Shots In The Dark

Title Of Story : Shots In the Dark1

Author : Robert Rumery2

Genre : Action/Adventure/Romance3

Setting : X-Men 3 (Post, AU)4

Pairing : Kitty/Pyro Bobby/Rogue Eventual Kitty/Bobby5

Rating : PG-13/R (For Language, Violence)6

Plot : Pyro’s ran off to LA to find a better life for himself, but Kitty comes looking for him with the help of his former best friend, Bobby.7

"Out on the street8

I'm stalking the night9

I can hear my heavy breathing10

Paid for the kill11

But it doesn't seem right12

Something there I can't believe in" - "Shot In The Dark" by Ozzy13

The streets were calling his name and he was straying from the only family that he had, the family that had rejected him when they found out that he was a mutant. He didn't have the perfect life, but he was still alive. That was the curse that he had to live with that he'd stay alive. He was a kid in a black hooded shirt and a pair of blue jeans, hands stuffed into his pockets. The streets of Los Angeles were so quiet at night. He found refuge by a burnt out street light and a trash can. "You’re my only friend now." He said as he pulled out his lighter from his pocket and flipped it open, closed it, and than flipped it open again. The light above him started to flicker like it was trying to come on, but it didn't. It simply gave up and just flickered off.14

It was a very cold night and Los Angeles seemed to be dead except for a few people that were up and roaming around. They were probably junkies looking for another fix at 2:30 a.m. The women, “professional lovers” no doubt, never slept either. It was annoying; he didn't like to be around people, well not anymore. It was annoying the way the human race was. They shun anything and everyone that they find superior to them. Now the human race was trying to kill all the mutants because they were different and in more then one way, better. Mutants didn't fucking do anything to the human race, yet they still wanted to kill them. It was like the mutant society was a bug on their windshield. 15

That was enough to get under the skin of the outcasted mutant. He flipped his lighter open once more and up sprang the flame. John held it in front of his face, the orange-reddish glow hypnotized him. There was a smile on Pyro's face as he could feel the heat coming off of the flame. He closed the top of his lighter again and put it in his pocket as he sat on the sidewalk, watching people and cars go by. He had a family; it was The Brotherhood that was lead by Magneto. For some odd reason he didn't feel at home there either. The streets couldn't be much worse. 16

At least he wouldn't have to listen to Magneto preach about The Human Race and it's evilness nor would he have to listen to Xavier preach about peace between both Mutants and The Human race. It was nearly fucking impossible to have peace on both sides.17

"You'll never be like us!" Kitty Pryde's voice echoed in John’s head. "You betrayed us, remember, John? You joined The Brotherhood, our sworn ENEMIES!" Kitty's voice got louder inside of John's head. It was going to drive insane; it was going to drive him to drink, something he really wanted to do right know but probably wouldn't. He could see the pain on Kitty's face, the stupid vision. It didn't mean anything; it was just a blasted memory, one that he wished he could fucking forget. 18

It wasn't the first time that he'd heard voices. Oh no, and it probably wouldn't be the last. It was guilt no doubt. He felt guilty about leaving the X-Men and Kitty Pryde. But that guilt would die down as he suppressed his feelings, his feelings would soon lead to anger and he would than lash out at the people around him. He would even lash out at the people he once loved and cared for, the people that he now hated and was disgusted by.19

His brother, Bobby "Iceman" Drake was on the other team. That disgusted John, hell, in John's eyes he had no brother. Whoever aligned themselves with people like The X-Men became his enemy. He heard a noise in the back of an alley. So he peered his head around the corner and looked down it. It was probably nothing, he determined as he slowly stood up. Taking his lighter out of his pocket he flipped it open, the red-orangish flame shooting up as he made a small ball of fire in his hand as he started walking down the alley with his fireball as his guide. 20

"Hello?" John shouted. There was no answer as a reply. John continued to walk down into the alley. It was probably a raccoon or a rat looking for food, he decided. Walking to the end of the alleyway, he shined his fireball over towards three or four trashcans but there was nothing there, so he figured it was just a 'Coon or a Rat looking for food. He shot the fireball at the wall, the wall took the fireball with grace and it left a small burn mark there.21

"Fucking 'Coons." John said as he turned his back to the brick wall and started walking to the entrance of the Alleyway. He had this insane feeling that he was being watched. He rolled his shoulders in a shrug and kept on walking. Getting to the entrance of the alleyway, he walked out and took a seat on the curb of the sidewalk. "I gotta stop being paranoid." He told himself as he stuck his hands into his pockets and leaned back against a "Do Not Park" sign that was illuminated by the working street lamp.22

It had been a long bus ride from New York City to Los Angeles, California. He was surprised that he hadn’t been picked up yet. He'd been here for a day and no one had really recognized him yet. Needless to say, he was surprised since they flashed his face all over the television every time they got a chance. He was a mutant so he was Public Enemy #1 right now. But even mutant's needed their sleep. He got up and walked over to the street lamp he was sitting under a minute ago. His clothed back slid down the edge of the brick wall and he looked up at the stars, or what he could see of them. For a brief moment he didn't feel alone, he didn't really feel that angry so he shut his eyes and slowly drifted off to sleep.23

-----------24

The Next Morning, Los Angeles, California 11:31 a.m.25

The Los Angeles - New York City train pulled up and the side doors opened swiftly. A couple teenagers got off and walked down the silver steps, stepping onto the side of the curb. One was a female girl about sixteen or seventeen. She was wearing a pair of blue jeans and a black hoodie that had a black cat on the back of it with the words 'Kitten' under it. The hood of her sweatshirt was hiding her face. A boy about seventeen followed her. He had on a pair of blue jeans and a blue hooded sweatshirt also. He stepped down the silver steps and onto the curb, standing by the girl.26

"Now remind me why we’re here, Kitty." Bobby said as he stuffed his hands into his blue jeans and looked over at the girl. Her name was Kitty Pyrde, she was known as Shadow Cat to the other mutants at the mansion. She wanted to come look for John, but Bobby thought it was a waste of time, however he humored her and came along. A part of him thought that his brother would change if he wasn't apart of The Brotherhood but as always, he was probably wrong.27

"We are here to find, John." Kitty said as she looked over to Bobby and at the mention of John's name he turned his head and looked in the opposite direction, trying to concentrate on something other then John. Kitty sighed and shrugged, putting her hand on Bobby's shoulder. 28

"You know in the end it'll be alright. John will come around..." Kitty said in the most comforting voice she could speak in. She was hoping he'd come to his senses but John being John wouldn't. He was a stubborn ass just like his brother!29

"I hope someday, Kitty." Bobby said as he stood on the curb of the sidewalk with Kitty, a crosswalk in front of them. "Maybe before we do anything, we should get something to eat." Kitty said as she pointed out the restaurant on the other side of the street. Bobby nodded and took Kitty’s hand, running across the crosswalk with her. They stepped up onto the curb and there was a Burger King.30

Bobby felt his hand in Kitty's and he turned bright red. "Oh sorry." He said as he let go of her hand as fast as he could. He shouldn't have been holding hands with any girl but Maria! She'd kill him if she knew that he had just held Kitty's hand even if it was by mistake. He was used to holding girls’ hands while crossing the crosswalk though. 31

"It's Okay." Kitty said with a small giggle as Bobby shrugged his shoulders. Kitty took a seat in the outside area of the restaurant and Bobby walked inside as quickly as he could. He had to push himself through a crowd of people near the entryway. They weren't really doing anything, just gabbing about gossip. He pushed the door open and stepped through and entered the restaurant. He walked up to the counter and ordered two hamburgers and a coke for him and Kitty. 32

He still didn't know why they were here in LA in the first place. No one could really talk any sense into John, not even him. They used to be close as kids. But now they were bitter enemies, Bobby secretly thought about his brother, how he wanted to reunite with him. But he knew that wouldn't be possible, not yet and probably not for a very long time at least. 33

"Hey bro!" A male voice rang out from behind of Bobby and he turned around quickly with the tray off food and drinks. But there was no one behind of him. He thought it might be John but he shook his head, feeling stupid. Of course it wouldn't be John, he wouldn't be out in the public at this time of day. He usually waited for the night so no one would notice him. But he looked to his left and there were two brothers talking, each about thirteen or fourteen. 34

"I'm sorry, bro! I didn't mean to hurt you." One said. 35

"It's okay." The other said smiling at the first.36

"Okay, so we’re cool?" The first said.37

"Yeah." They hugged each other softly, apparently happy they had gotten over their argument.38

Bobby walked by the two young brothers and walked over to the entrance of the restaurant. He pushed the door open, and walked through. Spotting Kitty, he walked over and sat down next to her, giving her a burger and soda. He put his own food down in front of him. 39

"So what took you so long?" Kitty asked with a small smirk on her face as she picked up her burger.40

"Funny." Bobby said as he took a sip of his soda. "Some kids in there were making up, or something so I kinda got slowed down… Just eat your food! The faster we find my brother, the faster we can get out of this dump." Bobby said sounding a bit bitter, and a bit like his brother, John.41

"What's wrong with you?" Kitty asked as she took a bite of her burger and a sip of her coke as she looked over at Bobby that was sitting acrossed from her. She could see that something w as on his mind. But she didn't really know what. 42

Bobby hasn't really opened up since his brother joined Magneto's side and became mortal enemies. Kitty put her half-eaten-burger on the wrapper that was sitting on the table and brought her soda closer to her and took another sip.43

"Nothing, Kitty." Bobby said as he ate his Hamburger up. He was lying, that was something that he wasn't really good at. What was eating him up inside would probably come out. At the wrong time and probably when they were in battle against The Brotherhood. 44

When he was in battle against his brother. He couldn't take this shit for much longer he was fighting against his brother a person he used to love and still does. Bobby took a sip of his Coke also and got up, pushed in his chair and took his trash over to the trashbin and threw it away. 45

------46

Los Angeles, California 12:01 P.M.47

John was wearing his tank top and his black hooded sweatshirt was behind his head. Propped up against the brick wall he was using it as a pillow. He shifted in his sleep as a cold wind blew past him it made him shiver a bit and his eyes slowly opened as the sun shined down on John. 48

He could feel the heat on his pale white skin and it felt pretty good. He had a good night's sleep it was the first night he did in a very long time. John sat up and reached behind of his head to get his hooded shirt which know had some dirt on it but none-the-less he pulled the hooded shirt over his head and than stood up and dusted off his blue jeans.49

The city was alive with people walking around some were going to work and others were going to lunch and going on a break that wasn't the situation for John. He shoved his hands into his pocket and his left hand in his left pocket fiddled with his silver lighter that he kept in there for safe keeping. 50

There was something in the air that said that someone was looking for him someone wasn't probably looking for him it was probably just another one of those insane feelings he could from time to time. Apart of him wished something or someone would come and save him but another part really didn't care if he got saved or not he just wanted to live.51

"Another day and more problems for me." John said to himself as he started to walk down the sidewalk of Los Angeles as he walked he could feel other people looking at him and that has always made him uneasy. They probably knew who and what he was. This stupid human race, they looked at him like he was the freak. In reality they were the freaks living in his world it wasn't him living in their world. 52

As he kept on walking he felt the same cold wind on his skin. He knew that meant something but what? The only time he felt something that cold on his skin was when him and his brother, Bobby used to fit. It couldn't be true could it that Iceman was in LA. 53

That'd be insane John shook his head and he continued to walk down the sidewalk he came to a small burger joint the guy behind the counter was handing out hamburgers. The guy looked to be in his late 30's early 40's he looked tanned he either spent a lot of time in the sun or was Hawaiian.54

John had some money in his pocket he stole about $20 dollars from a bum the other night. John started walking towards the burger joint he didn't see what the name of it was he pushed through a small crowd of people until he got to the front of the line and he put the money on the counter and ordered a burger and a soda. 55

The man behind the counter passed him the burger and Soda and John walked from the burger joint over to a picnic table that was near the park he sat down on the red wooden bench and put his soda and burger down.56

He unwrapped the burger from it's wrapper the burger itself was still pretty hot. Steam came off of the bun and he took the soda in his hand and took a sip off of it as he waited for the burger to cool he turned around halfway and looked over his shoulder there were parents and their kids playing Frisbee with their dog. 57

He sneered at the happy family playing with the dog and than turned back to his burger and continued to sip his soda. He picked up the burger it was done steaming and he took a big bite out of it and as he did he picked up his soda and took a sip of it and than swallowed the chunk of his hamburger.58

He ate the other half of his burger and drank the rest of his soda and walked over to the trash bin and threw his cup and wrapper away. He looked over towards the open field part of the park and there weren’t people in there but he knew what people were doing there when they come they were being a family and having fun. 59

Something that he'd never experince again being happy or having a family of his own. His only family know was The Brotherhood of Mutants and heck he even strayed from them he didn't fit in anywhere except for the streets where no one would know his secret they would never know that he was a dangerous mutant.60

----------------61

Logan sat in the kitchen at a round wooden table. A Bottle of Coke mixed with a bit of Jack Daniels sat on the table infront of him. Logan dressed in a pair of old dungy black jeans and a white t-shirt his claws had retracted into his ecto-skeleton moments ago so it still hurt a bit but the pain would fade. 62

Logan picks up the bottle and tips it up to his lips as he takes a drink, Logan's super human hearing picks up something it sounded like footsteps and Logan being on edge turns his head slightly to the left as the door was slowly pushed open and Rogue stepped through it. She walked into the kitchen and looked over towards Logan and smiled. 63

"Oh, it's only you, kid." Logan said with a small smirk as he began to relax again and take another sip of his coke and Rogue looked over at Logan.64

"Know what's that supposed to mean?" Rogue asked with a smile on her face as she grabbed a wooden chair that sat next to Logan. She sat down in it backwards her crotch facing the wooden backing of the chair and she put her elbows on the counter. Her whit locks dangling infront of her face.65

She pushed them out of the way they were a battle scare of sorts from what happened with her and Magneto in new york. She was surprised that she was still here in the X-Men and at the Xavier institue as Rogue sat by Logan he smiled softly at her. 66

"Nothin' Kid." Logan said. "Know wheres that boyfriend of yours? His name was Iceman wasn't it?" Logan added as he finished off his bottle of Coke and Jack Daniels.67

"I don't know, he's probably off doing something with Kitty." Rogue said in the tone she said it.68

You knew she didn't wanna mention Bobby and Kitty's name in the same sentance. 69

She put her arms on the table and layed her head on her arms and looked over towards Logan. "So what you been doing?" Rogue asked70

"Same old same old." Logan said as he shrugged. "Kinda been lookin' for Chuck. With all this shit about the goverment having a cure that supress the X-Gene. It's been hectic out there, it's like the world ending." Logan said looking towards Rogue.71

"The world is ending. The goverment has a cure for all mutants it's all for all of us, but some of us are accepting it better than most are. I mean this is a god send in a way we might be able to live a normal life and not have to hide anymore." Rogue said as he looked at Logan.72

"But also, there is the possibilty that Magneto might use the cure for his own personal gain. I don't like to think about such things, it makes my head hurt. Like when I used to do math in high school. I'll let th e grown ups handle it." Rogue added with a breif chuckle as she continued to stare at Logan.73

Logan smirked at the comment Rogue had made as he took a cigar out of his pocket and took the silver zippo lighter out of his jeans pocket and than flipped it open and light his cigar with it. 74

He took a puff off of it and than blew some smoke rings in the air he looked happy like a young kid that has gotten buzzed or high on some foreign substance. He kept on smoking uknown to him Rogue was staring at his lighter. 75

Logan's lighter looked kind of like Pyro's old one. Rogue stared at it, she looked both puzzled and confused but it was probably just some odd coincedenct. Alot of people liked to use silver zippo's to light their cigarettes or cigars. Logan probably just picked it up on his way here. It wasn't a big deal the lighter just reminded him of John's old lighter.76

"You know your not supposed to be smoking in the school, Logan. If Xavier found out he'd probably kill you or worse turn you into a 6 year old girl!" Rogue said as she lifted her head from her arms and cracked her neck from side to side and than stretched her arms they had gotten a bit numb from her head laying on them.77

"Haha." Logan said as he continued to smoke his cigar, he leaned back in the chair and put his feet up on the table. His leather boots dripped mud onto the table. He watched Rogue walk over to the fridge and get a soda and than close the fridge and than walked over to the counter and got some paper towels and than walked back over to her seat. 78

Where she was sitting by Logan and Rogue put paper towels under Logan's boots that were dripping on the table. Logan looked over at Rogue with a sort of 'thanks,kid' look on his face and than Rogue smiled and shook her head as she sat down and drank her soda.79

Rogue got back up from her seat and walked a crossed the room with her cola bottle in her left hand. She walked over to the kitchen sink and knelt down to open the brown door under the sink and she threw her coke bottle into the small container of bottles and cans that were under the sink. 80

She stood back up and turned on the hot and cold water and washed her hands to get the stickyness off from her hands there were a few bottles and cans that leaked so some of the extra soda was sticky on the side of the bin for the soda and cans and she had gotten some on her hands. 81

She took some of the handpumped soap and pumped some onto her hands it was nice and cold and smoothe she rubbed her hands together and they latherd up and she ran her hands under the warm running and washed her hands she than shut the water off and grabbed a paper towel and dried them and than walked back acrossed the room until she was back over where Logan had been sitting. 82

She was standing beseide of his chair as she looked over at him. He felt her looking at him so he took his feet off of the paper towels and put them firmly back down on the ground and finished his cigar and stamped the rest of it out on his hand that left a small burn mark on his palm that closed slowly, but it still closed.83

"It was nice seeing you again, Logan. But I'd better get going. I got to look for Bobby, I'm certain that he's with Kitty. But I have to look anyways." Rogue said, and than she shoved her gloved hands into her pocket and than walked over to the door frame and leaned up against and than looked over at Logan over her shoulder and smiled at him and Logan smiled back at her. 84

"See ya,Kid." Logan said as he walked over to the back door of the mansion that lead out into the back lawn of the mansion what Logan was doing out there no one will ever know and I don't think anyone wants to know.85

---86

Rogue than walked out into the living room of the mansion it was empty. She walked over to the couch and plopped herself softly down onto the brown couch and than she grabbed the remote and turned on the television. It was about 1 p.m. in the afternoon there probably wouldn't be anything on TV. At this time of day there usually wasn't well maybe except for Oprah or some soap opera shows. She didn't even like stuff like that and she was girl, she sat back in the couch trying to get as comfortable as she could. 87

She kept on trying to get comfortable but she couldn't. Her mind was wandering like a lost soul in a ghost town and than she got up and walked over to the staircase and than started walking up it she gripped the banister momentarily for balance and than she walked up it and when she got to the top she looked down at the living room still no one was down there. She'd figure at least someone would come in. 88

She shrugged her shoulders and than started to walk down the hallway. Bobby's room was right next to hers, it was a crossed the hall from hers. She walked to her room it was a brown door that had 'Rogue' written on it in gold letters it almost looked like a door to a house or something she looked over at Bobby's room his door was ajar she thought that was kind of odd. 89

Because Bobby never leaves his door open he usually closes it unless he was in a hurry. Rogue's curiosity was going to kill her, in a sense that she was going to find out something that she didn't really want to or one of Bobby's dirty secrets. 90

She walked over to Bobby's room and pushed her way into the room. There wasn't anything in the room that was suspicious or different she walked over to Bobby's bed and sat on it. 91

She was sitting near the footboard she looked over towards Bobby's desk and than she noticed that his window was open and his curtains were blowing she got up off of Bobby's bed and went over and shut the window and than looked down at his desk and there was a note on the desk that read 'Rogue' in Bobby's hand writing.92

It was a bit sloppy; it looked like it was written in a rush. The pencil was in the desk, with a broken tip. The lead rolled onto the floor beneath the desk, Rogue picked up the letter with her right hand and she stared at it for a moment. Should she open it? It did have her name on it, apart of her wanted to know what was inside even if the news was bad. The other part of her, the more sane part of her wanted to leave it be and not open the letter. She had entered Bobby’s room without his permission, but he wasn’t there. It wasn’t like she was doing anything wrong her and Bobby had always been open about stuff. The relationship that they had as boyfriend and girlfriend, their families and their past’s and talking about their past’s was hard.93

The first boy that Rogue ever kissed, at 16. She nearly killed him put him in the intensive care unit for 6 months and when he got out of the hospital he dumped her. And he never wanted to see her again because she was a mutant, that what made Bobby and her relationship so special. 94

They both knew what they were; it wasn’t like there were going to be any surprises in their relationship. She’s never hesitated to open anything in here life ; well maybe her report card at the end of the quarter that she had gotten last week. 95

“Rogue, it can’t be that bad.” She said to herself, as she took her finger and ran it a crossed the back of the peace of paper it was fold over and it was taped shut. Her fingernail ran a crossed the piece of tape and the tape had caught her nail briefly and it had stung and than she shook her finger. 96

She than began ripping the tape of slowly making sure not to rip the back of the note. That’s all she needed a ripped note what if it had important information? She didn’t need bits and pieces of information gone. She gently opened the note and unfolded and sat it on the desk as she looked down at it reading it. 97

It Read:98

Dear Rogue, 99

I know I’m not there with you right now. And you must be worried sick about me, or not even noticed that I’m gone. Well that’s not really the issue now. Kitty came to me the other day after class the other day and asked me If I could help her with something and I said I would. This was before I learned that she wanted to try and go find Pyro in LA. So that’s were I am. I’m in Los Angeles, California. Looking for that traitor I used to call my Best friend, I’ll be home as soon as I can be. I love you babe. 100

Signed, 101

Bobby Drake. 102

She read the note over a few more times just trying to take in what the note itself was saying. Kitty and Bobby had gone to try and find John? Why? What were they doing that for? You can’t talk any sense into Pyro even SHE knew that. John was a selfish bastard that didn’t care about anyone else but himself. She knew that from the start, when the first she had meet John, when she first meet him she kind of thought he was cute and she always loved a bad boy.103

Rogue took the note and he folded it up and placed it in her pockets of her blue jeans, the plot had thickened it had thickened heavily. She didn’t like the thought of Bobby and Kitty alone, together, or either and they probably shared a seat on the bus or plane ride down to LA the thought of that really disgusted her, she got up and pushed the chair into Bobby’s desk and than walked a crossed the room to the door and gripped the door knob and turned it and opened the door and exited Bobby’s room and walked a crossed to her own room.104

She entered her own room and shut the door quietly behind of her and than walked over to her bed. That was covered with schoolbooks, a few notebooks, and notes for her homework that was due tomorrow. But this was way more important to her she didn’t even know that Bobby was gone but she had a sneaky suspicion that he was, like always she was right she took the letter out of her pocket and than read it again. She scanned the letter with her eyes, taking in all the information for the 2nd or 3rd time.105

“ I love you too, Bobby.” She said softly as she got to end of the letter again for the 2nd or 3rd time. There was a small tear formed in her eyes, they slowly slide down both of her cheeks and than she softly whipped the tears away on the arm of her shirt and folded the note back up and than stuffed the note back into her back jeans pocket. She looked down at the stuff on her bed, she took her notebooks and put ‘em on the top of her desk, and put the school books inside of the desk along with her notes for homework she laid down on her bed her face, facing the wall by her bed and she closed her eyes and than slowly drifted off to a nice slumber. She had needed that because of everything that had just happened.106

----------107

1:02 P.m. 108

Los Angeles, California 109

------------110

“So where do you think we will find him?” Kitty asked as she shoved her hands into the pockets of her jeans, she looked over towards Bobby who was holding the base of his coke and you’d see what almost looked like blue ice sparks come off from his fingertips. He was making his drink cold one again by using his mutant powers, they weren’t supposed to use their powers in public but no one saw. He looked back at Kitty, didn’t really catch what she said. 111

“ I don’t know, probably Jail.” Bobby said, a small snicker in his voice as he tips the cup up and takes a sip off of his soda. The sun was shining, and he could feel the rays on his back. He was wearing a blue sweatshirt and it feel a lot like summer and he took the sleeve of his shirt and whipped some sweat off of his brow. He started to take his shirt off, he lifted the shirt over his head and took his shirt off to reveal a white tank top and than he stood up and tied his sweatshirt around his waist.112

Rogue didn’t like having Kitty around Bobby; it was probably because Rogue was jealous of Kitty think she’d steal him away from her. Bobby sat back down at the table outside of the restaurant that they were eating at, they had been there for a bout half an hour, and Bobby felt that Pyro was near. But he didn’t know how near his former best friend was but he could almost taste Pyro in the air ; well not actually test him but he could feel his prescience in a strong way,113

“Why do you want to find that dickhead anyways?” Bobby asked looking at Kitty, he was obviously referring to Pyro he was still angry with John for leaving and hurting Kitty even thou he didn’t really give a shit about Kitty, the only reason why he was here was because he was John’s best friend and he knew him better than John knew himself.114

He knew how he was coming a crossed to Kitty, Unsympathetic, uncaring and maybe even a general asshole, he did really miss John but he wasn’t going to show those kinds of emotions or say anything because that’s just the way that he was. He was almost cold and ironically his name was Iceman but he was here helping Kitty, that meant her cared on some level he shrugged his shoulders softly. 115

“Don’t have to be so rude about it.” Kitty said, as she glared at Bobby from a crossed the table, she knew that Bobby didn’t really like John anymore, they merely hated each other. But Bobby was the only one that could really find Pyro for her, him and John had been best friends at one time and he knew how John’s mind worked and mainly how to find John.116

When they did find John, she’d probably do all the talking. He’d take more to her than he would to his old best friend, Bobby. She saw all the anger inside of, Bobby it was odd, almost like sitting a crossed from Pyro, they had some of the basic features either of didn’t open up without a fight he smiled softly at Bobby, just a reassuring friendly smile. 117

“I’m sorry kitt-“ Bobby said “It’s okay.” Kitty said, cutting off Bobby in mid sentence. Bobby smiled back at Kitty he had his hands on the top of the table and Kitty’s hands grazed his hands briefly, but as her hands did that he retracted his hands and stuck them in his pocket and his face grew red slightly, as Kitty watched that she giggled slightly. 118

“Oh shut up.” Bobby said as he laughed slightly and than stood up and pushed his chair in and than walked around to where Kitty was sitting and he pulled her chair out and Kitty stood up and moved out of the way and than he pushed in her chair and took her trash; a few burger wrappers and her empty soda cop. Kitty followed behind of him, she stood on the corner of the sidewalk watching the cars, buses and the normal people walk by.119

Bobby dumped the trays and put the tray up on the bin outside and than walked over to where Kitty was standing and she was still watching the traffic and people go back and forth in their normal human lives and she sighed softly as she watches this couple walk by hand in hand and kissing in public. 120

“I’ll never have that. “ She said softly.121

“Sure you will.” Bobby said as he looked at her and smiled.122

“Thanks for the reassurance.” Kitty said, and smiled.123

Bobby and Kitty started walking down the sidewalk, it was gray stoned and it’d probably hurt if you fell down on it, they’ve never been to Cali but only on missions for Xavier and The X-Men. Kitty smiled at the scenery it was pretty and at watching the humans go on with their lives, in the pit of her stomach she knew that she’d never really have a normal life they’d always be outcasts because they were mutants the only time she really felt loved was when she was with John. 124

And John was gone because The X-Men weren’t his style and he didn’t feel at him. Kitty started thinking about John, she really liked him and she secretly wished that he’d come home, to his true home. Not with just The X-Men, with her she felt that his true home would be with her and they could have a pretty good life together she shrugged at the idea as her and Bobby kept on walking down the mean streets of Los Angels, California. 125

Bobby walked along side of Kitty, he didn’t really see the need of coming after Pyro here. If he died he probably deserved he didn’t deserve her pity, she had loved him and he didn’t see why she would love someone like John but it wasn’t really his call she’d do as she saw fit and he didn’t really like that she should of stayed in the mansion and let Pyro be on his own. 126

Of course he wasn’t going to say that to her out loud, she’d get so seriously mad at him because she did love Pyro and he was going to have to accept the Shadow girl had feelings for the badboy that could control fire. Bobby sighed softly in boredom, frustration and that he was missing Rogue and he hoped she had found his note and that she wasn’t too made at him for leaving with Kitty to find John.127

-------128

1:22 P.m.129

Las Angeles, Calfornia130

-----131

-------132

1:22 P.m.133

Las Angeles, California134

-----135

John sat back to a cement wall and than pulled out a pack of Cigarettes. The packet itself was red with white trim and white letters on the red background. They were Marlboro cigarettes, a habit that he had picked up, another one that he couldn't quit. He pulled out a cigarette, and put it between his fingers as he flipped open his lighter, and than light the cigarette and than put the cigarette into his mouth. He puffed, than he coughed he wasn't used to the smoke. It relaxed him temporarily, but only temporarily.136

"Why did you leave, John?" Kitty voice asked, her voice had popped into his head once again. "Shut up!" John said, his voice sounding angry and harsh and he closed his eyes. "Why won't you shut the hell up?!" He asked as he clenched the cigarette in between his teeth and than spit it out onto the floor and than stamped it out.137

The voices didn't bother him it was just that it was Kitty's voice. It was so sweet and so soft and when you hurt her you could really hear it in her voice. And he knew that he hurt her when he left, an emotional side, he didn't want anyone to see that side of him. He knew he hurt everyone that had cared about him there when he had left to join Magneto's side of the fight.138

At moments like this he was beside of himself. At times he had felt his spirit depart his body, and he'd look down at himself and most of the time he didn't really like what he saw. He never liked what he saw, he could barely look at himself in the mirror with out punching it or ripping it off of the wall and shattering it.139

John flipped his lighter open, and than closed it again and than opened it again. He stared at the flame, something about fire has always amazed him even when he was a little boy it amazed him. 140

Well that was before he found out he was a mutant, and his family abandoned him for being different. It didn't really matter right know, nothing mattered right know. The world was a cold and lonely place, and he himself was cold and lonely.141

"Family, right, that's fucking bullshit." John said as he closed his lighter and than stuffed it back into his pocket and he than stood up and dusted off his jeans and the ass of his pants. He stuffed his hands in his jeans and walked over to a side of the sidewalk. 142

And he than felt that cold wind blow; it sent chills down his spines. It was a very creepy feeling; he thought it was another one of those signs that maybe Iceman was close. He smirked at that idea, he could teach that fucker yet another lesson. He walked out of the park and out onto the concrete sidewalk and than began walking forward. 143

He had felt eyes on his back, a very uneasy feeling. It was like someone was watching him and he didn’t like that feeling it was too big brother for him. The government would watch, night and day and even if you didn’t want it that’s the way the government was. But this was a different kind of watching like being watched by people you knew. Friends, ex-lovers. That was a very uneasy feeling for John.144

“John?” A Female voice came from behind of him. He shook his head and kept on walking. The female behind of him couldn’t be talking to him. He didn’t go by John anymore, his only name was Pyro, that was his true name. He kept on walking until he came to a crosswalk, a stop sign, and a small bench that people would sit down at when they would want to rest. 145

“St. John Allerdyce, I was talking to you!” The same female voice rang out, this time in anger and part annoyance and than John slowly turned around. What he was about to see probably wasn’t going to make him happy. As he turned around, the girl that stood before him was KATHERINE PYRDE!146

“Oh fuck!” John said, the words slipped out of his mouth slowly. He was surprised, yet not that surprised to see Kitty standing in front of him. Did she venture all the way from New York to LA to find HIM?! 147

“Kitten?” John asked.148

“Yes?” Kitty responded.149

“What are you doing here?!” John asked.150

“Trying to find you.” Kitty replied with a smile on her face.151

“You found me, now you can go home.” John responded almost bitterly.152


It had been over a year since he had left the X-Men and right know he was standing face-to-face with Katherine "Kitty" Pyrde. He had once considerd staying at the X-Men mansion just so that they'd be friends that option had always been open to him, but at the time he didn't wanna take it and know he didn't wanna take it either. 153

She had confronted him, a small smirk spreaded a crossed John's lips as he shoved his hands back into his jean's pockets it did this almost instictly and out of habbit. He would usually have something in his pockets to fiddle with when the situation would get uncomfortable and this situation had become quite uncomfortable, he could feel Bobby Drake glancing at him with a look on his face, a not very nice look, it was a look of pure hatred and betrayal he could feel that ice cold stare upon him, but he shrugged it off and ignored it, like it was a bad memorie or dream.154

She had spunk she'd give Kitten that. But he had felt very uneasy with Bobby Drake behind him, Bobby was a few yards away leaning up against a green telephone post, he didn't really want to get involved with John and Katherine's little 'lover's quarrel' It was their buisness and not his. Bobby only came beacause her friend, Kitty asked her to come and that was the only reason he was here. 155

"John..." She said as she attempted to touch him, she placed her hand in his hand softly, and clutched it gentley, her grip tightend around his fingers. He felt something within himself, he looked at the ground than than back at Kitty. He felt something between them, he knew what this meant, he knew it meant that he loved her and that's apart of him he couldn't show her or anyone else. 156

"Don't be like that.." She said, as she looked up at John, she looked into his eyes, she had looked into his soul, she could see the boy he had once been, a long time ago when his powers manfisted as a Teenager. She saw that he was scared,lonely. She could feel the betrayal that he felt when his parents disowned him and kicked him out. 157

"It's the only way I know how to be." John said, as he released her hand from his. Kitty was relctuant to let go as he turned his back to her. There was a small flame on the back of his hoodie that had the words 'Pyro' enscribed on them. He wanted the world to know who he is and what he could do. Kitty coming to find him, they brought back re-pressed memories and forgotten emotions that he hoped that he could lock away forever but he knew he couldn't. 158

He knew she could see into his soul, he didn't like that. He didn't like the fact that people could see the hurt, the betrayal within himself he wanted to keep that within himself he had never been the kind of guy that'd open up about anything. To gain John's trust you had to be either blood or very close to him, almost like how close Kitty and John had been but that was a long time, they'd never be that close again.159

He'd gotten used to the lonliness, living on the streets and fighting to live and close to killing for food. It was the way of the urban jungle, it was the way life was on the streets and for the poor and outcasted, he was just another teenager on the run. He was 18, but in the eyes of the world he was just another lost and misguided teenager he tried to control his powers. He tried it with The X-Men, he tried it with The Brotherhood nothing worked!160

"John.." Kitty said as she put her hand on John's shoulder of the shirt he was wearing. It was black, it was fitlthy but you couldn't really tell because it was black. She had let out a small sigh and got a hold her thoughts before she spoke again. 161

"Why do you keep on trying, Kitten?" John asked. "I'm not good for you. You come after me.. You'll just get hurt again." He added and it was in an almost civil tone, a first for John. 162

" I keep trying, because, John.." Kitty said, she had a lump in her throught. She was on the verge of crying, being around him made her very emotional and she couldn't really hold it in anymore, she could keep secrets but she couldn't really hold her feelings in. She swallowed and than started to speak once again. 163

" I care about you.." She said, and than there it was it was out in the open. He could take it, and twist and manipulate if he wanted to, but she didn't think he would in the pit of her stomache she knew that John felt that way about her too. He just wasn't really in tune with his feelings.164

John was silent a first time a long time, he usually had something to say and when he said it people would listen but he didn't know what to say know he had to assess the situation at hand, Kitty had came all the way from New York to LA to look for him, and she had found him. He rubbed his hand on his chin, she care for him. He had never felt something so nice and so pure, he didn't know what to do about it. 165

"Fine, Kitty." He said. "You can come with me, we can talk. Only and if ONLY Bobby stays behind. I don't want that asshole coming with us." He said, the last comment was directed towards Iceman. Bobby's head turned toward's John as he heard his name, but he than just leaned up against a pole and looked around and ignored John's comments. 166

"Fine.." Kitty said. "Anything you say,John." She said, and than looked back at Bobby. And Bobby nodded and Kitty walked to John's side and than they started to walk, they disappeared out of Bobby's sight.167

He didn't really know what the hell he was doing, or why she was here. He didn't think she'd come after him, after the events of Alcatraz, a year ago. Between the X-Men and The Brotherhood he didn't like this war between The X-Men and The Brotherhood. They almost killd The X-Men and that included Katherine Pyrde, he never wanted to hurt the poor girl, she was just on the otherside, and it was a war. Mutants and Humans could never get along, and in the back of his mind he knew that, he was just hoping by the grace of god or some higher power that they could get along, for humanity's sake. 168

He had felt Kitty's hand reach for his, he let her grab it for a moment, and than jerked it away. Her touch was nice, her skin so soft and so smooth, he could sense that she cared about him and she probably knew he cared about her but he wasn't about to let her know that he did actually care about her. 169

That wasn't really his style. He liked to keep people guessing, keep them on their feet. He liked to be unexpected it was fun because no one would really know what to expect from him, the boy his parents named St.John Allerdyce, it had been a long time since he had been called John. His parents thought him a saint, because his mother couldn't really have kids, and his father was a highly relgious dipshit. 170

They contiued to walk, it was hot outside, but not too hot it was a little bit muggy and it had become late afternoon and the clouds in the sky shifted, to block some of the sun's rays that were shinning down so bright on John and Kitty. It was like the sun was their spotlight, and the streets were there stage and that they were going to act out some insane musical number. 171

John had always felt uncomfortable being seen in the day-light. He was a nocturnal creature, and he liked secluded places and the darkness, the darkness gave him almost a sereine feeling. That's why he liked Kitty, she liked to be in the darkness too. He rememberd once, that she was so scared of something that she hidden under her bed until it passed and He would come in and comfort her under that same bed too. 172

He had thought about Kitty, too many times, all the times that he had thought about her, he couldn't count them on both his hands and his toes. Know that's saying something, he had been thinking about that girl alot. He felt the guilt from leaving her when she really needed him and than running out on the only 'family' he had in The Brotherhood and than he ended up out here. He knew both factions would be looking for him trying to get him back on either of there sides, but he wouldn't go back, for once he was doing things his way, and he liked that he didn't like people telling him what to do and when to do it. 173

John had forced himself to smile. He looked over towards Kitty, her eyes lit up and she smiled back at him. She was happy to finally see him smile in such a long time, she loved it when he smiled, it made her smile. It made her feel all warm and fuzzy inside, she could get lost in his smile. She hadn't really smiled since Peter's death, she thought about Peter's death and her smile slowly fadded away. 174

"Thinking about him again?" John asked Kitty as he looked over at her. She knew who he was reffering to. The Russian, Tinman as he had and Logan had always called him. Collosus, was his mutant name. John never liked him, but Kitty loved him. She loved him more than John could ever love her. 175

"Yeah." Kitty said as she looked down at the ground, and continued working. She didn't want to think about him, because all it would bring her was pain. And she didn't really want to be in pain, and when John and her did date briefly he was always trying to compare himself to Peter, he wanted to be like that for her, she knew it. But all he had to be was himself, she knew he couldn't be himself because he had lost himself and replaced himself with this Angsty mutant named Pyro. She wanted John back, she could give a lesser fuck about this poser named Pyro Allerdyce. 176

She had secretly wished that he'd come back and love her like he used to. She didn't like this Pyro guy, he wanted his John back but she knew that wasn't ever going to happen, when she looked into his eyes she could see the way that he used to be and the hurt that he had in his eyes and in his soul. John was a lost teenager, a lost boy, and she knew he would never find himself without her help. That was probably the main reason she went looking for him, trying to find him within in this asshole named Pyro. 177

The clouds in the sky started to turn dark, it looked like it was about to open up. Like it was about to storm or rain and that's all these two needed was to be walking during a rainstorm. Sometimes the world was against them, most of the time they were certain that the world was against them. And the weather guy said today was going to be a nice day. Nice day, yeah,right they always fucked up their forcasts, it was okay, because there was a small alley nearby and it would give them shelter for a brief moment.178

"Oh great!" Kitty said as she looked up at the sky, and it had all become black. Almost as black as night, except with a bit of grey mixed into it's color and it did kinda of look Sinisterish. She opened her hand open and it a rain drop it dropped into the balm of her hand splashing a little bit and she kept looking up and the rain started to come down hard. 179

"In here!" John said as he motioned towards an alley way by a dumpster that he has sat by before. He had slept there before too it offederd a little bit of shelter because there alley was in between to roofed buildings so there would be some kind of shelter from the rain, this is the same place where the drug addicts and the stray cats hang out and looked for food. 180

John lead Kitty into the alleyway it was dark, but he held her hand to guide her, he walked over to the trash dumpster and sat down beside of it, luckily it had been emptied today because if it wasn't you'd be getting a really bad smell coming off of it. Kitty sat down beside of John cluthing his hand for support, her fingers were wrapped around his fingers and this time she didn't want to let go nor did she have any reason to let go of his hand. 181

He sat down beside her, he could feel her hand in his. He yanked his hand out of hers, she had a tight grip on his hand too his fingers were beginning to go numb and he could barely move his fingers he looked over at Kitty and chuckled and shook his head as he regaind movement and feeling in his fingers.182

"Jesus, girl." He said as he moved his fingers and looked over at her.183

"What?" She asked.
"When you don't wanna let go of something, you want." He replied as he shoved his hands into his pocket and leaned back on the cold cement wall that was behind of them, and he looked over at Kitty a brief smile on his face as he looked at her but it slowly fadded away. 184

"So this is the way you live?" Kitty asked
"Most of the time." He said and nodded. "Not all of us live in Mansions, Kitty." He added, his voice sounded bitter and almost jealous of the way that she lived, she could sense it in his voice. But she had ingored it, he didn't really know what it w as like. She lived in a mansion,yes. But still a mansion full of people is the lonelist place in the world when you don't have any friends there.185

John was her first friend when she had moved to The Xavier institue. Her parent's didn't like her mutant 'abilties' her pants were high class people, and they didn't like anything that was original or different the only place she had really felt accepted were at The X-Institue and in either Peter or John's arms and John was so distance and Peter was dead, and she was so alone. Very alone, she couldn't take it anymore, she wanted John and she knew he wanted her too but he wouldn't show it and she sighed softly. 186

She had become slightly depressed when John had left, it wasn't the whole Suicidal depressed, but the lonely depressed she had expressed that she wished that John would come back but she knew that wasn't going to happen ever but she had this moment with him. This moment that she would wish that would last forever, but she knew it wouldn't and that he'd never tell her that he loved her.187

"Don't worry, Kitten. It may be dark, but I'm here." John said as she slowly slipped his arm around her and pulled her closer to him, for comfort purposes only and to let her know that she wasn't alone in the darkness, like she thought she was. A Brief smile on Kitty's face as she leaned against his shoulder softly, and John smiled too but it fadded, as they listend to the rain come down outside, it was coming down hard out there. Another rainy afternoon, it was better than a rainy night, for a brief moment, Kitty almost felt loved and almost felt wanted by John and she didn't want that feeling to go away, she wanted that feeling to last forever.188

189

That exact moment was going to change Katherine and John's life forever. They were in for the ride of their lives and they didn't even know it yet, they didn't know about the darkness and the hatred that loomed over both of them, Kitty shut her eyes and snuggled into John's chest and he lifted his arm so Katherine could get comfortable on him and than with his free arm he rubbed her softly and looked down at her and smiled.190

It continued to rain outside, John could hear the rain beating up against the side of the alleyway, it sounded like someone was throwing a small baseball at it, it also sounded like hail. The sound made John's head jolt up from looking down at Kitty, he peered near the entrance way to the Alleyway, there was nothing up there and than he looked down near the end of the alley, it was a dead end and nothing was there either. 191

He felt in the air that afternoon and he knew it wasn't Bobby that he felt that time, it was something dark, evil, sinister even. It was something from his past, he knew that but he didn't know who or what it was, he wouldn't mention it to Kitty he didn't want to scare her, he was holding her in his arms and for once he didn't hate anything or have bitter feelings against his parents or the world, something about Kitty made everything better, it was like she was his other half, his happier side. He shook his head, that's crazy, he dosen't have a 'happy' side just a 'non-mad' side.192

Everything had to happen to a reason and everyone knew that. He had to leave the X-Men, or this probably wouldn't of happened and than he would of had to leave The Brotherhood and he had, he ventured out on his own, taking in the world for what it really was, it was a vicious place and it could be such a nice place to live it was the way you saw it how nice and how evil you made it. 193

Kitty gripped John's hand as she sleeped she mutterd something under her breathe. John petted her head as he felt her snuggle into his giant, her hand in his he looked down at her again, she was sleeping like an angel, she was beautiful so fucking beautiful he had wonderd why she had chosen him and no one else. He knew he couldn't give her the life that she wanted, he knew he couldn't protect her like she should be. Peter was excellent at protecting her, he shook his head, he was comparing himself to Peter again, he kept on doing that when thinking about Kitty, but he was perfect for her and she's stuck with this rebel. 194

"Know don't go get yourself in trouble, Kitty." John said as he looked down at the half-asleep Kitty. He stroked it softly, as he felt her breathing, her chest would fall and rise, he watched her. He didn't know what she was dreaming about, he couldn't fathom what she could be dreaming about but he was sure that it wasn't him. 195

"I won't, Johnny." Kitty said in her sleep as she struggled to get comfortable. Johnny? No one had called him that in a very long time, his old friends and his parents were the only people that called him Johnny, except her, her looked at her again, she was his angel he knew that too. 196

if only he could know what was going on inside of her head at the very moment, apart of him didn't really want to know but another part was very curious. He wanted to know what made her tick, he wanted to know what she loved and more importantly he wanted to know who she loved. He hadn't looked at himself in the mirror for a very long time, and he knew if he looked in a mirror right now he wouldn't like what he saw.197

He knew what was happening, he was falling for her, yet again. He had fallen for her so many times that he had lost count again, he couldn't quote all the times he fallen for her, not on both of his hands and fingers and his feet and toes and that was alot. Love was a foreign sensation that was a given, he had never really ever felt loved, except when he was with Kitty and when he was with Rogue's mother Raven Darkholme otherwise known as Mystique to the mutant population.198

He could never forigve Magneto for what he had done to Mystique, what he did when she reached out for help from him, he knocked away her hand in a sense, not in the physical sense but he didn't give her the help she needed when she asked for it. He had left her to die, and that ate away on the inside of John he didn't help her either because Magneto told him not to.199

What had he become? He was just another puppet that was being controlled Magneto, at this point in time he had finally realised that and that's why Kitty was so heartbroken when he left she still had 'Tinman but he knew that she had felt something between the two, he rememberd when he looked into Kitty's eyes to say his finally good-byes to her, she had this hurt,confused look on her face and in her soul. She also looked like she hated him, he couldn't face her he know when he had left that she had ran up the stairs to her room and cried herself to sleep.200

He knew that he had made her cry, that was the only certain thing. He knew he had done that, and he didn't really want to do that, but he had to leave the X-Men they weren't working out for him and he didn't beleive in everything that they had beleived in and if he had stayed he probably would of made things worse. Kitty had Peter and John had no one, he had no one, he had shut out everyone important in his life, his parents especially, his family but he knew that his family didn't want a 'freak of nature' in their perfect little family, and he knew in the bottom of his heart that he would never live up to their expectations anyways.201

He had thanked the good lord above that he was live, that was the only good thing that he had going for him, he looked down at Kitty again, she was sleeping soundly still looking like the angel that she was. He pulled her closer to him softly, so that he wouldn't wake Kitty up and he knew if he waked her up she would want to talk about something or another, she'd probably wonder what he was thinking and why he was thinking it. That was the only good thing about being a loner, no one to really care about you and you could live your life your way and no one else's. But the streets got a bit lonely, he'd admit that, the only thing that he wouldn't admit was that he missed Kitty. But it was apparent with all the holding and telling her everything was going to be alright, he cared about her, she cared about him they both cared about each other and he knew where this would end up eventualy. He wanted to let go of Kitty, but he couldn't she had been through so much shit, he wanted to be the one thing that held her together, that was so out of character for him.202

It was still raining pretty hard out there and he wanted to get out of this alleyway, he didn't like it here even thou it did serve it's purpose as home at one point in his life, he needed a shower, very badly. Flies were hovering around him, he swatted them away with an old newspaper he just wanted a nice warm or cold shower it didn't really matter to him he hated living this way he had thought about going back to his parents. But he knew that his family wasn't going to let him back in, he had heard a rumor that his parents had another child, it was probably a rumor nothingless. If his parents did have another child, would it be a mutant like him or would it be normal? He'd hoped it would be normal, he sighed softly, so softly he barely noticed it himself.203

He thought about that stuff too much, he had to live in the now and Kitty was now. He watched over her as she slept, he felt powerful and almost like her guardian he felt her shift in his arms, she was moving again, she had a very boney ass and John's lap started to go numb but he didn't mind. It wasn't everyday that he had a beautiful girl on his lap, and using his chest as a pillow, but he felt this moment was going to get intrupted somehow, he had hoped it didn't.204

He leaned back and rested his back up against the concrete wall, and than looked to the left to the dumpster and just staired at it for a moment, and than he closed his eyes and slowly drifted off to sleep. In his sleep, he tightend his arms around Kitty signafying that he was still there and in her sleep Kitty kept a tight clutch on John's hand if to say ' I love you'205

206

Alcatraz Island, New York City207


The Cell doors that used to house the most dangerous prisoners in the united states of america, and the world where flung open. It was like some uknown force had opened them and we know who that uknown force was, The Alcatraz prison had been turned into a giant lab. A Lab to find the cure for this Anti-Mutant virus and one man was going to find that cure and he was going to use it on The Mutants that had already been cured by The United State's goverment by The Mutant's choice or being forced to by the higher power that had an iron fist over The United States of America. 208

With Charles Xavier out of comission the mutant world was his, the human world was his too and he knew it. He was a revoltuinary, the way that he thought it would change the world for better and for worse. He knew a bloody revolution was coming a mutant civil war and he was going to lead The Mutant Army to victory. There was revoltion in his eyes, he was both a genuise and a madman, he couldn't help it. It was the way he thought, the only way he could think.209

It had been a relatively quiet day in The Compound of The Former Alcatraz high security Prison. Alcatraz was about as well known as Folsom Prison, but the only thing about Alcatraz, there was no Johnny Cash song named after it, only about a billion movies made about it. It was a pretty infamous place and a quite nice place for this visionary to carry out his plans of 'Mutant Peace' 210

an old man was sitting behind a large steel desk. His hair was grey almost white, his eyes were blue, steel blue. His eyes were glued to the television as Senator Kelly was on the television making a public speach about Mutants and their threat to society, the old man was in a large room. It was all made of steel, if the old man got made he could destroy this room and himself, but he knew it wouldn't come to that. A small smirk appeared on the old man's face as Senator Kelly disappeared from the screen.211

The old man was dressed in a blue shirt, and a pair of blue jeans. A normal look for the man that was trying to save Mutant Kind this place he ran, was ran like a prison itself if you somehow found your way to this place you stayed or tried to escape which was impossible because of the large body of water that you had to swim and swimming The Manhattan River was impossible, even for a mutant. 212

He disliked the human race, he was 12 when he had lost his parents. It was back when the Holocause happened, his parents were abducted by The Nazi's and he was the only one that escaped The Nazi's wrath. It seemed so long ago, but in his mind it seemed like it happened yesterday the visions were still in his mind, he could see what happened detail-to-detail. It drove him mad sometimes, but other times it gave him hope for his cause.213

The old man's name was Eric Magnus Lensherr, he hadn't used his real name in years. He hadn't used it since he meet Charle's Xavier 30 years ago, they both were in their late 20's and early 30's. He reminded when and how he meet Xavier. They meet at a Camp for Mutants, they also meet the woman Jean Grey their too. Eric smiled when he thought of Jean Grey and how fiesty she was back then, it was a shame that she had to turn into Dark Phoenix and die she was beautiful even a madman like him saw that.214

He had been thinking about his past alot, and the betrayal of his protege, the young St.John Allerdyce otherwise known as Pyro. The young one had left due to personal reasons, he could sense it in the young one the day that he left. He knew why he really left it was because Eric had left Raven Darkholme for dead another decision he didn't want to make but it was made and he was the only person that had to deal with it, no one else.215

In war there are casualties and Mystique was one of those casualties. There was a war going on outside and it wouldn't stop until someone stood up to the humans and did something about their linke of thinking. The mutant community was more powerful than the human community and that must scare them finding a race that was superior to them and when faced with this power the human race resorts to irrational means, weapons and sometimes even war.216

Eric got up out of his chair, and walked out behind of it and than pushed it in. He walked over to the window that was behind of him, it was barred shut, but it was still a decent view of The New York City bridge, it was quite busy today it looked like it had a traffic jam, a small smirk came over his face as he walked back over to his desk and than pulled out the chair and sat down once again.217

"You humans live such pitiful lives." Eric said to himself as he looked down at his steel desk for a moment and reached down and opened up a drawer to his left side it was filled with pictures of his family. He was glad that he was alone for once he didn't like to reveal the volnerable side of himself. He reached into the drawer and took out a picture of his mother and father, he hadn't seen the picture for sometime they looked the same way they looked in the picture, they looked the same way when they died.218

Love and compassion didn't exist in the real world. It was just something that people told themselves that it existed so they wouldn't be lonely and depressed all the time if it did exist in the world. There wouldn't be this war going on and his parent's wouldn't be dead as a doornail know that was his motivation, his parents and how they died he didn't want what happened to them happen to his followers.219

He had felt like an old man, he had gotten the cure from William Stryker in Canada and he had drinken his own version of the Anti-Cure and he was slowly regaining his mutant powers they were coming back slowly, but they were coming back he could only move metal in small ammounts. He could rip out metal beams but he couldn't hold them in the air for a very long time and his powers would drain his energy and he would collapse.220

His army of mutants were hard at work, he knew that. He was the boss and everything he said they would eventually do. At times he questioned if he was doing the right thing if he was really on the right side of the fight, but he rarely thought like that he knew he was on the right side of the fight because this was something he beleived in. 221

He had thought about the incident in New York the fight between him and The X-Men, he lost a few good men in that fight. He lost the second man in command of The BrootherHood of Mutants and that Mutant went by the name of Sabertooth. It didn't matter thou because there was no way of saving Victor Creed, he couldn't survive that kind of a fall even for a Mutant like Victor it would of been impossible to regen after a fall like that.222

The only time that Eric had ever shown the slight sign of remorse. Sabertooth wasn't really a bad guy just animalstic like Wolverine was, Sabertooth had a bad childhood his father used to beat him and lock him in the basement. When Eric had found Victor, he was wild, wilder than any animal in the jungle but Eric tamed Sabertooth somewhat and could use him for The Brotherhood's cause.223

He had once beleived that Sabertooth had survived the fall but he knew that was impossible. He shook his head and put the thought out of his mind and he shouldn't be thinking about that he should be thinking about how he could win this fight between The Mutants and The Humans that was his task which was currently at hand.224

Eric sat there with has hands on the desk and they were folded he had a book open on the left side of his desk it was some old text book about the world in the 1820's it's sad because the world hadn't changed that much since then only the people and the technology advances in the world had changed. 225

The world was still ran by evil and corrupt politicans and assholes that didn't really care about the united states of america ended up in office and they'd goto war over nothing. The U.S. always went to war over nothing it was the way of the human race if they pose a threat to you. You must destroy them, you must KILL them!226

Mutant kind wouldn't be like that they wouldn't nuke other countries because they felt inferier to them. Eric starred at the door like he was expecting someone to walk into it but no one had walked in. Most of The Guards had the day off and Eric was the only mutant on the floor the other mutants were in the 2nd floor and 3rd floor labs trying to come up with a cure for The Cure. 227

"Magneto?" A Voice came over the intercom.
"Yes?" Eric answerd as he pressed the red button under the desk, it was flashing it had meant he had an incoming call.
"I found something you might find interesting." The voice said into the intercom, it was male. And Eric had recognized the voice, it was Sarge one of The Mutant Hunters. His job was to find Mutants and Destroy them if he had to. Sarge's voice sounded more excited than ever, he must of found something, or someone.228

"What is it?" Eric asked, his voice was calm and cool, like always. He waited for a response for a few minutes and than Sarge's voice came over the intercom.229

"It's not what.." Sarge's voice said coming over the intercom and than he paused for a brief moment. "It's Who." Sarge said again.230

"Than who is it?" Eric asked.
"Victor Creed is alive." Sarge's voice answerd back.
"What?" Eric asked, he was shocked and stunned at the same time. Sabertooth was and IS ALIVE!231

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