In a world that hates and fears mutants, Professor Charles Xavier and his X-Corporation employees are struggling to fight for a peaceful coexistence between humans and mutants by keeping mutants employed. However, this task is proven to be difficult with the rise of Magneto's Brotherhood of Evil Mutants.

After having successfully recruited Anna-Marie "Rogue" D'Ancanto, the Brotherhood used her to to siphon the memories of Warren Worthington III's estranged father in effort to attack presidential-hopeful Senator Edward Kelly at his press conference. Meanwhile, Tony Stark, co-owner of X-Corporation, has revealed to his young prodigies that he has designed them specialized suits with the help of X-Corp engineer, Forge. Going by their codenames of Beast, Angel, Cyclops, Marvel Girl and Iceman, the five mutants prepare for a mission that will no doubt put them in the spotlight.

Issue 13: Striking Senator Kelly Part 2

Worthington Industries Factory – Downtown Newark

For Senator Edward Kelly, today was more than just a press conference. He, Trask, Stane and Hodge were going to debut a prototype of the Sentinels. The Sentinels were not by any means the finished product, but, this did show that they had something to keep mutants in line if Senator Kelly got elected for the presidency next year. So far, his approval rating was very high, considering he was promising to make sure that mutants were put on registry so that people knew which people were mutants, and any mutant that stepped out of line, they were going to be sent to Rikers Island. However, they also knew that they had to work with Alpha Flight, which already was a team of mutants working with the government to keep mutant criminals in line.

For Warren Worthington, Jr. he knew that the Brotherhood was going to attack this press conference. He was anticipating that, but that didn't mean he was exactly telling the senator. He looked over at Cameron Hodge, the ex-best friend of his son. As far as Warren Jr. was concerned, he had no son. His son had made his choice not to take the cure years ago. Hodge agreeing to help with researching the cure and building the Sentinels was a plus for Warren Jr., because that meant that they had one more prodigal son on their side. The Hodge family was a very wealthy and well-respected family in New York, which made for a great partnership between Cameron Hodge and Warren Jr.

As Senator Kelly was getting ready to take the stage to present the Sentinel prototypes, Quentin Quire – Kid Omega, was in position, preparing his full-blown psychic attack that he was going to perform on the police officers who were there for security. That would for sure lead to the cops aiming their guns at the senator, which should allow for Wanda to direct the bullets towards Kelly, Hodge, Stane, Trask and Warren Jr. It was too perfect of a plan, and Pietro Maximoff was just proud that he was the one who had come up with the idea, and not Mystique. However, what the Brotherhood didn't realize was that the mutants employed at X-Corporation as well as Alpha Flight were going to rain on their parade.

Senator Kelly straightened his tie, taking the stage as all the news stations got ready to cover the press conference. Between ABC News, CNN, FOX News and NBC News, pretty much every news station across America was there.

"As you know, last week, we've had incidents in New York City. The Brotherhood of Mutants is now threatening me! Now, am I surprised that they decided to try and leave the impression that I should be afraid of them? No, I am not. But, we should also all be vigilant, which is why, I am proud to announce the prototype Sentinels, courtesy of Stane Enterprises, Trask Industries and Hodge International. These three brilliant men, plus, my dear friend and biggest supporter, Warren Worthington, Jr. creating the cure for mutation, they are going to make sure that the mutants are kept in line. In fact, that cure is going to be tested soon enough, courtesy of Obadiah Stane and Cameron Hodge. My first act as president will be, as you all know, to create a mutant registration act, meaning that all mutants will have to register themselves under the government so that they can be identified.

"Of course, our current president, Norman Osborn, is all for this and is behind this one hundred percent. And, with Henry Peter Gyrich as my first choice for vice president, we can guarantee that mutants will not be allowed to think that they are above the law ever again. Now, I think that it's time we reveal the prototype Sentinels," Senator Kelly announced. That was the moment a Stane Enterprises employee pulled a cloth off to reveal the giant Sentinel prototypes, the robots towering over in the room which had high ceiling. Everyone in the room applauded at the sight of the prototypes.

"I know, and I can thank Obadiah Stane and Bolivar Trask for the brilliant design and getting these completed in a total of six months, and I cannot be prouder that we are one step closer to making this world safer for us, and for our children," Kelly continued to say. "As you know, part of why I firmly believe that a mutant registration is a necessity to this country is because both my children, who are fourteen and nine, got caught in the crossfire of a mutant attack at least two years ago. While they hadn't been harmed, they very well could have been, which is why I am determined to make sure that mutants who act out of line are held accountable. The first step is making them easy to identify. They do not have to be covered in fur, or scales or even look deformed. They could look like regular humans like you and me, but, they aren't human by any means.

"But, do not by any means compare mutants to people like Carol Danvers, or Steve Rogers – Captain America, because those people . . . they were just simply enhanced, and they were or are heroes. Mutants . . . I don't care if they're heroes or not. There are plenty that commit acts that make them look like vigilantes to the world. Those Morlocks who live in the sewers are the prime example . . . creating their own society to try and prove that they're too good for humans. This is why we must press forward with a mutant registration, so that our children will forever be safe in this country."

More applause followed. So far, Senator Kelly was winning people over with the fact that he was promising that so much was going to get accomplished if he became president. But, at this rate, it looked as though Senator Kelly had already won the presidential election, considering how many people throughout the country approved of everything he was looking to achieve.

Meanwhile, the Brotherhood continued to be in their positions, waiting for the right moment to strike. That was the moment Quentin heard Pietro speaking to him through the comm link.

"Kid Omega, now's the time. Do your thing," Pietro announced.

"Yes, Quicksilver, over and out," said Kid Omega in a soft voice that reminisced a tone that your vet would use when telling you that you had to put your pet dog down. His voice was eerie, calm, knowing what was going to end up happening at this moment in time. He then proceeded to launch a telepathic attack to control the minds of several police officers in the area to cock their guns in the direction of Cameron Hodge first. He was then aware of Wanda being right by the door, getting ready to warp the realities of several officers as well. She got close to several of them, creating illusions in their minds that caused them to get ready to fire their weapons as well. That was the moment an officer fired the first gun, right in the direction of Cameron Hodge, the bullet releasing from the gun with the sound of a loud bang. However, Hodge's security guards were around him wearing bullet-proof vests, and they jumped in front of Hodge to protect him. That was the moment Avalanche tore apart part of the building, allowing the attack to start.

"Mutants . . . stop them!" shouted Senator Kelly in a panic as his security started to turn against him. However, he managed to duck down behind a Sentinel that was nearby. However, that was the moment Quicksilver came running in, grabbing hold of the senator with a smirk on his face.

"No stopping the mutants, Senator," Pietro said.

"Let me go, you freak!" Senator Kelly shouted.

"I don't think so, Senator," Quicksilver said as he looked towards Quentin. He nodded for Kid Omega to come over and create a telepathic projection to the vulnerable senator. Quentin looked inside the man's head and saw his worst fear: mutants dominating the world, being superior, wiping out all humans . . . Kid Omega then proceeded to use those thoughts against Kelly, causing him to be paralyzed in fear where he stood. He grew pale as he watched the scene before him of the Brotherhood wreaking havoc throughout the building. Warren Jr. and Obadiah were taken over by Kid Omega's telepathic influence. Their jaws dropped open in shock and fear, trembling. Even Trask looked terrified as the Blob and Toad attacked several police officers. Just as Toad was about to attack the senator in his own way – by spitting his green, slimy mucus right in his face enough to suffocate him for a short period, a telekinetic force knocked him out of the way. Jean Grey – in her Marvel Girl uniform, mask and all, had managed to issue the attack. Beast ran in to take care of the Blob, who was beating several officers to a pulp with the help of his overly-large size. Bobby – Iceman went flying in to take care of Pyro, who was starting to set the building ablaze with his pyrokinesis. Scott – Cyclops was concentrating his powers on Quicksilver, his awareness of his surroundings coming handy in that moment. However, that didn't stop him from issuing a command to Warren – Angel.

"Get the senator and the others out of here, now Angel!" Cyclops ordered.

Angel walked over to his teammate, a look of bitterness on his face as he noticed his father hiding in the corner of the room.

'Angel, I know you have a lot of feelings of bitterness for your father and Hodge right now, but, you have to protect them too! You have to do the right thing!' Marvel Girl said to him telepathically.

'Jean . . .' Angel told her.

"Angel, just do it!" Cyclops told him.

Angel, despite all his resentment towards his father and Cameron, broke into flight. He swooped down and grabbed Cameron by the wrists to get him out of the room.

"Put me down you flying freak!" shouted Hodge.

"Whatever you say, Hodge," Angel whispered, before dropping Cameron down into the grass once he was outside. "You don't have to thank me, Cameron. But I did save your ass, just like how I did all those years ago. I never asked for anything in return . . . that's what brothers do," he added bitterly. That was the moment he saw the plane carrying members of Alpha Flight. Ms. Marvel flew into the mess as Wolverine came running in, claws out and ready for the attack. Thunderbird and Warpath made their way in, their bullet-proof bodies proven to be useful in this situation. They were then followed by Aurora, Northstar, Guardian, Vindicator, Shaman, Sasquatch, Puck and Snowbird. Snowbird transformed herself into an eagle, flying in alongside Angel to rescue more news crew as well as Warren Jr., Trask, Senator Kelly and Obadiah Stane. As much as Angel hated the idea of needing to be the one to save the lives of people that hated him, he also knew that it had to be done.

Wolverine came running in like a bat out of hell, going for the attack on Toad. However, he was stopped mid-way by Scarlet Witch, whose powers of manipulating probability were working in her favor. Vindicator and her husband Guardian were putting up force fields around themselves, as well as Marvel Girl, in time to avoid an attack their way being made by Pyro, who was still fighting against Iceman. Iceman put up his organic ice form to shield his body as well as intensify the cold around him. Beast and Sasquatch were working together against the Blob, Sasquatch's strength was managing to overpower the Blob as he held him still, allowing Marvel Girl to perform a telepathic attack to make the giant mutant fall asleep. However, the tricky one was Kid Omega, who was still creating telepathic projections in the minds of the officers guarding the place. Marvel Girl readied herself to perform another telepathic surge, this time on Kid Omega, but, Ms. Marvel already had her covered, using her powers to project a bolt of energy right at the omega-level telepath, knocking him back causing him to hit his head against the wall.

Ms. Marvel landed down on the ground beside Wolverine, looking around at the damage that had been caused. She and Thunderbird proceeded to make their way over to the police officers, knowing that they had to clean up the mess.

"We'll take it from here, Officer," Ms. Marvel said. "Alpha Flight will take these guys back to Alberta and we'll have them in a couple cozy cells in Rikers once the prison transfers are finalized.

"Thank you, Ms. Marvel," the officer said with a nod of his head as he watched Warpath, Marvel Girl, Beast, Sasquatch and Iceman get the Brotherhood onto the private plane that Alpha Flight had come on.

"Alright, time to test out Forge's power-dampening collars," said Cyclops.

"Beast, you and Forge managed to fix these, right?" asked Angel as he made his way over.

"Yes, these will be safe to wear long-term now," Beast said as he placed a collar on the unconscious form of Scarlet Witch, who had been knocked out by Puck and Northstar.

"Thank God," said Iceman. "Finally, we can just chill out now."

"Yeah," Angel whispered as he noticed Cameron and his father speaking to the press, along with Senator Kelly. However, that was the moment Warren Jr.'s eyes crossed paths with his son. His son had grown into a twenty-two-year-old young man. He was no longer the sixteen-year-old boy he'd thrown out of the house for not accepting the mutant cure. All Warren Jr. could be thankful for was that his son was wearing a mask to cover his eyes. Cameron also seemed to notice, because he had a look of bitterness and hatred as he looked at his former best friend. Angel felt a pang hit his chest as he noticed the look of hatred in the eyes of his father and former childhood friend. It stung like the pain of a thousand knives stabbing him in the chest. Marvel Girl seemed to sense Angel's feelings of hurt, because she walked over and rested a gentle hand on his shoulder.

'Damn you, Cam. Damn you, Dad,' Warren thought to himself. 'I'm so glad that my face is hidden behind a mask right now . . .'

"C'mon, Angel, let's go home before someone else catches on to our exploits," Marvel Girl whispered. She turned to face Wolverine and Ms. Marvel. "Hook these guys up with a cell in the Alpha Flight base. I'm pretty sure both the Canadian and American governments would want the Brotherhood in cells."

"We will, Red," Wolverine told her. "But, you kids did a really good job."

"Thank you, Wolverine," said Cyclops with a nod of his head before he and his teammates made their way to the Blackbird, where the professor and Forge and Tony were waiting for them. Once they were on the Blackbird and up in the air, the kids took their masks off, showing their faces.

"Okay, that was fun and not at all at the same time," Bobby said.

Warren sat in his seat on the plane behind Jean and Scott, a distant look on his face. It had been the first time he'd seen his father since he was sixteen years of age. However, that didn't mean it hurt less. Surprisingly enough, it hurt even more. Jean seemed to sense what he was feeling, because she turned to look at him.

"Warren," Jean started to say. "You okay?"

"It's just, seeing my dad today, it just shows me that he hasn't changed, and he'll never change. He still hates me . . . Cameron still hates me. I just – I thought that the further I got away from it, it would hurt less," Warren explained.

"I wish I can say that facing your past gets easier, but it doesn't," Jean said. "I nearly had a full-blown panic attack just coming here, because the last time I was in New Jersey, I was leaving a mental hospital. Believe me when I say, the pain never goes away . . . but, I think it'll heal with time."

"I wish," Warren said softly.

"Look, Warren, you saved the lives of people who hate you . . . it comes to show that you are and always will be better than what Senator Kelly would ever think of you," Professor Xavier said from where he sat next to Hank as Tony piloted the jet.

"I know. I just . . . it's just that needing to see my dad and Cameron for the first time in six years, I didn't think it would be that hard, but, really, I cannot believe that I had to do that," Warren said.

"Just be glad that this is over, and hopefully, you won't have to face either one of them ever again," said Scott.

"Yeah. I would be very content with not having to look at their faces again. I can almost guarantee you my dad didn't tell the senator about the Brotherhood attacking him. This shows that even if he is Senator Kelly's closest friend, he still will feel more than happy to screw him over in every way possible. So I am not surprised that my father probably knew, because he's still the same evil, hate-filled asshole he always was. He's one disgusting person. I may have cried in the past for him, and for my mother for tossing me out, but, now, I can say when I look at them, I just don't care anymore. I feel relief that I'm no longer part of their lives, and they don't deserve to have me in their life," Warren said, his voice bitter and cold. 'They deserve nothing from me, not one more tear; nothing,' Warren thought to himself, but, Jean could hear his thoughts loud and clear. 'They are soulless. There's nothing good about them, but why does it still hurt so much? Why?'

"Warren, I don't think you mean that," said Bobby.

"I do," Warren insisted.

"No, you don't," Jean said. "You feel as though you need to allow yourself to think that they do not deserve anything from you. But you just think that because you still feel betrayed and hurt by them because they screwed you over and they stabbed you in the back. I'm not saying that you have to forgive your mother, your father or Cameron yet, but, you've got to at least try and not allow yourself to be filled with hate like they are. Don't let it consume you. You're better than that."

Warren sat there, taking in Jean's words. Talking to Jean was almost like talking to God, because she had wisdom beyond her age. He knew in a way that Jean was right, and not just because she was a telepath. It was because she was able to have empathy and feel what others felt, even without using her powers. However, that didn't mean he was the least bit ready to forgive his father, his mother or Cameron yet, because being stabbed in the back by people that you love, or loved, nothing could take that pain away. His whole life, he'd wanted to be like his father; to please him, but, the minute his mutation manifested, his father had thrown him away.

"Thanks, Jeannie. You're . . . a good friend." Warren forced a smile onto his face through the pain he was feeling, but, his emotions betrayed him as he felt his eyes sting with tears. Jean just looked at him with sympathy.

"Come here." Jean silently pulled her winged friend into a firm hug, closing her eyes as she felt Warren shaking with silent sobs that he'd been holding in for too long. Scott sat there in his seat, leaning his head back as he closed his eyes, suddenly remembering the lyrics to a Skillet song he'd liked growing up: The older I get/maybe I'll get over it/it's been way too long for the times we missed/I can't believe it still hurts like this. And in that moment, for Warren, the lyrics couldn't be truer.

Up next: Slave Island