psinex@yahoo.com Strange Attractors 7/25 by Phil Hartman DISCLAIMER: Everyone here is Marvel's, except for Danny and Todd, who're mine. Please don't sue. -------------------------------------------------------- X-Mansion Boat Dock: 9/3/2003: 18:12 hrs EDT: -------------------------------------------------------- "Wait a minute - if I've got this kickass mindshield, how'd you get a tepe-message into my head ?" Erik asked Cortez suspiciously. "My own gift of power amplification enabled my sister, Annmarie, to send you a message," Cortez bowed, motioning towards a brown-haired woman to his left. "And Amelia Voght, our teleporter, awaits to take you to our sacred haven - that which you bequeathed us - Asteroid M." #OKAAAAAY ...# Erik thought, arching an eyebrow at the red-haired Voght. "Look, I'll be blunt - I got the memories, but not the personality or 'tude," the boy frowned. "Magneto was a nutjob royale, and the world's too small to herd humans like cattle anyway. Take your little cult somewhere else, Fabes." Annmarie and Amelia looked at Erik like he was insane, but Fabian scowled. "M'Lord, we are mutants who have been persecuted and hunted," Cortez continued. "We need someone to defend us - someone to lead us through the times of fire to come." "Then take the frickin' asteroid ! See if I give a rat's butt ! The whole Magneto thing's just a pain in the ass I can do without !" Erik yelled. "You think I LIKE remembering that awful crap !? That guy died when Alpha deaged him - I'm just a kid who wants to have fun, not rule the world !" "M'Lord ... !" Annmarie pleaded. "Please - at least meet with your humble servants. See what we have to offer. We meant no offense." "Oh, all right," Erik sighed. "But if I don't like this whole shebang, I come home. GOT IT ?" He let his eyes glow for extra emphasis, and Fabian nodded. "As you will, M'Lord," he said. Voght surrounded them in mist, but the adults didn't notice Erik drop a red X-insignia on the dock as they vanished. -------------------------------------------------------- INTERLUDE: Somewhen else ... -------------------------------------------------------- Something was very wrong. Todd knew he wasn't the smartest person in the enclave, but he sure wasn't a dummy, either, and he knew when things were bad. #Oth'wise, we'd'a stayed at th' mansion,# the 6-year-old thought, looking from one of his parents to another as they argued with the other adults around the main table of their underground base. All were dressed in identical, basic black skinsuits which covered their bodies up to their necks. "I'm telling you, we have no choice BUT to hit hard and fast !" Todd's father frowned. Like the boy, the man had the merest blond fuzz of a buzzcut for hair, but had blue eyes which could cut through an opponent like diamonds - or offer the gentlest comfort after a nightmare. "I'm with him," Todd's mother said, softer and clutching her sides. Her red hair had been cut short as well, but with a red forelock and curls at the nape of her neck. Her green eyes were softer, but hinted at the pain of their current situation. "Of COURSE you're with him," a tall, Southern-accented blond man pouted, his curls dangling in his face. "But we know they're gettin' close t' activatin' Project -" The sirens went off, and Todd ran to his mother's side with fearful green eyes shimmering. "Mommy - !?" he cried, seeing cracks appear in the ceiling. She knelt before him and whispered, "When I tell you -" Then a beam of white fire descended, followed by three more. Todd was shoved into the hallway, and slammed up his mindshield as he'd been taught to try and hide him from the hunters. #Mommy - Daddy - ?~ he called, risking a psi-squeak into the dust and debris filling the meeting room. Todd screamed when two red-leather-clad, scarred boys in their early teens leapt out of the cloud. He scrambled to his feet, but they were atop him in seconds, pinning him to the floor. "Shall we blood him ?" one of the hounds asked, drool dripping beside the crying Todd's face. "BACK !" a towering voice demanded, and a bolt of electricity sent them yowling away. "Who - No ! NOOOO !" Todd cried as he saw who his "savior" was. One baleful red eye amidst a grey face narrowed, while a metallic hand grabbed Todd's throat and lifted him into the air. "Intriguing," Dr. Roderick Campbell, known to the mutant resistance as Ahab, slowly grinned. "I usually kill such young mutant scum, but your telepathy is active. This makes matters ... interesting. Yes ... you'll make an excellent addition to my pack." "NOOO!" Todd pleaded. His cries were cut off by their teleportation. -------------------------------------------------------- Present Day: 9/3/2003: Geosynchronous Orbit of Earth: 18:13 hrs EDT: -------------------------------------------------------- #Oh MY GOD,# Erik thought, forcing himself not to gape as he and the Acolytes rematerialized in Asteroid M. The stars stretched out as far as Erik could see, while a crescent Earth was visible below them in the main viewing port. "Very impressive," Fabian smiled, showing Erik to a door. The boy's eyes widened when he saw rows upon rows of pews leading to a shadowed altar. A crowd of red-and-purple-clad people were milling about within, and turned, bowing and whispering, as he strode forward alone. "What - you're - you really don't have to -" Erik pleaded, smiling gently as the Acolytes presented offerings and trinkets. He ascended the stairs to the altar, and resisted the urge to let his jaw drop. Amelia adjusted the lights, bathing the altar in a spotlight to reveal a pristine red-and-purple helmet. "Oh MAN ..." Erik whispered, reaching for the helmet. #This is it - maybe, if I touch it -# Then Cortez screamed, "INFIDELS !!!" Erik turned, slapping himself in the forehead, as the New Mutants poured out of a transportal in their training uniforms. "Guys, wait - I dropped my commlink just to make sure you knew where I was goin' - don't FIGHT them !" he yelled. Frank motioned for the others to relax, then called, "You came here willingly ?" "Yes !" Annmarie yelled, glaring with the other Acolytes at the Mutants. "You brats - " "Watch it, Annmarie," Erik frowned. "They're my friends." He turned to the Mutants and said, "I came to get some answers, that's all. Let me look at this helmet, and we'll go." "Go !?" "But, M'Lord -" "Your sacred mission - !" the Acolytes cried. Fabian shook his head and ascended the stairs, dropping to one knee before Erik. "M'Lord, do you know how dire the situation below IS ?" he whispered, meeting Erik's gaze with a nervous expression. "If we do not conquer the humans, then at least PLEASE lead your people here, where they can survive the coming wars ! The humans are afraid of what they do not understand - they will naturally fight to retain control of their world. We need a figurehead to bring the lambs into the fold -" "FIGUREHEAD ... ?" Erik snarled. "Watch it, Fabes. I'm NOBODY'S pawn." "Then perhaps you can be made to see the light," Cortez hissed, grabbing Erik's wrist - - and screaming when a blue flash surrounded them both. "ERIK !?" Alexa screamed. "GET AWAY FROM HIM !" Frank shouted, his power lashing out. A bolt of white surrounded Erik and Cortez's blue field - - and a titanic thunderclap shook the entire room. "What - oh God NO - " Frank pleaded, looking up as Cortez was thrown backwards with blood across his body. A titanic white-blue nexus of energies surrounded Erik, who was frozen in a silent scream. "Do not fight it, M'Lord !" Cortez pleaded. "RETURN TO US !" "Erik - Erik, please, STAY !" Alexa cried. The boy within the energies closed his mouth, then grinned. Maniacally. "YOU FOOL, CORTEZ," the boy chuckled, growing larger, his voice turning deeper. Erik's jeans and T-shirt gave way to red and purple steel, and the helmet on the altar floated to the man who loomed over the Acolyte leader. "Oh ... NO," Cortez gulped. "Yes," Erik Magnus Lehnsherr smiled. "I know the truth, Fabian. You gathered this flock for your own purposes. But now, you are MINE." "Oh Christ no what have I DONE !?" Frank moaned. Erik turned to the Mutants - - and winked. "SUCKER !!!" Cortez's face - and body - dropped when a foot slammed his jaw. The image of Magneto shattered, revealing Erik in his street clothes and at normal size, holding his helmet with a contemptuous leer. "I know EVERYTHING, all right - including what a DUMBASS I'd be if I became that dipstick buckethead again," the boy grinned. Crushing the helmet. "Cortez is a friggin' CON ARTIST !" Erik yelled, dropping the helmet. "You wanna remember Magneto, remember me for what I tried to do for ALL people, not my dumbass stunts ! Get off your butts, go back to Earth and use your powers to help folks, not conspire and bitch and moan about humans ! They only see the terrorist dipsticks and the humanophobes, not mutants workin' to make a better place !" "Erik - !?" Alexa gasped. He ran to her and kissed her, grinning, "Care if I'm 75, babe ?" "You - OOH ! You had me so WORRIED !" Alexa shrieked, kissing Erik hard. The Acolytes stood, stunned, until Cortez screamed, "YOU MISERABLE BRAT ! I MAY BE DOWN, BUT YOU'RE NOT LEAVING HERE ALIVE !" "Stuff it, Fabes," Erik growled, turning - - and screaming when Cortez grabbed his throat. "I'LL AMPLIFY YOUR POWERS UNTIL YOU COOK, LITTLE 'GOD' !" Cortez screamed, frothing at the mouth. Alexa kicked him in the groin, but a magnetic pulse from Erik sent the gathered mutants flying back. "He's building to critical mass !" Ray cried, pointing as Erik's biofield began to grow rapidly. The chapel walls began to crack, and Cortez leapt up to flee. Until a scaly figure ran him through with one clawed hand. "TRAITOR !" the mutant screeched, removing its' claw from Cortez' chest. "YOU KILLED OUR LORD !" "Gather, Acolytes - we're leaving," Amelia called. "New Mutants, come with us !" "Not without - OH MY GOD !" Frank cried as the asteroid split in half beteween the Mutants and the Acolytes. Voght and the other Acolytes disappeared in a cloud of smoke, and Leech turned to run at Erik. "Hang on, 'Rik !" the boy called, leaping - - but screaming when he slammed into the field. "LEECH ! NO !" Sarah cried. "At that level of power - !?" Leech fell to the floor, but Erik fell as well, the field disappearing. "Get them and hang on - Claudette, open a portal, FAST !" Frank yelled. "We're gone," Claudette said, opening a transportal. Joe and Gail picked up Leech, while Frank and the Shades lifted Erik. The kids fled through the portal, but cried out when Luna dodged a falling column. "GoonI'lltemport!" Luna called, shimmering and vanishing. "Is she NUTS !?" Bill yelled as the room began to cave in. "She can't control her power !" "Move - GRMMHP - it," Claudette grunted, sweating. The last few Mutants leapt through, but the asteroid shattered around Claudette. She leapt for the portal, letting Nicole drag her through - - as the portal collapsed. And for a split-second, night became day for half of Earth. -------------------------------------------------------- NEXT: And now for something TOTALLY different ... -------------------------------------------------------- end _________________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? 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