Hammer Bay, Genosha
Parliament

Jean Grey-Summers had been seated at a table in the closed-door hearing. In front of her were the members of the Genoshan Parliament who were part of the Foreign Affairs Committee. The man who continued speaking for what felt like forever was Shola Inkose, one of the members of Parliament. He was a rising star in Genoshan politics and quickly becoming one of the most prominent voices in the Unity Party. 

In some circles, they were known as the Bootlicker Party because their platform called for shared human/mutant governance. And in many cases, Jean would have agreed with the charismatic young man. But as she was an outside appointee by the United Nations and an American, many native Genoshans saw her as something of a colonialist puppet. It certainly didn’t help the Unity Party that her appointed Vice-President was the Master of Magnetism.

“…and so, I would like to conclude this summary about the recent events by saying,” Inkose looked up from his papers and fixed his eyes on Jean, “we have more than a few questions about your actions in Paris, Madame President.”

Jean positioned the microphone so she could speak clearly. She didn’t faze under their harsh stares. Many would like to see her ousted, though due to the new government’s infancy and Genosha’s past undemocratic activities, they were also concerned about how international watchdogs would react to such an ouster. That would lead to a shattering of the confidence Professor Xavier had built up towards this new Genosha before his death in the international community. And without the foreign aid Genosha had relied upon to get back on its feet, they would quickly tumble back down to third-world-nation status.

Jean had been taking advantage of the tenuous system to do her part in advancing Xavier’s dream. But having to split her time between Genosha and the X-Men was starting to become too difficult to keep up. 

“Councilor Inkose, members of this committee,” began Jean as she read from her prepared statement. “I thank you for inviting me before you today. When I accepted the position of president, it was always intended to be a temporary measure, to oversee Genosha’s transition from a broken nation haunted by the dark legacies of apartheid, slavery, and still recovering from the long era of civil war. 

“I understand that the circumstances surrounding my appointment have been controversial. Even to some in this very room. And I can see why my recent absences have added justification to concerns over my ability to perform this job.

“However, what I say to you is that every time I have been pulled away from Genosha, it has always been in the service of dealing with threats to mutantkind as a whole, which by extension serves as a direct threat upon Genosha’s national security and sovereignty. And with that being said, I will now take whatever questions you have.”

“Thank you, Madame President,” said Inkose. “Your words certainly sound good. And in that, it seems you’ve been taught well by the late Charles Xavier. He too spoke in such platitudes.”

“I beg your pardon, Councilor, but I must object,” said Jean. “This is a hearing regarding my recent activities on the world stage. I would request you not use that as a pretext to sully the memory of a great man. One whom was instrumental in bringing some measure of peace to Genosha after so long.”

“I’d like to add my objection to the President’s.” Phillip Moreau was the one who interjected. 

Jean smiled at his reaction. Even though he was the son of the late Genegineer, Moreau was a good man who had fought alongside the X-Men on many occasions. He was one of a few in Parliament who saw in Jean a chance for a better future.

“Very well, please excuse my last comment,” said Inkose. “However, the point still stands, Madame President—why exactly did the incident in Paris demand your involvement? Were you not supposed to be in New York at the time, speaking at the United Nations?”

“These were extenuating circumstances, Councilor,” said Jean. “For starters, it technically wasn’t Paris, but rather a hell dimension.”

“You were in Hell?”

“No, Councilor, I was in a hell dimension. It’s a subtle but significant distinction.”

There were some chuckles amongst the councilors, which seemed to anger Inkose and he banged his gavel. 

“Madame President, you are the UN-appointed leader of a young democracy. Is this really the time to put on your tights and play superhero with your old friends?”

“There are three points to address in that, Councilor Inkose. The first is that they are not tights, but rather a uniform constructed of unstable molecules,” said Jean. “The second is that I was uniquely qualified to deal with the situation due to my experience during the Inferno event a few years ago.”

“And the third…?” asked another councilor. “You said there were three?”

“The third is that it was the right thing to do,” said Jean. “Yes, I am a former superhero. Yes, I served both the X-Men and X-Factor. So when I have an opportunity to save lives, I do not hesitate. Now that may not be a quality you find desirable in a politician, but perhaps it should be.”

Inkose sighed. “Be careful, Madame President. The world is watching.”

BROTHERHOOD

Part I

By Hunter Lambright and Dino Pollard

The Xavier Institute
Westchester, New York

“So tell me, Dr. McCoy. Just how is your wife doing these days?”

Hank McCoy took a deep breath and didn’t avert his eyes from the prisoner who sat on the other side of the translucent panel. The woman who smiled at him wore the face of Dr. Cecilia Reyes-McCoy. 

“You enjoy playing mind games. Don’t you, Ms. Darkholme?”

The form shifted, brown skin turning blue, brains becoming straight red hair, and those large eyes that Hank had fallen in love with reverting back to a sinister yellow pair that seemed to laugh at him.

“You hurt me, Hank. I’m asking out of sincerity.” Mystique pointed to her head. “You know, the two of us have something in common—we’re both not long for this world.”

“I’m not here to discuss my wife’s condition with you, Raven,” said Hank. “But if you just called me down here to waste my time…” He released his feet from the overhanging pipes from which he’d been hanging. The man who has been called the Beast flipped nimbly and landed gracefully. 

“Wait.”

Hank stopped and looked back over his shoulder. “I’m still here.”

“Your wife’s condition is actually relevant to what I have to say,” said Mystique. “I want to clean up my mess.”

Hank folded his arms over his chest and cocked his head. “Why do I find that hard to believe?”

“I’m thinking we might be able to help each other.”

“You’re a terrorist who tried to set the world on fire so you could go out in a blaze of glory,” said Hank. “Why would I want to help you?”

“Because once you learn who my roster of Brotherhood cells includes, you and I will become the very best of friends…” said Mystique.

Hank studied her face. Mystique was a master manipulator. And with the tumor causing a decline in her mental faculties, she was hardly the model of stability. Trusting anything she had to say was a fool’s errand.

But then he thought about Cecilia’s condition. She was resting at the moment. Today was a bad day, and she’d been having more of those than good as of late. He was starting to feel the pressure bearing down on him.

“I’m listening, Raven,” he said.

“Aston Martin DB5,” said Forge as he walked into the garage and spotted the luxury sports car being worked on. “How’d a guy like you ever get your hands on something so obviously out of your league, Irish?”

Sean Cassidy had been kneeling over the engine beneath the open hood. He looked up as his old friend tossed him a towel. Sean grabbed it and wiped his face.

“Not as funny as you think, boyo,” he said. 

Forge chuckled and circled over to the front of the car. “Now, while I’m sure you don’t know the first thing about pleasing a fine lady like this, I’m also willing to bet you didn’t ask me up here to help you change the oil.”

“Just wonderin’ how things are goin’ with Jean down in Genosha,” said Sean. “Funny when you think about it. When I first accepted Xavier’s offer to join the X-Men, I never would’ve guessed we’d be here discussin’ a mutant-led nation.”

“They once said the same thing about a black president,” said Forge. “Look how that turned out.”

“An’ look what came after,” added Sean. “That’s what worries me more’n anything—the fallout.”

“Got something on your mind, Sean?”

Sean sighed. “Somethin’ feels off. Like I’ve been given the pieces of several different puzzles, yet they’re somehow all supposed to fit together.”

Forge’s brows knitted together. “Am I supposed to guess what you’re talking about?”

“Marrow, Magik, Nova… Then there’s that whole thing with Scott and Alex. Me gut tells me something’s not right.” Sean sighed and looked at Forge. “I wonder…is it offensive for me to ask if you’ve…”

Forge raised an eyebrow. “If I’ve…what?”

“If you’ve…y’know…felt anything unusual.”

“You talking mystical?”

“Yeah.”

Forge sighed and shook his head. “I haven’t dabbled in anything that tastes like death in years. It’s always brought trouble.”

“Wonder if that’s a lesson Illyana has yet to learn…” muttered Sean. “I just—”

Sean was cut off by the sound of a door slamming open. He and Forge both looked and saw Hank bounding in, concern written on his face.

“Damn, Hank. I know you’re the headmaster now, but that’s no excuse to go busting down doors,” said Forge. “Now it’s your job to figure out how to pay for all the repairs needed around here.”

Sean caught the expression on the Beast’s face and it stirred his instincts just as much as the events he was discussing with Forge. “What’s wrong, Hank?”

“Mystique,” said Hank. “She’s given me the location of a Brotherhood cell.”

“Forge, prep the Blackbird. I’ll get the others.” Sean closed the hood on his car and towelled off any remaining sweat or grease. Just as he was about to walk past the Beast, Hank put a hand on his shoulder.

“Sean, our numbers aren’t exactly at their peak,” he said. “With Scott and Jean returning to Genosha, Kitty searching for Logan’s body, and Illyana…well…”

“What’s yer point, Hank?”

“Do you need me to come with?”

Sean smiled and patted Hank on the shoulder. “Y’know I’d always be honoured to have yeh at me side, boyo. But I trust Raven Darkholme less than I trust my bastard of a cousin. Someone should be here to keep an eye on her.”

Hank gave a nod. “Yes, of course you’re right.”

“I’m gonna suit up an’ find the rest of the team. We’ll meet you in the hangar for a full briefing before lift-off.”

San Diego, California

“Unbelievable…” muttered the mutant technomorph called Tin Man. “After all this time, our cell’s finally activated, we get summoned here to San Diego, and now we’re stuck here in this run-down old house about as far from the waterfront and Comic-Con as you can get.”

“Shut up.” Aries was a large, red-skinned mutant with massive ram-like horns protruding from his head and a long, gray beard. “I’ve about had it with your bitching. Comic-Con’s not even for another few months anyway.”

“Toad said we should lay low for now, so that’s what we’re going to do,” said the bandaged, mummy-like Coda. 

“Oh Toad said?” asked Tin Man with a scoff. “Mystique’s the one who was in charge of this outfit, now we’re supposed to follow the freaking Toad? The guy whose biggest claim to fame was being Magneto’s whipping boy?” 

“Y’better watch yer mouth there, ya goddamn pansy-ass cuck!” said Mudbug, who was the victim (or benefactor, depending on who you ask) of a crustacean-like mutation. “Th’ Toad’s a great man, ev’ry bit as intell’gent as that there Todd Keller!”

“You’re a mutant, you stupid redneck! What do you think that Nazi Keller wants to see happen to us?” asked Tin Man. 

“Better watch yur mouth, boy!” said Mudbug, jumping from the beat-up couch and readying his pincers. “I’m ’bout t’ show you how a real man fights!”

“Bring it, Red Lobster!” said Tin Man. “I’ve been dying to chow down on some shell—wha…?”

The technomorph’s head suddenly went to the ceiling. 

“Owen…?” asked Azimuth, the young woman with purplish skin. “What’s wrong?”

“Dunno,” said Tin Man. “But suddenly, I can communicate with a new machine. Some kinda…plane—?”

*CRASH*

The roof suddenly collapsed on top of them. Mudbug’s outer shell and Aries’s durability protected them from the worst of it, while Azimuth levitated pieces of rubble from herself, Tin Man, and Coda. They recovered from the sudden intrusion and as the dust began to settle, there was a figure standing in a small crater that had been created in the center of their living room. The afternoon sun glinted off the reflective surface as a behemoth of a figure rose from the crater and addressed them all.

“Privyet, my Brotherhood comrades,” said the armored mutant, clad in red and gold. “My name is Colossus. I have come to beat you senseless.”

“Like to see you try, you commie race-traitor!” shouted Aries, charging forward and ramming Colossus from behind with his horns. 

The first blow staggered the armored X-Man, but when Aries went in for a second, Colossus had pivoted and was prepared, grabbing Aries by his horns and holding him back. 

“I see we have a volunteer for the first beating.” He grinned right before bringing his knee to meet Aries’s head. 

“Nuttin’ ’gainst you, Ruskie. Yur man Putin’s pretty durn tough. But cain’t let ya emaskalate muh teammates!” said Mudbug, ready to pounce on Colossus. 

But before he had the chance, a high-pitched shriek echoed throughout the area. A new, red-headed combatant came from the skies, dressed in gold and green. He was Banshee, the X-Men’s leader and proving his name with the sonic scream from the depths of his lungs.

The Brotherhood were mostly dropped to their knees, clasping their hands over their ears to drown out the sound. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to block the Banshee’s power. But fortunately for Azimuth, she didn’t need her ears to use her powers. Her mouth opened and a pool of blackness flowed forth, moving upwards towards Banshee.

But in keeping her focus on Banshee, she failed to notice the Cheyenne mutant who snuck up behind her before slamming the butt of his rifle against the back of her skull and knocked her out cold.

“That’s my drinking buddy you’re trying to sucker-punch, kid. And I can’t allow that,” said Forge.

“Clever, ponytail. Now let’s see how you deal with Coda!” 

The mummified mutant came at Forge, his arms extending into blades. For his part, Forge was able to just barely stay a step ahead of Coda. But the greatest thing about the X-Men was that they functioned as a team. And there was one member who had not yet announced her presence.

Until now.

Clad in a costume of green and white, the woman known as Rogue crashed into Coda from the sky. 

“Didn’t your momma ever tell ya it ain’t polite t’ ambush a fella?” asked Rogue.

“What about you?” asked Coda.

“My momma wasn’t so polite.”

Rogue felt a personal connection to this mission. Mystique and Destiny had taken her in when she was a scared kid on the run. They raised her and it wasn’t long before Anna Raven found herself using her ability to absorb the essence of others as a member of the Brotherhood. 

Now, Destiny was dead. Mystique had taken the Brotherhood to new extremes. And the one thing Rogue desired more than anything else was to crush her foster mother’s legacy into dust.

“Make it easy on yourself, sugah. Tell me where the healer is an’ I promise I won’t leave yah in traction.“

Blades extended from Coda’s body and his tongue flickered out. “We know all about you, traitor. And I’m not telling you shit.”

Rogue cracked her knuckles. “Don’t say ah didn’t warn yah.” 

She sprung forward, her flight propelling her straight for the bandaged mutant. He attempted to keep her at bay with his extendable blades and claws. But no matter what he did, it seemed that Rogue was completely invulnerable to even his strongest attacks. 

Rogue slammed him through the wall and held him by the throat at arm’s length. He squirmed in her grip, but was unable to fight back. He was too weak to mount even the barest of resistance.

“You were sayin’?” she asked.

“Oh…okay…” he muttered. “I’ll tell y—”

Just then, Colossus slammed into the two of them, breaking apart Rogue and Coda. The two strongest members of the X-Men tumbled a few feet further before coming to a stop, with Rogue lying atop Colossus’s broad chest.

“Rogue…?” he asked. “Are you…?”

Rogue raised her head, finding herself face-to-face with Colossus. The two locked eyes, something silent passing between them. They both froze, remaining like that for a few moments that felt like an eternity. But Colossus looked up and saw Aries descending from above. He grabbed Rogue and rolled away just a mere instant before the horned mutant crashed into the spot where they once lay.

For her part, Rogue recovered almost instantly. She pushed herself away from Colossus and grabbed Aries by his horns. Hovering high in the air, she spun around, twirling him repeatedly as she increased her speed. Once his screams told her he had had enough, Rogue slammed him back to the ground with all the strength she could muster.

She got back up. He didn’t.

“Thank you…Rogue,” said Colossus, rising from the ground. “I apologize for…interrupting.”

Rogue tossed him a smirk. “No worries, big guy.”

“Aww, ain’t that cute,” came Mudbug’s voice. “But if y’ wan’ a real man, then Imma show ya whut ah’m all ’bout, skunkhead!”

Mudbug rushed towards Rogue and Colossus. But before he got even within range of his pincers, he was brought to his knees by a sonic scream from above. Banshee swooped in and landed beside his teammates.

“Back in my day, the Brotherhood had higher standards,” he said.

“Y’think so?”

Banshee, Colossus, and Rogue looked towards the sole remaining voice. Tin Man had hidden away when the battle started, but now emerged. He grinned at them as if he was confident he had the day won. And then he pointed up.

The three X-Men looked up and saw the X-Wing hovering just above them, ready to strike. 

“Ah’m gonna go out on a limb an’ say this ain’t a good situation,” said Rogue.

“Never let anyone criticize yuir intelligence, lass,” said Banshee.

“You see? This is why we’ll beat you,” said Tin Man. “Because we’re willing to die from our birthright!”

Tin Man brought his arm down as a signal to the X-Wing to crash down on his enemies. But it simply remained stationary in the air. Tin Man looked shocked at the lack of action. He tried again and yet still, the X-Wing remained hovering in place.

“Oh yeah, about that,” said Forge, holding up a device. “My mutation helped me ‘see’ the way you’re able to control machinery.”

He slowly started to approach Tin Man, still holding up the device.

“Something people don’t realize is that all these kinds of abilities work on some kind of frequency,” Forge continued. “And once I was able to perceive that frequency, it was really nothing for me to whip up a little something to block your signal.”

“Wh-what?” asked Tin Man. “You can’t be serious?”

“Kid, I don’t joke about tech.” 

By now, he had gotten within reach and while keeping Tin Man distracted by the device held up in his left hand, Forge swung his right arm. His cybernetic fist struck Tin Man in the side of the head and dropped him to the ground.

“Good work, boyos,” said Banshee. “Now have a look, see if we can find some trace of this healer.”

They began their search, but turned up no trace of anyone else in the Brotherhood’s safe house. Despite what Mystique had told them, there was no sign of any healer in this place.

Once they finished, Forge took the responsibility of being the bearer of bad news. 

“Hank…” he said as he radioed back to the Xavier Institute. “The cell is busted, but unfortunately we found no sign of the healer.”

No response came. Forge waited a few moments before attempting to confirm anyone was listening.

“Hank, do you read me?”

Another pregnant pause.

And then, a response.

“I apologize, Forge. But I fear I’ve been somewhat preoccupied.” The voice of the Beast had a strange tone, one Forge didn’t believe he had ever heard before. 

“Hank, what is it?” asked Forge.

“It’s…” The Beast sighed, struggling to get the words out. “Cecilia has collapsed. Time is running out.”

To be continued…