CHAPTER SEVEN

Wolverine, Storm and Beast were in the mansion office with Angel and Jubilee. "The authorities have a fix on the Sentinels that Onslaught took control of,"Beast explained, gesturing to a map laid out on the desk. "They are centred around an abandoned military airfield here."

"So that's where Onslaught is?"Wolverine asked.

"It seems probable."

"And we're going to stop him?"Angel checked.

"That's the plan,"Wolverine confirmed.

"I can have X-Factor rendezvous with us nearby,"Beast decided.

"No,"Storm corrected. "This one's for the X-Men alone."

Beast looked at her uncertainly. "I'm not sure I can justify that."

"We're still not sure what we're facing with Onslaught,"Storm told him. "If we all go in and we all get wiped out, then there's no-one left to stop him. If you hang back, maybe you can succeed if we fail."

Beast nodded. "Very well. I'll tell Alex to hold position. I'll remain at the mansion and monitor your progress as much as possible."

"So…it's just the four of us?"Jubilee checked nervously.

"The six of us,"Rogue corrected as she and Bobby entered.

Logan went over to her and touched her arm gently. "You sure about this?"

"If my daughter's anywhere, she's with Onslaught. I'm going to get her back."

"We both are,"Bobby amended.

Wolverine looked back at Storm. "Looks like there's six of us."

Storm nodded. "Okay, let's move out."

As the group headed into the hallway, Warren looked round and saw Kitty standing at the other end of the corridor, looking at him with disapproval. Quickly, he turned away.

The X-Jet came in to land in the otherwise deserted airfield. The sextet of mutants descended the ramp, Wolverine in the lead. He gestured for the others to follow him towards the complex buildings. "Let's see if we can take him by surprise."

A slash of Wolverine's claws took care of the lock to the nearest building. Rogue, who had been making ready to knock the door off its hinges, looked slightly disappointed and he gave her an apologetic look. They entered and Jubilee held up a hand for silence. "I can hear someone."

The others turned towards the source of the noise. "It's in here,"Iceman noted. He tried the door in question, found it locked and froze the lock before shattering it.

Storm led the way in. They found a man of Indian descent lying unconscious inside. She shook him gently and he woke with a start. "It's all right,"she told him soothingly.

"Who are you?"he demanded.

"We're mutants. X-Men."

"Me too. Mutant, that is. The Sentinels get you too?"

The others exchanged a look. "We came here looking for someone that controls Sentinels,"Rogue explained.

The man shrugged. "I haven't seen anyone else, but then I don't even remember being brought here. I must have been knocked out."

"You got a name?"Wolverine asked.

"Shaara. Neal Shaara."

"Neal, we'll get you out of here if we can."Storm told him. "But we need to find the person behind all this first."

Neal shook his head. "That's suicide."

"Maybe. But the person I love most in the world is with him,"Bobby replied.

"The person I love most in the world was just killed by Sentinels,"Neal retorted.

There was an uncomfortable silence. "Do you want to stay here, or go to our jet?"Storm asked him.

Neal seemed undecided, then nodded. "I'll go with you."

The group exited the former cell and headed further down the corridor. They entered a large meeting room. And there, at the end, was Onslaught. "Welcome, my X-Men,"he noted.

"We're not yours,"Storm corrected.

"Who are you?"Warren asked.

"I am many people,"Onslaught replied. "Joined together in one."

"Professor Xavier?"Rogue asked. "Magneto?" She hesitated before adding,"Harmony?"

"I am more than the sum of my parts. I came from Magneto. A telepathic trace left behind when he died. A link with Charles Xavier. Two men joined together in me. Two men who saw the damage done to mutants by unthinking hatred. Two men who sought in their own way to end it. Now I shall end it. I shall end humanity and join mutantkind together in me. I am Onslaught."

"Nice speech,"Wolverine replied. "But you ever hear the story of Little Red Riding Hood?"

There was a bemused silence among his allies. "Red Riding Hood?"Jubilee repeated.

"The huntsman cuts the wolf's stomach open and lets out those he ate,"Storm realised.

"Yep,"Wolverine agreed. "Let's see if it works." He leapt towards Onslaught, claws extended, but Onslaught stopped him in mid-air with a gesture and flung him into a wall.

The rest of the group took up an offensive posture. Storm, Rogue and Angel all took off into the air. Storm sent a gust of wind at Onslaught that knocked him back. He responded with a look that sent all three of them smashing back into a bulkhead. Neal fired a stream of super-heated plasma that hit Onslaught in the chest, hurling him away.

"Nice trick,"Jubilee noted appreciatively.

"Thank you,"Neal replied simply, his voice devoid of emotion. Then he heard heavy footfalls behind them. "Sentinels."

Next moment, the corridor behind them was ripped apart. The Sentinels had been hiding in a hangar. Now they were tearing through the building to find their mutant prey. The X-Men turned to face them. Wolverine glanced back and saw Onslaught exuding triumph. "Storm, we've got to pull out."

Storm nodded. "Neal, hit them." Neal fired off multiple streams of plasma at the trio of Sentinels looking over them. "Bobby, freeze it." Bobby complied. The sudden mix of hot and cold was enough to confuse the Sentinels. The X-Men ran or flew past them, heading to the jet. The group headed up the ramp and Storm took the controls, bringing them skywards.

"Let them go,"Onslaught instructed. "I have other plans for them."