|
#4
DEC 09 |
 |
“May I Introduce the President” Part Four
Previously: Sage agreed to work with Emma in X-Force, but only in exchange for having a mission conducted by the team of her choosing. Emma found the terms acceptable for her current needs but who knows what she may have in mind. President Maximoff ordered X-Factor to track down and find Exodus, despite Polaris’ objections. Meanwhile, Wanda revealed to Rogue that she was pregnant. On the other side of the African continent, Moses Magnum met a woman with a connection to one of the X-Men’s greatest foes.
“Apocalypse is dead.”
Magnum’s unexpected and unwanted guest laughed and put her hand to her mouth to keep silent. She watched Moses climb back to his feet before speaking. “Of course he is dead. That fact is indisputable. I wonder why you would even state it.”
Murder was in Magnum’s eyes. “To remind you that Apocalypse has no power here.”
“And I would warn you against making threats when you have no idea what someone is capable of,” Medea said as her eyes glowed a deep green.
Moses relaxed under the gaze and knew that there was truth in the words. “So what did you say I was?”
Medea gave a smile that a businesswoman would pass on to a client. “Do pay attention, Moses. You are one of the Heirs: the men and women meant to pick up the mantle of Apocalypse after he departed from this world.”
“How many are there?”
Medea bit her nail as if she was hesitant to answer. “Twelve”
Moses shook his head. “That man was obsessed with that number.”
“Twelve mutants were supposed to help him ascend to godhood and now twelve shall carry on his legacy.”
Practically foaming at the mouth, Moses said, “What the hell makes you think I’m going to do that?”
“I’m sure by now that you’ve heard Apocalypse’s voice in your head,” Medea said as she spun her cane between her two hands. She had the stance of a runway model and the attitude to match it. “It won’t go away if you continue to defy him.”
“And how do you know so much about this?”
“As the first fully realized Heir, there is certain information I was privy to. Apocalypse made me to be the Gatherer of the Heirs. It is my job to give you the necessary knowledge and bring you into the fold once the realization process begins.”
Magnum was not at all fond of the idea of having to unceasingly hear Apocalypse rattle in his brain. He didn’t much care for this woman, but he was going to play her game for now until he found a better option before him. “Fine, Medea, you win; I’ll come along, but if you’re lying I shake every tooth loose from your head.”
Medea laughed. “Don’t be such a flirt Moses. Oh I’m sure you know how to put your tongue to work quite well.”
Pausing for a moment, Moses let the comment sink in and shook his head. Only a woman like her could be so disarming. He had never once thought about using his powers for…
“Nevermind. Let’s just go,” Moses said as Medea forcibly interlocked her arm with his. They walked out of the door together and into their future.
Sri Lanka
Exodus saw the path to his future clearly and he wasn’t going to let anyone stop him from achieving it, especially two-bit humans fighting two-bit problems. What were their conflicts in the face of mutant superiority? He refused to allow these humans to impede his plans. They would be dealt with quickly.
Exodus floated over three of his Acolytes and asked, “How many of them did you say were approaching?”
Vindaloo was the native of Sri Lanka so he felt it was up to him to answer. “There are twelve of them, Exodus. The jungles are thick though and it will take them at least thirty minutes to arrive.”
The eyes of his leader were arctic. “They will never lay eyes on us.”
Cortez smiled. “So you want us to ambush the flatscans?”
Exodus cut his eyes at his second-in-command. “I did not say such a thing! My mind will crush them. Do you doubt my mental abilities, Fabian?”
“Of course not, Exodus. I just thought you did not want to soil your mind by peering into theirs.”
“If it speeds our search for Lord Magneto, I would wade in maggots,” Exodus said as he reached out to the angry minds approaching them. Filthy flatscans…they weren’t worth the time he was wasting on them.
The first mind he touched was Asanka Palk, a Tamil who had lost his entire family to the brutality of the Sinhalese. He watched his daughter being gutted while the butt of a gun kept him pressed into the mud. Anger was all the man knew and anger was all he was.
The next mind was Banduka Duwa, a pathetic shell of a man who had long ago wanted the violence to stop but knew no other way to live. His every breath made him wonder if it would be the last and, now that his side had lost, where was there for him to go but to death’s embrace?
Exodus could only describe Palk, Duwa, and their comrades in one term.
Worthless.
Angry with the stench of humanity in his mind, he destroyed the minds of every Tamil Tiger who meant to do them any harm. He did not have time for petty humans, their petty emotions or their petty conflicts. Lord Magneto was in need of rescue and his Acolytes would be there to help him.
First, there was cargo to be retrieved. Touching back down on the ground, Exodus put a hand on Fabian’s shoulder and said, “I believe while rummaging through the minds of those low breeds I found what we were looking for.”
“The girl?” Cortez asked.
Exodus nodded, “Yes. The girl that will help us find our Lord Magneto.”
Magda Gardens
Wanda walked anxiously back and forth through the Magda Gardens awaiting her brother’s arrival. She knew that it couldn’t be long.; nothing ever was with Pietro, but that just made her mind all the more wracked on how she was going to tell her brother about it. Pietro’s mood could be so erratic sometimes and she had no idea how he was going to take a pregnancy. As the rush of air blew across her back and flung her hair upwards she knew that he was here.
“You could stand to slow down; my hair isn’t an easy fix you know,” Wanda said as she turned around and kissed her brother on the cheek.
“I’m a President now, Wanda. I have enough things on my plate to keep even someone who moves as fast as me busy.”
Wanda plucked a flower from the garden and stuck it in her hair. “Not too busy to spend some time with me, I hope?”
Pietro laughed. “There aren’t enough tasks in the world to do that. So, what do you think? I’ve had the place spruced up a bit.”
Wanda looked around at the improvements without ever really looking. Her mind was a thousand miles away. “It’s nice. I think mother would have liked this place.”
“I hope so. I want this country to be a place where mutants can call it home and still manage to be at peace with the human world.”
Wanda stopped walking and Pietro took a few more steps before he noticed. He looked back to his sister. “What’s wrong?”
“I have something very important to tell you and I need you to remain calm.”
Pietro feigned insult. “Sister, when am I not the model of patience?”
Wanda folded her arms across her chest. “I’m serious, Pietro.”
“As am I. I will be calm.”
“Promise?”
Pietro sighed. “Really, Wanda? Do we have to go through this?”
His sister’s stare was steel. “Promise?”
Flinging down his arms in defeat, Pietro nodded. “Promise.”
Wanda sighed and gave her realization at the barest of whispers. “I’m pregnant.”
That whisper might as well have been a siren echoing across the world as far as Quicksilver was concerned. His mouth opened wide to utter something, but nothing came out. Then, as if his breath finally caught up to him, Pietro screamed.
“WHAT?!!!”
“You promised!”
Pietro smacked his hands to side of his head and said at the top of his lungs. “That was before you told me you were pregnant!”
“I told Rogue this would happen. All you ever do is yell, Pietro. Are you not happy for me? You act as if you don’t even want to be an uncle.”
The shame his sister had just laid on him smacked Pietro in the face and forced him to calm down; if there was one person who always knew how to give him a swift kick in the balls it was Wanda. “It’s not that I’m not happy. This is just so sudden is all. Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”
Wanda laughed. “Did you just see yourself? The world would be declaring you mad if I had told you this at a press conference.”
Walking up to her, Pietro placed a hand on his sister’s stomach and smiled. He couldn’t feel anything yet, but the idea that he would eventually filled him with joy. “Now if it’s a boy you have to name him Pietro. I hear it’s quite the prestigious name nowadays.”
Wanda rolled her eyes. “I will not put that curse of ego on my child.”
“And what you would rather name him? Please avoid idiotic names like Simon, Hank and Clinton.”
Putting her hand on top of Pietro’s, Wanda said, “A little Simon Jr. wouldn’t hurt.”
Quicksilver’s face cracked. “He’s the father? Ugghh! I would much rather have Doom for a brother-in-law. I have no idea what you see in that clown.”
Patting her brother gently on the cheek, Wanda said, “I’m sure Crystal’s family feels the same way about you.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
Wanda leaned forward and gave her brother a departing kiss on the cheek. “My flight leaves for Avengers Mansion shortly. I’ll tell everyone you said hello.”
“Please Wanda, I would rather you not lie. Tell only Steve and Tony I said hello.”
“Didn’t know you liked them that much,” Wanda said.
“Steve I respect. Tony I may need. That is all there is to it,” Quicksilver said giving his sister one last hug. “Have a safe flight.”
While still in the embrace, Wanda said, “And you be careful, brother. Genosha has not stopped being a dangerous place just yet.”
Press Gang HQ (Carrion Cove)
Shola Inkose, the head of Genosha’s new Press Gang, was charged with ensuring the safety of Genosha’s citizens. The island was still relatively speaking a place of angry natives and disillusioned immigrants. Magneto’s death had struck a chord and it was a credit to President Maximoff and those around him to be able to pick up the pieces so fast. Shola was going to be part of a newly designed police force that Magneto was going to implement before his untimely death. Saving himself training time and searching efforts, President Maximoff decided to keep Shola around and gave him a promotion on top of it.
It was all a bit overwhelming for the Mozambique native, but he quickly grew to love his responsibilities on Genosha. He was helping to ensure that mutants could be safe in their own nation without fear of internal threat. The Press Gang had once been a symbol of oppression; they would now become a symbol of the law.
He was allowed to handpick his team so it would be certain that everyone on it was someone that he felt he could trust. Many potential candidates had run across Chief Inkose’s desk, but only six mutants had deemed as having the right combination of personalities to help him enforce the law on Genosha. They couldn’t be too squeaky clean because Genosha was still very much a rough place, but he couldn’t have anyone who was easily corrupted. President Maximoff’s efforts to restore some civility to this nation would be in vain if the public felt they couldn’t trust the enforcers of the law. The law was the foundation on which any great nation was built; once that was gone, then all Hell would break loose. Anarchy in a nation of mutants was not a pretty scenario, as evidenced from Genosha’s own past.
His first recruit had been an Argentinean beauty by the name of Wind Dancer. She had spunk, enthusiasm and a great crowd control power. Shola was a bit nervous about her lack of experience, but that was something he could learn to get over. They were building a new country and concerns such as experience had to be considered marginally.
Wicked was a mutant perfectly suited for the kind of work his new Press Gang would be dealing with. Her ability to communicate with the dead was going to be invaluable on the field as determining guilt or innocence in homicide cases would be as simple as summoning forth the victim and confirming an identity. Admittedly, she was a bit on the gothic side, but Shola could overlook that. Genosha was the world’s smallest melting pot.
With that in mind, it paid to have someone you knew working at your side which was why Shola had invited his college roommates, Spyke and Postman, to move to Genosha and get in on the ground floor of the Press Gang. Both men had been frustrated with their human police forces and were looking for something more. Shola got double benefits with these two men’s services because they were already experienced law enforcement agents and he could trust them. They would bring a certain toughness that he hoped would rub off on the rest of the Press Gang.
Freakshow was one that didn’t need such an infusion. He had been a bouncer at a mutant club in South Africa and thus was experienced at providing security to a 100% mutant population. It wasn’t exactly law enforcement, but he could prove a perspective that Spyke and Postman probably didn’t have. Shola was pleased with the addition of the monster-morphing mutant; he served as an intimidation factor in his burgeoning police force.
The last of his mutant recruits was barely intimidated by anything. Electric Eve had been part of Department H so working with the Press Gang was a bit of a downgrade for her. Still, she was eager to hit the ground running so he didn’t have to worry about her being snooty. She recognized they were a limited organization with limited resources and he appreciated her being patient with the situation. In time, they would get the resources they needed but things had to be handled step by step.
The people of Genosha were skittish when it came to law enforcement and who could blame them given the sordid history of the original Press Gang. Wisdom would have dictated to Shola to pick another name, but he wanted desperately turn that history around and put a new face on the organization. It would be his contribution to the nation and mutants worldwide. Many human governments believed that a mutant run nation could never succeed, but Shola intended to do his part in making them eat crow.
Just as he finished writing in his journal, Freakshow came through the door. Looking at him in his human form you wouldn’t believe the power that was packed inside of him. No one would have though the skinny blond could turn into things that would give grown men nightmares. Right now eh just looked like your average twenty-five year old.
“Shola, the Vice President is asking to meet with us. Not sure what about, though.”
Shola frowned because he had been dealing directly with the President on this project. “Tell her I’ll report to her office immediately.”
“Sounds good,” Freakshow said, but before he walked out of the door he added, “It’s probably not as bad as you think.”
“I hope not, Kevin. The day had been going good so far.”
Academy of Tomorrow (Genosha)
Rachel, Lorna and the rest of X-Factor stood outside the newly dubbed Academy of Tomorrow. Its design was sleek and the glass came together across the middle of the building to make a giant X. At a glance, one might guess there were fifteen to twenty floors making up the place. The Academy of Tomorrow stood as a stamp of modern times in a country nearly torn apart by old hates.
“What is this place?” Rachel asked as she looked upward and shielded her eyes from the sun with a conveniently placed telekinetic field.
Lorna almost hated to tell her. “Not all of Genosha’s immigrant population is adults. Some are just teenagers and small children. They need a place where they can learn to control their powers and this is it.”
“So it’s a school?” Rachel asked. Her voice betrayed more annoyance than she wanted it to. “I thought Pietro was going to co-op with the Xavier Institute to help train the Genoshans.”
“He was, but he changed his mind. Genosha has to show we can do things on our own. Shipping our people back and forth to America isn’t feasible.”
“Bullshit, Lorna! We could have made it work.The last thing we need is mutant schools competing against each other.”
“Isn’t competition evolution’s main ingredient?” Washout asked with a wink.
Polaris glared at Lopez and then put a soft face for Rachel. “I’m sorry that you feel that way, Rachel.”
“Does the Professor know about this place?”
“He’s about to find out.”
X-Corps HQ (Genosha)
“I’m so happy to see you again, Charles,” Eve said as she handed both him and Emma a cup of tea from across her desk. “Trying to get this place up and running has been quite the task.”
“I can only imagine, Evelyn, but I must say that the work has paid off. You have done an exceptional job,” Charles said giving Emma the telepathic equivalent of a nudge in the ribs.
“Yes…simply wonderful,” Emma said digging into her Hellfire persona to muster a fake smile. She didn’t like this woman and she didn’t like how friendly she was with Charles. So what if her father had been friends with him? There was something about Ms. Sando that reminded Emma of herself and nothing good could come of that. She was still having a hard time figuring out why Charles had chosen her to head up his first international X-Corps HQ.
“So there was something I wanted to talk to you about Charles. It has to do with a dual role I’m going to be performing,” Sando said doing her best trying not to show any emotion. She respected Charles and what she was about to tell him would not be pleasing.
Charles gently clamped his hands together and sat them on his lap. “Go ahead. We’re all ears.”
Emma smelt bad news in the air and smiled. “Yes, all ears.”
“After much deliberation with President Maximoff, I have decided to take a position in his Cabinet as Genosha’s Genetics General. We both feel that my two roles will be helpful in solidifying Genosha was a legitimate nation and will help foster positive relations.”
“Congratulations, Evelyn! I fully agree with your decision and it will be nice to have a voice in Pietro’s government.”
Eve’s smile was weak. “There is more. One of my duties as Genetics General will be to serve as Headmaster at the Academy of Tomorrow. It will be where Genosha’s youth are trained in their abilities.”
Xavier’s expression darkened. “So I am to assume that the President will not be sending his citizens to my Institute despite us having previous agreed to it? I find this to be disturbing. How long did you know?”
“Long enough for you to be angry with me.”
Emma knew there was something about this woman that struck her wrong. The bitch was keeping secrets from Charles. How dare she! Did she think her Brazilian beauty and luxurious black hair would woo Charles into some sick puppy dog attraction? At least when she kept secrets it was for the good of the cause. This woman was just sneaky through and through.
“I am not mad, Evelyn, just disappointed. The Institute was soon to have more of an international profile and now that doesn’t seem like it’ll materialize.”
Knowing that she had hurt her father’s friend and wanting to make amends, Sando said, “There still may be the possibility of co-ops between our two schools.”
“Perhaps there may,” Xavier said as he wheeled back from Eve’s desk and Emma stood up. “The tea was excellent, by the way.”
“It was my best attempt at making it how you like.”
Xavier nodded. “A fine attempt. We shall be in touch.”
Emma smirked viciously. “Lovely meeting you, Dr. Sando. I’m sure our next meeting will be as productive.”
Academy of Tomorrow
Lorna knocked on one of the student’s doors and, when she received no response, she creaked it open. “Trevor? Trevor are you in here?”
A thirteen year old with bright red hair and feet too big for his body greeted Lorna. “Hey, Ms. Dane! I didn’t know you were coming by.”
Polaris rubbed his hair and bent down to be at eye level wit him. “Consider it a surprise visit. I want you to meet someone who’s a friend of mine.”
She stepped aside to reveal Rachel, who extended her hand and said, “Hi. I’m Rachel.”
Taking her hand, the student said, “I’m Trevor, nice to meet you. Are you an X-Man?”
“Likewise, and yes I am,” Rachel looked down at her yellow belt with the black X on it. “Guess I gave it away.”
Trevor grinned. “Sure did. You guys want to watch Paco and me play this game?”
“Would love to Trevor, but we actually need your help with something,” Polaris said.
Frowning, Trevor knew that this was about his mutant abilities. He hated them. “My powers, right? You need them?”
Polaris saw the displeasure on his face. “I know you don’t like your powers, Trevor, but they are a part of you. You should be proud of them.”
“Powers got my grandma killed. They’re not killing me.”
Rachel got an intense image of the boy’s grandma and tried not to gasp. She’d had no idea. Why hadn’t Lorna tell her this from the beginning? In a way, Trevor and her had much in common; both were thrust into the mutant struggle by way of family.
“I know what you’re feeling, Trevor. I once lost all the family I knew just because we were mutants. I thought my powers were a curse,” Rachel said as memories of the horrific future she came from flooded her mind. Years spent as a slave to Ahab and years spent on the run from Sentinels. She had to watch all those she fought with die one by one including the man she loved, Franklin. There were nights when she still woke up with cold sweats. “You can’t let the bad actions of others control the good you do.”
Trevor seemed to soften for a moment and he looked far younger than he actually was. Both women’s hearts broke for the kid; his life had been unfairly shattered by the terrible decisions of others. Rachel had been but a child when her world went wrong, but Trevor had known normalcy. He had known a child’s happiness and all that had been taken away from him. She knew that loss left a bitter taste in his mouth.
“You have a gift Trevor and you can use it to help us stop a bad man,” Polaris said.
Trevor smirked. “Paco’s eight, not me, Ms. Dane. I’ll help. I can brag I got to work with X-Factor AND the X-Men.”
Rachel kissed him on the cheek. “You’re the greatest. So, forgive me if I sound rude, but what exactly are your powers?”
“He’s a high level reality manipulator. I’m sure you’ve heard about Psylocke’s brother.”
Rachel’s eyes and Trevor’s smile widened. “He’s on that level?!”
“So, who I gotta help you fight?” Trevor asked slamming a fist into an open palm. Rachel saw anger there, but who could blame the kid for having some of that? He had lost everything, but Rachel remembered when she was so full of anger and the claws it eventually caused her to meet.
“We just need you to help us locate someone. Rachel is a telepath so she’s going to help you.”
The boy appeared hesitant, but Rachel said, “Promise it won’t hurt a bit. I just need to give you an image to lock onto.”
“Then lets do it. I think Paco is starting to get annoyed over there.”
Loran smiled and waved at the child waiting for his videogame partner to return. She was glad that Trevor and Paco were bonding because both were children of adversity. Paco Perez had mutagenic blood that seemed to heal any and all disease, even the mental ones. His native country had been using his blood and disseminating it into the water supply as a way to avoid pharmaceuticals and to enhance tourism. Paco wasn’t overtly abused but he was treated more as a miracle and less as a human being. No one thought of him as a child who deserved hugs and bedtime stories. Well, he was going to get treated different in Genosha, Lorna was going to make sure of that.
“Ok so you’re going to feel a bit numb while I do this,” Rachel said as she placed her hands on the boy’s temples. A fiery aura appeared around her head as she looked into Trevor’s eyes.
She saw the boy’s hurt and couldn’t help but to be reminded of her own. He’d lost his parents just as she had lost hers. Being with her parents in their younger days made that loss easier, but it still wasn’t the same. The memories were still ingrained in her mind and no amount of present day happiness could wash them away. Some wounds just kept hurting and she was sad that it would probably be the same for Trevor.
Pulling back her hands, Rachel said, “He’s in Sri Lanka. Looking for Magneto.”
“He’s really lost it.” Polaris shook her head.
Sri Lanka
Exodus and his Acolytes floated out of the jungle and landed on the edge of the tiny village. They were cloaked in red telekinetic energy that dissipated as soon as their feet made contact with the ground. Telepathically searching through the village, Exodus said, “She is here. I can feel her.”
“What are your orders now, sir?” Vindaloo asked.
“Everyone spread out and find her. I have no desire to spend more time here than necessary.”
Rising into the air, Exodus floated above his soldiers and began to scan the area for the mutant child. He saw into the mind of the useless villagers harboring one of Magneto’s chosen. The young girl was a treasure that did not deserve to be buried under such human filth. If she were able to find Lord Magneto then she would be exalted as a hero amongst the mutant race. The child would have a place of honor instead of wallowing in human filth.
I found her, sir, Scanner said through the psi-web that Exodus had established for the team. She had located the girl hiding in a wooden box. Her family was trying to hide from the foreign monsters. They understood what a mutant was, but they only saw them as aberrations. Their daughter was no mutant; she was a miracle of the holiest degree and her family would not let monsters steal her away.
I will be there immediately! Good work, Scanner.
Exodus vanished in a flash of golden light and appeared in the mutant child’s shanty house right next to Scanner. He gripped his Acolytes’ shoulder and said, “We have found her.”
Acolytes! Converge on my location. We have the child.
Scanner had already disposed of the child’s family so Exodus floated over to the box and said, “We are not here to hurt you, child. We only seek your knowledge.”
With his telekinesis he lifted back the top of the wooden box and saw the cowering child. She whimpered when she saw Exodus and Scanner immediately said, “Maybe you should step back, Exodus. I believe you’re frightening the child.”
“Magneto’s chosen do not have time for fear,” Exodus said, looking down at the young child with a bit of contempt. Why could she not understand this was for her own good?
“Even still, I think you should let me talk to her if we’re going to make any progress,” Scanner said as she stepped in front of Exodus.
He floated away from his Acolyte and allowed Scanner to be alone with the child, but he did sustain his telepathic connection to allow what Sarah was saying to be understood by the Sri Lankan. “I’m sorry he scared you. My name’s Sarah. What’s yours?”
The little girl looked up at Scanner with bright, wet eyes and then collapsed back in on herself. Sarah bit her lip. “I know you’re scared and we’re sorry about that. We’re just trying to find our friend and people told us you’re one of the best people at finding stuff in the whole wide world.”
Nodding her head, the child said, “Yep. Mommie says that I can find anything.”
“Then can you please help us find our friend? He’s been missing for a long time.”
The girl twitched her nose and wiped her eyes. “Ok. What’s his name.”
“Magneto.”
In that instant, the girl’s eyes glowed green and she got stiff as a brick. For a few moments she remained unmoving and said in a voice far older than herself, “Space. So much black space. He is gone.”
Exodus came back then. “Madness? Our Lord Magneto is not gone!”
Scanner saw the anger in Exodus’s eyes and the energy that was flaring up around his body. For all she knew, he could attack the girl. She couldn’t allow that to happen so she was going to have to come up with something fast. “Exodus! Wait! I think what she’s trying to tell us is that Magneto is actually in space.”
The anger softened in Exodus and he looked like he had just had a ‘eureka’ moment. “Of course! The X-Men have many allies in the galaxy. It would make sense for them to hide Magneto outside of Earth.”
“You are as crazy as everyone says!” Rachel said as she flew into the house with a full on telekinetic shield and slammed into Exodus.
Scanner watched the two fly out of the nearest wall and she gulped. Sarah was one Acolyte who was not in the mood for a fight today.
“You have picked the wrong place to come to, Lady Lorna! Go back home to your precious island,” Cortez said. He couldn't believe that they had been followed; Exodus had assured them that they wouldn't be tracked by the ilk of Magneto's betrayer. How had it happened? He knew that the last thing they needed was a fight, but X-Factor was not going to just let them walk away peacefully. They were going to have to find a way to beat back the Genoshan troops and escape, but that was if Exodus even allowed them to leave. He could be so damn stubborn...
“Fabian, you remain pathetic as always,” Lorna said keeping her team shielded in a magnetic field. ”The Acolytes need to surrender now and return to Genosha.”
“For what? So we can be subject to the betrayer's justice? Never!”
As the two engaged in a staring contest, Rachel Summers flew backwards over the two teams while still wrapped in a fiery aura. They all watched her sail backwards into the jungle breaking branches and snapping trees. Cortez laughed at the sight. ”I think it's you that needs to return to Genosha, Lady Lorna.”
“Infidels and betrayers!” Exodus roared as he landed in front of Cortez. “You would dare defile our search for Lord Magneto?”
Speedball snickered. “Finding him ain’t exactly rocket science, guy. He’s dead.”
Anger flared across Exodus’ face. “Attack!”
Rachel rose up out of the jungle like her former namesake and said with a childish smile, “Peekaboo!”
All the Acolytes fell to the ground in unison gripping their heads and crying out in agony. Their bodies were writhing across the dirt like snakes that had a knife stuck through their middle. Eyes were closed and faces clenched tight as some tried to fight back a mouth-splitting scream. It wasn’t pretty to watch and had some of X-Factor (not Sage because she was never disturbed) spooked.
“What did you do?” Polaris asked as Rachel landed next to her.
“Used Trevor for a lil more than finding Exodus. I used him to plant a backdoor hypnotic suggestion past Exodus’ defenses. All it required was a little password. So I suggest we take these guys out before it wears off.”
Polaris had much more that she wanted to say to Rachel but now wasn’t the time. Reaching out with her unspoken anger, Lorna wrapped Exodus in a magnetic field and hurled him into the air at such a high speed that she didn’t hear the actual sound of him being whisked away until he was far out of sight. “He should be in orbit pretty shortly.”
“Guess I’ll take out the rest of the trash,” Washout said as water geysers erupted from his hands and coated The Acolytes in liquid that quickly turned into ice.
“Slipstream, open a gateway back to Genosha. Pietro is going to finally get off of my case about these clowns,” Polaris said, knowing that he would probably still be infuriated about Exodus being free. But Exodus was capable of taking on the X-Men and Avengers together. They were going to need their full focus to fight him and none of his flunkies around to help.
“Sure thing bo—ARGHH!!” Slipstream fell to the ground unconscious and blood streaming out of his nose.
Lorna immeadiately looked to Rachel who said, “It’s Exodus. He pushed through somehow. I think we better get ready.”
“Look!” Washout said as he pointed to the disappearing mound of ice that held all the trapped Acolytes.
Thunderbird fired a plasma blast at the ice, but it was no good. The Acolytes were gone and Polaris was none too pleased. “Great. Just fucking great! I thought that little suggestion you made was going to keep Exodus down?”
Rachel crossed her arms and sounded all too annoyed. “Exodus is on the list of Earth’s ten most powerful psionics. Did you really think I could keep him down longer than a few minutes with just a hypno suggestion?”
Polaris just shook her head. “I can hear Pietro’s reaction to this now.”
Genosha
“What?! You had them and you let them get away!” Pietro yelled from behind his desk.
Polaris shrugged. “It was an easy takedown. We got sloppy and thought we had it in the bag.”
Pietro’s face looked like a red hot air balloon. “You’re damn right you got sloppy! Exodus is Genosha’s greatest threat and you let him walk away. I can’t believe it! And you still don’t know why he was in Sri Lanka?”
“No, not a clue. We can only assume he was still looking for your father, but Magneto never really had any dealings in Sri Lanka that we know of.”
Pietro’s eyebrow rose. “My father? You still don’t think…never mind. Just find Exodus.”
“So, are Xavier and Emma still poking their noses around?” Lorna asked. She didn’t mind Xavier being on the island, but Emma just rubbed her the wrong way.
“No, Rogue and Rachel took off with them almost as soon as you got back. Apparently they have some business to take care of.”
Lorna still wasn’t sure how she felt about Rachel using Trevor beyond what was promised. He was already a fractured boy and if he found out he would be devastated. Of all people, Rachel should have understood why he didn’t deserve to be manipulated. “Well, it was good seeing Charles and Rogue at least. It’s been a while.”
Pietro waved a dismissal hand. “Yes, yes. Now I have work to do here and so do you. Find Exodus!”
Egypt
“Only because you were a creation of my father and because I hate Xavier’s brood do I offer you this?” Holocaust said as he pressed his hand against an underground chamber door.
The door slid back slowly kicking up dust and rocks in the process. Holocaust saw the annoyance of some of the Acolytes and laughed. “This place has not been seen in many, many years.”
Fabian wiped the dirt from under his nose. “We can tell.”
Exodus cut his eyes at Cortez for silence and said, “Take us to the ship, Holocaust. We can handle whatever else comes our way.”
“Spoken like a true soldier of the strong,” Holocaust said as he took the Acolytes down a tiny hallway that seemed to go on for nearly a mile.
The Acolytes only looked to each other in complaint; Exodus had already given one warning and he wasn’t known for his repeat cautions. So they continued downward through the cramped hallway until they walked out into an expansive circular arena. Seated in the center of it was a ship that was probably no bigger than a private jet plane and looked like a bug.
“It’s a Shi’ar ship that crash-landed here centuries ago. It’s a far less advanced model than they have now, I’m sure, but it will serve your purposes nicely,” Holocaust said.
Exodus smiled. “I thank you for the favor, Holocaust. Now we shall have the means to find Lord Magneto. I shall forgive our past as foes for this Holocaust. You have done me a great boon.”
“Just find what you’re looking for. I have a feeling that will be enough for me,” Holocaust said as he left Exodus and his soldiers alone with the ship.
Ethiopia
Medea stepped out of the passenger side of the jeep and Moses stepped from behind the wheel. The two met at the front of the vehicle and Moses asked, “Why are we here?”
“This is where we’re going to find the next Heir.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
To Be Continued...
Previous Issue | Next Issue