Xavier Mansion
Diana lay on her bed listening to the storm that was raging outside. She was still kicking herself about staying after the last little run in with Sabertooth and Tigera. She had to admit, though, she'd enjoyed tormenting the big idiot. Plus well, she was curious about the girl who had helped them. She had missed Logan, too.
There was a knock at the door.
"Yes," Diana said.
Logan came into the room. "Um, I thought you might like to come to the Danger Room and work off some energy with me?"
Diana raised her eyebrow at the statement. She was bored out of her mind. "Sure. Might as well do something."
Logan smiled.
Rogue and Riley walked from Jean's math class. Riley wasn't really attending classes with the other students. He spent most of his time with either Diana or the Professor.
The girl, Neraida, came around a corner.
"Well, look who it is," Riley said. "Birdgirl"
"Riley," Rogue said. "That's not nice."
"Don't worry," Neraida said. "I know he is only teasing. So what are you up to Riley?"
"Oh, you know me," Riley replied. "Just hanging out."
"Sure you are," Neraida said as she walked off.
"I still think she reminds me of someone," Rogue said.
"You'll think of who soon. I'm sure," Riley replied.
Neraida found Animalia with Wolverine. They were going out of an elevator.
"Ok," Animaila said. "I admit it, I feel better. Oh, hey Neraida."
"Hello," Neraida replied. "Can I talk to you two?"
"Sure," Wolverine said.
They led Neraida to the study. After they were all settled, Neraida tried to think of a way to bring up the subject that had been bothering her since she'd arrived.
"What's wrong?" Animalia asked.
"It's Riley," Neraida blurted out. "She knows he's here. She gave him the reason for being here."
"I know," Animalia replied. "That's why I'm concerned about Rogue."
"Why?" Wolverine said. "Is she in danger? And who knows Riley is here?"
"Riley is Tigera's son," Animalia said. "She sent him to the mansion. And yes, Rogue might be in danger. But I don't want to keep her away from him, then he'd know we were on to him."
"So you are just going to leave her in a dangerous situation?"
"As long as they are on the grounds, she isn't in danger," Neraida said. "I've been keeping an eye on them."
"So have I," Animalia said. "It'll be alright, Logan."
"I still don't like it."
"You're not suppose to," Animalia replied.
"Now about this person who sent you," Wolverine said.
"Dr. Mikley," Animalia said. "He started working with the Project after we had already had the surgeries. He actually did a lot to help you."
"Yep," Neraida said. "He's been raising me for as long as I can remember."
"What about you parents?" Wolverine asked.
"I have no clue who they are, or how I ended up with the doctor, but he said I'd know soon before I left," Neraida replied.
Shit! Riley thought. Now there were two people who knew who he was here. That number would probably go up quickly. He just had to make sure they didn't figure out why he was there. If they did, well, things would have to go sooner than normal. He looked at his mail. His mother sure did know how to give him an excuse to leave. Now, to find a date, he thought. Should be too hard. He knocked on Rogue's door.
Kitty answered it. "Oh, it's you." She turned back inside the room. "Rogue, it's the boy."
Riley rolled his eyes. Teenagers! He smiled when Rogue answered the door.
"Yes," she said stepping into the hall.
"I've been invited to a party in New York City," Riley said. "Some of my friends from London are in town. Want to come?"
"Um, I'll have to ask the Professor if I can leave, but yeah, sure!"
"Wonderful," Riley said. "Let's go talk to Xavier."
"Hey, Chuck," Wolverine said.
"Chuck?" Xavier said turning his wheelchair around.
"Have you seen Rogue?"
"She went to a party with Riley."
"She what?"
"Some of Riley's friends were in town," Xavier replied. "They were having a party and Riley invited Rogue."
"And you let her go!"
"Logan, anyone who tries anything with her is going to have a rather large surprise. She'll be fine."
"It's not that. Riley is bad news. He's Tigera's son," Logan said.
"Really?" Jean said coming around the corner. "And she didn't tell us."
"Jean," Logan said. "Don't start. Not now. Where was the party?"
"This is ridiculous," Diana said pulling her elbow length gloves on. Ororo had started to give her one of Jean's combat suits, but Diana had pulled out one of her own. The silvery-black halter topped jumpsuit had been specially designed for her over 17 years ago, and she prided herself on still being able to fit onto it.
"Do you have any better idea," Scott said adjusting his visor.
"Well, yes, but you wouldn't like it," Diana smirked. "Crashing parties isn't my specialty, any more than hostage situations are."
Ignoring her Scott turned to Storm, "We need some more cover."
"Got it," Storm became concentrating on making it foggy.
"Hey," Neraida said. "I can't fly if it gets much worse."
"Well, then stay grounded." Logan suggested.
"Thanks a lot," the girl replied. "But I thought I was suppose to swoop down and grab Rogue.
"Just get ready to go," Scott said.
Diana returned her attention to the outdoor party. Rogue laughed at something one of Riley's friends said to her. Diana jumped slightly as she felt Logan move. "What?"
"Something doesn't smell right," Logan said. "Trouble."
"Tigera and Sabertooth are probably nearby," Neraida said.
"Lovely," Scott sighed. "Well, let's do it."
"Wait a minute," Diana put her hand on Scott's arm. "How exactly are we going to this? I mean technically they haven't done anything wrong."
"Well, I never thought I'd hear you say that," Logan replied.
"Someone has to," she said.
Rogue smiled at Riley. He's friends were great. They had tons of stories. She was really glad she'd been allowed to come. Suddenly the cell phone the professor had insisted she bring with her started ringing. She pulled it out of her new purse and hit the button. "Yes?"
"Get away," Logan said.
"What?"
"Something is wrong."
"Yeah, you're acting weird that's what's wrong," she smiled at Riley again. He reached over and took the phone, then turned it off. "Hey!"
"Come on Rogue. Stop letting them treat you like a child."
"You're right," Rogue replied suddenly wishing she could kiss him.
"She hung up on me," Logan said as he rejoined the group.
"No, Riley hung up on you," Scott said.
Suddenly Neraida turned into a robin. "Well," her voice sounded odd coming from the bird. "Time to start doing things my way." The robin took to the air and perched on a tree branch not far from Rogue.
"What's that all about?" Ororo asked.
"I don't know," Diana also changed into a robin. "But I'm going to find out." She joined Neraida.
"Oh, yes, this is fun," Scott said.
"I'm sure they know what they are doing."
Tigera looked around the party. She found her son sitting with the girl. On a branch not far away perched two robins. She smiled knowingly. Nice job, doctor. You trained her well. Tigera smiled at her son.
"Mother," he said.
The girl looked up, her eyes full of fear. It seemed she suddenly released what was going on. The rest of Riley's 'friends' had cleared out when they saw her. Sabertooth came up behind her.
"Hello, again," he said.
The girl tried to bolt for the exit, but Riley grabbed her.
"Come on, Rogue," he said. "If you cooperate we won't hurt you."
"What do you want?"
"Just two, well three now, certain people died."
"Diana, Logan, and Neraida," Rogue said.
"Bingo," Tigera replied.
Logan charged at Sabertooth. Scott pulled Rogue away from Riley. Tigera screamed as a wolf jumped at her. She kicked the wolf away. Neraida had returned to human form. She joined the wolf's fight with Tigera. Scott fired a beam at Sabertooth but missed. Somehow Logan managed to dodge the blast too. Ororo took Rogue from Scott.
Scott was making sure that the pair got safely away when Logan came flying by, hitting the wall of the building that formed part of the fence for the courtyard. Rogue screamed. Suddenly two gunshots rang out. He turned back to where Tigera had been. The wolf was changing back into Diana blood gushing out a wound on her chest. Neraida lay not far away, blood coming from a wound on her stomach. Rogue screamed again.
Jean looked at the results of the test she'd just run. She didn't know why she had done it. But something had told her to run a DNA comparison test. She dropped the clipboard. Scott who had been standing not far away touched her arm, causing Jean to jump.
"Sorry," he said.
"You're never going to believe this," Jean bent down to pick up the report.
Diana lay on her bed listening to the storm that was raging outside. She was still kicking herself about staying after the last little run in with Sabertooth and Tigera. She had to admit, though, she'd enjoyed tormenting the big idiot. Plus well, she was curious about the girl who had helped them. She had missed Logan, too.
There was a knock at the door.
"Yes," Diana said.
Logan came into the room. "Um, I thought you might like to come to the Danger Room and work off some energy with me?"
Diana raised her eyebrow at the statement. She was bored out of her mind. "Sure. Might as well do something."
Logan smiled.
Rogue and Riley walked from Jean's math class. Riley wasn't really attending classes with the other students. He spent most of his time with either Diana or the Professor.
The girl, Neraida, came around a corner.
"Well, look who it is," Riley said. "Birdgirl"
"Riley," Rogue said. "That's not nice."
"Don't worry," Neraida said. "I know he is only teasing. So what are you up to Riley?"
"Oh, you know me," Riley replied. "Just hanging out."
"Sure you are," Neraida said as she walked off.
"I still think she reminds me of someone," Rogue said.
"You'll think of who soon. I'm sure," Riley replied.
Neraida found Animalia with Wolverine. They were going out of an elevator.
"Ok," Animaila said. "I admit it, I feel better. Oh, hey Neraida."
"Hello," Neraida replied. "Can I talk to you two?"
"Sure," Wolverine said.
They led Neraida to the study. After they were all settled, Neraida tried to think of a way to bring up the subject that had been bothering her since she'd arrived.
"What's wrong?" Animalia asked.
"It's Riley," Neraida blurted out. "She knows he's here. She gave him the reason for being here."
"I know," Animalia replied. "That's why I'm concerned about Rogue."
"Why?" Wolverine said. "Is she in danger? And who knows Riley is here?"
"Riley is Tigera's son," Animalia said. "She sent him to the mansion. And yes, Rogue might be in danger. But I don't want to keep her away from him, then he'd know we were on to him."
"So you are just going to leave her in a dangerous situation?"
"As long as they are on the grounds, she isn't in danger," Neraida said. "I've been keeping an eye on them."
"So have I," Animalia said. "It'll be alright, Logan."
"I still don't like it."
"You're not suppose to," Animalia replied.
"Now about this person who sent you," Wolverine said.
"Dr. Mikley," Animalia said. "He started working with the Project after we had already had the surgeries. He actually did a lot to help you."
"Yep," Neraida said. "He's been raising me for as long as I can remember."
"What about you parents?" Wolverine asked.
"I have no clue who they are, or how I ended up with the doctor, but he said I'd know soon before I left," Neraida replied.
Shit! Riley thought. Now there were two people who knew who he was here. That number would probably go up quickly. He just had to make sure they didn't figure out why he was there. If they did, well, things would have to go sooner than normal. He looked at his mail. His mother sure did know how to give him an excuse to leave. Now, to find a date, he thought. Should be too hard. He knocked on Rogue's door.
Kitty answered it. "Oh, it's you." She turned back inside the room. "Rogue, it's the boy."
Riley rolled his eyes. Teenagers! He smiled when Rogue answered the door.
"Yes," she said stepping into the hall.
"I've been invited to a party in New York City," Riley said. "Some of my friends from London are in town. Want to come?"
"Um, I'll have to ask the Professor if I can leave, but yeah, sure!"
"Wonderful," Riley said. "Let's go talk to Xavier."
"Hey, Chuck," Wolverine said.
"Chuck?" Xavier said turning his wheelchair around.
"Have you seen Rogue?"
"She went to a party with Riley."
"She what?"
"Some of Riley's friends were in town," Xavier replied. "They were having a party and Riley invited Rogue."
"And you let her go!"
"Logan, anyone who tries anything with her is going to have a rather large surprise. She'll be fine."
"It's not that. Riley is bad news. He's Tigera's son," Logan said.
"Really?" Jean said coming around the corner. "And she didn't tell us."
"Jean," Logan said. "Don't start. Not now. Where was the party?"
"This is ridiculous," Diana said pulling her elbow length gloves on. Ororo had started to give her one of Jean's combat suits, but Diana had pulled out one of her own. The silvery-black halter topped jumpsuit had been specially designed for her over 17 years ago, and she prided herself on still being able to fit onto it.
"Do you have any better idea," Scott said adjusting his visor.
"Well, yes, but you wouldn't like it," Diana smirked. "Crashing parties isn't my specialty, any more than hostage situations are."
Ignoring her Scott turned to Storm, "We need some more cover."
"Got it," Storm became concentrating on making it foggy.
"Hey," Neraida said. "I can't fly if it gets much worse."
"Well, then stay grounded." Logan suggested.
"Thanks a lot," the girl replied. "But I thought I was suppose to swoop down and grab Rogue.
"Just get ready to go," Scott said.
Diana returned her attention to the outdoor party. Rogue laughed at something one of Riley's friends said to her. Diana jumped slightly as she felt Logan move. "What?"
"Something doesn't smell right," Logan said. "Trouble."
"Tigera and Sabertooth are probably nearby," Neraida said.
"Lovely," Scott sighed. "Well, let's do it."
"Wait a minute," Diana put her hand on Scott's arm. "How exactly are we going to this? I mean technically they haven't done anything wrong."
"Well, I never thought I'd hear you say that," Logan replied.
"Someone has to," she said.
Rogue smiled at Riley. He's friends were great. They had tons of stories. She was really glad she'd been allowed to come. Suddenly the cell phone the professor had insisted she bring with her started ringing. She pulled it out of her new purse and hit the button. "Yes?"
"Get away," Logan said.
"What?"
"Something is wrong."
"Yeah, you're acting weird that's what's wrong," she smiled at Riley again. He reached over and took the phone, then turned it off. "Hey!"
"Come on Rogue. Stop letting them treat you like a child."
"You're right," Rogue replied suddenly wishing she could kiss him.
"She hung up on me," Logan said as he rejoined the group.
"No, Riley hung up on you," Scott said.
Suddenly Neraida turned into a robin. "Well," her voice sounded odd coming from the bird. "Time to start doing things my way." The robin took to the air and perched on a tree branch not far from Rogue.
"What's that all about?" Ororo asked.
"I don't know," Diana also changed into a robin. "But I'm going to find out." She joined Neraida.
"Oh, yes, this is fun," Scott said.
"I'm sure they know what they are doing."
Tigera looked around the party. She found her son sitting with the girl. On a branch not far away perched two robins. She smiled knowingly. Nice job, doctor. You trained her well. Tigera smiled at her son.
"Mother," he said.
The girl looked up, her eyes full of fear. It seemed she suddenly released what was going on. The rest of Riley's 'friends' had cleared out when they saw her. Sabertooth came up behind her.
"Hello, again," he said.
The girl tried to bolt for the exit, but Riley grabbed her.
"Come on, Rogue," he said. "If you cooperate we won't hurt you."
"What do you want?"
"Just two, well three now, certain people died."
"Diana, Logan, and Neraida," Rogue said.
"Bingo," Tigera replied.
Logan charged at Sabertooth. Scott pulled Rogue away from Riley. Tigera screamed as a wolf jumped at her. She kicked the wolf away. Neraida had returned to human form. She joined the wolf's fight with Tigera. Scott fired a beam at Sabertooth but missed. Somehow Logan managed to dodge the blast too. Ororo took Rogue from Scott.
Scott was making sure that the pair got safely away when Logan came flying by, hitting the wall of the building that formed part of the fence for the courtyard. Rogue screamed. Suddenly two gunshots rang out. He turned back to where Tigera had been. The wolf was changing back into Diana blood gushing out a wound on her chest. Neraida lay not far away, blood coming from a wound on her stomach. Rogue screamed again.
Jean looked at the results of the test she'd just run. She didn't know why she had done it. But something had told her to run a DNA comparison test. She dropped the clipboard. Scott who had been standing not far away touched her arm, causing Jean to jump.
"Sorry," he said.
"You're never going to believe this," Jean bent down to pick up the report.