Force Works: The New Generation

by Dan Ingram

Force Works finds themselves in the cross-hairs as an old enemy returns, a traitor lies in their midst and a ruthless foe is revealed!

18. Enter Reverend Days!

M2K Presents
Force Works Giant Size
Crusades and Crusaders

"When I was young I used to pray for a bike. Then I realized that God doesn't work that way, so I stole a bike and prayed for forgiveness." - Dan Gadino.

Utah, Deep in rarely traveled mountains

Peter Archer, former marine inducted into the Church of Humanity after a stint in Korea, sat in his gem-encrusted throne uneasily. It had been several months since his faction of the Church of Humanity broke away from the infamous Reverend Stryker and his weak stance on the mutant scum that plagued this planet. Stryker, Clay reasoned, was simply merciful to the mutant demons that plagued this world. And so Clay broke away with other likeminded individuals and formed his own Church of Humanity faction, and in the fashion of many a breakaway factions in history, added 'real' to their designation.

And God had smiled upon them. They'd discovered an abandoned A.I.M base stocked with powerful weapons to assist their crusade. Their remote location naturally discouraged the possibility of being stumbled across, and they hadn't let their hubris overcome their common sense. Oh, they'd captured a great many mutants, but it'd been done discreetly. No overt attacks on known mutant groups, no open declarations of war, rather ambushes when the scum least expected it. Perhaps when returning home from a friend's home, or from the grocery store. His clergymen were armed with bleeding edge technology and personally taught combat techniques by Archer himself. To date, no mutant targeted escaped their righteous grasp.

But today, the self-declared Supreme Pontiff of the Real Church of Humanity felt uneasy, like someone had walked over his grave. He'd increased patrols, and decided that after today's sermon to his faithful to visit Dis, the prison sitting below his church and ensure that the mutant wrenches who dared to soil God's green earth were suffering properly.

Outside the ebony church, specially armored clergy men wielding cloaking devises, patrolled the wooded grounds in pairs of two. Radio silence was a standing order, as it would negate the usefulness of the cloaking devises they wore. The men patrolled in pairs of two for a set amount of time, wearing special devises that allowed them to see their partner. Thus, as the exact technology escaped the grasp of the many dim witted church members, no guard thought it was odd when they failed to come across certain others who were also on patrol. And that would prove to be their undoing. Slowly, the guards' numbers began to dwindle, from twelve to two in under three hours. Finally, the one of the two remaining guards broke radio silence and conferred with his partner on the edge of the forestry that surrounded their base and place of worship.

"Look, Martin something's wrong here. Where the hell are the others?" The first one asked.

"Invisible, duh Jack!" Martin replied

"But we can see them, remember?" Jack retorted.

"Oh yeah. Maybe they're playing a joke on us?" Martin proposed. Neither man noticed a slight rustle in the trees above

"Hell of a joke, man. I think we ought to tell the boss. Something's up."

Again, neither man noticed another rustle in the trees above, for it was preceded by the cold wind of the mountains.

"Oh, come on! The others are wearing hi tech body armors with cloaking devises. Who in God's name could possible get the drop on ten invisible and heavily armed men?"

As if in answer to Martin's question, a man in a jet black body suit, with pouches around his waste and a cross sown above his left eye, descended down from on high and landed in a crouch on Jack's shoulders. The man then slipped a pre wrapped cord of barbed wire around Jack's throat and then stood up, balanced on Jack's shoulder while he pulled the cord tightly in one hand, severing the vital, life giving arteries in Jack's throat. The man in black then reached around for the crossbow secured to his back and brought it forth in one fluid motion, and with practiced ease, fired the notched arrow into Martin's neck, one of the few vulnerable areas of his suit. With a wet gurgle, Martin slumped to one knee and then fell face first into the virgin snow, his blood staining the land.

"Thou shalt not take the lord's name in vain." He hissed before activating his wrist radio, "This is Confessor, all external defenses have been disabled."

"God's graces are with us. The Elect will be there in moments, Confessor."

***

The members of The Real Church of Humanity first realized something was wrong when the morning patrol hadn't returned. A new recruit opened the massive steel doors to the church, and took a brave step outside. There was a swift gust of wind, and the parishioners gasped as the man returned inside.

Or rather, his head rolled inside while his body fell forward.

"Mutants! Barricade the door!" Archer yelled. The ebony doors of the church slammed close and the pews of the church folded into the floor, allowing the church members to form a defensive line in front of the main entrance. A few Church members spared a moment to wonder who was attack them now. The Exiles, Force Works, X-Corp, who? The suspects, naturally, were many.

"Archer!!" A voice boomed like the wrath of the almighty himself, shattering the holographic projectors around the church that mimicked stained glass windows. Glass rained down upon the Church members who themselves were driven to their knees in agony, their skulls feeling as though they were moments away from bursting. The reinforced doors of the church groaned loudly before flinging themselves open to reveal four figures.

The first was dressed in an all back body suit with a cross sown above his left eye, and was armed with two pistols. Another was draped in the chain mail and clothe of a medieval knight armed with an ancient but still powerful sword. The third was a blue skinned female clothed in white and possessing the wings of an angel and armed with a flaming sword. The three were formed a protective circle around the fourth, who wore the plain black clothing of a Reverend. Physically, though, the Reverend hardly looked like he needed protection, standing six feet tall, flaming red hair that touched his shoulders and a manner of assured power.

The Reverend looked over The Real Church of Humanity disapprovingly, pointed at Archer with an accusing finger and proclaimed, "Then the Lord said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: ah sent them not, neither have ah commanded them, neither spoke unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of naught, and the deceit of their heart.' Jeremiah 14:14. Ah am Reverend Norman Oswald Days, an' ah declare you a false prophets who preys on God's children, Archer. Prepare yourself fo' his judgment."

"Church of Humanity! Wipe these mutant loving scum off the face of the earth!" Archer ordered from his podium.

"You are a fine one to speak of scum!" The mighty Crusader spat as he rushed forward with his sword and cleaved a church member in two.

"God's will be done today, not yours!" Rapture hissed as she used her flaming sword to cut down members of the Church of Humanity with vigor. Confessor, for his part said nothing. He was a trained assassin who believed in action first and foremost.

While his Elect cut a bloody swath thru the members of the Church of Humanity, Reverend Days stood apart from it all, his arms crossed in front of his chest disapprovingly. He did not relish the necessity of the slaughter, but at the same time he knew there were some transgressions that did indeed mandate the ultimate punishment.

"Elect, dat's enough." He said finally. His followers snapped to attention, while Days kept their foes from taking advantage of the Elect's distraction, "These monsters have prisoners in the lower levels o' this Gomorra. Free them, ah will deal wit' Archer and his remaining followers personally."

"Understood Reverend." Crusader nodded in acknowledgement. The Elect rushed towards where they'd see church members entering the room. Within moments, Reverend Days was alone with over thirty armed members of the Church of Humanity. Reverend Days looked about curiously, searching for Archer. He'd last seen him at the podium, but seemed to have slipped away in the commotion. Lost in contemplation, Days neglected his hold on the other Church members.

"We're free!" One member observed.

"It's God's will!"

"Then let the demon have it!" Another clergyman ordered. The every man leveled their weapons, primed on their most powerful setting and fired. The ricochets cut their numbers in half in seconds.

"Blind faith is the crutch o' a weak fool." Revered Days warned, his clothes smoking, yet completely unharmed.

"You'll regret sending away your underlings." An electronic voice warned. Reverend Days looked towards the podium, where he'd heard the voice come from.

"Is that so, sonny?"

Three mandroid armors burst forward, shaking the bedrock foundations of the Church. They stomped towards Reverend Days like mighty titans. Days calmly stood his ground, allowing them forward. From his mandroid cockpit, Archer loomed over Days, a grin plastered on his face as he observed Days thru his monitor.

"These mandroids were built to battle the likes of the Avengers, it's impossible for you to win." Archer boasted.

"Ah think not, for ya see, 'For wit' God, nothing shall be impossible. Luke 1:37.'" Reverend Days said boldly, "Or ta put it another way, bring it on."

Archer signaled for the two mandroid robots at his side to activate their plasma cannons, and bathed the still Reverend Days in crimson waves of radioactive death. They ceased their onslaught for a moment, convinced their prey was dead. Naturally, Archer was stunned when the smoke cleared and revealed Reverend Days, none the worse for wear.

"Archer, if yer finished and ya are finished, Ah'd like ta have words with ya." Reverend Days pointed his hand at the first mandroid, and the robot found itself bombarded with the self same energy it'd used it it's attempted murder of the Reverend. The mandroid exploded in a flurry of shrapnel. Days looked towards the second mandroid, and commanded the molecules of the mandroid to release one another. All it took then was a single breath to send the second mandroid's molecules blowing like dust in the wind. And finally Reverend Days turned his attention towards Archer, now so very alone.

"As for God, his way is perfect; the word o' the Lord is tried: he is a buckler ta all them that trust in him.' Samuel 22:31." Reverend Days explained, "Ah do the work o' the Lord. No machine can strike me down."

Days' arms elongated outward and gripped Archer's armor. Powerful fingers embedded themselves in Archer's golden armor and with a shrug, Days split the armor perfectly in twain around the self-declared Pontiff. Days then grabbed Archer in midair with the power of his mind, and smiled as he floated Archer towards him. Archer, for his part, remained defiant.

"You may have stopped me, but others will carry on my crusade, devil spawn! God's hate is upon you!" Archer spat. Reverend Days brought Archer to eye level, and gripped him firmly about the neck.

"For we will destroy this place because the cry of them is waxed great before Jehovah and Jehovah hath sent us to destroy it. Genesis 19:13." Reverend Days said thru gritted teeth, finally allowing himself to feel the righteous anger that burnt like a star towards Archer, "You defile and despoil God's words, and like the snake in the Garden of Eden, you have tempted others down a path of damnation. Now, prepare yerself fo' judgment."

Peter Archer felt a numbness that started at his feet and began crawling it's way up his body. He glanced down, and was awe struck. By the time his brain had received the order to scream, it was too late.

Reverend Days dropped the solid salt statue that had once been Peter Archer and watched it shatter against the stone floor. Days then scanned the church, observing the few remaining members of The Real Church of Humanity who watched him in awe. Days reached out with senses unnatural and discovered his Elect had secured the mutants that had been kidnapped. Concentrating, Days erected a force field around the mutants and his followers. He then turned his attention towards the remaining self- proclaimed clergymen.

"Your sins are terrible, but ah will mourn and prey for yah none the less, mah fallen brothers." A solitary tear rolled down his cheek. Then, Days roared, a noise so loud and powerful it was barely above whisper, and the Church disappeared in a blanket of white.

Reverend Days then proceeded to teleport himself to his followers, all huddled in the caverns beneath the faux church. His Elect stood proudly around a circle of mutants, who were clustered together in fear. The group was fifthly and their clothes were little better than rags. There wasn't a man or woman, (and in a few instances children) among them who didn't bear obvious signs of abuse and torture.

"Their abusers fell to our righteous wrath." Rapture said matter of factly.

"Of course." Days nodded. He walked up to the group of mutants, and squatted in front of a purple skinned woman. She shirked away in fear, for the last month of her life had been spent in constant pain at the hands of the inquisitors of The Church of Humanity. Days touched her shoulder gently and reassured her, "Fear not, the end of your pain is nigh."

Thru the conflicting emotions of gratitude for liberation and fear, that this was just another trick of the Church who'd kidnapped and abused her, the woman spared a moment to wonder why Days had said nigh, not now.

Force Works' Stealth Wing, heading towards the Church's base

"What's our E.T.A?" Danielle Moonstar, leader of Force Works and known to the world as Mirage, asked from behind the pilot's seat.

Adam Sol, alien warrior better known as X-Treme and de facto team pilot looked at his instruments, "About another three minutes."

"Damn it. If our information is correct, we don't have a second to lose." Dani sighed as she sat back down in her seat. The moments before combat often made her anxious.

"I still don't understand why we're doin' this." Speedball the masked Marvel commented.

"Dr. Trekker, a solid source for information, recently uncovered info that suggested there was a Church of Humanity sect in Utah." Dani explained, "You'd know this if you paid attention to the briefings."

"Actually, I was referring to why we left Rahne and Bucket head back at Metro City while we kicked their asses." Speedball replied.

"I decided to leave Rahne behind because I know her objectivity would be compromised." Dani answered, "people perverting her religion has that effect. I left Richie behind because I didn't want this to look like Ruby Ridge."

"Shouldn't you be more concerned with our effectiveness in battle?" Wiz Kid, the team's master of all things technological, asked.

"I think we got enough muscle here without Rahne and Rich." Kymaera, Altantean princess and human hybrid, declared from her seat as she examined her nails, "Isn't that right Tarene?"

Tarene, a mighty goddess raised as a mortal, gripped her golden war mallet, "I think that if Dani says we have enough muscle, then we have enough. I believe in her."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, Tarene. Whatever this sect can throw at us, we can handle it."

"Speaking of which," Arsenal said from the copilot's seat, "we're nearing the site. Be there in thirty seconds."

"Understood. Tarene, Wiz Kid, Kymaera, get out and secure us a landing zone." Dani ordered. The three leapt out the hatch, primed for action. There wasn't a person among them to didn't feel hatred towards the Church of Humanity for their last assault on mutant kind, an attack that cost hundreds of innocent lives. But that hardly meant they were prepared for what they saw. Taki was the first on the radio,

"Dani, remember how you said you didn't want this to look like Ruby Ridge?"

Kymaera and Tarene stared in awe of the destruction below them. Bodies, battered and broken, were scattered about the landscape rice. The Church that once housed them was little more than rubble, with a single corner in the back propped up by a pylon that fell at exactly the right moment. The entire church was still smoldering from the assault that'd gutted the building.

"Is Jonestown any better?"

"..."

"Dani?"

"Start looking for survivors, and call the F.B.I now."

Later

Force Works, aided by Taki's scanners, began combing the grounds looking for survivors. X-Treme, always something of a loner, decided to play a hunch and headed off into the woods. The authorities were on their way, but Force Works knew it'd be a while before they made it to this remote location

"Don't know whether to damn or praise the man who did this." Kymaera commented as she dug thru debris with her webbed hands. She paused for a moment, her keen hearing detecting a faint noise, like a cough? Namorita listened again, blocking out the sounds of her teammates searching, and listened again. She then darted to where a large section of roof had fallen and effortlessly lifted it up and away, to reveal a bloodied Church member, his lower half crushed.

"I got a live one here!" Namorita shouted to her teammates. She knelt down to eye level with the mortally wounded man, "It'll be okay sir, we're going to get help. It'll be alright."

"No it won't, you don't even care," The man said hoarsely, coughing up black blood (indicating a punctured liver) with every word.

"We're going to help you, sir." Namorita repeated, "Can you tell me who did this to you?"

"There was a group of them, but they..."The man coughed sickly, spewing blood on his chest, "...they were led by... Days. Reveren...."

Kymaera closed the man's eyes, and hoped for peace.

"Scratch one murdering bigot." Speedball said as he landed beside Kymaera.

"Have some respect for the dead." Kymaera spat.

"He tell you what happened here by any chance?" Mirage asked as she and the others joined the two.

"He just said something about Days and a Reverend." Kymaera stated.

"Whoever killed these men, at least one of them was a very skilled killer." X-Treme said as he rejoined the group, "I found a dozen men armed with body armor and cloaks dead in the forest. Only way to know they were there was from their foot imprints. From what I can tell, they were killed at separate times. Whoever did that was damn good."

Arsenal whistled in astonishment at the thought of that, "Dani, any ideas?"

"Just one."

"What's that?" Tarene asked, feeling both uncomfortable amid such destruction, yet oddly at home all at the same time.

"That this case is going to be a stone cold bitch."

Metro City

Rahne, mutant werewolf and devout Christian, put her legs up on the monitor console in front of her and opened her book. She'd hadn't gotten the chance to do the reading she wished, and intended to use this downtime to make up for it. The chances of the monitor going off with some grave emergency were slim. After all, while Force Works wasn't stationed in New York, they were still on the east coast along with a half dozen other superteams. They'd snatch up any emergency before Rahne could recall the team, anyways.

"Yo Rahne, you busy?" A voice asked, distracting her from her reading. She looked over her shoulder and saw Richard Rider, better known as Nova the Human Rocket, leaning against the entrance to the monitor room.

"I'm doing some reading, Rich."

"New romance novel?"

Rahne held her book over her head, the front cover, with the words 'Holy Bible' printed in gold, towards Nova, "Nae exactly."

"So it's nothing new, cool."

Rahne went back to reading, "I love ye, Rich, but ye worry me at times. What do ye need?"

"I need to buy a gift for 'Nita. Female help is needed."

"Oh? What's the occasion?"

Nova shrugged indifferently, "No occasion."

"Aww, that's so sweet!" Rahne cooed. She swung her chair around to face Rider and closed her Bible, "I'd be happy to help."

"Yeah, I like to have an emergency gift handy for when I forget anniversaries." Nova explained, "I used up my emergency stash on her birthday last week."

Rahne frowned.

"Men." She scowled.

"Hello? Taki? Dani? Are you here?" An electronic voice asked. Both Rahne and Rich turned their attention to the monitors. The one they were concerned with displayed a young, blond woman standing in Force Works' first level lobby, moving and shifting around uncomfortably.

"How'd someone get in?" Nova asked as he stood over Rahne's shoulder as they examined the screen, "I thought Taki said our security system would keep the crackpots out."

Rahne examined the monitor screen closely. The woman had her head turned away from the main camera, and Rahne never bothered to learn how to change the monitor angle from one camera to another, "Taki said he programmed the security system to recognize our friends, so whoever she is, she's nae a crackpot."

Finally, the woman turned her head towards the camera. Her face was stained with tears and she looked as though she hadn't a good night's sleep in a week, but Rahne recognized her nevertheless and gasped, "Skids!?"

"Who?"

"Sandy Blevins. An old friend from me New Mutants days." Rahne explained as she stood up, "I can't imagine why she'd be here."

Nova and Wolfsbane quickly made their way downstairs via their private elevator. When Sandy saw the two exiting the elevator, she rushed forward and embraced Rahne, weeping.

"Oh Thank God you're here, Rahne!" She sobbed, "I need Force Works' help!"

"O' course, whatever you need." Rahne said as she reassured taller girl, "But what is it ye need?"

Skids backed away, and took a moment to collect herself, "I...I need Force Works' help finding my son."

***

"Your son!?" Dani asked incredulously. Force Works had returned, and were now gathered in their meeting room. Sandy was naturally the center of attention, with Rahne and Taki sitting on both sides for comfort.

"Yes, like I've said before, my son." Sandy stated as she gripped a Styrofoam cup filled with warm coffee, "Rusty and I had a kid. How many times do I have to say that?!" She snapped.

"I think what Dani means is how could ye have a son, and what are ye jus' coming to us now?" Rahne explained, "Ye didn't look pregnant when I saw ye with the M.L.F, after all."

"Not all women show their pregnancy, Rahne." Taki observed, "But the basic question remains. Sandy, what happened?"

Skids took a sip of coffee, and began, "I was pregnant when the M.L.F originally 'rescued me', but like you said, it didn't really show. I think the only ones who knew besides the medical personnel were Wildside and Stryfe, obviously. I was just a puppet then, thanks to his brainwashing. I gave birth, Stryfe took the child, wiped my mind and I just went back to being a drone!" Skids clenched her fist and closed her eyes and tears flowed freely down her face.

"It wasn't your fault, Sandy. Stryfe is to blame, no one else." Taki reassured her. Though no one would say so openly, the team was rather surprised about the level of concern Taki was showing for Sandy.

"But why are you just remembering this?" Kymaera asked

"I wish I knew, I really do." Sandy confessed, "Stryfe returned recently, and died again, but not before nearly killing the president, apparently. With all the news about him, I started having these dreams, about the birth. I saw a doctor and he said..." Sandy trailed off, too distressed to continue.

"I knew this Stryfe guy was a bastard, but damn..." Nova said.

"Please, you have to help me find my son!" Sandy pleaded, "He's all I have left of Rusty!"

"We'll find your son, Sandy." Wiz Kid said forcefully, "Why don't you get some rest? Rahne, could you escort Skids to a guest room?"

As Rahne led Skids away, Dani rubbed the bridge of her nose and sighed, "Great, yet another problem to deal with."

"I wasn't aware we had any other pressing cases." Taki stated matter of factly.

"Whoever destroyed that sect of The Church of Humanity, remember them? The F.B.I cleared us, but public opinion..."

"Doesn't matter." Taki interrupted, "The public isn't going to start baying for blood because we might, and I emphasize might, be implicated in the murder of zealots. After their first attack, they don't elicit sympathy at all. That case will keep for the moment. But Sandy is our friend, Dani..."

"And she should come first." Dani finished. She shook her head as if to clear her head, "You're right Taki, sorry. I just get tunnel vision sometimes."

"Understandable. I'll begin checking birth records of hospitals near or around known M.L.F bases around when Skids was abducted by the M.L.F."

"And I'll use my SHIELD contacts to set up a meeting with Wildside." Dani proposed.

"I'll go order pizza!" Speedball quipped

"Before ye get tae emotionally involved in finding this boy, ye might want tae consider something." Rahne warned as she returned, "This boy may nae want to go home with Skids."

The mood became a little more somber at the thought of that.

***

Despite herself, Danielle Moonstar truly relished the scene displayed on her computer consul. On the other end was a murdering piece of trash known as the mutant Wildside, strapped down to a high tech chair, staring at her via a real time encoded Internet connection.

"So, I see the chest wound Dom gave you has healed, Wildside. Damn, I was hoping for something a little crippling." Dani began.

"Bite me, Redskin." Wildside snapped back, "Shame my ancestors didn't finish the job with yours, you back stabbing bitch!"

Dani slapped her hands over her chest in mock pain and quipped, "Oh, you wound me so Wildside! You know just what buttons to push, don't you?"

"It's a gift, bitch."

In a seemingly lighthearted tone Dani said, "And you do enjoy it, pushing buttons," She depressed a single button on her computer, and Wildside felt hundreds of volts of electricity course thru him, "but so do I."

"Bitch..."Wildside hissed as the electricity ceased.

"I've been called worse. See what happens when you organize an attack on a guard in prison? Now, I've got some questions, and you've got answers. See how this works out? Good. Sandy Blevins was pregnant when she was 'liberated' and brainwashed by the M.L.F. During my time undercover with the other members of the M.L.F, none of them ever brought up Skids having a child, leaving me to believe that you, with your enhanced senses, were the only one to know."

"And you want to know what happened to the baby bopper."

"Exactly Wildside, you're not quite as stupid as you look. When was the kid born, and where did you leave him?"

"What makes you think I didn't strangle the brat arrrghh!" Wildside screamed as Mirage started the electricity flowing.

"Understand me you piece of filth. I had to watch while you murdered innocent people! I can do this all day, and wouldn't mind it in the least. Now, be a good little bird, and sing." Dani finally released the button.

"He was born...the 26 of... August." Wildside gasped, smoking rising from his body, "We left him...in the...emergency room of some Arlington hospital. Virginia..."

"Why didn't Stryfe make Skids have an abortion?"

"Dunno. I suggested it, and he nearly took my head off. Guy must have a soft spot regarding mutie babies, I guess."

"Now, was that so hard?" Dani smiled maliciously. Of all the M.L.F members, there was no one she hated more than Wildside, as she was too often forced to standby while he committed acts of sadism. To say she held a grudge was something of an understatement.

"When I get out of here, I swear I'll tear your family apart Moonstar!" Wildside spat. Moonstar's fist slammed into the controls, sending an even higher level of electricity thru Wildside's body.

"Do it, and see what I'll do to you." Dani hissed thru clenched teeth. She finally released the button, and turned the monitor off.

***

X-Treme and Nova watched in awe as Taki effortlessly hacked into the records of Arlington County and began sifting thru the information at a speed that was difficult for even the Human Rocket to keep pace with.

"Found it." Taki said finally.

"You mean him." Nova corrected.

"Whatever. Apparently, Stryfe left a note on the boy. Named him Rusty Summers Grey."

"Another Summers?" Nova asked, "Guy's got a twisted sense of humor, huh Adam?"

"I suppose. Does it say who adopted him?"

"Yes. The boy was adopted by a childless couple, the Petersons. I have their address and evaluation." Taki frowned, "Damn."

"What is it?" Adam asked

"According to the adoption agency, the couple got top marks and is financially stable."

Nova shrugged uncomfortably, "Doesn't matter. We shouldn't have expected this to be easy. I'll go grab Rahne and Skids and fly them down. Now that we got this problem nixed, lets work on finding whoever killed those humanity losers."

"I say let sleeping rajars lie, personally." X-Treme opinioned.

"Dani's a completist." Wiz Kid explained, "And I have to agree. I don't like the idea of some unknown factor out there, possessing so much power and we not having a clue as to his or her agenda."

"Whatever. I'll see you guys later." Nova said as he left.

*** Sandy Blevins stared at the expansive gulf of a suburban street in front of her, all that stood between her and her recently remembered son. She just couldn't bring herself to walk forward. What would she say? How could she explain herself? God, the house was like something out of Homes &Gardens, it even had a white picket fence!

Rahne and Rich stood behind her, image inducers projecting the appearance of normalcy but doing nothing to hide their concern for Skids.

"We gonna do this thing, or what?" Nova asked, after five minutes of inaction, an eternity to the Human Rocket.

"I don't know, I just... How can I just force myself into his life?" Sandy asked.

"Ye didn't choose tae leave his life, Sandy. Ye were forced to."

"I know, but I wasn't there all the same. But...he's all that I have left of Rusty." Sandy shook her head in an effort to beat back the tears forming in her eyes, "I don't know what to do."

"Aw, hell with this." Nova said. He stepped into the street, and made his way towards the house.

"Wait, what are you doing?" Sandy demanded as she rushed to his side and tried in vain to stop his advance. They were half way up the walk now, but Nova didn't stop.

"Gonna knock on the door. Gonna explain the situation. Then, we'll take it from there." Nova rapped lightly on the door, "Better than just standing across the street and angsting about what we can't do anything about."

"But..."Sandy found herself at a lost for words. She looked to Rahne for support

"He's right. Ye need tae deal wit' this." Rahne stated, "We're here f'r ye."

The three waited anxiously for someone to answer the door. After several minutes, and a quick check of the driveway to confirm their suspicions, it became obvious the family was away on vacation.

"So, now what?" Rahne asked

Nova lifted up a potted plant and picked up the key underneath, "We see what they're like. Peak around some. Man, gotta love this place. Ain't no New York"

"Rich!" Rahne scolded, "Yuir nae suggesting breaking and entering, are ye?"

Rich placed the key inside the lock, smiled mischievously at Rahne and opened the door, "Who's breaking?"

"This is nae right." Rahne muttered as the three entered the house. Sandy looked at the family photos.

"Oh God, he looks so much like Rusty." She breathed as she looked at a family photo of her son and his two adoptive parents. Sandy ran her hand over a photo of the boy, Rusty. He was young, but his red hair and warm smile vividly proclaimed his patronage. Rahne placed a hand on her shoulder for comfort. Nova entered the living room, and picked up a few pamphlets. More than a few of them were obviously picked up at the local church.

"Bible beaters, eh?" He said as he flipped thru them. Suddenly, one grabbed his attention, "Holy shit."

"What is it?" Rahne asked as she and Skids joined him in the living room.

"Got a pamphlet here about a Reverend who can cure mutants." Rich said

"Could Rusty have manifested already?" Sandy asked.

"It's possible, mum said there have been occasions where a second generation mutant manifest before puberty." Rahne stated.

"But that's not the worst part." Nova handed the pamphlet to Rahne, "Remember the debriefing? What Nita said about that guy's last words?"

Rahne looked at the leaflet, read the name of the highlighted Holy Man and gasped, "Reverend Days."

"What? What's wrong?" Sandy demanded.

"I think we might have stumbled across the man who responsible the death of a Church of Humanity faction." Nova explained, "Lets get back to Metro City. Says here Days has a revival meeting before heading back to his compound in Texas. I think we need to crash his little party."

*** Danielle Moonstar struggled mightily to resist the urge to break the jaws the many faithful Christians she was forced to engage in conversation while infiltrating this ad hoc revival meeting. Normally, Dani would have loved to be outdoors in a field while meeting new and interesting people. But these new and interesting people happened to be devout Christians who looked down at her Cheyenne heritage and fueled the cultural destruction and near extinction of her people.

So it would be an understatement to say she did not want to be here. She felt like a cat lover at a dog convention, only a thousand times worse. But at the same token, Dani was the most experienced with both infiltration and social interaction, so it demanded her presence.

Rahne, in contrast, was having a fine time. She wasn't fond of how these people considered mutants evil, but they were good people otherwise. Indeed, Rahne felt as though she'd met many a kindred spirits here, but was aware of Dani's discomfort all the same.

Rahne excused herself from a conversation she's been having with a lovely couple from Woodbridge, and pulled Dani aside, "How are ye holding up?"

"Peachy."

"Remember yuir promise."

"Yeah, yeah. No blood. You see the Petersons anywhere around?"

"Nae, I've nae seen them at all."

As they spoke, a short, well dressed African American man with eccentric hair took the stage and with microphone in hand said, "My fellow brothers an' sisters, might I have your attention?"

He waited a moment for the crowd to die down, "Thank you kindly. Now, give it up for the savor of human kind, the man who will deliver us from mutants and their sinful ways, Reverend Days!"

The crowd roared as Reverend Days strode in front the crowd and stage. His calm demeanor and self-assuredness reminded Dani of Magneto and Professor Xavier both. The crowd screamed in approval, but they were silenced with a wave of his hand.

"Mah brothers an' sisters, I regret to inform you that the sinners known as mutants are among us!" Reverend Days declared. The crowd gasped and began murmuring among themselves.

"Damn it, we've been made." Dani whispered to Rahne out of the corner of her mouth.

"No we haven't." Rahne replied, her eyes locked on Days.

Days pointed into the crowd, who parted instantly until it was obvious that he was pointing at a young, African American boy.

"Come 'ere, young man." Days ordered. The boy looked around hesitantly, and fearfully complied, approaching Days.

"Show me your sin." Days commanded. Quacking, the boy stretched his hand. A moment later, it burst into a blue flame.

"He's a mutant!"

"He'll kill us all!" One member shouted

"Not if we get him first!"

For a moment, the crowd seemed as though they would become violent, and moved forward. Rahne and Dani tensed for action.

"Enough!" Reverend Days bellowed, instantly silencing the crowd. He kept on hand firmly on the boy's shoulder while he preached, "This boy ain't no demon! He is human, like the rest of us! And like the rest o' us, he was born wit' sin about his shoulders! An' let he who is without sin cast the first stone!"

"I don' like this." Rahne whispered

Reverend Days turned and looked the boy straight in the eyes, "Tell me son, do you want ta be saved?"

"Y...yes, sir."

"This is no time ta be lukewarm, son!" Reverend Days declared, "Do ya want ta be saved or not?!"

"YES!!!" The boy screamed as tears streamed down his eyes, recalling all the painful memories his mutant powers had brought him, and the love he had for the parents whom had brought him here for this very purpose.

Reverend Days grabbed the side of the boy's head and smiled reassuringly, "Then ya will be saved."

There was an invisible crack of thunder, and the two began shaking as if in the throes of a powerful seizure. The crowd was hypnotized by the power of the scene, and made no movements to help. Finally, Days tore his hands away from the youth's head. The boy stepped back, and looked at his hands.

"The fire, it's gone! I'm cure!" He shouted joyfully, "I'm human again!"

Reverend Days held his hands out, and they ignited in a familiar blue flame, "Your sin is now a part o' me. Like our savior before us, I will bear this cross fo' the sake o' humanity." Reverend Days held his hands up high for all to see, the flames flickering and illuminating his blue eyes and the Cheshire cat grin on his face, "Mah brothers an' sisters, can ah get an Amen!"

Act 2

Casting the first Stone

"He did what?"

"Exactly what I said, Sandy. He somehow transferred a mutant's power out of him and took it for himself." Dani repeated. Skids, along with the rest of Force Works were gathered together in their meeting room to discuss strategy, how best to handle this situation, but it was slow going.

"Oh God, is that what they're going to do to my son?" Sandy asked desperately, "Take away a part of him?!"

"It's a possibility. Taki hacked their records and discovered Rusty's adoptive family is renting a hotel near Reverend Days' compound in Texas." Dani explained with a heavy heart.

"So we have to stop this guy now, before this power hungry freak steals from anyone else!" Namorita declared.

"What's he done wrong, exactly?" Speedball asked, "put aside our half baked suspicions for a sec, and think about it. From what Dani said, this kid gave up his powers willingly. Is that so bad? And even if this guy killed those Church of Humanity losers, is that such a bad thing? Not like we've put The Punisher on our to do list."

"How can it be willingly when surrounding by those people who were inches away from attacking? That peer pressure to an insane degree, pure and simple." X-Treme replied, "I'm not saying this guy is automatically bad, but he's not as innocent as you make him seem."

"He robs people of a vital part of themselves, lets not forget." Taki added.

"But it's something they chose to surrender," Tarene commented, "isn't it really their choice to begin with?"

"I dunno. I know something about depending too much on power," Nova commented, "what's good for some may not be good for others."

"But what's this guy doing with all this power?" Arsenal asked, "Absolute power and all that."

"And we all know how the Church loves to absolve itself." Kymaera spat.

"Hey, screw you, 'Nita!" Arsenal shot back, "you only read stuff about religion that confirms your own opinion!"

"Oh? Well, you can..."

"Enough!" Rahne declared as she slammed her fist down on the table, garnering everyone's attention, "Enough. We're nae here tae debate the finer points o' religion. We're here tae show humans and mutants ken work together, and more to the point, we're here tae help Sandy. Now, how are we going ta do that or nae?"

"I can whip up some fake I.Ds to get you and Sandy close to the Petersons." Taki said, "I'll book you a room in their hotel, same floor and we'll go from there."

"Good. The rest of us will track down the people Reverend Days has 'helped', and go from there." Dani stated, "We need to find out if this guy's a sinner or saint, sooner the better."

***

"Reverend Days was the greatest thing that happened to me." Johnny Brown said as he happily made his way down the street with a disguised Arsenal. Brown's red skin was plain to see, and drew eye stares, but Brown hardly seemed to notice. He was almost walking on air.

"How so?" Bobby asked, a pen and notepad in his hands (as props for his cover as a reporter).

Brown patted his chest happily, "He cured me, man. I used to be a freak, but no longer. I feel uplifted, better. More human than ever! What law biding man needs the ability to walk thru walls anyways? Not me!"

"But, you still look..."

"Oh, what do appearances matter?" Brown asked dismissively, "My neighborhood knows I'm cured. I'm happy, something I ain't been since I was fourteen years old."

Bobby flipped his notepad closed, "I'm glad to hear that, sir. Thanks for your time."

Bobby parted company with the man, and once he was out of site, ducked into an alley.

"So what'd he say?" Wiz Kid asked.

"Good thing. Wanted it, was the gist." Bobby explained as he commanded his retractable metal wings to emerge from his body, "What'd your scans say?"

"They still detect him as a mutant. Hope he's still happy when the sentinels come." Wiz Kid commented

"Well, at least he'll be happy after the apocalypse."

*** "The man's a monster." Karl Jones spat as he poured Danielle a cup of coffee in the kitchen of a dingy apartment.

"Why do you say that?" Danielle asked

"Hell, you say my website." Jones replied, "Bastard stole from me something I can never get back. I used to be strong as a damn ox as a kid. Then my parents forced me to see him, or else they would have disowned me."

Dani nodded in acknowledgement as Jones handed her a cup of coffee, but not sympathy. Wiz Kid's web search had turned up Karl Jones' website which protested Days quite vividly. Further, less ethical research had also turned up Jones' juvenile record.

"How exactly did he steal your powers? Couldn't you have fought him off?"

"Ah, he didn't exactly steal my powers. My parents brought me to his 'retreat' down in Texas with a bunch of other mutant kids, and like used like super group pressure. Bastard said I could only be saved if I really wanted to be, and those guys shamed me into wanting just long enough."

Dani rubbed her chin thoughtfully. Thus far, it'd been the same story to everyone she asked about Reverend Days. Those who praised him, those who hated him all said that in the end, if was their choice to surrender their powers. A parent did have a right to say how their children were raised, but did that extend to natural gifts that were their birthright?

After some follow up questions and pleasantries, Danielle excused herself from the apartment, and met Namorita who was waiting with a rented car.

"So how'd it go?" 'Nita asked

"Same story as everyone else. He chose to give them up, after a fashion." Dani sighed as she got in the passenger side and began looking out the window, her eyes never meeting 'Nita's face.

"Ah, okay. You alright? You seem a little off."

"I'm fine." Dani said quickly

"No you're not, or you would have gotten someone to infiltrate that revival." Nita observed

"You're going to bug me until I open up, aren't you?" Dani sighed

"Yup."

"Thought so. Okay, tell me how many Native Americans you think are in America today."

Namorita shrugged, "Eight million?"

"Two million. And falling. Constantly."

"Geez." Nita winced

"Yeah. As an ethnic group, we have the distinct honor of having the highest infant mortality rate, lowest life expediency and highest disease rate."

"You know I'm sorry to hear that, but what's that got to do with the Reverend?"

"One of the reason's we're nearly extinct is because in the around the 60s and 70s, the government forcefully took Indian children off reservations and put them in Christian schools. Said schools taught us to honor our parents, alongside the fact that every little piece of culture they gave us is wrong. 'Kill the Indian, save the man' was their motto."

"I remember reading something about that. So is that your problem with Christianity? I mean, you and Rahne define close."

Dani looked out the window remorsefully, "At times, I have to wonder. The church has hurt me and mine so much; I'd be within my rights to hate them. But Rahne...her faith is an amazing source of strength for her. Some bumps here and there, yeah but Rahne's always had a quite strength thanks to her upbringing, which was really an abusive hell. I just wonder sometimes..."

Dani took a moment to swallow her pride, "If the Christian faith can do some much for one person, uplift them like it has Rahne, I have to wonder why was it so destructive to my people. What's wrong with us?"

"I think you're looking for some kind of catch all, Dani. Who says anything is wrong with you? One man's strength is another man's weakness."

"I suppose."

"I think you underestimate yourself. You're a strong woman, Dani. And when you find the source of your strength, I think you'll have your answer."

"Very Zen. Fortune cookie?"

"Philosophy class 101."

***

Sandy Blevins gnawed on a ragged fingernail like a starving beaver as she waited for the Petersons to return to their room. She and Rahne were situated directly across from the Petersons, waiting for their eventual return. Skids kept her legs curled up to her chest while she gnawed, almost in a world all her own. The television was turned to the local news, but neither woman was really paying much attention to it.

"Penny for 'em?" Rahne asked, snapping Sandy out of her reverie

"Huh? What?"

"Penny f'r yuir thoughts. I'm asking because ye may nae have a pinky left if ye don't open up." Rahne stated. Sandy looked at the finger, and immediately stopped gnawing. Sandy took a deep breath and looked at Rahne. She didn't really know the young Scotswoman well, their association being largely in passing, but something about Rahne seemed to elicit trust and hope.

"I'm...just thinking what's going to happen. Suppose in the unlikely event they actually give me back my son. Then what? I'm two semesters, at least, away from graduating college. I know nothing about being a parent, let alone a single mom, I barely make ends meet as is!" Sandy sniffled a little, "What do you think I should do, Rahne?"

"I think that ye shid see him, if nothin' else. He's yuir son, and even if they don' give ye custody, they will let ye visit him, I'm sure."

"I sense a 'but' coming up."

"But...ye shid be prepared f'r him not tae want to see ye." Rahne warned. "I know he was stolen from ye unfairly, but this family, they are his parents, regardless o' biology. Speakin' as an adopted child muhself, I love Moira more than my flesh an' blood."

"What kid would want a mom that just popped up after five years of nothing?" Sandy sobbed dejectedly, "Not like I can give him anything his current family can't..."

"That's where yuir wrong, Sandy!" Rahne snapped, "Ye can teach him aboot being a mutant. About how to accept that he's different an' still just as good as everyone else!"

"Assuming his parents don't take that from him." Sandy sniffed

"If they do, there's nae parents at all."

Almost on cue, the two women heard the two people, a man and a woman talking, and opening the door across from their room.

"Oh God, they're here." Sandy whispered, as if she didn't really want to believe it.

"Lets go introduce ourselves."

Sandy stood up and nodded, but inside she was practically numb. Everything was coming to a head for her, and she didn't know if she could emotionally handle it. Rahne knocked softly on the hotel door, and a brown hair woman, dressed casually for the weather, quickly answered the door.

"Mrs. Patty Peterson?" Rahne asked

"Yeah, that's me. Are you from the Hotel?"

"Nae."

"Then, how do you know my name?" Patty asked suspiciously

Rahne struggled to find the words to explain the situation, but came up empty.

"I'm the mother of your adopted son." Sandy said simply.

"Honey, who is it?" Mr. Aaron Peterson, a medium build, average looking man asked as he approached the door.

Patty turned around and looked at him sorrowfully, "It's Rusty's mother."

"Oh." Aaron replied, the blood draining from his face.

"May we come in?" Rahne asked. Patty silently ushered the two women in.

"Where's...Rusty?" Sandy asked.

"He's...with a play group. We're here as part of a Church sponsored vacation." Aaron explained.

"Why are you here?" Patty snapped. Both Rahne and Sandy took a step back.

"Patty, please. Give them a chance to explain." Aaron asked, "You'll have to forgive my wife, it's just that we've been fearing this moment ever since we adopted Rusty, that his mother would come back and snatch him away from us."

"We're nae here to steal yuir son." Rahne corrected. The hotel room had two beds with a coffee table and chair situated in the corner. Sandy sat down in the chair, and painfully aware that she hadn't said much beyond the fact she was Rusty's mother.

"Then why are you here? And honestly, where have you been?" Patty asked.

"It's a long story."

"What's that mean?" Patty demanded angrily. In her heart, she felt as if she were suddenly battling for her son.

"It means that the answers are nae easy, and ye tae keep an open mind." Rahne shifted to her wolf form, startling the couple, "Ye may recognize me. I'm Wolfsbane, a member o' Force Works. I lead a complicated life. So does Sandy. Sandy, would ye like to explain more?"

Sandy Blevins swallowed hard, "The reason I didn't track Rusty down sooner is because until two weeks ago, I didn't know he even existed. I was brainwashed, by a man known as Stryfe..."

Sandy explained her situation as calmly as possible, and the Petersons found themselves sympathizing and believing her despite their best attempts not too. They were good people, after all, and knew when someone was telling the truth.

"Oh, Lord, I never knew, I'm so sorry." Patty confessed as Sandy finished.

"Even I didn't know." Sandy replied.

"So, what do you want?" Aaron asked hesitantly.

"I don't really know." Sandy admitted, to the Petersons and herself, "you seem like a good couple, and I don't want him to know that he's adopted before I can decide what I want, but I want...I need to see him."

"I...don't think that will be a problem. He knows he was adopted, we're not comfortable with lying to our son." Patty said.

"But, yuir nae comfortable wit' mutants, are ye?" Rahne asked. It was more a statement of fact that a question or accusation.

"What makes you say that?" Mr. Peterson answered as he loosened his collar.

"I have enhanced senses, and can tell that yuir body temperature an' heart rate spike every time the both of ye look at me, or when Sandy said the word mutant." Rahne crossed her arms behind her back so as not to appear threatening, though she maintained her lupine form.

The Petersons looked at one another and then looked towards the two mutant women truthfully, "We both lost family due to a mutant attack in New York a long time back. That's how we met, in grief support group."

"Has Rusty manifested powers yet?" Sandy asked

"Yes. He can create flames by himself. He accidentally absorbed the fire in our fireplace, that's when we knew." Patty explained.

"Has he burned anything down, or threaten ye?" Rahne asked.

"No, never!" Aaron snapped, "he's our son and he loves us! He's a good boy!"

"And this playgroup he's at, it's at Reverend Days' compound, isn't it?" Rahne asked, knowing the answer full well, "A man who offers to 'cure' mutants."

"We just want him to be well." Aaron said softly.

"He's not sick! He's not diseased! He's a mutant, that's all!" Sandy shouted.

"He is! His powers are ungodly!" Patty retorted

"You're trying to erase a fundamental part of him just because it makes you uncomfortable! It's like declawing a tiger and leaving it in the jungle!" Sandy snapped

"Sandy, calm down, please..."

"Shut up Rahne!" Sandy snapped, "These bigots are trying to scar my son for their peace of mind!"

"Your son?!" Patty demanded as she stood up, enraged, "You didn't change his diapers, you didn't tuck him in to bed at night, you didn't hold him when he had nightmares! Rusty is my son and I will raise him as I see fit!"

"He was stolen from me, ripped out of my life against my will! I have a say, God Damn it!" Sandy spat as she stood up to face down Mrs. Peterson. Both Rahne and Mr. Peterson got between the two women before things could become physical.

"Look, I'm sorry, but this is emotional for us all. Maybe if we could continue this later?" Aaron proposed, "Please, we need some time to think. You can understand how hard this is to deal with."

"O' course, we understand. We'll be back tomorrow." Rahne said as she nudged Skids towards the door. Sandy allowed herself led away, knowing there wasn't anything that could be done here. Once outside, Sandy burst into tears.

"Oh God Rahne, they're going to take away the only thing me and Rusty gave him as parents," Sandy choked, "and there's not a damn thing I can do."

***

Arsenal silently descended from the sky with Speedball in tow towards Reverend Days' compound. From the sky, Bobby could make out about a dozen buildings, some for Arts& Craft, others for bible study and others reserved as quarters for the staff.

"How'd we get stuck with infiltration and spy duty?" Speedball asked quietly as they set down at the edge of one building, "sneaky is so not my thing. I mean for Pete's sake, I'm primarily colored!"

"Ours is not to reason why." Arsenal replied as he peered around the corner.

"Ours is but to do an' die." Boomed a voice, surprising the two heroes as they were suddenly bathed in floodlights. They tensed for an attack as their eyes struggled to adjust the bright flash. When their eyes cleared, they were stunned to see that Reverend Days was generating the light all by himself. He was alone, though neither hero doubted that there were guards nearby to be called on at a moment's notice.

"Charge of the Light Brigade. Ain't the best quote to use, ya know." Reverend Days chided as he allowed the light to die down, "Speedball and Arsenal, right? Force Works, ain't that your club?"

"That's right sir, we've gotten some conflicting reports about what you do here." Arsenal explained, fudging the truth only slightly.

"Understandable. Not every soul wants to be saved." Days sighed, "Still, that's no reason for ya'll to go around like a thief in the night. Ya could have just asked."

"That's okay, we'll be leaving now." Speedball said.

"Ya ain't gotta leave. Look around if ya want, but be quite about it. People are sleepin', after all." Reverend Days reached into his pocket, pulled out a set of keys and tossed them to the stunned heroes. He then casually strode past, "Put those under the mat to the main building when yer done. An' you break it, you bought it, son."

One hasty but comprehensive search later, Arsenal and Speedball left, and flew to a prearranged meeting spot, an area of cleared out woods where the majority of Force Works were camping out.

"Find anything?" Nova asked as the two returned

"Nada. Not that we expected to after he spotted us so easy." Speedball confessed.

"You guys were just the bait."

Speedball and Arsenal turned to see Mirage and X-Treme emerging from the forest, "But we didn't find anything at the compound either."

"Yeah, but it still stings being caught so easy." Arsenal commented.

"Wait a minute, we were supposed to get caught? How come no one told me?"

"No offense, but you can't act worth a damn, Speedy." X-Treme explained as he went over to a cooler and pulled out a coke.

"Hey, I can act just fine! It's in my genes!"

"Anyways," Kymaera interrupted, "we're back at square one. We've got nothing to prove this guy even knew about that Church of Humanity sect, and it's hardly illegal to take powers that are freely surrendered."

"It should be." Dani said under her breath

"What about the mine?" Taki inquired as he sat in his specially designed wheelchair, typing in several commands. X-Treme, Mirage, Speedball and Arsenal looked at him like he'd just spoken a foreign language.

"What mines?"

"The old copper mine that's roughly three blocks distance from the compound, according to local records." Taki stated evenly, "closed down in the 60's, but needless to say still there."

"Days didn't say anything about a mine."

"Yeah Bobby, but that stuff hardly comes up in casual conversation."

"But he was expecting you." X-Treme said, "Call it a hunch, but I think he's got something to hide."

"Should we look into the mine, Dani?" Tarene asked.

"No, it's too dark and we're not familiar with the terrain." Dani stated, "If there was anything happening in them, we'd only make the matters worse by stumbling in."

"Which means we're camping outdoors tonight." Nova groaned.

"Yup. Taki, set up some sensors. Arsenal, you got first watch, then 'Nita." Dani ordered, "Everyone pack it up, because at the crack of dawn tomorrow, we need to be ready to move."

"Rahne gets to sleep in a nice motel, and I gotta freeze my ass off out here." Speedball groused as he walked to his tent and crawled inside his sleeping bag, "I must not live right."

Act 3

Inquisitions

X-Treme scouted out an entrance into the mine at daybreak effortless. Mirage choose Arsenal to accompany them into the mine. Necessity mandated silence, and so protected by Danielle's illusions, the three made their way thru a side shaft. Night vision goggle created by Wiz Kid, though the three soon saw a light source in the distance. Approaching with caution, they prepared themselves for anything, though nothing could have prepared the young heroes for what they saw.

The word torture barely did justice to the suffering they saw. Men and women were strapped nude to racks and horse whipped, while others were chained to the wall and were being threatened with or had already been tortured with hot pokers. Several men and women were strung up by their feet and men were administering small, quick cuts to sensitive areas.

"Roosha," Adam swore, "if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes..."

So appalled by the acts of brutality and torture before them, the three failed to notice the Confessor stealthily approaching from behind. Adam sensed him at the last second, but it was too late. Confessor unloaded a 45- magnum point blank range at Adam's chest and sprayed Arsenal with an entire magazine from his Uzi. Bobby went down in a bloody heap. Danielle spun around to face Confessor, but he dropped both empty weapons and decked her across the face. As Mirage fell back, Confessor wrapped his rosary beads around her neck, cutting off her air supply.

Mirage fought with all her strength to get free, but Confessor held her with ease. He had the strength, leverage and experience, after all.

"Can't end like this!" Dani thought to herself as she grasped at the beads

"As I slay you pagan, I will kill the Indian," Confessor whispered into her ear, "but save the woman."

Danielle Moonstar, proud member of the Cheyenne Indian tribe, felt a strength and powerful calm well up inside her chest. She flipped Confessor over by his beads and onto his back. Confessor flipped up, but felt Moonstar's foot slammed into his stomach, expelling the air from his body. Danielle followed thru with a right hook that broke Confessor's jaw and another kick to the center of his rib cage, breaking several ribs and further expelling the air from his lungs. Confessor fell back, barely conscious.

"The day the Indian dies in me is the day I die." Mirage spat. She stomped on Confessor's head once, insuring he was out of the fight.

"That day is today, pagan!" Monks armed rifles, who'd been previously torturing the mutant captives, leveled their weapons at her. Dani stifled a bitter laugh.

"You people have no idea how you're twisting your own religion, do you? The laymen are supposed to serve as the soldiers of the church, to begin with."

"Shut up!" The faux monks were moments away from providing a counter argument in the form of live ammunition when several blades shot out of nowhere and nicked the men, drawing a small amount of blood.

"Burn!" Adam Sol shouted. Activating his mutant ability to ignite the electrolytes in the human blood stream, Adam sent his power coursing thru the men and sent them painfully into unconsciousness.

"Adam, you're okay!" Dani exclaimed as she rushed to his side

"Yeah, I thought those guys deserved to be burned." X-Treme shakily got to his feet, clutching his chest where Confessor had shot him. His leather looking uniform was distorted, but unbroken. "Earth isn't the only planet with Kevlar, but man that's stupid!"

"Smarts. It smarts." Dani corrected, "See to Arsenal. His healing factor should be able to handle the damage," Dani then activated her communication, "Force Works, this is Mirage! Go, go, go!"

***

Rusty Peterson ran his thumb over his little Tonka Fire truck he's gotten for Christmas from his uncle. Rusty was dressed in a white robe, and was waiting for, as Days described it, 'second baptism' where he'd lose his 'sin' along with several older kids.

Only problem was, Rusty didn't want this second baptism. The other kids kept saying how mutant powers were gross and adults pressured, but that wasn't enough to make Rusty change his mind. He liked his powers. As soon as he discovered fire didn't hurt him like everyone else, he knew what he wanted to do with his life. He wanted to be a firefighter. To Rusty, they were cooler than any superhero because the only thing that made them special was their courage. Rusty might not have their courage, but if he could save lives like his uncle Matt, who died trying to keep a forest fire away from homes, what did it matter? Lives would be saved, and he'd make Matt and mom and dad proud, he knew he would.

And besides that, Rusty felt his flame powers made him special. He wasn't good at math, his reading skills were average and there were always kids better than him at sports. But none of them could do what he did, and he took pride in that. And he would never, ever use his powers to hurt someone. His parents, and his uncle's example, taught him better than that. On the few occasions he was bullied in school, Rusty just took it like the man his father raised him to be, never creating so much as a spark in his own defense. So why get rid of a gift he would never abuse?

"It's time." A female volunteer said as she opened the doors of the room. Rusty and several others walked out single file, with Rusty taking the lead. They were led to a circle of observers, with Reverend Days directly in front. The weather seemed to fit Rusty's mood, as dark clouds blotted out the sun's warm rays Rusty saw his mom and dad standing off to the side. Reverend Days silently beckoned for Rusty come forward.

"Come forth an' be saved."

Rusty felt his chest tighten and mustered his courage, "I don't wanna be saved!"

Reverend Days shook his head in disappointment, "Whether ya want to or not, yer gonna be saved boy."

"I couldn't put it better myself." There was a sound like a muffled explosion, a rush of air, and the next thing the gathered people saw was the Man Called Nova standing on Reverend Days' chest, as the Holy man lay prone on the ground pushed several feet down into the soft earth. The shocked crowd stood back, aghast as Kymaera, Speedball, Wiz Kid, Tarene and Wolfsbane (riding shotgun with Tarene) came down from on high and surrounded the Reverend.

"We found your reenactment of the Spanish Inquisition, asshole," Nova spat. "Sunday school is out, and it's time for a whuppin', you Catholic nutbar!"

"Agreed. But whatever makes ya think Ah'm Catholic?" Reverend Days blasted Nova in his center of his chest with a crimson blast of energy, and Nova found himself propelled away thru the air so fast his jet stream knocked everyone off their feet.

"He knocked Nova into orbit!" Wiz Kid gaped.

"Lets hope it knocked some sense into him! Let him have it!" Speedball shouted as he blasted Reverend Days with his bubbles. Reverend Days was forced back under the assault, but let his hands on fire and cast a green flame high into the air. The flame shot straight up, stopped in midair, and began to branch out, forming a ring of fire that encompassed the entire compound. The gathered faithful began to panic, now unable to escape this potentially deadly battle.

"Ah'd have muh followers see me vindicated, and you wallowers o' filth defeated." Days declared.

"Guys? We've just been cut off from the outside world." Wiz Kid said, "The can't get the civilians out!"

"Only way out is thru Days, then." Kymaera cracked her knuckles, "Tarene, lets show Days what we think of him."

"You'll do no such thing!" The Crusader yelled as he slammed Tarene unawares from behind, the force of the blow carried the two thru one building and out the other side, out of sight.

"Tarene!" Rahne cried out. Speedball tackled Rahne to the ground, narrowly saving her from being struck by an energy blast from Days. Wiz Kid returned fire with personally created plasma casters, to little effect.

"Tarene can take care of herself! We gotta focus on Days, so's we can get everyone out of here!" Speedball created two bubble bombs and lobbed them at the Reverend. Rahne nodded and joined the fray

"Must be good to be a Holy Man." Namorita spat as she flew forward like a bullet. She nailed Days with a powerful left hook and grabbed the side of his head. Before he could recover, Kymaera delivered a head butt that sent blood pouring out of the Reverend's nose, "You can absolve your own sin!"

Seemingly ignorant of the wound, Days grabbed Kymaera by the neck and began increasing the temperature around his body. Namorita couldn't even scream as the water was drained from her body and she shriveled to little more than a skeleton with blue flesh draped upon it.

"Nita!" Rahne forced towards Days and slashed as his arm in an in vain attempt to free Namorita, while Speedball blasted Days' back with kinetic energy, but the man barely noticed. With a burst of energy, both were thrown back

"In flamin' fire takin' vengance on those who do not know, and those who do not obey the gospel of our lord Jesus Christ. Thessalonians 1:8." God Days hissed, "I will not suffer the slings and arrows of a layman pagan." Days then pulled his arm back, and pitched the mortally dehydrated Namorita up and thru the air like a shuttlecock, Kymaera quickly disappearing from sight.

"Taki! She'll be killed!" Rahne warned frantically.

"I'm on arrrgh!" Was as far as Wiz Kid got before Days struck him down with lightning. Speedball and Wolfsbane rushed Reverend Days, but he slammed his palms on the ground, and the subsequent earthquake threw the two heroes off their feet. Following a silent command issued by the Reverend, the earth rose up like weeds and ensnared the two heroes.

"Do ya not know that ya are a temple o' God, and dat the Spirit of God dwells in you? If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are. Corinthians 3:16." Reverend Days said as he looked down on the two heroes, "I am merely striving to cleanse mah fellow man's connection ta God! Do you have any idea how long eternity is? A hundred years, a million? All are than the blink o' an eye ta an eternity in heaven! Somethin' they will not know unless they surrender their sin!"

"Be ye therefore merciful, as yuir Father also is merciful. Judge nae, and ye shall nae be judged: condemn not, and ye shall nae be condemned: forgive, an' ye shall be forgiven. Luke 6:36-37." Rahne replied as she stared the Reverend down, "The good Lord dinnae condone torture."

"And it came ta pass, that at midnight the Lord smote all the firstborn in the land o' Egypt, from da firstborn o' the Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle.' Exodus 12:29." Days quoted, "Sometimes, extreme measures must be taken in the name of da lord."

"For there shall arise false Christs, an' false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.' Matthew 24:24." Rahne answered calmly, "Yuir nothin' more than a power monger."

"An' anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire. Revelation 20:15." Reverend Days warned as his hands glowed with crimson power, "Beg me for forgiveness, renounce yer sin, and ah'll be merciful."

"The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is muh shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence.' 2 Samuel 22:3." Rahne replied without batting an eye, "Do yuir worst."

Reverend Days drew his fist back and sighed remorsefully, "So be it."

Before Days could connect with a blow that would certainly have killed the young Scotswoman, the ground between the two ruptured and a winged man burst forward, freeing Wolfsbane and Speedball from their stone shackles in the process. The winged man took in the situation, and blasted Days back with a crimson light.

"Arsenal!" Speedball exclaimed, "Where's X-Treme and Mirage?"

"They're protecting Days' captives below." Arsenal explained.

"Die, defiler!" Rapture hissed as she swooped down at Arsenal with her flaming sword. Suddenly, the clouds above parted perfectly and bathed Bobby in the sun's glow. The subsequent reflection off his steel wings and skins was too much for Rapture's eyes to bear.

"The light! I'm blind!" Rapture howled as she fluttered in midair, her eyes searing with pain.

"Isn't irony a bitch?" Arsenal backhanded Rapture to the ground.

"Bobby, ye have tae find Nita!" Rahne shouted as she dodged an energy blast from Days, "She could be dying!"

"No need for that." Just then, two human missiles slammed into Days from above. The second one then backed up, and unleashed a gravity pulse that sent Days hurtling into the stonewalls of the Arts & Craft section.

"'Nita, Nova, yuir alright!" Rahne exclaimed.

"I landed in a pond." Kymaera smirked, still dripping wet, "And Rich picked me up on his way back."

"Force Works, form on me!" Nova ordered. In moments, Arsenal, Kymaera, Speedball, Wiz Kid and Wolfsbane were gathered around Nova, though no one dared take their eyes off where Days had fallen.

"He's tough SOB, that's for sure." Nova stated, "So we gotta play this smart. Hit an' run, short and sweet."

"Ah've had enough of y'all!" Days screamed as he burst out of the building and began firing indiscriminatingly at Force Works. The team dodged, but the energy blasts struck several buildings and the propane tank of one, quickly setting it aflame. Parishioners of the screamed and ran in fear as the fires spread, for now were they trapped like rats. Fire prevented their escape and now, threatened their lives. Force Works, though hardly ignorant of the problem, could do nothing. Days had to be their concern.

"Flares!" Wiz Kid shouted as he aimed what appeared to be a giant spotlight at Days. The Reverend squinted his eyes shut, and was driven to the ground when Taki blasted him with a tightly focused sonic pulse.

"Speedball, go!" Rahne ordered as she dashed forward and slashed Days across the stomach with her claws, cutting deep and drawing blood. Rahne ducked under Days' backhand and rolled forward and out of reach. Days watched for Speedball, and as a result never saw Kymaera above him until her feet smashed down on his head.

"Force Works! Give him all ya got!" Nova ordered. Speedball blasted Days with his multi colored bubbles of kinetic energy, Arsenal unleashed his optic blasts and Wiz Kid blasted Days with a specially created electrical laser rifle. Only Nova, the only other member with energy powers present, held back.

"Nova, you're good! He's in the clear!" Kymaera shouted from the sky. Nova smirked.

"Everyone, back off!" Nova ordered, "he's mine!"

His teammates complied, and Nova reached deep inside himself, drawing more and more energy forth until he glowed like a newborn star. Power seemed to permeate the air as The Human Rocket began to build up power for his Nova Burst, and his teammates were forced to turn away from Nova's radiance lest they be blinded.

"Hey, Days," Nova shouted, his voice cackling with power, "Go to hell!"

Richard Rider unleashed his Nova pulse, and the energy tore towards Days like a run away bullet train, carving out a trenched as it made its way towards its intended victim. Reverend Days brought his hands up to shielded himself as best he could as enough energy to light New York for a year washed over him, and obscured him from view. The blast didn't stop there, tearing a deep trench behind where Days stood and leveling trees for over two miles

"Think we got 'em." Nova commented as he observed the steam and scorched earth where Days had been standing. Nova then began to wobble back and forth, his legs ready to buckle, his strength now spent. Namorita rushed to his side and put his arm over her shoulder, supporting him.

"Ya got me, but ah ain't down." Reverend Days declared as he willed the steam to dissipate. His shirt and clothes were scratched and torn in places, his bright red hair was scorched at the ends and his lip was bleeding, but his face bore a look of steel determination. A missile exploded behind Days, sending him stumbling forward

"Guess we gotta try harder then." Wiz Kid commented, "Force Works, lets go to work!"

***

Uru metal clashed against ancient steel and sent sparks into the air as Tarene desperately sought to ward off the Crusader's madden attacks. While Tarene was able to prevent any fatal strikes, for now, she had more than her fair share of cuts and slashes as a testament to Crusader's determination.

"Stop attacking me! Lives are in danger!" Tarene begged as she blocked another swing of Crusader's sword (if only barely). Tarene could hear the cries of people who'd fled into the basements of the building, seeking refuge from the battle only to be trapped by the fire.

Crusader kicked Tarene in the stomach, and as Tarene stumbled backwards, brought his sword high. It shined in the light, "And I will save them once I dispatch you!"

The sword fell, and Tarene was barely able to block it with her war hammer. She kicked Crusader away, and scrambled to her feet.

"What if I let you save them now?" Tarene proposed.

"I won't fall for your trickery!" Crusader spat as he readied for another attack, "You'll just strike me down while my back is turned!"

Tarene heard the cries of the women and children trapped becoming louder and more desperate, "Then what if I let you strike me down?"

"Do you think me a fool?"

Tarene holstered her war-hammer and dropped her arms to her side; "Strike me down, and then save them. That's all I really want done."

Crusader eyed Tarene suspiciously. Tarene appeared to be a tempting target, but why would an agent of the devil sacrifice her life for unknown others? How could such nobility beat inside the heart of such a pagan? Doubt regarding the righteousness of his actions began to trickle into Crusader's mind

"Well?"

Crusader pulled his sword back, and prepared to deliver a deathblow, "Very well."

Tarene squeezed her eyes shut as she heard Crusader's sword swish thru the air towards her neck. Seconds later she felt a slight slap and prick against her neck. Tarene opened her eyes to see that she was still very much alive, and Crusader very much confused.

"Die, devil spawn!" Crusader screamed unconvincingly as he swung his sword at Tarene again. Tarene allowed confusion to overcome her, and the self same sword that pierced her skin only minutes before slapped against her arm without leaving a mark. Crusader stabbed at her again to no effect.

"My strength, what's happened to my strength?" Crusader asked aloud, stunned by the turn of events. He had her at his mercy!

Tarene strode forward and gripped the sword in one hand. With casual effort, she squeezed the sword and it splinted into dozens of different pieces. She then dispatched Crusader with a single finger.

"When faced with true righteousness, you found yourself unable to claim victory." Tarene stated, "Kinda simple, really. Happened all the time in the past."

***

Reverend Days, for his part, was doing much better than his follower. He casually swatted Wiz Kid into Kymaera and blasted Speedball away with a burst of concussive force that sent the masked marvel hurtling away like a well-struck baseball. Arsenal swooped down and unleashed a quick volley of energy bursts at Days, who stood there unimpressed. Before Arsenal could fly away, Days' arm elongated and plucked him out of the sky. Arsenal resisted as best he could, but Days held him firmly by the wrists and drew him close.

"Ah'm wonderin', if ah put out enough heat, can ah melt you, or jus' yo skin off?" Days asked. He ignited a blue flame around his body, "Lets find out demon."

Arsenal screamed, and Days smirked. It lasted only seconds before a golden war hammer slammed into the Holy Man's face, loosening his teeth and sending specks of blood and spit into the air.

"Care to fight someone in your league?" Tarene demanded as her mallet returned to her hand. She thrust it into the air, and lightning from every which direction struck Days, who roared in pain. His eyes bleeding, his vision blurred and his body screaming in pain, Reverend Days never the less still stood erect in the face of Tarene's power.

"Yer powerful, but still a false idol. An' ah'll render you as moot as the other pagan gods little lady!" He hissed thru pain clenched teeth.

Tarene charged forward as Days projected an emerald energy blast at the center of her chest. Tarene met the blast head on without breaking stride, drew her fist back and unleashed a powerful blow directly at the smug Reverend's face...only to have her fist harmlessly pass thru the man. Days laughed.

"Like the Gods of old, you may not have disappeared from sight, but you are rendered irrelevant none the less!" Days boasted. He then blasted Tarene away easily, for while she couldn't hit him, he could easily hit her.

"That the best ya all got?" Reverend Days demanded smugly. Force Works was poised before him, but hadn't made a move. Both sides were tired. Both sides were hurt, but neither willing to surrender.

"We ain't done yet, Days. We could keep this up all day!" Nova boasted. He felt dead on his feet, as he suspected his entire team felt, but his willpower kept him going.

"If ya won't see the light, you may have ta." Days growled.

"Actually, I've seen the light." Rahne said as she stepped forward, ending the Mexican standoff. Her body language switched from combat ready to relaxed as she strode forward, "And I'd like tae be saved Reverend."

Naturally all of Force Works was taken back by Rahne's sudden conversion

"Rahne, what do you think you're doing?" Kymaera asked

"Are you out of your mind?" Arsenal snapped.

Rahne turned around to address her teammates.

"Trust me, please." Was all she asked.

"Be warned, if this is a trick..."

"Nae tricked." Rahne said evenly, "If ye offer ta save muh soul, how can I refuse? I have only one thing tae ask of ye first."

"Oh? What's that, my child?"

"Ye know all o' the 'sins' that you've taken from others, aye?" Rahne asked, her hands on her hips.

"Yes, that's correct."

"Then read muh mind, Reverend."

Reverend Days looked as Rahne perplexed, "Read yo' mind?"

"Aye. That's all I ask, and then I'll submit muhself ta ye."

"Very well. Ah've saved many a telepath." Reverend Days reached out with his combined telepathic powers, and gasped aloud.

"Well?"

"This...it's impossible! It's a trick!" Days said hastily, "You no doubt have infernal devises blocking me! Yer clever, but I ain't fooled young lady!"

"It's nae trick" Rahne replied, "but if ye don' believe me, I'll prove it."

Rahne unzipped the back of her uniform and allowed it to drop down around her legs. Rahne then stepped out of her uniform, picked it up and tossed it a few feet away. Now wearing only her silk bra and panties, Rahne looked Reverend Days directly in the eyes

"I'm willing tae go starkers if ye want, but this shid be enough tae prove I'm nae wearing any using any 'infernal devises' tae stop telepathy. Ken ye read muh mind now? Even jus' a little?"

Days looked at her stupefied and began backing away, "No." He said softly.

Rahne stepped forward, a confident, victorious smile playing across her lips, "Ye have nae idea what's on me mind, do ye?"

"Shut up!" Days shouted, still back pedaling

"I'd think it'd be simple. 'For yay though I walk thru the valley of the shadow of the death, I shall fear no evil, for thou art with me.'"

"Foul demon begone!" Days directed an inferno towards Rahne, faster than she could hope to dodge, though the young woman proudly stood her ground. A second later, there was nothing left where Rahne had been but ashes.

"She lies, she lies!" Reverend Days repeated to himself again and again.

"Dunno about you, but I prefer my werewolf's non flambéed." Days looked up to see Rahne resting safely in the arms of Nova the Human Rocket.

"I think we all do." Kymaera said as she stood behind the disheveled Reverend, slapping her fist into her open palm.

Force Works then lit into the Reverend with everything they had left, and a little bit more. Bone claws pierced his lungs; webbed fists broke his jaw, sonics made his ears bleed while kinetic energy crashed against his body like waves upon the surf and star born energies burned his flesh. Force Works were relentless, showing no mercy and coordinating their attacks with so much skill many a ballerinas would weep in envy. Days was like a piece of driftwood, helplessly ravaged and cast about by Force Works' wrath. His demoralized attempts to defend himself were less than nothing

"Keep it up, we got him on the ropes!" Nova shouted as he delivering a flying uppercut to the back of Days' head. Days stumbled forward and fell into the dirt away from the team.

"Enough." He whispered, still on his hands and knees.

"Grab him!" Arsenal shouted as he lunged for the disappearing Days. Arsenal was two seconds too slow, and Days and his Elect vanished into thin air.

"Damn it all, he got away!" Arsenal slammed his fist into the earth in frustration.

"We'll get him next time, don't sweat it." Nova said as he put his hand on Bobby's shoulder to calm him.

"I'm surprised we stopped him this time." Speedball commented wiping imaginary sweat from his brow and blowing out a sigh of relief, "What made him lose it like that?"

"Ye know aboot the story of Jov, right?" Rahne asked. By now she had let her modestly win out against her righteousness, and thus was wearing her uniform once more.

"Yeah, God and Devil make wager on whether or not Satan can tempt Jov. God wins, duh." Speedball answered

"Well, if the devil could read minds, or see inta the hearts o' man, he ne'er would have made the wager. Demons cannae read minds." Rahne explained.

"And Days, despite leeching a number of telepaths, doesn't have telepathy." Kymaera observed, "Wow. Who'd have thunk it?"

"This is all fine and dandy, but in case you people have forgotten," Wiz Kid swept his hands outwards to indicating the inferno that was Reverend Days compound, "we still have another problem with Days gone."

"Shit, shit shit! The conditions are perfect for forest fires!" Kymaera swore, "Tarene, we need a monsoon!"

She looked at the young woman, who spoke several words, but no sound came forward.

"She's still out of phase with this reality as a result of Days' attack. It'll pass, but not soon enough." Taki explained.

"Then we do this the hard way. Rahne, we need your ears to find those who are trapped. Kymaera, use your strength to move away the trees closest to the compound. Rest of us are search and rescue. Lets get to work!" Nova snapped. Force Works shot into action, but they all knew their actions were tantamount to spitting in the wind.

***

Rusty Peterson watched the flames lick the sky from the parking lot of the compound. Once Days had fled, the barrier he'd used to keep his followers inside fell as well, and his parents wasted no time taking advantage of that fact.

"Rusty, come on! We have to get away from here!" Aaron warned as he pulled his adoptive son away by the shoulder.

"But daddy, I can help! Lemme help!" Rusty begged.

"You'll do no such thing! Your powers are wrong! They're evil!" Patty spat.

"I ain't evil and they ain't either!" Rusty wrenched his arm free, and began running into the interior of the compound. His parents hesitated for a moment, but quickly gave chase.

***

Richard Rider smashed down the front door of one building and was rewarded with a fireball of his trouble. His helmet sealed, he forged ahead. He made it to the door to the basement when he realized he didn't have a way to get the people trapped below out. He was fireproof, but they were not. All exits were blocked by fire, and as they were in the basement Nova couldn't blast at way out without bringing the building down around their ears. So how could he save these people?

"Taki! The fire's escaping!" Speedball pointed to where a tree had caught fire. It was burning slowly now, but no one expected that to last.

"Leave it to Nita. We still have three more buildings to evacuate!" Wiz Kid replied.

"Look!" Arsenal pointed at Rusty, who was standing in the middle of the compound.

Rusty looked at the fire than threatened to steal the lives of the okay people who worked at the retreat and burn the local forest to ash, and hoped that his Uncle Matt was watching from heaven. Rusty reached out to the fire, and began speaking to it, telling it first to stop spreading. Rusty tried to tell it to go away, but the fire resisted. It was too big and almost had a mind of it's own now. It would not go quietly into that good night, so Rusty did what he thought would be the next best thing.

"Oh muh lord." Rahne gasped as she watched the scene. The flames around Rusty swirled and congealed like mist, and plunged into his chest. Rusty completely absorbed all the fire into himself like a sponge, but to his horror, he found that his body remained aflame. Never had that happened in the past, and it went without saying it terrified the brave young boy. His heart pounded in terror as he realized his situation.

"Mommy! Daddy! Help!" Rusty cried out. Patty and Aaron Peterson rushed to their adoptive son when they heard him cry out...and backpedaled in stark fear when they saw him.

"Mommy! Help!" Rusty begged

"Stay back!" Aaron said fearfully, "Just...stay back!"

Thru his own fear, Rusty realized in no uncertain terms that his parents were scared. But they weren't scared for him; rather they were scared of him! Rusty's tears instantly turned steam as he wept over their betrayal and his heart pounded like a jackhammer. His parents hated him and he only wanted to help and the fire was beginning burn him! Rusty, in his terror, began unleashing bursts of flame that threatened to re-ignite the entire situation

"It's gonna be okay, kid, just calm down!" Nova reassured him. Nova tried to get closer, but the boy's heat was too much even for him.

"It hurts! Mommy, it hurts!" Rusty cried as he frantically looked about for help. Suddenly, he felt a calm hand on his shoulder. He spun around, and saw Sandy Blevins, the blue aura of her force field outlining her body as she smiled down on him.

"God, you're so handsome." Sandy said softly, "and so brave. Just like your father."

"Who...who are you?" Rusty stammered

The words flowed as natural as night and day, "I'm your mother, Rusty."

"My...my real mom? But they said they didn't know who...who you were."

Sandy ran her hands thru Rusty's hair, "They didn't. But I'm here now. I'm special, just like you."

"It hurts. Why does it hurt?" Rusty asked.

Sandy scooped her son up into her arms, "You've absorbed too much energy, and you need to release it. Do you trust me?"

"Yes, I think so." Rusty replied, "You're not scared of me, are you?" he asked. genuinely curious.

"Not one bit." Sandy answered, "Now, close your eyes and do exactly as I tell you."

Rusty squeezed his eyes shut, and Sandy levitated her force field high into the air above the compound.

"Okay Rusty, now you need to trust me. You need to let the energy go."

Rusty kept his eyes firmly closed, but asked, "Won't you be hurt? I...I don't want you to leave me too."

"I'll never leave you again, Rusty. Never."

Rusty sniffled in relief as the energy began pouring out of his body and illuminating the sky like the birth of a new star.

Later

"So, you'd say the mission was a success?" Edie Sawyer asked. Wolfsbane and Mirage were sitting in Sawyer's office, giving an official debriefing.

"Somewhat." Dani answered, "The Petersons gave Skids custody of Rusty, and Parvenue's been kind enough to give her a scholarship and some other assistance to help her out with being a single parent while attending college, we're officially cleared of any suspicion of killing a Church of Humanity sect, the mutants we rescued are recovering in a hospital, the fire was contained with no loss of lives and Reverend Days can't show his face in public without the authorities coming down on him like a ton of bricks."

"But?"

"But he's still out there, and plenty powerful." Dani sighed, "No way is he gone for good."

"Probably not, no." Sawyer closed her laptop, "sucks to be you."

Sawyer then teleported away without another word.

"Ye worry tae much. Next time Days shows up, we'll stop him." Rahne said, "I'm going tae go snuggle wit' Adam an' watch some T.V. Care to join me?"

"Snuggle..." Dani chuckled softly, "You're doing incredible damage to Adam's bad ass rep, you know that?"

Rahne shrugged.

"I wish I could be as sure as you are about this, Rahne. Days is as powerful as Magneto and easily just as dangerous. How can you be so certain we'll be able to stop him next time he shows up?"

"The verra same way I knew he couldnae read muh mind..."Rahne smiled widely. It was a warm, kind, loving smile that Rahne was well known for.

"...Because I have faith."

The End