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-- 2/21/08: Author's Note, Technical Error --

A/N: Hey readers. Just to let you guys know- chapter 2 is written, and anyone who added this to their story alert list got an email saying there was a new chapter posted yesterday. Just to make things clear, I tried to put it up, but its display is being weird so I'm pretty sure it's just a technical error on I'll try to post it again later on this afternoon. Sorry for the wait and all the confusion.

:EDIT: Nevermind. It's working correctly now. The chapter is now posted.

-A17

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"How the hell did she survive?"

These were the first words she heard as she woke, the florescent lighting nearly blinding her as she stirred. She made to shift into a more comfortable position, only to realize she was strapped down. That feeling alone trigged a ravaging fear within her, causing her struggle against the binding. This sort of thing reminded her of a past she wanted nothing more than to forget.

"It's alright, Angel. You don't need to struggle. You're safe now." a familiar voice said somewhere beyond her vantage point.

"Xavier? What's going on? Where's Ja--"

"Calm down, child. I realize that you have a lot of questions, but you need to cooperate with us."

The man in question, Charles Xavier, came into view as he stopped by the side of her medical bed. He looked at her expectantly, as if he were waiting for a smart remark from her. To his surprise, he didn't receive one.

"No offense, professor, but I can't exactly remain calm while I'm strapped down to a table in a science lab." Angel whimpered turning her head so she could vaguely face him.

"You're under restraint for your own protection. I know that it's an uncomfortable position to you, but it's only temporary."

"Wow, I feel so lucky. This is just like when I was with my dad." She replied with venomous sarcasm.

"I know Angel, I know." Xavier said as the sedative he had given her abruptly took effect causing her to become relaxed and fall asleep once again.

"I don't get. We saw her die back at Alkali Lake with Jean. How is she even alive right now?"

"That question remains to be answered, Logan." Charles replied sadly, "I don't want to stress her mind anymore at the risk of harming her. She still needs to recover more from what Stryker did to her, so I'm afraid we'll have to wait a little longer for our answers..." he finished, his voice trailing off. 'I'm so sorry I couldn't protect you, AJ' He sighed, thinking back to when he first met her. She had come to his school at the young age of 16, traumatized from her parents' reaction of their discovery of her being a mutant. Now, 10 years later, that same girl lay before him just as broken as she was when she first arrived. Of course, being that his caring demeanor showed sympathy for -almost- any mutant, this particular case hit him harder, being that Angel was his only adoptive daughter.

"Professor...if she survived...there could be hope for Jean-"

"Logan, while I understand that Angel's survival causes new hope to arise, I think it wise not to hinder on whether or not Jean escaped her fate."

"But that doesn't mean-"

"I'll let you know when we will be able to interrogate her. Until then, patience is a virtue that you must maintain." Xavier said ending the conversation with his tone.

At that, Logan made his way out of the room, finding himself using all of his self-control not to slash anything with his claws on the way, and keep his anger under control. 'I hate when he leaves these things so cryptic.'

'I do so within good reason, Logan.'

Logan just grunted at the professor's intrusion into his mind. He was used to it at this point. Nasty little habits develop when you're a telepath...

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Ratchet had long since been conducting experiments and running scans to look for signatures that could effect a human's brain wave patterns. So far he found very little, and the only things that were remotely promising turned into dead ends.

"So how's the cure for the epidemic coming?" The medic turned to see Will Lennox entering the medical bay.

"Ah, Captain. Nothing as of yet, I'm afraid. How are Sarah and Annabelle fairing?" Ratchet answered, his attention rather distant.

"They've been doing better, but I'd rather not take any chances."

"Likewise." was all Ratchet said back to him, clearly making the impression he was busy.

"Do you think it could've been a mutant?" Will asked, trying to aide in his friend's predicament.

Ratchet turned to face Will now, his attention grabbed by the last spoken word, "Mutant?"

"...yeah. You know...people that have powers that aren't normally found in the genetic makeup- until now that is. The president is giving an address to the nation later on tonight regarding the attack."

"I wasn't aware that your species was susceptible to such a form of mutation." Ratchet blinked, still processing the information. Why hadn't he ever heard of this before? When he had first arrived on earth, his first action was scanning the internet to learn about the culture and such, but never noticed a topic of this…degree.

"I'm guessing this is new for you then?" Will asked bluntly, "I wouldn't be surprised, though. The government tries to keep the mutation phenomenon as quiet as possible-"

"Is it common? The range of mutation?" Ratchet asked interrupting him

"Can't say for sure. No one knows how many there are. Most of 'em stay hidden because the feared by everyone else. I don't really blame them for it, though. The rumors of what some of these mutants are able to do is...unnerving to say the least."

"Would these mutants be capable of say...a telepathic assault?" Ratchet

cut in, his processor still working through all the information Will was giving him.

"What? Like a psychic or something? It's possible I guess, I mean I wouldn't doubt it."

"Thank you for bringing this up, Captain. This may prove extremely useful if my theory is correct..."

"No problem" Will said, walking to leave Ratchet alone with his thoughts.

'Prime,' Ratchet said through a private comm. link, 'We may have a situation. This attack may be worse than we had anticipated...'

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A/N: I am so sorry, guys! You have no idea how guilty I feel for posting this so late. It was supposed to be so much longer than this, and it was until I lost everything when my mac crashed on me and I only had one part backed up. Good news is I have an outline of it on paper, so at least I have a general concept of it that I can't lose. And thanks for all the hits by the way! I had no idea it would get so many readers, but please REVIEW if you read this. It would mean a lot to me…especially if anyone seems out of character outside of the OCs. Thank you!