In a world that hates and fears mutants, the X-men are determined to fight for peace among humans and mutants. Unfortunately, progress that they make seems to die down more and more each day, especially when discrimination continues to be on the rise.
Discrimination against mutants proves to still pose an issue in foreign countries, especially countries like Germany where mutants are forcefully placed in establishments such as clubs and circuses to entertain. However, this entertainment is at mutants' expense, especially as they are forced to do humiliating performance acts by means to survive. Mutants such as Kurt "Nightcrawler" Wagner are a prime example of such humiliation and hazing. Now, Kurt has attacked President Norman Osborn, leaving behind a message of "mutant rights now" to spread a warning.
Issue 42: The Incredible Nightcrawler Part 2
X-Corporation Tower – The War Room
"Charles, I honestly do not know what could have caused the attack on the president. You know what we're doing on Genosha; we're staying out of it, at this point. There's no need for us to get caught up in American politics. Why would I do such a thing?" asked Wanda Maximoff.
"Wanda, I am not signifying that you prearranged it. I know that you have been keeping your head low ever since you took up governing Genosha. I was just speculating if you could have perchance had a clue on it," Professor Xavier said to her.
"No; believe me, none of the citizens on Genosha have been thinking about going rogue as of lately. I'd rather keep the peace on my homeland," Wanda said. "What would I gain from attacking President Osborn? Nothing. That's unless Pietro has been secretly planning something behind my back. But, if he did that, I'll hex him right where the sun doesn't shine. But, I promise you, if I hear anything, I will let you and the X-men know, immediately."
"Thank you, Wanda," Professor Xavier said, hanging up the line. He turned to look towards Tony, Cecilia, Scott, Jean, Logan and Ororo who were there.
"Frankly, if you want my honest opinion, I think its Magneto," Scott said cynically from where he stood overlooking the window.
"He's been locked up in his plastic prison at SHIELD for the past few months, Scott. I doubt that he'd be able to organize anything like this from where he's sitting right now," Ororo said, sipping at a cup of tea.
"I still think that you guys should go and check it out; it wouldn't hurt in the least," said Tony.
"Agreed," Logan said. He turned to Scott, Jean and Ororo. "Do you three think you can handle it?"
"Logan, are you sure about sending the three of them out there?" asked Cecilia.
"I think they've proved themselves enough in the Danger Room," Logan said with a shrug. "I trust 'em."
"But, Professor, do you have a clue of who this mutant might be?" asked Jean, clutching a mug of green tea and letting the heat of the mug warm the palms of her hands.
"That's the thing, Jean; when I am in Cerebro, I try to lock onto his location, but, he seems to vanish and then rematerialize within an instant. The last I saw of his location was in Berlin, Germany," the professor explained. "In the meantime, I am going to go to D.C to visit an old friend." He rolled out of the War Room with Cecilia at his side; they prepared to take the second Blackbird to Washington, D.C so that they could go and question Magneto for themselves.
"Alright, we'll start there." Scott led Ororo and Jean out of the War Room so that they could get changed and get on the Blackbird. While Scott, Ororo and Jean left to go and prepare to leave for Germany, Tony proceeded to retire to his office for the rest of the day. However, just as he was about to enter the elevator, he felt an overwhelming pain in his chest as a dizzy spell came over him. He felt himself black out for a moment as he gripped the wall hard, breathing deeply.
'Shit,' the young, billionaire playboy thought to himself as he rode up the elevator. He suddenly wished that he had Logan's healing factor, because that would mean he'd be able to have a higher tolerance to alcohol and not get sick from it that easily. Upon entering his office, Tony found that he was tempted to have a sip of alcohol; despite Cecilia Reyes advising him all those months ago to stop, he found it hard to stop. He understood that it was an addiction, and that he could die. But, just the feeling of the liquor melting away his problems at least temporarily was something he enjoyed too much. He knew that his father had had the same exact issue he had.
Walking over to his desk, Tony poured himself a glass of straight up orange liquor. Rubbing his aching head, he took a longing sip, sighing heavily. As he shook his head as if to attempt at clearing it, Tony collapsed down in his seat as he felt the aches in his chest continue on.
Lobdell Veteran's Housing
"No more mutants! No more mutants! No more mutants!" the small crowd of Friends of Humanity followers chanted over and over in anger as Graydon Creed took the stage.
"Now, now everyone, I understand you all have got something to be angry about today, my friends," Creed said from where he stood.
"Are you kidding me?! A mutie freak attacks the president in the White House! Who is to say that that bastard won't be coming for us next?!" shouted one of the followers.
"Yeah! I'm in shock over the fact that the president isn't coming out and saying shit about it! He was attacked by one of those cockroaches, but I don't see him pressing forward and taking action! I mean, c'mon! How are Sentinels going to fix our problems? How? What's law enforcement gonna do?" someone else yelled, holding a poster he had made of X-man Hank McCoy with a large red X crossed over his face, slurs like "mutie" written on it.
"And what exactly is Senator Kelly gonna do about it if and when he gets elected?" shouted a woman who had made a shirt with a photograph of X-men member Jean Grey's face on it with words like "whore," "freak," "monster," and "bitch" littering it. "These muties aren't even people! Why the hell are people like Tony Stark fighting for them to have "human" rights? As long as clowns like him live on this earth, he'll continue to make humans look like a joke!"
"And what exactly had Stark accomplished in his life aside from being a drunken idiot who talks out of his ass?" asked somebody else. "That fool wouldn't know basic decency if it came out of his ass! And his father founded that X-Corporation company! I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree in that area!"
"This is why we will take action as soon as possible. If that mutant attack on the Whitehouse doesn't change the mind of President Osborn, then we will have to do something about it," said Creed, as if to calm the crowd, but, he was only riling them up more and making their emotions of anger, fear and hatred rise to the top. "I promise you, when we arise, the freaks will be wishing they haven't been born. No more mutants."
"NO MORE MUTANTS! NO MORE MUTANTS! NO MORE MUTANTS!" the crowd chanted again and again, this time ten times louder than before.
Genosha – Magneto's Citadel
To say that Wanda Maximoff wasn't in the greatest mood that day would be an understatement.
After seeing the news of the unsettling mutant attack on the Whitehouse, Wanda found herself growing sick over it. And after the call she'd gotten from Charles Xavier, Tony Stark and their X-men, Wanda knew more than anything at this point that she had to stay out of anything involving mutants and United States politics. All she could do was continue with governing Genosha, like she'd promised her father she would do.
Wanda sauntered down the halls of the citadel, her thoughts drifting back and forth to the mutant attack on the president. 'The strange thing is that this mutant didn't kill President Osborn. He or she or whoever this is just stabbed a knife down that said "mutant rights now." It sounds like something Pietro would do. He better not have anything to do with this, or I will hex his speedy ass and he will learn in a very colorful way just how unhappy I am.'
Ever since the Brotherhood had gotten busted for kidnapping Matthew Risman, Wanda was more than determined to stay out of trouble. She had her bitterness towards humanity, sure she did. But, she was content where she stood as leader of Genosha, and she was determined to stay in that place. That meant not trying anything stupid. Finally, she stopped at Pietro's bedroom in the citadel, knocking on the door.
"Pietro!" she said. When she did not get an answer, she used her powers to rip the door off its hinges, only to find Pietro watching the re-runs of the news while chowing down a whole meat-lover's pizza from Little Caesars. She shook her head.
"Pietro, I can see you are up-to-date on the news," she said as she further walked in.
"Yeah, sis, besides, someone has to keep up with that shit right now," Pietro said with a shrug.
Wanda let out a sigh. "Well, I was going to ask you if you had any part in organizing that attack. Because if you did, I'll hex your ass to go right into the ocean and you'll be forced to swim your way all the way back here, while avoiding sharks . . ."
"Wanda, do you honestly think I'd be stupid enough to plan something like this? I'm not that much of an idiot," Pietro said with a roll of his eyes.
"Okay, fine, but you better not lie. Besides, have you seen Raven? I cannot find her I've been searching for her all day since I saw the news."
"Last I saw her; she told me that she was going to Germany to look into something. She says it's rather important." Pietro bit into his pizza slice with a shrug of his shoulders.
"Alright, you just gave me a reason not to kick your ass today," Wanda said coolly as she walked out of her brother's room.
"H-Hey Wanda, are you at least gonna fix my door?" Pietro asked her coyly.
Washington, D.C SHIELD Base
"Professor Xavier, do you truly believe that Magneto might have possibly organized the attack on the president from where he is right now?" asked Colonel Nick Fury as he led Charles and Cecilia down the halls of SHIELD.
"Well, Scott Summers is apprehensive that that might be the case; it couldn't hurt to ask a question or two," said Xavier as Cecilia helped him into his plastic wheelchair.
"Summers has both his parents' instincts. Going with his gut when he knows something isn't right. His mother had that talent," Fury said as they edged closer to Magneto's cell. "He has potential to be an agent for SHIELD one day, and a good one, too. His mother was a genius when it came to what she did. It doesn't surprise me Scott inherited her brains. You gotta be street smart when dealing with people like Magneto; when dealing with people like him, street smart will get you a lot further than book smart."
Cecilia nodded in agreement. She also had her apprehensions, considering that Magneto didn't just want mutant rights. He wanted mutant supremacy where mutants ruled the entire world. This was something he'd organize, no doubt.
"Charles, you know I partially agree with Scott that this is something Magneto would plot, because he's very calculated with what it is that he does," she said. Looking down at the time, it was close to five o'clock at night. Finally, they reached Magneto's cell, to see the master of magnetism staring at the wall. The old Holocaust survivor turned to face them.
"Ahh, Charles, to what do I owe this visit?" he asked as Charles and Cecilia came into his cell to sit down. Cecilia had removed her jewelry, knowing how sue-happy Magneto got when he saw he had access to metal.
"I am sure that you heard about the mutant assault on the president," Xavier said.
"And you think I caused that to happen?" Erik asked softly.
"You gave our resident Scott Summers plenty of reasons to be wary," said Cecilia.
"He's smart . . . but, if you want to know that I didn't formulate the plan to attack President Osborn, read my mind, Charles," Erik dared them.
"Are you serious right now?" Cecilia asked, narrowing her eyes. She looked outside the cell at Nick Fury, who looked as suspicious as she was.
"Dr. Reyes, I can assure you that as far as that attack on the president goes, I have nothing to do with it. How would I be able to organize an attack like that from where I am standing currently?"
As Charles said there, he could pick up on his old friend's thoughts; his thoughts and his words about not having anything to do with the attack on the Whitehouse were completely filled with sincerity. In fact, Magneto was just as puzzled about it as he and Cecilia and the rest of the X-men were. So, if the attack wasn't plotted by Magneto, who could plan such a thing?
"Alright, I think we got the answer that we need to know," Xavier told Cecilia. Cecilia gave Xavier a hard look, as if she were skeptical. But, Xavier cast Cecilia a look that told her he knew Magneto was sincere. "Goodbye, old friend," he added in Erik's direction.
Erik nodded as Charles and Cecilia left the cell, Nick Fury leading them out.
"Well, if he didn't stage that attack, who did?" Cecilia asked; eyebrows arched upward.
"I honestly do not know, Cecilia," Xavier said.
Skies above Berlin – The Blackbird
The flight to Berlin, Germany on the Blackbird was silent as Scott, Jean and Ororo concentrated on the task at hand. They knew that any mutant that attacked the president of the United States would most likely be organized by Magneto, but, that was nearly impossible due to where Magneto stood. That meant the three of them had to find out exactly what was going on. With the presidential election coming in short of three months, the X-men knew not to do anything that would make them look any worse in the eyes of the media. They knew that groups of people were divided. Some thought that the X-men were heroes. Others thought that they were vigilantes looking to start trouble.
Scott drummed his fingers against the steering wheel as he piloted the jet, following the coordinates that the professor had given them. Scott understood that the professor and Dr. Reyes were visiting Magneto, hoping to get answers of their own. The young X-leader felt that it was too much of a coincidence. It was no shock to any of the X-men that Magneto was bitter towards them for locking him up in SHIELD custody. Who was to say that his daughter or his son could not stage that attack under his orders? But, Wanda Maximoff insisted that she had nothing to do with it, because she did not want to dig a deeper hole for herself than she already did. Over the past few months, Wanda as the leader of Genosha had to do a lot of damage control, and she was determined not to mess it up.
'I sure hope to God that we get the answers that we need while we are on this little trip,' Scott thought.
Jean picked up on the thoughts of her best friend, and reached over to lean a lone hand on his shoulder as a form of silent support. Scott smiled appreciatively at her before turning his attention back to what it was that he was doing in that moment.
Before they knew it, Scott was landing the jet down outside an old, abandoned cathedral in Berlin. From the looks of it, the church appeared to not have been used in decades. The windows were broken, and it was completely dark inside. The sun was setting around them, the sky turning a shade of blood red. Ororo would happily take in such a beautiful sight if the situation that they were in wasn't so dire.
"Here we are," said Scott as he got out of his seat. He grabbed onto Jean's hand gently, giving it a squeeze as they walked up to the cathedral with Ororo at their side. Upon entering, they heard the floors creaking underneath their feet; they feared that the floor would collapse under the weight of them just walking on it.
"Quite the hiding spot; could use a bit of a fixer-upper," Jean commented softly as they walked inside. Suddenly, that was when they could hear something that sounded like "bamfs," and Jean could pick up on somebody's thoughts that were nearby.
'Oh God . . . I hope zhat zhey leave . . . zhat zhey don't know I'm here,' the person was thinking.
Jean shared a small smile with her two best friends. "He's a teleporter," she told them. "That's why the professor couldn't hold onto his signature through Cerebro."
"Hey, we don't wanna hurt you! We just want to talk!" Ororo said. "We're from the X-men!"
They could hear more bamfs, and they could see puffs of smoke following. Scott cast Ororo a look.
"Storm, do your thing," he told her with a small smile.
"That can be arranged." Ororo's eyes went from their stunning electric blue to a pure, bright white as she used her powers to manipulate the winds around her. Before they knew it, the heavy wind was too much for the mutant hiding in the church to handle, and he went tumbling down. Jean caught him with her telekinesis; the three X-men took in the sight of the blue, demonic-looking mutant dressed in what appeared to be a circus get-up.
"Do you have him?" Ororo asked.
"He's not going anywhere," said Jean in a reassuring tone as they walked closer to the mutant who appeared younger than them by a couple years, close to Bobby's age.
"What's your name?" Scott asked.
"K-Kurt . . . Kurt Wagner," the teleporter answered shakily. He gestured to a poster which seemed to advertise a circus. "B-But in zhe Lee-Claremont Traveling Circus, zhey call me zhe Incredible Nightcrawler." Jean walked over closer to him to examine him further. She could see a few wounds that appeared to be burns on the mutant's skin, as well as a few cuts on his face that needed to be tended to immediately before they caught an infection.
"Storm, can you get some of the supplies from the medical bay on the jet, please?" Jean asked.
The African weather goddess nodded and went to the jet to fetch the supplies Jean would need. The redhead set Kurt down on what appeared to be a bench. Before they knew it, Ororo returned with bandages, benzoyl peroxide and ointment that Beast always kept on the plane. As Jean tended to the Nightcrawler's wounds, she, Scott and Ororo proceeded to question him.
"Do you have any memory of what happened while you were in the Whitehouse?" asked Scott as he watched Jean tend to Kurt's burns and cuts.
"Nein." Kurt shook his head. "I – all I remember is running from zhe circus, because-because zhe tent vas collapsing down. I-I thought somehow I had done it; I knew I had to get avay because if I didn't, I'd be dead . . ." He turned to look at a portrait of Jesus. "I guess He's somehow testing me," he said.
"How did you end up in the circus?" asked Jean.
"It vas after my adoptive mozther and fazther died in a house fire. I-I vas getting chased by villagers who zhaught I vas a demon . . . I don't know vhat I am, but, vhen I vas fourteen, zhe circus found me and zhey used me to tour around Europe to do cage fighting." The Nightcrawler closed his eyes in sadness.
Jean frowned in sympathy as she cleaned a burn mark that was on Kurt's knuckle. She could hardly imagine what it was like to be degraded and humiliated like that, to be used for people's own sick idea of entertainment. Turning Kurt over gently to examine any wounds that might be on his back or neck, she noticed something that appeared to be some kind of bullet wound.
"What's that?" Scott asked.
"I honestly am not sure," Jean whispered, brushing her fingers over the incision. "Where's this from?" she asked Kurt.
"Vhat?" Kurt asked, opening his haunting, yellow eyes. Jean turned to look towards her friends.
"I think that we should take him to the professor," she said.
"Professor?" Kurt asked.
"Charles Xavier," Scott answered. Before the three of them could help Kurt rise to his feet, they could feel a shocking vibration throughout the church, knocking Scott, Jean and Ororo off their feet. Shortly afterward, they could feel a strange, dizzying sensation coming over them, like they were being hit with vertigo. Jean clutched her head, losing her balance as she could hardly get up off of the floor. Feeling another shockwave hitting them, Jean, Scott, Ororo and Kurt fell through the already-sensitive wood flooring of the church. All four hit their heads, passing out.
That was the moment three, ominous figures entered the church. Vertigo, Philippa "Arclight" Sontag and Clemet "Ruckus" Wilson stood over the opening in the floor that had been caused, courtesy of Arclight and Vertigo, smiling at their work.
"Do you have them?" asked an unsettling, chilling voice on the other end of the communications link.
"Yes, Sinister, we've got them," Arclight said with a smile on her lips, brushing her fingers through her lavender hair. "Just as you requested: Scott Summers and Jean Grey."
Up next: Sinister Intent Part 1
A/N: Be sure to REVIEW! Please! At this point the lacking of reviews, follows and favorites on this story is becoming pathetic. Of course I'm going to update once every two weeks, but that means nothing if reviews, constructive criticism, or praise aren't left behind.