Age Of Apocalypse Revolver

Written By Michael Edwards

Age Of Apocalypse and Marvel Characters are copyrighted by Marvel Entertainment. Omen and Panaca are the copyright of Michael Edwards. Story is also copyrighted by me.

The desolate streets were interrupted by the sound of battle. Mitch Garfield leaped in the air, using the boosted reflexes and agility he copied from Weapon-X to avoid the blaster fire from the Infinites. He had his claws out, also a gift from Weapon-X. Combined with Quicksilver's speed, he was fighting his hardest to save the three mutant children.

Aiding him, the intangible predator known as Kitty Pryde and her metal Adonis husband Piotr Rasputin. She dove between Infinites, using her gadget claws ripping through the armor while Piotr broke them down with his incredible might.

"Hey Piotr, mind if I copy your powers."

"Do whatever you wish," said Piotr, smashing two infinites heads together.

Using his intuitive perception, Mitch saw how and why Piotr's powers worked. Upon copying them, he knew the limits and full potential of the powers Piotr had. He came down on top of two infinites and crushed them.

"If you are done playing around, punk, we should get these kids out of here!"

"I got that taken care of," said Mitch using Jean's telekinesis to lift the children, himself, and the couple in the air.

Magneto sat in his room of the ranch house he owned in the New Mexico desert. Looking at a picture of Wanda. His dear daughter. Mourning her loss. Apocalypse had taken his and Magda's baby girl. He made sure that the hated spawn of Apocalypse paid.

With her death, the X-Men ranks had grown. Sabertooth had joined. Blink and Wildchild. And the boon of Omen aka Mitch Garfield. His mutant powers made him an adaptable soldier in the war against Apocalypse. Every one of his X-Men worked hard. He was most proud of his son, Pietro.

Setting the picture down, he looked up as Rogue entered. She clearly had news for him to hear.

"Mitch and the others were successful, they brought the children here."

"That's good, but something tells me you have more news for me."

"Mitch says one of the children possesses an ability we can make use of…"

"This disturbs you," said Magneto. "It is terrible that we must conscript children - this war I wish for a swift end, but Apocalypse is relentless."

"Ah know sacrifices have to be made, she's just a kid, I guess it hits me again how desperate we are to defeat him."

Magneto closed his eyes and nodded. "Already we have lost…family."

"Ah just hope, ah just wish we could spare her this life."

"I can't make her help us, but if she could benefit our cause, I will do what I can to convince her."

Rogue moved aside to let Magento through. She followed him to the foyer where Mitch stood talking with the girl in question. She was petite but seemed older than what Magneto thought.

"Mitch, is this girl you speak of?"

"My name is not this girl, it's Mina."

"My apologies, Mina."

Magneto turned to Mitch. "Mina is who you speak of?"

"Yes," said Mitch. "Her power allows her to manipulate energy and infuse it into objects."

"I see," said Magento, placing a finger under her chin. "Can she use this power on people?"

"Yes, if my understanding of her power is correct. She can be a healer with the proper training."

"I leave her training to you, since you have the best understanding of her power."

"Very well."

Mitch took Mina beyond the gate where he could train her without distractions. Rogue walked up to Magneto. Having grown closer since Wanda died. She felt for him. He had lost his dear daughter and he was taxed to his limits emotionally and physically.

"Eric, maybe you should rest, sugah."

"I wish I could, but not while this war rages on." Magneto turned to her looking worse for wear she didn't notice before. "I must see to something. Tell my son that he is in charge while I am gone."

Rogue watched him float in the air and out of sight. She saw his struggle to lift himself and worried that he would not be able to make his trip. Gambit walked toward her shuffling his trademark deck of cards.

"What is the matter, chere. You seem to be distracted."

"Ah'm worried about Eric, he's exhausted yet he tries to hide it."

"Chere, Eric is a grown man. He can take care of himself, come with me and I will take your mind off these worries."

Gambit led her back into the house. Pietor sped around the kitchen looking for something, impatient as usual. Rogue used her absorbed power of magnetism to get his attention while Gambit waited by her side.

"Pietro, your father went to attend a very important matter. He's placed you in charge until he gets back."

"Why did he go? He's exhausted, he should rest!" said Pietro so fast that she didn't understand him.

"Sugah, talk slower. You know I can't understand that hyper speed babble."

"I said he should not have left, he needs to take care of himself!" snapped Pietro.

"Watch your tone with Rogue, Pietro - I don't make a habit of letting a beautiful woman be disrespected."

Pietro palmed his face. Clearly irritated by something. He placed his hands on the kitchen table.

"I'm sorry Rogue, just…losing Wanda has been difficult for me as well - I had a picture of my sister and yet I can't find it since we moved here."

"Ah understand, Remy, why don't we help Pietro find his picture."

Gambit put his card deck away. "If that is what you wish, then I will help."

Logan and Jean were scouting the ruins of a rural town in Alabama. They had heard rumors from people they saved that something big was going on in Alabama and Logan was just itching for action.

"I don't know if this is a good idea, love."

"Jeanie, I'm going crazy without something to do. If Apocalypse is setting something up here, we can nip in th' bud before it gets going."

Logan stopped walking, he was ahead of Jean who was gathering her strength from the long travel via her telekinesis. He motioned for her to stop and popped his claws. Taking a deep inhale, he started growling.

"Logan, what's the matter?" whispered Jean.

"Run Jeanie!" he said as a blaster fire struck the ground where he was a second ago.

She saw the infinites in mass numbers. Lashing out with her telekinesis and sent some of them flying.

Logan used his claws and ripped apart armor and guts, blood sprayed everywhere. His animal instincts are on full display. He dodged blaster fire, cutting off limbs and mutilating those unlikely to be in his path.

Jean gathered several of them together and crushed the life out of them all while protecting herself with a telekinetic shield. Logan was covered in blood and reason finally took hold. He knew they were going to be outnumbered soon.

"We gotta run for it, Jeanie!" said Logan.

Jean tossed the crushed caracasses at the oncoming infinites. Lifted herself and Logan in the air and levitated high in the air. The infinites raised their cybernetic arms and fired but they had gotten too far out of range. Mindless. The infinites went about their march. Their purpose - largely unknown.

Magneto nearly fainted as he lowered himself to the ground. Mystique rushed toward him and caught him as best she could. He tried to stand on his own, but the fatigue finally caught up with him. Mystique helped him sit down. They were near her hideout. So it wasn't that far of a walk.

"Eric, you are pushing yourself too hard."

"I know," he said after a tired pause. "But the challenges we face do not allow me rest."

"That is not true, come with me and you can rest at my hideout."

"No…I-"

"-This is not up for debate, Eric. Your health is just as important as our cause."

"Very well," said Magento

She held his arm as they walked. Helping him stay on his feet. Magneto could barely stand. He had little idea when he last ate. When they arrived, Mystique helped him lay down and brought him some rations.

"Eat and we will talk after you have rested."

Magento nodded.

It took some time but they found the picture of Wanda. Pietro looked at it and his face hardened. He left the kitchen in a hurry. Gambit took Rogue's gloved hand. He could tell she still worried over Magneto.

"Chere, let's go dance under the moonlight. Take your mind off things."

"I dunno, Remy. I don't -"

"-Don't think Chere, we have the night and let's enjoy it."

Jean lowered herself and Logan to the backyard of Magneto's ranch house. She was exhausted and started to fall, but Logan caught her. He picked her up and carried her through the front gate. He headed straight to their room where he laid her down and then rushed to the kitchen to get her some water. He saw Gambit and Rogue outside dancing, he could tell she was happy. The moments of happiness in this life were few and far between.

He re-entered the bedroom he shared with Jean. She sat up and he offered some water. She drank it down slowly.

"Where's Eric, we need to tell them about the activity in Alabama."

"Hush, darlin. That can wait until you get some rest."

"No, it can't…"

She became dizzy and Logan helped her lay back down. He took a seat in the chair next to the bed. Keeping a silent vigil.

Mitch spent hours training Mina to use her abilities. They tried her energy infusion powers first on a car battery that was almost dead. She ended up blowing it up by feeding too much energy into it. By the fifth try she was regulating the energy she was infusing into the fifth battery Mitch got from the shed.

"Why do you have so many car batteries in the shed?"

"We collect things we might make use of, Eric is a brilliant inventor and could use the stuff in that shed from time to time for our benefit."

"Do you think he will be mad that we broke some of these car batteries?"

"No, he won't care."

"Ok," said Mina. "I think I am getting the hang of this."

"Yeah, you are." Mitch watched closely. His highly advanced perception allowed him to see the energy flow going into the batter.

As The X-Men were each doing their own thing, in Alabama - a large mass of biological matter grew under the watchful gaze of Beast. Apocalypse's right hand geneticist. What grew inside, only Beast and Apocalypse knew.

Its heartbeat thumping loudly and its eyes opened with malice.

Next: First Chamber