Chapter Text
X-Mansion
A few weeks had passed since Scott’s interaction with that University student. He didn’t think much of it afterward.
His drive back to the mansion was silent.
He ate Remy’s meal while observing the others and keeping them in check. Jean was still ignoring him. The usual.
The X-Men had no call to action after their last mission.
Unusual.
They felt like walking on eggshells. Any move too much or a mistake too big could cause a collapse of the peace they’ve had so far. Having a couple of quiet weeks was rare. They were on edge, to say the least.
Beast was in the lab, tinkering away while listening to his new vinyl record. It was some classical album that was kindly bought for him by Jubilee when she took a field trip to the mall.
She had some excuse for the trip, Hank couldn’t remember what it was. However, he did remember the excited mention of having Roberto tag along.
The boy wasn’t ecstatic about going out in public, but he did it anyway.
Hank was busy fiddling away with the med-bay machines and making sure they’re all functioning properly.
In the middle of his technology status report paperwork, he got a comm call on the computer.
WOLVERINE - UPPER WEST SIDE
Beast raised his brows and hopped off the ceiling beside the computer. He clicked the key to answer the communications call.
“Logan, has something happened on the patrol?” He inquired. While not being able to explain it, he had a bad feeling about whatever was going to happen next. Perhaps it was all the stationary movement recently.
“Hank, you gotta get everyone together. There's a problem downtown,” Wolverine replied. His voice was elevated and he almost sounded worried. Sirens and loud clangs could be heard from Wolverine’s side of the call, causing Beast to straighten up quickly.
“I’m calling them in as we speak. What happened?” He asked, trying to keep calm. He clicked away at the computer to alert the other X-Men and open the cameras they installed across the city.
“I don’t know. Just get down here, there's Sentinels everywhere,” Logan urged. He sounded like he was moving quickly now.
Jean entered from the other room upon hearing the commotion. “What’s going on?” She also asked.
Hank pulled up the camera feeds and had them displayed across the several monitors in the lab. His eyes widened as he saw what Wolverine called about.
“Oh my,” he stated, and Jean gasped.
There were countless Sentinels across the densest parts of New York City. They seemed to have no goal, they were just shooting everywhere. Collapsing buildings, starting fires, and flipping cars.
The X-Men’s peace was over.
Central Park, New York City.
After hearing the news of an uncountable number of Sentinels in the city. Scott hurried the team together. It was easier than expected to get them out of bed, despite the hour.
They were in the Blackbird debriefing the event.
“How did we not know about this? And where the hell is Wolverine?” Scott questioned, quickly getting the jet off of the ground.
Beast shook his head, clicking away at a tablet in one of the seats behind the pilot.
“I’m not exactly sure about the Sentinels. They wouldn't trigger the motion sensors on any of the cameras, or show up on any radar,” he explained hastily.
“And Wolverine?” Jean asked, co-piloting the plane.
Scott fought the urge to scoff.
“He is hiding out in Central Park. Thank goodness he knew to not take them on alone,” Hank responded.
“Well ‘das a first,” Remy commented from another passenger seat. Scott would've said the same thing if he wasn’t both extremely worried and very annoyed.
“Did they mess with the camera sensors? How did they not show on the radar?” Anna Marie asked, tightening her gloves around her wrists.
Beast shook his head. “As much as I wish I could give an answer, I simply do not know. I was running a technology performance program just before this occurred. It seemed everything was working perfectly,” he explained, looking up at Scott who was now eerily quiet.
“Then we’ll just have to go down there and find out,” Scott stated.
The X-Men met up with Logan in Central Park. He explained his situation to the team as they rushed downtown. He was sitting in a bar, trying to overhear conversation when–out of nowhere–Sentinals were outside.
He explained how it seemed everything happened in a matter of seconds. First, there was one. Then, there were too many to count.
They stepped onto the street and got into formation. Cyclops, Jean Grey, Gambit and Rogue. Morph, Wolverine, and Storm.
Fires raged in nearby buildings. Cars were flipped, and people were driving erratically to escape the chaos.
A Sentinel approached the team and lifted a huge metal arm in warning.
“SURRENDER, MUTANTS,” The electronic voice boomed. It warbled through the air menacingly.
The X-Men had countless interactions with Sentinels before. They've defeated more than they could ever try to remember. They got into position to attack, but couldn't help but notice that the Sentinel hadn't fired yet.
Scott, who was flanked by the other X-Men, glanced back at them for a look of confirmation. His hand was on his visor, and he was ready to attack.
“SURRENDER, MUTANTS,” The Sentinel repeated.
Scott turned his gaze back to the metal beast, and clenched his jaw.
As soon as the Sentinel moved to take another step, Scott fired an optic blast right at the Sentinel's head.
The blast went right through the threat, and disappeared into the sky, as if the Sentinel wasn't ever really there.
The metal plating of the attacker wavered, almost like it was made of water instead of metal.
“SURRrenDrrrr—” The Sentinel boomed out once more, the voice fading away along with the illusion.
The X-Men stood, shocked and even more worried.
“That was not a Sentinel,” Ororo said, her gaze turning to the fire and the flipped car beside her. She moved over to make the wind pick up. Instead of the fire raging within the oxygen, it went out and the illusion rippled away.
The car appeared upright, and there was no more visible fire.
“A telepathic projection,” Jean said breathlessly, looking over at Beast who nodded in confirmation.
Scott lowered his hand from his visor, his pulse thrumming with adrenaline. This was a far bigger threat than Sentinels.
“Not just a projection,” he said, turning back to face the team. “But someone made us see it, all of us. At the same time,” he considered, his gaze shifting from each member before lingering on Jean.
“I don’t think it was just us. Seems like the entirety of New York City saw it too,” Wolverine stated begrudgingly, looking up at a fire-rescue helicopter overhead.
Scott’s brows pinched together. “Who would do this? Only someone with elaborate knowledge and power would be able to project something of this degree,” he said, his gaze turning to Beast, who nodded in agreement.
“Powerful and knowledgeable indeed,” he said, pulling a tablet out. “Hmm…” he hummed, thinking up a plan.
“However this occurred, or who happens to be the cause of it, I am not under the impression that this is a coordinated attack,” he explained.
Gambit and Rogue exchanged a look, “So… we not fighting anybody?” Anna Marie asked.
“Jean,” Hank said finally, turning to her. “If we are correct, and this is the cause of a mutant, I want you to make an attempt to locate them,” he asked.
Jean shook her head. “But, without Cerebro–” she started, but was cut off by Beast raising a hand. “This could be a mutant of immense telepathic power. If they are projecting something of this degree, it could be absurdly easy to find them.”
Jean looked hesitant, but then another helicopter flew overhead. It poured water over the side of a burning building, and the fire rippled away, leaving the building in perfect condition.
“Someone could be… in distress,” Hank added, catching Jean’s attention again.
Scott looked between them, and stepped up to her. “It’ll be easy. Trust him,” he said reassuringly.
Jean barely looked at Scott as she closed her eyes and nodded at Beast. Scott clenched his jaw again.