"The game is in play." She looked at the pieces in play and wished that somehow she could help or influence things, but this was out of her hands.

"I know. The return must be ensured, so that this matter can be ended, once and for all." He moved the pieces about the board, looking at the opposing row. The black king was huddled in the corner, protected from his attacks. At least for now. Then one of the black knights moved in to position and power flared.

"Father!"

"Relax," he said, with a knowing calm, as he picked up another piece. "Everything is planned for. I know what I'm doing." He put the piece in the arena. "There's only one piece missing now, and that will come later." He smiled. "Humans are so easily manipulated..."


Alpha smiled as he struck the blow and Prime knew that this could not continue and he let his colleague strike him, hoping to sneak on him later, but he underestimated the power of Alpha and as he fell back he tried to shake off the blow, thinking he was stronger than he knew and he wondered how much of a mistake he made. Before he hit the floor, Alpha had him and held him aloft. He gave a cry of triumph and Prime was slammed in to the floor at great speed. 

Prime winced in pain as he hit the floor and he knew it would take a moment to recover, if Alpha let him, but it wasn't himself he was worried about as he knew that if he had underestimated his strength, Alpha may have underestimated his resilience and may consider him out. If that was true Alpha would focus on the others. The impact of him hitting the floor had sent out a shockwave. He looked up and tried to move but couldn't and he saw Alpha hovering in the air.

"It's time to send the world a message they'll never forget!" Then solar fire seared from his fists towards the helpless heroes and Prime forced himself to stand, sweat pouring from his brow, and as he stood he almost fell over again as he saw the scene before him.

A young red-headed woman was containing Alpha's energy blast, seemingly holding it at bay with nothing. Telekinetic, she had to be and from the looks on people's faces she was familiar to some of them at least.

"If someone wants to help..." she called out and Prime flew up, grabbing Alpha and taking him up in to the air, through the roof of the building and high up in to the sky.


Union Jack was in awe. During his time being trained by Brian he had heard of Excalibur and their missions, and he had also seen a great deal on the news about them and their activities as well, but to have four of the five original members here before him... It was beyond belief. He had been amazed when Nightcrawler had arrived and that had developed on the arrival of Phoenix. 

Rachel Summers may not have had the powers of her prime but she was still a powerful psion in her own right and she had saved them all from what would have been a devastating onslaught from Hellios Alpha and now she was taking on each of the remaining Hellios super-soldiers one at a time, using her telepathy to battle them. It was too much for her to take out all of them at once, but she was doing what she could, leaving the others to get busy fighting.

Rachel's plan was clever, taking on one of the Hellios's being held by Darkstar, so that the Russian could then restrain another of them. It didn't take long for Rachel to take one of them down, and Darkstar reacted quickly grabbing hold of another, and Rachel was working even faster on the second one as the blocks of the Hellios were the same as the first and this time she knew what she was doing..

Plus the impact of Hellios Prime hitting the floor had shaken up Armory and put his system back online which was enabling him to take Omicron on again as well. The odds were being evened, as Savitar matched Epsilon and Pi took on Meggan. That left Beta who had USAgent by the throat and was slowly trying to choke the life from him, but the former Captain America was using his own strength to try and force the might hand away and though he knew he would lose, he hoped he could buy himself enough time to ensure that someone saved him.

"WALKER!" cried Union Jack and looked around for something, anything, to help his team-mate. Then Sabra cried out as Gamma grabbed hold of her legs as he crawled along the floor and Rock looked around in angst. Darkstar had grabbed hold of Omega, whom he'd disabled earlier and she'd left the stunned Gamma alone. It was understandable given that there was so much going on, they all looked alike and the shockwave had thrown everyone, but it left them in trouble. Sabra was the most vulnerable because she still wasn't 100% and the brace that she wore to help her walk... Rock had an idea and he needed to move quickly.

He ran over to where USAgent was being strangled and grabbed on of Walker's handguns.

"'ELP!" spluttered Walker, but Rock ignored him. He had to if he was to save Sabra and he pointed at her and fired. This was going to hurt her, but she'd be alive. He'd read the specs for the device and he knew where it was weakest, and it the bullet struck the aluminium rods. Sabra cried out in pain as the system shook and her body responded as the rods fell apart. The bullet didn't enter her body as the rods took the burnt of it, but it still hurt. The rods fell apart and she pushed on, her clothing tearing as she did so, leaving Gamma holding scraps of cloth and a damaged aluminium piping.

Then something strange happened - the rods began to glow and Gamma tried to shake them loose but couldn't and then they detonated sending a surge of energy and Gamma screamed as his arms detonated with it.

"What the hell was that?" asked Bridge, as he looked on and Sabra looked at him and shook her head. It was as big a surprise to her as it was to everyone else, and what if that had happened while she had been wearing them? Or more importantly, what if she'd been meant to. It was worrying in either case. Meanwhile Rock had turned his attention back to Walker, who was grabbed by Nightcrawler and teleported out of the way, leaving Beta holding empty air and that moment's distraction allowed Rachel to hit him with her powers and taken him down as well.

Bridge sighed, thinking it was a good job these two had shown up, otherwise they'd all be dead right now and the world would have been in one hell of a lot of trouble. Armory was holding it's own again against Omicron, which suited him but he was more concerned about Braddock, whom Honey Lemon was keeping an eye on. The shockwave had shaken him up, and that was the last thing he needed and it had made things worse. He'd started to cough blood and Bridge knew they were losing him. He'd seen injuries like that before and there was nothing he could do. 

Then he heard a thud and he saw Meggan throw Pi to the floor and he did not move and she came over to her husband.

"BRIAN!" she called and she looked at him.

"Hullo, love,2 he said, responding to her voice and she looked at Honey Lemon who shook her head and Meggan's shape changed and her body sparkled and shone and she gripped hold of Braddock's hand and he too began to twinkle. Bridge watched for a moment and then looked back at the ruined chamber. Excalibur was still standing, mostly, and the enemy had been taken out, thanks to the timely intervention of Nightcrawler and Phoenix, if that was what name she used. Bridge wasn't sure and he knew he ought to ask Cable the next time he saw him.

"That's that then," said Rachel, with a sigh. Taking out the Hellios super-soldiers hadn't exactly been hard work, but it had been quite intense and she'd not given her powers that kind of work out in a long time. 

"Just leaves Alpha and Prime," said Bridge, shaking his head. "We'd better get out there and help him, just in case."

"Okay," said Rachel and reached out with her mind. "Oh, God," she said as she went white. "We'd better hurry."

"Why?" asked Bridge.

"We may be too late," she replied.

"Get me out there," Bridge said. "Darkstar, you're with me!"


"I don't know who that was," Hellios Prime said as he took Alpha up in to the sky, "but I'm glad she showed up."

"Let go of me!" Hellios Alpha cried, but his arms were pinned by Prime as they flew up and up, as the air became thinner and colder.

"Not likely," Prime managed to say and Alpha kicked out at him, hitting him in the gut, but still Prime did not let go. Then he let him go, and Alpha dropped slightly before regaining his ability to fly, but Prime was ready for him, and he unleashed everything he had on Alpha - energy beams shot from his eyes and hands, striking at his former brother pushing him down. Alpha tried to fight back but he was too off guard and the extremes of intense heat and intense cold were getting to him.

"No," he said, "it cannot end like this..." He fought back with his own powers, but this close to the upper reaches of Earth's atmosphere they were close to the sun and Alpha was just that touch closer, ensuring that the air was thinner and the protection of Earth's atmosphere was not as strong, making him slightly more powerful, and Alpha's attack was driven back, and dissipated, allowing Prime to get in a clear shot and Alpha's defences were breached. Both of them had fought hard and the serum in their veins was working overtime, and they knew there couldn't be too much left to go for either of them, though they knew they could dig deep.

The original Hellios had proven that, but Prime knew that time was running out and that an end was needed.

"I have had enough of this, and I have had enough of you!" Prime shouted as he slammed his fists down on to the other super soldier, not giving Alpha any quarter, any chance at all of fighting back, because he knew that one way or another this battle had to end. The only way for that to happen was to kill Alpha, and that was what he would do. "Forgive me," he said and he headed down to wards the Earth again, letting gravity and his own power work with him and he forced Hellios Alpha down, sending them both hurtling to the floor.

The planet came towards them at a tremendous rate and if Alpha was aware of it then he showed no sign, as if the attacks had disorientated him and he no longer knew which way was up or which way was down and Prime knew that in all likelihood neither of them would survive the impact. He did not want to die, but if that was what it took to end this then that was what he would do.

Hellios was meant to be a hero and these misguided creatures had ruined that in their arrogance and ambition, but if he could commit one final heroic act then maybe the books would be balanced and he, the Hellios Project and Greece would not be judged too harshly. 

He closed his eyes and he let go of his brother, knowing that it was too late for them and he waited for the impact to happen but he felt nothing. He cautiously opened his eyes to find himself surrounded in darkness and he wondered if this was what death felt like. It had not been as painful as he had anticipated and then light broke through and he could see shining in the light a female figure, her blond hair shimmering in the light.

"Am I dead? Is this heaven?" he asked and the figure gave a smile and then there was enough light to see her face. "Darkstar..." Her gave a sigh, then a smile and then he laughed in relief. "I thought..."

"Yes," she said, "it was close, but I managed to save you. Both of you." Prime gasped and she shook her head. "Do not worry about him. He is going nowhere. His mind is currently off, as it were." Hellios looked at her and then he could see Rachel Summers standing there, a knowing look on her face and he thought that for someone so young she seemed to have eyes that were so aged and wise and he nodded to her.

"Is it over?" he asked then, seeing GW Bridge.

"Yeah," he said. "It's more or less over. We came out of this okay. We were lucky. Braddock though..." He shook his head. 

"He's dying," Rachel said. "I can feel it. He has too many internal injuries, and Meggan's doing... something to him. I can feel her using the Alshra to repair the wounds, but..."

"The what?" asked Bridge.

"It's an energy force, a level f reality she can access in her true form," Rachel said. "It's powerful. Very powerful, but it cannot work miracles. Brian's lost too much blood. He'd need a transfusion, but he has a very rare blood type, with his being only half human. It's almost ours, but just different enough so that none of us can help him."

"Who else has his blood?" Hellios asked, an idea forming.

"His sister Elisabeth, and his brother Jamie," she said. "Neither of whom will get here in time, and though there is a source back at Braddock Manor in the UK, we'll not make it their in time either."

"Take me to him," said Hellios and they looked at him. "Please." Bridge shrugged. He didn't know enough about Hellios to argue and if he thought he could help Braddock then fine. Forge had radioed in that there was some kind of problem with the HERMES system, due to the Behemoth having to be evacuated of all non-essential personnel as there was a major battle going on between Godzilla and some other creature, and so the three super-humans lifted off to go see Braddock, leaving Bridge to watch over the comatose Hellios Alpha.

"He'd better not wake up," Bridge muttered, crossing his fingers behind his back.


Inside the ruined building, Union Jack, Nightcrawler and Meggan were standing by their friend. Meggan was crying, because she knew even with her powers there was not enough she could do to save him and Kurt knealt down.

"I know you do not believe, mein freund," he said, "but I can hear anything you wish to say."

"It's okay, Kurt," Brian said, his voice a hoarse croak, "but thank you for the offer. I've died before. I'm ready."

"I'm not," said Meggan. "I don't know what I'll do without you."

"Be strong, love," he said, looking in to her eye. "Tell Betsy I love her." He gave a cough and looked to Rock. "You should never have been Union Jack."

"I didn't want it then, I don't want it now," Rock said, knowing they'd had this talk before. "I can't..."

"You can do it. There must always be a Captain Britain. When I'm gone, that leaves you." He took hold of the man's leg. "Please."

"Okay," said Rock, with reluctance in his voice. "But I'll never be you."

"No, you'll be better." Brian gasped in pain and Meggan covered his body with hers, tears flowing from her eyes.

"I love you," she said.

"I love you too," he whispered, his voice so soft that only she could hear it. Kurt patted Union Jack on the shoulder and walked towards the bodies that the Hellios attack had left and Rock turned away, giving them the Braddock's their last moment together and then he saw them coming through the roof - Rachel, Laynia and Helios and they landed as softly as possible, Hellios staggering slightly.

"Excuse me," he said to them. "I can save you, if you'll let me."

"You're from Otherworld?" Brian asked psionically, linked to Hellios' mind by Rachel.

"No," the Greek answered, "but my blood has different properties because of the alien serum that is in my veins. I know there is not much of it left after the battle, but it does have the affect of altering my blood work so that I have powers. It may help prolong your life until we get you your own blood."

"Do it," said Meggan, without a second thought, and Honey Lemon came over. 

"I have a kit here," she said, reaching in to her pouch. "I can fit you up." 

"Work quickly," said Meggan and the Japanese heroine went to work on Hellios and Brian as the others watched on.

"There may be side-effects from this," said Rock as he watched from Kurt's side. Of everyone here he felt he could connect best with Nightcrawler because of their relationships with Brian.

"She knows," said Kurt, looking at Meggan and thinking he had never seen her more scared and he had known her a very long time. "But it's a risk you take when you're in love. I'll stick around Braddock Manor for a while, in case she needs help."

"Me too," said Rock. "Percival Rockford."

"Kurt Wagner," Kurt said and shook hands. Time would tell what this would do to Brian, but if it kept him alive that was fine. It not only meant his friend was still here, it meant that he didn't have to take up the mantle of Captain Britain. 

In his heart Rock knew he wasn't ready.

Kurt left and went over to speak to Rachel and the two friends embraced. It had been a while since they had seen each other, and it was something good for the both of them.

"Look at you," said Kurt. "Leader of a religion."

"Look at you," said Rachel in return. "Religious troubleshooter."

"Ah, Rachel," Kurt replied with a smile. "What brought you here?"

"Cable's a friend of Bridge's, Brian's a friend of mine and Nate's busy with his girlfriend or some terrorists on the other side of the world, so I popped by instead. My students can get by without me for a little while, and Prosh will tell Cable where I am, if he asks. What about you?"

"I knew Brian was speaking today and seeing as I am not far from here I thought I would visit," said the German. "I'm glad I did. This could have been very messy otherwise."

"It's not going to help that Meggan's powers have been revealed," said Rachel, looking at the cameras. "The secret will be out now."

"We'll deal with the revelations about the identity of Captain Britain later on," said Kurt. "Right now we need to make sure Brian survives."

"He will," Rachel said, looking at their friend. "He'll be fine."

"God willing," said Kurt, his hand resting on the crucifix under his shirt. "God willing."


Forge nodded as he watched the screen, thinking the meeting of the old Excalibur and the new had been overdue. He turned and nodded to Kitty who had been watching with him and he smiled.

She gave a nod and then went to see how Pete was doing, in the SHIELD infirmary. She regretted that she couldn't have been with her old team, but X-Force work meant she couldn't. She sighed.

Missing out wasn't easy.

"The pawns have all been removed on both sides," he said and smiled. "Only the major pieces are left now. Well, all but one." He moved the pawn to the final row on the other side of the board and when he took his hand away, the pawn became a knight. "Everything has a reason."

"He will not be the same."

"He will be close enough. I shall let him rest, and we shall make random moves to stall each other and he looked down at the bishop he had not yet moved. "Her time will come soon enough, no matter who else is using her. My ambitions take precedence over those of mortal men and women, no matter how powerful they consider themselves."

"Is that not what he is though, father?" she asked, looking at the Black King. "He is just mortal."

"Playing an immortal game on a level he isn't aware of yet," he said. "That makes him dangerous and I cannot yet confront him directly. We do not have the position to stop him this time. There are no random variables at play, no other enemies watching my moves. This time I play the game, I play it one last time."

"Last time?"

"I will have taught you everything, my dear. You may think I already have, but no. I have one last lesson to show you."