There was a sound like fingernails on a chalkboard, and then Peter was in. He zipped past the crumbling wall, trying to keep as light on his feet as possible. The earth was moving underneath him, and the less he touched it the less chance he had of getting thrown off balance.

Not that he was really worried. He'd been practicing for a while, getting ready to deal with shifting terrain. They had all trained. It had been a long time since the Brotherhood had shown the world what it was capable of, four years to be precise, and it would be stupid to waste the opportunity.

He dodged another piece of mortar and swiped a guard's security clearance as they ran away. He had, if he was lucky, about forty more seconds before the hallway became unusable. That was fine: he knew that he didn't need more than that unless he stopped to talk. Peter wasn't feeling chatty, so he figured it was fine.

The door opened and he ran past several other cells. There were dark shadows moving within them, but they didn't matter. He found the appropriate number and took out another key card. He swiped it, as well as put a few well-timed key strokes in, and the door opened.

The occupant turned and looked at him, and he paused only to put a hand behind their head. This had been easier than he'd thought.

"Gotta watch for wheep-lash," he laughed.

Maybe they were going to say something in response, maybe they weren't. Peter didn't really care: just zipped on ahead, dodging the falling rubble and moving around any guards trying to get out. He cleared the wreckage with ten seconds left to spare, and that was burdened with someone else. He was getting faster, and he loved it.

Peter let go and turned, beaming. Domino blinked at him a few times. She looked a lot thinner and, if possible, paler than when he'd last seen her, but he figured that four years of prison would do that to you. The orange jumpsuit wasn't helping either.

"So," he said cheerfully, "How're ya?"

She punched him the gut. Peter bent double and coughed.

"Four years and that's the first thing that you say to me you asshole?" Domino snapped.

"Hey, not like it was...my idea," he coughed.

She managed to straighten up. Domino had crossed her arms, still looking pissed.

"I mean...I like...I didn't get you captured," he said.

She made a face.

"Neither did I," she snapped.

"Didn't say ya did," Peter said, finally able to straighten, "Xavier's guys did that. Now, are ya gonna argue with me, or are ya gonna get outta the way before the retribution comes in?"

"Sorry?"

He rolled his eyes.

"They locked you up for four years," he said, "We destroyed half their facility. Hardly seems fair, right?"

She turned in time to see Wanda and Magneto casually strolling up. Wanda was holding a box under one arm, but she was supporting Lance with the other. He looked exhausted. Making an earthquake that size took a lot out of him. For the past few years they'd been using his seismic abilities for small things, to keep themselves under the radar while they built up their power. An earthquake was a natural enough excuse for the power to be out after all.

Now, that wait was over, and Peter couldn't help but feel excited. He didn't know how Wanda could be so blasé about it. His sister looked calm, although he could see a smudge of dirt on her forehead. There had been some trouble at one of the checkpoints, and Wanda had managed to slip out of the truck and take down the guard without alerting any of the others.

She'd gotten her head slammed into the wall for her trouble, and he could see that a bruise was forming there. However, she had continued on, even using her powers to make sure that they had a good vantage point for the battle.

It was something he loved about Wanda. No matter what, he could always count on her to know exactly what she was doing. She gave him a brief nod as she approached, although she did roll her eyes at the goofy grin he gave her. There would be time for banter and celebration later. There was a job to do right now.

Magneto inclined his head to Domino. He reached out and put a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm relieved that you are unharmed," he said, "And I apologize that it took us so long. The SSR is particularly good at hiding its prisoners."

Domino bowed her head.

"It's over now," she mumbled, "Doesn't matter."

"All the same, I want to apologize," Magneto said, "No one should have to go through that. If you no longer wish to be part of the Brotherhood, then I understand-"

Domino looked up and glowered.

"Hell no," she said, "I'm not gonna let these assholes get away with this."

Magneto smiled and Wanda set the box down.

"That was the answer I was hoping for," said Magneto, "You always had a warrior's spirit."

He let go of her shoulder. Next to him Wanda gingerly let go of Lance before enveloping Domino in a hug.

"I'm glad you're alright," she said.

Domino hugged back and then let go. She looked at Peter jerked her thumb at Wanda.

"That's how you do it when you see someone after four years," she said, "Take notes."

"Oh shuddup," Peter said.

He looked over her shoulder. Several agents had gathered their wits together and spotted them. Peter cracked his neck and Wanda picked up the box. She took off the lid, and Domino gave a delighted laugh at the sight of the guns. They weren't besties with Emma anymore, not since they had lost about half their members, but every now and then she did give them something.

Domino picked up the guns, smiling at their weight.

"Can I take them out?" she asked, eyeing the agents who were rapidly starting to regroup.

"I'll save a few for you," said Magneto, "But we need to leave at least five alive."

"Why?" Domino asked, leveling one of her guns.

"Someone needs to let the world know that things are going to be different now," Magneto said.

Peter grinned.

"Sooner the better," he said.

Magneto smiled and waved his hand. The debris began to move, and Peter leaned up against a nearby tree. He checked to make sure that no one was looking at him, and then he looked away from the scene. It was enough to acknowledge what they were doing. It was the right thing, and they needed to make a statement. That didn't mean that he had to be sadistic and watch.

Charles received the phone call from Alex at 5 a.m. It had been one of the few nights that he had thought that he would get a solid seven hours of sleep, but it appeared that it was not to be. Alex still had several contacts within the SSR, and it appeared that the organization was now less a prisoner, several of its personnel, and an entire facility.

It had been a humbling revelation. He supposed that, with four years of peace, he had expected that Erik would quietly go off into obscurity. He chuckled to himself, although it didn't have anything resembling humor in it. The more he thought about it, the more ridiculous it sounded.

He hadn't been entirely unprepared though. After acknowledging that, yes, they needed to fight the Brotherhood with more than words, there had been several pointed conversations. Alex had been happy that they had finally taken action, but he said that the idea of not following up on what they had done would be foolish. Hank had agreed and, although the two were friends, it was rare for such a thing to happen.

More than that, Charles realized that he had crossed a line. After he'd gotten two Brotherhood members arrested, he'd known that he couldn't quietly go back to running his school. Erik knew that he had entered the playing field, and he would be unlikely to forget what had happened.

There was also a weariness inside of him. How long was he going to sit safely in his school trying to put out brush fires? Although he was a pacifist in theory, Charles did recognize that there was a time for all things. Fighting was always an option, and if he had to do it with more than words, so be it.

He just couldn't put it off for any longer. Erik had formally announced that the Brotherhood was back, and that it was powerful. Charles had suspected that he was recruiting, but it had been another little piece of evidence that he had shelved. Now that Domino was free, Erik would most likely begin campaigning in earnest. The peace that they had enjoyed for the past few years was over now.

A knock at the door jarred him from his thoughts.

Come in Hank, he thought.

Hank walked in, looking tired, but also determined. Did he think that he would have a fight on his hands? Charles hoped not. Perhaps his friend was just getting ready to do what needed to be done, to make the final preparations.

He knew he was.

"Did Alex call you too?" Charles asked.

"Yeah," said Hank, "He said to call him back when we reached our decision."

"He knows perfectly well what we decided," Charles said, raising an eyebrow.

"It's probably just his weird idea of being dramatic," Hank said.

"Probably," laughed Charles.

Hank sat down on the other side of his desk, and they both fell silent. After a moment of thought, Charles wheeled out from behind his desk. This was a conversation between equals after all, and he didn't want to be said that this was discussed the same way a lunch menu was.

He stopped by Hank and folded his hands together.

"You have all the necessary equipment?" he asked.

"Everything but Guthrie's uniform," Hank said, "He has really broad shoulders. I suppose we're going to be having a 'staff' meeting tomorrow."

"Yes," Charles said, "He and Xi'an both need to be informed as soon as possible, and we're going to need to call Alex in."

He leaned his head back.

"And I'd thought that we'd all left the days of the X-men behind us," he said.

Hank nodded. The word held a storm of emotions for both of him. For Hank it probably made him think of a more innocent time, where a handful of people had tried to change the world. For Charles, he couldn't help thinking of the auburn-haired woman who had suggested the name to him, of a time where he'd had to let his sister, friend, and the woman he'd loved go.

Perhaps it would come to mean something different in the upcoming years.

"And um...other members of staff?" asked Hank.

"Well, we can't expect them to all be onboard," Charles said, "It's probably best that they don't all know."

He hadn't been sure about including any of the teachers at first. But Xi'an and Sam had combat experience and were outspoken enough that Charles felt confident in approaching them. It made him feel good to know that Alex and Hank wouldn't be going in alone.

"And...the other member of staff?" Hank asked.

Charles gave him a level stare.

"We've had four years to try to come up with the best way to inform Lorna of what we're planning," he said, "That hasn't changed. Of course we have to tell her."

"And invite her?" Hank asked.

Charles sighed. That they hadn't figured out how to deal with. After graduating with her degree early, Lorna had begun working at the Institute as a teacher. Unlike her siblings, she had achieved something of a normal life. He'd felt uncomfortable with the idea of dragging her back into a world she clearly wanted nothing to do with.

It was also a world that could lead to her fighting and hurting her brother and sister. He knew that pain all to well. He thought of Raven, wondering for the millionth time since that day at the White House just where she was.

"I know she has experience, but whatever she does, it's up to her," Charles said, "We'll discuss things after Alex gets here."

He leaned back.

"As always Hank, there's going to be a difficult choice ahead," he said, "And not just for her: for all of us. All we can do is hope that, when the time comes, we make the right one."