Disclaimer: I do not own X-Men: Evolution. Anything you recognise comes from the show.

Chapter Twenty Six – The End of the World I

October 1998: Day One

Egypt

For obvious reasons, the team at the Egyptian pyramid had one of the hardest jobs and, before the fight could begin, Jean flew up to where Xavier was sitting and tried to reason with him telepathically.

Professor, listen to me! Apocalypse has somehow taken control of your mind. He's making you go against everything you believe in; everything you've devoted your life to! You will be destroying millions of lives!

Xavier turned to face her, but his only response was to send a psychic bolt at her that knocked her out of the sky.

She managed to form a telekinetic blanket that caught her just in time, setting her down on her feet. "Spread out!" She called to the others.

As the other three scattered, Magma caught Jean's nod and powered up, slamming her fists into the ground to form a crevice that sent several jets of lava to shoot up from the earth, one directly under the Sentinel head Xavier was perched on, but he flew into the air to avoid it.

Scowling, Boom-Boom formed a bomb larger than anything she'd every created and handed it to Colossus. "Here, Tin-Grin; shot-put this wrecking ball up to that guy."

The projectile hit its mark, but had very little effect.

China

Like Jean, Spyke was also trying to reason with their adversary, even as she sent bolts of lightning down at them. "Auntie O, please just let us help you!"

His aunt, of course, completely ignored his pleas and created a storm of hailstones as big as boulders that rained down on them, forcing Beast to tackle Spyke out of the way as Iceman created a shield above them, protecting them from the tumbling projectiles, even if temporarily.

Berserker stayed outside, sending streams of lightning up at their possessed teacher. It was a direct hit, but didn't seem to do anything, because she retaliated immediately, forcing him to dodge before sending up another jolt.

This time, it met hers in mid-air, crackling with energy amidst the rain and hail-stones, and Ray was forced to break contact and dive under the ice shield.

"Don't hurt her!" Evan called to the others. "She's a victim in this, just like we are!"

Bobby flinched as the shield began to crack under the storm above them. "Anyone wanna try telling her that?"

Mexico

Somewhat unbelievably, Wanda was attempting an initial peace negotiation. "Father, come on; you don't want to do this!"

Magneto didn't react, except to lift the hands of the fallen Sentinels and slam them down towards his daughter.

Anticipating this, Kitty dived forwards, grabbing Wanda's arm and phasing them both through the debris.

"Wanda, that's not your father." Kitty reminded her, wasting no time in wondering why she cared in the first place, given what he did to her. "At least, not anymore."

Sentinel parts rose from the ground and reformed in mid-air to create a kind of Zombie-Sentinel under Magneto's control that loomed above them threateningly.

Every single strategy Kitty had considered was mentally torn up and thrown in the trash as the team backed away hastily, minds racing.

New York

To say that Jubilee was scared would be an understatement.

Her state of mind wasn't helped by the fact that the mansion was silent, empty of the life and laughter that made it such a great place to live.

The only sound was the soft hum of the security measures and the occasional ring of the telephone. Jubilee was half-tempted to change the answering machine message to 'No comment', but she knew that there was a chance that parents would be trying to get hold of their children as soon as the news broke.

Thankfully, all her team-mates had left the numbers for friends and loved ones and Caller ID was coming in very useful, but she really didn't want to take these calls either.

But she had to and it was Amanda's number that now blinked up at her; Jubilee's hand hovered over the phone for a few seconds before answering. "Xavier Institute for Gifted Youngsters; Jubilee speaking."

Her response was uniform and professional, not to mention unnecessary, but she knew that Kurt hadn't told his girlfriend what was going on the night before when he managed to see her.

"Hey, it's Amanda. I just saw the news; can I talk to Kurt please?"

Jubilee sighed. "I'm afraid Kurt's in Egypt, Amanda."

"Oh God … I thought he was acting strange last night! They're gonna be okay, right?"

"I … I don't know." Jubilee admitted, her voice breaking slightly. "I'm sorry. You're welcome to wait it out here with me." She made the offer without thinking about it, before suddenly realising that the other girl would probably be within the 97% of humanity who was killed.

"My parents would never let me get away with that." Amanda responded shakily, much to her relief. "Can you ask Kurt to call me when he gets back?"

"Of course." Jubilee whispered, hanging up before the other girl heard her cry.

Unfortunately, that was the easiest call to take; minutes later, the extent of the media coverage was made apparent and calls from parents were flooding in, demanding to know the risk to their children and why they hadn't been told.

Luckily, Jubilee had been prepped in this answer too and told them all the same thing. "It was left to your children to notify you; they made an informed decision to use their gifts in an attempt to stop this madman before he kills you all." Then, with a weary sigh, "Look sir/ma'am, I'm just the messenger, I wish I was out there myself; this is killing me."

After the last call, she decided to switch the TV on to see what had prompted the flood of call and what she saw stunned her.

For the first time, news stations the world over were working together to deliver a story. They had somehow managed to get reporters and cameramen to the four pyramids (although those at the Sphinx had the sense to stay outside) and the only thing on TV, no matter what channel, was live coverage of the battle. Anything for a story, I suppose. Do they not know what danger they're in?!

Reluctantly, Jubilee decided to leave it on, knowing that she'd never work up the courage to turn it back on if she turned it off.

Desperate to but unable to tear her eyes from the screen, Jubilee eventually slipped into a fitful sleep on the couch, plagued by the images of her loved ones dying in horrible and painful ways.

Finally, thankfully, she was pulled from those images and opened her eyes to see that the battles had been raging through the night and it was now morning.

She was more exhausted now than she had been when she fell asleep.

It was a few minutes before she realised what had woken her, but as she shook off the veil of sleep, she heard it; a soft sound unrelated to the TV or the ringing in her ears left over from her restless slumber.

Locating the source of the buzzing, Jubilee stifled a yawn, reached out and pressed the intercom button, running a hand through her hair in an attempt to tame it. "Xavier Institute for Gifted Youngsters; how can I help?"

"Jubes, it's me."

The sound was awful and it had been over a year, but Jubilee recognised her former room-mate's voice immediately. "Come in." Abandoning her hair, she raced out the front door and down the drive. Half-way to the main gates, she skidded to a halt, intercepting the loping wolf that leapt up to meet her.

A second later, the wolf shifted into a girl and Rahne hugged her tightly. "I just heard on the way here!"

Jubilee returned the embrace just as tightly, not responding to her unasked question; her eyes were fixed on the group of people approaching the gates.

Picking up their scents on the wind, Rahne released her and turned to face them as well, looking a little confused.

It was a strange group; two men, one leading a little girl by the hand, with a blonde woman following them, looking a little apprehensive.

But it was the men Jubilee focused on. "Well, well, well. Aren't you two a sight for sore eyes?"

Remy grinned at her. "Miss us?"

October 1998: Day Two

Sphinx

In the depths of the ancient statue, Wolverine and Cyclops crept down a dark staircase, followed by Nightcrawler, who leapt from wall to wall, making good use of his mutation.

At the bottom, Wolverine signalled to the others to wait, leaping into the next room, claws at the ready, but, still, no attack came.

The absence of Mystique was, for once, bringing concern as opposed to relief.

"Can you sense her?" Scott whispered.

"No." Logan admitted. "I had trouble after her first 'evolution'. Apocalypse has amplified her powers; she could be standing right next to us and I wouldn't know."

The whole pyramid shuddered ominously and Kurt peered down at a rippling puddle of water at his feet. "Whoa. Feel that? Something big just powered up in this place."

Before his companions could respond or speculate, the puddle reared up, shifting into Mystique, who grabbed Kurt's arm and hurled him into Wolverine, sending them both crashing back into a pillar, which collapsed as Scott sent an optic blast straight through her.

To their horror, the hole reformed and she transformed into a flock of bats, which swooped down upon them.

Kurt teleported out of the way as Wolverine struck out aimlessly with his claws.

"Get down!" Scott warned, reaching for his visor.

Logan dropped to the floor, pulling Kurt down with him as he reappeared. Scott sent a continuous blast around the room, desperately trying to hit the scattering rodents.

In the control room, deep within the centre of the pyramid, Apocalypse let nothing deter him, not even the distant rumbling of Scott's attempts to stop Mystique.

He waved his arm across a panel, making it light up to show holographic images of the other three pyramids. One by one, the very tops began glowing.

New York

Jubilee shrugged, giving him a hug. "It was very … quiet without you."

"That didn't answer the question, short-stuff." John pointed out, leaning down to hug her too.

"Don't call me that." Jubilee chided. "And I know." She knelt down to address the child now clinging to John's pant leg. "Hi. You must be Illyana, right?"

The little girl nodded shyly.

"It's okay." Jubilee soothed, opening her arms to her. The child tentatively toddled into them and she straightened up, balancing the girl on her hip. "Better. So is this a coincidence or did you two plan this?"

"Coincidence." Remy gestured to the woman behind him. "This is Belladonna Boudreaux."

"Right. Hi." Jubilee shook her hand, remembering Rogue's explanation for where Remy had gone. "Everything sorted then?"

"Oui. Where is everyone?" Remy asked with a frown.

Jubilee bit her lip glancing at Rahne. "You know?"

"Like I said, I heard about it at the airport." Rahne nodded. "What exactly is going on?"

Jubilee sighed. "We need hot cocoa. Come on." She turned and led the way back up to the house, her worry returning as fast as it had vanished.

Belladonna hurried to catch up with her. "I'm not mutant." She told her in an undertone. "But I don't exactly … is there any chance of a room?"

"We've got plenty of rooms." Jubilee smiled weakly. "I'm the only one here and Professor Xavier is currently possessed and working for a psychopathic madman who's trying to wipe humanity from the face of the earth. So by the temporary power invested in me by Wolverine, I say you can stay here. At least until they get back." Or Apocalypse kills you. She added silently. "I don't suppose you have any medical training, do you?"

"Yeah, I trained as a doctor." Belladonna nodded. "I never graduated med school, but it's enough. Why?"

"Because we're gonna need one." Jubilee stated grimly. I hope.

"Wait, wait." Remy jogged up to them. "Xavier's what?!"

"Possessed." Jubilee repeated. "It's a long story …" She shifted Illyana so she was looking over her shoulder rather than in the direction of the TV when they reached the living room and explained the four horsemen and the formation of the teams.

"They're gonna be okay, right?" John whispered, staring at the screen, which was currently showing the team in Egypt.

A psychic blast knocked Amara back off her feet and he sucked in a breath, as Rahne patted his arm comfortingly.

"Jean looks different." She commented. "She's … Bloody hell, is she pregnant?!"

Jubilee nodded. "Seven months. Insisted on going out there."

"Idiot." Rahne muttered under her breath.

"And watch you language around the children." Jubilee added, taking Illyana into the kitchen to make them something to drink. "Do you like hot cocoa, Illyana?"

The little girl nodded again.

Pulling a saucepan from the cupboard – she knew there were some instant packets somewhere, but they needed the real stuff right now – Jubilee set about making it, observing the child out of the corner of her eye.

If she hadn't known, she would never have guessed that the large and bulky Colossus was related to this girl, tiny even for four. But she supposed that the results of his mutation and her illness were accountable for that.

She sat perfectly still on the chair Jubilee sat her in, pale blue eyes watching her every move.

"Aren't you curious to know why I'm back?" Rahne asked, wandering in after them.

"I assumed it had something to do with Apocalypse, but apparently not." Jubilee didn't turn to face her, concentrating on what she was doing.

"My Aunt Moira talked my parents into it." Rahne explained. "Said that I obviously missed you all and then spouted off something about my mutation making my brain more like a wolf's than a human's so you were my 'pack' as well as my friends." She smiled. "I didn't know she knew so much."

"Wait." Jubilee narrowed her eyes, remembering a late-night conversation with Professor Xavier when she'd gone down for a glass of water and found him gazing pensively into the fire. "Professor Xavier said … if anything happened to him to contact an old colleague of his … Moira McTaggart. It's not a very common name; I don't suppose …"

"That's her!" Rahne looked stunned. "She never told me she was mutant."

"I don't think she is." Jubilee told her. "I think they just worked together on biochemistry."

Remy chose that moment to join them, looking worried. "Did something happen t' Anna?"

Now Jubilee turned. "Do we have an Anna?"

"Rogue." Remy collapsed. "She's not there."

"Ah." Jubilee pulled a face. "Well, I'm not entirely sure of the plan, but she's our last line of defence. Probably for the best in her condition."

"She's pregnant too?!" Rahne shook her head. "How much did I miss? When did you get back anyway?"

"A year ago." Jubilee answered. "Bobby …"

"Whoa, whoa." Remy stopped them. "She's pregnant? When …?"

"Next week." Jubilee smiled sadly at the fear that replaced the worry in his eyes. "Don't worry. There's a good chance she won't even be needed and will sit the whole thing out."

"And if she doesn't?" Remy questioned.

Jubilee swallowed the tears that threatened her. "Then you'd better start praying. We need a miracle."

Mexico

Just as Apocalypse had commanded, the top of the pyramid began glowing. This went unnoticed by the team on the ground, however, as the claw of one of the Sentinels shot towards Wanda.

Its path was interrupted by Roberto, who, glowing with solar energy, leapt between them catching it and hurling it back at Magneto who dodged it easily.

"Wanda, you're going to have to forget he's your father!" Kitty called to her, wondering what happened to the girl who had only death in her heart when dealing with him. "Or we're going to lose this, and we can't …" Her warning was cut short prematurely, when a piece of debris flew into her, knocking her unconscious.

With a glare at her father, Wanda lifted her hands and sent a hex bolt towards him, disabling his powers and causing the Zombie-Sentinel to collapse back into scrap metal.

"Couldn't you have done that earlier?" Alex muttered, with no real anger.

Wincing at the pain in her head, Kitty came around and looked up just in time to see the glowing part of the pyramid detach itself from the rest and take off into space. "Oh no … what's happening?"

China

"What's going on?" Evan demanded, unknowingly echoing his former team-mate as they watched theirs head into orbit as well.

"My guess is he has to have the pyramids in a higher atmosphere in order to affect the entire planet." Hank answered grimly.

Egypt

Jean lifted herself up off the ground, a hand automatically moving protectively to her stomach, as she stared upwards. "No … NO!" She backed up to rejoin the rest of her team. "We're too late!"

New York

"That's it, isn't it?" John asked numbly, staring at the TV.

At his curse and Belladonna's gasp of horror, the others had run back into the living room to see the new development.

"They've lost." Rahne whispered.

Jubilee closed her eyes, a tear escaping them. For a moment, she had let herself believe that …

A crackle broke the tense silence. "SHIELD to Institute. Do you read? Over."

Grabbing the radio on the coffee table, Jubilee switched it on. "Loud and clear. Over."

"Do not lose hope." The voice stated clearly. "Our last three Sentinels are pursuing the pyramids. Over."

"Got it. Over and out." Jubilee hung up. "Well, it looks like it's not over until the fat lady sings."

"I never understood that saying." John pulled a face.

"I think it's something to do with opera." Jubilee stared at the phone. "If that's a reporter, I might just strangle them."

"I don't recognise the number." Remy told her. "Should I answer anyway?"

"Knock yourself out." Jubilee sighed. "Just remember – no comment."

Remy smiled weakly and picked up the receiver. "Xavier Institute for Gifted Youngsters; Gambit speaking. Just a second, ma'am." He covered it. "I think you'd better take this one, petite."

Jubilee rolled her eyes and took the phone. "Jubilee speaking."

"Are you the principal?" A female voice asked sceptically.

"No, ma'am; I'm the most senior team member available." Jubilee answered. "How can I help?"

"My name is Marion Roberts; I'm the manager of Forestgate Children's Home in Connecticut. I'd like to talk to you about taking a new student."

"Just a second, ma'am." Jubilee gestured for a pen and paper. "What's her name?"

"Lorna Dane. She's eighteen years old."

"Okay." Jubilee jotted the information down. "How long has she been displaying these gifts and what are they?"

"Well, I'm not sure how to describe them." Ms. Roberts admitted. "She's had them for as long as I can remember. Every single one of her foster parents has reported things from bent silverware to computers and televisions not working."

"Hmm." Jubilee tapped her pen against the table-leg thoughtfully. "Magnetic fields. Interesting." She showed the dates to Remy and John.

"Professor must have assumed it was Magsy." John commented quietly.

Jubilee nodded to let him know that was her thought as well. "Okay, well, the rest of the team are … indisposed, so we'll fly out and talk to her; see what she thinks about attending."

Even if it just gets her somewhere safe for the fall-out.

"We'll be there tomorrow." Jubilee told her, willing the dark thoughts to stay away. "If not sooner. Goodbye, ma'am."

"Thank you. Goodbye."

There was a click and a dialling tone and Jubilee replaced the handset.

"Well, that was enlightening." Rahne remarked. "Think she's related to Magneto?"

"Doubtful." Jubilee frowned at the information in front of her. "But it's possible, I suppose. Eighteen … I'm surprised she's still there."

"You don't get kicked out of children's homes until you're nineteen." John told her. "She's got time.

Jubilee nodded vaguely. "Should we take the Blackbird?"

"I don't know." Rahne looked concerned. "All it would take is for her to freak out and we'd be stranded there; that's the last thing we need."

"You're right." Jubilee decided. "We'll take the Velocity. It's only a bit harder to fly. You two … three …" she amended, glancing at Belladonna "… stay here with Illyana; we'll go and prep the jet."

"Hang on." Remy called, stopping them. "If both jets are here, how did Xavier and Stormy get t' Egypt in the first place?"

"They took the X-277 Blackbird." Jubilee explained. "The old one. This one is the X-278; twice as fast and with five times the fire-power."

"Oh." Remy nodded. "As you were then."

Jubilee rolled her eyes. "Just try not to blow the house up while we're gone."

"Jubilee." John put a hand on his heart, looking wounded. "I'm hurt. It's us."

"Good point." Jubilee turned to Belladonna. "Don't take your eyes off them."

China

As Storm flew down in front of the pyramid, she was hit by one of Iceman's beams, which encased her in ice, causing her to fall to the ground.

While Evan ran over to check on her, Beast and Bobby approached the pyramid to get a closer look.

A constant beam of light shot upwards from the top, presumably to where the remainder of the structure hung suspended in space.

Now convinced, Hank turned on his communicator. "Listen, it's not over! Those pyramids in the sky are probably orbital relays; just destroy the base units that power them!"

"Understood."

"Got it."

Leaving his aunt's side, Evan sprinted over and flung flaming spikes at the pyramid. At that moment, however, their bought time ran out; Storm broke free from her prison with a bolt of lightning and flew into the air accompanied by a fierce wind and even more lightning that shot from her mouth and eyes as well as her hands.

Mexico

Still charged up, Sunspot sprinted towards the Zombie-Sentinel and leapt through it, taking a piece with him, which he hurled back at it.

This time, Magneto caught it in mid-air and sent it back down to earth; it hit Roberto and he fell to the ground, his solar power disappearing as he was knocked out.

Wanda began throwing hex bolts up at her father, careful to avoid Angel, who was flying around him, both trying to distract him from what was happening behind him.

Kitty phased out of the ground, pulling Alex with her. "Now!"

Turning, Alex blasted the pyramid with his solar rays. Even as the beam weakened, he felt drained, but it wasn't that which caused him to break contact.

It was the scream.

He spun around and swore loudly, seeing that the arm of one of the other Sentinels had been flung towards them, catching Shadowcat off guard. She lay trapped under it, out cold, a small pool of blood seeping out from beneath it.

AN: Review please!