Debates Can Be Dangerous

"Good Evening, I'm James Cheever your host," The announcer spoke. "Three days from today the Congress will vote on the Mutant Registration Bill. Tonight we have two guests to argue both sides, Professor Charles Xavier and the Reverend William Stryker. My first question is for you Professor, why shouldn't the Mutant Registration Bill be passed?"

"First of all Mr. Cheever," Xavier began. "Mutants are not a monolithic group, possessing one set of attitudes and ideals. We are all individuals and should be judged as such."

"There you go," Stryker said. "These individuals possess some pretty terrifying powers. You yourself are a telepath. How can anyone defend themselves against you entering their mind which no one but God has a right to enter?"

"I only use my powers for good Reverend," Xavier told him. "I do not use them on a whim or to harm others."

"But we only have your word for that," Stryker said. "What proof do we actually have that you are not trying to use your powers even now? More importantly, what gives you the right to simply enter into anyone's mind on a whim, no matter how you justify it?"

"Oh this is gonna be one fun debate," Danielle whispered to Kitty from the sidelines. She, Kitty, Ororo and Scott had accompanied the Professor to the studio in New York while the rest watched back at the mansion.

Stryker was continuing. "Even if you do not use your powers recklessly as you claim, what's to stop some other mutant for not using their powers as such? More importantly how can you even detect it?"

"That is difficult, but not impossible," Xavier tried to reassure him.

The debate instantly cut to a commercial. "They didn't let him finish!" Kurt spouted angrily.

"Gee I wonder who's side the network is on," Tabitha said sarcastically.

"Clearly the ever increasing mutant population possesses a threat to world as we know it," Stryker said when they returned. "Mutants are dangerous!"

"So are cars and guns," Xavier said.

"Those are registered as well," Stryker said.

"Yes but human beings aren't registered in order to live," Xavier said.

"Is it fair to even call yourselves human?" Stryker asked. "Your scientific name Homo Superior relates to a different species altogether. How can you say that you are like us when you are so clearly not?"

Stryker didn't let Xavier respond. "The way the laws pertain to mutants is inadequate at best. How can human laws apply to those that are not human? First and foremost mutants must be reclassified as a different species and different laws must be passed in order to manage them effectively. If a dog kills or harms a person there are laws that put it to sleep so it can not harm anyone else again. Mutants harm people every day, why shouldn't we have the same type of laws for them?"

"You really buy what this guy says?" One cameraman whispered to another. "I mean talk about laying it on pretty thick."

"Yeah but you gotta admit a lot of what he says makes sense," Another shrugged. "I don't know about you but I don't want any crazy mutant running around. I mean that Professor guy there gives me the creeps, knowing he can read my mind like a library book. Who's to stop them from running wild if we don't do something?"

Back at the Institute:

"Can you believe what this guy's saying about us?" Tabitha shouted. "Makes me sick!"

"You and me both," Logan growled. "What's worse is a lot of folks will believe him and try to help him pass the Registration Bill through. Or one that's even worse."

"They can do that?" Jamie asked. "Reclassify us I mean?"

"It's a possibility," Logan growled. "If he can prove that we're not human then we won't have any protection under the law."

"We don't exactly have much protection to begin with," Ray said.

"This is worse kid," Logan's eyes narrowed. "If Stryker has his way, it wouldn't be a crime to shoot a mutant. People could legally exterminate us, like rats."

"Like they did to the Jews and Romani back in World War Two," Kurt shuddered. "My adopted parents are Romani. They told me tales of what their parents went through."

"I also remember stories of what they did to my ancestors back in the days," John frowned. "It's happened in this country before, who's to say it won't happen again?"

"Don't forget the rest of the world," Paige said. "In some parts of the world slavery and genocide still go on, like the Sudan or some parts of South America."

"But to think us evil because we merely exist?" Peter shook his head. "Madness!"

"Unfortunately the world is full of madness," Remy told him. "And mad men."

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Somewhere in the city a man swallowed a can of beer as the debate finished. "What a bunch of idiots," He grumbled to himself. Idly he looked at some papers with technical schematics. "Unfortunately they're dangerous idiots. I think I'd better keep my eye out for them."

Casually he turned off the television with his remote and went for a large sword in a sheath. He removed the sword and started to clean it, whistling. "Those bozos made the wrong deal with the wrong person." He admired his handiwork. "Oh well, sucks to be them."

He resheathed the sword and decided to take a little stroll around the city. He knew just where to go and grinned, hoping to run into trouble.

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"We didn't do well did we?" Scott sighed after the debate.

"I'm afraid not," Xavier agreed. "Stryker is a far better speaker than I gave him credit for. He made a much better presentation than I did that's for sure."

"He appealed to people's fears and beliefs," Ororo shook her head. "And I hate to say this Charles but you did look quite foreboding on camera."

"That may not be entirely my fault," Xavier frowned. "I have a sneaking suspicion the owner of this station purposely had his cameramen and makeup artists try to present Stryker in a more positive light."

"I don't know about you but as soon as we get home, I'm going into the Danger Room and break something," Kitty sighed as they got into the elevator.

"Yeah I…" Scott began then noticed something was wrong. "Hey we're supposed to be going down, not up!"

That's when a strange orange gas began to flood the elevator. "It's a trap!" Ororo coughed.

"And just to make sure that they don't escape," A tall woman with brown hair and a green uniform said to Stryker, she pushed a button in the wall. "An electric charge will knock 'em out."

"Excellent Anne," Stryker nodded. Several armed Purists wearing similar uniforms were there in the hall with them. "It's also good to know the psy-shields are in place, otherwise Xavier would have figured out that I own this studio. Under another name of course."

"Muties are tricky," Anne told him. "But I'm trickier." The elevator door opened revealing the unconscious forms of Scott, Ororo and Xavier.

"Excellent," Stryker nodded. "With Xavier under our control and some of his precious X-Men out of the way, it will be far easier to destroy them. Cut off the head of a serpent and the body will die."

"Wait two of 'em are missing!" One Purist said. "Those two girls!"

"The Pryde girl can walk through walls," Anne growled. "She must have phased the other one out with her!"

"Anne," Stryker said. "You know what to do."

"I've already got their signal," Anne pulled out a small device. "Time to hunt some mutants."

Will Kitty and Danielle get away? What will happen to the others? And who is that nut with the sword? Find out in future chapters!