"Manhattan?" asked Connor.

"Well, Times Square," explained Amy, "me and my mom used to come here every week end." She put one foot out of the back but Connor yanked her by the arm, keeping her inside.

"What do you think you're doing?" asked Connor angrily.

"I'm just going to look around," replied Amy, "we drove for two hours, and I'm tired."

"I don't think this is a good idea," argued Connor. Amy yanked her arm away from him, "I didn't ask you," she replied. She stepped down onto the street and began stretching, looking around the tall skyscrapers and bustling crowds. Connor stepped out of the truck and stood beside her, looking around at his new scenery.

"Cool," Connor said in amazement, "I've never been in New York before."

"What are you, a caveman?" asked Amy.

"I don't like this," Connor complained. They walked through the street slowly, looking around for Phil or Scott, "What if we get caught?"

"We won't," replied Amy.

"What If we get caught by the police or sentinels?" asked Connor.

"Then use your powers," argued Amy.

"I can't!" argued Connor, "I don't want to be taken in."

"Fine, then we'll get caught," she argued sarcastically. She turned and walked away, storming off in annoyance.

"Don't you have any powers?" asked Connor.

"Some," she replied, "but I don't see how that's any of your business."

"We should go back," Connor said sternly.

"Then go back," she replied, "but I'm looking around."

Phil kept his hands tucked in his pockets, watching around the crowds of people as they cheered at the ramblings of an anti-mutant speaker. Across the many hateful glares and blank faces, he could see Scott in the distance, looking around as he fixed his glasses. They met eyes from across the crowd and nodded to one another, making sure everything was in check. Amy walked through the streets confidently, looking into the windows and displays the stores shown the window shoppers as Connor followed. "Cool, huh?" asked Amy as she stared through a window at a mannequin. "You have any money?" asked Connor. "I wish," she replied. "Were you and your mother close?" asked Connor. She looked up at him with a confused glare and shrugged, "Yeah," she replied softly, "I loved her." She lowered her head and sighed heavily, thinking deeply.

"What ever happened to her?" asked Connor.

"I dunno," she replied, "I… guess she's dead. She was a mutant, too. It was tough… they raided my house and kidnapped her… I managed to get away."

"I'm sorry," he said softly, putting his hand on her shoulder attempting to comfort her. "I hate my life," she said softly, staring into the ground, "I hate what I am."
"We all do, sometimes," replied Connor, "but it's the hand we were dealt." Connor looked to the side and furrowed his brows as he could see two men in heavy black suits peering at them, talking silently into their walkie talkies that hung from their shirts. His past had suddenly come back to help him, because at that moment, he could sense many eyes on them.

"We gotta go," he said urgently.

"I don't want to," Amy argued. He grabbed her hand and pulled her as they walked down the street. She dragged behind him, looking around confused.

"What are you doing?" she asked pulling back. He turned to her and crouched down to her, "We have to go, now! Trust me." Phil stood like a stone statue, watching the rally as anger began to fume within him. He looked around and began to notice strange behavior within the crowd, as people passing by him began to stare deeply as if they knew what he was. He opened his shirt and tapped the 'X' signal pendant that lay at the front of his shirt,

"Scott, are you there?" he asked.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Something's going on around here," he said walking through the crowd.

"What do you mean?" he asked alarmed.

"I don't know," he replied, "but I have this feeling. Everyone is looking at me oddly. Something fishy is happening."

"It's probably your imagination, but I'll check it out," he replied.

"Look around you," he instructed, "Check out how many eyes are on you."

Connor and Amy stood up against the back of the truck, looking around nervously. Amy was still unsure about what was happening, but Connor became increasingly alert.

"What's the matter?" she asked with a shaky voice of fear.

"Get in the truck," he said to her.

"What?" she asked.

"They know about us," he said, "get into the truck."

"What- what about you?" she asked in fright.

"Don't worry about me," he replied sternly, "I'll handle them."

Suddenly, a large white truck skidded down the street and screeched up beside the twosome. Connor clung to the back of the truck in fright as Amy peeked from under the sheet. The truck door slid open, as three agents stormed out from within, pointing their guns at him and screaming orders. "Get down, mutant!" the agent screamed at Connor. He looked around as he became surrounded with federal agents. He could hear rockets in the distance and looked up as he could see a large sentinel robot descending into the crowd. "I knew it!" screamed Phil. He tapped his pendant, "Scott, it's going down!" he screamed. Scott dropped his glasses and slipped on his visor as he looked up to the rapidly descending sentinel. The crowds began parting, running in horror as Scott held his finger up to the side of his visor. Phil scrambled through the crowds attempting to get to Scott's side, but was being pushed by the rapidly riotous crowd. "Get down!" he screamed among the crowd as the sentinel landed into the street, its feet shaking the ground like an earth quake.

"Four mutant subjects detected," the sentinel said in a thunderous droning voice. Phil tore off his jacket and began powering up his fist with raging balls of fire. "Come on, you walking beer can!" he screamed in anger. "Continue pursuit and capture," the sentinel droned. "Not so fast," Scott replied. He tapped his visor and with a loud roar, his large optic beam blast through the air like lightning, slamming into the chest of the sentinel. The blast knocked the metallic behemoth to the side as Phil launched from the ground and flew through the sky hurling his fire balls at the robot's face as it blasted at him with its rays. The sentinel turned as the quickly approaching Phil blasted him rapidly with fire balls. It shot its eye beams at Phil knocking him out of the sky. Phil dove to the ground like a meteor, slamming down onto the street. Scott ran to Phil's half unconscious body as he dodged the sentinel's attacks like a true soldier.

He crouched down to Phil and held him up, "You okay?" he asked. "I'm fine," he replied sitting up.

"What do you think he meant by four mutants?" asked Scott.

"I don't know," he replied. He stood up and realized what was happening and ran off, "Where are you going?" asked Scott.

"Stall him!" screamed Phil, "I gotta check out if and see if someone snuck on the truck with us."

"Hurry," ordered Scott as he stood on his knees blasting the robot furiously. Phil ran through the streets as crowds scattered like rats, screaming and some watching in horror as Connor stood in full fight stance, two large blades in his hands as the federal agents pointed their guns at him. "Aw, crap!" Phil muttered. He turned to see Scott who was still fighting the sentinel and became torn to what was the best thing to do. He had to show himself, lest Connor be killed mercilessly. He crouched down and with a large scream shot a fireball at the truck.

The truck exploded like dynamite, sending it spiraling into the air. The agents were thrown off their feet as Connor slammed into the truck from the force. Phil leapt into the air and jumped onto the ground, standing over the unconscious agents that lay scattered among the concrete. He ran to Connor who stood up over the agents. Phil pushed him against the truck and grabbed his shirt in anger.

"What are you doing here?" he screamed in anger.

"I-I-I'm sorry," replied Connor in shock.

"You could have been killed!" he screamed tugging at his shirt.

"Look out!" Scott screamed from the back. Phil turned as the sentinel hovered over the agents, finally landing with a loud boom over the two. "Halt, mutants!" the sentinel ordered. Scott ran in back of the sentinel blasting it with his optic blasts, but it didn't help any as the robot shook off the blasts and continued approaching them.

"Professor," Scott said tapping his comm. Pendant, "we need back up!"

"The black bird is on the way," the professor replied, "I've sent Logan and Kurt to help." The sentinel stood over the two preparing to blast them as Phil turned, standing in front of Connor to protect him. "Back off!" Phil screamed aloud in a stern command. His voice echoed through the empty streets, showing he meant business and he wasn't backing down for nothing. Scott blasted at the sentinel, but it rotated, turning to him and blasted him. Scott flew back to the ground, now unconscious from its powerful retaliation.

"Is it me or is that thing getting stronger?" asked Connor.

"Shut up and stay back!" ordered Phil.

"What do I do?" asked Connor.

"Staying shut will help a whole lot, right now," Phil replied. They were now in a corner like mice to a fierce cat, approaching them intently.

Phil fired up his body and launched at the sentinel like a rocket, blasting off the ground. He shot fire ball after fireball furiously into the sentinel's chest as it staggered back from impact. Connor watched in amazement as he witnessed his Phil attack like a gauntlet, a raging ball of fire. The sentinel managed to regain his balance from the shots that melted its metal and slammed its large fists into Phil who flew recklessly into its chest. It grabbed him in mid- air and thrashed his body furiously into a car. Connor watched in horror, his body paralyzed in fear as he could see Phil's legs hanging over the roof of the smashed car in the distance, smoke still rising from his body as he was taken down from the robotic soldier. The sentinel turned and saw as Connor watched in fear, Amy emerging from the sheet to be at his side.

"W-W-What now?" asked Amy in fear.

"I don't know," replied Connor, "don't you have anything that can stop it?"

"I-I only have telekinesis, and I can only move small things," replied Amy.

"Well, unless I can shoot beams at it, we're done for," replied Connor.

"Continue seize and capture on mutant subjects!" The sentinel said as it rapidly reached towards the two youngsters. Suddenly, a large whirring arose like thunder in the sky as a loud roar slowly arose like someone cranking a volume button. Connor looked up into the sky as the black bird hovered in the air, but it didn't keep attention away from the two youngsters, because the sentinel wasn't wasting any time. "I-I thought you could fight?" complained Amy as she clung onto Connor. "That thing?" screamed Connor, "are you nuts?" Like lightning, Logan dropped from out of the haul of the black bird landing onto the sentinel's back, clinging onto its metal skeleton with his claws.

"Guess who, bub!" screamed Logan. Nightcrawler burst onto the ground with his teleportation and grabbed Scott teleporting instantly. He burst onto the car and grabbed Phil teleporting into the black bird. Nightcrawler teleported onto the sentinel's back, "Guttentaug," he said waving into its eyes with a sarcastic smile, "I am Nightcrawler." The sentinel blasted from its eyes missing him by an inch as he teleported to its back. Meanwhile, Logan slashed away at the robots back, tearing into its metallic shell effortlessly. He ripped the its door off and slashed at its wire, but like a rude awakening, he became electrocuted as he pulled at the wires. He screamed aloud as the bolts of electricity burst through his body. Nightcrawler burst onto the sentinel's arm attempting to restrain it, but was caught instantly by its hands. He screamed aloud as it electrocuted him mercilessly. Connor formed two daggers from his hands and ran at the sentinel.

"What are you doing?" screamed Amy.

"I have to do something," replied Connor.

Using his skills as a warrior he ran at its foot and began shooting daggers into its foot, slowly weakening its balance. The sentinel looked down as Night crawler escaped from its hold, teleporting away. He dodged its feet, lunging to the ground and shooting his knives at it as it attempted to stomp on him. Logan regained his footing on the sentinel and looked down as he heard the clanging of the knives against the robot. "Who's that?" asked night crawler in surprise. "Unbelievable," Logan said annoyed, "Get him before he kills himself." He sighed heavily and teleported instantly onto the ground and grabbed Connor by the back by surprise, teleporting instantly onto the black bird in a puff of smoke. Connor staggered back as he saw Night crawler standing above him.

"No!" Connor screamed.

"That'll be all today young one," Night crawler said.

"Amy's down there; get her before she gets killed!" screamed Connor.

Night crawler teleported and landed on the ground, he looked around nervously and saw Amy crouched onto the ground under the truck, hiding from the attack before her. Amy saw Nightcrawler reaching to her from under the truck with a smile, "Mr. Wagner!" Amy shouted in excitement. "Come, little one," he said softly. She reached her hand out to his and they teleported, Logan still battling with the sentinel. Nightcrawler looked out from the haul of the hovering black bird. "Logan!" he screamed from above. Logan slashed furiously over and over until finally the sentinel's head tore from its sockets, its head falling off. Finally, he toppled it as he slowly towered from the ground and tipped over. "How do you like that you walking can opener?" screamed Logan. Finally with a loud screech, it crashed onto the ground, Nightcrawler teleporting with Logan before it could explode.

Logan and Nightcrawler walked to the cock pit of the jet and looked back as Phil lay on a stretcher still unconscious, Scott sitting on his bed aching from the battle.

"What about the sentinel?" asked Nightcrawler.

"Let the feds deal with it," Logan replied, "they set this up to begin with."

"Really?" asked Nightcrawler.

"This whole rally was a ruse to fish the crowd for mutants," replied Logan, "the professor discovered it."

"Praise god no one was killed," night crawler said, "it was all a witch hunt."

"Yeah, but no one was going to be hung today," replied Logan, "not on my watch."

They blasted off into the sky like lightning, leaving on the flaming chards of metal that was one the metallic giant called a "Sentinel." Amy sat beside Phil, holding his hand and hoping he would regain his consciousness. Connor walked over to her and watched in regret.

"He's okay… right?" asked Connor with a hint of worry.

"Yeah," replied Amy, "I'm just waiting until he wakes up."

"He's really special to you, huh?" asked Connor.

"Yeah," replied Amy, "he's like family." At that point Connor realized that maybe being in this school wasn't so bad. He could see how the students bonded with the teachers, and after watching Phil defend them without any thought of his own life… maybe he wasn't such a stiff after all. Maybe he was finally some place where he would be accepted. For once, he was happy he would be going home for good.

The next day, the classes resumed as normal, and Phil sat behind his desk, sorting papers as usual. The day before had been a very strenuous one, but he was back in the game as always. Connor walked in quietly to the empty class, afraid to talk to him. "You might as well come in," replied Phil sarcastically, "you're starting to grow roots." Connor approached him meagerly, afraid to speak a word, and more surprisingly, he was afraid.

"Are you… alright?" asked Connor.

"I'm good," replied Phil. He stood up facing Connor who stood back timidly.

"I'm sorry," he said softly.

"Don't be," replied Phil, "Amy took the blame for everything. She said she pressured you into it."

"Am I going to be kicked out?" asked Connor.

"That all depends," replied Phil sitting on his desk.

"What do you mean?" asked Connor.

"Do you want to leave the school?" asked Phil, "I got the distinction from our first encounter that you didn't want to be here. I have the chest wound to prove it."

"Well, at first I didn't," replied Connor, "but then I saw how close Amy was to you, and I wanted that."

"Every teacher in this school, as a matter of fact, every member of the X-men has some bond with a couple of students, and you can have that too, you just… have to open up to people," replied Phil.

"I know," replied Connor.

"You're not gonna be kicked out," said Phil, "You and Amy are on probation." Connor smiled from excitement. This was a new beginning for him and a new life.

"Thanks," replied Connor with a smile.

"Now get to class," said Phil with a smile. Connor nodded and headed for the door, "Oh, and Connor?" asked Phil. Connor turned to him, "Yes?" he asked.

"I want a rematch."