Chaos Revisited
Part 8
* * * * *
Peter noticed that he'd made the front page of several local newspapers that morning, including the Bugle and the Times. Headlines ranged from "Rampaging Sentinels Attack Mutant Protestors" to "Bugle Photographer Saves the Day." None of them disputed that his actions were heroic. The Times journalist suggested lightheartedly that Peter should ask Spider-Man who designed his costume and get one made for himself. He groaned at that.
He worried about what would happen if his identity was made public. His nightmares dealt with some psycho like Carnage going after Aunt May and Mary Jane. What if he couldn't protect them? Peter would never forgive himself if anything happened to them, especially if it was his fault. He landed in the parking lot of the Daily Bugle building and joined the crowd of employees entering. It was just before 8:00. For once, he was early.
"Parker," his boss shouted above the clamor, "you're actually here before 9:00 am." Jonah glanced up. "That's strange, the sky isn't falling yet."
The corners of his mouth turned upward into a quirky grin. "Well, that's because I'm holding it up telekinetically."
A few people who had overheard snickered.
"Right," Jameson responded. "Since you're here so bright and early, I've got a job for you." And you're probably the only one who'd be willing to take the risk, he thought.
Peter's eyes widened at that. "I'll do just about anything, as long as it doesn't involve robots."
"Good. The mutant protestors have rescheduled their rally for Central Park this morning at 11:00. We need someone there to cover it. Try not to get shot at this time."
He rolled his eyes. "Great. Can I get hazard pay if the Sentinels show up again? I really should get some kind of bonus for surviving yesterday. That was sheer luck."
"Parker, the only hazard pay you'll get is if you bring back decent photographs."
Peter nodded. He got to his desk and looked for Jimmy's telephone number in his address book. Hopefully, he'd be at work by now.
* * * * *
In Metropolis, Jimmy answered the phone. "Daily Planet, this is Jimmy Olsen."
"Hi," Peter greeted him. "How's life in Metropolis these days?"
"Hey, Peter. It's not bad. I heard about the Sentinels in New York. You cut it pretty close there."
"Yeah, I know. You uh, haven't heard anything else about them, have you?"
"About the Sentinels? I know a few things. Somebody followed me last night when I left to call you."
"So I was right. Who followed you?"
"Mystique."
Peter's eyes widened as he realized just what Jimmy had been doing. "Uh oh. You'd better be careful. Believe me, you don't want to fight those guys. Not alone, anyway."
"Yeah. I figured that. The Sentinels are headed your way, though, possibly as early as today. Magneto is going after the X-Men, but you might get caught in the middle."
"Thanks for the heads up. Take care, man."
"You, too."
Peter hung up. Since he had some time to kill, he checked the airline's web site to make sure that Mary Jane's flight hadn't been cancelled or rescheduled. It was still scheduled for 7:30 pm. He was supposed to pick her up. Aunt May was the backup plan in case he couldn't make it there. Hopefully, nothing would go wrong.
* * * * *
Meanwhile, Magneto was planning his latest attack. He had taken control of the Sentinels after their original creator, Bolivar Trask, died. Trask's son Larry, a mutant, was killed by the first wave of Sentinels. Upon realizing the tragic error he had committed, his father sacrificed himself to destroy the lead Sentinel, Master Mold, and the rest of the robots.
In the chaos that followed, no one realized that there were still Sentinels left. Magneto found them and gained control by stealing the medallion that had suppressed Larry Trask's abilities. He used it to trick the Sentinels into believing that he was a human. He took it off whenever he wasn't around the Sentinels, but carried it at all times. The Sentinels followed his orders.
Jimmy Olsen, whom he hadn't trusted from the start, had warned a reporter in New York about the plan. Well, the young mutant believed that was the plan because that was what Magneto wanted him to think. The X-Men would be defeated, but only with half of the Sentinels at his disposal. The others would attack Metropolis. He had given a few of them Kryptonite lasers, designed specifically to defeat Superman. He had gotten the Kryptonite from one of Lex Luthor's former associates.
With both New York and Metropolis under his control, Magneto could easily gain control of the US. He could develop more Sentinels to guard his borders. He was only limited by time. His plan would take months, but it would work.
Mutants would no longer have to live their lives in fear of being discovered by their normal human neighbors and colleagues. They wouldn't have to worry about losing their jobs or homes. No longer would they be treated like second-class citizens. The government would hunt no one simply for being a mutant. Normal humans had a lot to answer for. When the Brotherhood of Mutants gained control, they would pay.
* * * * *
In New York, Peter had just arrived at the protest. He was desperately trying to keep a low profile. He wore the Spidey costume beneath his street clothes this time. He recognized Logan, Storm, Bobby, Rogue, and Scott among the volunteers. Peter stayed far back in the crowd of journalists and kept his head down, hoping that he wouldn't be recognized right away. Unfortunately, his luck had a knack of turning bad.
"Parker!" he heard Sam Davis from the times say. "Great, you're here. I hope you brought spandex in case the Sentinels show up."
Peter froze, wondering if everyone had figured out his secret.
"Relax, I'm only joking."
"I'm not laughing. You think it's fun having those things shoot at you? You think I asked for this? Well, I didn't. I'd give just about anything to be normal again. I still remember what that was like." Even though it was back in high school, he didn't add.
A few people were staring at them, wondering if anything was going to happen.
Davis's eyes widened. What is he going to do? "Okay. Take it easy, man."
Peter looked taken aback. Oh jeez, he's afraid of me now. Great. Just great. "I…I'm sorry. All right? Just forget it."
The reporter nodded and walked off as the small crowd dispersed. Peter wondered just how worse his luck could get. As the crowd gathered for the protest, he took pictures. The protest was about to get underway when the first rumblings of what sounded like thunder caught everyone's attention.
"Oh, great," Peter muttered as his spider sense went off.
He quickly snuck away from the crowd and found a shady spot to change into his costume. Just then, a dozen Sentinels appeared on the horizon. Five of them landed in the middle of the park. The others headed off in different directions. Peter had no time to deal with them because one approached him while the others went after the protesters and the X-Men.
"Mutant target sighted," the robot said in a metallic voice as it aimed a gun. "Target will be destroyed!"
Spidey catapulted from his hiding location onto a nearby tree branch, then leapt into the air as the robot fired its laser canon. With his mid-air acrobatics, he just barely managed to avoid being hit. The wall crawler landed on solid ground, but he was soon forced to leap again as more laser blasts targeted him. He really hoped that the X-Men had a plan, because he didn't.
* * * * *
In Metropolis, it was a perfectly ordinary morning until three Sentinels showed up and began to lumber through the city streets. Cars smashed into each other. People panicked and fled. A mother with a baby carriage was hurriedly crossing the street in the middle of the chaos. The baby was wrapped in blue blankets. One of the Sentinels stopped in its tracks beside her.
"Mutant target sighted," it announced.
The woman gasped. It couldn't be talking about her baby, could it? She wasn't a mutant, but her baby was the only other one nearby. Everyone else was running away. Even if her son was a mutant, surely he didn't deserve to be killed for it. She did the only thing she could think of besides fleeing. "Help, Superman!"
Out of the sky came a flash of blue and red. The mother gaped as she saw the Kryptonian land nearby. "You should get to someplace safe."
She nodded and quickly ran, pushing the carriage faster. The robot didn't go after them. Instead, it locked its sights on Superman.
"Primary target sighted. Target will be destroyed."
Superman's eyes widened. He wasn't a mutant, and he was pretty much immune to whatever the Sentinels could dish out, unless someone had armed them with kryptonite. He really hoped that wasn't the case. The Sentinel aimed its laser cannon at Superman, and sure enough, emerald blasts fired from it. Superman dodged them with super speed.
Questions ran through Superman's mind as he avoided the laser blasts and occasionally fired back with his own heat vision. Who would have done something like this? If Magneto really was in control of them, as Jimmy had stated, why was the mutant going after him? They had never fought before. Jimmy must have been wrong about the X-Men being the Brotherhood's only target. Perhaps Magneto wanted to use Metropolis as some kind of diversionary tactic. But then, why would he go to all the trouble of getting kryptonite? It was definitely a mystery that bore resolving.
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