SUPERNOVA

Part X: Eleventh Hour

By Ryan Krupienski

Genosha

There is a crackle of energy in the air near Hammer Bay, and soon that crackle transforms into a condensed light, which goes on to shape itself into a silhouette of a group of seven individuals. Mere seconds later, those individuals – Magneto, Cable, Nightcrawler, Jubilee, Fantomex, Deathbird, and Proteus – fully materialize on the small island. A few of them sigh with relief as they realize that, at least for now, they have escaped Cassandra’s clutches yet again.

“Welcome to Genosha,” Magneto says as he levitates to the front of the group and turns toward them.

“Yeah, thanks,” Jubilee says somewhat sarcastically as she looks around the seemingly barren area. “Still looks as crappy as did it the last time I was here…”

“I think you’ll update your assessment of this land once you see the new capital,” Magneto says, a smug look crossing his face as he motions for the group to look behind them. What they see astounds them all – a group of tall, sleek skyscrapers, lying perhaps a mile away. The buildings are enormous, and are like nothing that has ever graced the island nation.

“You’ve been… busy,” Nightcrawler says, still eyeing the future capital with awe.

“I’ll say,” Cable quips, his tone indicating a lack of enthusiasm. He turns back to Magneto and asks, “Now where’s Xavier?”

“I’m right here,” comes a voice from behind Magneto. The group of X-Men turn their attention towards the source, and as they do so, a bald-headed man sitting in a metal hoverchair materializes from a cloud of smoke, with a brown-haired woman standing by his side. “Hello, Nathan.”

“Charles,” Cable greets him, somewhat cold. He still hasn’t forgotten the pain that Xavier has caused Scott and Jean.

“Professor?” Jubilee questions, tentatively approaching Charles. “Is that… really you?”

Charles nods, smiling warmly at his former student. “It is, Jubilee. And it’s good to see you. You’ve grown so much.”

Jubilee can’t help but smile at the man, and as she continues to walk towards him, a loud ‘bamf’ is heard, and Nightcrawler appears at Charles’ side. “Charles! You’re alive…”

“I am,” Charles says, shaking Nightcrawler’s hand firmly. “And you must be exhausted.”

“I’m fine,” Nightcrawler assures him.

“Well, what a time to reveal your hiding place, Xavier,” comes a shrill female voice. Charles peers past Jubilee and Nightcrawler to catch sight of Deathbird, and a look of confusion crosses his face.

“She’s on the team,” Jubilee says with a shrug. “They’re letting anyone in these days.”

“Quiet, terran,” Deathbird hisses.

“Bite my ass,” Jubilee snaps back.

Ignoring Jubilee and Deathbird’s banter, Charles moves his attention to Fantomex and Proteus. “And who are these two gentlemen? More new additions, I’m assuming.”

“Yes,” Nightcrawler answers as he motions for the two men to come forward. “This young man is Peter Valentino, codename Proteus. He’s a shape-shifter.”

“I’m Charles Xavier. Good to meet you,” Charles says as he and Proteus shake hands.

“Same here,” Proteus says, somewhat timidly.

“And this is Fantomex,” Nightcrawler continues, motioning toward the man in the white bodysuit. “He’s the newest member of the team.”

“Please forgive me if I don’t jump at the chance to shake your hand, Mister Xavier,” Fantomex says, standing a good foot away from Charles. “After what your supposed sister has done, I have to be weary of anyone with her same last name.”

“Understandable. In time, I hope you can come to trust me,” Charles tells him. As if on cue, he changes gears and moves his attention to Cable. “So the six of you, then? You’re the only X-Men that escaped?”

Cable nods. “She’s got the rest of them under her influence, and I’m pretty sure she’s using Jean’s voice to hypnotize them.”

“Damn her,” Charles sighs, briefly lifting his hand to rub his forehead. He looks back up and glances at the various mutants in his presence, and says, “Let’s get into the city, shall we? We have much to discuss…”

The Xavier Institute

Cassandra Nova Xavier stands at the head of the room, her X-Men spread about it, standing along the metal walls and sitting down at the large, metal table. They are all dressed in their familiar black and yellow uniforms, and the grim yet determined looks on their faces speak all too loud and clear the fact that what they have to do is something they aren’t thrilled about, but something that nonetheless must be done. For many of the veteran members of the team in particular, it feels like a culmination of their time spent as X-Men.

“My friends, today is the day,” Cassandra says to them, as she slowly paces back and forth in front of the assembled mutants. “We are going to Genosha, and we are finally going to bring down Magneto and the Shadow King once and for all.” Her tone becomes a bit more melancholy as she adds, “There is also a very real possibility that we will have no choice but to terminate our teammates who have fallen to the Shadow King’s mind control.”

“And I said absolutely not,” interrupts the voice of Iceman. All eyes land on him as he continues, “Professor, I can’t understand how you can even consider that as a possibility. You’ve never given up on any one of us in the past. Why now?”

“Because, as I’ve already explained, Robert,” Cassandra begins, “they have all contracted a telepathic virus implanted in them by the Shadow King. He has tainted their minds… possibly beyond repair. If that is the case, their minds will continue to deteriorate over time. They will be driven completely mad, and their mutant powers will become unstable.”

“Isn’t there anything you can do?” Kwannon asks from her seat next to Iceman. “We’re talking about my cousin and several more of our close friends here.”

“I am trying my best, and I will continue to try my best,” Cassandra answers. “I don’t intend to give them up easily. However, it is a very real possibility that we may have to face. I want you all to be prepared for anything – this battle with Magneto is going to be unlike any other. The outcome of our battle today could mean the difference between peace on Earth and the destruction of the human race.”

“And just to give everyone a heads up, Magneto’s going to have more company than just the Shadow King,” Domino says from her seat near Cassandra. “Cerebro’s picked up the bio-signatures of Amelia Voght, Johanna Cargill, and Pietro Maximoff on Genosha as well. Add them to the other X-Men, and we’re in for a fight.”

“You can do this, though,” Cassandra says, looking at Domino and then at a few more of the X-Men. “I have faith in all of you. There is no group of men and women on this planet more capable of taking down Magneto. I believe that, once and for all, we can end this long, long battle with that man.”

“By any means necessary,” Cyclops comments, standing next to Archangel near the door. “Lethal force, Professor?”

Cassandra nods. “Yes,” she replies. “I have always taught you that killing is not the way, but this situation is different. It could be the only way to stop Magneto from activating his machine and wiping out humanity.”

Cassandra steps back from her spot at the room’s front to make way for a large holographic map of Genosha. Three red dots mark different locations on the small island. “We will be arriving in Genosha in three Blackbirds, separated into three teams. Each team will land at one of these three designated points, and we will move in on Magneto and his forces from all sides. However, two of you will remain behind in two of the Blackbirds to launch an aerial attack on Magneto’s base of operations. I will pilot the third one myself.”

“Are you sure it’s smart to divide us like that?” Ecstacy asks.

“Absolutely,” Cassandra says with a firm nod. “This way, we also divide Magneto’s forces, and they are defeated much easier. I know you all aren’t necessarily confident with teams of five, but I will be also using my telepathy to disrupt our enemies’ minds. This time, we will have the upper hand.”

“Great, so whose team am I on?” Skin quips.

“Our final topic to touch on before we leave,” Cassandra says. She looks at Cyclops and says, “Scott, your team will be comprised of Sean, Alison, Piotr, and Anna.” She then turns to Bishop. “You will lead Domino, Alex, Christopher, and Stacy.” Finally, she looks at Storm. “You will take Warren, Bobby, Leyu, and Angelo.”

“Yeah, stick the human guy in the pilot’s seat…” Cameron mutters. Moonstar, who is sitting next to the young man, gives him a sympathetic look.

“Don’t feel too bad,” Moonstar says.

“No, Cameron, do not,” Cassandra tells him. “You and Danielle, in addition to myself, have perhaps the most crucial role in all of this. It will be up to us to clear a path for our teammates, and to protect them.”

“And suppose Magneto takes control of one or all of the Blackbirds?” Bishop questions. “We’re going to have an even bigger problem.”

“I’ve already covered that base,” Cassandra tells him. “I’ve had all three planes outfitted with a special plastic paneling. It will create a barrier to protect all of the metal in the aircrafts from him. His power will be useless.”

“Who’d have thought plastic would stop the most dangerous man in the world…” Ecstacy says with a slight chuckle. “I’m just wondering why you guys didn’t think of this a long time ago.”

“Technology wasn’t always as advanced as it is nowadays, my dear,” Cassandra answers. “And make no mistake, it is going to take much more than plastic weaponry to stop this man. Do not let yourselves get overconfident, and do not give into fear or doubt. We must stay focused on our goal – we cannot afford to falter in the slightest.”

“When do we leave?” Kwannon asks with a sigh, Iceman silent and grim next to her.

Cassandra cocks an eyebrow. “There’s no time like the present.” She looks over the group of mutants before her and continues, “You all know what has to be done. Let’s start boarding the Blackbirds. Time is of the essence…”

Genosha

Erik Magnus Lehnsherr steps out onto the balcony of the tall skyscraper overlooking Hammer Bay, finding a younger, white-haired man waiting there for him. He places one of his hands on the man’s shoulder and says, “Pietro.”

Pietro Maximoff turns to face his father, and at first just stands there silently. He hasn’t seen his father in ages, and though Erik has seemingly left his terrorist ways behind, Pietro still finds it difficult to know how to react to the man. He certainly isn’t going to give him a hug.

“Father,” Pietro says, nodding slightly. “You look well.”

“Thank you,” Erik says. “I feel good as well.”

“Yes, I can see you’ve been busy,” Pietro says, looking at the various buildings nearby. “You must be proud.”

“Pietro, I would like to have a civilized discussion with you,” Erik says, sounding sincere. “I am proud of the work Charles and I have done, yes. That’s not what’s important now. Truth be told, I have been most looking forward to seeing you and your sister again.”

“Wanda’s busy with the Avengers, and I haven’t even seen her in a while,” Pietro replies. “I can’t speak for her, but I can say that as far as I’m concerned, your feelings aren’t mutual.”

Erik lets out a small laugh. “I suppose they wouldn’t be. The last time you saw me, I was again trying to destroy the human race.”

“And now that you’ve supposedly reformed, the world thinks you’re building weapons of mass destruction,” Pietro quips. “Incredibly ironic if you ask me.”

“Yes,” Erik says. “I have to agree with you. I also… have to apologize.”

Pietro gives Erik a curious look. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me correctly, Pietro,” Erik says, pain now evident in his facial expression. “Son, I’ve been thinking a lot about my life since coming here with Charles, and many of those thoughts have been about you and your sister. How I’ve let you down, time and again. I wish to make it up to you.”

“Well,” Pietro says, surprised, “you’ve sure picked an odd time for this.”

“After this mess is over with, Pietro,” Erik says, with a bit more force this time. “Once this is all behind us…”

“We can be a happy family? I doubt it,” Pietro quips. He looks Erik right in the eye and continues, “However… if you really have changed your ways, as it seems… I might be willing to give you a chance. Some sort of fresh start.”

Erik smiles at the comment; it’s music to his ears, and more than he expected from his son. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Pietro says. “I don’t think you should be celebrating quite yet, though.”

“Perhaps not…” Erik mutters. “Why don’t we go and meet up with Charles and the others… we have much to discuss.”

“This is quite a place you got here, Prof,” Jubilee comments, looking around the large meeting hall that she and her fellow X-Men currently sit in at a long table with their long-lost Professor Charles Xavier. “Gotta hand it to Mags, he did a good job.”

“Erik is very good at what he does,” Charles says with a slight smile. He turns to Cable and asks, “Nathan, you mentioned something earlier about Blaquesmith. Any luck contacting him?”

Cable shakes his head. “No,” he says. “At this point, I think we have to assume that he’s lost to us. Cassandra likely found the Z’noxx Chamber.”

“Three telepaths she now has in her grasp…” Charles says with a sigh. “Jean and… what is the young man’s name? Ever?”

“Perhaps if you hadn’t abandoned your precious ‘students’, you would be in the know, Xavier,” Deathbird says, a self-righteous look on her face. “Perhaps none of this would be happening.”

Charles knows Deathbird is only trying to agitate him, though in some ways, what she’s saying is true. He knows the others in the room must be thinking the same thing. He looks the Shi’ar woman in the eye and simply says, “Maybe, Cal’syee. Maybe.”

“What are we going to do, then?” asks Fantomex, who is leaning back in his chair with his feet on the table. “Certainly she’s not finished with us yet.”

“Not by a longshot,” Cable says. “Problem is, we have no idea what she’s planning. Going to the United Nations… any idea what that’s all about?”

“None yet, though I haven’t checked the news recently…” Charles says.

“Well I’d suggest keeping up on it,” comes a woman’s voice from the tall doors that lead into the room. She has dark brown skin, short black hair, and is tall with the body of an amazon. With her are a tall, hulking man dressed in metallic body armor, and a thin woman with long, brown hair.

“Johanna?” Charles says as he turns his head to her. “What is it now? And where’s Erik?”

“He’s with his son,” Johanna says as she and her companions approach the table. “Charles, we’ve got a big problem.”

“What is it?” Nightcrawler asks.

“They’re comin’, Chuck,” the Juggernaut says to his brother. “Cassandra an’ the rest o’ the X-Men are comin’ here to take us out.”

“What?” Charles asks, visibly surprised. “How do you know?”

“She announced it to the whole world!” Johanna exclaims, stopping a few feet from Charles. “It’s all over the news. She told the UN that Magneto’s building some super-weapon to destroy the world… and the UN commissioned the X-Men to charge in and take him out.”

The X-Men seated at the table exchange looks of shock and worry, and in particular Jubilee’s mouth seems to have dropped to the floor. “You can’t be serious,” she says.

“I’m afraid she is,” Amelia tells her. “And it sounds like it won’t be long before they get here.”

“No…” Charles looks down at his lap and rubs his forehead for a moment. Things have just gone from bad to worse.

“I suggest we start mapping out strategies to deal with them, we have no idea what their battle plans are,” Cable says. “And especially if Cassandra decides to come along…”

“Wait!” Nightcrawler cuts in, speaking as if a realization has just come over him. He looks at Charles and says, “There’s something you need to know about Cassandra.”

“What is it, Kurt?” Charles asks.

“Very recently, several of us were at the headquarters of an organization called Black Womb,” Nightcrawler explains. “While there, I accessed their computers, and… well, I found a file. It was about Cassandra.”

A scowl crosses Cable’s face. “Is there a reason you didn’t bring this up earlier, Kurt?”

“I apologize,” Nightcrawler says. “My fatigue, and everything that’s happened… it just came back to me.”

“This should be good…” Deathbird quips.

“If everything that was in that file was true, Charles…” Nightcrawler begins to say. A grim look crosses his face. “Cassandra is connected to this organization, and she may have been working with them all along. One thing is certain, though… she is your sister.”

She sits at the console at the end of the long walkway that extends to the center of the large, round room. Placing a metal helmet over her bald head, Cassandra activates the machine called Cerebro and in an instant, the panels on the walls start to shrink away, and the room seemingly expands into an endless space. A map of the world surrounds her, and Cassandra begins to study the various lights before her.

“There are so many of us…” Cassandra says to herself as she looks around the map at the several million lights indicating mutants. “So many of us who will finally be free to live the lives we deserve.”

Cassandra’s eyes focus on the African continent, and she ‘zooms’ in on a small island just off its southeastern coast. The island is called Genosha.

“Yes, your bio-signature masks, of course,” Cassandra says with a grin. “Too bad I’m much more powerful than that.”

The island seems to be devoid of mutant bio-signatures, but several moments later, little under a dozen lights appear on it. Cassandra knows more people are there, but she’s not concerned. Her X-Men are more than capable of defeating the enemy, save for one… one that she hopes to deal with herself.

Getting in closer, Cassandra can now make out the astral forms of the various mutants on the island. At first she is surprised that she does not see a bald man among them, but a few moments more of concentration, and the form of her target comes into view. Charles Xavier.

“My dearest brother whom I’ve never even met,” Cassandra says with a sigh. “I am sorry… I am so sorry. I don’t want this. I never wanted it to be this way. But I have no choice.”

She gulps back a lump in her throat, as a solitary tear slides down one of her cheeks. She closes her eyes as she moves in on Charles with her mind, and then… they connect.

Charles looks with pain and shock at Nightcrawler as he speaks. He’s an old man who’s seen and experienced so much in his life, but he can’t believe what he’s hearing. Nothing could have prepared him for this.

“According to the file, Cassandra was pronounced stillborn,” Nightcrawler says, attempting to craft his words to be as sensitive as possible. “Everyone, even your mother, believed she didn’t make it. After the memorial, that’s when your father… that’s when he took her to the Black Womb for experimentation. They were able to successfully resurrect her.”

Jubilee and Proteus, who sit next to each other, exchange a shocked look. The others around them are equally stunned, and for those who are close to Charles, they can feel his pain. Cain moves towards his brother and gently places one of his large hands on the back of Charles’ hoverchair.

“If this is true…” Charles says. “If what you read in that file is true, Kurt… dear God… my father was a monster…”

“Hey, Chuck…” Cain begins to say.

Suddenly, Charles’ eyes widen in shock, and his whole body tenses up. He seems to be in a trance, and everyone in the room looks at him, some worried, some confused, and some a combination of the two.

{Charles, it’s me,} comes Cassandra’s voice in her brother’s mind. {It’s your sister.}

“Cassandra…” Charles mumbles.

“NO!” Cable says, jumping from his seat and moving to Charles’ side. “Fight her, Xavier! You hear me?!”

{Charles, please… we need to talk.}

CONTINUED IN X-MEN #30!