[THE PAST: The Northwest Territory…]
James Logan stood alone on the cold plain, watching the sun climb into the crisp clear sky. He tensed as he felt the presence of another.
“I told you I’m not interested.”
“You know as well as I do, Logan, that it has to be this way.”
“I told you I’d gut you if you ever interfered in my life again.”
“With those metal claws? We both know I could shut you down before you even came close.”
“But I could still try.”
“If you were going to, you would have tried already.”
“You don’t own me,” Logan hissed.
“I helped make you what you are, Logan. You owe me.”
“So what do you want from me?”
“I want you to do as we discussed,” the stranger said, “I want you to destroy Weapon X.”
James Logan stood alone on the cold plain, watching the sun climb into the crisp clear sky. He tensed as he felt the presence of another.
“I told you I’m not interested.”
“You know as well as I do, Logan, that it has to be this way.”
“I told you I’d gut you if you ever interfered in my life again.”
“With those metal claws? We both know I could shut you down before you even came close.”
“But I could still try.”
“If you were going to, you would have tried already.”
“You don’t own me,” Logan hissed.
“I helped make you what you are, Logan. You owe me.”
“So what do you want from me?”
“I want you to do as we discussed,” the stranger said, “I want you to destroy Weapon X.”
“ULTIMATE GENESIS – PART FOUR”
[NOW: An Abandoned Trainyard…]
“We need to open up a dialogue,” Logan said.
“Dialogue with international terrorists? No thank you,” Scott responded.
“Terrorists?” a thickly accented voice exclaimed. A burst of smoke and fire appeared next to Kitty, who stumbled backwards. The smoke rapidly dissipated, revealing a lithe form dressed in a black and crimson body suit. “We are not the ones blowing up churches,” Kurt said.
“That wasn’t our fault!” Bobby exclaimed. “That madman Stryker sent troops-”
“Stand down, Iceman,” Scott said. “We’re not getting into this, not here, and not with them.”
“Them?” Kurt questioned, “You see yourself as better than us?”
“That is enough, Nightcrawler,” Ororo said. The Weapon X operatives looked to the left and saw Piotr and Ororo emerge from the shadows. Piotr and Kitty looked at each other and smiled slightly, happy to see each other again, but nervous about the circumstances. “You did not tell me we would have company, James,” Ororo said.
“We need to sit down and hammer this out, ‘Ro.”
“You’ve been working with them?” Scott asked.
“I’ve been working with both sides because someone needed to. There’s something larger going on than our beef, Slim. A war is comin’, and we have to know who’s gonna fold under pressure. Chuck thinks he can bring about a technological wonderland, but not everyone who gets wired up is on the same page. Just like everyone in Erik’s prayer group isn’t a believer in ‘Love Thy Neighbor.’ We need to consider some common ground, share some intel, start looking out for each other. Because there are things on the horizon that’ll make our little ‘secret war’ look like a game of checkers.”
“Such as?” Ororo questioned him.
Logan lowered his head and shook it. “Better to keep that off the table at the moment, Storm.”
“So what do you suggest, Wolverine?” Kurt asked. “That we force Erik and Xavier into the same room and make them talk it out? That’s never going to happen.”
“Nope,” Logan said, lighting a cigar. “I’m sayin’ we do it without them.”
“Cyclops, do we really want to go behind the Professor’s back?” Bobby asked Scott. “You know he doesn’t think the Brotherhood’s methods jive to what we’re working towards.”
“And precisely what do you mean by ‘our methods?’ ” Ororo asked.
“How about ‘Magneto’ and his attempted take over of San Marco?” Bobby asked.
“Erik went there on a diplomatic mission to offer religious sanctuary to three San Marcans who were being tried for heresy!” Kurt exclaimed indignantly. “The government officials attacked him, and he remained in the capitol until such time as his petition was recognized by the U.N.!”
“People, enough!” Scott exclaimed. “Whatever the reasoning behind Magneto’s actions-”
There was a sudden boom and the eastern sky lit up with a large fireball.
“To the jet!” Scott said. He looked at Ororo and tilted his head quick to the side. “Your people are welcome to hitch a ride, if you’re interested.”
“Thank you,” Ororo said.
[THE PAST: The Northwest Territory…]
“I can’t take it down myself,” Logan said.
“You won’t have to, if you stick to the plan.”
“Weapon X is doing a lot of good. The world-”
“The world needs to be saved from what Weapon X has unleashed. It needs to be stopped before they destroy anyone else’s life.”
“So why don’t you do it?” Logan asked.
“You know as well as I do, Logan, that steps have been taken to prevent me from acting against Weapon X,” the stranger said, flexing his right forearm. “After all, I was one of their first projects.”
[NOW: A Nearby Factory…]
Flames leapt into the darkening sky as the transport jet came to a soft landing in the field next to the factory.
“Iceman,” Scott said, “see if you can take some of the heat off this inferno.”
“Roger, Cyclops,” Bobby said, pointing his hands at the flaming edifice and furrowing his brow in concentration. Almost invisible ripples of energy flew from his hands, racing towards the wall of the building. As the waves came together, they formed ice crystals, which were almost instantly evaporated by the fire. “It’s no good. I can’t generate it fast enough.”
“Let us see if I can offer any assistance,” Ororo said, her eyes glowing white as she uttered a quick incantation. The stars above them suddenly faded as the sky grew thick, water vapor from the surrounding area converging at high speeds to form large, lumbering clouds. The temperature began to drop rapidly as winds picked up. With a sharp crack, lightning crashed down and struck the ground outside the factory. The wind grew faster and colder, swirling around the building. The flames began to sputter, drowned in oxygen, Bobby’s ice gaining ground.
“Nightcrawler,” Ororo said, “See if you can find anyone inside.”
“On my way, Storm,” Kurt said, disappearing in a cloud of smoke.
“Marvel Girl,” Scott said, “see if you can guide him.”
Jean stared into the flames, her brow furrowed in concentration. {Nightcrawler, can you hear me?}
{Ja, I can. Marvel Girl, is it not?}
{It is. There are some strong impulses coming from the second floor.}
{O.K., let me see if I can get up there. I need to see where I am teleporting, lest I end up materializing in a solid object.}
Jean squinted harder. {I’m going to try and get a view from the eyes of the mind I’m sensing,} she broadcast. {There’s someone-} she thought, but her link was suddenly severed, and she screamed in pain.
“Jean!” Scott yelled. An instant later, Kurt screamed from inside the building. Piotr armored up, his skin rippling as it transformed into brushed steel, as he marched towards the flaming factory.
“Colossus, wait!” Ororo yelled, but the young Russian slammed through the wall into the fire without looking back.
“Shadowcat, take a straight pass through the building and report what you see!” Scott yelled, cradling Jean in his arms.
“On my way,” Kitty said, phasing through the debris.
“Wolverine,” Scott and Ororo said as one, both pausing after realizing they were ordering the same man.
“Don’t bother,” Logan said, launching himself into the building, “I’d just as likely ignore you both.”
[THE PAST: The Northwest Territory…]
Logan looked down at the man’s forearm as it flexed. The dark indigo ink etched a thick X into the skin, made up of several tiny lines, forming a computerized bar code. Logan recognized the mark; a first generation Weapon X subject. They had tried to give him the mark several years ago, but his healing factor rejected the ink almost instantly.
“Itchy?” Logan asked, smirking.
“You wouldn’t understand,” the stranger said.
“Don’t s’pose I would,” Logan agreed, “mine washed right off. ‘And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand.’ “
“Scripture, Logan? I didn’t think you had it in you. Do you know the verse ‘Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves?’ ”
“Nope. I only remember the parts that interest me. Like ‘Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight,’ and stuff like that.”
“They must be stopped, Logan. You don’t need to be a holy man to see what Weapon X is doing is wrong. The meek will not inherit the Earth if Weapon X wipes them all out first.”
[NOW: The Factory…]
Kitty passed through the flaming wreckage and saw Kurt kneeling before a massive figure wearing combat armor. The heavily muscled warrior wore a grey Spartan style helmet adorned with a crimson horsehair crest, grey combat armor with crimson joints, crimson combat boots, and a grey cloak with a crimson lining. He held a large sword over Kurt’s head, prepared to bring the blade down and bifurcate the German acrobat.
“Nightcrawler!” Kitty yelled, solidifying and leaping at him. She tackled him and began tunneling again just as the sword drew down. It crashed into the floor with a metallic clang as they disappeared through the wall.
As they appeared on the other side of the wall, Kitty solidified, dropping them both to the ground in a heap.
“Nightcrawler,” Kitty said, “Kurt, are you okay?”
“Ja, I will be,” Kurt said, struggling to catch his breath. “I could not move. I was frozen in terror.”
“Stay here. I’m going back in to get another look at what that guy is up to.”
“I am not staying out here while you risk your life,” Kurt said, grabbing her hand. “Hold on.” They disappeared in a burst of smoke, reappearing within the rapidly disintegrating building. “Colossus, stay back!” Kurt yelled as he saw Piotr striding up to the large attacker.
The metal Russian torqued his arms to the right, locking his hands together, and brought them back to the left, slamming the cloaked figure in the chin with a double axe handle. The stranger spun with the force of the blow, but did not stagger. He looked back at Piotr and punched him with both fists in the chest, sending Piotr reeling.
“Piotr!” Kitty cried, diving towards him. Kurt teleported behind the attacker and grabbed his cloak, wrapping it around his head. He teleported away before the man could grab him, reappearing a few feet above him, and dropping down on the behemoth with a sharp kick to the back of the head.
The figure barely flinched, and Kurt bounced off of him into the shadows.
As the behemoth turned, he was struck in the chest by a beam of pure crimson energy that actually drove him backwards a slight bit.
“Iceman,” Scott said, his hand resting on the side of his visor, “see if you can slow him down. Wolverine,” he said to the comm link, “now would be a good time to do something.”
Bobby held out his hands, squinting as the waves of cold energy created thin sheets of ice around the attacker.
“Fool,” the giant finally spoke, his voice like concrete grinding against marble as he tore away his cloak. His arms flexed like massive snakes, shattering the ice with his powerful muscles. “I am War, first horseman of the coming Apocalypse. You cannot stand against me.”
The ceiling spewed forth water as the sprinkler system activated, drenching War and enhancing Bobby’s attack. Bolstered by the sudden supply of moisture, Bobby was able to actually encase War in a solid block of ice. Almost instantly, the block cracked, and shattered from his upper body when War applied his full might against it. He bellowed as the water from the sprinklers continued to drench him and the block of ice.
“Storm, NOW!” Logan yelled from the shadows.
Ororo called forth a bolt of lightning that crashed through the building’s rapidly decaying roof, drawn to the water soaked figure. His bellow of agony was drowned out by the crack of the thunderbolt, the pain on his face lost amidst the blinding glare.
When they could see again, they saw War, standing tall, his armor singed and his cloak torn. His skin was blistered, but unbroken.
“You have passed this test,” War said, his face stoic. “The Apocalypse is coming, and only the strong will survive.”
With another blinding flash, he was gone.
Logan emerged from the shadows, brushing burning embers from his arms.
“Nice of you to join us, Wolverine,” Iceman said snidely.
“Who do you think turned on those sprinklers giving you all that water to freeze, popsicle?”
Scant seconds later, the warble of emergency sirens began to rise over the din of the fire. “We need to get out of here,” Scott said. “Back to the jet.”
[THE PAST: The Northwest Territory…]
“So what’s the plan, then?” Logan asked.
“There are others, both in the Brotherhood and Weapon X itself, who are willing to help you. You must seek them out. Unite them. Convince them what needs to be done.”
“And what? Lead them to the front door and kick it in?”
“Don’t be foolish, Logan. This is not going to be done overnight. The destruction of Weapon X will take time. But you and these compatriots of yours can sow the seeds of destruction early.”
“None of them are going to join up with a killer like me to take down the organization that gave them their powers,” Logan said, shaking his head.
“That’s the beauty of it. They aren’t joining you to destroy Weapon X. They are joining you because you will be doing things to help humanity. You will be doing things that Weapon X is unable, or unwilling, to do to save the world. You will be the heroes that we were always meant to be, not the slaves of a shadow organization. You will show the world what Weapon X could have been had it not been corrupted so thoroughly.”
“And you really think they’re going to follow someone like me?”
“No. But they will follow someone like Scott Summers.”
“Summers?” Logan asked incredulously. “You think Scott Summers will willingly betray his mentor, the great Charles Xavier, to run this secret army just because I ask him to?”
“When the time comes, he will simply assume he is supposed to lead. All you have to do is bait the hook and cast it in the water. Scott will throw himself in the boat.”
[NOW: The Abandoned Trainyard…]
“That’s why I specifically selected each of you. You each have a valuable asset to offer a tactical response team. And all of you know that our bosses aren’t completely open minded,” Logan explained. “Chuck still thinks Weapon X is under his control. He doesn’t get that he’s being played by Fred Duncan and his bosses, and that sooner or later, he’s going to get shut out of his own project. And Erik, he’d just as soon die as work with any of Xavier’s brood. But just because the GMs play in opposite leagues doesn’t mean we can’t gather an All-Star team to be ready for the big game.”
Ororo shook her head. “Ridiculous sports analogies aside, there is some merit to what you’re saying, Wolverine. But I don’t think that Erik would allow any of us to lend our services to such an endeavor.”
“And neither would Professor X,” Bobby added.
“Well then I guess we just do it without them even knowing about it,” Scott said, drawing looks of surprise from everyone on his team.
“Scott, what are you saying?” Jean asked.
“Wolverine is right,” Cyclops replied. “This rivalry is obscuring a larger issue. A boy was abducted right in front of us in Germany, and all we’ve been thinking about is getting information on each other. We should be focusing on the boy, and getting him safely away from the mad man who took him. And seeing what role this man calling himself ‘War’ plays in all of that.”
Ororo nodded. “Pooling our information would lend new light to the situation, and allow us to better utilize our individual skills for the common good. A union of the Brotherhood of Men and Weapon X could tackle issues that either organization cannot be associated with.”
“But how do you propose we work effectively as a team when we have to meet in secret?” Piotr said.
“And what about funding?” Kitty added. “Transportation, headquarters, operating expenses... that’s going to run up a pretty hefty tab.”
“There are options,” Scott replied. “We can seek private funding.”
Nightcrawler chuckled. “Mein Gott, you really think someone will be willing to fork over the cash for a private jet? Where will we find such an angel of mercy?”
“Colorado,” Scott and Jean replied as one.
“So what does this mean?” Bobby said, his voice laced with excitement, “Are we spies?”
“We’re exactly what we are now,” Ororo said, “protectors. We’re just not going to limit ourselves by strictly following the politics of our employers.”
“I am not sure this is such a good idea,” Kurt said. “Operating like this, disassociating ourselves from our parent organizations. Will it not give people the impression that we do not believe what we are fighting for?”
“No,” Scott said. “We won’t disassociate ourselves. We operate independently under the radar, but we maintain a connection. Eventually this will come out into the open. When it does, we can say we’ve been cooperating on behalf of Weapon X and The Brotherhood of Men, a joint task force that sets aside personal differences to do what needs to be done. The good publicity will make it almost impossible for our superiors to refute it.”
“So, what… Weapon Brotherhood?” Bobby offered.
“Nope,” Logan said, lighting a cigar and taking a deep draw. “The X-Men.”
“When the Professor finds out what we’re doing,” Kitty said, “he’ll be devastated. This will shock him completely.”
Logan nodded. “You can say that again.”
[THE PAST: The Northwest Territory…]
“There’s one thing I just don’t understand,” Logan said. “How do I know you’re not just setting me up? You’re telling me all of these things, how they’ll go down, how I’m gonna rally these people to take down Weapon X… how do I know you’re not just baiting a trap to spring it shut when I stick my head in?”
“Is that what your instincts are telling you, Logan?”
“No, that’s what common sense is telling me. Most of what you’ve just told me involves Charles Xavier remaining ignorant of these events. How can we expect that, when he’s the one here telling me exactly what to do?”
“Because,” Professor Xavier smiled, “I am going to wipe out my own memories. I won’t remember any of this. But I was the only one who had the inside information necessary. It has to be done. Because it is the only way that Weapon X can be stopped!”
[NOW: Elsewhere…]
Wormwood stood over his minions, smiling evilly as they knelt before him. They were all shrouded in dark grey clothing and armor with crimson trim, their eyes aglow with sin.
“War,” Wormwood said, and the massive figure stood. His skin was still blistered and cracked, his armor singed and his cloak tattered. His muscles tensed like coiled steel as he drew to his full six and a half foot height. “As John Proudstar, you were a warrior among warriors, but you were chained by weakness, concerned with the safety of the undeserving. Now you are hewn in the fires of combat, free to wage war against the wicked.”
“Famine,” Wormwood said, and the sickly being stood. His form was shrouded in a ragged grey tunic and cloak lined with crimson, leaning heavily on a thick grey staff. Two large grey chitinous worms stood perched on his shoulders, and several flying insects flitted about his head. “As Japeth Munroe, you were a mongrel, chased from alley to alley, denied food, warmth, shelter, love. Now you have been given power over the insects to rot the foundations of this society out from beneath it, as cast it into famine and poverty.”
“Pestilence,” Wormwood said, and the lithe form stood. She was clad in a form fitting grey biohazard suit, her face hidden by a re-breather, lit from within the suit by a harsh crimson light. “As Moira MacTaggart you tampered with God’s work, creating serums and viruses to alter the path of mankind’s destiny. Now you will reap what you sow, spreading disease and decay with but a touch.”
“Death,” Wormwood said, and the tall thin wraith stood. Clad in a dark grey form fitting body suit, crimson rings pulsated from the center of his chest, and crimson bands framed his head like a crown. A dark grey cloak hung loosely over his shoulders, and a large grey sickle rested tensely in his left hand. “As Alexander Summers, you were abandoned as a child, left for dead by the very woman who gave life to you. Now you have been given the ability to kill using the very essence of the cosmos.”
Wormwood clenched his fist and raised it to his face, seething with anger. “As I am the herald of the coming end times, you shall be the riders of the storm. You will ride forth and prepare the masses for the judgments, and cleanse the world of the evil and the wicked. The day of judgment is coming, and you will ride forth as the Horsemen of the Apocalypse!”
[To Be Continued…]
“We need to open up a dialogue,” Logan said.
“Dialogue with international terrorists? No thank you,” Scott responded.
“Terrorists?” a thickly accented voice exclaimed. A burst of smoke and fire appeared next to Kitty, who stumbled backwards. The smoke rapidly dissipated, revealing a lithe form dressed in a black and crimson body suit. “We are not the ones blowing up churches,” Kurt said.
“That wasn’t our fault!” Bobby exclaimed. “That madman Stryker sent troops-”
“Stand down, Iceman,” Scott said. “We’re not getting into this, not here, and not with them.”
“Them?” Kurt questioned, “You see yourself as better than us?”
“That is enough, Nightcrawler,” Ororo said. The Weapon X operatives looked to the left and saw Piotr and Ororo emerge from the shadows. Piotr and Kitty looked at each other and smiled slightly, happy to see each other again, but nervous about the circumstances. “You did not tell me we would have company, James,” Ororo said.
“We need to sit down and hammer this out, ‘Ro.”
“You’ve been working with them?” Scott asked.
“I’ve been working with both sides because someone needed to. There’s something larger going on than our beef, Slim. A war is comin’, and we have to know who’s gonna fold under pressure. Chuck thinks he can bring about a technological wonderland, but not everyone who gets wired up is on the same page. Just like everyone in Erik’s prayer group isn’t a believer in ‘Love Thy Neighbor.’ We need to consider some common ground, share some intel, start looking out for each other. Because there are things on the horizon that’ll make our little ‘secret war’ look like a game of checkers.”
“Such as?” Ororo questioned him.
Logan lowered his head and shook it. “Better to keep that off the table at the moment, Storm.”
“So what do you suggest, Wolverine?” Kurt asked. “That we force Erik and Xavier into the same room and make them talk it out? That’s never going to happen.”
“Nope,” Logan said, lighting a cigar. “I’m sayin’ we do it without them.”
“Cyclops, do we really want to go behind the Professor’s back?” Bobby asked Scott. “You know he doesn’t think the Brotherhood’s methods jive to what we’re working towards.”
“And precisely what do you mean by ‘our methods?’ ” Ororo asked.
“How about ‘Magneto’ and his attempted take over of San Marco?” Bobby asked.
“Erik went there on a diplomatic mission to offer religious sanctuary to three San Marcans who were being tried for heresy!” Kurt exclaimed indignantly. “The government officials attacked him, and he remained in the capitol until such time as his petition was recognized by the U.N.!”
“People, enough!” Scott exclaimed. “Whatever the reasoning behind Magneto’s actions-”
There was a sudden boom and the eastern sky lit up with a large fireball.
“To the jet!” Scott said. He looked at Ororo and tilted his head quick to the side. “Your people are welcome to hitch a ride, if you’re interested.”
“Thank you,” Ororo said.
[THE PAST: The Northwest Territory…]
“I can’t take it down myself,” Logan said.
“You won’t have to, if you stick to the plan.”
“Weapon X is doing a lot of good. The world-”
“The world needs to be saved from what Weapon X has unleashed. It needs to be stopped before they destroy anyone else’s life.”
“So why don’t you do it?” Logan asked.
“You know as well as I do, Logan, that steps have been taken to prevent me from acting against Weapon X,” the stranger said, flexing his right forearm. “After all, I was one of their first projects.”
[NOW: A Nearby Factory…]
Flames leapt into the darkening sky as the transport jet came to a soft landing in the field next to the factory.
“Iceman,” Scott said, “see if you can take some of the heat off this inferno.”
“Roger, Cyclops,” Bobby said, pointing his hands at the flaming edifice and furrowing his brow in concentration. Almost invisible ripples of energy flew from his hands, racing towards the wall of the building. As the waves came together, they formed ice crystals, which were almost instantly evaporated by the fire. “It’s no good. I can’t generate it fast enough.”
“Let us see if I can offer any assistance,” Ororo said, her eyes glowing white as she uttered a quick incantation. The stars above them suddenly faded as the sky grew thick, water vapor from the surrounding area converging at high speeds to form large, lumbering clouds. The temperature began to drop rapidly as winds picked up. With a sharp crack, lightning crashed down and struck the ground outside the factory. The wind grew faster and colder, swirling around the building. The flames began to sputter, drowned in oxygen, Bobby’s ice gaining ground.
“Nightcrawler,” Ororo said, “See if you can find anyone inside.”
“On my way, Storm,” Kurt said, disappearing in a cloud of smoke.
“Marvel Girl,” Scott said, “see if you can guide him.”
Jean stared into the flames, her brow furrowed in concentration. {Nightcrawler, can you hear me?}
{Ja, I can. Marvel Girl, is it not?}
{It is. There are some strong impulses coming from the second floor.}
{O.K., let me see if I can get up there. I need to see where I am teleporting, lest I end up materializing in a solid object.}
Jean squinted harder. {I’m going to try and get a view from the eyes of the mind I’m sensing,} she broadcast. {There’s someone-} she thought, but her link was suddenly severed, and she screamed in pain.
“Jean!” Scott yelled. An instant later, Kurt screamed from inside the building. Piotr armored up, his skin rippling as it transformed into brushed steel, as he marched towards the flaming factory.
“Colossus, wait!” Ororo yelled, but the young Russian slammed through the wall into the fire without looking back.
“Shadowcat, take a straight pass through the building and report what you see!” Scott yelled, cradling Jean in his arms.
“On my way,” Kitty said, phasing through the debris.
“Wolverine,” Scott and Ororo said as one, both pausing after realizing they were ordering the same man.
“Don’t bother,” Logan said, launching himself into the building, “I’d just as likely ignore you both.”
[THE PAST: The Northwest Territory…]
Logan looked down at the man’s forearm as it flexed. The dark indigo ink etched a thick X into the skin, made up of several tiny lines, forming a computerized bar code. Logan recognized the mark; a first generation Weapon X subject. They had tried to give him the mark several years ago, but his healing factor rejected the ink almost instantly.
“Itchy?” Logan asked, smirking.
“You wouldn’t understand,” the stranger said.
“Don’t s’pose I would,” Logan agreed, “mine washed right off. ‘And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand.’ “
“Scripture, Logan? I didn’t think you had it in you. Do you know the verse ‘Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves?’ ”
“Nope. I only remember the parts that interest me. Like ‘Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight,’ and stuff like that.”
“They must be stopped, Logan. You don’t need to be a holy man to see what Weapon X is doing is wrong. The meek will not inherit the Earth if Weapon X wipes them all out first.”
[NOW: The Factory…]
Kitty passed through the flaming wreckage and saw Kurt kneeling before a massive figure wearing combat armor. The heavily muscled warrior wore a grey Spartan style helmet adorned with a crimson horsehair crest, grey combat armor with crimson joints, crimson combat boots, and a grey cloak with a crimson lining. He held a large sword over Kurt’s head, prepared to bring the blade down and bifurcate the German acrobat.
“Nightcrawler!” Kitty yelled, solidifying and leaping at him. She tackled him and began tunneling again just as the sword drew down. It crashed into the floor with a metallic clang as they disappeared through the wall.
As they appeared on the other side of the wall, Kitty solidified, dropping them both to the ground in a heap.
“Nightcrawler,” Kitty said, “Kurt, are you okay?”
“Ja, I will be,” Kurt said, struggling to catch his breath. “I could not move. I was frozen in terror.”
“Stay here. I’m going back in to get another look at what that guy is up to.”
“I am not staying out here while you risk your life,” Kurt said, grabbing her hand. “Hold on.” They disappeared in a burst of smoke, reappearing within the rapidly disintegrating building. “Colossus, stay back!” Kurt yelled as he saw Piotr striding up to the large attacker.
The metal Russian torqued his arms to the right, locking his hands together, and brought them back to the left, slamming the cloaked figure in the chin with a double axe handle. The stranger spun with the force of the blow, but did not stagger. He looked back at Piotr and punched him with both fists in the chest, sending Piotr reeling.
“Piotr!” Kitty cried, diving towards him. Kurt teleported behind the attacker and grabbed his cloak, wrapping it around his head. He teleported away before the man could grab him, reappearing a few feet above him, and dropping down on the behemoth with a sharp kick to the back of the head.
The figure barely flinched, and Kurt bounced off of him into the shadows.
As the behemoth turned, he was struck in the chest by a beam of pure crimson energy that actually drove him backwards a slight bit.
“Iceman,” Scott said, his hand resting on the side of his visor, “see if you can slow him down. Wolverine,” he said to the comm link, “now would be a good time to do something.”
Bobby held out his hands, squinting as the waves of cold energy created thin sheets of ice around the attacker.
“Fool,” the giant finally spoke, his voice like concrete grinding against marble as he tore away his cloak. His arms flexed like massive snakes, shattering the ice with his powerful muscles. “I am War, first horseman of the coming Apocalypse. You cannot stand against me.”
The ceiling spewed forth water as the sprinkler system activated, drenching War and enhancing Bobby’s attack. Bolstered by the sudden supply of moisture, Bobby was able to actually encase War in a solid block of ice. Almost instantly, the block cracked, and shattered from his upper body when War applied his full might against it. He bellowed as the water from the sprinklers continued to drench him and the block of ice.
“Storm, NOW!” Logan yelled from the shadows.
Ororo called forth a bolt of lightning that crashed through the building’s rapidly decaying roof, drawn to the water soaked figure. His bellow of agony was drowned out by the crack of the thunderbolt, the pain on his face lost amidst the blinding glare.
When they could see again, they saw War, standing tall, his armor singed and his cloak torn. His skin was blistered, but unbroken.
“You have passed this test,” War said, his face stoic. “The Apocalypse is coming, and only the strong will survive.”
With another blinding flash, he was gone.
Logan emerged from the shadows, brushing burning embers from his arms.
“Nice of you to join us, Wolverine,” Iceman said snidely.
“Who do you think turned on those sprinklers giving you all that water to freeze, popsicle?”
Scant seconds later, the warble of emergency sirens began to rise over the din of the fire. “We need to get out of here,” Scott said. “Back to the jet.”
[THE PAST: The Northwest Territory…]
“So what’s the plan, then?” Logan asked.
“There are others, both in the Brotherhood and Weapon X itself, who are willing to help you. You must seek them out. Unite them. Convince them what needs to be done.”
“And what? Lead them to the front door and kick it in?”
“Don’t be foolish, Logan. This is not going to be done overnight. The destruction of Weapon X will take time. But you and these compatriots of yours can sow the seeds of destruction early.”
“None of them are going to join up with a killer like me to take down the organization that gave them their powers,” Logan said, shaking his head.
“That’s the beauty of it. They aren’t joining you to destroy Weapon X. They are joining you because you will be doing things to help humanity. You will be doing things that Weapon X is unable, or unwilling, to do to save the world. You will be the heroes that we were always meant to be, not the slaves of a shadow organization. You will show the world what Weapon X could have been had it not been corrupted so thoroughly.”
“And you really think they’re going to follow someone like me?”
“No. But they will follow someone like Scott Summers.”
“Summers?” Logan asked incredulously. “You think Scott Summers will willingly betray his mentor, the great Charles Xavier, to run this secret army just because I ask him to?”
“When the time comes, he will simply assume he is supposed to lead. All you have to do is bait the hook and cast it in the water. Scott will throw himself in the boat.”
[NOW: The Abandoned Trainyard…]
“That’s why I specifically selected each of you. You each have a valuable asset to offer a tactical response team. And all of you know that our bosses aren’t completely open minded,” Logan explained. “Chuck still thinks Weapon X is under his control. He doesn’t get that he’s being played by Fred Duncan and his bosses, and that sooner or later, he’s going to get shut out of his own project. And Erik, he’d just as soon die as work with any of Xavier’s brood. But just because the GMs play in opposite leagues doesn’t mean we can’t gather an All-Star team to be ready for the big game.”
Ororo shook her head. “Ridiculous sports analogies aside, there is some merit to what you’re saying, Wolverine. But I don’t think that Erik would allow any of us to lend our services to such an endeavor.”
“And neither would Professor X,” Bobby added.
“Well then I guess we just do it without them even knowing about it,” Scott said, drawing looks of surprise from everyone on his team.
“Scott, what are you saying?” Jean asked.
“Wolverine is right,” Cyclops replied. “This rivalry is obscuring a larger issue. A boy was abducted right in front of us in Germany, and all we’ve been thinking about is getting information on each other. We should be focusing on the boy, and getting him safely away from the mad man who took him. And seeing what role this man calling himself ‘War’ plays in all of that.”
Ororo nodded. “Pooling our information would lend new light to the situation, and allow us to better utilize our individual skills for the common good. A union of the Brotherhood of Men and Weapon X could tackle issues that either organization cannot be associated with.”
“But how do you propose we work effectively as a team when we have to meet in secret?” Piotr said.
“And what about funding?” Kitty added. “Transportation, headquarters, operating expenses... that’s going to run up a pretty hefty tab.”
“There are options,” Scott replied. “We can seek private funding.”
Nightcrawler chuckled. “Mein Gott, you really think someone will be willing to fork over the cash for a private jet? Where will we find such an angel of mercy?”
“Colorado,” Scott and Jean replied as one.
“So what does this mean?” Bobby said, his voice laced with excitement, “Are we spies?”
“We’re exactly what we are now,” Ororo said, “protectors. We’re just not going to limit ourselves by strictly following the politics of our employers.”
“I am not sure this is such a good idea,” Kurt said. “Operating like this, disassociating ourselves from our parent organizations. Will it not give people the impression that we do not believe what we are fighting for?”
“No,” Scott said. “We won’t disassociate ourselves. We operate independently under the radar, but we maintain a connection. Eventually this will come out into the open. When it does, we can say we’ve been cooperating on behalf of Weapon X and The Brotherhood of Men, a joint task force that sets aside personal differences to do what needs to be done. The good publicity will make it almost impossible for our superiors to refute it.”
“So, what… Weapon Brotherhood?” Bobby offered.
“Nope,” Logan said, lighting a cigar and taking a deep draw. “The X-Men.”
“When the Professor finds out what we’re doing,” Kitty said, “he’ll be devastated. This will shock him completely.”
Logan nodded. “You can say that again.”
[THE PAST: The Northwest Territory…]
“There’s one thing I just don’t understand,” Logan said. “How do I know you’re not just setting me up? You’re telling me all of these things, how they’ll go down, how I’m gonna rally these people to take down Weapon X… how do I know you’re not just baiting a trap to spring it shut when I stick my head in?”
“Is that what your instincts are telling you, Logan?”
“No, that’s what common sense is telling me. Most of what you’ve just told me involves Charles Xavier remaining ignorant of these events. How can we expect that, when he’s the one here telling me exactly what to do?”
“Because,” Professor Xavier smiled, “I am going to wipe out my own memories. I won’t remember any of this. But I was the only one who had the inside information necessary. It has to be done. Because it is the only way that Weapon X can be stopped!”
[NOW: Elsewhere…]
Wormwood stood over his minions, smiling evilly as they knelt before him. They were all shrouded in dark grey clothing and armor with crimson trim, their eyes aglow with sin.
“War,” Wormwood said, and the massive figure stood. His skin was still blistered and cracked, his armor singed and his cloak tattered. His muscles tensed like coiled steel as he drew to his full six and a half foot height. “As John Proudstar, you were a warrior among warriors, but you were chained by weakness, concerned with the safety of the undeserving. Now you are hewn in the fires of combat, free to wage war against the wicked.”
“Famine,” Wormwood said, and the sickly being stood. His form was shrouded in a ragged grey tunic and cloak lined with crimson, leaning heavily on a thick grey staff. Two large grey chitinous worms stood perched on his shoulders, and several flying insects flitted about his head. “As Japeth Munroe, you were a mongrel, chased from alley to alley, denied food, warmth, shelter, love. Now you have been given power over the insects to rot the foundations of this society out from beneath it, as cast it into famine and poverty.”
“Pestilence,” Wormwood said, and the lithe form stood. She was clad in a form fitting grey biohazard suit, her face hidden by a re-breather, lit from within the suit by a harsh crimson light. “As Moira MacTaggart you tampered with God’s work, creating serums and viruses to alter the path of mankind’s destiny. Now you will reap what you sow, spreading disease and decay with but a touch.”
“Death,” Wormwood said, and the tall thin wraith stood. Clad in a dark grey form fitting body suit, crimson rings pulsated from the center of his chest, and crimson bands framed his head like a crown. A dark grey cloak hung loosely over his shoulders, and a large grey sickle rested tensely in his left hand. “As Alexander Summers, you were abandoned as a child, left for dead by the very woman who gave life to you. Now you have been given the ability to kill using the very essence of the cosmos.”
Wormwood clenched his fist and raised it to his face, seething with anger. “As I am the herald of the coming end times, you shall be the riders of the storm. You will ride forth and prepare the masses for the judgments, and cleanse the world of the evil and the wicked. The day of judgment is coming, and you will ride forth as the Horsemen of the Apocalypse!”
[To Be Continued…]