Time Bomb

"Hello, are you Bobby?"

Bobby, lost in thought over a bowl of ice cream, startled at the mention of his name. He looked up to see a gorgeous man smiling shyly at him. He was taller than Bobby, slender, with a shock of lavender-tinted silver hair that framed a face that belonged to an angel. His large, heavy-lashed eyes were the color of amethysts and framed by delicately arched brows. He was dressed casually in a pair of jeans and a long-sleeved shirt, untucked. He made even that simple outfit seem sexy.

Bobby realized he was staring and shook his head as if to shake off some enchantment.

"The one and only," Bobby said, trying to hide the tremor in his voice.

"Remy said you might be willing to show me around. I'm feeling a little cooped up in the room Kitty assigned me. Would you mind?"

Bobby felt his heart skip a beat and he was suddenly nervous for reasons he didn't quite understand. "Oh yeah, sure. You're Harper's brother, right?"

Amadeo nodded and smiled. "Yes. Amadeo." He paused and ran his hands through his thick hair. "I'm not intruding, am I?"

Bobby felt a warm rush. "Not at all. I'd love to show you around." He stood and practically threw his bowl into the sink. He led Amadeo on a walking tour of the school. Amadeo was rather chatty, something that surprised Bobby. While he might share his brother's stunning beauty, their personalities were very different. Where Harper was quiet, almost taciturn, Amadeo was quite talkative, commenting on everything he saw and asking plenty of questions about the school.

They were stood outside the Danger Room when Amadeo looked at Bobby with concern. "Is this where you hurt your shoulder?" he asked suddenly.

Bobby laughed. He'd pulled a muscle in his shoulder a few days prior. It was still sore and stiff. "How did you know?"

"Oh, I'm a biomorph," Amadeo said. "A healer. I can sense other's pain." Tentatively, he reached out and started to touch Bobby, but hesitated. "May I?"

"What? Uh yeah, sure, go ahead." Bobby tried to hide the nervous tremor in his voice as Amadeo gently laid his palm on his injured shoulder. A warm glow spread from his hand to Bobby. It felt like joy. And then the pain and stiffness were gone. Bobby worked his shoulder, amazed at how good it felt to have his full range of motion back. "Wow. You're really good at that."

Amadeo blushed. "I'm glad you feel better. I don't like you hurting." He ducked his head for a moment, as if embarrassed by the admission. "Is there somewhere we can go that's a little more quiet? I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed around all these people."

Again, Bobby felt that little rush. "I know just the spot." He grinned and before he knew what he was doing, he took Amadeo's hand in his and led him outside. There, he shifted to his ice form and slid his arm around Amadeo's waist.

"Hold on tight," Bobby said, smiling. Amadeo did, laughing joyfully as Bobby made an ice slide that transported them both to the roof of the school, to a spot that was one of his favorite places to go and think. He reverted to his flesh-and-blood form and sat down on the pitched surface, patting the spot next to him. Amadeo grinned and dropped down beside him.

"Beautiful view," Amadeo said, looking out over Central Park. "I've never been here before. I always wanted to see it, but it's rare for an owner to take their Pet out in public, even ones that look human like me."

"Why not?"

Amadeo shrugged. "Afraid we'll run off, I guess."

"I'm sorry," Bobby said softly. He reached out and wrapped his hand around Amadeo's, holding tight.

"What for? You had nothing to do with any of it," Amadeo whispered. "I'm just so grateful to you and all the X-Men for helping us." He paused and leaned in close to Bobby. "I only hope you can free the others, too."

"We will, Amadeo. Kitty is already planning the next rescue mission. The targets are the Farm and the Obedience School. Whatever those are, they don't sound pleasant."

Amadeo shivered despite himself. "The Farm is where the Society keeps the Breeders, female mutants whose only purpose is to produce new pets. There's only six of them at any given time, and only give birth every five years, so they can raise their children until it's time to breed again. I guess the Genengineers think it's important that we spend our early childhood with our mothers." He paused and took a deep breath. "Obedience School is where they send us when we turn five. It's exactly what it sounds like."

Amadeo fell silent. It was obvious he was uncomfortable with the subject. Bobby didn't push him; he'd read enough about it in the dossier Kitty gave him. It had been a rough read.

"I'm really sorry this happened to you," Bobby said. He knew how lame it sounded, but he couldn't think of anything else to say. Amadeo seemed to sense his discomfort and smiled.

"Did you know the other Pets have taken to calling my brother Moses?" Amadeo said, changing the subject. Bobby seemed stunned. "Three years ago, I heard other Pets talking about Harper, how he was quietly preaching freedom to them. At first I was angry with him; I thought he was giving them false hope. But the more I heard, the more I believed he would do it. And look...everything he said is coming true." He stopped and grew serious. "I hope we aren't too late to save the children."

Bobby felt a chill run up his spine. "They wouldn't hurt the kids, would they?"

Amadeo turned his big purple-shaded eyes on Bobby. "Oh, absolutely they would. They'll murder them all if it means keeping their secret."

"Jesus," Bobby whispered. "I promise, Amadeo, we won't let that happen."

Amadeo shrugged, as if he didn't really believe it. Bobby, wanting to steer the conversation away from such a horrific subject, gave Amadeo's hand a squeeze.

"Thanks for fixing my shoulder. I wish there was some way of paying you back."

Amadeo smiled. Suddenly, he leaned toward Bobby and kissed him. Bobby was stunned at how incredible it felt, Amadeo's soft lips on his. He didn't want it to end, but when it did, he immediately felt the loss, and craved more.

"Consider us even," Amadeo laughed. "Unless you'd like to do that again?"

It was Bobby's turn to blush. "Oh, I think I'd like that very much." He leaned in and pressed his lips to Amadeo's, and felt a thrill when his tongue touched Amadeo's. He felt Amadeo's warm hand against the back of his neck, pulling him closer. It was an amazing feeling, and he wanted more. He snaked his hand around Amadeo's waist, holding tight. After what seemed like a wonderful eternity, Bobby broke the kiss and sat back to look at Amadeo with wonder.

"I'm going to have to thank Remy for suggesting I show you around."

Amadeo laughed. "We definitely owe him one." He paused and grew serious. "It's really incredible you know, being able to kiss a man that I actually want to kiss." He ducked his head and then looked up at Bobby through his bangs. "It helps that you're so handsome and sexy."

"Look who's talking." Bobby leaned in to kiss Amadeo again, but paused when he realized they were not alone. He looked up to see Jean-Paul hovering above them, an odd look on his face.

"I am sorry to interrupt...but Kitty has asked me to come and fetch the two of you. We're ready to leave for North Dakota, and Kitty would like Amadeo to come along."

Amadeo frowned. North Dakota was where the Obedience School was. "Why me?"

For a moment, Jean-Paul could not meet Amadeo's steady gaze. "Just in case the children need you."

"What aren't you telling us, Jean-Paul?" Bobby asked, standing.

"Something has gone very wrong," Jean-Paul whispered. "The team that went to the Farm, they found something. Something horrible. Kitty will explain. Now please, we have to hurry." He didn't wait for either of them to respond, simply grabbed them both and flew them to where Kitty was waiting with the other X-Men whom she'd assembled for the mission: Storm, Chamber, Jubilee, Gambit.

Amadeo, seeing Remy talking quietly with Jubilee, went right to him. "Where is Harper?"

Remy paled. "He went wit' de ot'ers, to de Farm. He's safe, I promise."

"Where is Christopher?" Amadeo asked, frightened now. Jubilee laid her hand on his arm.

"He's fine. I left him and Shogo with two of my students. Nathaniel and Benjamin. They'll take good care of him." She gave Amadeo a reassuring smile. "Don't you worry."

Amadeo relaxed. If Jubilee trusted them to care for Shogo, he knew that Christopher was in good hands. "Will someone please tell me what's going on? What's happened at the Farm?"

"I'm sorry Amadeo...but when Rachael and the others got there, it was too late. They were all dead. They're bringing the bodies back here so we can find out what killed them." Kitty shook her head slowly. "They seemed to have died of some sort of virus, something we've never seen before. It doesn't appear to be contagious, though."

"Oh my God," Amadeo whispered. "I know what it is." He ran his hands through his hair and took several deep breaths. "It's the tracking chips. I heard Matignon talking about it once. They contain nanobots that can be released remotely that trigger a massive immune system response...something called a cytokine storm. It causes the lungs to fill will fluid, literally drowning us. My God...my God…the children! We have to get to the School...we have to go now! The Society, they're trying to wipe out any evidence of what they've been doing!" Overwhelmed, Amadeo burst into tears.

Bobby pulled Amadeo into his arms and held tight. He looked at Kitty with concern. "Take it out of him, Kitty! Take the chip out of Amadeo!"

Kitty had obviously been thinking the same thing. She phased her hand into Amadeo's shoulder and snatched the chip from his body. Amadeo had a moment of nausea, but it passed quickly.

"Let's go," Kitty said, heading for the Blackbird. As she took the controls of the sleek aircraft, she could only hope that they would make it to the School in time.