Blix: Yup, Matrix. Hehe. Glad you liked the action. More to come! And if you thought those newcomers were strong to do so much damage to Logan.. just you wait.

Chapter 19

"Oh my God.." whispered Scott slowly as he watched the grounded Logan. Although the leader didn't know it, only one person had ever managed to put such a forceful attack upon the Wolverine, and that were the attacks of Lady Deathstrike, as Logan had experienced. However, there was no time to go to Logan, for these two people were onto their next attack. The man was heading for Siren, the woman for Michael.

Everybody's face matched Scott's. A look of sheer shock and fright, eyes wide and lips parted. But the fear in Siren's face escalated as the man moved over to her, those once calmly calculated eyes filled with a true terror like never before. She was thinking exactly what everyone else was.

If they had been able to do such a thing to an adamantium-infested body, what on earth would they do to such a mere mortal?

She raised her pistols shakily, the hammers clicking quietly in the silent surroundings, only the crunching of the attackers shoes in the snow. Still she could feel herself trembling, voice softly whimpering, almost silent. But she could herself being submitted to a stage far beyond fear. It was a stage where she was so frightened of what was coming. And what she thought was coming, was death. A painful death.

And as if her horror couldn't be made any worse, those open wounds delivered by the Wolverine's claws had healed up right before her very eyes. So, her attack was useless, but she tried anyway, shooting her pistols into the man desperately. Being at such close ranged meant they drove in speedily, and this time he staggered back a little. But Siren cried out as her bullets ran out and she dropped the pistol to the floor as she slowly backed away.

The man came up closer; every step took forward for every step that Siren took backwards. Eventually she was against the wall of a chimney, voice louder enough for all those around her to hear her terrified sobs tremble from her throat. The silent attacker was now so close, that Siren's staring eyes could see her reflection in his black glasses. She could see how drained her face was, how her eyes were hardened with sheer dread, how her lips shook with uncontrollable fear. The face that was expecting her end. She was waiting for that hand to come forward and drive into her body, to finish her off bloodily. To smack her against the walls in a way her bones would not withstand, not like Logan's.

The X-Men around her were too paralysed to do anything, even if they could run forth. What would it do? They'd only be jumping the queue for their deaths.

But as the man raised his fist to process it down upon the female's trembling body, there was one mutant who suddenly found hope. Hope extracted from the pit of his tightened stomach. These were the X-Men; they could beat their enemies. They had the power to do it. He had the power to do it. Scott was snapped out of his paralytic state as he was awakened in a cold drench of fear, "Adrienne!"

Her face turned slowly to stare sadly across to Scott, who had now began to run towards her. The hand of the attacker was coming; she could see it out of the corner of her eye. But she didn't want to watch her death come, if anything, she'd rather watch Scott.

"NO!" screamed the male mutant. Adrienne would not die. He would not let her die. In thorough desperation, he slammed his fingers upon his visor, opening it at full width as the terrific red laser blasted out from his eyes as he glared at the suit-cladded man. The man turned his head slowly, the fist to strike Adrienne halting. The glow of red reflected brightly upon his glasses before the laser scorched into his face, exploding and hissing all at once. The man was thrown backwards in the full power of Scott's beam, he slammed back down onto the roof flooring, screeching along the bits of stone and dirt as the blast propelled him along continuously. Eventually, the laser left, revealing a smoking body that lay in a heap after the effects of Scott's attack.

Siren had shied her face away from the laser blast, it had raced right by her face, the overwhelming heat of it had softly burnt the flesh of her face, but it had not struck her. She gasped softly as she looked around, staring at the grounded attacker. She was about to express her relief before another terrified scream came forth.

It was Michael. All the time the male attacker had moved to slaughter Siren, the female had moved closer to Michael. But Michael was the furthest away from all the others; he and his attacker had gone unnoticed, as all eyes had remained on the man ever since he attacked Logan. But now, all heads spun, fears returning into everyone's face. For the woman had Michael pinned against the wall by his neck, some form of incredible strength lifting the fully-grown man off the floor.

"No!" gasped Siren, "Drop him, drop him now!" but she was completely ignored, the woman attacker continued to squeeze her grip upon Michael. His limbs had been frantically waving, face holding a desperate expression. But slowly, his limbs were failing movement, and his eyes were rolling shut.

Gambit snatched a card from his sleeve, propelling it forward towards the pair, it struck the woman, exploding in her back but she didn't flinch, her clothes burned and flesh scorched. But just like the man, she healed up slowly. "God.." Gambit moaned softly.

Siren gasped softly, glaring around the floor before she saw her pistols lying in the snow, she ran forth, grabbing them. One was empty, but one, one still had a bullet loaded! She grinned to herself, grabbing it out of the snow had standing to her feet. She then leapt into the helicopter, dragging out the observing Commander Harvey, "Call her away before I blow your brains out, shitface!" she growled, the tip of the gun shoved right into his temple.

"Aargh!" the official cried, closing his eyes in fear for the bullet being released.

"Do it!" barked Siren, shaking the man as she held him by the clothing.

"Ok, ok.." he whispered. His hands moved to where a device sat in his coat pocket, he quickly pressed a button on it before speaking into it as if it were a telephone, "Abort."

Then, all of a sudden, the woman strangling Michael released her hands from about his neck, letting him drop uncaringly to the floor. She straightened her suit gently, tightening her tie before walking placidly across the snow. Then to everyone's surprise, the man joined her side, walking alongside her at the same pace. He looked as though he had fell into a bonfire, clothes tattered and burnt although his skin was unmarked. It had healed.

However, just as the pair walked past Siren, the man turned, smirking down upon Siren. It was the first facial expression his monotonous face made. There was something eerily robotic about this movement, how it was so still and calmly done. In a fright she spun the gun from the official and instead shot her only bullet at the suit-cladded man in her sudden desperation. He staggered back at the shot, looking down at his chest were the bullet struck beneath his ruined clothes.

She gasped softly, realising what a foolish mistake she had made, for she felt a gun press to her own temple. "Now step away from the helicopter like a good girl," said the official softly. She turned her gun upon him, but he didn't flinch, merely laughed, "You're empty," he informed softly. She knew she was empty, but to hold a gun at him made her feel safer, bullets or no bullets. "Step away from the helicopter," he repeated, "Or I will be the one blowing out some brains."

Softly, Siren stepped away, exhaling a breath of relief as the gun drifted away from her temple. As soon as she moved to a satisfactory distance, the man and woman jumped inside at the same time, in the same style, and the door closed. The blades of the helicopter started and it rose slowly into the sky, spinning slowly before flying away into the clouds.

Only as it disappeared did the mutants find it in themselves to react.

With heavily pained groans, Logan returned to the group, he was limping, and his face was consorted in unimaginable pain. He gasped softly as he watched them, noticing the scarce area, "Where did they go?" he whispered. But no one answered him; everyone was staring at where Michael lay face down in the snow. Logan slowly turned his eyes to where they stared, his face immediately draining, "Oh no.. God no.." He staggered through the snow, limping still, his movement seemed to jolt everyone into action, all of them hurrying towards Michael.

"Michael!" cried Siren as she flung herself down to her knees in the snow. She grabbed the back of his pyjamas, pulling him round to face up at them. His neck was heavily bruised and reddened deeply by where the woman had strangled him. He was breathing, but only just, each gasp of air was raspy and hard to do. His eyes were closed, and he wasn't reacting to the group surrounding them.

"Get him down to the infirmary," said Storm softly, looking to the group, "Now," she commanded, turning on her heel and running inside the mansion. Behind her, Gambit and Scott carried Michael down, the remaining X-Men slowly following, Siren and Aurora helping a limping Logan.

Charles was sat waiting for then in the silver coloured infirmary. The lights reflected off the metallic panels of the walls, making the room look oddly bright but also perfectly clean. As the doors opened he bowed his head gently at their entry. Gambit and Scott hurriedly dropped Michael down on the central table.

As Storm and Scott busied with helping Michael, Logan dropped down into a chair, growling softly to himself at the pain his body wracked with, "Charles," he gasped, "What the hell were those things?" he didn't need to elaborate, for everybody knew what he meant. The suit-cladded attackers.

"I couldn't delve into their minds," he said softly in reply, eyes upon Michael, "But upon inspecting the Commander, they are exactly what this new project is about. They what was funded. And they are, I fear, the first of a lot to come."

"But what were they?" persisted Siren as she turned gently from the table, eyes staring down at Charles. She, like every other X-Men was still in their nightwear. But now she shivered, for cold finally getting to her, but she paid no mind to it, important things were happening.

"Did you not read their tiepins?" asked Charles quietly as he watched the French woman.

"I think we were kinda distracted…" murmured Gambit sarcastically as he looked over to Charles.

Charles bowed his head apologetically, "Their tiepins state their individual names, as well as their.. species."

"Species?"

"The Government has named this new faction, Sentinels," Charles looked around the group, for each of them stared at Charles at this new information.

Siren shifted gently, finally pulling her silky black nightgown over the front of her rather scantily dressed body, "What is the purpose of a Sentinel?"

Charles slowly looked to her, "I'm not entirely sure, they will do whatever they are programmed to do. How, I don't know. It is not any form of telepathic mind-control because these are humans who control them. All I found out was, a Sentinel's main purpose.. is to seek and destroy."

"Killing machines.." whispered Logan softly as he stared at his hands.

In response, Charles nodded his head slowly, "Correct. There is only one organisation that has ever attempted made such a thing.."

"The Strykers.." whispered Aurora softly. Logan's head slowly rose as she spoke the name, his eyes meeting hers for a moment before he looked away, holding his head.

"What are you saying, Charles?" whispered Logan, "That Aurora and I were the beginnings of the Sentinels? We were the first product tests? That we, when experimented upon contributed to the making of today's Sentinel?

"I didn't say that, Logan," said Charles quietly as he looked down at Logan, "You can answer your own question."

Logan held his head in his hands, "Oh God.."

"It is possible that William Stryker ran his earlier tests upon you two in a bid to make the Sentinels. However.. needless to say, things have come on a long way since your experimenting days, as I am sure you felt." Charles rested a hand comfortingly on Logan's shoulder.

"But the Strykers are dead.." said Storm softly as she looked up from Michael's side.

Logan slowly looked up to her, shaking his head slowly with a faint bitter chuckle, "That don't stop their work living on, Ororo.. whilst their inventions live on.. the Strykers live on.."

Charles looked slowly to Logan, his hand falling from the man's shoulder, "Logan, do you need any medical assistance?"

"No.." he said softly in reply, "I'll be fine.."

"Very well," replied Charles, now looking back over the group, "Let's leave Michael be.. Scott and Storm can take care of him." He turned slowly in his chair, leading out those who needed to exit. The doors parted as they were reached, waiting patiently before slamming shut behind the mutants' exit.

As Storm tended to Michael, Scott turned slowly to see Siren still in the room. But now she was sat down, her hands over her face. Scott watched her from the distance before he slowly walked towards her, leaving the table. She didn't look up as he went towards her corner. "Adrienne?" he said softly, now slowly crouching down on the spot so he was at her height. Siren gently dropped her hands, holding them together instead as she looked slowly to him with a faint smile,

"Yes?" she replied softly.

As her hands fell away from her face, Scott could see the damage that had been done. Although it would be nothing long lasting, it looked horrific now. Her left cheek was heavily burnt, tender red flesh going right up by the bottom of her eye and down to her jaw. Right on her cheekbone, the centre of the damage laid the worst effects, for it had damaged her skin to the point of an open wound. But that damage was his fault. He lowered his face slowly, exhaling a soft sigh, "I'm sorry.."

But Siren looked surprised, "For what?" She gently took his hand, pulling on it till he looked back at her, "Sorry for saving my life up there? Why are you sorry? If you hadn't have stopped that Sentinel, well, we both know what could have happened."

With a sigh Scott moved his free hand forth to gently tilt her head, eyes looking at the burns to her cheek, "I know.." he said quietly, "but I'm sorry for getting you."

The relatively silent room broke alive with sound as one of the equipment pieces beside Michael's body began to furiously beep. Storm's calm face tightened and her worried eyes spun open the machines, "Scott!" she cried, snapping her eyes over to the pair, "His heart rate is dropping!"

Scott immediately dropped Siren's hand, spinning to his feet and running back over to the centre table, "What? Why?"

"He's not receiving enough oxygen, his windpipe is damaged."

Scott turned from the table, dragging over one of the trolleys, he punched his index finger down on several buttons before he snatched up the clear oxygen mask and pressed it down upon Michael's blueing lips.

"He's going into asphyxiation," muttered Storm as she stared at the flashing monitor before looking down at Michael; his chest was wracking as he tried to take breaths.

"He needs Mouth-to-Mouth Resuscitation," said Scott suddenly, pulling the oxygen mask off his face.

Siren lifted slowly to her feet, staring over at the scene, "What's happening to him?"

Storm looked slowly over to Siren, the frown creasing her forehead and making her look even more worried, "He's suffocating, his brain isn't receiving enough oxygen." She sighed gently, looking across to Scott who nodded his head once to her. At the nod Storm lowered her head to the silent Michael, hands gently holding about his face and nose as she blew two quick breaths into his mouth. Siren stared with a frightened silence as she watched. At every breath Storm gave Michael, Scott stood with a hand lightly on Michael's chest to feel for breathing, he stared at the monitor, which still slowed the slowing heart rate.

"Come on.." he muttered to himself, looking down to Storm as she continued to try and get the needed oxygen into Michael.

"Oh no.." whispered Storm as she lifted her head, eyes tightly closing, "It's not working, the damage is obstructing air flow."

Scott slowly turned his eyes from the monitor, "We're not giving up Storm, keep trying."

"But Scott.."

"Do it!"

Storm shook her head gently as she lowered back down to Michael, holding his nose tightly as she continued to try and force the air into him. Scott watched the monitor beside her, there was no improvement. His heart rate was steadily declining, the beeping of the machine still piercing into the air continuously. Suddenly, the beeping proceeded to a loud and unbroken noise. With a gasp Storm whipped her head back to stare at the screen, her eyes widening fearfully at the straight line of his heartbeat.

Scott gasped throatily, flinging himself around the table to stare at the equipment, "No! No!" he cried, turning back to Michael, "This can't be happening!"

From her corner Siren stared at the scene in a terrified silence, a hand hovering over her mouth as she stared in horror.

With a shaky breath storm turned slowly to Michael, resting the back of her hand too his lips to feel for passing air, there was none.

"No!" Scott cried, pushing in front of Storm. He wasn't going to lose a team member, he had almost lost Logan, and he wasn't going to lose Michael. Scott proceeded in vain to try and force the air into Michael's mouth before lifting and pressing down on his chest, trying to stimulate some breathing and a beating heart. Storm staggered back as she watched in fright, staring at Scott and his desperation.

After a good ten minutes of fraught attempts to revive Michael, Scott dropped his hands off Michael's chest, one hand supported him on the table, the over covering his face as she closed his eyes. He remained the silence, the room remained in silence. The dead signal of the constant beep embedded into their minds. He was gone.

I used Sentinels from the comics, yes. But as you know, I've never read the comics, only know what I've seen in other fan fictions and by a lot of internet research. I've took the basic idea and made it my own, hope you approve. And these are like nothing the X-Men have had to fight against before, not even Magneto. As Logan said, killing machines. And as you can see, they do kill. But there is a lot more to be learnt about them which will span over this entire story and possibly future ones.