Cologne

Germany

14:23

There was no crack of thunder, or flash of blinding light to herald the arrival of what would lead to an interesting development in the world. The sentinel and the attackers simply appeared in the streets, broken and battered but healing. The silver machine swung a metal fist out towards it’s target, currently in the air, connecting with the side of a building first and tearing it apart, showering pedestrians with bricks, mortar and dust before slamming into the target and knocking them the sky.

The fist in question was aimed for the man with greying hair and a determined look on his face. He hit the ground and rolled, coming back to his feet before seemingly teleporting closer and firing out a clearly cybernetic left fist towards the leg of the Sentinel before him. The sentinel backed up and brought the leg forward in the time it took to extend his arm, catching the mutant in the face and throwing him back band then attempting to impale him with its arm.

A dark skinned man with the letter M seared into his flesh rammed the arm and grabbed a hold of it, pushing it to the side and slamming into the wall of a nearby bank, smashing glass and destroying the outer layer in the process. He dug his fingers in and pulled, hauling it over his head and slamming it into the ground. The Sentinel responded in kind by rolling back to it’s feet in an instant and pulling its arm, and by extension, the mutant to its chest. The chest rolled back, and in barely an instant the mutant was hit by a large powerful laser, launching him far down the street and into a car.

“Hey. You. Pick on someone your own size.” The grey haired man called out, taking up a boxing stance and folding his fingers back twice. The sentinel charged forwards, pulling a fist back before pushing itself off its feet and swinging for the new opponent. The fist connected with the metallic hand of the other one and proceeded to let out a window shattering shockwave from the impact. Immediately the Sentinel grappled the older man, the two of them locked together straining. If a Sentinel could strain.

“You doing alright there Cable?” The dark skinned mutant asked, shortly before launching an explosive ball of energy at the Sentinel, erupting beside its head and tossing it off balance. Cable grunted and teleported slightly to the left and nodding.

Cable.The son of Cyclops. From a future so devastating towards mutants that the end of days came for all of humanity. He was young, even though his features betrayed him. Constant use of his powers combined with occasionally moving through time had worn him. But he was still bulky, and still strong.

“Bishop. Check on Forge.” Cable orders, slowly lifting off the ground and staring the sentinel down. Red beady eyes watched him back as it stood to its full height, waiting and calculating.

The Mark 7’s were efficient, far more than most. Colossus’s living metal allowed for repair on a large scale but it had its weaknesses. The introduction of further mutant abilities allowed for them to fall easier. But the efficiency of the design was incorruptible. Flexible, shapeless and fast. Reminiscent of an owl, and the masterpiece of human engineering. It was the end times taken shape. Metal servants of the grim reaper. People often wondered how this design even came to be following the clunky and purple designs from the present.

The Mark 7’s were responsible for many deaths in the future, including Warpath and Jubilee, and many of the student body. The world was a wasteland, and this was the reason why.

Cable lifted several cars around him, throwing several constructs of metal and paint at the neverending hunter. It responded by slicing through them, moving like a perfect ballerina and lashing out at Cable once it drew in close. Cables eyes glowed red, and a large concussive blast shot out, knocking the Sentinel back.

Bishop moved down the street, through the rubble of the battle and towards where Forge had been working. When the four of them arrived in the past he immediately ducked into a nearby hardware store and started cannibalising the stock. Bishop had been born into one of the mutant concentration camps, but he was one of the few lucky enough to have an ensemble of power, powers that could break him out at a young age.

The mousey man was spacing arpound, eyes closed and foucins hard. Trying to work out what they have in Cologne that could be of use in the current predicament. Nothing here could really be sued to take down the Sentinel at this point in time, and that was going to be problematic. At some point he started chuckling, realising that his ancestors were on reserves here, and still alive. Bishops calling voice snapped him back to reality, and he grinned.

“Short circuit it.” He said simply, pointing to an electrical cable criss crossing the street to provide power for the workshop. Bishop grinned and stormed out of the shop again. Frge waited for a moment, and then started running out the back door.

Bishop collided with the sentinel, coming out of nowhere with a rugby tackle that would make the English proud. They rolled over and Bioshop hammered down, splitting the outer shell and playing keep away with the Sentinels attempt to kill him. Much to his own chagrin. “Forge said. We can shock him.”

Cable nodded and reached out, tearing the cabling from the walls with telekinetic ease, showering sparks on the ground in response. The cabling snaked its way through the sky, and started to get closer to the Sentinel, whom thanks to being smart enough to understand what was happening, immediately encased itself in Diamond. An ability stolen from Emma Frost.

But that’s where Bishop had success. He cracked through the diamond layer and tore it apart, reaching down to the skeleton inside and pulling taught on it. The metal inside groaned and complained, threatening to come loose. But it was too tight.

In a second, Cable tossed Bishop out of the way and fired the cables inside, lighting it up inside. The Sentinel shook and shuddered, not agreeing with the electrotherapy it was receiving. Flames started to flicker inside and melt any internal components in question.

As stated before, the mark 7’s are actually capable of utilising different mutant abilities, such as turning into a diamond hard shell. As well know kiddies, Diamond does not conduct electricity. And that’s why Bishop buried his hand into the shell of the Mark 7 and attached the cable to the skeleton.

Eventually the Sentinel flatlined, leaving a lazy drift of smoke floating upwards. Cable and Bishop sat down, taking a breath for a moment and looking down at the pile of junk below them. And then looking towards Forge. Who was gone. Poof, vanished.

“Uhh…”

“Yep.” Cable said simply.

“We should find him, shouldn’t we.”

“Yeah that’d be great.”

“Do you think he went to the future?”

“God knows. But we need to get this rustbucket there.”

“Yeah that’d be a grand idea.”

“Should we maybe, try and fix the city?”

“Germans are efficient. They’ll do fine.”

Ten minutes later, the Sentinel and the two mutant had vanished back to the hell from whence they came. Leaving Germany confused and Trask with a new piece of technology, one of his own creation from further into the future.

In Cavern X, where ghosts sleep, this one decided it was time to wake up. A single program started running inside it’s brain, triggered after a calling from the time travelling Sentinel in germany. One single word.

Awake_’

The eye of the Sentinel head within the Cavern flickered and dimmed again. A new word appearing in the brain.

Nimrod_

One Hour Later

Forge sat in the Cologne Bonn Airport, twirling his thumbs over one another as he waited for his flight. He knew where the Cavern was, he had been in there for refuge until Trask himself came and destroyed it.

He would return there, and ensure a future of his making. Shouldn’t be too hard, it’s run by kids. Simple, stupid, kids. He’s a good man, a smart man. He can overcome the challenges ahead.

No matter the cost

6PM GMT

“Three men appeared in Cologne today, locked in battle with what appeared to be a Sentinel. However captured footage depicts that it does not match any of the current models available to the public. Trask Industries has denied prior knowledge of the Sentinel, but has said it will be investigating the situation…”

The voice of the reporter drowned out as Vindicator ran down the corridor from her room, slamming on Pucks door and getting him moving. Tonight was the final night they would serve their government, so ready to betray them to Trask. They had an ally in England, it was time to emigrate.