Chapter 6

Wednesday, September 18th, 2002

Graymalkin Lane, Westchester County, New York

2: 22 P. M.

Doc activated the wires with a spark of electricity. "This will do. I'll definitely have to make more thorough repairs later, but this will do for a single time trip."

"I hope you're right, Doc," Jennifer murmured, looking anxiously at the tangled web. "I don't want to end up in 1573 or something. Or in a parallel universe."

"Don't worry about the parallel universe. If they do exist, I highly doubt we can get to them. And I really do think we'll be able to get home to 1987 in this." He slithered out from under the train. "I wouldn't do anything to intentionally put you in danger."

"I know you wouldn't, Doc. I'll try not to worry so much." She took a peek down at the wires again. "Is that it for the train, or do you need to do more?"

"Well, that's it for the electrical parts at any rate. I still need to patch the hole in the side and replace the window. That shouldn't take long. We'll be ready to go home in a few days, tops." Doc tried not to look depressed at this statement.

Jennifer patted Doc's arm. "I'm sorry that the Legacy thing didn't work out."

"I was so hoping I could help," Doc sighed. "Even without the vast medical knowledge Hank has, I was practically positive I could help. . . ." He stared vacantly at the train for a few moments. "After doing the repairs at home, I should make up an updated will."

"Doc, don't talk like that," Jennifer pleaded.

"Why not? Without a cure, there's a 100% probability that I'll die soon. That serum can only work for so long. I have to be prepared."

Jennifer looked down. "Marty's going to be so upset," she said, voice low. "He was so depressed before your letter showed up in 1985 -- I don't know how he's going to take this."

"I'll talk with him once we're home, I promise."

Clara came out just then, looking both excited and worried about something. "Emmett, we may have a problem. Professor Xavier has located Pyro."

"His former student? Where the heck is he?"

"The jungles of South America. He's not with Magneto, so Xavier wants to talk to him. He thinks he might be able to find out at least why he switched sides. I think an ulterior motive is to warn the people living nearby."

"Sounds like official X-Men business to me. We need not worry."

"Emmett – Hank's going with him."

Doc scrambled to his feet in shock. "Hank?! Doesn't he realize how important it is that Hank stays here? We've still got a few days to work!"

"He told me Hank volunteered!"

"But why -- how -- I'm going to have a talk with him." Looking very pissed, Doc jogged into the school. "Hank? Where are you?!"

Hank was in his quarters, packing an overnight bag. Doc gave him a not-so-gentle zap of electricity. "OW!"

"What the hell are you doing, Hank McCoy?" Doc demanded. "Clara said you volunteered to leave?!"

"Listen, I know you're mad--"

"You're damn right I'm mad!"

"-- but I need this. Being cooped up in that laboratory day and night is getting to be too much! How can I find a cure if I can't think straight?"

"How can I find one if my Ph. D. is in quantum physics?! I need you!"

"I'll still be communicating with you by e-mail! And Moira came up with something. I left you the message to work on. Don't worry, it's all spelt out very clearly."

Doc glared at him. "What happens if I get sick again, Hank? What happens?"

"Jean gives you another shot, that's what happens. And if you don't respond to that one, she'll use her telekinesis to try and stop the seizures."

"That won't work. Not with my power. I could seriously hurt her. If I don't respond to a second injection, I'm dead. I'M DEAD!" Doc seethed for a minute more, then his face dropped into frightened sadness. "Don't leave me here, Hank. I don't want to die."

Hank didn't know what to say. "Listen, Dr. Brown, it won't be for that long. The BlackBird can travel at supersonic speeds. We should be back within a day or so. I'm sure you can get by in that short a period. You're not helpless."

"Sometimes I feel like I am," Doc said, starting to blush. "You're right. If you really need the break, you should take it. I didn't mean to get so emotional."

"Hell, I understand. I'd probably panic too if I had Legacy. I promise, I'll be back as soon as I can, and I'll send you e-mail. Especially if I get any more ideas."

"Okay. And I'll get to work on what Moira sent."

Wednesday, September 18th, 2002

New York, New York

2: 27 P. M.

Inside the deepest reaches of the Shaw family estate, Selene sat before a mystical scrying device. Her eyes were closed as she chanted the words of a spell. Occasionally she would lift her hands in some arcane gesture. Sebastian was letting her perform this magic in hopes of gaining some information on the X-Men. She had successfully worked minor spells before, so it was worth a shot.

Selene finally felt ready. She opened her eyes and gazed into the black mirror before her. Slowly, foggily, an image appeared upon it. The image of Professor X leaving the mansion in the BlackBird jet. Another figure was with him, but the image was too fuzzy for her to tell who it was. All she could see was his black X-Man uniform. They flew off into the distance, leaving the mansion open -- and vulnerable.

She smiled. The spell had been calculated to show the near future of a specific location. Professor X was probably leaving either today, tomorrow, or Friday. Knowing her husband would want something more concrete, she modified the spell a bit. A calendar date swam into being on the mirror -- September 19th.

Selene nodded and dispersed the magic. The black mirror became nothing more than smooth dark rock. She got up and headed for Sebastian's personal library. "Sebastian. . . ."

Sebastian was studying a report on the invasion of Xavier's School for Gifted Children by Stryker when his wife waltzed in. "Any luck, my dear?"

"Oh, much luck. Professor X will be leaving the mansion tomorrow. Along with a companion. I suggest we strike immediately."

Sebastian clapped his hands. "Excellent. This also means one less X-Man to deal with. Wonderful work, darling, wonderful. I'll alert the drones."

Thursday, September 19th, 2002

Graymalkin, Westchester County, New York

5: 19 P. M.

"What's cookin', good lookin'?"

Doc rolled his eyes at the rhyme. "I'm just making absolutely sure what I've rigged up can withstand the trauma of time travel."

"Are you going to make a time trip? Can I come?" J. C. asked excitedly.

"I would like to, but with the limitations placed on me, I don't dare."

"He's worried something will go wrong and we'll be thrown randomly through time," Marty added, popping up from inside the train.

"And that, coupled with my disability--"

"Hey, I thought Hank's serum fixed that."

"Temporarily. We haven't been able to find a permanent cure. Once it wears off. . . ." Doc allowed his voice to trail off ominously.

Both J. C. and Marty went pale. "Don't say that, Doc. Please don't say that."

"It's the truth, guys. We're going to have to learn to live with it. I got many great years with my family and friends. I should be grateful." Doc put down his tools, a look of intense sadness appearing on his face. "But I'm not. I want more. None of that time seems even remotely long enough."

J. C. gave him a hug. "Be grateful you have a family," she told him. "Be grateful they love you."

"Yeah, Doc, we all care about you. We want more time too."

Doc shivered in fear. "I don't want to die. The scientific part of me tells me I shouldn't be afraid, but I am. It's a natural process, but I'm terrified of it. Especially -- especially after that seizure. If that's how I'm going to go, I'd end it right now."

"Doc, please." Marty's lip began to quiver.

"Hell, do you think anybody wants to die? I'm a mutant, don't you think I'm worried about Legacy?"

"I know, I know. But it's frustrating to know you had a chance at stopping what's killing you." He sighed deeply. "I just couldn't help like I thought I did. . . ."

"You did the best you could. We know that." Marty leaned out the open window, looking at the sky. "We'll figure something out."

Thursday, September 19th

5:23 P. M.

"I'll get it!" Bobby yelled as the doorbell rang. He abandoned his seat in front of the TV and opened the door. Standing there was a smirking man in an old-fashioned business suit. "Uh, hi. Can I help you?"

"Is Professor Xavier in?"

"No, he's not."

The smirk changed to a satisfied grin. "Good."

Just like that, uniformed goons appeared. Bobby had visions of Styrker's invasion of the school. Oh, no, not this time! he thought angrily, flinging up a hand as the sirens started. I'll freeze 'em to the spot before they even get through the door!

But, shockingly enough, his power didn't come. He tried again. Nothing. His temperature stayed a toasty 98.1, nowhere near good for making ice. Baffled, he settled for slugging the first man that came in.

Another goon yanked out a gun and pointed it straight at him. Bobby desperately tried to use his mutation. "The hell?!" he cried.

This attracted more kids, all who looked at the forces in horror. Kitty attempted to get help, but was foiled when she ran into the wall as opposed to through it. Marie and Jaime grabbed her and started trying to swat down the army.

Jean, alerted by the sirens, ran to help them. She gasped when she saw the kids being forced back into the body of the school. "Leave them alone!" she roared, wondering why they weren't automatically flying through the air.

"Hello, Dr. Grey," the suited man said politely, still grinning.

Jean glared at him. "Call your goons off, Shaw, or I'll--"

"Oh, you won't be doing anything," Shaw interrupted coolly. "One of my associates has already taken care of that."

"Associates?" Jean attempted to read Shaw's mind, but found herself blocked. In fact, she couldn't hear anyone's thoughts, other than her own. She began to feel somewhat claustrophobic. "We've got security measures in place that can knock down any human army."

"Really? Well, too bad my associate isn't human. I haven't introduced her, have I? Frieda!"

A woman appeared, with thick curls of bleached blond hair and ice-blue eyes. She was clad from head to foot in the purest black fabric, and wore a matching black belt with a humming box attached. Jean got a chill. This was Frieda Stamos.

The Black Hole.

5:25 P.M.

Doc, J. C., and Marty watched in amazement as more and more people swarmed into the mansion. They had seen the army just minutes before the trouble began and hidden in the invisible train. "What the hell is going on? Why aren't they fighting back?" J. C. demanded.

"Scott blasted us out of the sky! He shouldn't have any trouble with these guys," Marty agreed. "And after what they told us about Stryker. . . ."

Doc frowned, deeply concerned. "This obviously took them completely by surprise. But you're right, something should be happening. They should be fighting back. The very lack of that indicates a powerful enemy. Someone who is capable of incapacitating the X-Men."

"All of them?" Marty said incredulously.

"It's possible. Large amounts of knock-out spray gas, maybe a kind of mutant dampener -- not easy, but possible."

"Doc, my friends are in there!" J. C. cried. "Marie, Bobby, Kitty, Jubilee -- they wouldn't let this happen! And I wouldn't let it happen to them!"

Marty had an even worse thought. "Clara's in there, Doc! Jennifer's in there!"

"I know that!" Doc almost yelled. He forced himself to lower his voice. "I'm scared too. I know this shouldn't be happening, I know the X-Men wouldn't let themselves be walked over. But it appears that whoever this is found the absolutely perfect moment and mode to take over. Professor X isn't here to help, and neither is Hank."

"Do we have any way of contacting Professor X?"

"Not out here, and I'm sure they'll have cut communication inside."

J. C. closed her eyes, and a few imaginary mice appeared to play on the train floor. "Well, I can still use my power."

Doc flicked the lights on and off. "So can I. And there's absolutely no motion in our direction. They must have no idea we're here."

"Good, we can fly off and see if we can get help," Marty said hopefully.

"Have you forgotten what landed us here in the first place, Marty? They'll notice the noise for sure. And if they fire upon us and hit the train's underbelly again, we could be in serious shit."

"But we can't just sit here and do nothing!" J. C. protested. "We've got to help!"

"Your family's in there, and so's my girlfriend," Marty agreed, getting testy. "I'm not leaving them helpless. We're getting help."

Doc gazed back at the mansion. "They must have no idea we're here," he repeated slowly. "That means they wouldn't be ready to deal with us."

Marty and J. C. stopped and stared. "You mean--" J. C. said finally.

"Yes. We're going in."