Chapter 13
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Bishop told Wolverine what he knew of the assasination of president-elect Kelly. It was the same information that future Wolverine had told Bishop, what was pieced together from congressional testimony in the days to come. Magneto had been the leader of this assasination. Others involved included Sabertooth, Pyro, Cloak and Dagger. These were all people Wolverine had freed in his rescue of Rogue, so both of them felt obliged to help stop this. There were a few members of Xavier's school who were coming to Washington for a peaceful protest against the new administration. They would later be falsely accused of complicity in Kelly's murder. Among them were Kitty Pryde, and Avalanche. They were having an illicit relationship, but they might be able to help now. Peter Parker/Spiderman was in D.C. to cover the innaguration for the Daily Bugle. Spiderman would end up dying in a futile attempt to save Kelly, Bishop hoped to change that part as well. Bishop knew that there were few others close enough to help, and they needed help right now. On the way to D.C. they stopped for drive-thru. Bishop had never had the chance to savor a hamburger before, and he enjoyed it greatly. As a child, Rogue's family had been poor, they were only able to afford fast food more than once every two weeks. But still, she hadn't met anyone who had never had the chance to enjoy a hamburger before. Even vegetarians had been able to taste it at least once in their lives. Later Wolverine was asleep, Rogue and Bishop began to talk.
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Rogue: I never understood how he can sleep before a big battle like this.
Bishop: I think he learned to take it where he can get it.
Rogue: Is it true, the people who assasinate Kelly are the ones Wolverine freed from the Raft?
Bishop: That's what they say later.
Rogue: Why didn't you go back further, stop him from freeing us?
Bishop: Forge said this date was as far back as I could go. Ofcourse the future Wolverine worked with Forge longer than I did, I think they might have made a vow, not to hurt you. But that's just speculation.
Rogue: If we succeed, do you go back to your time?
Bishop: No, the jump was one way.
Rogue: So you'll be stuck here?
Bishop: That's a very good question. Some of the scientists think I'd be stuck here. But others, if the events that led to my birth are altered, maybe I don't exist anymore. At least not this version of me.
Rogue: Maybe you'll still be born.
Bishop: Doubtful. My mother, she had a very unique mutant ability. She conceived and gave birth in a matter of days. She was kidnapped, raped repeatedly. Her captors, they sold these children as weak. My brothers and sisters were either murdered or enslaved. Somehow, when she was pregnant with me, she was able to escape. If we can really stop this dystopian hell, it seems unlikely that my parents would meet and fall in love. We win, I cease to exist, and I'm cool with that.
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Wolverine, Rogue, and Bishop made contact with Peter Parker, Avalanche, and Kitty. The six agreed to meet at a diner near D.C. They all heard Bishop's story, and he laid out why he needed their help in saving the president-elect.
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Avalanche: You want us to save the guy who promised to put us in concentration camps.
Bishop: He dies and you'll wind up there anyway. We save him, maybe things change.
Kitty: How much time do we have to decide?
Bishop: It's now 6:12 am. Kelly is killed at 11:52 am.
Avalanche: Maybe the world is doomed either way. Maybe Kitty and I should just leave and enjoy whatever time we have left together.
Kitty: That does sound good. But if it happens, and there was something, anything, we could have done to stop it, I don't think I could live with myself. Do what you once Lance, but I'm going to help.
Avalanche: Then I'll help too. I can't let you go into battle alone.
Peter: I'll help too. But if I still die, would you guys look after my aunt May.
Wolverine: Yeah, you have my word kid.
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Professor Xavier was in Washington D.C. As much as he feared what Robert Kelly would do as president, he also came to try and make certain that the protests remained peaceful. If mutants rioted today, it would give president Kelly all the pretext he needed to enact anti-mutant legislation. It was now 9:30 am. In less than three hours, everything would change. He was preparing to leave for the innaguration when he saw something from his hotel window. Then Xavier saw something, he saw Logan, and Lance, together. Why were these two suddenly together, and why were they in D.C.? He also saw them with an african-american man he didn't recognize. Xavier tried to contact Logan telepathically, to ask why they were here. Logan responded by referring him to this other man, Bishop. Bishop allowed Xavier to read his mind, his thoughts, his memories. When Xavier saw Bishop's future he was terrified. This was what would happen if Kelly was assasinated. If they could save Kelly, would things be different? There was no way to know for certain, but they had less than two hours to stop it, or they were all doomed.
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Magneto prepared for the assasination of president-elect Kelly. He had declared himself an enemy of mutants, he could not be allowed to become president. Magneto remembered, when Hitler was first appointed chancellor. Far too many good people thought they could just wait it out, that surely those lunatics couldn't remain in power for long. They were wrong, and Magneto remembered the consequences of their miscalculations. He could not let that happen again, not if he could help it. He regretted that some of his soldiers would likely die in this fight, but that was unavoidable. Magneto also knew that Xavier was here, still hoping against hope that war could be avoided. Magneto still loved Xavier, but he could not let these emotions stay his hand. If Xavier died, that was just one more death he would have to live with.
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The battle was relatively quick. Bishop had told his new friends where Magneto's people would be at a specific time. But the plan changed, and Magneto knew how to adapt quickly. For Avalanche it felt weird to be fighting against Magneto's people, but also felt good to be fighting alongside Kitty for once. Wolverine and Rogue fought against Cloak and Dagger. They were painfully aware that they wouldn't be free at all if Wolverine hadn't freed them. All they could do now was try and clean up their mess. The president-elect was ofcourse evacuated to safety by Secret Service, but Magneto was nowhere to be seen. Then shortly before noon, Magneto's people got the signal to retreat, the operation was over.
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Secret Service brought president-elect Kelly to a secure bunker, they didn't know who was waiting here for them. As soon as Kelly was in the safe room, the doors were slammed shut before these bodyguards could even get inside themselves. And to Kelly's horror, the mutant terrorist Magneto was standing right here. Secret Service tried to get inside, but it seemed unlikely that they would succeed in time to save the president-elect.
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Kelly: How the hell did you get in here?
Magneto: I have my methods, and supporters.
Kelly: If you kill me you'll prove me right.
Magneto: Like you I believe that mutants and humans cannot peacefully coexist. War is inevitable, and I will not let you lead humanity to the extinction of my people. Goodbye mr president.
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Before Magneto could kill Robert Kelly he heard Charles Xavier's voice. Xavier might not be too close physically, but he could communicate with him and Kelly.
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Xavier: Don't give up on them Erik.
Magneto: What would you have me do Charles? I have heard his arguments before. Too many stood by and did nothing when those lunatics took power. I won't let it happen again.
Xavier: And what if killing him brings about genocide?
Magneto: There is always a risk in battle, but doing nothing ensures defeat. You cannot wage a revolution with white gloves.
Xavier: If both of you are so determined for war to come, let me show you what the end result will be.
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Xavier showed Erik and Kelly what he had seen in Bishop's mind. The horrors, the torture, mass extinction, the horrible desperation and fear of those "Lucky" enough to still be alive under the rule of Apocalypse. Magneto was horrified, could this be what his actions would bring? Or was such a dystopian future inevitable? Magneto saw Kelly wimpering in the corner, perhaps this was the first time he was truley confronted with the possible consequences of his anti-mutant platform. There was no way to know for certain what would happen if he spared Kelly's life, but he now knew what would happen if he killed him. Magneto decided to take a chance, perhaps just this once. He ordered his soldiers to leave, that the operation was over. Magneto then left president-elect Kelly alive.