Age of Apocalypse Revolver

Fourth Chamber

Written by Michael Edwards

Prelate Alex Summers watched the flatscans as they carried the materials needed to make the first forwarding base into Wakanda. Dead and dying laid around him. He sneered at their pathetic forms and used more of his cosmic might, sending plasma waves to incinerate them.

"Worthless monkeys," said Prelate Alex Summers. "No one resists Lord Apocalypse and lives!"

Prelate Scott Summers took no joy in killing the men and women defending their territory. The people of Africa were primitive at one point. But years ago, with Lord Apocalypse rising. Wakanda expanded its control over Africa to create a credible shield against the mutant highlord. The young girl at Prelate Scott Summers' feet begged for mercy and he looked around. There was no way he could spare her with his insane brother and Gideon around.

With a press of a stud on his visor, crimson death rained down. The deed done, Prelate Scott Summers clenched his right fist tightly. Angry at the needless loss. At being so powerless - he could not stand up to Lord Apocalypse much less his brother and Gideon. He could only do things that would leave large scars on his soul.

Gideon floated in the air. Looking at the humans. Since his resurrection at McCoy's hands - he held the template of Magneto and one other. Gideon's mind was devoid of the memories of his failure. Yet, his heart was drenched in hatred for Magneto. An all consuming hatred that temporarily caused him to lose his senses and slay some of the slaves.

Prelate Alex Summers looked at him in dismay and then anger.

"If you don't wish to join them, you will hurry this along, Prelate."

"...as you command," said Prelate Alex Summers

Traveling around without transportation became taxing for those who had to carry the team. Mitch had copied Forge's power and wasn't aware of it for a while. Until he fixed the nintendo system, the television and improved them. Thinking about the wasted energy used to transport the team, Mitch came up with the idea of creating some sort of aircraft to transport the team to locations without wasting energy.

It took three months to find the resources, smelt down the metals, and assemble the aircraft he called the sparrow. The prototype they flew in carried four easily and was solar powered. It used powerful fans and directional adjusters to make turns. The design allowed the sparrow to hover three hundred feet off the ground. Below radar range of the stolen American anti-air defense grid used by Apocalypse. High enough away from the ground to avoid the sights of the infinites blasters.

"This thing moves fast, mona mei," said Gambit. "How long till we arrive in Antarctica?"

"By tomorrow night," said Mitch. "This canopy surrounding us allows us to go at Mach 2 without worry of friction or windshear. Took me several weeks to develop."

"I hope Logan is okay," said Jean almost to herself.

"I…I'm sure he'll be alright, nothing can kill him."

Robert turned away from Jean. "I don't envy him."

"Why are you always so sour and cynical, Robert?" asked Jean.

"Because everyone is so serious all the time!" said Robert. "I-I can't stand this, not being able to have fun - to make jokes without being ridiculed or scolded…."

Mitch lowered his eyes, but kept his attention on the path ahead of them. Feeling sorry for Robert. Gambit played with his cards, his thoughts on Rogue. Her coldness lately had him worried. Something bothered her and despite his attempts to get her to forget her troubles, her heart just wasn't into their moments together.

Gideon had his own issues. He found that gnawing feeling in his mind growing. Hatred for the man known as Magneto. Prelate Alex Summers watched him closely. Clear distrust of the revived horseman. Prelate Scott Summers watched the slaves work hard putting up the foundation of the processing plant. Raw anti-metal vibranium lies in this area and Lord Apocalypse has plans for it.

The sentinels were made of plastics but the factories that made them were not. Prelate Scott Summers believed that Lord Apocalypse planned to somehow weaponize the anti-metal vibranium. If that was the case, the sentinels would no longer be a deterrent to the forces of Lord Apocalypse.

Being skilled in tactics from his upbringing and knowing how the X-Men operated. Prelate Scott Summers believed that the X-Men were likely on their way with intention to stop them. With his brother focused on Gideon, Prelate Scott Summers ordered some of the infinites they brought with them to be on the lookout for the X-Men.

Mitch landed the sparrow without too much trouble. Jean levatited up in the air.

"So how should we do this?" asked Jean.

"Jean, come with me; Gambit, you and Robert go and see what you can find from the ground."

"This will be one big scuffle if we run into Apocalypse's troops, Frosty. We best keep our heads down."

"Whatever Cajun," said Robert.

Robert rode his self made ice with Gambit tailing from behind. Jean and Mitch levitated further into the air where they could get a bird's eye view of Gideon's operation. Jean was still distracted. Mitch noticed this and broadcast his thoughts to her.

"Still worried about Logan?"

"Yes. Sabertooth is dangerous and there are so many of Apocalypse's forces he has to avoid to track him down."

"Everything will be fine, Jean. Logan is the best at what he does - you and I have seen him in bigger scraps than this and come out without scratch."

"Right now, we have an important mission to complete."

Gideon floated above the construction site. Energy radiating from him. When McCoy brought him back, he made him more lethal with modifications to his powers. He could feel the entire electromagnetic spectrum under his control. He also sensed the presence of two intruders.

Mitch flung himself with his telekinesis, turning to an armored form. A big mistake that he paid for when Gideon caught him with a magnetic field and slung him into the nearest iceberg.

Jean lashed out with telekinetic might, flinging large chunks of ice at him. Gideon's magnetic field repelled them. She tried attacking his mind, but Gideon copied her power and was fighting back. Mitch gathered his wits and used Katherine's power along with Jean's to get close to Gideon and stuck his head into Gideon's chest.

"Don't you know when to stay dead?!" shouted Mitch. "A monster like you should be in hell and that's where I'll send yo-"

A backlash of energies that Mitch had not expected created a powerful explosion of air that knocked him out of the sky along with Gideon and Jean. Gideon's head was missing as he floated in the freezing waters. Mitch came up for air using Quicksilver's speed. He saw Jean was unconscious and swam to her. Helping her onto some of the frozen land near the construction site. The healing factor copied from Wolverine took care of the chill and began to warm him up. He used the telekinesis he copied from Jean to dry her and warm her up.

She woke up coughing up water.

"Where's Gideon?" she asked after catching her breath.

"Dead, and hopefully for good."

"What happened?"

"I guess our power mimicry abilities clashed causing that explosion," said Mitch. "In any case, Gideon is down for the count."

"And you're next, X-Man!" said Havok.

The plasma wave hit Mitch full force, burning his skin off. The healing factor he had raced against the damage happening, with a scream escaping his lips. Jean used her telekinesis to knock Havok off balance. Allowing Mitch time to recover.

Gambit and Robert arrived at the construction site's center. Where they battled Prelate Scott Summers. His optic beams proved to be a hazard to contend with.

"Bobby, get the slaves out of here - I'll deal with our problem!"

Another crimson beam hit the boulder Gambit hid behind. He charged up two playing cards and looked at Prelate Scott Summers, standing on a hastily built platform. He tossed the playing cards at the frame holding it up. A powerful explosion followed. Prelate Scott Summers jumped, twisting his knee on landing. The ice was hard to balance on, harder to land on. Gambit didn't have such trouble with his prenatural agility.

"What's the matter, this battlefield is not to your liking?" taunted Gambit.

"Shut up, X-Man!"

Prelate Scott Summers moved with difficulty from his knee and the icy terrain. He hid behind a concentrated mound of ice. Gambit watched for movement before he made his way to cover that gave him a shot at Prelate Scott Summers.

To prevent Gambit from getting closer, Prelate Scott Summers fired of three crimson beams from his visor. Pushing Gambit back further under cover.

"You won't win, X-Man, cause I am not alone."

"Nor am I, mona mi!" said Gambit. "I imagine your friends are meeting mine."

Gambit pulled out the compact he swiped from Rogue and used its mirror to get his sights on Prelate Scott Summers. He charged up three cards this time. Instead of aiming at the huge mound of ice or Prelate Scott Summers. He flung them at the ground near the Prelate. When they exploded, the ice cracked under Prelate Scott Summers and dunked him into the cold ocean waters.

Gambit came out from cover and lit a cigarette. His head turned to the right when he heard a series of explosions. He went over to check on his teammates.

Mitch struggled with his injuries. The combination of an accelerated metabolism and regeneration was pushed to the limits. He couldn't armor up due to his injuries. So he used his super speed to avoid the plasma waves. Pushing his muscles to the very limits. Jean pushed herself up onto a mound of ice and used her telekinesis to rip massive amounts of ice out and launched them at Prelate Alex Summers.

Prelate Alex Summers melted them with a stronger plasma beam. It carried over toward Jean, she jumped out of the way. Aided by her telekinesis. Mitch finally closed in on Prelate Alex Summers. His claws extended, Mitch leaped at Prelate Alex Summers.

Gambit took assessment of the situation upon arriving and saw the mistake Mitch was making. Prelate Alex Summers had a plasma build up in his concealed right hand. Using a charged playing card, Gambit destroyed the ice structure Prelate Alex Summers was standing on, sending him into the cold water.

Mitch landed near Gambit thanks to the assist of his telekinesis.

"What was that about?!"

"You didn't think that our opponent had an ace up his sleeve, if Gambit didn't interfere, Mitch wouldn't be here to complain."

"I-" Mitch closed his eyes. His mind was inflamed by all the pain he was enduring. He sat down and let his healing powers repair the damage. Jean floated higher and used her telekinesis to tear down the structure that was built. It wasn't much but best to make sure they have nothing to resume their operations.

"There, now Apocalypse cannot mine any anti-metal for the time being."

"Where's Robert?" asked Jean.

"He took the slaves to safety wherever that might be," said Gambit.

"I took them to one of the resistance outposts," said Robert has body took shape from the cold mist. "Seems I can travel through water vapor."

"Since when?" asked Mitch. "You were never this powerful?"

"Doesn't matter, I can take us back home so we don't have to fly that wreck Mitch built."

"Hey-"

Robert turned everyone into water vapor and himself to make the long travel back to the ranch house in Mexico.