Chapter 73
Magneto's base...
Lorna runs into the medical area where she catches sight of her... "Dad?" she queries about the silver-haired man sitting on the examination table, trying to ascertain whether that really is her father once again.
"It's me," Magneto confirms it is indeed him, followed by a hiss of pain as his stab wound is treated by Amelia, who is a fully trained nurse and this mutant doctor he picked up.
Lorna's worries sky-rocket at seeing his injury. "What happened?"
"Live Wire betrayed me," he says in low angry tones.
"Oh there's a shocker," Pyro whispers sarcastically to the rest of the Acolytes who are standing at the door.
No-one argues because everyone knew how unstable Live Wire was.
Magneto thinks on the situation as his wound is treated. "The wound's deep," Amelia says with concern. "You will need to rest," she tells him.
"No time. Just patch me up," he tells her and the doctor.
"Magneto," Amelia starts to protest.
"No," Magneto rejects her protest. "There is no time. The X-Men were wise enough not to stay but they now know this location," he explains why he needs patched up and doesn't have time to rest. "Sabretooth, order the evacuation. We need to leave," he orders.
"We need to hit back at the X-Men hard!" Frenzy argues that decision, very angry at what has happened.
"You think with anger and vengeance. This is not about those things. This is about building the future for our kind."
"They need to pay!"
Magneto sighs and turns his head to gaze at her hard. "And what will that accomplish?" he asks Frenzy to explain her thinking. "And how far do we go? Do we kill our own fellow mutants?"
"They're not mutants!" Frenzy argues with quite a bit of vitriol. "They fight us and defend the flat-scans!"
"Yes, they do," Magneto doesn't argue that. "And you have not answered my question. What will it accomplish beyond widening the rift between us even further?"
"So?"
Magneto sighs loudly. So much anger. It can be useful but it can be blinding. "The X-Men will be dealt with when I decide it necessary which it is not at the moment. Our priority is creating our new home. Now you either do as you are told or I can assign you some other task. Waste management, perhaps?" Magneto suggests referring to the terrible, but necessary task of dealing with the waste people produce.
Several of the Acolytes snicker as Frenzy's face pales at that idea.
"No, Magneto," Frenzy says in a quieter more contrite tone.
"Then you will help prepare for our evacuation?"
"Yes, Magneto."
"Excellent. Now get on with it," he says sternly.
The Acolytes leave and Magneto notices the look on Amelia's face. "You're surprised by my decision," he deduces that look to mean.
"No...well maybe a little. You had made obtaining those stones a priority," she explains how it is a surprise.
Magneto looks a little puzzled as if surprised at himself. "The future matters more than the past. Chasing after Charles and fighting a pitched battle with him serves no-one and may not get me the stones. I suspect they are well hidden. How would I now divine their location? I have been informed that Blindfold is gone. One must accept the realities of a situation. Building our future home is my priority now. Besides, despite your ill-feelings for Charles, you know he would not use whatever power these stones have for misbegotten purposes. They are better off in his hands than SHIELD's or the Hellfire Club's."
Amelia finds she can't argue with that although Magneto is also correct about the ill-feelings. She is never forgiving Charles.
"You need to prepare Suzanna to be moved," he instructs Amelia and the doctor about Lorna's mother.
"Must we?" Lorna's concerned tones ask.
"Yes," Magneto says simply.
"B-but you're hurt," Lorna argues, her eyes welling up with moisture at her father's injury. She already almost lost her mother. She can't lose her father too.
"And this location is compromised," Magneto argues back calmly. Although how Charles found him Magneto cannot figure out. "I will be fine," he assures her. "I have survived much worse. Live Wire was not trying to kill me."
"This time!" Lorna says a little spitefully.
"She caught me by surprise which shall not happen again. I assure you Lorna I am not forgetting her betrayal. She will pay at the time and place of my choosing. There are simply more important tasks. I know you are young but you must learn how to control your emotions and focus on what is the priority. Right now evacuating this base and preparing our new home in the Savage Land is. You understand?"
Lorna nods. She thinks she does...although one thing she surely doesn't understand was the sheer hatred her sister has for their father. Wanda had said that their father destroyed her life. That seemed like a little more than grief talking. Lorna has no reason to doubt her father's explanation of what happened...it just doesn't seem quite enough to explain her sister's attitude. Lorna can only think she is missing something.
Magneto gives his daughter a smile. It's strange actually. He knows he should be raging at Live Wire but his anger seems much more tempered than before this whole experience. Also not chasing after the stones...it just feels more important to him to build a future for mutantkind. He can't explain it but perhaps he shouldn't try. He feels calmer than he has in years and decides he should just accept it as a blessing.
On the x-jet the Professor is getting the summary of what transpired within Magneto's base as they fly home.
Clark is explaining Live Wire's betrayal in more detail and the concern over her memory restoration which includes knowing who he is.
"I warned him her betrayal was inevitable, thank you, please," Ruth's voice breaks into the story. "He didn't understand."
Charles looks at the young seer with interest. He wonders how long Magneto had her prisoner and just bluntly where he found her. How he found her would also be an excellent question. She gives off no psychic presence which would be why Cerebro never detected her. It was very strange. They'll have to do some research into her and see if they can find her family.
Scott is also looking at the girl. Truth is he is pleased Kitty found her. This was the source of what had been bothering him for weeks. This girl was how Magneto always seemed to be one step ahead of them. Now they have taken away his advantage and given it to themselves...assuming she stays which he can't be certain of. Course on the other hand Live Wire being loose and having her memories back raises a whole plethora of security issues that will need to be addressed.
On the issue of Live Wire the Professor addresses that with Clark. "It is unfortunate she remembers. We'll have to be wary of her return. I suspect she might choose to lay low and avoid Magneto for awhile."
"Live Wire? Lay low? I really doubt that Professor," Clark says back in disbelieving tones. Leslie doesn't know how to lay low.
"All we can do is be vigilant Clark."
Great. Now he can spend his days wondering when he has to fight the loud-mouth again. That's just super! Note the sarcasm please. His body is too sore and he is far too tired for all this...but at least it is his body again.
For Jonathan and Martha this had been amongst the most difficult few hours since they came to the Institute. Usually when there's a mission there are some students to look after and that keeps them occupied. For almost the first time there was no-one here except them.
They couldn't go as much as they might wish to help. Even in this situation it still requires someone to be here to watch over the mansion. There are a lot of things here that need protecting.
They had practically been glued next to the communication system. When the message came in that the mission was a success relief flooded in to the couple.
When the two aircraft return they are in the hangar waiting. When Clark emerges, still being helped a little by Scott they rush over and hug him.
Clark assures them he's alright. Just a little sore and tired and badly in need of a recharge for his powers.
When Claire emerges from the helicopter Martha rushes over and hugs her too.
"Mom!" Claire whines. "You're embarrassing me," she complains. She is suppose to be angry and scary.
"That's my job, honey," Martha quips and tightens her grip.
Claire's expression at this is priceless. It is one of complete befuddlement as she has no idea what to do. Marie has to cover her mouth and nose with her hand or she would burst into a fit of giggles.
"So what happened?" Martha asks anyone.
"We went, we saw, we kicked much misguided mutant butt!" Domino proclaims triumphantly in response followed by a loud "ACHOO!"
Jonathan turns from his son for a moment and address the group of students he has come to care for so much. "Is everyone ok...is that a dragon?!" he cries out at seeing Kitty's new friend.
"Oh really don't want to get into that one Mr K," Bobby advises.
Kitty ignores Bobby. "Yep. Isn't he like the cutest?" Kitty gushes like her dragon is the cutest thing ever seen. "Think I can keep him?"
Jonathan isn't sure. A dragon? Where do they even start to look after a dragon? "Kitty. I'm not sure," he starts to caution but Kitty pulls her most lethal weapon on him. She bites her lower lip and gives him the wide puppy-dog eyes look. He's defenceless against it. He sighs in defeat. "We'll give it a try..."
Kitty lets out an ecstatic squeal.
"As long as Charles agrees," Jonathan adds since this is Charles' home.
"It's not as much work as you might think," Dr Strange adds to this conversation. "Think of him as an exotic cat...that can fly...and breathes fire...and as I recall they'll eat everything even if it's nailed down," he lists what he can remember about dwarf dragons.
"I think Beast should look him over though," Storm advises as she steps down from the helicopter.
Kitty didn't argue that because god knows what terrible things had been done to him that required these bandages he has around his torso.
Back in the jet Beast and the Professor are the last to disembark. Before they do Beast takes the moment that they're alone to mention something. "Charles, about that teleporter that helped Magneto," he raises with slight trepidation that part of the story that was told on the way back.
"Yes?" Charles queries, his brow quirked a little as he can sense Hank's unease.
There is no easy way to say this so Hank just says it. "It was Amelia."
The look of pure shock on Charles face is clear to see. He hadn't heard that name in a long time. "She is with Magneto?" he asks Hank to confirm.
"So it seems. I'm sorry," Hank apologises knowing how this must be affecting his old friend.
Charles can't understand it. Amelia Voight was someone very close to him once but she walked out of his life precisely because she didn't want anything to do with his work and now she was with Magneto. It made no sense.
Just then Charles notices a blinking red light on the console in front of him. That's an incoming message automatically relayed into the jet. He activates the small screen and up pops the image of... "Colonel Fury," Charles speaks the Director of SHIELD's name.
"Professor Xavier," Fury returns.
"If you're inquiring about my information on the Hellfire Club I need a few more days. We've been busy," Charles says, thinking this call may be about the deal he made with Fury.
"I'm sure...but for the moment that is not my major concern."
Charles is puzzled by the tone. For Fury it was grave sounding. "What is this call about, Colonel?"
"Deep space radar picked up a collection of meteor rocks...heading straight for Earth."
Charles feels his stomach drop and the colour drain from his face.
'Fire rains from the sky,' Ruth's words echo in his mind.
'Something has awoken in the dark...and it's coming,' Clark's ominous words.
Something was coming and in a way they are partially to blame.
"D-do you know where they will hit?" Charles asks, his voice barely a whisper.
"Yeah. Smallville, Kansas," Fury states very calmly where they calculated the rocks will hit. "That's a funny coincidence. Twice in 15 years in the same place. What are the odds?"
Charles regains some of his composure. "I feel you are accusing me of something."
"Not at all. Just giving you a heads-up. An evacuation of the town has been ordered and since there are a lot of mutants living there I thought you might want to assist, smooth things over, keep the peace. There is not time to evacuate the town and quell trouble at the same time. Besides the X-Men helping with the evacuation...you can't buy that sort of good PR."
"How long do we have?"
"3 hours...give or take. I suggest you get cracking if you want to help. I'll let the authorities on the ground know you're coming," Fury makes the assumption Xavier will go before he signs off, "Fury out."
SHIELD Hellicarrier...
The communication ends and on-board the Hellicarrier Fury glances up at the screen with the radar trace of the rocks hurtling towards Earth. There was nothing that could be done to stop them.
In movies people think you can shoot them down with missiles. That doesn't work. It just shatters the rocks into small pieces and spreads the debris over a larger area and they spotted these rocks far too close to earth to divert them.
Of course what is odd is how a whole group of meteors just appeared this close to Earth...as if from nowhere.
That is what gave Fury the odd feeling that the X-Men might know something.
There was nothing they could do to stop it.
All they can do is try and evacuate the town in time and save as many lives as possible.
There was nothing they could do stop it.
They were helpless to prevent the onslaught and Fury hated that feeling.
There was nothing they could do...except perhaps pray.
At the Institute...
In the x-jet Charles turns his head to look at Hank whose expression was truly grim. Without a word spoken both men disembark.
Logan is the first to notice their expressions. "What now?" he asks.
"I just got off the line with Colonel Fury," the Professor reports.
"Fury?" Logan queries with instant suspicion. "What did he want?"
"To inform us that a meteor shower will hit Smallville in approximately 3 hours."
There is a collective gasp...except from Clark. His expression is back to being far away. "The great danger from the darkness of space has awoken. A fire from the sky shall sear the Earth," he expounds.
Rogue moves to his side and clasps his hand with hers, squeezing slightly. He looks down at her and she can see the deep confusion in his eyes that even he doesn't know what he is saying.
"Is that normal?" Claire asks her mother about her brother.
Martha's expression is one of deep worry. In response she can only give a wear resigned, "It happens...too frequently."
"Welcome to the Kent family," Jonathan jokes in gallows humour.
"Maybe it's not too late to go back to my father," Claire supposes which earns her several looks. "A joke," she insists all it was.
"And she says my humour is shitty," Clark mutters, coming out of his weird semi-trance state.
Rogue looks twice at him. Clark almost never swears. Proof, if any was needed, how he still isn't himself.
"What is it we do, Charles?" Ororo wonders.
"I think Fury called first off because he suspects this is related to us," Charles says.
"Which it is," Clark points out.
"I didn't confirm anything for him."
"He had another motive. He always does," Logan lays down the truth as he sees it of Fury. It is why he quit SHIELD.
"Whatever his motive is, is irrelevant, Logan. He made a good point to me about the fact there are many mutants living in Smallville. We cannot afford trouble in a situation this dire so we will go and help with the evacuation of the town. Now this will be dangerous so I'm not ordering anyone to go. It will be volunteers only."
"Lives are at stake," Scott says. "I'll go," he volunteers himself.
"Me too," Jean joins in with her boyfriend.
This is followed by many of the others saying they'll help too despite what they've just been through.
One who doesn't say anything is Claire. Her face is visibly paled as soon as the idea was spoken about going to Smallville. Images flash across her eyes. Images of the day just short of 15 years ago when fire rained down upon her. Killed her...what she knows now were her surrogate parents. The rocks...her surrounded by the rocks and the fire and...and...
Claire's breathing becomes laboured. "I-I-I can't," she stammers out, her voice so lacking in strength it doesn't sound like her at all. She then runs out the hangar.
"Claire!" Martha shouts after her daughter and chases after her.
Charles closes his eyes momentarily as he mentally berates himself. "I should have thought of that," he then verbally kicks himself.
"What was that about?" Paige asks.
Hank takes up the story. "Volcana is a meteor mutant. She was there, in Smallville, during the first meteor shower. The people she thought were her parents were killed and that was the day she gained her powers. It's a trauma she has yet to come to terms with. I suspect the same occurrence will have brought back difficult memories for her."
Jonathan's gaze is at the door where Claire and Martha left. In his judgement it is best he leaves this to Martha. As much as he is willing to embrace Claire, the bottom line is that he is not her father.
Kitty looks down at her new little pet. He needs medical attention but she wants to go help in Smallville.
"Perhaps I can help."
Kitty looks up at the kind face of Dr Strange. "Sorry?" she queries.
"I can look at your little friend," Stephen offers. He turns to the Professor and Hank. "In fact if you two need to go I can remain here and attend to any medical requirements," he offers.
"You can?" Wanda queries, puzzled. She didn't know he knew medicine.
"Before I was a sorcerer I was a neurosurgeon," Stephen fills in a little of his past. "I may not perform operations any more but I have endeavoured to keep my basic medical skills sharp."
"Oh," Wanda says. She did not know that.
"That is very kind of you, Stephen," Charles says gratefully.
"I just wish I could do more," Stephen says regretfully but there is nothing he can do to prevent this. It's beyond his power.
"Anyone who is hurt, please direct yourself to the infirmary and Dr Strange will attend to you," Charles requests of his students not to put an act on because they wish to help. An injured person may end up being a liability when a hasty exit could well be required in this dire situation.
"I need to get the other 2 stones," Clark announces.
"Kurt, go with him," Charles decrees since the stones are down in the cave down the coast they use to store them.
Kurt agrees, moves next to Clark and touches him on the arm before teleporting them both away down the coast. This is the fastest way.
"Jonathan," Charles speaks his friend's name to summon him over.
Jonathan wanders over as Charles rolls next to a young girl with long dark hair and bandages over her eyes.
"We have a new guest," Charles prepares to make the introductions. Ideally he would like to speak to her and find out more about her but it will have to wait. "This is Ruth."
"Hello Ruth," Jonathan greets her warmly.
"Hello," she says plainly. "Can I have my blue jell-o now, please, thank you?"
Jonathan looks at Charles with a puzzled expression.
"Ruth is a precognitive, she sees the future and apparently we give her blue jell-o in exchange for coming here."
"Or she simply likes blue jell-o," Jonathan suggests as an alternative.
"Yes. Anyway I shall leave her here in your care until this situation is dealt with. If you could arrange a room for her I would be most grateful," Charles says.
"Of course. That is no problem," Jonathan says...although he can't help but wonder about the bandages and what they are hiding.
During all this Tarot stands like a leaf buffeted by the wind. She had had so many revelations dumped on her today. She doesn't recall life at Ms Frost's being this insane. She wonders if this is normal for being an X-Man but, truly, the only thing she really was concerned about was her girlfriend, what Claire must be going through and a wish that somehow she could make it better.
"Claire?" Martha queries as she knocks on her daughter's door and enters the room. She finds the redhead sitting on her bed, her knees pulled up to her chest and rocking slightly back and forth.
Martha's heart breaks at the sight of her. She moves over to the bed and wraps her arms around Claire's head. There is no response. "It's alright. It's ok," she says in soothing tones.
"No," Claire whispers back. "No. It's not."
"I'm here," Martha says to her.
"Why?" Claire asks.
"Because I'm your mother."
"You should get away before you die too."
That response puzzles Martha. "What?"
"They die. They all die. The people I thought I were my parents. They died. People I knew growing up on the streets. Muggings, gunshots, overdoses. They died. The MRD..." she laughs mirthlessly at what she could say about what she did there.
Martha tightens her hold. There was so much Claire hadn't been willing to share yet and Martha wishes...god how she wishes she knew about Claire before she did. "I'm sorry."
"Why?"
"Because I'm your mother and I should have protected you," Martha iterates a feeling of failure she has.
"You should get far away."
"No," Martha says calmly but firmly. She won't let Claire push her away. That would be the worse thing she could do right here and now.
"Why did they all die?" Claire asks.
Martha strokes her daughter's long hair. "I don't know, sweetie. Sometimes bad things happen and we can't help it. It's not our fault. It's not yours. The only thing I can promise is that right here and right now I'm here with you and I am not going anywhere."
To survive on the streets growing up Claire had to harden her heart. Her skin may not be all that thick evidenced by her short temper but her heart...no-one gets in there...or they didn't until she ended up at this Institute with people who genuinely cared for her. Then there's Marie...
Claire's head leans into her mother and her arms rise up and wrap around the older woman's back. "You won't leave me will you?" she asks in a tiny voice.
"Never," Martha promises as she kisses Claire on her temple and continues to hold her close. There is a lot of work with Claire to help her but Martha is not one to shy from hard work. It'll take time but she'll work through everything with her daughter and never, ever will Martha give up on her.
Down the coast in the cave Clark opens up the safe they installed down here. The two stones were sitting on two separate shelves to keep them apart. On the bottom shelf was a silver case. Clark pulls it out and opens it up. Inside there were three spaces for the 3 stones, all designed to keep them apart until he could get them to the caves in Smallville.
Clark places the bloodied Crystal of Water, which he had never let go all the way home, into the case first.
"Clark. Vhat is coming?" Kurt asks, feeling real concern. You can't help but feel rather small and helpless when you think of what is about to strike the Earth.
Clark pauses momentarily in reaching for the Crystal of Air. "I don't know Kurt. It's more a feeling of something rather than consciously knowing what it is." He takes hold of the stone. "Jor-El warned me that human blood couldn't fall upon any of the stones. I failed to prevent that. Whatever is coming is the consequence of my failure," he takes the blame as he places the 2nd stone in the case.
"Clark, you did not stab Magneto," Kurt argues.
Clark sighs as he takes the Crystal of Fire into his hand. "I know you have all questioned my actions with the Hellfire Club but can you see now why I had to do it. This is why. Smallville is about to be, possibly, destroyed and thousands of lives are at risk. I did fail Kurt. If I hadn't we wouldn't be having this conservation."
Clark places the 3rd stone in the case and slams it shut. "I know you'll probably argue that too but lets save it for when so many lives are not in danger. Can you take me to my room, please? I need to get the key."
Kurt stows his arguments for another day, touches his hand to Clark's shoulder and teleports them away.
It is a very quick turnaround before the X-Men are back in the air and heading towards Smallville. Still they would mostly likely be only about 90 minutes left before the meteors hit. This was going to be dangerous but it had to be done.
Those who had taken knocks and those with the least experience had to be left behind. For example, Paige had not completed the training sessions that involved anything close to this situation so she couldn't come. The same was true for Tarot. Emma didn't teach using mutant powers to help humanity...no surprise there. Having untrained people along was a liability in a situation this critical.
Right now Clark, who, when in his room to retrieve the hexagonal key from his ship, had taken the opportunity to change back into a spare costume of red boots, blue pants, blue t-shirt and blue leather-esque jacket with red patches on the shoulder and upper part of the arm and with his family crest on the front, was on the phone to Chloe trying to get a lay of the land as to the situation in Smallville. Yes, she is still there. Not that Clark is surprised in anyway. Chloe Sullivan not risking her life to be at the centre of a story. That'll be the day.
"Yes Chlo I know it's crazy...Twice in 15 years...Yes I may have something to do with it. Thanks for adding to my guilt on the subject...no, no, I know you never meant to. Now are you and Lois packed and ready to go?...what do you mean Lois is panicking?...well just slap her until she stops...no i'm not panicking...what makes you think that?...Because I suggested you slap Lois? You serious?...Ok look it may have been a bit of an overreaction I'll admit...although lets face it Chlo your cousin is damn annoying..."
"Ahem," the Professor coughs to bring this to an end. "Clark. Can we focus, please?" he requests.
"Right. Sorry Professor," Clark apologises. "Chloe always gets me off subject...what do you mean no you don't? Yes, you do," Clark argues with Chloe over the phone.
Rogue rolls her eyes, leans over and slaps Clark across the back of the head. In his weakened current state he actually feels it.
"Thank you, Rogue," the Professor says.
"You're welcome," she says with a smile that shows she is proud of herself for that.
Clark glares at his girlfriend as he rubs the back of his head. And people wonder why they're having problems. He turns his attention to the matter at hand. Chloe had a relationship with the mutant group that lived on his family's old farm. They had essentially formed their own little community there. He asks her about what is happening with them.
Clark frowns as Chloe explains.
"What is it?" Scott asks, noticing the expression.
"They're refusing to leave," Clark reports.
"Why would they do that?" Jean asks, unable to understand. If a meteor shower was about to fall on her head she would leave.
Clark tells them what Chloe is telling him. "Because the local authorities have been trying to come up with excuses to move them for weeks. Technically they're squatting on land the bank owns. They fear if they leave they will never be allowed back on what is essentially the only home they have," he explains the reasons Chloe is giving him. "Most of the people there are there because their parents kicked them out after mutants were revealed...or a few of them are escapees from Belle Reve after Magneto broke them loose and are afraid they'll be locked back up. It doesn't help they have gotten themselves a leader who is, apparently, quite the orator. She's managed to organise them into quite a cohesive and ordered community."
Charles rubs his brow. He had been so concerned with his students and the wider mutant situation in relation to the government he hadn't given much attention to this known group of mutants living like this. Well they have his attention now. He'll talk to this leader. "What is his name?" he asks Clark to ask Chloe.
"Her name," Clark corrects as Chloe gives him the answer. "And it's...Lilandra. Lilandra Neramani."
Author's Note: Oh look. It's a potential love of the Professor's life. That'll be interesting won't it. At some point I know I really will have to show Claire dealing with what she did to those MRD guys but she is a stubborn girl(just like her mother!) so it may take awhile yet. The lack of Magneto's anger is my version of what happened to Lionel after Clark had been in his body. It's not that Magneto is suddenly going to renounce his ways or anything but just a little less anger and hate. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. Next up; fire rains from the sky upon Smallville.