The Rise of the Sentinels

by beyond-grace

Part two of three in a series. Please read Sentinels of Genosha first.

4. Chapters six through epilogue

Chapter Six
Scott Summers stood at the edge of Alkali Lake; the all terrain vehicle he drove in was not fare behind. It seemed strange to see the lake in its liquid form, especially against the cold weather that surrounded the mutant. The only vegetation that he could see was evergreens and a few mushrooms that grew on the dead wood. The road was scattered with thousands, perhaps millions, of old pine needles, dead from countless days of cold and frost.
He could feel tears building in the corner of his eyes, even now after two years. It seemed like longer. It felt like more time had passed between the death of Jean and the present, but the facts were the same. It had only been two years.
Jean's body had never been recovered from the bottom of the lake. Scott knew that there were several rivers that flowed from the body of the lake, and when the damn broke he was certain that it was very possible she was washed into the ocean. Scott knew she must be dead, but every day he hoped that she would appear, that she would be resurrected.
Scott turned around. Despite the fact that it was July the cold weather still bit at his flesh. He knew that Jean would not simply appear because he wished her to, and because he had frozen himself half to death.
In the distance he could see a cloud of smoke building in the woods. A forest fire perhaps. Scott knew that it would be better if he left. If the fire was put out quickly and anyone found out he was a mutant there would be trouble.
Well, let trouble come, Scott thought to himself.
He started walking up the slope dividing himself and the smoke. There was a good chance that he may die by the flames, but there was also a chance that he might be able to help. And Scott was always willing to lend a hand.
As he reached the peak of the small hill he saw that the flames only crawled on several pines. The cinders seemed to be putting themselves out. And, in the center of the pines, stood a single woman with wild red hair.

He made his way down the pass, keeping his hand at the rim of his sunglasses at all times. He didn't want there to be any chance that falling branches would hit the woman.
"Hello!" he called as he got closer.
She didn't appear to hear him. Her gazed continued to constantly stare in the hills and mountains.
"Miss! Hello!"
He got to her and placed one hand on her shoulder.
"Miss?"
She still did not seem to respond. Scott started to move around her, so that he might see her face, and as he did she collapsed. As she lay there, not moving, unconscious, he knew that it was her. He knew that it was Jean.

Charles Xavier was in his study when the phone rang. He set the envelope and envelope opener down on the table. Upon the second ring he answered the phone. "Xavier School For the Gifted," he said into the receiver.
"Hello, Charles," a man with a southern accent said into the receiver. Xavier didn't need to read his mind to know the voice.
Stryker.

Alexander Parker drove the first of two vans onto the Xavier School. He had made sure that everyone was wearing their helmets. He found his to be too small, but knew remembered Stryker's warning.

"What are you doing William?" Xavier asked.
"What's the matter, Charles? Feeling lost, confused, and just like you did in Alkali? I must admit, I did find it rather amusing watching my Son change your perspective on the world."
"Whatever it is you have against me it's personal, keep it that way."
"Charles, is that a threat? Believe me, you'll never be able to keep it. I've made arrangements. After all, you killed me, publicly at least. I'm just here to return the favor. But first, I'd like to tell you my plan, because I know there's nothing you can do to stop me..."

Parker walked through the school as silently as he could. Six of Stryker's better warriors followed close behind. All of them were equipped with silencers mounted on automatic rifles; and, in case of emergencies, a Beretta, also with a silencer.
He turned a corner and saw one of Xavier's students. He had his instructions. No mercy. Parker held his automatic rifle to his shoulder and took aim, the entire process taking little less than a second. He squeezed the trigger.

"That's right, Charles. She's alive. And soon, so very soon you will not be."

Hank McCoy saw the child being shot in front of him. His eyes were wide with fright, then anger. He saw two men; dressed in black from head to foot, step towards the child. One fired three more shots into the child's back.
Beast growled as loud as he could and started to charge them. They raised their weapons and started to fire, but as they did Beast dug his claws into the walls and continued to rush towards them.
The first man and grabbed him by the chest. A quick punch later and the man's neck arched backwards. Beast turned to the other, who did not fire for fear of hitting his dead comrade. Beast placed one of his massive hands on the assassin's shoulder and the other at his groin then lifted him into the air and proceeded to bend him backwards. Beast could feel the man's bones crush under his strength.
He felt two bullets hit him in the chest. On instinct Beast threw the dead man's body towards the other soldier's who shot at him. Two more came into the hall with him, their bullets flew through the air towards him, tearing through his blue fur covered flesh.

"Charles? Are you still there? Or are you actually trying to escape me?" Stryker asked.
Charles's office was empty.

Charles Xavier had already telepathically informed the few students in the institute what was happening and to leave as quickly as possible. He was wheeling himself through the halls when he sensed that a second of his students had been shot.

Parker finished killing his first mutant and paused to reload. He looked down the hall and saw that his men had mortally injured the mutant he knew as Beast. One of them stepped forward and pulled out his Beretta, placing the silencer on Beast's temple. "Say good-night, mutie," the gunman smiled.
A single bullet later and the body of the blue giant fell to the ground. Parker walked towards them. He looked own to the bodies of his fallen soldier's. "Come on, we have to find Xavier."
They nodded with their black helmet's bobbing up and down. Parker led them down the hall.

Xavier turned a corner and saw the five assassins'. The rest of the students were gone, thankfully. Whatever they planned to do to him they would do, but the students at least would be saved.
The soldiers rushed forward and pull him out of his chair.
"Let's get this pig," one of them shouted.
Xavier could feel multiple kicks landing on his gut and in his face. He pulled the letter opener out and rammed it into the ankle of the soldier nearest him. The soldier screamed in pain and backed up.
The other's, stunned by the sudden move of aggression from the cripple, stepped back. Xavier felt several bullets' hit him in the chest. He groaned.
"Finish him," the leader ordered. "We'll meet you at the vans."
Xavier watched as they started to leave. He could feel blood forming at the edge of his lips. The only soldier that remained turned him on his back. He watched as the soldier removed the safety from his pistol and carefully aimed at his head.
A terrible growling erupted from the halls. Xavier turned his head and watched as Wolverine rushed forward, both sets of claws extended. He hit the soldier with all six of the adamantium knives, pushing him back into the wall. Wolverine removed his right set of claws just long enough to ram them into the side of the soldier's head.

Wolverine ran down the halls of the school. He could smell that the other assassin's were outside of the building. Without pausing Wolverine jumped out through the front window. There was only one soldier outside of the two vans' that were parked in the driveway.
He stood slowly; allowing them to know it was their turn to die.
The soldier on the driveway, whose leg was bleeding, started to run as fast as he could. The van with only one man inside started up and drove away.
"Parker you coward!" the gimp shouted.
Wolverine ran past him, barely taking enough time to ram his claws into the back of the man's neck. He ran in front of the second van as it started up. Wolverine stuck his claws into the front grill, riding alone the van as it sped through the driveway.
"Get him off!" the passenger screamed from inside. The passenger pulled up his assault rifle and started to fire.
Wolverine ignored the pain that came from the bullet's bouncing off his metallic bones. He crashed his left hand through the windshield and pushed the rifle so it aimed at the driver's neck. The passenger did not stop firing, and the driver's neck exploded.
Wolverine then grabbed the passenger by the neck and pulled him out of the van, letting him fall under the wheels a split second before jumping off of the front of the van himself. He stood up, watching the van crash into a tree only a few feet from the gates of the school.
He walked towards the passenger. Somehow, the man was still alive. The soldier pulled out his Beretta and took off the safety. Although his eyes were hidden behind the black faceguard Wolverine could see that he was terrified.
"Do it," Wolverine uttered.
The man took aim, and before he could fire a single shot Wolverine swung his claws. The Beretta fell in pieces. Wolverine heard the man pleading for his life, although he did not take the time to listen to the pleas. He grabbed the soldier by the side of the helmet and continued to bash his head against the pavement. In two hits the plastic helmet broke. Wolverine threw it aside. On the third hit the man's skull cracked. Wolverine stood up.
It was time to back and help Charles.
* * *
Aaron Tomas walked through the double swinging doors of the emergency room. He continued to walk down the halls, ignoring the doctors and nurses that passed him on either side. Since he started working for William Stryker Aaron had seen many tragedies, but he always was able to look past them. Especially when he was on the job, like now.
"Doctor Freemen?" he asked a young man in a doctor's coat who wore glasses.
"Yes. Are you... of course you are... I mean... I'm sorry. He's this way."
The doctor turned away and started walking.
"I know what Mister Stryker wanted. Strong men who had grudges against mutants. Well, this guy's strong. At least he was. He was the head of a local biker gang. Everyone of them got burnt up, he was the only survivor."
Freemen opened the door to one of the rooms and escorted Aaron inside. There was a man in there. He was contained in an oxygen tent. Metal spikes had been burnt into bottom of his face. His right leg was burnt. He was still using a respirator to breath.
"This is the guy?"
Aaron turned to the young doctor and watched as his head shook up and down. Before the doctor could speak Aaron pulled out his gun and aimed it at the doctor's head. "You're wasting my time! And I don't pay you to waste my time, do you hear me!"
"You asked for guys who hated mutants! He's him. You didn't say that they had to be in perfect condition!"
"They don't, but I'd like it if they weren't in a coma!" Aaron cocked the hammer.
"Please! He'll be great!"
"Why? Speak!"
"He was mumbling something when he came in. He just kept on saying 'Logan' over and over again!"
"Our Logan?"
"Yes!"
Aaron uncocked the gun.
"Get him ready. You have fifteen minutes. Do not disappoint me again."

Rogue woke dressed only in her bra, underwear, and a cold metallic collar round her neck. The room she had been stored in was warm. She could see that there was a security camera that followed her movement. It had but a single door, a bed, a toilette, and nothing else.
She wanted to fly up and disable the camera but as she tried Rogue found herself unable to. She punched her first into the wall and found that her strength too had been taken away.
"Great," she said to herself. "I'm alone and in my underwear. Remy's gonna have a heart attack when I tell him about this."
She chuckled at her own joke. Finally Rogue went to the door and tried it. Never hurt to try after all.
To her surprise the door was open. Not that it mattered. She could not see anything outside but snow and ice. No vehicles, no big base. Just the cold.
Bastards, she thought, closing the door.
She walked to the other side of the room where the heater was. She thought back. The girl remembered the Sentinel. Rogue remembered fighting it. And then, somehow she had lost. And the next thing she knew she was here. On the bed.
The door opened and Rogue saw a woman enter her room. The woman held a single tray with a sheet of plastic wrap over it.
"What's going on here? Where am I? Who are you?" Rogue demanded.
The woman did not reply. She removed the plastic wrap and put the small piece in her pocket, then turned to leave. Rogue stood up and grabbed her by the shoulder.
"Hey! I asked y-"
Before Rogue could finish her sentence the woman had pulled out a stun gun. The mutant felt three pins' puncture her skin and an electrical pulse that followed. She screamed, falling to the ground. When the strange woman was satisfied that Rogue would not try to fight her again she cut off the power from the stun gun and returned it to it's holster. She turned once more and left Rogue alone.
Rogue was still on the floor, using both her hands and knees to keep herself up. She looked over to the tray and saw that there had been a meal prepared for her. She had been given no silverware. Not ever plastic silverware. She found to her surprise that she was hungry. And although she was a prisoner, she would not allow herself to go hungry. The girl knew that she had to keep up her strength. This time Rogue was determined to escape.
* * *
Scott Summers had found a room in a small Canadian town whose name he could not pronounce. After paying he drove to the door and pulled Jean out of the car. She had been sleeping the entire time.
Now he stood in the hotel room. Jean's limp body was sprawled on the bed. The telephone receiver rattled in his hands as he dialed the number for the Xavier institute. He didn't know what to say. He didn't even know where to begin. Scott was beginning to think that Xavier would have to use Cerebro to understand what the leader of the X-Men was saying.
But no one answered the phone. He did not get the machine, as normal. Just a continuing ringing. Scott hung up and dialed again.
His hidden eyes gazed over at Jean. Her eyes were still shut tightly, although now she was turning in her sleep. Scott silently cursed himself for not learning medicine as she had.
After the eighth ring Scott hung up. He slowly walked over to Jean and wrapped her hand with both of his. "Hold on, Jean," he whispered. "I'll get help."
Scott's eyes closed, and as he did he saw a vision.
Jean was sitting, captured by chains of flame. She screamed, struggling to escape. The only land that she sat on was surrounded by molten lava. In front of her sat a cloaked figure whose arms were outstretched. The hooded figure held her hands in the air, laughing.
Before he could think Scott raised his hand to his sunglasses and removed them, sending out an optic blast which hit the cloaked figure in the chest. He ran forward, determined to protect Jean. As he lifted the hooded figure up his eyes met hers. The hooded figure was Jean too.
He let go of Jeans hand and opened his eyes. Scott stood up, afraid at first. But then he realized what had just happened, although he did not fully understand. Somehow, Jean was communicating with him telepathically. Although he did not yet understand what she was saying.
As he thought her eyes opened. She started up, hovering above the bed.
"Jean," Scott uttered, not fully realizing what he was saying.
"I am Phoenix!" Jean screamed.
Scott tried to speak, but could not find his words. Jean turned her head towards him and glared with her pupiless eyes.
"Jean is no more!"
As she spoke flames stretched from her body, engulfing the room and yet not scorching so much as an inch. Scott backed away from her, uncertain what to do. Jean floated towards him, and as she did he noticed that the flames had taken shape. And the flames had become like the wings of a bird. She reached one hand forward, grasping him by the throat and pinning him against the wall.
"Bow before me!" she ordered.
"J-Jean..."
"Phoenix!" Jean screamed, her voice little less than a thunderous boom.
"I'm sorry..."
He lifted his glasses and fired an optic blast at her. As soon as the laser blast hit her chest the flames receded and Jean flew to the opposite side of the room.
Jean lifted her head weakly. She held out her hand for him. "Scott, help me," she whispered.
Scott ran to her side and wrapped his arms around her. "Don't worry, Jean. I'm here, I'll always be here."

Magneto sat at the table where the thirteen leaders of Genosha sat. Some he knew well, like Mystique, and others he did not know well, like the mutant he had come to know as Havoc. Now the meeting was coming to a close, and the mutant politicians were gathering their things. The eldest of the mutants looked to the door and saw that Sabertooth was waiting for him.
"Sir, I have a situation which requires you attention," Sabertooth announced.
Magneto nodded and followed as the younger of the mutants escorted him down the hall.
"There was a mutant who served under Apocalypse who has returned. And she had a mutant with her who she believes will be an adequate substitution for Wolverine."
"And why do you need my assistance?" Magneto asked.
"Because of the status that the mutant is in."
Magneto walked through a set of swinging double doors. Inside he saw two guards who he knew Sabertooth had recruited as a police force, a female doctor, a woman who he did not recognize, and another woman who was laying on an examination table.
"She's alive," the doctor, a mutant named Empathy, announced.
Magneto walked closer to the table and saw why they needed him. He did not need to see the problem, though. Magneto could feel it. This Asian woman had metal in her veins. Lots of it. And not just metal. Adamantium.
The magnetic mutant could sense it all throughout her body. Like Wolverine and Sabertooth this mutant's skeleton had been substituted with the precious metal. He could tell that she had claws that remained hidden underneath the skin of her fingers. In truth, he remembered her. She had been Stryker's assistant, under mind control, or so he assumed. A mutant hater like Stryker would never allow one of Magneto's brothers or sisters to work for him willingly. Stryker had called her Yuriko Oyama, but a mutant like her deserved a more powerful name. She would have to decide upon one at a later time.
"Can she be saved?" Magneto asked.
"Yes. Even now her body is trying to heal itself. With my help, she may survive," Empathy replied.
Magneto nodded. He knew that Empathy was one of the stronger mutants he had encountered. Empathy possessed the ability to heal others as Sabertooth and Wolverine healed themselves. Unfortunately, Empathy could only use her mutant ability on one person a week, and even that would drain a large amount of her life force.
"Will you do this, sir?" the woman said.
Magneto did not reply. He closed his eyes, picturing only the metal inside of Yuriko. He could feel the metal coming out of her eyes and nose recede inside of her body. Every vein that had been blocked by the metal moved steadily upwards, and finally the excess metal spewed from her mouth. He moved it across the room to a plastic bucket that had been placed there before he entered.
Even before Magneto had opened his eyes Empathy was already using his mutant ability to heal Yuriko. It took only a few seconds, but the young doctor fell, and she was caught by one of the police behind her.
Yuriko struggled to sit up, but Magneto held her in place, making sure that she did not act violently before fully comprehending where she was. "Miss Oyama, do you know what happened to you?" he asked.
She gasped; her eyes searched the room wildly.
"Air..." she said, amazed by the sound of her own voice.
Magneto walked closer to her. "Miss Oyama, we are not going to hurt you. Please, be patient."
He released her from his magnetic grasp as the double doors opened behind him. A mutant named Caliban moved into the room.
"My apologies, Magneto, but I have yet another problem that begs your attention."

Several hours after Magneto had extracted the adamantium from Yuriko Remy pulled into the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters, barely pausing long enough to put the stolen truck in park before he got out. His eyes darted over the ground, moving from body to body. The entire area looked like a war zone.
"My god, Julien, what have you done?" Remy uttered.
He ran inside the doors of the school and saw that more blood had been shed. As the thief ran through the halls he searched desperately for someone who was alive. Anyone. He ran to the lower levels of the school, where the X-Men trained.
Upon reaching the medical examination room he found Charles Xavier. Xavier lay on an examination table, his shirt torn open. Someone had attempted to revive him, but failed. The professor was dead.
"No," Remy uttered. "Chares."
Remy heard the metallic snik of Wolverine's claws extending a split second before jumping out of the way. The thief landed on his butt, facing the shorter mutant, and held out his hand.
"Wolverine, wait, it's me!"
"Sorry," Logan replied in a synthetic tone. He retracted his claws.
"What happened?" Remy asked as he got to his feet again.
"I don't know," Logan replied. "I came back and the school was under attack. I wasn't able to save Charles."
"Who did it?"

"I don't know, but they were wearing these." Logan picked up a black plastic helmet from the counter near him and handed it to Remy.
"What's this?" Remy asked.
"It's a helmet like Magneto wears."
"What's a Magneto?"
"He was Charles's best friend and worst enemy. He wore that type of helmet to make sure Charles could not read his mind."
Logan walked out of the infirmary and into the halls once again. From his stride Remy could tell that Logan had a plan. It may not have been a well-conceived plan, but it was a plan.
"What are you doing?" Remy asked, running into the hall.
"I'm going to ask Magneto about our little mishap. I think he's got answers. Take Rogue; clean this place up. Call the cops, and then get the hell out of here. With that entire incident in Atlanta this place is going to become a whole lot less popular if you know what I mean."
"Rogue's been captured."
Logan paused and turned, pinning Remy against the wall. Remy knew that Logan thought of Rogue like a daughter.
"She's been captured. I don't know by who."
Logan growled loudly, but was cut off. The two of them heard a blaring that neither of them had hear before. They rushed up the stairs and to the front door, and were greeted by a dozen cars pulling up to the school. And worse, they were armed.
"Can't we use the jet to escape?" Remy asked.
"Impossible, by the time we get it started and ready to fly they'd have found us. And aside from that, I can't fly it. Can you?"
The driver's and passengers of the cars were getting out now. Most of them were armed with double barrel shotguns or small handguns that could be bought at any sporting goods store. A few were armed with automatic rifles. Their message was clear.
"Kill the mutants, revenge for Atlanta."
"Got any good ideas?" Remy asked.
"No, Gumbo. Do you?"
Remy shook his head. "No."
Chapter Seven
Nicolas Moore had been born in Atlanta, Georgia. He had spent the majority of his boyhood there, and had moved away only a few months ago. When he had heard that the entire city lay in ruins he had been furious. But when he heard that mutants were the cause he was quick to grab his hunting rifle and gather his friends.
Nicolas had heard of the Xavier School years ago, and never did trust them. Now it was payback time. The mutants had gone too fare this time.
"Find the mutants and kill them!" Reggie screamed, firing a shot into the air.
"Shut up and just get them," Nicolas grumbled.
The mob continued up the stairs, ignoring the bodies that lay on the ground. Nicolas was beginning to think that someone had beaten them to the attack. He was sure that there would be some mutants left for the mob to kill. If the government wasn't going to do anything about it, he was.
"There!" someone shouted.
Nicolas could hear several shots ring out before he saw the mutant. The man was tall, and was it not for his red glowing eyes Nicolas would have thought him to be a regular human.
He pulled his gun to his shoulder. He had the mutant at point blank. Nicolas squeezed the trigger. He felt the gun jump to life as the bullet erupted from the barrel, piercing the air. Nicolas looked at the mutant, anticipating the explosion of flesh and the release of blood.
The mutant flinched, but he did not bleed. To the surprise of Nicolas and the mutant the bullet hovered in the air. Nicolas's gun suddenly jumped out of his hands, almost as if it were pulled out. Throughout the mansion he could hear similar cries of surprise and fright.
The gun hovered in the air for a few seconds, then cocked and turned towards Nicolas. "Damn mutants," Nicolas cursed.
He turned to run. They would pay for this, but later.

Remy watched as the guns that had been brought by the men gathered into one ball and crush together. Somewhere along the running he had lost Logan. He thought that the other mutant might be fighting, but couldn't be sure. Remy however, did not want to fight.
He stood, looking around in confusion. Finally Remy walked to the front doors. He saw that the majority of the cars had been crushed; the others had fled. The battle had not lasted long between men and mutants.
Several more beings stood in the driveway. Some were unmistakably mutants, and Remy could only guess that all of them were. In the center stood an elderly man with a helmet like Logan had shown him who wore a cape. Remy could only guess that this was Magneto.

Jubilee could feel a lump in her throat as she entered the infirmary. Many of the mutants had already been in to pay their respects, but she had been the last. Charles Xavier looked at piece for once. He still had the same broad smile he wore around the school on his face. His eyes remained closed. Whoever had taken care of the body before she had seen it had done a wonderful job of making him look as he did in life.
She turned to Lance, placing her face in the safety of his chest. Lance reached up his hand and gently patted the back of her head. Jubilee wanted to cry, but for some reason she was unable to. Since arriving she had heard what had happened to Rogue, and Kitty. She wished that either of them were around so that she had another girl to talk to.
No one was exactly sure where Kurt or Ororo were. At least no one who was still alive.
"Come on," Lance whispered. "We should get out of here."
Jubilee pushed herself away from him and nodded. She sniffed back the lump in her throat and managed to smile.

"Who else knew about these?" Logan demanded, tossing the plastic helmet across the room as hard as he could at the elderly mutant.
"No one," Magneto replied, putting the plastic down on the table. "Only I knew about the make up of these helmets. I haven't even told Mystique."
The blue mutant nodded in agreement.
"Someone knew, Magneto. And it wasn't by coincidence that they were wearing them to hunt Xavier. They knew this place inside and out. They knew our mutant abilities; our weaknesses and exactly how many mutants would be here. They just didn't intend for me to return."
"What do you want me to tell you, Wolverine? Do you think that I was responsible for this?"
"That seems believable to me."
"Then why do you think that these helmets would be made out of plastic and not metal? Hmmm?" Magneto paused for a moment, allowing Logan to think of a suitable response. "They were made out of plastic incase I was here. Whoever made these knew that I was Xavier's friend, and he also knew my weakness."
"Sounds like more of that elitists crap to me," Logan growled.
"You can believe me or you cannot, Wolverine. I have come to burry my friend." Magneto turned around and started for the door, then paused and added, "I did not send anyone to kill him either."

Scott knew that something was wrong when he put his car into park. He barely had gotten Jean upstairs to their old room when he saw Magneto walking down the halls of the school.
"What are you doing here?" Scott demanded as he rushed out of his room.
"Haven't you heard?" Magneto asked, turning slowly. Mystique stood by his side.
"Heard what?" Scott drew his hand to the side of his visor, just in case things became dangerous.
"Xavier is dead. We're having his funeral tomorrow." Magneto looked past him to the bed where Jean lay asleep. "Hmm," he added, almost on a side note. "So she is alive."
With that the older mutant turned around and started to walk away.
* * *
Parker walked into the base the day after his team had killed Xavier, shaking from the cold. He dusted the snow off of his shoulders and looked up. Aaron was already approaching him. "Where are the others?" Aaron asked.
"They're dead," Parker sneered. He hated being second-guessed like Aaron always did.
"He wants to see you," Aaron announced. "I'll lead you to him."
The two walked down the halls of the base not saying a word. Finally Aaron stopped outside of a door. Parker knew it well. It was Stryker's laboratory. Parker entered without a word and walked towards his leader.
"Is Xavier dead?" Stryker asked.
"Yes," Parker replied. "You were right. He didn't suspect we were coming."
Stryker looked up from the microscope he was examining. "And the others?"
"We executed several mutants at the school."
"Any casualties?"

Parker nodded. He feared telling his leader the information, but did so. He knew lying would have worse repercussions than telling the truth.
"It was the Wolverine. We didn't suspect he would arrive, and thus we did not prepare for him."
"Just Wolverine?"
"Yes. He went mad when he saw what was happening."
Stryker shook his head, seeming to understand what Parker was saying.
"Come, I want to show you what I'm working on," Stryker said. He pushed himself away from the microscope and waved Parker nearer.
Parker did as he was commanded. He leaned in to the microscope and looked at the cells under the lenses. "What is it?" Parker asked, not looking up from the cells.
"That is a liquid for of Rogue's skin. It will change weaponry forever."
"What does it do?" Parker asked.
"Glad you asked."
Parker looked up just in time to see Stryker plunge a syringe deep into Parker's leg. He gasped, taking a step backwards. It was too late the liquid form of Rogue's skin had already entered Parker's system. He could feel every bit of energy being sucked to his leg. Parker gasped, trying desperately to keep enough energy to breath. He felt his veins swell. He pulled his pistol from his holster. It was evident that he would die, but maybe he could take Stryker out with him.
The revolver slipped out of his hands and fell to the floor. Stryker hadn't even flinched. Parker fell backwards. The entire process had taken only a few seconds to occur, but for him it had seemed like an eternity. Parker died.

Aaron came in to the laboratory and saw Parker's dead body on the floor. He looked up at Stryker, who had made no attempt at hiding how pleased he was with his newest invention. "Is he safe to touch?" Aaron asked.
Stryker kneeled down and felt for Parker's pulse, barehanded. "Quite. Get someone to clean this up."
Aaron nodded. He knew better than to keep Stryker waiting.
* * *
Scott had been chosen to give Xavier's eulogy. Almost two hundred mutants and humans had arrived. He did not know all of them, but many he had known as students and family of students, both current and past.
Jean was still unconscious. He wasn't sure if she was even aware of what had happened, although he suspected that she had.
Scott stepped up to the podium. He cleared his throat, trying to choke back the tears that threatened to erupt at any moment. He looked over the many faces of the men and women who had gathered. Each one of them was silent, except for a few who were not ashamed to cry.
"There was so much that Charles Xavier has given to this world, to the human and mutant community alike. He believed in the goodness of humanity, as a species."

Pryo was already bored with the speech. He flicked his lighter open and closed repeatedly until Magneto pulled it out of his hands using magnetism. Pryo looked down just in time to see a stern look from his mentor.

"Xavier was like a father to me. Just as he was to a lot of the students who found themselves homes at the School for the Gifted. For those of us afraid of the outside world he gave us a sanctuary. For those on the outside world he gave them hope."

Jean tossed and turned inside her bed. Her muscles twitched. She tried to scream, but was unable to.
No! she thought; trying to sponge away the visions she was having of the future. She had to fight them.

"More than that. Xavier was like a father to me. I remember the first thing he said to me on the day that we began the X-Men. He said: 'Now, humanity has a chance'.
"At the time I believed that he meant our species of humans. But I know what now he meant the action of being humane."

Jean's chest lurched forward. She opened her mouth.

"I hope with him the chance does not die. I hope we can keep it alive."

Jean's eyes opened. She screamed as loud as she could, trying to vanquish her inner demon with the scream.
Scott's words echoed in her mind. She knew it was time to test humanity.

Scott stepped down from the podium and watched as the four coffins were lowered into the ground. He knew that this was not the end. This was merely the beginning.
Chapter Eight
Kurt sat just outside the coffee shop that Ororo had entered only a few seconds before. He did not have a clue where to start, or how to begin to fight Chimera, but knew that every second he was outside of the school was another second he was venerable. Chimera was close; he could sense him. Kurt had not yet figured out why his former mentor had not approached him yet.
The German picked up his coffee and sipped it. It felt somewhat strange to be out in the public, and not have a disguise. He could feel the public's eyes staring at him. They muttered words like 'freak' and 'monster' when they thought that he could not hear them. Some children hid their faces in their parent's chest, while others stared in curiosity. A few dogs had paused even, not quite sure what to make of the blue skinned mutant.
Ororo had been annoyed at them, as usual. She wanted to say something to the people who would not stop gawking, but Kurt had convinced her to remain silent. She had since gone into the bathroom to try and compose herself.
Kurt, a voice whispered inside the German's head. He did not need to look up to know who it was. Chimera stood on the other side of the street, staring back. He wore a brood smile on his face.
Kurt teleported to the other side of the street; just a few feet from his former mentor. A woman who had been traveling on her bicycle stopped, surprised, and almost fell over.
"Do you honestly wish to engage in a battle now?" Chimera asked. He too seemed to be taken off guard by Kurt's teleportation.
"No. I don't want to fight you."
"Then what?"
"I want you to leave here, and never come back. I'm done fighting you, whoever you are. May He forgive you for your sins."
Chimera laughed out loud. He arched his head back, making his laughter that much louder. "You wish to become my priest now?" the older mutant finally asked. "There is no God, Kurt. You should know this by now. He abandoned humans long ago. I am a god!"
"Blasphemy."
"Look around them. I can make any of them kill themselves at any time. Tell me, is that not the definition of a God?"
"If you do that you are no god, you're merely a murderer."
"Really?"
Chimera looked across the street. Kurt followed his gaze and saw Ororo standing outside of the café. Her eyes were locked on them.
"She is so pretty," Chimera started.
As he spoke Ororo picked up a glass from the table nearest to her. She shattered it and held it to her neck.
"Say I am a god, or I will kill her."
Kurt looked at the older mutant, but knew that Chimera was not bluffing. He looked across the street, and could see that there was a thin line of blood forming at Ororo's neck where the glass touched her skin.
"She wants to call out for you, you know," Chimera continued. "I can tell you everything else she thinks about you."
"Stop it!"
"Say it!"
"Stop!"
"No!"
"I said 'stop'!" Kurt screamed as he rushed forward. He pushed Chimera into the nearest car, his thick fingers wrapping around his neck. Chimera simply phased through Kurt, standing as he did just a few seconds before. People were staring at the two now. Kurt turned again.
"This is you last warning. Say that I am a god, or I will kill her."
Kurt's eyes fell to the ground. He knew there was no other way. "You are a god," he whispered.
"What? Scream it, Kurt!"
Kurt's eyes raised and met Chimera's. They were now filled with a hate that he had never known before. "You're a god! God damn you!"
Chimera smiled. "Good."
Kurt looked to Ororo, who had already dropped the piece of glass. She looked around, slightly confused on where she was and what was going on. There were a couple of people rushing to her side, making sure that she was okay, and that she was not going to try and kill herself again.
"I'll see you around, Kurt. Go back to Europe. You know where."
Kurt sneered. He did not have time to respond before Chimera teleported out of his site.

Remy walked out of the school on the morning following Xavier's funeral and whipped his eyes. "Hey, did all of Magneto's men leave?" he asked Logan, who sat on the front steps smoking a cigar.
"Not all of them. Jubilee stayed. And so did that new guy with the dog. Lance."
Remy pulled his pack of cigarettes out of his vest pocket, lit one, and sat down.
"You know those things will kill you," Logan said.
"That's gonna kill me too. Might as well enjoy my cigarettes."
Logan nodded.
"So who do you think was behind Xavier's assassination?" Remy asked.
"Your guess is as good as mine. I don't think it was Magneto. The two of them never saw eye to eye, but that bastard doesn't have any motive." Logan paused, clenching his cigar in his teeth. Remy watched as he sniffed the air heavily.
"What is it?"
Logan stood up, extending his claws. "Stay behind me," he ordered.
"No problem."
They watched as a truck pulled into the driveway and pull to a stop. The door opened and out came a very panicked looking Jacob Morgeheart. "I need to speak to the professor," he started. He walked up to the door, but as he did Logan put his hand on Jacob's chest.
"You're supposed to be dead."
"There's no time for this!"
"Make time!"
"I got away, alright? When Kurt grabbed Kitty I teleported inside. Please, I need to speak with the professor now!"
"You can't."
"He's got Kitty!"
"Who?"
"Apocalypse!" Jacob backed up a moment so that they could register what he was saying. "Apocalypse has got Kitty, and Rogue, and Bobby, and he had about a half a dozen other mutants that were on his list."
"Why?"

"I don't know. I wanted the professor to tell me."
"Xavier's dead," Remy announced, finally stepping out from behind Logan.
Now it was Jacob who was caught off guard. He took a step back, breathing in heavily. "Then it's hopeless. They're doomed."
"Not quite," Logan said. He turned and headed inside of the mansion.

Scott had not slept. Between his grief for Xavier and worrying about Jean he had found the night to be very restless. The police had come, and questioned, and gone over the school level by level. The fact was they weren't particularly upset to see Xavier dead. He was just one more mutant that the world didn't have to worry about. And, better yet, they could have a descent chance of the school shutting down, separating the mutants that had attended.
Someone knocked at the door. Scott was about to get up but the door opened on its own. Jean looked at it, a little bit of her former self was showing through the nightmare she was living. Logan stood in the open doorway.
"Jean," he started, "We need you to work Cerebro."

It only took Jean fifteen minutes to get dressed and walk down to the chamber known as Cerebro. She had used the machine once before, and it had injured her then. Now she knew that her powers had increased, and so too had her compatibility with Cerebro.
"Who am I looking for?" Jean asked Logan, who was the only other person inside of the chamber with her.
"We need to find a mutant named Apocalypse. Jacob says that he's holding Rogue, but for what reason we don't know." Logan paused for a moment, then sighed, and at last spoke. "Truthfully, on Genosha, when we were in the arena, was that you who saved us?"
Jean nodded her head.
"Then you know who Apocalypse is?"
Jean nodded her head again.
"I'm not one to judge, or ask your motivations. Please, just find Apocalypse."
Jean put the silver helmet on. She knew why Logan was so concerned. He had become close to Rogue in the past few years. In that time his role had turned to a second father rather than to a friend. Whatever Logan felt towards Jean was second to his priority as a father. It could wait.
Jean suddenly saw the room illuminate with white lights. And, in a few seconds, the white lights gave way and she could see every mutant on the face of the earth. She instantly knew of Ororo and Kurt's adventure, and the devious thoughts that Chimera had for both of them. She knew the fear that a young boy was feeling because he had discovered his mutant ability only recently. She could sense Magento's children, full grown, and spiteful in their own way to humanity. She knew Logan's feelings towards her had not dissipated in the slightest, quite the contrary. They had grown stronger. And now that he knew she was alive he had found a new loathing for Scott.
And then, as suddenly as she had begun searching she found him. Apocalypse. He was somewhere near the equator, on a volcanic island somewhere in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Something was interfering with the island. She couldn't sense any other mutants there. In fact, she couldn't sense Bobby, Kitty or Rogue anywhere. And that made her nervous.

If they were dead, especially Rogue, there was no telling what Logan would do. Jean instantly decided not to tell him about her sensation.
She took the helmet off and looked up at Logan.
"We need to have a meeting."
Logan nodded in agreement.

Jubilee ran into the X-Men hanger just as the meeting was about to commence. Lance was close behind her. She had heard that they were planning something, but did not know what. And this time she did not mean to chicken out at the last minute like last time.
"What are you doing here?" Scott asked as the two youths entered the hanger.
"We're coming with you," Lance announced even before Jubilee could speak.
"You might need our help," Jubilee continued.
"No," Logan said. "This is too dangerous."
"And Genosha wasn't?" Jubilee asked.
"Apocalypse could very well be behind the assassination that killed Xavier. Last time he just wanted to use us for our powers. This time the gloves have come off," Jacob started. "There's no room for errors. If you screw up, you're dead."
"So you five are going to go take on the worst mutant that we've even encountered?" Jubilee asked. "Great plan."
"This isn't negotiable."
Remy stepped onto the ramp leading to the Blackbird. He wore the same X-Men uniform as the others did, with his jacket over it. "She's pumped and ready. Everyone who's coming, get on board."
"Stay here, watch after the place. End of discussion," Logan said as the other three climbed aboard the jet.
Jubilee watched as the ramp closed and the jet took off.

Chapter Nine
Piper had been awake for hours. She felt more terrified than she had ever been in her life. And worst of all, she didn't know what the hell was going on. Her arms had been chained to the wall behind her. She was wearing the same cloths that she had been when her hometown was attacked. Although the hours did not have any meaning, she felt as if she had been abandoned for days. Perhaps her captors had just decided to let her starve to death, but if that were true Piper had no idea why she had been captured in the first place.
At last the door to her chamber opened. Several men, all wearing blue face paint, walked inside, unlocked her chains from the wall, and lead her outside. The entire operation seemed to be inside of a large cave. The cave, Piper soon realized, was sitting directly on top of a volcano. And from the looks of things the volcano was still active. What the hell were they thinking?
Piper was lead past several large machines and holding cages. Some of the cages held men, but others held large dog breeds. German Shepard's mostly.

She could not help but notice that some of the scientists working on the machines had collars around their necks with digital numbers on them. Piper could only speculate what that meant. Every time she paused the guard nearest her pushed Piper forward.
Finally, Piper was lead into a room separate from the others. Bobby stood in front of her, unchained.
"Bobby help me!" she screamed.
As Piper rushed towards him Bobby's skin started to glass over. Finally, in only a matter of seconds, his pale skin had been replaced with transparent ice. Every inch of him, in fact, seemed to be made of the bio- ice.
"Iceman is one of my best warriors," a man announced from behind Piper.
The girl turned around and saw a man who was completely blue from head to foot. Wires came out of his elbows and attached to either side of his waist. He stood eight feet tall, and looked down with the vengeance of countless centuries.
"Who are you?" Piper asked.
"I am an instrument of inevitability," the man replied. "For years I forgot everything, until warriors like Iceman allowed me to remember who I really am. What I really am. I am the means by which the world will be born anew. I am Apocalypse." Apocalypse wrapped his fingers around the bottom of Piper's jaw. "And now I will show you my might!"
Piper spit at him, unable to do anything else.
"Take her to the machine!" Apocalypse ordered.
The guards that held Piper in place pulled her backwards. They strapped her to a chair, and as they left her the chamber closed, airtight.
Piper could see Bobby through the glass that separated herself from the rest of the room. She cried for him, but he did not hear her.
Soon she would change.

Apocalypse watched as the girl mutated before his eyes. Her will was given in to his own. Her eyes lost all color, making them completely white. Her hands started to glow red. She would become another excellent warrior. She would become one of the strong; he knew it.
"When she is done start to mutate the dogs. There is still much to do before the X-Men arrive."
"Sir, are you sure they will?" one of the guards asked.
"Yes. I am sure of it, and I am waiting."

Wendy O'Neal walked into Rogue's holding room as she did every day with a fresh meal. She did not know the girl's real name, and for that matter she didn't care. The girl was a mutant, and that was all that was important. Just like the other girl, Kitty, Rogue would be dead when the time came.
As Wendy entered Rogue's room this time, however, things were not as they always had been. As soon as she entered the room she felt the metal tray that she had left their for the previous meal collide with her face. Wendy fell down, but only for a second. When she started to get up Rogue hit her in the face again until finally Wendy lost consciousness.

Rogue pulled the guard into her room. She had already disabled the security camera that had been watching her every move. Now she stripped the guard of all of her cloths except her undergarments, and dressed in them. Unfortunately the guard's cloths were a little large on Rogue, but it would be better than going outside in the sub-zero degree weather in nothing but her bra and underwear.
Rogue looked outside for a brief moment, making sure that no other guards were on their way to check why the camera had been knocked out of service. There was no one. Rogue walked outside, instantly despising her captors more for having taken her to this frozen hellhole. She looked around, easily locating where the entrance to the rest of the base was, and continued to it.
"What do you do now?" Rogue asked herself. She pulled up her jacket so that her mutant inhibitor was covered.

"Sir, the mutant Rogue has escaped," Aaron reported.
Stryker turned in his chair. "Watch her. Let's see how our new recruit handles her. Make sure she goes there."
"Yes sir," Aaron replied.
"And don't let him kill her, yet."
Aaron nodded again.

Rogue continued down the hall, trying not to make it obvious that she was searching each room as she passed them. Finally she came to a hanger. Since her graduation the X-Men had been teaching her how to pilot the Blackbird. She knew that all she needed to do was simply find a plane with similar controls. Of course there was no telling if the jets even remotely looked the same.
She decided it was time to chance it. Rogue had checked three jets when she heard screaming. It reminded her of when Wolverine screamed in his sleep. It even sounded like him. It might be him.
Rogue slowly stepped into the hallway, creeping closer to where the room was. At last she came to the door, opened it, and stepped inside. Inside was a man chained to a medical bed. He screamed again and arched his back upwards.
"Hello?" Rogue asked.
As she spoke he turned to her and screamed again. The straps that held him to the bed suddenly came lose, as if unseen controls made them do so. He grabbed her by the throat and threw her backwards into the wall.
Rogue slowly pushed herself to her feet, gasping for air. At last she was able to see the man's mangled face. Metal spike's had been melted into his burnt flesh on the left side of his face. The burns traced downwards, just under the man's left eye, and all the way down past the hospital gown that kept him decent. His hair was blond, and his right eye was dark blue. The left eye had been paled because metal had melted into it.
The man stood up, screaming again. Rogue was not sure if he was even capable of forming whole words anymore.
She turned for the door, grasping the handle tightly and turning it as hard as she could. He rushed to her and pushed the door shut as tight as he could. The patient pushed her into the wall again, this time keeping his hands wrapped around her throat.
"Fuck... you," Rogue whispered. She kicked him in the groin as hard as she could.
He flinched, and then resumed his grasp. The patient wrapped his other hand around her tiny throat.
Rogue leaned her head as far as she could and bit his wrist. She clenched her bite as tightly as she could, and the patient started to bleed. He did not seem to notice. She could feel the lack of oxygen started to take its tool. The girl was beginning to feel desperate. She punched him in the gut. Again. Another punch to the face. She could feel her knuckles bleed as they scraped against the metal in the patient's cheek.
Rogue sucked in as much of the patient's blood as she could and spit it back in his eyes. He did not seem agitated by them.
"That's enough!" she heard a voice order. "Release her."
Rogue's eyes started to roll back in her head.
"I said let her go!"
She could barely see someone grab the patient by the arm. The patient released one hand from her and knocked the man backwards.
Three more men pulled the patient away from her. She fell to the ground, grasping her throat with her hand and coughing. A black man grabbed her by her collar and pulled her to her feet violently. "That was very stupid."
She remembered him. He had said his name was Aaron. "What are you doing here?"
"How has The Biker done against young Miss Perkins?" Rogue heard a man with a southern accent ask. She knew the voice immediately, but refused to believe it. As sure as she was breathing William Stryker walked into the same room as her. "Well, Rogue isn't it? How are you liking my new found home?"
"You bastard!" Rogue screamed. She tried to rush at him, but was restrained by Aaron.
"Put her back in her pen. If she refuses in anyway, shoot her in the leg. I need her alive for now."
"Yes sir," Aaron replied.
Stryker walked past the two as Aaron started to drag Rogue away. He was far more interested in his new monster. One who was fully human, and yet very determined. The Biker continued, trying to struggle free of the three men who had succeeded in chaining him to the bed once again.
"Easy there, easy," Stryker said. "I want you to learn a little bit about The Wolverine."

Julien walked on the shores of the small island, his group of thieves and assassins close behind him. Although irritated that Remy was still alive, Julien knew there was nothing to worry about. Remy didn't know of his plans. His former brother in law didn't know where the island was. And by the time he did know anything Julien and his army would be unstoppable.
They continued along the beach until they found a stairway that was dug into the rock. Had he not known where the stairway was he might have missed it all together for it was hidden among the foliage.
He and the assassins ascended to the stairs quite quickly and stealthily. The only sound they made was the occasional brushing of their legs against the bushes. At the top of the stairs Julien paused, he could sense eyes on him.
There was a creature in a cage to his right that resembles a dog somewhat. It clawed at its glass at the sight of the intruders, and Julien drew one of his two sabers, just as a precaution. He didn't think the dog could get through.
At the top of the stairway he came to a door, and even as they group approached the doorway opened as if their presence alone was enough. A man wearing not shirt and blue face paint came out from behind the doors.
"Come, Apocalypse has been waiting."

Chapter Ten
Jean, Cyclops, Gambit, Wolverine and Reaper set the blackbird down just off shore from Apocalypse's island. From there the five walked along the edge of the beach, circling the island twice. Wolverine had suggested being more stealthy, but Jean had informed him that Apocalypse had known of their presence since they got on the island. A confrontation was inevitable.
Gambit held a deck of cards in one hand, shuffling them to keep his hands busy.
"You alright, Gumbo?" Wolverine asked.
The Cajun ignored Wolverine's taunt and replied. "I'm just wondering how come they ain't come after us yet?"
"Complaining?"
"Uneasy." He paused for a moment, looking up the peaks of the twin volcanos. "Rogue."

From above Apocalypse's spies had spotted the five. He smiled, although he knew his master would have wanted more for the fight. He turned and headed for his master. Apocalypse's victims had arrived.

It was Cyclops who spotted the stairs. Although nervous the five continued to ascend.
Wolverine looked over to Reaper. He still didn't trust the boy. Wolverine had learned to trust his instincts, and his instincts told him that the younger mutant had something he was hiding. Wolverine couldn't guess what it was, but he wasn't comfortable with that.
He tried to shake the feeling, knowing that his mind should be on the task at hand. But he felt like sooner rather than later Reaper's agenda would be the task.
Reaper, however, was thinking of Kitty. He closed his eyes briefly, silently begging for her forgiveness. He knew his dilemma. He did not know if he was a villain of a hero. He was not sure of he were a mutant or a human. Somehow, when he was around her, that didn't seem to matter.
He knew the thought was stupid. He barely knew the girl. She was just another mutant to him. He should have no problem with what Stryker planned to do with her, but he did. She had made him feel different than he had since his parents were killed. She made him feel good. He wanted that feeling again, but feared he would never feel good again.
Jean followed up in the rear of the team. Scott was in front. Jean crossed her arms, afraid of herself. She knew that the Phoenix was inside of her. She also knew that it had a mind of it's own, and she was not sure if in the heat of battle she would be able to control it. Now she too was like Scott in the way she had to be on constant alert. She knew she would never rest, not ever, without having to worry that the Phoenix would take control of her in her sleep.
If Xavier had been alive he would have been able to help her. She knew it. He had always been there for her. Ever since she discovered her mutant ability. She had failed him. She had been given such a tremendous gift as to absorb the Phoenix, and she hadn't even been able to save him. A knot formed in the pit of Jean's stomach. She knew that she might fail again, but this time it may be failing to control the Phoenix.
Scott turned over his head, looking back at the team. He knew that their spirits were down. Not even Gambit had made a joke on the way to the island in the Blackbird. They were short by thee X-Men, Beast, Storm, and Nightcrawler. Right now he would have liked to have all three with them.
He thought of how Jubilee and her friend Lance had offered to help. He had stopped them, but also remembered how she had backed out of the last mission. This time there would be no backing out. Every step they took was another step that they came closer to their fate. There would be no retreat. There would be no saving grace for those captured and placed under the horrible mind control drug that Apocalypse wielded.
Scott managed to smile at Jean, and she returned his smile. They both knew that their faces were lying, but they did not stop smiling until Scott had turned away. He had lost her once. He would not lose her again. He'd die protecting her.
"Stop!" Wolverine ordered, placing his arm in front of Cyclops's chest.
"What's the matter?" Cyclops asked.
"I smell something."
"Reaper?"
"I don't sense anything," the youngest mutant announced. "But he might have more human guards."
"Keep an eye out," Cyclops ordered. "Be prepared for a skirmish."
They heard a roaring before they saw the monster. It jumped from the bushes, knocking Gambit backwards. The Cajun did not have enough time to grab his cards, but could only shove his arm into the monster's mouth. He felt the creature's jaws bite down; it's teeth penetrating his suit and skin. "Get this off of me!" he screamed. His free hand fumbled for anything inanimate.
The creature went limp, and Wolverine's retracted his arm. His claws were extended and crimson. Gambit got to his feet and stairs down at the creature that had been slain.
"What was that?" Cyclops asked; his hand was still on the dial of his visor.
"Smells like a dog," Wolverine announced.
"That ain't a dog," Gambit said, shaking his arm.
They heard another roaring. And another. Soon, their voices were lost in a sea of incoming monsters.
A dozen of the dog-beasts escaped from the bushes within minutes. Three jumped at Jean. She grasped them with her telekinesis, throwing them fare enough down the stairs so that the fall damaged them critically.
One jumped in front of Wolverine, pausing briefly, staring him in the eyes. "Alright, bub, let's see what you got!" Wolverine said, showing off his own claws. He could smell the flames before he saw them and jumped out of the way a half second before the creature blew fire at him.
Once down the creature leapt at him. Wolverine felt it scrape its talons across his face. He screamed from what would be a mortal wound to any of his fellow X-Men and stabbed his claws into the creature's lower jaw. The blades disappeared into the creature, their tips puncturing the top of its head.
Cyclops merely kept his visor open long enough to hit six with a single blast.
Reaper took one out using the same tactic as Cyclops.
Gambit had drawn his staff when the final beast attacked him. It stood on its hind legs, clawing at him. He blocked. It snapped, and he hit it in the mouth with the stick. Finally the monster charged him, and again Gambit landed on his back. This time, however, he was close enough to retrieve one of his scattered playing cards. As the beast leapt for him, jaws gaping, salivating in anticipation of food, Gambit grabbed the card, charged it, and threw it into the creature's mouth. It landed a few steps down from him; it's head splattering as it landed.
The Cajun got to his feet, flicking the dead creature off as he did.
The battle lasted for only about three minutes, each of the X-Men finished almost as one.
"Come on," Cyclops ordered. "Hurry, he knows we're here, and I'm sure that Apocalypse will have more than just those creatures as security."
The five started to run.

Julien smiled when Gambit had been bit, but now that the creatures were all dead his momentary joy was washed away. He wanted to watch Remy die. And he wanted his brother-in-law to die today.
Very well, Julien said to himself. If I can't watch him die, I'll kill him myself.
He grabbed the handle of one of his sabers and retreated into the compound.
* * *
Cyclops came to the open doors and felt a shiver run down his spine. Something wasn't right. Apocalypse knew they were coming and he left the door wide open? They had fallen for one of his traps before. He was not about to fall into another one.
He looked back to Reaper.
"He's there somewhere," Reaper announced. "So is Bobby. I can feel them."
"And Rogue?" Gambit demanded.
"I don't feel anything from her."
Gambit closed his eyes in frustration, and when they opened them a split second later Reaper see a tear rolling down his cheek.
"That doesn't mean anything," Cyclops started. "We're going to go in there, get them out, and stop whatever it is that Apocalypse is planning. Got it?" He punched Gambit in the shoulder. "Got it?"
Gambit nodded. "You bet your ass I got it."
They walked inside, and appeared to be on a catwalk of some sort. As they continued on they noticed equipment, all abandoned. Molten lava bubbled and boiled to their right. The only thing separating them from the fatal fall was a single chain.
"Bobby's this way," Reaper announced as they came to another bridge. He pointed, and started in front of them.
As they continued the cave gave way into another room. This room was painted with symbols that the five could not decipher. One could not be confused with the man they knew as Apocalypse.
"He's here. Apocalypse."
As Reaper spoke the giant mutant came into view. "I was just a boy when these were written, all those hundreds of years ago. It was then that the world realized what my destiny was. But time passed, and the world forgot."
"Where are they?" Gambit demanded. He already had a card up and charged.
"I am but an instrument of destiny. The world is too weak without me. Allow me to change it. To make it better. Before I relied on machines to fulfill the prophecy. Now I know that I must sacrifice myself to purify the world. Allow me to make it strong again."
"Last chance," Cyclops started. He placed his hand at the dial. "Release our friends and give up."
"Will you not take part in destiny? Do you truly care to stand in its way?" Apocalypse paused, eyeing them all. "Very well. Then I'm afraid you will have to be purified as well."
As he spoke his final words the X-Men watched him unveil his army.

Rogue had been dragged back to her room, beaten, and then left. They believed that they had broken her spirits. They believed she would not fight back. True, she did not fight back when they came again and took samples of her blood. She did not even move when the guards came with her food. She lay on her bed, still, while they replaced the security camera in her room.
It was not until they finished did she give them a struggle. She wrapped her arms around the guard's neck as hard as she could, trying to suffocate him. He was stronger than she had originally thought, which was precisely what she was hoping for.
More guard's rushed into the room, prying her off the technician. They threw her to the ground. Rogue got up and fought, and they threw her to the ground again. Each time they did she made sure that the collar around her neck took in all of her weight as well as the guards muscle. Each time she could feel it becoming more and more fragile.
After being thrown five times Rogue could hear the mutant inhibitor break. Her face was cut. Her gut was bruised. She thought that she might even have a few cracked ribs, but it was worth every scar.
"You gonna stay down this time, girl?" the guard taunted.
Rogue got to her feet again. Her hair hung in front of her face. Her legs seemed weak. But her will was strong. They had hurt her for the last time.
The guard took a swing at her, and Rogue caught his hand midair. She could feel his hatred for her flood into her body. His memories. His dreams of molesting her before she died. His strength. It was all she could do not to hold on until he died. She released his hand, dropping his limp body to the floor.
A second guard came at her, and Rogue punched him in the gut. Her super-human strength had returned, and the guard flew backwards, breaking the door that separated her prison from the cold outside.
All that remained was the technician, who was cowering in the corner. She towered above him, unflinching. "Strip," she ordered.
The technician took off his jacket.

Whatever numbers Apocalypse had lost on Genosha he had replenished. The X-Men could not guess what the madmen had promised his legion. Money, power, dominion, but whatever it was they would follow him to the death. They crawled out of the walls; some flew. They were all mutants, and Gambit had not seen the scar that had been left on the back of his own neck. He did, however recognize several of them as former members of the Thieves Guild or Assassin's Guild.
"Reaper a little warning about this might have been helpful," Gambit said.
"I couldn't sense them. I- I couldn't sense any of them but Apocalypse and Bobby!"
"Well they're definitely mutants!" Gambit screamed.
"True, they are mutants, but they are improved from what they were before," Apocalypse announced. His next words were spoken to his army. "Destroy them!"
As he spoke the mutants charged.
"Come and get some!" Wolverine screamed above the mutant's war cries.

Jean levitated herself to Cyclops's side. She brushed several mutants aside with her telekinesis. Cyclops blasted a few more with his optic blast. They had already lost track to Gambit, Wolverine and Reaper.

As Jean searched the crowd she felt a fireball hit her square in the gut, knocking her backwards. Luckily she was not seriously burnt from the blast. She pushed herself to her hands and knees when a mutant kicked her in the gut, chuckling as he did.
Jean had not realized how hot the flooring was beneath her feet until her face landed on it. She quickly lifted herself up and saw the attacking mutant rush towards her. He was knocked off his feet by a brilliant red light, and Jean was able to maneuver herself into a fighting position.
* * *
"Hey Remy, how's it hangin?" a reptilian mutant rasped. It hung from the ceiling, only inches away from Gambit's face. It licked its face with its long serpent tongue, and then fell to the floor. Gambit had once known the mutant as Etienne. Etienne kicked at Gambit, but the Cajun's reflexes were better than to be hit by a single ill-planned kick. He moved to the side.
"Julien wants a world with you," the reptile rasped, jumping on Gambit. Gambit felt a wave of nausea hit him, and then realized that Etienne was not only deformed, but he could teleport as well.
"On your feet," Julien ordered.
Gambit felt the tip of a saber under his chin. It escorted him up until he was standing. As he looked around Gambit could see that the only combatants were himself, Etienne, and Julien.
"What did Apocalypse give you, eh? What was your price for selling you soul?"
"Oh he hasn't made me a mutant yet. I wanted to wait until you were dead before I took that pleasure."
"Mores the pity."
"Would you kill me, Remy? Honestly? You couldn't before. Have you changed your colors, and become a real assassin?"
"Even if you kill me now you'll always know that I'm a genuine freak, and you're just a cheap imitation. You always wanted to better me, Julien. Now's your chance."
Remy could feel a trickle of blood run down his throat. He knew that the point of Julien's saber had pierced his skin.
"Do it!"
Etienne was breathing heavily in anticipation. His mouth salivated. Without a word the reptile pulled the second saber and charged Gambit, screaming as he did.

Wolverine and Reaper had stayed surprisingly close to each other despite the masses that had attacked them. Reaper had been fighting with a combination of optic blasts and telekinesis. Wolverine had shown no mercy with his claws. Were it not for his healing ability the two would have been seriously injured by now.
Through the carnage in the room Reaper saw Apocalypse walking away to yet another stairway. Whatever the mutant leader was up to he was sure it was not good.
"Hold onto your ass, I'm making a hole!" Reaper shouted.
Again he used the optic blast, but unlike before he did not hold back. The mutant directly in front of him flew backwards, riding the blast until it punched through the side of the volcano's wall. Other mutants, both knocked down from the blast or who had leaped out of the way, did not stand between Wolverine, Reaper and the doorway. They ran up the stairs.
"He's close! He's up to something, I know it!" Reaper shouted.
As they reached a final room Reaper saw a chamber of some sort. Immediately next to it was an opening in the grate leading down to the lava that bubbled below. Two mutants stood in the room with them. One, although they did not know it, used to be the girl known as Piper. The other was Apocalypse.
The girl's hands were glowing red.
"Reaper, take care of her," Wolverine ordered.
"I-I can't! I can't sense her at all!"
"She's a synthetic mutant. Not one who was born into this world, but one who I made. That is why the boy cannot stop her... or me."
As he spoke the girl formed a red blade that she threw at Reaper. He moved, only just slow enough to feel the heat from the blade scotch his ear. Had Wolverine not been standing next to him Reaper would have lost the hearing on his right side.
"Meet Neon."

Cyclops felt someone grab him from behind and pick him up. He was tossed backwards among the army of attacking mutants, and finally thrown to the floor. Multiple blows landed over his body. He looked around, trying to find Jean, but she was nowhere to be found. He had lead them into a trap, and they would all die because of his mistake.

Wolverine charged the girl known as Neon, swinging his claws down sharply. She grabbed him by the wrist, and to his surprise her hands burnt. He flinched in pain, trying to escape her surprisingly strong grasp. Finally she released them, only to grab onto his face, and then toss him backwards.
Wolverine was about to get to his feet but Neon was already at his side, her hand grasping him by the back of his hair, and although he felt them singe Neon still had enough time to elbow him in the back of his head.
He got to his feet, stunned for a moment. She took the opportunity to attack, hitting him several times in the gut with her hot hands. Finally the burning ended when Neon punched him in the bottom of the jaw, and Wolverine tumbled backwards onto the stairs.

Reaper stood face to face with Apocalypse, alone. He could hear the lava bubbling below. One of the larger bubbles burst and melted on the bottom of the grate that the two stood on.
"Your parents would have been proud to see what you have become," Apocalypse said.
"Don't you speak of them!" Reaper ordered.
"My dear boy, what are you going to do? Hmm? You can't kill me. Not until after the prophecy is fulfilled."
"I'll stop you then."
"Stop me? You couldn't even stop me from killing your parents."
Reaper charged Apocalypse, only then realizing that his anger was his mistake. The elder mutant swung his right hand at the boy, sending him toppling backwards. Reaper approached the edge of the grate and held on by his fingertips.
"What now?" Apocalypse started. "No teleporter to save you. No others to help you. You're going to die!"

Gambit had had enough time to grab and extend his staff before Etienne sliced down. At the same time he had managed to knock Julien's saber away from his throat. The two assassins attacked as one. One would attack at Gambit's face, the other at his gut.
All three of them knew that if Gambit did not block just right that the evil ones would win. Gambit deflected Etienne's saber down, and the mutant continued the lunge. The Cajun felt the tip of the blade enter his right calf and screamed, but not long enough so that he couldn't block Julien's attack.
He pushed the swords back and spun the staff in his hands, trying to hide how much his leg hurt.

Jean had seen them carrying Scott away. The mutants that had been attacking before now held clubs that they were beating her with. The skin on her brow had opened, revealing a bloody trail.
She reached out with her Physic arm, but could not find a single friendly person. All that was left was hate. So much hate. It made her more afraid than she was of herself.
Unleash the Phoenix, she thought to herself.
Despite the pain that she was in Jean instantly cast the idea aside. The Phoenix would be more dangerous to her friends than Apocalypse's mutants.
Through her searching Jean finally found a friendly mind. Bobby Drake.

Rogue ran through the snow, although she didn't have to. She saw several guards rushing towards her, and finally removed the mutant inhibitor from her neck, throwing it at the nearest guard.
He fell backwards, landing in the snow hard. The other guards did not stop. She heard several shots ring out, and did not slow her run.
* * *
"Sir, Rogue is trying to escape!" Aaron reported.
"Don't let her escape! Deploy the Sentinels!" Stryker ordered. He paused, considering for a brief moment his consequences. "Kill her!"

Bobby had been given a large dose of the mind control drug. His body was completely covered in ice, and despite the hot temperature he did not melt. He could feel something attack his mind, helping him free himself from the chains that bound him from helping.
"Gray," he uttered, his first free word since leaving Atlanta.
The drug held him strong, and he was forced to fall to his knees.
"Stop!" Bobby screamed, his voice barely audible through the mass of screams.
He looked up, suddenly aware of what he was doing. He was free.

Neon caught Wolverine's claws as they swept down, and to his surprise they did not cut down. He watched as the red grew and spread over his hands, burning them, and forcing him to pull back. She charged at him, and kicked her in the gut.
It was the first blow that he had landed which had hurt the girl. She stumbled backwards, not sure of what had happened. It did not take her more than a couple of seconds to attack again. And again Wolverine kicked her, this time in the face.
However, as he pulled his leg back to the ground she grasped it and spun. Were it not for his Adamantium bones his leg would have been broken. Even with his metallic bones he was still burnt.
She leapt at him, and he caught her, using her momentum to throw her past him. He knew that there was problems with Apocalypse and didn't have time to continue the fight with Neon. He started back up the stairs, but Neon grabbed him from behind, throwing him down.
She shot a blast of her heat at him, and it hit him in the gut. Again his metallic bones were his only saving grace.

Gambit was tired, and they knew it. Each swing of his staff was a terrible burden, and his leg did not make the task any easier. Soon, he would make the mistake that would cost him his life. If only he could grab a card.
Julien lunged forward. And Gambit knocked his sword to the left. At the same time Etienne lunged forward as well, missing Gambit completely. Julien's sword entered through the back of Etienne's torso, exiting the front.
Etienne looked down, surprised at what had happened. The sword retracted, and the assassin turned, looking at Julien. He dropped the saber, and put his hand to his chest. His fingers came back crimson, and Etienne dropped to the floor, dead.
Gambit threw his staff aside and picked up the second saber, holding it extended.
"Are you going to fight me, hmm Gambit? Are you going to fight me to the death?"
"I won't kill you," Gambit announced.
"That's too bad. Then I'm just going to kill you."

They were going to die. He knew it.
Cyclops was not about to go down without settling up the score. They had killed his best friend. They had killed the man who was like a father to him. And they had killed the woman he loved.
He took off his visor, blasting the mutant closest to him with a full stream. The mutant barely had a chance. Next he stood up and swung his head from one side of the compound to the next. The grate buckled, and he knew one of the halves would fall into the lava. Luckily for him it was the side he was not standing on. However, many of Apocalypse's mutants fell into the lava below.
He turned, and for the first time in what seemed to be hours he saw Jean. She was standing, moving her arms left and right. Every move she made sent another mutant flying. Bobby was freezing other mutants in place.
"Bobby!" Cyclops shouted out, unaware that he had spoken.
He was filled with hope again. The head X-Men put his visor back on and started delivering sharp strong blasts to chosen mutants.
They were going to live.

Gambit's sword crossed with Julien's. He moved forward, then back. Julien lunged, and his sword stabbed Gambit in the left arm.
"Next time you die!"
He removed his sword and charged, forcing Gambit to move backwards. As their swords struck they sparked. Julien pushed himself forward. His face was in Gambit's.
"I will kill you!"
"Not today!"

Julien backed up, releasing their swords from the dead lock and laughed mockingly. Not it was Gambit who advanced. They turned, and Julien finally found himself pinned against the wall.
"Where is she?" Gambit demanded.
"Your whore? We don't have her!"
"You lie!"
Gambit swung his sword fiercely, every move another attack. They paused; their swords deadlocked again.
"I may do a lot of bad things, Gambit, but I'm not a liar!"
The sabers broke free. And for a moment the two swung, hitting nothing but air. Gambit stabbed forward, only then realizing that Julien had stabbed him in the gut. Gambit's saber lay embedded in Julien's shoulder, the hilt touching his brother-in-law's skin.
Gambit gasped, backing up a few seconds. He stumbled backwards, staring at the sword that was stuck in his body. Julien laughed.

Wolverine held Neon's hands only inches away from his face. He could not believe how strong the girl was. Her arms continued to advance, and he could feel the heat from the red gel that covered her hands.
Her skin touched his, and he felt his face start to burn. He screamed in anguish, trying to escape from her grasp.

Apocalypse stepped on Reaper's hands. The boy's finger's had blistered already from heat. He looked below, seeing the lava.
"Fall, boy, fall."
"You go to hell!"
"You first!"

Gambit pulled the sword out of his gut and allowed it to clatter to the floor. He started to stand, and he finally saw Julien's face turn white with fear. Gambit stood, supporting himself on the hilt of the sword that pinned Julien to the wall behind him.
"Where is she?" Gambit managed to ask.
"I don't know."
"Tell me, or I'll kill you."
Julien laughed again. "You- you can't kill me Remy! You're not a killer! Remember! You couldn't kill me then, you won't kill me now!"
"Last chance."
Julien leaned in close to his brother-in-law's face. "You won't kill me."
The blade suddenly felt hot. Julien looked down and saw that it was glowing, the same way that Gambit's playing cards always glowed.
"Better be sure," Gambit said.
He started walking away; approaching the stairs that lead down from the room he was inside of. Gambit didn't even hear Julien crying his name, and he barely heard the explosion that ended his brother-in-law's life.
* * *
Rogue took off. She felt weightless. As she flew she looked back and saw that two Sentinels had been sent after her. She groaned in frustration, knowing that she would have to deal with them.
As she sped over the ice on the ground she searched out someplace where she would lose them.
They fired, and the explosion hit the ground just to the right.
"Shit," she said to herself.
She stopped midair, waiting for the sentinels to be on either side of her. They took aim, and at the same time they fired. Rogue moved at the last second, and the blast hit each other. The first one was hit in the leg. The other one was hit square in the chest. Both fell to the ground, blowing up beneath her.
Rogue continued flying.

Wolverine found new strength inside of himself. He pushed Neon's hands off his face, slowly pushing her to the other side of the staircase. Now, holding her still at the wrists he head butted her. Again, and again. Hard. Her nose started to bleed, and she tried to bite him.
He saw the back of her neck, and knew the mark well. A small circular scare remained where flesh had been. He kicked her in the gut, knocking the wind out of her. Wolverine retracted his claws and punched the girl in the head.
She fell, knocked out. And as she did he saw the locket that was around her neck open. Wolverine knelt down next to her. One side of the locket was a young woman, not much older than the Neon at the time the picture was taken.
The other was he.

Apocalypse's men had retreated. The battle had been won, but Apocalypse did not know that. Nor did Reaper.
Apocalypse reached down his right leg and shoved it in Reaper's face. "Let go boy, it's over!" Apocalypse ordered.
Reaper did not respond. He started to pull himself up, knocking Apocalypse's leg away as he tried to kick him backwards. At last Reaper got to his feet. He punched Apocalypse in the face, then in the gut. Again in the head.
Apocalypse grabbed him by the neck.
"Foolish boy! You cannot stop me, I am prophesized."
Reaper's eyes glowed red for a moment, and he blasted Apocalypse in the chest. The blue mutant stumbled backwards. Reaper charged him again, wrapping his arms around the older mutant's torso. Now it was Reaper who grabbed Apocalypse by the chest.
"Say anything about this in your prophecy?" he taunted, then pushed Apocalypse back.
He watched the mutant tumble down into the molten pool below. In an instant, Apocalypse was gone.
Reaper turned, seeing Cyclops at the head of the stairs. He paused for a moment, not sure what the leader of the X-Men would say.
"Come on," Cyclops finally said. "We have to go. Now."
* * *
Remy stumbled to the bottom of the stairs. He could feel his strength leaving him. Wherever they were, he had lost the X-Men. He could feel the volcano rumbling. It would erupt soon, and he would be gone.
He leaned himself against the side of the wall and closed his eyes.
"Gambit!" he heard a voice cry.
Remy barely had enough strength to open his eyes. He could see that he was floating now, suspended in air by invisible hands. At last, one of his arms were wrapped around Scott, the other was around Bobby.
The Jean and Jacob were in front of them, already started to descend the stairs they had come up only an hour before. Logan followed close behind. He held Piper in his arms.
"Who's she?" Scott asked.
"I don't know, but she had this!"
Logan showed Scott the locket, now slowing.
"Her name's Piper," Bobby told them. "She was my roommate."
"Hurry!" Jean shouted.

Epilogue
Jubilee had received the message from the Blackbird that they were returning. She had also been told to prep the infirmary only a few hours ago. Apparently Remy was hurt pretty badly, as was a girl that they had picked up from Apocalypse. They hadn't found Rogue, or Kitty. Several hours later, after the Blackbird had returned safely, and they had helped Jean with Remy and Piper, the two returned back. The others were already sleeping; taking some much needed time to relax.
Now the teen stood near Lance. He had his arm wrapped around her tightly. They watched the sun setting in the distance. Avalanche stood next to them panting joyfully.
"Do you think they're alive?" Jubilee asked. "Rogue and Kitty?"
Lance looked at her, smiling as best he could without looking foolish. "If they're alive then we'll find them. And next time, I don't care what your friends say, we'll help."
She moved her head to his shoulder and he held her tighter. She felt his lips press against the top of her head, and despite how bad she felt Jubilee smiled.
Jubilee and Lance were about to go inside when they heard something move in the bushes.
"Stay here," Lance instructed.
He started forward, readying himself to use his mutant ability if needed. As he approached the bushes he saw a girl, a little older than Jubilee, with auburn hair. Even in the darkness he could see a single streak of white.
"Are you alright?" Lance asked. He bent down to her.
"Don't touch me!" the girl ordered.
Lance stopped. He didn't want to send her into a state of shock. "Who are you? Are you hurt?"
"My name is Rogue," the girl announced. Then she passed out.

Magneto stood on the balcony of his apartment. Below he could see the busy streets of Genosha, working perfectly even in the night. He knew at last his dream had been realized.
Mystique lay on the bed, asleep. They were not truly lovers, however he did care for her a great deal. And he took joy that she was at peace.
The old mutant looked inside and saw that the light on his phone was blinking. He had forgotten to check the messages upon returning home. It wasn't too late, he knew. Maybe, if it was urgent, he would return the call tonight.
He picked up the phone and dialed into his messages.
"You have one new message," a recorded woman's voice announced cheerfully.
For a moment he wondered if she were a mutant or not.
"Message one," the woman continued.
"Magneto, it's me," Sabertooth announced on the recording. "He's been spotted. I repeat: we've located Wrath. Please advise how you would like to peruse."
Magneto hung up and dialed Sabertooth's number.

Yuriko Oyama looked at the land in front of her the same way she viewed all life. With hatred. Stryker had stolen eight years of her life from her. And the last two years had been a living hell for her. Magneto had made her a good deal, but she was not sure she would take it. She didn't trust the old mutant.
She didn't trust anyone.

Wolverine held the locket that Piper had been holding in his hand, moving it slowly back and forth. He sighed. Another mystery had been solved, and now a thousand new ones had been revealed.
Apparently the effects of the serum had caused the girl to go into a coma. The serum combined with the mutation of her genes combined with the shock of being brought out of the trance had proved too much for her fragile body.
Wolverine looked at her again. "Who are you, Piper?" he asked to her as she slept peacefully.

While the days were becoming peaceful for others Stryker was worried. He was not ready for the X-Men to arrive. His defenses were not high enough. And he still needed more men. And apparently the Sentinels needed work still. He couldn't have them going around blasting each other. They were damned expensive.
He looked at the second cell and saw Kitty Pryde behaving exactly as she was supposed to. She was terrified. And luckily she was waiting for Jacob to rescue her.
The sight of her almost made him laugh.
Suddenly an alarm sounded.
"Sir, we have mutant in the compound!" Aaron announced.
"What is it? Where is it? Report damn you!"
Aaron tried to speak, but could not.

The mutant teleported from one side of the room to the other, grabbing the guards from behind. It jumped into the air before they got a shot off. It knocked them down.
They watched as the bullets traveled right through the mutant. And at once he teleported behind them again, grabbing them and knocking them out. Normally the mutant would have killed the soldiers, but he needed them alive.
It teleported from one side of the compound, and for a three minutes it was gone from this universe, and finally arrived in Stryker's laboratory.
Stryker took aim, emptying a clip into the mutant. Each bullet passed through it as if nothing had happened. Stryker struggled and started to reload. Before he could the mutant snatched the gun from him.
"Can we talk?" the mutant asked.
Stryker paused, waiting for the mutant to kill him. He always knew that a mutant would kill him, but he assumed it would be some sort of a freak. If Stryker were walking down the street he would think of the man in front of him as normal. It didn't matter.
"What do you want, freak?" Stryker asked.
"I want some of your mutant inhibitors," the mutant announced, grinning. "Allow me to divulge to you a very interesting proposition."
"Who are you?"
The mutant's grin spread. "I am Chimera."