Chapter 48

The last few days had been hectic ones. The Professor had been locked in meetings with the Bayville Mayor, it's police chief, it's representatives in Congress, it's State Governor, Senators and so on. If they were in a position of political power Charles had met them as he laid the ground work for what would be his grand announcement.

For the students life went on as normal, trying to get use to the Hellions attending the same school. The Hellions' holier-than-thou appearance was starting to slip as they began to muscle into the role of Bullies-in-Chief of Bayville High.

Clark was avoiding Ali like the plague...which is not entirely easy since they're in the same year and have to share classes. Oh yeah Ali is older but apparently has been massively skipping school(big surprise...not!) so has in fact been held a year back at some point in her life.

Luckily identity protecting magic spells mean he doesn't really get noticed(thank Rao!).

That evening after school the Professor informs them that very shortly he will be making an announcement about the inhibition technology.

The reaction is pretty much the same as when he announced he was developing it.

This time Clark follows Rogue after she storms off, feeling he has put this conversation off for far too long.

He catches up with her. "Rogue. Can I have a word with you?"

Rogue stops and looks at him. They were nowhere near as close as they once were. To be truthful they were not even back at the level of close friends although that doesn't mean she didn't care for him. She did. He was her first real love. In a way he would always be a part of her...kinda literal in her case. See her powers for proof. "Sure. If ya want," she agrees to a talk. "Ah'm goin' down ta tha Danger Room."

"That's fine. I'll come with you," he says.

The two walk towards the elevator to the lower levels.

Clark starts the conversation off on a safe topic. "How are you, with your powers?"

"Good. Ah've really got it down now," she asserts confidently...perhaps overconfidently.

"I don't know if I ever apologised enough for all of that."

"Clark ya don't need ta apologise. It's all good. Ah have control of mah absorption powers and ah'm now so much more useful on missions," she says cheerfully, truly loving the fact she is now one of the big hitters on the team.

"Yeah. I think I heard Scott yelling at you the other day," he broaches the subject tentatively.

Rogue rolls her eyes. "He was completely overreacting," she dismisses that. "So ah didn't do exactly what he said. Big whoop. Sometahmes ya have ta improvise when confronted with tha situation at hand."

"I don't think Scott would argue with that, necessarily."

Rogue disputes that assumption. "Yeah. He would. He's a control freak."

They reach the elevator and Rogue enters the passcode to call it.

"Since I wasn't there I know I can't make a judgement but in the end, Rogue, Scott is team leader," Clark makes the point that Scott's in charge.

"Want ta bet if Jean had done what ah did he wouldn't have reacted lahke that?" Rogue kinda accuses Scott of double standards.

"I'm not going to comment," is Clark's response, wishing to avoid a debate on something that is off topic on where he wants to steer this conversation.

The elevator doors slide open and they both step inside. After it closes Rogue's lip curve up mischievously. "Hmm, ya and meh in a confined space. Remember tha last tahme?"

"Vividly." Her and him when they were dating...and yeah use your imagination.

Rogue chuckles. "Good tahmes, huh?" she asks with a waggle of her eyebrows.

Clark smiles. He had missed the teasing side of Rogue. He hadn't seen it in quite some time and it was nice to see it again. "They were. I don't regret us being together Rogue. Only how it ended."

"Yeah. That sucked."

"Totally," he says in his Kitty impression.

Rogue and he share a laugh.

Clark finally broaches the subject he wanted to talk to her about. "So what I wanted to talk about was this whole inhibition technology stuff."

"Ya know mah opinion."

"Yes...but I don't understand it. There was a time you would have done anything for technology like this."

"There was," Rogue doesn't argue that. "However there is a difference between using it ta help people lahke meh and giving it ta tha government ta use against us."

"Your cynicism remains I see."

"No, mah realism remains. Clark this was always tha difference between us. Ya always look at tha world through rose-tinted glasses."

"I really don't," he disputes that. "I just try to believe in people. Is that wrong?"

Rogue sighs as the elevator doors open. She steps out, turns round and uses her hand to keep the doors open. "It's not wrong Clark but ya put belief in people who don't deserve it."

"I believe in you. Always did. Always will. Deep down I know you're a good person, Rogue, who tries to do what is right."

Rogue hates it when he looks at her like that. So full of faith she knows she can't live up to. "Clark, what tha Professor doing is wrong. It will beh tha undoing of us all. Now ah don't plan ta walk out but don't expect meh ta silently accept this."

"Well to be fair you use to go to your room and brood a lot."

Rogue smiles a tiny amount. That was true. "Things change. People change," she says softly but with a firm insistence about what she is saying.

"Sometimes change isn't always for the better," Clark cautions.

"And sometahmes it is. Ah'll see ya later, Clark," she says as she releases the doors which slide shut.


The next day the many members of the press gather outside the Bayville Town Hall where the Professor had chosen to have his press conference. The weather was quite mild for the time of year...so ok Charles may have asked for Storm's help in that.

Joining Charles was the Mayor, the police Chief, the State Governor, the State Senators, Congressmen. There was also Patricia Swann, since it was her company that would be manufacturing the devices. There was Beast, here to explain the technical details...to a point. In some areas it would be kept deliberately vague so as not to give others too much of a heads up. Also on a more personal front Lilandra had flown in from Smallville to show her support.

When Lilandra told her community what was going on there had been ructions. She knew there would be. Still she had made her choice to stand by Charles' side. She can only hope that when she gets back to Smallville everyone is still there and hasn't taken the extreme reaction of leaving.

Charles rolls up to the microphone as he prepares to make his address. "Ladies and Gentleman of the press I thank you for attending. I know this announcement is sudden and on short notice. There are reasons for that I think you will understand as I explain them. It has now been approximately 8 months since mutants were revealed to exist. In many ways we are all still trying to find the balance as to how we live together. I know there have been bumps along the way even at this early stage of the journey but what I said in Congress that day last year still holds as true today as it did then. It is my wish we live together in peace and that the gifts of mutants are a boon to all of humanity."

Charles pauses momentarily. He can sense the confusion. He has managed to keep them completely in the dark. The politicians wanted to keep it that way until it was all set up. Charles refused to comply. These days all it takes is one tweet by one loose lipped intern and it's out and out of control. Better to do it on his terms. Better to do it now and give people time to adjust.

"It is the bumps I referred to that this conference is about. As was said in Congress all those months ago mutants are just like the rest of humanity. There is the good and there is the bad, the misguided, the unfortunate who have fallen on hard times and for those the temptation can be only too strong to misuse their powers and break the law. There have been some, particularly amongst certain groups..." the anti-mutant ones, "to claim mutants act as if above the law. Nothing and no-one is above the law. A society must have laws that apply to all equally or we have no society. Now I do feel certain leeway must be given on occasion. I will be happy to expand what I mean later but I wish to remain on track. The question that has been asked is what happens to mutants who make a conscious choice to break the law. If it was a human there wouldn't be the necessity to have this conference. The police would arrest the offender. He would be tried fairly by his peers and if found guilty sent to prison if his crime warranted a custodial sentence. But what about mutants? How do you capture and contain people with such power? That is the question is it not?" he asks the audience.

Charles gives them a minute to consider their own answers to the question before he gives his own.

"It is the answer to that question that brings us here today. Today we make a number of announcements. First is the creation of a new branch of the police that will be known as the Bayville Special Crimes Unit. It will be tasked to specialise in crimes linked to those in possession of extraordinary powers...which is more than just mutants. As we all know many individuals with remarkable power have appeared these last several months. This unit will be trained and equipped by my Institute in the methods of dealing as safely as possible for both parties with capturing suspected criminals. The other part is containing them. To that end Dr Henry McCoy in partnership with Star Labs has created...a technology which can inhibit a mutant's abilities. In time and with further research I believe this can be extended to all those in the possession of special gifts."

There are lots of mutterings amongst the press pack at that and Charles can feel them chomping at the bit to ask questions...lots and lots of questions. They'll get there.

"Dr McCoy will shortly explain the technical details. Ms Patricia Swann, owner of Star Labs, has also agreed to work in partnership with myself and the good political representatives you see beside me to manufacture and supply the equipment."

Charles then changes the aim of his speech talking beyond his direct audience to the wider world. "I know many out there, mutants included, will be alarmed by this. I ask them not to be. This is just another step along the road to living in a peaceful, equal society. To reach our shared goal of that future mutants and humans must work in partnership. That is all I desire. That is all I believe every single person out there truly desires. Alongside me is Ms Lilandra Neramani, leader of the mutant community of Smallville, Kansas who will speak to this truth. For me there is no personal gain in this beyond the comfort of knowing I am contributing to building a shared future. Neither myself nor Ms Swann will profit from this. Any profits from the sale of this technology will be channelled to those organisations that work to promote human/mutant equality."

Charles once again aims his gaze down at the audience in front of him. "Now I'll hand over to our Honoured Mayor," he says passing the conference on.


The now Hellions' Boarding House...

Most of the students were at school. The less human ones like Catseye, Murmur and Penance remained with Emma. Arguably you could have told her not to bring them but she had her reasons for requiring them to be close to hand. Reasons she chooses to keep to herself.

Ok if she is being honest she genuinely likes home schooling them. Emma will never openly admit it but part of her would be happy simply being a teacher.

That's one reason. There are others.

Right now Emma, her sister and the 3 students are watching the press conference with utter disbelief.

Ok not Penance who probably doesn't understand what is going on.

"What is he doing?" Adrienne asks.

"I have no idea," Emma confesses. It's just...what the hell is Charles thinking giving that technology to humans! He must be going senile.

"How can you have no idea?" Adrienne asks incredulously. "You're the mind-reader!"

"And Charles protects his school with psychic shielding just like I do and he teaches his students how to shield their thoughts, if not actively puts in mental blocks to keep people like me out. He may be a fool...and this just goes to prove how big of a naïve one he is but despite that he is not completely stupid."

"I may argue that."

"Catseye agrees," Sharon says with that purr in her voice.

"What do we do?" the normally quiet Murmur asks.

"Rrrr," Penance says...and who knows what she is trying to say.

Adrienne rubs her head. "I will have to consult with the Lord Imperial," she decides. "This may require us to change what we were planning."

'Oh yes, of course. Her sister must get orders from someone else. How utterly pathetic that is,' Emma muses silently to herself. Then of course what is more pathetic is that Emma, for the moment, too has to go along with it. Difference between Emma and her sister though is that Emma is thinking how to get herself into a position where she doesn't have to keep doing this while Adrienne just goes along, sucking up. Emma can't believe some days that they are sisters.


Magneto's base...

Magneto has not forgotten that a war is coming with humanity. He has just been preoccupied with the creation of the mutant homeland down in the Savage Land. Once it is set up he will have a hidden, secure base from which to strike out at his enemies.

His hidden metallic bases across the world will become forward bases to house his elite strike teams. Like his Acolytes.

His focus on securing a future for his people also does not mean he has not been keeping tabs on all that has been happening out in the human world. He has. He makes sure to keep track of anything that might constitute a threat to his people.

And right now Magneto is watching Charles make a completely foolish decision that constitutes a serious threat to his people. Magneto cannot believe Charles would make this choice. Surely he must know how it'll end.

"Why haven't we killed that guy yet?" the superstrong female mutant Frenzy asks, furious at this.

The entire group of current Acolytes were there. Current meaning minus the treacherous, as they see it, Live Wire. Along with Frenzy there was Gambit, Ruckus, Sandman, Sabretooth, Colossus and Pyro. Magneto recently had managed to persuade Amelia Voght to join them as the resident teleporter. She had been reluctant, desiring more to simply be a nurse but Magneto can be very persuasive.

There was also the Wyngarde sisters who were taking over from their father as Magneto's resident telepaths since Mastermind's long term undercover assignment had begun. They still bickered endlessly but it was nothing that couldn't be handled.

And of course there was Polaris who was never too far away from her father nor her now quite good friend Colossus.

"You do not, ever, say that about Charles Xavier, Frenzy," Magneto snaps at her, his voice deadly dangerous.

"But...?"

Magneto glares at her hard. "Are you about to make me repeat myself?"

Sabretooth chuckles behind Frenzy's back. "Yes. Make him repeat himself. Please," he asks her because that would be amusing.

Frenzy glares at the feral mutant. She can put her fist right through him if she wanted to.

"Now all of you," Magneto addresses the Acolytes. "Leave me. I require time to think."

They all exit the room except for Lorna. "Dad?" she queries. "What does this mean for us?"

Magneto gives her a small but tries to make it a reassuring smile at the same time. "Trust me, Lorna. I'll find a solution. While I do believe I understand what Charles is thinking he is deeply misguided."

"Ok," Lorna accepts. While there are doubts over a few issues regarding her father, primarily what really happened with Wanda, she still has faith in him that he means only to do the best for their kind.


Bayville...

The press conference had been a draining experience for Charles. He had forgotten how much he didn't miss that. He's not really comfortable being up in front of the press. Since mutants were revealed he has somehow fallen into the role of one of the major representatives of mutantkind.

It's not what he really wanted. He just wanted to set up a school and train mutants to use their powers wisely.

It was outside influences that taught him differently, that forced him to create the X-Men as they exist now as a group that, if necessary, combats other mutants. It was Shaw that started this realisation and when Erik lost himself to the persona of Magneto it simply pushed Charles that final step.

The furore that followed his announcement and the questions that came from the press pack had taken some considerable time to go through.

He would later this evening be doing a series of interviews with the news media. Right now he had returned to his Institute to rest briefly. He was in his study which is his private place.

There is a knock on his door and smile forms on his face as he senses who it is. "Come in," he beckons her.

The door opens and Lilandra enters, her look and even her walk, oozing sophistication and class. "You know you don't need to speak with me," she gently points out since they're both telepaths.

"Habit," he explains. "Please sit," he offers her the seat opposite him.

Lilandra elegantly sits and then looks at Charles as if assessing him.

"How are you finding my school?" Charles wonders since this is her very first visit to it.

"It's wonderful," Lilandra had found it. "You must be very proud."

"I am."

"How are your students handling all of this?"

"Just as I said when last we talked. At least no-one has walked out but there are many who are unhappy. Some with perfectly understandable reasons."

"You're an amazingly sympathetic man."

"Well I am psychic you know," Charles quips wryly with a slightly strained smile.

"Hmm, hmm," Lilandra says. "And what does your psychic powers tell you about what I'm thinking?" she asks, her tone low and suggestive.

Charles arches an eyebrow. "That you have a strange craving for waffles," he says with a completely straight face.

"That's amazing!" Lilandra gasps in mock shock that he apparently guessed correctly, playing along.

Charles laughs a deep hearty laugh. Lilandra seems to have a way to bring cheer to his life.

Lilandra smiles brightly at seeing Charles laugh. "So when do you start training the police?" she asks.

Charles makes a peculiar expression.

"Still sounds weird when I say it like that doesn't it."

"How can you tell?"

"Well I am psychic you know," she quips in the same wry tone as Charles previously.

"It does sound strange...but it is necessary and I did rush this announcement before the police are completely ready so it'll be next week until they can sort out the volunteers and we decide a schedule."

"Why did you rush?"

"These days with all the social media it was next to impossible to keep it secret. Besides I wished to be the one in charge. I have to lead this no matter what price I pay personally with my standing amongst other mutants. It won't work any other way."

"To me it only raises your standing," Lilandra assures him what it means to her personally.

"Thank you."

"So I never got a chance to speak much to Ms Swann. Is she ready to manufacture this?"

"At first it will only be on a small scale and Patricia assures me they are ready for that."

"But eventually her company will have to build a new prison designed specifically for mutants though."

"Her company would only have to create the inhibition technology that would have to be installed...but yes, a new type of prison for anyone with abilities is inevitably going to be required."

"You don't sound happy."

"This is not about my happiness. This is about doing what I believe must be done, despite the risks, to secure a peaceful future."

"That doesn't mean you shouldn't have happiness Charles. I could help you with that," she cheekily suggests.

"I'm certain you could," Charles says diplomatically.

Lilandra rises from her chair and steps up in front of Charles. She drops down to her knees and takes his hands in her own. "You are a very brave man Charles Xavier. Lesser men would have chosen to avoid making these difficult decisions. You chose to confront these things head on. Don't underestimate how that makes you remarkable," she says with complete sincerity.

Her words touch him deeply. "Thank you," he whispers, his voice a little hoarse with emotion.

Lilandra's sensual lips curl up. "For some women it's also a bit of a turn on," she jokes.

Charles laughs heartedly. He can't put into words how glad she came and stood by him today...but that is the benefit of being a telepath. Words are not needed.


Hellions Boarding House...

Emma and Adrienne are locked away from their students having a private video conference with the Lord Imperial about the current situation.

The man with the grey hair and moustache was not happy with the situation at all. "How did we not know Xavier had this technology?"

The two Frost sisters look at each other as if waiting to see which one of them drops the other in it. Emma speaks first. "We...do not know, my Lord."

"We have it too," Adrienne points out.

"Yes but we had no legal patent over it. Xavier has us beat because we can't explain how we happened to have this technology first can we?" the Lord Imperial asks of either sister.

"No, my Lord," Adrienne concedes.

"This changes the situation."

"In what way?"

"Before I described Xavier as an irrelevance..."

Emma, by the way, never considered Charles that but who listens to her these day? No-one apparently.

"However it seems he has made himself relevant again. Not just with his partnership with the local government and police but his alliances with the Smallville Mutant Community and Patricia Swann."

Saying it like that Emma could see Charles had indeed made himself a bigger player than before. Someone, who normally, the Hellfire Club would try and indoctrinate but Charles will never go for that. "Perhaps, my Lord, we need to alter our approach," Emma proposes.

"What approach would that be my Queen?" he queries from her.

"Admittedly we have previously given Charles a bad impression of us."

"You were responsible for that," Adrienne reminds her younger sister and takes great glee in pointing out Emma's blunders.

"Which I have conceded to fully," Emma repeats what she has said before, though it tastes like the bitterest fruit on her tongue. "Now if I may continue?"

"By all means," the Lord Imperial directs.

"Destroying Charles, as we discussed before, would not benefit us any longer. With his alliances it only risks creating powerful enemies railed against us. What we need to do is to convince him that we are genuine in what was only a deception before. That we wish to be friends. That we have the influence to keep his dreams alive. That a partnership would be much more beneficial to him...at least in the short term. Longer term I still think dismantling the X-Men from under him should be our goal along with trying to forge our own alliances with Patricia Swann and the mutant community of Smallville. Once we do that Charles can return to being the irrelevance he should be."

"Still bitter my dear sister?" Adrienne queries about how much Emma seems to want to put Charles down.

"I'm past that. It's merely about what is best for the interests of the Inner Circle," Emma insists. "My Lord," she addresses the Hellfire Club's supreme head once again. "Our club has survived for centuries exactly because we think long term. We move slowly, carefully, methodically. We make alliances that benefit us and discard them when they don't. Immediately I think we need to let Charles do his work because I can bet Magneto will not take this well. We don't want a war right this moment...unless we're the ones prepared to start it."

"Is that it?" Adrienne asks, an annoyed frown marring her features.

Emma doesn't need to read minds to know what her sister means. "I admit Charles' release of this technology isn't what we would have done but do we have influence over the government or don't we? This is still retrievable. We can still bring this back under control to benefit us," she asserts.

"I agree," the Lord Imperial says. "I agree with everything you have said Emma. Keep this up and I may end your probation sooner."

Adrienne snorts quietly in disapproval at that idea.

"Now I will deal with the government end of this. You two deal with Xavier as Emma suggested. Show him we can be partners. Is that clear?"

"Yes, my Lord," both Emma and Adrienne chime in harmony.

"Hellfire burns eternal," the Lord Imperial signs off the call.

"Hellfire burns eternal," Emma and Adrienne return it. The screen goes blank.

"Don't look so smug, Emma," Adrienne tells her off.

"I wasn't aware I had any such look."

"You're still on probation and even when...or if it ends we're still of equal standing. I am a Queen as well."

"Yes, well, sometimes you can't account for the reasoning behind people's decisions."

Adrienne glares at her younger sister. "Always think you're so smart don't you," she says spitefully.

"I don't think. I know."

"I know you altered our father's will to write the rest of us out," Adrienne accuses and believe you her she isn't forgetting or forgiving Emma for it.

Emma denies any knowledge of what her sister is accusing her of. "You weren't written out. Certainly not by me. I didn't know what was in his will and I was merely given his controlling stake in Frost Industries. Father always did say I inherited his business nuance."

As if Adrienne believes that. Still she knows how to cut her sister to the quick. "No. After you went crazy I believe he seriously considered the possibility mother had an affair and you were a bastard."

Emma's head snaps round. "I was not crazy. I'm a telepath."

"Yes, yes. So unfortunate we didn't realise that. By the way what was that mental institution like?"

Emma's face darkens as memories flood in of her incarceration.

Adrienne then really goes for the killer. "Perhaps we should have sent Christian along with you and then he wouldn't be dead," she adds in reference to their deceased brother.

That does it for Emma. "You don't know a damn thing about Christian! None of you ever did! He wasn't sick! He was gay! But none of you understood that. You...all of you...you were the ones who drove him to his death!"

Emma rises to her feet so she can stand over Adrienne. She hates the lot of them for driving Christian to suicide because of their 19th century views on her brother being homosexual. "I hold each and everyone of you responsible...especially father!" she snaps, hate pouring off her her, overriding her normal absolute control over her emotions. That said she turns on her heels and stomps out the room.

After Emma leaves a small satisfied smirk forms on Adrienne's face. Her sister may try to be as hard as the diamond she turns into but Adrienne knows exactly where the soft spot is and she'll continue to prod at it until Emma blows up and destroys herself.


Magneto's base...

Magneto had spent some considerable time in solitude thinking over what must be done. When he reached a conclusion he summoned his children. Yes, Pietro had done well enough lately to be allowed back into the fold.

The slender teen with silver hair folded his arms across his chest. "So what are we doing about this?" he wants to know, having heard everything that idiot Xavier was planning.

Magneto rises off his metal throne and strides across the room to the computer equipment against the far wall. He turns it on and brings up the images of the news conference. "Any chain is only as strong as its weakest link."

Pietro rolls his eyes as he always does when his father slips into metaphors. "Which means what exactly?"

Magneto takes a moment to let the stab of disappointment slip by that Pietro can't see it.

"The Swann lady," Lorna says quietly.

Magneto and Pietro look at her with the exact same expression of surprise showing how indeed they are father and son.

Magneto soon moves on to intrigue. "Explain Lorna," he asks of her.

"The Swann lady," she repeats. "She must know where this technology is being made but she's...she's just a normal human being right? I mean as far I know she is so we get to her and learn what we need to."

A smile starts to form on Magneto's face. "That's very good, Lorna," he congratulates her with extreme pride for figuring that out. Perhaps Lorna is the one who can carry on his work one day if she continues to show intuition and intelligence like this.

"She's right?" Pietro asks, unable to believe that. "We're going to go after this Swann person?"

"We are, yes," Magneto confirms.

"The X-Geeks will try and rescue her you know," Pietro points out.

"No doubt," Magneto accepts and has already made that calculation. "That's why we'll need both the Brotherhood and the Acolytes. Even Charles can't be in two places at once. Plus there will be two locations we must destroy."

"There are?"

"Star Labs was mentioned in the conference but that is a research and development facility not a manufacturing facility."

"There's a factory somewhere else," Lorna makes the obvious simplification.

"Precisely...and our two Lady Masterminds will extract it from Ms Swann's head."

Oh yeah. Them. Pietro can't help but smile at the image of those two. Good god were they hot.

"Dad," Lorna says in a tentative voice.

"Yes, Lorna?"

"Can I come?" she asks, hopefully.

Magneto pauses. "Now Lorna..."

She doesn't let him finish. "Oh please," she pleads. "You said once I got control of my powers I could help on a mission and I'm really good now aren't I?" She locks her hands together in front of her as if praying and pulls off the dreaded puppy-eyes routine. "Please, daddy. I promise I'll be careful. I'll do exactly what you say but let me help, please, please, please, please, please..."

Magneto caves. "Ok. You can come...but you will be at my side the entire time. Is that clear?"

Lorna makes a squeal of joy, runs forward and throws her arms around her father in gratitude. "Thank you dad!"

Magneto pats her on the back. He's pretty certain he's just been played. "Now we must get ready to depart."

Lorna pulls back, her eyes lit up. "Ooh, ooh. That means I can wear my costume doesn't it?"

"Yes."

Lorna gives a fist pump.

"I must make the preparations. Excuse me," Magneto says as he leaves.

After he is gone Pietro remains, eyeing his little sister.

"What?" she asks at his expression.

"You are shameless."

"What?" she repeats, looking completely innocent.

"Don't even try it. I invented that routine you just pulled."

"I have no idea what you mean, Pietro," she dismisses his accusation as if she truly is innocent. "Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to get changed."

Pietro watches her leave, with she holding her head up high. "Shameless," he repeats...but at least it proves without doubt that she is his sister.


Author's Note: Oh dear. That can't be good for Patricia. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. Next up; Magneto wastes no time in making his move.