Chapter 11: Launching Plans
On Genosha Island, the Brotherhood of Mutants have been doing their own planning and making enough progress. The new fortress is nearly complete. But there are some things that appear to be missing. The members are overseeing each building stage.
Juggernaut and Sabretooth are lifting a bunch of heavy metal for defenses. They've been working very hard despite being at odds with each other. That was until something smacked Sabretooth in the back, causing him to stumble forward and accidentally slam a big piece of metal construction on Juggernaut's head.
The big brute turned around and faced Sabretooth and growled.
"I actually felt that! You think it's cool to swing at me while my back is turned?! Couldn't get enough of me could you?!" Juggernaut growled before sending a strong kick to Sabretooth's chest, sending him sliding across the ground at a very good distance. Sabretooth stands up and roars at the big brute before he hears laughing from a distance.
The two turn and see Toad with his tongue hanging out laughing at their expense. It appears that he was the cause of the minor convenience.
"So, you find me amusing?" Sabretooth mockingly asked.
"You're so easy to mess with, for some big dumb brutes." Toad continues laughing.
His laughter is interrupted when he sees a boulder coming right at him. He yelped as he uses his super jump to leap safely out of the way. After landing, he turns to taunt the Juggernaut.
"You missed me, tall, strong and dumb." Toad taunted. "You two are gullible and easy to stalk."
Toad continued to make fun…. Until he realized something. Sabretooth suddenly vanished out of thin air. Then within a second, Sabretooth pounced Toad to the ground and held one strong hand to his green throat, his claws ready to strike.
"What was that about being easy to stalk?" Sabretooth mocked. "I will bite your wretched throat out and use your tongue as a belt."
Sabretooth growls as his face closes in on Toad's, ready to kill. Juggernaut was too eager to watch Toad get ripped apart as a consequence of being too much of a nuisance.
Sabretooth is then knocked away by more metal and pinned to the ground by more metal. Magento comes flying down to break up the fighting.
"Enough from you three!" Magneto shouted. "And you, Toad. Your immaturity will one day cost you. But fortunately for you, I have an assignment for you and Mystique."
"Ooh. I hope it is a good one. I've been itching to stretch my legs. Literally." Toad smiles greatly.
"There will be no killing. Not yet. This is a capture and extract." Magneto corrected. "Can you handle it?"
"With pleasure." Toad hops off, leaving Magneto with Sabretooth and Juggernaut.
"Sabretooth. I must speak with you." Magento said.
"I hope you have what you promised." Sabretooth grows impatient.
"In time, my friend. Soon, he will come to you. But we need him alive." Magento tells him.
"I don't plan on killing him…. Yet. He owes me answers. And nobody shall be allowed to touch him but me." Sabretooth said. "And that includes you, Juggernaut."
"Please. Punk with claws is no challenge for me. They don't live up to expectations." Juggernaut scoffed.
"If he doesn't live up to expectations, then explain why I kicked your ass then." Sabretooth insults him. Juggernauts growls at him, realizing he just got roasted. But knowing that they have better things to do, he grunts and walks away almost like a child trying to not throw a tantrum.
In the fortress, it appears that the inside has been extended to look like an actual castle. There are rooms that look like prison cells, uniforms. But what is the metal for? To make sure no one escapes? Keep out intruders?
Rogue feels uneasy about the changes being made to the place around her. While she has lived in numerous places, she has not lived in a place like this. A castle that is being filled with prison cells days prior to her first mission. She shivers and tries not to think of it so much as she walks to meet up with Mystique, Magneto and Destiny.
"Ah. Dear Rogue. Glad to see you're feeling better. How are you feeling, child?" Magneto asked.
"I'm fine. I just needed to rest my eyes after the mission. Head's still a little fuzzed from what happened. But I am feeling better. I was fixing to go for a morning stretch." Rogue half-lied. She still feels a bid off. She still feels off by the memories she has absorbed and thinks about nonstop.
"Well you are just in time, daughter." Mystique said to her. "Magneto has asked that you train with both me and Destiny today to prepare you for your next assignment coming later this week."
"What's the plan?" Rogue asked.
"It's a surprise, dear. Come. Let me help relieve you of some stress." Destiny puts a hand on her shoulder as the two walk outside while Magneto goes to talk to Emma Frost.
Emma Frost is at the top of the fortress and it looks like a huge throne room where someone once ruled centuries ago. She appears to be working on something. It looks like some sort of electronic weapon used in the military. But what exactly?
"I see you have come along quite well in creating these weapons. While I am not one who is fond of these made by homo sapiens, they are creative in some ways." Magento comments on the weapons. He was never a fan of these weapons, given how he lived through these camps during WWII.
"They make things, but they can never improve in a way that I can. Besides, it was easy enough to learn." Emma said while holding up a blueprint of the weapon she is working on.
"And yet only one so far. Even with the materials I have gathered, it will not suffice." Magneto noted.
"We need more. And you said we need the most reliable metal on earth. But we have been unable to find any traces of it." Emma replied.
"Not to worry, dear Frost. We just have to do what Destiny has told us. We cannot make any changes or start early. Everything must be precise this time. And just a reminder that this was not the first time we came across the X-Men." Magento said.
"Sometimes I do question your respect for the professor. My powers can match his." Emma claimed.
"But you cannot overpower his telepathy with yours. And there are lines that I am not willing to cross. I am no poor soul who would come to the school looking for trouble." Magneto defends himself. "Besides, it is time to make our move. Toad and Mystique are already on their way. We will be having a special guest."
Emma looks at Magneto and sees the look in his eyes. And she did not even need her telepathy to read his mind. She gives an evil smile.
"I know who you mean. And I must say, you always make the most intriguing choices." Emma complimented. Magento smirked as he chuckled.
In a courtyard, Destiny trains Rogue how to fight. While Mystique fights offensively, Destiny focuses on defense. Here, she is avoiding all of Rogue's strikes using her precognition powers despite being blind.
"Stop going for the same attacks. Use the unorthodox." Destiny said. She continues to avoid Rogue's punches and flying kicks. Rogue lands and nearly trips upon doing so. "How often must I remind you? Maintain balance."
Rogue jumps and goes for a stomp kick, which Destiny dodges, but is then suddenly hit in the chest by a strong elbow strike and slides backwards. "Good. Now you're getting somewhere."
When Rogue jumps for a knee strike, Destiny grabs her leg and throws her into a wall, but with some restraint without trying to hurt her.
"And now you weren't." Destiny claimed before helping her up. "Your training is coming off well, but you still have much to learn."
"Well, I did kick mother's butt around a day ago. I'm ready for anything." Rogue said.
"Well, she did hold back some of her strength. It was training after all. Remember what we have taught you, young if you truly wish to be victorious, then you must use your full strength." Destiny advised her.
Rogue looks at her with slow understanding. Part of her feels like she shouldn't use her full strength given the actual super strength she has.
"I can throw cars with no effort. I can punch my way through solid concrete, bend metal and lift things for hours without breaking a sweat." Rogue said.
"That is true, but strength alone will not always help you prevail. But Juggernaut tends to think otherwise. But you cannot forget that. Absolute victory is survival." Destiny said. "Do you understand?"
"Yes, madam. Magneto said you wanted to talk to me about something coming up this weekend?" Rogue asked.
"Yes. And it's very important that you listen to every detail I am about to tell you." Destiny tells her.
In Washington D.C, eight police motorcycles and two limos are seen approaching a private jet at Air Force One. The President of the United States as well as his agent Henry Gyrich. As soon as they step out of their limos, a bunch of civilians wave to them as some flash their cameras and phones. All of them were blurring out questions, demanding answers, but the President couldn't understand them.
The President is trying his best to put on a big smile and waving to everyone, but couldn't help but shiver at the sight of signs protesting against mutants. Among these signs are "No Rights for Mutants", "Imprison them all!", "Support Robert Kelly!", and the worst one in his opinion, "Kill them all!".
And what is worse, many of these people are all demanding for Robert Kelly to make an appearance and move forward with the Mutant Registration Act. As they approach their private jet, the President quickly steps aside and talks to one of the agents.
"I want constant updates on Senator Kelly. Keep me, the vice president and speaker informed. Don't let him out of your sight. Have some FBI just in case." Mr. President ordered.
"Yes, sir." The agent acknowledged.
The two step inside the private jet as the civilians continue to protest against co-existing with mutants. But he also sees more people actually supporting mutant rights, believing that they could do good and cooperate with mankind. The agent closes the door on the jet and gives the pilot the go ahead.
The private jet takes off into the sky as it makes its way to the destination in New York. For the UN Summit where the President is hoping to make his stand against Robert Kelly. On their way, the President has a conversation with his friend.
"Senator Kelly loves to take his role seriously, without a care in the world." Henry Gyrich said.
"Damn right." The President scoffed. "I've known the guy before I started running the office. But him and these mutants. He wants to start something where there could be no coming back from. And it'll be bad enough regardless since the whole world will be watching us."
"And your personal opinion on his meeting with the mutant from weeks ago?" Gyrich asked.
"Mr. Hank McCoy. Seemed like a nice type of person. He doesn't share Kelly's opinion and I'd agree. The last thing we need are guns in schools. If it were up to me alone, Kelly would never get that chance. There is a reason why people like me exist." The President stated as he looks out the window as they are flying over water.
As he looks out the window, he suddenly hears a gun cock and he immediately turns his head to face Gyrich, holding a pistol.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" The President angrily demanded.
"People like you are the reason I was scared of going to school. And the reason why parents hate mutants as mine tried to kill me before disowning me." Gyrich spoke in a female voice. The president was confused on what he just witnessed. Then…. Gyrich changed shape. It was Mystique in disguise!
"If you're going to kill me, it won't change my point of view on mutants!" Mr. President stands in defiance.
"Oh, dear President. Who said anything about killing you? You're going to meet someone very special. One who will surely change your view and share ours." Mystique smiled evilly.
The President did not like the idea at all and he tries to rush out of his seat to get the pilot, only for Mystique to swing the muzzle of the gun on the back of his head, knocking him down and out cold. She puts him back in his seat as she approaches the pilot seat, sitting next to Toad in disguise as a pilot. He gallops like a horse as they head off to a different direction.
Note: Thought I'd give the Brotherhood more time to develop. Sorry if this was a short chapter. But I promise you action will come soon enough. I wanted to show that some humans are willing to accept mutants into society such as the president. I made his name up entirely, haha. Things will get interesting soon. Until next time.