New Blood
Chapter 1: Unexpected Guest

AN: This chapter starts off nine months after the previous chapter.

Sinister's Lab

It had been a long nine months for Mr. Sinister. Since he began his ambitious project with the help of Selene, every day was an agonizing wait for the next set of results. Each result yielded more promise. Each step was a step closer to his ultimate goal. It felt like a lifetime since he started, but at last his work had taken form and substance. Now the next generation of dominant species was within reach. It was so close he could taste it.

It was plan based on trickery and deceit. About nine months ago, he began secretly impregnating the female pawns with embryos he synthesized using genetic material from the male pawns. They then went about their lives, unaware that they were carrying the children of the next dominant species, until about halfway through the first trimester. Then he would call them in for a routine check up, extract the fetus, and place it in a bio-tank in his secret lab where he continued to watch it grow and manifest. In the specially controlled environment he created for them, he let the young fetuses grow and mature in a way they would not be able to in the wombs of their mothers. The key was to have them develop in a way that caused their mutant genes to manifest earlier. That way he would not have to wait until they grew and hit puberty. Once he had each mutant gene, he could go on to the next and final step. But first, he had to make sure the children were viable. There could be no mistakes at this point otherwise he may have to discard each specimen.

Overall, his secret experiment yielded twelve fully formed infants. Each had been born using specific pairings from specific pawns. There was a boy from Scott and Jean, a boy from Kitty and Piotr, a girl from Rogue and Pietro, a boy from Warren and Emma, a girl from Kurt and Wanda, a girl from Bobby and Jubilee, a boy from Sam and Danielle, a boy from Laura and Julian, a girl from Logan and Monet, a boy from Lorna and Alex, a girl from Tabitha and Roberto, and a boy from Warpath and Rahne. There were a number of failed combinations he tried, leading to about a half dozen failed specimens. But in the end these twelve infants would suffice. The only obstacle now was time and making sure Xavier didn't find out.

Along the way there had been some unexpected challenges. The most difficult was dealing with Selene. As the project progressed, she became more involved. She kept looking over his shoulders, demanding new reports and status updates at every turn. She cared little about the science and was primarily concerned with the potential of his young specimens. She claimed that these children and the perfect species he was hoping to make from them would factor heavily into her own plans. What those plans were, she still wouldn't tell him. But to her credit she helped him in ways that went a long way towards preserving his creations.

The key was deception. Charles Xavier had eyes and ears everywhere. He was constantly monitored and his every operation was scrutinized. Not a single kilobyte of data went unread by Xavier's security measures. Sage also frequently hacked his networks just to double check. While his measures were good, Selene's were better. She used her mystical talents to create illusions and false images for Xavier and Sage to see, hear, and even sense psychically so that they wouldn't know he was off at his secret lab working. Even his trusted assistant Hank McCoy couldn't tell the difference. It was a significant edge because he knew he was frustrating them. But as much as he appreciated Selene's help, their partnership remained tenuous. And at times, he had his doubts about her.

"Mr. Sinister, sir?" said Hank, interrupting Sinister from his train of thought.

"What is it, Hank?" he replied in a monotone.

"I have those charts you asked for on mutant cell development. I'm still working on the advanced rate of RNA and protein synthesis data, but I should have that soon as well."

"Good. Leave it on my desk. I'll archive it later," said Sinister, who didn't look up from his work.

Hank was silent as he continued to watch his mentor work. He was going on his forth day without rest. Most of the time, he didn't even get up from his seat. He just kept going over endless streams of computer data and looking into a microscope, observing and analyzing his various projects. He didn't even take time to teach him anymore. He just gave him a set number of tasks and a deadline for them and left him to his own devices. It was a far cry from the past few years where he looked up to him almost like a father figure. Now he seemed all but uninterested with him.

"Sir, may I ask a question?" said Hank.

"Can it wait? I'm busy," said Sinister, still not looking up from his work.

"No sir. I'm afraid it can't."

Sinister sighed and looked up at his pupil, who bore a serious yet concerned look on his beast-like face.

"I know there are a number of things you cannot tell me about your work," he said, "And I will not pester you to divulge such information until you feel the time is right. But these past few months you have completely pushed me and everyone else for that matter aside. You're not teaching me anymore. You're not even challenging me."

"I apologize if these past few months have been boring for you, but I'm sorry to say that this is how it has to be for now. And you know I can't tell you why."

"It has nothing to do with boredom, sir," said Hank in a firmer tone, "When I first came here I wanted to rid myself of my abilities. Then you who taught me to embrace what I was becoming. You also taught me that to embrace something you must understand it. I've learned so much in my time here, yet I have so many questions left unanswered. And I cannot get those answers by merely doing menial tasks!"

Sinister groaned in annoyance. As much as he liked Hank, the man could be a bit pushy at times. He had an insatiable need for knowledge and like it or not, he was the one who fueled that need over the years. He decided long ago that he could not involve Hank in his plans, but he still needed him. He was probably the only one he could trust in this chaotic organization. For that reason, he had to be careful with him.

"Listen Hank, I know these tasks I ask are not the most intellectually stimulating, but they are necessary for what I am trying to do," he told his pupil, "I don't need to tell you that I'm working on something big. And if I am to succeed I need your full cooperation and your expertise."

"I understand, sir. And I am fully willing to cooperate. But surely there is something else I can do! Something that involves more than just analyzing new data!"

Sinister sighed and thought about it for a moment. Hank wasn't going to let this go until he had something to work with. But what could he give him? If he learned too much then Xavier could just read his mind and blow his cover. He didn't have time for any sort of side-project and he couldn't afford to distract him to the point where he couldn't perform his tasks. So what else was there?

Then an idea came to him. Sinister looked back at the data on his monitor and then back at Hank. Soon an ominous grin formed on his face.

"Come to think of it, there is one task I can have you do…one that should prove quite challenging."

"What is it?" asked Hank with renewed excitement.

Sinister turned back to his computer and loaded a new program. He began typing feverishly on the keyboard, downloading and compiling a very special collection of files and data. Some were heavily encrypted and some were located on networks scattered throughout the Hellfire Club. But they all had the same purpose. Once the data was loaded, he began downloading it to a disk. Within a minute or so, an unmarked disk popped out of the computer.

"Do you remember what I once told you about the nature of evolution and extinction?" Sinister mused.

"Refresh my memory, sir. You told me much about those subjects."

"One in particular should be especially pertinent," he went on as he put the disk in a protective case, "When the dinosaurs went extinct 65 million years ago, there was another species, mammals to be precise, that were waiting in the wings to take over as the dominant species. In essence, they were evolution's great backup plan. Had they not been there then life would have reverted to simpler, less fanciful means."

Sinister then gave the unmarked disk to Hank, placing it in his large ape-like hands with a level of trust he could only have in a pupil such as him.

"I'm very close to my ultimate goal. But should something (or someone) disrupt it, I must have a backup plan."

"Is that what this is?" asked Hank, looking down at the disk.

"In a manner of speaking," said Sinister ominously, "But it's not quite the kind you expect. It's a bit more…elaborate. It involves doing something with DNA that has never been done before. I'm sure you'll find it a very stimulating challenge."

Hank smiled at such a challenge. It sounded like the kind of unorthodox yet advanced job he had become so fond of since he started working with this man. It would be a nice change of pace from what he had been doing these past few months.

"Thank you sir," he told his mentor, "I promise I won't let you down."

"See that you don't," said Sinister strongly, "A lot may be riding on it."

Hank nodded confidently and left his mentor to his work again. Upon his departure Sinister returned to his observations. Knowing Hank he would probably get started on his little project right away. It would give him one less thing to worry about. He just hoped he taught Hank well enough to take care of such a challenge.

Upon returning to his quarters, Hank inserted the disk into his personal laptop. Behind him Rahne was sleeping lightly in a chair with a blanket covering her. It had become a normal occurrence over these past few months. Rahne spent quite a bit of time with Hank, learning how to embrace her animal side and keeping him company in this cooped up, lonely lab of his. They developed a unique friendship. Some joked that she was like his pet because he kept coming to him for training and she returned the favor with loyalty like a dog would to a master. Neither of them ever gave that label much credence, but it wasn't a completely inaccurate portrayal of their friendship.

As Hank began going over the data, Rahne stirred from her light slumber and rose up. She was still in her casual wear, which consisted of less revealing underwear, from earlier in the morning. She was surprised to see Hank still up.

"Hank? I thought ye were going to try and get some sleep?" she said as she yawned.

"No time for sleep, my dear," said Hank with newfound energy, "Sinister just gave me a new project and I'm eager to get started."

"What is it this time? More blood work?" said Rahne, rolling her eyes.

"Not this time," he grinned, "This should prove much more challenging, not to mention stimulating. I'm afraid I'll have to keep my sleep to a minimum."

Rahne rolled her eyes and sighed as she walked up to her friend and leaned over him.

"That's too bad. Does that also mean you'll have less time to spend with me?"

"Perhaps," he conceded, "But we can always make up for it, my dear."

"Ye always be saying that. Can ye at least put this little project off until Lord Xavier and the other pawns get back from Japan? It may not be this quiet around the club for a while."

Hank turned towards her and smiled, giving her furry face an affectionate tease. He was fond of Rahne, more so than he let on. But it was a shared fondness. His work was his primary concern.

"We'll have our time, Rahne. That I promise you," he told her, "But for now, I must work. Sinister has given me a great responsibility. And I will not take it lightly."

"Fine," she pouted, "But I'll be holding ye to that."

"I would expect nothing less."

Rahne managed a smile before she left Hank to his work. He was a complicated man, but he was clearly very dedicated. Even if it was for a man like Sinister, there was something to admire about that. But it sounded like she was in for another long haul of Hank's chronic workaholism. When he got going on a project there was no stopping him. But at least it would still be quiet. And she had no intention of just leaving him alone like this. Somebody had to look after him and it was best if that one person wasn't Sinister.

Kyoto, Japan – Yashida Tower

Business for the Hellfire Club had been as good as ever these past few months. Charles Xavier and the rest of the Inner Circle were in the midst of a new round of expansion. The newer pawns were emerging as a powerful force within the Inner Circle. All had made it through the basic levels of training and had taken strongly to their new Hellfire identity. They were tougher, stronger, and more ruthless than they were when they first arrived. That naïve innocence they all once had was long gone, trained out by months of tough conditioning and selfish decadence. And because of this they were taking a more hands-on approach to their contributions at the Hellfire Club.

Some like Sam, Bobby, Lorna, and Jubilee showed an aptitude for field work. So they began going on missions with Scott. Their roles were limited at first, usually relegated to supporting him and the more experienced pawns. But as they proved themselves they were given more active roles like making personal contacts, sabotage, and occasionally roughing enemies up. Laura also took on more roles, but her experience and advanced skills allowed her to go on more dangerous and daring missions. She, along with Logan, quickly developed into the Hellfire Club's chief assassin. And despite her age, she was quickly gaining trust among from the Inner Circle. Kitty, Julian, and Danielle took on more business and executive positions, which they learned from the likes of Emma, Moria, Warren, and Monet. They became pretty adept at managing deals, bending people to their will, and carrying out orders. Their roles remained limited since they were still young, but their load would continue to grow as they matured.

Some of the other pawns were more difficult. Roberto, Alex, and Tabitha managed to get through training, but with only minimum proficiency. Their main problem was motivation. Even with Scott pushing Alex, he and the others just weren't as motivated to establish themselves. They were usually more concerned with doing their own thing, which at times was a little unsettling because some of their activities were unknown. But they didn't rebel as much anymore. They did as they were told, but only as much as they had to. Xavier and Moria continued to worry about them, but they had other concerns at the moment.

Lately, the Black King sought to tighten his control over various new operations. He and his associates had done much to gain influence over major institutions of power, both on a national and international level. They had politicians, central banks, and major corporate powers in their back pockets. But lately they had been more aggressively pursuing less visible forms of power and wealth. One of the trade secrets of the Hellfire Club and groups like it was that there was a great deal of power vested in the shady underworld of secret societies. They didn't hold the kind of influence politicians and leaders held. They influenced society from the bottom up through crime, religious cults, and fringe groups. And Xavier sought to take control of this lesser known yet equally important form of power.

However, gaining power in the shady world of secret societies was not easy and at times very frustrating.

"I believe I've made clear my objections to your proposal, gentlemen," said Charles Xavier as he sat at the head of a table in front of a team of Yakuza officials, "I have since offered my counter-proposal. It contains in it a number of compromises, but I will only go so far. It would be in your best interests not to push me."

"Do not attempt to deliver subtle threats, Xavier-san," said an imposing, middle aged Japanese man sitting at the other end of the table, "We are aware of your reputation and your methods. And we are not as easy to manipulate as your cronies."

"Believe me, my good man, if I wanted to manipulate you we wouldn't be negotiating in the first place. I am merely being reasonable," Xavier retorted.

"You are trying to bully us into taking a deal that robs us of our power! How is that reasonable?"

"I am not robbing you of anything. I am merely proposing a deal for mutual benefit, but it is a deal to be made on my terms. Not yours. And I strongly advise that you take it seriously."

The group of shady yet imposing men took a moment to debate amongst themselves. They were all clearly put off by this man. He wasn't a normal associate seeking a partnership. He and his team of young mutants were something else entirely.

For Xavier, it was a tense moment. He arrived in Japan with every intention on gaining a firm foothold in the Yakuza underworld. Apart from their criminal underlines, Yakuza had a long history of wielding power from behind the scenes. They were not unlike the Hellfire Club, only on a much smaller scale. He needed their secret contacts to tighten his grip on the world of secret societies. But they weren't making it easy for him. Yakuza were notorious for thumbing their nose at outsiders. They especially resented anybody who wasn't from a Yakuza family trying to control their operations. But the Yashida Clan had great influence within the Japanese underworld. If Xavier could get their support, then the other clans would follow suit.

Watching the negotiations from across the room were the Hellfire pawns. Scott, Jean, Logan, Emma, Piotr, Warpath, Rogue, Pietro, Kurt, and Wanda were all present. As senior pawns with extensive experience in dangerous environments, Xavier had them tag along to act as protection and as a display of the muscle the Hellfire Club wielded. Monet, Kitty, and Lorna were there as well, but they stayed further back, leaving much of the major dealing to the others.

"These people are weird," Kitty commented under her breath, "I'm not sure if they're negotiating or plotting."

"They're no weirder than some of my neighbors back in San Francisco," Lorna shrugged, "But I agree. There is something off about them. And I'm not just talking about their unusual taste for ambience in a meeting room."

"Don't look down upon their traditions, you two," said Monet, "My father once sat down with a group of Yakuza. They're much tougher than they look and they have a strong appreciation for tradition. All these paintings and relics you see lining the walls are meant to give them a sort of spiritual protection. But in this day and age they probably contain other surprise."

"You mean like traps?" said Kitty, trying to keep her voice as low as possible.

"Can't say it would surprise me," said Monet, "But we'll just have to wait and see now, won't we?"

Lorna and Kitty looked at Monet strangely. She was eerily calm when talking about a place that was potentially booby trapped. But she had the benefit of super strength and invulnerability. So it was only natural she wouldn't be too concerned. But they didn't have that luxury. Kitty and Lorna found themselves scanning the walls, looking for any signs of a trap. It was hard to see because they were so elaborately decorated. They included paintings, statues, and strange-looking lighting fixtures. Any one of them could be rigged. All they could do was keep watch while the others work.

The elder pawns, who were standing close to Xavier, watched with equal caution amongst the debating men. Standing particularly close was Logan, who helped set this meeting up. During his time in Japan, he dealt with the Yakuza a great deal. It wasn't the most pleasant experience, but it was a big part of his life. The Yashida Clan was a group he had a lot of personal experience with. It was in this clan he met Yuriko and for a while he thought about joining them. But that fell through pretty fast and they eventually turned on him. Now he was back and he had the upper hand for once. It was bittersweet and he acted as somewhat of a mediator during these negotiations.

"What are they talking about?" asked Jean, who couldn't pick up on their discussions since she didn't speak Japanese.

"Well some of them keep looking at you and the girls and wondering where they can get outfits like that for their women," Logan answered.

"Logan, be serious," said Jean, rolling her eyes.

"I am," he said with a wolfish grin, "But aside from the clothes, they see us as barbarians trying to hone in on them. They ain't used to dealing with anybody who can outmuscle them. They're even less used to deals not being in their favor."

"So you don't think they'll take it," said Scott as he cautiously processed the situation.

"Are you kidding? Some of these guys would rather cut their own dicks off," said Logan, "But they still gotta debate it. It's tradition."

"So what do we do if they reject it?" asked Pietro.

"What else? Go to plan B. And you know what that means."

They all picked up on the subtext of Logan's words. If these Yakuza weren't going to take them seriously then there is a chance they could try something. Most people weren't stupid enough to try and oppose the Hellfire Club, but as Lorna and Kitty observed these weren't normal associates. The more they talked the less likely it seemed as though they were going to take Xavier up on their offer. That could only mean trouble.

While they were talking, Emma and Jean were on psychic guard. Originally only Emma was going to come, but Xavier insisted on having an extra psychic just in case. The Yakuza were notoriously superstitious and one of those superstitions involved psychics. Many of their buildings had psychic shielding, both in the walls and through the use of spells. Even for advanced psychics like them, they were difficult to get around. But they remained vigilant.

'Emma, I've been picking up some strange thought projections. Are you sensing them too?'

'Don't insult me, Jean. Of course I sense them. Now please stop talking to me so I can keep my focus.'

'Damn it, Emma, would you at least try to coordinate with me? Xavier brought us both along for a reason! We need to cooperate!'

'Sorry darling, but I don't coordinate well. Now get out of my mind so I can focus.'

Jean muttered a curse under her breath. Emma had been a bit harsher than usual and for her that was really saying something. Things had always been tense with them, especially around Scott. He remained the only person she regularly associated with besides Xavier. It didn't sit well with Jean, but she and Scott rarely brought it up. The way they saw it she shouldn't have been bothered by it because she had a similar connection with Logan. But it still didn't sit well with her.

Amidst the tension, the men finished debating. Judging by the look on their faces they had come to a decision. And it didn't look promising.

"This is going to be good," muttered Pietro under his breath.

"Quiet!" ordered Warpath.

The opposing man from the end of the table stood up with the papers Xavier gave him in hand.

"We have discussed this matter carefully, Xavier-san," he said in a firm tone, "But we have decided that your proposal is unacceptable. We will not agree to this."

In a show of defiance the man tore up the papers and tossed them in front of Xavier, who was less than thrilled but remained calm.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" said Xavier in a threatening tone, "You'll be making a grave mistake by rejecting it."

"The only mistake we made was allowing you and your team of freaks to dishonor our organization by making such unreasonable demands!"

"Hey, you better watch yourself, pal!" said Rogue angrily.

"Do not try to sound tough with us little girl! We do not take orders from high priced whores!"

"Why you…"

Rogue was about to lunge forth and rip this man limb from limb, but Xavier and Kurt held her back. The Black King wasn't ready for this to break out into an all out brawl just yet.

"Easy Rogue," he coaxed, "Let's not get brash. These men have clearly not thought this through."

"Oh we have thought this though, Xavier-san!" said the defiant man, "And the time for such consideration is over!"

"Then you best be ready to accept the consequences," Xavier warned.

"Speak for yourself," the man grinned.

CRASH!

Before Xavier and his pawns could respond in any way, a deafening sound shattered the tension in the meeting room. A figure had broken through the glass window located directly over the meeting table. And just as the startled pawns looked up to see the figure, they were hit with something unexpected.

"Get down!" Scott instinctively ordered.

But it was too late. The figure threw down from the ceiling a lone object shaped like a bowling ball with strange blew wires sticking out of it. As soon as it hit the desk it activated. At first it looked like a bomb, but it didn't explode. Instead it 'activated' and suddenly Xavier and his trusted pawns were hit with a blinding pulse of bluish, purple energy. And as soon as it hit them they were left with a paralyzing surge of pain.

"ARGH!" Xavier grunted as he fell to the floor, "EVERYBODY! FALL BACK!"

"Ugh! Can't stand!" groaned Piotr, who was leaning on a chair for support.

"It…it's a disruptor pulse!" Scott yelled out, "Get as far away from it as possible!"

"Too late for that, luv," said the figure.

As the Hellfire pawns tried to recover, a feminine figure landed on the table just behind the disruptor pulse bomb. She was tall, lean, and well conditioned. She had purple hair, a red mark over her eye, and Asian features. She wore a tight fitting purple body suit that a bit revealing around her legs and backside, but very well crafted for her nimble frame. She had in both hands a couple of katanas and on her hip a couple of guns. She had all the marks of a skilled assassin and judging by how she was able to stealthily position herself over them, she was a good one as well.

"You! You're the one they call, Psylocke!" said the head Yakuza as he and his associates made a break for it.

"Nice to meet you too, luv. I'm here on orders. Compliments of the Hand!" said the purple haired woman as she set her sights on Charles Xavier.

While the men scrambled, Psylocke leapt over towards the other end of the table where Xavier was slumped over in a daze. He was clutching his head, trying to refocus himself. But in his current state he couldn't defend against her. So she had to act fast.

"The famous Charles Xavier," she said as she gripped her katana's firmly, "I'll dispense with the formalities and show you the way to Hell! Hyya!"

She lunged forth, the tips of her blades pointing right at Xavier's chest. But before she could deliver the death blow, Pietro Maximoff pulled himself together and sprung into action. His limbs and head were still sore, but he pushed through it and rushed at great speeds to save the Black King.

"Noooo!" he exclaimed as he lunged forth and pushed him out of the way.

But as he shoved him aside, one of Psylocke's blades plunged right into the speedster's left leg. Just above the knee. Blood and blinding pain soon followed.

"Ahhhhhhhhh!" he howled.

"Pietro!" exclaimed Lorna.

"Nobody does that to my brother but me!" grunted Wanda, who was clearly very angered.

Before Psylocke could pull her katana out of Pietro's leg, she was hit with a hex bolt that sent her flying across the room. She hit the wall hard, knocking over a picture in the process. But she didn't flinch for a second. She landed on her feet and gripped her other katana intently. She had a mission and she wasn't going to stop until it was done.

"Ugh, is that the best you can do?" grunted Psylocke.

"A little outnumbered to be making threats, aren't you?" warned Logan.

"Don't be so sure of that," grinned Psylocke.

Much of the pawns had recovered from the shock. Logan, Scott, Jean, Rogue, Emma, and Piotr were back on their feet and fighting through lingering pain to corner Psylocke. Wanda, Kurt, and Lorna were hovering over Pietro protectively, who was still in a lot of pain. And Monet was helping Kitty recover. They were ready to fight back, but so was Psylocke.

As the group of Yakuza officials slipped out through a back door, a group of masked men entered in their place. They swarmed the room as if they had been hiding in the shadows. And given how much shielding they had in this area the Yakuza probably planned this. Each was armed heavily with high tech rifles and katanas similar to Psylocke's. They all bore a similar ninja-like uniform and they all took aim at Xavier and his pawns.

"It's official. I hate Japan," groaned Wanda as she and Lorna stood protectively over her brother.

"You gotta be kidding me. You think these clowns can stop us?" laughed Rogue.

"Don't push it, Rogue. I know those uniforms anywhere! They're from the Hand!" said Logan.

"The Hand? You mean that team of assassins?" said Warpath, who kept up with such affairs.

"Bingo!" said Logan as he drew his claws.

"Then we best make our leave," said Xavier, who was helped to his feet by Jean and Emma.

"Oh please, how tough could they…" began Rogue.

But before she could finish, one of the assassins fired their weapon and a strange bolt of yellow energy shot out hit her point blank. It singed her uniform and caught her off guard. Even with her strength and invulnerability, Rogue was sent flying back and crashed right into Monet and Kitty.

"Ugh!" she grunted as she impacted a smaller table.

"Damn it, Rogue! You just had to say it, didn't you?" groaned Monet.

"Hnn…shut up!" groaned Rogue.

Now all the assassins prepared to fire. Scott instinctively took command.

"Everybody take cover and attack!" he called out, "Protect Lord Xavier and take them down!"

"Oh this is gonna be fun," grunted Logan, who wasted no time in tearing into the minions of the Hand.

Using his powers, Scott fired an optic blast the large conference table off the floor and knocked it over to provide cover for them as the assassins began shooting. The deafening bang of numerous high energy rounds echoed through the room. He, Jean, Emma, and Xavier took cover while Logan, Warpath, and Piotr made a daring charge towards the assassins. Logan leapt up high while Warpath and Piotr attacked low. Most of the assassins turned their sights towards Logan, who let out a feral roar as he descended upon them with his claws drawn in an attack position. Numerous rounds hit him, literally blowing some of the flesh off his body. But he ignored the pain and blood and dove head first into the first wave of assassins, slicing through their weapons and impaling several of them with his claws. This daring attack was shocking, but the disciplined assassins didn't flinch and kept firing. Warpth and Piotr guarded their heads, using their invulnerability to deflect some of the blows. They were more intense than expected and nearly knocked them off balance, but they kept charging until they collided with the guards. Once they were within reach, the grabbed anything that looked human and began snapping their bones like twigs.

As Logan, Warpath, and Piotr disrupted the first wave. Scott and Jean backed them up with attacks of their own. Scott fired a number of concentrated optic blasts at the assassins trying to hide behind statues and on the walls. Jean used her telekinesis to fling nearby debris at them. Most were nimble enough to dodge them, but then she turned their guns on them and they were less able to avoid the punishing blows. Lorna soon joined in as well, using her magnetic powers to destroy some of the guns and turn them against their users. She backed Wanda up while she dragged Pietro up to the table near Xavier. She managed to pull the sword out, but the pain was still agonizing.

"Ahhhhh! Take it easy!" Pietro howled.

"Stop being a baby!" said Wanda as she used her hex powers to close the wound.

"Easy Wanda, this is a serious wound," said Xavier.

"He'll be fine," she said with little concern, "He's Pietro. Keep him still. I'll be back."

"Wait! Aren't you going to stay with him?!" exclaimed Lorna, grunting as she disarmed several more assassins.

"I'd rather go after the cause," said Wanda, a dark rage in her eyes.

Wanda turned her attention to Psylocke, who had briefly taken cover behind a statue to avoid the initial onslaught. But now that they were busy with the other pawns, she saw her chance to go after Xavier again. But this time Wanda was standing in her way and she was not happy about her little stunt.

"Come on out and face me, bitch!" Wanda demanded.

"Bitch? Do they really teach you language like that? And here I was thinking the Hellfire Club was supposed to be sophisticated," said Psylocke snidely as she remained concealed behind the statue.

"They teach us much more than that!"

With rage in her eyes, Wanda summoned the mystical energy taught to her by her Mistress. She used a mix of magic and hex bolts to form a dark purplish hue around her body and with it, she formed two dark red fireballs in both hands. Then with a forceful gesture, she blasted the statue Psylocke was hiding behind to pieces, forcing the young assassin to duck out of the way and jump back out into the open. Wanda tried to blast her again, but she was able to use her ninja skills to avoid them, although she did get singed by one blast on her right shoulder.

"Bloody hell! Magic! I fucking hate magic!" she grunted angrily.

With the other Hand assassins backing her up, Psylocke leapt up onto a ledge near the ceiling, forcing Wanda to take aim upwards. When she fired at her she then leapt down, but in the process she took out a small smoke grenade, standard for most ninjas, and threw it right at her feet. Wanda was so focused with rage she didn't notice it in time to stop it. And when it exploded in her face, she was quickly blinded and forced to cover her mouth.

"Ack! Cheap parlor trick!" she said as she tried to get away.

Wanda broke out into a major coughing fit, but upon hearing her peril Kurt quickly left the side of Xavier and came to his love's rescue.

"I've got you, my love!" he said as he teleported her away from the cloud.

With Wanda out of the picture momentarily, Psylocke turned her attention back towards Xavier. He was still being closely guarded by Jean, Scott, and Emma. Lorna had fallen back as well to guard Pietro, who was still bleeding profusely from his leg wound. Logan, Warpath, and Piotr were busy keeping the assassin onslaught at bay. And Monet was tending to Kitty, who broke her arm when Rogue rammed into them. They seemed distracted enough for her to get another shot in. So she leapt up onto another statue overlooking the room, well above the ongoing chaos below. She then summoned her mutant ability to throw psionic blades, forming a lone purplish blade in her right hand. And then she took aim.

"Dodge this one!" she said as she prepared to throw it.

"Oh no you don't!" came a familiar voice.

Just as she got the attack off, Rogue flew up from below and tackled her from her vantage point. Her psionic blade was well off-target and she now found herself in the iron grip of a very angry Rogue. And she didn't take the same chance Wanda did. She flew her up to the area around the glass window where she broke in and squeezed her in a death grip, keeping her arms to the side and not letting her get any more of her weapons.

"Any last words before Ah snap your spine?" said Rogue with a triumphant grin.

"Yeah…ever hear of brains over brawn?" grinned Psylocke.

Before Rogue could react, she was hit with an unexpected psychic blast. Her head started throbbing relentlessly. She couldn't form coherent thoughts and couldn't command her limbs anymore. Even though she had a well-trained mind, she was unprepared and the telepathic onslaught put her in a world of pain.

"Auuugghhhhh! Mah head!" she cried out.

She lost her grip and Psylocke slipped out, landing on the floor near the opposite corner where the assassins held up, still firing relentlessly at their targets. But even though they had Xavier and his thugs pinned down, they were losing ground fast. Logan, Warpath, and Piotr were decimating their attack. Psylocke saw it in the array of mangled bodies that were piling up. They managed to obtain the element of surprise, but that was quickly wearing off.

"What are you blokes waiting for! Move in already!" she exclaimed, "Don't let them regroup!"

Only a handful of the assassins listened to her. The rest of them stayed back, trying to attack from behind corners and debris. But there they would only face the wrath of Logan, Piotr, and Warpath. It was quickly turning chaotic. Warpath sensed this and after snapping the necks of a couple of assassins he plowed through towards Psylocke, who was preparing another attack on Xavier.

"I don't think they're listening," he taunted, "Either you're one lousy leader or you're not a leader at all."

"Out of my way, pretty boy!" said Psylocke, showing another psionic blade.

"So you're not their leader," Warpath surmised, "Good to know."

Warpath began his attack, lunging towards her and attempting a sweep kick. Psylocke nimbly avoided him, jumping away and falling back. She was confident, but not overconfident. She knew she couldn't match him in terms of strength so she was going to have to outmaneuver him. Warpath tried to strike her again, doing a couple punch combos and a few kicks, but she kept avoiding him. Even with his reflexes she stayed a step ahead of him. Either she was just really fast or she was a telepath. And after what she did to Rogue, he was leaning towards telepath.

While Warpath attempted to take down Psylocke, the daring group of assassins that heeded her advice charged the others who were still barricaded at the other end of the room. As they moved in Scott, Jean, Monet, Wanda, and Lorna came out to greet them and repel their attack. Kurt and Kitty stayed with Xavier and Pietro, who was still unable to get up due to the bloody wound in his leg. Kitty carefully tried to cover the wound, using her phasing powers to help shots from the assassins go right through them. It aws tough going for her because her arm was clearly broken and her shoulder had been partially separated. But she ignored it. Kurt helped, but only to stop the bleeding. While this was going on, Xavier was kneeling next to them clutching his temples.

"Damn it, he's still bleeding!" said Kitty as she tried to apply pressure to the wound.

"Ack! Damn it, Kitty! Take it easy!" groaned Pietro.

"Stay still, Pietro. Zhis vill be over soon. Von't it, Lord Xavier?" said Kurt.

"It will," said Xavier, who was still concentrating hard.

"What are you doing, sir?" Kitty asked him.

"These assassins are well-equipped. They have some sort of advanced mental shielding built into their uniforms. It's how they got the drop on us. I believe I can break it and end this fight, but I need time!"

"You've got it, sir," said Scott as he continued firing relentlessly at the coming onslaught.

Scott and the other pawns got the message. They had to guard Xavier until he could launch a psychic attack strong enough to end this battle. So with Scott's leadership, they hunkered down and protected their king.

The charging assassins were met head on with the well trained Hellfire pawns. Two were cut down almost immediately by Scott's optic blasts. Their mangled bodies were used as morbid projectiles for Jean to throw at their comrades. Yet they kept coming and firing relentlessly at them. Jean used her telekinesis to shield them for the most part, but their rounds were high energy so it was hard to keep up. Wanda was able to help as well, deflecting a few that came her way. But she spent more of her time on the attack, casting hex bolts and spells that caused their energy weapons to explode and mangle their bodies before they could get too close. Those that did get close were met with Monet, who was showboating a bit with her skills, using her reflexes and strength to take down her enemies. Most didn't survive the first punch, but those that did had their necks snapped. The whole time, Monet didn't show a hint of emotion or remorse. It was part of the dark conditioning that had come to dominate her persona.

"Too easy," grinned Monet as one of the assassins cried out as she broke both his arms.

"Show off," muttered Emma, who was on the defensive for the most part.

"Look whose talking," she grinned as she took down more assassins.

Emma grunted in frustration as she fell back towards Xavier. She was now in her diamond form, leaving the telepathic attacks to Lord Xavier now. She took a more hands on approach and proceeded to slug a couple of assassins who tried to plow past her. They tried to shoot her, but her diamond shell was unbreakable. She only needed to shield her face and eyes and she was able to take the rest down with her firsts. And for those who tried to keep away from her, Lorna took care of them by using whatever metal debris she could to cut them down. And if the shrapnel didn't get them, Wanda finished them off.

Pretty soon, the Hand was running out of attackers. Their surprise attack was quickly becoming lopsided as the well-trained, well-conditioned Hellfire pawns showed no mercy in striking back. The longer they were stalled, the more time Charles Xavier had to break their mental defenses and end this whole battle with a thought. Psylocke knew this and realized she had to act. If she did not succeed in this mission then the consequences for her would be severe. But James Poundstar wouldn't let her get through. He kept attacking, forcing her on the defensive and keeping her from countering. He knew she couldn't match his strength or stamina. And he didn't have to take her down. He just had to stall her. If she was going to complete her mission, she would have to make a move.

"You're running out of time!" warned James as she avoided another heavy punch that left a dent in the wall, "I can do this all day! And you're running out of backup!"

"Thanks for the reminder, luv!" she said in frustration as she ducked another roundhouse kick.

"So why don't you just pack up and go home? You'll be doing yourself a favor!"

"Sorry, but that's not an option," she said sternly, "I'm not leaving until my mission is complete!"

"Suit yourself," said Warpath confidently.

He attempted another attack. This time he used his whole body, charging her and pinning her against a nearby wall. It felt like being pinned by a fully loaded dump truck. She could hardly breathe and was at the limits of her endurance. The look in his eye indicated he had no qualms about ending her right then and there. But luckily she was prepared for this just as she was with Rogue.

"Think you've got me?" she choked out, "Think again!"

With her free hand she formed another psionic blade. Then in one swift motion, she plunged the blade right into Warpath's left eye. Even with his reflexes and durability, he was blinded and stunned. He let out a pained howl as he fell back clutching his face, letting Psylocke go in the process.

"Augh! My eye!" he exclaimed.

While Psylocke slipped away, a couple of assassins moved in for the kill. But Piotr saw this and immediately rushed to his fellow pawn's aid.

"It's okay, comrade! I've got your back!" he said as he grabbed the two assassins from behind and flung them across the room.

"Forget about me!" grunted James, clutching his now bloodied face, "Go after the girl!"

But it was too late. Psylocke was moving in for another attack. Xavier was still trying to break through the mental shields. She could sense it with her own telepathy. She had to hit him first or this mission would be lost. Scott, Jean, Lorna, Monet, Wanda, and Emma were still busy with the remaining assassins. But as she moved in, they took note of her presence. Scott saw her first and tried to attack.

"There she is! Stop her!" he called out.

He tried firing an optic blast, but Psylocke nimbly avoided it by ducking and rolling off to the side. In the process she formed another psionic blade and flung it towards him. Scott tried to dodge, but he wasn't fast enough. The blade got a good chunk of his lower abdomen, leaving a bloodied wound in its path.

"Augh!" he grunted as he fell to the floor.

"Scott!" Jean called out.

Jean quickly came to her lover's aid. Ceasing her attacks and forming a protective bubble around her lover. She planned on making that bitch pay for what she just did, but a couple of assassins kept her from doing so. They tried to move in and finish them off, but she couldn't let that happen. While she went on the defensive, Emma took charge.

"Oh you know you're going to pay for that!" said the attractive blonde, still in her diamond form.

"Bring it, blondie!"

Breaking off from the group, Emma attacked the purple haired ninja. But as angry as she was at her for attacking Scott, she was unable to match her ninja skills. She tried to attack with a number of punch and kick combos, but she hit only air and occasionally a wall. Psylocke barely seemed challenged. Emma was tough, but a skilled fighter she was not.

"You're not very good at this are you?" taunted Psylocke as Emma smashed another statue instead of hitting her, "Bet it's hard learning how to fight when you spend so much time on your back!"

"Do you think lewd remarks will stop me?!" she exclaimed in a rage.

"No, but this will!"

Emma tried to hit her again. This time Psylocke countered. As the blonde vixen lunged past her, she took out a small metal disk she had tucked away in her uniform and slapped it onto her back. As soon as it made contact with her it activated, sending a paralyzing surge of energy through her body. Emma was then hit with an unexpected surge of pain that her diamond hard shell did nothing to stop.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhh!" she cried out.

Her limbs went numb and her mind froze, unable to focus or coordinate. As a result, she shifted out of her diamond shell and fell to the floor. Now she was powerless and vulnerable, unable to move or defend herself. She tried to reach for the disk on her back, but she couldn't. It just kept sending surge after surge of pain through her body. She was trapped and utterly helpless.

As Psylocke shot past her, her eyes once again set on Xavier, a couple of assassins who had survived an attack from Lorna and Jean struggled towards her. They didn't have their high powered energy weapons anymore, but they still had traditional arms such as a gun and knife. Their mission was to take down as many of these enemies as possible and while Psylocke had Xavier, they could focus on their own targets. And Emma could see them coming towards her. They were limping over, both visibly injured from what the others did to them earlier. But they were still determined, as was expected from a group like the Hand.

"Nnn…" Emma groaned, unable to slip away.

"Emma…" said Scott, still clutching the wound on his side.

Jean, Monet, Lorna, and Wanda were still busy finishing off the last of the assassins trying to get to Xavier. Rogue came in as well, although visibly weakened due to the psychic attack she suffered earlier. They were all preoccupied and unable to come to Emma's aid. But Scott saw the two assassins coming after her. One turned her over and pointed his gun straight at her face, which was still caught up in the pain. Acting on a whim, rushed to her aid.

"Scott wait!" exclaimed Jean, who was still trying to protect him with her telekinetic shield.

But he didn't listen. He ran into the hail of high powered rifle fire and blasted the assassin just as he was about to shoot Emma. This time, he made sure he wouldn't get up again. The second assassin, who didn't say a word, turned towards him then back towards Emma. He then grabbed her by the neck and put a knife to her throat. Emma, who was still paralyzed because of the disk Psylocke put on her back, could only watch as Scott stared the masked man down.

"Put her down," he ordered sternly.

But the man didn't heed his words. He continued to grip the knife and began backing away, ready to slit her throat at a moment's notice. But Scott wouldn't let him use Emma as a shield.

"Fine, you had your chance," said Scott sternly.

He then fired a well-aimed optic blast right at the masked assassin's head. It was narrow and concentrated so it just missed hitting Emma. And when it hit the assassin it nearly tore his head off. He fell limply to the floor, his body now a bloodied mess. Scott usually didn't deliver such cruel blows, but when it was necessary to do so he never hesitated. Once the assassin let her go, Scott caught Emma and dragged her back to safety. Along the way he turned her over and fired a light optic blast to stop the disk on her back. It ceased the shocks, which came as a great relief to Emma. But she was still out of it and very weakened.

"Emma! Emma, are you okay?" said Scott, ignoring the pain in his abdomen as he cradled her carefully in his arms.

"I am now," she said, managing a smile through her weakened state.

Scott let out a sigh of relief as he got behind the protective shielding of Jean's telekinesis. He maintained his protective hold on Emma and she soon succumbed to fatigue and passed out. There still a handful of assassins, but many by now had been cut down. Logan was still working on a few pesky survivors while Piotr helped Warpath recover from the shot he took from Psylocke. Lorna, Wanda, Jean, and Monet provided cover for Xavier as Kitty and Kurt watched over Pietro and now Scott and Emma. But the fight wasn't over yet. Psylocke was still determined to complete her mission.

She slipped in behind Jean's shield, using the remaining assassins as cover to get a clearer shot of Xavier. Her moves did not go unnoticed. Kitty and Kurt picked up on it and turned towards their king, who was still trying to break the shields.

"Uh Lord Xavier?" said Kitty nervously.

"It's okay, Kitty. I see her," he said, still concentrating hard.

"She's not going to stop," Kurt warned.

"Do not worry. This fight is almost over."

They took that to mean he was almost done breaking the mental blocks. Psylocke seemed to sense this and knew she had to make her move. She leapt up onto one of the few remaining statues hanging from the wall so she had a nice overhead view of where Xavier and his pawns were taking cover. She then formed two oversized psionic blades in both hands. If she was to make this shot lethal, she had to give it her all.

"Nothing personal, luv," she said to herself, "I'm just following orders."

She was about to fire her blades at Xavier. But just as she was about to she was tackled from her perch by a familiar presence. It was Rogue and she was looking for some payback for the psychic attack she suffered earlier.

"Ugh!" Psylocke grunted as she was rammed down into the floor.

"Remember me, sugah?" grinned Rogue, "Ah still got a migraine for what you did to meh!"

Psylocke groaned in pain. This time Rogue didn't take any chances. She hit her hard so she wouldn't get up. The impact knocked the wind out of her and left her limbs sore and bruised. She tried to get up, but this time Rogue had a much tighter grip on her.

"Stop!" she choked out, "I have to…do this! It's…the only way!"

"Not today, little miss ninja," said Rogue, "The only thing you gotta do now is take a nap."

Rogue then touched the young woman's bear face and used her draining powers. And what little strength Psylocke had left was drained. She let one last pained gasp as her body went limp and she slipped into unconsciousness. To her credit, she kept fighting. But Rogue didn't let go this time. She made sure she was knocked out completely. For someone to be that determined she must have been caught up in something. But she didn't concern herself with that at the moment. She already had enough to deal with because of her psychic induced migraine.

With Psylocke now out of the picture, the assassins didn't stand a chance. Now Xavier was free to finish the job.

"I've almost got it!" he said, still clutching his temples, "Just a little bit more…"

Then the Black King let out a hard grunt as a psychic wave erupted from his powerful mind. Suddenly, each remaining assassin let out a cry of pain. They dropped their weapons and ceased their attacks, clutching their heads in agony. Their bodies all began contorting and twisting oddly. They all acted as though their brains were on fire. Some of them started bleeding from the eyes and ears. It was a comical as well as morbid display. It lasted about thirty seconds until the last assassin stopped moving.

When all was said and done a heavy silence fell over the room. Xavier let out a tired groan and rose up to take in the sight. It wasn't the messiest meeting he had ever been a part of, but it was close. Usually people didn't get the drop on him like this, but secret societies had a special talent for setting traps. They were also much more resourceful, but even that wasn't enough in the end.

"Is everybody alright?" said Xavier as he collected himself.

"Depends on your definition, bub," grunted Logan.

Some cringed at the sight of Logan as he rejoined the group. Having gone head first into the hoard of assassins he took by far the most shots. His body was still bloodied and bruised. Parts of his adamantium skeleton were still visible. Most of his Hellfire uniform had been blown off as well. He was almost naked with only the remnants of his pants and shorts covering his lower body. But he was no worse for wear.

Others sustained injuries as well. Warpath was still clutching his left eye, which was still bleeding from the psi blade he took earlier. Piotr, who wasn't injured all that much, helped him stay coordinated. Scott's was also wounded, the shot he took to his abdomen still bleeding profusely. But it was nothing serious. Emma was out cold, the effects of the paralyzing disk still lingering and they probably would continue to do so for a while. Pietro, who bore the brunt of the surprise, had passed out by now. His leg was still bleeding from the stab wound he took from Psylocke. But his speedy metabolism was already in the process of healing it. Kitty was clutching her arm, which was clearly broken and mangled. When Piotr saw this he rushed to her side and let her lean on him. It was clearly painful, but she didn't let it show.

Everybody else remained uninjured for the most part. Lorna, Jean, Monet, Wanda, and Kurt sustained nothing more serious than a few cuts and scrapes. They managed to hold their own against the onslaught. Xavier expected nothing less from his elder pawns. Kitty, Lorna, and Monet held up nicely too. He had no doubts they would repel the attack, but there were some issues that remained.

"How in the hell did they get the drop on us?" grunted Logan as his body continued to heal, "I sniffed this place out from the beginning! There's no way they should have…"

"Easy Logan," said Jean, letting him lean on her a bit as he recovered, "Try not to get worked up while you're still healing."

"But you're right," said the Black King, "They shouldn't have gotten the drop on us. I sense they weren't expecting help from the Hand. It's why we were not able to sense the attack."

"So then why would the Hand attack us?" said Piotr.

"I'm not sure, but I have noticed with Cerebrum that many secret societies feel threatened by our expansion. The Hand is just one of many."

"Still pretty daring, don't you think?" said Lorna, "Just look at all the stops they pulled out."

"Indeed," said Xavier as he kicked away one of the high powered rifles, "I'm sure they had their reasons. But that is a mystery for another day. Right now, we have other concerns."

Xavier turned towards Rogue, who was holding the unconscious Psylocke in her arms. She was the only one from the attack left alive and she proved quite resourceful in her efforts. Such skill was worthy of admiration, but only to an extent. She still attacked them and would have to face the consequences.

"So what are we going to do with this?" asked Rogue, "Want me to drain her all the way too?"

"Now where's the fun in that," said Wanda, "I say we take her back to the Manor. Mistress Selene will surely have a good time with her."

"Ah'm sure you'd love that," said Rogue, rolling her eyes, "Do you ever think practically, Wanda?"

"Please, mien sister, lets not start another fight," coaxed Kurt, defending Wanda like he always did.

"Sorry, it's this damn migraine!" groaned Rogue, "Please tell me we're gonna do something with this bitch! Ah'm gonna need a heck of a lot of pain killers when Ah get back!"

Xavier walked up to the woman and studied her for a moment. She was strong, fit, and resilient. She set herself apart from the other assassins and dressed nicer as well. Usually he wouldn't have hesitated to simply execute someone who pulled a stunt like this, but he despised seeing good talent go to waste. She didn't seem very enthusiastic on the Hand anyways. Perhaps she could serve better at the Hellfire Club.

"Keep her unconscious for now. We'll take her back to the manor," he said.

"Oh boy, she's in for a rough ride," commented Kitty.

"That's for sure," grinned Wanda, knowing Mistress Selene would be excited at such a prospect.

"What about the deal?" asked Scott, still short of breath from the pain, "Even if they didn't hire the Hand, are we just going to let those guys get away with this?"

Xavier shook his head and smiled. Even in the face of a surprise attack, he was still as calm and confident as ever. It's what made him such a good Black King.

"Of course not, my boy. I assure you, that situation will be rectified. In the meantime, we should get back to New York. There is much more business to be done."

The young pawns trusted their king's word. He never steered them wrong before. They had no reason to believe this was any different. Knowing him, those foolish men would get what they deserve in the end. Their only focus now was to go home, rest, and recover from this battle. But this attack yielded more than just a bloody mess. They now had a skilled Hand assassin named Psylocke in their midst. She was skilled, resourceful, and tough. Perhaps she could be useful to them. But before she had that honor, she would have to face punishment just as everybody who opposed the Hellfire Club.

Yashida Tower – Secret Passage

As the chaos and carnage consumed their meeting area, the nearly two dozen men from the Yakuza slipped quietly and carefully into a secret escape passage they had installed for just such an occasion. The attack from the Hand came unexpectedly, but it was a welcomed diversion. They had their own plans in place to retaliate for Charles Xavier dishonoring their organization. If the Hand didn't stop him they certainly would.

At the moment they were about to exit into an underground tunnel that would lead them to freedom. It was long, narrow, and a bit dingy but it was better than where they came. The two dozen men were confident they could escape and begin their efforts to retaliate. But some weren't so sure.

"Just a little bit longer, my friends," said one of the Yakuza leaders in Japanese as he led everyone into the last stretch of tunnel.

"How can you be so calm?!" exclaimed one of his associates, "Did you plan that back there?"

"I did not, but the Hand has had issues with Xavier and his people recently so let's just leave it at that," said the leader, "They have given us an unexpected gift and we had best take advantage of it."

"Are you sure that is wise? I have heard many stories about those who try to retaliate against Xavier. None end well," warned another associate.

"I do not care about the man's history! He dishonored our organization and he must pay! Now follow me! The way out is just up ahead! Once we escape we'll…"

But the Yakuza leader stopped in mid sentence just as he exited to tunnel. He was suddenly met with an unexpected and disturbing sight. Standing in their way, casually juggling a couple of incendiary grenades, was masked figure in a red and black body suit that was recognized by many in the criminal underworld. It was Deadpool and he was blocking their path to freedom and redemption.

"Yakuzi! You got some 'splainin' to do!" said the merc with a mouth.

"You!" exclaimed the leader in English.

"That's right! It's me! Your worst nightmare and your best friend! I'm here to kiss your boo-boos away and make a few new ones! Courtesy of your good friend, Charles Xavier!"

The leader's face paled as did that of all his associates. Knowing Charles Xavier, this was his way of closing a bad deal.

"Tsk tsk tsk, you're given a chance to live on easy streak and you throw it all away because of your Wushidodle pride or some shit like that. Now you gotta pay the piper!"

"Wait! Just wait a second, sir!" exclaimed the leader, "Whatever Charles Xavier is paying I'll double it! I'll triple it even! Let us go and I will give you access to all the riches of our empire!"

Deadpool broke out into an insane laughter.

"Riches? Ha! Your riches compared to Uncle Charley's mean about as much to me as a wooden nickel and tickets to a Willie Nelson concert! Sorry, but you had your chance. Now open wide and enjoy the highway to hell, courtesy of Deadpool Express!"

The merc with a mouth then threw the grenades he had been juggling into the narrow tunnel. The two dozen men just began to run away, but they didn't get far. As soon as the grenades hit the ground, they exploded in a burst of fire that quickly consumed the narrow tunnel. If the fire didn't get them, then the shrapnel surely would. But just for good measure, Deadpool whipped out his guns and fired a wave of rounds into the smoke and fire, tearing through anybody unlucky enough to still be alive. The whole time he laughed, watching as these once mighty men were cut down by fire and bullets.

It was a cruel end to what was once one of the mightiest Yakuza families in Japan. They thought they could stand against Xavier and the Hellfire Club. They were wrong. The Black King was right to use a fail safe. Too bad they didn't know the extent of his spy network. Not even the most secret of escape routes could go unnoticed. And Deadpool had the honor of capping it off. The deal may not have gone through, but that didn't mean it wasn't a success.

"And that, as they say, is that!" said Deapool as he casually put his guns away, "Time to get me some famous Japanese Saki!"

But just as he was about to leave the trail of mangled and burned bodies behind, his cell phone went off. But it wasn't the phone he usually heard when Xavier, Sinister, or Selene called him. It was his 'personal' phone that he only used for special purposes. Only a handful of people knew about it, but they were people he trusted.

"You better be naked, Storm, because I'm in the middle of something," he answered.

"Sorry to interrupt, Wade. But Remy and I need you back in New York as soon as possible. There's something we need your help with."

"Ooh, this wouldn't happen to involve a three way would it?"

"Not this time. It's something a little more complicated."

"You mean like role playing? Hell, I can do that too! I can be the tough cop and you can be the sweet girl trying to 'convince' me to tear up a speeding ticket and…"

"Enough with the perverse comments, Wade! This is serious! Just get back to New York as soon as you can and meet me and Remy at my apartment. That's all I can say for now."

"Fine, you're no fun," said Deadpool in a mock-saddened tone.

The merc with a mouth hung up and sighed. As much as he adored Ororo, that woman had just been too serious lately. Ever since Sinister stopped calling in jobs, they always seemed on edge or something. At first he thought they were just overworked and needed to get laid. But it was beginning to look as though there was more to it than that. He couldn't quite put his finger on it. Then again he was never all that good at piecing things together. He just did what he did best and got the job done. And if they were going to keep him out of the loop, so be it. He was used to it. But they were going to have to fill him in at some point. He had a feeling there was something big brewing.

Up next: Betsy gets introduced to the Hellfire Club and Emma puts her plan into action.

AN: It's offically the beginning of the final part. I hope you all are enjoying it so far. Please remember to tell me what you think. Send me your reviews via email or post them on the fanfiction website. And if you want to see the uncut version of this chapter or any other in this series, please check out the link on my profile to adultfanfiction. Thank you all very much for reading. I wish everybody the best.