A/N: Sorry it's been a while. Life got in the way. Please review and let me know how I'm doing.

Chapter Ten: Origins

Twenty Years Ago

In a suburban neighborhood, a black car pulls up to a house. Professor Xavier steps out of the car and turns to his companion.

Eric looks at him, resting his hands on the roof of the car. "I still don't know why I'm here." He says, before he and Charles begin walking towards the house. "Couldn't you just make them say yes?"

"Yes, I could, but it's not my way." Charles says, opening the gate to the white picket fence. "And I would expect you, of all people, would understand my feelings about the misuse of power."

"Ah, power corrupts and all that. Yes, I know, Charles. When are you going to stop lecturing me?"

"When you start listening." He says, making Eric chuckle. He turns to Eric. "You're here because I need you."

"We're not going to have to meet every one of them in person are we?"

"No." Charles says, turning to look at the door. "This one's special."

Mr. and Mrs. Grey sit on the couch looking at the brochure to Xavier's school. "What a beautiful campus." She says, turning to look at her husband. "John, don't you think?"

"Yeah, the brochure is great." He says, looking at their guests. "But what about Jean? What about her…illness?"

"Illness?" Eric says.

"John." Mrs. Grey chastises.

"You think your daughter is sick, Mr. Grey?" Eric continues.

Charles raises his hand in a calming gesture before sitting forward in his seat. "Perhaps it would be best if we were to speak to her. Alone."

"Of course." Mrs. Grey nods. "Jean!" She calls. "Can you come down, dear?"

A young red haired girl walks down the stairs and makes her way across the room, sitting down in the seat across from Eric and Charles.

"We'll leave you, then." Mr. Grey says before he and his wife stand and leave the room.

Jean eyes dart back and forth from Charles to Eric. Eric turns to look at her when she focuses on him.

"It's very rude you know." Charles thinks, bringing her attention to him. "Reading my thoughts or Mr. Lensherr's, without our permission." Jean looks at him, puzzled.

Eric folds his hands in his lap. "Did you think you were the only one of your kind, young lady?"

"We're mutants, Jean. We are like you." Charles tells her.

She looks at him. "Really? I doubt that." She says. Outside, cars begin to rise from their spots on the street. Charles and Eric notice and looks out the window in interest.

A man steps back as his lawn mower flies from his hands and into the air.

An old man watches in wonder as the water from the gardening hose changes directions and rises into the air.

"Oh, Charles." Eric says, turning to look at the man. "I like this one."

Charles looks at Jean. "You have more power than you can imagine, Jean. The question is; will you control that power?" Outside, the cars and objects fall back to the ground. "Or let it control you?"

Jean blinks in thought.

Ten Years Ago

Clouds pass over the skyscrapers in the busy city.

In a bathroom, a young boy blond boy with teary eyes scratches at his back. He grunts and whimpers as he cuts more with the grinder.

A man dressed in a suit walks down the hallway and knocks on the door. "Warren? Son, is everything all right?"

The boy pauses at the sound of his father's voice.

"What's going on in there?" His father asks.

"Nothing. I'll be right out." Warren says.

"Come on. You've been in there for over an hour. Open the door. Warren."

"One second!" Warren says, setting the grinder on the countertop next to a sharp razor blade and bloody towels. The grinder clinks loudly when it falls into the sink as Warren's panicked hands pull open the drawer. He picks the grinder and razor up, placing them with the rest of the blades.

"Open this door." His father says, hearing the sounds of metal. "Warren. Let me in there right now! Open the door!" He says, shaking the doorknob.

Warren picks up the bloody towels and places it with the rest of the shaving kit. He goes to put it back in the drawer when the door burst open. He turns to look at his father, fear written on his face.

The man looks around the room in shock. Warren begins to cry as his father focuses on the feather and blood on the floor. "Oh, God. Not you." He shakes his head.

"Dad, I'm sorry." Warren cries, putting a hand to his face.

In the mirror, left over feathers and blood line his shoulder blades.

Eight Years Ago

A young Trinity leans against the wall. A group of boys sit in front of the TV, playing a video game. Kids around them cheer as the boys beat a level. Trinity stands on the tips of her toes, trying to get a view of the screen. She falls back to her feet and sighs before walking forward to get a better look.

Suddenly the TV and the lights begin to flicker. "Hey, what's going on?" A boy asks. Other kids begin asking questions as well.

"It's the new girl!" A voice says, bringing the kids attention to Trinity.

One of the boys look up from the game and glares at her. "Get out of here! You're going to ruin the game!"

"We're almost at the high score!" Another voice says.

Trinity backs away before running out of the room. The children go back to playing the game.

Outside, Jean walks across the campus when she hears the sound of crying. Furrowing her brows she walks towards the noise and sees Trinity sitting being a tree, clutching her knees to her chest. "What's wrong?"

Trinity sniffs. "I can't play with the other kids."

Jean crouches down. "Why?"

"My power." Trinity says. "I-I can't touch anyone without shocking them and I can't go anything with electricity without messing it up. Now no one wants to play with me." She wipes her eyes and sees that small strands of Jean's hair have risen. "I'm messing up your hair." She sniffs.

Jean grabs a strand and looks at it before shrugging. "It's just a little frizz, doesn't matter. Why don't you come with me? We'll go to the Professor. I'm sure he has an idea on how to help you."

After a few moments Trinity nods. "Okay." She says before standing up and following the telepath into the mansion.

Trinity stands in the danger room, her eyes nervously darting from place to place.

You've been focusing on keeping your power in Ms. Clairborn. The Professor sends to her from his spot with Jean from the watch room. Maybe the key to your power is to release it. A small pole appears in the middle of the danger room. I want you to touch the pole and focus on sending electricity into it.

Trinity cautiously steps towards the pole and places her hands around it. She begins to feel the small bits of electricity flowing into it.

Now a little more. This time take your hands away from the pole.

Trinity moves her hands a few inches away from the pole. Her eyes widen as she watches bolts of electricity flow from her hand and into the pole.

You may stop now.

Trinity takes a deep breath and stops the flow of electricity. Suddenly, the pole disappears and the doors to the danger room opens. The Professor wheels into the room, Jean walking at his side.

The Professor stops in front of Trinity with a smile on his face. "I would like to shake your hand." He says, holding his hand out.

Trinity looks at his hand, wearily. "But I'll shock you."

"It's okay." The Professor says softly.

Trinity slowly reaches her hand up to meet his before finally taking his hand. She waits for the Professor to react to the shock only to see him still looking at her with a smile on his face. "I'm didn't shock you." She says, looking at his hand in awe.

"No you didn't." He says, taking his hand away. "When you don't release the electricity running through your body, it builds up and begins to find its way out on its own. That is why it was difficult for you to be around electronics or to touch people." He explains.

"I can be around other people now?"

Charles nods. "Yes."

Tears well in Trinity's eyes. "Thank you!" She wraps her arms around the Professor. He smiles as he returns the embrace. Trinity pulls away from him before wrapping her arms around Jean's waist. "Thank you!"

"You're welcome." Jean chuckles.

A Not So Distant Future

Laser hit the ground of the ruined streets, sending debris into the air. Bobby leaps over a large block of cement, Kitty following after him. They rush through the destruction as a laser hits the building next to them, blowing it up. Storm and Trinity fly through the air, dodging the lasers and fires before landing on the ground behind some large rubble. Piotr and Rogue take cover behind a large piece of cement. A laser hits a building close by, sending large pieces of debris flying. Piotr sees a piece quickly heading for him and Rogue and takes the girl in his arms before covering himself in metal, he touches Rogues skins, making her take on a metal form as well. The debris bounces off his head and ricochets, hitting Logan; who stands nearby, in the face.

He grunts as the cement hits him, forming a large cut on his cheek. He groans as his face heals, putting a cigar in his mouth. Piotr lets go of Rogue and breathes deeply as they return to their original forms. He shakes his head as he tries to regain some of his strength. Logan looks at them. "The whole world's going to hell and you're just going to sit there?" He asks. "Let's go." He walks off and the two follow after him.

Bobby and Kitty run through the wreckage. Bobby stops when he hears a whistling sound grow louder. He turns around and sees a missile heading directly towards him. He holds his hands out, shooting out frost and freezes the missile. It lands harmlessly on the ground next to them. He turns to Kitty and smiles, not seeing the second missile coming.

"Bobby!" Kitty shouts and wraps her arms around the boy. The missile passes through the two and explodes on the ground not far from them.

Bobby pulls back a bit and smiles and smiles at the girl in his arms. "Thanks, Kitty."

Logan kneels by a car and lights his cigar on a small fire on top of the hood. Storm and Trinity take cover with him as Piotr and Rogue continue running. "We're getting killed out here." Storm pants.

"Yeah, I know. They're not ready, Storm." Logan says.

Storm looks towards the sky at the sound of another explosion and sees two glowing eyes focusing on Logan; Trinity follows the woman's gaze. "Logan." She warns.

"Oh, don't get your panties in a bunch." He says.

Storm wraps her arms around Logan and spins him away and Trinity leaps lowly flies away as a large piece of rubble lands on the car that they were hiding behind. Logan and Storm slam into a piece of a cement wall.

Logan pants and looks at Storm. "That was my last cigar." He says. Trinity flies over and lands in front of them. Logan straightens up and calmly walks through the wreckage, a car exploding next to him.

"Logan." Storm calls as she and Trinity follow after him.

"It's getting closer." Kitty says. They all turn to look at the two glowing eyes.

"Come on. Let's keep moving." Storm orders.

Logan shares a look with Trinity before turning to Piotr. "Hey, Tin Man." He calls. Colossus looks at the man. "Come here." Piotr walks over to him. "How's your throwing arm?" He asks, releasing his claws.

"We work as a team." Storm says.

"Yeah. Good luck with that." Logan says as Colossus shifts into his metal form.

"I'll draw its fire." Trinity says before taking off into the air, firing bolts of electricity at the machine.

"Trinity!" Storm calls.

"Trinity!" Rogue shouts, watching her girlfriend disappear into the smoke. Explosions hit the ground as they see flashes of lightning in the sky.

"Throw me." Logan says, seeing the machine properly distracted. "Now." Colossus grabs onto Logan.

"Dammit, Logan, don't do this!" Storm shouts as Colossus flings Logan into the air.

Logan scrams as he disappears into the smoke and light, his claws drawn. After a moment the group flinches back as a large robotic head hits the ground. The red eyes blink a few times before finally dying.

Logan walks from behind the head. Trinity descends from the ground and lands beside him. Logan looks at the head and retracts his claws. "Class dismissed." Storm sighs and leads the group away. The wreckage around them turns into holograms before disappearing completely, leaving them in a large metal room. "Hey, Colossus. Nice throw."

"Simulation complete." A computerized female voice says.

Storm pulls off her gloves as she exits the danger room, Logan and Trinity following behind her. "What the hell was that?" She asks them.

"Danger room session." Trinity says.

"You know what I mean."

"Oh lighten up Storm." Logan tells her.

"You can't change the rules when you feel like it. I'm trying to teach 'em something." She says.

"I taught 'em something."

"It was a defensive exercise."

"Yeah, the best defense is a good offence."

"Or is it the other way round?" Trinity asks him.

Storm turns to him. "This isn't a game, Logan."

"Yeah, well you sure fooled me." He says as he watches the X-Men in training pass them. "Hey, I'm just a sub. You got a problem, talk to Scott." He says before walking off. Storm rolls her eyes before leaving as well.

Trinity turns and looks at the door to the danger room. "Trinity?" She hears. She turns back and sees Rogue standing in the hallway. "Are you coming?" She asks.

Trinity looks back to the door of the danger room before turning her attention to her girlfriend. "Yeah." She says, walking towards her.

Scott sits in his cluttered bedroom, his face unshaven. He looks at the floor, lost in the memories of his deceased love.

Flashback

"Scott!" Jean yells as water swarms around her.

Present

Scott looks up. Scott. He hears Jean's voice whisper in his mind. Scott. A tear runs down the man's face. Scott. He sniffs and grabs his keys before leaving.

Trinity and Rogue step out of the elevator.

"Are you okay?" Rogue asks.

"I'm fine." Trinity says as she walks down the hallway.

"You don't seem fine. I feel like I have to drag you away from the danger room every time you go down there." Rogue says. "And what was up with you during the training session? Just flying off like that? Did you and Logan plan that?"

"No. But you were getting killed; somebody had to save your asses."

Rogue grabs Trinity's hand, making her stop and turn to face her. "Is that what you were doing? Saving everybody?"

"Well, since you couldn't do it yourselves…"

"What is up with this attitude? I barely even see you anymore. If you're not training, then you're studying, or you just disappear."

"I'm sorry if my schedule's a little too busy."

Rogue steps closer to the girl. "I know you go to the danger room at night, when you think no one's awake." She says quietly.

Trinity looks at her. "Rogue…"

"You're holding something in. Ever since Ms. Grey-"

Trinity pulls her hand away. "Don't." She grits out before shaking her head and walking away.

Rogue sighs as she watches after her.

Logan walks down the hallway and sees Scott with a backpack on. "Hey Scott, they were looking for you. You didn't show."

"What do you care?" Scott asks as he walks pass the man.

Logan turns around. "Well, for starters; I had to cover your ass."

Scott turns to face him. "I didn't ask you to."

"No, you didn't. The professor did." Logan says, stepping towards him. "I was just passing through."

"So pass through, Logan." Scott waves an arm before turning to leave but Logan grabs his wrist.

"Hey, look." He says when Scott looks at him. "I know how you feel."

"Don't."

"When Jean died-"

"I said don't."

Logan looks at him. "Maybe it's time for us to move on."

Scott gives him a sardonic grin before walking away. "Not everybody heals as fast as you, Logan." He turns to say before continuing on.

In the Department of Mutant Affairs building, Hank McCoy A.K.A. Beast hangs upside down on the ceiling, reading a Scientific American magazine.

The door behind him opens and a woman walks in. "Mr. Secretary." She says.

He looks up from his magazine. "Yes?" He says, flipping down from the ceiling and landing on his feet.

"The meeting's begun, sir."

"Thank you." He says, tossing his magazine onto the desk.

Hank walks down the stairs into a conference room full of men, computers, and large screens. "Mr. President." He greets.

"Have a seat, Hank." The President says. Hank takes a seat next to him. "Homeland Security was tracking Magneto."

"We got hits in Lisbon, Geneva, Montreal. NAVSAT lost him crossing the border, but we did get a consolation prize." Trask explains, clicking a button and turning to the three large screens behind him, showing Mystique handcuffed and being interrogated in a room, a guard standing in the corner. "We picked her up breaking into the FDA."

"You know who she's been imitating? Secretary Trask here." The President tells Hank. He doesn't see Trask closing his eyes and sighing.

"Yes, sir. She can do that." Hank says.

"Not any more, she can't. We got her." Trask says, turning his chair around to face the men.

"You think your prisons can hold her?" Hank asks, doubtfully.

"We have some new prisons Hank. We'll keep them mobile. Be a step ahead this time."

"Where is Magneto?" The interrogator asks, but Mystique continues to look away from him. "Raven?"

Interrogation Room

"Raven, I asked you a question." The man asks.

"I don't answer to my slave name." She says.

"Raven Darkholme. That's your real name, isn't it? Or has he convinced you, you don't have a family anymore?"

Mystique glares at the man. "My family tried to kill me, you pathetic meat sack."

"Okay then, Mystique; where is he?"

Mystique shifts into Magneto. "In here with us."

"I don't want to play games with you. I want answers."

She shifts into the interrogator. "You don't want to play games with me?"

The man stands up, frustrated and leans over the table. "You are going to stop this. Tell me, where is Magneto?"

Mystique, still in the man's form, smirks at him. "You wanna know where he is?" She asks before head-butting him, knocking him back into his seat and stands up, jumping and using her feet to toss the metal chair she was sitting on at the guard. She hops onto the table, shifting back to her original form as she brings her cuffed hands underneath her and to the front of her body. Another security guard rushes towards her but she kicks him in the face before grabbing the interrogators shoulders and flipping over him. She pulls the man out of his chair as she backs herself against the wall, using her large handcuffs to choke the man. The security guards stand up. "Homo-sapien." She hisses into his ear as the guards grab her.

Conference Room

The President looks down as Trask turns the screen off.

"You know, her capture will only provoke Magneto, but having her does give us some diplomatic leverage." Hank says.

"On principle, I can't negotiate with these people." The President says.

Hank looks at him. "I thought that's why you appointed me, sir."

"Yes, it is."

"But that's not why you called me here."

"No. This is." He says, placing a file in front of the mutant. "It's what she stole from the FDA."

Hank flips through the file. He looks at a page, seeing a picture of a young bald boy. He looks at the information.

Worthington Labs

Resource Subject Am 1121

Research Lab 4

Jimmy AKA: Leech

Special Bio-Org Sector 14

Research Projects Zone 3

Mutant Gene Suppression

"Dear Lord." Hank breathes. "Is it viable?"

"We believe it is." The President says.

"You realize the impact this'll have on the mutant community?" He asks, turning to look at the man.

"Yes. I do." The President nods. "That's precisely why we need some of your…diplomacy now."

Hank looks at the men in the room.

"When an individual acquires great power, the use or misuse of that power is everything." The Professor explains to his class. "Will it be for the greater good or will it be used for personal or for destructive ends? Now, this is a question we must all ask ourselves. Why? Because we are mutants. For psychics, this presents a particular problem." He says. A student runs her hand over her note book, taking notes although there is no writing utensil in her hand. "When is it acceptable to use our power and when do we cross that invisible line that turns us into tyrants over our fellow man?"

"But Einstein said that ethics are an exclusive human concern without any superhuman authority behind it." Kitty says.

"Einstein wasn't a mutant." The Professor says before grinning. So far as we know." The students chuckle. "Now this case study was sent to me by a colleague, Dr. Moira McTaggert. Jones."

The boy; Jones, turns to the computer monitor and blinks, turning it on.

A woman in a doctor's coat stands in a hospital room, a bald man lies in the bed hook up to many machines.

"The man you see here was born with no higher-level brain functions. His organs and nervous system work, but he has no consciousness to speak of." She explains.

"Now, what if we were to transfer the consciousness of one person, say…a father of four with terminal cancer, into the body of this man?" He motions to the screen. "How are we to decide what falls within the range of ethical behavior and what…" He stops, sensing something. Outside, the sky darkens as rain clouds quickly spread over.

"Professor?" Jones asks.

Professor Xavier looks up. "We'll continue this tomorrow. Class dismissed." He says. The students flip their notebooks closed and gather their belongings.

Storm stands on the balcony, looking at the dark sky as the wind begins to pick up.

The Professor rolls out. "The forecast was for sunny skies." He says, startling the woman out of her thoughts.

Storm turns to look at the man. "Oh. I'm sorry." She looks up and her eyes go white as the cloud clear and the sunny sky returns.

The Professor wheels forward. "I don't have to be psychic to see that something's bothering you."

Storm and the Professor travel through the hallways, passing a young telepathic boy controlling the flight of three paper planes. "I don't understand." She says. "Magneto's a fugitive, we have a mutant in the cabinet, a president who understands us…why are we still hiding?"

"We're not hiding. But we still have enemies out there." Xavier tells her. "And I must protect my students. You know that."

"Yes, but we can't be students forever." Storm sighs.

The Professor laughs. "Storm, I haven't thought of you as my student for years. In fact, I thought that perhaps…you might take my place someday."

Storm stops, turning to look at him. "But Scott's-"

"Scott's a changed man. He took Jean's death so hard. Yes, things are better out there, but you, of all people, know how fast the weather can change."

Realization lights in the woman's eyes. "There's something you're not telling us."

The Professor sighs as he continues down the hallway, Storm follows after him.

Trinity sees the two and walks up to them. "What was with the weather?" She asks. "Are you okay?"

Storm smiles at her. "Everything's fine."

Hank holds his glasses up to a painting as he observes it.

"Hank?" Storm calls, pushing the Professor into the room. Trinity walks in behind them.

The Blue Beast turns to look at her. "Ororo. Charles." He smiles as Storm gives him a hug.

"I love what you've done with your hair."

"You too." He says, looking at Storm's hair that is now cut above her shoulders. He turns to Trinity hand holds out his hand. "Hank McCoy, otherwise known as Beast."

Trinity shakes his hand. "Trinity Clairborn, otherwise known as Dark Elf."

"Clairborn. You're Vivian's girl?"

"Sure am."

"Your mother's a great woman."

"Thank you." She smiles.

Hank turns to the Professor and shakes his hand. "Thank you for seeing me on such short notice."

"Henry, you are always welcome here. You're a part of this place." Charles smiles.

"I have news."

The smile on the Professor's face dies. "Is it Eric?"

"No. Though we have been making some progress on that front. Mystique was recently apprehended."

Logan leans against the open door and looks at Hank. "Who's the fur ball?"

Hank looks at him. "Hank McCoy. Secretary of Mutant Affairs."

Logan walks further into the room. "Right, right. The secretary. Nice suit."

"Henry, this is Logan. He's-" The Professor begins but Hank cuts him off.

"Wolverine. I hear you're quite an animal."

"Look who's talking." Logan says, making the other mutant glare at him.

"You know Magneto's gonna come get Mystique's, right?" Trinity says.

"Magneto's not the problem. At least not our most pressing one." Hank tells them. "A major pharmaceutical company has developed a mutant antibody. A way to suppress the mutant X gene."

"Suppress?" Logan asks.

"Permanently. They're calling it a cure." He explains. The group is silent for a moment as the news sinks in.

"Well, that's ridiculous." Storm says. "You can't cure being a mutant."

"Well, scientifically speaking-"

"When did we become a disease? How could anybody know right-"

"Storm." The Professor says, stopping her rant. "They're announcing it now."

On Alcatraz, which is now the Worthington Labs Facility, Mr. Worthington addresses the press. "These so-called mutants are people…just like us. Their affliction is nothing more than a disease, a corruption of healthy cellular activity. But I stand here today to tell you that there's hope. This site," He gestures to the building behind him. "once the world's most famous prison, will now be the source of freedom for all mutants who choose it. "

"Ladies and gentlemen…" The President smiles from his seat on the couch as he watches Mr. Worthington hold up a vial on the television. Trask stands by the desk. "I proudly present the answer to mutation."

"Finally, we have a cure." The man says. Rogue watches the news with hope in her eyes.

"Who would want this cure? I mean, what kind of coward would take it just to fit in?" Storm asks.

"Is it cowardice to save oneself from persecution?" Hank asks. "Not all of us can fit in so easily. You don't shed on the furniture." The Professor grins.

"Well for all we know, the government probably cooked this up." Logan says.

"I assure you the government had nothing to do with it." Hank tells him.

"Oh, I've heard that before."

"My boy, I have been fighting for mutant rights since before you had claws."

Logan looks at Trinity. "Did he just call me boy?"

Suddenly Rogue walks into the room. "Is it true? They can cure us?" She asks. Trinity looks at her, a troubled look in her eyes.

"Yes, Rogue. It appears to be true." Professor Xavier says.

"No. Professor. They can't cure us." Trinity says. She walks towards Rogue. "You wanna know why? Because there's nothing to cure. Nothing's wrong with you." She looks at the rest of the room. "Or any of us, for that matter."

Rogue walks into her bedroom, Trinity follow her in, closing the door behind her.

"You want the cure?" Trinity asks.

Rogue turns to look at Trinity. "It's not about you."

"I'm not asking because of that. I'm asking because I'm wondering why you would want to take away a piece of yourself."

"Because I want to be able to touch other people Trinity! Because I want to be able to see my family again, to shake someone's hand, to hug my child, to have a child!"

"You want children?" Trinity asks, looking at her with shock in her eyes. "With me?"

Rogue nods. "Someday." She says quietly.

Trinity nods, still taking in the information that her girlfriend was thinking that far ahead. "Wow." She says. "I-I didn't know we were there but, o-okay, there are options, adoption, fertilization, surrogacy-"

"We're not there, but that's not the point. If we were to adopt or you carried the child, I would never be able to touch their skin. I would have to explain why it's not okay to hug mommy if she isn't completely covered. So yes, I'm thinking about taking the cure, but let's not act like that the only problem in our relationship right now."

Trinity looks at her. "What do you mean?"

Outside a church, people gather in. A sign outside a pole says Community Action Meeting. Holy Trinity Church 7pm Thursday. NO HUMANS ALLOWED!

"How should we, as mutants, respond?" A man speaks from his spot on the stage. "Here's what I think. This is about getting organized. Bringing our complaints to the right people. We need to put together a committee and talk to the government." He says. People complain and a pale skinned mutant crawls on the wall above the crowd. "They don't understand. They don't know what it means to be a mutant. We need to show them, educate them, let them know that we're here to stay." A very large man walks towards a small chair between a man and a woman before sitting down, shifting into an average form as he does so. "People, you must listen. They won't take us seriously-"

"They wanna exterminate us." A woman with purple streaks through her hair says.

"This cure is voluntary. Nobody is talking about extermination."

"No one ever talks about it." Magneto says from the back of the room. The crowd turns to look at him. He and Pyro stand from their seats and walk up to the stage. "They just do it. And you'll go on with your lives ignoring the signs all around you. And then one day, when the air is still and the night has fallen, they come for you."

"Excuse me-" The man protests.

Magneto turns to look at him. "Only then you realize, while you're talking about organizing and committees, the extermination has already begun." He says turning back to the crowd. "Make no mistake, my brothers. They will draw first blood. They will force their cure upon us. The only question is, will you join my brotherhood and fight? Or wait for the inevitable genocide? Who will you stand with? The humans? Or us?" He asks as he and John walk down the steps.

An Asian man with tattoos on his chin walks towards Magneto. A Latina with piercings and tattoos nods her head towards him and two girls follow her towards him as well.

"You talk pretty tough for a guy in a cape." The Asian man says.

John turns to him and opens his palm, a flame appearing. "Back off."

"If you're so proud of being a mutant, where's your mark?" The Latina asks, looking at Magneto. The other girls look at him expectantly.

"I have been marked once, my dear. Let me assure you." Magneto says, pulling his sleeve up, showing the tattoo of 214782 on his arm. "No needle shall ever touch my skin again."

"You know who you're talking to?" John asks.

The Asian man looks at him, spike appearing through his hair and face. "Do you?" He asks. Pyro smirks at him.

"And what can you do?" Magneto asks the Latina. She looks at him before running through the room at super speed and back. "Hmm, so you have talents?"

"That and more." She says. "I know you control metal. And I know there's 87 mutants in here, and none of them above a class three. Other than you two."

"You can sense other mutants and their powers?" Magneto asks. She nods. He leans towards her. "Could you locate one for me?"