A/N: At last right?
-Talia's Steakhouse and Bar, 1pm-
"A little public, isn't it?"
"Scared of being seen with a white girl, Forge?"
Forge ignores her attempt to take a stab at his heritage and sits down. His initial excitement over getting her call has faded some, but he's still curious enough to put up with a little rudeness.
"I'm surprised you said yes to this meet, Forge." The brunette announces as he sits down. She's dressed casually in a pair of jeans and a light blue sweater. To anyone looking she appears as nothing more than another patron of the establishment. Forge, however stands out. Not just because of his Native American heritage, but because of the glimpses of metal peeking from his pants leg and his sweater sleeve.
Cybernetic enhancements that became necessary due to his life.
The term; self-made man, has never been more apt.
"I didn't know I was allowed to refuse a request from S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Maria Hill… although I am curious as to why you asked for me at all…" There is just a hint of bitterness and triumph in his tone. He has an idea why he is here; but he wants her to admit it out loud.
Maria Hill laughs and sips her tea. Before she can comment the waitress comes over to them to take their order. Once that's done she speaks: "Are we still raw about not being included in the Phase 2 project?"
Forge was in fact more than just raw about it.
Within the United States Defense Department he has a very high security clearance; a security clearance that he thought left no doors closed to him. He knew about Worthington Industries weaponizing the cure, he knew about the discovery of the Teseract and the beings which left it here. But he was not included in the Phase 2 project.
He considered it an insult that he was never even consulted, but he can't let her know that. Not now that she may be offering him a way in. "No, simply confused as to why I wasn't included on initial the development team…"
Maria waves her hand and leans back. "That stuff was too low level for someone of your genius, what we're working on now though… that requires your unique… touch…" Maria reaches across the table and caresses his non-bionic hand warmly.
"I thought-" Forge notices Maria's attentions and removes his hand from her grip. "Maria, Cairo was a mistake…"
"Hmmm… I guess so was Philadelphia, Athens and Montana…?" Maria laughs again light and airy. "Don't misunderstand the gesture, Kemosabe; all I want is that brain of yours. I've had my fill of everything else." She reaches into her bag and pulls out a tablet handing it to Forge. "My gift to you…"
Forge takes the device and begins looking at. He is surprised by what he finds. "This is-"
"Yes it is." Maria answers for him watching him thumb through the various screens, before taking it back from him. "And we need you to make this into-" Maria scrolls through a few pages in the file to a photo of Tony Stark's built in Arc reactor. "…this." She hands it back to him and watches his reaction.
Although she is confident that he'll take the job, she isn't quite as sure he will turn over what she requires as trade. What she's counting on is his natural desire to prove how much smarter he is than everyone else to secure his cooperation. Arrogance has proven to be the most easily manipulated personality trait in her experience.
Forge looks over the schematics again greedily, his mutant gift already giving him ideas on how to proceed. "This will be difficult to do in secret… given my current living arrangements…"
"Ah yes… How is playing house with your white haired goddess again?"
Forge frowns. "Ororo is with Logan now… I'm sure you knew that already…"
"Still? I do recall something about her rutting quite vigorously in the woods around the estate. Guess I assumed you were the… rutter…?"
Forge obviously upset, moves to stand, but Maria grabs his hand. "Forge, sit." She waits for him to resume his seat and leans forward. "Don't be rude." The waitress returns with their food and with her warmest smile she thanks the woman and waits for her to leave.
Forge sits across from her, watching her eat her salad nonchalantly. "Rudeness is such an ugly quality in such a handsome man…"
"Take care how you speak to me, Hill. You may need me; but I don't need you…" Forge offers menacingly before taking a bite of his sandwich. The two eat in a companionable silence for a while, both thinking of the implications of this meeting. It is Maria who speaks first.
"In case you don't understand the nature of this exchange; I'm giving you something… don't you have something for me in return…?" Her tone is light and playful even though her smile has no trace of humor
Forge hesitates. He knew what she wanted, but he wasn't sure that he could give it to her. It meant crossing a line he wasn't in a hurry to step over. "Why does Fury need-?"
"Yours is not to question why…" Maria drops all playfulness and stares at him directly. "This opportunity is time sensitive, Maker. You either take it right here, right now, or you walk away and I find someone without your… sensibilities."
Forge reaches into his pocket and hands over a flash drive. Maria takes it and hands him a nearly identical one, taking the tablet back from him.
"Done and done. See how easy things are when you cooperate?"
"What do you want that information for?" Forge asks. He just handed the Assistant Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. a flash drive with all the information about every mutant currently affiliated with Xavier's. So he naturally wonders what she would want this for.
It was his understanding that the United States Government already had detailed files on all those with extra normal abilities. And it wasn't as if the existence of mutants was some sort of national secret. So when she made her request two days ago he was confused to say the least. For a moment though, it appears like his question will go unanswered, but Maria pushes her plate away and sighs.
"I'll let you in on a little secret…" Maria smiles standing. "Things are happening in DC. Between the cure that was and wasn't and the Chi'tari invasion, we're done playing on the sidelines. We're going to need active response teams. Some of those teams will be public, like the Avengers or the Fantastic Four… others… well… they're going to do the dirty work… The sort of things that make guerilla warfare look like a game of paintball. And there are only a few people around these days with the ability to get their hands that dirty…"
"But… the mutants at Xavier's-"
"Don't pretend that those kids aren't going through advanced tactics and combat training, Forge. We've seen them in action. But, for now, we're really only interested in bringing back in a certain Canadian. Weapon X is walking around with half a billion dollars of government property and we've yet to see any return on that investment…"
Forge breathes a sigh of relief. If they were only interested in Logan, that suited him just fine. "Well in that case… I'll help in any way I can…"
"I thought that might engender your cooperation…"
"By the way, I can complete device to the specifications you need, but what are you going to use for a power source? I thought the Tesseract was-"
Maria drops several bills onto the table and stands. "Let us deal with that Forge. You just get us a prototype we can run with as soon as possible." She turns away to leave, but soon turns back to Forge. "I may call on you to set up a little meet and greet with tall, dark and hairy soon… can I count on you to be as helpful as you were today?"
Forge doesn't hide his delight. "Of course."
-Xavier's Study, 2pm-
Betsy Braddock has always enjoyed teaching. She relished in the idea that she could help young minds develop. Here at Xavier's she has been given an even greater chance to help; by assisting young boys and girls in dealing with the stresses that come with being a different.
In this particular case in front of her and Jean Grey sat five very unique, very powerful young mutants. They hope to begin the process of healing their fragile minds today.
"Hey… where's the golden haired pretty boy?" Kevin Ford asks looking around the room.
"I'm right here, Goth Vader." Joshua answers with his usual brand of attitude. It was becoming clear to anyone who spent more than a few minutes around him that Joshua was as nasty as they came.
"I believe he means Douglas." Nezhno responds. He could not understand why Joshua insisted on being so rude. Everyone he'd encountered here so far had been nothing but exceedingly kind to him. It reminded him of the village he grew up in, with the exception that no one here feared him.
"No, brotha, I don't think so." Joshua laughs and turns to Cessily giving her a wink. Cessily turns away from him quickly, meeting up with the sharp green eyes of Kyle she decides to study her hands folded in her lap instead. She found herself uncomfortably drawn to Kyle. He reminded her of the type of boy, under normal circumstances, she would have been interested in. But those days of dating, parties and dancing were well behind her now.
"At any rate…" Jean announces, cutting through the chatter. "We're here to help you adjust to being here at this school, not about who is and who isn't here." Fact was every one of them hated who and what they were to some degree, while Douglas relished his abilities. Betsy and Jean discussed the idea of including him anyway, so that his presence would not be missed, but decided it would serve as more of a distraction than not having him here.
"So he's not here because he's the only one of us happy being a freak…" Kevin snorts derisively folding his arms.
"Are you unhappy with your gifts or are you unhappy with your lack of control over them?" Betsy asks Kevin directly. All the other students look at him and wait for him to answer. Unlike Joshua, Kevin turned his hatred over his situation towards himself.
Kevin shrugs. "Pick one."
Betsy smiles. "No Kevin, I believe I asked you to."
Kevin turns red, from both embarrassment and anger. "How would you feel if everything you touched immediately turned to ashes right in front of you?"
"Angry. Frustrated. Depressed. Maybe a bit bitter as well… does that describe how you feel Kevin?"
"Why do you keep asking me questions?" Kevin did not like the fact that she kept staring at him with those lavender eyes. It wasn't just the stare that bothered him; it was the genuine compassion they held. "There are four other people in this room!"
Betsy and Jean share a quick glance and Jean takes over.
"Every single mutant here at this school, every one, has gone through the same feeling you all have-"
"…bullshit…"
"Cessily." Jean stands and walks over to the silver skinned girl who muttered. She squats down in front of her. "Do you think that we all woke up one day, realized we were different and were perfectly fine with it?" Cessily's mutation was especially unique, it was something Jean had never seen before. Her entire body; skin, organs even her skeletal structure, was now composed of an unknown polymer, similar to mercury. While it made her extremely malleable and durable, it also made her completely without a sense of touch.
"Easy for you to get over it though…" Kevin remarks. "You didn't develop gold skin, or have your whole body resemble something from the imagination of James Cameron. The two of you are practically supermodels who can read thoughts. What a terrible, terrible burden!"
Joshua laughs at Kevin's remark. "Yeah. You think the T-1000 over there wouldn't trade places with almost anyone else here?"
"What is a… "T-1000"?" Nezhno asks softly. He often felt left out of the conversations of the others his age. They didn't talk like the teenagers he grew up around.
"Jeez, dude, don't they get movies out in Waka Waka?"
"It is Wakanda, Joshua, and males in my country have responsibilities outside of watching television and cultivating an overly developed sense of self worth." There isn't a trace of anger or bitterness in his voice. He could be offering his opinion on the weather outside.
Kyle snickers at Nezhno's very polite and astute insult, earning him an angry look from Joshua. To Joshua's dismay, not only does Kyle not turn away but he returns the look boldly.
"It's a liquid metal monster from a movie called Terminator 2… it's exactly what I am… a monster…" Cessily answers softly.
"See? She gets it! She knows she's a monster! Unlike the rest of you here who keep trying to convince us and yourselves otherwise!" Despite the obvious venom in his comment, there is also a great deal of pain in his words. Of course, that doesn't grant him any sympathy from Jean.
"Joshua one more outburst from you in this meeting and you will learn what a monster truly is!" Jean has more than her fill from this boy and is beginning to lose her patience.
Easy there, Red…
This boy Betsy…
Is even more damaged than the rest of them. He's been a fed a steady diet of hate his whole life and now he's become the object of his hatred. He's still trying to reconcile his current reality with his previous one. We knew he would be the biggest challenge here, but his abrasive personality may serve to our advantage…
"Joshua makes an interesting point…" Betsy declares, drawing the eyes of everyone in the room. "So let's discuss; what is a monster?" Five sets of confused eyes meet hers so she continues. "What makes a monster, a monster? Is it their appearance?" At first, no one speaks up and Betsy fears this will be harder than she originally thought. Then the most unlikely of hands rises. "Go ahead Nezhno…"
"There are men within my tribe who have attained many scars defending our land, making them… difficult to look at." Nezhno speaks in a calm voice. "But they have a position of honor and are valued by all. They are not monsters and no one would think them such either."
"So then is it what we do, that makes us monsters?" Betsy asks looking over at Nezhno gratefully. He got the ball rolling and hopefully the others would follow suit. "Kevin?"
"Well I mean… if a guy does something awful cause he's being forced or because he just doesn't know any better…" Kevin immediately looks at Joshua. "That guy may be a jerk or a coward, but not a monster…"
"So where then does the definition lie…?" Jean asks grateful to have Betsy here with her. She still has trouble mastering her temper, so having someone in the room as a calm voice of reason helps.
I'm glad to be here too…
I still want to peel the skin off of Mr. Midas there…
As brilliant as that sounds… your hubby would be really mad if you did…
-War room, 4pm-
"So you think there's hope for them then?" Scott asks leaning against the wall. Surprisingly, it was Logan's idea to have a daily wrap up session with the senior members of the school. He had to admit it was a good one. It allowed everyone to catch up and made them more effective as a staff.
Betsy and Jean share a look and then Jean nods. "We think that there is hope for all of them… but the healing process is going to take some time…"
"Maybe we could assign them mentors…?" Beast offers.
"It could work…" Betsy agrees, earning a smile from her favorite mutant. "I still think group therapy would be the best option though…"
"Then a combination?" Storm adds. "Have them mentored by their peers and come together once a week for a group session…" Betsy and Jean both nod in approval.
"Sounds like we're in agreement then…" Scott announces. "Logan and I will try and come up with some proper combinations, but you and Jean will have final say Betsy. The two of you know them best."
The meeting continued with the senior members discussing everything from the serious to the mundane, until;
"Anything else we need to cover?"
Everyone in the room; Ororo, Jean, Betsy, Alison, Bobby, Hank and Aaron all look at each other for confirmation. "I think that's plenty," Ororo offers with a strained smile. It had taken quite a bit to get the new additions settled in. Some of the older students, who had the benefit of their own room, gave up their freedom to accommodate the new ones. That along with the less than friendly personalities of some of them made for a tense situation.
"Okay then." The group breaks up as the members make their way from the room.
"Have you any plans for dinner, Ms. Braddock?"
"I certainly hope so, Mr. McCoy…" Betsy answers with a saucy wink.
"Hank, hang back for a moment will you?" Scott asks with a smile. "Aaron, Logan and Bobby, you as well…"
Jean looks at her boyfriend warily, but doesn't question him. "I hope you haven't forgotten our dinner plans, Mr. Summers…" Jean announces, linking her arm around his.
"Jean…" Scott groans.
"I'm not asking you to march out to face an army of Sentinels, I just want to eat at a place where there's not a television hanging from the wall and there's no kids yelling about their Facebook status…"
"But a double date seems so… I don't know…"
"Adult couples go out and have dinner with their friends all the time and Ororo and I both think the two of you have spent too much time cooped up in here."
Ororo joins the two, dragging an equally uncooperative Logan over to them. "In case you gentlemen missed the subtle cue, this is not up for debate. Reservations and promises have already been made…" Ororo gives Logan a kiss and looks over at Jean. "Let's go and let the boys have their man time." She pokes Logan in the chest menacingly. "I don't expect this to take very long…"
"It won't darlin'…" Logan promises with a smile. He, like Scott, wasn't looking forward to this, but after getting more than an earful from Ororo the other night he knew something had to give. This, in his opinion, was a better compromise than the alternative.
The five of them wait for them to leave. Once everyone is gone, Beast activates a few switches in the room to guarantee no one can overhear. With that done, Logan is the first to speak.
"Beast, where are we with the files X-Force brought back from the Fantastic Four?" Logan asks, lighting a cigar.
"The design of the device has gone through several iterations… I may need assistance on this one from a mind more suited to engineering theory…" Beast has been trying to bring Forge into this circle of confidence for some time now and he has been denied at every turn. He hopes this situation will lift that embargo.
"Logan and I are in agreement on this one Hank," Scott offers without looking at Logan. These past few months he's discovered that not only did the two of them have more in common than he would have ever thought, but that their instincts invariably brought them to the same conclusions. "We are keeping this close to the vest, no one outside this room can know about this situation."
Beast nods grudgingly. He couldn't understand their distrust of Forge, but he would try to respect their wishes. "If I'm going to be trying to figure this out on my own-"
"We'll have your classes covered, for now, this is your only priority." Logan answers, turning to Aaron and Bobby. "The two of you may be called on to pitch in as well…"
Aaron and Bobby both nod. They both know better than to voice their concerns here. Things are intense enough as it is.
"Have we even been able to locate Trask?" Bobby asks Beast, taking a seat. Since Fury's visit they've focused on two things; getting the data on the perpetual energy device Richards has been working on and finding Trask. Given the fact that he escaped the initial mind wipe by being in custody, they knew the threat of another attack was imminent. Even with all of his contemporaries clueless as to the Mastermold Initiative, it would be an easy feat for Trask to reignite their interest in mutant extermination.
"Without any telepaths at our disposal, I'm somewhat limited in what I can do…" Beast had been using every method of detection he could, except what he felt would be the most successful. But having Jean, Betsy and Rachel try to find the last man who knew anything about the Sentinel program, would mean full disclosure. Something that Scott and Logan felt was not a good idea. "If I sound frustrated it's only because I am!"
"I know Hank, but this is the way it has to be, for now…" Scott answers sympathetically.
"The fewer people in the know right now the better. Panic is the only thing that would come from letting this out." After the damage the last Sentinel attack did here, he didn't know if the school could survive another. Even the potential threat of one could be enough to destroy the peace they'd built over the last few months.
"How difficult could it be to find this guy?" Bobby asks incredulously. Bolivar Trask is one of the foremost minds in mechanical engineering. Removing someone like him off the face of the earth seemed impossible to him.
"The guy may be a piece of garbage, but he's not dumb. Once S.H.I.E.L.D. let him go he would've gone back to his allies, saw their condition and put two and two together." Aaron grunts angrily. "I'll bet you anything that Trask has allied himself with someone who has the ability to keep him safe from us… Plenty of humans would be in favor of his cause."
"Any idea who's on the short list of possible sympathizers that Trask could've run to?" Scott had come to value the young man's insight. He had a way of seeing things the others didn't, given his experience in the covert operations world.
"A couple…" Aaron had been considering that very thing since Fury made his impromptu visit. "I have a contact that could help… only-"
"What?"
"He's in a Super-villain Supermax… no way to talk to him unless-"
"You're a prisoner there." Logan finishes. "Then we need to work another angle-"
"Not necessarily…"
"Summers…"
"Hear me out Logan; we could arrange things so that Aaron is processed as a supervil using Hank's contacts within the Capitol-"
"And how do we arrange his release?" Logan asks losing his temper. He didn't like how easily or how often Scott put his son in harms way. X-Force was one thing, but this was another. "If we make it so he's dangerous enough to be arrested and put in the same prison as his contact, they're not just gonna let him go when we've got the info we need…"
Aaron has an idea of how he could make this work, but he knew this wasn't the forum for that discussion. "He has a point, Scott. I'll figure something else out. I have some other contacts I might be able to lean on instead…"
Scott nods and Logan eyes Aaron warily. He didn't figure his son would give up on this course of action so easily. The kid was as stubborn and as thick headed as he is.
Bobby had another concern, one that had been bothering him all day. "How long do we keep the others in the dark about this? How much longer can we?" Three of the people in this room were dating telepaths and there was no sure way to keep your mental defenses up at all times. He didn't like lying to his friends, especially not to Kitty, who he'd only been dating a short time.
Beast sighs angrily before reaching into his pocket and pulling out five small cases. "Before he… left us… Charles had me work on these… I abandoned the project sometime after the whole Cure fiasco. Scott commissioned me to resume my work…" Beast hands one to each man assembled here.
"What-?"
"Psychic dampeners. Beast answers opening his case to reveal a small silver piece, no bigger than an eraser head. "I came up with the design, Stark helped with the implementation…"
"These guys are dating telepaths who they have a psychic rapport with- so are you! Aren't they going to notice that your minds are closed to them?"
"A valid concern young Robert…" Beast returns with a slight smile. "Fact is, you can't keep a telepath completely out, but you can control the access…"
"Certain key words; Trask, Sentinels, perpetual energy, will be met with a false thought stream. If they probe for any of those words and a couple others, they'll just get a return signal of what they already know." Scott fills Bobby in, taking his own device from its case and holding it in his palm.
"… what do we do then? Swallow it?" Aaron asks looking at the small device. He'd never seen anything so unique in such a small package. He was glad that Drake voiced his concern first, because even though he agreed this was the best course of action, he didn't like keeping things from Rachel either.
"No." Beast answers gravely. "What comes next will be… very… unpleasant…"
-Institute, Foyer, 6pm-
"Quit wriggling, Summers… McCoy says it takes a few hours to get situated…"
Scott stops scratching his temple and tries to focus on something else. "Why did we agree to this in the first place?" Scott pulls at the collar of his shirt, wondering if he is dressed okay, but unwilling to ask Logan directly.
"Whether yer talking about Beast's idea or about this double date the answer is the same; we ain't have a choice…" Before Logan was a Canadian whisky swilling roughneck in flannel, he was a child of privilege. With his memories now returned to him, he feels more comfortable than he would ever have thought possible in a suit. He can sense Scott's discomfort, but prefers to let him stew. It was after all Jean's idea to do this. "Now fix your shirt and try to act like ya got some class…"
Scott laughs darkly. "Really? You wanna go there; Wolverine?"
"Bub, I'm the best there is at what I do… and what I do-" The ladies scents hit him first; the heady rain-earth-orchid combination competing with a soft cinnamon and strawberry and then he hears them.
Logan looks up the steps to see Jean and Ororo chatting happily as they come downstairs. Ororo has chosen a midnight blue number that clings to her curves as if it were painted on. It covers one shoulder and is see-through from the knees down. This time, instead of her normal brown wig she has her natural hair out. Long and wavy, just the way that Logan likes it.
Logan can't help but wonder if Ororo started each day with the thought; how am I going to drive Logan crazy today? "Wow…"
Noting his expression, Scott follows Logan's gaze up the steps and sees the woman he's loved since he had a definition for the word. "Wow is right…" Jean has on an emerald green dress, which compliments her eyes and showcases her long legs with a dangerous split up the left and right sides. Her hair is pinned up, allowing the green pendant Scott gave her a few years ago to draw the eyes right to her cleavage, which is tastefully on display. She reaches the two of them first.
"You don't look to shabby yourself handsome…" Jean kisses Scott on the cheek carefully and then wipes away the lipstick left behind. "I approve!" Jean laughs lightly enjoying seeing Scott in a classic gray suit and white shirt. To some it might seem bland, but for her it was perfect.
"As do I." Ororo adds smoothing the lapel of Logan's chocolate suit. She brought it for him a few days after she fully recovered and had been dying to see him in it since. She feels it was worth the wait.
"Thank you ma'am," Logan smiles tipping his imaginary hat. He pulls her in for a hug and gives her butt a firm squeeze.
"Hey!" Ororo protests playfully.
"Just trying to get a feel for the fabric…" Logan replies innocently, sliding his hand up and down the material.
"I just bet you are…"
-Restaurant
"… so that was the last time the Professor let any of us drive him to town!"
Both Jean and Ororo burst into laughter as Scott finishes his story. Even Logan has a wide smile on his face. "Scott Summers; rebel. I woulda never believed it!"
"Oh Logan, when you put Scott and his younger brother Alex together it was a recipe for craziness!" Jean laughs looking at Scott. "It was like your I.Q.'s went down the closer you were in proximity to each other!"
"Guess it's a good thing Alex is in California then!" Scott laughs good-naturedly, taking another sip of his wine. He just finished telling them about how they took the Professor's car joyriding through Manhattan and ended up getting it stolen. It was a particularly hilarious story considering both of the teens had enough power to level a city.
Ororo sighs at the memory. Things were simpler for all of them then. That had been the most trouble that any of them had ever gotten into before the Magneto's of the world announced their agenda. "I'd forgotten all about that! How is Alex, by the way?"
Scott smiles brightly at the mention of his younger sibling. "Good, Ororo. He and Lorna have opened a surf shop out in Malibu." Alex, unlike Scott, was not someone who attached himself to Xavier's dream. Alex came to the school to gain control over his abilities but once he had his energy manipulation under control, he left. "Apparently Lorna has been dropping hints about children so there may be a niece or nephew in my future."
Jean wraps her arm around Scott's and sighs. "Do you ever wonder what would've happened if you left with him Scott?" Once Alex was prepared to leave, he begged Scott to come with him, but Scott had refused. Lorna took his place on the road and the two of them have been together since. After stops in Atlanta, Texas and Colorado, the two settled in California.
"I already know what would've happened…" Scott answers kissing Jean lightly on the wrist. Scott stayed because he was desperately in love with the teenaged Jean Grey, even though to that point she didn't pay him much attention.
"That is so sweet!" Ororo exclaims, smiling at the two of them.
"Easy there, Slim…" Logan warns gruffly, noting Ororo's obvious excitement over the display. "We just started got our salads; don't set the bar too high yet…"
"Afraid you won't be able to reach it?" Scott challenges.
"Watch and learn, kid." Logan stands from his seat and holds out his hand to Ororo. She takes it warily. "Ms. Monroe, would you care to dance?"
"I'd love to, Mr. Logan!" Ororo allows herself to be led to the small dance floor and is genuinely surprised to see Logan waltz with such skill. "Is there no limit to your talents?"
"If there are darlin'…" Logan growls softly in her ear. "You and me are gonna have a great time finding them…"
Jean and Scott watch their two friends sway gracefully to the music in an easy silence. It's a moment that years ago neither would have thought possible; Ororo happy with another man.
"They're good together…" Scott admits. He had his doubts in the beginning. In fact he was sure that at some point Logan would mess things up and he would be forced to put the man out.
"So are you two…" Jean counters and when Scott turns to her confused she continues. "There's something big going on and both you and Logan have kept an extremely tight lid on it."
Scott knew that Jean would never be able to simply let things go. "Jean…"
Jean kisses him firmly on the lips and he returns the kiss earnestly. She can sense both disapproval and agreement from the other patrons of the restaurant, but all she can sense from Scott is desire. "I know that there are going to be some things that you can't tell me…" She announces after breaking their kiss. "I just hope you know it's not going to stop me from wondering or asking…"
"I know."
"It also won't stop me from getting an attitude about it from time to time either…" She continues seriously.
"I definitely know that…" Scott laughs softly before avoiding a very well aimed fork, tossed at his lap with telekinesis.
"Don't spoil the moment by trying to be cute, Scott Summers…" Jean breaks her serious look to smile. "And now… you may be content on letting those two outdo us, but I am not. So, out of your seat handsome." Jean stands waiting for Scott to join her.
"You got it, Red."
-Four Seasons Hotel, dining room-
"May I join you for a drink?"
Maria Hill smiles before turning around. "Has anyone ever said no to you, Victor?"
Without his mask and armor, the man born Victor Von Doom is still an imposing figure. He takes a seat at the bar next to Maria. "Of course. But it is a rare occurrence…"
Maria nods and catches the bartenders' attention, ordering another Scotch for her new ally. Once the man goes to retrieve the drink, she turns to him. "Taking a risk coming back to New York, aren't we?"
"If the United States government has learned anything from the incident with T'Challa, diplomatic immunity is not something to be taken lightly…" Doom returns confidently taking a sip of the drink placed in front of him. "I trust your meeting went well?"
"I've found most men easy to manipulate, once you find the right button…" Maria laughs, handing Doom the thumb drive Forge had given her earlier. "I already found two potential candidates that will fit our need…"
"I've no doubt you have…" Doom palms the device greedily. This effectively eliminates the usefulness of Trask. "Tell me; what is my button?"
"Victor… why would I ever let you in on that?"
"Why indeed…?" Victor smiles. He will allow her this moment. She thinks he doesn't know what her true game is and she, like so many others will find there is no fooling Victor Von Doom.
A/N: Next up; the new students get mentors, Forge begins his project and… the return!
A/N: Hope Kaestal enjoyed the intro I gave for your character idea! Kyle Denton will have a role within the series that you may not expect! Next up things get interesting as the "brunette" reveals who she really is (many may have an idea already!) and Logan and Storm go on a double date?