Up In Smoke

"I can't believe this!" Gyrich stormed into Eddington's office. "Did you hear what happened? That little witch Valerie Cooper was picked over me to be the head of Mutant Affairs! That no talent…Why the hell didn't the President listen to you and pick me instead! You assured me that he'd listen to you!"

"Actually Gyrich I'm the one who made sure you were turned down," Eddington told him.

"WHAT? WHY?"

"Three reasons," Eddington told him. "First the government has to look as neutral as possible when dealing with mutants. Having a radical such as yourself would alienate too many key political allies. Second…Well to be frank you're not a woman or any other minority. You know how much the president supports civil rights."

"So I've been passed over because of politics?" Gyrich snapped.

"That and the fact that you want to eliminate mutants," Eddington told him.

"And you don't?" Gyrich gasped.

"Mutants are a resource like any other," Eddington told him. "Quite frankly I don't think you'll be able to manage them to their utmost potential for this country."

"You can't be serious!" Gyrich shouted. "You want to actually use those freaks for weapons?"

"As well as other things," Eddington told him. "Who knows how many diseases we can wipe out or scientific advancements we can achieve with them? Do you really think our enemies have the same qualms you have about using them? Mutant abilities are like wildfires, yes dangerous if left unchecked but with proper management sometimes they can be used to help a forest. Have I made myself clear?"

"Very clear sir," Gyrich stood up.

"Gyrich," Eddington spoke in a tone that indicated he wanted him to stay. "Even if Cooper wasn't a woman she'd still be the best for the job. While she's not as radical as you or Trask she isn't exactly a bleeding heart by any means of the imagination. She's just more…diplomatic than you are. You have to admit you have made a few enemies and I don't mean the mutants."

"Just because I called the leader of the NRA a hypocritical moron…"

"On national television?"

"It was the McNeil/Leher Hour! Hardly anybody watches that anyway!"

"Except all the power players in Washington as well as every politician in the country. And half of them have ties with the NRA in one form or another! Face it Gyrich, you have a bad habit of rubbing people the wrong way. Don't take it so personally, I still need you. Here…" He handed him a packet.

"What's this?" Gyrich looked at it. "Project Wide Awake?"

"I want you to set up a secret Sentinel project," Eddington told him. "Of course you are not to mention this to Ms. Cooper or anyone else. Is that clear?"

"In other words if I get caught I go down alone," Gyrich said.

"One other thing Gyrich," Eddington told him. "I don't want you to go anywhere near the X-Men or the Misfits on this. They have a habit of…making things difficult. Understand?"

"Yes I understand! I understand that you're a fool if you think that we can simply…"

"Gyrich!" Eddington cut him off. "Would you prefer that I send you back to that detention facility? No? Then I suggest you check your attitude at the door and do your job."

"Fine," He left the room. "Somehow those mutants put him up to this! Wouldn't put it past 'em to change Eddington's mind! Those freaks are going to pay," Gyrich snarled to himself. "One way or the other…"

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"I thought Evan was already arraigned?" Tabitha asked as the X-Men prepared to go to court.

"There are a few more legal issues that need to be sorted out before the trial," Xavier explained. "Plus we're appealing the judges' decision to deny Evan bail."

"Well things have been going well the past week," Ororo sighed.

"Better since Reisman took off!" Rogue scoffed.

"She still has to come back every week to evaluate the kid," Logan told her.

Doop floated near him and babbled. "Hey we don't mind you staying here," Logan pointed out. "Although that's gonna change if you don't stop hogging the beers!"

"So who's going and who's staying?" Kurt asked.

"I think it would be best if Scott, Jean, Ray, Rahne, Amara and Bobby go," Ororo told them. "The rest of you should stay here. We don't want to overwhelm the court."

"Translation: Too many mutants might freak them out," Amara sighed.

"And a teleporter and someone who can walk through walls might make them real nervous," Kurt thought aloud.

"Got it in one," Duke walked in.

"What are you doing here?" John asked.

"I'm representing GI Joe," Duke said. "As a character witness. General Hawk has other business."

"The Misfits aren't coming are they?" Jean asked in a worried tone.

"No they have another mission," Duke told her. "Busting up a Cobra drug ring in Texas. Think of it as more good PR for mutants."

"We could use all we can get," Hank sighed. "Especially with Valerie Cooper now in charge of Mutant Affairs."

"Yes she does have a formidable reputation," Xavier nodded. "Fortunately she seems more open minded than Gyrich."

"Archie Bunker is more open minded than Gyrich," Logan snorted. "Speaking of close minded bigots did they find any of the jerks who tried to kill your sister and her husband?"

"No," Ororo sighed. "But the police say they have some leads. At least they weren't seriously injured. However the hotel they've been staying at…There have been some problems…"

"Perhaps they should stay here for a while," Xavier said. "At least until things settle down."

"That might be best," Ororo sighed. "Did anyone find out what happened with those children that were murdered in Arkansas?"

"Turns out the housing project they lived in was government funded," Logan said. "The people in charge made all its residents take a blood test in order to find any mutants. They found 'em all right."

"This is our fault," Duke frowned. "Ten years ago Cobra was sending in mutated agents as well as synthoids into high ranking areas of the government. The Joes came up with a simple blood test to tell if a person was a real human or a mutant or clone."

"What's a synthoid?" Rahne asked.

"An artificial human," Althea explained. "Like an android only it's made out of a combination of microchips and liquid synthetic that can be remolded over and over again. It can look almost identical to a regular human. In fact some of them are sophisticated enough to produce synthetic blood."

"Oh," Rahne nodded. "So they must have used this test and found out that the kids were mutants. But how did they…?"

"Since the problem was nearing epidemic proportions we taught as many doctors we could trust as we could about it," Duke told her. "At least a hundred of them. And they told it to their people and so on…"

"I never heard of anything like that," Xavier said.

"That's because we did a damn good job of covering it up," Duke said. "News like that would have spread paranoia and distrust."

"Like what's going on now?" Sam asked him.

"Yeah…" Duke grunted. "But we never dreamed it would be used like this!"

"It's not your fault," Logan told him. "There was no way anyone would have known about the mutant population explosion back then. Not even Charles had a clue about it and he was working on the Cerebro prototype at the time."

"Yeah you were just trying to stop Cobra from taking over the planet," Althea said.

"I agree," Xavier said. "There was no way you could have known it would be turned into a weapon against us. And even if you hadn't come up with it someone else would have."

"Yeah well I still don't like it," Duke told him.

"Nobody does," Xavier sighed. "I fear this new development will make things even harder for mutants."

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"I'm glad I came to see Evan," Rahne said. "Although this isn't the way I wanted to do it."

The X-Men were inside the courtroom awaiting the trial to begin. Evan was lead in by the bailiff in shackles. Although Ororo tried not to show it, her heart was breaking at the sight. "We'll get Evan through this," Xavier told him. "Our chances of having him released on bail are better now."

"I know, I just wish…" Ororo began when a rumbling could be heard. "What is that?"

"I don't know," Scott gulped. "But something tells me I'd be relieved if it was only Avalanche!"

The wall to the courtroom burst open, revealing Magneto and several of his Acolytes, including two mutants that seemed to be able to emit rays from their hands. "Greetings Spyke…" Magneto easily disarmed the guards.

"What are you doing here?" Evan gasped.

"I thought it was pretty obvious," Magneto said as he removed Evan's shackles with his powers. "I'm here to rescue you."

"He doesn't need your help!" Ororo flew up to him. She started to create a fierce wind at Magneto.

"Not from where we're sitting lady!" Scatty shouted. She was wearing a new black and green uniform with a visor helmet covering her eye. She sent a mental attack at Ororo.

"Oh no you don't!" Jean created a psychic attack of her own. Soon the X-Men were fighting with the Acolytes.

"The humans will never believe your innocence," Magneto told Evan. "Join me, it's your only chance for freedom!"

"I'm not going anywhere Bucket Head!" Evan snarled at him. "I'm going to prove my innocence once and for all! So why don't you take a hike?" He shot out his spikes at him.

Magneto dodged them. "Very well…" He growled. "You've made your choice…" He departed with his team as quickly as he came.

"I'm proud of you Evan," Ororo told him, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Don't be too proud," Evan grumbled. "If it was anyone but Magneto I would have taken off."

"FREEZE!" The guards returned and pointed their guns at the mutants. "Nobody move!"

"We're on your side you twits," Rahne growled.

"Rahne," Xavier warned her. "Officer the X-Men had nothing to do with Magneto's attack."

"Save it for the judge!" The officer snapped.

"Stand down," Duke flashed him his identification badge. "I'm with GI Joe and these people are telling the truth!"

"That may be," The guard said. "But we still need to question them."

"Oh goody," Amara groaned.

"Bail was denied for Daniels after the attempted escape," Trish Trilby reported later that evening on television. "More anti-mutant demonstrations have erupted all around the country. Many people are saying that the X-Men were behind the attempted jailbreak despite the fact that they had not been charged."

"I don't believe this!" Bobby snapped. "It's like we're back to where we started from a week ago! People are just as anti-mutant as before!"

"So much for our PR campaign…" Scott sighed.