Senator Kelly moved nervously in his chair. He wasn't sure if he should have done this. After all Operation Zero Tolerance had been a very risky move. He didn't know how people would respond to a military team against mutants. Then again what involving mutants wasn't risky ? If someone should know it was him. How much had he lost in the process of fighting against mutants ? Too much. So why keep going ? He knew the answer and it disturbed him a lot. There wasn't no one else who could do it. Everyone in the White House was just good at shouting at mutants but they never did anything about it. He was different... He took a deep breath and looked at the camera operator who counted slowly from ten to one. When he said one all the lights went on and suddenly he was on air.

"This is Roger Kren reporting for CBNC with a exclusive live interview with Senator Robert Kelly. Senator you are here to tell us about the new government operation against the mutant threat. Please go on."

Kelly sighed, then faced the camera. "Citizens of the United States of America. I am speaking on the behalf of the president. The world, and mostly USA have been endangered by the mutant threat. The next step in human evolution as some chose to call it. Firstly it was no threat at all. Mutants lived amongst us some unknown some known but they all meant good. In the last year or so the situation got worse. There were reports of mutant attacks all over the globe. Terrorists as Magneto killed many people in their fights. Lately the mutant known as Onslaught terrorized NY and the effects are still seen today. And finally just few weeks ago one of our agents, the vice president of the Mutant Affairs Office, Ms. Vallerine Cooper was killed in a terrorist attack. The terrorist was believed to be a mutant. That was enough. We have decided to do something about it. And here it is. Operation Zero Tolerance. A military operation sponsored by the government to fight the mutant threat. OZT has the cutting edge technology to use in the fight against mutants. Our first encounter happened just few hours before and we have the tape of it right here."

When Kelly said those words his face was replaced with a short screening of the battle Team Alpha fought with the agents of OZT. Cyclops appeared on the screen shooting one of the Sentinels and then Gambit and Chamber fighting a Sentinel onboard of the Blackbird. Kelly returned.

"This was the fight against the mutant group known as X-Men. We will continue fighting against mutants until we are sure that there is no more mutant threat and that we can safely walk on the streets again. Operation Zero Tolerance had begun." Kelly concluded his speech ^And may God help us all^ he thought.

"Cut !" shouted one of the camera men. Kelly and the reporter got up from their chairs.

"Senator that tape will be played within few hours during the news, I really liked what you said there. It was very deep." said Roger.

"Funny I felt like crying." came a voice behind them.

"C'mon Trish stop moaning about this."

"I wont. We both know that the X-Men have never done anything wrong to the world. It's the government that keeps making them look bad. And Operation Zero Tolerance is a repeat of what happened in Genosha few years ago, and we all know how that turned out."

Trish took a deep breath and looked at Senator Kelly and calmed down. "Senator could I at least ask you to try to stop this ? You have known X-Men as long as I have, please for our own good ?"

"I'm afraid it's not possible Miss. Tilby. It's already too late. Now if you excuse me I've got business to do."

The Mansion.

^I should have not let him go. It was clearly a trap. Now we don't even know where they are. Goddess I hope they are alive.^ Storm breathed deeply before turning around to face what was left of the X-Men. She just saw the news report about Operation Zero Tolerance and in there she saw the X-Men were captured. Also Jean had lost her psychic report with Scott. It was her fault. She should have stopped Scott from going. Now she had to act, trying not to make a mistake again. As she looked at her teammates she smiled weakly. They were all ready to go.

"My friends as you know Team Alpha had been captured by Operation Zero Tolerance. At least now we know who we are up against. They have the latest technology which matches our Shi'ar equipment. We have to be very careful."

"Cannonball, Iceman, Bishop and Rogue I want you to go to the site of the accident and see for yourself how it looks. Maybe there is someone there that they have not taken. I want you to try to figure out yourself what happened, that report on news didn't tell us a lot. Is that understood ?"

"Yes."

"Yeah."

"Yes Storm."

"Yah."

"Good then get ready and go." Storm said with a deep breath, everyone walked of. Some of them running to the Blackbird, others walking off to the War Room or the mansion, awaiting for what was to happen next. Jean stayed behind and talked to Storm who turned around to face the screens in front of her.

"Storm you cant blame yourself for what happened."

"I know Jean. I just wish I had made a different choice. Now all I can do is pray to the goddess that they are alive."

"They are. I would feel it if they were dead."

Storm turned around surprised. "Really ? I thought your powers didn't work that way."

"I'm evolving." said Jean with a weak smile. "Don't worry Ororo they are okay. Now let's concentrate on finding some traces of them."

"I guess you are right. Let's hope Rogue and the rest will succeed."

Somewhere in the Rocky Mountains

Rogue bit her lip as she got out of the Blackbird. She didn't know what to expect. They might as well find all the X-Men dead. She heard the rest walking behind her. Cannonball was flying towards a cliff in no time. She joined him and flew as she saw marks of something big sliding across the ground underneath her. She was afraid to look over the cliff where the marks clearly ended and the object fell down. She saw Iceman speeding behind her with Bishop behind him. They all stopped on the edge of the cliff. Sam looked down first. Everyone looked at him unsure what he was going to say. "Hey come and take a look at this !"

Everyone leaned over and saw the Blackbird stuck between the walls of the canyon. It was a miracle. The plane must have fallen down and gotten stuck on the walls. Rogue smiled.

"Okay guys let's get down there." she said as she speed down the canyon. Sam and the rest right behind her.

They landed on a small rock platform right where the Blackbird was stuck. Rogue looked at it nervously. If there was anyone inside, and she or someone would step in the plane could fall down. It would be enough if one wing would snap and it wouldn't be stuck anymore.

"Okay yah stay here an' Ah'll go an' take a look around tha plane." Rogue flew from the rock platform. She came by a window and looked inside. At first she saw nothing from the dust. She wiped the window with her hand. She saw the controls smashed in front of her. The stick was pulled out and layed on the floor. She looked around to see if there was any human shapes. She saw a corpse and her breath stopped. Then she realized that it was one of the new Sentinels. She moved to another window trying to find someone. Still no use. All she saw was the destroyed walls of their Blackbird. She could see the door was torn away and the walls had holes in them ^What happened here ?^ she thought. Suddenly she heard a explosion on the roof. She quickly flew up to see a hand trying to grab on to something. Few seconds later she saw it was Gambit's hand. His head appeared few seconds later. He appeared to have no serious injuries. The moment he saw Rogue he smiled. Then the plane suddenly moved. It started to fall down with Gambit in it. Rogue screamed and she threw herself after the plane. Her hands grabbed the tail of the Blackbird and pulled up. Her face went red but she didn't let go. She couldn't hold on for long.

"Bobby ! Come here now !" she shouted.

She didn't have to shout. Bobby and Sam were there. Iceman grabbed Gambit by the hand and pulled him out. Remy jumped on to the ice platform behind Bobby and they went back up to the ground. Rogue seeing he was safe let go of the plane and it fell down to the canyon uninterrupted. As they made their way up to the ground Remy looked back. He gulped as he thought he could have been in the plane.

"So sugah what happened ?" asked Rogue once they were by the other Blackbird. Iceman, Cannonball and Bishop turned to face him too. They were curious.

"It be a long 'tory chere. Gambit don' wan' t' talk now. I tell you when we get back."

"But is everyone okay ?" asked Sam.

"Yeah I managed t' push Logan out o' de plane before it fell down t' de canyon. De rest should be alive."

With these words Remy turned around and walked into the Blackbird. The rest followed. As Bishop and Cannonball took the controls Rogue took care of Remy's injuries. He didn't talk and neither did she. None of them noticed a small red bug on Remy's coat.

Hulkbuster base, Mexico headquater of OZT

Bastion supervised the placement of his prisoners in their cells. After a bit of thought he placed them all in one big cell. Their mutant powers negated he smiled as the members of X-Men were locked in chains. Mutants would be under control. Finally. As the guards brought in the last X-Man, Wolverine Bastion turned around. "He doesn't go here." The guard looked at him puzzled.

"Take Wolverine to the lab we will be using him for some experiments. Meanwhile make sure these X-Men are locked up and close the doors. Is that understood ?"

"Yes sir."

TBC...

NEXT PART OF THE STORY: "X-Men: Gold and Blue" #10, online in two weeks:

"Secrets revealed"

"Operation Zero Tolerance" Part 2

Bastion finds out X-Men's secret base. He attacks the mansion with full force of Operation Zero Tolerance. The X-Men are crushed. Who will survive ? Plus a introduction of a new character begins. Things get from bad to worse...

NEXT ISSUE:

"Fall"

Continuing from XMGB #10 "Operation Zero Tolerance" Part 3!