"Lonely Night"

By Jorge Maritnez

X-MANSION

There is a knock at the door but no one answers. The knock gets louder and still no one answers. The door opens and an angel walks in.

ANGEL: Hello? Anyone home?

He stands tall with his blond hair and artificial blue skin. He wears a sweater and pants with his beautiful wings sticking out from his back.

ANGEL: ANYONE HOME?

ANGEL:(to self) Guess not. Scott called me two days ago telling me we are having a meeting concerning the Professor. He's been locked up ever since this Onslaught fiasco over a year ago. I don't know what Scott had planned I know he said he expected a big crowd of X people. I mean we can't just go and break the Prof. out. He is partially responsible for Onslaught.

Angel walks around the mansion and notices everything is messing. The mansion was stripped of all items from pictures to technology.

ANGEL:(to self) Bastion and his men must have stripped the place when occupied the mansion. All the alien Shiar technology is gone. Our pictures are gone. I didn't bring a costume either. I was hoping to get one here. Ohwell, if I find a phone I will call Betsy in London to bring me one when she comes back. With the dissolution of Excalibur she is visiting her newlywed brother who happens to be Captain Britain. It's a shame that team broke up I was thinking maybe Betsy and I should join them and move to London. That team could be the equivalent of the Avengers or...who's here?

Angel heard the door crack. His senses may not be as acute as Wolverine's but they still are above human standards. He walks towards the entrance with caution. He feels someone behind him and is jumped as he spins. It's Gambit.

GAMBIT: Take it easy mon ami...it's me Gambit.

Angel grabs gambit by the collar on his trenchcoat.

ANGEL: You say that as if it's a good thing. I don't know you from Adam. Infact, I know you were a Marauder and was involved in the massacre of the Morlocks. The same Marauders that destroyed my wings and as a result I went through hell! The same reason I have blue damn skin today.

ROGUE: Let him go Angel. The man has a bad past but he's one of us know.

ANGEL: One of us? He might be the same as you but he's not the same as me!

ROGUE: And what does that mean pretty boy?

ANGEL: He was a Marauder and you were part of the Brotherhood! Not much of a difference.

ROGUE: And you were a Horseman of Apocalypse and went by the name of death you damn snob!

ANGEL(to self) She's right. I am such an idiot!

GAMBIT: Your skin just shows your blue blood boy that's all. You ashamed of having blue skin when your friends are blue or red and furry.

ANGEL: I apologize to the both of you. And no Gambit the blue skin does not bother me.

ROGUE: Where is everyone?

ANGEL: I don't know.

GAMBIT: They were here. I can tell you that much.

ANGEL: Something must have come up.

There is another knock on the door. The three Xmen stand alert.

ROGUE:(whispers) I will answer it.

GAMBIT: Be careful, chere.

Rogue opens the door and the three of them are shocked. Infront of them stand Magneto, master of magnetism in a T-shirt and blue jeans.

MAGNETO: Good day.

ANGEL: What are you doing here?

Gambit lights up one of his cards and takes his bo staff out.

MAGNETO: Put it away Gambit I am not here for a fight.

ANGEL: Explain yourself then.

MAGNETO: I.....learned of this meeting through some sources. I have been in a coma after our last battle. I awoke and learned of this Onslaught. The personification of my dark soul channeled through Xavier's telepathy. It caused much damage.

ROGUE: So are you cured now?

MAGNETO: Cured? I think not. Xavier did not remove my pain he only experienced it. He did not have the strength to contain. I barely do.

ANGEL: Contain it. As if you had no choice.

MAGNETO: Angel have ever had a child? Do you know what joy a child brings to you? Do you know what the loss of that child will do to you? I have my demon that will never go away. I would kill every man, woman and child on this planet to have my girl back. But that will never happen.

The trio of Xmen fall silent.

ANGEL: Fine, then are you here to join us?

MAGNETO: I am here to assist you. Charles is paying for my crimes. That is not right.

ROGUE: So you have returned to the side of the angels?

MAGNETO: No I have no sides. I did find some peace but the Acolyte Cortez played on my weakness and brought out the demon.

GAMBIT: Well now We have a nice little meeting here. Four evil mutants. Two former Brotherhood members, myself a former Marauder and Angel briefly known as Death the Fourth Horseman.

ANGEL(to self) I am nothing like these people. But Magneto is right. The loss of my wings drove me over the edge. The violence I suffered made me mad! He lost his child. There is no black and white only greys in this room.

MAGNETO: Where is Cyclops and the other Xmen?

ROGUE: It seems they have left.

Rogue looks at Magneto for a second. Gambit stares coldly at her. Their is a knock at the door again.

GAMBIT: Well let's see what other evil mutant has decided to join us?

Carol Danvers stands at the doorway. She used to be known as the super heroine Ms. Marvel gaining powers from the alien race known as the Kree when they performed their experiments on her. But those powers were stolen by Rogue's absorption powers when she was a member of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. Now she is known as Binary for she has gained cosmic powers that rival a star.

GAMBIT: And who are you good looking?

BINARY: Are you an Xman?

GAMBIT: Why yes.

BINARY: They let anyone join now.

Carol walks in and is taken back when she sees Magneto and Rogue.

BINARY: Angel what is happening here? Where are the Xmen? Cyclops called me to come for a gathering here.

ROGUE:(to self) She hates me. Ah know it. The way she looks at me. Magneto did cure me of her memories a while back. That's when him and I got close. But I still feel a bit of her in me.

ANGEL: The other Xman have left. I don't know why. They didn't leave a note.

ROGUE: Hi Carol.

BINARY: Rogue, I haven't seen you in a while. What happened to that punk look of yours. With that new hairdo and costume you might call yourself Ms. Marvel!

ROGUE: Why you?!

MAGNETO: Carol I have erased all your memories from Rogue. She no longer is influenced by your...

BINARY: Oh, is that supposed to make me feel better? Especially coming from you? Look at her. She is me. Her change is costume and demeanor. You haven't erased anything.

ANGEL: Carol please.

GAMBIT:(to self) There is much pain in this room. This is not comfortable atmosphere to say the least.

An amplified voice from outside talks through a loud speaker.

VOICE: X-MEN COME OUT AND SURRENDER. WE ARE AWARE OF WHAT YOU ARE PLANNING AND THAT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. WE ALSO KNOW YOU ARE HARBORING MAGNETO.

BINARY: What? What is going on here?

ANGEL: I don't know who...

They all go outside. And see a barrage of SHIELD agents.

ANGEL: Shield but we were allies during Onslaught.

NICK FURY: No offense kid but we here to collect Magneto. We don't want any trouble.

BINARY(to self) Nick Fury is here. Except for the Angel these Xmen look like villains.

ROGUE: What? Magneto was not involved in Onslaught. It was the Professor who wiped his mind and...

NICK FURY: Yeah, yeah. I know all about Onslaught. It killed many people including me.

ROGUE: You did not die in Onslaught. The Punisher shot you down!

NICK FURY: Look toots. All I know is I returned with all those heroes Onslaught killed. That is enough proof for me. Magneto we are asking for your immediate surrender. I can run all of you in if you want cause you all aren't exactly saints, not even you Angel.

ANGEL: Fury, Rogue is right. Magneto was in a coma while all this Onslaught business happened.

NICK FURY: Well we would like to investigate exactly what happened. I'm not that bastard Bastion. I know most of you are good people but Magneto is definitely not. The last time I ran into him was with you Xmen when he stole all those nuclear warheads.

MAGNETO: Fury you are ignorant but fair man. I will surrender if and only if Professor Xavier is released.

NICK FURY: You know I can't do that. He's being held by Project WideAwake. I can try but I can't make any promises.

ANGEL: Magneto is that not good enough for you?

ROGUE: Hell no it's not.

GAMBIT(to self) She is protecting him from those agents. Are we going to ally ourselves with Magneto.

MAGNETO: No that is not good enough.

NICK FURY: For the love of God turn yourself in. We are trying to work with you here.

MAGNETO: No.

ANGEL:(to self) Damn him. Why won't he surrender.

BINARY: Magneto why won't you surrender?

MAGNETO: Because I don't want to.

ANGEL(to self) What am I going to do? It seems like Rogue and Gambit are backing up Magneto.

NICK FURY: Carol?

BINARY: Don't worry Nick I'm on your side.

The SHIELD agents attack. Rogue flies at them and destroy each of their vehicles. Gambit takes care of the ground troops. Binary and Magneto look at each other and then go at it. Angel just flies in place. Nick Fury looks down at him. He looks back at Nick. Angel goes to help Gambit.

MAGNETO: Be careful girl. You do not know what I am capable of.

BINARY: You forgot how powerful I am as Binary! You and I are equals and that's paying you a generous compliment.

MAGNETO:(to self) She is right. Despite my power she can beat me. I can hurt the SHIELD agents to draw away her attention but at this power level I might kill them and I cannot let my defense up. It's the only chance I have even if I let loose and kill everyone in site Binary will still be standing.

ANGEL:(to self) I hate this. We are going to lose! Gambit is going down and it is only a manner of time before I'm shot down. I hope no one gets killed!

Magneto uses his powers on Fury's vehicle to crush it slowly. But Binary takes wind of what Magneto is attempting.

BINARY: I think not!

She unleashes her full power on Magneto! An inferno surrounds her. She is a living star.

Magneto goes down and out. She stunned him. Rogue doubles back and flies at Binary. Carol is nailed from behind and thrown to the floor.

BINARY: Well, well let's play shall we.

ANGEL(to self) With Magneto down it is over. I have to talk to Nick.

ANGEL: Nick this has gone far enough.

NICK FURY: You on the side of the devils now? I should have known.

ANGEL: Listen. I am on your side. But Magneto is never a cut and dry situation. With him down you have won this fight.

NICK FURY: So you kissing my rear end so I go easy on you.

ANGEL: Damn you Fury. You can have Magneto just leave the others.

NICK FURY: What do you care about them? You don't seem to like the new breed.

ANGEL: Your right. I don't like them. But everyone down there has gone through some hell that made what they are today.

NICK FURY: I don't know about that. But it seems Carol is giving Rogue some payback.

ANGEL: What?

Binary has Rogue at her mercy. Rogue is down to both knees as Binary muscles her down.

BINARY: What's wrong Rogue? How does it feel to be abused?

ROGUE(to self) She is going to kill me. Ah, smell alcohol on her breath. She's been drinking! She's out of control.

BINARY: You know what Rogue I want what is mine back now.

ROGUE: What you talking about? No Carol please....

Binary still holding Rogue by her arms bends down and kisses wrong on her lips. For that one second they lock lips then there is an explosion.

NICK FURY: What was Carol thinking? Angel?

Warren flies down to collect Rogue. Both women are laying on the floor unconscious. Rogue has been badly burned. Her hair has been burned off as well. Warren picks her up.

ANGEL: MAGNETO! WAKE UP!

Magneto stirs up. He sees Rogue hurt and goes mad. He destroys every ship SHIELD has. He sends a magnetic wave at the agents knocking them down. He transforms Fury's ship in to a body cast.

NICK FURY: Ugh! Magneto..your ...showing your..t-t-true colors. You better kill ....me o-o-or I will make my life's mission to hunt you.

MAGNETO: No Nick. If I kill you the Avengers will come after us and maybe the Fantastic Four as well. And then I would have to kill them.

NICK FURY: Your s-s-so ...noble.

The Angel hands Rogue's broken body over to Magneto.

ANGEL: Her body lives but I don't know about her mind. Hold her I will be right back.

The Angel leaves as Magneto holds wrong and sees her burned skin. He feels like crying but he doesn't.

A Blackbird lands. The Angel is flying it. Magneto carries Rogue into the ship and magnetically carries Gambit as well.

ANGEL: Bastion stripped the Xmen of everything but it seems one of today's earlier guest brought a blackbird.

MAGNETO: We are we headed?

ANGEL: Muir Island.

NEXT ISSUE: The Angel and Psylocke are reunited. Moria MacTaggart and Magneto have a talk. The former members of Excalibur show up! And what happened to Rogue?