Issue 7:  Leaks

            All hell broke loose.

                Dana dropped Lucas as she was creamed by a blast of energy from Metro.  She flew back and was caught by Bryce.  Lucas hit the ground with a thud and stayed down.  Celeste ran up to her leader and knelt down next to him.  "Dana has been attacked!" Bryce shouted.

                That was a cue for the rest of the Clan to go into offensive action. The Reaper was the first one to respond, and quickly the physical mutant barreled towards Metro.  Metro stepped up to face the opponent when suddenly a huge blast of energy from Gail blew up in his face.  And then Psycho scoped up the youth and held him completely still for Chris to have his way with.  But Metro blasted the Psychic mutant with the power he had absorbed from Gail's attack and was free.  The Reaper slashed as Metro's legs, but only managed a surface wound before the mutant regained composure. 

                Bryce sniped at Metro while holding his leader that had been hurt by the blast from the young mutant.  The youth welcomed the laser bullets with open arms as the provided him with more energy, but The Reaper was not nearly as forgiving.  Chris encircled his prey quicker then Metro could think.  Slicing as he moved around Eron, the youth was taken more damage then he could recover from.

                Just then The Reaper flew backwards from a psychic blast.  Celeste smiled at Metro as her erratic team member looked back at her.  Just then Celeste flew back from another energy blast.  Gail learned quickly that Metro was not a valid target, but Celeste most definitely was.

                It was at this time that Sabin came to his senses and realized that his sister was in danger and joined the fray.  The Summers' son sent an array of blasts of earth at Gail, separating her from Psycho.  However he quickly noticed that Metro was not handling the return of Chris all that well.  He went to down to help his teammate.

                But too many cooks can spoil the broth, and too many mutants against The Reaper just makes things harder.  Because the two X-men refused to communicate, the wily Chris was still avoiding them, but more importantly Psycho had recovered and tossed both of the mutants into a wall.  Celeste was still franticly avoiding Gail who found Sabin's attacks only a minor set back.  Even Dana had recovered now and was coming for the three youths that had been corner against the mansion. 

                "Lucas' dreams end here!" Dana shouted.

                But then the elder mutant rose to his feet.  He saw the way his team was backed up and knew what he had to do.  Suddenly there as a huge rumbling sound.  Every person on the grounds turned and looked about to see the cause.  And there stood Dolphus in complete concentration.  Suddenly a huge title wave came from the sky above the Clan and scooped them up and tossed them to the far end of the Xavier's property.  But Dolphus did not stop there, he then turned to the group and suddenly icicles fell from the heavens like holy judgment.  Once they hit the ground they buried themselves in the ground, the force was immense. 

                The Clan began to retreat.  "You have not seen the last of me or the rest of us Lucas!  I will never forgive this!" Dana shouted as Bryce flew away with her in tow.

                It was then that the mighty mutant slowly turned back to his team that was to weak and hurt to even respond to what they had just seen.   Dolphus scoped up Celeste over his shoulder and put the two men under his arms and walked back into the school without saying a word. 

                The silence was deafening.

* * * * *

                The Dolphin walked along the beach.  He had deposited his youthful team in the care of the Professor for their wounds and left.  His head raced with thoughts, questions, and worries.  Why had this come back to haunt him?  He had atoned for all this… he lived his life in the ocean and in confinement.  Is this the price he has to pay for his prior acts of foolishness?  Continually coming back to the surface to remind him of his poor decisions? 

                It was true… he had started the clan Doma… he had been in love with Dana, and she with him.  He was different then, he was more human for one thing, and his mutant power had not corrupted his appearance at that time.  His parents betrayed him; they treated him like a freak for having his powers.  Almost everywhere he went he was spat upon and treated unequally.  He was not alone in his condition, even in the small Pennsylvanian community he grew up in.  Gail, Dustin, Chris, and himself were all mutants without anyone to turn to and lived in a society that gave them no place to be. 

                It was through Chris that Lucas had met Dana; she was Chris' older sister.  She already felt sorry for her brother who did not take the rejection of society and even his parents well.  When she met Lucas things changed.  Lucas was strong and determined, despite his disposition.  Together the two realized that a world without bigots was impossible, that peace between human and mutants could only exist when every single bigot, be it mutant or human, was killed, removed from existence.  None of them attempted to understand or comprehend the other's lot in life.  People like that did not deserve to live.

                And so the Clan Doma was formed.  Gail's boyfriend Barry joined, and Dana brought her other sibling, Bryce, into the circle as well.  Of the seven, all but Chris were high school graduates.  Lucas, Gail, Barry, Dustin and Bryce had all just graduated and Dana had long been out of school.  Chris was still in high school, but did not attend because his physical deformity had already begun.  The straw that broke the camels back was when Dustin was sent to a mental institution and the other parents were going to send their children to a Mutant Restriction Zone, almost a modern equivalent of a Concentration Camp, but without the killing.  That was when the violence began, followed by death.

                Lucas hit the ground and lay still looking at the sky.  The memories of killing all those people.  He could not bring himself to thinking of his parents' death… he had brought himself to kill his father… but his mother… he couldn't do it… so Dana finished her off.  The older mutant cringed on the beach sand as he thought of it.  At the time he was angry, vengeful, and filled with ambition of a brighter future.  Soon after his parents were gone and others had fallen by his hands he soon became not only used to killing… he began to enjoy it.

                Memories of entire families begging for their lives filled his head.  At the time, all those who had any anti-mutant or anti-human agenda were killed on the spot, crowds of protesters quickly fell to the ground.  They were killed in a variety of ways, depending on who did the job.  But they all died, some instantly, some wailed in pain before death took them.  Soon they were wanted… the police… the army… both came for them.

                By that time the Clan had grown into a group of it's own, many people, both human and mutant, joined the cause of killing those that had no place on the earth.  The vision was becoming lost among so many people.  Soon it was clear that some people were more equal then others in the utopian dream of The Clan.  Lucas watched the dream die, even his closest friends lost sight.  Dana, in particular, became convinced of her place in history as the great equalizer.  Absolute power corrupts absolutely, and with her power in the Clan, and with Lucas, she had become different.  The temptress looked down on those outside the Clan as cattle, there to raise her on their shoulders when the time came.  Even other members of the Clan that were not of the elite seven were less then her.  The new world now included a higher place for the great minds of the seven original members.

                It was coming to a head when the National Guard went out to get the Clan Doma.  Many soldiers laid down their lives that day to The Clan, which emerged victorious.  It was at that point that The Clan came to the attention of the X-Men.  Once Lucas learned of Charles' plan for the future of mutants, how peace could be achieved without the senseless violence, he was enlightened… he saw the errors of his ways.  Suddenly everything about The Clan seemed so ugly and misshapen.  Lucas convinced Barry and Gail of the wrongness that was The Clan, but Dana was lost to him.  She just could not handle the thought of Lucas betraying her and his old ideals that she had embraced and then perverted.  The Clan fell apart with little struggle after that.

                That was so long ago…

                "Why are they back!?"  Dolphus exploded.

                There was no one around to hear his rhetoric question.  After doing the terrible things he did, he closed himself off to those memories, but now they were back in full force.  He had separated ways with Gail and Barry to completely close the door to that dark period.  But now, as his memories flowed like a river whose dam had broke, he remembered the greatness of it all.  The courage he had, the power he showed, the fear he instilled.  The love he shared with one beautiful woman in his life, a love he had never felt since. 

Feelings of love were something Dolphus had painfully given up on after his transformation.  Now he wished he had it back.  It was true that he had never been happier then when he headed The Clan Doma.  But ignorance was bliss… could he turn his back on the knowledge he had to regain those feelings of joy? 

Dolphus got back on his feet and walked into the city.

* * * * *

                Sabin looked out over the school.  What had just transpired had shaken him up.  Dolphus was the flawless leader, the man with a clean bill of ethic health.  Never could he think of Dolphus as being deviant, not even in the way that most children are when they are mischievous, let alone the cold killer that he truly had been.  The Clan Doma still is one of the most known mutant terrorist group ever, killing more people then most spiteful mutants could dream of.  His own parents… killed at his hand? 

                The youth turned towards the residential area of the dorms.  Dolphus was almost no better then what Metro was right now, an angry youth with blood on his mind.  Dolphus, however, at least had purpose; Metro was without cause, almost killing for fun.  But the two seemed more similar then Sabin was to them, and Sabin had always put himself in the shoes of Lucas as if he was coming up the same way in the world, and would one day be the stainless mutant that Lucas was.  Or at least, Sabin thought he was.  How could Sabin not have been made aware of Dolphus' involvement with them?  Did the Professor shield his old friend from the shame of being the leader of a killing group?

                Dolphus was gone… he had left after making sure the youthful team was all right.  Why did he leave?  What demons could he have that he could not face here?  Sabin's world was crumbling so to speak.  Was his way of life the right way?  Being proper and honorable…

                "Are you ok?"

                Sabin looked over to see Celeste standing in the doorway of the balcony.  "Oh… yeah…"

                "The professor is worried about Dolphus… he wants to talk to us."

                "I see…" Sabin said as he turned away.

                "Something is bothering you isn't it?"

                Sabin looked to the ground and clenched his teeth, "It's just… well I mean why didn't we know about Dolphus?  Why were we left in the dark about his past?  We were made to believe that he was a strong, powerful role model!  He was just as bad as Metro…"

                "Hey!… Don't talk about Metro like that…"

                Sabin looked back at Celeste, "Celeste…" he shook his head for clarity, "Let's not talk about that right now.  The important thing is that you and I have been raised in a very specific way… we've paid our dues and made the grade… Lucas was a militant killer and yet he came up the ranks quicker then any of us.  He's famous!  You may not have read up on him, but I looked over the news archives about him.  He and the professor did a lot together.  What was all of our training, our mental preparation… what was all that for?!"

                Celeste looked at her brother with concern, "Sabin… you see the way Lucas is acting right now right?   We don't have to deal with that stuff… we're above that… hopefully someday Metro will be like Lucas… using his powers to benefit others… and maybe he'll have to deal with his demons too…  I dunno Sabin… but we need to get back to the Professor."

                Sabin shook his head and took one more look out into the scenery.  "Ok… let's go."

* * * * *

                Barry's eyes suddenly came open.  He caught his breath quickly.  The shooter looked around his surroundings… none of it was a dream.  It was all real, from his abduction to the torture and everything in between.  He was hanging from some chains in a submerged jail cell.  A grating above him was the only way out.  Small amounts of sunlight came through the grates and hit Barry's pale skin.  His hair hanged messily over his face and his body was covered in a slime composed of his bodily fluids and god knows what else.  Rats scurried across the floor, making noise because they knew that no one cared they were there.

                Barry struggled against the shackling, but to no avail.   But then he heard the grate being raised and he looked up to see figures, he couldn't tell whom, coming down into his cell.  Dana was very much there, she looked as full of energy as ever.  Bryce was there as well and also a mysterious figure in a cloak of dark material.  The figure did not show his face or any part of his body for that matter.

                "Why is he like this?" the figure spoke.

                "He will suffer eternally for his sins," Dana replied.

                Barry looked away from all of them; they disgusted him now.

                The shadowy figure walked up to Barry and looked at him for a while.  Then he looked to the other Clan members, "Leave us for a while…"

                The two looked at him curiously, but then complied.  The dark figure moved over to Barry, even closer now, and broke the shackles from the wall.  He then walked away, looked back at Barry, and left.  The grate shut behind him and Barry slumped to the floor.

* * * * *

                Nighttime was the right time.  Well not for everyone, but for Barry it meant he could finally attempt an escape.  He had heard earlier that evening that a new prisoner required many more guards then he did and now Barry was down to minimal security.  Barry quickly looked up to see a lone guard with his back to the grating.  With a swift motion Barry picked the lock of his grating with a pick he fashioned from the shackles innards.  Before the guard knew what had happened he was on the floor and dead with a broken neck.  Barry quickly took the man's clothing and put it on himself so he was no longer naked.  He clutched the pistol of the guard and spun it around his thumb.  The balance was awful, but he would have to live with it.

                Barry stepped out into the hallway and looked around.  He heard a lot of activity from the left so he dashed to the right.  He had never seen this place before and had no idea what he was doing… but he knew he had to leave.  He turned the corner quickly only be right in the sight of two more grunts patrolling the halls.  Before the guards could even say anything about him they were shot dead… the smoke from Barry's gun still came off it as he put it back in the holster.

                Suddenly he heard more voices from behind him talking about the shots that were fired.  He quickly ran over the dead guards and stole their spare bullet clips along with another gun before turning the corner.  As he turned, he ran right into Psycho and feel over, "Well well well!  What do we have here?  If it isn't good ol' Barry walking around in a guard's uniform.  Who would've thought!?"

                Barry reached for his guns, but then noticed they had already been stripped from him by Dustin's powers.  The ragged man grabbed a grenade from his back belt and pulled the pin.  As soon as he raised it to throw, Psycho grabbed the grenade with his psychic powers and pinned Barry to the ground with it at his chest.  "What a way to go…" Psycho let out slyly.

                Barry managed to then slip from underneath the grenade and swung towards Psycho just as the grenade went off and blew him directly at the psychic mutant.  Dustin was caught off guard by this and was tackled by Barry.  The prisoner then delivered a hard blow to the mutant's cranium and knocked him out.

* * * * *

                "Listen Metro, we need to find Lucas.  He's not doing well…" Sabin insisted.

                Metro looked up at the stainless mutant, "Haven't you ever heard of blowing off some steam?  He just needs to be alone right now.  He didn't leave us a note or anything, he doesn't want to found."

                "He doesn't know what's good for him right now."

                Metro rose up, "And you do!?  Who the fuck are you to say anything about all of this.  Even if Lucas did need help, why are you telling me what the fuck to do?  Some bratty prep school softie trying to tell me what to do!  Fuck you."

                Sabin couldn't take it, "Just because your life has been a fucking joke doesn't mean you should resent what I am.  I was given opportunities and I took advantage of them!"

                "Gentlemen!" the Professor spoke up, "There is no room for personal vendettas in this room.  We are here to talk about Lucas and how to find him."

                Metro looked over at the Professor, "I know this is your house and all that great shit, but I still don't know why everyone listens to you.  I haven't seen you do shit since I got here old man.  You just sit in your wheel chair from the Jetsons and tell us what to do and we jump.  Fuck all of this.  You have fun finding Dolphus, and when you do, he'll just tell you to fuck off and that he needs some time to himself."

                Metro began walking away.  "Metro…" Celeste let out.

                The professor looked over to the girl and then communicated through telepath, Go with him.

                Celeste looked over at Xavier and then ran after Metro.  "Celeste!  Where the hell are you going!?" Sabin shouted.

                Sabin ran after her, but Xavier stopped him, "Sabin!  Wait!"

                The youth turned back to his leader, "What?"

                "You and I must find Lucas."

                "What about Celeste?"

                "She needs to go with Metro so that when we find Dolphus we know where Metro is."

                Sabin sat down frustrated and a bit confused, "Professor what are you talking about?"

                "Dolphus has gone into the city.  I fear he has gone to face his enemies alone… But we need to know, and we need a full team to help him."

                "We don't need Metro, if that's what you're saying."

                The professor moved towards his young student, "Yes we do Sabin.  Every X-Man is just as important as the next and three mutants have a much better chance against the Clan Doma then two."

                Sabin looked at the Professor, "I don't understand any of you."

                The youth got up and left the room.

                "Sabin wait!  Sabin!  What do you mean!?"

                The professor shook his head.  "There is nothing holding this group together… They don't even know each other and I am asking them to do things that require more then just a team of acquaintances to succeed."

* * * * *

                An explosion from a grenade bellowed from the alleyway next to where Sabin was standing.  He went to check on Dana's place and found more then he had came for before even looking around.  Quickly he dashed down the alley and saw a metal door that barely held to the wall by its hinges.  Then in the door way he saw a figure punch Psycho in the head and knock him out, and then, the figure collapsed.

                "Holy…" was all Sabin managed to get out.

                The youth ran over to the two and looked at the guard that had just punched Dustin.  Barry!  It was another one of the Clan Doma, only he hand not been with them earlier when they fought.  And now he was fighting Psycho.  He tried to wake him, "Barry!  Barry!"

                Sabin felt a little awkward addressing someone he had never really met before by name, but he needed some answers.  However, Barry wouldn't wake, and Sabin ran out of time to ask more because at that point men armed like SWAT members came barreling out of Dana's business offices across the street.  Sabin drew his sword and quickly the ground in front of the men flew up and blocked their paths. 

                But then canisters of tear gas flew over the new barrier.  Sabin quickly ascended with Barry on a pillar of land out of reach of the others.  "This is not what I needed right now…"

                Suddenly Barry started to come to, "Wha… What?  HOLY SHIT!"

                "Calm down," said Sabin, "We need to get out of here now."

                "What's going on?"

                "Looks like you tried to escape a prison and ended up being near an exploding grenade."

                "Yeah… but after that."

                Sabin jumped off the pillar and on top of a building, "This is after that, c'mon!"

* * * * *

                Metro walked down the road from Xavier's school.  He had been ignoring the presence of Celeste the whole time, but finally he turned his head to glance at her.  "What are you doing here?"

                "The prof… I mean… I just wanted to follow you…"

                "What?  You want to convince me to go back to your little group?"

                "No… I uh…"

                "Forget it, it was a mistake from the beginning.  I don't even know why I went back with you guys after we left Alexis and Warren."

                "So you're leaving forever?"

                Metro stopped walking and turned completely around and paused.  Then he spoke, "I've always been moving.  I've always had to be moving.  New York is just one of the many cities I've been in.  I never stay anywhere long."

                He turned back and continued walking.
                Celeste picked up her pace to catch up, "Why not?"

                Metro stopped and looked at the ground.  "I… Well they're…"

                He turned back to the youthful girl that stared at him with complete attention.  Her eyes were so brown right there.  Metro shook his head, "I just have to.  I don't have a choice in the matter."

                The two walked in silence for a while, "What are you running from?"

                Metro turned quickly, "Nothing!"

                Celeste backed away a bit, shocked at the youth's sudden out burst.  "Sorry… I… I didn't mean to…"

                Metro slumped to the ground, "No… you didn't… It's just that…"

                Celeste went over to him and bent over, "What?"

                "Why… Why do you care so much… at all really?" Metro asked without looking up at her.

                Celeste stood upright again and turned around, "I… well I… I don't know who you are…"

                Metro stood up and came behind her, "Why would you want to know?"

                Celeste began to turn around to him and started to speak, "I just…"

                But she stopped when she realized how close the two of them were now.  For a moment the two stared at each other's eyes.  Then Metro's head tilted ever so slightly to the right and Celeste closed her eyes.  Then a car drove by and the two quickly separated; Metro put his hand on the back of his neck and looked to the ground while turning away from the girl and Celeste folded her hands and looked to the sky.

                "I should be going…" Metro said trailingly.

                He began to walk away.

                "Wait…" Celeste began.

                Metro turned back to her.

                She ran towards him, "I'm… with you… I'll go with you…"

                Metro stepped back, "What?"

                "I want to go with you."

                "You… don't even know me.  Know who I am.  Where I'm going."

                "I want to.  I want to know all that," she said as she came closer, "And more, I want to know more."

                Metro smiled, "You'd give up the good life of an 'X-man' and come with me?"

                "Yes yes yes!  How many times do I have to say it!?"

                "Well then… uh… let's go…"

* * * * *

                "So you resisted her?" Xavier asked.

                "Yeah, she came to recruit both Gail and I.  Both of us resisted, but… Gail changed her mind I guess.  We were held separately.  The next time I saw her… she was… well you know… I guess you know better then I do."

                "Have you seen Lucas?"

                "You don't know where he is?"

                "After the fight he left, we have not seen him since."

                "Shit."

                "What is it?" Sabin joined the conversation.

                Barry looked at the youth and then back to the professor, "I heard that they had a new prisoner, one that required much more attention then me.  I can only think of one other person that they would guard more then me…"

                "Do you really think it could be…" the Professor began.

                "Yes, Lucas is definitely being held by Dana.  Somehow they must have gotten him."

                "Yes, that is a possibility.  But we must know for sure…"

                "Professor what about Celeste?  What's happening with her?" Sabin interrupted.

                Xavier looked to Sabin, "She has not reported back."

                Sabin gave Xavier a double take, "Wha What!?"

                "She has not yet reported back."

                "And you're not worried!?"

                "What are you two talking about?" Barry asked.

                Xavier turned to him, "Some of my team have wandered off…"

                "So how are we going to save Lucas?"

                The Professor addressed both of the men, "We need to know that it is him, they will no doubt be watching him personally… The two of you could hardly take the whole clan and I am in no condition to ever go out onto the field again…"

                "We need Celeste back…." Sabin began.

                Xavier cut him off, "We need to get our team whole again.  Metro included."

                Sabin shook his head.  "The best leaders are those that don't let their personal feelings get in the way of their goals," Xavier offered.

                "Yeah kid, just cause you don't like that kid doesn't mean we couldn't use an extra gun to go at 'em with."

                Sabin looked over at Barry, "How would you know what I feel?"

                Barry leaned back in his chair, "I've been around kid.  I was part of a mutant group before you were out of dipers.  Egos can get thick and personal quarrels can over take even the best of us, but the reason the Clan was so successful is that we didn't let things like that compromise our goals.  Seems to me that you seem more interested in your own problems then Lucas' life."

                "No, I…"

                "Don't try to defend yourself kid.  You need to start seeing the big picture of these things.  I never was an X-Man nor did I want to be, but it seems that part of your training to be a great man in this group is far from over…"

                Sabin turned to the Professor.  "What he says is true Sabin.  Just because all that you can learn inside these walls is within you does not mean that you know all there is to being an X-Man.  Until now you did not ever consider the fact that Lucas' life is in danger and that he needs our help.  And as a fellow X-Man and your leader, Lucas deserves our help."

                Sabin turned away from the two of them.  They were right, he had been selfish.  Ever since Metro had arrived he had thought of no one but himself.  Even when Lucas came he immediately though of Dolphus in respect to himself.  If he wanted to be the man that his father wanted him to be… one of the X-Men… He needed to change his attitude.  This would be the start of it.  "Alright we need to find Metro and Celeste.  She must still have her communicator on her.  We can track her that way."

                Xavier smiled, "Yes Sabin, let us go downstairs."

* * * * *

                Lucas hung on the wall of Dana's office.  His naked body was glazed in sunlight from the windows.  He hanged like Jesus on the cross, his arms extended to the sides and his feet together beneath him.  All held up by chains and shackles rather then nails.  He sat silently with Dana in front of him.  The two were all alone, but the whole of the Clan sat outside the office door.  The dolphin even refused to move as Dana paced back and forth.

                "Lucas… you have not said a word since you came back… Why are you here…  You are not a welcome guest until you tell me these things."

                The dolphin did not even acknowledge he was being talked to.  Hanging upon the wall… motionless.

                Dana continued to pace.  She didn't know what to say to him.  Less then a day ago he had sworn to fight her until the end.  Now here he was, a will subject of her tortures and attacks without any resistance.  "What happened Lucas?  You were my enemy yesterday… today you turn yourself in to me and allow us to do to you as we please.  Why are you here!?  Answer me!"

                The dolphin finally spoke, "I want to be cleansed…"

                Dana turned quickly to him, "What?"

                Again Dolphus fell silent.  Dana continued, "You want to be cleansed?!  That is why you are here?!"

                Lucas looked up to her.  "I feel nothing but pain… confliction… torn… I want be whole again… no matter where it is… I felt whole here… I want to be whole again… Make me believe…"

                "What are you saying?"

                "I still… I still believe you are wrong.  Nothing will come of what you do.  But I didn't always think that… I used to be complete with you.  I want to be that way again.  I want these questions to end, the pain to just… stop…"

                Dana just looked at him.  What was he really asking her to do?  If he still believed she was in error how could he be with them again, how could he be purged of his sins?  She had to convince him she was right again?  How?  What could she say that she hadn't said before to him?  She had no great way of convincing him of the way she was.  She stepped out of the room.

                Outside the office all the members of the Clan Doma were waiting, even Psycho with a bandage over his nose after Barry had broken it.  "So what happened?" Bryce asked.

                "I can't figure him out…"

                The members looked at each other with concern.  Dana was oblivious to their looks.  She walked passed them and away from everything.  Bryce watched her walk away and then spoke, "I don't like this…"

                Dustin looked up at him, "What do you mean buddy?"

                "She's to close to the issue here.  I think she's still got a soft spot for that freak in the other room."

                All the members took notice to Bryce's talk now, but Psycho was the only one to speak, "You think she still has feelings for dolphin boy in there?"

                Bryce stood up, "Hell yeah.  Dana can crack anyone in a matter of hours and it's been hours and the dolphin hasn't given up shit.  And you've heard the way they talk.  She's letting him run things.  Another one of us has to take this over.  She obviously can't handle it."

                "Let me guess, you're the sharp shooter that's gonna take care of all this that Dana can't do."

                "If the boot fits."

                "I think you've gotten a little to big for your britches since the last time we were together."

                "What the hell are you talking about?"

                "Yeah, you're definitely not the little hacker kid I remember.  What'd they do to you?"

                "Shut the fuck up.  I'm just doing what's best for the cause.  I don't see any of you doing anything."

                Psycho smiled, "I'm not here for the politics…  I'm here to bring hell to anyone I can."

                Bryce shook his head and then turned to Gail, "What about you.  You haven't said a word since we got you here."

                Gail just looked at him blankly, not saying a word.  Dustin suddenly spoke up, "Just leave her alone, her boyfriend chose to turn his back on her for his 'principles'.  So much for love being eternal eh?"

                "So what?  All of you are content being puppets of Dana.  Unthinking machines to bring about whatever she says?  Even the best of us crumble, even the strongest fail.  Dana isn't immortal or rock solid, even she has her limits.  Lucas is a limit she has we can't afford to ignore a second time.  Don't you all remember who brought about the end of us and almost killed us?  I was lucky, I was captured… but you two… we thought he had killed you and Chris.  The man in the other room is sophisticated, smart, manipulative and a killer.  I don't know if you all forgot that or not.  I remember how calculating he used to be; he's a fucking genius.  This whole turning himself in is probably just another way of bringing us down.  I say we show no mercy the way he did to us."

                Suddenly Dana spoke up, "Bryce what do you think you are talking about?"

                Bryce looked up, shocked to know that Dana was there. "Dana…"

                Dana walked toward her brother, "Bryce.  I don't know what you are talking about, but it sounds to me like you aren't talking about anything you should…"

                Bryce cleared his throat.  Dustin grinned widely, "Go ahead hot shot, tell her what you think."

                Bryce looked around at all of his teammates.  "All of you can go to hell."

                The disgruntled youth then walked away.  "Bryce," Dana called to him, "I now have my eye on you."

                Bryce ignored the warning of his sister.

* * * * *

                Barry rode on a motorcycle toward two figures on the road.  He reached over to his communicator, "I see them."

                Sabin replied, "Copy, I'll be right over."

                Barry approached the two and slowed down, "What's up kids?"

                Metro looked over at the man, "What the fuck do you want?"

                "Well first let me start with who I am.  My name is Barry Flisk.  I'm an old friend of Dolphus'."

                Metro turned away and kept walking, "Like I give a fuck…"

                "Well little man you should cause he needs our help.  And I can't do it without you guys.  You're his team, you need to be there for him."

                The youth didn't flinch, "I'm part of no ones team."

                Barry kept with him, "Oh I see, so your just gonna keep walking down this road huh, just keep going and going?  I have a feeling you've been down this road before my friend, and you know where it goes.  Why you wanna keep going down this road huh?  What makes this so great?"

                "Out here I don't usually have to listen to shit like yours."

                "Oh I see, I see.  So you only like hearing your own shit huh?"

                The two went along without saying a word, but then Celeste chimed in, "What's wrong with Lucas?"

                Barry turned back to her, "He's in big trouble.  He's being held by the Clan."

                "Oh…"

                "Yeah, and he needs us to bust him out of there."

                Barry turned back to Metro, "So who's busting your ass out when you get caught?"

                Metro suddenly turned on Barry and tackled him off the motorcycle and pinned him to the ground.  "How the fuck do you know so much about me!?  Who are you!?  You're one of them aren't you!?"

                Celeste ran over to Metro, "Metro!  Stop!"

                Barry suddenly got very serious, "Listen kid I don't know shit about you except what you wear all over your face.  I'm not one of "them," whatever that means.  I just know your kind kid, you're one of millions of angry loners out there that try to be all fucking cool by telling everyone else to kiss off when you probably got bigger problems then all of us put together.  You know why you got all those problems?  Cause you don't have any fucking friends.  People need each other little guy, if nothing else one other person in their life.  We can't do this shit alone, and you know it.  You're just to proud to say it."

                Metro continued to boil over, "Fuck you!  I don't need shit!"

                "There it is again, your pride.  Listen hot shot; I've been around the block.  I've seen and done shit you haven't even been able to read about, and I know what you're all about without talking to you before today.  So just let me up and let's go save Dolphus, cause he'd do the same for you when whatever you're running from catches up to you."

                Metro stood up and dragged Barry with him, "Fuck you."

                He then tossed the grown man to the ground.

                Metro then turned back to Celeste who had a big look of concern on her face.  "Metro…"

                The youth looked back at Barry who was getting to his feet.

                "I was like you Metro… And I found the person to help me… And now she's gone, she's moved away from me.  But you don't even know what it's like to have anyone like that do you?"

                Metro turned back, "Yeah, and now I don't know the pain you're feeling because she's dumped you…"

                Barry just stood there, looking at the youth.  "Metro come with me, we can save Dolpbus… then… then you can leave.  You can go on your own path.  But you're missing out on everything.  Life eventually goes away too, just like every other person in your life.  But you don't stop living because you know it'll be done some day do you?"

                Metro remained silent.

                Barry stepped towards him, "So you cling to a life of nothing…  Saving yourself, but for what Metro?  For what?"

                Metro turned from him, "Alright… I'll go help out Lucas…"

* * * * *

                Bryce watched from a distance the building his sister lived and worked in.  He waited.  The X-Men would be coming for their leader soon.  They would attack Dana and her group and they would pummel them.  Then Bryce could save them, he could show them what a mistake it was for them to blindly follow Dana.  He watched and waited…

* * * * *

                Celeste looked out the window of the Aurora.  She was contemplating what had just happened with Metro and trying to avoid Sabin.  Her brother had accosted her with questions the moment she stepped into the ship and Metro was gone.  Why had she gone off with Metro had been his biggest concern.  She tried to tell him it was the Professor's orders, but she knew that it was more then that.  Since Metro had arrived he intrigued her…  She would've run off with him then if he'd never have even noticed her. 

                Barry came up behind her, "You're Scott's daughter?"

                Celeste turned to him, "Yeah… I …"

                "You have his hair… but your eyes are definitely your mothers."

                Silence.

                "Then again I suppose that you really couldn't have your fathers eyes haha."

                "Do you… need something?"

                "Why were you with Metro?"

                Celeste angrily turned back to the window, "Ugh!  Not you too…"

                "No, I'm not scolding you or even saying it was a bad idea.  I just want to know why."

                Celeste looked down at her hands and remained quiet.  Barry gently guided her back to looking at him with her arm and looked her in the eyes.  "Listen to me, Metro is more then he seems… I know he has this aura of mysteriousness to him, but he's bad news.  The kid has more issues then any of us have even been able to read about.  I know more about him then any of you know, but there's still allot I don't."

                Celeste looked up at him, "What… What to do you mean?"

                "Metro… well for starters he's not…"

                Suddenly Sabin came over the communications network, "Everyone on the bridge!  We are approaching Dana's office buildings!"

                Celeste immediately began walking.  Barry shouted her, "Celeste, wait!"

                Celeste turned back to him, "I don't want to hear about Metro from you…"

                Barry stood there alone, "This can only end badly…"