Broken Promises [Book Two | REMASTERED]

Chapter 22: Winning Battles, Losing Wars

        Four miles away from the White House stood the grand Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium, a baseball stadium in the works of setting up for the next game. Though aside from one man doing his job to place the white lines from base to base on the field, the stadium was otherwise empty.

        Erik did not have to walk into this stadium. No, he used his powers to levitate himself over the sides of the building, able to avoid all entrances and take just what he wanted. He came to lower himself into the center of the field, thus catching the man's attention from his work as he turned, begging the question, "Uh, can I help you?"

        He did not have time for this. Erik barely gave him a glance before he turned away, shrugging him off with, "No you can't." Erik took in a slow breath as he reached his arms out from his sides, standing in place as his eyes slipped closed, and he felt for the metal structuring woven through its concrete foundation.

        At once, cracks began to ripple and erupt from the very base of the concrete walls beneath the sections of crowd seating, the metal bars inside helping Erik to grasp and pull upwards. The stadium rose with him as he focused, levitating with the stadium they both took off in the direction of the White House.

        Magneto knew what he had to do.

        In 2023, the future continues on its set course with Logan away. In the distance, the Sentinels fly in their direction from within their chambers, their protective ships prepared to eject at any sign of life—mutant or not.

        On the concrete table Logan's body remains, Kitty still holding on to his mind with her powers, keeping him where his mind can find and remain in the past. Just a little longer, a little more time. . .

         Outside their barricaded temple, Erik descends the steps, looking out upon the dark and clouded horizon of a decayed world. 

        "They're coming," Warpath says from his station on the west balcony, but there was never any question.

        There were always Sentinels.

        On the lawn of the White House back in 1972, Charles Xavier continued his mental search for Raven, his search dashing from mind to mind as fast as he could, running out of time. Kat stood behind her husband, vaguely catching on to the words and thoughts that ran through Charles's mind as he raced through one after the other. It seemed almost hopeless, until finally, they both heard her, her thoughts loud and clear, almost crisp.

        'This is for you, brothers and sisters.'

        "Raven?" Both Kat and Charles look ahead towards the source, spotting her together where she stood at the far side of the stage. She was imitating one of the security personnel, dressed in a black suit and tie. Her hand was on a gun at her side, ready to pull it from within the jacket before Charles grabbed hold. "I have her!"

        Raven pulled and tugged from within the body, trying to budge from his control. 'Let me go, Charles!'

        But Charles would do no such thing. Instead, he pointed with his finger for Hank and Logan to see just where she stood. "There. You see? The Secret Serviceman. Left of the stage."

        Hank nodded. "Got him," he said as he urged Logan forward, the two of them departing from where they were behind Kat and Charles. 

        They dashed forward through the people while the Sentinels began to power up one by one. Each pair of electronic eyes light up with yellow, glaring through their protective glass masks. Then their chests, shaped like vents, all turned downwards with the ejection of air, the force of it rippling like jets.