Mega Man X didn't know what was going on. One moment he was walking down the hall to the Maverick Hunter's Headquarters, the next he's running down the hall at top speed being chased by Mavericks.

" How did they get in!?" he demanded. He quickly blasted behind him, striking Wheel Gator in the chest. He quickly turned the corner. Ahead of him, a green and orange robot was battling Flame Stag. " Chip!" X cried. The robot ducked Flame Stag's attack and followed X. X was a far more experienced Hunter ( not to mention Chip's idol) and Chip knew better than to argue. He followed X down the hall, the Mavericks close behind him.

" We're going to go protect Dr. Cain?" Chip asked. X smiled. He was fond of Chip. He was far more intelligent than the other rookies and was far more chivalrous. He would always put human life above his own and his programing. Chip was doing his very best to keep up with X, which was rather hard to do.

" Yes, we must protect Dr. Cain. You go find him. I'll distract them!" X said as he skidded to a stop. Chip gazed back at him.

" You can count on me!" Chip said as he ran as fast as he could. X watched him go, then charged up his blaster. He watched as Flame Stag dashed around the corner. Before Flame Stag could react, X blasted him full in the face. Flame Stag flew backwards, crashing into Chill Penguin. X turned and ran for the lab.

"That should have bought Chip some time...," X thought. He smiled as he heard Flame Stag and Chill Penguin curse after him. X ran down the halls helping Maverick Hunters deal with the intruders. He found Chip in the lab valiantly defending Dr. Cain. Spark Mandrill was blasting Chip and didn't notice X. X leaped up and smashed Spark Mandrill in the back of the head. Then, he flipped the Maverick out the door. X noticed that the Hunters were far outnumbered. All the Mavericks from previous battles were there. It seemed as not one Maverick was left out. " Hunters! In here! QUICK!!" he yelled. All the hunters in the area ran into the lab and X slammed the door shut. He braced the door as Zero, an experienced hunter just like X, grabbed chairs and desks and stacked them against the door. Breathing heavily, X looked at the Hunters. " Is everyone here?" he asked.

"I'm not sure..., I think we're missing a few rookies..," Zero said. Chip walked up to him.

"I know I saw Hook and Drill bite the dust! Flame Stag got to them...," he said. X nodded.

"What I want to know is how they got in here!" X said, rubbing his chin. There was silence. X listened to the pounding of the Mavericks as they tried to break through the door. He heard a crash and whirled around. Chip yelled in surprise and anger. Vile, second-in-command Maverick, stood on the windowsill, smiling wickedly at them. X leaped forward and stood no more than five feet from him. He charged his blaster up.

"No need to get all worked up," Vile hissed in his creepy voice. Every time X heard it, his temper grew short and his circuits boil.

"Oh really? I suppose you have a visitor's pass?" Chip asked. X smiled a bit. Chip really had a way with words. Vile glared at Chip, who glared right back.

"Really, X. I had expected more from a Hunter. Even a rookie," he said, cruelly.

"What would you know about Hunters?" Chip demanded, walking up to X.

"Sigma was one once," Vile said.

"WAS. He ain't any more! He couldn't handle it! Don't compare Hunters to reject never-was robots like Sigma!" Chip snapped, standing tall and defiant. The Hunters cheered in agreement as they prepared to give Vile a nasty beating. Vile stood there, staring at X. X stared calmly back at him. X thought he heard a snicker come from Vile but he wasn't sure. He noticed movement from behind Vile. Suddenly, Wire Sponge leaped up and shot one of his razor vines at Chip. Before X knew what he was doing, he leaped in front of Chip to protect him. To everyone's surprise, including Vile's, X shuddered as the vine smashed through his stomach. At that moment, chaos broke loose. The Hunters leaped at Vile and Wire Sponge. X felt the vine rip out of him. Shudders ran through his body continuously as his circuits shut down. Getting weak and dizzy, X couldn't see what was happening around him. He heard yells and blasts but he saw nothing. He struggled to his feet and forced himself to focus his eyes. He could barely make out Chip battling Vile. X felt someone touch his shoulder. He turned and saw Dr. Cain, or at least some of Dr. Cain. Zero leaped over to them and picked X up. X wanted to yell out a complaint but was too weak to. Then, he passed out.

"Give it up, Rookie! How can you expect to defeat ME?" Vile laughed as he dodged one of Chip's blasts.

"I can try!" Chip snapped as he blasted Vile through a window. Vile landed with a THUMP on the sidewalk below. Chip didn't have time to see if Vile survived. He noticed something. " The building's going to collapse!" he cried.

"Chip! Over here!" another Rookie yelled. Chip followed him and they escaped the building. They found all the other Hunters outside the building, standing about twenty five feet away. Zero was holding X in his arms as Dr. Cain examined him. Just then, the entire Maverick Hunter Headquarters came crashing down to the ground, destroying three other buildings. Zero stared, horrified.

"Well, Sir, now what do we do?" a Rookie asked.

"I haven't a clue," Zero said.