She knew that he would not return until instructed to by Professor Xavier.
Jubilee did not know the number to the hideaway home.
Now it was late, and Jubilee was tired. Lance had offered her a bed in one of the spare rooms. The seventeen year old welcomed the comfort of a warm bed as opposed to sleeping on the couch, or worse yet the street corner.
Lance had let Jubilee wear one of his mother's nightgowns'. Jubilee thought that it looked like a straight jacket, but kept her thoughts to herself. Instead, she thanked him for his hospitality and help, then decided to go to bed early.
She wasn't quite sure that she trusted Lance completely. After all, the two had met only that afternoon, and he had already given her food, clothing and a place to sleep. It was Jubilee's experience that all too often when people were nice they had secret agendas. She wanted to know what his was, although Jubilee knew if she asked Lance he'd flat out deny it.
Jubilee lay in her bedroom with the door closed and locked from the inside. She knew that if Lance wanted to his could crumble the door to splinters, but that would give her some time to prepare for him if he were going to attack. Her eyes gazed over the photos and paintings on the wall. Most were of dogs, or landscapes. Lance or his family had taken none of the pictures; that much was obvious. The wallpaper had a continuous patter of horizontal yellow flowers. A solid oak dresser stood against one of the walls, against the other was an armoire. The room even had it's own private bathroom (the door to which was slightly ajar). Jubilee had not checked the closet yet.
Her eyes closed, and then opened rapidly. Jubilee felt tired, but was not ready to sleep yet. She still needed to think about some things. She was worried about her friends. Her part of the quest was over, but Jubilee did not know if theirs was.
She prayed that they would all live. She knew the consequences if they failed. Her future, the future of everyone in the entire world, was in the hands of the X-Men, and no one knew it.
Morning came after a long night of broken sleep. Jubilee had woken more times than she could count. Her sleep had been accompanied by nightmares of things to come. The demon that haunted her in the night was not some lone rider on a pale horse, but a former teacher, Jean Gray.
She had seen the end, of everything. Men and mutant alike lied in unmarked graves. Cities that had once been prosperous were now but a pale shadow of what had once been. Ash covered the streets and cars. The windows had been shattered long ago, so long that no shards of glass lay on the ground. No animals ran through the streets. No insects could be seen scurrying about. Just the ash, and the absence of life.
Jubilee had woken many times. And every time that she had shut her eyes, she had had the same dream. She finally rose from her bed at seven fifteen feeling tired, scared and alone.
The teenage girl got dressed and walked down the stairs into the kitchen to find coffee already brewing. An empty cup sat on the counter next to a piece of paper that read 'out for morning chores, help yourself to coffee'. Jubilee poured herself a cup and sat down at the kitchen table.
She could hear Avalanche approaching before he nudged her leg. Jubilee smiled, putting her left hand down and patting the dog. He looked up at her, his eyes hidden by the mounds of fur, although Jubilee could tell that he was happy to see her. There was no doubt in her mind that Lance was a good master, but Avalanche seemed to be the type of dog that enjoyed having anyone around.
It didn't take Jubilee long to finish two cups of coffee, and afterwards she went to the sink and washed out the inside of her cup. "Where's Lance?" she asked herself. Avalanche started to paw at the door. Jubilee smiled at the dog again, and went to the door. "Thanks, Avalanche."
Jubilee stepped outside, feeling the sun's warm rays for the first time that day. She continued into the field, making sure that Avalanche did not follow her. It wasn't that she wouldn't have minded his company, but she did not want Lance to be mad at the dog. She walked into the cornfield, following the path that the two had surfed the day before until finally coming to the pond.
The seventeen year old looked down into the water, seeing the fish swimming back and forth. She could hear some frogs croaking from somewhere in the pond. Jubilee leaned down and took off her shoes, then put her toes in the water. It felt good, despite the mud that was swallowing the bottom of her feet. She looked around, a little embarrassed at herself for acting childish. Finally she rolled up her pant legs to her knees and walked in farther.
Somewhere close Jubilee could hear a slight humming. She looked around, curious as to what was making the sound. It didn't sound like anything she was familiar with except.
Before the girl could finish her thought process she saw a large silver disk flying through the air. She could clearly see people on it, but didn't need to see their faces to know who the leader was. Magneto. The disk continued past her, and finally came to a stop somewhere by the farm.
"Lance," Jubilee whispered to herself.
She scurried through the water, not caring that her clothing was getting soaked as she ran. Jubilee didn't bother to put on her shoes. She was afraid that Lance might need help. She knew how dangerous Magneto was, and cunning. She had heard stories from Rogue. Once in a while Logan would talk about Magneto too, but his stories were filled with curses that made an unrealistic depiction.
Although her feet were killing her Jubilee continued to run through the fields. Finally she arrived at the farmhouse, and could see Magneto with his small army of mutants standing around. She did not recognize any of the mutants save Magneto himself and John Allardyce, now known only as Pyro.
She looked around and finally saw a mutant with a green colored skin pushing Lance forward. The others laughed as he stumbled forward.
Jubilee looked around terrified. Her eyes darted from a female mutant who was covered from head to foot in blue scales. Other than that the mutant was naked. Another woman had arms that were covered with the same metal that her friend Peter had. A third mutant had a third eye in the center of his forehead. Almost all of the rest looked like normal humans.
Magneto held out his hand for Lance. The boy took it, and then pulled himself up to his feet. "It's been too long, Magneto," Lance said.
"Always a pleasure, Lance," Magneto replied.
Jubilee stood frozen, then felt a pair of arms grab her from behind.
Lance looked at the man whom he had come to know as Magneto happily. The older mutant had been the only man whom Lance had ever revealed his mutant powers to until Jubilee came into his life. Magneto extended a hand, a warm smile extending the corners of his lips.
"Please, come on inside," Lance said to his friend.
"What about the girl? The one from the Xavier School?" Magneto asked.
"She's here. Somewhere. Last I knew she was inside."
Magneto's smile did not falter, although Lance could sense some unease from his friend. The two walked inside, with Magneto's group of mutant thugs following behind.
Magneto instantly went to the table, ignoring Avalanche's growls of unease, and looked at the empty cup. "She's outside. Toad, Pandora, Pyro, find her."
The green tinted mutant, the woman with metal arms, and the boy who had been playing with his lighter started out the door. Magneto took a seat at the kitchen table next to the blue naked woman. The other mutants continued into the living room, taking seats all around.
"Can I get you anything?" Lance asked.
Magneto shook his head. "We have to find the girl first. If she's seen me then she'll be afraid. I don't want her to fear me, or any of our brothers and sisters."
Lance nodded.
Jubilee had watched as three mutants left Lance's house and wandered into the field close to her. She knew that Magneto would be looking for her. She also knew that he would no send any more of his men for her. This would be the only chance she would have to help Lance.
"Hello there," Jubilee heard a voice calling. She turned around and saw the green skinned mutant behind her. "Now don't run-"
Before he finished his sentence Jubilee was on her feet. She ran for the house as fast as she could, not looking in either direction as she moved. A metal hand reached out in front of her, and as Jubilee collided with the arm she fell on her back. The teen could feel a heavy boot landing on her neck, and despite how much she was struggling she could not shake herself free. She began to feel lightheaded, then heard Pyro speak.
"We're not to hurt her," he started.
"Magneto just said he wanted her alive, he didn't specify what condition she had to be in."
Pyro flicked open his lighter and glared at the woman. "Get her up, now," he ordered.
The woman glared back at him, and finally complied. The three dragged Jubilee into the house and sat her down at the table across from Magneto. The older man smiled, trying to appear friendly. Jubilee knew better than to trust him.
"Jubilation Lee, I have heard about you," Magneto started. "Between Lance and Charles, I feel like I've known you for some years now."
Jubilee wanted to reach across the table and shock him. She didn't move. She didn't want to endanger Lance.
Magneto looked at his soldiers. "Tomorrow, all of us leave for Genosha. Pyro, please escort young Jubilee to her room until we are ready to depart."
Pyro nodded. He grabbed Jubilee by the arm and lifted her up.
"What're you going to do with Lance?" she demanded.
"Lance? He's our host. We wouldn't dare do anything to him," Magneto replied.
Jubilee gasped and looked at Lance. She couldn't believe that he would do something like that. Work with, for, a murderer like Magneto. She felt Pyro's grip on her arm tighten and she was lead up the stairs into her room.
"Stay here," Pyro ordered.
He started to close the door but Jubilee moved her hand in the way. For a moment their eyes met, and Jubilee saw the boy who she had been friends with. "John, what happened?" she asked. "How could you live with that. that monster?"
"That monster is the greatest man I know!"
"How can you say that? He's a murderer, John. He-"
"Don't call me that. My name is Pyro now."
"Don't you see what he's done to you? John, please, answer me."
John looked down for a moment, and when he looked back into Jubilee's eyes he was powerful. He was filled with pride. "How much did you hear about what happened before Alkali?"
"Everything," Jubilee replied.
"Did they tell you about how I killed those cops outside of Bobby's house?"
Jubilee nodded. She had tried to tell herself that Rogue and Bobby's stories were just exaggerations, although now, standing face to face with John, she knew they were telling the truth.
"When I was doing that, using my power and showing the humans that I wasn't afraid, for the first time since I discovered what I was I wasn't afraid. I didn't feel like I had to blend in because of fear. No, not blend in. conform. Pretend to be something I'm not. You know what I'm talking about, right? Xavier preaches it every day in that fucking school. He wants us to pretend to be human." John leaned in and caressed her cheek. "We're not human, Jubilee. We're so much more than that. We're so much. better than that."
Jubilee instantly thought back to her foster parents. They were human, both of them. She had never thought of them as better or worse than her. They were the closest thing that she had to parents; the closest thing that she had to a real family.
"You know I'm telling to truth. Ever since I've started to hang with Magneto, I've never felt that emptiness I felt at Xavier's. I've never had to hide because of some human. Look at me, Jubilee."
She cocked her head up so that their eyes met. Jubilee could feel tears forming in the corner of her eyes. Her friend, John, was truly dead.
"Magneto wants all of us to be like that. He wants every single mutant to hold his or her heads high, and show the world what we are. You can't tell me that you buy into all of Xavier's bull. If you did, then you wouldn't be here right now, would you?"
Jubilee put her hand on the door to her room. "I'm going to bed, Pyro. I- I'll see you in the morning." She closed the door and went over to the window. Jubilee looked up at the stars above, wondering what was happening to her friends at that moment.
Professor, she thought, trying to project her mind, I need you.
"Did you have to send so many cops after her?" Lance demanded.
"I wanted the cops to think she was dangerous, I didn't know that they'd over react like that," Magneto replied.
Lance walked over to the sink. He could see his hands shaking. He put his cup down, afraid that it would fall and brake. "I don't think this is a good idea," he whispered.
"It's alright, Lance. Things are going very smoothly. Spectacle has informed me that Xavier has rid Genosha of Apocalypse and his thugs."
"But why her?"
Now it was Magneto who got to his feet. He moved slowly across the room to Lance, and put his hand on the boy's shoulder. "Charles means well, son, but he's not preparing his students for the world of tomorrow. If I could, I would take all of his students to Genosha. But for now I'm going to use this girl, this Jubilee, as my test subject. I want to know how easy it will be to turn the rest of Charles's students against the whole of humanity."
"You already have Pyro. Just leave her."
"Pyro is a wonderful apprentice, however when he joined my ranks I needed to do no convincing. He was ready to serve me, whatever the task."
I still don't like it."
"There is very little to like."
Jubilee looked at the ocean, and could see the sun setting. It was only her first day on Genosha, and she already wished she had simply gone home when the X-Men rose again. Avalanche sat next to her, panting friendly. Pyro, Lance and the rest of the mutants were working in the infirmary. She supposed that if she left they wouldn't notice for quite some time, but they would catch her before she could reach the mainland.
A shadow approached her, and the teenage girl did not need to turn to know that the shadow belonged to Magneto. He sat down next to her, and for the first time Jubilee saw the old man out of his uniform. The old man was dressed in an off-white button up shirt and a pair of khaki's. He paused for a second, seeming to think of the right words to say.
"I know how it feels, my dear," he finally started, "to leave the country that you have called home every day of your life. I know the pain and sorrow of leaving a place that holds so many memories for you, and I am truly sorry that I have to bestow this pain upon you."
"It doesn't matter," Jubilee started. "When Professor Xavier and the others hear about this, they'll come and get me."
Magneto stayed quiet for a moment. "Jubilation. I'm sorry that we have not been friends in the past. That will make what I'm about to say sound like a lie. I spoke to one of the wounded from Genosha about the fait of the X-Men. Every last one of them fell in battle. They died expelling Apocalypse."
"What?"
"They're dead, my dear. All of them, including Charles."
Jubilee stood up. "You're lying," she said. Her voice was firm, firmer than it had ever been.
Magneto shook his head slowly. He made his way to his feet at an equal pace.
"No. No, no, no, no," Jubilee kept repeating. She shook her head as she spoke. Bobby, Kevin, Kitty, Rogue.
Magneto moved close to her, and as he did he wrapped his arms around her small frame. Jubilee started to cry, but even as she did she kept repeating "no." She could feel him press her head to his shoulder, and Jubilee felt safe once more. She did not know how long she cried, or now long he held her, but when Jubilee finally pushed herself away from Magneto's chest his shirt was stained with her tears and she had decided to stay on Genosha.
The Rise of the Sentinels
Prologue
Lance Alvers arrived at work thirty minutes early, just as he had every day since he started. It wasn't great work, or even work he was proud of, but it paid most of his bills. Allowed him to keep his lights on and his internet working. The fact of the matter was the bus station was enough to take his mind of things for a while, just long enough to make some cash and go home.
Today it looked worse than it had for a long time. There was a hole in the floor at least fifteen feet in diameter. Broken glass lay on the floor. Several of the lockers had been knocked over. And by the looks of things people were more cautious than normal. Everyone, that was, except an Asian girl in a yellow denim jacket.
Lance tried not to make eye contact. For one thing, she looked under age. He knew he was only twenty-one, but if she were even seventeen that was jailbait. For another thing, he didn't have much luck with women. A date here, a date there, but nothing more. He never called them; they rarely called him. His life was simple, and the last thing he needed was a woman to complicate things.
He continued into the locker room and started to change into his janitor uniform. "You hear bout what happened out there, Alvers?" one of the other janitors asked as he came into the room.
"No," Lance answered. Truthfully he wasn't sure he wanted to know.
"Some mutants got into a brawl out there. A pretty good one, by the looks of things. Stupid mutant, wish they had just killed each other."
Lance chuckled. "Yeah, if things were that easy."
Lance failed to admit his mutant ability of being able to project seismic waves capable of crumbling the entire bus station to little more than a pile of rubble. He had barely come to grips with the fact that he was a mutant himself. How could he ever expect anyone else to understand? And with power as destructive as his, Lance felt that they would reject him even more.
He grabbed a bucket and a mop and proceeded to go into the main lobby. He washed the floor, paying particular attention to spots that had skid marks from skateboarders or sneakers. As Lance worked he noticed that the Asian girl was not watching the bus schedule intently as the other patrons were. She did not check her watch, or the clock on the wall. Every so often she would stand up, but before too long the girl returned to her seat. On two occasions the girl had purchased ice coffees.
Lance turned away from the girl. He tried to think of other things. His dog, Avalanche, the farm that his parents had left him which had been in their family for years, he even let himself just think of nothing, fully concentrating on the task at hand. Lance prided himself on making everything as perfect as it had been when the station purchased it. He was good at cleaning, and enjoyed it.
"Hey pretty, you wanna go for a ride?" Lance heard a guy say behind him.
"Yeah," a second guy started. "You don't have to wait here for a bus. We can take you where you need to go."
Lance turned and saw three teens standing around the Asian girl. One of them had a leg on the bench she sat on; his hand was hovering over his groin. The girl looked as disgusted as Lance felt.
"There a problem here, miss?" Lance asked.
"There ain't no problem here, janitor," the boy nearest Lance started. "Why don't you just go scrub a urinal or something?"
The other two laughed.
"Miss?" Lance asked again.
"No, but thank you," the girl replied. Lance could read her eyes. Don't worry. It's not your fight.
He turned around and the janitors laughed again.
"That's right," the second boy said, putting his hand on her shoulder. "She's fine right with us."
Lance growled. He sent a vibration through the floor, sending the boy nearest to the hole in the floor flying backwards. The other two fell on their butts, but were quick to get on their feet after the rumble.
"Help! Get me up!" the boy who had fallen in the whole screamed. He held onto the edge by his fingertips. Lance knew that the edge would be slick. He turned around to help but the boy's two friends were already pulling their friend back to the ground level.
The girl, Lance noticed, had a wallet in her hand. She removed the cash from it and threw the wallet into the trashcan that had been placed right next to the seat. Lance smiled, then went over to the trashcan and empties it. He looked at her, holding a finger to his lips, and proceeded to the dumpster.
Lance had not spoken to the girl since the boys had bothered her, but she remained in the bus station the entire time. He had checked out already, and carried his small backpack on his shoulder. Lance had covered his auburn hair with a tanned fedora. He wore a vest that matched the color of his hat. When he was halfway across the lobby Lance saw seven officers enter the bus station. The head officer sent two of his men on either side of the lobby, and they slowly closed in on the Asian girl.
The five continued forward, two on either side of the head officer. Just as Lance had suspected, they were heading for the girl. She could see them coming, but there wasn't anywhere to hide. The only exit was in front of her, through the cops. She was trapped.
"Jubilation Lee?" the head officer asked as he approached her. He reached inside his overcoat and pulled out his badge. The officers (who were all in traditional uniforms) were already drawing their guns.
Are they nuts? Lance thought to himself.
The girl nodded.
"My name is Detective Parker, please come with me."
"What's this about?" Jubilation asked.
"Come with him, now!" one of the officers screamed. He pointed his gun directly at Jubilation's head. It wasn't necessarily a threat, he was nervous, maybe even scared.
Jubilation lifted up her arms, and a third cop holstered his weapon. At the same time the officer pulled out a pair of handcuffs and prepared to place the metallic bracelets on her wrists.
"Is there a problem here officers?" Lance asked. He instantly regretted speaking.
"Just move on your way, son," Parker started.
Two of Parker's men already had guns on Lance. Lance took a step back, and heard the metallic crunching as the handcuffs locked into place. The officer's did not take their guns off of him until Jubilation was already halfway to the door.
Lance followed as closely as he could, watching as the officer's escorted her down the stairs. He looked at their cars, irritated that they had treated the girl as they had. He felt angry that those cops had stuck their guns in his face. And scared. Scared for her and himself; that the cops might find out what he was. A mutant.
As the thought of mutant slipped through Lance's mind the ground under the officer's cards began to rumble. Within a few seconds the ground opened up, and the cars fell into the cracks. But the shaking didn't stop there. Lance could see the crack in the ground travel quickly up towards the cops. They screamed, jumping out of the way. And Lance stopped it.
By now people were running and screaming. Some of them had got to their cars and were driving off as fast as they could. Lance decided the best coarse of action would be to act like one of the frightened pedestrians. He gave another look back at the Asian girl, and her eyes locked with his. She knew what he was.
Lance didn't take a second look. He ran for his truck and got in as fast as he could. Something rattled in the bed of the truck. Lance didn't need to look back to know it was the Asian girl making her escape. He didn't slow. He started the truck as fast as he could and drove off. Nothing would stop him until he got home. Not a thing.
It only took Lance forty minutes to return home. Thankfully traffic had been light and the girl had enough sense to keep down. He got out of the truck and stormed to the back. "Alright," Lance started. "Now I've got you away from the cops, get out of here."
"What?" the girl asked.
"Get out of here. Whatever trouble you're in, I don't want any part of it. I've got enough problems of my own, you know."
The girl pushed herself off the truck and held out her hands. "Will you at least help me get out of these before pushing me into the road?"
Lance groaned. She was starting to annoy him already. He grasped the handcuffs and looked at them. His power wouldn't help him here. If he tried to shatter the locks with vibrations he'd most likely break her wrists, then he'd never be rid of the girl.
"Come on inside," Lance started. "But I swear if you so much as look at me funny I'm gonna call the cops."
The girl nodded and followed him inside. As they entered his farm Lance could hear Avalanche barking. The sheepdog lumbered into the room, wagging its tale back and forth frantically. He barked once more joyfully seeing that his master was not alone, and instantly went over to the girl to greet her. Avalanche sniffed at the girl's pants deeply, getting used to the new smell.
"Avalanche, back boy. She's not staying," Lance said to the dog.
Avalanche moved his head towards his master. His mouth hung open and his tongue stuck out. The dog looked particularly stupid when he did that.
"Fine, watch her," Lance started.
The girl started to scratch the dog's head. "Hi there boy. I'm Jubilee," she said as she kneeled down. Avalanche licked the side of her head, and Jubilee laughed.
"Man's best friend unless there's a woman around," Lance grumbled as he went to the tool shed. He walked back to the living room with a chisel in one hand and a hammer in the other. "Alright, sit down over there by the desk."
"You don't have anything a little more. subtle?" Jubilee asked.
"Sorry, I'm not into stuff this kinky. No handcuff keys."
Jubilee sighed. She sat down in the chair opposite the desk, and Lance prepared to break the handcuffs. "So what's your name?" Jubilee asked.
"I don't want to tell you my name."
"Why not?"
"Because when those cops catch you I don't want you to tell them who helped you escape back at the bus station."
Jubilee rolled her eyes. "Oh, yeah, that."
Lance started to hit the chisel.
"You know I didn't do anything," Jubilee continued.
Lance did not speak. He kept on chiseling at the handcuffs. Maybe she'd get the hint.
"I mean I did so some things, but nothing that warranted seven cops to come and pick me up."
"Uh-huh," Lance replied. He hoped that was the end of the story. Another bash at the handcuff's and nothing happened still. He really wished the cops had just held onto her.
"I was saving money to get back to New York. My parents live there. Well, foster parents anyways."
"What happened to your folks?" Lance asked. He didn't really care. It was a question that he would ask on reflex.
"They died," Jubilee replied. Her head ducked low. "When I was ten."
Lance hit the handcuffs again. "I'm sorry to hear that. My folks died a year ago."
"What happened?" Jubilee asked.
"They died," Lance repeated. He thought it was obvious that he didn't want to talk about them the first time. Apparently it was not.
Again the hammer struck the chisel, and the handcuffs broke. Jubilee removed her hand from the desk and rubbed her sore wrists.
"There, all better," Lance started. "You know where the front door is. Now leave."
Jubilee stood up. She extended her arm as if to shake Lance's hand. "Thanks."
"Don't mention it." Lance paused to pick up the handcuffs and started for the tool shed again. "To anyone."
He didn't wait to see her off. He didn't care that she was leaving. In a few minutes his life would return to the normal dull existence it had been before. The way he liked it.
Lance turned from the tool shed, and Jubilee was gone. Avalanche stood at the door, whining softly. Lance knew that the dog didn't have to go to the bathroom; he wanted to get Jubilee back. As Lance walked towards his dog the animal turned. Lance started to scratch the sheepdog's head.
"It's alright boy. We don't need her around."
The sheepdog whined again and walked towards the door, scratching it gently."
Jubilee heard a car approaching. She turned around and stuck out her thumb. To her surprise it was the same truck that she had dove into. The car pulled up and to a halt. Jubilee could smell the exhaust from the cars tailpipe, and taste dirt in her mouth from the unpaved road.
"Lance," the boy started. "My name is Lance."
"Jubilee," the teen replied, sticking her hand through the open window to shake his.
"Get in, Jubilee. We can give your parents a call and they can come down here and get you. At least I won't have to go through a guilt trip when I see your face in the newspaper."
Jubilee smiled and ran around to the other side of the truck. She got in, buckled up, and Lance started to drive back to his house.
The two had returned to the barn, and Lance cooked for them. After eating a few slices of turkey covered in homemade gravy with mashed potatoes and carrots on the side the two had done up the dishes. Now they sat at the kitchen table, about to commence in conversation. Avalanche was lying next to his master, gnawing contently on a bone that Lance had bought for him a while ago.
"So, you gonna tell me what you did, or do I have to guess?" Lance asked. He was quite content to skip all the small talk.
"You mean to attract the attention of those cops?" Jubilee asked, taken off guard by the question.
Lance nodded.
"I don't know. I was just sitting there; pick pocketing when they came in. I thought that a local security guard would arrest me if anyone did. Not seven armed and dangerous police officers."
Lance leaned forward and crossed his arms. "And?"
"And nothing. I don't know why they over reacted like they did."
"What about your mutant ability?"
Jubilee looked at him as if he had said some crude and sarcastic remark. She held up her right hand, palm out. After a second Lance could see it was starting to glow. Soon small sparks bounced from Jubilee's fingertips, extinguishing themselves before touching the table or the carpet. Lance was amazed at the sight. Even Avalanche had stopped gnawing on his bone long enough to admire Jubilee's mutant ability at work.
"Happy?" Jubilee put her hand back down on the table. "Now you know."
"That was cool," Lance said. He knew that the phrase was a little immature for his age, but he couldn't help himself.
"You want me to leave again? 'Kill the mutants' and all that?"
Lance was quiet for a moment, and then began to laugh. He ran his hands through his brown hair, trying to control himself.
"It's not funny. I have to deal with that every time anyone finds out what I am, all right? You try living with it."
"I'm sorry," Lance said, trying to regain his composure. "It's not that. It's not. I- I got to show you something. Wait here, I'll be right back." Lance turned and ran up the stairs. A moment later he returned with a snowboard. "Follow me," he instructed her.
Jubilee did as she was told, although Lance could tell that she didn't like not knowing what they were up to. Lance led her into the field, past the potato field and into what had once been a cornfield. It had been hears since healthy corn husks had grown on the land. Now there were wide gaps between rows, and they were uneven. Some flies buzzed from one plant to the next, taking what nutrients they could from the rotting vegetation.
"Alright," Lance started. "Put your feet in these."
He put the snowboard down on the ground so that the boots were facing upwards.
"I thought you weren't into kinky stuff," Jubilee said.
Lance chuckled. "Just trust me."
Jubilee did as she was told, unlacing one shoe and putting her foot into the snowboard boot. She repeated the first step with her second foot, and then stood up, barely able to keep her balance. Lance stepped behind her and gently touched his fingers to her shoulders.
"Ever go surfing?" he whispered.
"I tried, once," Jubilee chucked.
"This is pretty much like that."
Suddenly there was a rumbling sound. Lance smiled, and the ground beneath them started to rise up. A pure momentous surge of energy pushed them forward, and within seconds Lance and Jubilee were flying through the cornfield. Husks of corn were pushed to either side, spreading only half a second before the two were past them. Jubilee screamed in spite of herself. Lance could tell that she was nervous, but at the same time she was excited.
He could see the pond in front of them, and Lance turned the surge of earth quickly. Small pebbles and particles of dirt fell into the water as they turned and continued on their way.
"Watch out!" Jubilee screamed as a boulder came into view.
"Push your back foot down!" Lance said without thinking twice.
The mound of dirt beneath their feet rose, running to the top of the boulder. Jubilee slid over the other side, although Lance had to run to catch up to the dirt wave. Jubilee laughed and looked back at him. Lance smiled back.
The entire ride only lasted about five minutes, although it seemed like an eternity of fun. As the last of the waves subsided and returned to the earth Lance let go of Jubilee's back and stepped around so that he could face her.
"Now that was cool!"
"Thank you."
"Did you do all that?"
"No, we're on some sort of a fault line. It happens from time to time."
Jubilee laughed.
"Come on, get your shoes on. We can do some more surfing later, okay?"
Jubilee had called her stepparents house, but only reached an answering machine. She had left a message, but knew how they were. Although Jubilee loved both her stepparents dearly, she knew that they were terrible when it came to checking the machine. One year after Jubilee had returned from the Xavier School she had found forty-two messages on her parents answering machine.
She had called the school too, but no one was there. Jubilee had left a message at the school as well, but did not know how long to expect that they'd be gone. Mister McCoy had taken most of the students to a private home that was sponsored by Warren Worthington the third. She knew that he would not return until instructed to by Professor Xavier.
Jubilee did not know the number to the hideaway home.
Now it was late, and Jubilee was tired. Lance had offered her a bed in one of the spare rooms. The seventeen year old welcomed the comfort of a warm bed as opposed to sleeping on the couch, or worse yet the street corner.
Lance had let Jubilee wear one of his mother's nightgowns'. Jubilee thought that it looked like a straight jacket, but kept her thoughts to herself. Instead, she thanked him for his hospitality and help, then decided to go to bed early.
She wasn't quite sure that she trusted Lance completely. After all, the two had met only that afternoon, and he had already given her food, clothing and a place to sleep. It was Jubilee's experience that all too often when people were nice they had secret agendas. She wanted to know what his was, although Jubilee knew if she asked Lance he'd flat out deny it.
Jubilee lay in her bedroom with the door closed and locked from the inside. She knew that if Lance wanted to his could crumble the door to splinters, but that would give her some time to prepare for him if he were going to attack. Her eyes gazed over the photos and paintings on the wall. Most were of dogs, or landscapes. Lance or his family had taken none of the pictures; that much was obvious. The wallpaper had a continuous patter of horizontal yellow flowers. A solid oak dresser stood against one of the walls, against the other was an armoire. The room even had it's own private bathroom (the door to which was slightly ajar). Jubilee had not checked the closet yet.
Her eyes closed, and then opened rapidly. Jubilee felt tired, but was not ready to sleep yet. She still needed to think about some things. She was worried about her friends. Her part of the quest was over, but Jubilee did not know if theirs was.
She prayed that they would all live. She knew the consequences if they failed. Her future, the future of everyone in the entire world, was in the hands of the X-Men, and no one knew it.
Morning came after a long night of broken sleep. Jubilee had woken more times than she could count. Her sleep had been accompanied by nightmares of things to come. The demon that haunted her in the night was not some lone rider on a pale horse, but a former teacher, Jean Gray.
She had seen the end, of everything. Men and mutant alike lied in unmarked graves. Cities that had once been prosperous were now but a pale shadow of what had once been. Ash covered the streets and cars. The windows had been shattered long ago, so long that no shards of glass lay on the ground. No animals ran through the streets. No insects could be seen scurrying about. Just the ash, and the absence of life.
Jubilee had woken many times. And every time that she had shut her eyes, she had had the same dream. She finally rose from her bed at seven fifteen feeling tired, scared and alone.
The teenage girl got dressed and walked down the stairs into the kitchen to find coffee already brewing. An empty cup sat on the counter next to a piece of paper that read 'out for morning chores, help yourself to coffee'. Jubilee poured herself a cup and sat down at the kitchen table.
She could hear Avalanche approaching before he nudged her leg. Jubilee smiled, putting her left hand down and patting the dog. He looked up at her, his eyes hidden by the mounds of fur, although Jubilee could tell that he was happy to see her. There was no doubt in her mind that Lance was a good master, but Avalanche seemed to be the type of dog that enjoyed having anyone around.
It didn't take Jubilee long to finish two cups of coffee, and afterwards she went to the sink and washed out the inside of her cup. "Where's Lance?" she asked herself. Avalanche started to paw at the door. Jubilee smiled at the dog again, and went to the door. "Thanks, Avalanche."
Jubilee stepped outside, feeling the sun's warm rays for the first time that day. She continued into the field, making sure that Avalanche did not follow her. It wasn't that she wouldn't have minded his company, but she did not want Lance to be mad at the dog. She walked into the cornfield, following the path that the two had surfed the day before until finally coming to the pond.
The seventeen year old looked down into the water, seeing the fish swimming back and forth. She could hear some frogs croaking from somewhere in the pond. Jubilee leaned down and took off her shoes, then put her toes in the water. It felt good, despite the mud that was swallowing the bottom of her feet. She looked around, a little embarrassed at herself for acting childish. Finally she rolled up her pant legs to her knees and walked in farther.
Somewhere close Jubilee could hear a slight humming. She looked around, curious as to what was making the sound. It didn't sound like anything she was familiar with except.
Before the girl could finish her thought process she saw a large silver disk flying through the air. She could clearly see people on it, but didn't need to see their faces to know who the leader was. Magneto. The disk continued past her, and finally came to a stop somewhere by the farm.
"Lance," Jubilee whispered to herself.
She scurried through the water, not caring that her clothing was getting soaked as she ran. Jubilee didn't bother to put on her shoes. She was afraid that Lance might need help. She knew how dangerous Magneto was, and cunning. She had heard stories from Rogue. Once in a while Logan would talk about Magneto too, but his stories were filled with curses that made an unrealistic depiction.
Although her feet were killing her Jubilee continued to run through the fields. Finally she arrived at the farmhouse, and could see Magneto with his small army of mutants standing around. She did not recognize any of the mutants save Magneto himself and John Allardyce, now known only as Pyro.
She looked around and finally saw a mutant with a green colored skin pushing Lance forward. The others laughed as he stumbled forward.
Jubilee looked around terrified. Her eyes darted from a female mutant who was covered from head to foot in blue scales. Other than that the mutant was naked. Another woman had arms that were covered with the same metal that her friend Peter had. A third mutant had a third eye in the center of his forehead. Almost all of the rest looked like normal humans.
Magneto held out his hand for Lance. The boy took it, and then pulled himself up to his feet. "It's been too long, Magneto," Lance said.
"Always a pleasure, Lance," Magneto replied.
Jubilee stood frozen, then felt a pair of arms grab her from behind.
Lance looked at the man whom he had come to know as Magneto happily. The older mutant had been the only man whom Lance had ever revealed his mutant powers to until Jubilee came into his life. Magneto extended a hand, a warm smile extending the corners of his lips.
"Please, come on inside," Lance said to his friend.
"What about the girl? The one from the Xavier School?" Magneto asked.
"She's here. Somewhere. Last I knew she was inside."
Magneto's smile did not falter, although Lance could sense some unease from his friend. The two walked inside, with Magneto's group of mutant thugs following behind.
Magneto instantly went to the table, ignoring Avalanche's growls of unease, and looked at the empty cup. "She's outside. Toad, Pandora, Pyro, find her."
The green tinted mutant, the woman with metal arms, and the boy who had been playing with his lighter started out the door. Magneto took a seat at the kitchen table next to the blue naked woman. The other mutants continued into the living room, taking seats all around.
"Can I get you anything?" Lance asked.
Magneto shook his head. "We have to find the girl first. If she's seen me then she'll be afraid. I don't want her to fear me, or any of our brothers and sisters."
Lance nodded.
Jubilee had watched as three mutants left Lance's house and wandered into the field close to her. She knew that Magneto would be looking for her. She also knew that he would no send any more of his men for her. This would be the only chance she would have to help Lance.
"Hello there," Jubilee heard a voice calling. She turned around and saw the green skinned mutant behind her. "Now don't run-"
Before he finished his sentence Jubilee was on her feet. She ran for the house as fast as she could, not looking in either direction as she moved. A metal hand reached out in front of her, and as Jubilee collided with the arm she fell on her back. The teen could feel a heavy boot landing on her neck, and despite how much she was struggling she could not shake herself free. She began to feel lightheaded, then heard Pyro speak.
"We're not to hurt her," he started.
"Magneto just said he wanted her alive, he didn't specify what condition she had to be in."
Pyro flicked open his lighter and glared at the woman. "Get her up, now," he ordered.
The woman glared back at him, and finally complied. The three dragged Jubilee into the house and sat her down at the table across from Magneto. The older man smiled, trying to appear friendly. Jubilee knew better than to trust him.
"Jubilation Lee, I have heard about you," Magneto started. "Between Lance and Charles, I feel like I've known you for some years now."
Jubilee wanted to reach across the table and shock him. She didn't move. She didn't want to endanger Lance.
Magneto looked at his soldiers. "Tomorrow, all of us leave for Genosha. Pyro, please escort young Jubilee to her room until we are ready to depart."
Pyro nodded. He grabbed Jubilee by the arm and lifted her up.
"What're you going to do with Lance?" she demanded.
"Lance? He's our host. We wouldn't dare do anything to him," Magneto replied.
Jubilee gasped and looked at Lance. She couldn't believe that he would do something like that. Work with, for, a murderer like Magneto. She felt Pyro's grip on her arm tighten and she was lead up the stairs into her room.
"Stay here," Pyro ordered.
He started to close the door but Jubilee moved her hand in the way. For a moment their eyes met, and Jubilee saw the boy who she had been friends with. "John, what happened?" she asked. "How could you live with that. that monster?"
"That monster is the greatest man I know!"
"How can you say that? He's a murderer, John. He-"
"Don't call me that. My name is Pyro now."
"Don't you see what he's done to you? John, please, answer me."
John looked down for a moment, and when he looked back into Jubilee's eyes he was powerful. He was filled with pride. "How much did you hear about what happened before Alkali?"
"Everything," Jubilee replied.
"Did they tell you about how I killed those cops outside of Bobby's house?"
Jubilee nodded. She had tried to tell herself that Rogue and Bobby's stories were just exaggerations, although now, standing face to face with John, she knew they were telling the truth.
"When I was doing that, using my power and showing the humans that I wasn't afraid, for the first time since I discovered what I was I wasn't afraid. I didn't feel like I had to blend in because of fear. No, not blend in. conform. Pretend to be something I'm not. You know what I'm talking about, right? Xavier preaches it every day in that fucking school. He wants us to pretend to be human." John leaned in and caressed her cheek. "We're not human, Jubilee. We're so much more than that. We're so much. better than that."
Jubilee instantly thought back to her foster parents. They were human, both of them. She had never thought of them as better or worse than her. They were the closest thing that she had to parents; the closest thing that she had to a real family.
"You know I'm telling to truth. Ever since I've started to hang with Magneto, I've never felt that emptiness I felt at Xavier's. I've never had to hide because of some human. Look at me, Jubilee."
She cocked her head up so that their eyes met. Jubilee could feel tears forming in the corner of her eyes. Her friend, John, was truly dead.
"Magneto wants all of us to be like that. He wants every single mutant to hold his or her heads high, and show the world what we are. You can't tell me that you buy into all of Xavier's bull. If you did, then you wouldn't be here right now, would you?"
Jubilee put her hand on the door to her room. "I'm going to bed, Pyro. I- I'll see you in the morning." She closed the door and went over to the window. Jubilee looked up at the stars above, wondering what was happening to her friends at that moment.
Professor, she thought, trying to project her mind, I need you.
"Did you have to send so many cops after her?" Lance demanded.
"I wanted the cops to think she was dangerous, I didn't know that they'd over react like that," Magneto replied.
Lance walked over to the sink. He could see his hands shaking. He put his cup down, afraid that it would fall and brake. "I don't think this is a good idea," he whispered.
"It's alright, Lance. Things are going very smoothly. Spectacle has informed me that Xavier has rid Genosha of Apocalypse and his thugs."
"But why her?"
Now it was Magneto who got to his feet. He moved slowly across the room to Lance, and put his hand on the boy's shoulder. "Charles means well, son, but he's not preparing his students for the world of tomorrow. If I could, I would take all of his students to Genosha. But for now I'm going to use this girl, this Jubilee, as my test subject. I want to know how easy it will be to turn the rest of Charles's students against the whole of humanity."
"You already have Pyro. Just leave her."
"Pyro is a wonderful apprentice, however when he joined my ranks I needed to do no convincing. He was ready to serve me, whatever the task."
I still don't like it."
"There is very little to like."
Jubilee looked at the ocean, and could see the sun setting. It was only her first day on Genosha, and she already wished she had simply gone home when the X-Men rose again. Avalanche sat next to her, panting friendly. Pyro, Lance and the rest of the mutants were working in the infirmary. She supposed that if she left they wouldn't notice for quite some time, but they would catch her before she could reach the mainland.
A shadow approached her, and the teenage girl did not need to turn to know that the shadow belonged to Magneto. He sat down next to her, and for the first time Jubilee saw the old man out of his uniform. The old man was dressed in an off-white button up shirt and a pair of khaki's. He paused for a second, seeming to think of the right words to say.
"I know how it feels, my dear," he finally started, "to leave the country that you have called home every day of your life. I know the pain and sorrow of leaving a place that holds so many memories for you, and I am truly sorry that I have to bestow this pain upon you."
"It doesn't matter," Jubilee started. "When Professor Xavier and the others hear about this, they'll come and get me."
Magneto stayed quiet for a moment. "Jubilation. I'm sorry that we have not been friends in the past. That will make what I'm about to say sound like a lie. I spoke to one of the wounded from Genosha about the fait of the X-Men. Every last one of them fell in battle. They died expelling Apocalypse."
"What?"
"They're dead, my dear. All of them, including Charles."
Jubilee stood up. "You're lying," she said. Her voice was firm, firmer than it had ever been.
Magneto shook his head slowly. He made his way to his feet at an equal pace.
"No. No, no, no, no," Jubilee kept repeating. She shook her head as she spoke. Bobby, Kevin, Kitty, Rogue.
Magneto moved close to her, and as he did he wrapped his arms around her small frame. Jubilee started to cry, but even as she did she kept repeating "no." She could feel him press her head to his shoulder, and Jubilee felt safe once more. She did not know how long she cried, or now long he held her, but when Jubilee finally pushed herself away from Magneto's chest his shirt was stained with her tears and she had decided to stay on Genosha.