Chapter Eight: New Plans
William Stryker stood over his plans for the Sentinels. The production for them was almost complete, although he had just learned that one had been stolen and activated, and then somehow destroyed.
How did this happen? he thought. How could someone have stolen one of my Sentinels and get away with it? It's too impossible! Of course...unless they're not normal...
"Hello, William," said a voice behind him. "I was hoping I'd find you here."
Stryker whirled around to find the one man he'd feared his entire life: Magneto. But he was not a man, or so William believed. He was a mutant.
"So, it was you, wasn't it?" Stryker asked him. "I'm not surprised now that I think about it. After all, the Sentinels are metal, a mistake I shouldn't have made. But now it's all done. But do you know that it was destroyed? It's central system was taken offline, but in a way that could only mean its head was taken off."
"Strange," Magneto said. "But then again, maybe not so strange. We never know in this world. I believe another mutant is the reason for this."
"I have a recording of whatever happened out there, but I don't know if I can trust you with this footage. Will you destroy it once it's all over with?" Stryker looked at him with a very serious expression.
"I won't, but I will want to talk to you afterward once that's all done. So, will you show it to me now, Stryker, or must I force you to do so?"
"Who can you get to force me into showing it to you?"
"Mystique is one of them. I suppose you still remember her?"
Stryker gulped, suddenly scared. Mystique was another mutant he was scared of, mostly due to the fact she could become anyone without a person knowing, and then use it to get information for the group of mutants known as the Brotherhood.
"Alright then. Let me find the footage, and then once it's over, tell me what I should do next. Understand me?"
Magneto nodded.
William searched through files of his and found one that had just recently been filmed. He pressed a red button in the middle of his control panel, which caused the file to open and the footage to start.
It started with a shot of the docks and the river, and then it turned around, landing its focus on a small beautiful girl. She started running, talking to someone. The footage continued as the Sentinel followed her down, closer to the river's edge.
Both Magneto and Stryker realized how badly the girl was shivering. There was a shout, and the Sentinel turned around. A taller girl with brown hair that had a white streak down one side was now there. She ordered the younger girl to run, calling her "Kitty."
But as the Sentinel turned back around, it hit the other girl, sending her flying. As she landed, there was the noise of a snap, signifying a broken ankle, and the girl fell into the river. But right at that time the Sentinel's vision went out.
The file stopped playing.
"Well, now," Stryker said to himself. "Do you know who either of these two girls actually are?"
"I don't know the young one, but I know the other."
"And who is she?"
"When I went hunting for another mutant to join the Brotherhood, my sights locked onto her. This girl's name is Marie. That's all I knew there. But I believe that now she calls herself 'Rogue.' Charles Xavier got to her before I could, meaning that these two aren't normal mutants. They're both members of the X-Men."
"Holy crap," Stryker whispered to himself underneath his breath. "What in the heck should I do now?"
"That's what I wish to talk about. Xavier believes that humans and mutants are all equal, and I believe that he is truly wrong."
"You're telling me..."
"We must teach him how wrong he is. But before we do that, I want you to meet some friends of mine." Magneto looked over to the door, which suddenly opened, revealing Mystique, as well as Juggernaut. Behind them stood Pyro and the fat man, who was now called "Blob."
"This isn't all of the Brotherhood. There are many more," Magneto explained to Stryker. "I have made this team to battle against the X-Men. And now that they have new recruits, we must learn more of them."
"So, Xavier's gotten himself two new recruits, eh?" Mystique chimed in. "Who are they?"
"One of them you know already," Magneto told her. "It's Rogue."
Mystique froze right then and there, her mouth wide open, the expression of shocked on her face. She finally regained herself and started talking again.
"She's part of the X-Men now?" Mystique exclaimed. "NO! She was supposed to become a member of the Brotherhood, not Xavier's idiots!"
"She's obviously liked where she is now," Stryker said. "If she hadn't, wouldn't she have come to you by now?"
"She would have, yes," Magneto said. "That girl on the video must be her friend. If she returns to us, she must not have that little girl! Quick! Show Mystique the girl I am talking about!"
Stryker quickly rewound the file, and then paused on the image of the small girl. Mystique smiled.
"So, they've got a youngster on their team now? She wouldn't be out there if she was just a normal student."
"Exactly," Magneto said. "If Rogue has become friends with that girl, then we must act! We need to make sure that Xavier is never able to win this battle between the X-Men and the Brotherhood! He and the rest of those unwilling to join our cause must die!"
"What do you think this girl's power is, boss?" Pyro asked. "I wouldn't mind frying her up for ya." He gave Magneto a wink.
"I don't know her power, and if you meet her anytime soon, don't lay a darn finger on her! Do you understand me?"
Pyro sighed. He wanted so badly to blow something up.
"There is someone I know you have a score to settle with on the team. But the best thing to do now is wait until we have information on these two girls. That young girl thought she was capable of escaping through the Sentinel...that might mean she can phase."
"Phase? You mean go through almost anything there is?" Stryker asked. "Well, she would be hard to kill, then."
"Your robot nearly did. For all we know, she is dead."
"That's unlikely," Mystique said. "I heard a snap when she landed back on the ground, just before she fell into the river. She must have broken her ankle, but was then saved by Rogue. It'd be the only thing that'd make sense. She didn't seem injured in any other way than that."
"She's got a point," Stryker admitted. "I would love to experiment on these two girls and see what they can truly do with those powers of theirs."
"Maybe soon, but we must find a way to capture them. I know the X-Men too well; they'd never allow two young members to be out there on their own. One of their teachers must have been close," Magneto explained to both Stryker and the Brotherhood. "Tell me, if you capture any of the mutants in Charles Xavier's school, where could you possibly take them?"
"I know an island off the coast that they could be taken to. We'd have to transport them by boat, and they would have to be closely watched so that none of them can escape. But if I take them, I want to make sure they'll never escape until I've experimented on them, they've lost their powers, are they're dead."
"I never said anything about killing them!" Magneto exclaimed. "If you do such a thing, then how will I know that I can trust you?"
"When it comes to young kids who have forced their parents to believe that they're normal, then I'll make sure to kidnap and kill a thousand of them, and then kill those who might get in my way! The X-Men are included there!"
"Very well," Magneto finally said. "I will trust you in this, but I will still be very careful around you. You never know what can happen to those who you believe to be your friends." He was referring to his past friendship with Xavier.
"So what should I do to get these children, as well as these girls?" Stryker asked him. "I don't know how powerful they actually are."
"Raid the mansion. Once you do that, it'll all be over. The children will not be expecting it, and I'm sure these two girls won't know it."
"What will you be doing while I raid the mansion?"
"I'll help. The Brotherhood and I will take care of those who might escape from your grasp. Once this is all over, I will end this with you, and it is all up to you for whatever you want. I might not like the fact that you'll kill them, but you never have a choice in this war both humans and mutants."
"Oh, everyone has a choice. And that choice is killed or be killed. It's survival of the fittest, my friend, and that won't be stopping for a very long time."
"As much as you want the X-Men and all other mutants dead, we're not as easy to kill as you might think. Everyone of us have different powers, and if we combine them, then we could kill you very easily."
"Like I don't know that already," Stryker said under his breath. "Now, when would it be a good time to start the raid?"
"When all the children are asleep. That is the best. They will not be expecting it, and once you capture whoever you wish to capture, we will go to your island. It shall be there we will end this partnership. Do not think I shall reconsider anything once it is all done. Do you understand me?"
"Yes, I do."
"Good. Now, in case you don't, there is something you should probably know. Do you remember the man who helped you build the Sentinels?"
"Bolivar Trask? Yes, I do. What of him? Where is he?"
"He is dead." The three words caught Stryker completely off-guard.
Realizing that his mouth was hanging open, he closed it as quickly as he could.
"What did you do to him?" Stryker asked when he could finally speak again.
"I did nothing," Magneto told him. "It was Mystique who killed him. She snapped his neck."
"Oh my God. What is the matter with you all? You say I can trust you when you killed the very man I trusted most of all! How could you do such a thing?"
"He was threatening the Brotherhood. I cannot just stand somewhere and watch that. It had to happen, I am sorry to say. But it is over now, and nothing can be done to reverse time. Unless you truly do threaten us, we will not kill you, William. You must make sure that you will not make any attempts on us, and then we will keep you alive."
"So what will I be doing during the raid?" Pyro asked Magneto. "Should I just stand outside and watch you guys have all the fun capturing those who have betrayed us?"
"No. What is the name of the boy you have quarreled with for many years?"
"Bobby Drake. He joined the X-Men only about two weeks ago. I haven't seen him since both our powers showed themselves. He was able to make ice with just his bare hands. I threatened him when he told me he'd rather fight for equal rights among the mutants and humans," Pyro explained. "I want so badly to fight him. If you give me the chance, then I'll promise it won't take me too long."
"Fine. When we go, if you're able to find him, kill him. But be careful with your powers," Magneto warned. "If they go out of control, you could possibly burn the whole mansion down."
Pyro smiled maliciously, not caring what happened, so long as he could kill his rival.
"So now that this is all over, what will you do?" Stryker asked the Brotherhood. "Will you just go off into an alley and sleep there, or do you have some sort of a home?"
"We have a home, Stryker," Juggernaut snapped at him. "Now stop asking us questions, or I will make sure that-"
"Stop it, Cain!" Magneto ordered him. "We're not here to make more enemies! We've only just come together to kill the X-Men! Do you want Stryker to become our enemy this soon in our plan?"
Stryker smiled at Juggernaut.
"Well, we'd best be off, William. We need our rest if we are to help you against the X-Men. I wish you luck on your plans!"
"Wait," Stryker said. "I will have Sentinels there with me. Is that too dangerous for the Brotherhood? Should I decide against it and only have my men be raiding?"
"Bring the Sentinels. The Brotherhood can deal with them." Magneto left the room with the rest of his team, leaving William standing there, happy and mischievous. He was ready for the raid, and not even the X-Men had enough power to stop him!