A/N: Special thanks to SperryDee, punkcatwitissues, Lucas'sgirl, and MoonlightPhoenix3 for your reviews of the last chapter. (P.S. Lucas'girl, if you're a big fan of Gambit's, I'm writing another fic that takes place after Logan and Rogue left the mansion for Japan back in chapter 9 of this story. It's called Land of the Silver Sun, and Logan and Rogue are just now meeting up with the 'Ragin' Cajun' himself. As far as Rogue and Gambit getting together, you just never know…)
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More than a week had passed since the memorial service for Russian Cosmonaut Mikhail Rasputin, and Peter & his family were slowly coming to terms with losing a part of their family. Each had found a way to cope, with Peter's way being to revel in both the beauty and the sense of security that he felt from being back at home in TransBaikal, Siberia. But soon, he would have to find a new way to cope with the grief that he felt.
"So, how're you feeling about tomorrow?" Kitty asked Peter as she, him, Theresa, and Illyana walked together along the shore of Lake Baikal on a cool, spring afternoon.
"I'm starting to feel now as I did the first time when I left home, when the Professor came to recruit me to attend his school in the United States. I feel like I'm leaving a part of myself behind." Peter replied, as he held Kitty's hand and continued walking. They were talking about the fact that they would be departing the next morning for Muir Island.
"I know what you mean, I kinda felt the same way when I left Deerfield. I mean I made a lot of new friends at Xavier's, but I still missed my old friends back home." Kitty revealed to him.
"I'm just glad that I'm gonna get a chance t'see my Dad again. It's been a couple 'a years since I've been home to Cassidy Keep." Theresa told them, "I'm so excited that I can barely stand it."
As Theresa said the last sentence, she lot out a joyful exhalation that propelled her into the air. While her mutant ability to create intense sonic vibrations made it possible for her to fly, she was not yet experienced enough to stay airborne for more than a matter of seconds. As Theresa landed a few yards from them, Illyana asked her older brother a question.
"When I get older, will I be able to fly like Theresa?" Illyana wanted to know.
"It's a possibility. The Professor said the chances are good that you might develop mutant powers like us, but there's no way of guaranteeing if or what those powers will be." Peter answered as they stopped alongside the lake.
"I just hope that Illyana doesn't get a 'choir voice' like Terry's." Kitty smiled as she took a verbal jab at Theresa, "We've got enough shattered windows and mirrors back home as it is."
"Ye're a bleedin' riot." Theresa told Kitty as she walked back to the group, "At least I'm not wanderin' about like some sort of teenage phantom. Why don't ye go find an abandoned mansion t'haunt or something?"
As the girls continued their exchange of insults to one another, Illyana walked over to Peter as he watched them, with a very serious look on her face.
"Piotr?" Illyana asked, as she looked up at the colossal figure in front of her.
"Yes." Peter replied.
"Can I ask you something?" Illyana continued.
"Of course." Peter replied, expecting a request for him to tell her another story.
"I was wondering, what was Mikhail like?" Illyana inquired, "Mama said that I met him, but I do not remember it."
Peter thought for a moment, trying to think of what traits would be Mikhail's defining qualities.
"Well, one of the things that I will always remember is that he was a person that would not accept failure. He would always tell us that he was going to do something and no matter how impossible it might have seemed, he would find a way to accomplish it." Peter replied.
Peter and Illyana walked over to a log that had fallen down not too far from the shore and sat down. As they sat there, Peter recalled all of the memories that he had of his brother, conjuring every detail that he could remember. He wanted to paint as accurate a picture as possible for his little sister, about who the late Mikhail Rasputin was. While Illyana listened intently, Theresa and Kitty had finally run out names to call each other and came over to hear Peter's recollections too. All of them sat at the lakeshore until it was well past sunset. This motivated Peter to start a small fire on the cold night for them to sit around, while he continued telling them about his older brother. As evening became night, Mr. And Mrs. Rasputin became curious about where Peter, Illyana, Theresa, and Kitty were. After a brief mind-scan, Professor Xavier alleviated their worries. He told them that they were fine, that Peter was telling them a story, perhaps the best and most important one of his life.
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As another day approached, the next morning seemed to arrive much too quickly. Professor Xavier and his students were up before dawn, loading their luggage and prepping the Blackbird for departure. After all of the pre-flight preparations had been made, there was only one thing left to do. As everyone gathered at the front of the house, Peter and his family illustrated that saying good-bye to a loved one was not an easy thing to do.
"We are so proud of the young man that you have become." Peter's mother and father said to him as they hugged their son, "Just remember that our love is always with you."
"I will never forget." Peter replied as he embraced them.
As the rest of the X-Men said their farewells to the Rasputins, the youngest member of the family was struggling to accept the fact that Peter was leaving. Illyana had lost one brother that she hardly knew, and now the brother that she did know was going away as well. It felt like this would be just too much for her to bear.
"What's the matter, little sister?" Peter asked Illyana, whom he could see was sitting and crying on the front porch a few feet from him.
"I was wondering if I will ever see you again, Piotr Nikoleivitch?" Illyana answered, as her nine-year old emotions were getting the best of her.
"You will be seeing me again very soon, Illyana Nikolievna." Peter replied as he walked over to her.
"How? You will be far away in America, and I will be here." Illyana asked him.
"Theresa and I have asked the Professor if you can come there for a visit, and he has given his permission." Peter informed her.
"Mama, Papa, is this true? Can I really go?" Illyana asked her parents.
After they nodded yes, Illyana ran and jumped from the porch and put her arms around her brother's neck. She gave him a hug hard enough, that Peter would have felt it even if he were in his armored form.
"But Piotr, I do not know anything about America." Illyana said to her brother, still clinging to him.
"I can help with that." Professor Xavier said as he sat in his modified wheelchair next to Kitty and Theresa, "Come towards me child."
Illyana walked over to Professor X and stood in front of him. He placed his hand on her forehead and proceeded to give her a basic crash course in American culture, languages, and customs. In a matter of minutes, all of Illyana's questions about America had been answered. Then, Illyana went to say goodbye to her two new friends.
"Goodbye Theresa. I am so glad that I met you." Illyana said as she gave her a hug.
"Me too. I'll be lookin' forward to when ye come to visit us at the mansion." Theresa replied.
Then Illyana turned to Kitty.
"You have to tell me another story when I come to visit, just like the wonderful one that you told here." Illyana said to Kitty as she hugged her as well.
"Anytime kiddo." Kitty responded as she stroked Illyana's hair.
"Don't worry, I'll be makin' sure Kitty and yuir brother don't spend all day smoochin'." Theresa said, as she and Illyana started giggling.
"Well with that, I believe it is time for us to make our departure." Professor Xavier said to the group.
Professor Xavier and the students then journeyed over to the wooded area where the Blackbird had been camouflaged. The Rasputins stood and watched until the supersonic spy plane was airborne and on it's way to Muir Island, Scotland.
But, the Rasputins were not the only party observing the X-Men as they took off.
"They have lifted off. Shall we scramble our fighters to intercept them Colonel?" A voice said across a handheld radio transmitter.
"No, let them leave unimpeded." Colonel Alexei Vazhin, the head of the office of Russian super-powered affairs, said to one of his subordinates assigned to the area, "The late Colonel Rasputin's brother and his friends have done nothing to warrant action from us, and I have no desire to needlessly antagonize them. There may come a day when we will have need of their aid, perhaps in the very near future…"
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As the Blackbird streaked across the morning sky and crossed a few time zones, it did not do so under the guidance of Professor Xavier. Instead, two of his students were dressed in their dark blue & silver junior X-Men uniforms. They were at the helm of the aircraft, getting a chance to receive a little on-the-job training.
"Flying this thing is neat, but it is kind of ironic when you think about it." Kitty said as she sat in the pilot's chair, wearing one of the communication headsets.
"What do you mean Katya?" Peter asked her from the co-pilot's seat.
"Well, here I am steering this multimillion dollar jet with no problems at all, but I have to wait more than a year before I can get my license." Kitty answered, "Still, after getting the hang of the Blackbird, I bet I pass my driver's test with flying colors."
"I'm glad that you feel so confident doing this, because I certainly do not." Peter revealed.
"Why? You did fine in the simulator." Kitty pointed out.
"Not all of us have the same affinity for computers and machines that you do." Peter told her, "Besides, flying in the simulator is one thing, but being behind the wheel of the real thing is quite another."
"Well, you don't have to worry. I won't let us crash, or anything." Kitty smiled, as she looked down at one of the instrument panels in front of her.
"You really know how to make a person feel better." Peter replied, who had been trying not to think about that particular subject.
"You know, you're kinda cute, sitting there all worried and stuff." Kitty told Peter as she gazed at him.
Peter didn't respond, but just looked back at Kitty. Despite trying not to, he couldn't help but smile a little at her flirtatious comment. He then went back to monitoring the gauges that were located on his side of the cockpit.
The flight lasted for almost eight hours, before they made it to Muir Island. The island itself was located at Cape Wrath, right off of the coast of Scotland's northern most point. It was known worldwide as the home of the foremost research facility in the field of mutant genetics. The geography of the moderately sized island was a mixture of lush, rolling green hills and jagged rocky cliffs. It was a beautiful sight at sunrise, in the off chance when the sun peered through the usually foggy and overcast weather.
As the Blackbird began docking procedures and touched down on the landing pad behind the research facility that belonged to Dr. Moira MacTaggert, one of her assistants came out to greet their visitors.
"Welcome Professor Xavier." The assistant said as Professor Xavier's wheelchair was lowered to the ground from the Blackbird, "Dr. MacTaggert and Ms. Munroe have been eagerly awaiting your arrival."
"I assume Dr. MacTaggert is in her laboratory, as usual?" Professor Xavier asked.
"Yes, you know how dedicated she is to her work." He replied.
"It's nice to see that some things do not change with time." Professor Xavier smiled, as he wheeled to the inside of the large facility.
Professor Xavier navigated down a number of long corridors, still familiar with the basic layout of the complex. As he pushed a button that opened a large steel door leading to the main research laboratory, he could see that Moira and Ororo were busy at work within.
"We can stop at anytime if ye start to feel uncomfortable in such a confined space." Moira said to Ororo, as she stood in front of a computer terminal and analyzed the data that was being processed in front of her.
"No, I feel fine. We can continue." Storm replied from the inside of a 10' X 10' sealed glass chamber in the laboratory, which had a number of electronic relay sensors attached to the outside.
Despite having no mutant abilities of her own, Moira instantly sensed the presence of her old colleague and friend. She was dressed in her customary lab regalia, complete with a white lab coat. Moira pushed the large-rimmed glasses that were slipping off of her face back up and her medium length reddish-brown hair behind her ear with her right hand, as she looked up at Charles.
"H'llo, Charley-luv. I'll be with ye in just a moment." Moira said as she turned back to face Storm.
Just then, Storm's eyes began to glow brightly and lightning started to flash within the chamber, as she levitated herself almost one foot from the ground. In less than a minute, a small-scale weather phenomenon was underway within the enclosed room. As the winds within neared gale-force status, Moira realized that they had accomplished the goal that they had set out for.
"Okay Ororo, I think we have enough data. Ye can power down now." Moira said, as Ororo ceased her fantastic display and then stepped out of the chamber.
"Hello, Professor." Ororo said to Professor Xavier, as she leaned against one of the tables in the room, somewhat exhausted.
"It's a delight to see you again. I trust that all is well in your village in Africa." He replied.
"Everything is fine. I just needed some time away from the mansion, to put all of the recent events in my life in perspective. The rainforests of the Serengati are the one place where I have the complete freedom to do that, by getting fully in touch with Mother Earth itself." Ororo said as she talked about the home where she had gained mastery of her elemental powers. It was also where Professor Charles Xavier came to recruit her as a young teenager, to become one of the founding students at his School for the Gifted.
"No warm words for me?" Moira said, as she walked up from the area where all of the computer terminals were.
"Of course, it's a pleasure to see you again as well." Charles replied.
"It's been much too long." Moira said, as she walked over to Charles and touched him on the shoulder.
"What exactly were you two doing?" Charles asked her.
"A routine diagnostic exam, just to satisfy my curiosity." Moira answered.
"And we all know how curious you are." Ororo joked with her.
"Och, that's the story of my life." Moira laughed, "Yuir Professor over here can vouch for that one."
"It's what drew me to you initially. Well, one of your many attributes." Charles smiled, as he let his normally reserved demeanor down. Moira was his most trusted friend, and one of the few people in the world that he truly felt at ease around.
"Listen to ye Casanova, talkin' like ye're still that teenage boy who swept me off ma' feet." Moira said, as she sat down in one of the chairs in the lab.
"But, it is nice to see that you still find my charm irresistible." Charles continued.
"Still?" Moira replied with a laugh, "I don't recall it being that irresistible back then."
"I would beg to differ." Charles happily responded.
"Well, I think that I'll go out to the Blackbird to check on the others, and leave you two on your stroll down memory lane." Ororo smiled as she started out of the main laboratory.
"That may be a good idea, Theresa begged me the entire flight to let her fly the Blackbird here. Hopefully, she hasn't figured out how to initiate the take off sequence yet." Charles said, as Ororo went outside. Then, he and Moira continued to reminisce together about times that had long since passed.
Storm went out to the landing pad, but didn't see any of the students out there. She then took to the air in her black leather X-Man outfit, and soon spotted them on a nearby hill. They were standing near a rocky cliff that overlooked the entire island. As the 'Wind-Rider' landed, Shadowcat, Siryn, and Colossus all greeted her.
"Ororo, it's so depressing out here. Can't you clear things up?" Kitty asked as they stood at the top of the hill.
"I could, but I try not to affect weather patterns that naturally occur in a region if I can help it." Ororo replied.
"Why is that?" Peter asked.
"Each time that I use my power, on the kind of scale needed to change the weather of an entire area, it has an effect on the natural eco-balance of the planet. Think of a long, tube shaped balloon. If you squeeze it one section, it has an effect on the rest of the balloon. The Earth is the same way. If I make it sunny in this region when it is not supposed to, it may cause it to rain or snow somewhere else where it should not." Ororo said, as she gave a brief and summarized lesson to her students about global weather patterns and how her powers affected them.
"Sounds like you're a walking natural disaster." Kitty told her.
"Nothing that dramatic Kitty, I just try to limit the influence that I have. Now, in conclusion to today's lesson, while I try to keep from affecting the weather over a large area, I can still brighten somebody's day." Ororo said to the group.
Just then, her eyes began to have a familiar white glow to them. While Storm had said that she didn't want to make any dramatic changes to Scotland's weather, making smaller changes to the weather did not have the same consequences. As they stood at the top of the small mountain, a tiny amount of sunlight peaked through the clouds. It increased only until the entire hilltop was basking in the sun's beautiful rays, and the group was in awe of the magic that Storm seemed to weave.
"Ororo, do ye know when we'll be leaving for my home in Ireland?" Theresa asked anxiously.
"The next ferry leaves in the morning. We'll be heading out fairly early." Ororo replied.
"Will you be joining us?" Peter asked her.
"Yes, it's been quite a while since I've seen Theresa's father." Ororo answered.
"You know Terry's Dad?" Kitty inquired.
"He's been a friend of the X-Men for years. He has even aided us in our more desperate times, and against some very dangerous foes." Storm explained.
"He never told me that." Theresa stated, "M'Dad just said that he and the Professor were friends from when they were younger."
"The original X-Men first met him when we were little more than children ourselves, and he helped us to defeat a villain named Count Nefaria." Storm said as she thought back to a time when the X-Men were composed of herself, Cyclops, Marvel Girl, Angel, and Beast, "Sean Cassidy was a dashing law enforcement agent back then, who was working for Interpol at the time. I must admit, Jean and I thought he was rather handsome. He seemed like a secret agent straight out of the movies to us."
"Siryn, I never would have pegged you for 007's daughter. And, that your teacher had a crush on your super-spy Dad too." Kitty said as she started teasing Theresa again.
"Why don't ye just shut up!" Theresa replied angrily, as Kitty had struck a nerve with her.
Usually, Theresa enjoyed the verbal exchanges that she and Kitty had between each other. But when it came to her father, Theresa's feelings were very vulnerable. Since her mother died when she was still a baby, Theresa felt like her Dad was all that she had in the world, and she didn't like anybody speaking ill of him.
"Settle down, both of you." Ororo told them, "Let's head back and unload the Blackbird before it gets too late."
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While Storm and the students headed back to the Muir Island research compound, half a world away, a different kind of storm was brewing in a top-secret government facility in the United States.
"Would somebody please care to explain this to me!" Dr. Stephen Lang, the presidentially-appointed head of Project Wideawake, yelled as he sat pouring through a folder containing official documents.
Project Wideawake was a covert government program that had been established more than a decade ago. It was originally created as a means to research and gain a better understanding of the mutant phenomenon in particular, and of super-powered human beings in general.
"What is the matter sir?" An assistant asked as he walked into Lang's office, located in the large underground compound that served as Project Wideawake's headquarters.
"Who authorized the transfer of Frederick J. Dukes, from a maximum security federal facility to a low-level security prison?" Lang questioned.
"Sir, I believe the transfer order was signed by Colonel William Stryker." The assistant replied.
"No, let me repeat my question. Look at this document, it is dated almost a week after Colonel Stryker was reported to have perished at Alkali Lake." Lang stated.
"What are you saying?" The assistant asked.
"I would say that we were being played for fools, but it seems like we are actually living up to the part." Lang answered angrily, " First Magneto, perhaps the most dangerous mutant alive, breaks himself out of prison. And then one week later, in what can only be described as the most egregious lapse of basic protocol that I have ever seen, one of the original members of his so-called 'Brotherhood of Evil Mutants' is transferred to a low-level security prison, from which he later escapes as well."
Lang then turned his attention to a large monitor in front of him.
"Look at this footage of a recent concert in New York, put on by an entertainer named Allison Blaire. In it, it appears that Mr. Dukes has moved up from simply robbing banks like he was when we originally detained him, to now inciting large-scale riots. On top of that, Ms. Blaire herself was revealed to be a mutant on national television. We have mutants infiltrating the upper echelons of our government and masquerading themselves in public, and I can see the writing on the wall. If something is not done, and done soon, mutants will have complete control of this country in no time. And I am determined not to let that happen." Lang revealed.
"Is that why you have authorized the mass-production of the Sentinel units?" The assistant continued to inquire, referring to large robotic constructs that had been designed to track, capture, and execute mutants deemed to be a danger to society. Lang's proto-type Sentinels stood around twenty feet tall, but he intended for his next upgraded model to be substantially larger.
"That is the exact reason. Humanity needs an equalizer if it is to survive, and the Sentinels will provide that." Lang responded, as he and his assistant walked from the office to the main section of the complex, where the Sentinel assembly factory was located.
"Aren't you worried about the backlash that might be generated when the general public learns of the existence of the Sentinels?" The assistant wondered.
"Look at the news, every single day humans are waking up to the danger that a mutant populace out of control poses. The minds of individuals, who had previously opposed the Mutant Registration Act, have been changed by the fact that mutants attempted to kill the President and also attacked every sentient mind on Earth more than eight months ago. I believe that the American public will welcome the Sentinels with open arms." Lang told the assistant, as they walked from the assembly area to a large briefing room.
"Has the President given his approval of the Sentinel program?" The assistant asked as Dr. Lang cued up an image on the large monitor in the room.
"I have that authorization de facto. When I was appointed as the head of Project Wideawake by the 'then' sitting President, his orders channeled to me through the late Henry Peter Gyrich were to protect national security from the threat that mutants pose. And that is exactly what I have done." Lang said as he looked up at the monitor, "Here is the threat laid out for you to see."
As Lang and his top assistant looked at the large screen, displayed on it were the most powerful known super-powered beings and groups on Earth. It included the X-Men, the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, and individual names like Spiderman, but it also included some entries that Lang's assistant did not expect to see.
"Sir, you have Captain America and the Fantastic Four on there…they are regarded as some Earth's mightiest defenders?" The assistant said with a confused expression.
"Don't worry, they are only listed there for 'theoretical' purposes. It is in the event that their loyalties are one day compromised." Lang stated, although their inclusion was more than a mere coincident, "The real reason that I brought you in here was to show you the first mission that I have for the Sentinels."
Lang then brought up a global image, with one area highlighted on it.
"Muir Island, Scotland? Why are the Sentinels being sent there?" The assistant asked.
"The notes that I retrieved from the late Dr. Trask, the original creator of the Sentinels, were incomplete. While the Sentinels that I have constructed are quite capable of eliminating their foes, whole-scale destruction of the mutant race is not something that would be politically feasible at this time. We need to have a way of neutralizing the threat that their mutant powers pose. I believe that the research facility on Muir Island may provide us the answers that I need. When the proto-type Sentinels are fully functional, I want a small group of them sent on a reconnaissance mission to retrieve the data contained there, and to bring back the world's leading expert on mutant genetics, Dr. Moira MacTaggert." Lang said, as he revealed the first phase of his diabolical agenda…
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Next chapter: The latest happenings in Westchester County…