All of these characters belong to Marvel and are borrowed without permission with no profit made.

NOTE: Continued from "Gen. X" #2

February 1998

Vision Comics presents X-Men in:

"Secrets Revealed" "Operation Zero Tolerance" Part 2 Plot and Script: Tom

Waking up after loosing consciousness must be the worst feeling there is. First you start seeing glimpses of light before your eyes. Then comes the sour taste in your mouth which wont fade until few hours after waking. Then comes the incredible headache from somewhere in the back of your head, at first very faint then becoming larger and larger until in the end it's a striking pain like you have never experienced before. When you finally wake up you don't know where you are and how you got there. All you know is that your head feels like it's going to explode, and you can't feel the rest of your body. After that feeling is gone you start to regain some of your memories. You start remembering what exactly happened and if you're fortunate enough how you got where you were. And after that phase you finally are awake.

This was exactly how Cyclops was feeling. He had experienced things like this before but never in such a hard way. ^They must have used drugs to keep us asleep^ he thought. That was a good explanation.

When Scott was finally ready to open his eyes he panicked. His visor wasn't there. He was in too much pain to notice it before. Preparing himself for his eyes making a terrible destruction all over the place he looked around in terror. Nothing happened. He could see straight through his eyes without the visor or the glasses without producing any plasma rays. ^My powers are gone^ was the first thought that came to his head. Until then he didn't notice the chains on his hands and small devices on them probably negating his powers.

He got up and looked around. Most of the X-Men were there. Just like him they were all prisoned, chained to the wall in one big room made of steel. It was build as if it was intended to hold a hulk.

Scott tried speaking but he found that he couldn't get any words out of his mouth. He tried again and his mouth made some sounds that still didn't sound like words. He concentrated through the pain and spoke.

"Is...everyon....uh....okay ?" he managed to choke out.

"Yes Scott we are all fine you on the other hands look the worst. Do you feel any pain ?" said Beast.

"Yes I'll....I'll be fine." said Scott his ability to speak returning.

"I would love to see that for myself but since my limited movement space I can't."

"I'm okay Hank. Now does anyone remember what happened ?"

"It's gonna be a long story." said Sean.

"I have time." said Scott while trying to smile. Instead a grimace of pain crossed his face.

Somewhere near

"Uh man what did we get ourselves into this time ?" asked Paige while still trying to figure out how she managed to end up in a cell with Angelo chained up to the wall.

"No idea chica. Last thing I know is that a building is falling on us and then I wake up here with you."

"Well that doesn't really help a lot does it ? Do you know anything about the rest ?"

"I think Ms. Frost is in a cell nearby but I'm not sure. I haven't seen Everett."

"Great. Just great."

Bastion's office

"He just sits there motionless. He watches the news I can see his heart is twitching at the sight of the mutants being beaten but he wont admit it. What is he hiding ? What is the secret of Charles Xavier ?" Bastion was speaking to himself while looking at the holograph image of Xavier in his cell.

"I will never figure you out Xavier." he mumbled to himself. He turned around at the sound of a voice from one of his computers.

[Bastion sir, we have received the reading from the bug that you placed. You will be surprised.]

"I'm on my way." said Bastion with a smile. If he had a heart it would start beating faster.

He quickly opened the door and stormed out to the comm room. The moment he entered his curiosity started eating him. "Well ?"

"Sir we have discovered the bug around 41* N and 73 * E"

"Just around New York. That would make sense since the X-Men appear mostly in New York." said Bastion while looking at the printout given to him.

"Did you manage to get the name of the estate or house or a accurate address ?"

"Yes sir we actually managed to find the name of the place the X-Men's base is."

"And it is ?"

"Xavier's Institute for Higher Learning"

Bastion's eyes grew large and he dropped the paper he was holding.

Mansion few hours later

"So Gambit you think you're ready to tell us what happened now ?" asked Storm.

"Gambit be ready now chere." Remy said with no grin on his face this time.

"We are all ready now." said Jean.

Remy looked around at all the people sitting around the big table. They were all there. Everyone who was not captured by Operation Zero Tolerance was sitting around waiting for him to tell the story.

"Okay it being like dis. We be flyin' t' Alaska t' find White Queen an' de others. Den outta nowhere ten or so planes appear in front o' us. Dey tell us t' surrender but we start de fight. Me Scott and de English guy watch everyone be captured. One by one dey are neutralized by de Sentinels, Prime Sentinels dey call themselves I think."

Remy took a deep breath. He looked at his shaking hands trying to hold the cigarette straight. He never noticed he was so nervous. He puffed the cigarette and inhaled it deeply. The smoke lingered in his lungs for few seconds and he was ready to go.

"So dey all take us out one by one an' in de end it be me Scott and de Jono guy. One of de Prime Sentinels drops through de roof and attacks me and Jono. Scott be take' out by one of de Sentinels an' 'e an' Jono be de only one standin'. Jono tried t' stop de Blackbird from crashin' but he don' succeed an' we crash in de mountain'. I manage t' pull Logan out so dere be no one in de plane cuz it be hangin' on de side o' a cliff, and den de Blackbird falls 'fore I manage to get out. Dat is all I remember."

Silence filled the room. Everyone was shocked by Gambit's tale to say anything. For few minutes only breathing could be heard and Remy smoking his cigarette. Finally Bishop spoke up.

"Remy why didn't Operation Zero Tolerance take you with them ? You were left behind as if for some reason. Do you recall anything unusual ?"

"I don' have a clue why dey left me. I don' 'member anythin' happenin' to me den. Maybe dey forgot 'bout me." Remy answered his hands still playing around with a cigarette.

"Remy are you sure the rest are alive ?" asked Jean.

"Yes I be. Dey were all captured but not killed. Dey are probly' held somewhere now by Operation Zero Tolerance."

Suddenly everyone turned around as they heard a noise of breaking the wood.

[INTRUDER ALERT INTRUDER ALERT]

"Who could it be ?" said Bishop while he and the rest of the team were already on their feet and running upstairs. The moment they ran into the hallway they saw hundredths of Prime Sentinels standing in front of them.

"It be dem" whispered Remy

[MUTANTS DESIGNATE: X-MEN SURRENDER YOURSELF TO FORCES OF OPERATION ZERO TOLERANCE AT THIS INSTANT OR YOU WILL BE TERMINATED]

"We ain't surrounding to anyone " shouted Sam as he was already in the air ready to attack.

The Sentinels understanding the rejection of their order fired at the X-Men. Within seconds the team was regrouped. Gambit was on the floor throwing cards at the Sentinel while Joseph snak up on it from the side. Using his magnetic powers he blew the Sentinel into parts. Meanwhile Storm had created a lighting bolt and stuck on the Sentinels, while Phoenix held it in place with her telekinesis. Rogue threw herself straight into the fight knocking the robots over to left and right.

The Sentinels fired at Bishop and he absorbing the energy shoot back at them full power. Iceman created a ice shield over Jubilee and Exude while he tried freezing the robots.

To his surprise his powers didn't affect any of the Sentinels. Instead the gigantic robot fired at Bobby who just managed to duck. Suddenly there were rays of plasma everywhere shooting at Bobby. He speed all around the room dogging the assaults, while trying to get the Sentinel. Then suddenly he heard his bridge crack and suddenly he felt air under his feet. He started falling while trying to create a ice bridge under him. He was so concentrated on that he didn't notice a Prime Sentinel in front of him shooting plasma. He was hit on the chest, his ice form absorbing most of the power but was blown back and landed on the floor where all the X-Men were gathered, breathing deeply.

"They are immune to our powers" he shouted while trying to catch his breath.

"Quoi. But 'nly t' each o' us. No' all together." answered Gambit.

Iceman looked around. He and the X-Men were backed into a corner. It wasn't good.

"We need to play defense now." pointed out Sam

"Very well." said Storm while flying up in the air. "Joseph hit a magnetic pulse under the ground. Jubilee use your fireworks to blind them for a while."

When Storm finished her sentence the ground was already shaking and Jubilee was blinding her opponents. The Prime Sentinels fell to the shaken ground while Storm created a giant cloud which rained down at them. Iceman started freezing the falling rain and when it hit them it was hard as stone. Meanwhile Remy charged few stones and threw them all over the place making them explode. The Prime Sentinels started short circuiting and with help from Joseph they stopped functioning.

They had thought they won the fight when suddenly a ray of energy came shooting through the wall knocking Storm and Phoenix out. Panic filled the air. Plasma came shooting from everywhere through the walls. Bishop started absorbing everything that hit him and he tried shooting back. Using every bit of energy that he had he shoot plasma through the nearest wall where the plasma was coming from. He created a big hole and could see that few of the Prime Sentinels were knocked out.

"Ah'll take care o' them." shouted Rogue while she flew full speed through the hole.

"Rogue no !!" shouted Iceman but it was too late. The second Rogue flew through the hole she saw a fist firing at her. She came flying back with mega speed. She crashed through the wall where everyone was standing and kept going and going. No one even knew where she landed.

"Dis no' b' good." said Remy. "We must leave." He started running to get Storm but a plasma ray shoot right in front of him crashing a wall down separating him from Storm, Phoenix and Bishop.

"No !"

It would take ages to get through. And he heard the Prime Sentinels were approaching. Within few seconds they would be attacking him. He turned around and saw Iceman getting Jubilee and Elizabeth out. Cannonball and Joseph were right behind them running away dogging the ever present plasma rays. ^Forgive me Stormy^ Remy thought while he started running after them. ^If anyone can save the X-Men it's us now. And we cant do it now^ he thought. His thought were disturbed by a scream. He looked up and saw Elizabeth fall from Iceman's ice bridge. She fell to the ground and seemed unharmed. Remy ran up to her and helped her out. He mentioned for the other X-Men to keep going.

"Be you okay ?" he asked quickly.

"Yeah, fine."

"Good den start running." he shouted. He saw Elizabeth running for the back door in front of him while he heard a Prime Sentinel behind him. He grabbed a big piece of concrete and charging it threw it at the Sentinel. It hit the robot and blew it up into pieces. Remy turned around and saw that Elizabeth was gone into the woods. He started running for the door dropping charged cards everywhere, knowing they would explode in a second. When he was just at the door he heard a crash and then a explosion and suddenly everything behind him exploded blowing him away. He got up from the ground and started running for the woods, looking back only once to see no Prime Sentinels behind him.

Later

Bastion wondered around the mansion with a smile on his face. Finally he had the X-Men in his clutches. He had found their base, captured most of them, and was about to find their secrets. One thing that he still couldn't believe was that Xavier was the creator of X-Men. After all it was so obvious. He wondered how he could've missed something like that. After hearing the news he gathered most of his Prime Sentinels from the Hulkbuster base and went to Wenchester. While the Sentinels confronted the remains of X-Men he got ready for the invasion of the mansion. After the fight was finished they found that they captured four more X-Men. The rest, however much that was had escaped. But that wasn't on Bastion's head right now. He had secrets to unlock.

Rumors were that the X-Men had a database of every mutant that ever existed. If he could get his hands on those files he could easily eliminate mutants all over the globe. Now his people after cleaning up the mess announced that they found a room where they thought the information could be hidden. Bastion walked over the corpses of fallen Sentinels and he stopped by a door where some of his men were standing.

"Sir we uncovered this room, it was easy to break in, the fight must have destroyed the alarm and security system. We found that it was called the War Room."

"Open it then." The man pushed the door open and they entered a bug room. It had a set of computers lined up in a semi circle whit a chair hovering above it.

"This is it...."

"Sir also we found that all the files are coded in a strange language we can't understand."

That's okay we have all the time in the world to uncode them." said Bastion while already sitting in front of the computer to see for himself. "All the time...."

Later outside

Gambit moved soundlessly through the forest. He had been split up from the rest of the team and so was Elizabeth, he knew it. Now if he could only find someone. While he was thinking he heard and felt a movement behind him. In one swift move he turned around grabbed the person over the mouth with one hand, pulling a card at their throat with the other. "Who be dis ?" he spoke in a harsh but quiet voice.

"Mmmiff meph phhm." the person spoke. Remy looked at their face and even though it was night he recognized the person straight away.

"Sorry 'bout dat 'Beth." he said with a grin on his face.

"That's okay Mr. uh Gambit do you know where the others are ?"

"Not a clue, but I think I c'n hear dem commin' fro' de left."

Remy was right. Within few moments Elizabeth too could hear Iceman and Jubilee. Soon she could see them walking. Remy walked out of the forest into the path and met with them.

"You wouldn't make good thieves." he said grinning. Elizabeth walked out after him and met with the rest of the group. They were cut in numbers. Now it was only Cannonball, Joseph, Iceman, Jubilee and them two. She quickly started talking with Jubilee about what had happened while the rest of them sat down and tried to think of it.

"We are going to need a leader." said Iceman

"Quoi. Any volunteers ?"

"Don't look at me Cajun I'm not the leader type." said Bobby

"I think someone else should lead I am not experienced enough." replied Joseph. Remy looked at Sam.

"Ah c'n d' it but Ah need help." said Sam after a while of thinking.

"You g't it mon ami. Us both. Now 'e need to think o' some strategy. W' need help."

"X-Force are on a mission, without Cable." said Sam

"So are Excalibur." said Iceman.

"Dat leaves X-Factor."

"How do we get in touch with them ?"

"Good question."

"Ah exus' mah but we can get to Cable as well. He will know about the mansion. Plus Ah know of a way to get to Cable."

"Good point Sam. But how d' we g't t' 'im ?"

"We just need a telepath."

"Where will we get a telepath from ?" asked Joseph.

"Let's think about it. Everyone is out."

In that moment Jubilee buttoned into the conversation. "Uh Gambit ?"

"Not now Jubes."

"But.."

"Jubilee I'm tryin' t' think."

"But Gambit there is somethin you should know..."

"Not now."

"GUMBO LISTEN TO ME !"

"Are ya crazy ? You will g't de whole Operation Zero Tolerance on us. What is it ?"

"Elizabeth is a telepath."

"Oh." said Gambit his face becoming red. He controlled himself and smiled. "Den w' 'ave solved ou' problem."

"'Beth c'n you come over here ?" he said. Elizabeth walked up to them with her face a bit red.

"Yeah ?"

"Sam d' you' job."

Sam got up and walked away with Elizabeth. They sat down on the ground few meters away and Sam started explaining something to Elizabeth. Meanwhile Remy told Bobby to go and find a nearest phone and call X-Factor. Bobby left in a instant and he disappeared into the woods without making sound. The rest sat at the ground not talking a lot just waiting. After ten minutes Sam and Elizabeth got up and sat next to the rest.

"Done Cable 's commin'" said Sam. "Where is Bobby ?"

"Gone to call X-Factor." said Joseph. Just then Bobby walked out of the woods.

"How did you go ?"

"Bastion had put guards all over the grounds. I somehow managed to get around them and I found a phone. I called X-Factor but only Forge was there. He is on his way but without X-Factor."

"Well dat is better dan nothin'" said Remy.

"Were d' we meet ?"

"On top of Freedom Plaza." said Bobby.

"I think we c'n somehow manage t' sneak into dere. I know some safes around de forest were we c'n find some clothes. Den let's get goin'"

"What about Cable ?" asked Jubilee

"He will find us." answered Sam.

TBC...

NEXT PART OF THE STORY: "Gen. X" #3, online in two weeks:

"Fall"

"Operation Zero Tolerance" part 3

Remains of X-Men meet with Forge and Cable, Bastion start to uncode the computers in War Room and finds all of X-Men's identities. What is he going to do with this information ? You will be shocked. Plus more and more trouble.

NEXT ISSUE:

"Sacrifice"

Continuing from Gen. X #3: "Operation Zero Tolerance" Part 4 !