These tunnels, they are long and feel never-ending. For some unknown reason it feels like I have been searching for hours, yet finding nothing, heck, I don't even know what I'm looking for. I hear a voice, a strange and faint voice.

" . . . come to me . . . "

I have no idea what to do; I'm frozen in my tracks. Which is pretty ironic since they call me the Iceman. With all my strength, I attempt to break free, but to no avail, I'm trapped. I see it, a face, it just appears in front of me. A big grin across it. I . . . I . . . I . . .

In a cold sweet, Bobby woke up abruptly, falling from the cot that he slept on. He hit the dirty ground, and just lay there, not wanting to move.

"Hey, something on your mind, babe?"

Jean had been looking for Clark for the past hour, she really needed someone to talk to but would never let her vulnerability show on the outside. Stay strong, is what her father had always told her. She sat down next to Clark, leaning on his shoulder.

In a soft voice, he answers her. "You're the telepath, you tell me . . . "

"Clark, you know that I would never . . . "

"Yeah, I know."

"So."

"So . . . Jean. Are you okay? Charles, the professor, he was family to both of us. We never even got to put his body to rest, never got to honor his memory. I . . . "

Tears formed in Jean's eyes, but she held them back.

"Clark, we honor his memory always, every day that we work to obtain his dream. Every day that we work to achieve peace between both humans and mutants. I . . . " She paused as a tear fell from her eyes. "I know that we'll do him proud."

Both paused for a moment, and total silence followed. Clark realized something that he had really known since their first few moments in the tunnels. Jean hugged Clark's arm, and closed her eyes, finally feeling some comfort.

The other teen concentrated really hard; the strain could be seen in her eyes.

"Come on, Jess, I know you can do it . . . "

After a few more moments, a flower sprung from the ground and bloomed.

"Yeah, way to go!!!"

The hug, followed by a sincere kiss. A shadow fell over them. They turned to see a normal size man in black rags, his face covered by the shadows.

"Brad, what's happening . . . "

"I don't know, who are you stranger?"

The man in rags didn't move, his eyes glowing white through the shadows over his face.

SNIKT

"Callisto," he said, "I wish to leave, and return to my friends and family."

"What makes you think you're parents are still alive?" the leader of the Morlocks asked.

"I don't know. I just have this feeling. Either way, I must know!"

"Silence!" Callisto said. "Do not take that tone of voice with me again, young man."

The boy clinched his fists by his side. He could feel the energy building up. By now, his fists were probably already turning green. He raised his hands, palms out, and released the energy into Callisto.

Callisto and her chair were knocked backwards, and the boy began running out. Stupid! he thought. I should have just run. Why did I bother asking? Now, I may not even have a chance to talk to Jean. She has to know . . . something is not kosher here . . .

An older gentlemen had been plowing the fields all day. The dust and dirt filled the air and the sun shone over his wrinkled sweaty face.

He was very happy, and very content.

Years before, his wife had died of illness. He could almost remember the dead silence from when he found her laying on the bed, lifeless. His daughter had left for live in the big city many, many years ago. That life was a bit of a struggle for her and recently she was forced to send her teenage daughter to live with her father on the farm, while she tried to save up some money from her struggling job. The girl, only fourteen years of age now, had to adapt to a life much different than what she had known. No more lights and craziness, well, maybe the latter.

The man shifted the gears and shutdown the tractor, wiping the sweat from his brow before climbing to the ground. He paced himself as he began to walk towards the barn, where Emilie was. At first glance all looked normal, but than he realized that there was silence, dead silence. He began to walk faster toward the barn, not knowing what to expect. As he moved, his legs began to move faster and faster until finally he was running over to the barn.

The wind rushed through his hair, the sweat flowed. He reached the door and took a deep breath before opening it. As the old wooden door opened, the sight was horrible. Cows, chickens, and other animals all around were on their sides, dead and partly wasted away. In the middle of all of them was Emilie, shaking and in shock.

The Pestilence has begun.

"Cap, you Avengers have to start hunting the mutants, like your charter states," Gyrich said.

Cap remained calm, and his expression failed to change. "Gyrich, think what you wish, but the Avengers League wasn't reformed to hunt mutants. It was reformed because the world needed them."

"Bull," Gyrich replied. "You were commissioned to hunt mutants. One group in particular. If you choose to not hunt them, then you can kiss your government sponsorship goodbye!"

"Mr. Gyrich," Martian Manhunter began. "I believe that you will not do such a thing. Right now, you have us in your pocket, and won't take us out willingly."

Gyrich ignored the comment. "Captain America, I want you to find and capture the mutant group known as the X-Men. And I want them captured within the next month!"

Gyrich cut the connection. Martian Manhunter looked at Cap.

"What shall we do?" he asked.

"We find the X-Men, and do as we are told."

*(X-Men #4 - Ritchie)

Life can never be simple, never normal, he thought. Ever since he was born, he had grown up with constant ridicule, being teased in every grade while growing up. His unique large hands and feet made him the easy target. Life at home wasn't any easier; his father, the basic drunk. Both Henry and his mother were beat, sometimes badly battered. This occurred almost every night up until about the age of sixteen, when he ran away. His mother wouldn't run though, and he had to leave her. After a few weeks of being alone, stealing and fighting for food, Xavier found him, helped him and gave him a chance for the future. He became a part of the first class of the Xavier Institute of Higher Learning. This is when he learned that his distortion and mutation had a name; he learned that he was a mutant. By his playful and fun exterior, you would never even suspect the real pain and beast within him.

From the shadows, a familiar figure watched him; taking notes, and recording behavior.

In a cell, almost a world away, Reed Richards sat in darkness. The events from years past play over in his head once again. They always end the same way, his wife disappearing right in front of his eyes, then it all goes black. What happened right after that, if only he knew? Did he really cause the death of all the people he held close to his heart?

But now, it's the same day after day. Locked away, far from the rest of society, deemed unfit. Deemed dangerous. Steel walls all around him, a collar around his neck, no exits in sight. Unlike normal inmates, his intellect lets him stand out, the government calls upon him from time to time to create inventions and weapons. They always do the same, promise to re-look over his papers, maybe give him time off on good behavior. Yet, they never do. Never do. Soon.

End Interlude

He continued running, looking over his shoulder, until he hit something and fell down. Looking up, he saw a pale skinned man. It was Morph.

"Hey, there, William," Morph said. "Where are you off to in such a rush?"

"Morph!" William exclaimed. "I need to leave, but Callisto doesn't want me to!"

"That doesn't sound good." Just then, Morph saw the two Morlocks coming. William did as well. He lifted his hands, and fired green plasma at them. They fell down, trapped until a shimmering field of green. William turned to the X-Man standing beside him.

"I have to go now. Tell Jean I said goodbye, and that I'll try to contact her again."

Morph nodded. "I will."

William turned and ran out of the tunnels.

Clark's head quickly turned after he heard a noise coming closer. Through the darkness he saw a small built figure.

"Jean . . . Jean, get up!"

BANG BANG BANG

Clark quickly turned his body in front of Jean as three bullets cut through the darkness.

"What? What's going on?" Jean said, fear in her eyes.

"An attack of some sort, stay low!"

Clark ran right at the source of the fire, hitting a small built man directly in the chest. Clark's hands melted into the man's body, as four holes formed and shot a round bullet at Clark, causing him to lose his footing. Clark's eyes glowed red for a moment, and then two thin shots of heat vision shot out, hitting the other man directly in the chest. The young mutant fell to the ground, sobbing. His chest burnt red.

"Who are you?!?" Clark asked, his voice ringing through out the tunnels.

Jean ran toward the two and grabbed Clark's arm.

"Wait up, something is wrong here!"

Jean went down to her knees, right in front of the boy, who was sobbing uncontrollably.

"Are you okay? What's you name?"

"He . . . HE . . . Killed her . . . he killed . . . Jess . . . Killed her . . . "

"What? Who killed her?"

" . . . de . . . .de . . . death . . . "

Before the young boy could even finish, a figure stepped out of the shadows. Black rags covered his body. He lifted his arms in front of his body.

SNIKT!

Three metal claws ripped through both hands, as blood slowly crept down his fingers. Clark stood tall in front of Jean and the young boy.

"Who are you? What do you want?"

"I am here for you. You the sole survivor from a world at war. For you are the chosen one. The time is almost upon us. The dawn of darkness. We will rise."

"Clark, what's he talking about? Sole survivor?"

"This guy is nuts!"

"This. This is your destiny."

"No! My destiny is to stop people like you from hurting innocents!"

Clark's eyes lit up bright red and two beams shot across the tunnel. Death quickly lifted his hands, with ease he blocked the heat beams. Both men lunged at each other, meeting in mid air. Death brought all six claws down on Clark's side, piercing the skin. Clark grinned his teeth in pain as he punched Death right across the face; a hit powerful enough to collapse the tunnel around them. The stranger shrugged it off like it was nothing.

Blood? Oh my God, nothing has ever been able to pierce my skin! Nothing.

{Clark! Watch out!!!}

Death swung his right hand directly in front of Clark's chest; abruptly it stopped only an inch away.

{Thanks Jean.}

While Jean kept Death's arms in place, Clark took this time to use his super speed and super strength while he pounded his fists at Death's body. They were shots that could kill any normal human, yet they had more or less no effect on Death. Clark kept on the offense, never giving Death the chance to use his claws.

{Jean, take out the floor!}

As Clark was pounding into Death's chest, Jean concentrated on the floor below them. After a few moments, it caved in, Death falling into it while Clark stayed in mid air. Clark shot two heat beams above his head, caving in the ceiling above him, which covered the hole that Death fell into.

Clark flew back down to where Jean was standing. The young boy was lying beside her, just regaining consciousness.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"I - " Jean began, but was interrupted by a strange noise behind her. Clark's eyes grew wider as he saw three claws ripping through the ground. He jumped, and pushed Jean to the side.

Now standing before them was Death. Clark rushed up and slammed into him, causing them both to fall into the sewer below.

He looked for Death, but he couldn't see anything, so he used his X-ray vision. Nothing.

"Don't fight what you are to become . . . "

Clark turned to where he heard the voice coming from, and found himself slugged. He staggered back, falling onto the dry concrete on the edge of the tunnel.

Death continued talking. "I know about your past. Your TRUE past. You were sent here for a reason. You are one of the four."

Superman stood up, and took a few steps back as he saw Death coming toward him.

"Look," he said. "I don't even know my past that well. Whatever you are talking about . . . The four Chosen Ones? It has nothing to do with me!"

"I'm sorry that you feel that way. Jor-El wouldn't be pleased. No. He wouldn't."

Superman paused for a moment. Something about that name he spoke caused a very strange feeling inside of him. "Jor-El?" he asked. "Who is that?"

"Your father," Death replied. "Your real father. He made the agreement to spare your life. To send you here. Now, you are breaking it. No, Jor-El wouldn't be pleased."

Superman felt the emotion building up inside of him. It was a jumble of different feelings. First, he was angry that this man knew more about his past than he did. But he was also confused as to what this man was talking about. And part of him was sad that he did not have the chance to know his father.

"Lies . . . " he whispered. "ALL LIES!"

"I'm fine," Iceman replied. He was sitting on the edge of his cot. He had given up on sleeping a couple of hours ago.

"You did hit the floor hard . . . "

"Hank, it was hours ago. I had a nightmare. These cots are small. I woke suddenly."

"Actually, I'd be more concerned about why you woke up."

"It was just a nightmare. I kinda don't like these tunnels."

"Fear of being underground?"

"Something like that."

Beast stood up. "I'll let you rest." He walked away.

Bobby Drake laid back down. He could still hear the voice calling him in his dream.

" . . . come to me . . . "

Clark aimed his heat vision at the metal claws. None of them even turned white. The man was now on top of Clark and he lifted his right arm, bringing his clawed hand down. Clark was able to slide his head to his left, and avoided becoming a Superman shish-kabob.

Clark raised his left knee, and make hard contact with the other man's groin. He then began flying up. The man swung his left hand. The three claws were able to graze Clark's left arm. Clark threw him back into the darkness, and then floated back down, holding on to his arm, which stung.

Suddenly, Death tackled him from behind. Superman was slammed into a wall, and several bricks fell.

{STOP!}

"Pathetic minds tricks won't help you, woman," Death growled, turning to face Jean, and dropping Superman.

Jean used her telekinesis to try to pull Death's feet out from under him. However, it was to no avail. But, it was enough to provide a distraction for Superman to fire his heat vision straight into Death's back. Still, it had no effect on him.

It just made him madder.

"Clark, are you all right?" Jean asked.

Superman nodded weakly. "Just a little weak."

{Clark, you don't get weak, or sick . . . }

{ . . . I . . . know . . . }

Death grabbed Superman by the throat and slammed him into another wall. This time, they entered the subway tunnel. Death dumped Superman's bloody, barely conscious body onto the track.

He turned and glared at Jean. "Follow me and save innocents, or save your love."

Just then, the noise of a subway train could be heard coming. Jean looked down the tunnel and saw a train coming straight at Superman at a very high speed. She looked up and saw a platform ahead. The sign read "Times Square."

Death jumped up onto the platform, and ran up the stairs. Jean looks at him, then at Superman.

The train came closer, and Death was getting away.

Finally, Jean made a decision. At the last second, she used her telekinesis to push Clark into the far wall, saving him in the nick of time.

After the train passed, she glided over the track using her telekinesis. She landed beside Clark and held him in her arms.

"You okay?" she asked as the tears began falling out of her eyes. Jean didn't need to have telepathy to know what kind of emotional and physical pain Clark was in.

"Is it . . . Doomsday . . . ?" Clark whispered.

"Close enough, I fear," Jean replied.

Clark put his hand on her shoulder, and tried to lift himself up. "Jean," he said through gritted teeth. "Block out the pain. I need to end this fight."

"He's killing you."

"Better than him killing millions of innocents."

She held her hand to his head and closed her eyes, blocking out his pain.

{Thank you}

Jean let go and they looked into each other's eyes for a moment. Clark leaned forward, and came closer to her face. They kissed for a moment, and then Clark pulled his head away.

After a moment of silence, Clark stood up. "I have to go . . . "

Before Jean could say "bye", he was gone, having already flew up the stairs to Times Square above.

He looked ahead, and saw a large crowd forming. A lot of people were making noise that didn't sound happy.

William came closer, and he saw a man in black rags, tearing into six adults, leaving their young children screaming.

And then, he saw a flash of red fly out of the subway . . .

Death looked at Superman. "Until you see your destiny, there will be only one thing. There will be only death."

With that, he jammed the claws of his right hand into the back of a young boy standing in front of him, killing him instantly.

"NO!" Superman yelled, flying directly at Death. He impacted with a large amount of force, but it did nothing to hurt Death. Superman staggered back, suddenly woozy again.

What is happening to me?

Crowds began to form around the fight. News vans were pulling up, and cameramen were jumping out.

Jean came out of the subway tunnel and tried to get to Clark, but there were too many people in her way.

Superman was barely standing, and he looked at Death, and then he sent his right fist flying toward Death. It missed, and Superman collapsed, rolling onto his back.

Death began laughing as he turned. A few unfortunate souls had actually been crazy enough to gather too close to the fight and paid for it when Death's claws cut through them.

"NO!" Jean shouted. She thought she might have seen a flash of green energy, but wasn't really paying attention to it. She pushed people aside and focused as much telekinetic energy as she could at Death, hoping that it would damage him at least a little. She could also read the one thought on his mind.

DEATH.

However, it backfired, and the energy came ripping back at her, nearly taking off her head.

By now, Superman had gotten on his hands and knees. Mist was pouring from his mouth. It was his breath, which had now been tinted green. Death looked down at him, and retracted five of his claws.

Superman looked up at Death. Death jabbed his remaining claw into Superman's side, causing him to fall back down on the ground.

"Remember this day. Remember my words."

With that, Death disappeared. Jean ran over to Clark, and held him in her arms.

Superman opened his eyes. "I'm feeling much better now. For some reason, I feel really sick only when Death is around."

"Is everything okay here?"

Jean turned and saw Beast and Iceman walking up.

"How did you know?" Superman asked.

"Jean contacted us right after you rushed out of the tunnel. Bobby created an ice slide to get us here," Beast replied.

Superman tried to get up, but Jean held him back. "You need to rest," she said. "Don't try to exert yourself. Let us carry you back."

Morph came up to Jean after she left her love.

"Jean, William left. He said he was sorry, and that he couldn't tell you goodbye."

"What happened?"

Morph grabbed Jean's arm. "Come over here . . . "

He took her to the area where she had been sleeping the past few nights. She saw a flash of green in the shadows.

"Maybe he should tell you," Morph said.

"William?"

William took a step forward. "I had to come back, even though it's dangerous."

"Dangerous?"

"Callisto didn't want me to leave, so she gave an order to kill me. But that's not the worst part. My parents are dead."

"I'm sorry," Jean said. "Do you know how?"

"Death."

"As in the big scary guy that nearly beat the crap out of Clark?"

William nodded.

Jean remembered the green flash of light. "So, I did see your power go off."

"I need help, Jean . . . "

"Of course," Jean replied. "Don't worry, the X-Men will protect you."

"Thank you . . . "

"We should get him to a doctor," Iceman said.

"For some reason, I don't know if that would work," Beast replied. "The healers know what they are doing." He looked at his watch. "Come on, let's get some sleep. We can figure out who Death is later."