This story takes place after 'Day of Reckoning.' Like, directly after the last episode. This is the beginning of a timeline called 'Mutatis Mutandis' and the events that took place in the prelude ("Left Behind" by starched_undergarments) will come into play during later chapters.

Disclaimer: I of course do not own any of these swell Marvel characters, I just borrow them to make them hump each other. No, really.

Bloodstained Machinations
Chapter One

"Things are about to get a lot worse."

Mystique's grin dripped poison, and her eyes flashed dangerously. "Alright, listen up! And that goes for you too, Windrider." She looked pointedly at Storm, who was glaring back heatedly. "You're going to do exactly as I say when I say it, and I won't put up with any backtalk."

"What?!" Kitty exclaimed. "Why should we listen to anything you say, you shape-shifting snake?"

Mystique smiled smugly. "Because I'm the only one who knows the whereabouts of Charles Xavier. Mess with me and he'll be killed. Understand?"

Scott felt the blood drain from his face. "You kidnapped the Professor?" he asked through numb lips.

"Oh, yes. Quite some time ago."

Todd hopped gleefully in place. "And ain't none o'you realized it, yo!"

Scott slumped, all the strength in his body dissipating like smoke in a strong breeze. Jean was beside him in an instant, supporting him, her face a mask of dismay. The New Recruits huddled close together, looking at each other and then at Scott with identical expressions of terrified disbelief. Scott shook his head… he couldn't handle this.

"What have you done, Mystique? What do you want?" Storm's voice was cold.

Mystique grinned. The Brotherhood boys had reassembled behind her and were watching the expressions of the X-Men with morbid interest. Wanda stood off to one side, her eyes inscrutable and fixed on the smoking ruin of the X-mansion.

"Charles Xavier has been missing since before our little skirmish at the Bayville mall," Mystique told them with obvious relish. "I took his place the day I rescued Wanda from the asylum. And not a single one of you noticed." She laughed. "I OWN you, X-Men."

Scott felt his hands curl into fists. She was right; they'd been had.

"As for what I want," Mystique continued. "I want my revenge. Magneto will pay for what he's done to me. To us. In case you hadn't noticed, your sweet little 'normal' lives are ruined. There is no going back." She paused and crossed her arms, studying the X-Men with a serious expression. "You have a choice: come with me or try and survive on your own. Join me and I promise you a safe haven from the outside world. We will also rescue your captured teammates and make Magneto pay for his crimes."

"And the Professor?" Scott asked. Rage and turmoil whipsawed through his body.

"Join me and you might get to see him outside a morgue."

Silence reigned for what seemed like an eternity.

"Bitch," Scott hissed.

"Well now," Storm said. "That's not really much of a choice now is it Mystique?"

Mystique shrugged. "It's a choice. Make your decision now. We're wasting time."

"We'll join you, Mystique," Scott said as he pulled himself erect. He could feel the gaze of every last one of his teammates fall upon him like stones. The words hurt, god, how they hurt.

Mystique smiled. "I thought you'd see reason. Now come on, let's move." Scott nodded dazedly and motioned for the rest of the team to follow. Mystique stopped, glaring. "Not them." She pointed to the New Recruits, who were still huddling together.

"What?" Scott asked.

"I said, not THEM. They're useless."

"Which is why you tried to blow em up, huh?!" Tabitha pushed her way forward, her cheeks flushed with anger. "Is that it? They're not good enough for your little Dork Squad so you just decided to MURDER them?"

Todd winced a little, whether at the idea of Mystique being so cold-hearted or at the 'Dork Squad' comment Scott couldn't tell.

Mystique met Tabitha's gaze and held it icily. "Yes. Now get out of my face, Bam-Bam, before you make me really angry."

Tabitha started to open her mouth but noticed Fred and Todd making 'no' gestures at her and thought better of it. Scott moved forward, his eyebrows drawn together angrily. "So are we just supposed to abandon them?" he asked incredulously. "We can't DO that!"

"Oh yes you can," Mystique purred. "Unless you don't care what happens to Xavier."

Scott felt a hand on his shoulder and turned. It was Bobby, his young face set in determined lines. "Go," he said.

"But…"

"Scott, you have to save the others, and the Professor." He smiled. "We'll be okay. I promise. We'll pay you back for saving our lives by making the most of them, okay?" Bobby leaned closer and whispered, "And when you kick Mystique's puckered old butt we'll be waiting for you."

Scott tried to smile in return and almost succeeded. "Okay. Take care of each other."

Amara forced a smile. "We will, Scott."

"Touchy-feely time is OVER," Mystique interrupted. "Now come on, we have to save Rogue and the others before it's too late."

"Vhat does she care?" Kurt muttered under his breath. "She just vants more pawns in her little game."

Ignoring the pain in his heart and his pride, Scott held his head high, glancing at Storm quickly for support. She nodded slightly. They didn't have a choice. "Okay X-men, let's go."

* * *

The New Recruits stood silently until the X-men and the Brotherhood had vanished from sight. In truth, none of them really knew what to say.

There they go, Bobby thought. And that leaves us… where?

Someone was sniffling; he thought it was Rahne.

Pull it together, he thought.

"Okay," Bobby said. His voice sounded loud and phony to his own ears. He swallowed and tried to ignore the fear rising up inside him. He didn't want to do this; he wanted to go HOME.

"What are we gonna do, Bobby?" It was Jubilee. Her eyes seemed to take up half her face.

"Well, we can't stay here," Bobby said, wishing his voice didn't waver quite so much. Scott's voice never wavered… "We've got to find a safe place to stay for now, until we can contact our parents. We can decide what to do from there. So does anyone have any ideas where we can hide out?"

They were silent, staring at the ground, the sky, the ruined mansion… but not each other. Finally Tabitha cleared her throat.

"Hey you guys, if you want… I have a place. I've been squatting at this old abandoned house just outside town since I moved outta Moron Manor." She shrugged. "It kinda sucks, I guess, but I've seen worse. Anyhow, you're welcome to stay there if you want to."

Bobby smiled. "Thanks, Tabitha. I mean that."

She grinned. "Well, we gotta stick together, yanno? And it's not like I have anything against you guys."

"Okay. Great." Bobby smiled. "Uh… anyone have a car?"

Tabitha grinned wickedly. "As a matter of fact, I do..."

* * *

This is all your fault. If you hadn't been so angry, so blind… He's gone and now you're all in the hands of the enemy and it's All. Your. Fault.

Scott felt a cool hand on the back of his neck. He looked around miserably and saw Jean. "Hey," she said.

"Hey," he replied. The X-Men and Brotherhood were inside an abandoned warehouse not far from the scene of their confrontation with Magneto's new recruits. Storm and Mystique were standing together, urgently discussing ideas for rescuing the captured mutants.

"Scott, stop it," Jean said softly.

"Huh?"

"Don't 'huh' me." She put her other hand on his other shoulder and looked at him seriously. "This isn't your fault. We ALL feel guilty. Hell, I'm the telepath of this group!" Her eyes flashed bitterly. "If anyone should have noticed the Professor wasn't himself, it's me."

"Jean, no…"

"Yes. But that's not important. The important thing is getting him back." She smiled. "And for that, we need YOU, Scott Summers."

He put a hand over one of hers and returned the smile. "Understood. Better get my head together, huh?"

"Yeah." She let go of him. "It'll be okay, Scott."

"Yeah." He watched her as she walked over to Kitty, enfolding the younger girl into her arms. "Okay."

"Real touching, Summers. I feel like I'm watching an after-school special."

Scott tensed. "Back off, Alvers."

"Touchy, touchy." Avalanche smirked insolently at him. "Face it, Summers, you're a bunch of suckers and WE'VE got the upper hand here."

"Look, rock-tumbler-"

"No, YOU look." Avalanche cut him off, suddenly snarling. "Let's get something straight here: we don't bow to you. We work for Mystique and if I'm forced to play nice with you it's because she said to do so, not because I respect you. You are not in charge here. Remember that, and don't go fucking up. It ain't just your X-Geeks down in that hole."

"Oh, you actually give a rat's ass about your missing teammate? That's a shock."

"Fuck you!" Scott was a little surprised at how vehement the other boy sounded. "You don't know shit." He started to walk off, but paused and looked at Scott over his shoulder. "Hey, Summers? Piss me off and you'll regret it no matter what Mystique's orders to me are."

Can't wait to see you try it, Alvers…

Storm signaled for his attention. "Okay, X-Men," he said. "Looks like we're about to move out."

* * *