The world watches as number 1 Anti-Mutant believer, Senator Kelly, is sworn in as the Nation's newest President. Everyone is watching with mixed feelings, either with strong support or fear of Kelly's new found political power. He has already won the approval of establishing the MRD (Mutant Response Division) which will supposedly "police" mutant activity and capture any that pose a threat. Xavier's Institute also watches the events unfold on TV. Everyone, the X-Men and students alike, watch as hope for equality seems to be diminished. Warren Worthington Junior is by Kelly's side, having always been his financial supporter, and is now the Vice President. Not surprisingly, Kelly announces that his first act as President will be the passing of the Mutant Registration Act, an ideal he had fought long and hard for. Though it will still need to be accepted by Congress, everyone knew it was only a matter of time. Just as Kelly made his closing statements, oddly reflecting his intent on defeating the Mutant Threat, an explosion rocked the Institute, followed by several more. The X-Men tried valiantly to evacuate the Institute as it crumbled, but two important figures would unfortunately become martyrs of the Mutant cause: Professor Charles Xavier and Jean Grey. Everyone attended their funeral, and Scott Summers (Cyclops) gave the eulagies (Did I spell that right?). Although Charles had always intended for Scott to take his place, Jean's death had the worst impact on Summers, and he quietly disappeared. Wolverine, being no stranger to leaving the team from time to time, also vanished. Now short four important members, and a home, the X-Men sent the students home. Their last act, was to disband. The X-Men, it seemed, was no more. 7 years later, Kelly is at the height of his second term in office. The Mutant Registration Act was finally passed a year prior. The MRD's power has been greatly expanded. Not only did they now capture dangerous mutants, but also any and all mutants in order to force them to register according to the new Mutant Registration laws. Over the past years, the MRD had grown from a policing force to a militant force, and is even considered by some to be another branch of the Military. Their latest weapons, the ever feared Sentinals, are built to capture all mutants on site, or kill them if they resist. It is a dark time for Mutants. Is there none of the X-Men left who can continue Charles' dream of Human-Mutant coexistance? Or was Magneto right, and a war truly is coming?
President Kelly is now appealing to the UN to push the MRD and Mutant Registration Act to a Global scale. If this happens, there will be no safe place for Mutants. Naturally, Magneto sees this as a sign and is recruiting Acolytes, preparing for the war he had always believed was coming. They are based on Genosha. Mystique has her own ideas. Once again, she has started the Brotherhood, and recruited her usual members (Toad, Pyro, etc). They intend to assinate President Kelly, and Vice President Worthington at the same time as soon as opportunity knocks, before they can spread the MRD, which terroizes American Mutants, to the rest of the world.
President Kelly is now appealing to the UN to push the MRD and Mutant Registration Act to a Global scale. If this happens, there will be no safe place for Mutants. Naturally, Magneto sees this as a sign and is recruiting Acolytes, preparing for the war he had always believed was coming. They are based on Genosha. Mystique has her own ideas. Once again, she has started the Brotherhood, and recruited her usual members (Toad, Pyro, etc). They intend to assinate President Kelly, and Vice President Worthington at the same time as soon as opportunity knocks, before they can spread the MRD, which terroizes American Mutants, to the rest of the world.
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He sighed as he turned onto the rode leading to the Institute. These days, he called himself a more mature-sounding Bob, or Rob. His days of being called Iceman, though, were long gone. Rob was driving an old Dodge Charger he'd picked up a few towns back. He had been living the last couple of years off the grid, having to often change vehicals in order to throw off the MRD (Or M'rdies, as they are more commonly called). He was in Westchester, because today was the 7th Anniversary of Jean and the Professor's death. Of course, today meant more to him than that, because it was also the day X-Men ceased to exist. For the first 2 years, he'd visited the gravesite on the Anniversary, but hadn't done so in the last 5 years. This year, he had decided he was overdue for a visit. In the passenger seat, two bunches of roses sat, carefully placed so they wouldn't move about. They were intended for the tombstones, of course, as was customary when leaving flowers for dead loved ones. This area, which used to look so inviting, now looked scarred from M'rdy activity, and not at all beautiful anymore.
When the big open space that once housed the mansion came into view, Rob's heart ached. His mind was flooded with memories. His training, his friends. Friends he had come to call family. Especially the Professor, who was undoubtedly a father to them all. He took a deep breath as he pulled the Charger into the long driveway, the gate no longer present, what was left of the mansion was some smoldering wood and charred ground, but some places were starting to regrow. Thankfully, the gravesite had survived. The Charger's engine rumbled to a stop as Rob turned off the egnition and pulled his keys out. He snapped off the seatbelt and pulled the handle to open the door. The car door sounded loud compared to the deathly quiet grounds of the Institute. As he shut the door and silently walked toward the graves, Rob quietly wondered if the sub-ground levels were still intact, such as the Danger Room and Cerebro. He doubted it, though, the M'rdies had probably stormed the place long ago.
His shoes stepped softly on what was left of the grass as Rob approached the tombstones, still sitting side by side. Jean's grave, slightly smaller than Charles', read:
Dr. Jean Grey. A friend, a comrade, and loving fiance of Scott Summers. You will always be remembered.
Rob nodded his head, eyes closed briefly as he said a quick prayer for Jean, then left one of the flower sets on the ground in front of the tombstone. He then knelt at the Professor's grave. It was larger, and even had an image of his head ingraved near the top (like the one on X3) and had a brass bowl at the bottom with a flame lit 7 years ago. Rob was surprised the flame was still alive. Did someone regularly revisit the site to make sure of it? Rob didn't know, and didn't really care. Right now, his mind and heart were too flooded with memories. He read the inscription for the 4th time since the funeral:
Professor Charles Xavier. A dear friend, a trusted leader, and surrogate father to many. May his dream of coexistence never die, and his spirit live on through his X-Men.
Rob's eyes watered as he carefully placed the flowers. He wished the X-Men had lived. But, of course, they didn't. It angered him inside, to think that this, something the Professor would undoubtedly wish for, to did not come to pass. But, Rob knew there was nothing he could do. He had no idea where anyone was anymore. The last person he saw was Angel, about 2 years ago. They had been living together after Rob moved out of the Drake home. But when the MRA passed, Rob and Warren agreed to separate and live off the grid. He hadn't heard from Warren since then. As for the rest of the X-Men, Rob hadn't seen them since the day they disbanded. He wondered where they were now.
