eXcessive Force

Shortly after Logan and the rest of the X-Men, along with Blade, Selene and Amelia had reluctantly allowed Rogue back and Domino to join the team, they had taken the two secret lovers down into the sub basement and into Professor Xavier's chamber.

Rogue stated while gasping softly. "My god. You guys did it...you found the Professor."

Bobby stated softly while rubbing the back of his head casually. "Yeah, we did."

The brunette asked while turning to Logan. "Where'd you guys find him? Where was he?"

Logan answered truthfully. "He was on Genosha."

Both Rogue's and Domino's eyes widened in shock after hearing where the powerful telepath had been and the blue/gray skinned Mutant asked. "How the hell did he end up on Genosha?"

Blade answered for his friend and co-leader. "We...honestly don't know how he ended up there, Domino. When we asked Magneto, he said that he and his people found Charles laying comatose on the beach. He cared for him until we found him and after a little 1 sided fight, instigated by my co-leader, he let us bring the Professor back here."

Rogue asked after noticing that Cyclops wasn't with the others. "Where's Scott?"

After hearing Scott's name, Blade answered while attempting to keep his anger in check. "He's not part of this team. Not while I'm here."

Domino said while instinctively stepping forward between her younger girlfriend and Logan's on/off vampire ally. "She's just asking. There's no need to get pissed about it."

Even though Hank and the others were surprised at how fiercely protective Domino was being towards Rogue...Emma, Selene and Amelia instinctively knew the reason: the younger brunette and blue/gray skinned former mercenary were a couple.

"Well, it seems there 3 lesbian couples in the X-Men now." Emma thought with a bit of amusement, as it reminded her of herself and Jean.

Hank stated, as he and the others realized that Domino was unaware of the bad blood between Blade and Cyclops. "The reason why Scott isn't here or part of the team...is rather complicated, Miss Domino."

The blue/gray skinned Mutant asked, as she was intrigued by what the blue furred X-Man meant. "What do you mean?"

Rogue answered the question while softly tapping her girlfriend/lover on her shoulder. "The last time Blade was here...Scott attacked him with his powers."

Dom asked as she was surprised by what her girlfriend just revealed to her. "Why would Cyclops do that?"

Wolverine answered softly. "The stupid jealous idiot thought that Blade was hitting on Jean and after a not so pleasant fight...Jean ended her 'relationship' with Cyclops and ended up being with...Frost."

Blade stated softly while crossing his arms, as the memories of that day never left his mind. "The thickheaded bastard was just lucky that Charles stopped me from crossing the line I swore I'd never cross. Otherwise I would have drained him completely dry."

Rogue asked softly, as she realized that Jean was still missing. "You guys still haven't found Jean?"

Kitty answered truthfully. "Emma's been using Cerebro to search for any signs of Jean. But for some strange reason, we just can't find her."

Domino stated before sighing softly. "I have some information that could help generate a lead."

As soon as the words left her mouth, Blade and the others stared at the former Brotherhood member with shocked filled eyes, along with Emma, who asked. "Well...would you mind sharing that information with us, Domino."

Even though Domino was weary of sharing what she knew with the X-Men, especially since she knew they and more importantly: Wolverine and his vampire allies didn't trust her, Rogue stated softly while placing a gentle and reassuring hand on her shoulder. "It's alright, Dom. Tell them."

Dom stated while asking softly. "I'm sure you X-Men are already familiar with a man named Sinister, aren't you?"

Logan asked with a serious look on his face, while Bobby simply held Kitty close once they heard that name. "Yes, but what does he have to do with this?"

Selene asked, as she and Amelia were unfamiliar with that name. "Who the hell is this Sinister?"

Kitty answered truthfully. "He's a monster."

Hank stated while placing a comforting hand on Kitty's shoulder. "Sinister is a Mutant 'scientist' who conducts the more immoral 'experiments' on other Mutants: primarily attempting to find ways to combine individual powers to create mass death and destruction."

"And years ago, he tried to use Jean for those experiments. But we managed to stop him and save her in time." Ororo added. "But how did you get any information on him?"

Domino stated while explaining softly. "A few months ago before the Brotherhood and I recruited Rogue to our team, we heard word on the street about how Sinister's agents had been hunting and kidnapping children that are homeless for his experiments. I figured you and your team would want this information, Wolverine...so you could save those kids."

To say that Logan and the rest of the X-Men, along with Blade and his sisters were surprised was the understatement of the year: as Domino had just provided them information about Sinister's agents targeting and kidnapping homeless children, whom were no doubtingly Mutants for his demented and vile 'experiments'!

Logan stated with a rare grin on his face. "That is rather useful information, Domino." Emma added as she was still focused on finding her beloved redhead,

"Domino, that information is indeed helpful. But what does Sinister have to do with Jean?"

The blue/gray skinned Mutant answered truthfully. "One of the Mutants that Sinister's agents have been searching for is telepath. It may be a waste of time...but maybe one of them knows something."

Emma asked as she felt that Domino's information was credible and worth looking into. "Which agent would you recommend we start with? Harpoon?"

Domino answered while shaking her head. "No, both Harpoon and Blockbuster are just muscle. Your best bet is to go after Sinister's 2nd in command: Arclight."

Bobby stated while asking. "But how are we supposed to find this Arclight? If Sinister's agents are searching the city, their hideouts are probably well hidden."

Blade answered while placing a soft hand on the young X-Man's shoulder. "It's rather simple Bobby: we round up the small fish. If we take down Harpoon and Blockbuster..."

Logan concluded for his co-leader. "They'll lead us to Arclight and he'll lead us to Sinister."

After the X-Men and their vampire allies had hunted down and defeated all of Sinister's agents: Harpoon, Blockbuster and Vertigo, Wolverine had allowed Blade, Selene and Amelia to 'interrogate' Arclight.

Blade asked plain and simple. "Where's your master, Sinister?"

The purple haired Mutant spat acidly. "You X-Men can go fuck yourselves! I'm not telling you a thing."

Amelia stated with a small grin on her face. "Oh, we were hoping you'd say something like that."

Before Arclight could even react, both Selene and Amelia had aimed one of their Beretta/Walther handguns and fired a single round that passed right through his groin, causing him to scream and cry out in pain...while Bobby, Kitty and Rogue turned away as they couldn't bring themselves to watch.

Blade asked while kneeling, so he and Arclight were face to face with his vampire features showing. "We're going to ask you this one last time, Arclight...where is Sinister?"

After Arclight had given the X-Men, Blade and the two vampiress lovers the location of his master's base of operation (while under Sinister's secret orders), Wolverine had led his team into Sinister's main chamber: where they found the demented mutant 'scientist' sitting on his throne with his minion, Multiple Man standing right next to him, whom cracked his knuckles while creating living copies of himself to face the X-Men and their vampire allies.

During the battle, a Multiple Man clone had drawn out a laser gun whilst aiming at Wolverine, who had been distracted by four clones at the same time and as soon as he heard the shot, Marie shouted while pushing him out the way. "Logan, look out!"

Wolverine cried out in shock, as he witnessed Rogue collapsing onto the ground while holding her heavily bleeding left shoulder. "Rogue!"

Domino, who'd seen this, snapped before her eyes showed a very wrathful rage as she looked at Sinister. "SINISTER, I'LL KILL YOU!" Before she started firing her guns at the mad mutant scientist, only for several Multiple Man to block her shots which hit them, even with her power to be lucky, which allowed Sinister to escape.

"Iceman, finish this!" Blade said to his friend before the iced mutant teenager froze all the Multiple Men.

As all the X-Men gathered around Rogue, who Domino had taken in her arms, Emma was sad and disappointed. "I read Sinister's mind and he doesn't know where Jean is." She revealed as a tear fell from her right eye.

The next day

After the heated battle against Sinister and Multiple Man, Logan, Blade and the rest of the team had returned to the X-Mansion, where Domino and Kitty had helped Rogue, who had been leaning on their shoulders onto a bed in the medical bay as her shoulder was covered in her own blood.

Rogue stated while hissing softly from the throbbing pain from the gunshot wound to her shoulder. "Oh God, it burns."

Logan stated softly while removing one of the brunette's gloves. "Rogue...I want you to use your powers on me."

Rogue asked with a truly surprised expression on her face, as Logan was willing to let her absorb some of his healing factor. "Logan...you're really going to let me heal myself with your power?"

The Adamantium clawed mutant stated with a gentle smile on his face. "You wanted to earn my trust back kiddo...you earned it, when you took a blow that was meant for me."

The brunette smiled back in return before placing her hand over Logan's and within a few seconds, the gunshot wound to her shoulder had instantly healed and was no longer visible.

Domino asked softly after pulling her lover in a gentle hug, which she instantly returned. "So...what now, Wolverine? Are you and the others still planning on having me and Marie locked up?"

Blade answered for his friend and team co-leader. "Of course not, Domino. You and Rogue have proven to us that we can trust you both. However...we are going to put Rogue on probation."

The brunette asked with a surprised look on her face, along with her blue and gray skinned lover. "Probation?"

Logan answered while explaining. "Even though you've earned my trust back Rogue...it doesn't mean you're off the hook for setting us up and exposing us to Kelly and the Mardies."

Rogue asked softly, as she realized and understood that she still hadn't earned Bobby's, Kitty's, Selene's and Amelia's trust back. "How long will I have to be on probation?"

Logan answered softly. "Blade and I talked it over and we agreed on three weeks."

Rogue stated softly, as she knew that rejoining the X-Men wouldn't be easy. "I'll do whatever it takes to earn the others' trust back."

Blade stated with a gentle and proud smirk on his face, along with Logan. "We know you will, Rogue."

Meanwhile, in a different part of New York

The medical staff in a hospital had frantically sprinted down a hallway with a nurse stating in a deeply shocked tone. "Doctor, the patient, Miss Doe, she's finally awake!"

The head doctor replied with an equally surprised tone. "But it's impossible. She had been in a comatose state for a whole year. We've tried every medical procedure to wake her up and she never responded."

After the doctor and nurse had entered the patient's room, the doctor asked in a gentle and professional tone. "Miss, are you alright."

The mystery patient, who turned out to be none other than Jean Grey answered while asking softly. "Wha...? Where am I?"

The doctor replied. "You're in a hospital. Can you tell us your name?"

Jean answered with a confused and conflicted look on her face. "I...I don't know. Who am I?" She asked, clearly having amnesia.

There you go, my dear friends, the eXcessive Force chapter is complete. The next chapter is the Battle Lines, which will have another romance scene between Rogue and Domino. Rate and review and I'll see you all soon, my dear friends.