Sebastian Shaw grinned. He had finally done it. After years of preparing . . . of pulling favors, making alliances, and spending so much money, he had finally done it. He had released . . .

The Sentinels.

It was his long term goal. He didn't invent them, of course. He knew the government was secretly developing them should the mutant menace become uncontrollable. Shaw merely took advantage of that.

By putting his people in the right places, he enabled certain extra . . . aspects . . . to be programmed into their systems. It was very fortuitous that all Sentinels would recognize him as their master. Not only would they not attack him, they would even do as he said! And, of course, they didn't just hunt mutants. They were programmed to deal with the super-powered ilk as well.

It was genius. A small group of those giant robots could conquer New York City in hours. He could rule the world!

But no. That would be too overt. He would rule the world someday, he believed. But he wouldn't conquer through force. He was a business man. He would rule through economics. The Sentinels would just be there to enforce him, when he needed it.

In the meantime, however, the Sentinels allowed him something far better: Revenge.

Ever since Young Justice attacked the Hellfire Mansion and won, Shaw had been furious. He knew he had to strike back. The Sentinels were perfect. Now, he knew . . . now they'd get what was coming to them.

Inside the warehouse stood the members of two teams: Young Justice and Generation Next.

Young Justice role call: Chuck Barnes, Robin: normal human pushed to peak mental and physical perfection. Kon-El, Superboy: Tactile telekinesis makes him super strong, invulnerable, and capable of flight. Bart Allen, Impulse: Super fast! Sam Guthrie, Cannonball: Mutant rocket protected by an indestructible blast field. Cassie Sandsmark, Wonder Girl: Ionic based powers let her fly, and make her super strong and invulnerable. Cissie King-Jones, Arrowette: An amazing archer armed with an array of trick arrows. Jennifer-Lynn Haden, Jade: Able to create and maintain objects with her own force of will! Linda Danvers, Firebird: Flight, super strength, invulnerability, telekinesis and large, fire-like wings of a psionic nature! Hallie Takahama, Jolt: Enhanced speed and reflexes, topped with electric shock punches!

Generation Next role call: Thomas Palmer, Valor: Invulnerability, super strength, heat vision and flight! Jonathan Palmer, Chamber: Releases psychokinetic biochemical blasts from his face and chest! Secret: A body made of smoke than can be shaped into any size, become temporarily solid, and even teleport! Paige Guthrie, Husk: A shape-shifter! Grant Emerson, Damage: Fires concussive blasts! Tony Monetti, Argent: Ability to create and maintain objects with her own force of will! Angelo Espinosa, Skin: Six extra feet of skin are his to control! Charles Edmond Parker, Golden Eagle: A suit that not only makes him well armored, but large metal wings that let him fly!

The two teams had recently clashed. Generation Next was sent by the DEO to take down Young Justice. Young Justice was on the run from the law, though the team was innocent of any charges.

After fighting for awhile, it was revealed that Cannonball and Husk were brother and sister, and that the teams were being duped! They agreed to stop fighting, but before anything else could happen, the warehouse roof was torn off.

Three giant Sentinels stood, peering in.

"Halt, mutants," the middle Sentinel's robotic voice boomed. "We are Sentinels. Surrender now. Resistance is futile."

"Mutants?" Sam asked. "They must mean Me an' Paige!"

"And me," Skin frowned.

"Scanning," the first Sentinel spoke. "Three mutants detected. Fourteen super-humans detected. Orders: Capture beings known as Young Justice. Eliminate anything else."

"They're targeting super humans, too?" Jade asked.

"I thought they were mutant hunters," Damage said.

"Well, apparently not!" Robin yelled. "Everyone, scatter!"

Both teams did just that as laser blasts from the Sentinel's eyes tore into the warehouse and sank it into the water below the harbor.

Cannonball blasted forward, scooping up Paige. He then carried her into the air and past the three sentinel's heads into open air. He instantly wished he hadn't.

There were four more Sentinels standing outside.

"Seven of 'em," Paige gaped.

"This is gonna get a whole lot worse 'fore it gets better," Sam frowned.

"This may attract way more attention than we need," Robin frowned from a point on the harbor deck. Secret, Valor and Arrowette stood with him.

"Got a plan?" Valor asked.

"Here's one," Arrowette said, pulling an electro-shock arrow. "Take 'em down!"

Wonder Girl flew at a Sentinel and slammed her fists into it's chest. She managed to dent it, but barely. The Sentinel smacked her away with a wave of it's hand.

Damage fired a concussive blast at a Sentinel's arm, causing minor damage. The sentinel replied with a concussive blast of it's own, knocking Damage away.

Two Sentinels targeted the harbor, blowing up the wood deck with ease.

"They're going to try to sink us," Jolt exclaimed. "We can't fight them if we're too busy trying not to drown!"

Roberto DaCosta was in his room, quickly packing things into two bags. He didn't have time to be picky. He sent a letter to Shaw, informing him he was leaving.

There was a knock at the door. Before Bobby could go to answer it, James Proudstar came in. He, too, carried a bag.

"You're sure I can come?" Jimmy asked.

Bobby nodded. "Did you offer Magma and Tarot?" Bobby asked.

He nodded. "Tarot said she can't leave . . . she can't dodge fate. Magma laughed in my face. She may have told Frost."

"Then we've gotta go now," Bobby frowned. Shaw had somehow discovered that Bobby had infiltrated the Hellfire Club on a mission from Professor Xavier. He hadn't been confronted yet, but Martinique Wyngarde told him. He believed her.

Jimmy was leaving because Tarot told him that, in the future, all the Hellions would die. He didn't want to die.

"Where are we headed again?" Jimmy asked.

"Muir Island," Bobby answered. "If we can make it there, we'll be safe."

Bobby zipped up his bags and flung them over his shoulder. He peeked out his door and slowly made his way down the hall with Jimmy close behind.

Martinique watched them go, but said nothing.

Frost watched them go, but did not interfere.

Shaw knew they were leaving, but did not care. His revenge on Young Justice was at hand. Sure, the Inner Circle was down to himself and Frost. But that could be dealt with later. For now . . . it was his moment of triumph!

[[For more on Sunspot and Thunderbird, keep an eye peeled for X-Force #1! - Paul]]

"Impulse!" Robin yelled. "Get intangible . . . run through the sentinel's chests . . . and plant some of my bat-bombs!"

Robin tossed the three he had on him to Impulse. Bart quickly vibrated the molecules of his body fast enough to make himself intangible. He went into the center of a Sentinel's chest and planted all three. A few seconds after he came out, the bombs went off, blowing the Sentinel's chest out. The robot fell backwards onto another warehouse, crashing it inward.

"One down," Robin said. "But I'm fresh out of bombs . . . "

"Superboy, Wonder Girl, Firebird!" Valor called, taking charge. "We're the strongest people here." He looked at the three of them with a cool calm and pointed at one of the sentinels. "Let's take that big boy down!"

All four did just that, slamming their fists into the Sentinel and doing major dentage.

The only problem is . . . Linda thought . . . is that I'm not as strong as I used to be. I haven't told the others, but . . . since I was with the Hellfire Club . . . my strength, my invulnerability . . . it's been decreased. My telekinesis has been increasing, sure . . . and I think that's the only reason I can still fly and do any major damage. I have to reinforce everything I do with my TK. I don't know how long I can keep this up . . .

Skin ducked and covered. His powers were useless against those things.

Husk tore off her skin, and found herself made of Adamantium. She charged forward at a Sentinel's leg and smashed her fists through it.

Cannonball charged at the Sentinel and blew a whole in it's chest. It's damaged systems caused it to fall to the ground.

Damage stepped in and fired a blast at it's head, making sure it was finished.

Jade and Argent teamed up against one, using their powers to tear it apart. They kept creating sharp objects and tearing through the robot's armored body.

Arrowette blasted a pair of electroshock arrows at another Sentinel, giving it minor damage.

Jolt hopped over to Arrowette. "Doesn't do much damage, huh?"

"Nope," Arrowette frowned. "I'm almost useless."

"Hey, my powers are the same as those arrows," Hallie said. "Imagine how I feel? All I can do now is jump around and try not to get hit!"

Chamber cut loose with a psychokinetic blast, frying a Sentinel's arm and finishing the job that Damage had started earlier. Secret made her smoke body grow large, her fists become spikes. She solidified for a moment, then punched the Sentinel's head, doing major damage.

One of the Sentinels took off into the air. "New orders. Terminate all superbeings and mutants in the immediate vicinity."

"Uh-oh," Wonder Girl said.

"We can take 'em!" Superboy yelled. He charged at the one Chamber, Damage and Secret were working on, knocking it's head off and finishing that fight. "Now there's only two left!"

The one left on the ground began firing like mad. It shot blasts from it's eyes and hands as quickly as could be, sending all the heroes into a mad, frenzied scatter.

"I can reach him!" Impulse yelled. He made himself intangible again and charged towards the sentinel. He smacked right into it's chest and fell to the ground, dazed.

"This Sentinel has adapted."

"They adapt, too?" Argent asked.

"Guess so," Sam said.

"Bart!" Jolt exclaimed, a worried tone in her voice.

"No worries, he'll be okay," Superboy said, dodging a blast. "He's thick headed."

"Y'know, Linda," Jade started, "some of that wacky 'Phoenix' stuff might go good right about now!"

"I've already told you," Linda replied, "I don't remember doing that! It's not something I can turn on or off, since to me, it never happened!"

"We need to finish this," Valor said. "Now."

"I know," Secret said. She twirled her smoke body around herself, initiating a smoke jump. She reappeared around the sentinel's waste and then smoke jumped again. She teleported away half the Sentinel's body, taking it out of the fight.

"Way t'go, love," Chamber replied enthusiastically.

"Now there's just the one up there," Arrowette said.

The Sentinel in the air raised both arms and, at the same time, fired blasts from them and it's eyes. The wide stream of laser blast tore apart what remained of the deck, sinking both teams into the water below.

"This isn't good," Argent said.

"Lowering coils," the Sentinel said as two large coils started to drop from his hands. "Electric shock power at 100% efficiency."

"What?" Skin asked.

"He's gonna drop electric coils into the water!" Robin exclaimed. "He'll electrocute us!"

"Great observation, Boy Wonder," Superboy said. "Let's do something about it!"

Jolt looked around nervously. Bart was unconscious when the Sentinel blasted us . . . what if he's drowning?

Superboy, Cannonball, Wonder Girl, Firebird, Jade, Valor, Secret and Argent and flew straight at the Sentinel, hitting him with everything they had. It was just enough. The sentinel blew up before the coils could hit the water.

"We did it," Cissie said. "We won!"

"Cool," Impulse said, standing on a some of what was left of the deck.

"You're alive!" Jolt exclaimed. She jumped up and hugged him.

Bart stood there, both nervous and uncomfortable. "Umm . . . yeah, I guess."

"Sorry," she said shyly, letting him go.

"I'm glad that's over," Damage said.

"Hmm . . . " Robin pondered as he swam towards the deck.

"What is it, Boy Wonder?" Valor asked with a smile.

"Well, besides the fact that there's a lot to question about the behavior of these Sentinels," Robin explained, "I was just noticing . . . where was Golden Eagle during all this?"

"Right here," Golden Eagle's voice called. It seemed different . . . almost hollow. His features had changed. His armor had been shed. He now wore a black uniform with pink along his collar. His hands seemed to radiate energy, and his eyes glowed red. "I am a Sentinel: Prime. You will be destroyed."