X Men: The Fortunate IC

[gearhead73]

With everyone seated, Scott flipped a few switches that would power the hydraulics to close the rear loading door. As soon as the indicator on the instrument panel turned green, he flipped a few more switches signaling the to turn downward to provide the upward thrust for takeoff. A few seconds later he pushed firmly forward on the throttle and with just a slight shudder he could see the ground below him drifting away through his side window.

He reached for the com switched and turned on the pa speakers for the cabin area.

"Good evening ladies and I suppose you too Ferret, this is your captain speaking. We will be heading up to our cruising altitude shortly, so please remain seated until the fasten seatbelt light goes off. We'll be heading to Canada, home of the rodent onboard, so please feel free to welcome him home and possibly implore him to stay. As always thank you for flying X-men Airways and please enjoy your flight."

He reached for the com switch and flicked it off. He couldn't help but grin to himself knowing that Logan was probably fuming, but he didn't give a shit. Respect was a two way street, and as far as he was concerned, Logan had a long way to go to deserve it.

 

[wombat9966]

Logan Growled deep in his throat. So Scott was going to start on him straight away was he. He had been going to let it go during the mission, after all a Mutants life was at stake here and if you couldn't act professional on a mission this big what where you doing here. He would give him one last chance but if he stepped out of line again he would truly regret it.

Turning back to rogue he noted that the black around her eyes was not all make up.
"Bad dreams huh kid. Been there done that, in fact still doing them. Tell you what I can teach you a few things that Chuck has taught me and a few things that I have picked up along the way. I'm not say'n they work all the time mind, but they should let you get a solid amount of sleep most of the time. In fact why don't we try now. You look like you could really use some darl'n. It should only be a couple of hours but even that should pick you up."

Wolverine looked deep into her eyes and began to talk slowly. "I want you to close your eyes and think of a place you feel absolutely safe in. Picture it clearly in your mind and hold onto that image. Now imagine a bed in that image, it is your bed and you feel safe in that bed. No climb into it and get comfortable. Snuggle down all safe and warm. Nothing can get to you here. This is your place, your sanctuary and here you will sleep soundly until it is time to wake up."

Logan watched as Rogue's eyes gradually closed. He hoped she would sleep. He had used this technique himself many times and it normally worked for him. He would have to teach her how to do it to herself so she didn't need someone to talk her through it. He knew how bad it was to live with nightmares. He had a hundred years of them bottled up inside of him and some of them were not pretty.

 

[NekoMata]

As Scott spoke over the intercom Rogue had to once again resist the urge to groan. Were all of the older people on this mission going to act childishly. If so this was going to prove to be one long trip and she was tired enough as it is. Logan had clearly noticed the extent of her exhaustion and was giving her some tips that would help her sleep. She followed his instructions closing her eyes and visualizing her safe place. It was her room back home, before she had left her foster mother Mystique. It was the one place she had felt truly at peace and visualizing it now did a lot to relax her.

After a while she finally drifted to sleep. For once she wasn't immediately assailed by nightmares. Just a peaceful and blissfully empty darkness. It remained that way for all of ten minutes. Then a memory flickered into existence. It wasn't hers, or one of the ones that usually characterized her nightmares. It was a memory the belonged to Carol Danvers, a glimpse of what had been a peaceful part of her life. A life that she had taken. Though the memory didn't startle her awake as usual it did summon tears. With them trailing down her cheeks she slept on.

 

[DeathsKnight]

Hobgoblin

A crooked man, dressed in ninja clothing, but clearly old and wizened came in, leaning heavily on a trolley. Hobgob sniffed the air as the aromas filled the air,

"Ah yes, I would like you to eat Mr Gambit, or else I will just shove the food down your throat."

He licked his lips as the old man removed the lids from the small plates,

"Ah! There we go! Boudin, Gumbo, jambalaya...with crawfish, crawfish boil and last but not least, rice and gravy! Come now Mr Gambit, surely you can not deny that you do not feel a slight pang of hunger from the drugs? Oscar...give mr Gambit a taste."

Gnarled hands prepared the dishes in order, picked up a spoon and brough the gravy and rice up to Gambit's mouth. Hobgoblin leaned forward in anticipation, his tongue flicking almost nervously over his lips...much like a person awaiting a judge's decision...the old man spoke softly, a pleading tone in his fragile voice,

"S'il vous plaît monsieur, mangent encore de la nourriture au moins."

 

[raiguy]

Gambit listened to the old man that was presenting him with the food. He couldn't deny that he was hungry. Plus, this was good, cajun food, and from the smell of it, it had been expertly prepared. Gambit opened his mouth slowly, letting the old man feed him. As soon as the first spoonful of food made it past his lips, he knew that this was a cook who knew the cajun recipes back and forth.

After swallowing a mouthful, he leaned in to the old man, softly saying, "Mes compliments au chef. Il ne sait comment faire cuire un bon gombo." He continued to eat, knowing there really wasn't much else he could do about it. If the food was good, and he didn't really have much else to do, he was going to enjoy the one thing that seemed to be done well.

 

[feistyphoenix]

When Scott made his announcement over the intercom Jean was giving him "the look". It was the one she give him when she expected him to behave himself but knew he probably wouldn't. And she was right. Her left hand shot out faster than a bullet and whacked him on the arm firmly. She hated it when he insulted Logan, and he knew that. Although she knew it was warranted she hated the example it set for Rogue. And on her first mission with the X Men.

I'm sorry Logan. she thought. She sighed and her lips tightened. She hated the tension, and she felt incredibly guilty for what she had done, or what Phoenix had done. It didn't matter it was a completely separate consciousness, Jean still felt completely responsible for whatever Phoenix did. It was very much like having an evil twin inside your own head, always lurking.

She put her earphones in and turned on the music. If Scott needed her for anything all he had to do was tap her arm or reach out to her with a thought. Hell she could even shut down the entire jet with her mind if need be. She hoped Rogue was ready for all this. Charles mentally gave her a rundown of the mission and she wrote down some notes to share with the group when they landed, a briefing of sorts.

As they landed in a remote section of Quebec she took a deep breath and centered herself. It was very important to do so before a potential battle. She was all business now, everything was about the team and the mutant Gambit they were rescuing. Somehow he had a past with Logan, although the professor didn't say what it was. Knowing Logan it was probably not someone who would be happy to see him, they would have to be on their guard.

 

[gearhead73]

For the most part, the flight to Quebec had went exactly how Scott had expected. The only sounds he heard on the entire two hour flight were the gentle hum of the engines as they cut through the night air and Logan trying to reassure Rogue. Jean had put in her ear buds and was zoning out on whatever music she had loaded on there, so Scott was left alone with his thoughts to stare out at the night sky and the glow of various towns and cities as they passed below them.

The tension in the cabin was intensely thick and he knew that it was his fault. He was pissed off and he thought he had a right to be. Sure, he could forgive and forget, in fact that's what he knew that he should do, but he couldn't. Logan had betrayed him and in just aboout any man's world that was unforgiveable. He knew that Jean loved him. He knew that no matter what the Phoenix had made her do, that Jean would never have let it get that far if she could have stopped it. Logan however, was a different matter. He didn't blame him for wanting her, he couldn't think of a man that wouldn't, but he had taken it to another level. He had crossed the line and there was no way on earth that he could justify it. Even if he hated Scott, he supposedly cared for Jean and that should have been enough to put a stop to it. After all, he is the tuffy wuffy with the unbreakable blades coming out of his hands. Instead, he would probably take the coward's way out and blame everything on Scott's past or put up his hands and say, "She wanted it bro."

The gps signaled that they had reached their destination, so he made the preparations for theot final approach. He wasn't sure what the op was, but he figured that if they had been dispatched at such a late hour that the Professor must have felt that it was urgent. The planed settled in a field with a gentle bump and Scott shut down the engiines and prepared for the briefing from Jean. Logan would have to wait until this was handled.

 

[DormantEvil]

Storm/Hank - Public Relations Meeting, Washington D.C

Ororo Munroe, better known as Storm, one of the lead mutants working at the Xavier Institute, or as it is more commonly called, Charles Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters. Over the last few weeks, Storm, and her common public relations front man, Henry McCoy, aka Beast, or as he would prefer to be known, Hank. Currently, standing in front of a large town hall, they are speaking with politicians, and civilians on all matters mutant. Mainly on their rights, and on how acceptance is the only positive step.

"You see, ladies and gentleman, it is possible to live alongside individuals who carry the X-Gene. Many of your friends and family members belong to this broad category of 'Mutants', and have shown no aggression towards anybody. The key factor is acceptance and education. The X-Gene usually presents itself during puberty, as such, many teenagers are thrown into the harsh world of 'Anti-Mutant Agendas'. They are hated almost immediately, and this is during their most sensitive years. When most children are worried about their studies, prom and surviving school, those who present powers are facing hate crimes against them, abandonment by their family and friends, and inner conflict around who they are, and if they are the monster that the mainstream media makes them out to be."

Most of the politicians were bickering back and forth, making the usual statements and often referring to known mutants that did harm within society. Magneto was high on their list, but even Logan appeared too often. Storm was really going to have to work with him on his public image. She doubted he cared, but deep down she knew he wasn't the bad person the media made him out as.

Holding up her hand, Storm interrupted one of the politicians talking about how the youth was already bad enough today, and that it was the mutant children that were the problem.

"Anybody that is raised within an environment where they fear for their lives will develop survival attitudes, and unfortunately without proper training and development, you cannot blame them for resenting society, because society resents them. It fears them. All because of what power they hold, and because they are different. How long will it take for people to understand that we cannot simply continue to kill off, eradicate, or wage war on people we do not understand. Many famous men throughout history have eradicated people simply because of their bloodlines and ancestry, and you see them as evil minded men, yet even today it is happening, but you don't believe that you are doing exactly what they were, just by a different means?"

Another lot of uproar, people taking offense to being put in the same boat as men like Stalin, Hitler etc. They were doing this for the good of the everyday people, not knowing that most of those people didn't really mind mutants, beyond the fear spread through media.

"It has been a well known factor that stress is an activating agent in the presentation of X-Gene related powers. Surely you can all understand just how one of your sons or daughters would feel if they woke up one day, knowing that being a 'mutant' would practically ostracize them from their family, school, friends and make them feel as bad as a criminal. Because that is how you treat us. Like we have committed a crime, simply because of our genetic structures, without ever having harmed a single person. No longer do you believe 'Innocent until proven Guilty', unless it is one of your own. A rapist or murderer, so long as they are human, has more of a right to live than a child who show's X-Gene manifestations."

---------

"Well that went well," Hank said casually, giving Storm a look of both respect and also worry. "Perhaps next time don't call them all genocidal maniacs, they don't seem to listen for long after that." His smiled, she was still getting used to this sort of work. And sometimes he wondered if she would prefer to be back in the classroom, battling against their foes through force and not words.

"It's like talking to a brick wall anyway, until we find a way to get more people who accept us into politics and well known public places, I don't see our luck changing anytime soon. You're our best advocate, and the people seem to like you. Perhaps it's your cuddly nature," she joked, taking up the cup of latte that she was currently drinking. Sipping, she looked off into space.

Sometimes this world made her want to invoke the high seas and storms that Revelations spoke of. But it would hurt her people just as much as it would everyone else. And even if she was constantly bombarded with hot headed, dense skulled politicians, she knew that not all humans were so dull.

"I wonder what everyone else is up to?" she sighed, wishing to be out on some important mission, not stuck in a business suit (even if it made her look damn fine) sipping latte and picking at chocolate mud cake. Her eyes said it all, and Hank put a hand on her arm gently.

"I'm sure they are just as bored as you, probably listening to Charles' famous lecture on 'always putting the public interest first'. Actually, right now I could almost bet that someone is having a go at Logan for breaking something, or 'bending' another rule. Can you just imagine it? Scott is probably fuming, and Jean is...." he trailed off as a couple entered the cafe. Something about them smelled wrong, and he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

"You sensed it too?" Storm said, smiling over the top of her coffee. "Let's just sit tight and see what happens." Hank nodded slowly, before picking up a newspaper to read. He listened very carefully, picking up small fragments of the conversation. Storm was now calculating how to protect the innocent cafe patrons, based on what they might be up against.

Sure, not everyone wanted to take down mutants, but they were X-Men, and well known public faces of the Pro-Mutant movement.

 

[wombat9966]

Logan waited in his flight chair for the mission briefing to start. he looked calm but he was chaffing at the bit. He could smell the cool crisp mountain air of the Canadian wilds outside and he wanted to get out in it and get lost in the vastness of it for awhile and just forget about his troubles. Whoever this Mutant was he would have to thank them later for bringing them up here.

Sniffing he knew they were somewhere near Quebec. All woods had their own smell and Logan knew all of Canada's. Had something happened to someone in Alpha flight. Logan thought for a minute then dismissed the idea. Nah his old group wouldn't call in the X-men, they had their own back up. So who the heck were they rescuing? Ahh well guess he would find out soon enough.

He unbuckled himself and leaned back in his chair stretching. Getting comfortable he waited. Sometimes Jean and the Prof forgot that the rest of them weren't privy to their little mind meld's and took their time.

 

[NekoMata]

As the jet came in for a landing Rouge reluctantly stirred from her sleep. Though the flight had only been a couple of hours, and she hadn't exactly gotten the deep dreamless sleep she had hoped for she was feeling a lot more energized. It was a good thing too because she tended to be a lot less personable when she was sleepy. She stretched, uttering a soft yawn as she rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand. A moment later she uttered a soft curse under her breath. She had completely forgotten she had make up on.

Rummaging in her pocket for her compact mirror she accidentally knocked out the second pair of gloves she had brought with her. As always, her reflexes were on point and she managed to snag the gloves before they made their descent to the floor. She sighed, staring at them for a moment. Just who the hell were they rescuing and what kind of danger were they getting into if Jean thought it necessary for her to have fingerless gloves. Typically both she and everyone else was of the opinion that the less skin she showed the better. But it appeared that this mission was dangerous enough for them to risk the already insanely dangerous chance of having Rouge's skin exposed.

Shaking her head she shoved the gloves back in her pocket, grabbed her mirror, and set to work on fixing her make up while she waited for the inevitable briefing.

 

[DeathsKnight]

As the food was finally consumed Hobgobblin reclined in his seat,

"It was good yes? Oscar is not part of my group, he is in fact an old gypsy, one who is free to leave now because he made food as good as his reputation said he could. And of course..."

A mad giggle escaped his lips,

"You proved that a Cajun eats anything."

Hobgob's building rant got cut short as from the shadows stepped a dark-purple clad ninja, he spoke softly to Hobgobblin and melted back into the shadows. Hobgobblin's tongue forked out to lick over his lips,

"Ah...they are here. They did not go to search for you as I had asked them to. That means one thing, the professor cheated and used Cerebro. So sad, so much less fun. Now if you'll just keep still..."

With speed equal to Spiderman, Hobgobblin moved in and clamped a device around Remy's neck, he leaned in close, his breath almost broilingly warm on Remy's ear,

"Can't have you make wise-cracks or calling out now can we? Here is the key though."

He dropped the key into the top pocket of Remy's coat and gave that leering grin,

"Feel free to scream, I'm sure the shock you receive once you hit the higher decibels will prove..****. A pity that you will be as silent as a mouse."

He turned from Remy and tapped on the keyboard, the screem flicked to life once more, showing security cameras all over the complex. Hobgob narrowed his eyes, Wolverine had come, just as The Beast had asked, now the waiting began, he knew that they fill find them easily, that was the plan. Leaving was the problem.

 

[feistyphoenix]

Jean took a deep breath and got out of her co pilots chair to face the group. She tried not to make too much eye contact with Logan but found it difficult since she needed to address him specifically.

"The property is surrounded by a dense wooded area, which you probably all saw during our landing. It's a 3 mile walk from here to the warehouse where the Professor thinks they are holding the mutant. His name is Gambit, and I believe Logan knows him. The Professor didn't tell me anything about him so if you have any information that might be pertinent now would be the time to share it," she looked at him and then looked away quickly and back at Scott.

She was all business but her emotions were threatening to get the best of her, damn Phoenix.

 

[wombat9966]

Logan's head had snapped up at the mention of Gambit. He hadn't heard that name in about twenty years. Sure his memory of him had been wiped for a lot of that time because of what that bastard Stryker had done to him but he knew he owed the Cajun big time and even though they didn't know it so did Jean and Scott. If it wasn't for Gambit Logan wouldn't have been able to have rescued Scott all those years ago and he would never have met Jean. Damn should never have done that he thought. Would have solved a whole heap of problems.

"Yeah I know him. He's a thief and a scoundrel but he's a good guy. Helped me rescue a heap of mutant kids a while back from a rouge government colonel. Risked his life and got me out when the whole thing went a bit sideways. I owe him a lot and now it looks like it's my turn to pay him back. I'm going in."

"I'm actually quite impressed that they caught the guy. From what I can remember he is a little like Scotty boy here. He can charge objects up with kinectic energy. Usually uses playing cards. He is a good fighter as well. Could make a good addition to the team."

 

[gearhead73]

"Oh great, a friend of Logan's" Scott thought to himself as he listened to the briefing from Jean. It was all he could do not to put his face in his palm as Logan confirmed that he knew the guy. He couldn't help but cough a little at the thought of a guy being a thief and a scoundrel, but still a good guy. He could only imagine what it would be like having to watch all of the team's stuff like a hawk lest this guy trying to walk off with it so he could pawn it for money to gamble with.

Either way, the Professor had evidently thought enough of the guy to warrant this op, so with a deep breath Scott rose out of his chair and headed toward the rear of the plane to gather some gear that they might need to the hike and rescue.

 

[wombat9966]

Logan looked at Scott. He could smell the disdain coming off him and had heard the cough come out of him at the mention of what Gambit did for a living. Well he had had enough of his higher than mighty attitude. Time to take him down a peg or two.

"So Scotty boy. Once again you don't like a mutant we have to rescue because he walks on the dark side of things. Hmm how unusual. Mr boy scout thinks he can act all judgmental on us poor mutants that have done all sorts of things that he would never do. Well me I don't really care. I mean where were you when I was fighting for this country in 5 wars boy. Oh that's right no where because you hadn't been born yet and yet you think you can judge me.
Oh and now you try to judge a guy you have never met. Might interest you to know Scotty boy those kids he helped me rescue. One of them was you. So you owe him your life boy scout. If not for him and oh wait a minute me too you would never have had a life, you would just have been another dissected corpse in a government facility. No x-men, no Charles and no Jean. How does that feel BUB. You owe your life to a Thief and a Murderer as you like to call me. Or what was the other one, oh yes a Filthy Animal. Kind of puts it into perspective don't it?"

Logan chuckled as he leaned back and chewed on the end of his cigar and watched Scott deal with that news.

 

[NekoMata]

Rouge snapped her mirror shut with a loud audible snap. Somewhere in the back of her mind she recognized that she had most likely broken the mirror. She often forgot that her strength had tripled from what it once was. Another small detail that she'd have to watch out for. There were two things she could not stand and both of them seemed to be occurring within the small confines of the plane. The first was the seemingly consistent display of Scott's disdain towards certain mutants who didn't live an agreeable or right path. Rouge herself had been one of those mutants. Before joining Professor Xavier's academy she had worked alongside of and been raised by Mystique and taken part in many illegal activities. But sometimes it was a simple matter of what was neccessary to survival.

The other thing was the constant tension between him and Logan. Rouge couldn't care less who had wronged who first. Both were acting like children and neither seemed capable of being the bigger man and letting things go. If there was one thing she couldn't deal with it was pointless tension, it was bad for team dynamics and she was already stressed enough about being with a group to have to also deal with endless petty squabbling. Shoving her mirror in her pocket she unbuckled herself and stood. Moving towards the middle of the plane. As she walked unstrapped the wrist bands of her gloves, one at a time, before slowly peeling them away from her skin. Her bare hands, delicate and white, were the currently the most dangerous things within the confined space.

"Ah'm only gonna say this once... Y'all two are more ornery than two bees on a single flower... So I'm gonna need y'all to shut it and behave with the sense I know is somewhere in those thick ass skulls... Otherwise I'm fixin' to put y'all both to sleep and get this mission out of the way without y'all assistance..."

She spoke slowly, her soft southern drawl a bit more pronounced but there was indeed a certain sharpness to her tone. Feeling that her point had been made she yanked on her fingerless gloves, securing them at the wrists and exited the aircraft.

 

[gearhead73]

Scott watched as Rogue exited the plane, and then his eyes shifted back to Logan. His anger flared and he decided that he would just as soon have a little mutant induced nap, than have the rodent take him to task without at least airing his side.

"Is that what you are looking for Logan? You want a fucking thank you? If that is what it would take to get you to unfuck yourself, then fine! Thank you! I appreciate the fact that you were there for me when I was a kid, without you, I wouldn't be the man or have the life that I have today. Thank you for your service to our great country. I applaud your efforts to keep the peace and bring freedom to those who seek it. I don't judge you for who you were Logan, I judge you for who you are. You have had decades to get you shit together, and yet you still parade around like we all owe you something and think that you are entitled to whatever strikes your fancy..."

Scott took a few steps toward where Logan was sitting.

"...even that which you can NEVER be yours. You still act like some fifth grade sissy who will stamp his feet and threaten to hit you if you don't get what you want. In all this time, all the things you have done, you still have no idea how to treat the members of your team with respect and integrity. At least I took the opportunity that you gave me and did the best I could to make the most of it. I studied hard and learned the value of trust and honesty, and even though I have slipped and made mistakes, I have never stopped trying. That's what I judge you on Lo-class, that's what I see when I look at you. If you don't like that, then either change it, or accept it. Either way, I can assure you that exactly 0.0 fucks are given by anyone. Fair enough?"

Scott grabbed his gear and headed toward the exit of the plane.

"Let's get on with this shall we?"

 

[wombat9966]

Logan shook his head. Scott claimed he had grown up right but look at the way he treated people. He had just found out it was Gambit and Logan who had saved him and he basically said fuck you to Logan and nothing about Gambit. To him Gambit was still a thief and a rogue because he liked to live his life his way. So they didn't fit Scotty boys high and mighty moral compass so they could kiss his ass. Oh that was real grown up,at least he judged people on their merits and actions not some lofty moral code. If it was up to Scott Rogue wouldn't have been an X-man and neither would he. In fact half the students currently at the school wouldn't be there. Even his best buddy Warren would be out on the street because he had changed.

As for his high standards they were a joke. Who had run of to Emma at the first sign of trouble in his marriage and fucked her. It sure hadn't been Jean. Then he came crawling back like a whipped dog begging for her back and she had done it. He had wanted her to kick him to the curb and yes he had to admit his motives had been a little selfish but still the guy had cheated on her. But she was too nice and forgave him and know he was getting all high and mighty because she was out of control and couldn't help herself. It was that damn Phoenix force. At times like this he knew it and was remorseful, but when it was in control it played with his mind and ramped up his attraction for Jean until he no longer cared.

Turning to her he looked her in the eye."You know one day he and I are going to have it out and he is going to come off second best Darl'n. Keep him on a tight leash. I can work missions with him but don't ask me to get along with him anymore. he is the biggest hypocrite I have met. He cheated on you and you still took him back and now he is angry at you over something you can't control. He has known for years about us and knows I will never do anything about it but it's that damn force of nature. I am sorry Darl'n I do try to resist but it's like resisting the sun. Look let's just get this mission over with then you can all go home. I will be staying up here. That should make Scotty boy happy."

He pulled his cowl over his head and exited the plane. Seeing Scott standing to one side he walked the opposite way and into the woods a little. Breathing deep of the cool crisp air he smiled. It was good to be home.

 

[DormantEvil]

As Hank read his newspaper, Storm breathed in her coffee's aroma, rather enjoying it's flavor. The couple who had entered were rather normal looking, but you could never be too careful. For one they had met Storm's glance on two occasions, and not because of how good she looked in a suit. But they remained rather dormant, simply ordering a slice and a coffee before taking a seat at the back of the cafe.

"So, I was thinking we should try and get more of our friends who hold places of importance to come and speak, surely someone like a fireman, a doctor, a basketball star or one of our politicians would show everyone how normal we can be in our day to day lives." Storm wasn't really trying to convince Hank, she just didn't want to sit around looking to suss.

"Until this little PR campaign has worked better, I doubt anybody who doesn't have to will be outing themselves as a mutant. If random gossip ruins business', then mutant gossip bankrupts them."[/n]

Suddenly, some of the customers in the back of the cafe started to murmur loudly, glancing back towards the couple who had entered earlier. Storm looked back over her shoulder, before pushing her chair back and standing up.

"Let's take this outside," she whispered to Hank, who nodded and folded his paper calmly before heading for the door.

"If it's not too much trouble, can we settle this outside?" Storm asked, standing in the doorway to the cafe as the couple stood up and followed.

As she headed outside, the sky began to slowly turn overcast, a bank of clouds that were already in the area moving in a little faster than normal.

There were people in the street everywhere, but as they rounded a corner, a large open parking lot felt like the place to begin. "Who do you work for?" Hank asked, folding his glasses and putting them into his top pocket to protect them.

"An old friend," the woman said, before the ground between them started to crack open, her footing solid whilst the floor below Hank and Storm dropped away. Storm rose into the air, whilst Hank sprung forwards, his speed and strength surprising the couple. Using a lightning bolt fired by Storm as cover to attack the male assailant, he charged.

The man shimmered as Hank ran into him, before appearing from behind and smacking Hank over the head with a crude club. Storm whipped up a gust of wind, blowing the woman off her solid ground, and back into a stationary car. It's alarm went off, as Storm followed up with a lightning bolt into the car's metal body, electrocuting her rather well at the same time.

Somewhere in the ground a water pipe was burst, and it sprayed up into the air, covering Hank and his disappearing attacker. Storm couldn't get a hit on the other guy without harming Hank, unfortunately as the man placed hit after hit onto the big blue softy, shimmering from place to place so quick Hank wasn't able to pin point him for an attack, she had no choice but to set herself on stun.

Firing a bolt into the stream of water, both Hank and the unknown attacker fell to the ground as if hit by a strong tazer. Landing beside them, Storm kicked the man in the face before pushing him with a strong gust of wind into a brick wall. Hank stood up, recovering but with slightly singed hair.

"Remind me to remind you of this next time we decide who's getting coffee," Hank said, cracking his knuckles.

"Fair is fair," Storm replied, taking out her mobile phone to call in the incident. Soon they were heading back to the mansion, their afternoon cancelled until she got down to the bottom of who had sent these clowns. In the back of the car, were the unconscious couple, gagged and bound. The Professor would like the speak...commune with them.

 

[feistyphoenix]

Jean felt low. That was all she could muster. She thought about intervening but knew it would do no good. Now both Scott and Logan were pissed off and the likelihood of the mission going off without a hitch were almost nil. Scott paid her no mind as he stormed off and she sighed. As Logan spoke to her, her eyes were downcast. She was exhausted and trying not to show it. She slung her gear bag over her shoulder and walked off the jet and into the wilderness, she could still see Logan ahead of her in the darkness.

They walked the requisite 3 miles in silence. Jean didn't try to reach out to any one of them. She was irritated with both the men and knew that Rogue was already in a prickly mood, and probably feeling unsure of herself. Jean had faith in her though, the girl was smart; ruthless, but smart.

She checked her handheld GPS and reached out with her mind, confirming they were about 200 yards off from the warehouse.

Stop here she mentally commanded the group and they gathered together in a clump behind a stand of evergreens.


The place was so big they'd have to split into two teams. She wondered if Scott would keep her close out of protectiveness or if he would do what she thought he should and take Rogue. It was customary for the team leader to take the rookie in a situation like this. Although she knew Scott would be unfocused if he knew she was with Logan. She'd leave it to him to decide. If one team failed or created a diversion the chance of success was much higher.

We need to split into two teams, the warehouse has multiple entry points, she looked around at them as she conveyed the message.

 

[gearhead73]

Scott turned an looked at the immense structure. He had hoped that the long walk in silence to their objective would have made him feel a little better, but all it did was increase his anger. He couldn't believe how Logan always felt the need to try and lecture him on the kind of man he should be, yet lived in a way that showed the exact opposite.

He shook it off and tried to focus on the task at hand. Jean was right. They would definitely need to split up into teams to be able to search a warehouse of this size. His gut reaction was to send Logan and Rogue in one direction, and he and Jean would approach from the opposite side. However, as he thought about it a moment more, it seemed to him that they would have a better chance of success if he served as a distraction of sorts on his own. Protocol would be for Rogue to accompany him, but he would be able to move faster on his own without having to worry about her safety. He would be extremely mobile on his own and could use his photon blasts to cover his retreat as the guards and other mutants tried to apprehend him.

It the addition of Rogue, would also make the three of them a very powerful team to extract this Gambit character. Jean could simply tell him when they had freed him and he could retreat into the wilderness where they could pick him up later.

"Jean, you the Ferret and Rogue, approach from the east corner. I'll create a diversion on the west side entrance and draw their attention to me. Just let me know when you have Gambit and are clear, and I'll hook up with you either back at the jet, or wherever we can find another landing spot if you have to bug out. Just wait until I am in position, I'll give you a signal."

He tapped the side of his goggles letting her know that his signal would be unmistakable.

 

[feistyphoenix]

Jean's eyebrows drew together in concern and agitation. Her husband was a stubborn man she knew, but this was ridiculous. Charles would not be pleased if he saw how this was going.

"That is a horrible idea. If you get into a situation you won't have any backup," her voice revealed her irritation.

If he was dead set on it, she would do it because he was the team lead but she'd give him hell later.

 

[gearhead73]

"I'll be fine Jean. I'll be able to move faster on my own and I won't take any unnecessary risks. Besides, I don't plan on having my hands full with them, I am thinking they are going to have their hands full with me."

He could see the displeasure at his decision, but his gut was telling him that it was the right move this time and it had never failed him before.

"We should get going. Just let me know when you are in position." he said before turning to make his way to the western side of the building.

 

[NekoMata]

Rouge didn't bother to suppress her sigh as she crouched down, listening to what was supposed to be the plan of entry. She was starting to regret even being drafted into this mission. It was not a matter of nervousness or even of her being unsure of herself, she had done quite a few risky extractions before. Her issue was this team. It was something completely new to her to see a group that was so essentially dysfunctional. That was one thing she hadn't realized she would miss about being with Mystique and her crew. They kept things in order and realized that personal feelings were useless and distracting when it came to business. Though her opinion of what she should be doing had changed that one fact had not. Emotions and business had no place mixing.

This whole team was like a powder keg and Rouge didn't want to be around when it exploded. For now her focus was to get this mission done and over with and get back to the mansion. Hopefully things didn't get to hairy because if they didn't she wasn't exactly looking forward to relying on any of them to cover her back.

"Let's get this over with..."

 

[wombat9966]

Logan shook his head but he would let Scott go his own way, after all he was team leader. Let the consequences be on his own head. He looked to Jean and said "Well Jean your in charge whats the plan. Scott is causing the distraction so do we go in stealthy like or are we going in fast and furious?"

Logan was fine with both and knew jean would hang back a little on the furious putting the stragglers to sleep. Rogue would come in handy. It would be good to have another powerhouse to back him up and he hoped she wasn't as squeamish as some of the others if he had to cut loose on some of the things they encountered. Still after running with Mystique and her lot he doubted she was.