Age of Apocalypse Revolver
Third Chamber
Written By Michael Edwards
Logan had been hunting Sabretooth for a week straight. The former Horseman of Apocalypse had been kicked out and left to die in prison. Sabretooth was crafty though and he escaped. Magneto wanted him for the X-Men. Any enemy of Apocalypse was an ally to the cause as he put it.
Logan hated Sabertooth. Perhaps because they were alike. It was like an animalistic rivalry. Jean wanted to come with him, but Logan was adamant that she stay behind. He didn't want her to get hurt. Sabretooth was tough. If there was a fight to be had, Logan knew he would win. The Adamantium molecularly bonded to his bones gave him the advantage.
Moving through the swamp of Mississippi, Logan stopped when he caught the scent of Sabretooth. Logan popped his claws. His senses were picking up the vibe of danger. Just as he started to move forward, Sabretooth appeared behind him, slashing his back.
"Watch your back, runt!"
Logan rolled into the swamp water which stunk to high heaven. His eyes filled with rage.
"Eric shouldn't have sent me for a backstabber like you, maybe I should put you down here and now!"
Logan charged at Sabretooth, the two met in the middle caught in battle rage. Slicing into each other with reckless abandon. Logan eventually got the upper hand and beat Sabretooth down with a couple of headbutts. He wanted to kill him, but he knew that they needed him.
"You're lucky, if it wasn't for Eric, I'd waste you…"
"Your boss wants me," said Sabretooth. His wounds closed and his eyes cleared. "Why?"
"Because we need all the help we can get," said Logan. "If you don't want to join, I can make sure your death is quick and quiet."
"I'll join," said Sabretooth. He stood up, holding his arm. The tendons in his arm were regenerating. "Apocalypse goes too far, if he keeps up his war, there won't be anything left."
"I may be a monster, Logan, hell we both are. But I have never met someone with a blood lust like him."
"Well," said Logan. "Follow me, try and keep up because I ain't carrying your sorry ass!"
"Keeping up with you? You'll eat my dust!" said Sabretooth.
Both broke into a run, heading back to Magneto's secret ranch home in Mexico.
The northwest looked like a wasteland. Desolate buildings, people starving, avoiding the extinction squads. Mitch remembered what it was like when he was younger. They killed his parents and his younger brother. That's when his powers manifested. One of them was the mutant known as Forearm. Mitch grew two extra arms and the super strength that came with Forearm's powerset, he ripped them apart with his bare hands. He was no match for Forearm, but Magneto saved him. Using his powers to induce a stroke in the grunt of Apocalypse that killed him.
Mitch had only been fourteen at the time. The powers from Forearm faded. Growing up under Magneto's tutelage. Mitch learned he could imprint the powers he chose to replicate and never forget them. Seeing the people starving as well as being harassed by those with weapons. He floated down with his telekinesis from the rooftop of a semi-demolished building. He had a bag filled with canned goods, a can opener, and a fire making material. Namely matches.
There was plenty of wood that could be harvested from the neighboring buildings. Mitch decided he would show them a bit of the survival skills he learned being an X-Man. Many of his teammates always talked about how he was so empathic. He cared, perhaps more so than anyone. He handed out the cans and made sure people took turns. He showed them how to make a fire using his super speed to get the wood needed. He realized they had no pots or pans to cook the food. He looked around and with what metal he could find. He used his telekinesis to warp the metal together.
"This should cook the food well, some of the food isn't cookable. Like the fruit cocktail," said Mitch nervously.
"Crap, you can't put the pan on top of the fire though."
"We know what to do," said one of the males. "We have something to set the pan on so the heat will cook the beef stew and other cookables."
"I just want to make sure that you are all taken care of," said Mitch.
"This past week, you have done more than enough for us and we thank you."
Mitch rose up into the air with his telekinesis. A satisfied smile on his face.
Eric looked at the map that his allies had proved him. The human resistance group was effective in their spying. Sadly, they were incapable of easing the suffering of others. Prince T'Challa had committed what resources he could. Wakanda had been hit hard but the brilliance of the young prince and the aid of the human high council had Wakanda on a swift recovery. Eric had done what he could with his X-Men to mitigate the damage Apocalypse's forces were doing.
Yet, he felt like he hadn't done enough. Piotr had been injured. If not for Mina, he would have never attained his human form again. Piotr's belief in the dream wavered. Eric knew this, he was aware of how weary the souls of his charges were. His soul was weary too.
He could not forget Charles' sacrifice. He didn't think anyone could be so selfless. Charles Xavier had proved him wrong. That is why Eric named his charges the X-Men after Xavier. Rogue watched Eric struggle. She could only watch helplessly.
As for Remy, he was checking a rumor that his benefactor Candra might have resurfaced. He had asked Rogue to go with him, but she turned him down.
She cared for Remy, but there was an unspoken bond between her and Eric. Not just because a piece of her came from Wanda. No, Wanda had nothing to do with this. Rogue was in awe of Eric. She felt love for him. He did so much with so much stress. With so little help from those that wish to see the madness end.
But maybe they didn't want the madness to end. Rogue considered. Or maybe she might be thinking too much.
The trip back was not easy. Apocalypse's forces had garrisons where major cities used to exist. Logan and Sabretooth had their enhanced senses that allowed them to know when the Infinites were going to cross their path. Logan could smell the odd odor of chemicals and sweat. So they were easy to notice. Not to mention how loudly they stomped. They were bioengineered androids after all.
Sabretooth pointed a claw a few meters ahead. Logan saw two infinites standing in a clearing. Logan looked at Sabretooth. Both were thinking the same thing. They took positions in the foliage to hide their presence as the Infinites walked by. Logan stabbed the one nearest him in the back with his adamantium claws. Sabretooth used long nails to dig into the armor and used his enhanced strength to rip it off the Infinite he battled. The blaster arm laid at its side after being torn off.
Sabretooth saw something that didn't look human. It had one eye and cybernetic components embedded into its skull. Sabretooth slash and ripped. Killing it in seconds.
"Did you have to make so much noise?" asked Logan.
"All a part of the hunt, runt."
More infinites showed up. Logan growled and looked at Sabretooth who had a huge grin on his face.
"Let's see who can kill the most!"
Sabretooth ran toward them. Logan was faster, but Sabretooth could make bigger strides. They tore into the infinites and ripped them to shreds. Not without getting their share of injuries. Choosing survival over death, they fled while they still could before more of the Infinites showed up and caused problems for them.
Wearing the mask of Magneto, master of magnetism. Eric assembled the X-Men that were around. He had a mission for them and it would be highly dangerous.
The Savage Land had many secrets. Magneto heard from his spies that Gideon was brought back to life and was sent to set up a processing plant. McCoy wanted to use the dinosaur dino in his latest experiments. Plus there were humans there that he wanted to experiment on. But Magneto had visited the Savage Land once when he began to assemble the X-Men and his academy. He knew there was a deposit of metal that could destroy other metals. T'Challa had called it Anti-Metal.
The sentinels were all made of plastics but the missile defense system of the Human High Council was not. Magneto had a hunch what their real motive was.
"Mitch, Robert, Gambit and Jean, I want you to head to this location in Antarctica. Gideon, one of Apocalypse's horsemen has returned to life and he is going there to set up operations. I believe he is seeking a metal destroying mineral to use against the human high council."
"The anti-metal?" asked Mitch.
"Yes," said Magneto. "I know you are aware of Mitch."
"Yeah, I won't be able to use the power I replicated from Colossus around that stuff."
"You have Jean and I, this will be a piece of cake."
"Have you heard a word from Logan?" asked Jean.
"No, but he should make contact with Vanisher shortly and return."
"In the meantime, Vanisher will take you to Savage Land and then meet with Logan."
"Well," said Mitch. "Let's get going."
Mitch walked out with Gambit and Iceman who remained stoic as ever, Jean hung back.
"Eric," said Jean. "When was the last time you rested?"
"I don't have the time, Jean; when Apocalypse is defeated then I will rest."
Jean said nothing more and left to catch up with the others. Rogue floated outside watching Eric and lowered her eyes as her concern for him grew.
