Disclaimer: I do not own X-men or any Marvel property. The OC characters in this story have been created by me and others who I will give mention too in my notes.

Welcome back for chapter 4 of this story. I apologize for taking so long. I meant to post it yesterday but this chapter was a lot harder for me to write. I would like to say thanks to all of the people who followed, and or favorite this story, as well a special thanks to all reviewers. I like to read reviews that people give me, whether they are good or bad, as it helps me to know what I'm doing right, wrong, or just need to improve.

Azure blue espeon: Thank you for your review. While ice may be somewhat cliché lately, I loved the character I was given. Plus it fits what I'll be doing later in the story. I'm glad that you found it interesting. Kail's relationship with the team will continue to grow. I love Kurt as well and we will definitely see him again. Gambit does say that, but the personality of Vincent is more poetic so I felt it fit. Project sapphire will be a huge motivator in this story, just maybe not right away. I definitely do not mind the long reviews. I appreciate the time you take out to write them. Thank you.

Sesshomaru'sCrazygal: Your wait may soon be over. Thanks for the review.

S.H.I.E.L.D-Agent-Phoenix: Thanks, I was trying to be a little mysterious at the end.

Shadowkat78: I am glad that you liked Blair. When I continue using her I hope you like it.

Kallista2: I appreciate your review. Amber is slightly accepting Kail, and Christopher will still have a hard time with Kail for a bit, though less rude at least. I'm glad you like how I'm handling Vincent. I will take the names into consideration and hold a poll with the ones I like soon. Character dynamics are a challenge for me so I'm glad that you liked it.

WaitingForLife2Begin: Vincent does seem to be a fan favorite. Thanks.

Memories of the Fallen

Chapter 4: Inescapable Shadows.

On a deserted street,

Martha Hollands walked the dark street on the way to her home. The 37 year old scientist had finished working for the night at Cyrix Industries and she was quite tired from her long day. The facility she helped run had recently begun work on a weapon that would be used against mutants and as much as she disliked the freaks, she felt remorse for what she was helping to create.

As she neared her apartment complex she heard a noise coming from behind her. She turned around and noticed a boy who looked to be around 16 years old lying on the ground. She ran over to him to make sure he was alright.

"Hey kid, are you ok?"

"Who…Who are you?" He asked while coughing.

Martha looked at the boy as he turned and stated to get up. He had spikey black hair and a slightly torn up leather jacket. He also had a worn pair on sunglasses on, as well as piercings in his left ear. When he finally stood he grabbed a small bag from the ground and backed away from her a little.

"Everything's going to be ok. Are you injured?"

"No...I…I'm fine. I just don't know how I got here."

"Why don't you come up to my apartment? I will call the police and find out where you're from. We will get you back home."

"Thanks miss."

Martha held his arm as they walked into the complex. She led him over to an elevator and they rode it to the fourth floor. As she brought him in to her apartment she had him sit on her couch. He looked around her place and it was a very clean, sophisticated place with artwork from around the world decorating the walls.

"This is a really nice house ma'am."

"You can call me Martha, and thank you. What's your name? Are you hungry?"

"My name...is Nico."

"Well Nico, that's an unusual name. Can I get you anything before we call for some help for you?"

"Do you have any tea?"

"Coming right up."

After phoning the authorities Nico sat with Martha for a little while and the two of them talked. She asked him about school, and life and he asked her about work. Soon Martha decided to turn on the News.

"This is Carissa Harding for the channel 11 news. Yesterday there was another attack on a federal prison by the so called Brotherhood of Mutants. Five prisoners were rescued, all known to be dangerous mutant criminals."

"Ugh Mutants. Once again we need to live in fear of these abominations of our world. You know some times I actually feel bad for some of them. But then you get these guys and they make so many problems. Life will be a lot better once I'm finished with my work.

"What do you mean?" Nico asked her.

"Oh…I'm sorry. It's nothing for you to concern yourself with."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to push or anything."

"Oh it's quite all right."

Nico finished drinking his tea and set his cup down as he stared at Martha. She thought his staring was a little creepy but she liked this kid. He was nice and respectful like all young people should be. She looked at the clock and noticed that it was almost 11:30 at night.

"Well that is strange. I should have thought that they would be here by now. This is a fairly important matter."

"Miss Martha, I don't mean to pry, but do you hate mutants?" Nico asked a somewhat shocked Martha.

"If you must know Nico, than yes I do."

"DO you mind me asking why?"

"Well…I had a friend when I was younger. She fell in love with a boy she had just met and they started to date. One day I went to her house and I saw his car in their driveway. When I went inside I found her and her family dead. He had killed them all. He was a mutant with a power over the human brain to literally turn it to mush. He tried to use his powers on me but I was saved by a man who helped me come to terms with everything. The mutant was killed and so should the rest of them."

"But it was just the one mutant. Why should they all die?"

"Nico most mutants probably are good people, and for that I am happy. But they are all too dangerous. They are a threat to me, you, and everyone really. Mutant must be stopped and my virus will be what ends them."

"My entire family was killed by mutants a few years ago. I don't know how I survived but I did."

"Nico I am so sorry. But you don't need to worry about anything like that anymore. Anti-Mutant virus will do to all mutants what that monster did to my friend. It will destroy their brains and kill them all. It doesn't affect humans though."

"Does your virus have a name?"

"We call it "Helix" and it will take care of the Mutant probable once and for all."

Nico began to laugh from the chair across from her.

"Nico, what's so funny?" She asked him.

"Thank you very much Doctor Hollands, that is exactly what I needed to here."

"Needed to hear?"

Nico took off his glasses to reveal a set of pitch black eyes staring at her from across the table in between them. As Martha tried to get up he stood up and walked towards her.

"What the hell! You're one of them?"

"Very observant Doctor. Now if you would be so kind as to come with me, I can assure you no harm will befall you. Those are my orders luckily."

"Luckily?"

"I do not like to take lives if it is unnecessary. But I must defend myself I will."

Martha pulled out a gun and aimed it at him.

"I will kill you. Get on the ground!"

"If you wish." Nico said as he touched her shadow.

All of a sudden Martha felt paralyzed. She couldn't move and she felt her heartbeat fail.

"I'm sorry Doctor. I should have told you about my gift. I can rip away your shadow, and injure you, or kill. As much as I hate to do it you pulled a gun on me. I can't forgive that." Nico said to her as he ripped her shadow off of the ground and off of her body. She let out a scream full of pain and collapsed to the floor, broken.

Nico felt ears in his eyes. This was his mission and it was time to head home. HE looked to the shadows on her wall and walked towards them. He began to think about his residence and the other members of his organization. Nico stepped into the shadow and appeared in his room. He walked to his door and opened it revealing his family waiting for him.

"My son…did your mission go well?"

"Yes father. She was the one. Helix is their weapon and it must be destroyed."

"Or used against them my boy."

Nico looked at the man dressed in white ropes. His face was hidden from sight. On his chest was a symbol of a hexagonal star encased by a circle with an upside down cross in the middle.

"One day soon my children The S.O.U.L. of this unfortunate world will be revealed. Until then, Nico, I have another task for you."

"Yes?"

"You have a new sister to locate."

…

At the school,

Kail stood against the wall of the danger room. For the past two weeks Christopher had been putting him through extremely difficult stages to overcome. He still had the injuries from the last stage and this one was faring no better.

"Hey can you cool it please?"

"You have to do this sooner or Later Kail. Might as well get it over with now."

"Come on Chris."

All of a sudden the wall panels next to Kail opened up and robotic arms shot out towards him. Kail focused on his arm and turned it into a sharp blade and destroyed the arm before it could grab him. He then had to dodge out of the way as laser turrets locked onto his signatures.

"This is ridiculous." He said to himself.

Kail looked over to the dismembered arm and held out his hand. He used his magnetism to pull it towards him and sent it flying into the turret effectively disabling it.

"Nice move there. Now try this." Chris said sadistically.

"What?"

Four more turrets locked onto him as Chris laughed and they all fired at the same time. Kail was barely able to turn his body into metal before the lasers hit him. Even in this form those things burned like hell. Chris continued to laugh at Kail when he felt someone standing behind him.

"What do you think you're doing?"

He turned around to see Daniela with her arms crossed glaring at him.

"Oh come on I'm just having…I mean we are just having some fun.

"CHRIS YOU ASS HOLE." Kail screamed out as he was pelted form lasers from above.

"System off!" Daniela yelled at the control boards.

The turrets began to shut down and retract form the danger room. Kail shifted back to his normal form and barely walked out. He had slight burns covering his back and arms. Kail walked into the control room and shot Chis a sinister glare.

"What the hell man!"

"Hey I'm just trying to prepare you for what's out their Kail."

"Oh you can just go…"

"Kail come on." Daniela said as she grabbed him and stopped him from continuing what he was going to say.

"Where are you taking me?"

"Med bay. I want to fix up those burns. "

As they entered the medical facility Daniela led Kail to a table. She told him to remove his shirt as that is where the burns were most noticeable. She grabbed a strange looking scanner and turned it on. As Daniela scanned Kail's arms and back He could not help but grow tired. Ever since his test that initiated him onto their team he had been training nearly 24/7. All he wanted to do now was sleep.

"Ok your burns aren't horrible but they will hurt quite a bit. So we are going to take care of them. Lay down on the table, back facing the ceiling."

By now Kail had learned not to ignore Daniela so he did as she said. The metal of the table was cold to the touch of his skin. He looked over to where she stood and her hands began to glow and become covered by a soothing blue aura.

"This will feel kind of tingly."

As she began to run her hands over his back and arms he felt like he was being constantly assaulted by static shocks. The sparking sensation soon turned into a relaxing, cooling sensation. He didn't know why but he began to drift off to sleep.

…

Kail looked around himself and all he could see was water, and glass. The water was a strange greenish color that burned his eyes when they opened. He felt his face and there was a strange mask covering his mouth. Kail suddenly realized he was in a strange tube and outside there were dozens of people wearing lab coats.

Looking over he could see other tubes filled with people just like the one he was in. He couldn't figure out what the heck was going on. Looking forward again he could see all of the people surround his tube. The water began to drain and Kail freaked out. He was becoming more and more terrified. As the water finished draining the tube began to open causing Kail to fall out onto a table. The men in lab coats pulled the mask away forcefully, also pulling out a tube that was in his throat.

Kail began coughing as the tube left his throat, and had a difficult time breathing. His eyes slowly adjusted to the lights around him and he was able to hear the men talking.

"115's progress is amazing. So much different than everyone else's."

"Sir it's taken 12 years but finally we have succeeded."

"What shall we call him?"

"We will call him…"

…

A loud noise woke Kail from his dream. He looked over to his clock and saw that it was now 10 in the morning. The last thing he remembered was falling asleep on the med lab's table. Kail went to his mirror and checked his arms. The burns were barely visible and he felt great. He had to remember to thank Daniela later.

His thoughts drifted back to the dream. It felt so real. But it couldn't have been, could it? Instead of allowing the dream to linger on his mind all day he decide that it would be more beneficial to just forget about it for now. Knocking at his door broke him from his thoughts. He answered the door and saw Vincent standing there.

"Hey, so you're up now huh. Break times over buddy. We have ourselves a mission."

"What kind of mission?"

"Another new mutant has been discovered. We are going after her."

"Whose we?"

"Just me, you and Danni this time. Everyone else already left to do something else."

"Ok I'll be right out." Kail said as he closed the door.

"Hey you know you are a lot heavier than you look. You're welcome by the way." Vincent said through the door.

After he was ready to go Kail opened the door and walked with Vincent to the mission room. Daniela was already waiting for them, though she was rubbing her arms slightly. Professor Lisa was also sitting down and waiting for them to arrive.

"Ok now that the three of you..."

"Cough cough…five…cough cough." Vincent said sarcastically.

"I don't have time right now Vincent. As I was saying, we have located another mutant. She lives in an all-female boarding school. Charles and his team have had a run in with her in the past though her mutant powers were latent at the time. So it was decided that we would try to help her now that her abilities are active. Her name is…

…

St. Catherine's girl's school,

Natalina Tyler sat at her desk rewriting her notes again waiting for the school day to be over. She looked outside and longed to go enjoy the rare nice day outside. She closed her notebook and took out her journal and read the passage that she wrote the previous night.

"Last night something really weird happened to me. I was looking at myself in the bathroom mirror getting ready for a party off campus and my body disappeared. At first I thought I was hallucinating or something but then when I reached out to touch the mirror I fell through the wall into my bedroom. I don't have any idea how it happened but it was real trippy."

Remembering what happened the previous night brought her back to thinking about earlier this day when it happened again. This time she fell through the ceiling luckily landing in the schools large pool. She was kind of freaked out about all of it. As she normally does when she is nervous she began to run her fingers down a scar on her right palm. Class was then dismissed and she ran outside to have fun with her friends. She stayed out there for several hours until night approached and she felt like she was being watched.

Later that night it was dark outside and all of the girls were supposed to be in bed, but the floor advisor never really checks. Deciding she wasn't tired she went into the bathroom to wash her face. As she looked into the mirror she examined her reflection. Her long blonde hair flowed down her shoulders and caressed her cheeks. Her skin was fairly flawless and her green eyes stared back at her. She had often been told her eyes could pierce peoples soul, though that could have just been guys trying to get something out of her, not that she really minded. After everything she had gone through, a guy telling her nice things was never an issue. Finished, she walked back into her room and went into her closet.

"Hello there."

Alarmed she spun around to see a spikey black haired boy sitting on her bed. He had an old leather jacket, and his eyes were pitch black. The boy looked at her with a grin on his face chuckling slightly at her response.

"Don't worry, I'm not gonna hurt you."

"Who are you and how did you get in my room."

"The names Nico. As for how I got in here, kind of similar to how you went through the wall last night."

"What." Natalina looked on her bed and next to him was her journal wide open. "You read my journal."

"Just that one entry. You know, I've got to say I happen to like your gifts."

"My what?"

"Your mutation, you know, invisibility, walking through walls. You're a real Houdini."

"What the hell are you talking about?" She asked angrily picking up an umbrella like she was going to hit Nico.

"Whoa, whoa calm down there Lina."

"Don't call me that. Only my friends call me that.

"Well that just means I'm your friend than huh."

"What the hell do you want?"

"To extend an invitation."

"An invitation to what?"

"You are a mutant Natalina, and because you are so lucky as to be one, my father would like to invite you to join our organization. Simply we are better than normal humans and we should be treated like it."

"You said that you are like me right?" She asked as she lowered her

"Yes I am."

"What can you do then?"

"Well I can travel through any shadow; it's like its own dimension."

"Is that all?"

"It's the only important one."

Natalina looked closer at the boy in front of her. Even with black eyes like his she could see a lifetime of pain and suffering. He reminded her so much of herself. He was actually kind of cute as well.

"Ok, say I went with you. What then?"

"You will be treated the way that you should be. Like the beautiful queen you are."

"Sweet talker aren't you." She giggled.

"I try my best."

"So you can help me learn to control my powers."

"Sure I can."

Natalina watched a Nico walked over to her. He grabbed her arm and held it in his hand. Nervously she smiled at him and her arm began to go invisible.

"Wow." She said to herself.

"See I told you, beautiful."

Natalina looked into his eyes. She felt so drawn to him. She leaned closer to his face. She didn't know why but she wanted to kiss him. As her lips touched his she heard the noise that would change everything.

"What the Hell. Natalina what happened to your arm!"

…

In the jet,

Kail sat in the copilot seat watching Daniela fly the jet. She looked so professional compared to her easy going self at the school. In the back Vincent, Vincent, and Vincent were arguing amongst themselves. Kail was still nervous being on his second mission with the team. He noticed Daniela rub her arms again.

"Hey what's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Then why do you keep rubbing your arms like that?"

"Come one metal brain, don't worry about it." She said smiling at him.

"Sorry, just want to make sure you're ok."

Daniela sighed deeply, contemplating what to say to him. She really didn't want to worry him and he could see it on her face.

"Well as you can tell I can heal injuries."

"Yeah."

"Sometimes with things like burns, the injuries come back at me when I heal them."

"What, then why would you heal me if it was just going to hurt you?"

"Kail look, on this team I am a pilot and a medic. I don't have combat training like you guys do. We need you at your peak if we want to succeed. It is a sacrifice I gladly make."

Kail stared at Daniela for a few minutes analyzing what she just said to him. He still didn't like the thought of her taking others pain like that but he knew better than to fight her on it.

"Hey guys we have a message from the Professor. " Vincent called up.

"What did she say?" Daniela asked.

"There's another mutant down there with her."

"What?"

"We should hurry down there. I have a bad feeling about this." Kail told them.

…

In Natalina's room,

Nico looked at the girl who walked into the room. She was just a simple human. Brown hair brown eyes, nothing really special about her. The girl had so much fear in her eyes.

"Lina, you…..you're a…..mutant?"

"Ellen just calm down ok. It's still me."

"No…you're a…a…a freak."

Nico had a fire in his eyes at this insignificant girl's statement. How dare she refer to a superior being as something as ridiculous as a freak. But even as angry as he was he didn't want to hurt her.

"You are a superior being….Her life means nothing to you."

The voice rang in his head like a bomb going off. His ears started to ring and his blood pressure went through the roof. His knuckles went white with forced anger.

"You girl, I believe that you owe Natalina an apology."

"I owe you freaks nothing."

"Please just stop. I don't want to hurt you."

"Hurt her, what are you taking about Nico?" Natalia asked as Ellen's eyes went wider. She began losing control of her invisibility and it spread.

"You're monsters. You're unnatural." She said as Natalia's body began going clear.

Ellen started to turn around trying to get away from Natalina. As she tried to walk away she found herself unable to move. Something forced her to turn around and she saw Nico on the ground with his hands in her shadow. His hands were glowing and her shadow began to lift off of the ground.

"I don't want to hurt you." He repeated.

"Kill the human. She will hurt you and Natalina. She doesn't deserve to live in our new world. Kill her now my son."

"Nico what are you Doing?" Natalina asked.

"Protecting you Natalina."

"What…..this hurts…what are you doing to me?" Ellen asked as she began to cry out in pain.

"Your shadow, I'm ripping it from your body."

Ellen let out a blood chilling scram as Nico pulled her shadow from her body. She fell to the ground dead. Natalina ran over to the body of her friend and realized what this boy had just done.

"You…you killed her."

"She was going to hurt us Natalina.

"You actually killed her. How did you do that?" She asked crying over Ellen's body.

"A persons shadow is like their soul. I basically ripped her soul out of her. I didn't want to. I dislike taking lives. Had she not reacted that way she would still be alive."

"Don't you dare say that this was her fault!"

Natalina you don't understand. We are better than them. Our lives are far more important than those lowly humans."

Natalina ran out of her room. She turned and made her way down her hall and saw the staircase. She ran down the stairs trying to get outside and away from Nico. As she arrived at the ground floor she ran into the front room of the dormitories.

"There's the door. Got to get out of here." She said to herself.

As she ran out of the dormitories she heard a loud noise from above her. She looked up and there was a huge jet hovering over her. The back of the jet opened up and four people jumped out of the back. Three of them looked alike and the other ran towards her.

"Hey are you Natalina Tyler?"

"Who the hell are you and why do you want to know?"

"I'm here to help you. My names Kail."

"Are you like the other one, Nico?"

"I don't know who Nico is, but I assure you that all I want is to help you out Natalina."

Natalina took a few steps forward. Suddenly she felt someone grab her legs and looked down. Nico smiled up at her from inside her shadow.

"You, stop, let go of her you cur." One of the triplets yelled out as he came running towards her.

"Time to go Natalina, I told you I would protect you. Even from yourself."

Natalina felt him pull her into the ground and her body felt like it was being torn apart. She passed as soon as her head went into the shadows.

…

Outside the dorms,

"Nooo!" Kail yelled out as Natalina disappeared.

"Damn it. That creep took her. And people say that I'm a freak." One Vincent said.

"That insolent brat. Grabbing a woman like that. Absolutely no morals anymore." A second Vincent finished.

"You, could you just stop talking to yourselves. We have to save her!"

"And how do you suppose we do that?" The third asked Kail. "We have absolutely no idea where he took her. So what do you propose?"

"Hey you guys. The Professor is on the line get in here." Daniela shouted from up in the jet.

"Well I guess the Professor calls. Let's go newbie." One of the Vincent's said as the three headed to the jet.

"Damn it." Kail swore to himself. "I hope you're ok Natalina."

…

In a strange dungeon,

Natalina awoke chained to wall in a cell. She was terrified and had no idea where she was.

"Where am i?" she asked herself quietly.

"Hello there Natalina."

She looked over to the man who spoke to her from outside her cell. He wore a white hood and had a strange symbol on his robes.

"Who are you? What do you want?"

"You will soon be a member of our family. And you will help lead us to our true destiny. Welcome to the worlds S.O.U.L."

…

Special thanks to:

Sesshomaru'sCrazygal: thanks for Nico and Natalina.

Thank you for reading. I would love to hear from you about how you feel about the story, characters, or anything. Thanks for all the current reviews. Please keep them coming and let me know things that you like or don't like. Now for some questions.

1. Does anyone have any oc villains that I could use for the story? I'm good for now on Heroes.

2. Does anyone have any suggestions for things they would like to see happen throughout the story? I do plan on this being a series if the reception is good enough. I have a good idea of where this story will go, but I would like to see what all of you want to see.

Thanks again to all and I hope to hear back from all of you. Please review I love to hear your thoughts and opinions.