X-Force: Beyond Omega

AN: Late today. Hope you saved some PS for me. Starting next chapter things will get explosive. 

===

As Psylocke's face turned crimson at my teasing, I almost felt bad. Almost. Her boldness had caught me off guard, and while the kiss was nice, I wasn't about to let her have the last word. Before I could respond to her flustered question, the sharp tone of Professor X's telepathic call cut through the moment like a blade.

"Aron, Betsy. Report to my office immediately."

Damn it! Although he can't read my mind, he can still speak like this. Tsk. Talk about a bad time, that baldy... Sigh!

The connection faded as quickly as it came, leaving no room for questions. Psylocke straightened, the fire in her eyes returning as she masked her embarrassment. She brushed past me, the psychic blade sheathed, but her confidence firmly in place.

"Guess we'll finish this later," she said over her shoulder.

I smirked, following her out of the training room. "You're lucky the Professor has good timing."

The hallways of the mansion were quiet, most of the students either in class or on personal missions. As we entered the Professor's office, I noticed Logan leaning against the wall, arms crossed and he was wearing his signature yellow suit. Storm stood nearby. Nightcrawler was sitting on the armrest of a chair, tail flicking idly.

When we entered, all eyes turned to us. Logan arched an eyebrow. "Took your sweet time, huh?"

Professor X sat behind his desk, his expression unreadable but his voice calm as always. "Thank you all for coming so quickly. We have a situation that requires immediate attention."

Storm tilted her head, concern flashing in her eyes. "What kind of situation, Charles?"

"A spacecraft," the Professor said, his tone grave. "It crashed at the North Pole late last night. Shield detected it immediately, and its origin is extraterrestrial."

An alien ship, huh? It might be the one I saw in Fury's memories.

Nightcrawler's tail stilled mid-flick. "Alien? Do we know who or what is inside?"

"Not yet," the Professor replied. "But the energy signature coming from the ship is unlike anything we've encountered before. The crash site is unstable, and I fear whatever is aboard may pose a threat—not just to the immediate area but potentially to the planet."

"How unstable?" I asked.

Professor X's gaze shifted to me, his calm demeanor betraying a sliver of unease. "According to the limited data, the recon team collected. The crash site is emitting an energy field that's disrupting electromagnetic signals and causing rapid environmental changes. The temperature is fluctuating rapidly in that area. Not to mention the volatile gas and some kind of acidic liquid, oozing out of that ship. "

Logan grunted, pushing off the wall. "Great. Another icebox adventure. Why is it never a tropical island?"

Psylocke crossed her arms, her focus sharp. "If it's that volatile, why are you sending us there? With the Avengers and Shield's technology, it should be a walk in the park, right?"

"Shield attempted to send another recon team early this morning," Charles said. "Communication was lost shortly after their arrival. I believe the interference is too strong, and… they may not have made it back. As for the Avengers, they are taking care of the second crash site in the Sahara desert."

Storm's expression hardened. "So, we are going in blind? We'll need to be prepared for anything, Charles."

"Precisely why I chose this team," the Professor replied. "Storm, your ability to manipulate weather may be the only way to stabilize the environment long enough to investigate. Kurt's teleportation can allow quick access to areas that may otherwise be unreachable. Logan's durability and tracking skills will be essential."

His gaze shifted to Psylocke and me. "Betsy, your psychic abilities might allow you to breach the interference and make contact with anything—or anyone—aboard the ship. Investigate the crash site, assess the situation, and neutralize any potential threats," the Professor said. "And Natasha Romanoff will be joining you for this mission."

"Natasha, huh?" Logan muttered. "Always nice when the spy drops in. She knows how to kick some ass."

I crossed my arms, leaning against the wall. "Sounds like you've got your team. Why call me here?"

The Professor's piercing gaze locked onto mine. "I wanted to offer you the opportunity to join this mission, Aron. Your unique abilities could prove invaluable in an unpredictable situation."

Huh? Is he really asking me to join?

I pushed off the wall, "Well, why not?"

"Excellent," the Professor said, a note of satisfaction in his voice. "Gather your gear. The Blackbird will depart in thirty minutes. Natasha will meet you at the crash site."

"Any additional intel?" Storm asked, her tone clipped and professional.

The Professor tapped a few keys on the holographic display embedded in his desk. A map of the North Pole appeared, overlaid with data streams. "These are the last-known readings from the recon team's equipment before we lost contact. You'll note a rapid spike in temperature anomalies here—" he gestured to a glowing red spot on the map "—and an increase in electromagnetic interference."

Nightcrawler squinted at the display. "If it's this unstable, will the Blackbird even be able to get us close?"

Storm answered before Charles could. "We'll get as close as we can. After that, we improvise."

"Story of my life," Logan muttered, turning toward the door.

Everyone dispersed, heading to their quarters to suit up. Nightcrawler ported out of the room, and Professor X stopped me before I could follow the others.

"Aron, a word?" He said.

I paused. "What is it?"

"How are you doing lately?" He asked.

"Great, actually. And not to worry, I haven't used telepathy and the Phoenix Force lately. Just wanted to give my brain some rest."

Professor X nodded, smiling warmly. "That's good to hear. I'm glad to see you're making progress. I know it can be hard sometimes, especially when you can't hear others' thoughts... Some might find it hard to talk to others without peeking into their head. It's nerve-wracking in some cases. Jean had that trouble back in her younger days as well. But with practice, you'll get used to it."

"I am good. I don't really use my telepathy 24/7 like Jean, you know," I replied, grinning.

"Yes, you've done well for yourself, and I am proud of your accomplishments," Professor X said, his voice calm but laced with concern. "But be careful, Aron. This mission is dangerous. You need to be prepared for anything. Please, keep the team safe and if possible rescue the missing team. We don't know what we are up against, so please... stay safe."

I nodded. "Of course."

...

[25 minutes later]

The Blackbird was right there before us, its sleek black hull shining under the hangar lights. It looks nice. I want one. A personal jet like this one. I was suited up in my combat gear—a black tactical suit with lightweight armor and a few personal touches. Psylocke was already aboard, checking her katana and gear. Well, as usual, she was in her signature purple dress with exposed thighs... Ahem! I mean, legs...

Logan and Storm were deep in conversation near the ramp, while Nightcrawler practiced teleporting between different sections of the hangar, tail flicking with excitement. I climbed aboard, finding my seat near the rear. The hum of the engines powered up as Storm took the pilot's chair and Logan settled into the co-pilot's spot.

As the Blackbird lifted off, Professor X's voice came through the comms one last time. "Good luck, team. Stay sharp—and remember, this mission's priority is investigation, not confrontation. If you encounter hostiles, assess the threat level before engaging."

"Yeah, yeah, we've heard it all before," Logan grumbled, flicking a switch on the console.

The jet's engines roared as the ceiling opened, allowing the Blackbird to fly out into the open sky. A few seconds later, we were at cruising altitude, leaving New York City and heading north.

...

I kept my focus on the monitors, watching the environmental data shift as we approached the crash site. The electromagnetic interference grew stronger, the readings fluctuating wildly.

"I'm bringing us in as close as I can," Storm announced, her hands steady on the controls despite the turbulence. "But the energy field is getting stronger. Brace yourselves."

As the Blackbird descended, the view outside was nothing short of chaotic. The icy terrain of the North Pole was marred by jagged fissures, and geysers of steam erupting unpredictably. The crashed spacecraft was partially buried in the ice. It was freaking big. There were some weird purple and green lights glowing on its surface.

"This just gets better and better," Logan muttered, gripping his seat as the jet jolted.

Storm managed to stabilize the landing, setting us down a safe distance from the ship. "We're here," she said, unstrapping her harness. "Activate the suits."

"Activate?" I raised my brow.

"They are made of nanites. Susan Storm and Reed Richards made them for us."

I tapped the control panel on my suit, feeling the armor harden as the nanites adjusted their structure to provide greater protection. A faint energy elastic-like shield swept over my skin, creating a weird barrier. It was uncomfortable. Psylocke and Nightcrawler did the same, their suits shifting as well. Logan growled in annoyance, crossing his arms.

"Stupid suit," he muttered. "I don't need one. I've got this." He tapped the metal claws protruding from his fists.

I shook my head. "Come on, Logan. Just do it."

"Fine!" He rolled his eyes.

Storm glanced over her shoulder. "The environment is still unstable. Don't take any chances. The Shield's temporary base should be just ahead a few clicks north. Natasha will be waiting there with additional intel."

----

[Location: Unknown]

"Target in sight. Standby," A girl was lying on the icy ground and she was buried under ice. The only visible parts of her were her black eyes and blue face.

....

**[POWERSTONES & Reviews]***

Support link: patr eon.com/UnknownMaster

[13 advance chapters] [No double billing] 

-------