CHAPTER 30: OUT IN THE OPEN
There are certain days that stick out in the memory of people and for some that stick out for the entire world. This day was one of the latter as soon throughout the entire country and then later on those same images would be repeated throughout the world.
It was a day when everything changed, the kind of day that is a landmark of history that people will debate and argue about for centuries to come on the events that happened. But for now in the present the entire nation was shocked to see what was going on. As the day mutants were revealed to the world.
In Bayville many were just doing their own thing Amanda was in her living room looking for something to watch when the news bulletin came on. She gasped seeing the others on TV fighting some giant robot. Then she saw Kurt and she felt her heart climb into her throat watching him fight for his life with the others.
A hand covered her mouth watching this although the first thing her mind was thinking of was not their secret but that Kurt and the others would be okay. She wasn't sure she could handle watching him get hurt but she couldn't look away she had to know. She didn't even notice when her parents came in or what they were saying she was just watching her friends and her boyfriend fighting and she prayed for their safety.
Elsewhere Paul was making himself a snack with the TV on a sporting game when it changed. He saw the others and Scott out there, he knew the kind of things they did but seeing it was something else. He didn't even notice he was pouting his milk too much when it overflowed and he felt it reach his feet. Paul swore and put the milk jug aside watching Scott and the others. Scott had been a close friend of his for years and seeing him like this was hard on him.
Taryn was talking with one of the girls in her room but when the images showed and she saw Jean raise her hands as a beam of energy she stopped with her powers she dropped the phone forgetting the conversation.
Dr. Curt Connors was in the living room talking to his wife about maybe taking a trip together for the summer with their son. They were discussing possible family trips when their son came in running. "Mom! Dad!"
"What's going on dear?" His mother asked him wondering what got him worked up so much.
"They're on TV!"
"Whose on TV son?" Curt asked him wondering what all this was about.
"Everyone from Xavier's and they're in a fight too!"
He didn't have to say anymore both of them ran into another room where their son had been watching the TV on it they too saw the same images and his wife gasped at the sight. Curt was silent he couldn't think of anything that he could saw in this moment. He was watching his students from school fighting some monstrosity he honestly didn't know what to do.
His wife looked at him worried about what all this would mean, "Curt…this will change everyone won't it? They can't hide this can they?" Curt was silent and shook his head as he hung it, they had helped to save his life from his stupid mistake and now he couldn't help them. He felt powerless as he watched people he had come not only to be indebted to but came to care about. He held his wife's hand in his only hand as he watched.
Hobie Brown was in his addict working on his suit when he heard the commotion from his little brother. He quickly placed all his gear safely away and when to check on what was going on. When he saw the news he wasn't shocked by seeing people with powers. He had known about this, he had met Spider-Man and those two others that one time.
He was more shocked that he knew these people he went to school with them, talked to them, had lunch with them and he never once knew about any of this. 'What the hell…Is Bayville the center for super heroes in training or something?' He thought wondering how long they had these powers and where they got them.
Duncan Mathews was watching with a few of his friends and when he saw both Summers and Jean on there he was blown away. He knew Summers was a freak but never how much of one, he was really shocked to see Jean was one of those…Whatever they were. He felt disgusted that he actually dated her, touched her hell kissed her. Did she give him whatever she was? What the hell else wasn't she telling him and would he start to change because of the contact he had with her?
He felt a bit sick to his stomach and that cold anger with how she dumped him started to mold itself into a new hatred.
In the Brotherhood house everyone was watching the battle, they were various people making commentary like it was a sporting even, some were placing bets mostly on how much longer they would last or who would be taken out of the fight first. It was the best show they had seen in a long time having the 'x-geeks' getting their butts kicked.
Toad and Fred were making commentary like it was a wrestling event at the moment. "And now the big red machine is taking it to the x-geeks. Oh looks like Spyke nearly got nailed with that one."
"That's right," Toad agreed with Fred, "These guys are not doing well it's going to be a slaughter that's for sure."
Max was grinning watching this it was about time these guys had it coming and he noticed that Sandra herself was liking this as well and why not she had two of her siblings that she was fighting for the affection of her mother, plus she didn't like them anyway.
Delilah was a bit torn from watching this and getting some popcorn to wishing she was there, not to help them. She was just missing out on the biggest fight she'd ever seen. She looked over to Pietro but didn't see him in fact when Delilah looked behind her from her place in the doorway. She noticed that the front door was wide open.
She frowned since she couldn't remember that being open last time she saw it.
-New York-
The X-Men were currently fighting in the street well aware of people scattering as well as cops showing up although thankfully they were keeping their distance at the moment. Although how long that would last they didn't know but they were too busy to really care.
Jean used her mental powers to pick up a piece of debris and fling it at the robot although it just batted it away like it was nothing and then fired on her. Jean dodge but the blast carried her through the air and she landed a bit hard.
"Jean!" Scott called out and fired a few shots at it to get it's attention. "Someone check on her!"
"On it!" Rogue said as she ran to the fallen red head. She knelt down and with her gloved hands shook her. "Come on Jean this ain't the time for a nap."
Jean groaned feeling herself being shaken awake. Her side hurt a bit and she noticed a few scraps on the arm of her costume but thankfully no real damage. Jean felt herself being lifted and looked to see Rogue helping her up it was only now she could make out what she was saying. "I'm okay just…just a bit dazed."
"Good cause we are in it deep Jean." Rogue looked out to see Lance trying to make the feet of the robot unstable he shifted its weight a bit but didn't fall.
Lance wasn't doing as well as he hoped he was trying his best to keep his head in the game but he kept on worrying about Kitty. He was already having trouble concentrating with her missing and concentration was what he needed for his powers. 'Maybe this is why I'm not on the X-Men.' Lance looked to see Scott still issuing orders even though Jean was hurt and Rogue and Peter were doing their own thing without seemingly being worried about the other.
'They can handle a relationship with a team member and not be sidetracked by it,' He thought as a massive foot stomped a little too near him sending him to his back from the concussion of it. It also sent a street light was falling on top of him. He raised his arms in a instinctive defense although futile when there were several whistling sounds.
There were many large bone spikes burying itself into the ground that the light impaled itself into stopping it. Lance rolled out of the way before the bones broke under the stress.
Evan was there grinning, "Careful man you nearly got smashed, maybe you should take a little more training."
"Bite me," Lance muttered getting back into the fight.
Peter for himself was having a strange time, he knew he was in a fight but for some reason his spider-sense wasn't really going off at least not against the Sentinel and he seemed to be having an easier time then the others. He just couldn't figure out why.
He swung across the street and yelled at a few people to get out of the area why some people stood out in a dangerous place just to watch was beyond him. Then he noticed that the Sentinel was taking aim at Wanda she used her powers and the beams went wide thankfully hitting around her. But it kicked up so much dust and debris she was coughing and rubbing her eyes.
"Oh hell," Peter jumped in front of her as it was taking aim again. "Wanda look out its going to fire again!"
Wanda heard the voice and opened up one eye to see it taking aim. Peter had just reached her not sure if he could swing them again in time but then it just stopped for a moment. Both looked a bit confused as it seemed to be thinking about something. When a few of Evan's spikes hit it, the machine went after him instead.
"Okay…was it me or did that thing kind of freeze on us?"
"It's not you," Wanda said trying to get her eyes clear then noticed how Peter had been shielding her and she never had anyone really offer to protect her like that. "Un…thanks." She said silently giving a faint blush not used to this kind of thing.
"No problem what are friends for?" He asked her before swinging away. Peter was a little confused by how the robot acted and then he had a theory. He started to jump right in front of the others and it stopped its attack each time. After the third time he knew he was onto something as the team was rallied back together.
"Hey guys I think there is something screwy with that thing, it's not targeting me." Peter told them.
"What? We're getting our butts kicked and you get special treatment?" Evan said to him.
"Hey don't look at me it's my genes," Peter shot back, "I think that thing must have some type of scanner for mutants."
"And you don't have the x-gene," Rogue finished off since everyone knew Peter's powers were different from theirs.
"You think you can get close to blind it with your webbing?" Cyclops asked him.
"Only one way to find out fearless leader," Peter jumped up onto the leg part climbing it. He jumped over the knee and shot a web line out to the chest and with that pulled himself up onto the shoulder. He was thankfully for his power to stick to things cause he needed it.
"Man this thing bucks more then one of those mechanical bulls. Okay now my large and heavily armed friend time for your eye exam." Peter said shooting webbing over the eyes. It stumbled around and he looked to see Storm, Cyclops and Scarlet Witch were ready to attack all at once.
"Whoa well big guy this is where I get off and you get knock on your big twenty ton ass." Peter jumped off as an optic black, lighting strike and hex bolts slammed into it's chest sending it falling onto its back.
Everyone gathered together as Peter landed, "And he nails the dismount. You know I will never look at Jack and the been stock the same way twice."
Evan pumped a fist into the air, "Oh yeah we kicked its ass. We so owned that large piece of scrap metal."
There was a grinding sound as everyone saw the Sentinel starting to rise up again it ripped the webbing off its face with a fist and looked at the mutants.
Threat level 1 mutants…New data…Unknown humanoid. It scanned Peter more deeply its primary program was to attack mutants secondary was the safety of humans. It had ignored Peter but that attack on him shifted priorities. It was designed to attack anyone even humans that threatened it.
Scanned as non-mutant…Intensify scan…Anomaly DNA detected…X-gene not found…unknown if target is human or mutant…accessing secondary protocols…Unknown is a threat…unknown's classification is now listed at Threat level 1.
It rose back up to other mutants as it now opened up several ports and compartments. It slightly transformed as more weapons showed up and the arms extended. Now it was even more fearsome looking.
Peter turned to Evan, "You just had to say that, now it's mad."
"Look out!" Beast shouted out as everyone scattered as more energy beams shot at them. Now not only were they back to square one but the Sentinel was no longer pulling anymore punches.
Inside Trask's base Kurt was porting around with Kitty, thankfully everyone was too busy running around to really pay any attention to them as they were trying to bug out. They entered into a hall filled with doors. "You zhink zhis is zhe place?" Kurt asked looking around.
Kitty shrugged, "Only one way to know." She said phasing her head into the rooms through the door. They looked like all metal prison cells with no windows and pretty much very limited. All the rooms seem to be empty although from the smell of them they had to have had people in here. There was some powerful smells in some and she didn't want to think what happened to the others.
Kurt moved with her looking around it looked like no one was in this area since any mutant prisoner they wouldn't care about and just leave them locked up behind. Eventually when Kitty phased in she gasped, there on the floor was Mr. Logan his uniform was all messed up but in the low lighting it looked like any wounds may have healed.
She quickly grabbed Kurt and before he could ask her what she phased him into the room with her. Kurt muttered something in German that she didn't get as he knelt down. "Oh man he's really must have been messed up."
"We so have to get him out of here Kurt," Kitty told him kneeling down next to him. Kurt nodded his head and figured the best place would be with the Professor he just hoped the Velocity was in the same area and it wasn't moved.
"Hold on," Kitty nodded and grabbed hold of him. There was that familiar shifting sensation and Kitty held her breath it helped as you didn't breathed in the sulfur and that could make you dizzy or a bit sick to the stomach. She looked to see the Velocity not too far away as the two teens tried to lift him into it but they had to settle for dragging.
"Ugh…man he is heavy," Kurt grunted and Kitty nodded all that metal really made Logan hard to carry.
While the battle raged on Magneto was overlooking how things were progressing already the news choppers were circling and the police were already on the scene he could see military were on the way as well. He grinned for a bit as he was holding back the Sentinel's full power altering its aim just a hair.
He didn't want them dead just wanted to put on a show for everyone.
Down there on the street Wanda was knocked onto her back and groaned, she was looking up into the sky when she noticed something on one of the buildings. Wanda turned onto her stomach and looked more closely and she knew who it had to be. It was a person up there and from what she could make out was looking over them all.
"Father," Wanda said through gritted teeth. She got up and was moving towards him when she stopped and looked back at the others. She looked at him again and now she had made a promise to be there for the team but she had her need for vengeance.
She ran over to Cyclops as he was trying to get everyone for a push against the Sentinel. "Scott! Magneto is here."
That got his attention, "What? Where?"
Wanda pointed up to a building and Scott could see him up there. He was wondering what that man was up to and he also knew that if he was there then nothing good would come from this. "Scott let me go after him."
There was a large explosion as he dived to cover her from it. They both looked to see the Sentinel coming after them. "I'm sorry Wanda but not this time. I know you want to face him hell I don't blame you but we need you more."
He looked at her as they got up, "The team needs you Wanda…"
She looked to where her father was and her fists were clenched, she hated him more then anything. But looking at those that had become her friends who had taken her in and trusted her she couldn't just leave them. She glared over her shoulder, 'Another time father and next time nothing will keep me from you.'
-Oscorp-
Norman had been watching the events unfold and now he knew he had to act. That fool Trask had sent out that thing too soon and by the looks of it the mutants were winning. If they beat that then they would go back to that mansion of theirs pretty soon.
If he wanted any genetic material for his bio weapons department he'd have to hurry because there was no telling what would happen now. Soon a lot of other people would be after then, Government types for one, maybe others that had ideas similar to his own, or others like Trask.
He was in his office when the news hit, he was informed from his secretary who was most likely informed by a co-worker who was watching the news on their break or something. It didn't matter he already was dialing up the number to his research station where the Spider Slayers were kept.
He had a TV that was hidden behind a painting that would rise up with a remote of his. On the screen he was watching Trask's 'answer' to mutants not doing as well as advertised. The phone line was ringing and that fool better pick up.
There was a click as the line picked up, "Hey there, Assassination R' Us. Deadpool here and not only am I a member I'm the president."
Norman sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Deadpool…" He growled out.
"Oh hey there Normy. You checking out the smackdown going down in down town China town?"
"I see you're watching that as well, I want you to get the Spider Slayers and head over to the target. We're speeding up production."
"Oh yeah I was hoping for that time for what I love almost as much as money. Chaos, mayhem, destruction and a whole lot of explosions there are going to be bullets flying and windows crying!"
"Deadpool! I want them alive!" Norman snapped at the mercenary.
There was a sigh on the other end, "You really know how to take the fun out of this ya know that?" There was a click as he hung up and Norman slammed down the phone feeling another headache coming on. When he opened his eyes he noticed that when he slammed the phone the phone itself was damaged.
The receiver was broken in half and the rest of it looked like a hammer hit it. Normal looked at his hand there was nothing wrong with it as he just flexed it. Norman was baffled by this wondering what was going on.
NEXT UP CHAPTER 31: THE BIGGER THEY ARE…