Chapter Five

"So, Dark Angel, can you tell us any more to prepare us for this great peril you say we are facing?" Rebecca asked the next morning when the X-Men again gathered in the War Room.

"Yes," he replied. He glanced over at Logan. "And you can call me Tristan now."

Ric didn't miss the Dark Angel looking at Logan, nor did he miss the small smile that Logan gave him, as if they shared some sort of private joke. Ric felt his anger boiling inside him and fought back the urge to go over to Tristan and inform him that Logan was his, so he should back off.

"Okay, Tristan it is," Rebecca said. "What can you tell us about the Dark One and his mission?"

"As I said yesterday," Tristan began, "the Dark One is a being of pure evil. He is from just beyond the scope of the Shi'ar Empire, and has started trying to make it a part of his own Empire. He has begun to obtain his goal by taking over the smaller, less-defended worlds on the outskirts of Shi'ar space. Empress Lilandra has been alerted to his presence, and even the Dark One is wary to enter a full-sized war with the Shi'ar Empire. He feels that, in order to be successful, he must not only stop the Shi'ar, but obliterate their entire legacy from the pages of history."

"Harsh," Marie interjected. "How does he plan to do that? I mean, from what I know about the Shi'ar, they aren't exactly easily defeated, never mind legacy-obliterating."

"That's where all of you come in," Tristan said. "The Dark One has heard of the X-Men and believes that with them on his side he'll be able to destroy the Shi'ar Empire."

"He's insane!" Kacie exclaimed. "We aren't any sort of indestructible fighting force! We aren't even the original X-Men! We're really just kids!"

Billy took hold of her hand. "Calm down, Honey," he whispered.

"The Dark One isn't going to care about any of that," Tristan said. "He will come here, enslave all of you as well as the rest of your planet, and then, if you aren't what he expects, kill you."

"Gee, you know, that sounds fun, but I think I'll pass," Marie said.

"I don't think the Dark One's gonna exactly hand any of us a 'get out of enslavement free' pass," Logan said. She looked over at Tristan. "What do we need to do?" she asked him.

"I will help to prepare you for the Dark One's arrival," Tristan replied. "I can tell you what you need to know in order to fight him, since I have the experience. I think with us fighting together stopping him may be possible."

"You said before that he will be here within a week," Rebecca said. "That does not give us much time. What do you need us to do?"

"I will have to train you to fight him, starting as soon as possible," Tristan said. "Do you have any place where you usually train?"

Rebecca nodded. "Let us show you the Danger Room."

*** *** ***

Angela pulled Craig and Briana into the medlab with her while the others went off to begin their training. "I'm sorry all this had to happen with the two of you here," Angie said. "I know you hadn't planned on a crisis."

"It's all right," Briana said. "As Captain Britain I have faced many a crisis."

"Finding my father has seemed to have led from one strange experience to the next," Craig said with a shrug.

"That's what happens when you're related to Wolverine," Angie said. "Anyway, Paige has said that since neither of you are official X-Men you are free to leave at anytime in order to avoid the Dark One."

Craig gave her a puzzled look. "How can I just leave when I know some pure evil guy wants to enslave Earth?" he asked. "I know I won't be much help, but I can't just do nothing."

Briana made a quick glance at Craig. "I agree with him. As Captain Britain I have sworn not to walk away from a challenge."

Angela nodded, her emotions pulling her in two different directions. Sensibly, she knew that she should be glad that Briana was staying, since the X-Men were going to need all the help they could get. Still, she was ready for her cousin to leave, Craig, on the other hand, she was unsure about completely. How much help in combat could a stockbroker possibly be? However, with his healing factor he did have the potential to become quite formidable. Angela decided she might as well accept help, no matter where it came from.

"Okay. I will have to talk to Paige and the other X-Men, but I'm sure they will be willing to let you stay. Briana, go join the others in their training session with the Dark Angel. Craig, you stay and let me run a few tests." Angie noticed Craig's sudden discomfort at the word "tests" and added, "They're just the standard tests I run on all the X-Men, nothing to sweat over."

"Let's get them over with then," Craig said.

Briana got up to leave. She leaned over and kissed Craig on the cheek. "See you later, Handsome," she said. She gave Angie a nod and left the room.

Angela raised her eyebrows at the kiss, but decided it was better not to say anything. "Okay, let's get these done," she said to Craig.

"Yeah, okay, if I must," Craig replied, standing up slowly.

"Are you okay?" Angie asked. "I'm sensing a great deal of nervousness from you."

"Sensing?" Craig frowned. "Oh yeah. I'm going to have to get used to being around telepaths."

"I'm not reading your mind or anything like that," Angela assured him. "It's just that you're projecting your thoughts rather loudly. I'll have to teach you how to put up mental shields."

"Could we just work on that instead?" Craig asked.

Angela laughed. "I'm afraid not. What are you so worried about anyway? It's not like I'm going to discover you have some life-threatening disease or anything."

"I've just never liked medical exams much—not that I've needed many."

"What don't you like about them?"

Craig frowned. "I'm not really sure. I guess when you get right down to it I was always afraid that someone was going to discover that I'm a mutant."

Angie put her hand on his shoulder. "Craig, I know you're a mutant and I'm certainly not going to judge you for that. I mean, look at me—I have purple hair and wings!"

"You do have a point there. I guess it's just an old habit dying hard." Craig grinned. "So, Dr. Worthington, are we going to get this started or not?"

*** *** ***

Angie pushed her glasses up on her nose as she looked over Craig's x-rays again. Logan came into the medlab. She was still in her training uniform, and her hair was damp with sweat, but other than that it was impossible to tell she'd taken part in any sort of strenuous exercise. "Wish I had her healing factor," Angela thought for a brief second.

"You wanted to see me?" Logan asked.

"Yes. I want you to take a look at Craig's x-rays for me," Angie said.

"Okay," Logan replied, "but I'm sure you know a whole lot more about this kind of stuff than I do."

"I'm not so sure that will be the case in this situation. Take a look at this," Angie said, pointing to an x-ray or Craig's arm. "What does this look like to you?"

Logan frowned. "It looks like maybe Craig inherited yet another part of the family legacy."

"So you think they're claws, too?"

"I'd bet good money on it."

"Do you think he knows?" Angie asked.

"He might," Logan said with a shrug. "My dad didn't know he had claws until he became Weapon X, and even then he didn't know that they were bone and an actual part of him until Magneto ripped out his adamantium."

"Did you know about yours before Weapon X?" Angela asked.

"No," Logan replied. "I mean, we always knew it was a possibility, but they never came out or anything." Logan's claws popped out with an audible *SNIKT*. "I know they're there now, though. Are you going to say anything to Craig?"

"I probably should," Angela said. "If he doesn't know, the least I can do is warn him in case they do someday decide to, um, make an appearance."

"Yeah, a little warning could be a good thing," Logan said, letting her claws disappear back into her hands. "I still remember the first time mine came out. I was still messed up from my ordeal with 'Weapon X,' and they just shot out of my hand. The pain was excruciating, and all I could do was scream until I finally got them to go back in."

"I'm sorry that happened to you, Adanya," Angie said. "All of it."

"It's all right," Logan said with a shrug. "I'm pretty much over it now. And it could've been a lot worse. Look at everything that happened to Wolverine."

"Still, most people wouldn't be able to handle half the stuff you've gone through."

"One could say the same thing about you, Angie."

"Do you want to be in there when I tell Craig?"

"Not really," Logan said. "I need to get back to Tristan's training session. Kacie made me promise not to be gone too long. If Craig needs any help with claw maintenance he can call my father. He's the bone claw expert."

"Okay. You should get back before Kacie melts or something."

Logan laughed. "Hey, is Briana really joining us?" she asked.

"Yes."

Great," Logan groaned. "Warren's gonna have a coronary over that one."

"He'll get over it. Besides, Briana has to go back at some point. She can't exactly be Captain Britain if she lives in the States," Angela said. "Oh, and Craig's joining, too."

"Oh, wonderful," Logan said, rolling her eyes. She looked down for a moment, then back up at Angela. "If he doesn't already know about the claws, try not to freak him out, okay?"

Angela smiled at that bit of sisterly concern that Logan always swore wasn't there. "I'll do my best."

*** *** ***

"Craig, I believe we need to talk," Angela said as she walked into the examination room where Craig was waiting for her.

"Uh-oh," Craig said. "I've learned that it's never good when a woman starts a conversation like that."

Angela pulled a chair over and sat across from him. "Well, this could be either good or bad, depending on how you feel about it. But first, I have to ask you a question."

"What?"

Angela took a deep breath. "Have you ever had strange bone growths suddenly protrude from your knuckles?"

Craig stared down at his hands. "Once, about five years ago. It hurt like hell and it took everything I had just to get those things to go back it. I was terrified after that that they'd come back out when other people were around and they'd see that I'm a mutant, but it never happened again. I started to wonder if it was all some vivid dream."

"It wasn't a dream," Angie said. "You have claws—like your father and your sister. However, theirs, like the rests of their skeletons, are bonded with the rare metal adamantium, while yours are not. Although they are bones only, your claws are still functional. If you would like to learn how to use them, I'm sure Wolverine could show you, though the decision whether or not to use them will be yours."

Craig ran his right hand over the knuckles of his left. "I'll think about it, okay?"

"That is fine with me. The decision is yours alone to make, and there is no pressure either way," Angela said. "And other than that, you're in perfect physical condition and free to join the rest of the team at any time."

"So I can leave now? I still don't like these kinds of places."

Angie laughed. "Must be genetic. You should see your sister when she comes in here. She's got the look of a trapped animal in her eyes."

"With her, I can imagine," Craig said as he got down from the exam table. "See ya around, Doc."

Angie smiled. "Bye, Craig."

*** *** ***

Warren paced back and forth across the floor of the Guy's Den. "Why in the world does Briana have to join the team?" he asked. "Last thing we need on this team is Captain Bit…"

Billy cut him off. "Watch your mouth. Lady present."

Warren gave Billy a puzzled look, then glanced down to see Kacie sitting on the floor. She paused the video game she was playing with Billy long enough to look up at Warren and say, "Hi!"

"What are you doing in here?" Warren asked.

She nodded her head towards Billy. "Kicking his ass in this the way I do in everything else," Kacie replied.

"Oh, well, in that case, by all means stay," Warren said. "You know, I beat him at that last night."

"That isn't fair!" Billy shouted with mock-outrage. "Ric hit me with a pillow!"

"Don't try to pin your shortcomings on me, Bill," Ric teased from the other side of the room.

"Why is the whole world against me?" Billy asked.

"Because you're an easy target," Kacie said.

"Love you, too, Kacie Gracie," Billy mumbled.

Kacie stuck her tongue out at him, to which Billy replied with a leer, "Later, Baby."

Kacie glared at him, then reached out with one hand to freeze the back of him neck, all the while never wavering in her game. Billy yelped and jumped back. Kacie giggled.

The game ended with Kacie celebrating her victory. "Anybody else brave enough to go up against me?" she asked.

"I will," Warren said.

"Okay," Kacie said with a shrug, "but I already know I'm going to beat you."

"What makes you so sure?" Warren asked.

"'Cause I can beat Billy, and Billy can beat you; therefore, I can beat you by the transitive property," Kacie explained.

"What?"

"Never mind," Kacie said. "Just sit down and prepare to be whooped."

*** *** ***

Logan waited for Tristan to answer the door, wondering if she was doing the right thing. Should she just leave before he got there? No, she decided she couldn't be a wimp and just run off. She stood her ground and Tristan answered the door.

"Yes?"

Logan felt herself blushing fiercely, and she mentally berated herself for acting so stupid about something so simple. "Um, well, I just figured that since you'd seen the training facilities and that's it, that you might want to check out the rest of the grounds—in case our battle with the Dark One takes place at the mansion, you'll have a good feel of where you."

Tristan raised an eyebrow, a little confused by Logan's fast-paced babbling. "What?"

Logan took a deep breath. "I guess what I'm trying to say is, would you like to go on a walk—with me?"

Tristan nodded. "I'd like that—very much."

Logan's smile beamed up at him. "Great! So are you ready now, or…"

Tristan stepped out into the hall, shutting the door behind him. "Let's go."

*** *** ***

Ric glared out the window as he watched Tristan and Logan walk off together. "I hate him," Ric growled through clenched teeth.

"'Hate,' is a pretty strong word," Marie said as she walked up to stand beside Ric.

"Look at him, moving in on Logan like that! How can she just automatically trust him? How can any of you trust him? We know nothing about him!" Ric said.

"He hasn't done anything to make us distrust him," Marie replied. "You just don't like him because he's showing an interest in Logan."

"You only trust him because you think he's cute," Ric snapped.

"I'm not that shallow."

"Look, whether or not he betrays the team in the end, he will end up hurting Logan. That much is obvious," Ric said.

"He couldn't possibly hurt her anymore than you already have."

Ric resumed glaring. "Just leave me alone. For once, Marie, leave me alone."

"Fine," Marie said, turning around to leave. "Sorry I even cared."

*** *** ***

To be continued…

Also, I've started drawing the characters to this story and the rest of the series. They can be found at http://www.angelfire.com/scifi/addielogan/illustrations.html and more are on the way!