Chapter 288: Arc Ten. Chapter Two-Hundred Eighty-One. Island Getaway

Selene looked worriedly at the sky as a group of machines made their way into the centre of Genosha.

She watched the president's speech but hadn’t expected a response this fast.

“Citizens Of This Island. Due To A Presidential Order, You Are To Report To The Mainland For Identification. Please Remain Calm And Follow Directives.” The leader of the Sentinel group said emotionlessly.

As Selene approached she could see the Genoshans in the surrounding area grabbing their things to leave, “No. You have no authority here. We are not a member state of America, your new laws do not apply to us.”

“Citizen. The Island Falls Under The Coastal Maritime Laws Of The United States Of America. With No Formal Treaty In Place, This Island Falls Under The New York Seaboard, Therefore It Is A Part Of New York. The Augmented Registration And Containment Act Applies In The State Of New York, Therefore The Act Applies On This Island. Please Remain Calm And Report To The Mainland For Processing.”

Selene shook her head, there was no treaty as Genosha was supposed to be stricken from any official records. Her shielding of the island only covered humans, and they had gotten around it by using these damn machines. “No. You are wrong, and nobody is leaving.”

“Refusal To Comply With The Law Is Punishable-'' but the Sentinel never finished its sentence as a rock clanged off its smooth domed head. “Violence Detected. Lethal Countermeasures Deployed,” and as it fired Selene saw a young mutant, no older than ten, frozen in horror. As the beam incinerated the area they had been standing in, she saw the young boy a few metres away, with Pietro holding onto him.

“You dare!” she shouted, “he is just a child.” She nodded and Pietro zipped away with the child in tow.

“Unregistered Mutant’s Age Is Irrelevant. All Mutants Must Report To The Mainland For Processing.”

Selene brushed herself off, “We shall. Now retreat. We have several hundred inhabitants on the island and will need time to travel.”

“Unacceptable. This Unit Shall Remain To Ensure Co-Operation.”

“Your presence is a disruption, and unneeded. We agree, now leave.”

“Unacceptable. This Unit Shall Remain To Ensure Co-Operation.”

“Are you not listening, Leave!”

“Unacceptable. This Unit Shall Remain To Ensure Co-Operation.”

Selene shook her head, it was just a machine, but she knew if she destroyed it, then more would come and everyone on the island would be in danger.

“How can I get you to leave?” She asked it,

“Mutants Must Report To The Mainland For Processing.”

“So, if I go with you to the mainland for processing, then you must take me? I mean, we don't have enough boats or jets to take everyone. You must carry us.”

“Unacceptable. This Unit Shall Remain To Ensure Co-Operation.”

“And we are co-operating. It is you who are stopping us from leaving. You are breaking your primary mission by stopping mutants from reporting to the mainland for processing.”

The eyes on the Sentinel glowed brightly before they sparked and a wisp of black smoke left one of the eye sockets. Its eyes flickered for a moment and then faded, and the Sentinel toppled over, stiff as a board.

Pietro whizzed over, “I think you broke it.” 

Selene could only stare in shock that the machine had been confused so easily, “Pietro, get everyone to safety. Bring anyone who can defend themselves to keep with those who can’t. These things know we're here and won't take no for an answer. I, I need to contact Peter. He should be able to help us.”

Pietro frowned. “We can fight, we can defend ourselves, We don't need him,” but Selene glared at him sternly,

“And can you fight them and defend the children? Can you fight and keep people safe as well? We aren't equipped to take on giant robots, we can only follow their demands until someone else comes. I won't ask anyone to fight, not if they don't want to.”

As she walked forwards she touched the machine's casing, “I can't feel anything, these are stupid machines, they won't listen, won't argue. They will give orders and expect them to be followed. Even this one will have called for friends. Pietro, I'm sorry but we can't fight back. People will get hurt.”

Pietro tutted, “that's what fighting is for, and I didn't hear you complain when Cain went with Peter for Shaw.” but before she could argue back he had vanished.

Selene stood, waiting for the Sentinels back up with her fist clenched. She had become lax, expected the peace to last, and with it gone she had no plan to save anyone, let alone the children. “I’m sorry everyone,” she whispered to herself, as the second Sentinel landed.

“Destruction of Unit is Unacceptable. Lethal Countermeasures Engaged.”

The Sentinel raised its hand and as it fired Selene was ready to accept her punishment. Unwittingly she had broken one of the machines, and while it was an accident, she knew from past experiences they were going to use any excuse. If she allowed herself to be sacrificed the others would be safe.

The beam streaked towards her and a blur flashed in front of her eyes. As the beam hit, there was a scream, and Selene and Pietro tumbled across the ground.

“Threat Neutralised. Please Co-Operate with Further Orders.”

Selene looked down, and Pietro was lying on top of her, gently pushing him off she turned him over, tilted his head and looked at the damage.

The beam had hit him in the back, and she could see the burned flesh and blacked bone through a ragged hole. His jacket was stuck to the wound as it oozed fresh dark scarlet blood. He moaned softly and was growing pale as she tore and bundled up a part of her blouse, uncaring of herself as she pressed it to the wound,

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“No, no, no,” she whispered as the cloth turned red, “we were co-operating, we were going to comply.”

“Resistance Was Detected. Units Are Capable Of Defending Themselves. There Will Be No Further Delays,” the Sentinel said emotionlessly, and it raised its hand towards the pair. “Mutant Casualties Are To Be Expected. Please Stand Aside.”

Selene looked over in horror. Was this thing just going to kill him?

“Please Stand Aside. Second Warning. Third Warning Will Result In Termination Of Hostile Mutants.”

“No please, we were co-operating, you can't you can't,” Selene said as she lay over Pietros still form. “This is wrong,” but she knew arguing was futile.

“Hey!” She heard Cain shout, he was heading down the road and she could see the workers from the local businesses moving away from the trio of robots, “You leave her alone.” 

The Sentinel raised a hand while its head turned towards Cain, “Please Step Back Mutant. You Are To Remain Calm And Report For Processing.” but Cain shook his head and clenched his fist,

“She said we would, and you attacked us. You're bullies.” Cain slowly thudded towards the Sentinel, picking up speed, “and I HATE BULLIES!” he roared as he barged right through all three sets of legs, smashing the robots to the ground,

“I'm sorry Selene, I already tried to call Charles, I know you don’t like to fight, but they hurt him, and they would hurt you.”

“Lethal Force Authorised, All Mutants Will Be Held Accountable.” 

Looking up, Selene stared in horror as the sky filled with more and more. The first six were nothing compared to this. There must have been at least twenty here now, and she knew more would be on the way.

Selene took a deep breath and looking at the still form of Pietro she made her choice. “Cain, I am so sorry. But please do your best.” She waved a hand and Pietro lifted up and he motioned towards the group heading down the road,

“Take him, carefully. He is hurt but not critical. Cain and I shall make sure you can get to safety. Head to the farms. The grain siles should be able to hide you until we can get help.”

A woman and Angel lifted Pietro, and tears formed in her eyes as she saw the damage, “please, be safe Selene” she said before they lifted him and started to walk away.

“All Mutants Are To Report For Processing. Please Remain Where You Are Until A Suitable Transport Can Arrive.”

“No,” Selene said forcefully. “This is our home. You will return to the mainland or you will face destruction.” Selene shouted and the Sentinel turned to face her.

“Non-Compliance And Destruction Of Sentinel Units. Lethal Force Is Authorised.” The Sentinel raised its hand to fire but paused. “Incoming Aircraft Detected. The Transport Is Here. All Mutants Must Comply.”

But as the helicopter flew towards the group, it tilted its rotors and crashed into the largest group, exploding and scattering the rest.

A burning and bloody silver skeleton pushed a large piece of debris from the front of the helicopter and as its flesh regenerated the flesh was covered by a black and orange uniform, with three long blades sticking from each hand,

“So, I was gonna see if Cain wanted to visit, but things went south pretty quick so I thought I’d come crash the party instead,” and Selene put a hand over her face. She could sense the bubbling power under his skin, just like Peter. She didn't know whether to be annoyed he had given one to someone like Wolverine or happy. If Wolverine could persuade him to give him one, then so could she.

“I see your Symbiote shares Peter's sense of humour, Mr Logan. That is not a good thing.” 

As Rage pulled out a broken cigar, pulled the broken end off  and lit it from the smouldering limb of a Sentinel he laughed and took a draw, “you think thas bad, I ran out of that spray after about a week, that boys a trouble maker an’ so are his kids.”

Selene frowned for a moment until she realised the faint smell of cooked meat was being replaced by the delightful smell that Peter gave off when she had bedded him, and as Logan winked at her, she realised that he was producing it too.

“So Cain yeah, we got a lot more of these things coming. Selene. You ain't gonna do much standin’ there drooling. Leave this to us okay?” as Selene blinked a few times she released exactly what she had been thinking, and how apparent it was, “Go check on Eriks boy. That ain’t a good thing and that mans got a trigger finger when it comes to his kin. It'll be bad enough they hurt him, if he dies you can expect a whole other problem to happen,” 

Selene nodded. Moving away she gave Logan one last glance, maybe with a Symbiote and his regeneration she could, but she shook her head, now was not the time to be thinking of such things. She watched as his clothing rippled and he was stood in his black and tan uniform.

“So, I think you should just pick me up and throw me, I’ll take out a few in the air and anything that lands is fair game,“ Rage said seriously, 

Cain just looked at him, “You want me to throw you?”

“Yup,“ Rage said while stretching, “The kids do it all the time, and it's effective, especially with those small flight packs they got,”

Cain nodded, “Can you fly?” 

Rage shook his head, “Wolverines don't fly, they just kill,” and as Cain lifted him, pointed him at the new group heading towards them and threw him with all his might.

He landed on the back of one, sending out a web line to latch on. Driving a claw through its neck, when it started to fall he lept to another, repeating until most were disabled. Cain watched from the ground amazed at the agility of the small man. As the few Sentinels landed he hadn't gotten to they raised hands and thick beams of energy shot out, bouncing harmlessly off Cain's thick skin,

“Yeah, you can't stop the Juggernaught, tin can.” He crouched into a sprinters pose and started to run towards the group, grabbing a shattered leg to use as a shield while he just battered his way through them, pivoted on one hand, as he tore a huge hole in the ground and returned to crush the stunned and disabled machines under his feet.

“Easy enough, but there are more,” Cain said as he pointed,

Rage shrugged, “More just means more fun. Come on big guy, Bet you don’t get to cut loose too often, right?” 

Cain nodded, “Everything’s too soft.”

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