Hope you enjoy the chapter.
Disclaimer: I do not own X-Men or anything like that.
X-Mansion
"I've never seen him like this before." Betsy commented to Cable, Warren, and Kurt in the cell area. They watched as Death continued to slash against the electric wall seperating them. The horseman didn't seem to care that he was being zapped. As soon as his skin burned, the healing factor kicked in and replaced it.
"That is because this is not your friend, like I said earlier." Cable told the purple haired woman, while never taking his eyes off Death.
"Vhy doesn't he recognize us?" Kurt asked from behind the white-haired man.
"Because Apocalypse has control over his mind and is forcing his powers at their fullest. That's why it is pointless to go against him. As soon as you scratch him, he heals." Cable responded.
"Could Betsy or one of the other telepaths enter his mind?" Warren asked him. Looking at the state Wolverine was in gave him the chills. This would have been him months ago if Betsy and the others hadn't saved him.
"Well see." Cable whispered. They heard footsteps outside the room, meaning the team was back. Betsy walked quickly out of the cell area to see Scott carrying Jean.
"Is she alright?" The purple haired woman asked worried. 'She doesn't look dead.' She thought to herself, which was good. They didn't have to kill her.
"She is sleeping right now. I'm going to put her to bed. " Scott told Betsy as he carried the love of his life past her and to the upper level.
Cable glanced around like he was looking for someone. As soon as he spotted Domino he let out a sigh of relief. I knew it. You do like her! Rachel sent him telepathically. He glared at his sister and saw a grin across her face.
No I don't. I was just happy to see everyone made it back alright so now we have more people to help against Apocalypse. Cable defended himself, which only made Rachel want to laugh.
You like her and don't try to deny it. I know what you were thinking. So just admit it. Rachel sent back him.
She is rude and annoying. Cable shot at the red-haired woman.
And you love her. Rachel teased.
Fine. I admit it. I like her, now shut up. He glared at her.
"There is something you guys should know. While you went off to find Jean, well, Logan returned and tried to kill Jubilee and Jono." Warren told Storm, Rachel, Colossus, Domino, and Pete.
"My goddess, are they alright?" Ororo asked instantly.
"Ja, except Jono got cut during ze fight. He is alright though." Kurt assured her.
"Not only that, but Rogue, Bobby, X, John, and Pietro all left and took the other jet. We think they are going to stop Apocalypse on their own." Betsy informed them.
"Damn, I should have stayed home. I wanted to go along on that fight." Domino muttered.
"We have a little problem with this. The Professor is ill and someone needs to watch over him. Not to mention we have one of Apocalypse's horsemen in the cells. I doubt he will let him remain here much longer." Cable told the others.
"We also asked some of the students that are still here if they would like to help us. We told them of the risks and they agreed. We have Cannonball, Magma, Northstar, and Husk will be coming. Also, Alex Summers recently returned and told us that he helped with Lorna's kidnaping." Betsy told them and wasn't surprised by the shock expressions. "He said he wants to help us to make up for it and will show us how to get in."
"So, maybe some of us should stay behind to watch the Professor, while the rest go off to kill Apocalypse." Rachel sighed. "We will need as many people as possible."
"But they are too young. The Professor would never approve of this." Ororo told them, getting a bit upset.
"And at the moment the Professor is dying, most likely because of something Apocalypse did. We can not let him take over the world. We need everyone we can get." Cable said to her. "We'll try to keep them in the back, but if we need them we have to have their help." He said, trying to make it sound better. But no matter what, there was a still a chance that one of the younger students could get killed.
"I still don't like it." Ororo said to him and shook her head before walking off, followed by Kurt.
Apocalypse's Tower- Main Lab
"Excellent, everything is going as it should." Dark Beast grinned at his newest invention. Apocalypse told him to create a machine that would drain a mutant of it's powers and transfer them into him.
"He will be very pleased." Dark Beast said to himself as he placed sheet over the main control. He didn't hear someone creep up behind him until he was tackled to the ground. He felt the other person's fur and claws dig into him. "So you were able to escape." He kicked Beast off of him and sent him into a wall.
"I am sorry, but I can not allow someone walking around looking like me." Hank told him as he got up. In the corner he saw one of Apocalypse's transporters. If he could set it to the X-Mansion, he could return and tell them all he knew.
"All you are is a disgusting animal that needs to be put down." Dark Beast growled and circled his counterpart.
Beast made a run for it and jumped high into the air when Dark Beast attacked. He kicked the darker mutant in the head as he landed, which gave him time to go to the porter. He quickly typed in the location he wanted and waited for it to start up. The entire machine began to glow in a large square and he was about to step through when Dark Beast tackled him and sent them both into the machine.
They landed in the front yard of the mansion and Beast kicked Dark Beast off of him. Beast watched as the portal closed and the darker version of himself tried to catch up with it. "No!" He growled and turned to Hank.
"I believe you've lost." McCoy told him as Dark Beast approached. "I don't care, I'll kill you." He shouted and ran at him, only to be kicked in the back by someone else. Beast looked in shock as Sage stood behind the fallen mutant.
"It is nice to see you, Mr. McCoy." Sage greeted him with a small smile and then looked down. She took out a pistol from her back pocket and pointed it at Dark Beast. "I wouldn't get up if I were you." She warned.
"Don't kill him. We may need him for further information." Hank said.
"I didn't plan on it. I was just making sure he wouldn't attack." Tessa responded as Hank pulled the dark furry mutant to his feet. Dark Beast snarled at him, but didn't attack. He knew if he did he would get a bullet in his head before he could strike.
Washington DC
"How are they coming along?" Graydon Creed asked Larry Trask. Larry had promised MacTaggert and Creed that he would have Bastion and the other Sentinels in operation very soon.
"They are coming along well, sir. I expect to be able to run a test on them tomorrow. If you could supply me with a location you want the Sentinels to attack, I will program it in tonight." Trask replied with a grin on his face.
"Is there anyway they could just destroy all the mutants in their path? The less of them the better we all will be." Creed stated in a half joking half serious manner.
"I can have it go into the heart of the country and track down mutants." Trask suggested, which sounded just like what Creed had wanted.
"Yes, that will do." The other man smiled. "That reminds me, the Friends of Humanity wants to award you on your terrific achievement. We've been trying to find a solution against these menace and you come the closes to it. Well, after the test run that is."
"I'd be honored, but you and MacTaggert are paying for this, so it should go to you. By the way, where is he?" Trask asked him.
"He is still in his office." Creed answered non-caring. "Now back to the matter at hand. I. . ." He began to say when they both felt the ground shaking. "What the hell is that?" He demanded, thinking it was part of Larry's lab.
"I don't know, sir." Trask told him as he held onto the table in front of him. Seconds later, Juggernaut came crashing through the wall, followed by other mutants.
"This ought to be fun." The giant said as he grinned down at them. Sabertooth growled as he looked at them and wanted to kill them instantly, but was stopped when Magneto walked past him and approached the two men.
"I've heard about your little project." Magneto stated as Sunfire, Sunpyre, and Joseph entered the lab too. "I am afraid we can not allow you to continue." The older man said as Trask and Creed backed away.
"Activate it now!" Creed shouted at Trask, who made a run for the controls, but Juggernaut caught him and threw him across the room.
"Well, well." Sabertooth stalked Graydon. "Looks like the little bastard did survive." He snarled and loved the smell of fear he was getting off the younger man.
"What do you want? Money? I'll give it to you, let me go." Graydon tried to plead, but it only made Sabertooth laugh.
"Must have gotten this weak side from Mystique, I sure as hell don't act like this." Sabertooth said, confusing the young man.
"What are you talking about?" Creed asked as he backed away into the corner.
"I'm your daddy." Sabertooth told him, and watched the young man's face look in horror at him.
"That is impossible." Creed cried as Sabertooth stood over him with his claws threatening his son.
"I think it's time for some punishment that I got to miss out on over the years." He laughed and was about to slash his son open when Magneto stopped him.
"We need him, Victor. Destroy him and I will do the same to you." Magneto warned the hairy mutant. Sabertooth snarled and backed down. He knew he could never take on Magneto, even with his healing factor.
A metal pipe detached itself from the ceiling and flew down to wrap itself around Graydon's body, trapping his arms underneath.
"We got what we came for, let's go." Magneto told them as the group left except for Sunfire and Sunpyre who were in charge of destroying the lab. Once the entire place was on fire, Avalanche was outside waiting to make the building collapse so all the Sentinels would be destroyed along with how to make them.
MacTaggert's Office- Nebraska
Joseph stacked his papers up on his desk. He was about to leave to catch his flight to Washington DC to see how the progress with the Sentinels was going. 'Well be free of them soon.' He thought to himself confidentially as he pushed in his leather chair and grabbed his suitcase.
He noticed the light flickering on and off in the office and heard a stretching noise. It sounded as if someone was tearing off the side of the building. "What?" Joseph grabbed the door handle, but found it would not turn. Suddenly, the door glowed orange and he stepped back.
"What is going on?" He asked in a panicky voice. Suddenly, the door blew apart and a man that looked to be twenty-three stepped in. He had dark brown hair and glowing orange eyes.
"Nice to see you again, father." Kevin said bitterly as he entered the room. The walls sunk in and blocked the exit behind him.
"Mutant." Joseph snarled and looked around for a weapon. He was then thrown into the wall and held there.
"You don't remember me? Then again it has been years. Hell, I don't even remember how long myself. But I do remember you beating my mother and calling her every swear name in the book." Kevin's eyes glowed even brighter as he glared at him.
"Kevin." Joseph muttered. He knew who this was now. His estranged son. "What do you want?" He asked.
"A little pay back for all those years I lost because of you." Kevin told him and walked up to him. "Mom could have found a cure for me by now. See, I can't control my body cannot handle my powers. I had to stay in a containment box for a long time." He walked to the other side of the room and looked down at his father's desk.
"I see you have been doing well. Finally got up there. Only reason you married mom, isn't it? Because she had won a Nobel prize and you used that to your advantage. As soon as you got up there, ya started the beatings." Kevin turned to glare at the older man. "And don't think I don't remember you hitting me either before my powers manifested." He snarled.
"If you kill me it only proves you mutants should be locked away." Joseph told his son. If anything, he remembered that Moria hated the thought of killing and knew his son wouldn't really do it.
"So what. The world is going to be ruled by mutants soon anyways." Kevin smirked at him, making Joseph uneasy. "I didn't tell you did I? The only reason why I am able to stand here right now is because I agreed to join Apocalypse. In return, I am able to possess people without having to worry about disappearing. And believe me, this Apocalypse guy will take over the world."
"It won't happen. We've already created a way to have all the mutants destroyed. Including you and this Apocalypse." Joseph snarled. Kevin tilted his head as he looked at his father one last time.
"Night, night daddy." Kevin said as he snapped his fingers and his father turned into mush. "You know what they say, what comes around goes around." He turned to see a portal waiting for him that would lead back to Apocalypse's Tower. As he walked to it he began to think. He thought he would feel better after killing his father, but it only made him feel worse. 'I am no better than him.' He thought before he entered the portal and disappeared.
X-Mansion- Upper Level Hallway
Jubilee helped Jono walk back to his room. He insisted that he was alright and didn't need help. It turned out the cut wasn't that bad after all and got it cleaned up. "I don't care what you say, you are going to lie down." She told him.
Yes dear. He told her jokingly, which got him a glare.
"You are injured and are not going to be doing anything for the rest of the day. If I have to, I will sit on you to make sure you stay." She insisted as she put her hand into her pocket and felt a velvet box. "Oh crap. Um, first we gotta stop off at Gumbo's new room. I need to leave something." She said to him.
Jono was about to ask her what it was, when they pasted Kitty and she started speaking. "Jono are you alright? I heard you got stabbed. But if you are walking I guess it can't be that bad, right?" She asked.
I am fine Kitty, but thanks. Jono replied to the valley girl.
"Hey Kitty, I want to get Jono to bed." Jubilee said and got a wicked grin from her friend. "Not like that! Besides, it's not Wednesday. Anyways, I needed to drop this off in Gumbo's room, and I was wondering if you could do it." She asked and pulled out a black box.
"Whoa, what is it?" Kitty asked as Jubilee handed it to her.
"Well, um." Jubilee hesitated. She swore she wouldn't tell. The only other person in the mansion who knew was Storm. "I know you can't keep a secret, so you have to swear on your credit card you will not tell anyone."
"Wow. This must be serious. I swear I won't tell." Kitty assured her friend.
"Okay, Remy is going to ask Rogue to marry him." Jubilee said in a whisper.
"WHAT!" Kitty shouted and then clapped a hand over her mouth. "Are you serious? Oh my god, this is huge! Oh my god, I have to be the maid of honor! Oh, this is so great. Oh my god!" Kitty started jumping up and down.
"You can't tell anyone, especially Rogue." Jubilee told her.
"I won't. Besides, Rogue, Bobby, John, X, and Pietro all left to get the others back." Kitty said. She looked down at the box for a moment and a thought crossed her mind. "What if . . . I don't like thinking it, but what if one of them or us don't make it back? I mean. This Apocalypse guy is really powerful. What if he wins and we lose?" Kitty asked in a serious tone.
Jubilee stayed quiet for a moment and looked over at Jono. He looked at her for a moment before turning his head. "Well just hope we can get them back and win." Jubilee whispered.
X-Jet
"Are we there yet?" X-23 growled from the back of the plane.
"Almost I think. It shouldn't be hard to miss. I mean the thing is a giant tower that reaches the sky. And if you ask me that again, I'll kick you out of the jet." Bobby told her as he flew the plane.
"The sooner we get there the sooner we can kill Apocalypse and get my sisters back and go home." Pietro muttered from the copilot's seat.
Rogue didn't say anything. She only continued to stare out the window. She didn't know if she could fight her teammates. Especially Remy. What Cable had told them the other day still haunted her. The fact they may have to kill them. 'Please don't let it come ta that.' She closed eyes and prayed.
"Can't this damn thing go any faster?" John grumbled from his seat next to Rogue. Suddenly, the group heard a voice over the intercom.
"What's up, little dudes?" The others looked confused, except for X-23, who growled. "You guys shouldn't be going near, it's bad." The voice warned.
X-23 got out of her seat and walked to the front of the jet and reply. "Deadpool, no one cares what the hell you think. We're going there." She yelled.
"I was just warning. I guess someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed again, huh sister?" He began to laugh. "Now that I think of it, you would be my sister because we both have Wolverine DNA."
"I think I'm going to be sick." X-23 rolled her eyes and walked to the back of the plane.
"Listen. I'm already there. I'll meet ya. Deadpool out!" The intercom shut off.
"Of all the people in the world, why him?" X-23 growled.
"Well it could be worse." Bobby assured her.
"Like who?" John asked.
"Could be Alex." He whispered.
Apocalypse's Tower
"Dark Beast is gone." Stryfe reported to Apocalypse as he followed his master out the lab.
"Yes, I know." Apocalypse replied non-caring. "Beast transported himself and him to the X-Men's base. It does not matter. I have what I wanted from him."
"Are you going to test the machine out on the image girl?" Stryfe asked him.
"No, we will use her later." Apocalypse announced to Stryfe. He walked over to his monitor and grinned. On the screen it showed a small black jet. Two people were visible from the jet's window. One young man with silver hair and the other's was brown. "We will use them first. Go greet our guests." He commanded to Famine.
End of Chapter 16
Special Thanks to: Loneraven, halleyjo, Roguechere, Chica De Los Ojos Café, Ashandarei. CW, and AngelofMercy86. Thank you guys so much for reviewing the last chapter. (Gives you all Hershey kisses and hugs)
Next Chapter: the teens try to break into Poccy's tower things don't go as planned, Another horseman breaks into the mansion, and Jean wakes up and they go to stop Poccy.