Everything was quiet, the sun was beginning to rise and shine its light, the birds were singing, things were peaceful.  But as the sun rose in the west everyone knew that something was wrong.  How did they know?  Was it an inborn ability to sense incoming danger that humans had retained even after evolving so much?  Or was it an ability they had learned?  In a word, no.  The reason they knew something was wrong was simply: the sun rose in the east not the west.  In a heartbeat it came upon them.  Buildings fell before it, and lands ruined as it passed.  But in the end even that which came like the sun was swallowed up.  For there is always someone stronger.  It just so happened that this being that shown like the sun found that which was stronger than he.

 

 

            Manchester, New York, Xavier’s School For the Gifted, Four months later

 

            Deep within the school that housed some of the most powerful youngsters in the world a lone man sat.  The room in which he sat was almost perfectly circular.  The machinery he sat in front of was a masterpiece that amplified his already powerful mind to the point where he could sense everyone on the planet at any given time.  With a sigh he removed the helmet from his head and sat it down.  He looked straight ahead for a moment then nodded.  (“Everyone assemble in my office.”)  He sent out a mental signal to those he needed.

           

            An hour later they were assembled; six teenagers, three adults, and the old man.  Scott was the first to break the silence.  “So what’s up Professor?”

            Xavier sighed but nodded.  “I found a mutant in China.  She was distraught and crying out for help.”

            Evan shrugged his shoulders.  “So we head to China and help her, right?”

            The old man shook his head.  “Yes and no.  I’ve already seen to the young lady.  However, what she told me is disturbing.”  He paused and took on an even more serious expression.  “She told me she had escaped from a facility that was doing experiments on mutants.”

            At his words everyone grew silent.  The sound of Logan popping his claws up, however, drew everyone’s attention.  The loner had been subjected to a batter of experiments years ago.  Experiments that had left him with an adamantium skeleton, three claws on each hand made of the same metal, and no memory of the life he led.  He slowly brought his claw up to his face and looked over them for a moment.  Anyone who would subject another person to something like he went through could not be forgiven in his opinion.  “What kind of experiments?”  He asked.

            “From what I was able to gather starvation, mind altering drugs, extreme conditions, gene splicing, and others.  From what I gathered all of those in the facility are children no more than 18 years old, some even younger.”  A few of others gathered gasped.  “Her mind was in a terrible state.  It was all I could do to find out where this facility was located.”  He looked up at those he had gathered.  “We will be going to China to save those children.  But this will be dangerous.  Anyone who is willingly doing such experiments on children, mutant or not, will not hesitate to kill us.  Also I would like you to try and leave your feelings of hate and angry behind.  Though this is a terrible crime, we need to be thinking clearly when we go in.  Understood?”

            Everyone, save Logan nodded.  His claws disappeared.  He turned to the door and answered.  “I won’t lose my head.  Outside of that, I can’t promise anything.”

 

 

            China, near Mount Kailash (If you want to know it’s close to Nepal)

 

            The Blackbird’s engines died out and all was still outside the jet, inside was a different story.  The group of ten was gathered around a holographic map of the area.  Beast pointed to the map and began detailing the topography.  “There are two main roads leading to the lab.  A small stream runs down the mountain and at its closest comes about 50 feet from the front gate.  Both the roads and stream are surrounding by forests.  The fences around the facility are electrified and have lookout towers every ten feet or so.  We expect there to be around 20 guards outside and maybe 15 inside.”  The map shifted and displaced the mountain itself.  Seconds later the layout of a structure inside the mountain began appearing.  “From what we can tell the lab has been built inside mountain, which is around 22,000 feet at its peak.  Only the first floor is above ground, while there are six floors underground.  They don’t seem to be expecting an attack, but we need to avoid fighting the guards outside.  Ororo will create a dense fog to hide our approach.  Kurt will take out the guard in the lookout tower closest to your entry point.  After that we will access their computers and disable the electrified fencing and surveillance cameras.  Once that is done Kitty can take everyone inside the lab.  By the time you’ve entered the lab I’ll have hacked their computer, and the Professor will be able to tell you where the children are being held.  Our success relies on stealth and surprise.  Be careful and avoid fighting the guards.  If you have to fight try to make it quick and quiet.  If worse comes to worse I should be able to override the security and close the doors to the outside, separating the two sets of guards.  Everybody understand?”  Everyone nods.

            Beast pushes a button and the Blackbird opens up.  “Be careful,” Xavier says before they leave.

 

            The group of eight moves as stealthfully as they can through the forest.  To most they are silent shadows moving undetected.  To Wolverine they are loud and easily seen.  (“Mental note: increase stealth training.”) He looks to his side and shakes his head.  Kitty pants as she moves along.  (“And more training for high altitudes.”)

            Soon they arrive at the edge of the forest.  The stream is only a few feet before them, and after that lays the electrified fence.  Wolverine turns to Storm and nods.  She returns his nod and begins invoking her mutant power.  It starts slowly, a light mist coming from the stream and forest.  But in only a minute the entire complex is covered in fog.  Wolverine nods in approval and motions for Nightcrawler to come forward.  He does so.  Wolverine points up to the tower.  “Take him out quietly then prop him up so it looks like nothings happened,” He whispers.

            Nightcrawler nods.  “You got it!”  He is gone in a poof of smoke.  Seconds later he reappears with a smile on his face.  He gives Wolverine the thumbs up.

            Wolverine nods and turns to Jean.  She didn’t even wait for his order.  (“Professor, we’re ready.”)

            Seconds later he replies mentally.  (“The fence has been deactivated.”)

            Jean turns to Wolverine and nods.  With a wave of his hand Wolverine instructs everyone to stay back.  He moves forward, hops over the stream, and disappears into the fog.  Seconds later the sound of his claws popping out are heard followed by them tearing through the fence.  (“Ready?”) Jean asks him.

            Wolverine nods mentally.  One by one the group moves forward.  Though a normal person would have become lost in the fog they have the advantage of the Storm relying their position from above through the Professor.  Kitty is the first to reach the mountain.  She fazes through the mountainside and makes sure everything is all right before returning to take everyone in.  Storm lands and moves to the mountain followed by Wolverine.  He has been using his keen sense of smell to make sure no one would walked up upon them.  Once inside the mountain the group begins following the Professor’s directions.

 

 

            Outside, The Blackbird

            Beast had found in child’s play to hack into the computers of the lab.  (“Evidentially they didn’t think anyone would know about their existence.”)  He smiled and downloaded the layout of the lab and location of the mutant hostages.  The layout appeared on the holographic projector, and the Professor began passing directions onto the X-Men.  Beast smiled as he continued to work.  A few more keystrokes and the doors to the outside were locked tight.  After making sure no re-enforcements would be coming he began downloading the data on the children.

            “What have you found?”  The Professor asked.

            “Whoever is running this lab is keeping extensive files on the children as well as the experiments done to them.  There are a total of 11 children within the lab.”  The Professor relied this information to his students.  “No…wait a second,” Beast leaned in and began typing even faster.

            “Something wrong?”  Xavier asked.

            “There’s another child.  But this one’s file is different.  It’s got some major encryptions on it,” Beast explained.

            “Can you break through the encryptions?”

            “Just a second.”  Well it was actually 52 seconds.  But who’s counting.  “Got it!”  Beast typed for a few seconds before his eyes went wide.  He whistled in surprise and said, “Wow.”

            “What is it?”  The Professor moved to take a look.

            “They’ve done more research on this mutant than the rest of them combined.”

            “Let me see,” The Professor eyed the screen for a moment.  Then his eyes went wide and his face grew pale.  “This can’t be…”  The Professor turned to Beast, whose fur had taken on a noticeable lighter shade of blue.  “Can it?”

            Beast shook his head.  “I hope not.”

 

 

            Inside

            The X-Men thank their lucky stars.  They have only encountered one guard; he would wake up with a rather nasty headache, and have already succeeded in rescuing all 11 children.  The last of the group was passing through the lab’s wall and back into its grounds when the Professor called out.  (“There seems to be one more child in the lab.  He is located on the floor six levels down.”)

            Wolverine growls.  (“All right we’ll go get him.”)  He motions to Nightcrawler and Storm silently telling them to take the children back to the Blackbird.  They nod and begin to herd the children away.

            (“Be careful.  This mutant is different from the rest.”)

            (“How so, Professor?”)  Evan asks.

            (“He seems to be the most important to those running the lab.  He will be under heavy guard.”)

            (“Great.”) Wolverine motions for the remaining X-Men to re-enter the lab.

 

            They crept along the hallway of the sixth level moving slowly to where the finally hostage was being kept.  A hand gesture from Wolverine stopped them from turning the corner.  He sniffed the air before bringing a finger to his lips then tapping this head and pointing at Jean.  She nodded and connected them then everyone else.  (“The last hostage is done this hallway to the left.  Problem is there are two guards down there.”) He looked at Kitty and smiled.

 

            The two guards stood before a steel door, both carrying automatic rifles.  The one on the right closed his eyes and yawned.  The sound of his companion falling over caused his eyes to snap open.  Acting on reflex he wheeled, gun ready to fire.  Only he didn’t make it.  One second he was turning, the next he was slammed against the wall by something red.  Before unconsciousness claimed him, he saw the image of a young girl smiling as she waved to him.

 

            Wolverine nodded as they gathered at the door.  The plan had been simple.  Shadowcat had fazed through the floor and moved behind the guards.  Jean relayed what she had seen to Cyclops.  Then Shadowcat and Cyclops had taken the guards out before they could get a shot off.  (“Wish we could have done it a little quieter though.”)

            Jean nodded and called out.  (“Professor, any idea how many guards are on the other side of this door?”)

            The reply came after a second.  (“Seven guards, the hostage, and one other.  He’s most likely a doctor or scientist.  And they know you’re coming.”)

            Wolverine smiled.  (“Good.”)  He turned to Shadowcat.  (“All right Half-Pint one more time.”)

 

 

            Inside the room

 

            The guards tensed and held their guns at the door.  The loud crash against the outer wall had alerted them of the possible impending attack.  The doctor had been surprised to find that his computers had been hacked, and he had no access to most of his security system.  Now he was hanging off to the side near a large tube filled with orangish liquid and a human body floating inside.  The doctor turned to the tube and smiled.  Whoever they were, they wouldn’t get his masterpiece.  Oh no.  This boy would be the culmination of all his work.  He looked down at the gauges and readings he was receiving.  (“Good everything’s all right so far.”)

            Everyone turned their attention to the door as it buckled.  A dent formed in it.  Seconds later it became even larger.  <”The door’s not going to last!”> One of the guards yelled in Mandarin.  The guards tensed and readied their trigger finger. 

An almost inhuman roar of rage coming from behind them caused everyone to turn.  They were, understandable, shocked when a man with gleaming claws tore into the guard closest to him.  He picked up the bleeding man and used him as a shield, just in case.  “Now!”  He shouted.

            The guards brought their guns up and prepared to fire on the clawed man when the door exploded off its hinges.  Without warning four people rushed into the room.

            It was over in seconds.

 

            With the guards dealt with, the X-Men turned their sights on the doctor.  He took a step back afraid for his life.  He took another step as Wolverine inched closer.  He turned as he bumped into something.  Turning he saw the glass tube.  He gazed at it for a moment before turning back to face the X-Men.  The fear in his face was gone.  Anger had replaced it.  “You want my masterpiece, don’t you?”  He cried out.

            “Your masterpiece?”  Wolverine snarled in anger.  “Is that what you call what you’ve done to these children?”

            The doctor nodded.  “I will create the perfect warrior.  One who can ascend beyond the limited creatures known as man, mutant, even the gods themselves!  This one,” He turned back to the tube.  “He’s so close.  So close to perfection,” He turned back to the X-Men.  “And I haven’t even done anything to him yet!”  His hand moved to the panel at his side.  He pushed a few buttons and smiled wickedly.  Two doors to the left and right of the tubes opened.  “I will not be stopped!”  He declared as silver machines began coming out of the doors.  Four humanoid robots entered the room and uncurled their clawed fingers.  The doctor laughed.  “I bet you’ve already helped my other experiments escape.  Well if that’s the case then you’ll just have to be their replacements.  Of course my robots might accidentally kill you.”

            Cyclops had heard enough and opened the fighting with an optic blast.  His blast struck home, but the robot wasn’t damaged.  “How?”

            The doctor smiled.  “These robots are made out of adamantium.  That’s how!”

            Wolverine smirked and brought his claws up.  “That so?  Well then lets see how they compare to my adamantium claws!”

            The doctor smiled and started to order his robots.  Before he could say anything a beeping to his left caught his attention.  He looked down and immediately lost his smile.  “That can’t be!  He couldn’t have adjusted to that amount of sedatives that soon!”  He wheeled and looked to the tube.  He gasped at what he saw.  The liquid inside was beginning to boil.  “Impossible!  The boiling point of the fluid is 175 degrees Celsius!”

            The X-Men looked on in silence.  “Is he trying to escape?”  Shadowcat asked.

            “Looks that way,” Jean said.  She brought her hands to her head and attempted to communicate with whoever was inside the tank.  The attempt lasted a matter of seconds.  She gasped and stepped back.

            “What’s wrong Jean?”  Cyclops asked, the concern in his voice obvious.

            “Pain and anger.  So much that I couldn’t sense anything else,” She explained.

 

            The liquid in the tube boiled to the point where nothing was visible.  Then something appeared.  Eyes.  Angry red eyes.  The doctor stepped back.  The eyes focused on him and narrowed.  With a crashed and a flash of red the tube exploded outward showing the room with glass.  Then words came from the light and smoke of the explosion.  Words that only Wolverine and the doctor understood.  Words spoken in Japanese.  Words directed at the paling doctor.  <”I’m going to kill you.”>

 

 

            Outside, the Blackbird

            He felt it.  Pain.  Anger.  So much of the two that there were no other emotions.  Xavier did not like what was going on.  He turned his computer.  There was a smaller, less powerful version of Cerebro in it.  After activating it Charles frowned at what it was showing.  (“Such power.  I only hope he can control it.”)  He turned and looked outside the Blackbird at the mountain.  Already the birds in the forests were taking to the air.  “A bad omen,” He mumbled.