2012-08-26 - Prime Anti-Mutant: Prime Evil

Jono finds himself driving the X-Van as the group makes their way towards Times Square, which is the location of a very large Pro-Mutant rally. One of the guest speakers at the rally is none other than Alex Summers himself. For some, this may be the first time they've ever seen the blonde mutant all dressed up in a spiffy looking well-tailored suit. His normally spiky looking hair is laid flat on his head. This isn't the first time that Alex has spoken in public, having attended a similar rally in Central Park a few weeks ago. As the group arrives at the designated location, they can see that this is a major media event. There are television crew vans and reporters out and mingling among the rather large crowd of mutants and humans. There may be a few meta-humans in there as well.

Alex turns around in his seat to address the team as Chamber brings the vehicle to a stop. "Alright guys, remember, you're here to provide security to make sure nothing happens. I can't express how important this rally is to our cause, so stay sharp and be careful out there." He looks over at Jono and nods. "They're all yours, Chamber." He then flashes a smile at the group before getting out of the vehicle and making his way towards where the rest of the speakers are gathered.

Shifting the vehicle into park, Jono squeezed the steering wheel a little with a hand. He looked pensive. < We're not here to make a show, girls, > he said softly. < Though in so many ways, we *are* here to just look good. If things get sticky, we need to be on the defensive. This is a very important rally, for all of our mutual futures. So we need to be careful. If we look bad, we make *all* mutants look bad. So let's look good, okay, Gen-X? >

What kind of a prep speech was that? < Alright. Everyone is equally important in keeping an eye out - that's the first and most important thing. We need to be sure we see what's going on. In the meantime, stay relaxed but frosty, remember, we're looking good. Should we stay near Alex as a sort of personal security? I'm not sure and am open to suggestion. >

There is a look around almost warily from Laura. She speaks a moment later, "The area is wide open. It will be easy for an ambush or sniper to setup positioning." If Jubilee were here, she might snark on them having to conduct an escort mission. "Some of us should probably stay around the podium for support, the others should form up on the perimeter to watch the crowd." She makes her tactical offering then, enhanced senses already sweeping the area in a paranoid state.

Checking her pouches, and securing the batons strapped to her legs, Kenzie, the Firefly took a moment to look out over the croud, "So many people..." she mumbled. Taking a moment to remove her sleeves, she stretched her arms and moved to exit the vehicle. "Ahh can do patrol, if anyone has any high level tech, ahhll feel it.."

Paige Guthrie gets out of the van and looks around as well. "Looks like a good sized crowd. I don't know, I think with this whole metahuman acceptance thing, things might be looking up for mutant rights. Plus I heard one 'a President Ross's speeches. He seems to be pretty forward thinking about the whole thing. Nice an' refreshing."

"Um. Shouldn't real security have been provided? You know, professionals?" Candi asks as everyone piles out of the jeep, "I mean, sure, we have powers, but this kind of thing is where experience and years of training come into play. And none of us have either, though Laura is like, wired for this junk I understand, but none of the rest of us have badass programmed into us."

As the rally begins, a representative calls the group of people to order and then introduces the first speaker. "I have the utmost pleasure of introducing to you our first speaker. He is a young man from the Xavier Institute, a school for mutants. Ladies and gentleman, I give you, Mr. Alexander Summers." The crowd applaudes as Alex walks up to the podium. There are several microphones in front of him as he raises both hands, asking for the crowd to simmer down a little.

Then, he begins. "Ladies and gentleman, esteemed colleagues and honored guests. First of all, let me thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak at this rally today. Since the day mutants were revealed to the rest of the world, we have only wanted one thing: equality. We have appealed to the hearts of our human cousins and have been met with rejection time and time again. However, I believe now that we live in a world with more acceptance, thanks to our metahuman friends, we now stand on the cusp of something far more greater than ourselves. I believe that we are nearing a day where all people, mutant, human, and metahuman can walk the streets freely of persecution. To be able to go live and work with each other under a united banner of peace and prosperity..." As the group fans out, Kensington would sense the presence of high tech cameras and media devices. Laura's senses alert her to the sheer number of people who are conversating amonst themselves, mostly responding to the words spoken by Alex at the podium. It seems for all practical purposes, the rally has begun on a positive note.

Stepping out of the car, Chamber adjusted his jacket, the leather creaking some. < I agree, X-23. Husk, stay near Alex as immediate security. Everyone else, patrol but don't try to get in any of the everyday security and NYPD's way. We want to help with problems, not cause them. Bloody hell, even socialize if yer feel for it - a positive image is a good thing for us. For all of us. >

Chamber had to stop and listen to a street performer surrounded by hipsters with their iPhones, with an acoustic guitar and a harmonica, playing Bob Dylan's "The Times They Are A-Changin'." There was a smile in his eyes. < Candi, legit security is actually here. But in case some bloody group like the Brotherhood rears their ugly heads, we're here at Alex's request. Yer can make nice an' duck down when the going gets tough though, > he reassured her, no malice or cruelty to his voice - he knew Candi wasn't comfortable being a hero.

X-23 nods over then at Chamber's orders. Actually using her senses to sweep the crowd iwll be incredibly difficult due to the size of people here and the wide open space, but with luck she won't be out of position. X-23 confirms with a tongue-click into her communicator. < Roger. > She goes to work her way over one side, staying quiet but not in full stealth mode due to it being daylight and her in costume, rapidly sweeping over the area for weapons, anything out of the ordinary - like other metahumans or strangers.

Moving behind the rest, Kenzie moved to begin her patrol, stoping now and then to socialize with the few people who seemed genuinely interested in speaking to her. After a bit, she paused and moved to speak to a young woman, it seemed as if they knew eachother, though she did ocasionally glance about the area, lifting her shades as if trying to look for something.

Paige Guthrie heads over with Alex. "Think this'll be televised? Big rally in New York City. Probably will be televised. Think any of those alien guys would show up? I wonder what their stance on mutant rights are. I bet they're for all for it since they work with metahumans so often."

"Jesus fucking christ. Suck my dick. How did this shit get all over school?" asks Candi, "I aint scared of shit. It was just pointed out to me by one of our instructors that I couldn't keep anyone he considered a genuine threat from killing me. And I /have/ a defensive power, and am better at martial arts than most of yall. Not Laura of course. Her left butt cheek is better at martial arts than all of us put together." Then she sighs, "I know, I know. Language." Seriously, who did she share this with at school? Alex?

Alex continues his speech as the team continues to patrol the area. A lot of the smaller children flock to them because, well, they look like superheroes. Even some of the human teenagers flock to the girls because they're wearing spandex and they're insanely hot looking. However, it is around this point that something rather unexpected happens. Paige makes it up to where Alex is, just off to the left of him as he continues to speak when Alex suddenly stops talking and jerks forwards. A perplexed look comes across his face just before a red blossom of blood expells from his chest. Time seems to slow as the blonde haired mutant looks helpless as he falls backwards, hitting the ground with a thud. Blood begins to pool underneath him as his pallor goes white. Alex Summers has been shot...

All at once, chaos ensues in the crowd. People began screaming as normal security begins to scramble about, looking for the shooter. However, at the same time a man in an overcoat screams. "NOW!" And about twenty humans reveal hidden automatic weapons and begin to open fire on the crowd of mutants, mowing them down with extreme prejudice. The Friends of Humanity have made their presence known, and they are led by none other than Michael Young. Kensington's father.

< I ain't gotta mouth to do it, Candi, so keep- DOWN! COVER! Husk, stone up and get Alex *out* of here! Everyone, suppression maneuvers! Protect the civilians! >

Chamber went from snide to almost militant in a half a second. His facial covering is pulled down even as he climbs over some wooden barrier to try to separate people. His head is wreathed in his biokinetic energy, trailing around him. Spotting an assailant, a crackle and lance of psychic power erupts from his biokinetic core, the psychic blow enough to render the man with the weapon unconscious. Chamber's energy flowed around him - he was intentionally making himself a target, as he sent out a broad-range telepathic message to the entire crowd, the Friends of Humanity, even the media, he didn't have time to discriminate. < Get to safety people! Be careful! >

X-23 hisses then. The fastest way to take down the Freinds would be to disable them, but that's not within the amount of force she's sanctioned. She goes in for a charge towards the Friends, not unsheathing her claws, and trying to slam into them to disable them as quickly as she can with rough strikes, nerve blows, or just body slams to try and take as many of them down as in fast succession as she can. Inwardly fearing that this is just the start of things to come.

Kenzie, pacing about was thankfully not near anyone the moment that Alex was hit, a burst of electricity erupting from her as she suddenly broke into action, first moving towards the children and urging them to get to safety. Hell, her response was actually quite professional, that is, untill she saw her father. There was a slight whump as she suddenly planted her feet on the ground "FATHER!" she cried out as she pulled out one of her batons extending it and pushing an electrical charge through it, its surface courcing with energy casting sparks off as she began to move towards him.

Paige Guthrie blinks. "Alex!" She looks around after Alex gets shot, then quickly husks off her skin for a more bulletproof Paige of granite in case anyone fires at him a second time. "Then she checks where Alex was shot. Trying to remember any basic first aid from school, she takes some of her ripped off costume and first checks the wound, then tries to bind the wound. Put pressure on a gunshot, isnt that what they say?

Candi doesn't see what happened to Alex, but she is looking the right way to see the gunmen all crop up and start on their small scale genocide. A bringt pink bubble erupts under her feet and she is launched right at the worst of it. As she hits the ground she blows a bubble up in front of her to as big as she can get it, pushing with everything she's got. She thrusts that one forward then moves to one side to form another, trying to provide distraction and cover at the same time.

All hell breaks loose as the guy Chamber targets goes down quickly. Candi also manages to take down a few with her bubbles. The crowd is so large and diverse, that it's hard to determine friend from foe. It seems that as many FoH members are taken down, more seem to pop up in their place. And they are not playing nice. Gunfire peppers the area, a mutant child is gunned down in front of his distraught mother. The mother is then shot just after that. These men have no qualms about anything or anyone. All mutants are prospective targets.

Alex is shot in the chest and from the sound of him having difficulty breathing, it looks like he was shot in the lung. Blood begins to fill those lungs as Alex gurgles and blood begins to pour out of his open mouth.

Michael Young turns at the sound of Kenzie calling out to him. A look of intense hatred is on his face as he turns a pair of automatic weapons on his daughter and pulls both triggers, attempting to riddle the young mutant with bullets. "Die, mutant filth!"

All hell has broken loose. What can be done? More suppressing fire, even as Jono still tries to move. He's trying to draw their fire - as bullets ping and zip past him, one or two might get through - but his suit has some armor, and further than that, his damaged nervous system renders him immune to pain, and he'll reconstruct if damaged in time. < You want a mutant, you've got a mutant! > He tried to sound threatening and to draw the attention of the Friends - so the civilians, and innocents, had more time and an opening to run the hell away.

Seeing her father's reaction, Kenzies imediate response is to try and jump out of the way, her hands attempting to latch onto the arms of an FoH member, hopefully to use him as a human shield, the glow of her eyes visible even through her glasses as she calls through the comms "Hows Alex?!" she was angry, and the charge flowing through her would likely be enough to stop a heart or worse. "Ahh'm coming for ya Father!"

As Husk seems to have finished binding up Alex, at least so the bleeding can hopefully stop, Laura howls into the communicator < Backup Please! > To Husk, one of the more powerful members of the team. At this point, non-lethal strikes are not working, but they don't need a bloodbath. So Laura's claws pierce out, trying to surge to inflict disabling strikes - cutting through weapons, but trying to hold back her bloodlust to avoid slashing off limbs.

Paige Guthrie carefully moves Alex to the van and puts him in. "Ah stopped the bleeding but you need to get to a hospital soon. Don't move okay and stay in the van as cover." She puts Alex's hand on the binding where he was shot. "Keep your hand here and keep pressing down." Good thing SOMEONE pays attention in McCoy's classes on First Aid. "I'm going to try to pick out some of the shooters." She then does another quick husk, and is made of rubber and speeds off into the crowd.

With the bad guys on all sides and the mob going wild, the big bubbles don't have as much use anymore so Candi blows a large bubble to give herself some cover, then she starts pitching fastballs. She doesn't have to worry about killing anyone if she misses, or killing anyone if she hits for that matter, so she is grunting and straining, throwing the pink bubbles with everything she's got, keeping them baseball sized for the best combination of speed and impact force. Spotting a group of the crazies together she reaches out to snap up her giant bubble with her power, and then she runs with it, her right arm thrust straight forward as she charges the gunment behind it.

As Chamber yells out his challenge a member of the FoH responds to him by pulling out a rocket launcher from his trenchoat. "Chew on this, you sonofabitch." The rocket is promptly fired right at Chamber. While Laura might be using non-lethal moves, the other mutants that are defending themselves have not. There are dead humans and mutants all over the place, the air thick with the smell of blood, gunpowder and smoking metal. There are cries and shrieks for help as mutants are literally being murdered right before their eyes. Candi manages to catch a little girl in a pink dress get the back of her head blown out by a stray bullet. The man that Kenzie grabs is electrocuted from the output of her energy, her nostrils are filled with the stench of burnt human just before the shots meant for her thud into the smoking corpse. Thanks to Paige, Alex is able to hold onto the bandage on his chest, but he's taking very shallow breaths, one lung having to do the work for two right now.

A lone human male walks into the fray, with every step he takes, his body morphs little by litte, metal armor covers his body. He begins to float above the carnage as he announces. "Attention all humans. Please vacate the area. I will protect you from the mutant threat."

Okay, a rocket wasn't something Chamber was expecting. The mutant ducks as the rocket sails overhead, hitting a section of pavement and the people around it - innocents, mutant and human alike, and Chamber, go flying amidst the fire and shrapnel. Jonothon lands in a heap before getting back to his feet and his senses returned to him. He's got a ringing in his ears after that explosion, and his energy isn't nearly as menacing in his current, dazed condition. He manages to catch a glimpse of the man who took to the air, becoming metallic. < What on Earth...? >

According to Laura's files, the Friends of Humanity tend to not operate with supervillains. Which this man seemingly is as he goes up to the air and.. Changes. As he shifts, she hisses, but focuses.. Then, she turns to run over towards Paige. Speaking ot the communicator with her claws out < Throw me into the air at him. > Paige is the one who can toss her the fastest.. < Candi, if you can please setup one of your jellies to boost me. > Like a trampoline for her to bounce off of to help with Husk's toss.. A one-two-three Fastball!

Paige Guthrie superspeeds up to the rocket launcher guy as he's reloading and grabs the rocket launcher right out of his hands (why rubber gives superspeed is anyone's guess). Then she taps him on the shoulder from behind. Then wallops him in the face with said rocket launcher. That's not how you're supposed to use a rocket launcher though, Paige.

The stench of burnt flesh, it was something that would stick with the girl forever, but in the heat of the moment, rage was her armor. It kept her from noticing the smell, as well as feeling the pain in her side, a grazing shot had hit her, though it wasnt too bad. Droping the man she had been holding, she held an arm out, a wide blast of lightning hitting a member of the FoH square in the chest and sending him careening back as she glided towards Michael. "Ya'll ainna come here!" she shouted before reaching into her pouch and pulling out a steel bearing. There would be an audible buzz around her as she concentrated her energy into her arm, hair might stand on end, or people may have gotten the tingles, "Ahh aint gunna kill ya" she said "But y'all aint leavin this tahhm..."

There are more dead mutants and humans laying around now. A lot of the crowd have left, but there are some mutants that are trying to help the team deal with the FoH. Michael Young sees his daughter coming for him and when she gets a ball bearing out of her bag, he simply opens fire on her once again. "I don't have a daughter anymore." He says as he pulls the trigger. Somebody tosses a grenade behind Paige just as she hits the guy with the rocket launcher, breaking his jaw. The grenade detonates behind the rubber clad mutant girl.

The man in metal lowers himself so that he skims just above the ground. He fires red tinged force blasts at any mutant that he comes across. He's blasting through people, leaving holes in their bodies. He grabs one mutant teenager by the face and smacks him against the ground as a crater forms underneath the kid's broken and bloody body. Whoever this guy is, he's not looking to stop mutants, he's simply killing them all, and shows no sign of stopping.

That means he has to be taken down, and fast. With a timing yell to help get the sync, X-23 leaps over on top of a large jelly setup like a trampoline by the ever-awesome Candi, flipping through the air over towards Husk, with hopefully Husk shifting to something super strong to launch her through the air like a missile at the metallic man, her claws out. She won't be holding back if she's launched, Laura intent on skewering him through the middle of the body with her adamantium blades, not caring about any damages she herself might take in the process. Momentum is her friend.

The moment Michael fires his weapons Kenzie's eyes go wide, several small caliber shots rip through her suit, causing her to release her shot, the general area shes aiming at would be one of his legs. For her, time slows down as she hits the deck. Seeing the whirlwind of chaos around her, and the metal man, she realises how bad it would get, "PAIGE!" she cried out, remembering the training her and Paige recieved on how to handle large robots in the danger room. "PAIGE!" she would cry again urgently!

As soon as those red rays of energy erupt from the metalline fellow, Chamber's energy sucks inward and then pours out in a cyclonic blast of power, crackling like orange lightning, it snaps and rockets forth towards the man, emanating incredible heat and even greater disruptive power.

Superspeed is good to disarm people, but in a fight with robots, might not be the right thing. And with a grenade, definitely not helpful! Couple of seconds before it goes off.... Another 'shhrrrrip' and she's made to adamantium - though if she keeps changing this quick, it's going to start getting REALLY painful, but more painful would be a grenade explosion, which goes off harmlessly near Adamantium Paige.

She looks over at Laura quickly, "Do that thing Wolverine and Colossus do, right?" Then grabs Laura and throws her at the metallic guy when Laura is by her. "I really they don't mind us takin' their move." Then looks over at Kenzie when she calls out to her.

Michael Young screams in pain when one of his legs is blown completely off by Kensington's rail gun. He falls onto his back as one of his fellow FoH'ers grab him and begin to pull him out of the battle zone. He snarls towards Kensington. "The next time I see you, I will kill you."

Chamber's attack on the metal man hits him dead on. And the metal dude keeps on walking like it didn't even matter. When Laura is launched towards him, just before impact, her claws retract all on their own just before the metal man catches her with an outstretched arm. It's eyes glow briefly before she is slammed into the ground. Actually she is slammed into the ground so hard that it leaves an imprint of her body in the asphalt. He then states. "72 percent of the mutant threat has been neutralized." And he's not lying, there are hundreds of dead mutant bodies laying around.

Candi makes a trampoline bubble for X, and gives it a bit of extra juice by reinforcing it as the girl bounces, adding a good amount of 'spring' to the glowing pink bubble of force. Then she goes back to stiff arming her bubble around, steamrollering anyone that gets in her way. Right now she can't worry about any civilians that might be in the way, a bounce off her bubble and a bruised butt is better than having your head blown off. Not for the first time she wished for the ability to make sharp things or deadly things, or to do what her evil twin in the dreamlands did, making bubbles around things.

Chamber only has one course of action amidst this destruction and devastation and outright ethnic cleansing. Jono screwed his eyes shut, and he called out telepathically - to Xavier, to Scott, to Jean. < Emergency. We need evac. Alex has been shot. We're up against something we can't handle on our own without risk of even more getting hurt or killed. Please help. > And then his eyes pop open, and another torrent of his biokinetic energy rockets forth towards the metal man - erratic and discordant, it lances out here and there, melting asphalt and making it sag, outright disintegrating a nearby sewer cover. And he holds that blast steady and long - wide enough for someone to be thrown through, even!

X-23 is hitting hard. The man catches her as she's tossed, her claws retracting to her surprise, a flick and twist of his hand catching her wrists and crushing them like tissue paper. Laura lets out a scream then as she burns and sizzles from the impact and the sudden cessation of her own hurled momentum, body twisting unnaturally before being dumped like so much trash, tossed to the ground like a crumbled ball. Even worse, her healing factor isn't kicking in, not that the girl caught up in a haze of aongizing pain can tell!

Paige Guthrie looks over at where Laura's fighting the metallic guy, right before she gets smacked aside. Okay that wasnt expected! Paige Guthrie waves her hands at the robot guy. "HEY ya jerk! Over here!" she yells, trying to distract him from X-23, who seems to be in a lot of pain from the failed fastball special-type maneuver.

"Paige!" Kenzie cried, "Ahh need somethin big ta shoot!" she called over, getting back to her feet, holding one of the small wounds in her side.

Candi didn't see Alex go down, but she did see her hero Laura go down. She yells out, "X!" and then she hops across the battlefield like a pink ninja, or perhaps like a rejected Mario character, since she is bouncing on a floating series of bubbles. She comes bounding down to the ground by Laura and quickly starts applying her first air, "Laura if you are really hurt I am so going to kick your ass do you hear me? So, you better be god damn playing right now." Yes, bedside manner of the gods. Of course, she's balling her eyes out too, but that goes with the cussing really well.

As the members of the FoH pretty leave the mutant killing to the guy in the metal suit, the mutants find themselves in a bit of a situation. Laura's healing factor isn't working, nor can she extend her claws. Paige looses her ability to Husk. Kensington can no longer feel any kind of electrical charge inside of her body. Candi can no longer make bubbles, and Chamber's bio-energy winks out along with his telepathy. And that's not even the worse thing. The man in metal moves past Laura and Candi, and now begins firing beams of crimson at the team and any mutants that are left in the area. A scaled mutant suddenly looks human and is then promptly disintergrated.

Chamber, for all intents and purposes, crumples in a heap. His eyes roll back into his head, and he starts to shiver. His energy has been smothered or worse, and that which gives him life is completely gone. He has no heart. He has no lungs. What blood was flowing up to his brain remains. He has only so much time... is this what drowning feels like? No, you can hear your pulse in your ears. You sleep when you're drowning. This is something worse.

X-23 Is on the ground then, spasming in pain. She can't move, and only the fact that Candi is there, in a protective pose is all that keeps her from hitting her berserk state, knowing she and the rest of the team would not survive. Speaking to the commlink.. < Have to.. Stall..> She looks up at the metal man, her body sizzling in pain, unable to move, only barely able to speak, "What's it like.. Killing humans?" She spasms out, going for the old logic circuit overload.. "Given.. You're cutting everyone's powers.. You're slaughtering humans.. By the dozen." It's a Hail Mary, but one Captain Kirk would approve.

Paige Guthrie blinks as her adamantium body flakes off onto the ground, causing Paige to revert back to ... well.... a Paige body. A naked Paige body. "ah can't husk anymore!" she says, shocked. Then sees what's happening around her, first no electricity sparking from Kenzie, then the lizard guy reverting to human right before getting disintigrated. She ducks from one of the crimson beams and falls down to the ground, by the loaded rocket launcher she used to konk the other FoH guy. She sees Jono just collapse, then grabs the rocket launcher, putting it on her shoulder and aims while Laura's all trying to distract him. It's so lucky that they make these things so any two bit criminal or poorly trained soldier can use them. When the crosshairs go green and there's that 'bing' tone, she says "I said ... HEY YA JERK!"

Then fires a rocket at the metal guy.

Distractions are best when directed, high calibre explosive rockets, anyway.

Kenzie's head was foggy, she was conscious due to adrenaline, crawling herself over to Michael's leg, she grabed ahold of one of his submachine guns and took aim at the metal monster, and simply squeezed the trigger untill the weapon ceased to fire, "Asshole" she grunted before throwing the empty weapon in his direction as well, then, collapsed to the deck panting.

Candi grabs Laura and says, "Hold on hon. I am going to get you over to those bleachers for some kind of cover." Yes, Candi knows all that about not moving people, but she also knows that leaving X out int he middle of things like this is waiting for one squished friend. She scoops the small girl up into her arms with a grunt, then she runs for cover, "Please don't taunt the rampaging maniac while I'm carrying you hon! I am out of bubbles and you aren't healing like you should. Think grim stoic thoughts and look fierce."

Laura's tactic would work, if she was dealing with a machine. But she's not. She's dealing with a human that has no personality in some advanced armor. And she is promptly ignored as he continues his mission by eliminating every mutant that comes across his scanner. The rocket fired by Paige detonates on the armor of the guy, and it causes a dent in his chassis, but he doesn't slow down very much.

Apparently, Chamber's last act before going unconscious is successful, because the Blackbird enters the area. (Go Fantomex!)

The team is currently in dire straits. Chamber manages to send a telepathic cry for help stating that the team was up against something they couldn't handle, and Alex had been shot. The Professor has heard Chamber's message and dispatches members of the X-Men in the Blackbird to pick up Gen X in Times Square. The team is currently without their mutant abilites, Chamber is down. Alex is down. Laura is down with Candi working on her. Paige is in good condition, while Kensington is bleeding from a gunshot wound. The Prime Sentinel is dispatching the mutants that were left from the rally.

 Chamber is out, too. Whether Jono's dead or just in extremely critical condition will be up to staff.

Fantomex is in the Danger Room when the intercom goes off and Xavier reports there is an emergency, to get to the rally immediately. Fantomex goes to take the Blackbird as it is closer than going upstairs and coughing up E.V.A. Blackbird also has move room.

The Blackbird doesn't take long to power up and take off, and Fantomex expertly takes it around toward New York City, programming the location in. He is still intercoming it with Professor X when the Professor reports that their mutant powers are somehow being blocked and they are fighting what appears vaguely like a Sentinel. Something...that hasn't been seen for years.

Fantomex's stomach actually turns cold and rolls. He heard whispers, stories, but he tries not to think about it right now. He checks for his sword, and is glad he decided not to take E.V.A. out. Safest place is either far away or inside him.

The roar of the jet is soon heard approaching, and Fantomex moves to put it on auto-pilot, though the auto-landing may be rough as he goes to open the side door, to get a look outside at the carnage. And...where is the so-called Sentinel?

Kenzie groaned and looked up, she had several small calibur bullet wounds, though the armor helped slow the slugs down. She'd lost a lot of blood, but hearing the bird in the sky was enough to give her the adrenal boost she needed to move, grabing Michael's other discarded weapon, she began limping her way towards the closest cover she could find in the direction of rescue. Using the weapon to protect her self from any remaininh FoH sympathisers, the girl looked like hell, but she was still alive for now.

Candi is tending X-23, who is being all tough and super cool, leaving all the blubbering for Candi to take care of. Still, Candi pays attention in first aid classes, she knows how to stop the bleeding.

Naked Paige Guthrie drops the rocket launcher. "Crap." Wow, the rocket explosion just dented the Sentinel. "Okay, time for a tactical retreat." She runs to the van where Alex is when the blackbird arrives. She comms to the others << Chamber's down, Laura and Kenzie are hurt, Alex is shot... We need to regroup and get to a hospital or the Mansion. Get to the Blackbird. Now. >>

Sentinel fires ruby red energy from his hands once again, impacting a mutant that was the process of running away. He then turns and spots Fantomex. "Altered mutant detected..." He takes a step or two forwards, but pauses, canting his head slightly. Suddenly, he fires his boot-jets and rises into the air, then moves to leave the area. Mutant powers are restored after he leaves. Laura begins to heal again. Paige can Husk. Kenzie feels the electricity in her body again, and Jono's bio-kinetic powers return..and return him from his unconcious state.

Kenzie's body begins hemoraging again as a massive burst of electricity explodes out from her, the poor girl too tired to keep going, she leans against the side of a post box and just slimps down, head back eyes closed panting, exhausted.

X-23 spasms on the ground as she feels her healing factor kick in. Her body jumps then, spasming a bit to bounce u pand have her face impact nad rebound off a.. Particularly comfortable part of Candi's anatomyu as her body restarted and rebooted itself as the agonizing pain that had had her helpless vanished.

Candi Comfort. Patented and Trademarked for that superior bouncing pad. When you have to bounce, bounce with the best. Candi oofs as she gets a face punch, "Laura!" She is super scared that Laura might have just kicked the bucket, but then she sees the wounds closing before her eyes, and has the reassuring sensation of the bounce zipping into her hair. "IT's okay Laura! You're going to be okay. Just hold on to me and focus on all the ice cream you still owe me."

Chamber's energy is a dark blue and he he appears unfocused. He is not communicated with anyone telepathically, and cannot seem to sit up fully as he twitches about from the shock.

Kenzie groaned into her comm "Ahh need..." she swallowed hard "Ahh need help...ahhm ..ahhm not ok" she said again "Ahh..ahmma send up a flare.." she pulled out one of her coins and fired up into the air, the weakest of explosions about a hundred yards up above her

X-23's mind reboots, and she groans over at Candi, crawling along then. Her still too injured to be of much help, Candi carrying her over from the battlefield now then, her mind in a state of near stasis as she regenerated.

When she sees the Sentinel fly off, Paige Guthrie does husk right away. For one reason - she's friggin NAKED. Back to something easier and less embarrassing - diamond. She again contacts the others. < He took off.... not that we're in a state to pursue him. Plus we need to get most of us to the hospital or the mansion.... What the HECK WAS THAT? >

Fantomex's blood does freeze. He is about to take a leap from the jet, but pauses as he watches the Sentinel retreat. How many may die by letting it go? But...Fantomex is not absolutely sure he can defeat it by himself without his illusionary and redirection powers. He is enhanced yes, but he doesn't have a weapon like Captain America to back up his super soldier white ass!

In the meantime, Chamber's energy is a dark blue and he he appears unfocused. He is not communicated with anyone telepathically, and cannot seem to sit up fully as he twitches about from the shock.

Fantomex is there as the jet continues to lower and thumps down, jumping the last three yards down as the jet continues to lower so he can call out, "Get in the Blackbird, now!" How he manages to keep his French accent in a situation like this is amazing, non? "Who needs help getting in?" He is already moving toward Jono who is out in the open.

X-23 is hauled up and over into the Blackbird now, barely conscious and cradled against Candi then, going to settle down over in the Blackbird as she's hoisted up unconscious and strapped into a chair, more than likely.

Candi tends to Laura, focusing on her instead of all the awful around her. She doesn't really want to turn into some jaded, war shocked veteran. Already her brain is working on blocking out the horrors just experienced, sheltering her enough hopefully so that she can actually retain a childhood. "Laura. Who taught you to put on eye makeup? That is horrible." She strokes and caresses her friend, talking to her to be talking. "You are actually pretty when you aren't awake. You stop scowling. Funny. I thought you would growl while you slept."

Chamber is lifted up with ease, not that the guy is heavy to begin with! While the kid's head lulls from side-to-side, Fantomex races to the Blackbird to sit in him a chair and with rapid movements, he buckles him in. "Intercom the Professor and tell him to have Beast on standby with three gurneys. I will assist him in the medical lab." His French accented words are spoken fast and rapidly, and perhaps a bit harshly as he then races back out to go assist Alex. He will have to get Alex onto the floor of the Blackbird and order Candi to leave X-23 the hell alone and make sure Alex's bleeding stops with pressure, and points where the emergency aid kit is in the Blackbird. He runs inhumanly fast, dodging dead bodies and debris like it is nothing. Of course, police sirens and ambulance sirens are likely heard by now.

The group seems mostly reassembled. Laura is strapepd into her seat in teh back, probably the least injured even wiht her grievous state as her bones knit and her healing factor reasserts itself. As Candi sings over to her, she mouths along the words then in her semi-coherent state, as if humming along with her. There's something twistedly sweet about it.

Paige Guthrie takes Alex into the Blackbird. "Alex got shot.... he needs a hospital BADLY." She looks. "Am I the only one that didnt get shot or something?"

X-23 groans over, still incoherent and pressed up against Candi then, but finally her eyes flickering over open. She looks over, and shakes her head to try and clear out the doldrums from it and taking a breath, "Have to.." She shakes her head.

Candi pretty much ignores Fantomex when he and Paige comes in with Alex. She never saw him fall. She didn't expect to see him all covered in blood and looking so...dead. Of course, Paige already did the whole apply pressure thing, and he's all bandaged. Paige paid attention to her first aid classes and it shows. So Candi's main duty is to cry over Alex like she cried over Laura. And she does that really well.

Fantomex then runs out, not seeing Candi ignore him and goes to get Kenzie. It only takes him a few moments before he carries her in, and snaps harshly, "What is wrong with you?! Get the first aid kit now or I'll break both of your arms Candi!" And Fantomex sounds dead serious, without remorse. He moves to put Kenzie on the floor as well since she is out cold...Chamber will just be google in the seat...he isn't taking the extra time when it may mean Alex's life.

Kenzie's pose: "Ahh got shot a little" she coughed out "Mahh father was there.." she said holding up the smg she snagged, then grunted, unable to look at Alex, the color already gone entirly from her face. "Ahhm so glad yer here, ahh just.." she blinked out "Ahh need to just...rest a moment...took..so..much out of me.."

Fantomex closes the hatch and moves to the front of the plane, reprogramming it into a new auto-pilot as he intercoms the Professor. "Have Beast waiting for us with three gurneys, life or death situation with Alex. He's been shot, bleeding bad, blood leaking from his mouth. It likely got a lung. I will assist Beast in medical bay when I get there as an assistant." The jet is lifting off as he speaks with his assistance as he then lets auto-pilot take over. He is grumbling in French to himself, and it doesn't sound pleasant.