Chapter 27
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Ben Riley knew that there was a great irony in these actions. When they programmed him they gave him an imperative to never take a human life. Xavier, who strongly believed that all life was sacred, helped Ben to embrace free will, to make his own decisions. And here Ben was, using his newfound free will, to go against Xavier's philosophy. But Phoenix was a threat. Not only had they murdered the man who killed Mystique, they kidnapped the democratically elected vice-president. And there was the fact that they still didn't know the limits of Phoenix's powers, if they had any at all. Until recently Phoenix had at least remained neutral in America's conflicts, but kidnapping Creed changed that. Phoenix might not be allied with America's enemies, yet, but they were unpredictable. So, for better or worse, Phoenix had to die.
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Phoenix was watching the news on TV. They were showing Magneto's old speech before the general assembly of the United Nations. In it he said "I come before you today carrying both an olive branch and a sword. I implore you, do not let the olive branch fall from my hand." It seemed like Magneto really knew what he was talking about. It was one thing to hope for peace, but sometimes your enemy wasn't as reasonable as you. As Phoenix was watching this, they sensed danger, almost like a spider sense. Than Phoenix saw him coming. Ben Riley, someone Phoenix thought was a friend, was trying to murder them. Phoenix was outraged, and released their fury on Ben. Phoenix didn't know who they could trust, so they fled Xavier's school, not knowing exactly where they could go at this point.
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The other Xmen soon found Ben Riley, greatly damaged. Hank McCoy said he might be able to repair him. Noone was certain what had happened, but they had heard the commotion. Now, Ben was hurt, and Phoenix was missing. Had Ben tried to do something, had this been a part of his programming from the beginning? They all feared what Phoenix might do, and they weren't certain where they had gone. But Wolverine began to think, Phoenix still had the memories of Jean and Scott, had one of them ever been this agitated? If so, where might one of them go for comfort. A few places came to mind, or more accurately a few people came to mind.
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Phoenix still had all of Scott and Jean's memories, their collective joy and pain. This included Jean's memories of highschool, how the other girls called her a freak, and the time she used her telekenesis to throw food at those mean cheerleaders. Now, after hurting Ben like that, Phoenix found themself needing comfort, they wanted their mother to just hold them and say that everything would be okay. But Phoenix wasn't even sure if they had a mother, in a sense Jean Grey was Phoenix's mother, but they never met, and Jean's last memories were of fear of being killed, in those moments she felt no love for this new life. Phoenix needed someone, so they went to Jean's old home. Jean's parents were both deceased, and this old house was just empty. Phoenix went to Jean's old room, hoping it would provide some comfort, but it just mad them feel more alone.
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Wolverine went to Jean's old house, hoping Phoenix might be there. The other members of the Xmen were talking to Scott's brother Alex. But as Wolverine approached Jean's old house he smelled someone familiar. It was his brother Sabertooth, a long with Sabertooth's son Creed. Creed, realizing he was somehow back in the United States, immediately fled to find some police. Sabertooth seemed as surprised as Wolverine that he was there.
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Wolverine: How the hell did you get here?
Sabertooth: I don't know, it just sort of happened. You want to fight, I'm in.
Wolverine: We can fight later, but I think Phoenix is in there and I'm going to try and reason with them.
Sabertooth: Phoenix killed the bastard who murdered Mystique?
Wolverine: Probably.
Sabertooth: Take your time, we can fight later.
Wolverine: Thanks.
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Wolverine went inside to speak with Phoenix, and found them.
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Wolverine: Hello Phoenix.
Phoenix: Ben tried to kill me.
Wolverine: I know.
Phoenix: I guess I can't blame him, after all I did. I can't go back.
Wolverine: I can help you. It wouldn't be the first time I've been on the run.
Phoenix: I couldn't ask you to abandon Marie, or Laura. I don't even know if Laura is my daughter or my sister. I hoped this room would bring me some comfort, but it just makes me feel more alone.
Wolverine: You're not alone, I'm here for you.
Sabertooth: Logan we got company!
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Sabertooth's yell warned his friends about the sentinels coming for them. There were 12, probably more on the way. This trio didn't know if Creed had already contacted help, or whether they had already traced Phoenix here. It didn't exactly take Matlock to figure out that Phoenix might go to Jean's parents house. It was clear they were here to eliminate Phoenix.
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Wolverine: You should get out of here Victor.
Sabertooth: Noone gets to kill you but me. Besides I owe Phoenix for avenging Mystique's death.
Wolverine: Good a reason as any to fight together.
Phoenix: No, I won't let you die for me.
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Before Wolverine could stop them Phoenix flew away. The sentinels flew after them. Both just flew up, until the sentinels couldn't fly any further up, and they fell down. Wolverine wondered, exactly where did Phoenix go to?
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Later Geyrich briefed president Kelly on the recent development with Phoenix and vice-president Creed.
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Geyrich: Creed is alive and recuperating. He is physically okay, but he'll need time to recover mentally.
Kelly: Understandable. What about Ben Riley?
Geyrich: Hank McCoy thinks he can repair him. Professor Xavier is upset with us.
Kelly: I don't blame him. Was it worth it, is Phoenix dead?
Geyrich: That's unclear. It seems that Phoenix attempted to end their own life by flying into the sun. But our satellites were unable to completely monitor them. I should point out that other satellites have detected objects hitting the moon. Those objects could simply be asteroids, or it could be the Phoenix.
Kelly: Sinister might have been more accurate than he realized when he nicknamed this person Phoenix. What would it mean if one of these objects is Phoenix?
Geyrich: Hopefully it would just mean that they lost their nerve and backed out of their attempted suicide. Because if going into the sun itself was unable to destroy the Phoenix, and they now have every reason to hate us, than God help us all.
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On the moon a person woke up. It took them a few moments to get their bearings, and remember who they were. Than they remembered, their name was Phoenix, and they identified as non-binary. How was it they were here, they shouldn't be able to breathe on the surface of the moon, but then perhaps they were more powerful than anyone realized. It took Phoenix a moment to remember, they had tried to end their own life, by flying into the sun itself. Things were a little fuzzy after that. Phoenix couldn't remember if they had backed out, or if the sun itself had been unable to destroy them. Than Phoenix heard a voice, it was a voice they had never heard in their brief life, but one they knew. Phoenix turned around, and there she was, Jean Grey.