XXXXXXXX
Standing with his back up against a lifeguard tower at a beach in Fort Lauderdale, a gold lighter with a design of a dragon was opened, lit, and the closed. Pyro was watching the waves as he repeated the action over and over. The beach was empty as the sun was slowly starting to go down. Absent-mindedly, he formed a fireball in his right hand and began playing around with it for a minute before extinguishing it. He then continued to stare at the water while playing with his lighter at the same time.
"Mon ami, you got a cigarette?
Pyro must have really been daydreaming because he never saw the guy walk up. A young man around his age, maybe a few years older stood a few feet from him. He was wearing a brown leather trench coat, black gloves with the fingers cut off and a pair of WX sunglasses.
"Sorry, I don't smoke."
"Ya seem to have a strong attachment to that lighter, for a non-smoker."
"You have no idea," Pyro muttered.
The other man then walked up and leaned against the tower next to him before pulling out a pack of playing cards that he began shuffling in his hands.
"That was quite a trick you did."
Pyro watched him with weary eyes which the other man took notice of.
"Relax, homme. I've got a couple of tricks up my sleeve as well."
Taking out the ace of spades, the man made the card glow a deep violet color as Pyro watched, transfixed. He then held the card away from him, burning it away until all that was left was sparkling ashes on the breeze. A cocky grin then appeared on the other man's face. It was a look Pyro knew all too well, since he was the one who usually wore it.
"My name's Remy, but people know me around here as Gambit. What's yours?"
Pyro opened his lighter, lit it and stared at the flame. He wondered how he should answer. His human name or his real name.
"John."
Gambit nodded as he held out his hand, which Pyro shook briefly.
"Well, John. I was heading to the tavern, any interest in joining me for that?" Remy asked.
"I'm not twenty-one."
"So?"
Pyro shrugged. He had nothing else to do.
"What the hell?"
Gambit smirked as he led the way and together they walked away from the beach and down the street. They kept going until they reached a place called 'The Blue Boat Tavern'. Pyro took a seat at the bar, drinking a glass of cherry Dr. Pepper while Gambit had gotten engaged in a poker game with three other guys.
"You in or you out?"
Gambit threw some more money on the table.
"I see your fifty, and I raise you a hundred."
"Damn it, you better not be bluffing," one of the players said.
Pyro occasionally glanced at the card game before he just ignored it completely and stared down at his new lighter he clutched in his hand. Just then he heard one of the men at the table shout;
"Hey, you're cheating!"
"Now, now, this here's just a friendly game of poker," Gambit smiled, putting his hands up.
"Bullshit! You have half a deck up your sleeve!"
The man across from Gambit knocked his chair back and flipped the table, but Gambit spun away, his coat whirling around him dramatically as he pulled out a long metal staff. He charged it up and nailed him across the jaw, taking him out. The first player came at him with a fist, Gambit managed to duck away mostly, but it still caught the edge of his glasses and sent them flying. Pyro then released a stream of flame at the man, which caused him to crash against the wall. His body caught fire and got up screaming, desperately trying to put himself out but only caused the tavern to catch on fire. Gambit turned back to look at him, and Pyro was momentarily transfixed when he saw his eyes. The pupils were black and the iris' were red.
The fire quickly spread to the walls and ceiling of the bar. Gambit then pulled out a card, charged it up and threw it to the side, just a few feet away from a cluster of people, and two booths blew up in a burst of vinyl, splinters, and stuffing. Ignoring the shouts and cries from the others in the tavern, Pyro laughed while taking control of the fire again as his body temperature continued to go up, his heart rate quickening as the bar completely went up in flames. He then felt a hand on his shoulder, snapping him back to reality.
"Mon ami, as much fun as it is to watch your show, we need to be going."
Gambit and Pyro ran from the tavern as the flames began climbing towards the sky. After a minute they reached the boardwalk before finally coming to a stop. Gambit leaned against the railing, arms crossed over his chest as he tried to slow his breathing. Pyro clenched and unclenched his fist as stared at the burning tavern in the distance, a grin coming to his face.
Gambit then gave him a slow, golf clap.
"Very impressive...fire-starter."
The other mutant took a deep breath.
"I control fire. I can't create it," Pyro responded.
"Doesn't seem to hold you back," Gambit shrugged.
"Yeah, well...it does."
Gambit then raised an eyebrow, a thought coming to mind.
"That can be changed."
"What do you mean?" Pyro asked as he cocked his head.
"You trust me, mon ami?"
Pyro couldn't help but laugh a little.
"Uh...sure. I trust you."
Gambit motioned with his hand for Pyro to follow him.
"Come with me."
The two of them began walking down the sidewalk, heading west. Pyro had to pick up the pace to keep up with the other mutant. He then managed to ask;
"Where are we going?"
"To a compound, run by a mutant scientist. He collects genetic samples of other mutants DNA. Usually by force."
"What for?"
"Supposedly to create the ultimate mutant."
Pyro then outstretched his arm in front of Gambit's chest, stopping him from continuing to walk.
"So why would I want to meet him?"
"Cause, mon ami, he can help you with your...handicap. If you're interested follow me. If not, you're free to go your own way."
Gambit moved ahead as Pyro watched him before taking out his lighter. He flipped it open, lit it and stared at the flame, full well knowing he had nothing to go back to. Closing the lighter back up, Pyro continued to follow the other mutant. As they continued their way, back at the compound a young, Inuit man whose clothes and shoes were made from animal skins just finished up his session in the practice room. Kodiak Noatak placed several metal spears into a specially made backpack that hung over his shoulders.
Sinister who had watched the session walked closer to him.
"Awe-inspiring."
Kodiak bowed his head respectfully.
"My people, we hunt for our food. We have to be learn how to be the predators, not the prey." He then clutched another spear in his hand the suddenly began to glow white with bio-energy, as did his eyes. "This feeling...it's incredible. I've never felt power like this before."
Kodiak could charge items with bio-energy and when released, any matter would explode or disintegrate on contact. He could also stun, paralyze or kill living beings with these charged items.
"It will make you the ultimate hunter," Sinister explained. "You will make a fine addition to The Marauders. What do you call yourself Kodiak?"
"Harpoon."
Sinister smirked.
"How appropriate."
Out in the hallway, Alex was sitting on the ledge of one of the large four windows, looking down at a photograph in his hands. It was of him with his foster family, around him with all smiles. Alex missed them terribly, even though they weren't his real parents, they had treated him like he was-
"May I?"
Alex, startled, turned to find Sinister watching him with his hand held out. Alex turned over the photo to him. Sinister looked it over briefly before giving it back. Alex quickly put it in his pocket.
"I see no resemblance," Sinister said before giving it back. Alex took it and quickly put it back in his pocket.
"No, uh..they are...they were my foster parents, "Alex explained. "I was adopted when I was little."
Sinister nodded.
"Walk with me, Alex."
Alex got up and walked with Sinister down the hall, heading in the direction to the laboratory. Alex then began to speak.
"So what is all this? What are we doing here?"
"What do you imagine for the future, Alex? Your future?" Sinister responded, ignorning his question.
"I'm really not sure."
"I can see your future."
"You can?" Alex responded, bewildered.
"I see you helping our race continue to evolve. I see you helping give birth to the ultimate specimen of mutants."
"You mean genetics?"
"What do you know about genetics?" Sinister asked.
"Just the stuff from science class in school. DNA, genes..."
"Go on."
"Well, our bodies are made up of cells and in each cell is our DNA," Alex began. "The DNA is made up of genes and the genes tell the cells what to do and when to do it. Is that right?"
"In a matter of speaking," Sinister smiled. "What were you taught about mutation? The mutant gene?"
"Not much. They just said that it wasn't natural. Sort of talking about it like it was a disease."
"That doesn't surprise me."
They came up to the laboratory door which Sinister opened and the two headed in. Sinister walked over to a computer and typed in commands. The screen starts to show the letters, 'X', 'Y', 'A', and 'T' in various sequences. The letters fill the screen.
"A mutation is a change in DNA, the hereditary material of life. An organism's DNA affects how it looks, how it behaves, and its physiology. So a change in an organism's DNA can cause changes in all aspects of its life."
He looked to the younger mutant.
"Mutation is essential to evolution. And that's why humans fear us. We have surpassed them in the evolutionary chain. We have risen about them, beyond them. And we must eliminate them. For this world is not large enough to harbor the weak."
Alex raised his eyebrows.
"I see why you call yourself Sinister."
Sinister smirked.
"Everything is sinister. And if you're not sinister, your time is over."
Just then, Gambit appeared in the doorway.
"How good of you to join us. You may go, Alex."
Alex turned and exited the room, leaving the two alone. Once Alex was a good distance away, Sinister began speaking with Gambit.
"Thank you for finding Kodeck. He might be the most vicious of them all. You've done well, my son."
"You ain't my father," Gambit snapped at him while leveling him a glare. "My father is Jean-Luc LeBeau."
"Your adopted father. The one who stole you from me-"
"He stole me from de gutter!"
"After you were stolen from the hospital by their guild to see if you could fulfill their insufferable prophecy."
Lowering his eyes, Gambit shook his head before repeating in a whisper;
"You ain't my father."
"DNA doesn't lie Remington," Sinister smirked.
"It's Remy! Gambit to you."
"Time grows short and I am in no mood to deal with your tantrums," Sinister sighed. "You've done a fine job in assembling my Marauders, Gambit. I just need one more."
"I thought you'd might say that. It's always 'just one more'. I've found a mutant who can manipulate fire."
That peaked Sinister's interest.
"Really?"
"Yeah. Calls himself Pyro. He's waiting outside."
"Bring him to me."
XXXXXXXX
Off the northern coast of Scotland, a small island laid where a large facility called the Mutant Research Center was built upon. The island was known as Muir Island and it was run by an old friend of the Professor's, Dr. Moira MacTaggert. The Mutant Reseach Center facility held a wealth of knowledge on various mutants, their abilities, and other mutant-related issues and concerns as well as top of the line medical equipment. Inside the facility, Moira was carrying a tray of food and medicine for her son. Once she reached the door, she looked in the glass window seeing her son, Kevin sitting in bed watching television. Slowly, she opened the door and walked inside.
"Kevin. It's time to take your medicine."
Kevin didn't respond as Moira walked closer to him, placing the tray down on the lamp table. She handed him the pill and a glass of water which Kevin took.
"Are you feeling okay?"
Kevin nodded but again didn't answer. Moira gently stroked his hair before smiling and getting up, heading back to the main lab. Once she reached her destination, Moira took a seat at her desk and began speaking into her recorder as she began typing on her computer. She then pushed a button on her recorder and began speaking out loud;
"Kevin's been unresponsive for three days now. If it continues I may have to increase his medication."
She typed the strength of the dosage into a timetable she had on the computer. Her son was an extremely powerful and destructive mutant born with a mental illness. The medicine was necessary over the years to keep him calm, but she was starting to worry that he had built up a tolerance to it and therefore may no longer work. As she continued to type, suddenly a strong wind blew through the open door causing her to look up. She was shocked to see a blue jet slowly land on the grounds of the facility.
The ramp opened up and Xavier was carefully wheeled down by Ororo. Once he was settled Ororo went back into the jet for Scott. Just then, Moira came over to greet him.
"Charles," Moira smiled. "What an unexpected surprise."
"I'm sorry for just dropping in on you like this Moira." Xavier apologized. "But we need your help."
"What is it?"
"It's something I've never seen before."
Logan then came walking down the ramp carrying Jean in his arms.
"Is that Jean?" Moria asked, stunnded.
"Yes," Xavier answered.
"You told me she died saving you all."
"She had. Or least I thought she had."
Logan then sighed with irritation.
"Do you have some place for her?"
"Yes, follow me."
As Logan followed Moira into the facility, Ororo came back down the ramp with Scott's arm thrown over her shoulder.
"Is she going to be alright, Professor?" Scott asked in a worried voice.
"That's why we're here Scott. Muir Island has the best medical scans available for mutants."
Once they all got settled, Scott was being kept in his own room, away from Jean in order to treat his own injuries. Xavier and Ororo stayed with him while Logan waited in the hall.
"I want to be with her," Scott said.
"I know Scott, but Moira needs space now to examine her," Xavier responded. "Plus you're in no condition to be on your feet."
"How is she alive Professor? How is it possible?"
"We're going to have to wait to hear from Jean and find out what she remembers."
Meanwhile, in the room right next to theirs, Moira was hooking up machines to Jean who was lying peacefully on the bed. However, just when she was ready to place an IV in her arm, Jean woke and grabbed Moira's wrist, causing her to jump in surprise.
"Relax."
Jean looked around the room, groggy.
"Where am I?"
"You're at Muir Island, you're safe," Moira explained. She then knelt down next to her. "Jean, do you remember me?"
Jean looked at her and squinted. After a few moments;
"Dr. MacTaggert?"
"Yes."
"Where's Scott?"
"He's in a room right next door. He's fine. Jean, what do you remember about Alkali Lake?"
"I remember...the jet. There was water, a mountain of water. It was coming for me..."
Jean then shuttered as the objects in the room began to rattle and shake. Moira looked around in surprise just as the shaking stopped. She placed a hand on the other woman's arm, trying to comfort her.
"It's okay. You're okay now."
"Then things went dark. I wasn't awake...but I wasn't asleep. I remember calling out to Scott, I felt him close...and then everything was clear again." Jean then looked at Moira who was watching her intently. "Can I see him?"
"Not just yet. I need to examine you first."
"I think I'm alright. Just my right leg."
Moira gently touched it and Jean winced.
"Yes, I was told you broke it during your last mission. And since it's been untreated for so long you may have a number of complications."
She then placed the IV in Jean's arm.
"Give the morphine some time to work."
She then left the room and walked into the hallway where Logan was.
"Come with me," she said.
Logan followed Moira into Scott's room. The others looked at her and Scott quickly sat up.
"How is she?"
"She's awake."
"I want to see her."
"Not yet, Scott. I want to do a CAT scan on her, just to make sure everything is alright. It should take about an hour."
Moira then turned to leave as Scott looked at the Professor in frustration.
"Professor-"
"Just give it time."
"I've waited long enough," he then snapped.
"I know you want to be with her, just remember she's really here, alive."
Scott stared at her for a moment before calming down a little and leaned back against the pillow.
An hour had gone by and the four of them waited in the lab for the results, none of them saying anything, they just continued to wait for the answers they were dying to know. If it hadn't been for the injuries he sustained at Alkali Lake, Scott would have been pacing back and forth. Finally, Moira walked in.
Scott got to his feet.
"Well?"
"The untreated fracture to Jean's right leg has resulted in some bone deformity and possibly some permanent nerve damage. She's going to need surgery."
Scott rubbed his face while Xavier just stared at her. And while that sounded bad that wasn't what he was concerned with at the moment.
"Did she say anything Moira? What does she remember about Alkali Lake?"
"She doesn't remember much. She described her state as not being awake, but not being asleep either."
"And just what the hell does that mean?" Logan then asked.
"Her words, not mine. But I do have a theory on how she survived. I believe her powers protected her. A cocoon of telekinetic energy formed around her body to protect her from the water. It kept her in a state of suspended animation this whole time…something woke her."
"My optic beams," Scott remembered.
"I'm sorry?"
"I fired my beams into the lake. Maybe that's what did it."
"What made you do that?" Ororo asked.
"I kept hearing her, in my head."
"Jean called out to you," Xavier spoke. "Using the bond you share."
"I tried to tell you."
"I'm sorry, Scott."
While the group kept talking, inside the room Jean was laying in the bed. She had been told that the Professor, Scott, Ororo, and Logan were also here and she desperately wanted to see them all. She carefully threw her legs over the bed and then winced at the pain in her right leg. Jean made a small groan of pain as she tried to stand but it was much too hard and painful to do so. She then grasped her leg with both hands and began gently rubbing it. As she continued, Jean didn't know that her eyes were turning orange. Then her hands began to glow as she continued to tightly hold her injured leg. She smiled as slowly, the pain went away. She stopped rubbing her leg and her eyes went back to their normal color as did her hands. Jean got up and to her amazement, her leg now felt fine.
Back in the main lab, Moira continued speaking to the group.
"I would like to keep her here for a day, maybe two. Just to make sure everything else is fine."
No one said a word. Xavier, Scott, Logan, and Ororo were now looking at something behind her. Moira turned around to see Jean standing at the entrance of her room, a bright smile on her face.
"Jean. You should be in bed," Moira said as she went to her side. "Your leg-"
"My leg's fine. I healed it somehow."
Jean walked further in, no limp, no signs at all of being in any pain.
"How did you-"
"I don't know."
Jean then looked over at Scott who then quickly rushed over at her and took her in his arms.
"Are you alright? I didn't hurt you did I?" Jean asked, concerned.
"It's you I'm worried about."
"I'm fine. I feel great actually."
As Scott let go of her, Ororo came over to greet her friend.
"Jean."
Tears came to her eyes as Ororo threw her arms around the other woman's neck.
"I missed you so much."
"I missed you too," Jean said, returning the hug.
The two let go of each other and Jean then looked to Logan who was standing quietly against the wall, just watching her. She walked over to him, the two of them just stared at each other for a moment before Logan finally spoke.
"Welcome back."
Jean then closed the distance between the two and gave him a hug. She then turned her attention to the last person there. Xavier had watched the reunion between them all stone faced when Jean walked over and now stood in front of him.
"What's wrong, Professor?"
Xavier shook his head.
"I just can't believe what I'm seeing."
Jean smiled.
"Well, seeing is believing."
She leaned down to hug him as well. Xavier returned it as a bright smile came to his face. He had gotten one of his students, one of his children back.