Yes, it's the long awaited return of... Sych! Well, maybe not 'long awaited', but allow a girl to dream! I have evidently taken over control of Magneto and his dastardly crew, and have concocted this little chapter for you.

- ( sych ) -

Chapter 10

"Does anyone know about global warming?"

Erik watched the reactions of those around him. He could feel the eagerness in waves – another chance to show the scum who's boss, another chance for mutant superiority to reveal itself! The how and when were irrelevant. But he could also feel the reluctance from one of his newer 'brother's.

The youth knew better than to openly show his distaste, but it was obvious he didn't have the same drive as the others did. Charles Xavier's 'teachings' had weakened him to the point that he was too high and mighty to do what was needed. Pyro talked big but did nothing. Erik saw, and he knew how to manipulate such people.

"Yah, isn't that abou' the icecaps, or summat?"

Erik smiled benevolently at yet another inarticulate brother. The uneducated were so extremely useful. Even after seeing the death of one of their mission leaders, Snake, their resolve didn't waver. "Yes, my pronunciation-redundant friend, the ice caps indeed."

He exchanged glances with Mystique. They had known each other for a very long time, to the point where there was little trust but a lot of understanding. A complex relationship to be sure, but Erik would rather fight fire than not have Mystique on his side.

She gave an almost imperceptible incline of her head to indicate now was the time to outline the plan. Not that he required her permission, per say, but sometimes you needed a woman's intuition.

"We need to melt the icecaps," he proclaimed almost happily.

One of the assembled mutants, who was brighter than most, held up a hand like he was back in primary school. "But won't that drown us all?"

A shark-like grin spread over the features of the anti-hero. He could now sense the fear in his mutant followers. They didn't like the idea of a suicide mission, yet they were happy to die in the course of a mission. Maybe Charles was onto something, with his ridiculous ideas of hope. But Erik knew them merely to be a useful manipulation tool.

"Only those of us who don't know it's going to happen." He straightened. "If the ice caps were melted, the sea level would raise a few metres. There are places around that are many metres above sea level. We will retreat to the mountains, with others of our mutant kin, and not be threatened by the sea."

"Wha' about fresh water?"

"We will of course be taking supplies with us, and where I am thinking of there are aquifers and lakes. You needn't worry about brine becoming a large part of your diet."

A ruffle of satisfaction went through the mutants. Obviously this was a large concern of theirs.

Erik's eyes drifted over them, and his narrating speech ended when he captured the gaze of the fiery Pyro. The younger mutant's own eyes, the complex dark orbs that they were, held many things; disgust, fear, worry but more importantly, pride. Pride, now that was easy to use. Proud people are so easy to bend, even though it sounds incredibly oxymoronic. And this boy would have to be twisted to be useful. His conscience that had been developed by Charles' careful cultivation would have to be severely pruned.

"So how will this work? When and how?"

"When? Soon. Almost immediately, in fact. I have been preparing this for quite some time."

Surprise, fellow mutants. They clearly weren't expecting such a sudden occurrence. Erik felt mildly satisfied by this. It would be disappointing if his followers could guess his every move.

"But..." the unusually intelligent mutant – by Brotherhood lackey standards, anyway – looked confused. He went by the name of Crow, and his 'gift' was, as the name suggests, given for his affinity with birds.

"Yes?"

"Why now? Why not wait until summer when there will be people on the beaches and in the seaside resorts?"

He received a look of unhidden disdain from the leader. "What?" Erik spat, "And give them no chance? We are not murderers, Mister Crow; we are merely trying to make things difficult. We are only trying to cause damage to which the mutants will be quick to adapt. Deaths will be in the name of the cause, but that is not an excuse for you to fulfill your sordid desires."

The company shrank away. This had made Erik irrationally angry, and when their leader was angry people had a habit of dying, despite all his noble words. He was a walking contradiction. Perhaps his 'meetings' with William Stryker in prison had done more damage than anyone had realized.

Unhinged. You could see the way the murmur traveled through the group. Everyone knew it, but no one was suicidal enough to mention it aloud. Fierce, intelligent and insane. That described Magneto to a tee.

"And as for how..." Erik this time kept his eyes purposefully away from Pyro's. That was Mystique's job this time round. "Well, fire melts ice, doesn't it?"

Magneto quickly dismissed the meeting, scheduling one for tomorrow at 0900 hours. All through this, he kept his eyes on all his underlings except for Pyro. This would help in the long run, sending the message that no one was willing to listen to the young man's complaints. The other mutants, even Crow, seemed only mildly impressed by the plan but eager for action.

If Pyro could be kept under thumb, all would go swimmingly.

When Erik left the cleverly made metal room, that was covered in the red metal that kept telepaths from snooping in, he caught the slightest glimpse of the youngster who was previously John Allerdyce in his peripheral vision. His face indicated he had been showing the same expression for a long time, one that showed how shell-shocked he truly was.

Despite his misgivings, Erik allowed himself a grim smile, and then ascended into the main warehouse. He had things to organize.

Please review for us! Sketty next!