BACK TO SCHOOL

CHAPTER 24: BACKLASH

It had been a pretty rough couple of days after the disaster that was the trail and the murder of Spears himself so of course the news people were in a feeding frenzy at the moment. There were wild rumours and speculations all over the place. It was a wild fire with no end in sight it seemed, and the reactions were varied.

There were those using this as a portrayal of mutants were nothing more then violent and had to be locked up. People like Kelly would use this as vindication that mutants needed to be control and to show how the GSA would be used to keep order and civilians safe from mutants. The FOH tried to cash in as well given that they needed to boost moral after the allegations that they hired Spears for make a bio weapon.

While all of this negative backlash happened there was some positive news, what the X-Men did in that battle had been shown. Some stations showed them attacking the GSA only while others showed them saving people out of harms way and battling the Acolytes. Those stations also showed how the X-Men were willing to peacefully surrender themselves as well.

Plus the brutal way the GSA took down that one Acolyte they captured was also shown and the tactics of the GSA were starting to be questioned although by the minority.

Plus with the murder of Spears there were many different rumours going on, like it was a mutant that killed him. Although those that were intelligent wondered why a mutant would even use a gun, some thought that the FOH were behind this to silence Spears. The police, the FBI and SHIELD were investigating everyone.

The X-Men that were there had been questioned for several hours by each group before they were released.

By Monday things weren't any easier as the mutants had to deal with a lot from their classmates. It was lunch now as several of them were sitting a lunch table. There was Alex, Ray with his girlfriend Pam there, Rahne with Amy's little brother Joseph. Tabitha and Sam were also there with his youngest sister Paige and Jamie.

All of them had pretty much in sour moods as the day had gone on, it was hard enough with the majority of the students either ignoring them or tried to start something. It didn't help that several of the teachers didn't like working in a school with so many students but Principal Campbell seemed to keep the teachers in line and fair.

Then of course the Hellions which were always a 'joy' as well.

Alex sighed as he saw Annie there she locked eyes with him and gave him a small sad smile. Given how things were he figured she had it tough being seen with a mutant so they decided until things cool down to give the other space for a couple of days. Although he was kind kicking himself for that thought, 'Man I got to talk to Scott, somehow he can make a relationship work but how does a guy seeing two girls still end up with the short end of the stick?'

He sighed and went back to listening to the others at the moment Tabby was talking, "God this sucks, is it me or does some of the people here giving us looks like we all were the ones that wasted Spears?"

"Yeah ah got that as well," Sam sighed he hated to admit it but even he was feeling down.

"God damn blind bigots," Pam muttered to herself it was times like this she wasn't sure if she hated the fact that humans were like this, or the fact that there were human that gave her species a bad name.

"Pam!" Rahne said shocked by her outburst.

"What? She's got a point Rahne," Ray snapped at her.

"Don't yell at her," This was Joseph this time not liking Ray's outburst at her.

"Okay cool off everyone," Alex had to get in the middle of this before things got out of hand. The last thing they needed was for them to get in an argument at the moment. "We're all stressed as it is we don't need to be snapping at each other."

The others looked at each other and there was a silent moment with them, "Sorry about that I just really hate how people look at us like we're the bad guys."

"It's okay," Rahne said letting him know there weren't any hard feelings between them. She was feeling the stress of it as well, they all were actually some were just taking it better then others.

"Yeah well if one more person gives me a dirty look," Tabitha threatened and there was a small glow in one of her hands. Sam placed a hand on her wrist giving her a stern look. "Oh come on just a little one? I mean so what if I get expelled I can always take home schooling with Wanda and Sarah then this."

"Ya don't mean that," Sam said and the blond sighed and guessed so. She'd get bored pretty fast just sitting with just two other people. Sure Beast was fun and all but she'd want more people around. But given how things were going that was starting to come up as a toss up.

Alex sighed this wasn't cool not at all what was going on, he looked around seeing a few people. There was Amanda with her two friends over with Kurt, Vince, Rogue, Kitty and Piotr talking about something. It was nice that Amanda's friends weren't ditching her and were sticking by her friend.

A few others were around Joseph's big sister Amy was with Dani, Kai, Amara and Gale. Amy and Gale were still a little unsure around the other. Amy wasn't ready to come out of the closet and Gale didn't want to hide who she was. It was a sad time but at least the two weren't avoiding each other all the time at least.

Then he noticed Betsy trying to find a seat she looked a bit lost and she wasn't comfortable around the others it seemed. Alex frowned and waved her over, she seemed to give a small smile and the others saw this. "Man you calling her over?" Ray asked him in a hushed tone.

"Hey I saw we give her a break it's hard enough in a new school let alone a new country," Sam said to him.

"Yeah and sure it's a bit freaky but she seems okay," Tabitha shrugged. Those that hadn't known Risty didn't have any issues with her Ray was still a little at odds with it all. It was just really weird for him, Jamie didn't mind after all he had only seen Risty as few times at the most.

Betsy sat down with them, "Thanks luv, I wasn't sure where to sit in this place."

"No problem we should stick together anyway," Alex smiled at her to assure her it was all right.

The purple haired girl sighed, "God you have no bloody idea, especially with all the thoughts I keep picking up. I'm not sure what's worse the bigots or what those Hellions keep thinking." She cast her eyes to those certain members sitting at the edge of the room.

"No surprise there," Pam asked her given that she only knew a little about them and from what she heard she didn't like them one bit. Plus the fact that big guy hit on her and in a none too flattering manner either. The others nodded in agreement with her given they all remembered how they had attacked them with that Selene woman.

"Well at least things aren't any worse," Jamie said trying to think on the bright side. "I mean they didn't use this as an excuse to expel us or have those creepy GSA guys after us."

"Yeah ya think they'll start makin' us train against them in the Danger Room Sam?" Paige asked her older brother and he thought about it. He wouldn't be surprised and gave her a nod, Paige was looking forward to it. Ever since she heard of all the stuff her big brother did she wanted to be a apart of that world.

Now with her mutation kicked in she was looking forward to being a hero like her brother. She was already making friends, had a nice best friend in her roommate and a cute boyfriend. She smile a bit at Jamie and he noticed and blushed a bit. True he was the only kid her own age there but still he was really sweet and nice to her.

And he liked to do all the things like, she knew she was a 'tomboy' as her sisters like to say but Paige liked being who she was. And apparently Jamie liked it too, she just wished mama would stop keep bugging her about it. All she did was gush over how 'her little girl was growing up'. She sighed putting that away not wanting to think on that.

"So Betsy, what's it like so far living here?" Pam asked her wanted to get her a bit more into talking with the group. She looked pretty cool and her style was great as well.

"It's got it's ups and downs, I still wish that Mystique had used someone other then me," The teen nearly growled out. She hated the idea of someone running around wither her face and voice messing with people. If she ever caught up to that woman she was going to make her answer a few personal questions by any means necessary.

"Yeah sorry about the 'warm welcome' it was just kind of a major shock to us all." Tabitha explained and Betsy waved it off she was over that now. "Well anyways how about we all go out and show you around huh? We can party and have some fun what do ya say?"

Betsy grinned she was beginning to like this girl, "Well then I say lead on not like I got me a social life at the moment."

"Actually me and Joseph wanted to see a movie," Rahne stated looking at the blond boy next to her. They hadn't really had the time lately to just hang out as a couple and she was looking forward to it.

"Then we can come along-ow!" Tabitha felt Rahne kick her shin under the table giving the blond a certain look that said she would let her wolf nature deal with her if she didn't retract that. The others snickered guessing what had happened. "Or not, you two go and make out in the dark then-ow! Damn it quit kicking me!"

Everyone lost it at this point breaking out into laughter even Betsy got into it. This was a weird bunch but for some reason she thought it might work out. At least with these people she fit in with them and it was nice not having everyone freak out about her mutations. Her family understood but none of her old friends had.

So she figured she might as well give it a shot, she smiled as Tabitha threatened Rahne that is she bruised up her shin she would dump her jell-o down her top and Rahne wasn't backing down. 'Oh yeah definitely odd ones but I think I like them.' She thought to herself watching as two teens started struggling with the jell-o while Sam was trying to pull off Tabby and Joseph with Rahne while the others tried to settled them down.

-SHIELD MOBILE HQ-

Fury had been busy ever since that trail, so far it was his bosses not entirely happy with him showing up in New York like that but the world was getting smaller and more and more fires were showing up. Staying in the shadows were becoming harder and harder to do. And he still needed to show off X-Force at one point too. So far they were showing promise.

So far he had been in meetings and taking calls all about this Spears thing, it was nothing but one extremely large headache for him and he couldn't wait to get it over with. He was currently taking a walk along the out deck, they had finally got the new experimental mobile HQ center up and running properly last month and it was nice to have a base that could be deployed anywhere.

It was basically a large flying fortress, with the best stealth equipment they had and enough crew and armaments to start a small war but that was just for defence purposes. After Apocalypse their budget had been increased enough to finish this project off and it was a good thing too since it was a multi billion behemoth.

Plus it was the only place he could smoke as well, he was just finishing his cigar and he threw it overboard and walked back into the ship. The corridors were large and bulky looking not surprising given it was armoured all around and reinforced. He passes by many of his people going about their business as he walked into the heart of the ship.

He managed to get into a large computer room with various techs that had been looking over any and all evidence they had gotten. "Alright I want a complete report people and I want one now."

A woman with auburn hair in a ponytail and a clip board stood up, "Yes sir, so far we found the shell casing of a pair of 35mm rounds which fit what we recovered from the body. We managed to get a shoe print off a heavy boot, but nothing much else."

Fury gave her a not too pleasant look and she immediately went to a computer bringing up an image. "We did manage to get a couple of things sir." She said in a hurry as a video image came up. "This was from a traffic light speeding camera. When all that craziness started people started to get out of there fast."

A section was isolated as it showed Spears walking into the alley and then later of a man walking out. It froze and the image of the man zoomed in and cleared up. "It took us a while to clean this up and then we ran it through the database sir. We came back with a positive."

She nodded and another tech worker brought up on another large screen a report file that showed it was an FBI file. "His name is Frank Castle an ex-Marine who was highly decorated, his family was murdered in a gang land killing. Apparently he survived and it just pushed him over the edge. He just started his own little one man war against crime apparently."

Fury stared at the photo and at the information. It was kind of a shame from what he read he would have made a good SHIELD agent but he seemed to make himself judge, jury and executioner.

"So far he's wanted for the disappearances or deaths of several high ranking members of various mobs, syndicates, Yakuza and the Triads."

"Well at least he gets around and doesn't discriminate," Fury muttered.

She ignored that and went on, "He's wanted also for numerous firearm violations, using a silencer, owning illegal weapons, firing illegal weapons, illegal modifications to firearms. Resisting arrest, impersonating a Federal agent, a police officer, forgery, arson, something to do with cruelty to animals…"

"What was that last one?" Fury asked not sure if he heard right.

"He uh…had a golden retriever carry back a small pipe bomb." She told him.

"Jesus," Fury shook his head not sure to he impressed with his creativity or wondering if he was totally nuts. "So basically he goes after criminals and he figured Spears was worth his attention." He stated not as a question though.

He sighed knowing at least he know knew who this was and now he had to make a choice. He knew if he didn't sit on this it would piss off a few of those of the anti-mutant group in various governments but that wasn't his way. He'd run with this and to hell with all those that would target him for helping mutants.

Personally he was just doing his job finding out who killed Spears now it was just a manner of catching him. "Good work people, get this ready for a report and to make this ready for a press release. I think the sooner we get this out the less volatile this whole thing will get."

"Yes sir!" She snapped to it getting her people working on putting everything together and Fury grinned and started to walk away. He had a lot to do and maybe he had a new mission for X-Force, if they could bring in this Frank Castle it would not only be nice PR for his team but for SHIELD as well.

-GSA-

Mason Eckhart was in his office reading over what had happened with Joshua there sitting across from him. The report wasn't what he was used to but he'd make sure all his agents would know how to make them properly. He had seen the reports on the news and for the most part he was glad for it. "Well Agent Joshua as first times go this was done with competence."

"You were able to capture a violent mutant and your skills in battle were above average."

"Thank you sir," The man stated he wasn't used to having someone above him but he knew this man would skin him alive if he pissed him off. "Sorry Xavier and his others weren't taken in."

Eckhart nodded his head, "It was not your fault it was unforeseeable that SHIELD would get in the way. Oh well another place and another time. So far I'm pleased with your work, but you're still raw and you'll have to keep up your training."

"I want you to report to level 5 where you and other agents will be changed," he said to him as he started to get back to work. "You can go now."

Joshua nodded and rose up and left he didn't mind the man gave him the creeps, and he didn't like the idea of training. But damn so far this job was fun when in the field.

Mason went to log into his personal files and started his own report on Mutant 028 or 'Rocky' as he was called. He pressed a button and the back wall of his office moved up and there was now a clear thick glass. He turned around in his chair looking at the Stasis Lab he liked to keep it close to his office as a way to look at his handy work.

Below him men and women in white suits were looking over large metallic like coffins with a clear window on the top. There was a central machine that would load several stasis chambers that could be removed for the lab techs to start with experimentation.

It would also load the cambers down a mechanical conveyor into the large cold storage area. He typed in a command as he stood up to look down at the work being done as his voice was being recorded. "Entry log of Mutant number zero-two-eight, so far a preliminary exam and DNA extraction have not shown any promising results. The DNA alone was hard to get thanks to his rock like skin, but it is being kept in storage until further notice."

"No chance for a cure for me, but then no deeper examination can take place. This mutant is a follower of Magneto and even though he is sure to come after him that is most perfect for me. I know that my old… acquaintance…is working for him or should I say with him at least for the moment. But I know him enough not to trust him."

"So the mutant will be used as bait to lure Magneto to me if he is foolish enough to attach this secret facility. He is a threat that must be taken care of also this mutant needs to be kept intact as well. When I get a telepath under my control I will use that telepath to pry any and all knowledge of Magneto's plans from his mind even a location of where he is operating from." Mason got a small smile on his face turning around to his desk.

"It is advised that I start to increase the number of mutant agents as well for a future confrontation, as much as I appal them they are useful canon fodder to take out their own kind. End Log." The computer cut out at that last vocal command as he sat down at his desk.

The world would be changing soon, and he would use these mutants for the benefit of humanity. After all he wasn't a blind fool he knew that mutants could be used to unlock genetic secrets for the benefit of humanity. Besides he would keep just enough mutants in the holding cells for the politicians to think that's where all the mutants were kept and for the PR people.

No one outside this place knew his full goals and as long as no one in the government or the public knew then he would operate as he saw fit. And no one, not SHIELD, not Magneto, the X-Men or anyone else can stop him.

NEXT UP CHAPTER 25: KILLER REVEALED