The room was a living machine. All around there clicks and ticks from the numerous machines that were running through their intended programs. There were flashes, beeps, and screeches as the sensors on many of these machines rose to life. Numerous video feeds lined the walls of this small room. One mutant controlled all this sophisticated equipment that could probably make most intelligence agencies jealous. This mutant's name was Sledge. He had work to do.

"The Shadow King is making his move. All of his pieces are in play and there isn't anyone out there who can beat him in this game of chess. That's why the only way to beat Shadow King is to make him play a bunch of chess games all at once. I'll have to contribute to this effort," Sledge said to himself as he floated over to one of his many keyboards. The man was so large that he had to float around on a hover chair to keep himself mobile. His big size was an undesirable part of his mutant condition. Sledge was much like the mutant Forge. He had a genius intellect that allowed him an inventive mind unlike few that had ever been seen. Sledge was a hermit though and preferred to stay in his many hideouts spread across the world. The fat, bald man was a pack rat of sorts. He collected items he thought were desirable and had "agents" do it for him. Risque had been one of those agents.

Sledge often did favors for people and in return all the mutant demanded was a time of indentured servitude. Of course outsiders would see this and think of Sledge as someone who was manipulative and sly. It was true that Sledge had possession of those characteristics, but he only did the things he did in the interest of mankind. Though few believed him when he said this. The mutant men and women he was going to employ were going to have to trust him this time. For even if they didn't they would just have to choose the greater evil. Shadow King or him.

Cracking his knuckles Sledge smiled and began to tap away on the keyboard. "Now it's time to get to work!"

Aguilar Institute (Outside of Seattle)

"Do you think she's conscious in there?" the Asian doctor asked in a thick Chinese accent as she pushed up her large foggy glasses. She was almost a foot shorter than her fellow doctor. He was a robust New Zealander of about 40 years of age. Dr. Pao had met the man when she first joined up with the Aguilar Institute per the request of her government. He had always been friendly to her unlike some of the other doctors who teased her because of where she hailed from.

"I have no idea if that…thing is conscious in there. If it was up to me she would be dead, but the Institute demands that Gryphon be kept alive. I haven't the faintest idea why, but corporate types always have the craziest ideas. Don't you think?" Dr. Yuzi asked with a smile. Looking at Gryphon gave him the creeps so he always tried to add some humor into the room whenever he was forced to look over the woman. The bio and nanotech that had gone into this woman was amazing. She was truly a chimera of technology and genetics.

There was the sound of walking feet that came suddenly from behind the two doctors. Quickly looking behind them they saw two men and a woman all wearing white pants, black boots and a similarly colored shirt. The Mexican man at the lead of the group spoke to the two stunned doctors. "I bet you two are wondering just how did the three of us sneak into this highly guarded Institute aren't you? Well, the truth is I just kinda made everyone fall asleep with this gas that comes from my pores at a very high rate. Obviously since this room is airtight the two of you weren't effected by it. I'll let my friend Karen here handle you."

"No don't hurt us! Please!" Dr. Pao implored.

"I won't hurt you. Though your death won't be pretty," the Native American, Karen, smiled.

"Screw you!" Dr. Yuzi exclaimed as he charged at the woman. When he was only within a few feet of her she used her power to enlarge the man's pores to abnormal sizes. Blood poured out of the now enlarged holes killing the man quickly.

Dr. Pao cried out in terror at the sight of her colleague dying. She ran towards one of the exit doors to her right. She refused to die in this way. She had so much to do she wanted to still do. She wanted to get married. She wanted to have a son. Why was this happening to her?

Karen moved closer to the quivering doctor. The woman bowed down to the ground covering herself with tears. "Don't fret yourself woman. It's not a painful death. In fact it is quite quick."

There was a loud hissing sound that caught everyone in the room by surprise. The chamber that had been holding Gryphon captive was now hissing out cold smoke. Fog overtook the glass chamber hiding the form of Gryphon. Slowly the glass pushed up and slid away crashing to the ground. A multitude of glass scattered itself across the ground. The three mutants and the research doctor looked on in fear. Gryphon was free.

"Take her out Loren! Do it now!" Karen yelled to the Korean man. Loren eye's turned red as he transformed into a lion/human hybrid. Leaping up in the air the mutant was ready to pounce on what he hoped would be a still disoriented Gryphon. To his surprise the woman leaped out of her chamber quick as ever and dug her claws deep into Loren's abdomen.

"You seek to destroy me! How incredibly foolish?" Gryphon laughed as she wrapped her other hand around Loren's neck and snapped it.

"Fighting the Shadow King is foolish woman!" Karen said as she outstretched her hand and tried to use her powers on Gryphon. She found them to be ineffective.

Gryphon landed on the ground gently and knelt down. She stared at the woman with vicious eyes. There were the eyes of a predator ready to pounce on their prey. Leaping up into the air once more Gryphon kicked the Mexican man in the face. The kick fractured the bones of the man's face in many places. He fell to the ground dead.

"Now it's just me and you woman! Who are you? What do you want from me?" Gryphon growled angrily.

"I am a member of the Dawn. I am one of Shadow King's personal army. He demands that you be killed!" Karen exclaimed.

"His demands won't be met today then," Gryphon said as quickly moved and kicked Karen in the stomach. Then she proceeded to chop the woman in her neck breaking it in half. The hit had killed the woman instantly.

"Please don't hurt me! Please," Dr. Pao begged.

"I won't hurt you woman. I only kill worthy prey," Gryphon said as she walked away from the woman. Ekatrina was free of the Aguilar Institute now. She could just slip away and never be found again. Freedom was hers and she didn't know what exactly to do with it.

"I know what you crave Gryphon. You want battle! You want power!" a voice called out from behind Gryphon.

"Who's there? Leave me alone!" Gryphon yelled thinking that perhaps some of the Aguilar Institute execs had awakened from the Dawn's attack. She would not be manipulated. Ekatrina would not allow herself to be taunted.

A machine walked out of the shadows. It looked very reminiscent of a Terminator robot minus the shiny metal. In fact the luster of the robot was quite dull. "You know of me Gryphon. My name is Sledge. I speak through this robot. You can't fight Shadow King alone and he won't quit until you're dead."

"So what are you suggesting…Sledge?"

"I'm suggesting you join up with me. I'm forming a coalition of those who are being targeted by Shadow King. Only united can we stand together."

"So you want me to join up with you then? Will I get to kill?"

If Sledge could have smiled he would have. "You'll get to kill hundreds. That's of course if everything goes to plan."

"Count me in," Gryphon smiled as she looked down at the blood on her claws.

London

Scribe looked at the robot in front of her. She could tell that this machine had been formed from scrap metal. Why it had found her while she was in the middle of reading had bugged her to no end?

"What the bloody hell do you want?" Scribe asked as she slammed her book hard. It made an echo in her large study hall.

"My name is Sledge. I'm here to make you an offer I know you can't refuse," the robot said in its computerized voice.

"And just what makes you think I can't refuse it?"

"The Shadow King is targeting you. He wants you dead. He'll send his forces after you until you are dead. Believe me when the Shadow King wants something he'll get it."

Sledge now had Scribe's undivided attention. "Why does the Shadow King want me dead? I would hardly consider myself a threat to him."

"You're not a threat now, but you're a potential threat. You're ability to contain information the way you do could be quite useful in any attempted resistance against Shadow King. You're not the only mutant he's going after. There are hundreds of others he's hunting down as we speak."

"So what are you offering me?"

"I'm gathering some of the more powerful mutants Shadow King is targeting. I'm trying to form a coalition to put a dent in Shadow King's forces. We have to fight this powerful mutant in whatever way we can."

Scribe set her book down on her desk. "Consider me in. I refuse to let this man be the end of me."