Thanks to:
Goofn1 – I love Lancitty! I couldn't split them up here, I already did that in my other fic! I'm planning plenty more Lance from now until the finale.
Kurttyscogue – I loved the idea of Kitty confronting Mystique and the whole Brotherhood getting sick, I just had to put it in! There's much more Scogue to come.
X00001 – Oh yeah, the Apocalypse is upon us…
LadyEvils – I was gonna put Rogue in Jean's place instead of Lance, but I thought that might be too obvious and I love the Lance/Scott interaction. I managed a faster update this time! And I'll try not to leave it so long again. Also, thanks for the praise of 'Unpredictable'
Mats Forsen – The Jean/Rogue face off will be coming – next chapter. Sorry! But I promise this chapter will be fun too.
DemonRogue13 – Thanks for the review!
XX-Goth-Gal – The girl chatting up Lucas sis look like a green haired Risty! It'd be interesting if Mystique had been there and not convalescing with the flu…
Rogue14 – Thinking up places for Kurt and Kitty to teleport to was lots of fun!
Disclaimer: The world's about to end! Who cares about disclaimers?
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"Third mysterious dome appears."
Mesmero folded the newspaper and chuckled to himself. His role in freeing Apocalypse meant that his future was secure. Forget the doubts that had been nagging at him since En Sabah Nur had completely ignored him since being freed…
The material of the tent began to tear, three metal claws slicing easily through the fabric and revealing Wolverine at the other side. Unhurriedly, he pulled one of Mesmero's posters from its place and examined it.
"I can read palms too bub, and your future ain't looking too good."
Mesmero ran as Logan advanced, fleeing the tent and trying to lose himself in the deserted carnival. Looking behind him he could see no sign of pursuit – until he ran headfirst into a telekinetic shield, falling over into the mud.
Rogue floated in the air before him. "Hello Mesmero."
Trying to move was futile. Mesmero glared at Rogue, a smirk on his face. "You're too late. Evolution is upon us and there's nothing you can do to stop it!"
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"I scanned his mind," said the Professor, gesturing to the tied-up Mesmero sat in the centre of the room. "But from what I can tell, Apocalypse abandoned him."
"No!" Mesmero stood, fighting his bonds. "He will be back for me!"
Logan shoved Mesmero back into the chair. Xavier wheeled closer, attempting to appeal to his good side, if he had one. "You were discarded Mesmero. You owe him no allegiance, so please tell me what he is planning. I can take the knowledge by force if you prefer."
Mesmero sighed and turned his head away. "Apocalypse will trigger the dormant X-genes in the normal human population so that most will transform into mutants."
Storm frowned. "What do you mean, most?"
"Many will not survive."
"How will this be accomplished?" asked the Beast urgently. "What does this have to do with the pyramids?"
"I – I have said too much. The wrath of Apocalypse is – "
"He is not you primary concern. Not at this moment." The Professor closed in on Mesmero and put his hands to the side of the prisoner's head, invading his mind.
A pyramid glowing blue, a second in a forest, a third in a desert, dark clouds rolling in the sky, people staring upward as lightning flashed, the sphinx, Apocalypse, pyramids, a glowing device…
Xavier snatched his hands away from Mesmero's head. "Yes, there's three pyramids. They're – they're powered by the Sphinx and Apocalypse…"
He turned to look at the other instructors, his face a mask of dread. "He is now ready."
Logan scowled. "So, what do we do about it?"
"If I could confront Apocalypse, reason with him, maybe he could be diverted from this path…"
"Charles, no!" said Storm. "I doubt that Apocalypse is interested in our point of view."
"Opening a dialogue is the first step to a peaceful resolution."
"In this case, there ain't gonna be any peaceful resolution." Logan glared at Mesmero. "We have to find a way to stop him."
Beast shrugged. "Suggestions?"
There was a long silence.
Xavier sighed. "In this case, our only option is…"
An alarm began flashing, telling the group that they were about to have company. Logan went over to the computer and punched up a visual, growling as he saw the SHIELD helicopter landing in the grounds.
"I'll take care of this," he said, hurriedly exiting the room. When he got to the grounds, he saw several of the students gaping at scene and a familiar figure getting out of the copter.
"What's this about Fury?"
Nick Fury was unforthcoming as they headed back into the Institute. Logan didn't bother to hide his irritation with yet another unwanted intrusion by the Government official. "We're in the middle of dealing with something here."
"I figured." Fury waited for Logan to open the security door. "That's why I'm here. I need to keep you from attempting any action against the pyramids."
"Huh," snorted Logan as they walked toward the control room. "Fat chance."
"Logan, we're already taking measures and other mutants will only complicate matters."
Opening the door for the control room, Logan gave Fury a suspicious look. "What kind of measures?"
Fury shrugged and walked into the control room, taking in the scene. Beast was sat in front of the computer, Storm and Xavier watching the screen over his shoulder. Scott and Rogue were off to one side, talking quietly between themselves.
"Punch up a visual on the Sphinx."
Beast gave Fury a look that suggested that violence was defiantly an option. Logan held up a hand. "It's alright Hank."
Typing on the keyboard, Beast found the visual on the Sphinx. The mutants looked on in horror as the screen showed three Sentinels flying toward the landmark. Logan grabbed Fury by the front of his jacket, popping his claws.
"You resurrected the Sentinel Programme? You just made a bigger mess of this!"
Fury looked away, shamefaced. "It was not my choice to make. But their mutant sensors will target Apocalypse, so they just happen to be our best defence at the moment."
Disgusted, Logan shoved Fury away and retracted his claws, reverting his attention back to the screen. The Sentinels had locked in on the Sphinx and opened fire, doing some damage that would have the Egyptian authorities screaming when they saw it. One shot left a smoking hole in the back of the landmark and the group stared as Apocalypse rose out of it.
Mutant life signs confirmed.
The voice of the Sentinel made them all shudder. It may be an electronic distortion of Bolivar Trask's voice, but it was a statement without compassion, without mercy. There could be no more reasoning with the Sentinel than there would be with Apocalypse.
The Sentinels flew over to Apocalypse, the mutant transforming his hand into a gun and blasting at the robots. The Sentinel dodged and returned fire, knocking Apocalypse into the side of the Sphinx. The watchers gasped, hoping that maybe this was the solution, the Sentinels could defeat Apocalypse – but dreading the possibility too. If the robots could defeat a mutant as powerful as Apocalypse, what hope did the rest of them have?
Apocalypse flew into the air, heading straight to one of the Sentinels and flying directly into its chest cavity. The robot shuddered, turning blue, before attacking its fellow Sentinels. The two machines were blown out of the sky.
Beast turned to Fury. "That's your best defence?"
Fury allowed himself a slight smile. "Actually, they're our diversion."
Xavier frowned. "Meaning what?"
Glancing up as Lance, Kitty, Kurt and Piotr walked into the room, Fury returned his attention to the Professor. "Show the three domes."
Using a four-way screen view, the Beast did so. The dome in the lower-right corner showed three more Sentinels flying toward it.
"The new Sentinels have some modifications. Those flat cannons now release atomic sub-dividers so that the domes could no longer repel the attacks. We should actually be able to breech them and attack those pyramids."
The Beast watched as the Sentinels fired upon the domes, the stricken areas turning pink. "Brilliant."
Logan crossed his arms, looking sceptical. "Something tells me it ain't gonna be that easy."
The students crowded around the screen as there was more action in the top-left box, the screen showing the Sphinx. The blue Sentinel had defeated the others, turning back to red and then exploding, revealing Apocalypse floating in its place. The other screens showed more attacks on the domes by more Sentinels as Apocalypse cocked his head to one side and growled.
The hole in the ground beneath the Sphinx, the one that the X-Men had discovered when trying to locate Apocalypse, slid open. The watchers scowled as they tried to figure out what else could possibly go wrong.
"My horsemen. You are needed."
Four figures walked up the steps, all of them wearing the design of the Eye of Ages on their faces, all of them with their eyes glowing – all of them familiar.
Magneto.
Caliban.
Angel.
Jean.
There were gasps of disbelief from the mutants as they recognised the people that at one time they had known as friends or foes, three of whom they had thought of as dead.
Rogue covered her mouth, hardly feeling Scott's arms around her. No one else knew how hard it had been for her dealing with Jean's death. They had started out with a mutual dislike, followed by Rogue's crush and her devastation at discovering it had all been caused by the other girl. Then Jean had killed her foster mother and taken control of her body and then died before Rogue could get any answers as to why. And just as she was coming to terms with never knowing the reasons for Jean's actions, she came back from the dead.
In spite of the symbols on her face, Jean looked the same as she always had. Red hair flowing away from her face, the sardonic smirk playing on her lips, the leather uniform she had always favoured both as a member of the Brotherhood and of the Acolytes. Only her eyes were changed, glowing with blue light.
Angel stood beside her, more changed than the girl who had led her to his apparent demise. His skin was tinged blue, his once-handsome features almost unrecognisable. The wings that had given him his codename were no longer feathered, instead appearing to be made of metal.
Caliban seemed to have gained mass, his arms hanging almost to his knees, muscles standing out starkly. His skin was still pale but his eyes glowed with inhuman energy, his mouth oversized and smiling.
Magneto still wore the robes and helmet, the symbols of the Eye of Ages standing out on his face, glowing with the same eerie blue light as his eyes. The set of his face was determined. In spite of all his bluster about defeating Apocalypse he seemed totally subservient to the mutant.
Logan gaped at the screen. "They're – alive?"
"What's he done to them?" asked Lance, pulling Kitty closer as if she was in danger of contamination from the screen.
"I don't believe it." Scott glanced down at Rogue, who was just staring at the picture.
Apocalypse addressed the four. "Horsemen, defend my pyramids."
Three spectral horses appeared from the base of the Sphinx. Magneto, Caliban and Jean leapt onto them and soared into the sky, Angel using his wings to take to the air. Angel flew into a portal, followed by Caliban and Magneto. Jean circled around before the horse went back inside into the Sphinx, followed by Apocalypse.
At the Institute the Beast tapped on the keyboard, bringing the Egyptian pyramid to a full-screen view. A Sentinel blasting at the dome turned as a portal appeared in the sky behind it, Angel flying through it and hovering in the air behind the robot.
Mutant life signs confirmed.
As the Sentinel raised an arm to fire, Angel dodged out of its way. His wings aimed toward it, scores of razor-tipped projectiles emerging from the new metal. The robots arm fell away from its body. Another flurry of missiles sliced the machines head clean off its shoulders.
"Hank, try the Chinese dome," said Xavier urgently.
The Beast tapped on the keyboard, replacing Angel's fight with the scene in the devastated Chinese province. Another portal had appeared in the sky, this one ejecting Caliban upon the spectral steed. The horse vanished and Caliban landed on a Sentinels shoulder, grabbing at the metal and denting it with his bare hands before ripping a chunk of the robots head away and swinging it in a downward arc, the Sentinels electronics fizzing and emitting a shower of sparks as vital wiring was damaged beyond repair.
"Mexico?" The Professors voice shook slightly.
The scene at the dome in Mexico showed Magneto floating in mid-air, a simple gesture causing the three Sentinels to crash into each other, chunks of metal falling to the floor and the robots tossed indifferently aside, one hitting a cliff and exploding into fragments.
The Beast returned the screen to its four-way view, all of them bleak as they watched the carnage continue. Fury turned to Wolverine. "If they fail Logan, I'm outta options. Except for maybe one. You guys."
"I'm way ahead of you." Logan walked over to the screen and weighed up the situation. "Now order us some helijets."
Xavier nodded. "We need four teams, one at each of the pyramids and one at the Sphinx. We absolutely must gain control of those locations."
Logan turned away from the screen and glanced at the students. "Avalanche, Shadowcat, start with the Brotherhood."
"We're on it." Lance and Kitty hurried away.
"Nightcrawler, you go find Spyke."
Kurt teleported away without a word.
"Cyclops, Colossus, you round up anyone else you can think of. And Rogue, you come with me. I've got a special assignment for you."
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"Forget it!"
Lance glared at Pietro irritably. "Come on, at least ask the others."
Pietro turned around. "Hey! You guys wanna go to Mexico to fight Magneto?"
There was no reply from within the house.
"Forget it." Pietro tried to slam the door, but Kitty put her foot in the way.
"Are you serious? After everything we just told you?"
"Look, if Magneto couldn't stop this guy what chance do we have?"
"Well none if we don't try!"
"Sorry guys. Just let Magneto turn the world into mutants. Maybe he's on to something – "
"WHAT is going on here?"
Mystique appeared behind Pietro and smirked. "If it isn't our two errant team-mates. I see you decided against the pyjamas for this visit."
"It's a long story," said Kitty as she saw the looks that Lance and Pietro gave her.
"Look Mystique," said Lance. "Apocalypse wants to turn all humans into mutants and he's gonna do it soon. We're trying to stop him by taking control of the pyramids, but we could use all the help we can get."
"You've come here asking for my help?" Mystique smirked.
"Jean's back."
That at least caught the woman's attention. "How? She's dead."
"No she isn't," said Kitty. "Apocalypse has control of her mind and she's fighting beside him."
"So's Magneto," added Pietro.
Mystique thought about it. She did owe Jean a serious beating and she'd love to get even with Apocalypse for turning her into stone. With both the Brotherhood and the X-Men backing her up, she might stand a better chance.
"Quicksilver, get the others ready to go. NOW!"
Pietro zipped off, not questioning the orders out loud. Mystique returned her attention to Lance and Kitty. "Tell me what's going on from the beginning."
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"You found Caliban?"
Evan looked up at Kurt hopefully and the German boy was again struck by how different Spyke seemed compared to when he'd lived at the mansion, there seemed to be none of the sense of mischief that had been a part of him left. Looking like a mutant had made Evan bitter.
Welcome to my world.
"You know about the domes?"
"I've heard some rumours from topside."
"Apocalypse wants to turn humans into mutants. He's brainwashed Caliban into helping him. We're going to try to stop them, but we need help. You up to it?"
"Yeah." Evan stood up and made as if to leave.
"We're coming with you."
Evan looked over his shoulder to see Callisto and Scaleface behind him. "No. You guys stay here."
"You stand up for us, we do the same for you. Remember?" Callisto gave him a smile. "Caliban's one of us. We need to help him."
"Some one has to stay behind with Torpid."
"It's just us three," replied Callisto. "Let's go get our friend."
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"I do not think we need you."
"Course you do mate!" Pyro flung his arms out. "You need me to talk sense into me old girlfriend!"
"I do not feel you would help." Piotr glared at Pyro.
"You need some one that'd help Jean remember who she used to be? That's me!" Pyro let loose a flame heart that encircled Colossus. "You need me and you know it!"
"If you want to help then no more fire!" Piotr dodged another flame that dissipated into a bunch of flowers. "Come with us and fight her!"
"Fight Jean?" Pyro looked doubtful.
"She is not herself," said Piotr. "And if you free her, I think she would be grateful…"
"Then that's settled," said Pyro. "Let's go!"
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"You want Gambit's help?" Remy leant back in his chair and smirked at Cyclops. "I t'ought Magneto was the best chance of stopping him and he got himself wasted."
"But now Magneto's back and we have to stop Apocalypse." Scott glared at the Cajun. "We could use your help, but if you're not interested…"
"Never said that." Gambit stared into space. "We got one bad mutant out there and he needs to be stopped, oui?"
Scott nodded.
"And Rogue's gonna be there?"
"Yes," replied Scott through gritted teeth, already mentally reshuffling the teams so that Gambit and Rogue wouldn't be working together."
"What the hell. Gambit got no other plans. Let's go!"
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The helijets took the teams to their destinations.
The first plane to arrive landed in Mexico to confront Magneto. It's occupants: Avalanche. Shadowcat. The Scarlet Witch. Quicksilver. Blob. Toad. Boom-Boom.
The second landed in China to confront Caliban. It's occupants: Beast. Berserker. Spyke. Callisto. Scaleface. Iceman. X-23.
The third landed in Egypt to confront Angel. It's occupants: Storm. Colossus. Multiple. Magma. Sunspot. Havok. Gambit.
The fourth landed at the Sphinx. It's occupants: Wolverine. Professor Xavier. Cyclops. Nightcrawler. Mystique.
"Listen everyone." The Beast spoke into his headset. "Our opponents have had their powers greatly enhanced. So make no mistake. We are in for the fight of our lives."
"OK teams, this is it." Logan's voice came over the headsets. "Everything you've ever learned about yourselves. Your strengths and your limits. It all comes down to this very moment. Tonight we're the worlds last, best hope to stop this madman. So we're gonna trash those pyramids whatever way we can. No matter who we've gotta go through to do it."