A DANGEROUS MIND
Adamantium meets steel as the feral man’s razor-sharp claws slash at the gargantuan robot’s foot. Unfortunately, the menace does not have an Achilles’ heel he can easily take advantage of so, instead, he dodges the weighty monstrosity’s steps and continues his amputating slices in an attempt to slow the mutant-seeker down.

"Wolverine!"

He hears Storm’s warning exclamation, but is not swift enough to avoid a second approaching automaton’s laser. Gritting his teeth, he waits for the red beam to sear its way into his flesh. Surprisingly, it does not happen.

His savior is a girl. She does not look older than eighteen, though he knows with certainty she is on the upper side of twenty. The young woman barricades herself in front of him and accepts the annihilating shot, causing her body to be propelled backwards and collide with his. With a woozy shake of her head, she regains her footing and grumbles one of those charming Southern expressions that have become her trademark in recent years. After all is said and done, the only evidence that there had been impact was a partially burnt uniform that exposed the flawless skin of her abdomen. Skin that was far more resilient than any armor. Impenetrable skin. Deadly skin. Rogue’s skin. Marie’s skin.

Sweet, innocent Marie. The child he had once sworn to protect. When had their roles reversed?

She casts him a glance to ascertain his well-being and, upon seeing he is no worse for wear, gives a curt nod and is airborne again. Social niceties, such as thank you, would have to wait because there was a horde of oncoming Sentinels [01] to contend with first.

Flaming hell, that had been a close one.

* * *
Praise the Bright Lady, Wolverine is okay. I doubt even enhanced healing could have sustained him from such an imposing attack. As tragic as it was, the day Rogue gained invulnerability [02] has been a blessing for us all on one occasion or another. This instance being a prime example.

With a thought, I beckon the winds to carry me to my sister-in-arms and, together, our eyes take in the madness below. We despairingly watch as dozens of crimson-coated androids head up the front line of our enemy’s assault. Heavily armed tanks and planes trail behind, ready to enter the conflict if worse comes to worse. Meaning, if the mutant blight were to defeat their man-made killing machines.

Man and machine versus mutants in a battle for supremacy. How sad it has come to this. In some ways it gladdens me that Professor Xavier passed away before he could witness the death of his fanciful dream. A dream I unwittingly agreed to support without realizing the futility of its attainment. The ignorance of innocence.

In remembering the Professor, Rogue reaches out to my comrades and I with the gift our mutual mentor willed her from his cancer-ridden deathbed, {Cyclops, Storm, Gambit [03]... aim for the eyes.}

Carefully studying the Sentinel nearest to me, I smile. How simplistically clever. Calling forth nature’s fury, I determinedly move to do as bade.

Yes, a war had come and, finally, I was on the right side.

* * *
I accept Rogue’s instruction without complaint. Tempered blasts surge from my own eyes as I target the metallic predators'. Once upon a time I would have been the person who cultivated our counterattack. Yet, as I said, that was once upon a time.

Once upon a time. That is an ironic way to phrase it. Especially since I do not believe in fairytales any more. Not since Jean...

A reconnaissance mission was found appropriate when rumors of the Sentinel program initially surfaced. In selecting a team, I assumed that with Rogue’s strength, Jean’s telekinesis, and their combined cognitive abilities, the pair would not need backup beyond each other to psychically observe Bolivar Trask’s [04] headquarters. I was mistaken.

Our cloak and dagger attempt was unsuccessful. In the end, Rogue barely made it back to the mansion at all and, when she did return, her body was covered in a mass of dried blood, cuts and bruises. She had tearfully carried my similarly looking, motionless fiancé in her arms.

The last words Jean uttered through our psi-link [05] still haunt me, {Oh, God... the Professor... Rogue... love you...} When the statement abruptly stopped, my whole world shattered. I did not need to be there to know she was gone.

I have no doubt that Rogue did everything in her power to save Jean though, for the life of me, I still do not understand how the FOH [06], who covertly funded Trask, could do so much damage to the near invincible girl.

My reminiscing is brought to a standstill when I am struck down from behind. A scream is wrought from me and I writhe on the ground. I ply myself with self-recrimination for the inattention. I vaguely sense Beast [07] hovering over me, spouting some nonsense about red badges. Following that, there is nothing at all. Blessed oblivion.

* * *
Oh man, this is bad… real bad. I think Cyke just went down for the count. What to do? What to do? I heard Roguey-baby tell our three long-range shooters to blow the tin men’s peek-a-boos from their sockets and I don't think Storm and Gambit can handle them all on their own. Guess it is time to take up some slack for the injured.

Firecracker to the rescue! Heh, I always wanted to say that.

Shoving the protective glasses further up the bridge of my nose, I concentrate as best I can, feeling the hum of energy beneath my fingertips. I contain the force, not releasing as I would normally do. The stifled power rushes through my hands and up my arms with a scorching intensity, causing my limbs to glow in their demand for emission. Cripes, this is going to be a big one… and it's going to hurt like the dickens.

I hurl the repressed charge with all my might and it is blinding as it spirals toward my foe. A detonation succeeds this and, then, a couple of suspenseful seconds elapse. Everything pauses.

Gasping for breath, I watch the big hunk of metal sway on its feet before the bulky body collapses with its head rolling off somewhere in the distance. Not the eyes, but it would have to do.

Several startled teammates take the time to stare at me in disbelief, however, they do not have an opportunity to comment due to their need to return to the fight. I smirk... yeah, that's right, Jubilation Lee [08] just decapitated herself a ‘droid. Not too shabby for a mallrat, huh?

My victory celebration is cut short as another Sentinel approaches. Then another. And another. Ut-oh. I figure that I just moved up on their hitlist. Not many mutants have the capacity to take one down on their own and my light show must have alerted them to the potential threat. Standing amidst the enemy, I exhaustively mutter, “You’re not in Kansas anymore, chica.”

Luckily, the chance to eliminate me eludes them. Rogue, followed by Storm, swoops in with a right hook to one of their steel jaws. It seems the wrath of the Almighty, Himself, accompanies them when lightening descends the heavens in herald of their arrival.

Hallelujah.

* * *
In the wake of his dream - my nightmare.

I just witnessed a re-enactment of David versus Goliath as one of Charles’ children defeated a hulking adversary. When three more Sentinels move in to attack, my magnetic orb edges me forward and I prepare to offer assistance. The necessity is moot. She is immediately joined by two women I recognize to be code-named Rogue and Storm.

An instant later, I hear a heavily accented voice taunt, “De name’s Gambit. Voici ma carte de visite. [09]” The man assists his teammates by skillfully throwing card after card with meticulous accuracy, short-circuiting his inhuman adversaries eye-lasers and vision. The blinded Sentinels try to adapt by way of sound, using the built-in mortar of their arms as a second-choice weapon. They fail.

Instead of pinpointing mutant activity, the machines hear one another’s movements and begin firing without considering the repercussions. Their survival instincts had initiated and that would be Trask and the FOH’s downfall. Their creations had no humanity. Total annihilation - fellow Sentinel, human and mutant - was in preference to self-sacrifice.

When the yellow-jacketed girl is about to be crushed by a sightless opponent’s fortuitous step, I decide this farce of a conflict must end post-haste. Throwing my arms wide, I bellow, “Enough!”

All non-human/non-mutant activity ceases. Beads of sweat develop on my brow as I commandeer the still functioning Sentinels. In that moment, I realize that the eyes of the world are focused on me.

I offer no compassion when I levitate man’s ridiculous toys. In a furor, I cast them across the battlefield and dispassionately watch as they crush upon their creators. When the chaotic death wails and explosions desist, a deafening quiet is Homo Superior’s victory cry. And what a bittersweet victory it is.

Turning to my brethren, a proclamation is made, “I will not be persecuted!”

Weakened from the ordeal, my shields falter and I topple toward the ground. My helmet slips and I hear an achingly familiar mental cry, {Erik!} [10] I believe it to be my imagination.

A steel-skinned man [11] intervenes before I have a chance to touch earth. His powerful arms transfer me to another, equally strong. The rescuer withdraws, leaving my new caretaker and I alone.

As Rogue cradles me close, I meet her concerned gaze and query, “Why?”

She smiles but does not speak. That well-known voice touches my mind once more, {Why do you ask questions to which you already know the answers, Erik?}

A buoyant laugh escapes me. Unlike others, I find no fault with the individual before me as awareness sets in. Had I not attempted to use the child for similar purposes?

“The sacrifice of one in the name of many, old friend?”

With the crook of a finger, my helmet glides into Rogue’s hands and is returned. Though I am sure our compatriots believe the task was of my doing, it was not. Telekinesis.

{Or two,} was the answer by amendment.

* * *
Fallen heroines keep silent vigil under the lock and key of Professor Charles Xavier’s dominant mind.

THE END
[01] The Sentinels are large robots programmed to eradicate mutants. They are the embodiment of humanity’s hatred toward mutants.
[02] Rogue has the ability to absorb another mutant’s powers by touching them. During a confrontation with Ms. Marvel, in the comic-verse, she held on too long and permanently retained the other heroine’s flight, super strength, invulnerability, and sixth sense.
[03] Remy Etienne LeBeau, also known as Gambit, is from the comic-verse. He is a mutant with the ability to charge objects with kinetic energy, making them unstoppable and explosive.
[04] In the comic-verse, Bolivar Trask created the Sentinels.
[05] In the comic-verse, Jean Grey and Scott Summers (Cyclops) share a strong psychic link with one another.
[06] The Friends of Humanity (FOH) is an anti-mutant organization in the comic-verse.
[07] Henry “Hank” McCoy, also known as Beast, is from the comic-verse. He is a mutant with great agility, strength, intelligence, and stamina. He also has blue fur, fangs and really big nails/claws.
[08] Jubilation Lee, also known as Jubilee, is from the comic-verse. She is a mutant with the ability to produce fireworks (pyrokinetic powers) from her fingers.
[09] "Voici ma carte de visite" is French for "Here is my card".
[10] This alternate reality has the future Erik Magnus Lensherr, also known as Magneto, freed from containment.
[11] Piotr Rasputin, also known as Colossus, is from the comic-verse. He is a mutant with the ability to transform his skin into organic steel.
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