Chapter 12

Formerly Magneto's base(one of them)...

Well the time for not revealing where this base is is over. If you consider that it didn't take the Acolytes too long to get from the Sphinx back to it you can guess it can't have been that far away.

Yes, the X-Men found a base in the Sahara once but the Sahara is the largest desert in the world. It's not hard to relocate the base to another remote location in that vast dry wilderness. There is this space between Egypt and Sudan called Bir Tawil that is one of the few last unclaimed territories on the planet and that is where the base is.

And that is where the x-jet and the Velocity come to land outside the small complex of interlocking metal domes, smaller ones around a large main one.

After Wanda got off the phone with her sister the next thing was to tell Storm, who was filling in for the Professor in running things, what was happening and the next thing after that was to put a team together. Course there was the issue of the fact some of them were away home and that others were not up to the task after recent events.

Kitty was a wreck, being comforted by Peter. And Storm decided she needed to let Jean and Scott off any pressurised situation being they too witnessed Magneto's death.

And Rogue and Kurt had their mother issues they were dealing with so weren't in consideration right now. And Domino was still concerned enough about Rogue's attitude she felt she needed to stay and keep an eye on her sister so Rogue didn't do anything stupid...like run away again.

Storm brought Logan along because he always found a way to cope and Beast was required because of what Lorna told Wanda in regards to her mother even if Storm had really wished to let Hank have a day off. He smiled and assured her he'd cope.

Of course Wanda coming along was a necessity and Clark insisted on coming with her.

Also on the team was Betsy since a telepath is always sensible to bring along. And Iceman since he was the last X-Man who either wasn't on holiday or wasn't up to the task. Bobby was never in a rush to go home. He never enjoys it very much.

Because Storm wasn't sure what they were getting into she also rounded up whoever else she could find to come along just in case. Boom Boom, Volcana, Berzerker, Havok, Impulse, Forge, even Dust and Penance. Sooraya wished to help if she could.

The group of 15 disembark from both aircraft and head for the obvious entrance where they find Polaris and Colossus waiting for them.

"Lorna was telling the truth," Superman mentions as they walk along, his eyes flashing that electric blue that indicates he is using his x-ray vision. "There's virtually no-one else here. Apart for Pyro," he says in reference to what Lorna has said about everyone being gone. "Though they left a lot of stuff behind. I'm not comfortable with just leaving it here," he expresses his opinion considering what they know about what Magneto gets up to.

"Neither am I," Storm says in agreement.

They reach the entrance.

Wanda walks up to her sister who looks about as good as Wanda does, which is to say not very. Wanda then does something out of character and gives Lorna a big, fat hug.

Lorna leans into it and returns it.

"How are you doing?" Wanda asks.

"Terrible. Yourself?"

"The same."

The two sisters pull back and manage a small wry grin at each other.

"So Pietro just up and left did he?" Wanda wants reconfirmed what Lorna said over the phone.

"Yeah," Lorna says in a flat tone.

"I wish I could say I was surprised but I long ago lost any faith in him," Wanda gives her rather downbeat view.

"I kinda got that from our last meeting," Lorna tells her.

"Yeah. Sorry I slapped you," Wanda apologises for that.

"Me too."

"Really?"

Lorna nods.

"Damn. I only said it because Superman made me."

"What?!" Superman cries.

Wanda smirks. "Gotcha bro."

Superman rolls his eyes.

"Bro?" Lorna questions.

"Well kinda. Sort of adopted brother since my real one wasn't up to the task and...he's been great. Always there for me you know?"

"I kinda do," Lorna admits, her gaze drifting at Colossus who has been a great friend for her. Always there.

"Polaris," Storm addresses her, feeling this her moment to step into the conversation. "Or do you prefer Lorna?"

"Either's fine," Lorna says, not really bothered either way.

"Ok," Storm accepts. "We need to get started. If you will show us where your mother is, Beast will attend her," she requests. "Meanwhile, Wolverine, Havok, take the others in two teams and conduct a thorough search. Like Superman was saying there is most likely equipment and other items we don't want left lying around. If you find something you don't understand don't touch it. It may be dangerous. Have Forge examine it or call myself and Beast," she instructs.

"And Pyro's around somewhere," Lorna adds. "If you leave him alone he shouldn't be a bother."

"He better not be," Logan mutters threateningly.

Storm sighs but smiles softly. "Logan," she says with a beautiful chime in her voice.

"I won't kill him. Good enough?" he offers.

Storm nods. "Now, Superman, Scarlet Witch you stay with Beast and myself," she decides lastly. It could go without saying that Wanda sticks with her sister and Clark seems to be in full on overprotective big brother mode but sometimes you just need to say those thing that don't need to be spoken in any case.

With Storm's orders given the others organise themselves into two groups and the 3 groups head in their separate directions.


As soon as they reach Suzanna Dane, Beast busies himself assessing the situation while Lorna explains what happened to her. With the aid of Superman's superlative vision Beast soon finds the medical records and notes taken by whomever it was Magneto previously had attending to Ms Dane.

Wanda's emotions are mixed. This woman, lying there, is the one her father had the affair with. The one who helped him cheat behind her mother's back. Then again, look at the poor woman, lying there, for, from what Lorna says, the sole crime of giving birth to her half-sister. Some FOH racists. Then on top of that she is trying to come to terms with the loss of her father and the cacophony of emotions that has unleashed. She sighs. Going to be a long, difficult few days.

She looks up at her younger...sister. And Lorna is her sister despite it all. When she first learned of Lorna's existence Wanda didn't know what to think but then Kurt showed up and they talked and he asked her which would she prefer. Lorna to be her actual sister or just someone with magnetic powers her father sold a story to.

At the immediate moment back then Wanda couldn't answer it and Kurt suggested it was something she think about. And on and off she has for the last several months. Would Wanda like it for Lorna to be her little sister? Does she want to be a big sister? Does she want to be a big sister to another sibling who just mindlessly follows her father?

Well that last question is kind of moot now. Right now Wanda supposes she should be there for Lorna who is probably feeling more broke up than she is over their father's death. She puts a comforting arm around her sister's shoulders.

Meanwhile Clark is trying to figure out if this is the appropriate moment to resume that conversation he was having with Colossus while they were down in that maze under the Sphinx. He was trying to get to know the guy to try and figure out what it was Magneto had on the Russian to control him. Now Magneto is...gone what does it mean in relation to that leverage whatever it is.

Clark eyes the stoically silent man. He raises his hand to his mouth and fakes a polite cough. "So...how are you?" he asks, being a little tentative in his tone.

Silence.

Well that's kinda expected actually. Colossus isn't the chatty type. Clark carries on. "I've been trying to comfort Wanda. Despite it all she has just lost her father regardless of who he was and what he has done. Not sure anyone deserves that sort of end. Trust me. I know. I was there. You've been helping Lorna I'm guessing."

"Da," Colossus says quietly. He has tried despite his own loss...or maybe because of it.

"You have to stick by your sister no matter what, right?" Superman says, without realising the effect such a statement would have on Colossus.

Piotr stands rigid for a moment before he stomps off. "Excuse me," he says, his voice breaking with emotion.

Superman scratches his head, confused. "Um...I've blundered somehow haven't I?" he asks, just recognising the reaction.

Lorna face-palms herself. "I should have said."

"Said what, child?" Storm inquires.

"Piotr...he has a sister. A younger sister."

It snaps in Clark's mind almost instantly. "That's the hold Magneto had over him. Your father had his sister."

"Did he?!" Wanda demands to know, her voice rising in anger.

Lorna nods, rather pathetically. "I don't defend him. In fact just before he...just before we were shouting and arguing about what he had done. Oh God that was just about our last words. Me yelling at him," Lorna starts to sob.

Storm takes the girl into her arms. "Shh. It's ok," she tries to comfort the young teenager. "I'm sure he didn't take it to heart and knew you loved him," she assumes.

Wanda wants to...goddess she doesn't know what.

Clark takes a moment to think. "Storm may I...?" he asks, nodding his head in the direction Colossus went, indicating he wants to go after him.

Storm nods her permission. It was actually a nice reminder that Clark seems to be acting much like his normal self than he has been recently that he's actually asking instead of just blurring off whenever he feels like it.

Clark leaves briskly to catch up with Colossus.

Beast heard everything but had focussed himself solely on examining Ms Dane. It wasn't looking too hopeful from these medical records he was perusing. The brain damage that bullet caused was quite severe. The woman is lucky to even be alive to be in a coma. He's not sure there is much more he can do than to provide the same intensive care that will keep the woman alive.

That being the case he better start thinking on how they'll transfer her to the jet so they can take her back home with them.


Clark catches up with Colossus easy enough. "I'm sorry," he starts with, apologising for his blunder. "I know I can sometimes have a mouth that speaks without thinking but I can sorta see why you're hurting. I have a sister and at least 2 people I think of like sisters. I know how much pain I would be in if I lost them. In fact I mean I felt that sort of pain the other week after Apocalypse's escape. Wanda had a vision about it and somehow the power of that vision put her in a coma for a week...and I felt so helpless. All this power at my fingertips and I failed to protect her."

That last line makes Colossus stop, his head bowed. "She was the last of my family," he says, his voice full of anguish. "Our parents and my older brother had passed on and it was my duty to care for her."

"Then Magneto came," Superman guesses.

Colossus nods. "To recruit me. How he found me I do not know. At first I refused."

"I can see where this is going," Superman says in fatalist tones. "He took your sister to force you to work for him."

"Da," Colossus confirms.

Superman places a supportive hand on the man's shoulder. "What's her name?"

"Illyana."

"My God is the Lord or the Lord is my God," Superman gives the meaning of that name. He's expanded himself to learning as many languages as he can in his spare time. Why? Well he doesn't really sleep any more so he needs to fill in the time with something.

Colossus nods. "I call her my little snowflake because as each flake is unique and special so is she."

Superman smiles. "That's lovely," he remarks about the sentiment behind Colossus' choice of nickname.

"I even gave her a necklace with a small golden snowflake attached once. She always wore it...and now she's gone," Colossus says, his heart broke.

"Gone?" Superman queries.

"Magneto held her away from me, where I never knew but after his defeat by Apocalypse I sought answers from those who might know. Apparently she was taken by someone else over a month ago."

"Who? How?"

Colossus shakes his head. "They did not know. Some sort of teleportation power."

Superman's eyes dart back and forth as he thinks. "Do you know where she was exactly?"

"No."

"Can we find out?"

Colossus turns his head with a querying expression. "Why?" he asks, not seeing the point.

"Depends on what sort of teleportation method was used but some leave a particle trace behind that can be detected, perhaps even followed to the source but we would need to find the room she was in."

Hope...or at least a small amount of it rises up within Colossus at what Superman is saying. "We could ask Pyro," he suggests.

Good an idea as any Clark supposes. "I'll get Betsy just to make sure he won't lie to us," he tags on.


Back with Storm, Wanda, Lorna, Beast and Ms Dane, Logan wanders in to give an update in person on the progress of their search.

"There's some creepy labs here Frankenstein would be proud of," Logan mentions, clearly both perturbed and angry because it reminds him of the places where he was when he was in Weapon X. What he can remember of it anyhow. It's more a feeling than a memory to be honest.

"They belong to Sinister," Lorna says, overhearing this.

Logan stiffens at the mention of that name. His hands clench into fists. "Essex," he growls.

Storm looks a little confused. "Who?"

"Nathaniel Essex. He's a mutant. Goes by the name Mr Sinister. Thinks himself God. Experiments to create a 'perfect' race. He's sick beyond what you can imagine," Logan says in disgust.

"How do you know him?"

"SHIELD," Logan answers. "When I worked for SHIELD one of our assignments was trying to catch him. Slimy little toad. Always manages to slip away but found plenty of his labs. You don't want me to describe the kind of twisted stuff found in those. Lets just say he makes Mengele look like a saint by comparison."

Beast's eyebrows rise. Joseph Mengele experimented on those in the Concentration Camps. Got the nickname the Angel of Death. He is everything Beast despises of a supposed man of medicine. One does no harm. One does not do what he did...and to hear Logan claim this Mr Sinister character is even worse...well that can't be good to say the very least.

"And he was here?" Storm asks, looking at Lorna.

Lorna sighs. "It was an alliance thing. I don't think dad ever trusted him. He was just useful or something. Truth be told he gave me the creeps."

"You have no idea mini-magnet," Logan tells her. She has no idea what sort of person Essex is.

"Mini-magnet?" Lorna queries.

"He does that to everyone," Wanda explains. "I think my last one was Broom-Hilda," she complains about it. Complains over Logan's tendency to give everyone irritating little nicknames.

"Where is this Mr Sinister now?" Storm asks.

"Where is everybody?" Wanda adds on. "Look we didn't press at first Lorna but we have a right to know."

Lorna sighs again. She brushes her hair back. "It was dad's dream."

"What was?" Wanda presses.

"He wanted a place where mutants would be safe. A nation of our own. Like a mutant version of Israel," she uses an appropriate analogy of Israel being a nation for the Jews.

Storm, Logan and Beast look at her intently. They had no idea Magneto was planning this. Though they suspected he was planning or doing something in the background. Something to explain his periods of dormancy when he didn't act against humans.

"Let me guess with him as supreme ruler," Wanda says with a shake of her head and a touch of venom in her voice. "Why am I not surprised? It's always about his ego."

"Hey!" Lorna objects to that.

"Please," Storm intervenes. "Let us not fight," she says before the 2 sisters get into it again.

"Where is this nation?" Beast asks. "It's a very crowded world. You can't easily hide hundreds of mutants in one place."

"I...what would you do if I told you?" Lorna wants to know before she says anything.

Good question.

Since Storm is in charge for the moment she guesses it falls on her to make a decision. "We're not going to go there. At least not right now. Nor do anything to start a war. We won't fight hundreds of our kind, Lorna. However I think I would speak for the Professor when I say that a mutant nation is not the answer to the problems we face."

"That's your opinion. It wasn't my father's. Nor the opinion of the hundreds of our mutant brothers and sisters who followed him."

Storm sighs. "Ok. We won't press you for the location today but if you stick with us Lorna it will be raised again one day. You understand that?"

Lorna nods. She guesses she can't blame them for wanting to know.

"Excuse Logan and I a moment," she says, pulling Logan out the room. "Rogue's never made mention of this," she has to raise.

Logan rubs his face. "I know," he grimly accepts.

"I know we agreed patience but there's patience and then there's vital information we need to know. An entire nation of mutants risks fundamentally changing the political balance on the planet. Not to mention I can imagine the reaction of the other nations when it is discovered," Storm with grave feelings about how this will pan out.

Logan can see what she is seeing. Rogue's...what to do with his daughter. They'll be a long talk when they get back. "What do we do about it?"

"Well I'll discuss it with Charles upon our return but the fundamental question is Logan what can we do? We can't force en mass hundreds of our fellow mutants out of what they may now consider their country, wherever it is, can we?"

"Suppose not."

"We would need its location first and visit it. Assess the situation on the ground. The most we could attempt is for Charles to try and persuade them through argument that this is not the solution. However, the truth is they chose to join Magneto and they chose to follow his path. With his passing he may have become a martyr to them and his cause an obligation they feel they need to see through."

"I get the feeling our headaches could shortly become much bigger," Logan phrases the possible consequences of this.


"Was that really necessary, Colossus, mate?" Pyro asks in a complaining tone as he rubs his head. He was sat, slouched over, his lighters torn off.

"You attacked us first," Colossus retorts. "All we wished was to talk," he points out to the fire-starter. See what happened was that he and Superman came to talk and Pyro jumped to instinctive response of trying to cook them. Kinda pointless when both Colossus and Superman are fireproof.

Though Superman's grumbling about the scorch marks on his jacket. One of these days Clark will find a material that's as durable as he is.

Betsy is chuckling under her breath at Clark's mumblings. He's so cute when he's being goofy. Oh what might have been between them, huh? Oh well. Move on. She has Warren now.

Anyway perhaps they were a little rough in disabling Pyro, hence the bashed head but Colossus is not in the best mood.

"What do you want to talk about?" Pyro asks, his head pounding. He swears he has double vision now.

"What do you know of where my sister was being held?" Colossus want to know

"Don't look at me. That wasn't my department," Pyro sort of pleads innocence over Colossus' sister being held. "That all happened before Mags recruited me. He never had me involved in watching over her."

"Can't imagine why," Superman mutters. You know apart from the fact Pyro's clinically insane.

"He's telling the truth," Betsy confirms.

"Course I am you daft pom," Pyro says, somewhat insulted he is getting doubted.

"Listen you bloody Aussie, don't make me mind fry you," Betsy warns him about insulting her. "Now either you help us or I take a trip through your mind and I really don't want to do that since you're clearly nuts. That being the case I'll make sure to leave you a gibbering vegetable...which lets face it would be an improvement!"

Pyro recoils from the feisty English girl and relents. "Ok, look, taking the little shiela wasn't exactly kosha in my book either. All I do know is that Mags was a control freak. Always wanting to be in control and watch over people. If there's a clue it'll be in his quarters. Try there," Pyro suggests.

Colossus must admit that's actually a good idea. He's amazed Pyro could come up with it.

Superman and Colossus take the suggestion up and soon force their way into Magneto's private quarters, which were sealed off, while Betsy lets out a dreamy sigh as she admires the two, big strong men. Hey Warren or no, she can still look.

The 3 walk in and look around.

Betsy arches an eyebrow. "A throne?" she scoffs at the sight of the metal throne in the centre of the room. "Really? I'm not a trained psychologist but I think that certainly is saying something about the man," she says, being rather deriding.

"He believed himself superior to others," Colossus describes what he thinks Magneto thought about himself. "His pride and ego were his undoing."

"Yeah," Superman draws out with a sad sigh. His eyes look around, his vision better than others. He points over at the wall and a bank of monitors. "That looks like a security camera system. If Magneto wanted to keep an eye on everything..."

"He might have had the big guy's sister here under constant surveillance," Betsy finishes. "If he recorded it..."

"Then her disappearance might be in the archives," Superman finishes.

"Why don't you get started on that and muscles and I will look around," Betsy proposes. "That ok big guy?" she asks Colossus. "Supes here will let us know once he's got something," she says and she's saying it because Colossus needs something other than to just stand there waiting around. He needs a distraction.

"I would really appreciate someone to watch over her. She has a habit of getting into trouble," Superman requests, clearly on the same wavelength as Betsy.

"Trouble is my middle name," Betsy claims proudly.

"It really is. I've seen her birth certificate. I think her parents must have been psychics too," Superman says with a cheeky grin.

Betsy sticks her tongue out at him.

"I will watch over her," Colossus gives his ascent.

"Thanks," Superman says.

While those 2 go off Clark sits himself down in front of the screens. He locks his fingers together and cracks his knuckles. Being a reporter in training he's made sure to pick up as many tricks as Kitty and Chloe were willing to teach him about computers. Lets see how good he is.


While Wanda is finding it tricky she is trying to be nice to her younger sister. Tricky in the sense she's really not good at connecting to people. Especially when those people tend to be her family.

But for the sake of the poor comatose woman who happens to be Lorna's mother Wanda is trying...though forgive her if she does not agree with a single nice thing Lorna says about their father.

"You really hate us, don't you?" Lorna suddenly asks, referring to herself, her father and her brother.

"I don't hate you," Wanda corrects the younger girl on one aspect but not the other two.

That doesn't escape Lorna's notice. "But our father? Pietro? Valerie?" she presses for Wanda to make clear.

"Valerie who?" Wanda asks, lost by that name since she doesn't recognise it.

"Puzzler."

"I know of her," Wanda admits.

"Well she's sort of like an adopted cousin. Dad looked after her because her grandfather was an old friend of his."

"And yet there I was abandoned and forgotten," Wanda feels the need to remind Lorna again. He can find time for an almost complete stranger but not for his own daughter it seems which only adds more hurt to the oodles Wanda already has.

"Uh..." Lorna stammers for a response. "I don't know what to say."

"Just don't apologise for him. I can be upset he's dead but don't expect me to forgive him just because he is."

Lorna plays with a lock of her green hair.

Wanda sighs. "And where is Puzzler?" she asks, forcing herself to be interested.

"With the others I assume. She's not here as far as I know."

"Lorna...what do you expect out of me?"

Lorna shrugs. "Nothing really. I...just didn't know who else to call for help. I...it is wishing for too much to have a family?"

"No...but as far as I'm concerned father lost the right to be included in my definition of family when he threw me away. Lorna...I've tried so hard to consider what you are to me. I've decided I'm not averse to calling you my sister."

Lorna's face brightens slightly at that.

"However as I was brutally truthful that time at the mansion I will always remain so. I'm not going to start remembering father more fondly or excusing him just because he's dead. It's up to you whether you can live with a sister like that."

Lorna is silent for a moment before saying, "Pietro left. You came." And that is all she needs to say really.

Wanda manages a smile at that and Lorna returns it and for one brief shiny moment the two girls feel that sisterly connection. It's a start.

Meanwhile Beast is just about ready to move Ms Dane into the x-jet so they can take her back to the mansion.

At this moment Superman arrives with Betsy and Colossus tagging on.

"Ah, Superman how fortuitous," Beast remarks. "I could use your help in moving Ms Dane," he requests.

"Of course, Mr McCoy," Superman says politely. "But first, Storm," he addresses her. "I've managed to track down where Colossus' sister, Illyana, was being held."

"Was?"

Clark winces slightly. "Right, right. Slipped my mind. Colossus told me she vanished over a month ago, kidnapped by someone with teleportation powers. I was thinking if we found the room we could scan for a particle trace left behind."

Storm is not a stupid person but she is not an expert on teleportation powers either. She turns to the nearest authority. "Hank?"

Beast strokes his chin. "Possible. Many variations on teleportation power do leave behind a sub-atomic particle trace. However, they do decay over time. After over a month...it may be difficult."

"But not impossible, right?" Superman says, giving Beast a look not to shatter Colossus' hopes just yet.

Beast manages to cotton on. "Oh nothing is impossible. We have the necessary equipment back at the mansion."

"That's on the way."

"How is that on the way Space Boy?" Logan asks.

"Oh the room's not here in this base," Superman starts to explain.

"You think Magneto would keep her in the same place as our friend here?" Betsy says rhetorically.

"I traced the signal back. The co-ordinates are back in the States, in the deserts of the south-west," Superman informs them. "I'm going to assume this is yet another base we'll have to look through."

Storm rubs her head just above her right eyebrow with a single finger as she thinks. "Ok, Wolverine, stay here with a team, finish searching and packing everything up. The rest of us will first take Polaris' mother back to the mansion, pick up the equipment we need and head to this new location," she decides.

"I also managed to get a recording of Illyana's disappearance to analyse. We should arrange a download of all information we can find back to the Institute, assuming it all hasn't been deleted."

"Good idea," Storm agrees. "Logan, get Forge to do that will you," she requests.

"Sure," he agrees.

"Now lets us move Ms Dane," Storm decrees.

"Is there any help I can provide," Colossus offers out of his true nature and because he feels an obligation to Lorna, who he has come to see as a good friend.

"The more the merrier," Beast quips and with that they get to work.


Author's Note: Well at least Wanda's trying to be nice to her sister. And now the X-Men learn of what Magneto was actually up to and Logan's right of course. It only makes their problems a bigger headache. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. Next up; Impact Aftermath part 4 as the X-Men attempt to locate Illyana.