The story that I am working on is call the "Genesis Trilogy." Right now I am
 working on J X L 1: The Beginning of a Legend. The other two are going to 
be called "Training For a New Era," and "The Birth of a New Team."

The X-Men Cyclops, Phoenix, Storm, Wolverine, Archangel, Gambit, Rogue, and 
Beast are training a new team of mutants called J X L--the Junior Xavier 
League (I kinda got the idea from Amalgam Comics' JLX :-). Alex Davidson is 
a time traveler who comes from the year 2096, where Holocaust rules most of 
the United States. He travels back in time to 1993 and, with the help of 
Professor X, forms a new team of mutants who, in Alex's history, were once 
slayed by Holocaust in the year 2000. Alex is here to help change all of 
that.
      
I thank you for your interest in my story, and I hope that you enjoy the   
 adventures of J X L.

      Charlie
Chapter 1: Alpha

August 13, 2096

Welcome to the Future. It has been nearly a century since the United States 
of America existed. The place called, "The land of opportunity," doesn't 
seem to be all that glorious as it used to be. Now it is called, 
"Apocalypse's World," or to the inhabitants it is called, "Hell." However, 
greater New England has been the only part of the U.S. to ever survive the 
wrath of Holocaust. It is now known to all as, "Freedom." The capital of 
Freedom is New York City, ever since Washington, D.C. was destroyed during 
World War III.

    In New York City, there is a very talanted professor named Michael 
Davidson who is responsible for the projects related for time travel. He has 
been working on a device that would open a portal to anywhere in space in 
any time period that is chosen. This project has been in development for 
five years, but so far there is no success.
    One day Michael bursts from his laboratory, yelling at the top of his 
lungs, and says, "I've done it! I'VE DONE IT! AFTER ALL THESE YEARS AND I'VE 
FINALLY DONE IT!!!"
    His son, Alexander, who is reading an old book from the 1990's replies, 
"Does this mean we have to evacuate the area and call the Bomb Squad?"
    "No, my son. Besides, they wouldn't come anyway. Something amazing has 
happened. Remember that project I was working on?"
    "The one about time travel? But I thought that the project was rejected 
three years ago."
    "That's what everyone else thought. I'm sorry I couldn't tell you 
sooner, but I couldn't let anyone find out about it. Anyway, after many 
years of research and development, and a tremendous amount of money, I have 
done it. I can successfully send someone through time!"
    Alex looks at a calendar on the wall and replies with a little bit of 
sarcasm, "And on your birthday, too. Isn't that ironic? Well, 'Happy 
Birthday.'"
    Michael's smile slowly fades. He doesn't want to say this but he has to 
tell Alex sometime. "There is just one. . . minor. . . glitch with this time
 machine."
    Alex's smile disappears just as fast as his dad's and asks with fear 
trembling in his voice, "Why don't I like the sound of that?"
    Michael explains gently. "Because I have no idea how to return a person 
to this point in time."
    Alex looks puzzled, but then he understands. "That's why. Some 'minor 
glitch' you've got. Then again, who would want to come back to this place. 
It's a nightmare!"
    "Why do you think I proposed this idea in the first place? So we can get
 out of this nightmare!"

August 14, 2096

Alex is in the city library studying about the history of the former United 
States of America. He suddenly remembers what he learned in school from his 
robotic, automated android teacher in world history. . .

    "Now, class, the dawn of the 21th century was the dramatic and 
catastrophic closing of the United States of America before Holocaust came 
forth to reign upon this country we call our home.
    "However, there was a group of mutants who thought that Holocaust was 
going to actually destroy this world. For three days they were at war with 
Holocaust, and for three days Earth never saw such widespread devastation 
until the pitiful rebellion was vanquished and Holocaust was victorious."

    Alex ponders what life would've been like back then before W W III. Then 
he remembers a book that he read before about those three horrible days of 
mutant wars. Suddenly, the book starts floating toward him from across the 
room where the biographies are located. It stops in front of him and opens 
to a page where someone left an iron bookmark. Then he realizes that the 
bookmark used to be his! Alex thinks that either someone else made the book 
move, or he just happens to be. . . .
    Without warning, there is a scream in the library and everybody runs. 
Three men dressed in blue uniforms with a rather peculiar red symbol with an 
X inside the symbol walk through the library and find Alex. One of the men 
puts his hand on Alex's shoulder. "Doing a little history report for school, 
son?"
    Alex is somewhat startled but plays it cool, for this situation doesn't 
happen often. "Not really. What was all of that screaming? You're not that 
Homo-Superior Resistance Group, are you?"
    One of the men says with an angry look on his face, "Could you say 
'Resistance' a little louder? I don't think everyone in Freedom heard you! 
Listen up, Alex. We need you to. . ."
    "How do you know my name?"
    Another person replies with a deep, baritone voice, "We were sent to 
find you. We need you to fight against Holocaust so we can fully restore the
 blessed United States of America."
    "And what makes you think that I can help you? I'm not the Great 
Houdini."
    The third person asks, "The Great who?"
    "Never mind. Anyway, why do you need my help fighting Holocaust?"
    ". . . Because you are a mutant, too."


August 15, 2096

    Professor Davidson is preparing the time machine for departure. He knew 
this day would finally come. "At last, I can actually get out of this place 
without anyone knowing that I left. Maybe I can go to the Old West, or maybe
 after W W II. The possibilities are endless."
    Alex is packing his personal belongings with him while he is watching 
one of his favorite programs on FreedomVision. Just when he is almost 
finished packing his things, there is a Special FV News Report. He yells to 
his dad, "Dad!! You should take a look at this! Turn on the FV set! Hurry!
    Michael walks into his son's room instead and notices that the FV is on. 
The picture of the reporter is a little distorted for there seems to be 
sounds of thunder outside.
    The reporter says with a stern look that all reporters have on FV when 
there's news of trouble:

    "This is a Special FV News Report. Holocaust has crossed the border 
between Apocalypse's World and Freedom. It appears that he is making a 
direct path for New York City. Everyone in and around the vicinity of New 
York City please evacuate immediately. This is not a drill or a test. I 
repeat: this is not a drill or a test. Everyone evacuate the area 
immediately. Holocaust is on a rampage and is heading towards New York City.
 The XSE are on their way, so everyone evacuate New Yo.."

KABOOOOOOM!!!!

    The FV set explodes and catches fire. "We had better get going before 
Holocaust destroys the city!"
    Alex finishes getting his things ready, then runs down into the den 
where his dad is preparing the time machine for travel. Alex asks a 
question. "What does XSE stand for? I keep forgeting. Ever since Xavier 
died, their reputation has gone downhill extremely."
    Another explosion rocks the ground. This time, the lights flicker. 
Michael answers, "The XSE stands fot the Xavier Security Enforcers."
    Michael and Alex pull out a special gigantic ring with cords attached to 
it and lay it on the floor. Suddenly, the ground begins to rumble. Lamps 
inside the house start crashing to the floor. The wind is howling outside 
like a hurricane was on the front porch. Michael exclaims to Alex, "We had 
better leave now, or else we won't have our own lives to save! Time circuits 
on, destination time. . . what time do you want to go to?"
    A window inside the den cracks and then shatters to pieces. The wind 
from outside makes a screeching whistling sound and Alex has to cover his 
ears with his hands. He shouts at the top of his lungs, "How about the year 
1993?! It sounded safe in the history books!!"
    Another explosion in the distance announces that Holocaust is in his 
giant phase and he is walking toward the Professor's laboratory!     "Destination time: August 15, 1993. Time portal opening. Fifteen seconds
 to space/time dimensional warp."
    The next-door neighbor's house is crushed to the ground from Holocaust's
 foot. . . and Michael and Alex's house is next! The XSE can be heard in the
 distance, using their mutant powers against Holocaust. The sounds from the 
fight indicate that the XSE seem to be losing.
    ". . . Ten. . . nine. . . eight. . . ."
    Alex is searching for the battle outside the broken window when he hears 
a sonic boom and finds a member of the XSE flying through the air and lands 
with a loud thud on the front lawn. 
    ". . . Seven. . . six. . . ."
    The mutant immediately disintegrates and regenerates in front of 
Holocaust--which has come into view from where Alex is standing--and fires a 
beam of psyonic energy at him.
    ". . . Five. . . four. . . three. . . ."
    Holocaust is knocked back a few hundred yards, but quckly regains 
balance and swings his fist at the entire team and hits all of them. 
Circumstantially, all land on Alex's front lawn, with the exception of three
 of them because they landed on the roof of the house! Holocaust leaps into 
the air, hoping to crush the entire team with one stomp!
    ". . . Two. . . one. . . NOW!!!!"
    Michael and Alex jump through the portal just when Holocaust's feet 
smashes the roof and destroys the house, as well as killing the entire team 
that was once called the Xavier Security Enforcers.

August 15, 1993

    Morning--one hundred three years in the past. There seems to be a little 
problem, though. The re-entry location is not the same as what Michael saved 
onto the computer right before departure.
    A space/time dimensional warp portal opens in a wheat field about three 
feet above the ground. Two figures fall out of the portal and land on the 
ground. The time portal closes. Michael and Alex awaken from the time travel 
with dew from the wheat field covering their clothes. They look at each 
other and Alex says, "We're home. But when? What is the date?"
    Michael pulls out a microcomputer--called the CompuPADD--from his pocke 
and starts pushing different colored buttons. The display squeaks, stutters,
 and shimmies. He then replies, "10:00 a.m. August 15, 1993! We've made it!" 
He collapses in relief.
    Alex takes a look around and finally notices the wheat field in which 
they are lying in. He ponders the possibilities and explanations for this 
for a few moments, then asks, "Does this look like New York City to you, or 
do I need to buy some glasses because all I can see is a bunch of wheat!"
    Michael immediately sits up and looks around. "Either my vision is 
messed up, too, or we're in the wrong place." He pulls out his computer 
again and lights start to flash on the screen. He hits the hand-held 
computer so the flashing stops. He looks at the display and says, "This 
can't be right! According to the CompuPADD, it says we're located in a city 
called Salem Center in the state of New York."
    Alex thinks hard about the predicament and finally states, "All that I 
can make out of all this are two reasons: Either when Holocaust smashed our 
house, he changed the location. . . ." Alex falls backwards onto the ground 
and puts his hands behind his head in an attempt to get comfortable. ". . . 
or there seemed to be more glitches in the time machine and the whole 
process of time travel than you first realized. One question, though. Did 
you happen to bring 20th Century American currency?"
    "No, I wasn't able to. I had spent all of the parsec-credits on the time 
machine. And besides, the lowest rates were about five thousand credits to 
every one hundred U.S. dollars!"
    "Well. . . there might be a place for us after all. I remember reading 
about a place in this state called Professor Xavier's School for Gifted 
Youngsters . I believe the location was inside this city. Professor Charles 
Xavier is still living in this century. Maybe he can help us."
    "Wasn't he the one you we're talking about that formed the XSE?"
    "No, he didn't form the XSE. That team was founded after he died. Xavier 
was the genius behind the ever-famed legends, the X-MEN. Now, in this time, 
Xavier and the X-MEN are still alive. They might help us."
    "I guess then we have no choice but to go to this institute. We don't 
have any other place to go."

    Michael and Alex reach Professor Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters 
about three hours later. They ring the doorbell in the two-story building 
which covers about one third of the entire campus. Unknown to them, the bell
 is heard all around the estate. The door opens and who else would be 
standing there but Scott Summers, or to the X-MEN. . . "Cyclops!"
    Alex states to Scott, "Hello. My name is Alex Davidson and this is my 
dad, Professor Michael Davidson. We're here to see Professor Charles 
Xavier."
    Scott stares at Alex for a moment before replying, "Ah, yes. We have 
been expecting you. Please, won't you come inside?"
    They step in and look around at the many objects inside the estate. 
Scott leads them up one small flight of stairs into a main hallway.  His 
wife, Jean Grey-Summers, also known as "Phoenix," is standing at the 
elevator doors, waiting for them to open. She gestures the other three over 
to her. Jean says, "You must be Michael and Alex. Welcome." The doors open 
behind her. "Please, won't you join us?"
    Alex replies, "Surely." Scott, Michael, and Alex step into the elevator-
- and into a new lifestyle that will soon change the history of the future.

    The elevator stops. Michael and Alex look at each other and then at the 
doors.
    Scott states to them, "What you are going to see through these doors 
will come as quite a shock. Are you ready?"
    They nod their heads simultaneously.
   The doors open. The four walk into a room with a table and eight chairs.
   Alex asks, "Is this some kind of 'ready room' for meetings and stuff?"
   Jean says, "You could call it that. Have a seat. Make yourselves 
comfortable. The professor will be with you very shortly." She leaves through the door they came in.
   A few seconds of silence pass, then Professor Charles Xavier enters from 
the opposite end of the 'ready room'.
   Xavier begins to say, "Gentlemen . . . ."
   Alex cuts in, jokingly, "Who came in?"
   "No, you."
   "Oh. I keep forgetting."
   "Anyway, we here at Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters have found that 
you. . . posess special skills that would prove to make you. . . exceptional 
from other people, and we have decided to make you the leader of a new team 
of these. . . exceptional people."
   "If you're trying to tell me that I'm a mutant, you're right. And I would
 be honored to lead a team under your wisdom and guidance, Professor. It 
would be my pleasure."



Chapter 2: beta

July 31, 1996

    Approximately three years have transpired from the day that changed 
Michael and Alex Davidson's lives. Ever since their time travel episode, 
Alex and his father have been working with the renowned Professor Charles 
Francis Xavier in Salem Center, New York . Xavier and the X-MEN have been 
training Alex to fully harness and control the powers he has been given by 
God. He has chosen the codename "Syntex" and he has been secretly watching 
over others to find the other six neo-mutants that were traced to a remote 
town called Tullahoma in Tennessee. These six would be killed in the year 
2000 by trying to defend the planet Earth from Holocaust if history takes 
its original course. Hopefully, history won't take its original course.

    Alex gets a call from his new best friend and his teammate in football, 
Daniel Schmidtz. Daniel sounds kind of shaky, like he saw a ghost or 
something terrible otherwise. Alex asks, "What's wrong? Are you okay?"
    Daniel replies, with a stutter, "Cou. . . Could you g. . . get over here 
v. . . very soon, like r. . . right now?!"
    Alex arrives at Daniel's house ten minutes later, only to discover that 
his house is in flames. Daniel and his family are standing in the driveway, 
looking on in despair. The fire department is trying to put out the flames, 
but it seems that they are not having success. Daniel yells to Alex, "Could 
you believe this?!"
    "No! What happened?" Alex pulls up beside him. "Did a bomb go off in 
your house?!"
    "You're not far from it. Let me tell you the story. I was playing a game 
on my computer when I got really frustrated and hit my hand on the desk."
    Heather, Daniel's sister, continues his story. "That's when I heard 
Daniel scream and when I rushed to see what was going on, a green beam of 
light blasts from his eye and destroys the monitor! The wall started 
catching fire and I yelled for everybody to get out, and that's when Daniel 
screams again and he blows a hole through four walls!"
    Nathan, Daniel's brother, finishes the story. " That's when everything 
started to catch fire. We were all running outside when there is a huge 
explosion and the house is engulfed in flames. After that, the fire trucks 
arrive and they try to stop the fire."
    Daniel says to Alex, "I don't think that we can save our house now."
    Alex quickly grabs his cellular phone and calls Professor Davidson. 
Michael picks up on the other end. "Dad, it's me. Can you put on Professor 
X? It's urgent." Michael hands the phone to Professor X. "Professor X, I've 
found one. I repeat: I've found one."

August 1, 1996

    Alex arrives at Tullahoma High School for his first football practice. 
Daniel arrives five minutes after Alex does so he could ask Alex some 
questions about yesterday.
    Daniel walks over to Alex and asks, "Alex, could I talk to you?"
    "Sure, Daniel. What's on your mind?"
    "Who was that professor you talked to on that phone of yours?"
    "That's kind of a long story, but if you must pry. . . ."
    "Oh, I must, I must."
    "Well, that was Professor Charles Xavier in New York. He's one of my 
dad's co-workers. Why do you ask?"
    "When you said, 'I've found one,' what did you mean?"
    Coach Winningham yells, "Allright everyone. Time for practice."
    Alex says, "I'll tell you later."

    After practice, Daniel walks over to Alex and says, "Well, that was a 
good practice. Are you going to tell me what you ment yesterday, or do I 
have to wait a couple of years?"
    "I'm free until the year 20. . . I mean. . . ." He clears his throat and 
his face turns red. "I mean until the year 1998."
    "What was that? Did you almost say 2098?! Who are you? Why are you here? 
You're not Alex, are you?"
    "Yes, I am, just not the one you know. Let's discuss this later."
    "No, I don't want to discuss this later. Who are you, really?"
    "Well, in a nutshell, I'm from the future. Specifically, I'm from the 
year 2096. Either way you look at it, I'm not really from around here."
    "Then why are you here? You didn't like the future or something?"
    "It was terrible! How would you like if there was a person who could 
grow fifty feet higher than everybody else and trying to destroy the world?"
    "Well. . . I can't give you an honest answer to that one."
    "Look, you're gonna have to come home with me, since there's nothing 
left of your home to go to. We're gonna need to teach you how to harness the 
full potential of your powers."
    "What do you mean 'my powers'? What do you think I am?"
    "I don't think. . . I know, and I know that you're a mutant. . . just 
like me."

August 15, 1996


    Two weeks have passed, and Daniel's training sessions have been 
successful. He now bears the name "Nova" and his performances in the Danger 
Room have exceeded everyone's expectations. Alex and Daniel have returned to 
Tullahoma in search of other neo-mutants who might be able to change the 
dreaded future yet to come.

    Alex and Daniel are walking out of the locker room after another 
football practice discussing about different plays.
    ". . . so if we double-team this lineman," says Alex, "then one of us 
might break the tackle and block the punt?"
    "Exactly," replies Daniel. "Hey. Wait a minute. Didn't you say that you 
were going to a movie?"
    "I said I would, but I never did. I just haven't had the time anymore. 
What are you gonna do about your house? Are you gonna move, or what?"
    "I'm not sure. I'll talk about it with my dad today."

    Daniel is flying back to Salem Center from practice with his parents. 
    They are discussing the idea of finding a new house in a different city.
   "But all of my friends live back home. What do I do about football, high 
school, and my friends?" asks Daniel.
    Daniel's father, Dennis, replies with another question. "Would you want
 to fly between Tennessee and New York every day for the next four years?"
    "I guess not, but can't we buy another house in Tullahoma?"
    "The way prices are, Daniel," says Daniel's mother, Suzanne, "there 
isn't any possible way we could pay for a house like we had before."
    "But why don't we ask Professor Xavier for help?" 
    At that moment, Professor X appears on a projection screen in the 
airplane. "I have heard about your predicament, and I am willing to help you
 in any way I can."
    "We need money for a new house," Daniel accidentally blurts out.
    "I am prepared to give you the sum of $350,000 to help you buy a house. 
I hope that will be enough."
    The entire family faints from amazement.


Chapter 3: Gamma

October 16, 1996

    It's a crisp, weekday afternoon. The sun is shining brightly in the 
heavens, the wind rustles leaves in a small field, and Alex is walking home 
from a long day at school. He suddenly notices an unidentifiable figure in 
the distance, and realizes that it's his girlfriend, Rose West. In a flash,
 he dashes toward her, racingly yet stealthily, sets his things down, and 
covers her eyes with his hands. He says, "Guess who?"
    She knows what's happening, and asks, "Who?"
    He spins her around until the meet face to face. "You still don't know 
if it's me or not?"
    "I know it's always you; I just say that to torture you."
    "And you have yet to succeed. 'Yet' is the key word here, though. Did 
you read your envelope yet."
    "No, I was going to wait until I got home to read it."
    "Would you mind reading it to me?"
    "No, not at all." She opens the envelope, which reveals a letter with an
 X on it. She reads the letter. "Dear Miss Rose West: My name is Professor 
Charles Xavier, and I am writing to offer you schooling--free of charge--at 
Professor Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters. One of our members will 
tell you more details about our school at a given time. Please, do NOT tell 
anyone about this offer except your parents. Sincerely, Charles Xavier. I 
guess that I wasn't supposed to tell you about this." 
    "No, it's allright. Um, Rose, I'm going to tell you something that you 
wouldn't believe. But you must hear me out, and if you don't believe me, I 
would like to invite you over to my house for dinner and then you might 
believe me."
    "As your girlfriend, I'll believe anything you tell me."
    "Okay, here goes." Alex takes in a deep breath, and then, "I'm from the 
future. I was born in the year 2084 A.D. My dad was a scientist doing an 
experiment on time travel. My dad and I were the only ones to test it in 
2096 A.D. Once we got here in 1993, Professor Xavier contacted me and, 
therefore, I became an X-MAN. I was sent back here to Tullahoma to help 
other neo-mutants come to the Xavier School. And now, you and five other 
neo-mutants must make a choice to either come and join us or not. There is 
so much more I can tell you about your future, or my history, but no one 
needs to know too much about their own destiny. I have told you too much 
already and if you hate me right now, I don't blame you.
    Rose looks at him and begins to weep. He embraces her, and suddenly Rose
 opens a kind of dimensional portal. They both step in, and reappear in her 
bedroom. Alex wonders, There's no way she could've done that unless she's 
already knows how to use her powers. This is serious! She reminds me of Jean 
Grey when she became Dark Phoenix. She could travel any long distances of 
interstellar space by opening portals just like the one Rose used. I just 
pray to Jesus that Rose will not become the next Dark Phoenix! He lets go of 
her, and she falls onto her bed. He realizes that Rose has cried herself to 
sleep.
    I wonder if I should let her sleep or if I should wake her up. He leans 
over her and gently gives her a kiss.
    She awakens and asks, "Where am I? What am I doing here?"
    He replies, "We're in your bedroom, I presume. Listen, I still want to 
offer you to come to my house tonight. I can explain what happened then. Are 
you interested?" 
    Before Rose can answer, Alex senses something is wrong outside. He grabs
 Rose and they rush out the door, only to find a car reeling towards a 
helpless child in the middle of the road. Acting upon instinct, Alex, with 
his special powers, manually takes control of the car and stops it from 
hitting the boy just inches from his face! Whew, that was too close! 
    Rose and Alex rush over to the boy, who appears to be in a state of shock. While Rose tries to calm the boy, Alex checks to see if the driver is
 allright. He is shocked that no one was driving the vehicle! A loud, 
shrieking sound of laughter is heard from above. Alex can't tell for sure, 
but he thought it resembled Apocalypse! That laugh sounded familiar, but I 
just can't place it! Maybe Rose would know who. . . .
    Sorry, Alex but I can't place that laughter either.
    "Rose, I didn't know you were telepathic!"
    "Neither did I. Alex, I think I'll take you up on that offer. But
first. . ."   
    She touches Alex's forehead, and instantaneously Alex has a telepathic 
bond between himself and Rose. I wanted to give you something only we can 
share. 
    But I can't accept this. I mean. . . I don't have anything to give you!!
They embrace, for what seems like hours, and then. . .
    "Rose! Don't just stand out there all night. You'll catch your death of 
cold!"
    They turn to see Rose's mother on the front porch, calling them. Rose 
says, "Why don't you come in?"
    "Thank you." I wonder if maybe I could stay over at your place for 
dinner?
    Sure. My parents won't mind, especially with the topic that we'll 
discuss.
    They walk inside, hand in hand, as they prepare for one night they won't 
forget.

    Alex and Rose are sitting in the dining room with her parents, Mr. and 
Mrs. West. They are discussing the contents of the letter Rose got in 
school.
    Mr. West asks, "Well, Alex, what do you think about this school in New 
York?"
    "I am already a member of the student body there, Mr. West, and I must 
say that it's the greatest there. It's not exactly like a private school, 
yet discipline is a constant factor. And what we learn there is fifty 
percent more accelerated than our advanced classes at THS."
    Mrs. West asks, "What about recreational events? What can you do there 
in your spare time?"
    "Mrs. West, our football, basketball, and baseball teams are first in 
the state; we have one dance every month; our library has 11,000 books to 
read; and our classes are only forty-five minutes long so we can have time 
to socialize with our friends. All in all, it's the best school in the 
country!"
    "Well, Rose, what do you think? Do you want to go?"
    Rose thinks for a moment, then answers. "Yes, I do, but I won't know 
anybody there." 
    Alex replies, "I'll be there to give you a guided tour of the campus and 
help you with any problems you might have. And don't forget-there are five 
others who will, hopefully, come to Xavier's, too."
    Suddenly, there is a loud shriek in Alex's ears. He senses that 
something is wrong outside. Rose, did you hear that?
    Yes, I did Alex, and I think we should check it out.
    Very good idea. "If you'll excuse me, I have a little business to take 
care of." He rushes out the door, only to find an image of Holocaust 
standing in front of him! Alex stands, baffled at the sight he is 
witnessing, but then yells, "What do you want, Holocaust?"
    Holocaust answers, "What I want is you-broken, beaten, bleeding, in a 
word-DEAD!" Within an instant, Holocaust fires a bolt of energy at Alex.
    Alex easily dodges the bolt, yelling, "You can't kill me, no matter what 
you do!" He contacts Rose telepathically, saying, Rose, I'm going to need 
some help here. I'm pushing my powers to the extreme, and they're no match 
for Holocaust.
    Rose replies, Alex, that isn't Holocaust! I sense that someone is impersonating Holocaust just to wear you out! I'm on my way, but we must be 
careful. We don't know who. . . or what we are dealing with!
    A long fight follows, magnetic and telepathic powers versus energy, yet 
in the end, it is Alex and Rose who are victorious. The entity called 
Holocaust disappears, revealing another person who is laughing hysterically.     The person says, "You may have defeated me as Holocaust, but the war goes 
on, and in the end, you will die. . . horribly!
    "Very soon, we will meet again, and when that time comes, you will meet 
your destiny. We will fight to the death, and the one who dies will be you! 
I shall kill you, I shall hurt you, and I shall eliminate you terribly. You 
and your puny friends haven't got a prayer against me."
    With those final words, he vanishes into thin air, leaving a cloud of 
mist in front of the heroes. Alex exclaims, "It takes more than destiny to 
stop us! You are the one who will lose this war!"


    Alex collapses to the ground gasping for breath. Rose is at his side but 
she doesn't know what seems to be wrong with him. She turns to him and puts 
her hand on his shoulder. She uses her telepathic powers to talk to him. 
What's the matter? You aren't drained of your powers, are you?
    He takes her hand in his, and stares longingly into her eyes. No, but 
remember what I was saying, about me being from the future?
    Of course I remember. What is it, or do you want to talk about it?
    The main reason that my dad and I came back about a hundred years is 
because we were running away from. . . He point's up to the mist that is 
rising from the "battlefield." . . . that. Everyone thought that Holocaust 
was responsible for what will happen in the near future, but it seems that 
we have a new enemy, now.
    Alex rises from the ground and brushes himself off from being on the
ground. He turns to Rose and they walk back inside to finish their meal.

    After dinner has ended, Rose asks Alex, "How long can you stay over?" I 
mean, what if that. . . thing comes back?
    Alex replies in his thoughts, Don't worry. That. . . whatever that thing
 was. . .won't be coming back for a while. "Actually, I think I had better 
get home. My dad might be getting worried."
    "Okay, then. Let me walk you out."
    As they walk out, they notice that it has gotten a lot darker than it 
was before. Rose asks, "Are you sure you can get home safely?"
    "Yeah, I can make it. That's why I wore light clothes. Maybe those dumb 
idiots on the roads can actually see me now!"
    "I'll see you tomorrow?"
    "Same as always, which couldn't be better."
    They stare into each other's eyes again and clasp hands. They kiss, for 
what resembles like hours but in reality is a few seconds. Alex then climbs 
onto his bike, waves to Rose, and takes off on the road leading him home.

Chapter 4: Delta

November 1, 1996

    Two more weeks have passed, and Rose has performed beautifully with the 
X-Men. She has chosen "Firestar" for her codename. Alex, Rose, and Graham 
have received personalized letters stating that they will be transferring 
from Tullahoma High School to Salem Center. The letter explains that they 
will "expand their intellects and learn how to control their special 
skills," which special skills are the keywords. They are three of the seven 
that will soon face the new enemy. The three, however, must find the other 
four if they are going to save Earth from the peril that is to come.