Date: Fri, 21 Feb 2003 14:06:00 -0800 (PST)
From: Author James <authorjames2002@yahoo.com>
Subject: Judgments of a Real Dark Knight 3

Disclaimer: This story, though maybe not in this chapter but in subsequent
chapters, will have celebrities in it.  I have no knowledge of their
sexuality and this is not intended to imply their sexuality.  This is all
from my own mind.

Buffy, the Vampire Slayer, Angel and all related characters created by Joss
Whedon.  Copyright 20th Century Fox.

Batman, and all related characters created by Bob Kane. Copyright DC Comics
and Warner Bros.

X-MEN, and all related characters created by Stan Lee. Copyright Marvel
Comics and 20th Century Fox.

The Vampire Chronicles and all related characters created by Anne Rice.
Copyright Anne O'Brien Rice.

Star Wars and all related concepts created by or based on the universe
created by George Lucas.  Copyright 20th Century Fox, LucasFilms Ltd. and
Lucas Books/Ballantine Books.

I don't know for sure if I will use all the above elements, but just in
case, I have myself covered.

I have received many emails from people who have enjoyed it and some from
those who do not.  I would enjoy hearing from you.  Any emails you send,
please tell me what chapter and story you are commenting on.  Thanks.

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Other stories in this universe written by other authors:
"Tales of a Superhero Band"
"Tales of the New Phoenix"

Chapter 3 Damage Control Part 1

	Lance and I lay in bed, though neither of us got much sleep.  After
what happened, our minds would not rest.  We were both up before the
sunrise.  I showered and went to the window to watch as the sun came up.
Lance showered and joined me.  We sat at the small table holding hands,
neither of us saying a word to one another.  We couldn't think of anything
to say.  Would things work out okay?  As much as we liked to believe it, no
one had the power to say it for a fact.
	The knock came at the door and we opened it to find Ororo standing
on the other side.  "Good morning," she greeted.
	"Good morning," I replied.
	"We are serving an early breakfast for those who wanted to assist
with the clean-up at the site."
	"Thanks," I answered.
	I turned to Lance and he nodded in affirmation.  We followed Ororo
down to the dining area where I saw many of the faces at the meeting
yesterday.  There were some new faces, as well.  Lance squeezed my hand and
leaned over to me.
	"I know them.  One of their members dated Justin for a while when
he first came out as bisexual.  Dylan, over there."  Lance pointed at them.
	"Why are they here?  Are they mutants?"
	"No.  They are sort of like what Jessica is. Not Slayers since most
of them are boys.  But they have a strange power that comes through genes.
I believe they are called Kindred."
	I nodded in agreement.  I would have to get to know these people a
little better.
	I noticed Blake come down the stairs and he seemed a little out of
place.  It wasn't surprising.  He didn't really know any of the mutants
here, with the exception of me.  I nodded for him to sit by me while Lance
nodded for the Kindred to sit by him.
	"How did you sleep last night?" I asked Blake.
	"Well. I miss Josh. And with all that's happening... I want
nothing more than to protect and hold him. Also... my powers are acting
weird. When I'm in Phoenix Form, I can always see an aura around people,
even Vampires. I'm seeing it with my normal eyes as well. Mutants, Humans,
Vampires, they all have a different color." Blake leaned in to whisper to
me. "And those people over there," He motioned to the people Lance had
mentioned. "They have a different color than all the others. But I don't
sense anything off about them. How did you guy's sleep?"
	"I didn't sleep well," I said.  "Too many thoughts running through
my head.  I can't believe what happened.  I was on campus when the first
plane hit.  After I got home, Lance and I saw the towers fall.  Where were
you when the World Trade Center attacks happened?"
	"In bed. The east coast is three hours ahead of us. Andrea's mom,
my sort of surrogate, called me and Josh. We all got together... and when
the towers fell..." Blake's eyes glowed softly as he got lost in
thoughts. "I heard their deaths." We let the subject drop, it obviously was
hurting Blake.

	"How are you guys doing?" Lance asked his friends who were part of
the band Ocean Whispers.
	"Not too good," Melvin said, glancing at Dylan, who was looking
sullen. "We suffered heavy losses of our friends. Dylan's still in a slight
state of shock."
	"What happened yesterday in Manhattan was scary.  I couldn't
imagine being there to witness it.  It was freaky enough to see it on
television while it happened.  Where were you guys when it happened?"
	"Just outside," Dylan said sadly. He leaned on the shoulder of a
brown-haired companion who held him.
	"We did all we could," the guy said. "We were too late, and it cost
us."

	We arrived at the site and received looks from some of the workers.
They were uneasy with a bunch of mutants helping out.  The damage the
Friends of Humanity caused was widespread.  And who knew if the group was
still in operation in New York.
	Ororo split us up into small groups to help spread out our
abilities.  She assigned Blade and Davey with me and her.  Scott, Jean,
Blake, and Ty (who I found out was Cloak) worked on another area.  And
Tandy, Emma Frost, and the band Ocean Whispers worked in another area.  The
damage site was so vast, it would take a long time to clear things away.
There were other groups of mutants spread throughout helping where
possible.  Those who didn't have super powers, like Lance and the Punisher,
were kept at the Institute to help out with people who needed a place to
stay.  They needed care as well.
	"Hi," I said to Blade and Davey sticking out my hand. "My name is
Eric McCoy."
	"Blade," Blade answered.
	"Davey," the youth replied taking my hand.
	"How did you meet the X-MEN?" I asked.
	"The end of the last school year, the Friends of Humanity raided
the schools to cleanse them of mutants.  Blade, Punisher, and the rest of
us rescued the mutants from the school.  Ty contacted the institute and
Emma, Jubilee and Bobby came and brought the students to the school."
	"I met Punisher over the summer.  He was chasing after a Reverend
who was running the F.O.H. in Columbus, if memory serves."
	"Yeah," Davey affirmed.  "How did you meet the X-MEN?"
	"In Los Angeles, I discovered I was a mutant and was found by
them. They trained me a bit in using my powers.  Since then, though, my
powers have acted strangely.  I was involved in an explosion.  My powers
healed me and I had ease of use.  Then there was another explosion and now
they are acting like they were at the beginning.  I'm not sure exactly how
all that happened.  I'm not a scientist like Hank or Jean."

	Dylan poked through the rubble, scuffing a bit with his foot. He
wiped his eyes as tears started to form. "This can't be happening!"
	Tandy glanced over his direction. "What's wrong?"
	"My friends," Dylan said, his tears finally flowing. He tried to
continue, but he choked on his sobs.
	"Eddie, come over here quickly," Tandy called out, unsure what to
do. The brown-haired guy came running over.
	"It'll never be the same, Ed," Dylan said, hugging the now crying
Eddie. "They'll never come back."
	"It's all my fault," the Chinese friend they called Keong said. "If
I hadn't been so stupid, this wouldn't have happened."
	"Don't blame yourself, it was Juffrey," Melvin said. "He lured them
in here, and now they're dead. It's not you, it was never you."
	"I feel your pain," Emma said quietly. "It's the pain many are
feeling the world over."
	Dylan composed himself after a while. "Come on, we have to get back
to work."
	"You could rest for a while," Tandy said. "The pain is still too
fresh for you."
	"I was trained for rescue," Dylan said stubbornly. "I'm going to
use that training to see if some still live. That's the best I can do to
honor the memory of my friends."
	"If Qhai was still alive, he'd be proud of you," Eddie said softly.

	"Phoenix. You control your powers very well. Doesn't the
personality overwhelm you?" Jean was telepathically moving debris
aside. With a Mind sweep the psychics were able to quickly find no signs of
life in the rubble.
	"From what the Mother Phoenix told me, my Phoenix has no actual
mind. The minds of the Phoenix are collective personalities and memories of
all the people they inhabit throughout the ages. I am basically going to
always exist as long as this Phoenix is alive." Phoenix raised his hand and
a large steel pylon rose into the air. Cyclops used his optic blast to
surgically cut the steel into smaller pieces, which Phoenix then lowered
into a waiting dump truck.
	"Tell me more about the Phoenix. I know all about the mythical
creature, but what of the entity?" Cloak was creating portals beneath
chunks of debris that would drop them in trucks.
	"The Phoenix is an ageless entity. It was guardian of the Emcron
Crystal, an object of power coveted by the Shiar Empire. A mad dictator
that ruled the Empire sought to destroy all of existence by breaching the
crystal." Jean moved kept directing debris aside while telling the
story. "The Phoenix came to Earth along with Lilandra, the rightful heir to
the Empire, seeking aid in the battle to save all. The X-Men, including me,
were attempting to rescue people aboard a space station above the Earth at
the time. Phoenix was drawn to my psychic powers, and we became one. After
a lengthy battle we defeated the tyrant, and I took the crystal into the
heart of the sun."
	"We thought she was dead." Cyclops went to the next large chunk of
debris Phoenix was raising. Everyone suddenly stopped when the form of a
child fell from the debris. Phoenix lowered what he was holding and walked
over to the child.
	"Oh, God." He kept repeating the phrase over and over again. Jean
moved into Cyclops's arms and openly wept, burying her face in his
shoulder. Blake reached the child and fell to his knees. The child was a
little girl. Probably only 5 years old. One arm was missing, and the side
of her face was mangled. She was covered in blood. Phoenix began to
weep. Her good eye was still open, looking into the sky vacantly. Phoenix
closed her eye, and onlookers were shocked to see the Phoenix Form suddenly
appear, screeching into the dust filled sky. A moment later the flaming
creature dissipated and Phoenix rose holding the girl. He walked towards
the Red Cross which was taking the remains of the dead. No one in their
group really spoke after that.

	That evening, we returned to the Institute exhausted.  I climbed
into a hot bath and just soaked in the warm water.  Lance came in and sat
with me.  I talked of all I had done and what little it seemed we
accomplished.
	"There was a lot of damage," Lance replied.
	"I know.  I just wish I could heal up all of it."
	"I know," he replied and gave me a hug.  "There was a lot going on
here with people coming in needing a place to stay until they could get
back to their families.  There are some that will be here for a while.
Some were able to leave a little while ago."
	After my bath, we went downstairs to get dinner.  Professor Xavier
sat at the head of the table and all the workers sat around the table.
	"Eric, are you ready for tonight?"
	I nodded.
	"Don't wear your suit.  I don't want Magneto to suspect anything
and decide not to help."
	"What suit?" Davey asked.
	Professor X looked up at me.  He was making it my decision whether
or not to disclose who my alter ego was.  Some already knew, like Lance,
the X-MEN, Blake and the Punisher, but the rest did not.
	"My bat-suit.  I'm Batman."
	There wasn't too much of a surprise from some of the people.
Evidently they heard of me and were able to place connections, such as
Ocean Whispers.  Others had not even heard of me, like the Punisher's
friends.

	Professor Xavier and I headed out in a black SUV.  He had me drive
and directed me where to turn.  Eventually, he had me pull into an alley
and we climbed out.  At the end of the alley near a construction site stood
a man wearing a black overcoat and a hat.
	"Hello, Charles," the man greeted.
	"Hello, Eric.  It is good to see you."
	"And you, old friend.  You look well.  Up and about like you never
needed the chair."
	'Chair?' I thought.  'Every time I've seen Professor X, he has
walked around.'
	"The exo-skeleton works well, Eric," Professor X said to the man in
the shadows. "That's good news," Eric replied.
	"We don't have a lot of time," Professor X moved on.  "What do you
know about the attacks?"
	"The government is still working on that," Eric said with a smile.
	'This guy knows what Professor X means.  He's just toying with us,'
I thought.
	"You know what I mean, Eric.  What do you know about the missile
attacks on schools?"
	"I think an old friend of ours could help in that area."
	"Old friend of ours?"
	"Yes.  Dr. Nathaniel Essex."
	"Nathan?"
	"Yes.  At last word, he was in Africa doing some research.  Do you
know how old he is, Charles?"
	"What do you mean?"
	"Nathan is over two centuries old.  He was born during the
Victorian time period, the nineteenth century.  His fascination with
mutants has helped him make contacts with fascinating people."
	"Such as...?"
	"Such as Apocalypse.  From some of my sources, the two have been
working together for years.  It was Apocalypse who made him immortal."
	"He would have the technical know-how to create the missiles that
transformed the trees."
	"Very astute, Charles."
	"We must figure out where they are," Professor Xavier said with
urgency.
	"Are you sure what they are doing is wrong?  Think of what the
world would be like if there were more mutants.  No more Friends of
Humanity.  No more fear of being the outcast.  We would be the majority.
We could control the government, the world and have peace."
	"We don't deserve to be the elite.  We need to cohabit with Homo
sapiens."
	"You poor pathetic fool.  We are elite."
	The ground shook from underneath us.  I looked up and saw a robot
standing the size of the abandoned apartment complex.
	"What the hell is that?" I said out loud.
	"A Sentinel," Magneto answered.  "Did you get to see them in
action?  They are mutant hunters courtesy of our Friends of Humanity.  They
were designed to hunt us down and kill us.  This one I managed to take
control of with my magnetic power.  Would you like to see it in action?"
	The Sentinel's hand swooped down to grab us.  It managed to hit me
and knock me through the brick wall of the building.  It grabbed Professor
X and lifted him high in the air.
	"I'm tired of your shit, Charles!" Magneto said.  "There will be no
peace among mutants and humans so long as we are the minority.  They will
not accept us.  The only way to guarantee fair treatment of mutants is
force our hand.  What Apocalypse and Mr. Sinister are doing is the right
thing.  And I will not let you stop them."
	I climbed out of the rubble and saw Professor X in the clutches of
the Sentinel.  It was squeezing him and I heard the sound of metal
snapping.  Professor Xavier's eyes were clenched shut in pain.  I lifted my
hands attempting to use my powers.
	Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Magneto's hand clench into a
fist.  He brought it over his head and a car flipped over his head coming
down toward me.  I jumped out of the way as the metal weapon smashed into
the concrete.
	I turned my attention back to Professor Xavier.  Lifting my hands,
I manipulated the electricity surrounding me, electricity in the air, the
power lines, even in the buildings surrounding us.  I directed the blast
into the back of the Sentinel hoping to short out Magneto's control over
the robot.  Focusing the flow of the electricity, I caused the Sentinel to
drop the Professor.  I jumped and caught him before he hit the ground.
Then I turned and ran to the SUV.  After placing Professor X in the
passenger side, I drove off toward the Institute where I knew Jean and Hank
would be able to help him.

To Be Continued...

This chapter was written by the authors of "Superhero Band", "New Phoenix",
and me.  Each of us took the elements that concerned our characters and
wrote them out.

Coming up, prophecies that predicted the WTC attacks, Apocalypse and the
coming vampire war?