Arc Ten. Chapter Two-Hundred Seventy-Nine. X-Rated

Across New York, at the Xavier Institute for Gifted Children, Charles frowned as he saw the tremor lines in his cup. As he wheeled his chair towards the window he looked out and saw the squad of robots as they landed on the tennis courts.

“Erik!” He yelled, “Can you sense those?” and as Erik reached out a hand he shook his head, there was something but it was strange to his powers, like a shadow in the Earth's magnetic field.

“Vaguely, why?”

Charles swore and pressed a switch on the phone on his desk, “Everyone. An invader is attempting to breach the mansion. Get the children into the shelter and have anyone with more than 10 hours in the danger room to the front gate.” As Charles wheeled himself out from behind his desk he grasped onto Erik’s hand, “I’m sorry old friend, but you should leave as well. They are Sentinels.”

Erik frowned, Sentinels? They had dealt with them in the ‘60s. Bolivar Trask had pushed for a mutant registration act, pushed out his revolutionary idea that mutants were somewhere more dangerous than a mad man with a nuclear bomb, and Erik and Charles had stopped him. 

It had cost them more than they bargained for, as Bolivar pulled a gun on Raven, his nerves and terrible aim had bullets flying at the president. Raven dived to protect him, and in a single instant saved every mutant in America, but at the cost of her own life.

In his anger, he had crushed every Sentinel he could find and to everyone else, as he sat slumped in shock, and an even more shocked Bolivar suddenly turned the gun on himself and fired. Erik knew though, his hand was behind Bolivars, his hand guided the bullet into the man, pulping his brain until Erik's anger had abated. It was only Charles calming him that stopped him from killing everyone there, even the president.

It was the loss of Raven, and the murder of Trask, that led Erik to leave America. Sick of the violence and the constant vigilance against the hate he had moved back to Latveria, close enough to home he wouldn't be found, by America or Doom's soldiers, and there he lived. Happy. Until today.

The rage at Raven's sacrifice being for nothing, the rage that once more he would have to defend those he cared about bubbled in Erik, and as he lay a hand on Charles's shoulder, “Let me use your eyes old friend,” the world sprang into life around him.

As he saw the world through his friend, several small strips of metal, sewn into Erik's clothes to help him find them, ripped free, twisted until they became perfect points, and they danced, they flew and spun as they shattered armour, they pierced and destroyed joints and as each Sentinel, designed to be non-metallic, even each processor was a new carbon polymer design it made no difference. The only part of the machines he could sense was their armoured coating, and it barely registered to his powers.

Erik’s anger didn't care they weren't metal, as he took Peter's advice, he picked up a book and he learned, and the Sentinel suffered and soon, Bolivar Trask's legacy would learn the anger of a quiet man.

As the Sentinels lay in pieces he looked up at himself and could see the angry old man who wanted nothing more than to find the new creator of the Sentinels and let them suffer the same fate.

“I know,” Charles said, “But it's not our responsibility anymore. Let the younger generation deal with them this time. We need to plan for their future, we had ours.” and he patted Erik on the hand.

Lifting the phone he called down to the bunker, “Hank, I want to get everyone ready to leave. Anyone who wants to fight can stay behind but we need to evacuate at once. If they knew about the school then they know about everything.” as he set down the receiver, “I do hope Selene is okay.”

“We don’t have time for that Charles, those machines were different than last time, strange, and the metal is something I've never felt before. My powers can brush against it but it's almost like smoke, it exists but at the same time, it,” Erik shook his head, “I can’t explain it to someone who doesn't have my gift.”

“It's fine. The X-Men can defend us while we evacuate, and once we’re far away from here, then we can leave them to their stupid games.” 

Erik snorted, “You mean to Peter. You know he’s rushing out right now to-” and Erik paused, “Wanda is at the warehouse, and Pietro is on Genosha. Charles, I can’t leave them, not to those things.” 

Charles wheeled himself to be sat in front of Erik, “I know, but you won't make it to either. You have to trust that Peter, even with all his faults, will kill anything that threatens his loved ones, and while I can see that scowl, you know he loves Wanda. Selene and Genosha will be safe, and again while I am loath to admit it, I doubt very much anything can stand up to Cain. We have to get the people who are here to safety. Then I can have Breach open a portal for you to Genosha and the Warehouse.”

Erik shook his head, “Charles, You know I trust you more than anyone, but these are the lives of my children. I already lost their mother, I can't-” 

Charles patted him on the hand, “I know, and I will do anything in my power once we make sure everyone else is safe, but right now, all you will do is waste your time when you need to trust them.” Without hesitation, Charles felt for his mind. Erik was conflicted, he knew Charles was right but this was his family and with a small mental nudge,

“You’re right. Peter can be trusted above all else to lack restraint, and Cain is more than a match for anyone, even those gamma monstrosities. Guide everyone with your power, and I can keep a barrier around the school to keep track of those, things.”

Erik's power ionised that air, and while his own hair stood on end briefly Charles laughed and absentmindedly ran a hand over his own smooth head.

“There, anything coming close to the mansion will disrupt the field, I have my strips hovering, there shouldn't be any more problems. Begin the evacuation.”

Charles nodded. And pressed a finger to his temple.

“Breach, open as many portals as you can, evacuate everyone, but make sure you do not hurt yourself. And warn Hank, we are going to need the machine once we’re done. The start of our plan needs to be moved forwards.” 

The more mature teens were lining up in the corridors as Charles and Erik made their way outside, he spotted the colourfully dyed haired teen smiling as she led them through a rip in space, and then once a class was through she would close it and open another.

“Professor.” a young woman, with light brown hair and a scowl on her face nodded as he approached, “You should evacuate as well, the Sentinels aren't affected by your powers.” but he shook his head,

“I am acting as eyes for Erik, but are the X-Men ready?” 

She nodded and touched her earpiece, “Negasonic here, gather at the front gate, Erik says another group are approaching, and we have five minutes. Get suited.” 

As Bobby Drake approached, she nodded at him in approval. “Professor, Nega,” and his form shifted as it turned from a normal flesh colour to brilliantly clear pale white ice. “How long?”

“Erik says five minutes. Where’s everyone else?” Negasonic asked as Bobby looked apprehensively at her, “Oh he wasn't?” 

Bobby shrugged while smiling embarrassingly pointing at the door. Gambit was laughing as he and Jubilee came up the corridor together and Negasonic Teenage Warhead tutted, “do your zip up for god sake, Remy,” 

Gambit shrugged and looking down, grabbed his zipper and pulled it all the way up, “Stops you from being nervous, no?” he said as he smirked but she shook her head,

“I'm never that nervous, and Jubilee is only seventeen, fucking pervert.” Gambit was well known in the school, and he had stayed on after the Shaw incident to teach combat after Logan left. He was, different, as everyone called him and while most young women were repulsed, some found him fascinating.

“While I hate to break up your little spat, they will be here in a few moments, please get ready,” Erik announced as he held onto Charles's shoulder,

“We are,” Nega touched her earpiece, “Breach, evacuate the professor and Erik, Your shield is handy but we need to be able to fight on our own.”

Erik nodded, “then we shall depart, Charles?” 

But Charles shook his head, “I will stay as long as possible. They may send other more powerful foes. Erik, Can you guard me while I use Cerebro?” but he was interrupted as the sound of giant thrusters filled the air.

“Mutants Detected. Charles Xavier, Erik Lensherr, You Are Guilty Of Harbouring Mutant Fugitives. You Will Surrender To The Authorities. Please Do Not Resist.”

“Out of time,” Nega said and as the four X-Men ran from the building the Sentinels faced them,

“Unregistered Mutant-” but the Sentinel never finished as Gambit threw several playing cards at the first, Jubilee send fireworks sparking the face of another and Bobby created an ice pond at their feet, causing them to slip and fall over.

“Bobby, limbs only, Gambit wait till they're frozen then shatter. Jubilee, distract their sensors,” following her orders, the X-Men obeyed.

The first Sentinel, twisted and its armour became spiky, laying a newly gripped hand on the ice, it rose to one knee, “Mutant Countermeasures Deployed.” As Jubilee threw globes of light its faceplate darkened. “Proceeding with Non-Lethal Countermeasures.”

Gambit threw cards at the Sentinel as it raised its arm, blowing it backwards, “Non-Lethal Ineffective. Use of Lethal Force Authorised.” 

The Sentinel Gambit had targetted twisted once more, ripping and its armoured plates seemed thicker. As it stomped down, shattering the ice, the cards exploded harmlessly against it. It raised a hand and a beam of bright yellow light blasted out and the porch of the mansion exploded into chips of wood and concrete, throwing the X-Men and scattering them.

Gambit rolled and undid his bo staff, sending more cards, to no effect. Nega clenched her fist and concentrated letting the energy gather at her chest and the Sentinel was hit by an intense beam of energy, blowing a large chunk of its chest away and sending one arm flying. The other Sentinels twisted, and their armour reconfigured, now covered in spike but with a metallic sheen, a highly polished like mirror.

Negasonic charged up another blast, and while it blew the Sentinel off its feet it smoked slightly and the mirrored surface was unharmed. “Countermeasure Successful. Adding To Database.” Unharmed, the Sentinel raised its hand once more.

When nothing happened it gave an almost confused look as it lifted its arm once more to no effect. Erik was stood at the door, using Charles’s eyes, “Run you fools. Run!”

Colossus had just finished making sure his sister was safe when he heard the explosions from outside, Shifting into his armoured form he ran to the door, “throw me,” he yelled and as he was lifted off his feet he wrapped his arms around his legs and Erik used him as a human cannonball, smashing his into each Sentinel until they were scrap.

“They can adapt to our powers. We need to use brute strength and not our abilities,” Charles said and the group, still picking themselves up nodded. “Evacuate, leave only the strongest physically powerful behind to defend while everyone else escapes.”

Charles looked out of the smashed window, he knew he should contact Selene, but right now, she had made her choice when they dealt with Shaw, and she had made her involvement in the school quite apparent. He hated having to abandon her, but he needed to make sure his own people were safe first, then he would help.

If he could.