CHAPTER 13 - FIRESTORM

42 0 0
                                    


Across the street is another police officer, a rookie, gun still in hand, looking terrified. A woman  dashes forward from the dispersing crowd and the little girl quickly runs into her arms. The first officer rushes to Phoenix's side, but he soon turns to his partner and shakes his head. 

The female officer starts to call it in. The rookie rushes up beside the body, his face etched with panic and distress. 

"Is she...?"

"What in hell were you thinking?" the older officer demanded.

"I was trying to offer backup," the rookie replied, "and then it looked like she attacked y'all and I panicked. I must've discharged my weapon on accident..."

"Accident? You're gonna have to do better than that, Officer Norman," the older officer chastised, "do you have any idea what kind of mess you've made here?" 

"I...I don't know what to say, sir," Norman stuttered, "I apologise."

"Get out of my sight —"

Phoenix takes in a ragged breath... 

Both officers slowly turn to her, the shared horror upon their faces growing ever more intense. She rises into the air in one swift motion, bathed in the cosmic flames of her firebird aura as it extends those great, flaming wings. The trails of blood running down her face make her all the more frightening and her black eyes burn with anger. 

She casts a hateful glance down at the two men, both rooted to the spot in fear

Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.

She casts a hateful glance down at the two men, both rooted to the spot in fear. .  She extends her hand and fire flies from her fingertips. 

The officers brace for death — 

—a shadow falls over them as the ground shakes — 

Colossus shields the men and bears the brunt of the flames, immune in his steel form. 

He casts a quick glance over his shoulder

Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.

He casts a quick glance over his shoulder.

"Run!" 

The officers flee. 

Phoenix forms a fireball in her hands and prepares to cast it at Colossus.

"Jean, stop!" 

She pauses... turns to see Cyclops approaching calmly through the sea of fleeing people. 

X-Men - Dark PhoenixWhere stories live. Discover now