BurnOut

BurnOut

Prologue

The terror of Apocalypse had ended. Charles Xavier was barely functional. Jean Grey, his greatest pupil, had saved him, and, with the assistance of many of the world's mutants, humanity. But he knew the moment he touched her mind and reviewed her victory that a new disaster was on the horizon.

In an aerial battle over the Great Pyramid in Egypt, she had defeated him, Charles Xavier, the world's most powerful psychic mutant incarnated as one of Revelation's Four Horsemen. His being corrupted by the fiend, he existed only to destroy all that he lived for and loved. And his abilities, augmented by Apocalypse's influence, were beyond those of a master telepath.

For the first time his thoughts manifested in the physical world. He was flying in reality, instead of dreaming of soaring out of his chair. Then he felt her attack. Her psychic projection blinded him - fiery wings spreading from her shoulders with a shield before her in the shape of a falcon. Just as she broke him he felt that fire breaking into the real world. He knew she still burned now even though the fight was finished.

Jean operated the controls of the aircraft on the way back to the Institute only using her telekinesis. Magma, Colossus, and the others were barely breathing. When they landed, Jean lifted Charles out of the plane and inserted him into his wheelchair, manipulating his body like a puppeteer.

Again with only your thoughts, Jean?

You're awake, Professor?

I'm all right now. You can let me go. Just let it all go, Jean.

Scott ran up to them. He had battled a maniacal Mystique, her powers increased exponentially by Apocalypse. Though exhausted to a degree he had never previously experienced, he had to see Jean. He needed to hold her in his arms before he could be certain it was all over and the world that had come apart at the seams was truly restored.

She was hovering twenty feet above the ground, her hair streaming upwards. There was a metallic taste in the air Scott found disturbingly familiar. An unsettling jolt coursed through his already shell-shocked system as he recalled the vortex that emerged during her last extreme power surge.

Scott, Jean needs you.

It was the Professor reaching for him telepathically because he was too weak to talk. Suddenly Jean lit up as if the air around her were on fire. Dazzling wings formed from light spread out from her shoulders and she rose into the sky. Scott ran to Xavier.

"What's happening to her?" he cried.

Scott get Warren. Ororo's still incapacitated, but Warren can save her.

Scott understood, "we have to save her from herself…" His voice trailed off as his thoughts grew more alarming.

Only Warren can reach her in time.

"In Time?"

She's leaving us. She's leaving the planet. She'll try to breach the atmosphere and she'll burn to a cinder.

"I'll get Warren."

Returning from Mexico, Warren Worthington III stepped off one of the helicopters provided by SHIELD. Alongside Kitty, Sunspot, Havoc, Wanda and some unexpected members of the Brotherhood, he had fought Apocalypse's Third Horseman, Magneto. Crushed by one of the Master of Magnetism's brutal assaults, he had to be carried onto the chopper by Blob, one of the Brotherhood. Every bone in his body, especially the fine hollow bones in his wings, ached. Scott ran up to him.

"Warren you have to help us. You have to save Jean."

"What are you talking about? I just helped save all of humanity. What's wrong with Jean?"

"Look," Scott pointed to a glowing point in the late afternoon sky. "It's her. The Professor said she's out of control. She's trying to leave Earth. She'll go too high and burn-up leaving the atmosphere," as he finished Warren's feet left his sight.

Warren barely knew Jean Grey. He’d only been on one mission with her. In London, months earlier, they failed to prevent Magneto and his minions from enabling Apocalypse’s resurrection. There had been no time for talk. And, as soon as he saw them together, he realized she was Scott’s girl. He subsequently tried to stop admiring her long, brilliant red hair, tiny waist, and sparkling intelligent eyes. She seemed to be floating all the time, her feet never quite touching the ground.

He had an idea of what was happening to her. He'd tried one night, like Icarus, to fly as high as he could. It was the first time he discovered what the cursed feathery outgrowths could do. But what was going on in Jean's mind now? Why try to leave the planet after defeating Apocalypse?