Chapter 84 - Part 3

  Arc 7 - Ch 1: Opening M

  Date: Monday, August 29, 2011.

  Location: House of M, Manhattan, New York

  Tyson slid into the car, which was waiting for him in the garage at House of M. Jubilee and Jean Grey were already in the backseat, while Maki sat behind the wheel, ready to drive them to their first day at Empire State Uy.

  As the car pulled out, Tyson turo his friends with a grave expression. "There's something important I o tell you all. House of M is likely going to e utack tonight. After your csses, I want you to head back to the Institute, where you'll be safe from what's ing."

  Maki gnced into the rearview mirror, creasing her brow.

  Jubilee's eyes went wide, her vibrant energy shifting to fiery resolve. "What? No way! I'm not just going to leave you," she decred.

  Jean asked, "Do you know who intends to attack us?"

  Tyso her steady gaze in the rearview mirror. "Mago is ing for me."

  "How you be certain?"

  Tyson sighed, frustration evident in his tense posture. "Because it wasn't Felicia at the training session this m. It was Mystique. Mago used the same tactic the first time he tried to capture me."

  Jubilee defiantly decred, "We're not abandoning you to face this aloy. We've got your bao matter what."

  "I don’t waher of you caught up in this mess again. It's too dangerous. I don't want a repeat of the train i st year."

  "We uand the risks, but you 't expect us to just walk away and leave you to face Mago alone," Jean insisted.

  Jubilee ched her fists, causing sparks to dance around her fingers. "It won't be like st time orain. I'm not going to let that freak Toad or that poser, Mystique, catch me off guard again."

  Beside her, Jean agreed, "We've all grown so much stronger sihe st time Mago came for you, Tyson."

  Tyson nodded slowly, but his expression remained grave. "You're right. We have gotten stronger. But remember Jean, when we were sing for threats in Cerebro, we picked up Mago in Sokovia. He's not going to e at us with just Mystique and Toad again. We knoyro... I mean, John... has been with him since Alkali Lake. And there are likely other powerful mutants he's recruited as well."

  Jean's brow furrowed, her jade eyes darkening with . "John? You really think he would help Mago e after you?"

  "He was always hot-headed and impulsive, even back at the Institute. Who knows what kind of mi he's in after being with the Brotherhood for so long? I don't know if I ask you both to risk yourselves against unknown enemies just to protect me."

  From the driver's seat, Maki chimed in. "Tyson, they're right. If you know your enemies are banding together against you, then you o gather as many allies to your side as possible."

  Jubilee crossed her arms. "No oaking you without a fight."

  Jean pced a reassuring hand on Tyson's shoulder. "We hahis. We've trained hard, and we know what we're up against."

  "I've been preparing fo for a long time," Tyson admitted. "Thank you for standing with me. I'll be ho, I was hoping that you would fight with me, but I wanted you to know the risks."

  "We're not fighting with you. We're fighting for you, just like you have for us," Jubilee stated firmly. "I'll die before I let him take you again."

  Tyson sighed as the phone buzzed in his pocket. When he looked at the s, the number was blocked. He answered cautiously, unsure who would call this early. "Hello?"

  The gruff voice that responded was unmistakable and anding. "Agent Mirage. Got some weird shit for you."

  Resignatioled on Tyson's face as he rubbed his temple wearily. The day was getting more plicated.

  "Director Fury, now's not a great time. I have my first day of college today, and I have an urgent situation tonight that requires my attention."

  Fury's sharp voice cut through Tyson's attempt at defle. "Well, I've got an urgent situation this afternoon. So buckle up, kid."

  With no other choice, he asked, "What I do for you, Director?"

  "Last month a group of stists iigating the impact of global warming discovered a ship of unknown ins frozen in the ice," Fury said. "SHIELD was called in to excavate the vessel." Tyson's eyes widened as he realized where this was going. Fury tinued, "On July 22nd, we breached the ship. Inside, we found Captain America. He was frozen stiff. But now he's thawing, the eggheads say that he's going tain sciousoday."

  Fury finished, "Since you're the only active agent with memories from the 1940s, I need you there when he wakes up."

  Tyson's eyes widened in surprise. "Of all the days..." he murmured.

  "I want you at the facility ASAP. We think having someoh your e to his time might help him adjust."

  "Uood, sir." Tyson thought quickly. "Permission t a civilian? I know someone who could help the transition eveer than I could."

  "Approved. Cap is at the Times Square site, not the RAFT, so there are fewer security s."

  "I'll be there as soon as I ."

  The call ended, and Tyson pocketed his phourning to his friends. "ge of pns, everyone. I'm going to miss my m csses."

  "What? Why? What’s going on?" Jubilee asked.

  "SHIELD found Captain America. He's still alive. Since I have Sabertooth's memories, they wahere when he wakes up."

  The car went silent for a moment. Jubilee was the only one in the car privy to Tyson's metaknowledge, and was left sidering how this event fit into the overall course of events. Maki, maintainiation as his bodyguard, adjusted to the ging situation quickest and asked, "Where to?"

  Tyson instructed, "Keep going. We'll drop the girls off at school. I'll o make a phone call to see if we o pieone up. Afterward, Times Square is our destination."

  He withdrew the bck band of the mutant inhibitor colr from his pocket. He ed the device around his wrist. Jean and Jubilee watched as he thumbed the colr's activation button and input a code. He turo Jeaending his open hand in . "Do you trust me?"

  Jean's smile radiated warmth. "Of course I do."

  Tyson's ability to drain life and power with a mere touch was not unfamiliar to her. During their past enters, she had felt the pain it could inflict firsthand, feeling the very essence being siphoned from her body. Yet over the past summer months, Tyson had used his illusions to subtly mute the stant psychi that pressed upon her mind, grantihe most peaceful time she had known. Jean lifted her eyes to study Tyson's rugged yet ear features, reminded of the sacrifices he had made at the Institute to protect her and their friends when Stryker and his forces invaded. If he was going to stand against Magonight, he would need her strength. She o be ready to fight herself or to let him use her strength to fight.

  Steeling her resolve, Jean reached out and pced her slender hand in his open palm.

  "I trust you," she reaffirmed. She squeezed his haly, ready for the drain on her life force. But this time, no pain came. No weakeniion.

  Jubilee gasped, and then she blurted out, "You finally figured it out!"

  Jean closed the distaween them, her eyes shining with joy. She threw her arms around Tyson in a warm embrace, holding him tightly for the first time without having to worry about his life-draining touch. Tysourhe hug, relishing the f feel of her slender frame against his.

  "This is amazing, Tyson," Jean whispered, "I'm so happy for you that you finally touch without hurting anyone."

  Jubilee bounced over to join the hug, beaming. "This is incredible! Aww, you two look so cute together, really hugging for the first time."

  At the pyful teasing, Jean blushed faintly. "Oh, stop. You'll ruin the moment," she chided lightly, though her smile remained.

  Laughing, Jubilee tinued, "You always get so flustered when you're close to my boyfriend… Now that you actually touch each other, should I be worried?" she said mischievously.

  "I haven't truly learo trol my abilities, not yet," he admitted, holding up his wrist to show the sleek bck band encirg it. "This is a mutation inhibitor colr. It disables any mutant abilities."

  To both women's surprise, Tyson removed the band and held it out to Jean. "It isn’t for me. It's for you."

  Jean looked stunned, her eyes widening in surprise. "For me? Tyson, I 't."

  "It's the only one we have for now. If House of M is going to be attacked tonight, I certainly don't right now. But you at least enjoy a normal first day of school."

  Jean's eyes welled with tears as she reached for the band. One of the reasons she had moved in with Tyson was that his illusions could silehe psionic background hat stantly hounded her. Now, she had a band that could do the same thing without needing him to be nearby.

  "I don't know what to say. This... this means so mue."

  He smiled softly, pg the band in her hand. "You deserve to have some peace, Jean. And to experience what it's like to be normal, even if it's just for a day."

  Jean csped the band tightly, tears spilling over as she looked at him. "Thank you. I 't express how much this means to me."

  Tyson ehe illusion he'd been running over her for the past month, and Jean was inundated by all the minds nearby. She carefully pced the band on her wrist. Immediately, she felt a wave of calm wash over her. The grating noise of other minds disappeared into silence.

  "How do you feel?" Tyson asked gently.

  "I feel... peaceful. It's wonderful."

  She leaned in and hugged Tyson tightly, this time being careful not to make any skin tact. Her gratitude and affe were evident in the embrace. "Thank you, Tyson. This means the world to me."

  As they pulled up to Empire State Uy, Jean and Jubilee stepped out of the car, ready to face the day together. For Jean, it was a ce to experienald peace, something she had longed for. After they had departed, Maki turo Tyson with an expet look, clearly waiting for an expnation. Tyson held up a hand, forestalling her questions. "Let me make that call first, then I'll expihing," he said.

  Reag into his pocket, Tyson pulled out his phone aed Logan's number from his tacts. The line rang twice before Wolverine's gruff voiswered, "Hey kid, what's up?"

  "Hey, old man, remember that time I hooked you up with those free tickets to my show for your date with Ororo?" Tyson asked.

  "Yup," Logan replied simply.

  "And you remember when I ahat whole show based around your life story, the ohat's opening tonight and going to make you a ton of money?" Tyson tinued leadingly.

  "Yeah, kid, I remember," Logan said. "It sounds like you need something. What's going on?"

  "Well, first off, Captain America is alive," Tyson stated bluntly. "They wao be there when he wakes up because I have Sabertooth's memories, and Cap fought with him… well, us, ba the war. Even though you don't remember it yourself. But I want you there too because he'll actually reize you."

  Logan was silent for a moment, clearly taken aback. "That wasn't what I was expeg to hear."

  "I know, it's pretty crazy. But I figured you deserved to know and to be there when he wakes up. You two knew each other and fought together, whether you remember it or not. He'll he support, and you might learn more about your past."

  "Alright, kid. I'll be there. Just tell me where and when."

  "Oh yeah, and Mago is going to attack me ter tonight. Just wanted you to know."

  Loga out a long, weary sigh, "See, that. That's more what I figured you were going to say. Always fighting, always getting yourself into some kind of trouble. And it ever be easy with you, it, kid? Telep demons, magical goddesses, and, of course, the oant we 't properly fight because he trol the metal in our bones."

  Frustratio into Tyson's tone as he replied. "I know, I know. You don't o tell me. But it's not like I go looking for any of this." He paused, "But I've got a surprise prepared fhis time. You let Xavier know, and he decide if he wants to do anything to help. Otherwise, grab something fast from the garage. I'll see you when you get to Times Square."

  Logan grunted an aowledgment. "Alright, kid, I'll give Chuck a heads up about Mago. But you know how he is about his old friend." Logan's voice held a note nation. "He'll probably want to try and talk some seo him."

  "I uand," Tyson replied, though his jaw tighte the thought of Xavier's idealism in the faago's relentless pursuit. "But if Mago is ing for me, I 't afford to hold back."

  "I hear you. Even if Chuck doesn't want to fight, I'll be there to back you up."

  "Thanks, old man," Tyson said genuinely. "I appreciate you having my back."

  Ending the call, he turo face Maki. "Here's what's going on," he began pinly. "Captain America, the real one from World War Two, has been found frozen in ice. SHIELD wants me there when he wakes up since I have memories of fighting alongside Cap back then."

  "And Logan?" she prompted.

  "Logan kne ba the day, too," Tyson crified. "He just doesn't remember it. But Cap will reize him, so it'll be easier if Logan's there."

  "I see," said Maki evenly, "And this attack from Mago?"

  "Mago is a mutant with the power to trol metal and magic fields. He's ing after me, again." He paused and said, "Actually, now that I think about it, this will be the third time…" Tyson's voice trailed off as he sidered the significe.

  "Mago leads a group called the Brotherhood of Mutants. They're mutant supremacists. He's got a shapeshifter named Mystique w for him, and she's taken Felicia's pce. He's recruited more powerful mutants to e after me this time."

  Maki's eyes narrowed slightly. "You have a pn?" she asked sharply.

  The er of Tyson's mouth ticked up in a faint, fident smile. "Of course," he assured her. "I've been preparing for this for a long time now. Mago won't know what hit him."

  His expression grew more serious as he tinued briefing Maki. "HYDRA likely knows about Captain America being found in the ice. They'll want to get their hands on him or, at the very least, keep him from interfering with their pns."

  Maki nodded slowly, sidering HYDRA's likely moves. "I will inform my appropriate tacts."

  "I'll do what I to ingratiate myself with the Captain and gain his trust. Let HYDRA know they'll have someoh my es handling the situation."

  "I'm sure the leadership will be pleased to have you on point for this operation." She ined her head slightly. "I will update them on the development."

  "And tonight?"

  Tyson's expression hardened as the versation shifted to the ing battle. "Be ready," he said, "I want you armed with both live rounds and tranq rounds when we face Mago and his Brotherhood." A faint, almost feral grin spread slowly across his face as a thought occurred to him. "And who knows... I might eve you use Muse."

  Muse was Tyson's Uru dagger, a on he had obtained after losing a fight on Asgard against the trickster god Loki. The mystical uru metal held an entment that allowed the bde to reprodudlessly, creating a stant stream of deadly ons in its wielder's hands. Just after graduation, Tyson had crossed paths with the vampire hunter Bde. Together, they had interrupted a ritual where Dea Frost was trying to resurre a blood god named La Magra. He'd trapped La Magra's spirit within the uru bde, making the on even more powerful and deadly.

  When the idea of using the never-ending throwing daggers in tonight's battle was mentioned, Maki's eyes lit up. "It would be my pleasure, sir," she purred.

  Support Plug

  For those of you ied in supp my writing.

  patreon./Steatoda

  Chapters are posted every Wednesday in their ey if you get tired of reading se by se. Since Arc 5, every chapter has had its own cover image. One buck membership gets you access to the galleries and the full chapter every Wednesday. Five bucks gets one chapter ahead and access to NSFW galleries. Ten bucks gets two chapters ahead and a preview of the Arc cover image.