Wrote the first draft of this story before X-2, then practically did a rewrite to suit with the current movie storylines and came out with this. Enjoy.

-

Mutants. Times have changed their place on this planet. It is rumored that a war is brewing between these two species. Some have already chosen their sides. There are some that fight for a war, fearing or desiring mutant superiority. And yet, there are some who fight against this, fight for the peaceful co-existence of both mutants and humans.

They are the beacon of light in these dark times, and humanity finally begins to place their trust in these beings, mutants and humans alike.

--Charles Xavier

-

Westchester, New York

Ororo Monroe watched the plasma screen on her desk with a great interest. The news was on, telling her a trip to the South was on the horizon.

"This master of magnetism is seen here with several other mutants, one confirmed to have telekinetic abilites, wreaking havoc even in the streets outside the New Orleans City Museum. Guards claim that the mutants were after a thief robbing the museum late Sunday night. No motive was given for this new brotherhood of mutants, or their vigilante activities, but their efforts were futile. The thief escaped, along with the stolen items, which included the famous Tigress Jade. These relics are the third group of artifacts stolen from the third museum this month. The guards from the Museum of New Orleans claimed they actually saw the thief, one claiming the bandit was a ghost, another a demon. The question of a mutant presence immediately arose, but the police provided no comment. More mutant updates when we return."

Ororo shut off the screen and clasped her hands over her mouth in deep thought.

"Magneto," Ororo whispered to herself. "Why does this mutant interest you?"

"Professor," Katherine Pryde said, knocking on the door as she entered. "You wanted to see me?"

"Ah, yes, Kitty," Ororo said calmly. "The new uniforms have just come in. Be sure to get them to their new owners."

Kitty's eyebrows furrowed, not sure what the new professor was getting at.

"You promoted them? Professor…" Kitty began to protest, but knew better. She had been new herself not to long ago, and so she had no leg to stand on when it came to early promotions. "I suppose your going to want someone to start training them."

"Yes," Professor Ororo agreed with a nod. Kitty shifted her weight nervously.

"I know it's too soon to ask anything of you, especially after our recent tragedies…"

Ororo gulped and flexed her jaw. Everyone avoided that subject ever since the memorial for Jean, Scott, and the first Professor, Charles Xavier, especially around her. Kitty was right though; it was too soon.

"I already asked someone else to give them their necessary field experience training," Ororo said casually, going back to her mounds of work.

Kitty was suspicious.

"May I ask who?"

-

Logan had all his senses on alert, claws extended. He cut his way through the leafy jungle, on the lookout for the slightest movement out of place. When he made it to the clearing, he stopped to smell the thick, humid air. Something was coming.

Suddenly, lasers guns sprouted from the ground, blazing wildly at their target. Wolverine dodged them with enough ease, cutting them down to size when it was convenient enough.

Saw disks shot from the trees, and Wolverine ducked and sliced cleanly like they were mere Frisbees.

He rolled and jumped over a wall, and sprinted for the platform. A laser got his arm, but he just grunted and powered through. A claw came from the ground like a snake, striking at him wherever he stood. He yelled out, jabbed his right claw into the tubed machine, and stabbed his left next and sliced until it fell limp to the ground.

"This is too easy," Logan said, turning to face his next opponent. Then suddenly, the jungle disappeared, and the lasers shut themselves off. The illusion left to reveal the true room, a large metal dome. The guns went back into the walls, until the dome-room took its rightful shape again.

"Logan," Beast's voice echoed through the room. Logan looked up at the control room, where the voice was coming from. "We do not need you to annihilate the Danger Room just when we just returned it to the proper standards again."

"Sorry," Logan said, not sounding like he meant it.

"Oh, and Logan, the trainees are outside waiting for you."

"So send them in."

A nearby door opened and Jubilee stepped right in, the rest of the trainees right behind her.

"We're not going to have to do what you were doing, right?" Jubilee asked. Logan gave her a harsh look.

-

New Orleans, Louisiana

The museum was dark, save for the occasional red line of the laser security detection system that was protecting the pieces, and the flashlight of the guard who did his rounds on the hour. As the guard sat at his station, watching television and eating a sandwich, a figure slipped by, barely rustling behind the man. As the comedy track of laughter blared from the show, the dark stranger padded gently on, before stopping in front of a small red jewel in a gold-trimmed glass case. The man smiled and pulled out a single card. The hand of the thief began to charge and glow, then travel up his fingers to the card.

-

Over in the guard's station, a light began to blink. The guard turned and fumbled for the phone.

"Yes, police? Someone has just tripped the security system on one of the jewels here. How many? Oh, uh…" The guard looked at a screen and grew wide-eyed. "All of them, sir. Send all the back-up you got!"

The dark man had just finished placing the jewelry in a small leather pouches, and he smoothly hid them in his coat. Every display case and security camera was broken and smoking behind him, every alarm was off that could be set off. He heard a clattering noise behind him, as the upper window of the museum clanged shut.

"Zut," he muttered, thought didn't sound too worried. He calmly went up to a wall and pressed his hands against it, making it glow and charge. He jumped back and the wall exploded making a new, more convenient exit for him. He went through the opening, only to see several mutants outside waiting for him. Two wore strange helmets, one old, one young, and a young girl with red clothes and dark black stood near.

"Bonjour, mes amis," the thief said, tipping an imaginary hat in their direction. "Payin' ol' Gambit a visit again, eh?"

"We have been trying to tell you, friend, you are in great peril," the helmeted man said.

"You mean, by da police surely 'round dat corner, by da rest of da world, or by you?"

He didn't give him a chance to answer, just took off running. He knew he could lose them easily enough, like he had the other times, but it was really getting old. Everyone wanted him to join their clubs lately. Why him? Why was he so dang popular?
Sure enough, there were about two- dozen armed police around the corner, along with about five cars.

"Five card draw," he said with a grin, flipping an ace from his sleeve. "Jacks or better to open."

The card glowed as soon as it left his fingertips. The flying cards exploded the first car and sent the police officers sprawling onto their backs.

Then Gambit was hurled upside down, as if God himself had picked him up by his feet. Gambit had forgotten about the telekinetic blond woman that was working with the old Metal Head.

The jewels were then lifted from his pocket by the young woman and laid at the officer's feet in a neat little row.

"What do you want, Tin Man?" Gambit said utterly annoyed at his loot being taken from him.

"Dear boy, I don't want you, but I know somehow who does, and that makes you valuable."

"Il faut que je m'en aille tout de suite. Dat loosely means, Gambit outta here."

Gambit hocked and spit his charged saliva in the blond's's face.

Surprised, the woman dropped him, and he took off running into the night, the police not daring to follow him.

-

Ororo shut off her TV and immediately paged her teammates through the PA. system.

"Wolverine, Iceman, Colossus, Shadowcat and Beast. Assemble in the war room. You're going to New Orleans."

Ororo got up to go, but froze and thought for a moment.

"And bring Rogue with you."

-

Hope you liked what you read so far. I should be updating weekly, since I'm already almost finished with the story on my computer, so it's only a matter of reviews for me to continue on. So please review. I need any piece of constructive criticism you can spare.
Signed,
--RedRogue