Prologue: If I Should Lose You

It was quiet in the town, dawn just breaking and only life just returning to the streets after a cold winter night. Snow was still drifting down from the trees as they shivered in the wind. In their homes, normal people were just waking up, slowly opening their eyes and yawning. These people had yet to realize that today would become known as the Day of Cleansing. The day that thirteen of the infamous X-Men would disappear...no clues, no warning, and no trace.

Up a long winding road, that passed numerous large houses full of servants and nouveau riche, Xavier's School for the Gifted was located. In a neighborhood fast becoming known for its open mutant occupancy, the rich of the rich flocked, so that they could tell their golfing buddies that they lived next to famous mutants. No longer hated, for the most part, mutants. After saving the world from Apocalypse a scant three months ago, the President had openly condoned the X-Men and all their efforts. European and Asian countries were quick to follow.

Inside said school, it was not quiet, it was not peaceful, and it was most certainly not normal. School was starting today and life was hectic. The new mutants had arrived back only last week, so they were still settling in (in fact, several hadn't even unpacked yet). Amara Aquilla was currently in the front seat of her best friend and roommate Tabitha's car, studiously ignoring the three boys in the back seat who had decided that today was "Torture Amara" day. Bobby Drake, Roberto Da Costa, and Ray Crisp were teenage mutants, more than that, they were teenage boys, and it just happened that Amara was one of the cutest girls at the institute, so while they sat in the garage and waited for Tabby to get down there, they did their amateur best to flirt with her.

In another part of the garage, which, by the way, was monster sized to allow for five vehicles to park in there, with Scott Summers and Jean Grey both parking outside, stood two of the Institute's first students. Speaking of those two, they were the only members of the X-Men not returning to school, or high school at least. The year prior the two had graduated, and proceeded to college. They were back today out of nostalgia before they headed into New York City, where they were both attending NYU. The couple stood near the door, Scott continually yelling for people to hurry up before they were late. It was almost just like it used to be, with him being overbearing and grumpy as usual, and Jean looking perfect and serene. At six a.m. most of the students could throttle them for looking so fresh.

Speaking of throttling, Rogue was giving out her patent death glare as she and Kitty entered the garage. It wasn't directed at anybody in particular, but more at the cell phone in her hand and the man on the other end. Even without her yelling at him, everyone knew who it was, though some didn't approve.

"What do ya mean, Remy? The only poker worth playin' is Texas Hold 'Em!"

Scott glowered at the young Goth, having never approved of the friendship between her and the Acolyte, Gambit. The professor had encouraged it, and despite Remy still living in New Orleans, Rogue and he had developed a somewhat odd friendship.

"You crazy, chère...the only poker wort' playin' is Seven Card Stud."

"Ya only say that cause ya think ya're a stud."

"What can Remy say? De ladies, dey love me. Maybe next time Remy up dat way, you and he play...some strip poker."

Rogue scoffed. "Ah ain't takin' nothin' off in front of ya...Ah prefer men with class."

"Like me?" Warren Worthington asked as he stepped into the garage, pausing for a moment as Katherine "Kitty" Pryde phased through him at a run. He grinned at Rogue, winking flirtatiously before joining Scott and Jean near the wall. Warren had made it very clear when he'd moved into the institute last month that he'd enjoy dating Rogue. She'd made it clear that the answer was "Hell no."

Through the cell phone Remy had heard what Warren said, and well aware of Warren's feelings for Rogue, replied with ease," Chère, I t'ought you said you wanted a man with class...not a man who's an ass."

Rogue laughed. "Ah ain't dealin' with either of ya. Ah gotta go to school." Rogue flipped the phone shut and slid into the driver's seat of a black Lexus before Kitty could.

"Oh, come on! I, like, wanna drive!" Kitty yelled as she returned to the garage, having retrieved her laptop, the one piece of technology she absolutely couldn't go through the day without.

"No," Rogue replied as she adjusted the mirrors and her seat.

"Why not?"

"Cause Ah don' want to dah..."

"I totally wouldn't-"

BAMF!

Kurt teleported into the back seat, half-dressed and still blue. "Are ve going or vhat!"

Kitty huffed and phased into the passenger seat, deliberately phasing her elbow through Rogue so that she'd get a small shock. We get our satisfaction where we can.

Outside the cars, the three "Too Cool for School" adults watched as inside the cars people squabbled and argued.

"Why aren't they gone yet?" Warren asked.

"Tabitha isn't down yet, and they prefer to arrive en masse," Scott explained looking at his watch.

"Oh...what is it with girls and their cliques?" Warren asked.

Jean scowled. "It's not a clique thing, it's a safety thing. We're mainstream now, and publicly people are nice to us, but privately...we're still mutants."

Warren frowned. "Have there been problems with people around town?"

Jean and Scott sighed. "A few, but it's tapered off. It's still high school though, and it's always a lot rougher there than anywhere."

"True," Scott said, nodding in relief as he finally heard Tabitha's feet on the stairs. "Now that they're gone, it's probably about time we got Rahne and Jamie up. Middle school starts in an hour."

"And then the house will be empty," Jean said glumly, still not happy that the Professor, Storm, Beast, and Wolverine were all out of the house at the same time. It never really felt safe without one of them there. Except for Logan, the adults were all at Muir Island, consulting with a Dr. Moira McTaggert on some sort of new mutant threat. Jean had picked up a passing thought but all she'd been able to hold onto was something that sounded like "shard". The very fact that she hadn't been able to clearly remember what was said was a tribute to how closely the three adults had been holding their thoughts. It took a lot of effort to keep thoughts from the second most powerful telepath in the world. Logan hadn't even tried. He was in Canada working for S.H.I.E.L.D. doing something Jean would rather not think about.

Tabitha burst through the doorway, careening into Warren and Scott where they stood but not pausing, only shouting out an apology as she hurried to the jeep she'd "requisitioned" from Lance. How Kitty had felt about Tabitha doing anything with her own ex-boyfriend Lance Alvers was anybody's guess, for Kitty wasn't talking, except maybe to Rogue.

Finally, the garage doors started to open and cars were started. Even as Scott turned to go wake up the remaining two members of the X-Men, time slowed...

Until it stopped. Nothing and no one moved, from the fly in mid-flight to a muffin, to Rogue reaching over to smack Kurt on the head. Tabitha was frozen getting into the vehicle, just as the three boys were frozen leaning forward to hit on Amara.

For an eternity it seemed like nothing was going to happen...then with a flash of bright blue light that, had anyone been up and about, would have been seen for miles, they all disappeared. Nothing was touched and nothing was taken but the people, and it all seemed as if one day, they all just disappeared.

Or...

That's what they wanted you to think.

"Personally, I still believe that the government sent secret agents in to take all the X-Men out and covered it up...but that's just me. I know this man who swears that last week he saw the Rogue walking around downtown Bayville, course he hasn't got any proof," the tour guide said as the film finished and the lights came up. He'd been working this gig for three months, and other than the few mutant nutters who came around, it was money in his pocket. Smiling, he led the final group out of the theatre and through the Mutant Museum. "It's been three years since they disappeared and no one has yet been able to tell anyone exactly what happened."

A hand shot up near the back of the crowd. "Why is it so important that those thirteen disappeared? I mean, I've never really heard of them except that they supposedly stopped that big mutant dude that was trying to take over the world."

The tour guide, a tall blonde man on the bad side of forty, smiled politely. "These thirteen were important because there was no trace. With their numerous mutant abilities, had there been a battle there would have been evidence or damage. However, it was almost like they'd all simply got up and left, leaving behind money, personal mementos, and priceless heirlooms." The tour guide gestured to the glass case holding personal items of the X-Men, and continued through the halls. "I'll now be taking you through the underground matrix of the mansion, the very rooms where the X-Men trained, taught, and cared for. If everyone would step into the elevator?" The tour guide, whose name is Mark, by the way, and all fifteen of the tourists entered the large elevator and descended into the lower levels.

As they walked through the halls, Mark answered several questions and explained various things about the compound. All was going well, until they entered the Danger Room control tower. Suddenly, red lights flashed and the lights began to dim. Below them, a fight was breaking out. Excited, afraid, and slightly jumpy, the tourists looked through the windows and out onto the fight.

On one side, three figures stood, wearing various costumes, ranging from Magneto to Apocalypse to Juggernaut. On the other side, stood the X Men. They ran at each other, fighting and using their "powers" to hurt each other. Storm rose into the air and suddenly fog started to drift into the room. There was a blue man climbing on the wall, and one man shooting lasers from his eyes. Several girls had engaged Juggernaut in hand to hand combat, but didn't display any powers.

Finally, the "battle" was over and Mark started to clap. "This is the Danger Room, where the X-Men practiced for hundreds of hours, honing their gifts and their minds. How about a round of applause for our actors? Weren't they wonderful?"

Below them, the "X-Men" and "Enemies" bowed before leaving the room. Upstairs, the group was finally realizing that it had been a dramatization and were clapping. The tour was over, though, and soon Mark had directed them up and out of the mansion, locking the doors behind them.

He sighed and moved to the elevator, heading to join the Danger Room actors for a drink. It was a Saturday and today was their biggest day, with tour groups every fifteen minutes and at least two thousand people heading through. Mark was so exhausted, that he failed to notice the duet of eyes watching him, one set blood red, one set icy blue.

Remy LeBeau, master thief, alpha mutant, and all around ladies' man, gestured to his companion and silently picked his way through the mansion. He was heading for Professor Xavier's old office. He was a man on a mission, and he was aiming to do some damage.

Behind him, just as silent but not as smooth, Piotr Rasputin, artist, warrior, and mutant as well, followed. They had been assigned for this task; their mutual strengths making the task seem easy.

Remy LeBeau, codename Gambit, slid a playing card out of some unseen pocket and charged it. As he slid it between door and doorframe he waited until he felt it connect with the doorknob, before pumping more energy into it. With a small sizzle the card slid through the lock and the door eased open. He crept in, automatically spotting the cameras and motion monitors. Charged cards took care of all of them. Now came Colossus's part.

Piotr walked straight to a bookcase and with no effort, lifted it (and it had to be like a ton with all the books on it) and moved it several feet away. Behind it, there was a safe. A safe that Professor Xavier had not known was there. Magneto, Gambit and Colossus's boss and Professor Xavier's partner, had put it there when he had lived at the mansion briefly after the disappearance. Since then, both Magneto and Xavier had gone underground, leaving all the manual labor to their acolytes and allies.

Gambit studied the safe, training telling him that it would be impossible to crack with any tool made by man. Good thing they had the combination. Twirling the dial between his nimble fingers, it took only seconds to have it open. Inside, sat a jewel, a bright red, big as a robin's egg ruby. Gambit took only the files next to it, though the temptation to grab the ruby was there.

Gambit handed the files to Colossus and shut the safe. Colossus handed the files back and moved the bookcase back into place. They had gotten what they came for; it was time for them to return.

Piotr took one last look around. The excitement and energy that only teenagers, young teenagers, could leave behind lingered. Even after three years, the X-Men still lived, be it only in these walls.